Chapter 17
"Jay i did everything you wanted, Now can i go?" Piya asked a little worried looking here and keeping a watchful eye so someone would not see them together. She was dressed in a plain black dress and looked quite worn out. There were bags under her eyes and she seemed somewhat pale.
"Piya thank you for everything you did" Jay said genuinely thanking her, Piya smiled," but remember your promise jay" Jay shook his head and promised to keep their little secret in his heart forever.
"But piya are you sure there is no other way?" Piya sat down with the help of jay, " if there was some other way i wouldn't be all alone today Jay", Jay placed his hand over hers, "if you ever need me, call me"
"jay that won't be necessary, I'm leaving"
"Leaving? to where?" Piya smiled and got up brushing away the pleads off her dress, "Mom called, she said she found a great guy for me" She laughed
"Piya" Jay started to console her but she stopped her, "jay i'm saying the truth, Mom said she wants me to get married, that's why I have decided to leave and not tell them either anything."
"but " Piya smiled, "Jay you already have too much problems going on in your life, the least you want is another one" Jay laughed along with her but he wished he could have done something.
"Jay, Now it's your turn to be happy and Nupurs also. I wish you both the best in life" She hugged him at once , " Please Jay never tell anyone about what you saw that night" tears flickered in her eyes threatening to fall at any moment, but jay promised her to not worry and live her life happily.
"Keep Nupur Happy, she deserves the best... and Mayank well i'm sure he'll find someone very soon" after bidding Jay goodbye one last time she picked up her bags and headed towards the check in counter.
Memories flashed back to when she and Mayank had come here to drop nupur off. Her eyes became wet, but she controlled her tears. She smiled at the check in lady and handed her credentials.
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Gunjan placed a reddish brown sari over herself as she rummaged through a pile set up by the vendor. Dadi had cordially invited the best vendor in town to set up his stocks for the girls, as she didn't want to leave anything out.
"di yeh kaisa lag raha hai?" Gunjan placing a white sari near nupur, but dear nupur was too lost in her own thoughts to even notice what was going on before her. The words exchanged between her and Mayank kept on repeating over and over in her mind, captivating her attention span.
"diiiii" nupur jolted out of her thoughts feeling someone shake her, " haan kya hua?..." Gunjan motioned towards the sari and Nupur realized what she had missed whilst lost in her thoughts.
"Gunjan tu choose kar le na! mera mann nahi kar raha" Nupur irked, and pushed away the sari surprising dadi and gunjan.
"beta dekh lo na, shaadi mein kuch hi din baki hain" dadi persisted but nupur adamant, she was feeling low due to the fight she had last night with mayank. How she wanted to cry badly and share everything with gunjan, but then her promise to mayank about never crying for him ever again would flash in her mind.
"Dadi..sacch mein mera.." she paused as she saw mayank enter with samrat and Jay who were conversing with each other. Their eyes met for a millisecond before parting ways again. "Dadi agar app keh rahi toh mein choose kar hi leti hoon" she replied looking towards mayank angrily who also was no less in his intense gaze shooting towards her.
"Jay, meri madat karo na, I don't know which one to choose" Nupur said to jay, who gladly jumped to her aid. While samrat along with mayank joined dadi by her side.
Nupur picked up a dark green sari and held it to her side, "how about this one?" Jay and Samrat both gave it a thumb down, but her eyes were focused on mayank who was rummaging through the pile in search of something.
"bro apka bi sari pehne ka mann toh nahi kar raha na?" Sarmat asked mayank who glared at him angrily, " mera toh nahi kar raha par lagta hai tumhara zaroor kar raha hai"
"are you sure?" samrat questioning hinting towards the sari mayank was holding in his hand, " yes i'm sure " pausing he placed the sari on dadi " and this is for dadi"
Dadi looked down embarrassingly, " beta hamari umar gayi aise kapre phene ki ab toh seedhi aur saadhi hi zindagi hai bass" Samrat laughed along with mayank and both hugged her in unison.
"samrat, tum bhi meri help karo na, mujhe sab pasand hai yahan" Gunjan pouted cutely to grab samrat's attention. "how about this one?" he held a light pink sari to her side and gave a thumbs up.
"jay tell me which one should i choose?" nupur asked again, as she was having a hard time showing she was okay with what happened last night especially after Mayank had joined them.
Jay picked up the sari Mayank had previously chosen for dadi, it was a red sari with minimal work done on its border, it was simple yet beautiful, " how about this" Nupur gave a disgusted look and threw away the sari, " i hate that sari" everyone looked at nupur strangely, seeing a change in a behaviour.
Jay smiled and picked up a maroon sari, and pushed it towards her, "is this okay?" Nupur smiled and nodded, "thank you"
Mayank kind of understood what she was trying to do, but let it go. He didn't want to make a scene in front of everybody.
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"Gunjan, I'm getting this feeling that your hiding something from me" Samrat asked holding on to her hands caringly, but Gunjan kept her gaze low and dared not to say a word.
"Chashmish, we are best friends! You have to tell me whatever you're hiding from me" Gunjan looked away sadly not wanting to say anything, "Samrat –"
"Yes chasmish" he waited eagerly to hear what she had to say, "Samrat, woh yesterday"
"Yesterday, what chashmish" Gunjan instantly hugged samrat, "I'm pregnant "Samrat smiled and hugged her back, "that's what you were afraid to tell me? Chashmish I'm so happy!" he parted from the hug and held her hand in his, " Thank You so much Chashmish you don't how happy I am" Gunjan smiled to hide her worry, Samrat saw the joy but what he failed to see was the glint of sadness in Gunjan's eyes. They showed fear. Fear for the future. Fear for their tomorrow. But she kept on smiling making sure the smile on samrat's face would not lessen due to her.
"What else did the doctor say? I mean you and the baby are okay na?" Gunjan averted her gaze and nodded, "yes we both are fine"
"I'm going to be a father" he said disbelievingly, " and you'll be a mother, Gunjan I can't believe it we are going to be parents" He hugged her tightly avid of her turmoil and pain. Gunjan comforting placed her hand around his back and wiped away a tear from her eye.
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"Jay where are you? I have been waiting for you for an hour" Nupur said into the phone quite irritated by the fact that he had not arrived yet.
"Fine, go to hell, I don't want to talk to you" she closed the phone angrily, and came to realization of how rude she was with Jay. What had gotten into her, why was she acting so different? As the days were passing by and the wedding date was coming closer, she was becoming more and crankier by the second. It was almost intolerable to be around her.
"Mayank, why couldn't you see I loved you" she heaved a sad sigh as she sat down. She knew why she was in a angry mood all the time, but it really didn't matter to her, being like this made her get rid of the pain. Pain it had made itself a part of her. She wanted to get rid of it, but Nupur knew it was almost close to impossible to get the rid of the grief and pain Mayank had caused her.
She composed herself and headed out of the room, only to bump into dadi, who was looking quite tired, "Dadi aap kya kar rahi hain, chalien apne kamre mein jake aram karein"
Dadi held nupurs hand and walked into her room, "hum app se baat karma chahte hai"
Nupur nodded and sat alongside waiting to hear what she had to say, "Jee dadi kahein?"
"Nupur, hum jana chahtein hain ke, kya app is shaadi se khush hain?" Nupur avoided dadi's gaze and fiddled around with the hem of her scarf, " dadi, ofcourse I'm happy, Jay is a great guy"
"Main janti hoon jay accha larka hai, par…"
"Par kya Dadi, I'm sure jay mujhe khush rakega" Nupur said, but it sounded more like she was convincing herself.
"Nupur, Shaadi koi khel nahi hai, yeh zindagi ka sab se bara faisla hai, isse soch smajh ke lena chahiye"
"Dadi, you know jay he is my friend and I'm sure he would turn out to be a great life partner!" Dadi smiled and held Nupurs hand in hers, "Nupur jay se shaadi karo kyunke tum usse chahti ho nake woh ek sahara ban sake tumhare liye kisiko bhool jane ke liye"
"Dadi?"
"Hum sab jante hain" Nupur looked down embarrassed, " dadi hum aise morh pe agaye hai jahan hum dono ek dusre ka chehra bhi dekhna bardasht nahi kar sakte"
"pyar karti ho usse?" Nupur closed his eyes tearfully.
"Pyar kiya tha usse, itni asani se mitne wala nahi" Nupur placed her head in dadi's lap, " dadi kya khushiyan meri zindagi mein laut ke ayeingi? Yan phir main zindagi bhari isi tarah uss ki yaad mein bita doongi?"
"Iska jawab toh sirf tum hi janti ho, Nupur zindagi mein kabhi hum aise morh pe ajate hai jahan hume choona parta hai aur woh ek faisla hi hamare muqadar ko sawr deta hai yan phir hamesha ke liya tabah kar deta hai"
"Kahi mere faisle ne jay ke zindagi kharab kar di? Usska kya kasoor hai? Main kyun usse itna dard de rahi hoon?" Nupur questioned herself getting up and looking at dadi.
"Dadi yeh main kya kar rahi hoon?"
"Nupur beta, hum bass chahte hain ke app joh bhi faisla lein, soch smajh ke lein"
Nupur nodded and headed out of the room, with a confused look on her face, Dadi was right she was playing with fire and if she didn't make a decision fast she would be the one getting burned in the end.
"hello beautiful" Samrat greeted her, along with Gunjan who looked quite weak, " Gunjan, tu theek haina?" Nupur asked concerned checking her temperature.
"Di, I'm fine" Gunjan answered with a smile, "we are going to the doctor" samrat said proudly, Nupur smiled.
"Take care okay" Samrat nodded as he headed out of the house with Gunjan following behind.
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"Nupur I have an urgent meeting, so I can't go with you to pick up the dresses" Nupur sulked but understood his reasons, "its okay jay, I'll just go by myself"
Jay hugged her and set out for his early morning meeting. Nupur frowned and headed towards the kitchen to grab the car keys. She had been waiting for jay since 7 in the morning and he showed up an hour later with an urgent meeting excuse. The whole night she kept on tossing turning with dadi's words repeating in her mind, she still didn't know if her decision was the wisest or not?
As the she entered the kitchen, she realized the keys were not there, so she headed outside only to see Mayank jump into the only car that was still in the drive way.
Nupur ran to the car and stood in front of the window, "I need the car" she said not looking at him.
"Are you blind? I'm sitting the car, that means I need it also" Nupur glared at him, " well my work is more important than yours, you see I'm getting married in a couple of days"
Mayank laughed, "You found someone to marry, I pity Jay" he said sarcastically angering nupur more and more as the seconds passed by.
"Just shut up, and give me the car keys" nupur asked extending her hand towards him.
"you really think I would do something nice for you? The girl who ruined my life" Nupur averted her gaze, "well at least I don't have an ego the size of a mountain" she said mocking him, but Mayank was stubborn just as her and refused to give her the keys. Nupur decided to sit in the car, because both were standing against each other refusing to give up.
"Nupur, what are you doing?" Mayank asked upset to see her sit in the car." Mayank I told you I need to go somewhere, I need to pick the dresses for the ceremony tomorrow"
"Fine if I take you, you have to come back on your own, I have an important meeting" Nupur nodded not looking at him.
The ride to the shop was quiet, neither said anything to each other, nupur kept herself busy looking outside and Mayank kept his gaze fixed on the road.
The arrived at the shop and both headed inside as there were a lot of orders and she could not carry them alone.
"Hi, I'm here to pick the orders placed under the name Nupur Shastri" the receptionist nodded and led them to a closed off room and told them to wait there while she gathered their orders.
The receptionist came back with the orders, and placed them on the table, " Madam, would you like to try on your dress, we have the seamstress in today so if there are any mistakes she could fix them for you" Nupur nodded and headed inside the change room, Mayank looked at her irritably while she smirked.
After a few minutes Nupur walked out a green dress looking beautiful. She placed the veil on her head and starred into the mirror, where her eyes caught Mayank's and both were bonded into an eye lock for a few seconds. It was like time stood still for them, his eyes boring into hers. Only If they could stay like that forever…
Nupur turned away and broke off the eye contact; she shook herself feeling the vibes of his intense gaze still inside her. Whilst Mayank mentally cursed himself for what he was doing a few seconds ago.
"This is fine" Nupur said to the receptionist and headed inside to change.
She and Mayank gathered the orders and headed to the car. Nupur sat in the front seat still dazzled by the eye contact she had shared with Mayank" yeh tu kya kar rahi thi nupur" Mayank closed the back doors and joined her in the front amazed to see her lost in her thoughts, because her cell phone had been ringing. He was about to shake her but his own cell started to ring.
Nupur by that time also had managed to come out her thoughts and picked up her cell phone.
"Kya?" both Mayank and Nupur said in chorus. They looked at each other in shock.
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Mayank and Nupur entered and everyone turned to look at them, Nupur rushed to dadi's side and held her hand," dadi aap theek hain na?"
"di, dadi wants to talk to you and Mayank alone, we will wait outside for you" Samrat and Gunjan headed outside.
"Just make sure, she does not go under any stress and please see it to that she does not receive any big shock. Her state is very critical at the moment" the doctor explained to Mayank and nupur who nodded in agreement.
Once everyone had left the room, with only Mayank and Nupur present Dadi motioned them to come forward, " meri akhiri khawish puri karoge?" Nupur nodded holding on to dadi's hand tightly while tears flowed down her cheeks, "dadi aap theek hojayeingi, aise mat kahein"
Dadi smiled and caressed nupurs face, "ab toh hum kuch hi din ke mehmaan hain yahan" Mayank also joined dadi on the other side, "dadi please, you will be fine. We will take you to the best doctor"
"Main chahti hoon ke tum dono shaadi kar lo" Nupur instantly let go of dadi's hand,
"dadi yeh app kya…." Mayank asked astonished, he didn't know what to say, Nupur was also in a state of distress.
"Meri akhiri khawaish nahi poori karoge?" Nupur looked at Mayank who looked back at her.
"mein ahbi ayi" Nupur excused herself and rushed outside, Mayank followed her to her room.
"Yeh kaise imetehan le rahe ho mujhe se app? Haan" she asked looking up, "kyun muhjhe who karne pe majboor kar rahe joh mein nahi karna chahti" she cried softly
"Nupur" Nupur turned around surprised to find Mayank in her room, "what do you want"
"Look I know…"
"Don't you dare say it" Mayank walked forward and held her by her shoulders, "the doctor said she should not go through any stress nupur"
Nupur shrugged his hands off herself, "I can't marry you" She screamed, Mayank had enough of it, "like I'm dying here to marry you right?"
"Shut up, Mayank why can't you for once look beyond yourself"
"I did and the only thing I got in return was betrayal. Now I have learned" he said accusingly, Nupur turned around, "I can't do this"
'fine but if anything happens to dadi, than - -- "
"than what Mayank? You won't forgive me? Like I care if you forgive me or not. Your presence does not concern me"
"I hate you Nupur"
"well atleast we agree on something Mayank. I hate you too"
Nupur pushed him aside, and headed downstairs.
"di are you okay?" gunjan asked concerned, " gunjan main theek hoon" she headed inside to dadi's room.
"why?" she asked dadi's who looked back at nupur helplessly, " kyun ke tum usse pyar karti ho"
Nupur shook her head, "par mayank mujhe se pyar nahi karta, aur ab main bhi sure nahi hoon ke joh main uske liye feel karti hoon woh pyar bhi hai yan nahi?"
"woh pyar hai, bass tumhare dard le beech mein dhoondla ho raha hai nupur, Inkaar mat karo nupur, yaad hai maine kaha tha aksar hume faisla karna parta hai aur wohi faisla hamari takdeer ban janta hai" Nupur looked down hopelessly.
"mere liye nupur, is rishte ko asma ke dekh lo! Nupur hum jante hain Mayank ki nafrat jaise hai aur apka gussa bhi par hum yeh bhi jante hain ke sirf ek aap hi hain joh Mayank ka sachi maine mein humsafar ban sakta hai"
Nupur had been holding on to dadi's hand and crying when the rest walked in, along with Mayank who looked quiet puzzled at the moment.
"Main is shaadi ke liye tayar hoon" Nupur said not looking up. Dadi smiled and kissed her forehead, "ab main aram se is duniya se ja sakti hoon" Nupur felt dadi's hand slipping out of her own, " dadi yeh aap kaisi baatein kar rahi hain" The doctor rushed in and checked her pulse, He gave her injection and told everyone to leave let dadi rest for a while.
"Di whats going on?" Nupur looked at Mayank who refused to let his gaze collide with hers. He was also in a the phase of turmoil at the moment, He knew he couldn't stay with nupur but dadi's physical state was worrying him.
"Main aur Mayank shaadi karna chahte hain" Nupur said dispassionately, her words were bare and filled with no emotion at all.
"di what are you saying" Gunjan was trying hard to comprehend what nupur had said but she just couldn't.
"aur jay?" Nupur looked up affectionately at the sound of his name. She had made this decision but how was she going to face jay. What would he say about her? Why was she not happy? She was getting everything she had ever wanted? Why did getting Mayank today not seem like what it would have felt 5 years ago? Why was her heart breaking into pieces, knowing the fact she would be Mayank's wife.
"I'm sure jay would understand" Gunjan shook her head in disbelieve and headed upstairs, "you can't be my sister"
Samrat who had been quite all along finally said something, "bro, if you dare think about hurting her once, I will forget you are my brother" He helped nupur to his room, who sniffling with tears all along the way.
"Nupur are you okay?" Nupur nodded and sat down on the bed, "Samrat what will I say to jay? How would I make him understand?" Samrat held her hand, "why are you doing this nupur?"
"for dadi, samrat I can't refuse her!" She confessed to samrat who tried to calm her down but it was of no use.
Samrat hugged her and stayed by her side until she fell asleep. Tomorrow would be a long day and she needed all the rest she could get. He slipped away and headed downstairs to dadi's room, he saw her awake and reading her novel.
"Dadi you are just rocking yaar" samrat hugged her;
"meri acting kaisi lagi?" dadi asked excitedly samrat gave her a thumbs up.
"Did you talk to jay?' Samrat nodded, "he said, he is going away for awhile. He can't face nupur at the moment."
"Dadi. Agar Mayank yan nupur ko pata chal gaya ke yeh sab…."
"Kuch nahi hoga aur agar pata chal gaya toh shaadi ke baad hoga aur phir woh kuch bhi nahi kar payeinge"
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Okay, this is the last twist in the story for awhile, after MN marriage things would fall into place, I hope!😳
Anyway I hope you like it.
Do Comment/ Do criticize.
Sajjal
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