66. Stop This Damn Wedding!

Dheeksha's PoV

Shiva called me when I was tending to a patient. I called him back once I was done. I love talking to him. Now since the wedding date is fixed, we need to go shopping for all the bridal stuff! Mom asked me to join Akshitha in my shopping.

Me and Shiva talk like at least 3 times in a day. Since I am a doctor, I don't work looking at the watch. Shiva understands that and I am glad he did. You know, doctors marry doctors. That is like an invisible norm because only a doctor can understand another doctor. But my Shiva is so good and supportive.

"Hello, Shiva. Sorry I was busy with patients."

"Dheekshu, Can you meet me now?"

"What? Now? Shiva, I have rounds in 30minutes. If mom gets to know that I didn't attend to patients, she will bore me with her long lectures."

"Dheekshu, It's important. I want you to meet me now at Yadav's residence."

He sounds very serious. Why?

"Is Yadav alright?" I know they are good friends.

"Yes, When can you come?"

"God, Ok! I will be there in another hour. I will finish my rounds now and will start. Send me his address."

"Don't tell anyone about where you are going." He said.

"What? Why? You start to scare me, Shiva. Why are you so serious now? What's the matter? Is everything alright?"

"Just do what I say." he disconnected the call.

I started doing all my assigned work until noon. I got to his place in exactly 1hour. I am a perfectionist. Shiva was waiting for me at the door. How sweet!

"Hi, Shiva. Wow, cool house!" I said.

"Yes, Come in." He didn't talk much like he usually does. I followed him upstairs. I saw a bunch of people sitting in the loft area. I recognise no one from the group. I ran behind Shiva and he went into a room.

"Yadav, she is here!" Shiva said.

I was dumbstruck at the scene in front of me. My soon-to-be-anni (to-be-sister in law) is sitting hugging another man. How dare she!

"What the hell? Akshitha, what are you doing? So Shiva, this is what you wanted to tell me?" I couldn't contain my anger.

She could have said a plain no to us if she is in love. Poor Raajiv. Mom would be devastated.

"Dheekshu, Relax."

"Shut up, Shiva. You knew it before and didn't think to let me know? I couldn't digest this betrayal. How will my mom and brother react? God!"

"Your mom knows." Akshitha spoke, still hugging his arms.

"What?" I could not believe her. Wedding preparations are still on and mom said nothing about this to us.

"Your mom knows that I love Yash. I told my No to her." she said.

"But the wedding preparations are still on? God what is happening?"

"You mean your mom didn't tell You that Akshitha said no to this wedding?" Shiva asked me.

I shook my head in a No! Does Raajiv know? I hope not. She said no and still mom gets on with the wedding preparation? But why?

"Give me a minute." I excused myself and went out of the room to call my mom.

Shiva came running behind me and stopped me from calling mom!

"Wait!" he said.

"Why?"

"Let her call, Shiva. Dheeksha, ask your mom what you want to ask. But don't tell her that you are in my house and Shiva called you to meet up. Just tell her you called Akshitha for something and she said this matter to you." Yadav came out with Akshitha and told me.Though intriguing and confusing, I obeyed him. I called mom. Yadav asked me to put it on a loudspeaker and so I did.

"Ma, Busy?"

"No, dear. Was just coming back from rounds. How about you?"

"I just finished all my work until noon. I came out to see Akshitha to take her shopping."

"Oh! Did you substitute someone for you?"

"Ma, I called her from a jewelry shop to ask her to meet me here. But she says something stupid."

"Dheeksha, Words!" She warned me.

"Ma, She says she said no to the wedding to you." I almost shouted.

"Yes, she did. I spoke to her mom about this. Sumathi aunty said, Akshu won't go against her will. She also asked me to go ahead with the wedding plan. She said she will talk to Akshitha." She said as if it was nothing.

"Ma, are you mad? She didn't just say she doesn't want this marriage but she is also in love with someone else. You are doing wrong to Raajiv." I couldn't believe I am actually having this conversation with her.

"Dheekshu, Raajiv is my son. I won’t wrong him. Akshitha is a very good girl. Once after marriage she will take care of your brother. I know that."

"Ma, you are talking like someone from a black and white movie. You don't sound like a doctor to me. You talk like an illiterate woman!" I don't believe that my mom talks like this.

"Ma, grandma is important. I dont defy that. But Raajiv’s life is more important. Stop this damn wedding ma!" I pleaded to her.

"Dheekshu, You are wasting my time. I have people to take care of. Our private matters are to be discussed at home." my mom cut me off.

I looked at everyone. They all have a question mark on their eyebrows. They all expect answers from me? I have no idea what is going on here.

"Let this aside, Dheekshu. I didn't call you to talk about this." Shiva said.

"Not about this? Is there anything else more important than my brother's life? I think no!" I said gritting my teeth and glaring at Akshitha. She is the reason for everything that is happening here.

"Dheekshu, What do you know about your grandma and grandpa?" Shiva asked me out of nowhere!

What do I know about them? Why are they asking about my grandparents? What is this all about? Why is everyone so serious?

"They are a ... nice couple. Grandma never acted against grandpa's will. Grandpa was a busy doctor once. We never got to see him when we were young. He was always in the hospital. Grandma was a nurse. But she stayed home and looked after us. What is wrong? You are all scaring me."

"Do you know your grandma was your grandpa's second wife?" Yadav asked me.

"What?"

"She is your grandpa's second wife. " he said as a matter of fact.

"No, It cannot be. I have sometimes thought that their marriage should be a love marriage." I said more like talking to myself.

"Why did you think that?" Shiva asked me.

"Because my grandpa's name is Kathirvelan and my grandma's name is Sheila. I thought it to be a Christian name when I was in school. Because I had a friend named Sheila and she was a Christian. But later I got to know that Hindus too name their kids Sheila. So I let it slide." I said, still in trance. I can't believe that my grandma is a second wife.

"Ok, Then I will tell you another thing. Your uncle Ilangovan, Shia's dad is not your grandma's son. He is the son of your grandpa's first wife." Yadav said.

What am I hearing? Why is my family history being discussed here? Who gave them rights to snoop into my family's flashback?

"Why is it so important now? What is this all about?" I asked Shiva in warning!