The Mafia's Collateral

Part 90

Avinash's P.O.V.

After Uncle Navin, Arohi and Deep left the room, I was about to leave when Ananya held back my hand. I looked back at her. "Tell me the truth, you did what you did earlier so that I can take out my anger on you, didn't you?" she said. "What did I do?" I asked playing unknowing. "You made me burst down on you so that I calm down, didn't you?" she asked. I looked away and said, "I didn't do anything like that. Since I professed my love, it has become your hobby to shout at me." I pouted like a child. She smiled and came closer to me. She tiptoed and before I could say anything or do anything, she pecked my cheek. My heart immediately began throbbing in my ribcage. She stepped back and looked at me with my eyes widened. Smiling at me, she said, "I'm sorry." I bent my head and smiled or rather, blushed. She was about to leave the room when I held her hand and stopped her. I looked at her and pulled her back closer to me. "Are you going to tell Dad about our relationship?" she asked me. "What's the rush?" I asked going closer to her. "Didn't you hear what Dad just said?" she said. I stopped and stepped away from her. I frowned. "I heard but I'm hesitant," I said. "Why?" she asked worried. "Will he accept me?" I asked. She dropped her shoulders and came closer to me. "At least take the step. We will see what happens after," she said. "Just think, if he doesn't say yes, then?" I said. "Then I'll elope with you," she said. I smiled and looked at her. "Then, when do you want me to tell him?" I asked. "At the soonest. I don't want to waste time or hide it from him anymore," she said. I nodded and held her hand. I walked out of the room with her and went to the hall. Uncle Navin, Arohi, Deep and Uncle Zeeshan were busy in preparing the house for tomorrow. "Avinash, I didn't mean now," Ananya whispered to me nervously. "But I want to tell him now," I said. I looked at Uncle Navin and said, "Uncle Navin, I need to talk to you." Everyone looked at us. His eyes went to our hands together and asked sternly, "What's going on?" The look on his face and the tone of his voice made me nervous.

I looked at a frightened Ananya as she shook her head. I looked back at Uncle Navin with a straight face and said with lesser confidence on the outside, "I need to talk to you about something very important." Ananya slowly pulled her hand out of mine. I bent my head low and without looking into his eyes, with my confidence becoming less, I said, "I want to ask for your daughter's hand." There was a pin drop silence in the room. I didn't have any courage now to look up at him. I heard his footsteps coming closer to me and I saw his shoes stopped in front of me. "Look me in the eye and say it again if you have guts," he said sternly. Slowly, like a guilty criminal, I looked at his stern face and gulped down my saliva. "You really think that you can come here and just ask for my daughter's hand and I would agree with a grin on my face?" he said. "Sir, I really love your daughter. I don't know how I will be able to prove to you ever but I truly love her," I said. "And how can I believe you?" he asked. "Dad," Ananya started but he raised his hand and stopped her, glaring at her. "When I am ready to talk to you, I will. For now, I am talking to him," he said. She lowered her head. Looking back at me, he said, "So, Mr. Avinash, tell me, what can you do for my daughter?" "I can give my life for her sir," I said. "Cheesy line. Come with something better," he said. "I guess, that's the most someone can do for the person they love," I said. "But you can't do that because you have to live and marry my daughter," he said. I looked at him surprised. He smiled and then began laughing. Everyone else joined in. Ananya and I looked at each other confused. Uncle Navin held my shoulders and giggled saying, "How did you like my acting?" I looked at him silently, still not being able to comprehend what he just did. "Don't look at me like that. You guys have hid this from me for so long, can't I have my revenge?" he said. Ananya smiled with tears in her eyes and hugged her father. Breaking the hug, he cupped her face and asked, "Are you happy?" She nodded. Looking back at me, he said, "I have been waiting for this moment for so long when you two will finally agreed to your love." 

I looked at him confused and asked, "Did you know?" He nodded and said, "The look I saw in your eyes when you saw her that night at the temple, I understood that I found my son-in-law." He came to me and opened his arms and I smiled. I immediately hugged him. "Thank you Uncle," I said. He broke the hug and looked at me sternly. "Dad," he said. My eyes welled up. "Dad," I said. It felt another level of happiness to call someone this for the first time. I looked at Ananya and she came to me smiling. "Someone take a picture please," Dad said coming between us. "On it!" Arohi exclaimed. She came and took a picture of us, capturing the best moment in our lives. She went to Ananya and hugged her saying, "Congratulations." Deep and Uncle Zeeshan came to us. Hugging me, Deep congratulated me and Uncle Zeeshan blessed us.