4| Inayaat

🪷 Thodi-thodi katthai si uski aankhein, thodi sur mei bhari,

Uske hoothon pe muskuraye, haye duniya meri 🪷

Ranbir parked his car, crossing the main entrance of the haveli. It was a big old haveli, predominantly made of red bricks and beige sandstone. It was tall with almost 3 storeys to it and had a big garden attached to the back of it. The entrance was filled with many expensive cars that were currently being washed by some men.

Harleen took in all of her surroundings, curiously noticing everything. She was surprised at how wealthy Ranbir actually was. She belonged to a rich family as well but it was nothing compared to this.

Harleen saw Ranbir get out of the car and a man opened the door for her. She got out and further starred at the Haveli. The man who opened the door for her took the bag out of the car on Ranbir's instruction. He was still talking to his men when he noticed how Harleen was standing alone at her place.

Dismissing his men, he walked towards her and gave her a warm smile. He forwarded his hand to her and she kept hers in it. He clasped their hands together and brought her closer to him with a small tug.

"Apne naye ghar mei swagat hai." He said in a soft voice. Harleen simply smiled at the statement.

Welcome to your new home.

"Aao, tumhe meri family se milwata hu." He said and started walking towards the main entrance of the Haveli.

Come, I'll introduce you to my family.

Harleen silently walked behind him with thousands of questions running through her mind.

How will his family react to her? How will she disclose her secrets to them? Will they accept this marriage? Will they accept this marriage and consider her as their daughter-in-law? And most importantly, will her and Ranbir be able to keep each other happy in this sudden relationship?

Aa they entered the Haveli, she noticed how old yet modern the Haveli was. It was very well kept with modern amenities and luxuries but the furniture and decorations were kept vintage. She noticed some servants cleaning and dusting, thus the place looked so well maintained. There were expensive carpets and cushion in sight. The walls were having vintage wooden frame with the family's photographs in them. The living room had a chandelier in middle of the ceiling, adding to the grandeur of the place.

"Pappa, Ma, Ishani!" Ranbir called for his family members as he asked Harleen to take a seat on the sofa. A servant brought two glasses of water for them which they accepted thankfully.

Shortly, Harleen noticed a couple in their 50s and a young girl of around her own age, enter the living room. The man was dressed in a formal kurta and pants. The elder woman was wearing a heavy salwar suit and the young girl next to them was dressed in a casual kurti and a pair of denim jeans.

"Kya hua puttar? Kyu chilla raha hai subhe-subhe?" His mother asked as soon as she saw her son and an unknown girl in the living room.

What happened son? What are shouting for, this early in the morning?

"Taudi nu laya si mai, amma." Ranbir said, not wasting any time.

I've got your daughter-in-law with me, mom.

Harleen resisted the urge to face palm herself. He could've eased them into this information but no, he had to drop the news like a bomb.

"Hain? Kya bol raha hai?" His father asked with furrowed eyebrows.

What? What are you saying?

"Yeh meri bhabhi hai?" Ishani asked looking at the beautiful woman, dressed in red, sitting in front of her.

This is my sister-in-law?

"Haa Ishani." Ranbir replied.

Yes

"Koi menu samjhayega ke kya ho raha hai?" Ranbir's mother said with utter confusion on her face.

Will someone explain to me what is going on?

"Mai sab batata hu. Aap sab bethiye please." Ranbir said and his family members did so.

I'll tell you everything. Please have a seat, all of you.

"Hua yun ki..." Ranbir narrated everything that happened since last night and his parents listened carefully.

What happened was...

His parents were very caring and understanding people by nature. It did come as a surprise to them that their son had gotten married so suddenly and that too to somebody they had no idea about. Although they did understand his point of view and the fact that he got married to protect a girl's respect, made them proud of him, even more. Had they been in a situation similar to his they might have taken such a dramatic decision as well, so they were not angry at either of them.

"Beta mujhe tumse koi gila shikva nahi. Bas ek sawal hai, tum apne ghar se bhaagi kyu?" Ranbir's mother who got up and sat next to a silent Harleen, asked as she kept a hand under her chin. Harleen looked up in her mother-in-law's eyes with tears in her own.

Child, I don't have any complaints or problem with you. I just have a question, why did you run away from your house?

"Mere baba ko hamesha se ek ladka chahiye tha. Jab meri badi behen k baad, mera janam hua, baba ko apni dono aulaadon se nafrat si ho gai. Hum dono ko naukar se bhi battar samjha jata tha. Sare kaam hamne karne hote the aur buri baatein bhi sunni padti thi. Agar koi kaam reh jaye yaa galat ho jaye to hame bahot maar bhi padti thi. Meri behan ka vyah unhone kisi bade businessman se karwa kar use dur bhej diya. Meri bhi shaadi vo kisi 40 saal k aiyaash awara aadmi se tae karke aaye the, power ke liye. Mai ab aur bardash nahi kar sakti thi so maine mere rab se madad mangi aur unhone ye rasta mujhe sujhaya." Harleen completed her story and immediately broke down into tears.

My father always wanted a son. When I was born following my elder sister, my father started hating both his daughters. He treated us like servants. We were made to do all the work and we were also cursed a lot. If we missed on doing any work or if anything goes wrong, we were beaten a lot as well. My sister was married off to a businessman far away and he had similar plans for me as well. He had fixed my marriage to a 40 something year, old man, who was cruel characterless for him to gain power. I simply couldn't withstand this any further. I asked for help from my God, and he was the one who suggested this way out to me.

Ranbir's mother did not waste even a second in gathering her in her arms and cradling her as if she were her own child. Her heart ached at all the atrocities, the young girl had to face and the fact that now she was in a better place with a man who she knew would respect her, made her thank their God. Ranveer's mother sent a silent prayer, thanking her God for not letting anything bad happen to such a young and pure soul like a Harleen.

"Chalo bas ab rona nahi hai. Tum ab hamari bahu ho. Koi kuch bigad nahi sakta tumhara." Ranbir's father said as he asked a servant to bring a glass of water to her.

Come on, don't cry. You're our daughter-in-law now. Nobody can harm you in any way.

"Tum dono fresh ho jao. Mai nashta lagwati hu." Ranbir's mother said, addressing the couple.

You guys freshen up. I'll get the breakfast ready.

"Ishani beta, bhabhi ko uske kamre mei le jao." Ranbir's mother said and Ishani nodded.

Ishani dear, take your sister-in-law to her room.

Harleen and Ishani went to Ranbir's room. A servant shortly came after with Harleen's bag.

"Aapko kuch bhi chahiye to mujhe awaz laga dena, mai aa jaungi." Ishani said, offering Harleen a warm smile.

If you need anything, call me, I'll be there.

"Thank you." Harleen said and Ishani couldn't help but give the girl a hug. She left Harleen to the room shortly.

She noticed how dark and masculine the room was. It had the same aura and personality as its owner. Dark, broody and mysterious.

She kept her bag on a nearby table and pulled out fresh clothes and her toiletries kit. She walked to the door attached to the room and opened it to reveal a walk-in closet and an attached washroom.

She took a quick shower and got dressed in a pair of dark blue suit. She wore matching chaandbali and bangles. She completed her look with a dark blue bindi. Since she didn't have any vermillion with her, she applied a small dot of her red lipstick in the partition of her hair.

Earrings

She walked out of the walk-in closet and was in the middle of finding something in her bag when a knock was heard on the door. Ranbir open the door and walked in to see his angelic, beautiful wife going through her bag.

"Yaha betho." He instructed her as he pointed towards the bed.

Sit here.

"Kyu? Kya hua?" Harleen asked, confused at his sentence.

Why? What's the matter?

"Tum sawal bahot puchti ho." He stated.

You ask a lot of questions.

Pot meet kettle. She thought in her head and internally giggled.

"Aur aap jawab nahi dete." She said with her hands on her waist.

And you don't answer any.

He grabbed her by her shoulders and made her sit on the bed. He kneeled in front of her and forwarded his hands towards her feet.

"Aap ye kya kar rahe hai?" She asked as she instantly pulled her feet backwards. He looked up at her and asked her to keep quiet.

What are you doing?

"Hamare yahan, pati aise per nahi chute." She softly informed him.

In my family, a husband shouldn't touch his wife's feet like this.

"Aur hamare yahan patni ke peron mei hi pade rehte hai." Ranbir teasingly said and grabbed her right feet, keeping it on his muscular thigh.

And in my family, we are used to being under our wife's feet.

He pulled something out of his pocket and Harleen felt a cold metal touch her skin. She looked down to see him clasping a gold payal around her feet.

Anklet

"Ye hamare khandani payal hai. Pehle maa k the aur ab tumhare hai." Ranbir informed as he kept her left leg on his thigh now and clasped another payal on it as well.

These are our ancestral anklets. They were my mother's previously and now they're yours.

He stood up after doing his task, followed by Harleen. She had a grateful smile on her face and unshed tears in her eyes.

"Mujhe apna ne k liye shukriya. Apni biwi hone ka darja dene ke liye shukriya." She said as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Thank you for accepting me. Thank you for giving me the status of your wife.

"Shukriya mera nahi, hamare rab ka mano." He said. She nodded with a smile, tears still flowing freely from her eyes.

Don't thank me, thank our God.

There was a sudden ache rising in his chest at the sight of his wife's tears.

He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and brought her to his chest in an instance. He kept his other hand on her head and started stroking her hair lovingly, in an attempt to console her.

She accepted her husband's comfort in a second as she clutched the lapel of his dark grey kurta in one hand and kept her other one on his muscular chest.

"Bas aur rona nahi ab." He whispered in her ears and felt her head nod slightly.

Enough, don't cry anymore.

Harleen sent a grateful prayer to her God. He had pulled her out of all her miseries, straight into the arms of a good man, capable of taking care of her and respecting her. She couldn't be any more grateful for her decision of running away.

~Harleen's dress ~

~x~

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