As soon as Shradha entered the house, she could sense the tense atmosphere. Anil was sitting in front of the TV with grave face while Kavitha was in the kitchen. Shradha's younger brother was nowhere to be seen. Shradha quietly started walking towards her room and she heard Anil's voice behind her.
"Where were you all day?"
"I had special classes today. And I stayed back in college to finish some assignments" Shradha answered, hoping her mother had used the same excuse.
Kavitha came out after listening to them talk and she immediately started indirectly filling in Shradha about what had happened in the afternoon.
"Did I not tell you to come home soon after the classes? Your father's friend and his family had come and they really wanted to meet you! They asked about your studies and what not! Even after lunch, they stayed back hoping to meet you. They left after having evening tea. Thankfully aunty was so understanding! She even said that colleges and classes can be unpredictable and maybe you got held up with something there. They told us to get you along with us, when we visit them next time. "
'Okey, mom. You are telling me that there will be a next time. Fine.' Shradha thought to herself and looked at her father. He had resumed watching TV but it was very clear that he was annoyed. 'If I even have to think about my future, then I'll have to avoid all of these dramas till I graduate. How can I do that! ' Shradha just stood in the living room immersed in her thoughts. Kavitha saw the look on her face and knew that her daughter was up for something. Kavitha observed Shradha for a minute and was about to open her mouth to tell her to go to the room when she heard Shradha speaking.
"Umm.. dad, I will come with you guys when you go to your friend's house next time, but.. umm can I say something? "
Kavitha was surprised to see Shradha speaking like an obedient daughter. She had sweetness in her voice and she behaved totally unlike herself. Whenever Anil would yell at Sharadha she would just stand like a lifeless doll. She never answered back, but at the same time she had never behaved like an obedient kid. She used to bear the expression of someone wronged, with glint of hatred in her eyes. But today Kavitha had a hard time believing that it was indeed her own Shradha who was speaking to Anil. 'I really hope, you know what you are doing Shradha!'
Anil looked at Shradha and he was also surprised at her behavior. "Hmm.. tell me.. "
"So I wanted to say.. umm.. is it really necessary, I mean is it good idea to fix my alliance right now?" Shradha hurriedly explained further. "I mean, I heard one of my seniors speaking in college last week. She is in her final semester now and her family has started looking for potential groom.
She was telling how her family has hard time choosing between amazing grooms. Apparently there is a high demand for Engineering graduates with job offers. My senior had a guy fixed for her in 1st year itself, but now there are so many better families and guys with good qualifications who are approaching her. So her family was feeling that they made a mistake by fixing alliance so soon. If they had waited they would have been able to build relationship with prestigious families. Umm so.. I was thinking.. you know… is it really a good idea to fix my marriage right now.. I know you only take decesion that's good for my future and our family and I will listen to you if you tell me to get engaged to that guy. But I just wanted to tell you what I heard. It's better to think now, than regretting later right ?"
Shradha did not know from where she got the strength or the idea of this story. She was just taking a chance by shooting an arrow in darkness; There was no hope that it would hit the target.
Kavitha was astonished to hear her daughter talk. 'Where was this talent of smooth talking all these years! You simply made trouble for yourself when you could've used this same tactic before!'
Anil was also aware of this sudden change in his daughter's attitude. However her arrow had hit the right place. He did want glorious in-laws for his daughter so that he could proudly show off in front of his family. Anil always had felt inferior to his elder brother who had been living luxuriously. Their son had recently gotten married to the daughter of a rich real estate family. If he could take 2 years time to find rich family for Shradha, then he could also show off just like his brother.
Thinking for a while about all of this, Anil slowly nodded and said "okay." Shadha could not understand what he meant by okey. She stood there when Anil spoke again. "Focus on studies for next 2 years then. We will find you a nice guy after your graduation. "
Both Shradha and Kavitha could not believe what had just happened. Shradha recovered quickly and thanked her father sweetly before running off to her room. She could breathe freely for the next 2 years!
***