Always,Only You--(fiction) THREAD 1 - Page 67

Chapter 17

"Where are you going Pari? What's with the suitcase?" Aarti asked concerned when she saw Pari marching towards the main door.

When she got no answer from Pari she questioned further:

"Is everything alright Pari?"

Pari stopped just on her way out of the door. And gave Aarti a tearful half smile that said she had just lost what she held most precious in her life and then she spoke with a heavy heart.

"I think our relationship was only till this point Aarti bhabhi. I bid you a final good bye. It was indeed my good fortune to have met you, even if our association was only temporary"

""Final Good Bye !! What are you talking about Pari? All this is very confusing. Where is Pratik bhaiya? Where are you going? Why are you going all alone?" Aarti went closer to stop Pari.

"Leave her bhabhi, no need to stop her" Pratik spat out loudly from behind both of them and Aarti turned to look at Pratik and then questioningly back at Pari trying to make sense of what was happening before her but unable to draw conclusions.

"What? What's happening here Pratik bhaiya? Please explain" said Aarti getting all the more upset.

"I said let her go. Our relationship has ended as of today. She has lost the right to stay with me in my house" Pratik said angrily but not liking having to take that tone with Aarti bhabhi.

"Oh! you have had a fight? Is that it? Come on you guys...such things happen. This is not your first fight, is it? And this definitely will not be your last. Come now Pari...go back inside. Hand me that suitcase, enough of this childishness" Aarti tried to diffuse the tension making light of it.

Pari did not let go of the suitcase, instead stood rooted to the spot and kept looking at Pratik. But Pratik was not looking at her. He was looking at blank space ahead, his anger getting the better of him. At seeing no attempt being made by Pratik, Pari's resolve to leave became even stronger.

"Bhabhi, this time things have gone beyond the point of no return for both of us. Please do not try to come in between our personal issues. I want you to keep away from this. It's better that Pratik and I go our separate ways..." Pari tried to make Aarti understand. She had no wish for her matter to be made public knowledge or Aarti bhabhi being dragged into her mess. The farther she was from interfering the lesser were the chances of her getting hurt by it.

"Separate ways..what is wrong with both of you.Have both of you taken leave of your senses? Why are you talking like this? What has come over both of you? Just wait...calm down...you will think differently then. I am sure about it. Anyhow all the others are not at home right now. Vidhi bhabhi, Maaji and Buaji have gone to the temple while the men have gone to the office. Please do not do anything hasty especially in their absence." Aarti again tried to reconcile the two again and thoroughly getting disturbed by imagining the reaction of others to this.

"Hasty...bhabhi...haste was when we got married. We are only setting things right now by getting separated" Pratik interrupted Aarti. He was in no mood to listen to anyone.

"Yes...I agree with Pratik... at least in this bhabhi...please convey my regret to others for upsetting them but staying here any longer is beyond me. I do not belong here, never did" her voice was breaking as was her control.

"Pari if you are done talking please leave" Pratik said just wanting to end what was happening as soon as possible as he could not take it anymore either.

"Do not worry Pratik I am not going to change my mind this time" Pari said giving Pratik a reproachful look.

"Oh! even if you do.. I won't have you back. You are an unfit to be my wife" Pratik said viciously.

Pari could not tolerate insults any further and ran out of the house with Aarti chasing after her. Pratik just went inside his room and slammed the door shut with a resounding bang.

*********

Aarti kept quiet for as long as she could. Pari's walk-out was all she was thinking about. When the ladies returned from temple no one seemed to find Pari's absence strange. Pari did go for frequent shopping trips at the drop of the hat sometimes. Aarti figured that that's why no one questioned about Pari. Pratik had come out of the room from his self-imposed exile later in the day and he seemed to have quietened a bit. When he left the house, Aarti was hoping against hope that he had gone to Pari's parent's house to get Pari back.

If Pari returns with Pratik bhaiya I will be saved from telling anyone about what happened today. Had I gone to the temple with others God knows when we would have found out about this whole thing and how all would have reacted?

When all sat for dinner at night, Gayatri finally asked about Pari.

"This is too much. Not even a single phone call from that irresponsible girl. If she was getting late doing shopping she could have at least called and informed us?" Gayatri said with annoyance.

"Mere bhagwan ki kasam Bhabhi these new-age girls are very self-centred, all they are after is having a good time. Least bit bothered with family or responsibilities. See even Pratik has not turned up as yet. That girl has no care for him either. What luck to have such bhahus in our family" said Maya acidly.

Aarti was getting all hot and bothered in an effort to hold back what she knew. Yash was keeping a close eye on Aarti. The whole evening she was distracted and nervous. He did not get a chance to ask her about it though. They had put the kids to bed after their early dinner and then she had gone to the kitchen and only now they had come face to face again.

What is wrong with Aartiji. I must find out. I cannot see her distressed.

Just then Pratik returned and came over to the dining area.

"You did not turn up for work today Pratik. And why is your mobile always switched off?" questioned SP.

"Sorry Bauji I was not feeling well today" lied Pratik and gave Aarti a questioning look.

Aarti shook her head in the negative, answering Pratik that she had not told anyone anything.

"Where is that wife of yours?" Buaji asked sarcastically.

"Pari has gone away" Pratik told everyone baldly.

Immediately Aarti spoke up.

"Oh of course... she has gone away to her parents house. She did tell me that her mother had called her as she was not feeling well and wanted to see her immediately" Aarti interrupted.

Pratik looked at Aarti giving her a confused look. He could not understand why Aarti was lying?

"But Aarti, why did you not tell us anything so far? Here we were all discussing why she had not called from her shopping trip and you did not even bother telling us that she had informed you and gone" Gayatri admonished Aarti.

"I am sorry mummyji I forgot" replied Aarti meekly.

"Mere bhagwan ki kasam bhabhi looks like that forgetfulness of yours is spreading in this household" Maya pounced on a chance to belittle both Aarti and Gayatri at the same time and laughed at her own joke.

"Why don't you join us Pratik? Sit down and have dinner" SP asked not liking Maya's attempt at making joke and giving her a hard look to silence her.

"Sorry Bauji...I ate outside...I am not hungry. And if you will excuse me I would like to retire to my room and rest" said Pratik, just wanting to spend time alone.

"OK try and get some rest. If you are still not better by tomorrow let's visit a doctor or have him come over" said SP.

When Pratik left and all silently finished their dinner, but Yash's mind was busy thinking.

Aartiji just lied. I could clearly make out. She is a very bad liar. But why is she lying. What has happened today to make her this jittery? And why is Pratik behaving strangely as well. I must find out.

She knows I hate lies. Then why is she doing this. I must confront her.

********

Yash was on the bed reading a book when Aarti came into their bedroom. Her mood was still no better. She had to spill the beans in front of Yash else she would go insane thinking about it, she thought.

"Aartiji..."

"Yashji..."

Both husband and wife spoke up together.

"I am sorry.."

"You were saying...?"

Again they spoke together. This time Yash indicated her to speak first.

"Yashji...Pari...Pratik bhaiya...Oh my god Yashji. I don't know how to tell you this" broke down Aarti.

Yash immediately got off the bed and approached Aarti to hold her by her shoulders.

"Calm down Aartiji. Calm down. Please I cannot see you like this" Yash tried to console Aarti.

After getting some of her composure back Aartiji finally continued.

"Pari has left the house Yashji"

"Yes I know"

"No she LEFT as in ---never to come back. She and Pratik bhaiya had this ugly fight and she just went out of the house with her suitcase"

"WHAT?" uttered a shocked Yash.

"I tried stopping her...but nothing I said worked. No one else was at home and I did not know what to do" she recollected the events from earlier in the day.

"I tried calling you immediately but I kept getting busy tone. I knew you were busy today so I stopped trying after awhile. I was too agitated to think clearly to be honest" Aarti narrated in a rush.

"I am sorry Aartiji you had to face this alone" was Yash's first reaction to the news.

"Yashji...what I have suffered is nothing compared to what Pari and Pratik have suffered at each other's hands.They will be miserable without one another.We must do something for them." said Aarti getting emotional.

"And we will" assured Yash, bringing her closer so that she leaned her head on his chest. Not for the first time did he feel so immensely grateful to God for sending Aarti to his life. She was such a caring soul; she loved each member of his family as her own. She took such pains to ensure that everyone around was happy. At times it worked against her and caused her distress like it was doing now and sometimes it upset him like it did in Mumbai. But he could never fault her unwavering concern for the family members.

"But I do not want Maa and Bauji to find out about this. What will they then think of Pari and Pratik bhaiya ...and Buaji is always on the look-out for opportunities to pull down everyone... we must not let her get a sniff of this" Aarti said thinking ahead.

Yash had to agree with what Aarti was saying. But he needed more on what went wrong between Pari and Pratik. By what Aarti had told it just seemed like a fight that got out of hand but Pari's leaving the house suggested some deeper issues that could have surfaced during the altercation which could have led to her taking such a step. But getting this upset will do no one any good.

"Hush ! Aartiji...give it some time. Do not over think. Try and get some rest first. It has been an long and exhausting day for you. Please I assure you we will re-unite both Pratik and Pari. But promise me...you will not let it affect you like this. I cannot see you in tears...it's just too much for me to take"

At such words Aarti could only helplessly look up into Yash's eyes, searching with longing the meaning behind such concern, hoping against hope that he had some deeper emotions for her too and he was not being nice just for the sake of it.

TO BE CONTINUED...