“Mom Ratna aunty scolded me.” She watched her son complaining about her friend with a pout.
“Aww… Why she scolded my boy? Did my boy done something he shouldn't have?” She cooed scooping him in her arms.
He shook his head in denial and pouted in return. She nuzzled his soft cheeks, hugging her close to her heart “Then what?”
He giggled pushing her face away “Mom stop doing this. I only do this with my laddoo baby.”
“And I’m doing it with my laddoo baby.” She chirped leaving him down
as he keeps wiggling on her hold.
“You’re diverting me. Come and ask Ratna aunty. She scolded me for teaching my laddoo to call me bhai.” Her face turned painful and her eyes misted in no time.
He didn’t notice her state and kept pulling her with him to the next block where Ratna family stays. She quickly wiped the corner of her eyes, halting her steps and bent down to his height.
“I’ll ask Ratna aunty about it. Until then complete your homework. In a hurry, I forgot to lock our house. Go now.” She gently pushed him towards their house whereas he looked her with a frown.
“I’ll ask about it Arnav. Go now.” She assured him and watched him entering their house which is some 50feets away from the place she’s standing.
Sighing she sauntered towards Ratna house. Giving a small smile to Ratna husband who’s sitting in the living room with his daughter in his arms, she pinched the little baby cheeks before searching for Ratna.
“Ratna.” She called in a feeble voice standing outside the kitchen.
“Come inside na. Why are you standing there?” Ratna called confusedly seeing her friend’s gloomy face.
“Arnav is irritated with your scolding.” Rekha said meekly.
Meanwhile, Ratna stirred the coffee giving a glance at her simultaneously “So madam is angry that I scolded her son.”
Rekha shook her head filling a glass of water for herself “He’s so happy that he got his sister back in the form of Lavanya.”
“Are you happy that you got your daughter?” Ratna questioned back giving a sharp look.
Rekha choked on the water and coughed a little.
“Why not?” She asked with widened eyes.
Ratna sighed and pressed her hand gently “At least don’t lie to me, Rekha. I know you’re getting frequent thoughts about… your daughter seeing Lavanya. She’s reminding of your loss making you yearn for a daughter. I don't know whether you realise it or not, but you’re slowly succumbing to that loss, Rekha. Raj Bhai’s absence is making it easy for you to give into that misery. I agree it’s a big loss and none could bring back the lost ones. But you have to fight back for Arnav, Rekha. Seeing Arnav and Lavanya’s bragging about Bhai, Behan rant, you cannot overcome it. Let them be friends. Nothing is gonna change between them. Let them grow the way they are now.”
Rekha gave a teary smile and hugged her friend for understanding her unsaid emotions. Like always Ratna understood her inner turmoil. Lost her mother at a young age, she grew up under her father guidance without having any female companion. It was always Ratna who filled the space. And she’s continuing her support even after their marriage.
After that little talk Rekha, herself warned him to obey Ratna orders keeping her own condition in mind. When Arnav stopped persuading Lavanya both assumed that it’s a child play.
*
“Ratna what are you saying?” Rekha shrieked in shock hearing Ratna proposal.
“Hey… Why are you giving me a heart attack? I said what I observed and concluded.”
“It’s too early to conclude Ratna.” Rekha reprimanded her idea.
“Look Ratna, I’m saying this only after observing them closely. And it’s not so early Rekha, Arnav has already entered college and Lav also entered her adolescence. You know Lavanya always search for Arnav. She doesn’t even need us if he was with her. Same case with Arnav. Did you notice how Arnav came running here as soon as he came back from school and even now he’s following the routine. And moreover, he is so possessive of her and never let anyone near her. He wants her to play only with him. He himself drops her to tuition and pick up back from there. He looks after her every need whichever he can. He never let any boy near her. Do you even know Lav shared the news of her first menses with Arnav? When I asked, she said she’s scared to tell us so she confides with him. What more compatibility you need for marriage more than this? They never hesitated to share anything with each other. And don’t worry the day is not far that they realise their love for each other.”
Ratna face screams uncertainty “But…”
“Rekha I’m saying na, they’ll be happy in their life. Trust me, they’ll be the best couple in this world.”
“Mumma…”
Both turned towards the door in shock. There should Lavanya half confused and half blushing. Ratna gulped but nonetheless, she regained herself and gestured Lavanya to come near her.
“You heard what we spoke?”
“Mumma… Is it true? Are we going to marry in future?” Lavanya asked gulping her excitement and nervousness.
Unknown to them their talks triggered her to think her and Arnav relationship on a different light. She has seen how her friend’s boyfriends behave with them. It was the exact same way Arnav behaves with her, so she believed her friend fell in love with her.
Ratna gasped not knowing what to say. Rekha held her arm “We’re just talking. Your concentration should be only on studies.”
Rekha’s advice brought tears in Lavanya eyes “You don’t like me aunty.”
“Arey who said that? You’re my favourite flower.” Rekha whispered bringing her to her arms.
“Then why don’t you want me for Arnav?” Lavanya stuttered through her quivering lips.
Her red misty eyes shook Rekha’s heart. She’s the apple of their family. They’ll never wish to see tears in her eyes. Wiping her tears, she kissed Lavanya forehead “When the right time comes I’ll take you with me as my daughter-in-law. Until then you should erase this from your memory.”
“Promise?” Lavanya nodded and asked stretching her palms. Rekha smilingly placed hers on her without hesitation.
“You like Arnav?” Ratna broke the moment asking Lavanya for which Lavanya shyly nodded as Yes.
Rekha jerked from her thoughts feeling a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to met her husband “I shouldn’t have promised that I’ll marry her with Arnav.”
Raj shook his head in denial “Late realisation is good as dead.”
“I never knew our guess would’ve gone wrong.” Rekha said weakly seeing Lavanya’s sleeping frame.
“So what’s your stance now?”
Rekha met his eyes with a frown confused by his question.
“Are you still wishing them to see together?”
Rekha enlarged her eyes and looked up at him as if he has grown horns “Are you mad? How’ll I ask him to marry her when he sees her as his sister? It’s entirely wrong.”
“Then why the hell you force Arnav to stay here with Lavanya?” Raj asked in frustration not able to fathom his wife’s behaviour.
“Somewhere I’m also a reason for Lavanya state. A girl’s curse will never let our family in peace. If it was in my hands, I would’ve served to set the things right. But it’s upon Arnav hands now, that’s why I forced him.”
“So you accept Khushi?” Raj threw another counter urging to bring his family into one.
Rekha rolls her eyes averting her vision back to Lavanya “Just because I respect Arnav feelings in this matter doesn’t change any good towards his so-called wife. My stance is still the same.”
“So you won’t accept Khushi?”
“Now my foremost concern is about Lavanya only. Don’t steal my time in nonessential things.”
“Rekha…” He raised his voice angered by her answer.
“Don’t shout Raj. Lavanya will wake up.” She put her finger on her lips silencing him. Raj sighed realising hospital is not a place to solve family quarrels. He’s happy that his wife didn’t stoop too low to force Arnav to marry Lavanya.
main mistake was done by Ratna Lavanya's mother and now forcing Arnav adn here Arnav's mother not forcing arnav for marriage but trying to keep Arnav near Lavanya is not heeling but creating more problem ...... and they are not realizing it....
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