She stood in the balcony lost in thoughts. Her eyes were closed. She was trying hard to control her emotions. But she couldn't. She looked at the mangalsutra she held in her palm and ran her fingers over it. She still remembered the day he had taken her to buy it. It was his choice. It was simple and beautiful like her, he had told her. He had lied. Just like he had lied about loving her. She had been a fool, perhaps she still was. Why else would she be thinking of him. Kunal Malhotra. The man who had shattered her heart. She felt a surge of anger.
This time she didn't try to control it. It was alright. Any woman in her position would react this way. Today was the one day no woman would want in her life.The day she gets a divorce. The day her marriage would end. Their marriage had been reduced to nothing but a legal bond in her eyes the day she saw him with Nandini. After today she wouldn't be Mauli Kunal Malhotra anymore. The last thing tying her to him would be broken. She would be free. That thought brought her both relief and pain. She would see them again today. She didn't want to fall weak but the thought of seeing them together made her restless.
She was just starting to heal. That moment had completely shattered her. Her trust and her heart had been broken. Her love had cheated on her with her soul sister. The two people she loved the most had stabbed her in the heart and left her alone. The thought of it made her shiver.
She felt a touch on her shoulder.
"Main theek hoon mumma. " she said.
"Of course tu theek hai. Tujhe kya hoga. " Yamini said turning her around.
Mauli hugged her tightly. She loved Yamini and Dida. Without them her life would have been hell. they had been her emotional anchor for the past six months.
"Mumma mujhe court nahin jaana. Mujhe yahaan se kahin door jaana hai. she said.
"Tu kyun bhagegi. Bhaagna toh unhe chaahiye jinhone galti ki. Jab unhe logon ke saamne aane se dar nahin toh tu kyun darein. Tut oh meri strong beti hai. Chalo aa jaao baahar. Dida tumhari wait kar rahi hai. " Yamini said smiling.
Mauli nodded.
"Mauli aaj is chapter ko khatam karle. Aur ek baat samajh le. Tu bohat brave hai. Ek baar soch tune oichle 6 maheenon mein kya kya kiya. Tu ne phir se apni zindagi ko shuru ki. Ek dam nayi sire se. Sab nahin kar paate ye. " Yamini said proudly.
Mauli smiled. Ma was right. She felt confident now. Why should she fear those who wronged her? She thought about the new life she had. She hugged Yamini again. She and Dida had done so much for her. They had helped her get back on her feet. It was like they had pulled her out of the darkness that was slowly dragging her into a dismal abyss.
The day she had learned about Kunal and Nandini she had left this house. She was too shocked and broken to even question them. She could hear Kunal and Nandini come behind her calling out her name. Finally Kunal had caught up with her and the moment he took her name she had been filled with utter disgust for herself. The next thing she knew she was slapping him left and right. Then with one stare at Nandini, she had warned the two never to take her name again. Then she had gone to her parents' home. She had locked herself in a room crying. For the first time in life she cried on her mother's lap that night. She had spent the next two days wondering what had happened, wondering how long they had fooled her, wondering why she wasn't enough for Kunal. And then she realized it wasn't her mistake. She felt disgusted at herself as she thought of herself as Kunal's wife. She had then headed to a lawyer to file for divorce.
She had then called her parents and in laws together and told them about it. Her mother had been hysteric. She shouted at her as to why she was leaving her husband instead of getting him to leave his mistress. She had then held Mauli responsible of breaking her own marriage by not giving time to Kunal and having children. That was more than she could take. In that moment she had felt an arm around her shoulder. It was her mother-in-law.
"Aap iss bachhi ko dosh de rahi hai ? Kisne kaha isne Kunal ko time nahin diya? Yeh toh apni busy schedule main bhi uske liye waqt nikaalti thi. Uski ghar ko uske har cheez ko samhalti thi. Yahaan tak ki uske liye clinic set kara rahi thi. Aur kuch hi din pehle isne khud mujhe kaha tha use bachhein chaahiye. Kyun humari society ladki pe hi dosh lagaati hai? " Yamini had asked.
"Yamini sahi keh rahi hai. Mauli kunal ki kismet thi aur who use samhaal nahin paya. Galti uski hai. " Dida added.
And then Yamini had taken her hands and asked her one question.
"Tum apni ghar chalogi. Bahu ban kar nahin. Beti ban kar. Kunal aur Nandini ko toh humne usi din wahaan se nikaal diya. Kyat um bhi apni mumma aur Dida ko akele chod dogi? "
And she had known what to do. They were her family. She loved her parents but her relation wth them had been strained over years. Only mumma and Dida could help her heal. And so she had come back here as a daughter.
"Yamini. Mauli. Kahaan ho tum ? she heard Dida call.
They hurried to the hall. Dida blessed her.
"Aaj ek nayi shuruat hai teri. Jaa. " she said.
Mauli smiled. She had a new life now. She Dida and Mumma. Kunal's betrayal and the desire to support Mauli had made Dida forget her animosity towards her bahu. They were now a family. The three of them had started afresh. A life without the one person they all loved the most. Mauli had changed in her professional life too. She had arranged for the clinic she set up for Kunal to be taken over by a friend who had been planning to open a clinic. She now had more time for herself. She treated needy people at an NGO on weekends. She had resumed her old love for reading. She was healing. Even her mother had changed to some extent. She had apologized to her and they were on a better note now.
Mayank and Yamini accompanied her to the court. As they got out of her car she saw his car. She saw him standing outside the court. Nandini stood next to him. Nandini's bulging belly opened a fresh wound in her heart. Nandini was carrying his child. The child she had desired and asked for.Kunal looked tired. Nandini looked sick. For a moment the doctor in her wanted to see if Nandini was alright. But it would be too much for her. She turned away trying from them.
An hour later the proceedings were completed. She was no more a wife. Just as she was leaving Nandini called her name. She stopped.
"Baat karni hai Mauli. Ek baar. Please. " nandini said teary as always.
Mumma pulled her and urged her to leave. But she stopped.
"It's okay mumma. Main aati hoon. she said and walked towards Nandini.
"What is it nandini? Ab kya kehna hai tumhe ? " she asked.
" I am sorry Mauli. Hummein maaf kar do. Hum tumhe tess nahin pahunchaana chaahti the. Par ye jazzbaat... Nandini said through her tears.
"I am sorry too Mauli. Kunal said.
Mauli nodded.
"Have a happy married life. Take care of your child and please be loyal atleast to each other. Bye. " she said and started to leave.
"Please humari baat suno Mauli. nandini pleaded pulling her hand.
"Nandini main aisa kuch nahin kehna chaahti jise tumhe takleef pahunche iss haalat mein. Let me leave. Mauli said trying to control her anger.
" I am sorry Mauli. Hummein maaf kar do. Hum tumhe tess nahin pahunchaana chaahti the. Par ye jazzbaat... Nandini said.
" Kya iss sorry se sab kuch pehle jaise hoga? Main tumhe maaf nahin karoongi. Maan liya feelings insaan ke control mein nahin hote but what about our actions? Kya tum log mujhe sach nahin bata sakte de. Meri juzzbaat ka kya? " she asked.
Kunal looked grieved while Nandini continued crying.
"Tumhe ab meri fikar karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Main aage bad rahi hoon. Mere saath meri family hai. par haan Nandini mujhe tumhare liye bura lag raha hai kynki tum bilkul nnahin badli. Tum ne saalon pehle Rajdeep ko chuna aur ab Kunal ko. Bhagwan kare iss baar tumhara choice galat an ho. Jo bhi ho humare paas dobara mat aana. Hum tum donon ko dobaara kabhi nahin dekhna chaahte. she said.
And then she walked out with her head held high. Towards a new life.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Cricket
