Chapter 34: chapter 34

“You remember how I got married to Devyani?” Virender mentioned while taking a leisurely stroll in the garden with his grandson.“Of course I do!” Adhiraj responded, struggling to maintain his composure and not act like a whiny kid, begging for details.Virender smirked, briskly rubbing his hands together to warm them up, and slyly whispered, "Just hold your horses, young man! Patience is a virtue, you know.”“Patience!” Adhiraj scoffed, declaring, “I've been dancing on the brink of adventure ever since I tied the knot.”“Just like I did…” Virender chuckled, “Even during those times, people used to fall in love and elope if their parents didn’t approve. Devyani's sister pulled the same stunt. I couldn't care less, to be honest. I was too focused on making money to worry about my runaway bride. All I wanted was to get it over with and get back to work. I didn't even bother to find out who I was marrying.”Adhiraj flashed a knowing smile and quipped, "Dadi never failed to remind me. She always talked about how she was just a nineteen-year-old girl, six years younger to you, and was married off to the man meant for her older sister. You two didn't even know each other!”“Indeed!” Virender let out a long sigh, gathering his thoughts before continuing, "However, there was an undeniable charm in her that compelled me to pay attention to her childish behaviour. There was a tradition where she had to give my brother a token of money after he touched her feet and proclaimed, 'Bhabhi Maa saman hoti hai!'”Adhiraj burst into fits of laughter as he recalled the hilarious way Devyani narrated that incident to him. Virender, on the other hand, was completely engrossed in the memories of that day itself, reminiscing, "She was the newlywed bride, expected to blush and shy away whenever questioned. But did she surprise us all! In front of the entire clan, she boldly lifted her veil, turned towards me, and tapped my shoulder to grab my attention.”Virender couldn't resist joining Adhiraj in the laughter as he kept retelling the story, "She left me totally bewildered with that request of hers, 'I need money to give to your brother.' I must have looked like I just witnessed a UFO landing on earth. Ignoring all the nosy onlookers, she went on to explain, 'My mother takes money from my father because he is her husband. And you are my husband, so you should give me money to give to your brother.'”Virender and Adhiraj found themselves seated on the bench, giggling uncontrollably, reminiscing about the hilarious faces Devyani made. Virender recalled the actual day, while Adhiraj replayed the moment Devyani retold the entire story.Virender's voice trembled as he spoke a while later, his eyes glistening with tears. "In that moment, I saw my wife for the first time. I observed every delicate line, every pure expression etched on her face. It was a moment I knew I couldn’t undo.”Adhiraj, being the caring grandson that he is, tried to snap his grandfather out of his gloomy state by giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder, teasing, "You know, Dadu, if you had turned down the money back then, I'm pretty sure she would have given you a good kick!”His words worked like magic on Virender, causing him to shake his head and grin, “She definitely would have! She was feisty and demanding. It wasn't easy to make her see that I wanted her not out of obligation, but because she was Devyani and because I had fallen in love with her. Once she embraced us, life became more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed of. I continued to work hard, not for personal achievement, but to ensure that she and Jai had all the happiness in the world.”Adhiraj softly uttered, "Thank you, Dadu!" His eyes glistened with a profound blend of admiration and appreciation towards his grandfather, his idol. "Without you, none of this would have been possible—living in this grand mansion, with a name that is respected by all.”Virender gently tapped his back as he responded, "If only my father hadn't been betrayed, I wouldn't have had to struggle so much. But it wasn't just me, Raj. It was both me and Devyani. If this wealth is a result of my dedication, then its foundation is laid on her selfless sacrifices. I missed out on countless precious moments with Jai, jeopardising the father-son bond we should have had. We couldn't have more children because she wasn't advised to do so. And, as Jai grew older, Devyani noticed his aloofness, and I tried to bridge the gap, but it was too late. She chose Vandana for him, believing she would be his guiding light in this journey of life, just as Devyani had been for me.”Adhiraj, drowning in a sea of emotions, flopped down on the bench and rested his head on Virender's lap. Meanwhile, Virender, being the supportive soul that he was, gently patted Adhiraj's head and continued with his words, "Vandana was a total powerhouse when it came to handling him. She had this magical ability to steer him in the right direction, ensuring the happiness never lacked in our home! I've never seen such an extraordinary bond between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Devyani cherished Vandana like her own daughter, which explains why Vandana is such a wonderful mother-in-law to all her three daughters-in-law.”Adhiraj shut his eyes, absorbing every word from his grandfather, "Vandana was Devyani's choice. She desired a daughter-in-law who would embrace this home as her own, not just her husband's, much like she herself did. She recognized the same qualities—of herself and Vandana—in someone else as well. And in that very moment, she knew that, that girl would be the ideal choice as her eldest granddaughter-in-law, as your better half, for us, for this home.”Adhiraj's eyes flew open in utter confusion as he bolted upright. With a puzzled expression, he turned to Virender and demanded, "Where is this going, Dadu?"Virender let out a heavy sigh before dropping the bombshell, "That girl was Imara!”