Chapter 26: chapter 26

Mowri, had just turned away from Arnab's , bua who was leaving to go back to the hotel as shehad an early morning train back to Kanpur when she spotted Arnab,with Varun. She wasn't sure what Varun was telling him but from Arnab's , expression she could make out he was ill at ease no that was wrong he was downright irritated.What the hell? Why was Varun talking to Arnab ,?What about? They had nothing in common apart from being related through her. There was something not right and she had slowly moved away from her mother in law's side towards where the two men stood.She had been surprised to see Varun yesterday.She hadn't seen him in a while. He hadchanged so much. Not in terms of his nature or personality he was still cheesy and his laughter grated on her nerves. But physically. Five years ago he had been good looking but now he had added so much weight. He had a huge paunch, the area around his eyes had bulges even his hair had thinned. At thirty he looked forty. Andthe clothes, it was as if he didn't realize he had increased in size so instead of wearing a size bigger he wore a size small. The buttons of hisshirt threatened to snap at any moment. And his manners had gone from bad to worse. As it is he thought he was God's gift to mankind and he strutted around like an overfull rooster but tostart finding faults in everything right from thearrangements to the invites to how the ceremony was to be done, he was like an old aunt who cribbed about everything for lack of anything to do even papa had been out of patience with him.Her mother of course had been busy appeasing his ego but..anyway. She walked close enough to hear him tell Arnab,about how to handle herand to ask him for advice and she had seen red. Her temper flared from zero to eighty in a matter of seconds and she had announced her presence. She was least worried about how Arnab,would take this sudden burst of anger shewould worry about it later. First her mother, then Simrit and now Varun. She had had it with the lot of them."First you learn how to handle that hellion you call a wife' she had said angrily.She didn't pause to took how Arnab,was receiving this ,her focus centered on Varun and  she was happy to see him lose that Iopsidedsnide smile of his as color drained from his face. He probably hadn't been expecting any interruptions. Well, he was wrong."Who the hell do you think you are to advice Arnab,over anything?" she asked furiously."I was just talking to him" Varun replied faltering,"the way you are he needs to be able to talk to someone," he said trying to stand his ground."If he needs advice which he doesnt he has his family to go to," she countered, "you are the lastperson on earth he would need advice from. I have had it with you and that wife of yours. The two of you stay away from me or so God help me l will rip your preciously created appearance apart strip by strip, do you understand?" she said gritting her teeth."No wonder you never got married," Varun came back, "who would marry a shrew like you? You trapped this poor man, you and that conniving biji, of yours. All I was doing was warning him.But I don't have to he just saw what you are like not that he can do much about it anymore after all you are married now" he said with a smirk."Don't worry about us Mr. Khullar" Mowri, said with just as much sarcasm, "we will manage but |think you should be worried about yourself. After all you have a bus load of sugar wrapped around poison for a wife hope you don't get diabetic or even worse choke on it. It is difficult to swallow that much sugar and if that doesn't kill you the poison surely will dont you think" she said and smiled coldly."See, this is what I was warning you about," Varun said to Arnab,who was watching his wife with fascination, "she is such a shrew. You do need tohandle her properly Arnab ,"' he said."You.." Mowri, started again when Arnab,put his arm around Mowri,.She was so surprised by that act she shut up andlooked at him. He kept his expression neutral almost pleasant but his eyes said something else. Had she been looking at Varun she would have seen the surprise there as well but she was busy looking at her husband."She is right Varun," Arnab,said evenly, "I knowhow to handle my own affairs," he said, "and I hate for others to interfere," he warned, "and nobody and I mean it, nobody has the right to either raise his voice to or insult my wife," he said stressing on every word. "The decision I took, to marry her, is solely mine and I know how to take responsibility for it so in future know it well you say one bad word to my wife and I will take it very personally and things go wrong when Ido that," he said keeping his tone even. And the effect was profound.Mowri, couldn't have been more proud. He had stood up for her. And the way he had kept his arm around her shoulders she suddenly felt safeand protected. She felt her throat constrict. No matter what he thought of her after this little showdown but the fact that he hadn't let her fight it out all alone was enough. She looked at Varunwho looked from one to the other."You both are a match made in hell," he spat, "I  was offering you my friendship but I guess you are in more need of my prayers," he told Arnab ,,"all the best to the two of you. I am sure your marriage won't last more than a year and that is even less than the last time you were married,"he said derisively.Mowri, was shocked to hear that. How did he know? Beeji had given strict instructions that this should not go beyond immediate family.Besides how dare he? She hissed in her breath and opened her mouth but a gentle squeeze to her shoulders made her look at Arnab ,. He wasn't looking at her but he was aware of her mood andintentions. She watched fascinated as he kept his face blank."Well, it would still be my decision and my luck Arnab,said, "I still stand by what I said. Nobodyhas the right to talk ill of my wife and that is that," he said firmly.Varun ground his teeth."You would be miserable, I can guarantee that," Varun said as he took a couple of steps back,"and you would be sorry too," he warned and turned to leave when Arnab,stopped him."And one more thing," he said and Varun pausedhis expression haughty, "I don't take kindly to people who bad mouth members of my family."he said tightly, "and that includes my new family too, get it" he said.Varun scoffed and walked away. He was agitated it was clear. Mowri, felt a shudder run through her. And she felt Arnab's , hand rub her shoulder. She looked at him and found him watching her. "You have quite a sharp tongue, you now that," he said with a smile."I know' she said unapologetically, 'some people don't get it till you are absolutely rude," she remarked."And sometimes right words and correct tone can do the trick," he said.His smile never wavered. And Mowri, found herself mesmerized by it."Come," he said, "others are waiting" he said andremoved his arm from around her.Mowri, immediately felt the cool air. The loss of warmth his nearness had generated. She walkedat his side. She couldn't possibly understand howshe had stopped from retorting back to what Varun had suggested. His voice ringing in her head. How had he known about Arnab's , past?It had to be Simrit. There was no other way but how had she known? Then it clicked. Of course. Her mother. She turned around to locate where her mother was and she did. She stood there for a few seconds as she watched her mother trying to placate a very animated Simrit with a smirking Varun standing behind her. She shook her head and then turned to walk towards her new family. She had her own worries to take care of without worrying about what her mother was facing with that idiot daughter of hers. Though it saddened her to see how her mother had always been woried about only one of her three daughters but it was something no one could help. All Mowri, hoped was that her mother realizes what she had made out of Simrit in time before someone else got hurt again.***************