◘ Breaking Point ◘ |Anurag Pov / Anupre OS |
Summary: His mother’s love suffocates him and her hatred for his beloved Prerna scorches him.
Author’s note:Just a oneshot fic that started off as a small discussion in the Anurag AT about a desire to see an Anurag and Mohini confrontation on her ill treatment of Prerna . Story is also the result of encouragement from bashful_moon and Braveheartdoc.
I think one confrontation between Mohini and Anurag isn’t enough, there’s so much to address between the two on her atrocious actions. I might write a second part.
I challenge KZKwriters to steal this idea.
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The last two years of his life were not important to his family.
But they are important to him.
Like a lost soul Anurag had wandered into the dark storeroom, searching for that same photo of him and Prerna but to no avail.
Like a lost soul, he had turned his room upside down for every nook and cranny to find some photo and he had. The engagement photo. Of him and Prerna. For days he hadn’t told anyone about it but sat in his car which was the only place he’d get privacy. He would sit and stare at the photo, willing his brain to magically replay that scene. But nothing came. Instead he’d hear Prerna and his voice from another scene.
Tum papa banne wali ho
I’m so happy, I’m so happy, I’m so happy!
I love you
I love you too.
After that sharing a bed with Sonolika became so unbearable that he’d sleep all over the couches downstairs and because of that, he’d catch strange early morning conversations of Sonolika and his mother. Sonolika would speak to herself like a crazed woman and refer herself as Komolika. His mother would curse Prerna for every little thing and Anurag would pretend to be asleep just to hear exactly what his mother thought of the woman he held in high regards.
When his so called wife and mother were together, they’d take turns in cursing the poor pregnant woman. Before his memory loss, he remembers Prerna as a chirpy happy go lucky girl and now she was so sullen and very quiet.
Keep quiet and find out more , a voice in his head would tell him. Proofs and reasoning mattered. Find out why they ALL lied to you.
After he discovered that he and Prerna had a registered marriage, he no longer felt shame in wishing a reunion with her. This adurapaan he’d been suffering from, he wanted it to end. Anurag figures Prerna longs for the same.
Prerna had been pregnant for nine months now. From Shivani, he had learnt that nine months ago, he and Prerna had taken shelter in the jungle during a self-conducted search and rescue mission. They must have gotten close then.
In a bloody jungle? Anurag scoffs at that. Hardly a romantic setting for first times and he wonders if he wants to know about any more bizarre escapades they might have had.
When Prerna had come over for work, he’d notice his mother’s scowl directed at her while displaying an artificial sweetness as she engaged in small talk. It had taken a while for him to understand that, to decipher every nuance and tone of voice. Sonolika was no different either, he’d catch her sticking her foot out in deliberate attempts to trip Prerna.
Anurag had stopped inviting Prerna to his home. Instead they’d work together at hers. He wanted to talk to her about his memories but wasn’t sure on how to approach the situation. There was so much to talk about and he had to figure out where to start. Sonolika would have to be ditched, she wasn’t his wife.
His luggage was packed and Debu Da was given instructions to discreetly load it in his car. He needed some space out of Basu Bari and so booked himself a room at a hotel. Tonight he’d leave.
“Anurag sir, if you don’t mind, can I say something?” Debu Da asks, shifting on his foot as he stopped by the doorway.
Anurag gives him a polite smile and nods.
The man reluctantly holds out the newspaper and Anurag takes it. “Please, don’t tell anyone I gave this to you.”
Anurag’s heart sinks. Who would hurt poor old Debu Da who had always been dutiful and honest to the Basu family?
“I promise, I won’t put you at risk and thank you DebuDa.” Anurag affirms.
In Debu Da’s presence, Anurag opens the paper and thenewsline hits him.
“SHAMELESS SHARMA SECRETARY TRIES TO HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH MARRIED BOSS.”
Pregnant with another man’s child, Prerna Sharma has set her sights on the CEO of Star and Kings Media and heir of Basu Publications, Anurag Basu….
Anurag is unable to read the rest but is horrified to see that the newspaper was from Basu Publications itself.
“I overheard your mother and your wife Sonolika getting this story published just this morning.” Debu Da adds.
Anurag looks at the picture printed on the paper. It was of when Prerna had been pushed accidently on his lap and some idiots clicked the photo. Now he understood why Sonolika was so desperate for him to accompany her to a stupid couples massage today. She had left after he feigned a promise to join her later.
“Thank you Debu Da. I don’t know how to repay you for this.”
“It’s okay Anurag sir, I did the right thing. I hope you will also do the right thing.” He says, a little more bolder when he looks up at him.
“I’m glad someone cares enough to tell me the truth here. Debu Da…..was Prerna living here before I returned?”
There’s a long pause. “Yes.”
“Why isn’t she living here anymore?”
“The day you returned, Prerna Ma’am was kicked out in the middle of the night. All the family drivers were told to not to drop heroff at Sharma Nivaas by Mohini Ma’am.” Debu Da laments.
Then before he could react, Debu Da races off. Anurag throws the newspaper on the desk.
He needed to phone Prerna, apologise and do some damage control. Then he’d sort out those responsible for this mishap. Anurag storms over to his charging phone.
He finds a text from Prerna that was sent twenty minutes ago.
Read the news. I’m coming over.
No no no!
His heart beats fast with worry of what his mother would do to Prerna now that she had come here. Anurag hurries to the banister. His family must have forgotten he was home because downstairs there was ameeting of some sort. Chaired by his mother.
Everyone but him was present. He had caught the words ‘Prerna is a shameless liar’.
“I’m not lying about my child Kaki-Ma. Anurag is the father.” Prerna’s voice wavers slightly,as if she was almost done fighting a battle.
“Good that Anurag left with Sonalika at the parlour.” Nivi huffs. “Otherwise this Prerna…,”
“Anurag is the father of my child.” Prerna repeats, holding her stomach and gritting her teeth.
Anurag is about to take a step towards her. What his mother had said had next pierces his heart.
“Bajaj is the father of that child!!!!”
“ENOUGH!”
His voice echoes through the shiny décor of the Basu Lounge, his mother shakes at the sound of it, her eyes wide as she bit back whatever venom she’d spill out next.
Anurag emerges from behind, steps past the smooth pillars and into the circle where he hadn’t been invited.
He gives a look of reassurance to Prerna before shifting his focus to the woman who had brought him into this world.
Mohini Basu blinks and casts her eyes downwards, side to side, anywhere but him until he is face to face with her.
His mother’s eyes flicker towards him. “Anu….,” Her voice trembles.
He holds up a hand. “I am the father of Prerna’s child.”
“Anu…,”
“How could you defame Prerna in the news? You and Sonolika both have stopped so low.”
“I told the truth. Prerna is trying to break Sonolika’s home.” His mother replies without an iota of shame.
He takes a step back and looks around to see his silent father, Nivi di who wore a scorned look on her face, Tapur who looked bored and then Anupam who was anxious as Prerna was.
“You all hid things from me, held these meetings behind my back and now…I will talk and you ALL will listen.” He announces, unable to hold back the rising anger.
“Anu! this girl has-,”
“NIVI DI.” Anurag warns.
“Nivi…” Anupam holds her back, shushing her as gently as he could. “Please, don’t stop Anu today.”
“Are you really going to choose that middle class girl over your own mother?” Mohini Basu asks him through gritted teeth, resting her glare at the woman who was carrying his heart and his child.
She’d never spoken to him like this before.
Without looking at anyone in particular, Anurag decides to voice out something he had kept hidden for a long time.
“You hate Prerna so much that you’ve refused to accept that child she’s carrying is mine. So much hatred for someone who has never wronged you?”
“I love you that’s why I’m protecting you from the likes of her!!”
Anurag scoffs. “You may think you love me more than you hate Prerna but guess what Ma? Your love has suffocated me!”
“ANU!”
Mohini lifts a had to slap him but Prerna steps infront, taking the slap on his behalf. He calls her name and immediately pulls Prerna towards him. He rubs her cheek which had become red.
“How dare you!?” Mohini scoffs. “This manhoos girl, because of her my son is questioning my love for him?!”
“That child she’s carrying is not yours Anu. No matter how much you want to believe it.” Nivi snaps, pointing a finger at Prerna.
His mother adds, “We all know that she shared a room with another man right here in this house!”
Anurag sighs deeply and rolls his eyes. He didn’t know if he had enough patience to bear this or if he’d cross limits today. He didn’t know anything anymore. God help him.
“Good that we kicked Prerna out the day you returned back to us Anu. God has blessed you with a clean slate. Your memories of the last two years were wiped out for a reason! You were blessed with a beautiful wife- Sona! She’s your future. Prerna is a two bit second class woman who sold herself to the highest-,”
“Watch your mouth MA!”
He had to remind himself this was his mother.
Prerna’s hand touches his arm. “Anu…” She whispers and shakes her head. “Please calm down.”
He looks at her swollen stomach.
The baby. Anurag inhales and curses himself for raising his voice. His unborn child didn’t need to hear a screaming match.
He rests his hand over Prerna’s hand.
“Prerna is my wife and I am her husband.” He tells them, wishing that they’d just accept and respect it.
When they don’t answer him, he calls out for Debu Da. Anurag forces himself to stand upright and to control his uneven breathing. Prerna rubs his back, trying to calm him down as much as she could.
When Debu Da comes to return the car keys, Anurag makes sure he had put his luggage in his car.
“ANU?! What are you saying?!” Mohini Basu screams and in no time she’s grabbing him by the shoulders, sobbing and digging her nails into his skin. “Beta please, don’t leave your mother! Look I will say sorry to Prerna if that pleases you but please maat jao!”
You kicked Prerna out when she was heavily pregnant. At night.
“You never respected my choice, you never respected Prerna, the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Anurag chokes out, wishing things were different. “The things you did to Prerna….. how can I forgive you? HOW can I forgive you?!”
Mohini glares at his Prerna. “I wish you and your child die so I can have MY son back.”
Anurag gasps as he instinctively steps in between Prerna and his mother, he holds Mohini’s gaze for a second, wondering if he had really been the son of such a woman. The he looks away, unable to see the face of the woman who had crossed a line.
“Anu! Look at me!”
In no time, Mohini Basu’s gold clad hands are on his face, there’s a sense of urgency in her voice as she tries to move his face in her direction. He knows she wanted him to see her tears so he'd feel remorseful.
Anurag closes his eyes, “I’m ashamed…,” His voice is a harsh whisper and he’s not sure if it’s low enough but if Mohini Basu could hear him, it is enough. “I am ashamed of being YOUR son.”
When he opens his eyes he sees his mother’s ones. Anurag sees pain in them. Yet he holds her gaze until she reads the unspoken question.
Why did God choose you out of all the women in the world to be my mother?
He feels her hands drop away from his face. Her lips part as she takes a step back. Anurag feels a tiny stab of pain for a moment.
She lied to you Anurag. For her own selfish reasons. She’s no mother to you. A voice sneers in his mind. A real mother would not wish ill on her son’s wife and child. A real mother would love all her kids equally.
He shoots a quick glance towards his sisters who look like they’re on edge now. Anurag hopes in his absence, they’d find what they were looking for.
Turning to Prerna, he nods towards the door. “I’m yours Prerna.” He softly lets her know, drapes an arm over her shoulders and leads her towards the exit.
“Anu…” His father finally speaks. When Anurag looks at him, they have a silent understanding. Then with Prerna, Anurag walks out, not looking back anymore.
“Moloy stop him!” Mohini Basu screeches “Anu, Anu…!”
His mother’s screams become a distant siren.
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
