A Chance to Love

Chapter 45

All the men were inside along with parents doing their duties as hosts while ladies accompanied me to relax. I was starting to feel tired and thus asked Ammu to go look for Devarji to get the keys for Jiji's old room to rest. That room has been kept locked ever since Jiji left. It had some of her stuff she left behind at first but now we just keep it closed for sentimental value. It hasn't been used much, but for the last few days I've been using it to rest in between preparations and therefore Devarji had it prepared for us to stay the night. It was to prevent me from using the one we usually do, since it's in the very back at the end of the hall and he wants me easily accessible to everyone so I'm well taken care of.

A while later Ammu rushed back with horror written all over his face and asked me to accompany him saying something about Devarji needing rescue. This made me anxious as to what might have happened and I followed by Kiran and Jiji left to check while asking Mother to stay with the girls. As we crossed the main hall, nothing looked out of order making me confuse, but then Ammu started to pull me towards the visitors' area that is generally used for clients and is quite detached from the main hall. As we neared to Devarji's office, I heard a loud voice. It seemed as if someone was screaming and since the voice seemed familiar, I rushed in to check what was happening.

There stood Devarji facing a girl whose back was to me. The girl was shouting profanities and insults at him while he had one hand on his face as if someone has slapped him. I realised that the girl was accusing Devarji of misbehaving and he was just standing there numb. It seemed as if he was shocked that someone can accuse him of something like this, which was justified as even when he would flirt with girls, it was always clear that it was not in any malicious way. Moreover, he had promised me sometime back that he would stop with the flirting and he has. Therefore, I had no doubts that there is some misunderstanding going on here and thus, ignoring the familiarity of the voice, I moved towards my Devarji to bring him back from his shock.

As soon as I touched his hand on his face, his eyes snapped back to mine and what I saw there made me see red. There was my Devarji, one of the purest souls I have come across. He has been through so much already that ever since I met him, I promised myself to never let him feel an ounce of sadness. I have seen him sad, heard from my husband and his brother how he can be emotional and closed off, have heard from Kiran how much he is insecure; however, never have I in these few years I have known him, seen him embarrassed or crying and today this girl has caused it both. The girl has suddenly quietened down on my arrival, but I didn't care about that. What I cared about was to remove these tears from my Brother-in-Law's eyes and to let him know that he should never let anyone make him feel embarrassed for something he hasn't done.

"I know you didn't do anything wrong and you know you shouldn't feel guilty for something you haven't done, right?" I asked him softly to which a tear dropped down from his eyes but the embarrass look was replaced with gratitude and calmness. I wanted to tell him there is no need for him to feel grateful to me, but if my trust meant so much to him, then I wasn't going to take this feeling of comfort away from him. I softly wiped his tear and asked him to come with me. I didn't even look at the girl who have caused our innocent brother such pain, but just as I was about to exit the room after Devarji, I heard my name being called by that girl, who turned out be someone I could never have expected.

"Pretty Pie" she called me making me halt in shock. I looked at Devarji in horror before my eyes snapped to Ammu's to ask him if my ears were defying me. However, the look in his eyes told me that the horror I have just felt was very much real making me gulp. Devarji was looking at me in question, while Kiran and Jiji were looking at me in confusion. I ignored all their looks and slowly turned around to face the very person I was eagerly waiting for to arrive but now hoping that she hasn't.

As soon as I turned around to face her, she moved ahead and hugged me. I didn't know what to feel in this moment. She is here, my sister, my best friend, my Sandhya is here. However, I can't bring myself to feel an ounce of what I was expecting to feel at her arrival. All I can feel is anger, anger at her for making my Brother-in-law cry, anger for all the hurtful words she threw at him, anger for her absence and anger that her arrival has brought more troubles than happiness. Therefore, instead of hugging her back, I just stand there waiting for her to release me, which she does looking confused at my indifference.

She thinks I may be angry at her late arrival and thus starts apologising.

"Pretty Pie please forgive me; I know I'm late but see I am finally here. I know I must have come earlier but as I told you before I was just preparing a surprise for you. But now I am finally here and you know what, I am not going back. I am here to stay with you forever and ever." She finishes while looking proud and sure of herself that I will forgive her, which I might have if she haven't made the mistake of hurting my Devarji. Therefore, I ignore her and turn back around to take hold of Devarji's hand while asking him to follow me.

Kiran, Jiji and Ammu follow Devarji and me silently and soon we have reached the main hall. I notice that the only guests left are relatives and People from my University and His office. Even Suraj's parents seem to have left. However, I ignore everyone while moving towards my room at the end of the hall. Since we are moving through the side corridor, we don't attract anyone's attention amongst the guests, but just as I'm about to reach the end of the corridor, my eyes meet with that of my husband's and I notice him moving towards us. However, I don't let that stop me as I can also feel her following us and calling for me, which I ignore.

Soon we have reached our room and I pull Devarji inside while asking Kiran to close the door after us, leaving her outside. I pull him to sit on one of the chairs in the room and move towards the mini room fridge to take out a cold press. I put it his cheek and ask him to hold it. Everyone is watching my moves keenly without saying anything. Once I assure that Devarji is feeling better now, I take a seat on the bed and ask Ammu to pass me some water.

***