Chapter 7
Krishna was watching Ramona chatting with a tall handsome man. She seemed completely at ease with him, smacking him often and making faces at him. The guy also was enjoying her company.
"Bahuth khush lag rahi hain sahiba….lets see what it is about?" Krishna murmured under his breath. He headed in their direction.
"Tum kabhi nahin sudhroge Abhay" Ramona said laughing and shaking her head.
"Aur tumhare baal kabhi seedhe nahin honge" Abhay shot back at her.
"What's the problem with my hair? I have really lovely curls, mind you Mr.Raichand" Ramona said playing with a strand of her long curly hair.
"Do you remember the camping trip from college? Ek baar jab tum subah utkar aayi tho bechara Adi tumhe dekhkar dar gaya…..tumhare yeh curls ke karan….chudail lag rahi thi tum" Abhay teased her.
She punched Abhay lightly on the arm.
Abhay had noticed Krishna walking towards them. He knew the whole fiasco between Krishna and Ramona. He was Ramona's best friend from childhood. Ramona had confided in him all about her miseries.
Abhay nudged Ramona and pointed towards Krishna.
"Great….must be coming to insult me" Ramona said irritably.
"Hello Ramona….you didn't introduce your friend to me" Krishna said stressing the word friend.
"Sorry darling I forgot….this is Abhay, Abhay Raichand…..my best friend since childhood and business partner" Ramona introduced.
Krishna shook Abhay's hand looking him in the eye. Abhay looked back.
"I guess you know me Abhay….why haven't I met you before?" Krishna asked
"You haven't met me before because I haven't been to India much…..I didn't attend your wedding due to some personal problems…..I have several independent business abroad….your wife is very efficient in handling the partnership business here….so I don't come here much" Abhay said smiling at Abhay.
"My wife is efficient off course……she possesses one trait essential for business abundantly….cunningness" Krishna complimented, only it was more like insult.
"Kya karoon…zamaana hi aisa hain….even behenji's have to be cunning" Ramona answered stressing on behenji.
Ramona and Krishna eyed each other with disdain. Abhay looked back and forth between them. They were married to each other for one and half years. With time the hatred seems to have only increased.
Love can destroy many things Abhay thought.
Love was the thing lacking in their relation. Ironically love itself was the main reason for this discord.
"Anyways Abhay…..nice meeting you….hope to see you around" Krishna bid farewell to Abhay. He looked once more at Ramona before heading away.
"He hasn't changed much….why can't he let go off his past" Abhay asked.
"He still thinks I destroyed his love…..I can't blame him Abhay…..this is Shefali's gift to me …..the gift of friendship….a life long broken marriage" Ramona ended in a whisper. Tears flowed down from her chocolate brown eyes.
"Hey what have I always told you? You can never predict future…it always has surprises for us" Abhay said wiping away her tears.
Ramona smiled. Abhay was one among the few who knew her true problem.
Ramona could have handled or better yet mended her broken marriage, was it not for the false blame that Krishna was placing on her. She was being punished for something that she had never done and she had no one who could prove it otherwise.
The only person who could prove her innocence was Shefali and she wouldn't do it for the whole world. Shefali hated Ramona to the core.
Abhay looked at Fiza standing a little far away. He had been observing all the Khuranna bahu's. They all seemed to be happy from outside. But if you watched them carefully you could sense something amiss. He hoped that it was just his imagination. His friends life was a wreck and he knew the pain she was going through. It will never do for another lady to suffer this fate.
Guitar started playing. Shantanu came in spot light holding a mike. He smiled at all in the hall. His gaze shifted to Nidha.
Dhundla jaaye jo manzilen
Ek pal ko thu nazar jhuka
Jhuk jaaye sar jaha wahi
Miltha hain rab ka raastha
Teri kismath tu badaldhe
Rakh himath bas chaldhe
Tere saathi mere khadmo ke
Hain nishaan
Thu na jaane aass pass hain khudha(7)
He comes near Nidha and takes her hand. They waltz for a while. Jay looks at the pair of them with anger. .
Arnav wipes away a tear from Fiza's eye and places a hand on her shoulder.Siddarth watches him with ever increasing anger.
Abhay sings while moving around Ramona.
Khudh pe daal thu nazar
Halaatho se haarkar kaha chala re
Haath ki lakheer ko modtha marodtha
Hain hosla re.
Tho khud tere khwaabo ke rang mein
Thu apni jahaan ko bhi rang de
Ke chaltha hoon mein tere sang mein
Ho shyaam bhi tho kya
Jab hoga andhera tab payega
Dhar mera
Uss dhar pe fir hogi teri subah
Thu na jaane aass pass hain khudha(7)
Armaan dances with Sur. Maan watches resentfully. Somewhere in his heart he loves Sur and can't see her with another guy. But alas ego always stops him.
Shaan sings again.
Mith jaathe hain sab ke nishaan
Bas ek who miththa nahin hayye
Maan le jo har mushily ko
Marzi meri hayye
Ho humssafar na tera jab koi
Moves near Nidha
Tu ho jahan rahoonga mein wahi
Tujhse kabhi na ek pal bhi mein judha
Thu na jaane aass pass hain khudha(7)
Armaan, Arnav, Shaan and Abhay together clapping hands.Badi Daadi joins them
Thu na jaane aass pass hain khudha
The four ladies smile together thanking God that they had such good friends.They look once at their respective husbands.
The party ended after a while.
"I will be here for a while Ramona...call me often huh" Abhay said giving her a light friendly hug. Krishna was watching them with disdain.
"Sure will Abhay...you are my best buddy na" Ramona said smiling.
Abhay smiled and walked away. Ramona turned and found Krishna looking at her. She glanced at him and walked away.
Ramona was walking back to her room when the sound of Nidha's voice alerted her.
"Badi bhabhi….mujhe dar lag rahan hain….kahin yeh sara plan humein bhaari na pad jaayein….yeh sach hainki meine aaj Jeh ko jawaab diyaan….lekin mujhe darr lag raha hain" she said fearfully.
"Darkar koi faydah nahin hoga chothi….yeh tumhare zindagi ka sawaal hain….you have to be strong….Jeh is treating you like a commodity….which is not fair….we are humans Nidha….not commodities" Badi daadi said firmly.
Iss ka matlab Nidha ki bhi life…..oh god Ramona thought closing her eyes.
"Chothi…tum aur Fiza jithna sehna hain uthan seh chuke hain….maana ki tumhari shaadi ek contract hain…..that doesn't mean it can't work out…..that most certainly doesn't give your husbands to manhandle you" Sur added.
"Sur bete….aap ko bhi kuch karna chahiye….Maan ko sudhaarne ke liye" Badi daadi said.
"Par daadi" Sur began but Daadi raised her hand making her stop.
"Bahaane math banaiye aap…hum sab jaanthe hain….Daadi hain hum aapke….Jeh aur Sid tho apne galthi chupathe hain….lekin Maan tho khule hi galthi karthe hain…..humne unke bartaav mein badlaav dekha hain…..I also saw him raising his hand on you once….so no use of lying" Daadi said.
Sur's face fell. She had tried hard to conceal this from the family but truth has a way of coming out.
"I know about all four of you my darlings…..all four are miserable lives….not four but five of you……my badi dulhan has been bearing this for years…..its too late to change my son….but my grandsons no…..maybe once your husband's come on track then they will correct their father" Badi daadi said.
"Badi daadhi…..you said the four of us….you mean chothi bhabhi too has problems" Nidha asked a little shocked.
Krishna was the jovial fun loving type. She couldn't imagine that he had a rough side.
"Krishna also treats his wife unfairly chothi…..but he doesn't manhandle her…..she is bold enough to protect herself…..I don't know what their problem is….but I will talk to Ramona soon" Badi Daadi said.
"These three months will be really important girls…..I have waited too long to take an action…..years of your lives have gone by…..now its time for you to take hold of your life" Badi daadi said in a determined voice, smiling at the three in the room.
Ramona felt a small hope rising in her. But it was immediately quashed when she thought of her problem.
He will never believe me Badi daadi she thought sadly.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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