STUBBORN HEARTS

45. Angry and New

What can be more difficult and way awkward than welcoming a new family member, who is actually not new? That is how Rajveer was feeling when he saw his little aunt accompanying a young girl and a man his age, Tani and Mankitat who he have never heard of before. 

'Maybe she is my cousin.'

Moreover the young man, Mankirat Singh Aulakh, he couldn't be more familiar with him. Afterall, he had accompanied him as a trusted aide during the last mission when he was injured.

According to the latest developments in Randhawa mansion, it will take more than just reintroducing an older one.
The day when Rajveer's sweetheart arrived back in her maternal home, her father and brother who used to pamper her the most shut her out and refused to look at her face. If not for outside influences that is, the Gills' and the Dhillons', the wedding as well as the impending rituals everything would have been jeopardised. 

Settling in was not a bother, since the place was not new at all for 37-year old Gurnoor, though she returned after almost two decades but the scorching gazes she kept on feeling made her feel guiltier and anxious. She was more than happy that her sister-in-law had kept her last request in mind and her mother had never forgotten about her existence. However, the coldness and aloofness that she was suffering from the most important men in her life was killing her more silently and severely than she had imagined. But nothing was more important than seeing her favorite nephew getting a chance at happiness.

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 "That little girl calls you Maa, is she your daughter, Noor? and what about that young lad?"

Simran asked her sister-in-law, as she helped her settle her things in her room.

'When I was here to explain nobody bothered to ask and now I want you to be least bothered about it bhabhi, do you think you can understand?'

It was the answer that Simrat had expected had it been the old Gurnoor.

"Bhabhi, i want to meet Yuvraj Dhillon and his wife once. Do you think it's going to affect the harmony between families?"
Simrat was stunned to hear the question and for a moment she fell in a melancholy, weighing the pros and cons of the possible encounter.

"They are Navneet's parents. Today or tomorrow, encounter is inevitable. But i don't know how they are going to react about it."
Simran replied giving a helpless sigh.

"I didn't know traditions had changed and now two people from same village can get together. Please don't give me that look, I'm least bothered with that man now."

Gurnoor's distant expressions turned humorous while watching Simran's guarded expressions.

"I'm a old woman now, though unmarried i've long outgrown that childish phase. Plus, I've two kids now all i care about now is to find suitable partners and families for them."
She added.

"Are they your biological children?"

"I told you I'm unmarried."

"So what does having children got to do with marriage?"

"I would like to see that scenario if you dare to delay this wedding and be ready to welcome your grandchildren before your daughter-in-law."

"It's not like I don't dare but it'll be a little awkward to deal with my younger son first."

With that both of them burst into laughter as if imagining Rajveer going on a rampage and probably eloping with his wife.

"To be honest, after you left it was like Rajveer had lost his soul but thankfully, Navneet was able to get him out of his shell. You know he used to talk in monosyllables but now that boy can bicker with her and talk about her all day endlessly."
Simran spoke fondly about the soon to be groom.