Chapter 24
Anjuli entered her room and flung herself on the bed feeling deadly tired and exhausted. Niranjan was away.
The woman turned to his side of the bed, bend her knees to the chest and took his pillow. She had a secret no one knew... She held his pillow tight pressing her face to it. She was shedding copious tears into his pillow mourning her life. It turned out that hatred appeared to be a bottomless cup, the more she poured in it the more it contained. Anjuli was so sorry... she didn't stop loving him just because she hated him. The torture was so acute living with him without being married to him...but she didn't want to think about him at the moment as she had so much to do... She just would hold his pillow for some time more. That was all. No one would ever know...
Astha Kirloskar... Well, when Anjuli finished with you would not have the desire to mess with this family.
Anjuli decided to think her next step with utter dedication. She predicted two outcomes. She could win and she could lose. The first and the worst one was the next: Astha Kirloskar didn't care for her son at all. As soon as she realized he fell for her or at least developed any kind of attraction she would immediately trap him, jump into his bed and secure him regardless whether he loved her deeply or not. Risky but certain. Wedding guaranteed. Anjuli heard of the things even worse than that.
The second option seemed more possible to Anjuli - it was less destructive: she felt attraction towards him to the extent they were about to confess each other. After all, she was a daughter of respected parents and would not have the desire to put all possible shame to her sister's marriage and family. Her ego and pride required her to follow the accepted patterns. She would "let" him choose her, he would reject Poonam subsequently, propose Astha and love her for her to be sure he would stay beside her long enough. Again. Wedding guaranteed.
Anjuli appreciated the girl was able to plan things. Anjuli liked people like that and was even ready to respect her cleverness but it was only a pity she did not take into consideration the wish of the Agnihotri family...
Anjuli would practice her negotiating skills on that little Astha. The pace and content of the talk would be oppositely different according to the option Astha Kirloskar would choose. If it was the first, Anjuli would use hard artillery and destroy her reputation. She knew the means. If second, the mother smiled, she knew what she would do to play safe... Business taught her a lot. If you wished to refuse a client - you should make him refuse himself...
The mother needed to get the answer to her question. It was possible only talking to the girl in private. Anjuli got up, wiped her tears, took her phone found Astha Kirloskar's number there. Thanks God she saved it during the wedding preparations.
"Astha, good evening" Astha was watching TV and Anjuli's voice was the last thing she was ready to hear.
"Aunty?" Astha sounded friendly "Nice to hear you"
"Astha, forgive me for the late call but I need to talk to you in private if you don't mind" mild tone would not deceive Astha. It was Anjuli after all.
"In private?" even if she was surprised Astha didn't show it "But of course. When?"
"Tomorrow, I'll pick you up at 4 p.m. from work"
"All right. Till tomorrow then"
Astha disconnected the call. She stood in the middle of her room totally lost. What was the theme that The Iron Lady wanted to discuss with her? Paro? She doubted on it. The only thought that looked real to Astha - Anjuli was planning some surprise for the child's birth and it calmed her down.
...
These Agnihotris had excessive love to German automotive industry. Astha saw the huge white Mercedes SUV parking at the main entrance of the business centre and walked through the glass doors to meet the one and only Mrs. Anjuli Agnihotri. She didn't leave her car just waved to greet Astha. Men looked at that woman with open mouths... still. She got used to it and paid no attention any more but Astha still felt bewilderment.
"Hi, Astha, are you hungry? I bet you are. Dou you mind eating at some nice place?"
"I agree" Astha smiled and sat into the car.
They entered the restaurant Anjuli got accustomed to and Astha understood Anjuli reserved a table beforehand. She knew they would go there. The premonition of catastrophe swallowed Astha like a giant monster... Anjuli was up to something and it was not domestic chores or pleasant surprises...
"Astha, tee, coffe?" Astha opened her moth to answer but Anjuli continued "You are a wise girl" Astha didn't like the beginning. Her stomached shrank with fear "Your intelligence lets me talk to you openly. Tell me Astha, what do you think of Shlok?" Astha felt the air-conditioner in the restaurant was on the lowest temperature and she has only silky dress on.
"Aunty, I'm taken aback by your question. Really. What do you what to hear from me?"
"The truth, Astha. Nothing more" narrowed eyes of a woman made Astha nonplussed and embarrassed. What was that supposed to mean? Where was the trick? Anjuli was not the simple, caring and kind-hearted mother. "Astha, to prove to you my transparent intensions I am ready to answer any question of yours; maybe it would be better for us to move that way? What would you say?" Astha leaned back into her chair and looked out of the window.
"Why do you ask, Aunty? There must be some reason, I'm sure. I don't believe it's an idle curiosity"
"Of course not. I wouldn't waste my and your time on it. We are both busy" she made a sip of coffee "Recently I've become the witness of the ugly scene at my house. My son was confessing his love to you and that maddened me" Astha face reddened with shame.
"Aunty, there's nothing for you to worry about. It may look real but it wasn't so we were playing the game Paro suggested. He wasn't serious, trust me"
"Astha, I would be glad to trust you if only you knew my son well. I also know one secret you hide. Life taught me that I can learn more of a person in an hour of a play than in a year of conversation.
"Aunty, there's nothing for you to learn. I'm afraid we are at war with your son. That's all. All the rest is a game, a fallacy"
"War... peace... isn't that too limited for a decent role play?" Anjuli smiled "You like games, Astha? I like them too... every game has a rule" Anjuli's hand was folding the napkin distracting Astha's attention "I know you broke the rule, Astha. You have a secret you hide"
"Aunty, what secret?"
"I know you love him" said Anjuli matter-of-factly "Will you deny it? Do you want to marry him?"
Chapter 25
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