The betrayal

Chapter 8

"No, stop!" 

All the eyes turned to look at Radha, she had just interrupted the most auspicious moment. Dev looked at her puzzled, what was going on in Radha's mind!? What was she doing!? He tried to read her eyes. Abhimanyu who was standing in the background got a hint of the commotion and walked towards the pyre furiously. He would teach Mehra a good lesson for screwing up the one thing she was supposed to do. He walked to her and gripped her left hand, ready to drag her out. 

"You can't fill her parting just like that, use your ring" Radha instructed gently, pouring in relief on everyone's anguish as everyone broke down laughing. 

"Oh Radha, you scared us! Hmm, you remember very well from your wedding ha?" Gauri quipped. Radha, nodded politely as she turned her gaze to Abhimanyu sadly and turned to look at Dev. 

Do pal ruka khwaabon ka kaarvaan
Aur phir chal diye tum kahaan ham kahaan

Dev took a ring, smiled to Radha and scooped out vermillion with it and looked at Priyanka, delving into her eyes as a promise to her and assurance to Radha, he filled her maang. 

The priest asked Radha to tie the bride and groom's clothes together, so they could rise up and take the Pheras. Radha did as required and the bride and groom got up. Dev and Radha's eyes met for a last time, where Radha pressed her eyes and smiled to him, giving him her full assurance. He smiled to her as he slowly held Priyanka's hands and led her for the pheras. 

Do pal ki thi, ye dilon ki daastaan
Aur phir chal diye, tum kahaan, ham kahaan

-

Radha wheeled in a tray of tea in to the discreet conference room in the house, nobody was allowed there since there would often by important high profile meetings of the party members and the servants weren't allowed in there. 

Today Sameer was having another meeting, it seemed pretty serious, the commotion of the voices and their high decibels could make it till outside the room. 

As soon as Radha entered the room, all the voices quieted down.

She greeted everyone and poured in some tea for everyone and passed it around. 

"Radha dear, I think it's high time you and Abhimanyu give minister sahib some good news, a grandchild to look forward to!" one of the party members commented, making everyone laugh. A flushed Meera smiled in her defense. 

"I think minister sahib will give everyone good news before Radha here does" laughed Chaudhary. MLA chaudhary was a trusted friend of Sameer, he would often come over and have dinner with the family and have long conversations with Sameer in his study. Sameer and Chaudhary always watched out for each other in the gruesome world of politics. 

Radha didn't understand what he was trying to say and didn't bother, she instead deviated the topic, "Chaudhary uncle, please don't take more than a sugar cube in your tea, when your sugar gets high, I have to deal with aunty's rebukes" she warned him 

"Oh dear, kapoor sahab, your daughter-in-law will be the reason I stop coming to your house"  he laughed. 

"Chaudhary, my daughter makes our house seem like a home" Sameer said giving Radha an assuring smile and indicating her to leave everything there, he would take care of it. Radha quietly left the room.

She was too accustomed to the question about the good news, quite frankly from the day she got married. It was really tiring, but she stopped caring about it. The sooner she accepted that she would never be a mother, the better it would be, the noise around her would fade away eventually. She held her head, she had been feeling dizzy for the last week. Not to mention her Radha took her cup of coffee and sipped on it when she heard the shuffling of feet in the hallway, ascertaining her that the political party troupe had left. She walked to the conference room, so she could have her evening coffee in peace with her dearest papa.