To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 12

Amrit was putting away the clothes she had worn today when she heard a knock on her door and watched Preeti her youngest sister walk in.

"Still up," Preeti asked with a smile.

"Yes," Amrit replied.

"It is late, almost everyone is asleep," she said.

"I know," Amrit said, "they must be tired after such an exciting day. Any word from Sameer's family," she asked.

"Nope," Preeti said as she sat on the bed, "Kulraj is hyper and chachi is going nuts. Though chachi had called up his mother to find out what they have decided she said they need some time so not to hurry them," she said. "They don't sound very keen for Kulraj," Preeti said with a frown, "Sameer seems decent but his family is weird," she said.

"Did you have a chat with beeji?" Amrit asked.

"No," Preeti said, "I had gone to her room with a glass of milk but she was sound asleep. She cannot take so much excitement anymore with her age di," Preeti said.

"I know," Amrit said closing the almirah door, "she was beat."

She came to her bed and lay down sideways facing Preeti.

"I wonder how she agreed to this love match between Kulraj and Sameer," Amrit asked with a frown, "everyone knows she is so against love marriages," she said.

"You don't know the drama that has taken place," Preeti said, "chachi went on a fast and refused to eat till beeji accepted Kulraj's choice. And Kulraj cried every day in front of beeji that if she was not allowed to marry Sameer she would jump off the roof," she said and smiled.

"And beeji agreed?" Amrit asked surprised.

If her guess was correct then beeji would have asked Kulraj to go take that jump and Preeti's answer confirmed it.

"Are you kidding me," she said with her eyes big in her face, "beeji asked her to go take a hike. But it was chachi's drama that did the trick. She is still not happy but I think if Sameer's family accepts she will give in. Though she heads this family she has no direct say in Kulraj's decisions," Preeti said and shrugged.

"Hmmm," was all Amrit said.

"What about you?" Preeti asked.

"What about me?" Amrit asked deliberately feigning ignorance.

"You know what I am talking about di," Preeti said as she sat cross legged, "about the guy you met today. Did you like him?" she asked.

Amrit didn't have to think if she liked him or not, she did, and she was tired of thinking. She had been doing that all evening.

"Surprisingly I liked him," she accepted.

"Wow," Preeti said excitedly, "his being divorced didn't faze you?" she asked.

"To tell the truth it did initially but then I realized I was judging him when I didn't even know the details," she said, "and it was wrong of me. We all have a past Preeti some good some bad but it doesn't mean we start judging people for it," she said.

"Ma and papa had not been convinced earlier but since the time they have met Abhay's family they are harping a different tune," she said.

"I don't care what tune they are playing Preeti," Amrit said irritated with her parent's selfishness, "nothing is final yet. I still have some things to clear up with him and till that is done I am not taking a decision," she said firmly.

Preeti sighed. She knew Amrit. And she also knew the strained relationship she shared with everybody in the family. But she couldn't blame her. She had been the subject of a lot of ridicule and gossip for days, people hadn't stopped talking about it till date. Amrit had endured so much rejection and pain over the past five years that it had hardened her and yet there were glimpses of the old Amrit in her. Sometimes when she smiled Preeti was reminded of the days when her sister had been carefree, fearless and happy. The Amrit she knew now was untrusting, angry and full of pain. And she had no one to blame but her family for it.

"That would be wise di," Preeti said carefully, she knew how certain things hurt Amrit easily, "but he and his family did seem nice," she hinted.

"Yes," Amrit said thoughtfully, "but you didn't meet them did you? You were inside all the while getting things in order," she said.

"Yes," Preeti said, "beeji's orders. But I did meet Jay," she said a little hesitantly, "when you had gone to talk with Abhay his brother had walked in the kitchen to get some water. He was very polite and decent though he did try his hand at flirting I guess he is a bit jovial," she said and smiled, "but I guess that is how he is," she told her sister lest she started thinking otherwise.

"And beeji allowed that?" Amrit asked with her eyes big with question marks.

"I guess he had gone to the washroom to wash his hands then on his way out he must have felt thirsty and walked into the kitchen," Preeti said and shrugged.

After all she had been just as surprised to see him there. And later when nobody had asked anything about it she knew they had no clue about it. But she had liked the good looking young man who had made her laugh with his antics. He was sweet. And though he had joked with her he had never said anything that had made her uncomfortable. He had flirted but maintained a certain decency and she had liked that. Mostly when good looking guys flirted they expected the girl to fall on their feet and beg to be charmed but he had done no such thing. When he had introduced who he was Preeti had breathed in a sigh of relief thanking God that he wasn't the either prospective groom. Then he had gone back to sit with the elders.

"So what did you think about him?" Amrit asked.

"He was nice and warm di," she replied, "I think that is how his entire family is too because later beeji was talking to mummy and papa and they were all gaga about how good everyone was," she said, "how was Abhay to talk to?" she asked.

"He was nice, very grounded," Amrit replied, "you know the strangest part," she said and Preeti shook her head in a negative motion, "he understood what I was saying without me explaining it in numerous words," she said.

"So will you be saying yes?" Preeti asked.

"I don't know Preeti I have to get a few things in the clear so will just have to wait for tomorrow," Amrit replied without committing an answer.

Preeti sighed. She knew Amrit wouldn't tell her anymore on the subject. She would be very cautious this time, overly so. She just hoped Amrit took the right decision. She wanted her sister to be happy and she trusted beeji's judgment. She said goodnight to Amrit and left wondering had she been in Amrit's position what would she have done.

Amrit switched off the light and lay in darkness. She faced the biggest question and the biggest fear of her life. Could she finally find it in her to take the big step? But a lot depended on their talks tomorrow. With that she closed her eyes and fell in to a deep slumber.

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