Pallavi expected to fall on the ground hard and probably break her jaw as a result. It wasn't as if the reality slamming on her face hadn't broken her jaw seconds prior to this, but suddenly her brain had blanked. She couldn't think anything. She wanted to break her fall as an instinct which is the base of one's senses of survival but it seemed the shock of it all had numbed her motor receptors as well.
Vijay Deshmukh, the gentle fun loving and protective father she had taken care of and respected like a daughter suddenly had an 'in law' attached with his designation. She has lost her Baba. Her mother who did nothing to save her and stood mum felt like a happy illusion of her addled brain. The rest of her so called family joined her, some in sorrowful stares and others in barely restrained glee.
She couldn't believe that they all had accepted that she was the one who had done the abortion. Only because of a pregnancy and abortion report whose validation was shady at best. They all believed a stranger ..... a doctor but a stranger nevertheless and decided to declare her guilty. She could still feel the sting on her father.. in law's fingers on her cheek and around her forearm gripped so tightly that it left bruises as she was dragged like a sack of potatoes and flung out of the house.
She realized she was still falling. Maybe her internal musings happened in a span of a few milliseconds. But somehow those milliseconds made her see a bigger picture than her entire life had. And one person's words resounded in her brain. The same man whom she loves to hate and could fight with, for hours. The man who had become somewhat of a begrudging mentor to her in the business prospective. The man whom she thinks is the world's most complex onion. Whose various peels she is slowly unwrapping one by one hoping to find something brighter than he thinks he has in the centre.
The man whose words she had never thought she would even consider let alone think as true suddenly stood glaring in her brain.
"People are social animals Pallavi. They love to stay in groups. And that is probably the only reason families are formed. Actually at the base, each human being only serves their own self interest. You might move heaven and earth for the one you think you love but when time comes, you will hold as little importance to them as a used refill of a pen. Remember... this is a dog eat dog world and here, only one rule applies irrespective of caste, colour, class, gender or profession - Survival of the fittest. So if you wish to survive, think only and only about yourself and spare others thought only if you are able to spare it."
I am sorry Raghav. I am sorry I was sceptical about your words. I am sorry I never took them seriously and I am sorry you had to face such a weak and pathetic rival like me. But I promise you, I have understood what you mean now. I needed a tight slap on my face. I got it. And now I am grateful I have understood.
Her body prepared for the pain of the impact automatically as she expected to crumple but the impact never came. No to be honest it did, but the impact was softened. She did crash against something hard but not cemented. It felt like velvet covered and warm. She felt her air leave her lungs in a whoosh and her trembling frame was suddenly encased within strong arms. She identified his cologne immediately. The familiar whiff of old spice, aqua and nutmeg mixed with a mild hint of whiskey which always seemed to wrap around him like an annoying blanket.
Still she looked up from the dark maroon vest and saw his handsome face lined with something akin to concern face her down. She must be looking quite a sight she thought. Mascara blotted cheeks where the remains of dried tears still stuck like a painful reminder of the time prior. But his eyes didn't change their colour like she had feared. It remained soft.
She wanted to move away from him but her limbs protested. She had no strength left to hold herself upright. She thought about what a sight they might be making. It will just cement her fam.. no, the Deshmukh family's allegations against her. That she had aborted his child. Their illegitimate child.
But she couldn't find the strength or more than that the will.
She put her head back down on his suit clad chest, directly over the skin left exposed from his opened collar and closed her eyes. She heard his heart's steady thumping beating against her soft cheek and felt one of his arm tighten slightly around her waist and the other stroke through her hair.
She felt safe. She heard the usual protests hover in the air around them peppered with her aunt's infamous acidic taunts and her father in law's outrageous yell.
"How dare you show your face here again! Raghav Rao! What the hell do you think of yourself!!!? You might be a rich ass but I wont stand for you behaving yet again in such an atrocious manner."
Sulochana decided to add to the spark.
"See now dada! This was what was left. As if this girl and her lover couldn't embarrass us more than they already have. See how characterless your so called daughter has come out to be. I can't understand how ungrateful can a girl, that also a wid.."
"Shut up!"
Raghav's voice was just a whisper for a change. But the venom in those two words managed to chill the surrounding air low enough to feel frozen. He usually was a firebrand, never seeming to hold his infamous temper in check but this.. this was something else. Pallavi shivered against him. She had never heard him use that tone again.
"I will only tell this once. Shut up! If I hear another word from anyone of you then I'll bring a bulldozer from the adjoining construction site and raze this useless house to the ground with all of you in it."
"You can't.."
"Eh Sanki buddha! Quiet!"
If his eyes could have shot lasers and Vijay Deshmukh would have been six feet under the ground by now. He accommodated the limp weight of the woman nestled in his arms, one of her hands crumpled against him and the other lying listless on the other side, her thick black hair hiding her face completely as she breathed lowly into his chest and looked towards this disgusting family again.
"You people should be applauded and given a national award for stupidity and ungratefulness. This woman here works day and night all round the year like a machine, taking care of all of your littlest needs, bending herself backwards for your comfort, taking care of your responsibilities and you all didn't spare a single thought before maligning her character!!!? Like seriously? I do not have a sterling reputation in this sphere and I realise why my name must have been taken to do the same. Many women before have tried the same trick. But Pallavi...?
Even I know that she would die before letting any man touch her. And I have known her sparsely, only for these past five to six months and you all have been staying with her for years. This is the trust your.. what do you call her.. ahhh.. daughter.. deserves?
This woman who went toe to toe with Hyderabad's most dangerous man and challenged him and continues to do so for your pathetic little store and your reputations, not bothered about how badly I can hurt her and her interests within seconds. This bravado only comes from the love she has for you all.
Seriously seeing Pallavi and her devotion to you worthless fellows had me thinking whether I was wrong about love. But unfortunately I have to accept that I was right. I always am."
He finished breathing high and felt his worry for the woman in his arms increase when she doesn't respond or push him away like he had expected. She stands there motionless just like she had from the time she hit him.
She could see shame in some of the family member's eyes but he couldn't care less. The spineless were as much at fault like the others are. Vijay Deshmukh, never to back down from a row squared his shoulder's defiantly.
"Really Mr. Raghav Rao. You are preaching about virtues and vices, loyalty and respect? You? And the way you both are behaving and have been behaving since the past months are proof enough for all of us of what kind of a relationship you both share."
Raghav gave a cynical laugh yet had an undercurrent of hostility so chilling that it made Vijay take a tentative step back. Raghav Rao after all was quite an intimidating man. He could very well carry out with his former threats. But he didn't even come closer standing where he was holding Pallavi just a tad tighter as if to mock Vijay and continued.
"This.. this is the main problem with you people and this nauseating society. This is the very reason why women are not able to advance in any field. Your narrow minded gutter mentality teaches you that a man and a woman who have no filial relationship could have no innocent relation except this.
Pallavi is my business partner and I am mentoring her. Your daughter in law is very talented in her field but she lacks the business mentality. She is too naïve, too trusting, and too straight to adopt crooked ways to get her job done. Things which one needs for a flourishing business. So I was teaching her. And she is an excellent student. Your shop soon would have become a profit making concern and could have expanded in business but... tough luck! You kicked out the only woman who could have done that. Congratulations Mr. Deskhmukh!"
Raghav could see Vijay's resolve wavering at that and he gave a predatory smile. Just like a shark gives to his hunt. He could feel Pallavi stir slowly and he let her breathe by loosening his arms slightly. He could see everyone pondering his words. Obviously, no one thought about the money loss did they? What a disgusting family!
He wanted to do something drastic to them but he held himself back out of respect for Pallavi. But no one said he couldn't have a bit of fun. Give it back to them. Make them realise what a huge mistake they have done.
"But of course! I completely forgot why I had come here before. These are the real abortion papers the doctor gave us after the Police gave her a nice third degree. Do you all want to have a look at it?"
Pallavi looked up at him sharply and he took the papers out of his pocket and flung it at Vijay who glared at him but he was tensed that was clearly visible. Pallavi wondered whether she wanted to take the effort of looking back but decided against it and rested herself tiredly against Raghav again. She was drained. She could barely make out anything. She heard everyone gasp at the surrounding.
It was Amruta who had an abortion done. She heard shouting, a slap, chattering and suddenly Vijay Deshmukh calling out to her. Regret and apology colouring his voice deeply. Once she might have broken her heart over the defeat in her baba's voice but now... now she only felt sick.
"Pallavi! Pallavi beta... I am sorry. Please forgive me beta. I misunderstood you and I am ashamed."
"No need to apologize Baba. I forgive you."
Pallavi said softly and felt Raghav withdrawing away from her slowly and gently and suddenly panic spiked inside her strongly. She didn't want to leave him.
"Come back Pallu.."
Vijay Deshmukh beseeched her opening his arms for her to fall back in. Raghav felt a bitter after taste in his mouth but decided to leave knowing he had done his bit. Pallavi would be welcomed again though he couldn't help but feel like these hypocrites didn't deserve her.
"No!"
She said shocking everyone.
"but.." Vijay began but she cut him off.
"I am done baba. I am tired and I am done..."
Pallavi clutched his coat suddenly and tightly so that he couldn't leave. He looked at her confused and she let her tears fall slowly. He felt a pang in his heart. She was looking like a child.
"Raghav..."
Her voice was hoarse as if too choked to speak.
"Raghav please... please take me from here. I am feeling suffocated... here..."
"Pallavi! No.. don't fall into this man's trap. You will regret it. Please come back, we will talk it out.."
But she didn't even look back still looking up at him. Raghav felt his heart skip a beat as he wiped her tears with his thumb gently and planted a kiss on her forehead making her eyes close automatically. He ignored the others calling out. He picked her up bridal style and relished how she curled into him bringing her hands to close around his neck and placed her face tiredly against his shoulder again.
He turned around with her still ignoring the Deshmukh clan and started walking away but stopped once hearing Vijay's furious shout.
"You are doing a grave mistake Raghav Rao! This will have bigger consequences than you can imagine."
Raghav chuckled and decided to have the last word as usual. He has a reputation to maintain after all.
"Sanke buddha! Consequences are something both of us would face. Let us see how much it makes me and breaks you. But then... I think I should thank you actually. Listen carefully cause Raghav Rao doesn't thank people easily. Thank you Vijay Deshmukh for doing the biggest blunder of your life and giving me, a jeweller, the biggest and shiniest diamond in the world. I owe you one."
With this he walked off leaving behind a broken family getting enveloped by the darkness of their own making having thrown their light who was busy snoring softly like a kitten in his arms while Pallavi dreamt of clear skies and pink butterflies and a sweetly arrogant bearded man smelling of spice and whiskey.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
