'The Accidental Wife' New thread link-151 - Page 21

6. LAMENTS

A nondescript 3rd floor apartment in the busy district of Karol Bagh, New Delhi

Maan rang the doorbell again, loud and urgent. He heard shuffling behind the door, then voices.

Inside Mr. and Mrs. Kher exchanged nervous glances. "Whoever it is, we can't hide the truth anymore," Mrs. Kher lamented.

"I'll take care of them, Usha. You sit." Mr. Kher told his wife before opening the door.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Mr. Kher addressed Maan who he saw waiting impatiently outside. "Damaadji... You here? At this time?" Mr. Kher poked his head out of the doorway and inspected the passage. "And alone?"

"Please don't address me like that. Maan will do just fine. And yes, I've come alone. Nobody in my family knows anything as of yet." But the situation may change very quickly if I don't find Geet soon, he thought.

"Please come in, damaad... I mean Maan," Mrs. Kher said, hurrying to greet him. She led him to the only upholstered chair in the rather drab yet spic and span room.

Maan reluctantly accepted the seat of honor. Oddly, he was more agitated and fretful than furious. "I can't stay long," he said. "I... I need some information." He looked around the small living room where just three days ago he'd met for the first time the people he thought were his future in-laws to be. The place looked unnaturally subdued now.

"Zaroor! Definitely." Both Khers said simultaneously in one voice staring uneasily at him. Mr. Kher continued after a long pause. "There's really nothing more we can do or say to apologize for what our daughter has done. Except...maybe fall at your feet and beg your forgiveness."

"No, please!" Maan moved away just before Mrs. Kher could make a grab for his legs. "Don't embarrass me. As far as I know, you had no role to play in the entire gig."

"You do? Thank you, beta. May God bless you," Mr. Kher said looking much relieved. "But you see, kids these days are so mean and uncaring, except you...you are exceptionally honhaar!"

Yes, a honhaar idiot would be a more appropriate description, Maan thought dryly.

Mr. Kher continued ruefully. "Deepika had us both convinced she had broken up with that rogue, but see what happened? We were thoroughly deceived! Kisiko muh dikhane layak nahin choda!"

"Saari beeradri mein naak kat gayi hamaari." Mrs. Kher added with a loud sniff.

Maan couldn't do much except nod sympathetically. "I'm in kind of a hurry. If you can..."

"What a negligent host I am," Mrs. Kher exclaimed. "What will you have? Kuch thanda ya garam?"

"No, thanks. I..."

"It was a shock to us almost as much as it was to you, son. My wife...when she saw Geet, she nearly collapsed! I had to hold her up!" Mr Kher said.

Maan wondered how Mr. Kher had accomplished the feat. His wife was easily twice his size.

"Shock?! Uncleji...thank your lucky stars I haven't revealed my future wife's identity to anyone yet. I wanted to introduce her after the wedding so everybody would realize how competent I was and applaud me for it," Maan said, bursting into a wry laugh.

"You did a very smart thing, beta. Or both of us miya biwi would have died on the spot," Mr. Kher said.

"Have a samosa, Maan," Mrs. Kher suggested, directing his attention toward a plate heaped with the fried fritters before popping one into her own mouth.

"Samosa?" Maan asked.

"My wife eats when she gets stressed," Mr. Kher explained.

Maan couldn't help but stare in fascination at the munching Mrs. Kher. Deepika must have really stressed her mother out quite a bit.

"I want an annulment, of course," Maan said.

"Yes, absolutely! That's only fair. But do understand, we have severed all ties with our daughter. She's practically dead to us! Kyon Deepika ki ma?" Mr. Kher glanced at his wife.

He seems the kind of man who seeks his wife's approval on everything. Is that the secret to a happy marriage? Maan mused.

"Haan, Deepika ke papa." Mrs. Kher nodded vigorously before reaching for another fritter.

Maan jerked his eyes away. He could feel bile rising to his throat.

"We hope you are happy with Geet, son," Mr. Kher said unenthusiastically. "Though she is a little muh-phat and bold at times..."

"And somewhat opinionated, assertive and disrespectful..." Mrs. Kher mumbled with her mouth full.

Wow! Geet has quite an awesome reputation!

"Yet overall, she's a much better match for you than our Deepika," Mr. Kher declared.

"Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to find out because she has left me, too," Maan said.

"What?!" Both the Khers asked simultaneously.

"Yes, your precious daughter persuaded Geet to take her place just in order to teach me, who by the way she calls a haughty snob, a lesson! Geet told me so in not so many words before she jilted me last night."

"Oh you poor, poor boy!" Mrs. Kher wailed.

"And I, like the fool I am, let her go, without even considering the consequences. Such as, I'm not sure what will transpire when my parents arrive today and find that my bride has forsaken me. My mother is sure to raise hell and make everyone involved pay dearly! So please," Maan implored, "for your sake as well as mine, tell me where I can find Geet!"

Mr. and Mrs. Kher looked at each other again. It was clear they certainly didn't want to face the wrath of his mother, if they could help it.

"I can only supply you with her address. She and Deepika were roommates. We used to wonder why our daughter insisted on staying away from us despite living in the same city. Now we know." Mr. Kher got up and went to a side table and wrote something down on a piece of paper. His face was grim as he handed it over to Maan.

Glancing down at it, Maan saw it was a location near the University Enclave.

"Geet is working on her Ph.D in English Literature at St. Stephens. She also works there as a teaching assistant. She is very..."

Maan bolted out of the door before Mr. Kher could complete his sentence.

tbc..