Author's note
This is in continuation to the precap... Baa's uksana has uksaaod me to write 😆
I am personally comfortable fighting / arguing in English but yaha Baa saamne hai so bahut sari hindi nikal gayi. Please bear through. This is what I see to the precap.
Ignore caps, typos etc....thak gayi phone pe likhke. 🤔
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OS - Shubharambh
'Tum Anupamaa ka sath dena chahte ho, to dost nahin jivan sathi Bankar uska saath do. Maang bharo is sindoor se aur grihlakshmi bana lo ise apne ghar ki aur mera muh band kar do', baa challenged looking into his eye.
'Warna bina rishta ka pyar aiyaashi hota hai, badnaami hota hai...'
'Aiyaashi'
That wretched word is all it took to explode the dam that kept a check on Anuj's raging emotions.
They were back to insulting her again. Despite explaining them over and over, they were back to harassing her again. They were back to dim the brightened day in her life again.
His need to protect her overpowered and in a split - second Anuj's hand reached to pinch some flaming vermilion from the little jar that lay open in that wicked woman's hand challenging him and swung his arm aggressively over Anu's forehead.
His fingers now coloured in bright red matching his eyes on her. Her eyes arrested by his, confused and frightened.
Both their breaths had fainted. Almost stopped it seemed.
The scene remained still.
Frozen.
His heart needed no permission, no consultation with anyone to do to what he he was told to do. God knows he had never thought of sharing his life with anyone but Anu. Yet it was something he had never even dreamt of. Baa's nasty accusations and Anu's disgusted look riled him up and his wild rage almost wanted to shut her filthy mouth by actually filling up Anu's hair parting with the colour of his love and mark her his.
He fumed with anger but one look into her questioning eyes is all it took to exhale his torment. He closed his eyes in frustration but reopened them with guilt of frightening her, of breaching her trust even for few seconds that she knew were unreal.
Gaining control over his emotions he lowered his hand instead and put a small Tilak on her forehead just above the Bindi that adorned her innocent face.
Anu gasped at his touch and reflexively her eyes closed in relief.
She took a moment to collect her thoughts and with pride she looked at him when she opened her eyes next. She smiled and so did he. He did not fail her and nor did she.
Her smile and pride in her eyes had confirmed that he had not lost the trust he had struggled to gain just few hours ago. He was going to be prudent and not careless anymore. He knew how it felt to have 'lost' Anu because of his impetuousness. It almost killed him; he could not live through it again.
His eyes still resting on Anu he addressed Baa, 'Mujhe nahin pata tha apne Rab Ki aradhna karne ke liye usse koi Rishta banana jaruri hai. Rishte ko koi Naam dena jaruri hai. Jab Kanha ji Khud Aise Pyar Ka Samman karte hain, use sweekar karte hain, Bina Koi shart ke, Koi usool ke, Koi Niyam ke to aap aur main Kaun Hote Hain Aise Rishte Ko naam denewale?
Anu was rendered speechless. She knew he loved her deeply but so much that he saw his God in her was the supreme level of respect anyone had ever shown her.
'Maine kal bhi kaha tha aaj fir keh raha hun hamare is rishte mein sirf main Anupamaa se pyaar karta hu aur mujhe ye ab kehte hue na darr lagta hai, na galat. Kyuki pyaar karne ke liye koi haq ki zarurat nahi. Aur jab haq hi nahi chahiye to rishte koi naam kyu de?
Anupama looked on without batting an eyelid. She had never felt so exposed yet protected. All her family members - her elders to her children were witnessing this. But so much was Anuj's sincerity in what he said and meant that she did not feel bashful or regret choosing to continue being his friend. She rather felt so undeserving of all this love that she could not reciprocate.
'Yeh sab kehne Ki batein Hain. Arre Bhagwan ki Aradhna bhi kuch mangne ke liye Karte Hain log, yeh to insan hai,' Baa roared in response.
Anuj scoffed and said, 'Yahi to fark Hai aapke aur mere beech mein'
'aap kuch mangne ke liye pujti hai aur main sirf pujne ke liye mangta hu'
He'd silenced her for good
'...kya fark padta hai fir wo dost bankar saath ho, ek premika bankar ya ek patni bankar...'
'Farak padta hai. Is smaaj ko. Uske khud ke baccho ko. Kya yahi seekh doge tum in bacho ko? Ke benaam rishte banao aur fir jab beizzati ho jaye, mann bhar jaye to chod do?', she countered.
Anuj glanced at everyone awaiting his response. Anu's eyes downcast had broken his heart. She didn't deserve this.
'Mujhse bada koi khushnaseeb is duniya mein ho hi nahi sakta agar Anupamaa ko jeevansathi banane ka mauka mile.' He started.
Anu's eyes met his again. His tone had been so sincere and so determined.
'Aap soch bhi nahi sakti usse bade samman ki baat hogi agar Anupamaa ko mein apne ghar ki grihlakshmi banau...use... MERI,' stressing on the word MERI, '...ardhangini banau.
'Jiski aapne sirf aradhna ki ho, agar uska hi saath mil jaye to socho kitna sundar ho jayega uska safar. Mere liye isse badi baat koi aur ho hi nahi sakti.'
He paused. Anu's tears now could not remain contained. She let them flow. Unabashed.
'Par yaha baat sirf meri nahi hai. Meri marzi ki nahi hai. Is rishte mein Anu bhi utni hi bhagidaar hai jitna mein. Uski manzuri isee mein hai ki ham dost bankar saath chale...to yahi sahi.'
'Waise bhi sukh - dukh mein saath to mann se diya jata hai, vade to ek dusre pe vishwas rakh ke poore kiye jaate hai, bina haq ke bhi ek doosre ko samajhna aur samjhaya ja sakta hai. In sab...in sab ke liye kisi rasmo ki, riwazo ki ya kisi sindoor ki zarurat nahi.'
He looked around to nodding heads in affirmation.
'Aur yahi seekh tum bacho ko leni chahiye', he said now looking at her children. 'Kisi bhi rishte mein zaruri hai to sirf manzuri ek dusre ki..aur vishwas ki...bas..'
Looking at Anupamaa he said with utmost sincerity, 'When I said I'll never cross my limits I meant it even in my thoughts Anu. I respect your decision and trust me when I say this, it would be my pride to make you my wife but its NOT what I expect from you or this relationship we have. Not in last 26 years, not today and never in future.'
'You and only you get to chose how you want me to be a part of your life'.
'And me being a part of your life is what matters. Not how!'
'Ye tilak tumhare mathe par, hamare is naye rishte ke shubharambh ka hai. Jo mere liye tumse hi shuru hota hai aur tum pe hi khatam. Bas.'
End
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