Epi 95 Ch 25 Meghna Baby : how will Advay solve the issue? Is PP the right solution?

Tension throbbed in the air; but Maamaji couldn't put a finger on it.  

"Should I call Meghu? Wouldn't it be better to meet her and understand her perspective before you meet Pratham ji?" Mamaji hesitated trying to gauge Dev's mood.

 "Yes, Maamaji! I agree. But no need to call her. I'll go to her room myself, if OK with you."

"Of course, beta! This house is yours now. Why do you need permission? We are the ones who are staying here without any right."

"Mamaji!"... Advay caught Mamaji's shoulders and spoke vehemently, "Please don't ever say that again. It only reminds me of all my misdoings. I was wrong then. Please forgive me for all that past. This place is all yours as long as you'll stay. Rather, you must stay here and guide us like a parent even when Miku moves in here."  

Mamaji was both touched and relieved by this Dev suddenly back again...

'The same innocent, genuine teenage boy...still alive in this strong confident man... or is it that Dev has been stuck at that age? So much has happened with him? Facing the death of his parents in front of his eyes...having to give up the only one relation he had left with, his brother...All this because of the woman who unfortunately happens to be my sister.  She destroyed a pure soul.' His mouth thinned in pure hatred and disgust.

"Mamaji, I need you. A lot of matters need to be settled. Many people need to be paid off." Advay held a storm within.  "Much time has passed and I need to act in a hurry now. Will you support me?"

"Yes, Dev Beta! I am with you for whatever you need."

The same Mamaji who had once stood up for Chandni with his sister was now ready to stand up for Advay against his sister and her accomplices.

Advay halted at Meghna's door. She stood at the window gazing out. Reflexively, She turned and he was caught by her eyes...Fallen away was the dreamy look mask...In its place, the eyes now a mixture of kindness, tragedy, and reserve...reminding him of Chandni's eyes...

Chandni!...What was it about her that had got to him in their very first meeting...her soul stealing eyes!...The memories were back again...

He had been watching her as her shuddhikaran (purification) was going on...The agony in her eyes had hit his heart through the hatred armor he wore all the time.

Eyes like that were never without the depth of hardship.  One didn't get eyes like that without anguish. ...she was stunningly beautiful, but that was just the surface...Somehow, it had intrigued him ...the nagging sense of a pain there, deep within.

Advay pulled himself back to present as Meghna came near welcoming him with genuine happiness.

"Arre Advay Jijaji? What an absolute surprise! Please come... How is Chandni jiji? She didn't come with you?"

"She is OK."

What could he tell Meghna? That, once again, he had put her sister in the fire of his life? He felt an urgent need to direct the talk away from that one subject. "I came in a hurry to meet PP."

Advay's purpose was attained. Meghna's eyes fell to the floor, as she blushed in the thoughts of her new found love. Inadvertently, Advay looked at her toes? They did not curl... It happened only with his Chandni...because his Chandni was special! He smiled to himself in spite of the pain in his heart.

"Meghna, are you sure you want to choose this man as your life partner?... I mean, all that we have seen of him.."

"No, Jijaaji!"... Meghna didn't allow Advay to say anything further, "He is different. Not like the impression all of us had. All that was his mother's and our mother's joint influence. He is clean and pure at heart. There's no guile in him. You have to believe me!" Her eyes had tenderness in them...her love reflecting in her defense.

The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter.' Advay remembered Cicero's saying. 'She is completely in love. So different than Chandni, when she was being forced to marry that guy...She sees PP differently; but is she right?' His mind wondered.

"I used to think the same as all of you in the beginning. When I got to know him better, only then I have understood the real person behind all that facade."

"Oh really?" Advay couldn't stop himself; though he wanted to keep things on an even keel, "After what he did to Chandni..."

"Jijaji! Don't blame him for that fiasco. Jiji had made herself scapegoat. Our mother had taken two crores from him. What would be his fault if he took the marriage for granted?"

"The man has really affected you, Meghna! You talk against your sister because of him? What's it about him?" Advay would not tolerate anybody else putting any blame on Chandni.

"Yes, Jijaji! Each one of us has some or other flaws. Yet, love changes everything. The person himself as well as our perception of the person. In regards with Prathamji, his eyes are so gentle when they fall on me. He burns away the loneliness and scar tissue encased around my heart. He makes me give life another chance. He makes me want to dream again."

Advay had known that feeling. With Chandni, he always felt the same.

He knew Meghna was guileless but naive, too. He did not want to raise her hopes or encourage her unless he was sure. He had to be stern like a parent of a teenager.

"Meghna, do you trust me?" He sounded too stern to his own self for the innocent girl.

"What do you mean?"

Meghna sent a baffled look that mollified Advay. "Meaning, you trust me enough to remember that I have your best intentions at heart. Even if, I happen to say No to this whole thing?" He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"Jijaji, I trust you. You would never do anything that didn't feel right in your heart. And I trust my love completely. Love cannot go wrong."

Nothing he could put his finger on, but something about her tone made Advay feel diffident, almost jealous of her confidence in PP. He turned without a word, wanting to leave.

"About the how, and the why... A love like that makes you better...even if you lose it all, even if it was for one precious moment in your life, you can't be sorry that you had it...Trust me, Jijaji"

The words coming from behind him, Meghna said for something different, but they struck the chord deepest in Advay's sensitive heart.

The sun followed its course down the horizon taking Chandni's heart along as both sunk together. There had been no calls, no news, nothing further from Dev. Neither had her turmoil found any peace. It would be dinner time soon; so she told herself she had spent enough time in wallowing in self-pity and she had to fulfill her duties as the daughter in law of the house.

Naani and Pooja were seated at the table with Murli and Shilpa standing along with...All speaking in animated voices...topic of discussion being Advay and Chandni.

"I am worried about my Chiku...In love, when he's hurt deeply, his anger makes him lose control."

"No naani, I am worried about Chandni didi. Sir's wrath can destroy a person...and Didi is so susceptible to him. Last time, when he was angry and wanted to throw her out of the house...Chandni didi, poor soul, had nowhere to go to." Shilpa felt anxious.

"For once, I agree with Matar Ka Dana. I remember how Bhaiyya was when we both came from London. He hated Chandni and left no stone unturned to humiliate her. Once, in anger, he had bashed down Chandni's portrait in his room. So much anger inside him." Murli shuddered.

Everyone at the table nodded their heads in acceptance.

"I don't find anything wrong in his anger." Maasi joined them, "Everybody only sees his actions, nobody makes effort to understand his pain...my son suffered the betrayal from his first love!" The mother inside Maasi made her take the other side than the group.

"But Ma, it was Bhaiyya's perception alone." Pooja defied angrily.

"Was his parent's murder a perception or fact?" Maasi roared, "I am worried that this grief of love will consume him so much that he'll forget all that I have taught him all these years. I might not have been completely right in my earlier doings, but the anger inside Advay was never wrongly inculcated...How I wish, he took steps against the culprits rather than dedicating all his time for Chandni's family. He hasn't contacted either or I would speak with him." 

She wringed her fingers in frustration...Her mind clouded with her sister's memories and the injustice to her...Advay being her soul weapon to avenge the burning anger inside her.   

Chandni had arrived behind Maasi and the faces at the table changed suddenly in sympathy for her. But Chandni did not notice them, she was focused on Maasi...getting a sudden flash of insight! ...

She saw Maasi's frustration and annoyance, and an underlying sense of guilt that complicated matters...guilt for her life purpose to get justice for her sister...

Dev had been against Maasi from the time he acknowledged his love for Chandni...she could appreciate the sad bewilderment of a mother who saw the ones she loved best, slipping from her in some deep, emotional way...

Mother would be the inevitable loser in this fight. For some inexplicable reason, Chandni's heart went out to the woman.

"You're right Maasi. Dev should have contacted you. But believe me, I am at blame for the way he's behaving now...Don't malign your heart against your son."...Her voice was pleading.

Maasi looked sheepish as she smiled at Chandni wanting to reach out to the desolate girl.

"Don't blame yourself Chandni. You perhaps act out of love; but things do get awry. One way or the other, there's rift between you two. Or maybe, you two are so close to each other that you feel helplessly far apart with little distance between you."

Pain bloomed in Chandni's chest. She lifted her chin, even though she was already longing for a quiet, private space to lick her wounds. She took the serving bowl from Shilpa and started serving.

"Where's Miku and Shikha?" Naani diverted the conversation from the topic burning at hand. She knew Chandni would collapse if a word further was said about her and Chiku.

"Shikha has some assignment in college so she'll be late. Miku is gone to get her." Pooja spoke up.

"And Aadi?

"Aadi went to sleep early today... somehow my son senses the tension around, but he's unable to decipher it. He is affected when his loved ones closest to his heart are affected." Pooja pointed her look to Chandni whose face had lost all light.

"Chandni, why don't you join us and eat?" Naani offered in a desperate attempt to get things back to normal; though, with anything and everything, the matter seemed to further fall apart.

"No Naani. I can't."

Inadvertently, her eyes went to the door, silently willing for Dev to enter from there and light up her world.

Naani and Pooja exchanged looks but maintained silence.

"But Chandni beta! If you don't eat, you'll feel giddy and get sick. Then Advay will have more tension."...Maasi anxiously tried to reason with Chandni.

"Maasi please forgive me this time. I really can't."

"Ok. Have some milk then. Shilpa beta, go and get some milk for your didi." Naani conceded to the middle path.

Advay felt much freshened up after his bath. He needed water desperately before leaving to meet PP. He went to the kitchen. He was familiar with this kitchen. His mind seized the chance and tricked him back into Chandni's memories stalking him relentlessly.

'How she had stopped him from going away from her. He could feel the pull of her hand on him even today...'

'It felt, as if she was pulling him again...some invisible force which did not allow him to move away. His heart knew that there was no escape from Chandni...'

'He didn't want one either!...It was she choosing it that way and he being forced into accepting it.'

He entered inside taking the bottle from the fridge. As he put it to his mouth, his adam's apple moved sinuously, quenching his thirst but at the same time igniting his known sensual fire inside...engulfing his heart with Chandni's reminiscences... Deluge of memories drenching his entire being.

Right here, he had held her...possessively...knowing he would soon make her his ...his very own. Just the sense of holding her in his embrace gave him goosebumps today.

He knew these were just memories, yet the memories so alive that his body felt the life throbbing inside him...he felt more lively than after his shower...it was here that he had put his mark on her, dupatta carrying his name on a dazed Chandni...It was here that he had realized her PTSD first time...

This haveli had a strange effect on him now...wanting to hold Chandni close...protect her in his strong embrace...'

Knowing her softness in his embrace, his organ twitched in the memory, surprising him.

'Yes! He wanted her...not just for momentary release of his body function but for living...While physically it always looked like he held her in his arms, but in reality, she upheld him with life sustenance...Yes! He wanted her. He needed her...to survive! A germ of love that struggled to live in his heart, even as the dark vindictive destiny tried to snuff it out again and again...she was the light of life in him...he needed her!'

The restaurant was bustling with people relaxing and enjoying their late evening with friends. Advay prowled with his typical predatory gait towards PP sitting anxiously waiting for him. 

PP stumbled to his feet, offering Advay a hangdog smile. This man hasn't changed' he surmised assessing the shrewd arrogant profile of Advay. He looked every bit the successful entrepreneur that he was. In the initial encounters, PP had been naive misjudging Advay's deliberate calculating actions and fallen flat on his face. Now he knew better.

Advay knew his game. He would of course have professionals do a thorough background check on the person. But what really made difference was his gut feeling in this meeting. He wanted to test PP himself as stakes involved were his family. He made no attempt to hide his contempt, his eyes making PP uncomfortable.

This meeting is not going to be easy.' PP anxiously fretted. He knew Advay made each of his encounters a ruthless deal designed to stun the opponent. He had experienced the slaying himself.

"Hi Bro!" PP made a futile attempt at building friendly comfort between them.

"The name is Advay Singh Raizada." 

Soft, husky, lethally arrogant voice reverberated in PP's ears. Advay extended a formal hand assessing him with a calibrated gaze.

Gone was the friendly facade he had used with PP in their first meetings. In its place, now stood the formidable ASR who would not offer his opponent any comfort. He didn't want PP to think that building friendship would earn him points to ask for Meghna's hand in marriage.

"Oh yes! May I call you Advay?" PP vainly tried moistening his sudden dry lips.

Advay nodded at PP making no efforts to give him any relief. Both took their seats in an uncomfortable silence.

PP could feel losing his ground. He needed to desperately hold onto something.

"What would you like to drink?" PP was fumbling now. "May I finish this coffee I was having?

Advay nodded again. PP gulped the hot liquid gratefully. It steadied his hand and took the weakness out of his legs. Whatever Advay may think, but this meeting was serious affair for PP himself. He desperately needed to wipe out Advay's former impression of him and make him understand that he genuinely loved Meghna now.

"So you claim that you love Meghna? Must have been an easy bait for you."

"No ...not at all!" PP spoke fervently, defending his love. "Rather, gaining Meghna's love has been most difficult. Initially, when I met her, she was completely a closed person...Never opening her heart...Yet I could not drive away the feeling that there was a depth inside her and I wanted to explore it. Slowly, over a period of time, we started getting along quite well...I felt it was good time. But somehow, the moment I tried getting personal, she retreated back in her shell. The more she retreated, the more she intrigued me and at some point I just knew, I wanted her to be mine." PP felt boisterous narrating his love story.

"Yours for what? One night of pleasure as you always want!" Advay scorned. He had not forgotten the way PP had earlier spoken about Chandni.

PP's eyes went wild. "No." He shook his head. "No. No. I won't touch her till we are properly married. She will not allow it either. She's too pious for that...and a lot precious for me." His eyes grew tender, "Precious beyond bodily pleasures."

A corner of Advay's mouth quirked sardonically. "You know about the baby, right?"

"Yes of course! She has been absolutely honest with me about it. That's what appeals to me about her."

For once, Advay agreed with him. Meghna's honesty had always been most appealing for him, too.

"So? You are ready to accept Meghna with the baby?"

"Yes of course! It will be our baby." PP's heart swelled with pride and tenderness.

"Is it that easy? Accepting someone else's baby as your own?"

"What's the issue? Just because that baby does not carry my genes, it doesn't mean he won't imbibe my mannerism. As he grows, he will be my copy...he will carry impressions of the world as given by me." PP looked sheepish, "I do not know whether I have fathered any child with my previous tie ups...I won't be able to fulfill any duty of mine towards anybody...This baby is , in a way, god sent for me to make up for all my misdoings."

The baby was god sent for Advay, too! And he was not willing to let go of his one chance to make things right with Chandni.

"So is this whole thing about loving Meghna all because you can't father a child and you want a ready made one to carry your name?"

"No! Not like that! Baby or not, I want to share my life with Meghna. It's Meghna that's important."

"So you don't really want the baby then?" Advay's eyes narrowed on PP.  He suddenly looked like a shark scenting blood in the water. 

"If Meghna comes with the baby, then the baby is all mine, too. It will be her decision ultimately."

"I am sorry but I get the feeling that both your paths are different."  

 "We're not on different paths. She's my path." PP said confidently expecting to win over Advay with his faith in his love.

Not a word, not one iota of an expression change, not so much as one minuscule twitch in his facial expression; but the tension from Advay was evident in the air. It scared PP. He tried mollifying Advay with his favorite topic.

"How's Chandni?"

In a flash, a storm gathered...lightning struck... a volcano erupted ...Advay's eyes spitting fire, his lips thinned in fuming fury...the coffee cup rattled crashing to the floor as Advay lunged for PP's throat.

"Don't dare taking her name with your mouth. Anything from you and...," he hissed, "I'll slit open your throat with my knife."

Everybody around jerked up in terror. PP was flabbergasted not knowing what hit him. He had innocuously enquired about Chandni simply to beg for redemption. ...What mark had he overstepped? ...The terrorising torrent of rancour from Advay was just not comprehensible!

Neither could Advay fathom the provenance of his precipitate action... nor was he bothered of its dire repercussions...not on innocent Meghna neither on his persona as Mahant...Without any reconciliation, he walked away...away from the ocean of suffocating pain inside him...everything dark, angry and deathly... floating up from that ocean since last evening... All his compulsions, his churning feelings, his anger, his love, his madness everything spiraling to a perturbed zenith.

A smiling Mamaji opened the door but;  Advay simply knocked him for six with wrath emanating from him.

"Mamaji, Meghna will not meet that guy henceforth." Advay thundered.

"Beta, what happened? Did he say something?"

No answer...just anger looming in the air...The verdict was given! ...there would not be any deliberation further...the fallacy slaying many hearts deeply involved.

Mamaji tried mollifying him, "Beta, I have got the village meeting set up for tomorrow as you instructed...everybody will come to temple hall."

Mamaji watched helplessly as Advay stormed to his room without a word.

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Our mind always plays at our most sensitive issues. That's what is happening to Advay. He had come to haveli to escape from the pain given by Chandni. But his parent's memory in the initial visit is now replaced by all Chandni's memories there. 

Advay remains to be ASR, a shrewd deal maker playing his steps perfect in brain game. 

Yet when it comes to Chandni, currently he's not being rational and objective about anything.

Where will his verdict take PPGhna love story?

What happens to Advay as Mahant in the meet tomorrow?

Has his mind drifted away from his vengeance as perceived by Maasi?

Find out answers in next episode , don't forget to hit like button.