"ANNU!" shouted in unison Sargam and Sunanda from the bottom of stairs.
Anubhav forced open his eyelids and shut them immediately. The bright daylight was piercing through his skull. The dull ache in his chest started once again as conciousness started to seep in. This uneasiness, this restlessness was crushing him, pulling him and ripping him apart.
He tossed a cushion over his head to shut the world out, and the voices calling him to wake up in this cruel universe.
He could hear his own painful thudding heartbeats.The voices, though faint, brought it up in his fogged mind that its a new day. A new day without any brightness. A new day without any hope. A new day without...Gungun.
He inhaled sharply, his heart skipped a beat n furiously kickstarted to pump blood that he felt it drummed in his ears.
Anubhav felt his throat constrict upon thinking of her. He sat up straight and searched his wristwatch. 7 30 am. He threw the watch on the desk and went to give a signal to his mother that he was up and about.
Half an hour later, he sat at the dining table, staring at his cup of tea. Everyone was looking at him anxiously. He had created a wall around him so as not to let anyone come too near, lest they'll burn by the consuming pain he is enduring.
"Annu beta, will you be able to make it earlier than usual this evening? Woh kya hai na-" Anubhav stood up so abruptly that Bade papa stopped mid sentence with a startled look.
" Bade papa, i told you several times, i have no intention of attending the party." Anubhav replied curtly but then, he sighed and crouched near Charu, held his hand and apologised profusely.
" bade papa, I obeyed your every decision. Akriti is your daughter in law. She is the family's honour. Its her birthday, you all want to attend, fine. But in no way i'll be attending too. I can't be a hypocrite nor lie anymore. My wife and the love of my life is-" he stood and glared at everyone present "Gungun."
Sargam grasped her son's arm and turned him to face her. She was livid.
" kitni baar yeh tumhe bolna padega? Annu, Akriti hi tumhari patni hai!"
Anubhav gently removed her hand from his arm and patted it.
"Maa, Akriti aapki bahu hai. Meri patni nahin. Aap sab usko pyaar karte hai, usko visit karte hai, theek hai. I can't. I won't. Its high time you come to term that our divorce has been pronounced two months ago. Akriti meri patni nahin thi,do saal pehle bhi nahin thi, na ab hai."
He grabbed his laptop bag and bike's keys, shook his head at his father as he was about to advocate for his daughter in law once again.
He stepped outside and breathed in full lungs. Yug bhaiyya was leaning on his bike, with a frown on his face.
Anubhav approached him with a slight apprehension. His bike needed servicing soon, but he can't find time out of his busy schedule to fix an appointment at the nearby mechanic. He has been working relentlessly for two years, round the clock at his institute...leaving home early to return after 10 30 pm daily, so as to avoid his family or any unpleasant visitor, in particular.
"Annu, tum jaa rahe ho?" asked Yug, frettingly.
Anubhav took his helmet off the bike's seat and was about to tie it when Yug held his hand.
"Annu, mujhe tumse kuch baat karna tha. Woh..."
Anubhav thought not Yug bhaiyya too! He can't be coaxing me to attend that blasted party.
Ignoring him, Anubhav kickstarted his bike when Yug yanked the key from the ignition.
"Annu, she's back." Yug said.
Anubhav stared at his brother, holding his breath. He felt his heart start thumping.
Yug's eyes welled up as he noticed how Anubhav had freezed. He patted his brother's shoulder and squeezed it gently.
"Anubhav, your Gungun is back."
Book Talk
Hindi TV Shows
Ishaani
Tum Se Tum Tak
