Part 8
Once back to Mumbai, Virat is sceptical that it may not be an accident. He decides to talk to Priya once Ram is better.
A few days later, Virat is at the cafe waiting for Priya when Sai walks out from the kitchen.
“Virat Sir… aap yahan?”
“Haan vo main Priya ji se milne aaya tha…”
“Okay… thike aap wait kijiye vo aa rahi hongi … meanwhile aapko kuch chahiye? Tea/Coffee?”
Virat looks up at her and with a studied gaze answers,
“Green tea milega?”
Not expecting this, Sai involuntarily smiles but then quickly regaining her impassive face moves to the kitchen to get it for him.
Sara walks in and sees Virat, enquiring about him. Just then Sai comes out and depositing the tea on his table and asks Sara,
“Aapka kaam ho gaya Sara di?”
“Haan Sai… thank you for helping me out… ab tumhe jaana hai to ghar nikal jao. Aur jaane se pehle vo subah wale apne extra cupcakes leke jaana” Sara gently cups her cheeks and winks at her.
Sai smiles at her and excitedly moves to the kitchen.
Priya walks in and sits across Virat.
“Mr. Chavan… Thank you for helping out that day. You went out of your way. I will be forever grateful to you.”
“It's my job Priya ji… glad I could help. How is Mr. Kapoor?”
“He is doing fine, bedrest pe hai to irritated hai kaafi but other than that healing well”
“Aapse kuch poochna tha… Although ye Gujarat police ke jurisdiction main aayega, Do you think it was just an accident? Or was it something else. I mean Mr. Kapoor itne bade businessman hai.. To aise attempts is not unheard of. Do you feel so?”
Priya regards his question with hesitation, throwing a glance to Sara in between. Virat notices Sara giving a gentle nod to her and Priya acknowledging it, the interaction so minute that it might have not been noticed had it not been for his training.
Turning to him squarely, Priya in a stern voice says,
“Actually Mr. Kapoor pe pehle bhi attempt ho chuka hai. Isliye I would like it if you can investigate further. But don't mention it to him. I would prefer you discuss it with me first”
“And any specific reason for that, Priya ji? I mean wouldn't Mr. Kapoor will be more aware of his enemies, better than you”
“Nahi.. agar mera shaq sahi hai… to he will not suspect this person”
Saying this, Priya throws a glance at Sara.
“Do you have proof on this person Ma’am?”
“Nahi…”
“Can you tell me the name?”
Priya is unsure about this, Sara goes near her and holds her hands. Priya looks at her, the sisters deriving strength from each other. Priya closes her eyes for a moment and with a stoic face looking straight into his eyes, answers,
“My father… Mr. Mahendra Sood”
Virat is stunned, he is unable to comprehend the contradiction in that statement.
Feeling pale, he gulps down the cold tea but recovers from the shock and gets Mr. Sood’s contact information from Priya.
Sai walks out of the kitchen ready to go home but halts her steps when she notices the expressions of all of them. The air is ripe with tension. Feeling concerned, she reaches Priya and questions her by raising her eyebrows. Priya smiles and assures her the same way.
Virat notices this interaction and feels isolated for himself but he is happy for Sai though that she has found such loving and caring people for herself.
He excuses himself and starts walking out when he realises Sai too is going home.
Excited to take a chance, he asks her,
“Sai… agar chaho to tumhe drop kar du?”
Sai who would have scoffed at this suggestion a few months back, feels like taking it up this time, glad to see the change in him and the help he provided to her friends.
Seeing her take so much time to respond, Virat feels hopeless but his face lights up the moment she says “Yes”
Waving goodbyes to Priya and Sara, Sai moves out with Virat.
He asks her about her hostel to which she mentions her rental accommodation address.
The ride commences but Virat can't shake off the overwhelmingly confusing accusation Priya has laid for him.
Seeing him engrossed and pensive, Sai asks him,
“Virat Sir.. Kya hua? Aap disturbed lag rahe hai? Priya di aur Sara di bhi pareshan lag rahi thi… sab thik to hai?”
Brought to the present by her query, Virat mentally reprimands himself that he did not focus on Sai. But he wonders if she can help solve his confusion.
“Sai.. tumhare paas thoda time hai kya? Kuch baat karni thi?”
Sai is immediately taken aback and thinking it is about them, says,
“Kis baare main? Hamare baare main mujhe koi baat nahi karni!!”
The stern reply feels like a searing pain to Virat but understanding her hurt, he mutters,
“Hamare baare main nahi hai… kuch aur hai”
Sai, feeling relieved and hurt in equal parts, asks him to take the car to a nearby cafe.
“Bataiye… kya baat hai?”
Still contemplating whether it is appropriate, in carefully guarded words, Virat asks,
“Sai.. tumhe kuch idea hai kya? Priya ji aur unke Baba ke rishte ke baare main?”
Wondering at the direction this question is going, Sai answers truthfully,
“Jyada kuch nahi pata… haan par vo in logo ko pasand nahi karte… kyunki ye ladkiyan hai… unki doosri family hai… vo Meera Maa ko kai saal pehle chod chuke hai”
“Aur kuch?”
“Nahi.. aur to pata nahi… unka us doosri aurat se ladka jarur hai… almost mere jitni age hogi uski. Lekin aap ye sab kyun pooch rahe hai?”
“Kuch nahi…. Aise hi”
Sai realises he is not disclosing the whole truth to her and decides to let it go.
Quietly playing with his food, Virat is deep in thoughts and Sai is observing his changing emotions.
“Mujhe pata hai… aise log hai aaj ke zamane main bhi par phir bhi kitne dakianusi khayal hai… ki ladkiyan hui hai” Virat mumbles to himself.
Unable to control herself, Sai lets out a soft chuckle, startling Virat.
“Tum has rahi ho?”
Sai stops laughing instantly and looks down, occupying herself with her food.
Grasping her involuntary chuckle, Virat calls her,
“Sai… I know mere ghar wale bhi aise hai… purane khayalat ke hai… par itne bhi bure nahi hai”
Her chuckle returning, Sai almost chokes on her food.
Virat is hurt, his anger rising, he glares at Sai.
Sai notices this but decides to reveal the truth to him.
“Dekhiye Virat Sir.. ab to mera aapka koi rishta nahi hai… isliye shayad ye bol paungi.. jaanti hun jo main batane wali hun usse aapko bura lag sakta hai… par agar maine nahi bataya to aapko kabhi pata bhi nahi chalega”
Virat looks at her surprised wondering what new information is going to be presented to him.
Air quoting “Itne bhi bure nahi hai”, Sai explains to Virat the circumstances of Pulkit's kidnapping.
“Aur mujhe to lagta hai vo jo fake letter tha, vo bhi kisi ghar wale ne hi likha hai… I am not sure who though”
Virat is yet to recover from the shock and falls silent when Sai says,
“Aap chaho to Pulkit Jeeju se pooch sakte hai… vaise unhone hi mujhe mana kiya tha kisi ko batane se… aur sirf isiliye vo koi case nahi file karna chah rahe the. All he wanted was to be with Devi Tai. Unko unka pyar mil gaya... unke liye vo kaafi tha”
Feeling sad that she had to hurt him like this but also discerning that he needed to know, Sai feels empathy for him. Carefully observing his agony, Sai gently puts her hand across over his, making a startled Virat look up at her.
“Aapko bura laga uske liye Sorry… par aapko jaisa lagta hai vaise sab nahi hai… Family ke naam, jhoothi shaan ke liye log bahot kuch kar jaate hai. Kaku ne ye sab kiya ... aur isiliye vo mujhse nafrat karti hai… I don't want to create a bad impression of your family members for you… but it is time you knew!!!”
Putting his other hand over her, Virat bows his head down over them and sits quietly for a few moments. Tears pooling in his eyes, he looks up at her and in between the stinging pain, he whispers,
“I am sorry Sai… for everything. For not believing in you, for not listening to you, for not reflecting upon your words, for not trusting you and for not using my own brains when it concerned you”
Taking a pause,
“Basically for everything that happened to you in that house. Maine tumse shaadi ki thi. I should have kept you first, but I didn't. I failed you. I failed Kamal Sir. And uske liye kitni bhi baar maafi maangi jaaye kam hai. I know now why you can't forgive me. I understand. Truly Sorry!!!”
Quickly getting up and moving out, tears prickle his eyes as they sit in the car.
Burdened with the heartbreaking revelation, Virat drops off a stupefied Sai at her place and goes away to his cold, lonely house tormenting himself with the memories of their time together and lamenting his loss.
A widow, Gauri met her long lost friend Omkara in a family function, who still ...
Life Journey of two people poles apart in career, status and style. One is the ...
Drabbles for Shrimad Ramayana Contest
Comments (1)
View all
shireen sukhan @shinseen
+ 6
1 years ago
Priya knows what her father is doing so she build herself strong, so that's she accept what is reality of her father