Part 19

The attendees of the wedding were mere spectators of what had just transpired at the event that that supposedly turned into a battleground for the two businessmen and the occassion just a means to fulfill the business deal. Sunaina was a witness to the cascade of events that unfolded right in front of her eyes since yesterday when Sameer had visited her house. But, she was in grave denial mode and all she cared about was getting hitched to Sameer Maheshwari by hook or crook, which she considered to be the love of her life, regardless of his feelings that he had made abundantly clear to her on numerous occassions.

Panditji announced, "mahurat ka samay nikla ka raha hai. Aayiye jajmaan, gathbandhan karna hai".

Sameer smirked hard and scoffed, "kaisa gathbandhan Panditji? Main yahan jo karne aaya tha woh ho gaya..." and he tapped the file in his hand. "Mujhe toh Mr. Parekh se sirf yeh contract ka bandhan chahiye tha, gathbandhan ka mera koi iraada nahi tha!" Sameer declared, leaving Mr. Parekh shocked and Sunaina flabbergasted.

She got up abruptly from her seating in the mandap, "Yeh kya keh raho Sameer? Aaj hamari shaadi hai. Tumne kaha tha ki hume kuch cheezein shaadi ke baad ke liye chod deni chahiye. Tumne mere papa ko Sasurji bhi kaha tha!" She simply couldn't fathom that someone or anyone could jinx her at the altar.

Sameer came closer to her, "tumse hazaar nahi laakh baar kaha hai ki mujhe tum mein koi interest na tha na hai...toh hamari shaadi toh out of question hai!" Now this shocked Sunaina too and she came on the verge of pleading, "please Sameer, tum mere saath aisa nahi kar sakte".

Sameer felt a little remorse coz after all she was a woman and whatever type she was, he didn't like one bit disrespecting her. But he had gotten to know that she had almost forced her father into resorting to whatever means he had to in order to effectuate this alliance and then her father was equally responsible in actually resorting to dirty tricks instead of trying to talk out the situation and resolve the matter without any parties getting hurt. Sameer had given it a thought that there could have been a fleeting opportunity that he might have accepted the marriage proposal if they had proposed it rightly, just to keep everyone happy and had not directly assumed the nether route. They had already assumed that Sameer wouldn't accept it and started it as a nasty deal already pressurizing him. So he totally believed in tit-for-tat.

"Sorry Sunanina, main tumhare saath ya kisi bhi ladki ke saath kuch bhi bura nahi karna chahta...par aap logon ki taraf se aisi harakaton ne mujhe majboor kar diya ki main bhi gire hue tareeke apnaoo. Parekh uncle, sign karne se pehle ek nazar toh maar lete. Ismein yeh bhi likha hai ki aap yeh deal apni marzi se sign kar rahe hai. Na aap pe koi dabaav hai aur na aap mujhpe koi bhi personal ya professional dabaav daalenge...aur haan, yeh clause maine aaj hi dalvaya kyonki mujhe pataa tha ki aap shaadi puri karvane ke chakkar mein bina padhe sign kar denge". Sameer said the last phrase looking and accusing Mr. Parekh that being the elder, at least he should have acted sensibly.

Sameer started to leave the mandap, when Sunaina blocked his way, "Sameer! Aaj meri shaadi hai aur woh hoke rahegi!" She declared with fiery eyes.

Seeing no other option, Sameer went for phase 3 of his plan hoping that phase 4 would pan out on its own...or else everything might fall apart. He removed his medium-sized talwar from the sheath, "tumse shaadi karne se toh achcha hai ki main apni jaan hi de doon". And just as easily Sameer sliced his both his wrists before anyone even blinked. "Thodi der mein saara khoon beh jaayega, fir kar lena mare hue Sameer se shaadi!" He declared and swayed with dizzyness.

Even Munna Pandit came out of their trance, taking their cue, "Sameer...pagal ho gaya hai kya? Yeh kya kiya?" They each removed a hankie from their pockets and tied up his wrists, caring that the red-colored side was up on the wound as Sameer had instructed previously.

Sunaina and her father were shocked and gaped open-mouthed at him. Her father almost slumped when someone supported him from falling off. Just then, some yelling "Sunaina Sunaina", came barging over in the venue towards the mandap.

All eyes darted in the direction while only Sameer and Munna Pandit knew who was expected. It was none other than Kartik. He stopped the minute he saw the predicament of the mandap and people surprised and Sunaina in tears. However, he still continued, "Sunaina, tum iss Sameer se shaadi mat karna. Yeh tumhari zindagi barbaad kar dega".

To maintain the charade, Sameer smirked as everything was going according to his plan. Now only if the final piece would fall in place. He was heavily counting on Mr. Parekh and Kartik.

Kartik came up to Sunaina. She looked stunning in her bridal finery and he couldn't take his eyes off of her but he reminded himself that it was not about him but her. He clutched her shoulders and stated again. "Tumhe Sameer se shaadi nahi karni chahiye Sunaina...tumhari zindagi..."

She cut him off and broke down in tears, "meri zindagi toh barbaad ho gayi Kartik. Sameer ne mujhe mandap mein chod diya". Kartik's hold on her loosened as the weight of the situation started sinking in.

Some lady from the guests defamed her further, "iske saath toh bahut bura hua. Kanyaadaan ho gaya par phere nahi hue. Ab toh iski shaadi kabhi nahi hogi. Duniya ka koi ladka isse shaadi nahi karega". Sunaina was further heartbroken and she slumped on the ground. She gave one desolate look to Sameer, who averted his gaze so that no one saw through, but it rather indicated that no amount of pleading or begging was going to make him change his mind. But in all reality, he felt like a jerk and mentally kicked himself for behaving like a barbarian. No girl, not even Sunaina, deserved this...he just hoped that everything was over soon.

Naina could feel his anxiety eventhough she didn't know the reason for it. She just hoped that whatever he was doing was over soon so that his heart would stop racing at jet speed and his mind would calm down a bit. Nevertheless, she just made her presence felt, soothing him and trying to regulate his breathing by her own so he could follow her rhythm. He was glad that she was just there, asking no questions and trusting him to finish his task.

Sunaina was weeping and it ached Kartik to see the love of his life in such state. He had accepted her decision to be with Sameer coz he truly loved and cared for her but now that the fate had turned, there was no way he was leaving her dejected, desolate and alone to fend for herself. He hated Sameer for doing this to her but loved her more to think about her first. He bent down to her and held her hands and with love-filled eyes and a compassionate tone tried to assure her, "Sunaina, main tumhari zindagi kabhi barbaad nahi hone dunga aur na hi kabhi tumhe akela chodunga. Main tumse kal bhi pyaar karta tha aur aaj bhi karta hoon aur humesha kaoonga. Main aaj aur abhi tumse shaadi karoonga!"

He declared firmly, which sparked some hope in Mr. Parekh but Sunaina suddenly stopped crying. With teared eyes, she jerked her hands free off his hold, and got up shaking her head vigorously, "nahi...nahi nahi nahi...main tumse shaadi nahi kar sakti...main tumse pyar nahi karti...". She was in utter shock and disbelief and just ran towards her father and slumped down at his feet in the chair he was still sitting in utter disbelief and shock. "Papa..." she just hoped that like each time, her papa would bend all rules and bring the universe at her feet. Only what she had conveniently obliterated was that behind a loving doting father was a staunch primitive man, whose prudent upbringing was anchored to orthodox principles when it came to matters of religious beliefs.

"Sunaina...beta...agar...Kartik tujhse shaadi karna chahta hai toh yeh shaadi abhi hogi". He declared with stoned eyes clearly showing that nothing would change it.

"Par papa...maine usse pyar nahi karti", Sunaina was still trying to hang on to some hope.

Now her father's patience, hanging threadbare, finally gave way and he snapped at her bolting upright from his chair. "Tere pyaar ke chakkar mein, dekh liya na aaj yahan kya hua! Pure samaaj biraadari ke samne meri naak kat gayi. Kahi muh dikhane layak nahi choda tune mujhe. Log sach kehte hai, betiyan parayadhan hoti hai, issliye use seema mein baandh ke rakhna chahiye...zyaada dheel dene pe patang ki tarah haath se nikal jaati hai. Dekho Sunaina, pitaah hone ke naate maine aaj apni kanya ka daan kar diya aur dharm ke hisaab se diya hua daan kabhi wapas nahi le sakte. Issliye aaj teri vidaai toh hogi! Ab tujhe doli mein jaana hai ya...mmm...ya arthi mein, yeh teri marzi hai!"

Sunaina was horrified as to what her father was implying that either she get married to the one willing to be her groom or drown herself to death and stop shaming him further. He couldn't believe her ears and got up from her slumped position and continued to stare at her father. She didn't know what her worst fate was, being jilted or having to marry unwillingly or was it better to put an end to all misery by just ending her life. Before she weighed and decided, seeing her devastated coz of her father's words, Kartik took the matter in his hands. He came back to her and again held her hands firmly in between them. "Sunaina, main jaanta hoon ki iss waqt tumhe yeh sab bahut ajeeb lag raha hoga. Main yeh bhi jaanta hoon ki abhi tum mujhse pyaar nahi karti, par please ek baar mujhe aur iss rishte ko mauka deke dekho. Main tumse bahut pyaar karta hoon aur hamesha khush rakhoonga. Please ek baar haan keh do".

Sunaina, even in her half dazed state gaged some sincerity in his voice and eyes. She knew he always had a soft spot for her and she had rejected his countless propositions, but today he was still by her side in her hour of need when her own father had deserted her. Even if it didn't work out, how much more worse could it be than it already was.

She nodded slightly and let him lead her to the mandap. Since no one was present from the groom's side, Panditji himself did the gathbandhan and completed the remaining rituals including pheras and mangalsutra and sindoor daan.

Finally, Sunaina was married and while her father was bittersweet about it, and although Sameer didn't show it openly, he was the happiest. Mr. Parekh blessed the newly wed couple and hugged his daughter who had just about saved herself from being the bane of his existence by getting married.

Sameer too came forward and wished Kartik, and the guy, understood the reason for all that Sameer had put him through. That had led to this or he might never have mustered up enough courage to fight for his love if she and her life weren't in jeopardy. So, they hugged, which surprised the others. Finally, Sameer had a few words for Sunaina also, "aaj tumhare sath itna bura bartaav karne ke liye sorry. Mera tareeka shayad sahi nahi tha par shayad galat bhi nahi tha. Tumhari shaadi aaj hi honi thi, toh lo, ho gayi. Ek baat aur, shaadi usi se karni chahiye jo aapse pyar karta ho. Aaj shayad tumhe bura lag raha hoga, par yakeen mano, iss duniya mein jo hota hai, sab kuch achche ke liye hi hota hai...shaadi unhi dou logon ki kamyaab hoti hai jinmein aapas mein pyaar hota hai". Then he took her hand and placed it in Kartik's hand and wished them wholeheartedly, "shaadi ki bahut bahut badhaai. Wish you a very happy married life". Kartik smiled a thanks and Sunaina was still confused at his behaviour, only later would she know after talking to Kartik that what actually happened today and what transpired and why and how.

But someone in Sameer's brain experienced a slight jolt and had a flash of vision of a couple running behind a child, laughter echoing in a large mansion, and a greying aging couple shedding tears of happiness in someone's marriage. The vision was gone as soon as Sameer released their hands.

"Parekh uncle, Sasurji toh aapko banna hi tha, buss mere nahi. I hope hamare business relations pehle jaise hi rahenge", Sameer folded his hands in front of Preakh uncle and took his leave. "Chale Munna Pandit", he signalled his friends to follow him as he walked out satisfied and relaxed and victorious from the venue and got on the wheel of his favourite car. His entire plan had fallen into place. He had hit three birds with one stone, got his business deal on his terms, avoided the unwillful marriage, but still done some justice to the girl who did anything but annoy, anger and frustrate him. He could feel the calm in his brain, thanks to his Anamika, who was still silently there.