THE BLACKMAILED MARRIAGE

The Proposal

"So he asked whether you were ready to-to marry Arnav? I mean in the future. We can set you both up and you both can start, what do you call it, dating." Neeravan Shah said with a little weariness.

"WHAT?! I.AM.18.YEARS.OLD!" 

"We under-rstan-nd Beta!  But still... We were betrothed when we were kids...We got engaged when we turned 19. And it has been going very well Beta... We just thought that-"

"YOU THOUGHT THAT I WOULD DO THE SAME MISTAKE YOU DID!! YOU ARE-ARE SUPPOSED TO RAISE ME WHILE UNDER-RSTANDING WHAT WAS DONE WRONG WITH YOU AND-AND-AND DOING THAT RIGHT WITH ME AND BHAI! NOT MAKING THEM DO THE SAME!"

"When did we say that THIS was a mistake? We consented and then married. And trust me, I LOVE YOUR MOTHER." Neeravan shah said confidently this time.

"WELL FINE THEN! LET US FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS! FINE! I WILL MARRY THAT SELF-ABSORBED ARNAV! FINE? I JUST UGHH! ..Guys he is my friend. Just friend. period."

"We never forced you! We have given you the choice! My parents didn't even bother with my opinion when I was supposed to marry whereas in your case your decision matters!" Naina Shah interrupted in between.

"My parents just told me about this guy! And the next thing I know my relationship status changed that too not on Facebook or something but directly my impending marital status was written on wedding cards. It's my luck, it was your dad!"She yelled. This was one of the rare times when Naina Shah yelled and whenever she did storms broke in which no meteorological center could predict. 

This is the mere nature of the Shahs here. The car ride was then silent until they reached their home.

"FINE! YOU GIVE ME A CHOICE?! I REJECT IT! FINE!?" Meera yelled at the top of her voice.

"OK calm down! Give it a thought befokicking itick!" Neeeravan Shah said.

Meera just exhaled and went away to her room.

There were very few times when Meera used to behave like this.

She was always the fun-loving girl yet obedient. But this time, it was a matter of love...

*time skip*

"I am so bad! I am such a bad parent Neeravan!" Naina shah cried in the arms of her only pillar.

"Calm down... I agree that we gave up our patience too fast. We did wrong  but our intentions were pure." Neeravan pacified her wife and himself too.

"What do you mean?"

"You and I both have always wanted that our clumsy little girl gets a nice house...and she settles really nice. Arnav is a great guy and my insecurities are if I know she is going to be with him. She is an antique piece, and I know that you are afraid that she won't be welcomed as usual girls are, just like you. And the house in which is welcomed right now will embrace her as she is. You want the best for her. And that's why you wanted that she to be settled in that house." He said while embracing the clumsy old treasure in his arms.

"But still... She is so small Nee. Should I go now? to her? Or should I give her space?" She asked.

"my antique piece, you can go to her any time you want. This question is baseless."

She smiled and both of them went to Meera's room. 

They were surprised as they heard her sobbing instead of venting out her anger on non-living objects.

From her psychological preachy viewpoint, She used to say-

Breaking things might get messy but it provides an ominous relief as you realize after shattering the objects that your heart is not the only thing shattered.