Here you go guys, the much awaited divorce OS. Enjoy!
Chance
“Tejo I’m… pregnant”
“Please try to understand Tejo, they didn’t intend for this to happen”
“I’m sorry Tejo”
Taking a deep breath, Tejo tried to suppress the surge of memories that the man sitting in front of her brought forth, “What are you here for?”, she didn’t intend to display the slightest bit of niceties towards this person.
“Can we… can we talk for a bit?”
“No” Tejo bluntly replied before grabbing her handbag and proceeding to walk away from the table.
“Please wait, it won’t take long I swear! Just give me 20… no just 15 minutes!”
“My time is very precious Mr. Fateh and it’s definitely not worth spending it on an ex “
“Tejo please… I promise this will be the last time”
“…”
Tejo hesitated for a while, but if 15 minutes is all it takes to close a chapter in the past forever… then be it.
Settling down on the chair again she inquired, “What happened to Abhiraj? He was supposed to meet me here”
Fateh looked away in embarrassment, “He… he’s being held up by Mahi…”
Mahi was against this meeting, she fiercely demanded that he stay away from Tejo. But Fateh was adamant and Mahi chose to cooperate this one last time for her ‘Veer ji’, making it clear not to expect anything like this from her in the near future.
Tejo was not surprised, she observed the man before her. Time had left its mark on Fateh as he seemed to have aged quite considerably, he had a calm air about him that was never there before, not to mention he had lost some weight. It's been seven years after all.
Tejo set a timer on her phone and in a stoic voice, commanded "Speak"
Fateh's gaze was riddled with longing, "How've you been, all these years"
"Great, better than before"
"I see. Do you not contact your family often? They miss you a lot. Even I-"
"Is that all you're going to talk about? Because I for one know exactly how much you hate Canada, that must not be the only reason you came here to meet me. Unless of course that woman changed your mind."
Fateh paled hearing her words "No it's not because of her, I..." Taking a deep breath, Fateh continued with firm determination in his voice, "You're right I didn't come here just to reminisce about the past, I came... to request for another chance, I want to right my wrongs. I know what I did to you was very unfair, loathsome even. That mistake-"
"Mistake?" Tejo coldly interjected, "It was not a mistake Fateh, It was all a calculated move on your part. You knew exactly how much it'd hurt me and yet you kept doing it. How am I to trust such a person?"
If it were in the past, she might've softened hearing his words. But that Tejo no longer existed, her present self didn't hold an ounce of blind faith towards people.
"I know you can't bring yourself to trust me right now but I'll prove it to you Tejo. I wish to give our marriage another try, rather than just words I want to express my love through actions. Won't you hold my hand again? Won't you give me- no us, another shot?"
Tejo quietly gazed at Fateh. It was exactly this overflowing passion, this glib tongue that she had fallen for years ago.
She had known she was feeling something much more for her best friend, she knew it the moment she thought he had truly moved on. And when he had hugged her and voiced just how important she was to him, Tejo knew she was a goner. She began weaving dreams of a happy future, a world where they loved each other.
He began getting more intimate with her as time went by, casual hand holding, frequent hugs and occasional compliments became the norm. Why wouldn't you like the touch and attention of someone you loved? Every moment, she thanked god for letting her first love be her husband.
Until that one fateful day when she realized just how foolish her delusions were.
******
Seven years ago, Virk mansion
Tejo was in a good mood, she and Fateh just celebrated their six month anniversary a few days back. Things were going well between them and the academy was booming. Even Jasmine was about to get married in a week, despite her wedding being delayed a few times she was finally set to tie the knot with Gippy.
Jasmine came over to spend time Tejo since none of the Virk family members were around. But much to Tejo's puzzlement, she was being very fidgety around her.
“Tejo I… I have something to tell you” Seeming to have finally made up her mind, Jasmine stood in front of Tejo.
“Mhm, what are you hesitating for Jasmine. Come in quickly before the food gets cold” Tejo led her to the dining table and began setting the plates.
“Tejo I… I’m pregnant”
Crash. The plate slipped out of Tejo’s hand and landed onto the floor, breaking into a million pieces “What?!” Tejo asked, disbelief coloring her voice, “What did you just say?!”
“It's true Tejo, I just got the test done and it was positive so…”
“Are you… are you insane?! How could Gippy?! No, no wait… were you forced Jasmine? Was it against your will? If that’s the case I-"
“No Tejo, it was completely consensual” Jasmine interrupted “We both love each other so it was only a matter of time”
Tejo stared at the blush spreading across Jasmine’s face only to feel chills run down her spine. Did she not understand the implications of being pregnant before wedlock in a village like Moga? What if Gippy refuses to take responsibility?
Tejo tried her best to remain calm “Did you inform Gippy? Is he ready to have a child with you this early?”
Jasmine’s smile faded for a second before being replaced by an even wider grin. She looked Tejo in the eye and answered “Why should I tell Gippy? It's not his baby, It’s Fateh’s”
“…”
Tejo gazed at Jasmine as if she were a clown, why else would she be making such a sick joke? “Have you lost your marbles Jasmine? Do you even know what you’re saying?!”
“What are you yelling for? I’m only speaking the truth. Fateh and I love each other, it’s you who came in between us. But don’t worry Tejo, now that I’m pregnant with his child everything will go back to normal. You’ll be freed of this loveless marriage and I’ll be together with the one who loves me, isn’t that great?” Jasmine beamed at her sister as if expecting Tejo to thank her for everything.
Tejo, for the first time felt that Jasmine was terrifying. Her smile that she loved so dearly felt utterly revolting in that instance. Lies, she must be lying!
She doesn’t remember how she ran away from her house and in what state did she reach the Sandhu’s. She only recalls crying miserably in the arms of her father while the rest of her family scurried about in panicked concern.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Fateh, it was because Tejo realized that there was a slight possibility of it all being true. She feared the idea of Fateh being unable to move on and the child in Jasmine’s womb really belonging to Fateh. After all, how could Jasmine lie about something like that?
She locked herself in her room that day. She doesn’t know if her family informed the Virk’s of her whereabouts or if Jasmine said something herself, because Fateh arrived at her doorstep in that evening itself. He banged on her door in a flurried fashion and begged her to open it.
At first, she didn’t want to, but then she thought about how she never heard Fateh’s side of the story and decided to give him a chance. She will never admit, how in that fleeting moment she held onto the waning belief that maybe just like her, Fateh had also begun loving her and would never cheat on her.
Resolving to face her fears, Tejo stood up and opened the door.
"Tejo! Tejo listen to me I can explain" Fateh grabbed her shoulder's the moment he entered, as if worried she'd escape, "Tejo I never meant to let it happen I swear, I was going to leave her after a while. You're the only one I'd want for a wife I just wanted to test her, I don't know how she got pregnant but... please please don't leave me Tejo, I'm sorry" Fateh was so desperate to keep Tejo that he ended up blurting out the truth himself, not that he'd be able to hide it for long.
Tejo had long stopped registering his words. His explanation, clear as day, constantly rang in her ears. He did it, he really did it. He... betrayed her.
Something broke in her, she realized that the place she considered her safe haven was actually a well disguised trap. Now that she knew the truth, she felt unbearably vulnerable.
Fateh peered into Tejo's vacant eyes, fear engulfed his whole being. Never before had he felt so close to losing her as he did right now "Tejo please don't leave-"
"Did you..."
"What?"
"Did you ever really move on?"
Fateh immediately wanted to utter a 'yes' but seeing her frosty look, he could only say "I don't know... "
Tejo's expression didn't change, she asked the final most important question "Did you sleep with her?"
"..."
"Answer me Fateh!"
"Yes... "
Tejo didn't say anything for a long time. After a good ten minutes, she finally managed to voice "I want a divorce"
When her family found out about everything, there were outcries of horror and despair. Her father was ready to kill Jasmine, bebe suffered from a heart attack, her mother fainted on the spot and maami slapped Jasmine. Fateh wasn't spared either, Abhiraj beat him to a pulp and Fateh never fought back.
More secrets came to light, Jasmine and Fateh had actually been seeing each other for more than five months, right under her nose. A self-deprecating laugh escaped Tejo's lips. When she was happily planning their future together, Fateh was resting in his beloved Jassu's arms.
Selfish, they were so selfish!
Maami berated Jasmine for conspiring against her own sister, to which she simply replied, "What did I do wrong? It's not like she loves him anyway"
When things clamed down a bit, the adults of Virk and Sandhu reached a conclusion- Tejo needs to compromise.
“Please try to understand Tejo, they didn’t intend for this to happen”
"Hume maaf karde beta, tujhe baar baar apni behen ki galtiyon ka khamiyaza bhugatna padta hai"
Tejo gazed at her mother and bebe pleading on Jasmine's behalf like always. But unlike before, she didn't feel that they were in the right this time 'round. Their seemingly sympathetic words felt more like a cruel affirmation of how unimportant she was to them. Turns out she was wrong in blaming Jasmine, her selfishness wasn't innate, but inherent.
Her father remained silent, while Abhiraj kept arguing at how ridiculous this decision was. Mahi and Khusbeer strongly opposed, but still had to bow before their elders.
Her mother-in-law and Amrik in comparison were harsher.
"We should get them wed as soon as possible. Besides, it's not Tejo's first time with a broken marriage"
"I told you Tejo ji, you don't belong here. You shouldn't have come between them"
Tejo never issued a single word throughout the whole ordeal. But right before signing the divorce papers she declared to her family that from this day on, she'll be known as Tejo alone. Not Tejo Virk, not Tejo Sandhu but just 'Tejo'.
This was also the only moment Rupi opened his mouth and chose to support her choice, because somewhere in his heart, he acknowledged that they all let her down.
******
After the divorce she chose the most densely populated city in Punjab, Jalandhar and settled there. It was also because she didn't want anyone to find her. Tejo lived her life the way she wanted to, she had saved up enough from her job to afford a PhD and her impressive qualifications got her another job in no time.
But Tejo didn't just stop there, all this time she had lost sight of her dreams but not anymore. She established a start-up that encouraged products made-in-Punjab, an initiative that was lauded by the Prime Minister himself. She stopped being low-key and shot up the corporate ladder, now a CEO of a successful company, Tejo wasn't lying when she said her time was precious.
She glanced at her phone, there were still eight minutes remaining.
Fateh saw her looking disinterested and tried to salvage the situation, "Would you like some tea? I can get some for-"
"Don't bother, I can do it myself" Tejo called out to the waiter and ordered a coffee for herself.
Fateh became puzzled "Coffee? I thought you liked tea"
"People change Fateh, I did too."
Tejo requested the waiter to bring her bill along as well, Fateh offered to pay but Tejo turned him down again.
The waiter asked for her name to which Tejo replied, "Tejo, Mrs. Tejo Singhania"
Fateh froze over in shock, he couldn't believe his ears. Mrs.Tejo Singhania?
"Tejo y-you are..."
"Married? Yes, yes I am"
"Why didn't you tell me- us?! Does your family know-"
"I don't consider them close enough to share my happiness with"
Fateh still couldn't digest the news, "W-when?"
Tejo nonchalantly replied, "A few months back"
A beautiful smile bloomed on Tejo's face when she thought back to how she met her husband.
******
Six years ago, Jalandhar
It had been an year since her divorce, Tejo was living her dreams to the fullest in Jalandhar. She was pursuing her PhD while also working as a Professor in an esteemed institute. But the events of last year didn't leave her completely unscathed. Her wounds may have healed, but the scars remained.
She soon discovered that she no longer held faith in people. She always looked past their fake masks and tried to scrutinize their sinister intentions. Sometimes It was like a curse, even when some of them held her best interests in mind Tejo couldn't help but think they were lying or using her. To top it off, she also began abhorring a man's touch, even handshakes felt disgusting and she'd feel nauseous for hours.
She knew her problems were psychological and decided to seek help from a psychiatrist. That's where she met him, Shikhar Singhania. He was a man in his late twenties, with curly black hair and deep hazel eyes. His cheerful disposition made Tejo wary of him instead, it reminded her of someone.
Tejo wasn't one to trust a stranger with her problems but Shikhar was patient. And little by little, he uncovered what was going on with her. She began feeling comfortable around him, and the biggest factor that got Tejo to trust him were his honest eyes. He was the most sincere person she'd ever met, and Tejo knew because after all she went through, she became very proficient in reading people accurately.
They began spending more time together, she found that Shikhar wasn't exactly the rigid man he appeared to be, he was very different around people he was close to. He finally asked her out after a year, "A psychology professor and a psychiatrist, aren't we a match made in heaven? What say, would you give us a go?"
Tejo straightforwardly rejected him. She told him she doesn't believe in marriage or love, she had already revealed her marital history and aversion to getting physical with a male, but Shikhar didn't back down. He kept claiming he understands and will wait, that even if she doesn't come to love him she can still count on him.
Tejo grew up being relied on. Her younger sister relied on her, her brothers relied on her and it wouldn’t be far-fetched to claim that her whole family relied on her. She in turn grew up always depending on herself alone.
She believed that loving someone meant getting them to rely on you. That’s exactly what she did with Fateh, she got him to rely on her, to get used to her cleaning up after him, and getting used to her always being the responsible one between the two.
But in the process, she forgot the most important thing. Fateh wasn’t her sibling nor was he just a family member, he was her life partner and partners are meant to share everything together. Their relationship ended and Tejo lost her everything in one go. Again, she had only herself to depend on.
But when she was with Shikhar, she always let her guard down. He saw her ugliest sides, he saw her breakdown in front of him, saw her puke whenever he tried to hold her hand during the treatment and knew how she loathed the idea of marriage… yet he chose to stay. And not for one but five years. He was always supporting her from the sidelines whether it was when her company was in the initial stages or when she was going through her treatment.
She broke down into tears when she thought about . Why was she putting this man through the same unrequited feelings she went through? Why was she pushing away the very person she always wished for in a husband?
In that instance, Tejo swore that this will be the last time she’ll ever cry over her fate and from this day on, will devote her entire time giving Shikhar a try.
Shikhar was ecstatic when she told him. They dated for a year, Shikhar slowly got her used to his touch and whenever she felt uncomfortable, he immediately let go. It gave Tejo enough space to gauge her feelings. She knew she was willing to give love another chance, that she pined for the warmth only Shikhar possessed and his sincere gaze was all she wished for.
Once she made up her mind, there was no stopping her. On another one of their date nights at a quaint restaurant, Tejo, much to Shikhar’s surprise, got down on her knee and popped the question.
Shikhar remained frozen in shock for a good ten minutes which puzzled Tejo who had expected him to jump in joy or proudly yell ‘I knew you’d fall for me’. Only after her knee began hurting and she winced in pain did Shikhar hurriedly get up to pull Tejo into his arms.
“Are you sure you want to be with me Tejo? I swear that I’ll never hurt you and you possess full authority to castrate me if I ever do so, but are you alright with being Tejo Singhania? I mean you can choose not to take my surname if you wish to- “
“Shikhar-”
“I don’t mind our kids not having surnames either, they can still take your first name as their last name and it’ll be fine. I’m planning too far ahead aren’t I? This must be a dream- “
“Shikhar-”
“Do you even want to get married? I mean if you don’t then I’m fine with just the engagement too- “
“Shikhar! At least let me talk will you? First of all, I ‘want’ to be Tejo Singhania. Second, this is not a dream and third, I’d like it very much if you answer my proposal before we start planning ahead”
Looking at the beaming Tejo, Shikhar proclaimed, “Are you kidding me? I do! I mean, yes! Yes, I’d love to marry you”
Shikhar lifted Tejo and spun her around in circles. Remembering something, he stopped midway and took something out of his pocket, revealing a tiny box he spoke “Actually, I got this a long time ago but I never thought they’d get to see the light of the day”
Tejo gasped in surprise when she saw what was inside the box.
Now whenever someone asked Tejo why she wore two rings on her ring finger, she just smiled in return...
******
Fateh saw Tejo gazing fondly at her ring finger and his heart clenched in pain. He was so focused on Tejo that he never noticed her rings. But Fateh still didn't want to give up.
"Tejo I know that you're angry at what I did, but I promise that I never wanted to hurt you. That day back then, Jasmine had li-"
"I don't care Fateh. It's all in the past. No matter how much you try to justify, things won't go back to the way they were before, it's all meaningless. This whole meet-up is nothing but a waste of time"
Fateh clenched his fists, "But I love you Tejo... I don't want to lose you"
Tejo's gaze was tranquil, "You're still married to her aren't you?"
"..."
"Your silence is proof enough. You haven't changed one bit Fateh, both now and back then you were too scared to lose everything, where has that brought you now?"
She understood it a while back, his indecisiveness prevented him from taking risks, he always wanted to have a backup in case things didn't work out.
As if on cue, the timer went off indicating the end of their time together.
"Goodbye Fateh, I hope we never meet again" with those parting words, Tejo walked away without looking back even once. On the way, she texted Abhiraj to reschedule their meeting for some other day.
Once outside the café, Tejo began looking for her husband's car and spotted the flashy four-wheeler almost immediately. Oh how he loves attention.
Getting inside, she was handed a steaming container of noodles by Shikhar who remarked, “Hey there pretty lady, aren’t you meeting quite the interesting people behind my back?”
Tejo raised an eyebrow, “Why, are you jealous?”
“Not at all. I’m very confident that my wife finds me to be the most attractive man out there, and it’s mutual of course”
Her mouth filled with noodles, Tejo's eyes raked over Shikhar's body and she had to admit, he was akin to a Greek god. Tejo suddenly asked the question that she'd been pondering upon for a while "Shikhar, why did you fall for me?"
She was at her worst when they met each other, not to mention she was anything but amiable during their encounter six years ago. What got him interested in her?
Shikhar paused his action of playing with Tejo's hand. He thought back to how lifeless she looked when they first met each other, at that time he was just interested in her as a doctor.
When she vented out her emotions in front of him, he felt sympathy along with interest.
But it was when she began reverting back to her former self that he realized her brilliance. She was the perfect balance between feisty and smart, kind and funny. He felt himself getting drawn to her eventually, even when she often rebuked him, Shikhar found himself enjoying Tejo's company.
He was very clear about his heart, once he knew he liked Tejo, there was no going back. Shikhar began pursuing her despite there being no hope for him, and boy was he glad.
He bore witness to multiple facets of this gem called Tejo, beheld the sight of this strong woman single-handedly expanding her company abroad whilst bettering herself as a person. And at long last, he saw this enchanting woman become his wife and thanked his lucky stars.
Now looking at Tejo's expectant gaze awaiting his answer, Shikhar smiled contently "It just happened, there's no way people won't fall for you. But aren't you just as happy that you snagged me for yourself? Hm?"
Tejo glanced at Shikhar's cheeky grin and pinched his arm that was snaking further down her waist.
“Ouch! I swear you violent woman just wait till we get back home…”
Smiling, Tejo looked forward to walking the new path life chose for her.
**************************
Did you think it was the end? Not at all!
Here’s a small glimpse of Fateh's perspective.
**************************
Fateh
The minute he had unblocked Jasmine’s number, Fateh knew she wanted him back. What he felt at that moment wasn’t just pain, but also genuine jubilance. Pride at the knowledge that just like him, Jasmine was unable to completely forget their love. But after pride came anger, fury at how he was thrown away like a worthless toy by her on the day of their marriage.
He decided not to trust her just yet, that he'll sound her out first. In this way, he'll be able to figure out his feelings while also having Tejo in case things didn't work out. He began spending time with Jasmine, letting her believe that he really did love her, all while knowing how lucky he was to have Tejo as his wife instead of Jasmine. But the more time he spent with Jasmine, the more his old feelings began returning. He became confused, unsure of who between the two did he actually want.
Perturbed by his turmoil Fateh took solace in Tejo's presence. Her warmth, her steadiness, her maturity all managed to calm him every time, and he became greedier as time went by. Wasn't he allowed to seek her whenever he needed help? She was his best friend wasn't she. The hugs became frequent, casual touches soothed him to no end. Fateh never quite managed to realize that his feelings for Tejo had already transcended beyond friendship and that what he felt towards Jasmine was just a residue of the past, he rather hated her now. But even then he didn't end things with Jasmine.
Five months passed just like that, Jasmine began nagging him to leave her sister and marry her instead, while his complicated feelings for Tejo made him reluctant to spend time with Jasmine. He chose to end it one day, that him and Jasmine were an ill-fated pair and he should focus on Tejo. But Jasmine wouldn't let him go, she begged him to stay with her one last time and he hesitantly gave in to spend the night together. A small part of him had wanted, since long to become one with Jasmine and he decided to satisfy it for the last time. Promising himself to be a worthy husband for Tejo from here on.
But he had miscalculated, he thought something this scandalous, Jasmine would never dare reveal it to anyone. Yet she did and she did so with pregnancy. He completely lost Tejo that day, his siblings lost respect for him, his family refrained from associating with him and so did his friends.
Turns out Jasmine was never really pregnant in the first place, it was all a ploy to bring their relationship to light and everyone believed it because he himself felt guilty for it. He never bothered for a test because with what happened that night, there was still a possibility. Not to mention, the moment he lost Tejo, he stopped being in his right mind. The truth came to light when Jasmine tried to stage a miscarriage and Mahi caught her in the act. Was Fateh surprised? Not at all, he had long stopped caring for this woman. All he cared for was his Tejo. Yes, Fateh realized that he loved her, but wasn't it too late?
Everyday his house was deluged with disharmony caused by the entitled princess Jasmine, and everyday he felt his family miss more of Tejo's presence. He could never bring himself to touch Jasmine again, the whole house lost hope in ever seeing his children.
When he finally discovered Tejo's whereabouts, he felt himself come back to life. He fought his way to her and desperately hoped to succeed in getting her back. He told her this will be the last time, because he wanted to win her back in that instance.
But he had long lost her, his Tejo had already moved forward in life, happily married to another man that was not him while he remained stuck at the same place where she left him years ago. What was he expecting when he saw her? That she'd be just as happy to see him? A broken hearted smile crept up on his face, she's never coming back Fateh, you won't get another chance.
Fateh made his way back home to Punjab from Canada, to the Virk mansion where he could hear his mother and Jasmine quarrelling from the doorstep itself.
**************************
Did the angst make you sad? No worries! Here are some TejShi shorts to liven up your mood 😉
1.When choosing their wedding dress~~
Tejo (annoyed): Ugh what to do, I don't like any of these lehengas.
Shikhar: I think all of them look great.
Tejo (even more annoyed): Oh yeah? Then why don't you put them on?
Shikhar: …
5 minutes later
Shikhar: *walks in wearing a lehenga*
Tejo: *chokes on coffee*
2. When flirting~~
How other people flirt :
Roses, gifts, hugs and compliments.
How Shikhar flirts:
Tejo: *walks into the bathroom*
Shikhar: *lying in the bath tub wearing a towel* Yes, yes Tejo, I know exactly what you're thinking. How blessed I am to find such a dashing husband, I should totally take him out on dates more often.
Tejo (poker faced): How long have you been lying there?
Shikhar: …
Shikhar: 3 hours
3. When Tejo is cleaning~~
Shikhar: *tries to hug Tejo*
Tejo: Get out, I'm dusting the shelves.
Shikhar: *tries to hug Tejo again*
Tejo: Move, I'm vacuuming the carpet.
Shikhar: What's wrong with you woman?! Who do you like more? Me or your cleaning supplies?!
Tejo: … … You.
Shikhar: What's with that long pause?!
Tejo (averting her gaze): I still chose you in the end didn't I?
**************************
A/N: So there you go! This is the real end. I hope you guys enjoyed the OS and Shikhar's character, it took me four days to finish this since angst isn't exactly my forte (comedy is my strong suit).
Reasons why I chose the name 'Shikhar'- Because it literally meant 'peak' as in the highest point, I wanted to portray him as the winner in life since he got to have Tejo as his wife and cherished her. Meanwhile Fateh whose name means victory, ended up being the loser since despite being lucky enough to have Tejo he failed to treat her right.
Random fact: The opposite of Fateh is Shiqast (quite similar to Shikhar isn't it?😆)
Well, I tried my best. So do mention how you felt about the story. 😊😊😊
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