After Varsha and Ira left the group, Arpit looked at the different expressions of the people in his group and laughed awkwardly. Some expressions have pity, some bemused and some even felt like holding their laughs.
Arpit coughed and said trying to be funny "My elder cousin brother got married to peasant and I got saved." And he clapped and said while pointing toward the arrangement of food at one side in the garden "Let us continue our dinner lest we forget the main thing." And he mentioned the people of the group to follow him toward the buffet arrangement.
On one side in the garden at one table, eldest uncle of Akash is entertaining Mr. Pawar as his own extinguished guest. One or two more people are also at the table and are somehow involved in the discussion.
"Mr. Praveen, do you think our collaboration still has a chance to go forward? The way your plans are going, I am not much optimistic." Mr. Pawar asked the eldest uncle of Akash. Yes, the name of the eldest uncle is Praveen Patel.
Eldest uncle showed a hesitant look and eyed other two people on the table and then said "There are some small hiccups in the plan as you can see. But aren't we on the track again where your daughter is also probably going to be my daughter-in-law? My son talks a lot about her." He showed an awkward laugh. Mr, Pawar and other two people looked at him amusingly.
"I won't rely on the kid's relationship for such type of projects. These two gentlemen here are also possible investors in my expansion plan, so it is better that we become more confident about ourselves." Mr. Pawar replied calmly. With this sentence, he showed that he did not care about kid's relationship or just made it seem like something insignificant. This collaboration for eldest uncle is a chance to expand further in his other business which he has started separately from his own family business.
Eldest uncle of Akash laughed awkwardly and then said to everyone on the table while trying to change the subject "I understand. Why don't I let you meet my nephew and daughter-in-law and see the future of my family's development? I can assure you, you will find our younger generation too promising." And he looked around and then excused himself to bring Akash and Varsha to meet this group.
One of the people in the group asked Mr. Pawar "So, this boy Akash you were planning to pair with your daughter?"
Mr. Pawar looked toward Akash with a group of youngsters and he is now talking to his eldest uncle and sighed "Yes. I hoped they will see the bigger picture. What a waste of such a brilliant person?"
"What do you mean?" Another person asked curiously.
Mr. Pawar laughed and said, "I thought a person of great qualities like him deserved better."
While the group of Mr. Pawar and his acquaintances are discussing, Praveen Patel, uncle of Akash made his way to them with Akash and Varsha. The group stopped their discussion and scrutinized the young couple with their silent gazes.
One boy of 23 and girl of 20. The boy looks confident with bright eyes and has the aura of a leader and girl looks like a shy and meek follower of him.
Mr. Pawar laughed and came forward and patted the shoulder of Akash and said "I have heard a lot about how promising you are from your uncle. By the way, congratulations to both of you on your marriage."
Akash looked at his uncle and then at Mr. Pawar and said "Thank you. I believe the things you have heard are all positive ones." And then he held the hand of Varsha who is beside him and squeeze it softly. Varsha got his message and then looked toward Mr. Pawar and said softly "Thank you."
Mr. Pawar sized the youngsters in front of him and said "Good. Very Good. Although by your age seems too early to marry but I feel it must have been something you both decided. So, I should wish you both best of luck." Mr. Pawar said trying to gauge the feelings of youngsters in front of him.
The partner of Mr. Pawar laughed and said: "Of course who marries at this age unless they are childhood sweethearts."
The hand of Akash holding the hand of Varsha turned stiff and even Varsha could understand his mental state due to this discussion. He can say that they are childhood sweethearts and also can not deny this. The situation is really awkward for him. He knows that this Mr. Pawar is someone his uncle is trying to butter up to make him agree for an investment. Akash also remembers his Grandpa mentioning this person because he once sought marriage alliance between their families.
Mr. Pawar is a well-known businessman in the hotel industry and also has political connections in MH state. From their talk, Akash can understand that Mr. Pawar is trying to deride his marriage. It could be due to rejection he got from his grandfather and is feeling insulted because of that.
But Akash also does not wish to insult a person with such connection, So he just smiled at him and his partner and then said "Well, I never needed to fall in love to marry. I have given the decision making power to my grandparents regarding this and believed that they will make the best decision for me."
Varsha could understand the heart of Akash. She has seen it in his eyes that how much restricted he must have felt when this choice was made for him by his grandparents. By responding this way he is simply saying that he has just done the bidding of his grandparents when he married and it simply showed that he did not have a say in other words. It is difficult for him to lie that they love each other. She felt sad and hurt by this but she also felt angry with these people who are being so rude by their remarks. She also does not understand how a person like him be attending the party and be so blatant and shameless at the same time.
Mr. Pawar looked toward Varsha and said "What about you? Did you also feel obligated to elder's decision and married? If so, it is really a pity for you to be not in love yet."
Now it felt like a provocation to Varsha and she really felt angry inside. She could not understand why this person is so much interested in their feelings for each other. Their discussions have also attracted the attention of nearby people and she can feel Akash is being very uncomfortable. She has to do something otherwise Akash will feel more awkward.
Even though Akash has asked her not to talk too much but it is really the time not to keep silent. Varsha looked at Akash and then everyone paying attention to her and smiled shyly and said "I was told about that marriage is fixed to him when I was just ten years old. So, you see I had known it for ten years and I had those ten years to develop my feelings for him. Although we did not talk to each other and can not name our feelings but I have always known what he has been doing and how great he is by listening to the conversations of my grandparents. I have never met him before, never talked to him. So, my feelings for him really cannot be called love." She stopped at this point to catch her breath.
Murmurs can be heard from the people around who are listening to her. Even some paparazzi and reporters have come and are recording now. The lips of Mr. Pawar and even the eldest uncle curled upward in mockery toward Akash. Why won't they feel elated? They wanted to make Grandpa Patel know that he has made wrong decision about the marriage. At this point, even Akash felt like the situation is worsening and he tugged at her hand slightly to make her stop.
Varsha looked toward everyone and then continued with a smile "Our relationship is not of lovers but that of a devotee and her God. It was never loving but more like worship. I have worshipped him for ten years and finally found him as my husband." Her eyes turned misty when she looked at Akash who is speechlessly looking at her. And this image is captured by many clicks from their surroundings.
Akash felt humored and thought while looking at Varsha "What a great actor?" And then he looked toward his eldest uncle and Mr. Pawar who have surprised expressions and said with a smile "Please pardon her emotional outburst." And then he excused themselves and pulled Varsha along with him away from there toward the side where Patel family members are present.
Behind them, everyone is talking about what Varsha said. Some people praised and some made fun. Some called her lucky for being able to marry her ideal.
"Very touching words. I will definitely report this word to word." One of the TV reporters who was recording said emotionally.
Another person said "Of course the concept of falling in love is not that common for a person from the village but respect and worship is definitely something which is possible. To think that she got to marry him, she really must feel like a lucky person."
"Even that boy Akash is so lucky to have found such a devoted wife." One paparazzi said.
One of the youngsters ridiculed "More like a copied story. It feels the same like the story of Goddess Parvati who prayed for many years to get God Shiva as her husband."
"That girl is surely very witty. She recovered from an awkward situation due to this made up the story very easily." Mr. Pawar also showed his disbelief on what Varsha said.
Some people looked at those who are mocking Varsha with amused expression especially Mr. Pawar who is in a tight situation due to those gazes.
Akash and Varsha walked toward their family members. Akash stopped and left the hand of Varsha and then faced her said with a smile "Worship me? Huh? Did you even believe your own words?"
Varsha felt hurt due to the joking tone of Akash. She wanted him to know how much she loves him and how happy she is by being married to him. But she also felt relief that he did not believe her words otherwise the things between them really be awkward afterward. He might even hate her thinking that she must have pulled some strings on both sides to make them married because she loved him.
She looked at him and said shyly "As long as they believe it." She lowered her head to hide the tears which unknowingly formed in her eyes.
After that, they moved toward the table. Akash tapped one of his cousins and beckoned him to move to another chair. He and Varsha took their seats. Akash picked a snack from the plate of Ira who is sitting at one side of his chair and took a bite. Ira pouted, it was her favorite sweet. Akash laughed. Beside him, Varsha took the plate with food passed to her from her mother-in-law and started eating.
Seeing the smiling look of Akash, Grandma asked "What is it? Tell us as well." Akash looked up and thought if he should tell about what happened. Not love but worship? What an embarrassing matter? He shook his head and caressed the hair of Ira and said while smiling "Nothing. It is just that this sweet is sweeter than the one I tasted before." Ira hit his arm playfully and pouted understanding the meaning of his words.