It had been over a week and her father did not mention anything at all. Did his father not talk to hers? Did they not want her as their daughter-in-law?
All kinds of bad thoughts were invading her mind. It was another two days later that her father came home looking extremely serious.
He made her and Ranit sit in front of him and Mansi knew it was time. The moment of truth. But why did her father not look happy?
“Karan ka phone aaya tha mere paas. Kuch baat batayi usne mujhe. Ussi baare mai baat krna chahta hu.”
He started and Mansi shifted nervously in her seat while glancing at Ranit through the corner of her eyes.
“Dad ka? Kya kaha unhone?”
Ok! They were pretending. She also tried to act normal and curious.
“Tum dono ki shaadi ki baat kr rha tha.”
Mansi looked at Ranit who looked back at her while discreetly nodding his head at her.
“Kya? Shaadi? Hamari? As in meri aur Ranit ki?”
Mansi acted shocked and mentally patted herself for not stammering or sounding nervous.
She maintained the facade even when her father was staring right into her soul. God! He made her nervous right now. Why was he looking at her like that?
“Dad ne mujhe iss baare mai kuch kyu nhi bataya? I mean we talk almost daily. Phir bhi-”
Ranit too acted along but was cut off by her father's harsh voice.
“He told me everything. You both can stop pretending.”
Mansi and Ranit now looked at each other in shock. They looked down embarrassed and mumbled,
“Oh!”
There was silence for some time. Mansi didn't dare look up. She was too scared to face her father at the moment.
“Ranit!”
He called gaining Ranit's attention. Ranit looked at her father trying his best not to let his nervousness show.
“Pack your bags and all the stuff. You are leaving this place tomorrow morning. Tumhara ghar waise bhi almost ready hai. Thoda waha adjust kr skte ho.”
Mansi looked at her father with wide eyes. She then looked at Ranit who was frozen with shock.
“Papa please! Ek baar hamari baat sun lo. We love each other papa! Please papa! Don't send him away. Papa-”
“I have said what I wanted to.”
He got up and started walking towards his room when Ranit's voice stopped him.
“You are her father. And you have every right to decide what is right and wrong for her. But uncle, I love her. I'll leave tomorrow, just like you've asked. But that won't mean I leave her. Chahe mujhe puri zindagi lag jaaye aapko convince krne mai, lekin I am not giving up on Mansi. Ever!”
Her father looked at Ranit for a minute longer and then left without any word, shattering Mansi's hope.
“I can't live without you. Mai-mai-”
She hiccuped and he held her face between his palms and calmed her down.
“Shh! I'm not going to leave you baby. Relax! He is angry because we hid it from him. He'll come around, I'm sure of it.”
Mansi hugged him tightly, refusing to part with him. It took him a lot of effort and some consoling from her mother to calm her down. Her mother talked to her father but he was not listening to anyone.
The next morning was too dull. Ranit's bags were packed as instructed. His bags were kept in the living room which made Mansi teary eyed. She pleaded with her father through her eyes but the man was resolute.
Her parents and Ranit were sitting on the breakfast table. He was leaving after breakfast. Mansi was serving them hot, piping paranthas.
Her eyes were red and puffy which made Ranit uneasy. She served another one to him and he held her hand.
“Sit and have your breakfast. Baaki mai kr dunga. You look pale.”
He whispered but frowned in concern when she hissed. He removed his hand and saw her wrist burned.
“Mansi! What is this?”
His voice got her parents' attention. She squirmed nervously, feeling all the eyes on her.
“Wo-umm-khaana banate waqt jal gaya.”
She answered with her eyes lowered. Her father was about to get up to tend to her but Ranit beat him to it.
“Baitho idhar! Haath jal gaya lekin usko thik nhi krna. Lagi hui hai madam kaam krne. Infect ho jaata toh? Wait kr rhi thi kya iske bhadne ka?”
He reprimanded her softly while running to get the first aid box and tending to her injury sitting on his knees in front of her. Tears flew down her eyes seeing his care. His words might seem harsh, but his voice and eyes held so much love and care for her.
“Please don't go!”
She pleaded and he stopped. His hands held hers and dropped his head down. He gulped loudly and looked at her with his own eyes glassy with unshed tears.
“I am not going anywhere. Tumhare paas hi hu mai. Just not in the same house anymore. That won't make any difference to our love right? Right?”
She nodded and opened her mouth to speak something but felt her throat clog with emotions and shut it back.
Her mother held her father's hand and pleaded with him looking into his eyes. He left her hand and got up, making her sigh in sadness.
“Ranit! It's time. Your cab’s here.”
Ranit sighed and kissed her forehead. He got up and nodded at her father. He and her father took hold of his bags and he started moving out after taking her mother and father's blessing.
When he got up after touching her father's feet, he said.
“You know why I cannot let you stay here?”
Ranit nodded and looked away.
“Good! Tumhare America mai chalta hoga ye sab lekin hamare yaha shaadi se pehle ladka ladki ek ghar mai nhi reh skte. I personally don't consider it appropriate.”
Ranit nodded while Mansi looked at her father in shock. Did he mean what she thought he meant? Two minutes later, Ranit realised the meaning of his words and snapped his head up at him.
“W-what?”
Her father finally cracked a smile and called her daughter forward. She went towards him with slow steps and looked at her with hope.
“Mai shayad ye manne ko ready hi nhi tha ki koi isko mujhse jyada pyaar kar skta hai. But you have proved me wrong son. Kal jab ghar se jaane ka order dia tha wo gusse mai tha. Lekin aaj jab bhej raha hu toh wo acceptance ke saath hai. Build your home and come back to take her. Rightfully and legally.”
He said patting Ranit's shoulder making him cry in happiness. Mansi hugged her father, making him chuckle and kiss her head.
She peeked at Ranit from her father's embrace. They exchanged eye contact through which he promised her a forever.
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