The Jobber
A/n: Hey there Katiiy! This story is for you. Hope you like it.
"Abhijeet is a very nice guy. He will make a very good husband. Trust me, you will be very happy with him." Explained her mother.
"Not now Maa, we've done this before." Said Muskaan, handing the empty glass back to her mother.
"Then why don't you find someone yourself?" Asked her mother, not willing to give up this time.
"Because the concept of a sensible guy is a myth." Muskaan snapped back.
"You'll only be able to find someone when you move on in life." Said her mother.
"I have moved on, Maa!" Said Muskaan, desperate to make a point.
"Only if you can call shutting yourself off the same as moving on." Said her mother.
This time Muskaan did not know what to say. She looked like a deer caught suddenly caught in a flash of light. However, it gave her mother a chance to speak her mind.
"Muskaan, marriage is something that you need to do in life." Said her mother softly, "Just like graduating and getting a job. The sooner you get done with this, the better off you'll be." She added.
"It needs to be done?" Asked Muskaan in a hollow voice.
"Yes." Smiled her mother.
"Fine then. Let's get done with this." Said Muskaan, picking up the remote which was lying beside her on the sofa and switching the television set on.
"I'll arrange a meeting between you two." Said her mother.
"I know who Inspector Abhijeet is Maa. I'm ready to marry him." Said Muskaan, without taking her eyes off the television set.
Next Day
"You decided to marry him?" Asked Vivek, taking a sip of his coffee. "You know that he had been caught drinking during duty hours. Right?"
"So what?" Asked Muskaan, stirring her coffee.
"So what? Seriously Muskaan? You're going to marry that man and you guys have never met in the first place." Said Vivek, hoping that Muskaan would see some sense.
"It's all the same Vivek. It's a job. It should get done." Muskaan said.
"But it's about your life Muskaan. Your decision would require you to spend your life with him." Said Vivek.
"Yeah. Stay in the same house. Nothing more than that." Said Muskaan.
"Oh wow! So you're going to marry a man whom you're sure that you'll never develop any feelings for?" Asked Vivek, not sure that he heard his best friend correctly.
"That's right." Said Muskaan calmly.
Vivek just stared at her in utter disbelief.
Two months later
He entered inside the bedroom and locked the door behind him. Muskaan's heartbeat increased due to fear. So much so that she could almost hear every time her heart pounded against her ribcage. She said a silent prayer hoping against hope that he would not force himself on her.
He smiled and he lifted the curtain of flowers and sat down on the bed beside her. Muskaan's throat felt dry and she closed her eyes shut clutching her lehenga to steady her trembling hands.
"I'm Abhijeet." He smiled. "It's a pity that we didn't get to meet each other before." He added.
"I'm Muskaan." Said Muskaan with what could be termed as a feeble attempt at a smile.
"Your mother was telling me that you'd be joining the CID next week." He said.
"Yeah." Answered Muskaan, trying to understand where this conversation was going.
"Look, first of all I want to apologize to you." Said Abhijeet.
"For what?" Asked Muskaan, taken aback.
"Actually my leave ends tomorrow and I'll have to join work from the day after. I thought that we'll first get to know each other a bit and then we can go for our honeymoon when you think you are ready." Abhijeet explained.
Muskaan heaved a sigh of relief. But it did not go unnoticed by Abhijeet, who stared at her, wide-eyed. Seeing him staring at her, Muskaan smiled sheepishly.
"I mean thanks for understanding me." Said Muskaan, with a grin,
"No problem." Abhijeet smiled back.
"D'you think it's fine if I go and freshen up a bit?" She asked him.
"Feel at home." Said Abhijeet and showed her the way towards the washroom.
Muskaan grabbed a pair of PJ pants and a t-shirt from her suitcase and was about to move out of the room when Abhijeet called her.
"Muskaan!" He called out, making her stop in her tracks.
She turned towards him and waited for him to speak his mind.
"I'll wait for the day when you'll love me." He said.
"I'd suggest you not to waste your time mister!" She thought but only gave him a sweet smile in return.
A/n: So what do you think of this chapter?