Part 6
Raghav and Kalpi were seated in the terrace...just holding hands. To an outsider,it would appear that the two were enjoying the moon light. But the serene calm of the night was a stark contrast to the battle that raged in their minds. Both had realised tonight that they could put up a front no longer.They were meant for each other...it was meant to be.
As Raghav heard his mother narrate the sequence of events, he shut his eyes. She was demanding he come home. As he hung up, he saw Kalpi glance at him enquiringly. Smiling ,he shook his head. If he left her,would he not be like Kamala? Would he not be doing the same mistake again? Tonight was his time with Kalpi. No one could take that away from him. Not even his mother.
" what is your mother's plan,Raghav," she questioned despondently. " how is this revenge on the Kapoors? They have got away scot free for murder. How is keeping Paakhi away from them tantamount to torture? Paakhi has always been with my mother. She considers her mother more than Neetu . So whom is your mother punishing?"
Kalpi had just voiced the thoughts that were brewing in Raghav' s mind,over the past few days. He could not understand his mother or the futility of her plan. As far as he could see ,the kapoors had settled in the chawl. They may miss the comforts of a luxuriant lifestyle but in no overt manner, did they seem to be suffering or missing Paaki.The only people who were the real victims were the three of them. He could not bring himself to sympathise with Paakhi too ,these days...everytime she stood in front of him with her mangalsutra ,he was reminded of that one wrong decision that changed the course of his life.Everytime she told him she would wait for his acceptance,he wanted to scream at her...to tell her she was trying to take away what was Kalpi's ,yet again. And of one thing he was sure. No matter what happened, he would never choose Paakhi. He knew fully well that much as she loved Kamala, Kalpi always felt left out from Kamala's inner circle of love. That had been reserved for Paakhi. He would never do the same thing and shatter her.
" is it not funny,Raghav," said Kalpi, " that we are victims of love? We are bound by our love for each other,yet separated by our love for our mothers.Your mother's love for revenge and my mother's for her adopted daughter. We are living our lives by their rules,is it not? Is this the life we want? Over the last few months, i have questioned myself what I want. I am on my way to achieving my aayis dream. I have a job that pays me well, money to buy a house. And live comfortably ...but this dream seems empty. Is being a memsaab so important in life? That was her dream. I have realised that i actually never dreamt. I never knew what my dream was, till I met you. I realised that my happiness was with you,Raghav. That was why I broke the promise that night. I might have convinced myself that it was because I wanted to save you ,but no...the real reason was that I wanted to be with you,to see you,to hear your voice. I love you,Raghav but I still do not approve of your methods of revenge.in fact, I do not approve of any of the events. So I have decided that by waiting for you, i am actually encouraging your stupid plans, increasing Paakhis agony. Knowing my aayi ,she is probably telling her to cling onto the hope that you will ,one day, be hers. Is that right? Are you not indirectly encouraging her one sided love , by allowing her to hope? And what after one year? Who decides the time frame for revenge? who decides when a person has suffered enough? who decides what is suffering?You will not take a decision ,so its time i took mine.
Touching the thread round her neck,she said," For me ,you are my husband ,twice over.The day I accepted your love and reinforced the day you tied this round my neck. But that does not mean I can be a silent witness to your nonsensical ideas. It is my duty to correct you when you err. And you are all wrong. You are not willing to rectify it. The time has come for me to set it right. I am not telling you to accept Paakhi but do not ruin her life further. And in the process,do not ruin mine and yours too. I am moving out Raghav. I cannot bear this any more. At the same time , let me tell you that my love for you is unchanged. I cannot stop loving you. Tell me on whom are you inflicting more pain...us or the Kapoors?"
As she got up and walked away, Raghav felt a heavy load on his heart. Every word of hers had stung ,but there was so much truth in each one of them. She had given him one last chance to prove his love for her. The ball was now in his court.
Cricket
Indian Mythology
