Chapter 2

Mehul's POV

She bent a little to touch my dad's feet. My dad said, "God bless you beta. But please, don't do it you are like my daughter." She smiled and her face lit up like a bulb.

I must have been staring at her as my dad coughed and said, "Mehul do you remember her?"

I was not sure what to say... I was still thinking about how to respond to it. She was looking at me through her eyelashes.

"Come on Mehul how can you not remember her. You have been scolded so many times because of her. She is Megha, Suresh's daughter." My dad said chuckling.

My eyes widened, I looked at her again as if I was trying to find the similarity between this beautiful girl and that irritating girl with pigtails.

I couldn't find the similarity but this beautiful Megha was smiling faintly as if she knew that I was comparing her with her little self.

That little irritating girl used to frown at me all the time and this one was smiling shyly... Are they one person only??

Not possible...

She folded her hand and said namaste to me. I just said hello...

She was sitting exactly in front of me between aunty and my mom. She was talking sweetly with my mom. Was she the same girl who used to shout at the top of her voice and her voice was shrill. She was talking so softly that I couldn't even hear her across the table.

We all enjoyed the food and then went to the sitting area again.

"Aunty the food was amazing, I ate like a glutton. Thanks for the delicious dinner."

"There is no need to say thanks beta, this is your home. You give me a list of all your favourite dishes and I'll get it prepared for you while you are here." Aunty said smiling.

"Oh!! No aunty, if I would eat like this for a week, nobody would recognise me in Delhi. I would have to spend more time in the gym." I was grinning at the thought of heavenly food.

Everyone laughed and then dad said, "How is aunty Ji Suresh? Let's go and see her."

"I was about to say that, she can't come and meet you, but I know she would love to meet you, specially Mehul." Uncle said.

We all got upstairs, to go to her room. I remember she used to tell us stories and would make delicacies for us specially Laddoos. She was a God-fearing lady. we went to her room she is lying in bed. Her face lit up the moment she saw all of us. My dad and I touched her feet and she beamed at us. I helped her to sit properly as she requested.

She held my hand in her fragile hands. I sat down beside her. She touched my face with her hand and said, "You have become a nice young man, but you never came to meet me. Did you forget this old lady?"

"No dadi, I did not forget you. I just got a bit busy. I had gone to study and then we settled in Delhi. Now I am helping dad and Bhai. I am sorry I didn't come to meet you." She smiled lovingly.

She turned towards uncle and said, "Suresh, I hope you and Vipul remember the promise you made to me and your dad? I think it is time to fulfil that now... I may not live for another year, so I want that it should happen now. Consider it to be my last wish." Tears started flowing from her eyes.

What was going on?? I looked at my father but he did not say anything.

Uncle looked at my dad and asked, "Is that ok with you Vipul if we do it?"

Dad smiled and nodded. Uncle looked at aunty and she came up with a Pooja thali. She handed it to Uncle.

Uncle brought the thali near Dadi Ji and she smiled at me. She applied a Tilak on my forehead and gave me a coconut and gold coins.

I was stunned why was she doing it, I looked at my mom and dad. They just smiled and nodded at me.

I couldn't help asking, "What is this for Dadi Ji?" Though she was smiling brightly, she also had tears in her eyes.

Uncle hugged me and said, "Many years ago your dad and I decided that we will get you and Megha married once both of you completed your education and start your career. Now that you and Megha have done well with your life, we want you to get married as soon as possible."

"What????" I was shocked beyond limit.

"That means you were betrothed to her and she was to you for the last 18 years. And now you are getting married very soon." Said my dad glaring at me as if daring me to deny this marriage.

I wanted to deny immediately, as who gets betrothed in this century. But I couldn't react as fiercely as I wanted because of Uncle, aunty and Dadi Ji.

"But... How can we get married? We don't love each other, in fact we don't even know each other properly." I said controlling the anger that was about to surface.

They were not bothered. Uncle smiled at me and said, "You will get enough time to get to know each other. We all got married like this and see we all are happy. Aren't we?"

"We would have given you time to know each other, Mehul. But as you can see that Dadi Ji is not well so we need to get you married sooner. You will be married to each other within a month as soon as we find a suitable muhurat (auspicious time). Mudit and Sneha are coming back day after tomorrow. I'll tell them to come here." Dad said.

My parents had always taught me to respect our elders, so I didn't say anything but how can I get married to an unknown girl?

I know that girl was really irritating when we were children. Who gets married like this?? I don't want to get married like this, I want to like somebody, fall in love before I get married.

I wanted to marry a girl of my own choice. Ughhh I looked at my mom, pleading her silently but she smiled as if she was assured that Megha was the best girl for me to get married.

I don't want to get married but I can't say anything because if I deny here both dad and uncle would get angry. Their friendship would get affected and they've been friends for more than 40 years... What do I do???

I would have to talk to Bhai. I will wait for him to come. He persuaded dad for his marriage with bhabhi. Their's was a love marriage. Yes, I would talk to him...

I was very angry with my parents. They didn't tell me about this arrangement or betrothal. Were we living in the 21st century?

Did this Megha know about this? I looked at her but she was looking downwards without a single expression on her face.

Why is she not saying anything? Is she mute now? What happened to her irritating shrill voice? Why is she not opposing this stupid betrothal? Is she stupid?

Oh god!! How will we be happily married when I don't even like her?? I was getting annoyed now.

All of them decided that they would call Panditji and find a shubh muhurat (auspicious time and day)for our engagement and marriage.

I was simmering with anger. I saw Megha going out of the room I went after her. As soon as she was out of the room I caught her hand and dragged her to the next room. She was shocked as hell.

"What is all this? Did you know about it? How can we get married? We don't even like each other? Please tell your parents you don't want to get married. Did you know about this all these years?" I was furious and she could see that she seemed frightened. Her face became pale.

"I...I... No, I didn't know, it w.. was... y..you?? M..my mom t.. told me that I was betrothed to someone last year. But she never told me that it was you." She was on the verge of crying.

"Ok, so now you know that it was me. But nobody bothered to tell me anything. Listen I don't want to get married like this. Please tell your parents that you don't like me." I told her in an angry tone.

"I c-can't d..do that. My d-dad would never l-listen to me. I can't..." She was stammering.

"What do you mean you can't?? You have to. We would never be happy. I am not happy about the fact that I am forced into this marriage. Let me assure you, if I am not happy, I will not let you be happy." I blurted.

"I can't d..do it. Y..you c..can d..deny if you w..want." She was crying now.

"You know damn well I can't do that."

"I am s..sorry but I can't h..help you. And p..please leave my hand you are hurting me."