Virat had gone so quite that he could hear the loud voices in his head. 'Tu apne aapko samajhta kya hai, itna gussa kyon?' 'Accha lagega mujhe ki woh... aise apna time waste kare? Waise hi ghar me kabhi padhne ka mahol nahi hota.' 'Yahi problem hai?' 'Ho.' College main toh Tu bhi aadhe time society circuits main magan rehta tha... dost banata— 'Main thaka hua hoon'— 'Aniket se problem hai na?' 'Kaun Aniket?' 'Wahi jiski wajeh we Sai aaj itni khush thi. Kucchi hi palon me usne Sai ko uska ghum bhula diy'— Biwi hai woh meri!'
'Wah, Virat Chavan jyachi pakki zaban.' Kaisi Biwi? Tune bola tha na usse nahi bandhega? Paanch saal baad jab woh jaye— 'Meri biwi ha'— gi, toh phir kya woh zindagi bhar bina pyaar ke rahegi? ' Aniket ke gaane par mantramugdha hokar dance kiya usne...' 'Yahan kitni akeli ho jaati— Aniket se woh khush hui?'— 'tu itna selfish kaise ho sakta hai?' 'Aniket mujhse lamba'—
'Kaunsi khushi mili hai usse yahan? Kiska pyaar mila? Tera? Kya haq hai tera ki tu uske khushiyon par pehredari kare? Who the hell are you to bind her?' Mujhe Accha Nahi Lagta Aise— Main Uske liye kya kucch nahi kiya aur woh hai ki samajhne ki—'Kamal sir se vaada kiya tha na ki uska dhyaan rakhega? Tere naam ki goli khayi unhone. Khush rakha hai tune use?' 'Aniket...'
Virat could not take it anymore. Trapped in his own head, he couldn't mentally reach towards the detached woman on the other side of the bed. She was always on his peripheral vision yet so unattainable today. Tears rolled down his cheeks out of pure exhaustion, and he collapsed into a helpless slumber.
After so long, Sai was at peace. Not the peace that comes with happiness or even a content one. She had stopped breaking down cell by cell. She felt no urge to cry or be mad. She had realised that she couldn't understand Virat Sir. He did not wish to be understood by her. He would always allow Pakhi Didi in their space because it wasn't their space. They weren't friends or even... He had his zimmedari, his goodness, and she her gratitude. She needed Aaba... Aaba would not have left her in this what- the-hell-ever-this-was. Her eyes grew heavy. She had to show her gratitude.
Much much appreciated!
inner turmoil of virat was potrayed so beautifully . please do continue.❤️❤️
Thanks so much!
2.
The sun filtered through the translucent curtains and bounced off the azure walls of his room. The sun wasn't glaring at Virat, it did not hurt him. But there wasn't even a faint trace of Sai's fragrance on the bedding. There was something astringent in the air. It rankled him— as if Sai had left him and gone to the lengths of wiping out every trace of her presence from his room. That somehow she had tried to reverse time, scratch out memories and erase their marriage.
He looked around frantically till he saw the sturdy frame of Kamal sir on the boudoir. Taking a few deep breaths, he forced himself to calm down. He knew he was overreacting. Trying to move forward, he got the refill of his aftershave from the boudoir and— saw a meticulously organised wardrobe. His shirts, jumpers, trousers, kurtas— all organised to take up all the space in the wardrobe.
It damn well rattled him, enraged him, rendered him hopeless all in a matter of few seconds.
"Tumhe koi sharam nahi aati? Kal raat ko kitna pareshan Kar diya Virat ko ki woh khaane ke liye bhi cheekh raha "— Vaini aap pati-patni ke beech me kyon... Sai had involuntarily detached herself. She couldn't hear anything or respond to anything. She folded her hands. Virat could hear Sai's meek voice from the hall : "Main chalti hoon aai. College me thoda zyada kaam hai."
Don't know why she turned around and tightly hugged Aai. Aai gave her a startled, frail smile. But Virat could see the dullness in her face, the stoicism in the pale orange-and-white suit. It was harsh. It lacked her seamlessness. He could see her disconnecting. He wanted to destroy entire worlds and just make her...stay? With him? Happy?
"Kucch kha lo, Sai, please. Main chhod deta hoon tumhe." Nahi, Virat Sir, aapko bekar mein detour lena padega, main aapko pareshan nahi karna chahti."
"Arre, slow down Sai. Dr. Kale aaj meeting me hai; he will be late for class. Itni mari--murjhayi si kyon lag rahi ho? Sai glared at him with fire in her eyes, and Aniket threw his hands up. "Maaf karo Baba, galti hui." Nahi galti toh mujhse hui ki I embarrassed you with the impromptu—" Kal ke "sorry" pe interest de rahi ho? Don't forget, ek baje rehearsal hai side lawn pe... Oktatabai."
Sai couldn't help but giggle, and the classes raced along. She hesitantly went to the side lawn where the performing arts society was practicing. "Oh Saibai, idhaar aa— Aniket waved excitedly— canteen se samose mangate hai chai ke saath." Sai felt at ease. "Arre Saibai tera Shiva kahan hai?" Aparna sweetly mocked her. Sai raged, now there was another one who could insult her relationship with Virat Sir— "toh ye kaunsi kam sherni hai. She has fire in eyes and springs in her feet"— Aniket humourously diffused the situation. "Yodeleeeeiiiii..."
Compulsively, Virat drove to Sai's college during his lunch break, without changing his uniform. There was something ambivalent about this, but he couldn't dwell upon those questions right now. He needed to see her... To see him. To know if he truly makes her that happy.
He felt awkward entering through the main gate in his uniform— he did not want to attract attention. He went through the back gate with his eyes on the caller app He was about to call her when...
"Aniket, tum itne ajeeb ho na, Kathak me yodel kaun karta hai?" She could not stop her recalcitrant laughter. "Haan toh fusion hai yeh..." Iss Saibai ka Shiva isse allow bhi karta hoga contemporary...?" Before Sai could retort, Stella butted in and dragged Sai along to do padtaal on the proverbial yodels.
Virat felt like a stranger, a voyeur, intruding upon his wife's happiness. He felt hurt that she got bullied for his sake. He felt hurt that she did not defend their marriage. He felt hurt that he was estranged from her happiness— that her happiness could not flourish at his home.
For one too many times, he walked away without talking to her.
Edited by Bluegrass - 3 years ago
