Karishma was talking to someone on phone
“I went to the doctor, she gave me an appointment of next week. I may give birth to our baby the next week! And this baby will be our pawn, to get everything we want.”
……..
“I know, and I miss…” Mohit walks in just then “I miss you too maa”
While Karishma was still talking to her mother outside on the terrace, Mohit called someone
……………
“I need the best one!”
……………
“My wife, I will send you the picture”
He disconnected the call and sent Karishma’s picture to an unknown number.
Karishma came back from the terrace, Mohit took out a file from his backpack and started to read it.
Mohit, bagged lead role in a TV drama, due to which he was mostly outdoors for shoot. The family valued him like never before, because he, now, was the one with the highest salary in the house.
“Mohit, how long has it been, since we went to a vacation together?”
“We actually never went to a vacation, and now I don’t have time due to shoots and your delivery date is nearing, then our little one will come to keep us busy.”
“About that, I talked to the doctor and she said that our baby may come to this world by the next week.”
“Really? I can’t wait see them. I want to be the first one to hold my baby. I don’t care if it is a boy or a girl, but, everything should be purple, I want everything to the best for my baby.”
“Okay! As you wish. But, what will we name our baby?”
“I already had this in my mine since the day you told me that you were expecting.”
“Why didn’t you tell me then?”
“You never asked”
“Then tell me what did you think of?”
“Arush if it’s a boy and Srija if a girl”
Mohit’s phone rang just then
“I need to go now, we have a night shoot today, so will probably not come before tomorrow evening.”
He connected the phone to his air pods, picked his bag and left for the shooting.
*****************************
Sayi was sitting in a park alone near a lake.
“We meet again” came a voice from behind
“Samrat bhaiya!!” Samrat came and sat near Sayi “How how you been doing?” Sayi questioned
“Pretty well. I come here often, but this is the first time I’m seeing you here”
“Maybe because you never paid attention before”
“That maybe the case!”
“So, where were you these 6 years?”
“Well…you see, I got married to Patralekha, I felt I was the happiest man on this earth, I wanted to give her all my love and wanted to lead a happy life, like every normal couple. But, the next day to our wedding, I found she already gave her heart to someone and that someone was my own brother. I felt dejected. I asked my superior to cancel my leave and call me back, he accepted my request as the border conditions were detoriating and we were expecting a war. I was posted in Ladakh, Siachin, an avalanche threw me to the other side and they kept me captive. After struggling for 5 years, I was finally able to escape and come back. They had declared me dead here, I requested Mr. Sood to not tell my family that I’m alive, so, he sent me here without even asking the reason! I joined the CRPF and now here I am.”
“Why didn’t you come back home?”
“I had no reason to go back! My wife loved my own brother, my mother, she would have been sad for some time, but she would have felt proud that her son died on duty like his father and never stepped back. As for rest, they would also have felt bad, but then would have moved on!”
“What if Pakhi di never become yours?”
“She never was mine! This is the only thing I learnt while being captive. She never loved me, the only person she ever loved was Virat! I forgot she was a part of my life the moment I came back! I was sent to a counselor, for around 6 months before I joined here. We, developed a good bonding, and didn’t realize that in these 6 months, we had become more than just a patient and doctor. For the first time, I felt how it feels to be loved and taken care of.”
“So you also moved on?”
“I’m still young, and I’m not the kind to waste my entire life behind someone who never valued me! So, I moved on. I and Samaira are officially dating since the past 3 months, and I feel she is the one I would prefer to spend my life with! When she is around, I feel nothing in this world is difficult, we understand each other and most importantly, we trust each other. I would believe her over anyone in this world! And to me, that is love! Now what is your story?”
“I married to Virat sir, in the most unusual circumstance. I don’t even remember what happened that day….”
She continues to tell about their first meet, their bickering, how Virat saved her, how her Aaba lost his life saving Virat, how they had to marry, how they treated her in the house, how they kidnapped Pulkit
“….. Pulkit sir was innocent, yet, Virat sir never believed me and for my sake, Pulkit sir actually ran away. Omi kaka, baba and kaku, schemed really well!”
“If he really loved Devi tai, he would never have ran away” Samrat rebuked
“No, he loved her, but, he cared for me first, he couldn’t see me getting trapped in their lies and decided to go away. Devi tai’s condition worsened and they all blamed me for everything! Just then, I got my first year results and topped in my university, the only good thing that happened that day! Things were coming back to the track after a few days, but, your family would still not leave a single chance to bully me”
She continues to tell how they would make her do weird things and complain to Virat who would always take the side of his family without investigating! She, then tells him how Pakhi kept manipulating Virat against her, how, she would always interfere in their personal issues and involve the whole family, who would side Pakhi.
“….Virat sir would never do anything, he would either stand still and watch me get scolded and taunted or scold me for talking back to his family”
She then describes the incident where she was sitting in the college canteen with a classmate and they were discussing a group project, her pen fell and both bent to take it, someone captured the picture from a wrong angle, and Pakhi got her hands on those pictures, she provoked Virat against Sayi who went to her college and found them both laughing over something.
“….and like always, he didn’t listen to me. Though this time, he straight away handed me the divorce paper, saying he was done with me, I was done too! We didn’t argue or fight this time, the moment I signed the paper, he ousted me from his house. For days, I struggled to find a place to live, when I finally got a PG, I stayed there for a month and then took a transfer to here! I mustered enough courage to go back to take my belongings, they as usual humiliated me, but I was least bothered, so I just packed my stuff and….”
She describes how Virat forced her to stop to witness his and Pakhi’s marriage
“…. I don’t know, what it was, but I didn’t feel bad seeing him marry Pakhi di. To be honest, I had listened aaba praise him a lot, he would leave no chance to praise Virat sir, but I wish he was alive to see how that person actually is for whom he sacrificed his own life”
“And what kind of person Virat actually is? As far as I know, he is the bravest and the most competent police officer”
“Anyone can top exams reading books, but what matters is how you implement them in real life. Virat sir is the kind to believe anything his family tells without investigating! In fact, sometimes I feel he may just leave a culprit because the culprit made a few fake documents that looked genuine to show him. I never understood why he didn’t investigate further! He is a police officer after all, he has the upper hand, his one call to forensic team and they will come and identify if the documents are genuine or have been altered or he can track anyone’s phone location! Pulkit sir’s phone was always on, the kidappers kept d=sending me messages on his behalf, he would have easily traced and found out the truth, but he chose to side with family and scold me like always. The only people who trusted me that house were aayi and Mohit dada! And I miss them a little”
“In short Virat married you to take care of you, but never trusted you or cared for you and now, he even married his sister-in-law because her husband was missing. Interesting! I never had an idea that badi mami would be such a person! I always thought her to be the strongest and the righteous person. But what is the guarantee that you are telling me the truth?”
“I don’t lie and, I’m used to the Chavan’s not trusting my words, so it’s okay if you also don’t believe me, but I told my part, believing it or not is in your hands.”
“I didn’t mean that, I believe in you, and I figured out how manipulating Patralekha could be, so, I can believe she manipulated badi mami for her own benefits.”
“I don’t even care about them anymore. All I care about right now is Rishika and I.”
“Do you love Virat?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Your eyes light up everytime you take his name, so yes! It is pretty obvious”
“I’m trying hard to move on, but it seems next to impossible. I remind myself every day that he is happy with his life. He finally married the love of his life, but, I can’t, it is tough for me!”
“There will come a time, when you will meet the someone who is actually the one for you. He will be the one who will take you out of this darkness into the light. And, I hope, you will meet that person soon. After Patralekha’s deceit, I used to think life played the biggest game with me, but today I realized, what I went through is nothing in comparison to what you are going through! You called me your elder brother, so, I should be the first person you’d call when you need someone by your side. And, I promise to be there for you, even if I have to come at 3 at night! It’s getting dark now, come let me drop you”
“It’s not necessary, I live nearby, and I will go after sometime.”
Samrat left and Sayi was alone again.
The park just had a few people left now, the sun had gone out of vision, leaving the last rays of orange light in the sky. The moon had taken the command of the sky, shining brightly as if telling the world it was his time to rule the sky now! The sky was clear and a few stars were twinkling faintly. The orange light faded slowly, turning the sky into a gradient of purple and red which in no time turned dark, covering itself with a blanket of stars that were shining brightly. She was sitting there, quietly gazing at the sky.
************************************
Sayi opened the door, Rishika was already sitting on the couch browsing through Tv.
“Pack your bags we have to go”
“Are we going on a vacation?” Rishika asked excitedly
“No, we are going to Delhi, for a meeting”
“Do I have to go? I find those meeting boring”
“I can’t leave you here alone, else I would be worried throughout. And for the sake of my own mental peace i need you around.”
“I’m a grown up girl, I can live on my own, plus, this is a safe place!”
“No! You are coming with me and that’s decided! I got you tickets now pack your bags.”
“Only in one condition! That is we will stay there for an extra day and you will buy me dresses”
“Done, now go. Wait….What do want to have for dinner?”
“I’m craving for Italian. How about aglio-e-olio?”
“Okay!”
Both had dinner, Sayi re-checked every necessary thing while Rishika did the dishes, after checking everything, both went to their beds to sleep.
Turns out I’m really bad in writing the ending scenes.
Thank you so much for the unexpected reaction!
I will reply to every comment on Sunday. And will also try to update ‘The Caged Bird’ by then.