~Maddy's Bookstore~ UPDATED Aug 17 (Pg 14)

One week ago when she refused to leave the house and adamantly told Shaantanu that she wouldn't leave as she was his wife, she knew that living with people who were now family would be no easy task.

Yet she had hoped for at least a little hospitality from her family members. She could understand Shantanu's pain, had she not lost her first love as well? Every time she thought of Suraj, she felt her heart clench and found herself rapidly blinking to prevent the onslaught of tears. But she was now married to a man she barely knew.

No matter what the circumstances, Shantanu was now her husband. Had she not been told since she was a small girl, that a woman's husband is the most important person in her life. She was brought up to believe, rely, respect and help her husband in any situation, no matter what the problem was.

But every time she looked at her husband, she was reminded of the blood that stained his irresponsible actions. She was reminded of the family she left behind that now had to fend for themselves. She was reminded of the sorrow and absolute devastation that the family she considered her own was facing. Yet she tried to put that behind her and do something to ensure they would face minimum difficulties.

Talking to Natasha had been unsuccessful as she never got a chance to speak to her. She could understand Natasha's anger and pain but wished she could tell her what was on her mind. Though Khanak would never admit to Shaantanu, one of her reasons for not leaving was because she was sacred. In an unknown city, where she knew no one but him, what was she supposed to do?

Where did his family expect her to go? How did they expect her to live alone in a world that she knew almost nothing about? She could not go back to her village because that would raise questions and put her family in the limelight. But how could she simply accept his families money and leave? She had more pride than that. She felt it was necessary to teach them the meaning of family and helping each other out in times of crisis. They needed to learn that money could not buy everything or solve any problem.

But this battle was long and hard. Dadiji could only do so much for her in the house. Everyone mostly ignored her or was found plotting with their heads together and trying to find ways to make her leave the house. She rarely saw Shantanu who was never home. Last night he had come back home drunk late into the night. He had found his way into their room and accused her in slurred speech of ruining his life.

But after that, he had wondered out loud if there was any way to make things okay for both of them. Right before passing out, he had clutched her around the middle buryinh his face into her waist and apologized silently crying for being the reason for her pain and for putting her through this difficult time leaving Khanak confused and hurt. Seeing Shantanu's state, Kushboo bhabi had finally snapped and accused Khanak of running their lives. She had confronted Khanak in her room and shouted at her for being the sole reason for Shantanu's state and his misery.

No one came to help her. Everyone ignored the shouting they heard and minded their own business. Even Dadi was not home to help Khanak out. Khanak had tried to speak but Kushboo bhabi had given her know opportunity to do so. Storming out the room after she was done, she had left Khanak to mend the pieces of her heart. Now in the evening as Khanak thought about everything happening, she found that she couldn't control her tears.

She prayed to the gods to give her strength to survive this test that they were placing her through. Unknown to her, Shantanu watched from outside the door which she had left ajar. He found himself feeling so many emotions he didn't know what to identify with. He still found himself angry with life because of being separated from Natasha. He found himself frustrated with why this was happening to him, yet all he felt right now was guilt as he looked at the small frame of the woman who was now his wife... whether they liked it or not.

But he couldn't pluck the courage to go comfort her and try to pacify the situation. He finally admitted to himself that wallowing in self pity than facing the situation was much easier. He turned away from the room and found himself walking out the house to drown his miseries in alcohol... once again. Once again, he promised himself that the next night he would go talk to Khanak and try to find a way to make this better' wondering if he would break this promise the next night like he had all week.

Once again, two broken hearted souls found themselves alone and miserable as the night cloaked them and their pain.