Chapter Ten
Time healed all wounds, they said but why did it hurt so much every time she turned her back to her husband and walked away? Should not she be a pro by now, she wondered as she tried memorizing the same line again. Tired at last she kept aside the book and walked up to the window, seeing the sunrise did but little help to her overworked brain. Her eyes were swollen due to lack of sleep and the uncountable hours of weeping.
During the first week of her exams, Ali tried talking to praya innumerable times only to be ignored. She either walked away while he presented his side of the story or she pretended to read a book which was more interesting than his apologies. It was after her last exam when on her way to her hostel, she could not get rid of him while he continued his monologue, neither expecting nor waiting to hear her say anything.
"I know you think it's his fault as much as mine but please listen to me. It was not his idea. I.. I look up to him as my own big brother. He had been there for us, for my family when all the creditors had made it impossible to survive in our own home." Pragya tried her best to keep her face straight, praying he would finish up before she lost her calm. Ali looked at the road, making sure there were no vehicles coming their way as they crossed the road. "He is a friend of my brother, Ghazi bhayya. Remember I kept telling you about him?" When she did not bother to reply, he resumed talking.
"After the death of my father, my brother and I tried our best to pay off the debts but the business was not in such state to pay off the loans let alone allow me to continue education." He glanced at her and when he realized he had her full attention, he continued. "It was during one of his visit when I had mentioned to him I had gotten the admission but not scholarship and Abhi being Abhi, he offered to help me without even thinking twice! It was later when I saw you, I filled him in and.. And how could he not savour each single detail of yours when he was head over heels for you!"
By the time they reached her room, Pragya kept mum. "He was helping me pragya." She heard him say earnestly. "This. This is for you." He finally accepted his defeat and extracted an envelope from his pocket. "Please." He kept it on the book she was carrying and left with contrite written all over his face.
Before you tear this letter away, please read till the end. It's not that long, knowing my love for reading or writing.
Since you won't give me another chance to explain, just know that whatever I did, I did it to have you back in my life. I knew I loved you when you had first left me and imagining my life without you was just unfathomable but I survived, I survived two months without seeing you or, or hearing you talk and I think that's how I see that rest of my life. A survival. Because I now know what happiness is and a life without you is just that.
If you ever listen to my song, know that it was meant for you. Only you.
I hope my little girl is just like you, strong, emotional and beautiful!
Please don't turn down my last request. You had asked me to take you home a month ago and since you would not travel with me. I have your tickets booked for tomorrow.
You can hardly take care of yourself. Go home and let others do that for you and my baby.
Yours always.
A.
She didn't know how many times she read the letter, all she knew was that this time she wanted him to hold her as she cried her heart out. She knelt down to the floor as she realized what her husband had done, he had accepted her choice. Of staying away from him. How could that man talk about a life without her when she could not even get through the day without even missing him immensely.
~~~
"I'm so glad to have you back!" Her little sister beamed with a smile from one ear to another. The hug was almost suffocating but pragya did not mind. She was equally happy to be home but the happiness refused to reach her eyes. Her mother served her favorite dishes at dinner that night and every time the brought up Abhi's topic, pragya deflected it.
It was after dinner when she kept her head on her mother's lap while Mrs. Arora rubbed her daughter's temple, pragya broke the news. "I'm pregnant, Ma."
"That's.. That's away news!" She hugged her daughter's head and kissed her. "I'm so proud of my little girl." When Pragya did not even stir in her embrace, she probed. "Why do you sound sad?"
"I'm just fatigued." She replied, wearing her best smile to keep all her mother's worries at bay.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'll just go sleep." She replied, getting up.
"We must visit your in-laws tomorrow."
"No." She looked away. "I mean... I want to share this news with daadi first."
"Does Abhi know? Are you hiding something from me?" Her mother held her hand and asked.
"He is more than happy. In fact, he is a actually praying for it to be a girl." She smiled at the memory of his letter and his concert.
"I'm so happy for you." She hugged pragya once again.
The next morning, pragya summoned her courage to visit her home. The one she had vowed to never look back. As the mansion came in view, several memories came rushing to her mind along with Ali's words.
He only financed my masters.
He never hired me to keep an eye on you.
Blame me if you have to, not him.
By the time she caught up with all the happening of the house, Abhi was nowhere to be found. She braced herself and told Dadi the big news who was delirious and refused pragya to even set her foot on the floor. The next hour was spent in advising the mother to be and forcing the number of homemade dishes down her throat.
"I must leave now." Pragya started saying after the sunset.
"But you just got here." She held pragya's face in both her hands and ask. "Is it Abhi?" When she only received a bemused look, she explained. "Is Abhi not happy to become a father? Is that why he was so tensed when he got back from the UK? He hardly slept or ate. But child, you must know its always difficult for him to get accustomed to new roles."
" Dadi.."
"Surely he will do his best once he gets the hang of it."
"No, its not that."
"You of all the people must not lose hope."
"He .. He is not running away from his responsibility." She smiled and placed a had over daadi's on her own cheek.
"Then? Oh, its because he isn't around."
"I'm not following you."
"The only person who should be following you now is away on one of his concerts and I understand if you don't want to stay without him."
"I.. I'll be back soon. It's just that my mother is being emotional nowadays.,"
"I understand. I understand. This is the time where you get pampered the most and I'm telling you this from experience, make the most of it." She replied with a wink and reluctantly saw her off.
The first thing pragya heard when she entered her mother's home was the headline which sent her mind reeling.
P. S go on, try guessing what made it to the news. Also don't forget to hit like and comment!
Edited by aaminah123 - 10 years ago
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
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