To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 20

"Mummy, do you know what a big issue this would have become?" Simrit said with her eyes dancing dramatically, "My in laws would never have let me live this down? Do you even understand what that could have meant?" she sniffled as Roop tried to pacify her.

"You are taking this wrong Simrit," Roop said trying to console her daughter, "everything happened so fast we sent invitations to everyone only last weekend when Amrit returned from Delhi. Abhay and his family said yes for Amrit only three weeks ago and they had wanted an early wedding," she explained, "and beeji had agreed. I had wanted some time too to get all the arrangements done but you know once beeji says something it becomes law in this house," she said unhappily.

"But mummy you could have called me," Simrit protested, "at least I would have told everyone in the house and done some preparations, I would have arrived earlier and helped you too," she said feigning innocence knowing fully well her mother would buy her act and she did.

"I know Simrit but after what happened the last time," Roop said upset that Simrit could have faced problems with her in laws due to Amrit and beeji's attitude, "they did not want anything else to go wrong. You know how many proposals Amrit has rejected before finally saying yes for this one," she said with a sigh. "No one thinks but I have another daughter too, if Amrit hadn't been getting married to Abhay then there was a possibility that Preeti would never have gotten married either. You know how people talk and with the eldest sister sitting unmarried who would have accepted Preeti without a hefty dowry," she said, "it is God's grace that we have enough to give that kind of demand but still," she said.

"I know mummy," Simrit said, "I understand. Amrit has always been selfish that way putting herself before everyone," she said and put her arm across her mother's shoulder, "this is good that Rahul fell ill and we couldn't come earlier and so my in laws are pacified otherwise," she said shaking her head.

"What did Varun say?" Roop asked.

"He understands beeji's reservations," Simrit said calculatedly, "he is very understanding mummy. And he respects everyone in this family a lot. He even stood up beside me to explain things to his parents," she said with a smile, "it is just that he had wanted to help with the preparations and he couldn't so it has saddened him a little, that is all," she said and looked away.

"Simi, Varun is a gem," Roop said with a smile, "I am glad you two found each other. I don't know how this Abhay will turn out. His family is decent and he seems respectful too but till you get to know a person it is very difficult to decide," she said on a sigh, "and with his kind of past."

Simrit was alert. This was the first time she was coming to know that the man Amrit was marrying tomorrow had some kind of past.

"What past?" she asked surprised.

"Shhh," Roop said, "not so loud. There are so many relatives here and beeji wants to keep this within the family. But you are part of this family so now that you are here I will tell you. He is a divorcee," she said in a whisper.

Simrit had been surprised to know that Abhay had a past but now she was shocked to know what it was. How come Amrit said yes to a divorcee? Was she under pressure? It hadn't looked like that besides Amrit was not the kind of person who would break under pressure. How did beeji agree to a match like that? Forget everyone how did her mother?

"I know what you are thinking," Roop said as if sensing her thoughts, "my unmarried daughter marrying a divorcee but beeji had met his family somewhere and had liked him too. She is certain he is a perfect match for Amrit and my protests went unheard," she said sadly.

Nobody ever listened to her. Had it been Kulraj then Nimmi would have thrown a fit, all the drama added and she would never have said yes but this was her. And as always beeji had taken advantage of her quiet meek nature.