With that thought in mind Rakhee moved closer to Preeta who was still arguing with Rajveer and placed her hand on her head

"Preeta putar... aapni iss Maa se nahi milegi?"

Preeta's smile disappeared and as she looked at Rakhee, before looking back at Rajveer who nodded in encouragement.

"Namaste..." Preeta replied, Rakhee noticed the awkwardness in her reply but chose to ignore it and wrapped her arms around a confused Preeta and took her into a hug. The warmth bought the smile back to Preeta's face and she hugged Rakhee back out of habit.

Karan smiled seeing two of his girls together, while Sherlyn and Kareena gritted their teeth but remained quite seeing Rajveer standing protectively behind Preeta.

"Rajveer Sir..." a waiter called to get Rajveer's attention. "Sir aapko Ram Sir bularahe hai

"Theek hai hum aarahe hai tum javo" Rajveer replied. He turned to Preeta but before he could tell her to come along Rakhee engrossed Preeta in conversation

"Preeta putar woh mein kahe rahi thi ke Maheshji kafi bahtar hai pehele se" Preeta smile hearing about the man she considered a father figure.

"Saach Rakhee aunty? Mahesh uncle theek ho rahe hai... yeh to bohot achi khabar hai"

"Achi khabar toh hai lekin..." Rakhee trailed off missing her husband

"Rakhee aunty" Preeta moved closer to Rakhee and took her into a hug "aap chinta maat kariye.. Mahesh uncle bohot jald theek ho jiyenge aur phir aap ko itna parashaan karege ke 'Rakheeji yeh... Rakheeji woh...' aur aap parashaan ho ke thak jayengi" she joked trying to make the older woman feel better.

Veer who was observing the two women decided it was best to leave them to speak. As he turned away Karan smirked at him, if it was anyone else they would have been confused by Karan's expression but Rajveer was no fool. He had realised who was behind Preeta's outfit exchange as soon as Karan had walked in with the Luthra's and he knew exactly what was going through this possessive man's mind at this precise moment. Rajveer didn't rise to the bait, he smiled at the Luthra's and excusing himself headed towards his father.

This was it this was the opportunity Sherlyn had been looking for... Rajveer had moved away leaving Preeta unprotected! Although still in shock she was still mad... mad at what Rajveer had done to her, the way he had embarrassed her and bought her to her knees and for what? This Preeta Arora? She huffed in her mind. Preeta was going to have to pay and now was the time, but she was too much of a coward to do anything herself for she feared what Rajveer would do to her! but she wasn't beyond using Kareena Bua to teach Preeta a lesson and that is exactly what she did.

Nudging Kareena Bua so that no one else noticed she gestured towards Karan who had stepped into Preeta's personal space as soon as Rajveer moved away. He didn't say anything but just standing besides her he made himself a part of Preeta's conversation as he had almost trapped Preeta in between himself and Rakhee - and Kareena didn't like it!

"You b..." Kareena started only to be stopped by a greeting

"Aare Kareenaji... Baniji kaise hai aap?" Mrs Ahluwalia said as she approached the Luthra's with three other women – all wives of influential businessmen.

"Hum theek hai... Lekin app yahan?" Kareena asked

"Ha hume Shergill saab ne invite kiya hai... woh kya haina mere husband unke saath business karne wale hai" She said in a proud tone.

"Aacha."

"Rakheeji app kasi hai" Mrs Jha moved closer to Rakhee

"Theek hoon Artiji... Aap kasi hai... aur isse milye yeh hai Preeta meri..." but she was cut off by Kareena who didn't like where this conversation was going

"Artiji aap Sherlyn se toh mili hai na? Humari bahu... Rishabh ki wife"

Mrs Arti Jha turned to her and smiled politely.

"Sherlyn... Sanjana Khurana ki beti right?" Mrs Ahluwalia questioned

"Ha Sanjana ki beti" Kareena beamed to be able to boast that she had got her nephew married to her friends daughter.

"Sanjana Khurana... wohi nah jo bankrupt hogaiyi hai? Snickered Mrs Bose leaving Sherlyn embarrassed and Kareena speechless.

"Ladies and gentlemen may I have you attention please..." Rajveer's voice came through the sound system loud and clear drawing everyone's attention to the stage when he was standing with a mike in his hand "Maine apni aur apni family ki taraf se aap sab ka shukriya karna chaahta hoon ke aap sab itne short notice par mere bhai ki engagement mein aaye hai. Sagai se pahele humne ek choti si puja rakhi hai toh aap saab hume join karye puja ke liya" with that he gestured towards two doors to the left. Along with Akaash and Shrishti he led everyone through the doors.

The Luthra's too followed along with Mahira and Ramona.

"Are Preeta putar yeh..." Rakhee who hadn't started moving asked a little confused – she had been to Kumkum Bhagya hall many times but she had never noticed these doors. Karan too stopped hearing his mom's question.

Preeta who was about to follow the guests turned to Rakhee and replied "Ji woh dusra banquet hall hai... normally istamal nahi hota, hum storage ke liye istamal karte hai lekin Veer neh socha ke usse saff karade toh usse bhi istamal kar sakte hai aur kirya bhi... toh..." she smiled thinking about Veer.

Karan didn't like it! How did Rajveer know more about this hall then he did? And why was Preeta so happy 'Veer yeh... Veer woh...' humf, yaar yeh babydoll bhi nah! Isse samaj nahi aata usska naam Veer nahi Rajveer hai toh usse Rajveer kahe ke bulaye... nahi in fact usse bulaye hi nahi!

"Aap log chaliye... Puja abhi shuru hi ho rahi hai" Preeta smiled and started to move towards the direction of the second hall.

"Ahhh!" Preeta turned back to see Rakhee sitting on the floor holding her ankle.

"App theek..."

"Mom aap theek toh hai nah?" Both Karan and Preeta panicked.

"Mera pair" Rakhee groaned in pain.

"Mom mein..."

"Karan mujhe lagta hai aunty ke pair me sprain aiya hai. Tum meri madat karo... hum inhe room mein lega te hai aur mein inke pair mein thori massage kardeti hoon toh inhe aaram milega"

Karan nodded and together they moved Rakhee to the room and Preeta started to massage her foot.

On the other side the Puja started with Shrishti and Akaash standing at the front. The Pandit had asked them to leave some space in between them confusing everyone. He had explained that this was a special puja and he would move them closer and seat them in front of the havancund at the right time.

Roo looked on standing towards the back and she didn't like it but she had promised her mother and Rishabh bhai that she wouldn't create a scene. She looked around to see that Rishabh had sat down and was busy talking to one of his business associates and her mother was nowhere to be seen. Making sure that the rest of the family were occupied she slowly moved closer to Sameer knowing that he was the only one that understood what she was truly going through. Sameer who was starting at Shrishti failed to notice anything else until Roo gently nudged him on the side. Startled he looked at her,

"Kya hai Roo?"

"Sameer Bro, kya aap yeh hone denge?"

"Kya matlab hai tera Roo? Tu janti hai Rakhee chachi aur Rishabh bhai ne kya kaha hai aur tu phir bhi mujse yeh pooch rahi hai?"

"Bro..." she sighed "Mom aur Rishabh bhai ne kaha hai koi scene create mat karna, unhone yeh nahi kaha hai ke chup chap saab dekhte raho" she smirked

"Kya... kya matlab?"

"Bro Puja hai... aur yeh puja couples karte hai... aur mein yeh puja aapne pyaar ke saath karongi! Lekin aap kya karenge?"

"Roo tum aisa waisa kuch maat karna"

"Bro trust me! Aur jo mein karu woh aap bhi karo! Unless you don't love Shrishti aur aapko koi problem nahi hai ke woh kisi aur se..."

"No! Shrishti meri hai aur meri hi rahengi!"

"That's like my Bro!"

Sameer looked at her expecting Roo to do something but she just stood besides him staring at Akaash.

"Roo?"

"Wait for it Bro" she replied without turning to look at him. For a second Sameer thought that his sister had truly lost it but then he noticed a crazy determination in her eyes – one that he often saw in another Luthra's eyes when something devilish was brewing in his mind! Today Roo truly reminded Sameer of 'The Karan Luthra' and he looked at the idol of God that was placed at the front of the hall and prayed to God to save him from the kind of trouble this type of determination normally landed him in.

"Aab saab loog aapne haath joriye aur aapni aankhe bandh kijiye" the pandit spoke. As everyone around closed their eyes, most willingly and some unwillingly, Roo's smirk got even bigger and she began to move.

Sameer quickly follow when she stopped him and pointed the other way, although still confused he did as she instructed. The duo made their way around the guests to the front and Roo subtly moved herself in between Shrishti and Akaash gesturing Sameer to step in between her and Shrishti. Sameer did so but he then looked at the Pandit who was watching the scene play out, he worriedly looked at Roo and noticed she was smiling at the Pandit. Before he could ask the Pandit moved closer and began to speak as if nothing unusual was happening.

"Aab aap aage aiye" he instructed and Sameer noticed Roo move forward at the same time as Akaash who's eyes remained closed. He turned to look at Shrishti who had also moved forward, he reluctantly moved forward as the Panditji looked at him in frustration. The Pandit chanted some mantras and then asked the 'couple' to sit down. Shrishti and Sameer and Roo and Akaash sat as instructed "Aab hone wale var vadhu aapna haath age kare" A confused Sameer looked on as Roo raised her hand at the same time as Akaash and Shrishti, the Panditji gestured he do the same. As he raised his hand the Panditji placed Shrishti's hand in his and moved to do the same with Roo and Akaash.

The Puja continued and Sameer smiled for the first time since Roo had stepped through the doors of the Luthra House dressed as a bride.

Back in the room

"Yaar kasi Doctor ho tum? Mom ko itna dard ho raha hai aur tumhe unhe dawi dene se zyada puja ki padi hai?" Karan asked in irritation

Preeta had massaged Rakhee's right ankle as best as she could without her kit but the latter was still in pain and had asked Preeta for some painkillers. Preeta had explained that the painkillers were at Arora house and that she would go and get them from home as soon as the puja had finished. She had asked Rakhee to rest and started to leave for the puja when she was stopped by Rakhee who was crying out in pain.

Her insistence to attend the puja and his mum's pain had irritated Karan to no end and he had snapped at her.

"Karan mein..."

"No!" he put his palm up to her to stop her from arguing "Tum saaf saaf kyun nahi kahti ke tumhe Mom ki koi fikar hi nahi hai"

"What nonsense! Tumhari himaat kaise huwi yeh kahene ki?" Preeta snapped back

"Oi bajarbari mujse ase baat mat karo!"

"Karugi! Kya karloge?"

"You Dr Dumbo... Tum admit kyun nahi karleti ke tumhe aapne patients ka khayal rakhna aata hi nahi kuyn ke tum toh ho hi chothi fail kareli"

"Kya kaha! You Karele sarfirele! Aapni zabaan ko lagam do warna..."

"Warna kya?"

Without realising they had both moved into one another's personal space, but Rakhee who was sat against the headboard had noticed and she grinned watching the entertainment. This is exactly what she needed... this was exactly why she had deliberately got her sandal caught in her sari and caused herself to fall and sprain her ankle. Okay it was a mild sprain and the pain had long since disappeared but it had been effective in stopping Preeta from sitting in the puja with Rajveer! and the icing on the cake was that without even realising it Karan was helping her keep Preeta away from the puja! She continued to grin but then composed her expression before she could get caught.

"Warna, yeh haath dekha hai? Isski paanch umliya tumhare gaal pe chap dongi!"

"Marogi muje? Maro... aare maro..." Karan forwarded his cheek to her "Ha par uske baad mein jo karuga usse mujhe toh bohot maza aiyega – yaad hai na 'Japi papi, kissi wissi, assi tussi happy shappy' aur ab toh..." before he could finish Preeta pushed him

"Tum aapni haad me raho!"

"Kaisi haad babydoll? Aab toh mere paas licence bhi hai right Mrs Luthra? Lagta hai tum bhool gaiyi jo tohri der pahele..."

"Mein... Tum... tum aapni bakwaas bandh karo! Yaha Rakhee aunty ko itni chot lagi hai aur tum...chodo... Aunty mein abhi ghar se aapke liye pain killer le ke aati hoon" and with that she ran out of the room.

Rakhee waited a minute before getting up and walking towards her son who was still starting at the door through which Preeta left with a silly grin on his face.

"Ahhh Mom, yeh kya kar rahi ho?" He asked while trying to free his ear which Rakhee had twisted in her firm grip.

"Yeh kya ho raha hai sonny boy?"

"Ku... Kuch nahi Mom" he stuttered realising the scene he and Preeta had created in front of her. Letting go of his ear Rakhee smiled

"Toh ja na"

"Ja? Kahan jau? Aur aap khere kyun ho gaye? Aap ke pair mein dard..."

"Konsa dard?" she smirked

"Mom aap?" he questioned

"Woh kya hai na meri bahu ko koi aur chura ke leja ne ki koshish kar raha tha toh you know..." Karan stared at his mother in shock – she was acting was all he could think.

"Aab yaha khare khare mera muh kya dekh raha hai ja uske peeche isse pahele ki woh wapas aaj jaye aur phir Rajveer ke..." but he didn't let her finish

"Aisa kabhi nahi hoga! Mein hone nahi doonga!" with that he rush out of the door.

Rakhee shook her head and smiled "Pagal!"

"Woh toh mein hoon!" she spun around hearing his voice

"Tu wapas agaiya?"

He kissed her on the cheek and said "Love you Mom" before rushing back out.