I honestly do not know how to thank all of you for the overwhelming response you have given me for this story. I started this story with the idea of wrapping it up in 4-5 chapters but then your love and encouragement is what fueled me to keep writing and tie up the loose ends that the show left. Like each one of you, Mantu and Amaya were and still are super special to me and I am glad that in whatever small way I could, I was able to re-write their story to give them the justice they deserved.
Thank you so so very much. This chapter might come as a bit of a shocker so please be forewarned. And this is officially the last chapter of this FF. I will be posting an Epilogue though that will wrap up the rest of the story to a happy ending.
Once again, thank you so very much and happy reading!
Cheers,
Neet
Chapter 28
"I think you should go with your mom," Mantu said to Amaya as everyone filed out of Dev Agnihotri's house, "she needs you." Amaya looked up at Mantu and nodded her head. "Wait right here. I'll bring a rickshaw," Mantu instructed them as he walked away. Amaya placed a comforting hand over her mother's shoulder and Sneha leaned in. With her other arm, she pulled Jazz in closer and hugged her too.
"Maa.." Pushpa had been about to open the door of the car for Gajanan Chaubey when she heard Dinesh call out to her and she turned. "I will call for the driver. He will take Babuji home. You can come with us if you want," Dinesh said. Gajanan Chaubey looked at Dinesh but Dinesh turned away without meeting his gaze. "To this day, I've blindly followed every single word that Babuji has said. When he told me Sneha was wrong, I believed him. He broke our family apart. He forced my sister to flee in fear for her life. And I never even tried to understand her. But now.. If I don't take a stand after knowing the whole truth.. I spent my whole life being your ideal son, trying to plug that gap that Sneha had left behind. But now.. A son's blindfold has been ripped off and a father will make a decision. I can't let my family break.. I cannot let him do to my Neeti as he did to Sneha. I almost lost my Neeti today because I never made the effort to listen to my own daughter, since I was so busy being Babuji's ideal son, in turn, becoming a blind father just like him as well. From this moment, I am breaking all ties with Babuji," Dinesh announced. His voice was choking but he knew what he was doing was right. "Its up to you Maa if you want to come with us."
Pushpa could feel her heartbreak - for her daughter, for her son, for her husband. In her heart, she had always known that her husband's ego would someday bring his downfall, but she had never been ready for it. She took a deep breath and look towards her husband. Gajanan Chaubey's eyes were moist, his shoulders slumped in defeat and she knew he was prepared for her to leave him as well. "Dinesh beta, I've lent my silent support to your Babuji's wrong doings, its only right that I should share his punishment as well. I will go home with your Babuji," she said.
"Maa, the rickshaw is here," Mantu said, alighting from the rickshaw. Without a backward glance, Sneha, Amaya and Jazz got into the rickshaw with Mantu and left.
******
"Are you sure about this Mom?" Amaya asked as she helped Sneha and Jazz pack their stuff. "Yes Amu. Rishi built this house here because he wanted me to have my family with me always. I came here after Rishi's death because I needed my family. But after what Babuji did, there is no sense of family left Amaya. I am going back to Mumbai. Now that Rishi's name has been cleared and Hari Bhaiyya is out of jail too, I have nothing to worry about. I am going back to Mumbai where Rishi's memories are. Away from this place that has given me nothing but heartache," Sneha replied as she zipped up a suitcase. "But what about Rachi di and me, Mom?" Amaya asked. Sneha turned to Amaya, "Rachu has Rama and you have Mantu. They are your family and home now. And I have to say, both of them are the biggest blessings in our lives. I am sure Rishi personally selected both of them for the two of you. I couldn't have asked for better husbands for my daughters. And any time you want, you can come visit us in Mumbai," Sneha said, running a hand over Amu's head affectionately.
"Mom," Rachita stepped into the room and hugged her mom. "Rachu beta.. I am sorry.. I am sorry you had to find out about Dev like this," Sneha apologized. "No Mom! Please don't apologize. You and dad have given me the best life possible. It makes no difference to me who Dev Agnihotri is. Other than the fact that he was the reason our lives got destroyed. I know he had a misunderstanding but that does not justify all that he has done. Dev Agnihotri is a dark phase of our lives and now its over. We won't talk about it anymore," Rachita replied. Sneha hugged Rachita.
"Mom, Rachi di and I are staying here tonight. With Jazz and you. Just like old times." Amaya announced. Jazz's face immediately brightened and Sneha hugged her daughters tight.
"Sneha didi," Dimple stood at the threshold to the Mathur Haveli. "Arey Dimple, come on in," Sneha ushered her in warmly. "I heard you are going back to Mumbai," she said. "Yes. This place in no longer home. Its my daughters' sasural but there's nothing left here for me to call my own," Sneha replied stoically. "Sneha Didi.. I.. I wanted to apologize.. And to you too Amaya," she said turning to Amaya. "I don't know what got into me. I was so scared for Neeti.. I couldn't handle it and I said all those things to both of you.. I am sorry."
"No Dimple! Don't apologize. You were only doing what any concerned mother would do. But what we sometimes forget in our blind love for our children is that at some point, they grow up. They are adults who have views and opinions of their own and we need to learn to respect them. When we feel they are in the wrong, we can nudge them back to the right path but to do that, we need to listen to them first, we need to let them make their choices and let them breathe. I learnt the lesson the hard way but I am glad you didn't have to," Sneha said smiling. Soon Neeti came in and hugged Sneha. "Bua, Amma and Babuji have agreed to let me do an MBA." Sneha smiled at Neeti lovingly and blessed her for a bright future.
***
The next morning, Sneha locked the big red doors of the Mathur Haveli and ran her hands over it for a long second. Then she turned to Rachita and Amaya who stood hugging Jazz as they watched her lock the haveli. All three girls had tears in their eyes. What a change in tides, Sneha thought. When they'd first come to Banaras, all three of them had hated everything about the place, including the haveli and now.. They'd fall in love with the place, its people and the house. She handed one key to Rachita and another to Amaya. "This house will always be here. It'll always be our home. Your dad's dream. You can come here whenever you want," Sneha said, trying hard so that her voice would not choke.
"Sneha.."
Just as she was about to get into the taxi after Rama and Mantu had helped load all of Jazz's and her stuff, Sneha stopped at her father's voice.
The Gajanan Chaubey who stood at the door to Chaubey Nivas was not the one everyone was used to seeing. The aura of power and authority had faded into oblivion. The arrogance that emanated from his very stance and voice was replaced by a certain sorrowful desperation. When he walked towards her, his shoulders were drooped, his steps were small and uncertain.
"Sneha.." his eyes seemed to be searching hers for a sign of forgiveness but Sneha remained strangely calm. "Sneha.. I.. I don't even know what to say to you. I don't deserve forgiveness. I don't have any right to apologize to you.. Mantu.. Mantu was right. Age only gives you experiences. You need wisdom and humility to learn from those experiences. And I have neither. Maybe it was because I was born into a rich and influential family. I was used to people respecting me and valuing my opinion and following my orders from a very young age. In the end, that's just an excuse. The truth is, I was filled with pride and my pride meant to me more than anything else. Which is why it took me 26 years to forgive my own child. And even then, I thought I was forgiving you, not realizing that I could spend my seven births seeking forgiveness for you and it still would not be enough for what I have done to you in my pride and arrogance. But now, my pride, my arrogance, have all been defeated. And I am going to start repenting for all my mistakes," Gajanan Chaubey knelt down at Sneha's feet. "Forgive me!"
"Babuji!" Sneha rushed to help her father up but to her utter shock, Gajanan Chaubey fell over. Amaya, Mantu, Rama, Rachita, Jazz, Dimple, Neeti, Pushpa and Dinesh, all gathered around. "We should take him to the hospital," Mantu said but Gajanan waved a no. "Sneha beta.. Please.. Forgive.." he folded his hands in front of her. Sneha clasped his hands in hers and said, "Please Babuji.. You are my Babuji.. You don't have to apologize to me ever, for anything." Gajanan smiled a peaceful smile. He then looked at Amaya and Mantu, "I am sorry. I have wronged both of you too. If you can, please forgive this old man," he said, his voice frail and weak. Amaya and Mantu had tears in their eyes as Gajanan Chaubey placed his hands on their heads and blessed them, "Stay happy.. always." With another shuddered gasp, Gajanan Chaubey's hands fell limp to his sides.
A stillness descended on everyone gathered as they realized that Gajanan Chaubey was no more. The man who had in so many ways led all of them to be here the way they were was no more.
****
Edited by neet06 - 9 years ago
Cricket
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
