At around 9 pm in the night, Raghav returned to his mansion. Farhad was with him in the car. The car stopped, Farhad turned to look at his Anna in the backseat. He saw a man deeply lost in thoughts, a slight frown on his forehead. Farhad immediately gauged Raghav’s mood, he knew the reason behind the dejection.
He called, ‘Anna, we have reached home, don’t you wanna get out of the car? Pallavi must be waiting for you at dinner!’
Pallavi’s name reached Raghav’s ears and he immediately thought of what transpired during the day at the police station.
It was 11 am in the morning, Raghav and Farhad were at the police station to get some legal work done. As Raghav walked in, he saw a familiar face, rather a familiar pink saree, his eyes ran behind it, to only see his one and only wife seated on the table opposite Inspector Swami. He was taken aback, he never wished to see his wife in such a place, sitting oh-so comfortably opposite a corrupt officer, exchanging some serious talks.
As he went closer, he heard Swami saying, ‘I know Pallavi, you have been coming here religiously to enquire about your husband’s death, but trust me, we have got no leads whatsoever!’
‘your husband?’, Raghav’s eyes widened, the classic frown crept his face and he couldn’t stop himself from interrupting, ‘Pallavi, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you went to meet your Aai so early in the morning! Why the hell are you here and that too without telling me? You shouldn’t have come here alone!’
He went on and on until Pallavi snapped,
‘First of all, take a breath, second, why should I inform you about my whereabouts? I know you don’t care where in the world I am, so stop this pretense!”
Her words further drove a knife through his chest, him being unable to decipher the pang he was feeling.
He looked around, everyone was looking at them, he took a deep sigh and said,
‘Yes, I don’t care where in the world you are(his voice shaking as he said this), but right now, you are in a freaking police station and the whole of Hyderabad knows you are Mrs. Raghav Rao! And women from my house don’t look good in a police station, so leave!’ he grabbed her arms and tried to pull her out of there.
Pallavi snapped at his arms and groveled, ‘leave me, I can go on my own! Mujhe shauk nahi hai police station aane ka! I came to enquire about Mandaar’s case! It has nothing to do with you!’
It was the second time, she mentioned Mandaar in front of him. The first time he heard about Mandaar was on their wedding day. She broke her reality in front of him. That he’s marrying a widow. It took him aback, he was shocked but it didn’t matter to him that day, because he never hated her more than he did on the day of their wedding. She made him fall in the eyes of his Amma and sister, so her past bothered him least.
But now, it was days after their wedding, things were turning platonic from the extreme hatred they had for each other on their wedding. Without realizing, he had developed a sense of belonging for Pallavi, his wife. Little did he knew, it was about to turn into a sense of possession!
‘Mandaar, huh? You really think you will get something after all these years?’, smirked Raghav.
‘That’s none of your concern, my work is done, I’m leaving. You carry on!’, said a nonchalant Pallavi as she left.
Raghav asked Farhad to go, and make sure she reaches home safely.
Meanwhile, he gave a death glare to Swami, who was already scared of Mr. Don, ‘You are handling his case, huh?’
‘Yes, sir. But don’t worry we don’t have any leads on her husband.’
‘Her husband is me, Raghav Rao, ARDHAMAYINDA!’, Raghav bawled.
He left stomping his feet, making Swami fear for his life.
Back to the present, Raghav was still sitting in the car, he looked at the door, finally got off the car, all ready to confront his wife over today’s fiasco or maybe he wasn’t. Even he didn’t knew what he wanted.
Reddy was waiting for his sir to arrive, ‘Sir, you freshen up, dinner’s all ready to be served.’
‘Where’s Pallavi? Isn’t she home?’, he said with a concern in his voice.
‘She’s at home, in her room, made dinner early and went away telling me to serve you!’
‘I’m not hungry right now!’, saying this Raghav went towards his room, their room.
He peeked from the door, Pallavi was sitting down on the rug besides the bed, she was in deep thoughts with a photo in her hand and it was already bothering him, what if she’s thinking about that man?
He went inside, Pallavi got out of her trance, seeing the tall figure walk in. She gathered herself, trying to get up but instead he sat down beside her. She was shocked at his gesture.
‘What’s that photo in you hand?’, he asked with a a slight angry tone, so typical of him.
‘Its nothing, just some beautiful past memories, you definitely don’t want to see it!, she said fiercely.
‘On the contrary, I want to!’, he said authoritatively.
‘I don’t want you to see but, Ghamandi Rao!’, she was trying to get up.
He pulled her down again, she wasn’t shocked at his audacity though.
‘Show me, I said. Is it your beloved husband’s photo?’
‘You really didn’t say this!’, she was scared now of this man’s dare.
She handed over the photo, not wanting to make the beast in him to rise from sleep.
He took it and whom he saw in the photo was the most beautiful bride he has ever seen, it was his Pallavi dressed as a beautiful Maharashtrian bride. He lost himself for a moment, gulped and said, ‘is this a picture from that day?’
‘Yes, the day of my marriage to Mandaar, when I felt the happiest I have ever been, it was today, we got married!’
Raghav felt a pang in his heart, jealousy rising up in his veins, but he maintained his i-don’t-give-a-damn attitude.
‘Tum usse sach mein pya…pasand karti thi?’,he was glad he didn’t blurt out pyaar, he knew he couldn’t take her answer.
‘Vo mujhe bohot pasand karte the! He gave me everything I ever wanted, a family, the love of parents, a house to call my own!’, she was shocked at his question, could only gather this much at the time.
Her eyes moistened as she remembered him and his eyes became red with envy. He could see the admiration for that guy in her eyes and his blood was already boiling. He immediately got up and left the room, leaving Pallavi in thoughts.
Farhad saw his Anna rushing to the bar, his venting place.
Raghav sat at the bar, pouring himself his favorite escape, his mind still fixated on the admiration he saw for Mandaar in Pallavi’s eyes.
‘Why is it hurting so much? I hate her, don’t I? Why can’t I see her even thinking about that guy? They were married, its obvious she will remember him fondly. But why the hell is it bothering me so much? That man, that man didn’t have to come in her life first, it was my right. How could she be his, before she became mine? Ughh, that man. Good he isn’t alive, I would have ripped him apart. Pallavi is my wife! He WAS her husband, not now!’, he kicked one of the bar stools.
His words were a sea of paradox and logic had long lost him, esp. when it came to Pallavi.
‘It shouldn’t bother me, but it is. Why do I quiver at the mere mention of that man by her?’, he questioned himself.
Rage storming in his eyes, jealousy rummaging his veins, his heart aching, his mind struggling and face visibly distraught, his mouth reasoned,
‘Because, I wanted to be her first and last!!!’
As he said this, a lone tear escaped his eyes!💔
Note: wrote an OS for the first time! Please excuse any typos and criticism is welcome.😊
Cricket
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
