Part 3

Part 3

Finally RK reached his house. He asked Deepali to sit in the car for a while. He came out and was about to enter the main gate when someone bumped into him. He hold that figure when she was about to lose his balance. He looked at her and gasped as she was the same girl from the temple. Her hair was covering her face. He slowly moved her hair from her face to see her clearly. Her mouth was half open, her eyes were wide with shock and she was breathing fast probably because she was scared that she would have fell. RK again couldn't stop himself from admiring her beauty.

As she became normal again she immediately tried to stand straight and turned around but her dupatta got stuck with his shirt's button. She moved ahead when she felt a tug at dupatta. "Mera dupatta chhodiye please." She requested RK without turning back as she thought he has held her dupatta.

RK smiled and came in front of her and then removed the corner of her dupatta from his shirt's button in front of her and gave it to her.

She looked down embarrassed, "Wo mujhe laga...ki...aap..." Madhu stammered nervously but couldn't complete as her parents came there.

"RK, welcome back." Said Shamsher Malik  as he hugged him.

"Thanks uncle" replied RK.

"Hmm sirf uncle ko thanks aunty ko kuch nahi" asked Padmini as she extended her arms towards him. RK hugged her also and said thanks to her.

"Hum toh Madhu ko itni der se apne ghar meni dhund rahe the ki tum aa gaye ho tumse milne ke liye itna excited thi pata nahi kaha reh gayi hume kya pata tha yaha to mulakaat ho bhi gayi." Padmini teased Madhu.

Madhu blushed and ran inside his house while RK stood there in shock. "Ye Madhu....matlab aapki Madhu....oh God! Ye itni badi kab ho gayi.....pichli bar dekha tha toh school mein thi....do choti bana kar jati thi....my God! She has grown into a beautiful woman." RK said astonished.

But then realized was the last line appropriate to say in front of her parents so he tried to cover it up, "Mera matlab tha ki she is really...I mean...." He couldn't complete when Padmini interrupted him.

"Its ok...we can understand. You have seen her after a long time...waise bhi betiya bahut jaldi badi ho jati hain." Padmini replied getting emotional.

"And look at you, we last saw you that time you were doing your graduation...now you are also all grown up, mature and handsome." Malik replied as he patted RK's shoulder.

"Is everyone going to stand outside only?" asked RK's mom and dad from the main door.

RK went towards them and touched their feet. Radha gave her blessings while Mohan held him by his shoulders and hugged him tightly. RK saw Madhu was standing behind his mom looking down shyly and stealing glances at him. He still cant believe she was that same little annoying girl.

"Itne dino baad aaye ho ab itni asaani se nahi jane denge." Said Mohan.

"Yes, and this time we are not going to listen anything. We are going to get you married." Radha declared.

"I knew it. That's why I have come prepared." RK said and went back to the car and opened the gate for Deepali.

He held out his hand for her and she came out in style taking support of his hand. She walked towards his family holding his hand. While everyone in the family looked at them shocked. Madhu's heart started beating fast as her worst fear was gripping it in its clutches. RK and Deepali came and stood before RK's parents.

"Mom and dad, This is Deepali, love of my life and your would be daughter in law." RK made the introductions. Radha and Mohan were stunned. They couldn't react for few seconds.

Radha looked at Deepali from top to bottom. Deepali's high leather boots, off shoulder tight fitting dress, smokey eye makeup and dark lipstick, her sharp eyebrows. Radha was not the one to judge someone by their looks and attire but she didn't get good vibes from this girl. Mohan looked at his son in disappointment. While Malik and Padmini looked at their daughter in concern. Madhu had went pale as all colors drained out from her face.

"No...no..no..this cant be happening...." Madhu murmered as she kept moving backwards. Before her parents could reach out to her for help she fainted.

"Madhu" screamed Padmini. All of them looked at her shocked. Malik Singh picked her up in his arms. Mohan and Radha gave him apologetic and helpless looks. He just nodded at them understanding their condition.

"We will talk later." Said Malik  and took Madhu to their house followed by Padmini.

RK kept looking at them shocked. "Mom, what happened to Madhu? Is she alright?" asked RK.

"Ye tum puchh rahe ho? Aur Madhu ka itna hi khyaal tha toh apne sath is ladki ko lane se pehle sochna chahiye tha." Radha replied angrily as she couldn't hold herself anymore.

"Mom, what are you taking about?" asked RK confused.

"We had selected Madhu as your would be bride." Mohan answered.

"What?" asked RK in shock.

"How could you do that? And when did this happen...how..and Madhu...really? I have never seen her in that way." Replied RK not understanding how come his parents took this weird decision.

"What if we ask same question to you? How could you do this to us. Didn't we always very specifically ask you that you will tell us clearly if there is anyone in your life. But you never told us anything and now you suddenly brought this girl with you." Asked Mohan hurt and angry on RK.

"RK, you brought me with you for this. Your parents are insulting me in front of you and you are not even saying anything." Said Deepali now irritated with all the drama.

"Just shut up for some time Deepali. Let me handle this." RK replied frustrated.

"Mom dad, I never planned to get married anytime soon but since you guys were pestering me from some time now I understood this time I come back home you wont leave me until I agree for it. So I gave it a thought and then decided that if I have to settle down now then Deepali is the one. I was already dating Deepali. We are quite compatible with each other. I love her so I thought I'll marry her. That's why I bring her here with me." RK explained.

"But RK, we have always considered Madhu as our daughter in law. Since childhood when she used to say that she will marry you when she'll grow up since that day not only us but Madhu's parents also kind of accepted this in our life. We thought you two were perfect for each other." Radha explained her point of view.

" How could you guys take that childhood incident so seriously? I have moved on from it years ago." RK couldn't believe his parents were serious about that little joke.

"You moved on but Madhu didn't. That girl has loved you ever since she was 5 years old. When we saw her dedication we couldn't stop ourselves from imagining you two together. Then we don't know with her since when we also started believing that one day you two will be married. Then you didnt tell us about having someone in your life so we accepted her as our daughter in law. Now we cant give that place to anyone else." Radha said with finality.

"What is this RK? If your parents were not ready for our marriage then why you asked me to come here?" shouted Deepali.

"Deepali, please for God sake keep quiet for sometime. Tum dekh rahi ho na kya situation hai yaha....jitni shocked tum ho utna hi main bhi hoon." RK tried to make her understand.

"Mom dad, whatever it is but now this is not possible. I love Deepali and I will marry only her. Please try to understand I can never accept Madhu as my wife....I have never seen her in that way...for me she is still that little girl who use to annoy me....I agree she is all grown up now...but my wife....no I just cant. She is practically a stranger to me. I never even interacted with her." RK pleaded.

Whole day passed RK and his parents kept arguing trying to persuade each other and make each other understand their point of view. But at the end of the day there was no result. RK was finally successful in persuading his parents to let Deepali stay in their house for some days as she is new and alone here so it would be better if she stays in their house instead of any hotel and this way they will also get to know her better. His parents reluctantly agreed.

At night Radha got up to drink water. She came to the kitchen when she heard some voices from RK's room. She was disgusted at the thought of Deepali being in RK's room but she also couldn't resist to overhear their conversation. She went near the door. It was ajar. She peeked in.

"Deepali! What are you doing? And why you are here at this time of night?" asked RK as he tried to push Deepali who was literally throwing herself on him.

"Oh come on RK baby, Delhi mein toh tumhe kabhi bura nahi lagta tha mera is tarah tumhare kareeb aana. Yaha kya hua?" asked Deepali as she put her hands around his neck.

"This is my parents house and you know the situation we are in here. The whole environment is tensed because of us and you want to romance now that too ....itni raat ko yaha chhup kar mere kamre mein aakar. Just get out of here before I lose my mind." RK said in low voice but with gritted teeth.

"Fine! You have become boring here." Replied Deepali and left the room.

She saw Radha waiting for her at the door. "First I thought I should not judge you in hurry but now I know exactly what kind of a girl you are." Said Radha sarcastically.

"Whatever, but your son loves me.....would be mom in law" Deepali replied as she arched her eyebrow challenging her to deny this fact.

"Please God! help us and do something so we get rid of this girl." Radha sent a silent prayer to God.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

to be continued.....