Chapter-4 Mangal

Author's pov

"Ain't you little bit shame?" said unknown with a stiff voice.

"What happened Daadi?" She asked while holding her suit tightly with lowered her head, and standing up from a chair," why are you saying like that...

(Her name is Sushila Bansal, head of the Bansal family, cares for her every family member except her. She is an orthodoxy, precision, and superstitious person. She has strict and rude nature, and only loves her Grandson Rohan and Granddaughter Riya. she is a narrow-minded person.)

"As you don't know, because of you Riya sadly went away without having breakfast and here you were eating laughing with her mother." She shouted, "I don't understand why Reema doesn't care for her own daughter except you?"

Ruhi couldn't understand what was her fault actually. Why did Riya go without eating food and why Choti maa didn't even tell her anything? Rather she had said to her that Riya has eaten food before going her college ... She wanted to ask her grandmother further... but seeing her red face in anger, She didn't have the courage to ask her the whole thing.

Meanwhile, Ruhi remembers her Choti maa words- Ruhi you'll have to stand for herself, dear...It's not necessary that I'll always with you every time so you have to stand for yourself and answered every person's question with confidence. if anybody shouts at you without having reason, still you have to answer them without fear...Got it... first of all, you have to start from here...

So she firmly decides in her mind that she will answer her today as she promised her Choti maa and she doesn't know anything...

"She tried to stand straight with minimal eye contact, and with a little bit confidence and said," But Daadi, Choti maa had said, she had eaten her breakfast before going her col--"

she wants to ask further but an unknown voice interrupts her--

"Don't dare say a single word further," said another unknown voice as shouted.

Hearing another stiff voice, her confidence abruptly breaks and she started getting nervous, but yet tries to say again, "Maa--"

(Gauri Bansal once was a positive loving and caring person but due to some life-changing incidents, her nature becomes a rude and stiff person. She doesn't like her daughter at all which you would know in the story further and her husband doesn't live with her. She only loves Riya and Rohan as her own children.)

"I said, no single word Ruhi, Haven't you heard it?"Gauri said as coming towards her with rigid expression, "I have told you thousands of times behave yourself and How dare you answer back in front of maa? Have you forgot your manners...Huh? ...because of you, Riya has gone without having breakfast and here you--"

"There is no use Gauri, she hasn't a little bit shame that because of her, today again there fights in between mother and daughter," she said with a rage-filled voice as glaring at her, "Riya was right, she has snatched her mother's love from her, she is such an ill-mannered girl. I don't believe this."

"Maa, I think you're right...she's truly become ill-mannered in the company of that kavya," she fumes, "so Ruhi your punishment is that you too will not have breakfast today as our Riya has gone without having breakfast because of you, So just go in your room and don't come until I'll not call you."

She tried once again to explain to her as she promised her Choti maa that she will try her 100% and stuttered, "B-ut ma-a--"

"Ruhi...Don't you understand a single thing? ... I said just go in your room upstairs and don't come till we'll not call you." she yelled in loud voice."

Ruhi got flinch and a shiver went down her spine, she runs towards upstairs hastily, but as she runs, she stumbled on the stairs and is saved from falling but she whined from the pain as her ankle gets twisted, but yet she goes from there staggering.

Sushila condemned as she seeing her stumbled "She is completely useless, don't know when we will get rid of with her?"

"Maa, don't worry, now she will not bother," Gauri said.

She asked, "Gauri, her graduation is about to end, isn't it?... so get her married soon that we can get rid of her...and our Riya can become happy."

"But mom, ain't you know, she has mangal dosha...so we have to wait for the groom who has the same dosha as her," she replied

(According to Wikipedia, Mangala Dosha (: Maṅgala-doṣa), also known as Mangal Dosh because of it, is prevalent in India. A person born under the influence of (Mars) as per is said to have "Mangala dosha" ("mars defect"); such a person is called a Mangalik (or Manglik). According to superstition, the marriage between a Manglik and a non-Manglik is disastrous. People who believe in this superstition think that a Mangalik person will cause their non-Manglik spouse's early death.)

(----But I don't support this superstition---)

"Hmm, but for me, this girl is not less than a curse, because of her, I lost my 2 precious gems..." tears escape from her eyes as remembers some awful memories.

Hearing her, Gauri's eyes become moist too and walk towards her, pat her shoulder, and said, "Maa, have some courage and don't worry, whenever I find, I'll get her to marry soon."

"Find soon, Gauri, as because of her our Riya stays very upset nowadays, and Reema doesn't care for her too ... I don't want to lose one more person because of her..." she said, and after that walks away from there.

Gauri sighs and to go from there...

On the other hand, Ruhi hurriedly closed the door of her room and sat down on the floor as shrugging her knees towards her chest and put her palms on her face and crying bitterly and once again she lost that little bit of confidence which she had gained in her body a while ago...

She thinks, what is the reason why they hate her so much??

Riya's college

(Riya Bansal, 20 years old, daughter of Reema and Suresh Bansal. She is a very cunning, ill-mannered, and rude girl. She is the most pampered girl in her house after Rohan. She is the favorite of her Badi Mumma and grandmother or we can say that she is the princess of her house.)

"Riya I think you will score better than me in business management because your assignment has been written with a perfect description and in good handwriting... well, next time please let me know first, I will copy from you too." said his friend as chuckling.

"Don't worry Nitya, do it... But now I am very hungry so just let's go to Canteen," said Riya

"Why have you not had your breakfast?" she asked.

"Ya, Because of Mumma's princess, I didn't eat my breakfast..." she sighs.

"Why?... What happened?" She questioned.

"First, let's go then I'll tell you..." She replied while dragging her along.

*****

London, Uk

Ernest Pov

Edwin said as he also sits beside me, "You didn't have to be angry with him, he was scared of you and he was just doing this at the behest of the Queen, so just calm down."

I nodded and start driving...

After complete 2 min silence, he breaks the silence as he can't sit without speaking

"How long will you keep this poker face?... You are about to meet your family after long 6 months...so smile a little by which they also become happy to see your smiling face," he said.

I said nothing but only nodded.

"What the hell Ernest? I'm giving you here important advice and you are only nodding at my advice...You have to understand other's emotions too, so behave according to it and For god sake, try to forget that incident...please," He complained in anger.

Recalling that incident, I suddenly got angry at him and shouted

"What the heck Edwin? what's about you? why are you getting angry abruptly today? and what happened to you?...why are you having a mood swings today?" I asked with the same anger.

I don't understand, what wrong with him today? why is he behaving like that? And why he suddenly got angry with me and why he'd reminded me of that incident abruptly? Now I can't talk with him calmly.

Abruptly he becomes calm, and replied with a smile, "Sorry bro! I didn't mean it, I think that by being in your company, I have started getting angry too."

Seeing sudden changes in his behavior I feel weird and ask," Eddie if you're having any problem you can tell me...You know I'll always stand beside you."

"No Bro, I'm ok, and don't worry...It's nothing like that ... hurry up we have to reach fast as they'll all be waiting for us...especially your," he said as seeing outside the window as if he was trying to hide something from me.

Earlier we used to argue a lot but Edwin never used to get angry so fast... so what has happened in my absence that he has changed so much...we didn't talk so much even on the phone as I'd always busy with my work there...but yet he didn't tell me anything... and I think still something is going on in his mind and he is not telling me...but why?... what happened to him in my absence after all? I have to find out soon...

Eng meaning

Daadi- grandmother

maa- mother

Anybody guesses, Daadi is talking about whom? and,

What is the reason behind Edwin's strange behavior??