After 134 Rejections...

5

"Ghana, Ghana....when is he going to come?" Digambar questioned out loud.

Just then Kuhu recited her poem shaking out everyone from their tensed mood. But she was interrupted by Mai, who came into the room in her wheelchair, with Pari right behind her.

"There is no darkness anywhere," she scolded Kuhu, referring to the poem she just said, "Sit there quietly."

Kuhu just huffed and sat down beside her uncle.

"You all talk so much! When I was a teacher before, there was so little mischief in the class. There was always a pin drop silence. And here you all...like television nowadays, your mouth also needs to be controlled with remote control. I have come here, still, you all are going on with your chit-chat. Sit quietly!"

Everyone stopped talking after that. The ladies just folded their hands, Digambar was smiling quietly, Kuhu and her father were displeased which was evident on their faces, and the children, Ganga and Yamuna, got busy with their coloring. 

This silence stretched for a minute before,

"Oh ho! Say something! If there is silence in the mind, then it thinks of all the negatives thoughts. Understood?" 

It was Mai ajji, again. At that everybody's expression changed, but no one said a word.

"And Shyamrao has not come yet. Is he going to marry and come home now?" Mai questioned out loud.

Just then, Ghanshyam arrived home. Ganga was the first one to spot him as he ran towards his cousin.

"Dada (Dada means elder brother), who won? Who won?" Yamuna, too, held his hand asking for a verdict on their bet.

"Dyana," he simply answered as the kids expressed their disappointment and ran away.

"Leave all that winning and losing things," Devaki interrupted, "Say what happened first."

Ghanshyam looked at everybody's eager face once and then contemplated on how to break the news. 

"No"

Everyone's face fell while Mai ajji got angry, "Shyamrao, Shyamrao, you are doing too much! Just because we listen to you, you are doing what you want to do. You have rejected 63 girls...now which angel should we bring from the heavens? I'll tell him to send one (him here, means her husband who is no more)."

"But I am sure you will reject her also."

Ghanshyam just nodded his head.

"I saw the picture of all the girls whom you met. They were good looking, well-educated...I selected only such places. But you! Your mother was the first one. When your father had gone to see her and if he would have behaved the way you are doing now, then you would not have been standing here today. Understood?"

"Yes"

"Let's go," Mai ajji huffed angrily and said to Pari. Pari obeyed and turned the wheelchair towards Mai's room.

"Ghana, what happened? She wasn't good looking?" Vallabh questioned him.

"No, she was."

"Then what happened?"

"What?" Ghanshyam stared in surprise. He thought to say something but then decided better of it.

"Do one thing...don't ask me any questions. All of you. What I have to say, I have said that to Ulka atya. Ask her if you all want." Saying thus, he walked away from there.

"Ghana!" Devaki yelled behind her son's retreating form.

"Why is he behaving like this?" Vallabh questioned.