Karishma began crying watching Avinash go. They all went after looking towards her and Arush in disgust.
Arush began to cry, Mohit got alert, he was about to go near the crib and pick him up, but recalled the DNA reports and Karishma’s deceit, went away with others.
Karishma picked up Arush and wiped her tears “I will avenge your father!” he stopped crying and started to play with her hair smiling and moving his hands and legs.
Virat and Mohit ousted their wives from the room, they were asked to live together in the store room, were not allowed to step out and eat the food they gave her!
The family could hear them both fighting throughout the day. They would often count each other’s mistakes and scream on the top of the lungs sometimes even neglecting Arush’s cries while fighting.
Tired of their daily drama, Virat and Mohit decided to divorce their wives!
They opened the storeroom to give them food
“Virat! I knew you would come to me, seeing this state of mine. The mosquitoes bite like crazy here and even the ventilation is a problem. There isn’t even an AC in this room. Let’s go to our room.” She held his hand to go, he didn’t move a bit and removing her hand from his handed her an envelope.
“What is it?” She opened “Divorce letter? What does it mean Virat?”
“Pakhi you are literate enough to know what it means. I have already signed them, sign them and free me”
“I will not sign these even on my deathbed. No Virat! You can’t do this to me. I found you with great difficulties. You have no idea about what all I did for you”
“I don’t really care! It was probably just infatuation, and you did everything for yourself, because if you did it for me, I would have had Sayi by my side! So please stop your drama and sign these papers. Free me from this forced relation, this is the last thing I want you to do for me.”
“What will I get in return? You will go back to Sayi, but, what about me?”
“You both deserve to rot in jail for supporting that man! Sign these papers and I will not issue charges against you!”
“You are threatening me?”
“I’m just striking a deal! You give me freedom, in return I will also give you freedom!”
“But, it was Karishma who was supporting him, I had no role!”
“You know it won’t be difficult for me to blame you, even your call records sate that you used to call Karishma numerous times per day, sign these and you will safely go back to your parents!”
“You do whatever you want to. I’m not letting go of you!”
“Patralekha Chavan, you are forcing me to do things”
“What will you do?”
Virat pulls the trigger to his gun, shocking Pakhi, Karishma and Mohit and points it to Pakhi first, then to himself and then towards Pakhi again
“V…Virat…what…a…are…you….d….doing?” Pakhi asked
“This is a loaded gun, I have pulled the trigger, I will count till 10 and then this bullet will go straight into your head. 10…9…8…7…6…”
“Fine! I will sign, give me a pen”
“5…4….3…”
Pakhi picked up a pen and signed the papers, handed them to Virat and wiped her forehead from the end of her saree.
Mohit too gave Karishma the papers who just signed them without reading.
“Thank you so much for not reading them!” Mohit smirked
“Why? What special did you write in it?” Karishma snatched the papers and began to read. “Karishma Chavan will not ask for alimony or claim her share in the property? The custody of their child will be given to Mohit Chavan? You…you can’t do this to me. Arush isn’t even your son!”
“But, I just did! Even if he is not my son, I won’t want an innocent child to become a cheater like you, who is ready to do anything for the sake of money!”
He snatched back the documents, both brothers went out and handed them to the lawyers
“The court will ask you to live together with 6 months, and then you will be free from this relationship!”
“Thank you lawyer!” Virat and Mohit shook hands with the lawyer and went to see him off outside!
“So this is what freedom feels like?” Mohit said sitting on the couch with a thump “You know what? These days I’m able to sleep and work peacefully! There is no one to nag and complain all day, I get to play video games and buy new stuff for myself. I’m enjoying this bachelorhood so much, that I may never marry again!”
Virat was lost in his own world. The world of his most beautiful memories! He had satisfaction on his face, but he had to look up for his happiness, that was stolen by the girl who stole his heart. He wanted her to come back to his life, he wanted to never let her go again and keep her safe from the whole world.
“Virat dad, where are you lost?”
“Nothing!”
Just then, Bhavani came followed by Ashwini, they seemed to be arguing over something
“But, vahini, how can it be my mistake? Wasn’t Patralekha your choice?”
“Yes she was! But did I get illusions that she would be a girl whose heart is filled with poison? I am already ashamed for forcibly tying both of my nephews with her! Now what do you want me to do?”
“You used to taunt me for my daughter-in-law, who turned out to be the real diamond” Ashwini said taunting Bhavani for calling Pakhi a diamond!! “There is no one like my Sayi.”
The court gave a date for the hearing of divorce, the judge announced them to stay together under the same roof for 6 months.
The fights between Ashwini and Bhavani increased, and no one dared to step in between them! Ashwini now, had the upper hand. Pakhi and Karishma were still living in the store room meanwhile Arush was living with Samrat and Saloni took care of him on Mohit’s instance.
Virat would often come home late from work, would over-exhaust him or go far on field trips, most often to Gadchiroli. He would spend hours in front of the house Sayi used to live with her father, he would often imagine her playing around like a free bird, then would cry realizing how he was the one to cut them into pieces. He would drive to every place that held his memories with Sayi, even the jungle where he saved Sayi from her forced marriage.
In the end, he would go to the temple where he married Sayi and gave donations every time he went!
Every corner of his room had her memories! He looked at a key that was kept at the table Sayi used to study at, reminisced throwing it into the dustbin and then picking it again, keeping it safely. He picked the key and inched closer to the cupboard, opened the drawer where he had kept her belongings and looked at, he had kept each memory and belonging of hers safely.
He carefully picked up her photos and placed them near his bed, he then picked up the box Sayi had gifted him as a prank and smiled remembering her lively laugh!
His eyes went towards a few pieces of jewelry, her nuptial chain and her vermilion box.
He packed all of Pakhi’s belongings in a bag and threw them out of his room.
The once disciplined Chavan Niwas, now, only knew sadness! Everyone would eat and live as per their own will and would mostly eat in their respective rooms, they would avoid seeing each other and sometimes not see each other for days!
2 months passed in the blink of an eye!
Virat made it a habit to come after midnight and go to sleep straight away, he would spend his holidays in Gadchiroli and would struggle to find Sayi whenever he got some free time! He called Pulkit a few times and bonded with him well, though Pulkit would avoid the questions about Sayi, he still found Pulkit a good friend to talk to!
Wishing you all a Happy and safe Holi!!!