Posted:
The story changes from my original concept.
Closing her eyes to hide her pain, Pakhi nods and turns away for a moment to compose herself. She turns back and gives Ragav a sad smile. Ragav stares at her and asks, "when did you realise I was in love with her?"
Chapter 7
She stops... Stares at Maya... Her heart breaking into tiny pieces over the cruelty of her life... Pain reflecting in her eyes, she says, "Maya, I...i...i..." Unable to say anything after... Maya rushes to her and hugs her tight and says reassuringly, "Shhh Pakhi, calm down... Shhh."
Pakhi drops herself onto the settee, disbelief etched onto her features as tears fall silently. She looks at Maya, says softly, "are you sure Maya... 100% sure..." Maya nods sadly and says, "I am sure." With a glimmer of hope in her eyes, Pakhi says, "what if... What is his name... Your doctor friend made a mistake... What if..." Maybe crouches in front of Pakhi, levelling her gaze so that she has Pakhi's full attention. "Hunny, I have had everything double... Trebble checked... You and Ragav can't have children... Your cells, your egg is hostile... It attacks and destroys the sperm... It was a miracle that one time you managed to get pregnant for two months before the miscarriage."
Dazed as she tries to take in the information, Pakhi says, "but... But... Kalpi is pregnant." She looks at Maya with hope and says in a whisper, afraid to say it aloud, "do you think this is another miracle." Maya shakes her head sadly and says, "from what I have been led to understand... With time your cells have become more hostile... If Kalpi is pregnant..." Maya hesitates momentarily, takes a deep breath and continues, "if Kalpi is pregnant, it is not your baby."
Pakhi leans back on the settee and says in disbelief, "Ragav cheated on me." Sits up, looks at Maya and repeats in a stronger voice, "my fears have been realised... Ragav is no longer mine..." Pakhi stands up and paces, her mind working fast and furiously... Reading all the previous innocent situations differently. She stops pacing, looks at Maya, her gaze filled with pain, she says, "I have been so stupid. I thought their bond was so sweet." Then yells, "he is sleeping with her!"
Laughing loudly, Pakhi continues, "they were just having a lovers tiff before I came over... And foolish me... I scolded Ragav for misbehaving with her... For being forceful." Pakhi continues in a broken voice, "and they had planned to dupe me into thinking the baby is mine. No wonder Ragav insisted we stay in London for a month."
She stops... Stares at Maya... Her heart breaking into tiny pieces over the cruelty of her life... Pain reflecting in her eyes, she says, "Maya, I...i...i..." Unable to say anything after... Maya rushes to her and hugs her tight and says reassuringly, "Shhh Pakhi, calm down... Shhh."
Hugging her tight, Pakhi whisper, "Maya my heart is hurting. I love him so much. What am I to do?" She asks.
"Nothing," Maya replies, "you are to do nothing right now. You need some time to process everything and think calmly. You are at a situation where you can save your marriage or break it. You need to be smart not emotional."
Nodding, Pakhi says, "I need to think... I need to go home."
*******************
Once she reaches home, Pakhi excuses herself and heads straight for her room.
Soaking in the bath, Pakhi forces herself to keep all her emotions out as she retraces her journey with her husband. Several hours later, her skin shrivelled like a prune for staying in the water for so long, Pakhi comes out of the bathroom.
Seeing Ragav seated on the side of the bed makes Pakhi see red. Taking deep breaths she forces herself to calm down.
"Pakhi I need to talk to you, " Ragav says,
Moisturising her hands, she replies without looking at him, "so talk"
Taking a deep breath he blurts, "Pakhi I want you to tell Kalpi to abort the child."
Surprised by this unexpected request, she just stares at him.
He continues, "Pakhi we can't ask Kalpi make such a sacrifice. It was wrong of mum. I think we should..."
Pakhi interrupts, "did you sleep with her?"
Stunned, Ragav is momentarily speechless, "what! Are you high or something?"
She looks at him calmly and says, "she is pregnant. And I for one know that it is not my baby."
"You must be mistaken. I would never..." Ragav retorts... Unable to finish the sentence.
Pakhi gives him a challenging look, folds her arms across her chest and asks, "why would you never sleep with her?"
He gives her a determined look and says, "because I love her. I would never insult Kalpi by making her my mistress or have a one night stand."
Closing her eyes to hide her pain, Pakhi nods and turns away for a moment to compose herself. She turns back and gives Ragav a sad smile. Ragav stares at her and asks, "when did you realise I was in love with her?"
Wiping a tear, Pakhi says, "today. It was always there. I just never bothered to read the writing on the wall. Today I decided I need to read it." Taking a deep breath, she continues, "look what we have done to ourselves... Allowing each other to drift apart over the years... Taking each other for granted... I can't even blame you for falling in love. I have been so immersed in my own grief for not being a mother, I stopped being there for you."
"You are my wife. I will never leave you," Ragav says guiltily, for deep down, he knew he was equally to blame.
Giving him a wry smile, Pakhi shakes her head and says, "why would I want a man who wants another."
Not knowing how to respond, Ragav says, "I am sorry. I never planned..."
"That I know, Ragav," Pakhi replies, "I think right now we should worry about whose child Kalpi is carrying. Do you know if she has a boyfriend?"
Frowning, Ragav says, "she is carrying our child."
"You are not listening Ragav," Pakhi says, "I can never have a child. My eggs are hostile." Seeing the confusion etched on his face, she sits by his sides and explains to him what she had found out earlier in the day.
"I need to protect her," Ragav thinks with worry... His heart aching as he realises that Kalpi is not carrying his child... "Oh gosh was she betrayed... Why didn't she come to me... she must love the father so much, why else would she not abort the child... Remembering how she placed her hands protectively over her womb.
"Ragav... Ragav..." Pakhi tries to get his attention, "where did you disappear to? Are you okay? You are white as a ghost."
"Pakhi, I need to protect her, "Ragav says, he looks at her pleadingly and says, "please let us adopt the child. Society can be cruel. I couldn't bear it."
Pakhi looks at him in shock, "Ragav you cannot ask me to protect the woman you love by adopting her child. Okay let us say I do it. Will you stop loving her and start loving me? Your expression says it all." Taking a deep breath, she continues, "I cannot stay in a loveless marriage. I cannot stay married to a man who loves another. I respect myself too much."
Ragav watches Pakhi pack her belongings and realises that when it comes to protecting Kalpi... Loving Kalpi... He can marry her despite knowing that she loves another... Despite knowing that the child in her womb belongs to another... For Kalpi he can do anything.
P.s.cant believe we have breezed through so many pages. Please keep comments related to the story. I really don't want to rush through the pages and open another thread. Therefore please avoid commenting on something unrelated to the story.
Wow can't believe where this story is heading... I had planned to type something different... But as I typed the characters took over and I have a different journey to what I had planned. So Ragav thinks Kalpi is in love with someone else and carrying his baby. This will be fun to write.
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Anupamaa
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
