NEW FF ...THE UNEXPECTED updated page 39 - Page 22

CHAPTER 21

Vickram looked at Sugni across the small living room where they were standing, after she let him in. Vickram could not explain just how relived he was to see her. Although she was visibly shocked to see him, she let him in. He was waiting for her to say something, but all she kept doing was staring at the floor.. Of course he should start.

"Sugni..."

"How did you..." They both began at the same time. She stopped .

"Champa told me. I spent days looking all over...I had to beg her she told me..." Vickram said recalling almost camping out outside Champa's house knowing if she contacted any one it would be her. He ordered , coaxed, talked begged until she eventually gave in when he said all he wanted was to see she was ok and he swore he was not going to hurt her.

"Hmmm..." she said.

"Sugni...please look at me..please!" She did . After a few moments she went back to staring at the floor. "Are you alright...did I hurt you?" She shook her head. Vickram let out a sigh of relief. Taking a few steps forward until he was standing in front of her. He lifted his hand to touch her, but she took two steps back shaking her head causing him to drop his hand. He felt like he had just been punched in the stomach.

"Sugni I am so sorry..." he said "I know..I know it dosen't make up for anything, but I never ment to hurt you, or take advantage of the situation. Please believe me I never intended for this to happen. And you have every reason to hate me, but..." He folded his hands. "If you could forgive me..." He said.

Sugni looked up at him at his actions. What was he doing? Oh God. Reaching her hand out, she held his, cutting him off.

She shook her head ..."Thakur Mallick Stop it..Please Don't do this!" She said

"Sugni I have to..."

"No. No you don't." She said looking at him. He looked so guilt ridden. No she could not have that. "I-I don't blame you, and I can never hate you. Yes I know it should never have happened, but I didn't do anything to stop it either. So it was just as much my fault as yours." Sugni closed her eyes as she realized what she just said. Turning away from him , she took a breath to compose herself. "Please don't feel guilty. I am sorry! I should not have left without saying good bye...but it wasn't because I had any ill feelings. But it's for the best. Believe me. Can't we just forget this please and move on?!" She said.

Vickram stared at Sugni's back as her took in her words. She did not hate him!. She did not think he was scum. A kernel of hope began rising in his chest. Was it possible she shared the same feelings.? If she did share his feelings that changes everything.! Now that he thought about it calmly he knew she did, because Sugni he knew would not cross that line unless she had some strong feelings as well.

Yet she ran, but why did she?...he told her how he felt. Did'nt she believe him? She had not reason to. If he had her with him he could face anything! Suddenly he was feeling much lighter. All he had to do was get her to admit it and return with him..

"Sugni?" He said moving closer to her, to the front of her. She was blinking her eyes rapidly as though trying not to cry. "it's not that easy is it? Running is not the answer" he said. Placing his hand under her chin he raised her face to look at him. "Remember when I said I love you, I meant that with everything in my . Maybe it was'nt the right time to say it...but I am not sorry I did."

" Thakur Mallick ..no ."

"Shhh...you feel the same way too don't you Sugni? " He asked looking at her. She shook her head , but he ignored her. "Yes you do...if you did'nt that night never would have happened. You never would have let it go that far. You love me too, don't you?"

"THankur Mallick Please..."

"It's ok Sugni..." He said , as he smiled a bit. "You don't have to run. We can work it out. Come back with me. It'll be ok. I promise." Now that he knew this was not one sided , there was no way he was leaving her behind. It would all be worth it as long as she was there. She did'nt have to be afraid of anything, he had to make her see that!

"No! This is not right ...this is wrong! It was a mistake...it should not have happened. " She said shaking her head. He did'nt understand.!

"Look, I'll make it better. Sugni I can't stay there with out you! I'll go crazy . There is nothing for you to run from. We can make it work. I'll take care of you!" He said, reassuringly.

Sugni blinked at that, Vickram had a desperate almost wild look on his face, one that was scaring her. How could she make him understand this? He did not seem like he was listening to anything she was saying.

"Thakur mallick...Please...just leave" She said. Hoping he would leave.

"Not without you!' Spotting her suitcase Vickram picked it up, noticing that it felt unpacked.

"What are you doing?...I am not going back with you!" She said mildly alarmed now.

"Yes you are..." He said. " I know you might be confused, but it's OK ,so was I ...but once we go back you'll see it'll all work out. You'll have everything you wanted Sugni...I swear I ll make it happen! " he said.

Sugni was now wondering if he was going out of his mind!. "Haaye Sita Miya" She prayed silently how could she convince him!

Vickram took Sugni's wrist as he started leading her to the door. Obviously her protest was going ignored

"Thakur Mallick Stop...I am not going back with you!" She said firmly dragging her feet against his pull.

"yes you are! There is no point you being here by yourself...not now ...what don't you understand ?" he asked. Why was she making this so hard.!? He wondered.

"NO ...Stop this please." She said in a desperate attempt to get him to stop, she raised her voice as she said rather loudly. " I AM NOT A BEDNI!"

Vickram stopped cold at that exclamation, as she wrenched her wrist from his grip. He turned to look at her. She was nursing her wrist in her other hand, she was looking at him with an almost pleading look as tears streaked down her cheeks. He felt as though some one had dowsed him with a bucket of cold water.

"Please don't make me do this!" She said softly.

"Sugni I never thought of you as a bedni" He said, walking up to her. "I swear..." He said.

"But that's what I'll be naa...In the eyes of every one." She said. She turned away from him as she sat on one of the chairs in the room. She stared out the window. "The fact is this can't work, you're married, you're a Thakur...and when a married Thakur and a bedni come together, it's called many things...but love isn't one of them." She said.

"Sugni...it won't be like that with us. You will live a respectable life, in front of everyone. Proudly!" He said.

"how ? She asked, wondering again if he lost his mind.

"I'll divorce Reva, we'll get married...there is no crime in that..." He said

"WHAT!?' Sugni said looking at him in shock. She shook her head

"What?" He asked , alarmed by her reaction .

" Divorce? Oh God..." Sugni was wondering just who was this man standing in front of her.This was not her Thakur Mallick. Who cared about others. She was staring at a total stranger who could talk about divorcing his wife with out a second thought. This man in front of her she did not care for! "Just like that? Some one new comes along...or she no longer suits you you get a divorce.Wow...Is nothing sacred any more?" She asked . "Tell me something Thaukur Mallick, what happens if I go back with you...and you fall for some one else...do I get a divorce to...hmmm. Then what will be the difference between me and her...except I'll be known as the one who broke her marriage...!" She said. She was now questioning her own judgement. How could she read someone so wrong? She had no idea who she was more angry at him or herself.!

"No you don't understand!" He said, she had it all wrong! "Sugni it's ..."

"I do understand"

"No you don't!" he said. This was not the way he expected this conversation to go. All he wanted since he woke up four days ago was to find her , beg her forgiveness and make sure she was ok. Arguing with her was not in his plans. Logically he knew Sugni had no idea about his divorce plans. . And he could understand what she was saying ...but still it hurt that she to seemed to misunderstand him.

"Sugni...there is a difference. And that difference is love." Kneeling in front of her so that they were eye level. He looked into her eyes, hopeing to make her understand. " Are you to going to paint me with the same brush as the rest of my family? Do you think this is easy for me? Just like that snap my fingers end my marriage and be happy!?" He said , "Sugni like every one else ,you are misunderstanding me. My marriage with Reva has been over a long time now, since before I came here. And I tried...I gave it everything I could think of. But sometimes, you have nothing left to give. Reva has never been anything other than a responsibility I had to uphold, because of a promise my mother made. It is to a point where staying out of the house is better than staying in it, where I dread coming home. Is this any way to live?." He asked. Sugni looked at him, she knew that , she was witness to it. "You wanted to know why I was so upset? Because I finally decided to give it up, and pursue the divorce option. Everyone else is against it. She's not making this easy, for sure!..It has nothing to do with you or what happened.and it was not just a whim, but a decision I thought long and hard about!" He looked at her, silently praying she understood what he was saying.

"I never expected to fall in love with you, or any one for that matter. It just happened. How, when , why I don't know, all I know is I never felt this way about anyone before, and I never will again" He said.

"It's wrong!" She cried

"Is it? really? It's wrong to want a little bit of happiness for yourself? Is that so wrong. If it was that wrong...how come you feel it to...if it was that wrong ...why did it feel so right? Hmmm...tell me Sugni?" Sugni closed her eyes not able to answer his questions. What could she say? Everything she thought about this world was just tilted.

"You know my mother once said, "you don't have to get your sardakhi done to be a bedni'. I did'nt understand it then, but I do now." She told him softly. "I don't know much about how things work, but in my world there are Thakurs, Bedni's and thakurines. I spent my whole life not wanting to be one, when every one else was telling me that is what I should do. I can't stop you from taking me back. But Thakur Mallick, tell me what happens then? You say that she is not going to make it easy, So what happens then? Hmmm? I come back with you...then what...What am I. When I look at the mirror all I'll see is that girl who has all those principles, staring back at me. Is that what you want? Is it?"

She asked tearfully looking at him.

Vickram listened to her . Her words and tears and realized that he was being selfish. She was right, what would happen when they got home. He still had to deal with his mother and her ultimatum. If she found out he was in love with someone else, and a bedni no less all hell would break loose! So was it fair for her to come back with him.

Vickram gently wiped her tears that was silently streaking down her face. He shook his head. His own eyes welling up.

"I am sorry!" He said softly. " I am so sorry...! You're right. Going back won't be the best idea. I never meant..." He began again.

"I know."

"I'll go. Alone. I won't take that away from you. But would you tell me something honestly" He said.

"What?" she asked, as he took her hands in his.

"You do feel the same way to right?"

She nodded.

"Say it . Please. I just need to hear it." He asked.

Sugni looked at him. Knowing she could not deny him that request.

"I...I love you." She said sadly. This special moment marred by this helpless and sad situation.

Leaning forward he enveloped her in a hug as she cried. Both silently consoling each other. Offering both comfort and apologize at the same time.

"What are you going to do?" he finally asked her a few minutes later.

"I don't know. I am here for a couple of weeks" she said. Pulling back. Still holding her hand Vickram took the chair next to her.

"What do you mean?" He asked. She explained about Milli kaki. As he listened.

"And after?" he asked. She shrugged , she did not think that far ahead yet. "Find a job somewhere..." She said.

Vickram reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Flipping through it he pulled out a a call card as he hand it to her.

"This is a very close friend of mine, R.K. He has offices in the city. He will find you something if you want. I'll let him know you are coming." He said. Taking out some money he handed it to her, which she stared at.

"For your traveling." He said.

"Thakur Mallick..."

"Sugni...don't make this any harder. If you stay here, what future do you have.? At least there you will have an opportunity to make that life you wanted. At least if you are there I will know you are safe and taken care off, here I'll be constantly worried about you. Let me do this for you. It's the least I can do." He said.

Reluctantly she took the money. "Thank you." She said, gratefully. Not for this but for his understanding and as always support.

"Don't thank me Sugni...I'll never forgive..." He began

"NO...don't do that...you have nothing to feel guilty about. As far as I am concerned." She said again. "I am sorry to." She said .

He looked at her. Wondering if this was really the end. He did not want it to be. How would he survive?

"Sugni...if"If ...no when I do get divorced. Would you give us a chance." He asked

Sugni looked at him, not sure what to say. She shrugged.

" Ok...at least think about it...I won't force you or pressure you...but when I do I will come to check on you..if you're still there I'll take that as a yes, if not I guess this is it.!' he said

"I should go!" he said making a move to get up, no point in prolonging this torture. They got up both holding hands, as they slowly walked towards the door. Each reluctant to leave.

At the door he turned to look at her. He reached his hand out to caress her face. "Take care of yourself, ok...and remember anything you need, any time I am just a phone call away." He said.

"You to." She said staring at him.

Vickram embraced her once more, kissing her on her forehead.

"Good bye Sugni" He said in an emotion filled voice, as he slowly walked away.

"Hmmm"

Turning away from her , he finally walked back to his jeep and drove off, Sugni started after him until he was no longer in sight.

Finally she closed the door...walking over to the bed, where she held on to her key chain. She curled up in a ball as she cried. She cried for all that could have been, and was not. She cried for her breaking heart and the fact that she knew he was faring no different from her. They may be doing the right thing, but why was it so hard?

Vinnie

Originally posted by: payal7

Vinnie

All I can say is you have done what I had wished the bloody writers had done when TVS realised Reva was back.

If I understood his character at all, this is what I would have expected him to do - first denial and knee jerk reaction to hide the truth and then telling Sugni and trying to convince her that divorce is not a bad thing and then letting her go while still helpng her acheive her dream of making a honest living while he sorted his own life out.

So thank you for better understanding the character of TVS than the writers who created him.

Lets see where their lives takes them because if they are meant to be they will find a way back together.