Originally posted by: ValleyOfPeace
Chapter 2
Sai stood in the balcony watching the moon silently traverse through the sky. She was lost in her own thoughts. Her father and her used to sit in their yard and watch the moon like this. He used to apply oil in her hair and talk with her about various things. She used to share her day with him.
She had gone to the hospital today, to give her assignment to Pulkit Sir, who had called her there. She had witnessed a family mourning for their loved one and realised that, her world had spun so drastically on it’s axis that she hadn’t even gotten the time to mourn properly. She had had to pack her grief in the layers of her heart and live like she was all right. She had to behave like nothing has changed. She had to breathe in the mansion of Chavans like she owed them her everything. She hadn’t been given in this family, the empathy or sympathy that a person who has lost his world receives. No. Instead she had been asked to suppress herself and make herself low ranked according to the family’s wishes and move on like she wasn’t even human. Her pain, her grief had been made a joke of here. Did they not even realise that she had had her whole world snatched away for saving the son of their family?
Her father had traded his breaths for their son’s and his beats for their son’s heartbeats and in return, his daughter was being ridiculed and made to count THEIR favors upon her. They made such faces upon seeing her that she wished she was anywhere except here.
She had been abducted by a psychotic stalker and then her father had died while they had gone to capture the said stalker. She should have been allowed time to recover from the incident. She should have been allowed the space. She should have been given at least sympathy if not the empathy, but here all she received were taunts. Did these people have no heart? Have they gone through too much that they have lost the feeling of pain? Of grief? Sai Joshi didn’t want pity but she would have appreciated the understanding. What was with this world and it’s need to pelt rocks at someone when they are already low?
Her father was her whole world. He was the centre around which her universe revolved. He was her aai and her baba. He was her strength, her rock, her anchor and the star that steered her life. He was her home. And now in his absence even with a roof above her head she was homeless. Her life had drained of happiness since his life drained out of him. Each breath her father had taken in his last moments had rattled her soul and shattered her core. And after his death every incident had damaged her more. She had left her wounds unhealed, unattended and had built a strong wall around the throbbing damage so she could withstand the harshness of the Chavans, her deal husband included. And now even though she was wrapped by strong walls, underneath it all was a heart that was broken beyond belief. And now, each time she witnessed loss, grief, mourning, her heart throbbed in pain. She felt loss. Wishing for the countless time that her Aaba was with her, she wiped the tears that had cascaded down her face and smiled slightly, raising the strong walls once more.
She turned and saw Virat standing right behind her. Saving herself from the clash just in time, she looked up at him. His arms were already around her, not quite touching her but ready to do just that if need be.
“Arre Virat Sir aap? Aap yahan kab aaye?” She asked him. He watched her red eyes and frowned.
“Tum ro rahi thi kya Sai?” He enquired from her.
“Nahin to. Main to bas yunhi chand ko dekh rahi thi.”
“Chalo andar. Tumhare pairon ke allergies bhi check kar loon.” Virat said as he held her hand gently but firmly and began leading her to the room. Sai kept on watching his face. She kept on thinking, how a person who cared so much about her wounds could not understand how wounded she was from within. He didn’t understand how much his family kept inflicting pain on her. He didn’t realise that his peacekeeping ways were just encouraging their plans. And she didn’t understand why he couldn’t tell them that enough was enough. She sighed as she walked away with him.
Virat made her sit before him on the bed and pulled her feet down to him, checking her allergy rashes. She was watching him unblinkingly and hoping that just like he was applying medicine to her rashes he could somehow heal her heart too. But he hadn’t received the sixth sense to gauge them.
“Aap ko pata hai Virat Sir… Aaj Aniket ne mujhe bataya ki aap hi the jo us din college aaye the.” She began the conversation. Virat’s hand paused for some seconds and his eyes widened. But she was unable to see them. “Aur usne ye bhi kaha ki aap ne kaha use ki apne kaam se kaam rakhe.”
“Woh Sai. Woh to bas isliye kaha ki who yahan wahan ki baaton mein apni practice na bhool jaye.” Virat said, trying to handle the situation.
“Jhoot mat boliye… Do minute mein jhoot paladne wale honge aap, par do min mein aapka bhi jhoot pakda jata hai.” She smiled at him. “Aap zaroor apni height compare karne gaye honge wahan. Haina?”
“Itna lamba bhi nai hai yaar sahi.”
“To? Aap mardo ko kyun lagta hai ki aapki height kam hone se respect bhi kam hone lagega? Height kam to ego hurt ho jati hai. Respect height se related to nahin hoti na Virat Sir? Woh to kaam se hoti hai. Is baat se hoti hai ki aap apna kaam kitni honesty se karte hain.” Sai told him. He smiled at her.
“Wah Sai tum to bahut samajhdar baate kar rahi ho aaj kal. Sangat ka asar hai.”
“Haan Virat sir! Aniket bahut hi samajhdar hai.” Sai said mischievously. He narrowed his eyes at her as she giggled.
“Sai…” He warned. She giggled once more.
“To bataiye. Kyun kaha aapne use apne kaam se kaam rakhne ke liye?”
“Taaki uske gaane tumhe apni padhai se do ara na kheenchen.” Virat told straightforwardly. “Tumhara sapna mera bhi hai Sai. Main chahta hoon tum doctor bano. Aur is raste mein Anikef rukawat na bane. Yeh age thodi dangerous hoti hai. Dosti pyaar mein badal jati hai. Aur mejn humari life mein who wali complication third angle se nai chahta.” Virat rold her somberly and applied the medicine on her feet.
“Matlab aap ko mein itni faltu lagti hoon ki kisi se pyaar kar baithungi?” Sai said loudly, irritated at his supposed perception of her.
“Maine aisa kab kaha Sai?”
“To aap kya keh rahe hain fir?”
Sai was talking very loudly now. Birat was trying to calm her down. Paakhi was passing outside in the corridor when she heard raised voices. Her feet stopped outside their room and she was about to take a step in their direction when she stopped herself. This was their private matter and her interference wasn’t needed or appreciated either. She had promised herself to keep herself to her own business and not throw herself in other’s matters. She smiled slightly and walked away towards Karishma’s room. She wanted to speak to Karishma about something.
Virat sighed and shook his head at Sai and stood up to close the door of their room. Sai watched him do so and her face softened. He was trying to make some changes in their life. One of them being keeping their matters private. Wasn’t it her duty to help him by lowering her voice and hearing him out?
“Sai. Har baat mein logon ko ghalat mat samjha karo. Baat sunne ki aadat honi chahiye logon mein. Main tumhen faltu nahin keh raha tha. Main tumhari age ko volatile keh raha tha. Iss umar mein jazbe lava ki tarah ubalte hain. Aur main nahin chahta ki tum aise kisi ke liye feel karo. Complicated ho jayega. Aur main yeh bhi nahin chahta ki koi tumhari dosti ko koi aur rang chadakar soche.” Virat explained to her. She remained silent as she heard him out. “Apne aap ko shaant rakhna seekho Sai. Yeh important nahin haik i tum har sahi aur ghalat baat par reaction de do. Kabhi kabhi baat ko rafa dafa karne mein humari bhalai hoti hai. Aur baat softly karne se ghalat baat bhi sahi samjhi ja sakti hai par sahi baat bhi ghalat tareekhe se karne se, baat bigad jati hai.” He told her softly. She bent her head and went into thinking. “Main tumhen apni soch badalne ke liye nahin keh raha hoon Sai. Main tumhe apna andaaz badalne ke liye keh raha hoon.”
“Aap softly samjhate hue acche lagte hain Virat sir.” She told him softly. He smiled at her.
“Aur tum samajh kar jab situation ko acchi tarah se handle karti ho na Sai, tab mujhe garv hota hai tum par.” Virat told her. They both smiled at each other. Maybe he did understand her. Sai thought as she spied warmth in his eyes.
•••••
Paakhi walked towards Karishma’s room and knocked on the open door twice and waited for Karishma to turn.
“Arre Bhabhi?” Mohit called out. “Aaiye na! Wahan kyun khadi hain.” Karishma too smiled artificially at Paakhi.
“Thanks.” Paakhi responded gently and walked inside Karishma’s sanctuary. After what Karishma faced in this house, Paakhi understood the hostility she felt for almost everyone in this house. Here Karishma was treated as a non living punching bag. But Karishma did have feelings and they were hurt too badly. Karishma also had to be too conscious of everything she did in this house, because she had no support.
“Bhabhi? Aap ko kuch kaam tha?” Karishma came straight to the point.
“Haan Karishma. Mujhe kaam to tha. Baith kar baat karen?” She enquired from her. Karishma and Mohit exchanged glances and turned towards her once again.
“Jee Bhabhi please baithiye na.” Karishma said and occupied one of the arm chairs near the window. Paakhi occupied another one.
“Karishma… Sai padhai karna chahti hai kyunki wo uska sapna hai. Aage who doctor ban bhi jayegi kyunki who mehnati aur intelligent hai. Uska sapna who sakaar kar rahi hai. Mera sapna ek traveller blogger banna tha. But ab who mumkin nahin hai to main kuch aur karne ka soch rahi hoon. Abhi decide nahin kiya but karungi jaldi aur uski taraf qadam bhi badhaungi.” Paakhi told her. She had let go of her dream because she wanted to stay near Mansi. These days she had given too much thought to this and she had concluded that she needed to stay here and fulfil her duties and find another passion for herself. Not every dream gets fulfilled, do they?
“Par Bhabhi… Kaku?”
“Who maan jayengi Karishma. Aur agar zaroorat padi to mein Sai aur Virat se help maangungi.” Paakhi told her.
“Yeh sab aap mujhe kyun bata rahi hai Bhabhi?”
“Taaki main tumse poochun ki tumhara sapna kya hai Karishma?” Paakhi enquired. Karishma, who was confused till now, was astounded for a second before a guarded expression came over her face.
“Kyun Bhabhi?” She asked firmly.
“Aage sabhi badhte hain Karishma. Main bhi badh jaungi. Par main akeli nahin badhna chahti. Main chahti hoon tum mere saath chalo. Sai ke saath chalo. Taaki tum bhi humari tarah apna sapna sakaar kar sako. Karishma? Kya tum yeh nahin chahti?”
“Bhabhi itna aasan nahin hai is ghar mein sapnon ko sakaar karna.” Mohit said from the bed.
“Janti hoon Mohit. Par who sapna hi kya jo aasani se sakaar ho jaye?” Paakhi asked.
“Bhabhi. Ek aur mahabharath hogi.” Karishma said, genuinely worried. “Dekh nahin rahi hain aap ki kis tarah Virat Dada aur Sai Bhabhi ko har din ek jang ladni padti hai ek naye kaam ke liye? Is ghar ki har deewar purane khayalat se saturate ho gai hai.”
“To ek mahabharath aur sahi Karishma. Apna sapna mein sakaar zaroor karungi. Tumhe peeche ab main nahin chodungi. To tum kamar kas lo. Aur batao. Kya hai tumhara sapna?” Karishma watched her nervously but with a ray of hope shining on her face. She looked beautiful when she was genuine.
“Mera sapna tha ki main ek fashion designer banu.” Karishma revealed with a soft smile on her face. “Who sapna to kahin past mein Sweety ke saath hi kho gaya.”
“To ab Karishma ban kar dhoondho use aur fulfil karo. Main tumhare saath hoon. Aur I am sure Sai aur Virat bhi help karenge tumhari.” Paakhi told her. She smiled nervously.
“Dar lagta hai Bhabhi.”
“Dar ke aage jeet hai Karishma.” Paakhi told her humorously. Mohit and Karishma chuckled at her expressions and Paakhi laughed too. “Chalo ab mein chalti hoon. We will work out all the details of your dream and go through the best way. Kal hum Sai aur Virat se baat karenge along with Shivani bua. She might be able to help.” Paakhi said and stood up from her seat. She smiled at the young couple and began to walk towards the door when she heard Karishma.
“Bhabhi?”
“Hmm?” She asked turning back.
“Aaj aap alag lag rahi hai!”
“Maine apne saath saath apno ko lekar chalne ka faisla kar liya hai Karishma. Aur is faisle ne mujhe bahut sukoon diya hai.” Paakhi told her gently as she walked away, leaving Karishma to ponder upon her own behaviour.
Paakhi returned to her room and closed the door before she went towards Samrat’s closet and took another of his tees out along with her own pyjama pants to wear for the night. She went to the bathroom to change her clothes and finished her nightly routines before she settled on the study table and took her diary out. She had taken to writing letters to Samrat since the past couple of days. Even though she was never going to show them to him, but talking with him gave her a sense of companionship.
Dear Samrat,
You know na since I decided to move on from my futile expectations from a married man, I have felt oddly lighter and happy. It’s not like my feelings are a switch that I could turn on and off with a flick, but I have observed that not stewing in his thoughts and not keeping expectations from him and his promises have helped me a lot to see the clear picture. I have taken the reins of my life in my hands and have decided to do things that will help me and others.
Mansi Aai is looking better day by day. She comes with me for a morning walk every day now. She talks about you a lot. Perhaps only one to do so in front of me. She looks healthier and a little more happier. She smiles a lot more too. But she misses you. She have told me so many things about you. And I have realised that I didn’t know you at all. I wish I could have after witnessing you through your mother’s eyes.
Today I didn’t participate in another of the living room fights. They saw me and waited for my comments but I looked away and continued with my work. All of them including Sai and Virat were expecting me to say a word or two but the shock they had on their faces when I walked away silently to do my work was amusing. I am hoping that if one by one people stop participating in these fights then there won’t be any fights anymore.
Samrat… I am trying to be a better person. Will that be enough to wash away my mistakes? My wrongdoings? I hope so.
I talked with Karishma about her dreams. I am hoping that she can fulfill them along with me as I fulfill my new and yet unfounded passion. Tomorrow or maybe in some days we will talk with Sai and Virat and also other members of the family so they could help Karishma.
I am still sleeping in your tees and do you know they are very comfy. Your scent is very comfy. And when I go about my business in the day I can still smell it on me sometimes or maybe it’s just me imagining things?
When I hear the fights in this house, I have stopped reacting and instead think about how you would have reacted to them. And Samrat I don’t know how you would have reacted. But then I think the best of you so I think you would have diffused the situation lightly always. But I stay silent having conversations with an imaginary you in my head. And you know what? Even in your absence I find strength in you. Samrat… little by little, slowly by every second, I am beginning to miss you…
Wherever you are, do stay safe…
Your wanna be friend,
Paakhi.
She finished writing and placed the pen back in the stand. Closing the diary she kept it away and then switched off the lights. Lying on her bed, just like the past some nights, it wasn’t Virat in her head, it was Samrat. A smile caressed her tired face as she drifted off to sleep.
_______________
Hey y’all. Thank you for the support dear readers. They are very encouraging. Keep the reviews coming.
See you soon, ‘ila liqaa’.
This one is a literal masterpiece❤️ I like how your story always revolves around the show's plot... fortunately we are able to see what we are deprived of from the makers through your story....From Sai's ignored emotional pain and the way her Aaba's sacrifice have been brushed brutally under the carpet by the so called elite Chavans to Pakhi's newfound strength in Samrat and her new hope of her new beginnings, also her selflessness towards the fam members including Karishma, you have covered everything the makers have royally forgotten/ignored... very eagerly waiting for the next update...you are going great👍🏼
Hi this is very nice, to be frank in first chapter I am not so interested in reading about pakhi didi... But you pulled her character so well. Whenever ninad and Omi praised Kaku, I was little confused whether to appreciate her or not because one side as ninad mentioned she might have done lot of sacrifices but on other hand she is horribly control freak and I can see pakhi also going in same way in serial but you developed pakhi character to different level where she will get respect as Kaku and love as Ashwini.... That's awesome.... Plz continue
Really very beautiful 😍 ❤ sai ke zazbat bilkul sahi h , itna to expect kr hi skti thi wo chavans se . Aur virat se ki wo uske dil ke zakhmo ko samjhe , par ho skta h sai bhi virat ko samajh nhi pa rhi ho . Virat bhi jis trh se cheezo ko badal rha hai , that's good 👍, new beginnings ✨ 💖 , pakhi ki karishma ke sath baatein aur samrat ke liye letter was incredible 💖 . Awsome work . Cont soon
Sai's pov was so to the point
Hope she finds peace inCN one day
Loved pakhi taking an initiative towards doing something more utilizing than making tea for elders in the house
Loved how she encouraged karishma to pursue her dream too
Do update soon
I read all the parts together. Amazing brilliant... I wish the show was like that I would love to see this friendly equation between the youngsters...
I'm so in love with this version of Pakhi. The good natured girl from the initial episodes...
Keep writing! I am having a great time with this read! ❤️
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