Shraman TS || My Promise || Part 1

Hello EDKVians!

I am Abhilasha Malhotra here. You all can call me Abhilasha, Abhi, Asha or whatever you want. Here I am with a TS which I earlier planned to be a OS.
I have first visited TU while searching for a FF. While wandering here I found a lot of OS, TS, SS and FF which were written by various wonderful writers.

Since, it’s my first attempt at writing, pardon me for the mistakes.

This TS is planned after 6 months of their marriage and they still have a pile of misunderstandings between them. Please ignore the typos!

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The memory of dead sun was fading slowly in cold, sad clouds. He was sitting by window of his cabin staring at sun and thinking how his life was so similar to that of sun. He was once loved by everyone like the morning sun, then he became a pain for them just like sun at noon but no one noticed that he burned too at that time. And now he was broken and had no energy just like the sun during dusk. He can’t get why this all happened with him. His only reason for living now was his father. He thought that no one loved him except his father unaware of the dark truth lying there.

“Bhaiya, you are still here?” asked Pushkar while entering his cabin with a thud.

“Where else can I go?” he replied still lost in the beauty of nature.

“Bhaiya.” He whispered slowly but received no reply. “Shravan Bhaiya!” he shouted, broking the trance of the man sitting.

“Chotte! Kya hua? Tum yaha? Tum kab aaye?” asked Shravan.

“Bhaiya, you know what – You are IMPOSSIBLE!” said Pushkar stressing on the word Impossible’. “Bhaiya, aaj mummy ne pura ghar sar par utha rakha hai and you are asking me – Kya hua?”

“Oh yes! Today is marriage of Chachi’s Sister’s youngest daughter, Anshika.” He suddenly remembered. Everyone in the house was in jolly mood on the marriage of youngest daughter of the house, Anshika who he believed was the only sane person in Chachi’s maternal family. She was the also the only person he talked in Chachi’s maternal family. And Anshika kept calling Suman for sharing the tiniest details of what all was happening. She and Suman were in the same college and she never knew that Suman was Shravan’s best friend. When she learned that Suman has married Shravan, Suman turned into her favorite Bhabhi. Her excitement for marriage had no bounds.

Even he was married to his childhood love and best friend, Suman aka Suman Tiwari but he neither had any excitement then nor he have now. She rarely even talks to him and whenever she talks she never maintains the eye-contact and looks towards the ground.

“Bhaiya! What is this? You again got lost in your thoughts. I am sure that you are thinking about your Suman. Bhaiya you see her every day but now it is time to see Anshika’s wedding. She will also come with us only. Now only we four are left to leave for the wedding and it’s already late. It is better you change into your wedding outfits there only with me. I think our wives are already ready. Aap bhi change nahi karoge to mujhe company bhi mil jayegi & mummy ki daat bhi adhi-adhi baat lenge. So, Deal.” Pushkar said forwarding his hand for a formal handshake binding them so called deal.

“Chal kar li Deal!” he agreed and a small smile came on his lips seeing his brother’s childishness. Then something stricked in his mind. “We Four?” he asked with his mind roaming in utter confusion.”Yes! It’s you, Suman, Preeti and of course me. Preeti refused to go without her Suman di and as you know PCT had received a big order past week so she wasn’t free before 1″ replied Pushkar with his cheerful smile.

Suman had received a new order! He never knew this. His wife never thought to share what all is happening in her life to him. Whole world knew but he didn’t! They lived in same room, slept on same bed but didn’t see each other’s face for days. Suman always slept and woke up before him just as if she didn’t wanted to see his face. And it wasn’t her mistake too. It was him who destroyed even the strange relationship they shared by telling Aditya about “Subkuch”. He never meant it in a physical way but the first image in anyone mind must be of that only and he knew this.

Aditya too told everything about this “Subkuch” to Suman a day after they were married. Suman at first didn’t believed him but she sort of read his eyes and was left confused. She didn’t knew what to do. So, went to the place far from this hustle and bustle where she always finds solace for herself. A place where everyone is happy, a place where everything is just like it was at the right place, a place where she have no one to talk still she talks to many, a place which shoes her how beautiful the life is and at last but not the least a place which is her only support to fight off this cruel world.

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Shravan and Pushkar entered the house the house to find it really very silent as if no one was present. Pushkar called out for Preeti but no one responded. Shravan was in no mood to call out for his so called wife and got into the sofa. Pushkar looked at him with “You are Impossible” face since he is alone finding their wives in this great mansion and Shravan didn’t cared at all.

Suddenly they heard the door banging and looked towards the direction of sound. The saw Preeti stroming out blabbering something from Shravan’s room NO! it’s Shravan and Suman’s room.

“She is impossible” blabbered Preeti.

Shravan and Pushkar looked at her confused about what had happened. She reached the last step and turned only to find her husband and brother in law standing in the hall with questions written all over their faces. She didn’t knew what they had heard and what they had not.

“Kk…Kya hua?” she asked them.

“Yeh to hume puchna chahiye Kya Hua?” retorted Pushkar.

“Vo kuch nahi bus meri Pretty Priti ko meri dress pasand nahi aayi aur pura ghar sar par utha liya and at last mujhe hi har manni padhi aapni sister urf devarani se” Suman said while coming down from their’ room and gave a high five to Pushkar who was as usual smiling. Preeti faked a smile listening her sister’s lie. She knew that she can’t argue with her now as she was doing few minutes back in her sister’s room. She actually can’t understand that why her sister is doing this to herself. Her sister is killing herself every moment and she is bound to see that happening in front of her eyes.

“Kya yaar! Aaj jis dekho vo appne khyalo mein kho jata hai?” Pushkar said looking towards Preeti. “Chal Sumo hum dono hi chalte hai”

“It’s Suman” corrected Suman.

“Are yaar mein tujhe zindagi bhar se Sumo bula raha hu aur ab shaadi ke baad tu bol rahi hai ki hum tujhe Suman bulaye. Sab kuch tere hisab se thori na hoga” said Pushkar making a puppy face.

“Are chodo ! I think ab aap dono ready ho jaiye vaise bhi hum already late ho rahe!” Preeti said trying not to increase the fire.

“Vo hum log wahi par change kar lenge aur abhi…” Pushkar said but was cut by Shravan’s loud “CHALE!” since he was the least interested in their talks.

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Their trip was of nearly 7 hours and only 1 was over. They four were in Shravan’s car. Suman’s darling ambassador was following their car and was loaded with gifts driven by a driver. It was dead silent only sounds of the shrieking cars were heard. Shravan was driving earlier and Pushkar took over him since he was a bit tired. Now, Pushkar was driving with Shravan sitting beside him. Preeti and Suman were in the backseat and Preeti slowly drowsed off in Suman’s lap. Suman looked out admiring the beauty of nature

“God damn it!” Pushkar shouted breaking the silence prevailing there. “Kisine hume bataya kyo nahi ki yaha pe koi jungle bhi hai? Aur jab hum jungle ke andar aa chuke hai tab hi humare GPS ko bolna tha. Aage hum yeh bhi nahi jante ki jungle kitna bada hai aur kaha nikalta hai” Shravan looked at him in utter disbelief because it was a new route for them and none of them knew the way further.

“Yaha se toh vaapis bhi naahi ja sakte” said Shravan who was still shocked by the sudden occurring.

“Pushkar tu piche aa, aage mein drive karti hu.” said Suman with a firm voice.

“What!” exclaimed Pushkar.

“Pushkar ji, get out of the driving seat and come back to take care of your lovely sleeping beauty”

“Sorrryyy” uttered Pushkar not getting what to speak.

“Pushkar na tujhe Hindi samajh mein aa rahi hai na English, so better come back.” said Suman controlling her frustration.

“Kyun? Jaise tumhe yaha ke saare raaste pata hai.” said Shravan narrowing his eyes towards Suman.

“Tumse to behtar pata hai kyonki mene Oxford mein padhte hue 10 sal nahi guzare. Aur mein sirf is jungle se bahar nikalungi aur tab network milne par GPS chalo ho jayega toh tum log dekh lena kisko drive karna hai.” said Suman exchanging her place with Pushkar.

“Tummm…” Shravan was going to say more but was cut by a remark from subconscious Preeti – “Pushkar please TV band kar do! Vaise tum kabse aise Sas-Bahu type serial dekhne lage” and she again drowsed off.

Shravan and Suman first looked at Preeti then at each other can’t believe that someone just said that they were fighting like Sas-Bahu when they really talked to each other after months . Pushkar thought it was better to remain silent at the moment.

Suman started to drive and switched of the AC. Before giving any one a chance to protest she opened the window which let the cool breeze in. Cool air started showing its effect on Shravan and Pushkar and they too drowsed off.

*********************

Shravan woke up from his beauty sleep with the sound of horn of a nearby vehicle. And yes, the sleep was really a beautiful one since he hadn’t slept this peacefully from months on his comfy bed but God knows what made him sleep as such on the seat of a shaking car.

He saw that now windows were closed again and Pushkar and Preeti were still asleep while Suman was driving. She only looked at the roads and sometimes at the GPS to find out the roads of this city. Her ambassador was still following them.

“What’s the time?”, he asked.

“Quarter to 8”, replied Suman still engrossed in her driving.

“Okkk”, he replied but reality struck him. It was quarter to 8 that meant that they were near to their destination and their journey was nearly complete.

“Where are we?”, he asked. But this time Suman payed no heed to him and his question and continued driving.

“Can you please tell WHERE ARE WE?”, he almost shouted.

“Don’t shout Pushkar and Preeti are asleep”, she replied coldly and as if she didn’t heard his question again and only knew that he was disturbing the sleep of two people sleeping on the backseat. He shrugged and thought it was better to remain silent.

Suddenly the car came to a screeching halt.

“SUMO! WILL YOU TELL ME THAT WHERE ON EARTH WE ARE NOW?”, shouted Shravan.

“First point is that we are just outside the venue of your sister’s wedding”, she replied with the same coldness and pointed towards the scene outside the car. “And second is that Sumo had died months ago its better if you call me Suman or much better if you don’t call me”.

She turned back to wake up Pushkar and Preeti. She wondered that Shravan’s shouts were ready to make her deaf but can’t wake up these.

“Uth jao! Tum dono ke liye aaj dubara subah ho gayi hai” Suman said softly.

They both woke up with a jolt.

“Kya?” “Kaun?” “Kya hua?” “Kaha he hum?” they both started their never ending questions and Suman shook her head and came out of the car leaving Shravan to deal with them.

*********************

Suman got into the room which was given to them’ to adjust her hairs which were now ruffled with all credit to the cool soothing breeze. She bumped into something or someone when she got out of the room. An enchanting smell filled her nose and she knew to whom she have bumped into.

“Sorry” she whispered still looking towards the floor again and hurried off to the hall where the function was there. Bride and Groom were yet to be arrived.

She soon found Preeti who looked very fresh after that pretty long sleep. Pushkar had too gone to change. Preeti was standing there with the other Malhotra ladies. She and Preeti were least interested in their talks and they made an excuse and hurried off from there. They were now sitting alone on a big sofa at corner and they both had again lost their smile.

“Di…”, Preeti tried to start the discussion but before she can say anything Suman cut her off

“Preeti, mujhe iss bare mein aur koi baat nahi karna. Tumhare baar-baar kehne se na mein fir khush ho sakti hu, na hi mera faisla badal sakta hai.” Suman said with her voice firm and still.

Before Preeti could say anything they saw Varun bhaiya rushing towards them.

“Suman, Preeti tumhe bade papa ne bulaya hai. Jaldi! Kisise kuch mat bolo aur chalo mere sath unke room mein.” Varun said in rush.

“Bhaiya…” they tried to say something but Varun insisted and they followed him.

Everyone from the family was there except Pushkar and Shravan. Pushkar entered after them. Ramnath asked for Shravan and Lalaji replied that he will be coming but now he is busy with some clients and might be little late.

“Par Lala tumne use bola nahi ki meine jaruri kaam se abhi bulaya hai” argued Ramnath.

“Bola tha bhaisahab but aap to jante hai Shravan ko” Lalaji defended himself.

“Uncle par hua kya hai?” asked Suman with confusion written all over her face.

The next words of Ramnath shook everyone to their core. Nanaji was no more!

Preeti broke down the very movement and Pushkar consoled her. Suman was just numb and didn’t shed a single tear on her great loss. Vandy shook her and she became aware of her surroundings. She started to move out of the the room neglecting all the voice calling her.

Again she bumped into him. Before she could fall his protective arms were automatically wrapped themselves around her waist preventing her from falling. He was shocked to her in this state and asked “Kya hua? Kya kar rahi ho tum?”

“Kuch nahi! Tumhe Ramnath Uncle bula rahe hai. Aur mera kya, mein toh bus aapna vada nibha rahi hu.” She said and rushed off from there.

And yes, she was fulfilling her promise made to herself, to Ramnath uncle and to Shravan.

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Phew! So this was it. I invite all the tomatoes and chappals but no eggs being a shudh-shakahari.

A reply is a must because it feels good when we come to know what people think. A word of appreciation or criticism will do. I would love to read about my my flaws and mistakes too.

Bye for now,
Abhilasha