PART 2 - "The Bitter Truth!"
"Kamini?" said Ramnath, visibly paling. However his shock only registered with Kamini as both Suman and Shravan were looking at her.
"Ha Bhaisahab...main!" said Kamini as she looked at him squarely. Then before he could react she turned to Shravan and said.
"Shravan puttar. Tum bilkul sahi ho. Suman ka PCT wo Berry ke zameen par hai, Bhai Sahab ko pehele se patha tha!" she said.
"Kamini tum..." Ramnath started to say when Kamini looked at him and gave him a small smile.
"Main kya Bhaisahab? Main sach na bholun? Yehi kehe na chathai hai aap?"
"Chachi ji...lekin aap yeh sab...?" asked Shravan.
"Ha Shravan. Muje sab patha hai!" said Kamini as she took a breath and looked at Shravan squarely. "Main sach hi bol dethi hu. Kyon ke ab muje sach chupane ka koi waja nahi! Sach to yeh hai, ke main nahi chathi thi ke tum aur Suman ek doosere ke kareeb ajaye. Kyon ke main chatha tha ke tum wapis London jaye, aur Pushakar yaha ke sab sambhale!"
Everyone heard Ramnath's gasp at this revelation. However, no one reacted to it, as Shravan looked back at Kamini.
"I already knew you wanted Pushkar to manage the firm Chachi ji." said Shravan with a twist of his lips. "Aap ko mere yaha rehene se problem hai muje patha tha! Lekin Aap muje kush dekna bhi nahi chathe te, yeh patha nahi tha!" said Shravan. He had decided last night that he was not going to give anymore and inch anymore and he was determined to say what he wanted to say. He had towed the line many times with his aunt, because he had not wanted any issues in their family. He valued family. But in light of everything that was being revealed here now, he realised he valued honesty more. If she was going to be honest with him, he will return the favour.
Kamini had the grace to look away at that comment. She had not expected such a straight forward answer from Shravan. The fact remained, she had actually never thought of it as keeping Shravan from his happiness. She had just thought of her child and forgotten that she was trying to get his betterment at the cost of someone else's happiness. Yes she was selfish, but she was not evil.
She looked back at Shravan. "I'm sorry puttar ji. I never thought of it that way. Muje apne bete ke moha main, aur kuch dikai nahi diya! But the truth is, when Ramnath bhaisahab found that letter you wrote to Suman, I was also with him. I always suspected you may have feelings for her. But when I saw that letter I knew for sure. Bhaisahab was upset and didn't know what to do. He found out that PCT was on Mr Berry's land, aur wo jaan buchke tumai yeh nahi bataya. Kyon ke wo chatha tha ke tum case ko jeethai, aur iss wajan se tum aur Suman main misunderstanding ho jaye! Aur huwa bhi wahi!" said Kamini glancing at Ramnath and then away.
Today she was determined to get her pound of flesh from her brother in law. He had used her son's marriage as a weapon to separate Suman and Shravan. He had served his own purpose at the expense of hers. Her son was now married, and there was nothing she could do about it. But she was damned if he was going to get away with what he had done. Ramnath avoided eye contact with anyone and Kamini looked at this with satisfaction.
"Aur yehi nahi...case jeet ne ke baad, tum aur Suman main hui misunderstanding ko aur bhi badane ke liye usne PCT ka zameen Berry se karid liya. Wo chatha tha ke tum ja kar wo Suman ko de, aur wo usse lene se mana kare, thake tum dono main sula hi na ho. Aur jaise ke uno ne socha, Suman wo paper's lene se inkar kar diya. Kyon ki use pehele se patha tha ke Bhaisahab janthe te ke PCT Berry ki zameen par hain. Aur useke jaga main bhi vahi karthi. Itha swabhimaan to muje main bhi hai!" said Kamini.
For the first time since coming to the room, Shravan glanced at Suman who was standing almost like a statue in their midst. He clenched his fist. He could not believe that she had gone through all this and never said a word to him. WHY had she not told him all this? Then suddenly a thought came to his mind. He remembered that time when she had tried to discuss his Mother and suggested that his Father had not been completely honest with him. He remembered how he had reacted. How he had threatened to break all ties with her. He then understood why she hadn't told him anything. So BLIND had he been in his devotion to his Father he had never seen the truth. He had never seen how manipulative his Father could be.
He looked back at his Father. "Papa...kya yeh sab bhi aapne mere Kushi ke liye kiya? You played with Suman's livelihood to make sure that she and I fell out? Aap ithne bhi kaise ghir sakthai hai Papa?"
"Shravan...mind your language. Don't forget that I am your Father!" said Ramnath angrily.
"Yes Papa. You are my Father. Clearly, that is why I am in the state I am in now. Trying to drown my sorrows in drink. Making a public spectacle of myself. Is this what you wanted for me Papa? Devdas banana chatha tha aap muje? I forgot...of course even Devdas had a controlling and manipulative Father!" said Shravan with a mirthless laugh.
"It's easy for you to judge me. Lekin jab tum ek baap banoge jab tum ek baap ke feelings samaj paonge!"
"I hope I never have to manipulate my child for their so called good!" said Shravan.
Ramnath turned to Kamini. "Kamini...yeh sab kehe ke tumne accha nahi kiya!" he said to her coldly.
"Aur Bhai sabah...yeh sab KAR ke aap ne acha nahi kiya!" said Kamini with equal coldness. "Aap kya socha tha, ke aap ne mere puthar ke viha ko ishthemal kar ke...Suman ko Shravan ke zindagi se hata na chatha tha...aur kabhi kisi ko yeh patha nahi chalega? Aapne kuch to kiya, muje patha tha...lekin KYA kiya...yeh nahi patha tha. Wo aaj hi muje patha chal gaya!"
"What are you saying?" snapped Ramnath.
"What I am saying Bhai sahab, is that Preeti told Pushkar, you offered Suman a blank cheque for wedding expenses, in exchange for staying out of Shravan's life. Aur use ne yeh lene se mana kar diya! Then you told her you will support her sister's marriage to Pushkar, if she agreed to stay away from Shravan! Tab muje patha chal gaya ke aapne kithani badi chaal chali hai...wo bhi mere puthar ka isthemal kar ke!"
"Oh please Kamini...Stop acting like this marriage was a bad idea. Preeti ek bohot achi ghar ki achi ladki hai! Tumhare bete se suit karthi hai...!" Said Ramnath.
"Ha...mana ke wo ek achi ghar ki achi ladki hai...lekin agar nahi bhi huwa na...toh shayad aap YEHI kar te!" said Kamini bitterly. "Maaf kijiye bhai sahab. Lekin apne mathlab nikal ne ke liye, shayad aap mere puttar ko bhi baksha na de!" said Kamini with a shake of her head.
"Kamini...tum aise SOCH bhi kaise sakthai ho? Pushkar is also my son. Main uska bura kabhi nahi chaha saktha!" said Ramnath and in that he was sincere.
"Sorry Papa...lekin Chachi has a point. After the things you have done, I can understand why anyone would be dubious about your intentions. After all, you didn't spare the grand-daughter of the man you say you respect the most in the world. I hope for your sake, Nanaji NEVER finds out what you have done. I don't think he will ever forgive you!" said Shravan.
"Shravan...your not even trying to understand why I did all this..." Ramnath continued to say, when Shravan stopped him.
"PLEASE Papa aap wapis shuru math ho jaiye. You have played these games since the time you found that letter. First with the Berry case, then PCT, then the wedding, then telling me to take my time, when what you wanted was to "buy" time to make sure I never said anything to Suman! But now I realise ALL this started because Sumo tried to bring Mom back into my life. YEHI aapki problem thi na? Suddenly she started to look like Mrs Nirmala Ahuja in your eyes, and you started gunning for her! Tell me Papa...main Mom se ek baar milun toh kya hojaye ga? Why are you so afraid of me meeting her?"
"Afraid...Why would I be afraid?" asked Ramnath, but Shravan saw the worried expression that flitted across his face.
"You tell me Papa? WHY would you be afraid?" asked Shravan, and he clearly saw the discomfort in his Father's face.
"You know what? Tum koi Judge nahi ho, and this is not a court room. I am in no mood to answer your questions!" said Ramnath in anger as he started to move away from his desk, indicating he was going to leave the study.
"Yes...avoid the question. But this conversation is not over. I will get my answer from you!" said Shravan as his Father gave a look to all the people standing in the room as he stomped out of there. Kamini looked at his retreating back and gave a small smile.
"Lagtha hai, Bhai sahab ka hawa ud gaya!" thought Kamini. "Aap Kamini se doka dene chala tha na Bhai sahab? Kuch vi Aai Vai!" she thought to herself as she also walked behind Ramnath and out of the room.
Moments passed and Suman and Shravan were the only people left in the room. Suman turned her head and looked at Shravan. Shravan simply held her gaze, his eyes questioning her.
Suman's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Shravan. Suddenly it was like all the emotions she had held in check for weeks, all the feelings she had suppressed, just came rushing to the forefront, and she could not stop herself. Of their own volition,her feet started to move as she almost ran towards Shravan and threw herself into his arms.
Shravan went completely still as he felt Suman fling her arms around him.
"Shravan" Suman said in a broken whisper. "Shravan" she repeated his name almost like she was chanting it. Like she could not get enough of hearing it. She had never thought she would ever be able to be close to Shravan again. In that moment, she forgot she had promised marriage to Aditya. That she had told her Nanaji she would marry him. All she knew was that she loved Shravan. Loved him with all her being, and she could not keep herself away from him for another moment.
Shravan looked down at Suman for a moment, then he closed his eyes and balled his fists. He wanted to hug her back, but he remembered that she had promised to marry someone else. Even if it was to keep her Grandfather happy. She still had chosen another. She had chosen Preeti's happiness, Nanaji's happiness above her own happiness. But she had not chosen him. Why could she not have chosen HIM? Because he knew, no matter what he had told his Dad, the honest truth was, when it came down to it, he would have always chosen HER. Because it was not even a choice. He simply could not live without her. Did she feel the same way about him? He lifted his arms and his hands curled around Suman's forearms. He held on to her for a moment, and then he pried her arms away from him and pushed her out of his arms. He looked down at her for a moment, and then without a word walked out of the room.
"Shravan?" said Suman as she watched Shravan's retreating back walking away from her.
To be continued...
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Hi All,
So just like you guys, even I could not wait to see what happened next, so I wrote part two. I intend to complete this story in the next part. As always, let me know what you think, and don't forget to like! 😛
Mandy
Edited by MrDarcyfan - 9 years ago
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