Chapter 51: chapter 51

What is your problem Simrit?" Mowri  said tiredly. She was done with this juvenile nonsense that her sister put her through every single time."You," Simrit said loudly drawing attention to them in the room full of relatives."Are you drunk by any chance?" Mowri  asked sarcastically at the drama her sister was adamant on doing today.She watched her mother, chachi and bijicome towards them with concern on their faces. Whether it was for her or Simrit or the relatives she had no idea."Drunk?" Simrit said as if the word left a bad taste in the mouth. "I don't need to be drunk to talk to you. You think I am scared of you. You think you are above everyone present in this room don't you? Just because you have an extra degree you think you are superior to us? Always riding on your high horse you are such an egoist," Simrit said angrily."And you are a juvenile delinquent who needs to grow up," Mowri  said amused with Simrit's current drama, "you really should see a psychiatrist you know," she said with a half-smile on her face, "you are turning into an obsessive shrew," she said.Instead of shutting her up it flared her anger and Simrit refused to heed caution."Simrit," Roop asked gently, "what is wrong? Did someone say something to you?" she asked."For the record nobody did," Mowri  said disgusted with her mother, "everyone is present right here she started this nonsense, but then what can be expected of her," she said."Mowri ," bijiwarned.Mowri  kept quiet. She didn't want to make mess of an already messy situation. Besides it was Kulraj's engagement tomorrow. With so many relatives here it would give them a month's load of gossip if not more."Simrit, go back to your room," bijiordered."Why I?" Simrit said haughtily, "Ask her to go away. You always with her. What hold does she have over you? She didn't even get married till last month. She doesn't care for anybody and yet you always worry for her," Simrit accused.Mowri  had had enough. She had always kept quiet. But not this time. If Simrit wanted to have a fight she will give her one. She was done taking insults and injuries every single time. This was too much."And you care," Mowri  said her anger rising, "so let me ask you. If I don't have anything going for me what is it that you have that makes you so special?" she asked."You can't even begin to understand what I have," Simrit said smiling arrogantly, "have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror," she said and a hush fell over everyone but Simrit was beyond caring she was so far gone in her jealousy and insecurities she couldn't distinguish between right or wrong any more. Why should Mowri  be happy if she was not? "The dark horse of the family, awkwardly tall, strangely built you look as if you don't belong with any of us," she said and someone gasped but Mowri  did not have time to see who it was, "and you have airs about you. Look at me or Preeti or Kulraj we are all pretty, with delicatebuilds, every boy who ever came to see you wanted to marry me. They didn't want to get married to you. Why do you think I am mummy's favorite," she said uncaring if she was hurting ten others in the room, "because I am so good to look at," she said.Mowri  didn't know what to say to someone like her. It hadn't hurt all that much just a little. It was the truth and she already knew that but to actually hear her say it made her sad. But she decided to not give in."I know," Mowri  said her voice dripping of sarcasm, "what you are saying is something I have always known," she said and heard her mother gasp this time, "but aren't you a little old to play the tantrum card or maybe you never grew up. And yes, the boys who did come to see me liked you better because every boy wants a pretty no brainer who he can handle, what men like is something else and I married a man not a boy," she said with just as much arrogance.That hit under the belt. Simrit couldn't take the insult hurled at her in front of so many people. She just couldn't. Murmurs had started again. What Mowri  had said was true. But it was bitter and the bitterness was choking Simrit. She had seen how her sister had evolved in just a month. Arnab  must have taken good care of her. So had Varun at least the first few months till the novelty didn't wear of. But Simrit knew the difference between Varun and Arnab . She had seen it with her own eyes. There couldn't be any comparison between the two. Varun's indifference to her and the way he had shaped was eating at her. In her haste to be married to the charming, good looking boy she never realized what she was getting into. And Arnab , she had seen the attention he gave his wife, the way he handled her with gentleness and care, the way he looked at her making sure she was fine and this was not just because they were newly married this was who he was. He respected Mowri  for the person she was and not just Mowri  everyone in the house including her. And she couldn't stand it. Mowri  didn't deserve it, she wasn't even pretty."Mowri , I want you to go to your room now," Bijibarked. She was at the end of her patience with the two.Mowri  hated leaving a battle in the middle but she wasn't so far gone in her anger yet that she didn't realize where she stood. She turned and must have taken a step when Simrit's words stopped her cold."You don't deserve him but," Simrit said angrily, "if given half a chance he would choose me over you any day," she said and Mowri  turned.Her face was furious. Anyone who saw her knew she was really angry now. A couple of ladies in the room started whispering but Mowri  didn't hear them. Her gaze was locked on her sister's face."What did you just say?" Mowri  hissed."You heard what I said," Simrit said arrogantly."You have been married for five years with a three year old son and this is what comes out of your filthy mouth," Mowri  said narrowing her gaze her voice rising with her rising temper, "this is what your mother taught you or is this what you have learnt at your in laws' place. Maybe it is your education but then I forgot you aren't educated either a college dropout. So when exactly did you take the trip down the cuckoo land," she said, "I am sure your wonderful husband must have arranged the tickets through his travel agency," she hinted with a frosty smile, "but what could be expected from the girl who stole her own sister's would be husband on her wedding day," she bellowed the last few words.Simrit stood rooted to the spot in the wake of her sister's anger. But she was just as stubborn. Giving in was not an option now. Mowri  had never done anything wrong, she was such a paragon. Kulraj and Preeti loved her, so did bijieven papa was always proud of what she had achieved on her own. Her intelligence had always covered up for the lack of beauty and she had always been proud of it. But because of her Simrit was stuck with Varun. Had she not said yes to him Simrit would never have met him and been attracted enough to want him for herself? It was all Mowri 's fault. In all Simrit had actually done her sister a huge favor by marrying Varun. She hadn't realized his true nature till much later. Now she was stuck with him for a lifetime especially now that she had a son. And she found she didn't love him anymore. Maybe she never had. At twenty two she had mistaken attraction and charm for love. Love was what she saw in Arnab 's eyes for Mowri . The way he looked at her as if he couldn't see anybody else, couldn't think about anybody else. What had Mowri  done to twist him around her finger like that? And she hated it. She couldn't stand for her sister to be happy or have a final word. So she attacked her where she knew Mowri  would be most vulnerable."At least I married someone who was only engaged," Simrit said just as loudly so everyone in the room could hear clearly, "not a divorcee," she said and saw the hurt in Mowri 's eyes and she smiled coldly. This was what she was waiting for. To put a dent in her sister's happy life. "What makes you think you could have a successful marriage with a guy who already has a failed marriage to his credit?" Simrit said. She could hear loud whispers. Serves Mowri  and bijiright for trying to hide the truth from everybody.Nimmi didn't know what the hell was happening but she knew her daughter's engagement was ruined. Now all everyone will have to talk about would be the fight that was taking place right now. She almost fainted as her sensibilities refused to take this anymore.Roop was shocked to her core as she heard Simrit. She had always thought her daughter to be sweet with delicate temperament. Had all that been an act? She was mortified as she watched in horror of what Simrit had become. Her face contorted with anger and her tongue dripped with venom for her own elder sister. She needed to sit down. But she couldn't.Bijirefused to interfere this time. Though she knew things were going to get ugly than what they were but enough was enough. She knew Mowri  was reaching the end of whatever little patience she had but it was time Mowri  let out her emotions."Enough," Mowri  said with anger. Her body was straight as a tight bow about to snap. "Not one word. If you insult Arnab  one more time you will pay for the consequences," she said tightly. Her finger waved in front of Simrit's face warning her off. "Nobody has the right to insult my husband," she said her voice icy cold, "I told you on the evening of the reception that you did me a favor by marrying Varun. But now I think you didn't because you both are so alike that he could never have been with anybody else but you. You deserve each other and I wish with all my heart that you stay together for a long time to come," Mowri  said viciously."Give me one reason why should I respect that man?" Simrit argued.What was she dumb? Everybody could see this was not going to end well if Mowri 's mounting anger was anything to go by but it seemed Simrit was hell bent on seeing how far she could push her sister today.Mowri  would not she could not tolerate Simrit another second. Neither could she tolerate her foul mouthing Arnab  especially when he was not here to defend himself. Not in front of her. "I will give you three because if one doesn't enter that tiny brain of yours maybe the other two will," Mowri  said angrily, "one he is older to you in every respect age, status and relationship. Two because he is the elder son in law of the Vij family. And if those two don't make any sense to a nitwit like you then third because he is your sister's husband," she said."Ooo, possessive," Simrit said laughing in Mowri 's face, "for a used husband," she said, "but it is expected. After all someone said yes to you," she said stressing on the last word, "a favor he did you and you like a starving puppy lapped up what he had to offer even if it was a broken heart and a future full of adjustments. He must have married for love before but does he love you?" she asked. "Wonder why his wife left him? Maybe there is something wrong with him. He is nothing but a discarded piece of..." she would have continued but she was stopped in the middle by something she hadn't been expecting.Mowri  could feel her fury unfurl and she let it soar till it blinded her to reason. Simrit had hit a raw nerve here and Mowri  let her hand fly. She didn't stop herself but she did stop Simrit from saying whatever she was going to say as her hand connected with her cheek. The force of the blow didn't stop herself but she did stop Simrit from saying whatever she was going to say as her hand connected with her cheek. The force of the blow was so hard Simrit actually staggered back. Mowri  watched as shock registered on her sister's face and found a strange kind of satisfaction. Simrit hadn't been expecting it and Mowri  rejoiced. There was pin drop silence in the room. She watched the red imprint of her hand on Simrit's cheek. And Mowri  took charge."Stay away from me and my family," she said as she gritted her teeth, every word cold as frost, "or I will make you rue the day you were born," she finished.With that she turned and walked out with her head held high. What she had done would soon take over but for now she felt at peace.***********