Chapter 3

*Kamal Pov*

“I don’t know what you will do, Kamal. You should come home this weekend at any cause.” I heard what I feared from the past few weeks while dodging her request to return home.

“But Mom…” I started saying along with thinking of a reason to give to her.

“I don’t want to hear anything. Here, that girl is waiting for you and you are not even coming here to meet her. You both should get to know each other more before marriage.” She said and I closed my eyes.

“Mom! I believe that it would be better to not talk about marriage. I mean, I don’t know her and she doesn’t know me. Maybe we both are just not compatible.” I said and waited for her reaction.

“Don’t worry, Kamal. You know a lot about her and she knows so much about you. I am glad that you too think, you should meet her and get to know her on your own. I will be waiting for your return then.” She said and hung up the phone while I took it away from my ear to stare at it in shock.

“Did she again, not understand the meaning behind your words?” Rakesh asked as a statement staring at my stunned face.

“Yes! When I said it is not good for this marriage as we don’t know each other, she thought I am thinking about getting to know her on my own.” I replied and sighed.

“Maybe you should try more than simple words.” Pallavi suggested.

“Like what? My studies will finish soon and then I don’t know what will happen.” I said rubbing my forehead.

“When your wedding gets fixed and you say that the wedding should not happen, she would think you want it even earlier than that date.” Girish said laughing while I glared at him.

“What will you do? Are you going to visit her this weekend?” Pallavi asked, frowning at me ignoring Girish.

“No! I have exams in a few days and I don’t want any tensions at present.” I replied shaking my head.

“Then?” she asked, still frowning.

“Then… then I will be having an extra class at the last minute.” I replied after a few minutes and she smiled but the remaining three looked at me in shock.

“That is not a right thing, Kamal. She would be waiting for you.” David said shaking his head.

“Like I said, I need to concentrate on more important issues.” I said, getting up from the table and walked away from the canteen knowing well I would change my mind if I stay there for another second.

“I am sorry, Mom. I… I have extra classes. I can’t come home this weekend.” I said the next day after returning from college.

“Oh! Can you at least try? It’s been so long since I saw you.” She said in a sad voice.

“Mom! I saw you just a few weeks back.” I pointed out and she sighed.

“Yes! I just… leave it. Ok, then! I will prepare her by the time you come.” she said finally and again hung up.

“What does she want to prepare her for?” I asked out-loud forgetting the presence of my friends around me.

“Maybe to assure your fiancé that you don’t look that bad like she thinks of the reason she always ran to the other side whenever you are home.” Girish uttered like he is helping me to figure out my question.

“Very funny!” I said, shaking my head without raising my voice and continued to study along with them.

“Why do you fear your mom so much?” Rakesh asked bluntly when we were having our dinner.

“It is not fear. I just love her and she is all alone now. I don’t want to hurt her by stating bluntly. Not that it would have done any good for her way of taking my words each time. I just have to talk to that girl and together come out of this mess.” I replied shrugging.

“Would she really accept your suggestion?” Girish asked frowning.

“I am sure! She too doesn’t know me and will lose the little interest when I tell her that I am not interested.” I replied sighing.

“But for that, you need to get a hold on her in the first place.” David pointed out.

“True! She really runs the opposite side whenever I am near to her.” I said, nodding and just had my dinner, hoping this time to have a chance to talk to her.

*Vani Pov*

“Vani! My son is here.” Aunty said, while I was busy trying to cook something edible of his favorites for the first time in my life.

I glanced at the door near the kitchen and made a dash for it to escape from all this. However, she immediately held my hand, making it impossible for me to even take a step near the door.

“I just knew you would do this. Why do you always run away when he comes here?” she asked, pulling me back and I followed her even though my sight is towards the door itself.

“I… I don’t know! I feel happiness, anxiety and fear at a time when he comes here. You know I can’t handle a single emotion. Then how can I handle all of them?” I asked nervously before trying to make her leave the hold over my wrist.

“Don’t worry! He is not here.” The moment she uttered those, I slowly relaxed and leaned on the kitchen platform.

“Why did you lie to me?” I asked her frowning.

“So that, you will not do the same when he really arrives.” She explained and gestured at me to continue the cooking she is giving classes on.

“When he arrives!” I added to her words shaking my head.

“What is the use for him to come here, when you don’t even look at his face?” she asked frowning.

“But… I am scared that he would reject me and I actually know how he looks.” I mumbled looking away.

“If he will reject you, then I will not spare him.” She assured me, but I chuckled knowing well she wouldn’t do that.

“If he does that, I am sure you will search for some person as a fiancé for me.” I said, trying to joke, but it pained me inside to even think like that.

“No! He needs you.” She said in a strong voice holding my hand.

“Is there a problem, Aunty?” I asked her frowning and she shook her head, smiling before giving me the instructions.

“How is your cousin? I wanted to meet her today.” She asked when we finished the cooking.

“She is taking a rest, Aunty. Seems like the wound is causing her pain as she is holding her head too many number of times.” I replied sighing.

“Why doesn’t she go to hospital?” she asked and I shook my head.

“She hates them and she told me that she already went to one immediately.” I replied and smiled remembering how she talked about Mr.Choksi.

“Is she still talking to Mr.Choksi?” Aunty asked and I chuckled nodding as we both are thinking she may even like him.

“It is good then. She will forget that Karthik in no time.” She said nodding to herself.

“If she loved him, then she may would not be able to.” I mumbled and frowned hoping I would never be in that situation.

“My son will arrive tomorrow and I need you to stay still in front of him.” She instructed before I left for my house.

“He will be here tomorrow.” I said the moment I stepped inside the house and everything went into chaos.

“I am dying to meet this guy of yours.” Satvi Di said, smiling at me and started helping us prepare for him everything we can.

“Aunty!” I said, calling her while walking inside her house and saw her talking to someone on the phone.

I arranged my Half-saree a little more before walking completely near to her. I just hope she thinks this is good and he will like it.

When she hung up, I smiled at her and twirled around a little before asking, “Will he like it?”

“He would have, but he is not coming today.” She replied sighing.

“What? But… why?” I asked her frowning.

“Extra classes!” she replied and gave me a small smile.

I nodded before returned to my house from the background only to hear a little scream from Di. We all rushed to the front and saw that the hot liquid fell on her leg.

We usually have a say for us regarding ‘Like Mom, like daughter’, because the next second we started showing the nervousness and see her pained face it increased more until we heard a shout.

We all looked up to see a guy rushing towards us and immediately pulled Di to her feet before dragging her away while we all stood dumbstruck.

In the meantime, I brought the chair for her and waited for her to return which she did within a few moments. Mom and I started applying a salve over her affected area while I asked her about him.

I explained to her that my fiancé is not that old hearing, which she again walked away with a speed before we could say another word.

“Are you really fine?” Di asked for a millionth time and I nodded at her assuringly.

“Like I said before, Di. He has to come here some day, right?” I asked her and she nodded.

“Now, tell me about this Mr.Choksi. I still can’t believe that he thought me as the evil step-sister.” I said grumbling.

“He is amazing and he likes me.” She said grinning.

“We will leave tomorrow for the city then.” She added staring outside.

“Are you hurt, Di? That Leela and Karthika re getting married?” I asked her calmly.

“She is just a kid, Vani.” That’s all she replied and I sighed before we both drifted off into sleep.