Silsila SS : Six Years Later Chapter 2 Page 2 28-10-18

Hi guys...i wrote this a little before the revelation sequence was shown...i always thought the makers were gonna show Mauli pregnant...but then the way the story was moving it seemed like it will be Nandini getting pregnant...par phir se twist aa gaya...anyway I thought that I should post this...this is a post leap track...my version of Nandini and Kunal are better people because this ss was written before the writers made the characters totally creepy...also because I cant write characters as bad as that...anyway hope u enjoy reading...this chapter is from Nandu's pov...next will be Mauli

CHAPTER 1

6 yrs later

Nandini sat on the couch in the balcony, a tray of vegetables in her hand. She was making a special salad. She liked this spot. It reminded her of the balcony in her house back in Lucknow. As a child she would sit with her mother watching her cut up vegetables and later help her with the same. Her mother would tell her stories as she worked. This place brought in her not only a longing to listen to her mother again, but also a different longing to tell those same stories to her daughter. A wish she knew would never be fulfilled.

She looked at the bird building its nest on the tree just outside the balcony. She too had wanted only that. A home of her own. A family with her husband and her children. But she never got that, even though she had married twice.

She had been 19 years old when she married Rajdeep. He had seemed to her the prince right out of the fairy tale. Little had she known that instead of a fairy tale it was a nightmare waiting for her. And then finally she had met Kunal. The ideal husband. The man she fell in love with. The man she loved enough to go break another heart, a heart that loved him and her. Still she never got the fairy tale she wished for.

It wasn't that Kunal wasn't a good husband. He was caring and respected her. But something had gone missing in their relationship a long time ago. Perhaps things had changed right when Mauli had found out about them. They had until then been living in a bubble, but the pain of betrayal on her face had changed things. He had come to live with her after his family had thrown him out. But things weren't the same. A silence had fallen between them. The guilty of breaking an innocent heart had been too much. She had thought things would change with time. Kunal and Mauli had decided end their marriage and she too had gone ahead with her divorce. Rajdeep had caused enough trouble but in the end she got the divorce. Soon after Kunal and Mauli too got divorced. Mauli had moved away with his family. She had no idea where Mauli was now. She had married Kunal soon after.

She had expected things to get better after the wedding but the silence pertained. Kunal looked more and more guilty as days passed. She herself hadn't been any better. She was guilty not only of taking away Mauli's happiness but also of taking away from Kunal many things he loved. With Mauli's support gone, Kunal had been forced to take up a job in a hospital to bear their expenses. His dream of helping people was nw limited to the one day per week he spent at an NGO for children. His mom and Dida disowned him. His friends, who were also Mauli's friends, too wanted nothing to do with him. The silence kept growing. They went out on dinners, to movies, talked about day to day things. But still a rift was there they were both aware of.

She had thought a child would change things. She had talked to him about it a few months after their marriage. She had seen more guilt in his eyes that day. Perhaps the guilt that he had broken Mauli's dreams for the same. He had given in. But that was not to be. The doctor told them that her miscarriage had rendered it impossible for her to bear another child. That had been the last nail in the coffin. The rift had widened, perhaps from her own guilt of not being able to give him atleast that happiness.

And it was how things were between them. He worked at multiple hospitals staying away from home most of the time. She spent her day managing her empty house and baking cakes or other food on special orders. The work she did took her mind off things for some time but then she was filled with this same emptiness. He would come home, they would have dinners, talk about the day to day things and then go to sleep. This went on in a loop.

Her thoughts were disturbed as her phone rung.It was one of her regular customers Mrs Sinha.

"Hi Nandini. Mujhe tumse ek favour chahiye. Ek urgent order hai. Aaj ke liye. Ek birthday cake. " Mrs Sinha told her.

"Aaj ke liye? Mrs Sinha itni short notice mein hum kaise karengei ? Nandini asked.

" I know. Par ek bachhe ke liye hai. Uski mummy ne jahaan se cake order ki thi wahaan koi problem ho gayi. She is very sad. Meri achhi dost hai aur use waise hi chocolate cake chaahiye jaise tum banati ho. Uski beti ko sirf chocolate cake pasand hai. " the woman insisted.

Nandini smiled. It brought back some memories.

"Theek hai. Unhe kahiye cake mil jaayega. Hummein batayiye unhe kaisi cake chaahiye aur baby ka naam kya hai. " Nandini asked.

"Her name is Jaanvi. 5 saal ki hai. Cake ke details bejti hoon. " Mrs Sinha told her.

Nandini smiled. She had always wanted a little girl. She pushed the thought out of her mind and got down to work. Two hours later she was done. A beautiful cake, perfect for the little princess was ready. She packed it gently and took out her phone to book a cab. Just then she heard the doorbell ring.

Kunal stood at the door. She let him in and gave him water.

"Kunal hum ek cake deliver karne jaa rahe hain. Aap cab book kar deejiye please. Hum pack kar rahe hain aur time ho raha hai. " she said bringing the cake to the hall.

He looked at the cake and she saw a smile spread across his face.

"Paanch saal ki bachhi hai. Birthday hai aaj uski. Cake theek hai na ? she asked.

For a moment she saw something in his eyes. Pain. He nodded gently and turned away.

"Nandini, cab rehne do. Hum donon hi jaake deliver karte hain. Chalo. " he said grabbing the car keys.

She looked at him surprised. He hadn't in a long time offered to help her in her work.

"Aaj ka din special hai. Bas aaj yeh karke thoda chain milega. " he said more to himself than to her.

"Aaj kya hai Kunal ? " she asked confused.

"Kuch nahin. he said as if coming out of a trance and walked out ahead of her.

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If u like it please comment. Next part is Mauli's new life

Hey guys...thanks for the motivating comments...will reply to comments soon...meanwhile here is part 2

CHAPTER 2

Mauli stirred in her sleep as the gentle morning rays fell on her face. She opened her eyes and saw that someone had pulled away the blinds. She smiled and sat up. On the table on her bedside was a bowl of jasmine and a cup of coffee. She smiled knowingly and drank the coffee. Then she left to freshen up. She came out of the washroom and saw a dress laid out on the bed for her. Another surprise. She dressed up quickly and came out of her room. The hall was empty. She walked towards the table and found another surprise waiting for her. A card and a rose. She picked up the card. She saw a thank you scribbled on it in the cutest manner possible. That very moment she felt someone hug her legs. She looked down with brimming eyes at the little angel in front of her and gathered her in her arms.

"Happy birthday Jaanvi. Par aaj toh mujhe aap ko surprise dena chahiye na. aapka birthday hai " Mauli said hugging her.

"Arey Mauli bachon ki birthday mummies ki bhi birthday hi hoti hai. " Radhika said entering the room.

Mauli smiled. That was true.

"Mumma surprise kaisa tha? Dadi aur maine kiya tha. " Jaanvi asked her eagerly.

"That was a beautiful surprise baby. " she said kissing her daughter's cheeks.

Jaanvi smiled at her satisfied and kissed her back. Jaanvi loved surprises. Mauli wondered if it was her father's genes or the influence of her Dadi and Dida. Whatever it was she loved it.

"Par card mein aapne Thank you kyun likha ? " Mauli asked her.

"Kyunki aap mere liye sab karti ho mumma. Aur dadi kehti hai aap nahin hoti toh main nahin hoti . Jaanvi told her cutely.

"No baby. Aap nahin hoti toh main nahin hoti. " Mauli said crying.

"Arey tum phir se ro rahi ho. Chalo Jaanvi hum jaake ready hote hain. Aaapki crybaby mummy roti rahegi. " Radhika said taking Jaanvi with her.

Mauli looked at her daughter. It was true. If not for she wouldn't have got the strength to find happiness again. Kunal and Nandini's betrayal was like a stake through her heart. While she had put on a faade of being strong and filed for divorce, she was deeply broken on the inside. Kunal had been the axis of her world and he had been taken away from her. Life had seemed pointless. The sympathetic looks people gave her was the worst part of it. She had stopped going out much. She needed time to plan what she was going to do next. But the future seemed blank. Until she had found out about her baby.

It was a few days before the first hearing of their divorce. She had been sick but she hadn't paid any attention to herself. That day she had gone out with Mumma to her lawyer to discuss regarding Kunal and her joint assets and accounts. She had just left the lawyer's place when she fainted. Mumma had taken her to the hospital. It was then she thought about it. Before the reports came she knew. She knew it instinctively. It was the ray of hope she needed as well as her biggest fear. What if she lost her baby too?

But things had gone fine. She had got an offer from one of the best hospitals in Delhi. She had taken it and Mumma and Dida had moved with her. And then a few months later she held in her hand her tiny angel. Her Jaanvi. And then her life was back on track. She was now at a very good place personally and professionally.

She had never wanted to come back to this city but professional commitments required her to spent a month or two in Mumbai. Since Jaanvi's vacations were on she had taken it and Mumma had come down with her leaving Dida with Prerna. But it was a good thing. She now realized even being at the places she had been with him didn't hurt her anymore. They were just good memories from a time spent with someone who had once been her life but was now non existent to her.

After breakfast Radhika took Jaanvi for her birthday shopping while she started with the decorations and arrangements for the party that evening. At about noon she received a call from the bakery apologizing for having to close down due to an emergency. She was worried. Where was she going to get their favourite chocolate cake in a few hours. Coincidentally Mrs Sinha had dropped by. Mrs Sinha had been her patient a few years ago and had come to her with severe complications. Over the years she had been extremely grateful to Mauli and had helped her in renting the apartment.

"Dr Mauli aap pareshan kyun ho rahi hai ? Bas mujhe bataayiye kaisa cake chaahiye. Shaam tak mil jaayega woh bhi sabse tasty. Meri ek dost hai. Ghar pe cakes banaati hai. Unke haaat mein jaadoo hai. Yahaan sab unhi se mangaate hain. Main arrange kar doongi. " Mrs Sinha assured her as she told her about the cake.

A little later Radhika returned with Jaanvi. Mauli put her hands on her eyes and took her to the room so that she wouldn't see the arrangements till it was complete. She then dressed up her princess.

"Mumma main neeche jaake kheloon ? Aap party shuru hogi toh bula dena. " Jaanvi asked.

"Of course. Aaj toh aap chief guest hain na Miss Jaanvi Malhotra. Par dress ganda mat karna. " Mauli said setting her down.

"Mumma I am big girl. " Jaanvi said running out.

Mauli went back to her work. everything was done. She just had to wait for the cake. She was in kitchen running a final check when the doorbell rang. The maid called out to her saying the cake had arrived. She grabbed her purse and moved towards the door smiling.

The next thing she knew she was face to face with that woman. The woman she both loved and hated. Her best friend who had shattered her heart. Nandini Kunal Malhotra.

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