PART-28
Raghav and Kalpi were on their way back home, their car parked on the sides of road. Both looking silently into each other's eyes, it was time for separation again. Raghav caressed Kalpi's cheek, "Take care; and you are on a leave from office today" he lovingly commanded Kalpi.
Kalpi's eyes widened and then started watering. After two heavenly days it was time to return to the world of thorns again; because any happy world without Raghav would be just that. It would be a world of thorns, pricking away her happiness. They hugged and Raghav pulled Kalpi closer to him. "Don't cry...I know even though it was your decision to move away from me, to punish me. But you are punishing yourself too. Just a few days more Kalpi, I promise to make everything right again, everything" he kissed Kalpi's forehead. "Even though I do not trust Pakhi Kapoor the same way I don't trust her other family members. But I will take the risk Kalpi. I will take the path of truth, for you; for us to be together again, by telling her the truth of our marriage. It's just that I...I cannot think of my world without you. I'd rather live away from you, then lose you. You are my life...I...they..." Raghav faltered, for a few seconds not caring to hide his weakness, his fears.
He shook his head and hugged Kalpi tighter, nuzzling in her neck and shoulder. Placing a kiss there Raghav continued, "They took away everyone who loved me away from me, they made me alone. So alone, that my desires for anyone's company and relations died. I'd rather live alone and not cry again, than becoming weak again. But then you came in my life and everything changed. I cannot lose you Kalpi, but you are my wife. You have every right to claim your rights on me, to be with me in front of the whole world. I promise, I'd try to remove all the obstacles from our path. Only few days, maybe after Kappoors are finished financially they will not harm you. I...I miss you."
All this time Kalpi was caressing her husband's hair and back. She tried to control her own overwhelming emotions while listening to Raghav's small outbreak. This man in front of her, the mighty Raghav Singhania whom the world feared, was harbouring so much of his own fears.
His heart was drowned in the pool of fears again, especially the fear of pain. This Raghav Singhania, her husband, was so different from what Raghav showed to the world. In that moment, he was only an ordinary human being who lived without any family, any love since childhood. Who learned to be strong for the sake of keeping himself alive, for the sake of giving justice to his late father. Deep down Kalpi knew now, that Raghav craved for love; he craved for an ordinary life; but being a Singhania meant that always came at a cost. Did she not always knew what loving Raghav meant; what being "Mrs.Raghav Singhania" meant? Maybe yes or maybe no! Maybe she had always underestimated the depth of Raghav's pains; the scars of his past lonely life; and the desperate need to avenge the wrongs done with his family.
She let a tear escape her eyes, feeling Raghav's arm growing tighter and tighter around her; sensing how afraid he was to lose her. So afraid that maybe he wanted to eliminate the difference between their physical bodies. Her Raghav was damaged deep down; and in that moment Kalpi did not know how she would repair those damages.
It was only a few months since she was a part of Raghav's life and her love had brought about a change in him. Raghav had learnt to smile again, his true smile which Raghav Singhania never showed to the world, even Sammy. But when Raghav was with Kalpi he smiled from heart, he laughed; yes progress was there. But years of wounds take time to heal; and Kalpi vowed that one day she will see a complete Raghav again. She would do anything for Raghav's happiness. If waiting to announce their marriage in front of the world assured Raghav that she would not leave him; that he will not be alone again then Kalpi did not mind. Maybe that separation was better than a sight like this; sight of her broken and afraid husband.
Kalpi sighed, and kissed Raghav's cheek, "I trust you Raghav and I will wait. If a life of forever peace and your company comes at this price, then I am ready to wait. Because I am not leaving you, I am not letting you go in this birth! So be ready Mr.Singhania, for a life of torture by your wife. My love will always haunt you whether I am away from you or near."
His face hidden in Kalpi's hair, Raghav smiled the fire of fear and pain in his heart stifled by Kalpi's soothing words of love. His body visibly relaxed in Kalpi's arms and she sensed his smile. Unable to say anything more "Hmm, thank you" came the short but happy reply from Raghav as he quickly pecked Kalpi's lips. "Ready to spend a day off from office; my wife for next seven births" raising his head Raghav asked Kalpi and smirked.
*************************************************
Prem paced to and fro in side the plush chamber of his Canada office. He just had a video-conferencing meet with the creditors. They had practically refused to postpone or cancel the auction. After much persuasion two of them had reluctantly agreed to give Prem an opportunity to buyback their mortgaged properties. Still even they had refused to extend the deadline, if Prem had to do something it had to be done within three days. If he wished to delete his properties' names from the list of to-be auctioned ones, then he had very less time.
It was not that Prem did not found himself to be capable enough to save their home, their everything. But he needed some more time; he had been working hard towards establishing his own company here in Canada apart from handling his Mausi's company. All to write the word "successful" in front of his name instead of "disgraced" which was presently the case. But, if he cannot save his own family, his own home then how can he be successful? But now was not the time to go self-condemning way, he had to think of something; and fast.
"Yes, Mausi! Mausi might help me. She is capable of providing me the funds. Otherwise I have no option but to..." he did not let himself complete his thoughts. Right now every cell of his body was cursing Raghav, the one man responsible for his miseries since childhood. Angrily Prem banged the table hard "The arrogant bas***d! Why do you always do this Raghav, why! Whenever you come into my life, you take away something which rightfully belongs to me, to us! But not this time, I will do everything in my will to defeat you this time. I will save my home. You just wait"
***************************************************
Kalpi stood in the living room of the apartment she shared with Sonal stealing quite and shy glances with her friend. She knew Sonal was upset for vanishing away like that. But for now her husband's fears were more important for her; and to respect that Kalpi had no option but to be silent on the biggest truth of her life. Silently observing a pissed off Sonal who was standing cross-armed in front of her, Kalpi wondered what to tell Sonal now. Fluttering her lips slowly, Kalpi muttered, "I am sorry. It all happened too suddenly for me to be able to tell you" she admitted truthfully.
But her friend still did not look convinced. Sonal frowned and let out a loud breath letting her words show the confusion and hurt in her heart, "Two nights Kalpi! For two nights you were alone with Raghav Sir. Quite a shock for me, don't you think? But that is fine; my own friend wants to keep things from me. So I guess I should also not think much. You go freshen up and take rest. But I am not talking to you."
Saying so Sonal turned her back on Kalpi, "Sonal..." Kalpi tried speaking. But was cut off when Sonal gestured that she did not want to listen anything. She came to stand in front of Sonal, and held her hands, "Sonal you are my closest friend in office. Trust me I do not want to hide anything from you. But now is not the right time to share, Raghav will not like it. Please believe me Sonal, you will be the first person to know anything which the world needs to know. But for now, please don't be angry, or else...or else I will not give you the lunch I brought for you."
Kalpi teased Sonal, trying to explain the situation to her and smiled when she saw her friend's face softening. "Really? I trust you Kalpi and I will wait, but only on this promise that I will be the first person to know this truth of yours" Sonal said holding Kalpi's hands, her eyes now happy and soft.
"Thank You my friend. I am so lucky to have you" Kalpi grinned and hugged Sonal who hugged her back. "Ha ha, okay-okay. No need to thank me so much. I just said this because I want to take that lunch cooked by you with me to office" Sonal casually replied.
Kalpi gasped and narrowed her eyes at Sonal after she broke the hug. Sonal made an innocent puppy face and he both friends burst out laughing.
***************************************************
A wide grin on his face and eyes staring the wall across his table, Raghav was definitely a very happy man that morning. The feeling of spending some quality time with his wife fresh in his mind, Raghav was all charged up to face the world.
While he kept this smile intact on his face, Sammy sitting on a chair opposite him was frowning all the while. His best friend and boss was not paying any attention to whatever details Sammy was giving to Raghav about the developments in their office and life. But he smiled, after Kalpi left Singhania Mansion Sammy could count on fingers the rare times when he had seen Raghav smiling and happy like this. "When he is with Kalpi Bhabhi, he laughs also" Sammy thought remembering their video-conference the day before. Kalpana was the light in his best friend's life and Sammy was happy that Raghav chose Kalpi as his life-partner. But now enough was enough, they had some serious issues to discuss.
So throwing all caution to wind, Sammy shouted, "Dude!" bringing Raghav out from his reverie and earning a deathly glare from him. "What happened Sammy?" Raghav asked at last, controlling the urge to strangle his best friend for bringing him out of his dream world.
"What what?" Sammy teased. "Look Rags, I know that these two days with Kalpana Bhabhi were hardly enough for you. But I don't want to look like a dumb person here while I talk to my lost friend!" he joked frowning.
"I was not lost" Raghav replied meekly. "I was, thinking; thinking about some project" he tried to give a reasonable explanation to Sammy who only smirked at this response. "Really? Look do not make me recount the way me and Maya had caught you both romancing" Sammy smirked.
"Sammy!" Raghav warned. "Okay, okay fine. I only wanted to attract your attention to an important topic" Sammy shrugged. "What topic?" Raghav asked curiously. Locking Raghav's gaze with his own Sammy uttered in a low tone, "Pakhi"; "She had called me yesterday to enquire abut your whereabouts since your cell was unreachable. I think you are right Raghav; Pakhi Kapoor is as much a danger as her parents are. She seems...obsessive about you. Yesterday she asked too many questions about your sudden tour. I think she knows that she is nothing more than a revenge for you. We will have to be careful."
"Hmm" Raghav replied as his mind wandered to the enemy zone of Kapoors. "So Pakhi Kapoor is behaving abnormally. I knew it, that girl is not to be trusted with. We will have to be more careful now, until I tell her the truth of mine and Kalpi's marriage; and after that too. Pakhi Kapoor cannot stop me from allowing my wife to proclaim her legal right on me."
***************************************************
The sidewindow of driver's side descended making the view of Singhania Chawl clearer for Pakhi Kapoor. "Here I am, in Singhania Chawl; Raghav's chawl" Pakhi grinned cunningly. "This is all mine now" she thought proudly.
"One day I will visit this chawl as its owner. But today my objective is different. I have come here as Kamla Maa's daughter; to get information on her other daughter. Kalpi, soon I will know who is your husband and what are you hiding? I am sure Kamla Maa will involuntarily commit some mistake in my love, in the love of her foster daughter" Pakhi promised to herself and Kalpi, her lips curved up in a devious smile.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction using characters from the show "Ek Mutthi Aasmaan" on "Zee TV". The characters are owned by creators and owners of the show.
Anupamaa
Hindi TV Shows
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Udne Ki Aasha
