Rishtey(Meaning of Relationships) Chapter 35

“RD” screamed Aniket as soon as he opened the door and found Ragini unconscious in Shekar’s arm. “Ketu Go call doctor uncle fast” said Shekar. He complied and went to the doctor who lives just two houses from their home.
“What happened Pradeep?” asked Shekar to Doctor Pradeep who is also his good friend sitting beside Ragini worried. “Nothing to worry Shekar. She is just fainted due to stress. I have given her the injection. She will be alright. Now I will leave. Just let her take rest” said Pradeep leaving. Aniket accompanied him back to his home. “Uncle” said Radhika standing at Ragini’s room door. “Jaanu. Please tell her to go from here. I don’t want to see her face also” said Shekar not even turning. Radhika closed her eyes sobbing. Janaki took Radhika to the hall as Shekar was not cooling down.
“Why did you do this Radhu. Don’t you know your uncle. He will never forgive you for this. You did not even think about Varun once. You should have told us about it. I would have convinced her” said Janaki tearing. Radhika looked at her with painful eyes and asked “What would you have convinced her Jaanu. Convince her to live a life without her soul” Janaki looked down as she could not answer her. “Answer me” said Radhika holding her shoulders. “Radhu. Try to understand. This will never happen” said Janaki holding her. Radhika hugged her and sobbed. “I know. That is why I’m worried for Ginu. She will carry this burden all her life.

I don’t want it to happen. I will fight for her” said Radhika. “You have to fight against your Ginu only do you even realize” asked Janaki caressing her hair. “I’m ready for that also” said Radhika and ran from there to her house. “How lucky my Gini is to have you people in her life who are ready to fight with her for her own happiness. Why Kanha ji why you played with my daughter’s life like this. What is her mistake” said Janaki looking up. A tear escaped from Shekar’s eye. He wiped it and headed back to Ragini’s room.

Shekar kissed Ragini’s forehead and turned to leave. He felt something held his hand. He turned and saw blood soaked Nitin’s hanky was stuck in his kada. He looked at it and looked at Ragini. He forcefully freed his Kada from it and headed to his room. “Ketu. Go sleep. We will talk in the morning” said Janaki making Aniket to go to his room as he was worried sitting in the hall. She followed Shekar to their room. “Shekar” said Janaki sitting on the bed beside Shekar who was lying facing other side. He did not turn but acted as if he is already slept. Janaki looked at him painfully and slept turning other side. Tears flew from her eyes. Janaki knew when the issue was about Ragini he never listened to anybody. Now after witnessing whatever happened he was not in a state to accept anything.

“Shekar. You remember? When Gini was just 3 years old you had brought her green colour frock” said Janaki standing beside Shekar in front of the mirror when he was getting ready to go to work. Shekar looked at her with null expression. “And you know actually Gini’s fav coulour was pink. But she accepted Green frock only as it was your favorite and you chose it” said Janaki looking at him. “She is now in the same state” said Janaki as a tear dropped from her eye which she wiped and took a deep breath. As she was turning Shekar held her shoulders and looked into her eyes straight and asked “Why she did it Janaki? If she would have demanded pink that day only I would not have had expectations from her that she will like whatever I get for her” He jerked her and headed out of the room. “Because she knew you will get her pink frock next time and you brought also. Though you need time to understand her likes but you will understand. And I hope it happens in this case also” said Janaki looking at his direction.

Ragini was listening to their convo standing outside the room. Shekar sensed she was standing near door but did not utter a word and started walking. Ragini held his hand. He looked back at her. She hugged him in a bone crushing hug. Sometimes no words were required to convey what you felt or decided. As Shekar tried hard to control himself but at last lost and caressed her hair. Ragini closed her eyes sobbing in his hold. Shekar encircled his hands around her and tears flew from his eyes. Hurting your life is not easy task. In the process of forcing Ragini to agree for his point of view he was hurting her and it pained him more than it pained her. He had seen love in Ragini’s eye for Nitin. And he had also seen the limitless love in Nitin’s eye for Ragini. But he was her dadda. How could he believe his stupid heart to take such big decision of his daughter’s life more than that Ragini was engaged to Varun whom he selected himself. Somewhere his ego that he knows the best for his daughter took over and he was determined not to budge whatever comes though his Gini was upset now but whatever he decided for her was best always in his thinking. He did not wanted to have a second thought about it.

“Ginu. You take rest today. You can go to college from tomorrow” said Janaki caressing Ragini’s hair who was trying hard to have break fast from past half an hour. She smiled weakly at Janaki and nodded her head. Janaki sat beside her caressing her cheek. “Ro le beta. Jitna rona hai. If you hold it you cannot breath” said Janaki sensing her emotions. Ragini hugged her and broke into a bitter cry. “He loves me maa. I cannot see him like this. He is broke. I cannot see dadda also like this. He is also broke. I’m very bad girl maa. I’m hurting the people who love me the most in the world.” said Ragini sobbing. Janaki had no answer for her problem. First time she felt so helpless. As a mom she failed to take a stand for her daughter and there is no bigger sorrow than that in any mom’s life. She closed her eyes letting the tears to flow. “Kanha ji pe bharosa hai na thuje?” asked Janaki not finding any way to console her daughter. “Hmmm” said Ragini nodding her head. “Tho bas sab unpe chod de” said Janaki dragging her out of the hug and feeding her the food. Ragini ate the food sobbing only. She headed back to her room and sat on her bed holding Golu. She saw the Hanky on the table. She held it in her hand and looked at it.

“Take” said Nitin forwarding his hanky to Ragini who was crying watching climax scene of Bajrangi Bhaijan sitting in her room after she got discharged from hospital. She took it and wiped her tears. “Give me the hanky back” said Nitin when Ragini was looking at the NY carved on it with a special design. “Giving dumbo. What is so hurry” said Ragini handing it back to him annoyed. “Stupid lady don’t you know you should not keep others hanky as it will create a rift between you and that person” said Nitin dragging the hanky back. “You believe that?” asked Ragini surprised. “I don’t wanna take a chance with you. First of all there are less reasons for which you fight with me o what? And what if this create a rift so much that you won’t even talk to me? Sorry I cannot afford it” said Nitin waving his hands in air.

“Why did you do this with Nittu? RD” asked Aniket standing at Ragini’s door which brought her to present. She wiped her face and hid the hanky behind her. “Ketu. You will not understand all this you are still kid. Now leave you are getting late for school” said Janaki coming to Ragini’s rescue standing in the door. “Ithna bhi chota nahi hu mom. Though you people might not realize it but the way she stays happy with Nittu she won’t be with anyone” said Aniket looking at Janaki. He turned to Ragini and said “I will never forgive you for hurting him RD. I will never” and stormed out. Ragini closed her eyes and sobbed. Janaki sat beside her and hugged her and tried consoling her. Nobody was understanding her plight.
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“Hi Nittu dude” said Aniket as he spotted Nitin outside his school in the evening. Nitin smiled at him weakly and hugged him. “RD is better” said Aniket dragging him out of the hug. “Hmmm” said Nitin smiling weakly. Aniket kept his hand on Nitin’s shoulder and said “I’m with you dude. I know only with you my RD will be happy” Nitin smiled at him widely. There were tears in his eyes which were fighting to flow. Nitin was restless whole day as he did not see Ragini after last night incident. He wanted to badly meet her. But he could not as even Radhika was unable to meet her. He could not control himself and headed to Aniket’s school as he found he was the only person who could give him details of Ragini’s condition.
“Tera mera rishta hai kaisa ek pal dur gavara nahi”

He headed back to his house after dropping Aniket at a safe distance from his house.

“Nittu” said Yashu caressing his hair sitting beside him on the couch. He slid and placed his head on her lap. That was the most soothing place in the world for him his mom’s lap.

“Maa they are taking papa. Stop them. I cannot live without him maa please” a teenage boy was sobbing holding Yashu.

Nitin got up with a jerk. “Kya hua Babu?” asked Yashu caressing his hair. “Papa” said Nitin as his voice choked. Yashu felt helpless. This was the one pain which did not reduce with time in Nitin’s memory. His dad’s death which sucked all his innocence and happiness at a go. After Ragini came in his life he had never got that bad dream. Now suddenly his bad memories returned and made Yashu worried.

“Nittu sun” said Yashu dragging his face up from her lap and cupping it. He looked at her. “My son will not accept defeat like this. Not without fighting” said Yashu with determined face. Nitin looked at her confused. “This is it. Your love is this weak that you will lose so easily? You got to fight for your love beta. I agree when your papa left us you had no option. But now you have an option to fight and you have to fight” said Yashu caressing his hair with one hand. “Do you even realize If I decide to fight I have to fight with Ragu not with her Dad. She is standing between me and him. She will not even let me to cross her.” said Nitin looking at her. “Tho lad. If you have to fight with her fight. But I want her only as my bahu. You try your best even if it doesn’t happen after trying your best also then ok. But I wont let you accept it as your fate without fighting. I know my Nittu is not a loser” said Yashu kissing his forehead. He hugged her still sitting and decided what he has to do now.