Humdard (Drabble series) | Kitni baatein yaad aati hain | 23.04.2018

I. Kitni baatein yaad aati hain

The sand sinking beneath her feet felt soft, yet cold.

Zoya was a girl from the mountains, from a place where the horizon was cloaked in mists, where wisps of icy clouds were often seen to skim the earth, where the mere sight of the magnificent Himalayan peaks in the distance would cause a chill to suffuse the air, where even the warmth of golden sunbeams bursting through their cloudy mantle had a biting edge to it. She loved the cold, positively revelled in it.

However, the coldness of Mumbai was very different from that of Mussorie. Mumbai never felt cosy or inviting in the slightest. She felt alienated in its noisy bustling crowds of frigid people who shoved their past her, and the memories of her quaint little hometown and the cocooned life she had left behind constantly throbbed within her.

Her eyelids fluttered uncomfortably in the salty gusts as she watched the sun dissolve into the sea. Yash loved the beach. He had always said so. Yet, he had bowed down before her love for the mountains. He had always been the ideal husband, fulfilling her every whim and fancy.

If only. If only, she had been as giving towards him. She could have learnt cooking, she could have made him his favourite dishes everyday, she could have moved to Mumbai for him, perhaps provided a listening ear, a comforting shoulder for him to share his work-related problems with her, she could have overcome her anxiety and mingled with his friends and family... she could have come to the beach with him, and seen for herself the glimmer of happiness in his eyes that she could now only imagine. She had brought it upon herself, this heart-wrenching solitude, this agonising feeling of inadequacy, the perennial regret of not having done enough to get to know and understand the one person she loved so madly.

If only she could turn back time... She would give anything to be able to snatch back all the moments from Yash's life that she had kept herself away from.

The damp sand escaped from the crevices of her helpless fingers. It was too late. All she had were his half-etched memories. She gazed towards the sea with longing, aching to be reunited with him, to hear his voice again, to melt into the warmth of his embrace again. She felt the soles of her feet tingle, as the magnetic charm of an easy escape from all the pain beckoned her.

But a particularly harsh wave was whipped against the shore just then, causing her to stumble back a few steps, and the image of Aditya Hooda flashed in her mind without warning. Determination surged through the numbness within her, as she reminded herself that she owed it to Yash to fight the dishonour that was being smeared upon his memory. No matter how hard Aditya Hooda tried, she could not let him win. Nothing could tarnish her memories of Yash... it was all she had left now.

She took in a lungful of the saline air, her resolve renewed. She would make it up to Yash. She would take Yash's company to unimaginable heights, she would clear his name, and she would be the perfect wife that he had deserved in his lifetime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aditya watched dispassionately as the throngs of people bowed their heads in reverence, their faces glowing with devotion and the light of the evening aarti. He threw a glance at his Maa in law, and tried to draw solace from the semblance of serenity he saw on her face. It was for her, after all, that he had come to the temple in the first place.

And he knew full well, that she too was doing this for him... that she had only requested that he bring her to the temple because she hoped that it would bring him peace. He tried to give her what she wanted, but faith eluded him. And rightly so. For it was his trust in Pooja that had been his weakness. But now he was strong, he was dangerous and destructive.

He sensed something akin to scientific curiosity as he watched the devotees veiled in the haze of sandalwood and camphor. How convincingly they had slid into their expected roles, transcending all human vices, to assume the mantle of devotion. Beyond the temple walls, they would succumb to pride, anger, envy, lust, greed, but not here. Here, their faces told a different story.

There would be a woman among them who would have plunged a dagger in her best friend's back, made a joke out of her husband's trust and love, thrown herself in the arms of another man and shared with him what her husband naively believed to be only his. That woman would stand, her head demurely covered by the veil of her saree, among the other devotees, most of whom were sinners in their own ways, and nobody would be able to see through the hypocrisy. It was the perfect ruse.

Aditya was not beyond reproach, he knew it. In fact, ever since Pooja's death, his behavior had been reprehensible on several counts. But at least he did not pretend to be otherwise.

It was really the pretence that got to him the most. And lately, it was all he saw around him, liars, backstabbers, betrayers and cheaters. He was too jaded to feel any peace at the temple... All he could feel was skepticism, distrust... and envy. Envy for those people who were actually able to form, nurture and stand unwaveringly by their beliefs, and perceive the light in the darkest of times.

People like Zoya.

How did she do it? How was she able to hold on to the blind faith that she had in her slimeball of a husband? How was she able to love him so completely, so purely?

And what was it about that Yash Arora, that he had not only managed to ensnare Pooja, but also earned the relentless trust and devotion of his own wife? It made his insides churn with burning rage, to think that a man like Yash Arora, who had stolen everything from him - his best friend, his wife, the love of his life, his very life and happiness and faith, and the man that he used to be... was being hero-worshipped and treated like some sort of martyr.

But not for long, Aditya vowed. He would destroy Yash Arora, his company, his memory, his legacy. He did not need peace. He needed justice.

oh my God! such beautiful words, such amazing characterization.. lovely start.. totally loved it.. pls continue soon..

Hi, I am mostly a silent reader on this forum. But your story is amazing. So had to appreciate it.

awesome shot Yar...

You have beautifully penned down the thoughts going through characters minds, that it captivated me to comment on your story. The beginning is amazing & I hope to be an ardent follower of your story till the end.

Originally posted by: geet0910

oh my God! such beautiful words, such amazing characterization.. lovely start.. totally loved it.. pls continue soon..