Present Day

6 months ago

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@MidnightLibrary

Present Day 

School bell rings louder. LKG class students began to come out from kindergarten . A crowd of parents were gathering outside of the school. They were eagerly awaiting for their children. 

Prithvi too was waiting outside of the school gate for the arrival of his jewel of eyes, his only son.

Little Shaurya seeing his father outside ran towards him.

Suddenly a Speeded bike began coming towards his side. Seeing Prithvi's leg gain speed, he wrapped his son in his arms and fell on the other side of the road. He didn't let any scratch touch the skin of the child. 

Prithvi's heart was racing in his chest.

People gather around the father and son.

They check up on them and greet Prithvi for saving the life of the boy.

“ Chiku, how many times have I told you to never lose your attention while walking on the road? So many vehicles are outside. It's a bad beta. “

Chiku was the nickname of Shaurya.

" I'm sorry Papa “ Shaurya replied with jaw dropped face

Little Shaurya’s cute cheeks began to melt Prithvi’s heart. How could he do anger with the apple of his eyes.?

“ it's alright"  Prithvi dusted the dirt from his body then stood up on his knees and picked up the pieces of his heart into his arms.

“ Papa, I know nothing will happen to me!" 

" Achaa !! Why so? “" 

" Because I know you are my superhero. You will always be there to save me “

Shaurya's tiny smiling teeth were revealed when he was talking in a childish accent, which brought smiles to his father's lips.

“ I love you, Papa!" “ He kissed on the cheek of his father.

" Aleeebaba!! Prithvi responds with an affectionate kiss on the cheeks of little Shaurya. 

“ What did you learn today in class?" “Prithvi asked in the same accent as his son

" Miss Nihira Aunty asked us to draw our superhero. And I draw you. Let me show this to you”

Shaurya asked his father to bring his school bag to him . Prithvi put him down on the ground on his feet and Shaurya took out the drawing book from his school bag and showed the copy to his father..

“ See it, how is it, Papa?? 

Prithvi's eyes rolled over the sketch of him. He was in his police uniform… . Below is written in English in wavy handwriting..

My superhero Papa.

“How is it, Papa?" “

Prithvi's heart becomes heavy. He kissed Shaurya's cheeks. 

“ outstanding “ He replied,he stared at his son with so much compassion in his eyes. 

Shaurya hugged back to his father.

" There is also another drawing which I drew yesterday. Let me show this to you too! “" He said after breaking the hugged 

Shaurya opened the drawing, which was filled with coloured pencils.

“ It is You and Mamma and Me”

Prithvi's eyes caress over the sketch of their family. He stared at the drawing for a couple of moments. When he looked up from the drawing copy , saw Shaurya was eagerly waiting for his father's reaction.

Prithvi hugged his son closer to his chest as if he wanted to fill his son's presence in his arms. He wanted nothing right then except the reality of his son’s drawing in his life. 

Shaurya folded back the drawing book in a bag . 

Prithvi carried the bag on his shoulder and then picked up his son once again in his arms. Shaurya folded his small chubby arms around the neck of his father. 

Prithvi had bought some chocolates for his son. His son demanded ice cream and thought to bring some cream for his son. 

Shaurya complained to his father . 

“ Papa I'm angry with you, why didn't you come to meet me ?? I miss you so much !! “

Prithvi’s heart twisted, he whispered broken heart " That's not possible right now chiku " 

" Why ?!! 

“Because  your Mamma is angry with me "

“ Angry with you, why ??

" Because I hurt her  !"

“ then say sorry to Mamma and make a pinky promise to her. I do the same thing with Purav, my friend “

Prithvi smiles at his son. He wondered if he could make it under his four-year-old son. Maybe it was so simple when we were kids but growing up how difficult it was for us was.

“ Papa, my friend's father, came to meet them. They said they play cricket and come, and go to watch movies with their father on Sunday. I too wanted to go with you and Mamma. But when I asked Mamma about you she got angry with me! “

Prithvi's chest grew tightened. 

“Papa, I wanted to be with both Mamma and you. “ 

Prithvi stayed muted. Couldn't understand what he should tell his son. 

In the middle of the conversation between father and son,.. a familiar figure grabs the attention of Little Shaurya

“ Mammmaaaa!" “Shaurya waved his hand toward his Mom

Seeing the person approaching them, Prithvi's heartbeat grew faster. It had been six years since they were married, he wondered if his breathing still gradually grew heavy seeing her. His love. His wife. His everything. 

He noticed her ocean-green kurta suited her glowing skin. Her red-brown dyed hair length up to her waist, floats freely on her back enhancing her fair complexion and extra charm .The things that attracted him more to her were her “ Don’t - f*ck- with my brain attitude " and her sharp yet mesmerising amber eyes. 

Sanyogita stood before them and pulled Shaurya from Prithvi's arms into her. She stared at him too. But her vision showed how his presence was bothering her.

She noticed his cheeks hid beneath his growing thick beard more than she had seen him last time three weeks ago. His hair was messy and some of it began to grey. His eyes were seeking sleep. Even he wasn't in proper dress. His clothes were dirty. She could tell he began to drink alcohol and developed an addiction to smoking. His condition was killing her from the inside. But she kept her emotions aside, though not to pay attention to her stubborn emotions to control her mind. 

“ Mamma, Papa give me chocolates and ice cream, see it"

Sanyogita took the stuff from her son and returned them to Prithvi 

“ Mamma, I want my chocolates" Shaurya began to shout

" Chikkuuuu!! “" She scolds her son, her eyes growing wider in heat 

Prithvi noticed this and shouted back “Why are you scolding Chikuu…??? Why are outbursting your frustrations on him???

Sanyogita didn't respond 

Prithvi said in a normal tone “…chiku loved the chocolates that's the reason I bring these for my son""

Sanyogita smirked, “ What did you just say !" “" 

Prithvi's brows pulled down together towards his gabbella “ Chikuu is not only your son , I also have rights to him, I'm his father! 

" DCP Shahab perhaps you forgot we have divorced and I win chikku authority there " she taunted 

He responded in the same accent as Sanyogita “ You made a little mistake Dr.Jindal  . The court has given us six months before the final verdict. And whatever the result, Chikku will always be my son. No court and paper can snatch that right away from me “ Prithvi cautioned her . 

Sanyogita looked at him , and suddenly her tight jaw turned into a sarcastic smile`` what did you say you're the father and you have a right to Chiku!!! Did you even know what it means to be a father ?? Just because you wished Chikku every birthday and brought a presence for him doesn't prove you are a father. When Chikku was born I went to the hospital by myself. You didn't have time whether your wife would survive or die in the labour room you didn't give a f*ck about that. Forget about my delivery, you didn't have time to come and see your son for five minutes. … .

“ I already said that to you I was on a mission then , and I had to visit Chennai to catch the mafia gang Boss … Two police officers of our department were killed on that mission. DIG Shahab asked me to take charge of it … 

“ ohhh !! Just shut up .. in the entire police department you are only the loyal cop. The Government is only paying you the salary. For the rest of the team what they're doing  DCP Shahab?? I know duty is important.. I'm also a public servant but I try my best to balance both my professional and personal life together. After duty, I gave my remaining time to my family.

And you were never in that small little world of us. For you, your duty is everything. And I know what you do in your duty … what you do behind my back …you can even go to any extent to accomplish your motive, however you can even play with the emotions of anyone, nothing matters to you …

“ Sanyo you got me wrong. I did nothing wrong… perhaps my way was different…but I always did everything for the sake of justice 

“ enough Prithvi .. enough I don't want any explanation from you . What I saw in my eyes you even try to divert my consumption. For a man like you never to be trusted anymore. You did the same thing with me. I hated myself for trusting you. I should never forget that a cheater always remains a cheater… 

“ I had never cheated on you “ His voice sounded like a whisper. Prithvi feels her words squeeze his lungs. 

“ I don't believe you.. since the time we met this six years everything seems to me an illusion. I wish I could never forgive you then so I’d never have to go through this situation right now. You are the ugly worst truth of my life. … .

Sanyogita swallows the lump in her throat. And control her breaking emotions “Anyway two months have already passed. Only four months have left, and that will soon pass away. I request you once again just leave me and my son alone, please. You can do your duty, you can live your life with anyone as you like your wife will never complain to you DCP Shahab.

She closed her eyes while taking heavy breaths and some scenes visualised before her eyes, reborn those old wounds once more . 

Prithvi stared at his wife hopelessly   “ Sanyo pls give me a chance to prove myself…I resigned from my post .. “" “

 When she opened her eyes she found Prithvi was looking at her still.

Sanyogita looked at him. She was surprised for a moment. 

“ Yeh baat achi Hai na Prithvi AAP har baar galtiyan karenge aur hum apko maf kar denge . Kyu?? Aap yeh baat galti karne se pehle kyun nahi soch they Kahan apako rukna chaiye … .kitna asan hai na.. aap kisi ka bharosa jito .. phir use tordon.. phir sorry boldo… phir se dubara wahi galti karo phir se sorry boldo… kya padak padhta hai .. mere biwi mujhe bahut pyaar karti hai… woh mujhse jyada din Tak Ruth kar Rahi ei nahi sakhti . Aab aisa nahi hoga… aab AAP apni galti sudhar e ya na sudhre hume koi farak nahi padhta … .

Everything is over between us Prithviraj Singh Rathore. We aren't husband and wife anymore . And I have no feelings for you in my heart. The day I found you with another woman in that instance my feelings for you have died. 

Sanyogita left with Shaurya.

“ bye bye, Papaa.. Papa Bye bye"

Shaurya was waiting for a reply from his father. He didn't stop, he kept waving towards his father from the car window.

Prithvi’s eyes linger on his wife at it was. Her words were echoing in his head.

“" Everything is over between us Prithviraj Singh Rathore. We aren't husband and wife anymore. And I have no feelings for you in my heart. The day I found you with another woman in that instant my feelings for you died”" 

 His heart was exploding inside but his lips stayed together sealed. If she asked him to shoot himself in the head, that was easier for him but staying away from her and his son was tormenting every moment. His throat was getting heavy which seemed to him breathing without air. 

Sanyogita didn't think to Look at him back but she could tell for sure he was staring at her . She ignited the engine and started the car. 

… … .

Sanyogita stroked her fingers over the hairs of Shaury who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. She held him closer to her .

She felt guilty for being harsh to her son. She was hopeless. And was too guilty at a very small age Shaurya had to be separated from his father. But she has no other way. Maybe he is too small to understand these things but when he grows up he will realise and agree with her mother decision

for sure, Sanyogita thought.

She got up from the bed and opened the cupboard to take out a thin blanket. It was raining outside and the temperature of the environment dropped a little. As soon as she took out the blanket, something fell on her legs.

She took the scarf in her hand. Prithvi had gifted this to her six years ago. When they visited Ooty for their honeymoon… 

Sanyogita's heart grew heavy. She hugged the scarf and began to whimper silently. 

Prithvi returned home. He was drinking alcohol from a bottle. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest was burning on the verge of alcohol or it was because of frustration on himself he couldn't conclude. Salty water took the shape of tiny droplets flooding down on his cheeks.. falls on their family photo frame. 

Prithvi creases his fingers over the face of his life… His lips taste salty droplets coming out from his orbs drainage in tears. 

“Joonam ".. his voice cracked… he hugged the photo frame close to his heart.

Flashback six years ago … 

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]