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Nachiket tapped the dashboard of the car nervously as Karan tried to reach the hospital as soon as he could. For some strange reason, the first person Nachiket wanted to meet was Dr.Aman. Karan could not get his head around this man he called his best friend.. he was a vortex of emotions at that moment and Karan just silently prayed things would be okay and this won't be the beginning of another self-blame game that throws him into another abyss.
As soon as they reached the hospital, Nachiket rushed towards Aman's cabin.. Aman was very surprised to see Nachiket and at the same time, extremely nervous. Aman knew the fake marriage thing was not going to hold much longer, especially if Nachiket was going to drag him into anything and everything to do with Ragini..
"I need you to come with me to Shashikant ji's house", Nachiket said as calmly as he could.. Aman was aware of the wedding being called off.. but he did not understand this request..
"You clearly understand relationships more than I do.. you've been a good husband to Ragini all these years.. you've made a life with her where I failed with the most building blocks of trust. You know how to make this up to her.. I know you must have tried very hard to keep the marriage from breaking but this is not your fault. It is mine, I will make things right for Nishi.. but I need you here to make things right for Ragini.. I have caused her a lot of pain unknowingly.."
Of course Nachiket was not going to elaborate as he assumed Ragini must have already told Aman about the deal and how she had lied to save his trust from breaking.. Aman absently nodded his head.. deciding it was best to play along for the time being. Going to Jignesh's house would be difficult - he already knew his dadi did not like seeing him around Ragini.. and now going with Nachiket to make things right would just undo all efforts.. he decided to act on the fly.. they reached Shashikant's house and Aman pretended to get an emergency call from the hospital and rushed out.. Nachiket was very uncomfortable but he had to man up for the situation.
Folding his hands in front of Jignesh's family, he apologised for Ranbir's crime and assured dadi that they had lived away from Ragini and her kids for the last 16 years and had only come back for the wedding. Ranbir had gotten carried away and created a grave crime.. Ragini did the right thing by trying to get him punished even if it was her daughter's wedding.. he asked them to consider a situation where Ragini would have just let the matter go and let a girl suffer because it was her son involved.. she did not.. Nachiket commended Ragini's moral integrity in front of the family and assured them that Ragini had brought up her two children as well as any mother could have, with the best of values and ideals.. it was his fault that the marriage is at stake and they should not punish Ragini and Nishi for it..
Dadi was stunned.. this man was something else altogether.. he had managed to make her see the positive even in this dark situation.. but in his eyes she also saw a broken man, someone disillusioned who was banking upon some humanity in the family to let the marriage go ahead.. she knew he was counting on it.. she could make out the sincerity.. Getting up, she walked towards him..
"Doctor Saheb, I have always trusted your word and I don't know why, I trust you this time as well.. I know you wish well for Nishi and want to make up for the time you spent away from her.. but I thank you for making us think about Ragini ji's stand for the right .. we would not have it any other way... we reacted in the heat of the moment.. I realize the complexity of the situation now.. the wedding will go as planned" - and she smiled at him weakly..
Nachiket could feel his knees go weak.. with a wave of relief flooding his entire body... he let out out a big breath and exchanged formalities with the entire family before leaving.. he requested Jignesh not to tell Nishi yet..
Reaching for his phone, he dialed Ragini's number, asking her to walk down to the jogger's park right besides the house, telling her something urgent had come up and he needed to talk about it.. it was about Nishi.. Ragini needed no convincing and she kept the phone after a soft sigh.. he felt his heart contract.. she had been crying..
Karan smiled at Nachiket, happy that the wedding was on again.. and dropped him at the park before heading home.. Nachiket tried to relax on the bench but stood up straight when he saw Ragini walk towards him.. there was something amiss in her walk.. she was avoiding his gaze.She looked at him briefly before sitting on the bench, fiddling with her hands nervously..
"I went to meet Shashikant ji and dadi", he said slowly..
She looked at him, her eyes widening in disbelief.. and then turning angry.. she thought he had gone and made things worse.. and she huffed and looked away..
He sighed and sat down besides her, their shoulders touching..
"Dadi agreed.. the wedding is on.." - he told her.. and then there was silence.. he was nervous..she was looking away and there was no reaction from her at all. He wondered what to do.. but decided patience was key and did not initiate any action.. then he saw her frame trembling.. she was crying noiselessly.. and then her head dipped in her hands and he heard her violent sobs.. she was trying her best to control herself.. she never wanted to appear weak in front of anyone, especially in front of Nachiket..
He was distraught.. the news was supposed to make her happy.. he wanted her the first to know because he knew how upset she must have been.. probably even more upset than Nishi.. he couldn't take this.. her sobs shaking his soul .. he just wanted to hide her in his arms, away from the world.. tell her it was all going to be alright.. he was going nowhere till the marriage happened.. but he was sure that was not what she wanted.. that was not what she wanted to hear.. he was not who she wanted to hear it from..
He held her hand gently and tried to move it from her face.. in order to see her .. to talk to her.. she seemed to murmur something in between her sobs.. he craned his neck more towards her..
"Thank God.. thank God.." - that was the only thing he could hear..
She looked up at him suddenly, tears still streaming down her face... "Thank God! Otherwise Nishi would never have forgiven me..."
He smiled at her weakly before moving his hand to her arm.. squeezing it softly.. telling her he was there.. reinstating it..
"I know it makes no difference to you.. but I'm staying for the wedding.. and so are Aagham and Ranbir.. and this time I mean it, if you need any help, I'm there.. "
His voice trailed off.. of course it did not matter to her.. he had only messed up things since his arrival.. she had shown no reaction to him announcing his plan to leave earlier.. it was a reaction to him taking Aarav with him that broke her.. oh, how his heart still hoped...
He looked off into the distance.. not knowing what to do.. when he suddenly felt her hand slipping into his.. as if holding on to some source of warmth.. and then squeezing it.. her way of thanking him. She looked at him and managed a wordless thank you before wiping her tears with the back of the other hand..
He marveled at her hand in his... it was so small, so soft.. so fragile.. and yet she was the strongest woman he knew.. he stroked the back of her palm with his thumb.. each stroke being slow and intentional.. he didn't think she'd notice but she was hanging on to every word.. every act.. she looked at him as he tenderly looked at her hand.. she didn't want to catch her looking at him but she couldn't help it..
"Why do you care so much?", he asked.. in a broken voice..
Before she could process it.. he asked her ..
"Why didn't you tell me the truth about Ranbir that day? About Shilpa's statement.. why was me trusting Ranbir so important to you? Why did you do it Ragini? Why would you rather have me in an illusion?"
"I know how it feels like, Nachiket.. to feel like your kids have abandoned you, to know they've broken your trust and broken everything you stand for as a parent and human being.. I didn't want you to suffer.. as I did.."
He took a deep breath and then sighed.. his grip over her hand tightening..he was surprised she hadn't pulled away yet.. he thanked God for small mercies..
"Don't do that Ragini.. you moved on, you're happy with Dr. Aman.. you've found love again.. but don't show me all that care Ragini.. it lights up something deep in my heart.. something that... that.. you care.. for me.. that.. "
He could not take it anymore.. no words could express his anguish.. why had she done it afterall? Did she really care for him that much? So much that she let go of her ego for his false win.. what was this? What did she feel for him?
Out of a sudden, he pulled her hand towards him and pressed a fervent kiss on her knuckles.. Ragini gasped a soft "Nachiket" but didn't say anything more.. he had closed his eyes in anguish.. looking at her eyes, he saw disbelief and a faint note of something else.. that something else made him hold her face in his palm gently.. his lips literally throbbing as he yearned to capture her lips in a kiss, to tell her how much he loved her.. adored her.. how much he was still hers..
Their lips were an inch away.. her hands were anchored to his now.. his heart broke.. he thought she wanted him to stop.. his eyes tearing up, he moved away and placed the softest of kisses on her cheek.. it was gentle, sincere and everything she wanted.. she had held his arms to keep him towards her.. to nudge him closer.. he was leaving.. her heart was breaking..
"You're married".. he gently whispered.. and then .. he acknowledged his defeat with a hoarse whisper.. "You're married"..
Dabbing his eyes on his coat, he left in a hurry.. not wanting himself to be ashamed in front of her because he had given into his emotions for the first time.. he walked off.. he must walk off.. walk away..
She was married..
