"Can I have a word with your daughter...alone." Mohan requested.

Mr. Ved glanced at everyone in the room for approval and arrived at a decision.

"Yes you can. Manahor take Mr. Mohan to your sister." He called to the little boy in the room.

Meera was seated on the bed and Mohan sat himself on the chair nearby.

"So we meet again" Mohan remarked.

She gave a surprised puzzled look.

"You said you did not want to get married now" Mohan commented.

"I never said that." She replied and stood instantly on her feet agitated.

"Yes you did, today morning." Mohan insisted, he too was on his feet.

"I am seeing you for the first time and never left home today." She now had a frightened look in her eyes.

"But I saw you" Mohan said too puzzled by her stance. He couldn't make a decision. He slowly walked out of the room and came to where everyone was waiting for him. The puzzled and dejected look on his face raised many questions in their minds.

Mohan excused himself reasoning that he had another appointment and must leave. He assured them that he will inform them of his decision soon.

He did not feel the heat that burned his skin; he was disheartened, puzzled and sad. He had lunch in a nearby hotel and then waited at the bus stop with his troubled thoughts.

Someone came and stood beside him in the queue. It was a woman dressed up in the same attire as Meera. It was her and he was stunned and now angry.

"So...you don't know me and not met me before...huh?" He taunted her quietly.

He was met with those same piercing angry eyes, "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Meera...you just refused to acknowledge me when I came to talk to you in your house."

"Wait a minute. I didn't meet you at my home..." she countered fiercely in a whisper.

"Oh God, I will surely go mad today, you being the reason." He said now a little loud and the person ahead of him looked over his shoulders at him.

"Will you explain whats's going on" he asked.

"What I said is true and I came to explain. You met my twin sister Geeta at home. She filled in for me fearing father's wrath. She told me everything when I sneaked home just now and then sneaked out to find you and tell you the truth."

Mohan was wonder struck for a moment but pleased, but he still had that doubt to clear.

"So will you marry me?" he popped the question.

She remained quiet, fingering the tip of her dupatta, head hung down.

"What if I let you study after marriage and let you go to work too. Will you then agree?" waiting expectantly for her reply as she had not denied nor agreed.

"Really! You won't change your mind after marriage, will you?"

"No, I won't change my mind."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"Because I really...really like you. Is that enough?" He replied with a grin and she smiled and lowered her eyes.

"Here this is for you." She said suddenly handing him a bottle of water, " for your trip back. The bus is here."

Mohan looked up on to the road and tensely sees the bus approach.

"So what's your decision?" he asked as the bus came to a halt.

"Yes" she said soflty and his eyes lit up and he took the bottle from her hands and boarded the bus, sitting down at the window facing her.

"In that case I will keep this," retrieving the anklet from his pocket and holding it between his fingers , "as a token of our love" and laughed and waved to her as the bus left leaving her standing at the stop waving back at him.

Author's Note.

Hello, dear readers,
I am in need of your encouragement once more. I have written a short, 6 minute read story for a competition and would like you all to read it. Rating and comments on the story will garner me points. Humbly request you all to take time out and read it.
To rate and comment you have to sign in with Google with your Gmail.
The below link will take you directly to the story page. I have written the story under my real name, Mini Ratish. The title of the story is 'The Lane'.

https://www.hashtagkalakar.net/post/the-lane

Thank you and regards to all.