Rai and Chitra raised their glasses from far grinning at us. The boys almost hijacked Mahen dragging him towards the bar while I was left under Elora and Sanjana's mercy. Rai and Chitra went off to attend the guests but these two were simply not leaving me.
"So did you two do it?" Sanjana smirked.
"Sanjana!"
"Oh come on, make-up sex is advisable."
I was about to punch her when an incoming call on Elora's phone interrupted us. Elora saw the caller and her expression instantly changed. She excused herself quickly running towards the end of the terrace. Sanjana's expression too changed. She looked tensed staring at the direction Elora went.
"Sanjana? What are you two hiding?" I asked. She turned and quickly tried to cover the tension with a smile, "What hiding? We are not hiding anything."
"Do you want me to tell this to Rai?"
"No, never."
I grinned. That will do the trick. She knew if I tell Rai, she would coax the details within seconds. "Please don't tell Rai."
"Then spill it. What's going on?"
She hesitated a bit. "I shouldn't be telling you. It's not my problem to share."
"I can understand that this concerns Elora, but what is it?" I pushed a little more.
Sanjana sighed, "Do you remember when Mahen was teasing him about some uncle and Elora said he was just ten years elder to her?"
I nodded remembering the piece of conversation during our recent trip.
"Well, he is not. Apparently Mr. Dayal Bajaj is fifty-five years old."
"What?" my eyebrows shot up. Shit! What was Elora thinking?
"That's not the main part. There's more."
Then I recalled the surname, "Wait. Dayal Bajaj, as in Karan's uncle Dayal Bajaj?"
Sanjana nodded.
"Shit. Does Karan know?"
"He does and there has been a major fight between Elora and Karan. But that's not why I am worried. Dayal Bajaj is willing to name Elora the sole owner of all his property and we don't know the reason."
"What about Karan's cousin and aunt?"
"That's the point. They are still alive though separated from him but why would he name Elora? Until and unless there is a relation."
"I can't believe this, why would Elora get involved with someone her father's age?"
"Now here's the twist. Elora claims she is not involved with him, which I believe because I saw a message in her phone, which indicates that she is being blackmailed. However nothing looks serious or threatening but I don't know the whole story yet."
"Oh my god! Sanjana, why didn't you tell us?"
"You have been gone through a lot and finally having some good time while this is the most important chapter of Chitra's life, how can I bother you all with a new problem?"
"Sanjana, don't ever think that. We are friends. Though Chitra, Rai and I are my best friends, this gang matters to us a lot. Have you forgotten our team work?"
Sanajana smiled.
"Tell her that we are there. If she is in trouble, we would be there to save her. By the way, Karan seems very normal. He is not a cool-headed person. So what's going on? Why didn't he interfere?"
"That's what I am scared of. I know Karan very well, he is not going to give up. In all this mess it's their friendship which is at stake."
"Don't worry," Sanjana looked very sad so I assured her to lift up her mood. "You go speak to Elora. She needs you and we all have each other."
She nodded and went to check on Elora. This gang was our strength, years back due to Shekhar and Nupur it had started to fall apart but now we will stand together. I do not know what exactly Elora was going through but I was sure we all will stand together whenever she needed us.
I came out of the canopy and turned to go towards the bar counter in search of the bride and groom.
"Forgotten your standard Miss Ghosal?"
I looked up hearing the voice and froze.
Mahen's mother stood in front of me. Her chubby face still had an expression of disapproval. I know she was referring to the dance I shared with Mahen just now. She hated to see us together.
I was avoiding exactly this situation. But I refused to bend down like I did years ago. I was done with listening to her venomous words.
"Looks like you have forgotten your standard," I said with a curt smile.
"Excuse me," Vasundhara Ganguly was highly respected in her circle for her manners and benevolent behaviour but when it came to me she somehow seemed a very different woman. However she wasn't accustomed to hearing rude replies. So now when I was fighting back she looked offended. Good, I decided to push her a little more. For once I wanted to show her that this Miss Ghosal was different from the one she tried to throw away from her son's life years ago.
"You are an insecure housewife speaking to an entrepreneur. So think about your place first and then talk to me. Because last time I checked, you are nothing without your husband's money." I know I was a little too harsh but this was me speaking after years of dying a silent death.
"You filthy –"
"Watch your mouth Vasundhara aunty. I am no more the school going middle class girl you threw out of your house for loving your son. Today, I am in a much better position. And I must also inform you that the girl you thought wasn't worthy of your son, now gets marriage proposals from some of the most eligible bachelors in the city."
"Don't cross your limits!" her eyes were now wide with rage.
"I never did." I paused for a brief moment and then added, "ask yourself, would you have done the same thing with your own daughter what you did to me?"
I can read from her expression that she was about to give me a vicious comeback but quickly flashed a fake smile as Roma aunty joined us.
"Vasundhara di, kamon acho (how are you)? I am meeting you after so long!" Roma aunty hugged her and gave me a side-glance. I desperately wanted to ignore them and leave but I was standing in a very awkward position and leaving from there would give rise to more gossips.
"Bhalo achi (I'm good) Roma. I heard Tuhin is leaving for States next year?" Vasundhara aunty enquired swiftly starting a conversation with her as if the episode of a mild clash with me never happened.
Soon we were joined by Nupur's mother as well. Oh God! My idea of today's party was not ending up between the gossiping mongrels. Someone please save me!
I turned my head a little and caught Chitra's attention. My eyes pleaded her. It was good that she quickly understood. Dragging Koushik along with her she rushed to my rescue.
"Such a bright boy, I tell you," Poroma aunty commented, "Just like your talented son. Mahendra has done so well. Nupur too was among his crowd you know."
"Of course, I have heard," Vasundhara aunty's face brightened up with pride while I was getting suffocated.
"Hello, lovely ladies. Mind I interfere in your important discussion?" Koushik quickly intervened with an attempt to save me.
"Oh Koushik, there you are. I have been searching for you. I didn't even get the chance to congratulate you and Chitra," Vasundhara aunty smiled.
"This reminds me, when are you getting your son married? I mean he must be getting a lot of proposals!" Poroma aunty asked.
Chitra and I glanced at each other trying hard to decide how to slip away from there.
"I do have a very good suggestion you know. The girl is going to be a perfect choice. Where is Mahen? We must hear his views as well," Roma aunty scanned around to look for him.
"There he is!" Poroma aunty pointed as we too noticed him coming towards us. He flashed a stiff smile greeting the aunties and stood in between Chitra and I.
"Mahen, Roma has a girl in mind for you," Poroma aunty quickly announced.
"Who is it Roma?" Vasundhara aunty asked curiously before Mahen could protest or even utter a word. Each and everyone of these women knew very well about what took over their news feed today and yet they had the audacity to speak about Mahen's marriage in front of me. Am I invisible to them?
"Oh you know her! She is such a bright girl, I would have definitely asked her hand for Tuhin if she wasn't elder to him."
We were all hearing curiously as who was this girl Roma aunty spoke so highly about while Chitra spotted Rai and waved her to save us.
"Oh ho, Roma, who is she?" Vasundhara aunty asked again. Ofcourse she would be eager to know. Now, even I was getting impatient to know her name.
With an over the top bright smile Roma aunty said, "Rachayita, of course!"
Shit! Shit! Shit!
"She belongs from our status and would be a perfect bride for Mahen!" Roma aunty explained which suddenly gave us all a mini heart attack.
"Fuck!" Mahen uttered, his eyes widened. Not because of what Roma aunty said rather to see the figure standing behind her.
"Double Fuck!" I said exactly at the same time noticing the person behind her.
"Relax, Rai doesn't think that!" Koushik whispered to us, clearly he didn't notice what we did.
"I am worried about my aunt!" Chitra's hand slowly lifted up to cover her eyes as she too dreaded the outcome.
Roma aunty's statement was made indirectly to comment on me but she just dug her own grave for Rachayita Mukherjee was standing right behind her with a stiff unreadable expression.
She walked into the middle. By now our gang too had gathered around us.
"She is going down," Mahen whispered. I turned at Chitra but she somehow was lost for words.
"There you are Rai," Roma aunty said turning towards her. Rai flashed a dangerously sweet smile and the next moment Roma aunty gasped. We all hurriedly took one step back as Rai emptied her wine glass straight over Roma aunty's head.
"Clean your thoughts with vintage red wine. Only then you will learn when and what to speak, or not to speak!" she said glaring at her and walked away.
We stood in silence for a brief second and then burst out laughing. Both Vasundhara aunty and Poroma aunty looked confused and quickly left. Several people noticed the incident but no body in the entire party dared to help Roma aunty. She gulped down her anger and embarrassment and excused herself.
It might seem like an extremely rude behaviour that Rai just did but it was high time these aunties learned not to gossip on someone's life's decision. She was neither Rai's nor Mahen's relative, so who gave her the right to comment on their life.
Though these kind of gossips sometimes can be regarded as healthy discussions provided the speaker was genuinely concerned about the people but here Roma aunty didn't suggest the alliance with good intention, and we all knew how she hated Rai.
I felt so bad. In a way this whole incident happened because of me. And now Rai will have to listen to her mother's scolding. I am sure someone would narrate the incident to her mother in a scandalous way.
"Deepa, don't blame yourself. Rai has been dealing with this nonsense forever. She will tackle it," Chitra said patting my shoulder. Koushik and Mahen were still recovering from the incident. "Remind me never to go against her," Mahen said blowing a relaxed whistle.
I nodded. As I turned to check where did Rai went I heard Manish calling Mahen from the back. We all turned and I quickly held Chitra's hand for support for Manish was not alone.
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