We are all hoping that the story happens the way Joey's predicted it, but I have a dirty feeling something else will occur.
Could the story happen this way?
Raj didn't trust Kranti one bit. He knew she was upto to something. She always was. Was she trying out yet another scheme to besmirch his family? She left no stone unturned to sully his image. Whenever he thought of that, he could feel anger rising up. Now she had planned to go on trip for a couple of days with him. How dared she? What was in her mind? How had she been able to cleverly manoeuvre everyone? The ladies of the house had fallen for her silly trick but he knew better. What was up her sleeve? What had she planned to happen in the house while they were away?
He tried to get out of going anywhere with his wife. And surprisingly she looked uncomfortable too. She was worried about something. What could it be? What was she hiding this time? But both of them gave in to Chaiji's coaxing.
Throughout the journey, she kept a stony silence and kept a mile's distance between them. He was happy with that. He couldn't stand her sly ways and her ever ready arguments. It was good that she was silent and pensive. They reached the cottage in the countryside. They weren't far from Lahore but the spot was reclusive and sort of private. A river passed by and the green mountainside made a pretty picture. They had reached by noon. After tea, and a wash, Raj stepped out on the lawns. He breathed in the healthy country air. If only he could live here forever. It reminded him of England. The cool air, the small shapely cottage with its little garden and fountain. The white benches and garden seats. Everything was perfect. His fell on the figure standing near the gate. His wife. What an eye sore amidst this beauty!
He told her a lie about some ghost living near the house and added that that thing wandered around the garden at twilight. It was a sinister ghost. He described it in the most obnoxious way. As he finished his story, he looked at her. She looked stricken and afraid. He couldn't believe it. This otherwise courageous woman was actually afraid of something. She wasn't afraid of death, he knew that. She was afraid of ghosts? His shoulders started shaking with laughter. She gritted her teeth and hoped that the devil could take him. Just then, it began to drizzle. She ran to the shed for shelter and he made his quick way to the house. He turned in the doorway and saw her standing crouched in the wood shed. He turned to take the umbrella to her. The wind was making the tress shake. One of the loose branches snapped and crashed to the ground. She gasped in fear. She left the shed. Instead of coming to the house, she went out of the gate. He yelled out her name and told her to stop. But the wind was blowing the other way and his voice didn't carry. She raced down the kuccha path towards the rope bridge. Raj ran behind her. She was half way down the bridge when it swung. She swayed with it. He carefully strode towards her. She turned. He caught her arm and pulled her towards him. She was frightened. She blindly clung to him. He told her to come back to the cottage. But she was just too afraid. He lifted her up in his arms and carried her back home. She had her arms round his neck. At the house, he lowered her. She removed her arms and stood shivering in front of him. Her teeth began to chatter. Her hair had become loose and was down her shoulders. God knows where he dupatta was. He put out his hand to touch her curls near her forehead. They were dripping tiny streams down the side of her cheek. For the first time he saw Kranti from so close and like this. She looked beautiful. Her lips were trembling and little gasps escaped her lips. His stance softened.
She looked up at him. She could see his brown eyes had almost turned black. There was a new glint in them. He did not look angry now. She started to back away and her hair that was in his fingers got caught. She jerked back. He let go of the strands of hair. His hands rested on her shoulders. He looked down at her, his eyes were pools of black. Her breath caught. She could feel things she had never felt before. Her heart began to race. Was she frightened or was it something else? His hands went to the nape of her neck. He stroked her slim neck trying to erase those whip marks from there and from her shoulders. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to do this to her. Raising your hand on a woman was a sign of weakness at least that is what he believed. She shivered and her eyes remained downcast. His hands brought her closer and she rested her forehead against his chest. She sighed for she felt safe. It was like homecoming. He felt strange. He felt that he had found something he'd been searching for, for a long time. He took her chin in his fingers and turned her face upwards. Something stirred in both of them. She felt uncertain and shy. She couldn't meet the fire in his gaze. He continued to stare at her. The night outside was wild and all the elements were attuned to the call of nature. Within the cottage, it was the same. Every sense in the two people was on alert and attuned to each other. She clutched on to his shoulders because she felt her knees tremble. He caught her by her waist and pulled her closer. Lightening struck and the sound of thundering followed. But the couple inside was oblivious to all that.
Raj woke up to the twittering of the birds outside. He smiled. He turned in the bed, but Kranti wasn't there. He got out of bed, pulled on his dressing gown and went outside. She was sitting near the window in the outer room. She seemed to be sipping some tea. He went over and touched her head. She turned and looked at him. She looked away, hesitant. He stroked her cheek with his finger. She gazed up at him wanting to say something. He put his finger on her lips. This was not the time to say anything. The minute they would start talking, they would start arguing. The moment right now was too precious to be frittered away in that manner. A new understanding grew between them. Both remained silent and let their eyes do the talking.
It was time to leave. They reached home after three days. They entered the house. Something had changed. Jagat kaka came to take their luggage. On reaching their room, he told them that Lalaji would like to see Raj right away. Kranti stayed back to unpack the luggage.
She had just finished putting away his last suit when he burst into the room. His eyes were blazing with fury. He accused her of being conniving. She was shocked. He said he knew she wanted to see him totally destroyed. He said she was a hypocrite, for, while she made a show of loving and respecting them, she had helped in destructing everything his father had built from scratch. She shook her head and tried to get a few words in. But he was relentless. He wondered if that was the reason why she had given in to passion and played with his emotions. She was aghast. She staggered back. It was the worst assault. She held on to the bed post. She felt all the strength from her legs drain away. She sat on the bed and tried to refute his points. She was not party to BBR's plan. She told him she was innocent. But he didn't believe her. He bit out cutting words. She gulped and stayed still, numb with pain. He left the room and shut the door behind him with a loud bang.
She stayed for a long time, staring into space. She felt like someone had wrenched her soul from her body. There were no tears and no hope anymore. She had given herself to him in the magic of the feelings they shared. To her those days were like heaven and she had tasted nectar. She had been so happy and she had thought he had been happy too. Then why had this happiness been taken away so rudely from her? Why had he said all those hurtful things to her? Why did he question her loyalty when he should be questioning his brother's? He didn't trust her. So the time they spent together was something that was frivolous and not lasting. Her heart broke. She stood up and went to open the door. She wiped her face. She began to walk to the stairway. Chaiji met her on the first step. She put her hand on Kranti's. She said she knew Kranti would never help her elder son to take away everything from his own father. She told Kranti to come with her. But Kranti shook her head. She continued her way down. Her pace quickened. She seemed desperate to get away. She raced to the door and was out of it. She could hear people call her back into the house. But she kept running.
She reached the railway station. She took her seat. She would go to Amritsar, to her home. A place where there would be no one who would speak cruelly to her. A place where she would find her strength once again. A place which didn't make her feel small and useless. And after a while she would return to her friends the KKs as her parent's daughter… not as someone's niece or someone's wife. Those relationships had been severed and snapped forever.
Raj returned home. He felt like a heel. He knew Kranti couldn't be blamed for his brother's misbehaviour. Then why did he say all those stupid things to her? He went up to his room. She wasn't there. The room was almost the same way as he had last seen it. His mother came into the room. He asked her about his wife. She told him she didn't know but was afraid that Kranti had left never to come back. His mother looked very sad as she left the room… He opened the cupboards. Her clothes were there and so was her jewellery. He was sure she would return. But why did his heart tell him otherwise? She had left without taking anything with her. He smote his fist on the wall. Something burst inside his ribs. He felt pain. He was sure he had lost Kranti but he wanted her back. He would look for her and beg her to return. He knew it was an uphill task.
Suddenly life became meaningless and without any substance. Was Kranti now the most important purpose of his life? He would find her no matter what……. Even if it took him a life time to do so.
Parineeti
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