LIFE AS WE KNEW IT

Shot 7

"Ishaan, I am sorry if I offended you in any way. That was not my intention. As I said, I didn't have any choice. I am not forcing you into anything. I am just asking you to give it a thought. I will ask my parents to come back soon, so that we could come and talk to your parents," Sathvik said.

"That won't be necessary. We are not interested," Ishaan said.

They heard shuffling sounds from the baby bassinet and saw the little girl waking up from her nap.

She sat up in the bassinet by herself and rubbed her eyes.

She looked around and saw Devangana sitting on the couch warily watching her brother and boss.

"Debaa," Muskaan called out, and Devangana picked up the little girl with a smile.

Devangana brought Muskaan towards Ishaan, and Ishaan watched the baby in awe.

He had heard about the little girl from Devangana a lot. But this is the first time seeing her up close.

"Bhaiyya, meet Muskaan. Muskaan, this is Ishaan bhaiyya, my brother," Devangana introduced the baby to her brother and vice versa.

"Ichu?" Muskaan asked, making Ishaan chuckle.

"Yes, Ichu. Hello, Muskaan," Ishaan greeted the child with a smile.

Muskaan took Devangana's gold chain in her pudgy hands and brought it to her mouth.

"No, baby," Devangana chided softly, prying Muskaan's fingers from her chain.

"Why does she look so pale?" Ishaan asked.

Sathvik sighed and told him about how much Muskaan cried seeing Priyanka's photo and how she fell asleep exhausted.

Ishaan felt a twinge of pity for the cute little one. Not enough to sacrifice his sister though.

"If you don't mind, I would like to take Devangana home," Ishaan said, and Sathvik nodded in understanding.

****

"Have you gone crazy? How could you be so foolish?" Tripti Kashyap yelled, glaring at her daughter.

Devangana maintained a diplomatic silence, which seemed to infuriate her mother more, who came forward and pinched her on her arms.

Devangana hissed in pain.

"Mommy! It hurts," Devangana said, rubbing her arms.

"It was supposed to hurt," Tripti said.

"I didn't do it intentionally, Mommy. He looked so desperate and was pleading through his eyes. I just thought I would help him," Devangana said.

"Yeah right! I gave birth to Mother Teresa," Tripti said sarcastically.

"Mommy, that's enough. I think she heard enough scoldings for the day," Ishaan said, coming into the room with a glass of juice for Devangana.

He passed it on to his sister as a sign of a peace offering.

Devangana took it, still glaring at him for being a traitor.

"I didn't see Mommy coming, Angana. You know I would never have talked about this in front of her," Ishaan said.

"Yeah, spoil her more. Who listens to me anyways?" Tripti muttered, shooting glares at her silent husband, Indrajith Kashyap, and son, and walked into the kitchen.

As soon as Tripti was out of sight, all three let out a sigh of relief.

"Why did you have to marry her? Couldn't you find a better bride for you?" Devangana asked, still rubbing where her mother pinched her.

"Angana!" Indran called out in a warning tone.

"It really hurts, Papa. Why does she always have to pinch me so hard? It is abuse," Devangana huffed in complaint.

"Why did you do that, Angana? Don't you know how these things can affect your future?" Indran asked.

"I didn't think everyone would know. And Papa, we are living in Mumbai city. How do you think these things are going to affect me? This place is more advanced than that."

"Do you know what people are talking about in the office? And above all that, you told the woman you are having a love marriage. What was the need for that? We might be in Mumbai, Angana, but we still live in the conservative Maharashtrian community here. People here are still the same," Ishaan asked.

"I thought that would appear more legit. I thought an arranged marriage between a rich boy and a middle-class girl would appear suspicious," Devangana said.

"I just hope the gossip dies down and doesn't go out of the office building," Ishaan said.

"Maybe I will take a week off so that they can forget about this," Devangana said, though a part of her felt pity at the thought of Muskaan being taken away by her greedy paternal family.

"What leave? You are not going to that office again," came her mother's voice from the kitchen.

Damn! She was listening to their talks.

"Mommy! I want to make money to open my bakery," Devangana protested.

"I left you to your wishes, and see what you have done. Now listen to me and sit quietly," Tripti said angrily.

"Mommy..."

"No means no, Angana," Tripti said and turned to her husband.

"Indran ji! Call that marriage consultant, Shukla ji, to come over. I guess it's time to start searching for a groom," Tripti said.

Devangana gasped.

"Mommy! No! You can't do this now," Devangana said.

"Why not? You just nodded for a marriage when that boy asked. Why do you have a problem now?" Tripti asked.

"I didn't nod," Devangana protested.

"Mommy! Let's not rush," Ishaan tried to interfere.

"You don't say a word! I let her go to work only because you were there. I thought you would do the duty of an elder brother and look after her. Look what has happened," Tripti asked, and Ishaan gaped at his mother's accusation.

"That's not fair, Mommy. You know it," Ishaan said.

"Enough! Angana, Ishu, go inside," Indran ordered, and both of them left.

Indran looked at his wife.

"Tripti! Don't push her too much."

"Indran ji, didn't you hear what she did today?"

"I heard everything. Let's hope the gossip won't go outside the office," Indran said with a sigh.

Tripti nodded at her husband but inwardly decided to make a call to the marriage consultant herself.

A/N

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