¢нσятℓє | On Hold

➼ Arjuna's laughing fate.

"What are you doing?" asked the incredulous voice of Shachi as she glared at a startled Indra deva.

"What happened, priye?" said Indra, blinking at his wife's annoyed expression.

"Hey Mahadeva! What kind of a husband have you given me!?" said Shachi, while Indra answered in a bewildered manner, "Bohot hi uttam var mila hai aapko, priye! Parantu ye aap Mahadeva se kyu puch rahe hai?" (You have gotten an excellent husband, my love. But why are you asking this question to Mahadeva?)

Shachi gave a sharp glare at her idiotic husband, while Jayant said from behind his mother snickering at his father's idiocy, "Pitashri, agar aap kaksh se bahar sona nehi chahte toh maunvrat dharan kar lijiye." (Dad, if you don't want to sleep outside your room then keep you mouth shut)

Indra gave an exasperated glare at his son, while said son yelped with a loud 'Ow! Mata! I was just helping you".

"No need to help me, putra Jayant. Go and see whether all the preparations are done or not." Shachi ordered with a strict look.

Jayant muttered about 'unfair-people-who-did-not-know-how-to-accept-help' but went to do as asked. 

"You!" Shachi then turned her entire attention on her poor husband who gave a nervous smile, "Get inside."

"Uuh, o-kay."

Shachi sighed before doing a complete one-eighty degree as she gave a lovable and blinding smile to a baffled and wary Arjuna and a nervous Draupadi.

"Don't think too much about your silly father's antics," said Shachi, "He has no knowledge on how to welcome a married son and daughter-in-law. Honestly, men these days! So irresponsible."

Indra sputtered on the background while Shachi gave him a 'stink-eye' as she muttered angrily,  "Didn't even tell me my son and daughter-in-law was coming! Height of irresponsibility! I had to do everything in a hurry and I couldn't even do everything I had planned."

Arjuna gave a shaky smile trying to reassuring, " It's alright Mata."

"My naive little son," Shachi cooed, patting his cheek lovingly, "Don't worry I will make sure you know everything you need to know. If I let your father teach you, he will simply confuse you terribly."

"Arey but I was planning to-" Indra protested only to change his tunes when Shachi glared, "---no, no, priye. You're absolutely correct. I will mess up as usual."

Arjuna sweat-dropped. His father was ridiculous!

Shachi then turned to her waiting son and daughter-in-law, (*squealing* Finally! A daughter-in-law! She wanted one for so long) she welcomed them in after doing their aarti and grihapravesh. 

Indra deva excitedly said, "Come on son! I want to introduce to you."

Shachi gave a fond look, her earlier annoyance disappearing as she whispered to Draupadi, "Your father-in-law for the world is very strict rule of Swargaloka but at heart he is a child. See! Who become excited at a simple thing as introduction?"

Draupadi gave a small smile at that feeling a bit too overwhelmed. 

"That is Jayant, as you already know. He is your eldest brother." 

Arjuna and Draupadi went to take his blessings but Jayant stopped them. He wrapped an arm around the shoulder of a surprised Arjuna as he spoke, voice filled with relief and teasing, "Dekho anuj, I am very happy today."

Arjuna asked baffled, "Uh, why?"

"Because I finally can rest in peace. You see, in our family we have two girls and myself - the lone male. Now that you're here, I can have a little brother. Hence I won't be bored by all the 'shringar' talks of my mother and sisters. Over that, you have fulfilled mother's wish of having a daughter-in-law. She won't badger me for marriage again!"