Credit for Cover: arshy4ever
Thanks yaar!
*CHAPTER 8*
Arnav and Garima walked to a room at the end of the corridor, and Garima gestured Arnav to get inside. Arnav entered, and Garima followed. What they saw, surprised them both...! There was a frail woman, lying on the bed, and another woman; a sweet-faced, pretty woman, sitting next to her, holding her hand.
"Ma!?" Arnav said, at the same time that Garima said, "Ratna?"
The woman looked up in shock. "Chhotey? What are you doing here?"
"I-I was just... Garima Aunty brought me here." He stuttered, still shocked his mother was infront of him.
"Ma, how come you are here? You said that you would visit friends first and then-"
"Chhotey, This IS the friend I planned on visiting..." Then she turned to Garima.
"Garima... I think I owe you an explanation. Af-After THAT happened, I couldn't see Nimmi like this. I come here to visit frequently. I should have told you but-"
She was cut off by Garima's hug. "Thank you Ratna. And how are you?" Garima asked, tears in her eyes.
"I am alright...When was the last time that Nimmi awoke?" Ratna asked.
"Jiji woke up last week, but slipped away again in a few hours," Garima said tearfully.
"Can anyone PLEASE explain what is going on?" Arnav said in irritation.
"Well, Mr Raizada. This is Purnima Raina Kapoor, my elder sister and Khushi's mother. She has been in an inconsistent coma for...since that day..." Garima told Arnav.
"Since what day?" Arnav asked.
Garima looked at him sadly."The Malliks were a curse to our family...Especially Madan Rathod Mallik." Garima said bitterly. She proceeded to tell Arnav the story.
-Eighteen Years Back-
Raghav Kapoor was well-renowned lawyer, and Madan Mallik's good friend. Both were good friends, but had contrasting personalities; Raghav was an honest and sincere man, who had tasted success due to sheer hardwork. Madan, on the other hand, had cheated and lied; taken and given bribes, and became a business tycoon. Despite their differences, they maintained their friendship. Until one day...
Madan Mallik needed fake documents regarding some deal, and also needed to get out of a legal mess; he sought Raghav Kapoor's help, but Raghav Kapoor, being an honest man, refused his best friend. Lack of legal support earned Mallik a life imprisonment, but hismoney got him out soon... He vowed revenge on Raghav. "You just wait Raghav Kapoor! I will get you for this?"
. One day,he went to Pari's school, and took her home... Pari did not hesitate, because she knew Madan. She went missing for three days. Madan called Raghav, and told him that if charges against him were not dropped, he would never see his daughter again. That very day, Purnima went to visit Ratna, and overheard the conversation between them. She was shaken, and begged Madan to give her daughter back, but Mallik ruthlessly told Purnima that her daughter was dead. Purnima was completely shaken, and went home and fought with Raghav. "IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!! TO HELL WITH YOUR HONOUR!!!! I WANT MY PARI BACK!! CAN YOU BRING HER BACK! NOOO!!!! YOUR SEVEN YEAR OLD DIED FOR YOUR HONOUR!!!"
Outraged and heartbroken at what his wife told him, Raghav leaked all the Mallik Industry Scams to the media...
"Is there more?" Arnav asked. "I Still don't get what Dadi had to do withall of this?!" He had not forgotten DADI'S apparent guilt. Her question-- now made sense.
Ratna gave a bitter laugh."HA! This is all indirectly her fault!"
"WHAT?!"
Chhotey, when your Dadi found out...
-Eighteen Years Back-
Subhadra Mallik was furious! How could media print such things! She would set things right...
When confronted by the media, and when they questioned her about her son's behavior, she already had a covered story. "Now, what can I say?" She said, faking sadness. "What could my poor son do? That Purnima Kapoor trapped him for all his money. My son wa s helples... People like Purnima should not be in this society! It is because of women like her that innocent wives lose their husbands, and innocent husbands lose their families... And the woman sank so low as to have sold her daughter to my son in return of woman...the poor child died of grief in our house..." A fake tear escaped her eyes...
"This shook up Jiji from inside out...She could not take it anymore...Sh-she slipped into a coma, and Jijaji was out of station for a day," Garima said tearfully.
"I called Raghavji, and he flew in instantly," his mother said sadly. "But your FATHER," she spat, "Got to him first, and told him Nimmi had died of a stroke."
"Where is Uncle now?" Arnav asked.
"He left. Just left...he had lost his daughter...his wife...THATs what he thought... he felt it was his fault and guilt ate him up from inside. He left... We don't know where he is, or whether he is even alive!" Garima said, tears trailing down her face. Ratna hugged her.
"Since then, Nimmi has been drifting in and out of coma.She is awake for few hours and rarely a day or two, but slips back ino coma...It's like a sleep to her." Ratna said.
Arnav was shocked. "But Khushi said that both her parents-"
"Beta, Khushi does not know." Garima said sadly.
"Wait what? Khushi does not know her mother is alive? That her father-" Arnav asked incredulously.
"Wait, who Khushi?" Ratna asked.
"Pari." Garima said.
Ratna was silent for minute. "Chhotey, is Pari Khushi? Your wife?"
Arnav was on the verge of tears. Those tears answered Ratna's question. "Oh Chhotey," She whispered, and hugged him. She now understood everything... why his marriage broke...
The three of them started to leave. Ratna caressed Purnima's hand, and Garima kissed her forehead. Arnav, surprising both Ratna and Garima, touched Purnima's feet..."I am sorry on my Dad' behalf Aunty."
Anjali felt anxious and curious as the kids lead her to the boutique. She saw the dresses on display outside, which clearly screamed 'KHUSHI'. And then, Anjali got a jolt. Standing behind the glass of one of the display cases, was her Chhotey's Khushiji. There was a mug in her hand and she noted with surprise that she was not wearing a salwar or anarkali. She was wearing a black shirt with a long red skirt. Dazed, she started walking towards Khushi. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder, and turned around to face Arnav; he shook his head and had tears in his eyes. "Chhotey?" Anjali asked anxiously. She then noticed two women behing him; one was Garima Aunty, and the other was, "Ma?" Anjali said in shock.
PRECAP- Aunty, I am not a Mallik...
Edited by Dynamix215 - 12 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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