Can't help falling in love

Chapter 24:

"Do you know where he is?" Pratibha frantically asked Aakash and Meera as they entered the house, suddenly everyone sitting on the table looked at Aakash and Meera expectantly

"Maa, he is stuck in some mee-" Aakash began As he tried to placate his mother by placing his hands on her shoulder

"Stop it Aakash! I am a mother, I know when you're lying, I know it! Your dad found out, he said there was no meeting lined up today!" Pratibha said almost tearing up

"Meera, tell me where he is, he hasn't come home in 2 days! he was with you right? Did he say anything, did you fight?" She went and squeezed Meera's hands, Meera helplessly looked at Aakash and Divya, "M-ma-maa he must be fine, don't worry, he must be in some work that he forgot to inform us about" She stuttered.

"Maa, please, come have something, you haven't eaten anything" Divya said as she led Pratibha to the table while being helped by Sudha. Shantanu sat there tense, his fingers entwined into one another and elbows rested on the table. His early fears began coming back, with great difficulty he had had coerced Arjun into this marriage, his fear entailed around Arjun's 'london-girlfriend' coming back into his life. Shantanu also knowing Meera to be a headstrong and educated girl assumed that she wouldn't tolerate another woman in her husband's life. Things had just begun getting better. If the marriage were the break, forget the reputation that would go down hill, his promise to his mentor would be broken.

Divya, Sudha and Meera persuaded every one to eat, Aakash at one moment came to Meera and whispered to her to ensure that if Arjun arrived, he should be taken to the room, a moment of heat between Arjun and Shantanu and chaos would ensue, Meera notably nodded. 

A few minutes later, the shuffling of footsteps was heard, Arjun entered, carrying his coat in his hand, his hair extremely sweat and unkempt, his shoes carrying the mud from outside as he walked across casually. "Arjun!" Shantanu exclaimed as he rose up, Aakash and Meera looked at each other, Meera walked towards Arjun quickly, she persuaded him to go to their room, sensing the tension she thought for a moment and pretending to laugh, she added, "I am so sorry, Arjun told me that he was going for a friend's get together and I totally forgot!" She said hitting her head for effect.

Pratibha was enraged at this, "forgot!? Meera what kind of irresponsibility is this! we have been so worried and you shrug it off with an 'I forgot'" 

Arjun turned to Meera, "What are you doing? Did I ask for any favours? I am talking to my parents and I need no interference from you, don't worry, we don't get slapped here" He spat out and Meera looked at him horrified. However there was enough of a scene created now, "Don't you dare get me talking now, just go to the room" She gritted her teeth, inaudible to the audience. 

"She is not interfering, she is standing up  for you, atleast now we know that she is lying, where were you Arjun!" scoffed Shantanu.

Aakash walked towards Arjun quickly and began pulling him away, "Bhai, please now is not the time, Papa will fall sick, please, lets sleep over it  and talk about it tomorrow" Aakash whispered to him as Arjun got out of his hold "How does it matter where I was, do you really care?" he spat out

"Care? Your mother hasn't eaten anything! We have been so worried, why don't you understand, you have a wife now! don't you realize that you are being unjust to her" Shantanu exclaimed in frustration

"Father, injustice has been done to me! I was forced in this marriage I didn't agree to it! I am not being unjust to her, you are, you knew before hand that I wouldn't accept her as my wife, yet you let it happen, I did tell Aakash to inform her before hand of this, I am not being unjust, you all are!" 

"Arjun!" cried out Pratibha who expectantly looked at him to hear her pleas and stop the confrontation 

Divya gasped, "What? You told Aakash before that you wouldn't accept Meera? Is it true Aakash! oh god! what have I let happen with my cousin! oh dear!" She gasped in horror and ran to her room as Aakash slapped himself on the head