Mitali Jain

I stared at the cutest pair of siblings as they devoured on the food as if they were starving for a long time. It made me wonder if these rich people didn't had money to buy themselves enough food.

"I still think it was mean of you to call Jai Bhai, now wait and see how we are going to get grounded." Vansh said with his mouth filled with as we ladies scrunched our eyebrows at him.

"I am supposed to sorry at this according to you, but I won't, as right now your brother has been called here, not for you guys but for him, as he is in a big trouble, in fact so is my brother." I said and observed as the two smiled like the two devils that I seemed to come to know that they were.

"You know we have already loved you when Bhai talked about you and now we love you even more!" Vansh squealed as he yet again stuffed his mouth with a big bite of Burger.

"I know, come to think of it, Jai Bhai is going to get reprimanded. That has never happened... like ever." Vanshika smiled at me and picked up a French fires form the tray and brought it towards my lips and asked me to open my mouth. "This is why I so approve you."

"For how long have you guys known about me?" I asked, as I tugged my hair behind my ears.

"Ohh, from the day one... I mean after your summer trip with him." Vansh clarified.

"Yes, and as it is, who else would he go and talk with about it? Its either we, or mom and dad or sometimes dadi, or –"

"or di and jiju."

"You guys seem to have a huge family." I smiled at the two of them and at the thought of a family, a big fat healthy family.

"Not as big as the Ekta kapoor serials but, yes a good enough to have our whole house filled with people... that reminds us the reason why we are here-" Vanshika was about to look something into the bag when the door busted open once again.

Talk about sibling things.

"Jai."

"Vansh? Vanshika? What the hell are you guys doing here?" Jai asked as he walked ahead and than his eyes finally landed on me. I saw a shade of surprise settle upon them as he looked between me and his siblings, as he walked now closer to me and asked,

"For how long have they been here?"

"Ohh we just made it." Vansh replied gulping down the last bite of his second burger.

"More like enough time for her to order you guys' junkie." I saw the way Jai took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead and the way his siblings stood up and pushed their chairs back and said,

"Mitali it was nice meeting you, I think we must go."

"Yes you should." The older Kapadia snapped making me shudder as well.

And who was going to reprimand whom? I thought and waved slightly at the two, all the while regretting calling them here.

As soon as the door closed behind them, a silence fell inside the room; it was difficult to even breathe for it seemed it would as well sound as loud as the way my heart was beating.

I was about to reason out for the two little ones when Jai turned towards me and said, "I am sorry if they have been a bother, they were just-"

"Excited? I know they told me, and its fine, as it is it's been quite long that they have kept in their curiosity." I assured him with a smile.

"I just hope they didn't cause any ruckus in my plan to woo you?" he asked, and now that I looked at his jovial self I realized how good he looked in work clothes though they had been the only ones in which I have seen him.

But each time that I see him them I find a completely new person.

"I don't think so, moreover they made me think more into your favor." Jai walked a bit closer to me, as whispered, "So shall I call them back?"

And it seemed it wasn't required as the door busted open once again and the two devils walked in with something in their hand.

"Ohh, sorry bro, but we were here to deliver this." Vanshika said as she handed me an invitation card. And as I held it in my hand I shivered, it seemed these invitation cards and parties gave me huge amount of stress.

"It's from dadi, we have a satyanarayan pooja at our home, and you are invited, and let me quote dadi 'you are not allowed to decline the invite. It's non refundable.' "Though the two laughed at what Vansh said, I was rather in a difficult situation.

An invite, for pooja, at Jai's place, from his dadi.

I looked at Jai who was looking back at me with a weird look in his eyes while all I wanted to ask was... ' what and who all have to told about me?'

*****

I was saved.

That was all I could say, because, I wasn't the only one invited... it seemed Bhai as well had got the invite and was asked to get our parents as well.

And how could my mom not be ready to look into the family who might or might not be in relation with the matters related to her daughter in near future and ... it was a pooja who says no to a pooja?

Definitely not my mom.

Hence here I was standing outside the grand foyer of the Kapadia mansion, dressed in a chiffon sari, my one hand holding its plates while other latched onto my dad's as if I would get lost.

But to be honest, I was scared.

As we walked inside the doors of the mansion, we were greeted by a middle aged lady who was accompanied by a similar aged man dressed in shervani and mojdies. The whole entrance and the living room was brightly lit with flowers and spiritual music being played by traditional folk persons in one corner of the room.

As soon as we approached them the couple seemed to have recognized my parents and my brother as they smiled brightly at them.

"Welcome Mr. Jain, we all were waiting for you, and you must be Mitali, Vanshika and Vansh were right you are so beautiful."

And though it was awkward and I didn't even knew who they were I did what I was expected off, I smiled at them.

"Thank you Aunty." I said and let my eyes once again wander off to my surroundings, and as if they understood their mistake, they looked at each other and laughed and said,

"It seems our son didn't told you about us, I am Geeta, and this is Mahesh, we are Jai's parents." and if it was even possible the whole situation became even more awkward.

"Its okay Mitali, don't be awkward, today you are here as a guest, go ahead enjoy, Vansh and Vanshika are waiting for you, so is dadi... and shall I tell you a secret?" Jai's mother asked.

I looked at my dad, and surely at that moment I might have looked like that of a small kid, but him being there beside me made it a bit simpler, but what Mrs. Kapadia said made me feel relaxed.

"I am happy that you rejected my son in the first go, because if you wouldn't have we would have never got a chance to woo you. Mitali, even before you are in any relation with anyone over here, you are Mitali, a person with your own identity; and we would like it if you could look at us like that of an individual. So from this time onwards, I am Geeta aunty for you.... no mother of that guy who confessed his feelings for you and you rejected."

Though I heard each and every word clearly, I wasn't able to grasp it, and I did what seemed the best thing at that time.

I let go off my dad's hand and took a step ahead and hugged that lady, who knew the best way to make a girl feel at ease.

If only all the ladies out there in our society were that of like her. I thought and whispered a small thank you to her.

"Now go and take the blessings, I am sure the twins will find their way to you." we all laughed as we finally proceeded towards the holy arrangement.

****

"Mitali this is my Dadi and Dadi this is Mitali." Jai stated simply as I bowed down to touch dadi's feet to take her blessings. She said something in her native language and the fast speed that I failed miserable to catch up on it.

"You are beautiful, Jai I liked your choice, now go let me and the girl have some talk." And though at that moment I wanted to hold onto Jai's hand tightly and tell him to wait for me, I looked back right into his eyes and smiled at him as he turned around and walked back into the crowd.

As Geeta aunty had said, the twins did find their way towards me, and so did Jai. And when I had asked him he had said,

"It's not difficult to find you, many of my relatives are talking about the girl in sari... and to be honest its making me more worried."

"Why so?' I asked and looked at him with my brows scrunched in confusion.

"Who knows I have many cousins, and though I have complete faith in my charms, I don't believe you." his words had always taken me by surprise and each time that he surprised me my heart would tug towards him as if there was some magnet to him.

"Mitali" the old frail voice of dadi made me snap out of my flashbacks. I took a seat beside her, and waited for her say her word.

"Are you scared?" she asked. And at that moment I wondered what it was with the Kapadia family that they had always taken me by surprise, be it the elder ones or the kids all are the same.

"I was, but..."

"I knew Geeta had a way with words, she was the best decision that I and my husband along with Mukesh had made. And the next best decision I believe will be you." the old lady smiled at me and took hold of my hand, and began patting it.

Never had anyone done something as simple as that, it had me so emotional that I wondered if I would let out a cry.

She kept on patting my hand as her eyes wondered off to the crowd, for a very long time we seated like that, many people would come to her, greet her make small talks and then walk away.

"Naveen and you are completely opposite." She stated all of a sudden, and there was finally something that I had to agree to.

"That we are, Naveen is more like my dad, whereas my mom says that I am a mixture of both... mom and dad."

"That you are, I remember the times when Naveen would come at our place, and he would always tell me that if ever you would meet me, you will be very happy." She said with a mischievous smile on her face.

I shifted a bit towards her, as I asked, "Why?"

Winking at me, she bent down and retrieved a box and kept it on her lap.

"When I was young I was quite fond of these, when Jai's grandfather came to know about it, each month when new edition would be out he would get it for me." Opening the lids of the box she took out the first bundle of a bit wrinkled pages and when my eyes settled on the title my eyes went wide with excitement.

"Amar chitra katha!!"

A/N

Hii everyone, how are you all doing??

This Monday and Tuesday Mumbai was on high alert. I live in the sub-urban region of mumbai and here the situation was worst we didn't even had drinking water facilities, though it was much much better than the last year. My sister says its just the starting 'bombay ki barish' is yet to show its colors.

I don't know who all know this but bombay is quite famous for its rains, any idea  why??

but rest things aside please make sure where ever you all are please be safe.

also, Amar chitra katha had always been my favorite. in fact they were the ones which got me into the habit of reading. how about you all?

And how did you all liked the chapter and the story so far?

dont forget to vote comment and share the story across.

Thanks a lot for reading

Happy reading

Yadni Bagwe