Dil Jaanta Hai - Thread 2: Ch 21 (Pg 134) - Page 25

The doorbell pealed early in the morning. And the person at the door kept ringing it, making Arti rush from her favourite seat at the swing. She pulled the door open, more to quieten the person outside than with any eagerness to see who it was. And immediately broke into a wide grin.

"Vidhi!" she exclaimed in glee, pulling her best friend in and nearly crushing her in an embrace.

Vidhi returned the embrace with equal fervor. She knew she was on an unwelcome mission...

"So, when did you come? Why didn't you inform me? Are you here by yourself? How long are you staying?..." Arti threw a barrage of questions at her as Vidhi took off her woolen coat and walked into the kitchen area.

"Pehle chai" was the only response.

"Of course" Arti smiled as she joined Vidhi and the two whipped up some tea and snacks. The two had the beverage in comfortable chatter, discussing Mumbai, Shankars and of course, the children.

Once they finished and had washed up, Vidhi changed the topic to what she had come to Delhi for.

"I came to meet you Arti" she said in all seriousness.

"Hai how sweet Vidhi. I didn't know you had the time to miss me so much" Arti teased.

That brought a smile, "I always miss you, just as you miss me." Arti acknowledged that with a returning smile as she sat down next to Vidhi on the sofa.

"But that's not why I am here. I am here to ask you why? Why did you say no Arti?" Vidhi asked.

All the animation left her face as Arti said coldly, "There was no need to come so far for that. You could have asked me on the phone."

"I could not see your face on the phone" Vidhi was curt.

"Why Arti?" she continued after a moment of tense silence between them.

Without looking at her, Arti said, "You know why. I am married to Prashant."

"Who is no longer alive" Vidhi stated gently.

"Which is immaterial. I am still his wife."

"And you plan to live the rest of your life in his memory" Vidhi said drily.

Her tone and bald statement made Arti defensive, "Yes, yes I do. What is wrong with that?"

"Wrong with that? You mean besides the fact that you are not even 30 and have your whole life ahead of you? God willing it will be a long life. But with your grace, it will be a very lonely one." Vidhi tried to keep her tone neutral, but the simmering anger found its way in.

Arti felt a wave of that anger and turned to look at her friend finally. Vidhi's face was set in a grim line, her eyes flashing, fingers clenched together tightly. Arti reached out and encircled those clenched fingers with her own.

"Why are you so angry Vidhi?"

Vidhi dug her nails even deeper into her palms. "Why? Because life is giving you a second chance to have a family of your own and you are turning it down. You are saying no before even thinking about it, before even talking to the people involved, before even finding out the whole."

"I have a family of my own - I have Ma and Bauji" Arti retorted.

"Yes. And I have Mummy and Papa. It did not prevent me from getting married and creating my own family. And my new family does not prevent me from belonging to my parents' family, from taking care of them."

Arti did not reply and after a few minutes of silence, Vidhi asked her, "What are you really scared of Arti? Not being able to care of Ma and Bauji? Or being some one's wife? Or forgetting Prashant?" As she saw Arti flinch and close her eyes, she knew she had hit the nail on the head, "Are you scared you will be betraying him?"

Vidhi knew her too well, Arti thought as her friend's questions brought back memories of the turmoil she had gone through when she first heard of the proposal. Opening her eyes but not looking at her friend, lest she betray her real fears, she said, "I am Prashant's wife. I cannot give his place to anyone else."

"And no one asked you to" Vidhi said.

Arti whipped her head towards her friend in surprise. Vidhi explained, "You are still caught up in Prashant. And Yash Bhaiyya is not fully over Arpita either. Not necessarily the best time for a re-marriage - except there is Ansh." Vidhi took a deep breath before continuing, "You see Arti, you both won't demand what the other cannot give in a marriage - because you cannot give it either. Talk to Bhaiyya - you may find that his expectations match yours. And rest assured, the family will not pressurize you for anything" Vidhi tried to re-assure her.

"You and Bhaiyya are friends", and again her friend's perspicacity took Arti by surprise, "But whether you choose to translate that friendship into something more is up to you. If you both do agree to marry each other, only time and the two of you can decide what you want to make of that marriage."

Arti shook her head, "I don't know Vidhi. This whole marriage thing... it... it is so... weird. I..." Arti sighed and looked at Vidhi apologetically, "I am sorry Vidhi, I can't even think about it. I... I can't marry again."

Vidhi sighed inwardly, she had done the best she could... well almost.

She got up and gathered her purse and coat. As she pulled on the coat, she said to Arti, "I have never known you to be selfish Arti. You know what it is like to grow up without a mother. And now you are wishing the same for Ansh." There. That was the last arrow in her arsenal. Arti took pride in being understanding and un-selfish, plus she adored Ansh. If this did not do it, nothing at all would.

Vidhi saw the blood drain out of Arti. As she looked on the verge of falling, Vidhi feared she had gone too far. Then Arti gripped the chair next to her and steadied herself. "That is not true Vidhi. Ansh has all of you, he is not alone."

"And neither were you Arti - we were there. It still wasn't the same was it?" Vidhi said gently, hating herself, yet knowing she had to say this if there was a chance to penetrate through to Arti.

"It never is the same without a mother. I see it with Payal and then think back to my childhood days. Mummy was my buffer, my guard, my friend, the reason I could smile on days I wanted to cry, the shoulder I could cry on. She was my strength. And I try to be all of that to Payal."

She stood with her hand on the front-door knob and turned for one final salvo, "Don't you think Ansh deserves that too?"

As Vidhi opened the door she requested, "Think about it Arti. Please."

And she left behind a woman who was torn between her past and a vision of the future she was too scared to embrace... Scared that if she were to embrace it, she would only lose it, just as she had always lost the ones she loved, scared that she would be all alone once again. And this time she would not be able to pick up the pieces...