Bird Set Free - Chapter 1 Pg 1

Kunal Malhotra -

Nandini -

Deeda and Radhika -

Head leaning against the door, Mauli stares out to the city with a blank stare. Tears welled her eyes as she thought of how quickly her life changed within a few months. How everything dear and precious was snatched away in a second. She had no husband anymore, no best friend, no life. There wasn't anything to live for but she had to banish that thought often. She had a child to raise, a child to love and adore.

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and her heart clenched in despair. She still loved him as much as she did but Mauli never saw the passion and love he once held for her in his eyes. All she saw was Nandini. Her so-called best friend took everything she held dear away from her.

Mauli blew out a deep breath, smoothing a hand over her tummy. A part of her wished the child would mend them and carry them back to before, when they were happy and in love. But the other part of her had self-respect. She was being tugged in different directions and that had her torn.

Mauli closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the breeze that brushed against her face. She wanted a sign, any sign that would show her the way and the next step. That sign would lead her down to her path of happiness.

Mauli's eyes snapped open when she heard the doors open, followed by chattering. She quickly wiped her tears and looked back glimpsing Dida and Radhika talking after they came back from the spa.

"Mauli.." Radhika called out to Mauli as she looked around the living room. She smiles when she spots the woman.

"You both are back. " Mauli faked a smile and approached them "I thought you both would stay longer?"

Radhika sighed. "We wanted to, but we were thinking about you. We didn't want to leave you alone in this state. She said as she cupped Mauli's face while Dida smiled.

Mauli's eyes flickered with tears but she kept a brave face. She always had to. She didn't want anyone pitying her. "I'm fine momma. You both didn't need to come back home just for me." Mauli said, leaning her face into her palm.

"We should've carried you then." Dida said, smiling, and Mauli chuckled.

"How are you feeling? Has the morning sickness reduced?" Radhika asked, her eyes showed concern.

"Yes, a lot. The tea you made helped." Mauli replied. She was pampered by them both and she enjoyed the love and support the women gave. But it was still difficult. Life was difficult.

Radhika caressed her face with adoration and Mauli kissed the inside of her hand.

Dida then looked around the room with a frown. "I don't see Kunal, where is he?"

Mauli's smile dropped. "Um..." She tucked her hair away and replied. "He left a few minutes ago to work.

"Oh...that's good. He needs to focus himself on you and work not-" Dida held her tongue when Radhika's hand came down on her shoulder, squeezing her gently. She gave Dida a look and she sighed. She was mindful of what Radhika was implying. Both women, filled with remorse looked at Mauli with apologetic gazes.

"I'm fine." Mauli whispered, she smiled as wide as she could to show the women she wasn't offended. "Please excuse me." Mauli avoided eye contact with Dida and Radhika as she walked past them, struggling to withhold her tears.

Dida and Radhika followed her moving form until she walked into the corridor and disappeared behind the wall. "Poor Mauli, that woman has ruined her happiness." Dida said, her face twisted with anger.

Radhika walked over to the couch in despair and wiped a hand over her face. "Don't you think we're going a little overboard? Mauli looks so uncomfortable with Kunal. It's clear she's hurting." Radhika said, her voice trembled with sadness.

"Give them some time. Soon they both will find each other again and Kunal will never remember that wretched woman." Dida spat and Radhika stared at the woman, hoping her words were true.

-

As soon as Mauli entered the bedroom, tears burst out of her eyes. She couldn't act any longer. She couldn't pretend to be alright. She wasn't fine. She far from being fine. She was angry, she was hurt, she wanted to scream.

She walked to the bed, squeezing her chest to soothe the pain in her heart. Why was love so painful? Why was it so hard? Kunal was everything to her. He became a better part of her. She took a seat on the edge bed and stared down at a photo of herself and Kunal that was by the bedside table.

Mauli reached her hand to the photo and took it into her grasp. Staring at their smiling faces, her lips quivered. "Kunal...where...where did I go wrong?" She asked, a part of her wanted him to answer her. "Wasn't I good enough?" She whimpered.

"Wasn't I faithful enough? Loyal? Loving? Why did you do this to me? Do this to us?" She asked in pain and despair. She caressed a hand over the photo then hugged it to her chest as she silently sobbed.

--

In the awkward silence, Kunal walked to the balcony, standing beside Nandini in her apartment. She had her eyes focused on the city, eyes moistened with tears while enjoying the gentle breeze that broke against her cheeks.

Kunal turned his face and looks across at her. He rests his hand down on hers. "It's difficult." His voice deepened with a desperation.

Nandini's eyes flickered. "Kunal." She sighed. "This is more than wrong now. But I can't...I can't let.." Nandini stopped herself and closed her eyes.

"Is it? Is loving you wrong?" He asked, his voice got rougher.

"Yes!" She said as she pulled her hand away and didn't spare him a glance. "It is. You are a married man and I am in the wrong place."

Kunal wiped a hand over his face and sighed deeply. "Look at me. " He said but Nandini didn't. "Nandini, look at me." Kunal ordered and she slowly looks at him with tears rolling down her face.

"I choose you. I choose this. It's not wrong." Kunal whispered. He lifts his hands and cupped her face. staring into her eyes. "I can't leave you." He said, his voice echoed with desperation "It's not an option."

Nandini slowly shook her head. "Mauli is your wife." She replied, her voice breaking.

"I don't love her. I love you. We decided to go our separate ways." He said, his finger stroked her cheek and Nandini's eyes soften. "Just don't leave me. " He said over her lips. He leans in and rests his lips over hers.

-

"I'll miss you. Nandini said, she gave him a childish pout while her fingers adjusted his tie.

Kunal slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I need to go home. Everyone thinks we are broken up. He replied.

Nandini looked at him, her eyes showed a look he never saw before. "And Mauli?

Kunal frowned. "What about her?

"Do you sleep in the same room as her? Nandini asked. She had a serious face and a look that seemed like jealously.

Kunal just stared at her and shook his head.

Nandini bid Kunal a goodbye, she closed the door behind her and with a smile looked around her apartment. She thought back to what transpired between them. They gave into their temptation and surrender to their lust.

"Kunal is mine. She said smiling in disbelief. Nandini was more than convinced Kunal would leave Mauli. She felt guilt for a few days but as she realized Kunal loved her and not Mauli, she decided that she needed him more.

Nandini kept a cheerful smile on her lips as she twirled around her living room. She lifted her hands, stretched her arms out and threw her head back as she hummed a romantic tune.

Nandini made another twirl and stopped. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a photo of herself and Mauli. She took up the picture and stared at it. "I'm sorry Mauli, but now, Kunal belongs to me. She whispered and releases the photo frame. She watched it crashed to the floor and just stares at the broken glass.

---

That night everyone was gathered around the table for dinner. Dida and Radhika observed the silence between Kunal and Mauli who kept their eyes on their food.

Mauli chewed as she stared blankly at her plate. She couldn't find the courage within her to look at Kunal. Why should she look at him or even acknowledge him? Yet, she noticed a big change in Kunal. He seemed happier than how he was before.

Mauli grasped her glass and lifts it to her mouth. She sipped on her juice and Kunal looked up, staring at her.

"How was your day Kunal? Dida asked with a smile.

Without moving his gaze from Mauli he answered. "It was good Dida. Then he looked at his grandmother. "We received lot of new patients." He said, smiling.

"That's nice. I have always loved how dedicated you are to your work and your family." Dida said with a proud look in her eyes. They eventually formed a conversation, laughing at silly jokes while Mauli chewed giving into the emptiness inside her.

She looked up at her husband, just staring at him with a broken stare. He was smiling, flashing that warm smile that always cheered her up. But this time it didn't cheer her up. It made her angry. She noticed this new glow about him. Something had him happy it was more than obvious. Was it Nandini? She wondered what he didn't like about her anymore that he'd choose to love someone else. Maybe she wasn't good enough. Maybe she didn't interest him. Kunal had Mauli wrecking her brain, trying to understand where she fell short in their marriage.

The more she stared at him, the more she felt betrayed. The more she saw Nandini all over him. All over the man she loved more than anything.

Tears welled in her eyes and her heart sunk in despair. "Momma, may I be excused?" Mauli whispered as she looked across at Radhika. All eyes fell on Mauli and silence took over the air. Kunal saw the paleness on her face and sighed. He knew what he was doing to her.

"Sure, of course. Are you alright?" Radhika asked in concern, resting a hand on Mauli's cheek.

"I'm fine. I'm finished." She replied softly. Avoiding all eyes so they wouldn't notice her tears, she got up, pushed her chair back and walked out the room.

Kunal took in the momentary silence and looked down at Mauli's empty chair and felt the hard stares of his mother and grandmother.

--

Mauli leaned against the door frame by the balcony, staring out at the twinkling stars. She kept a hand on her stomach thinking about how she should be living her life. She couldn't get herself to tell Kunal about his baby. She didn't want him thinking she was using the baby as a means to get him to stay in the marriage. She wanted a lot of things but not a loveless marriage.

Mauli heard a knock on the door snapping her out of thoughts. "Come in." She said knowing it probably was Dida or Radhika there to make a comforting visit.

But it wasn't Dida or Radhika. It was Kunal, he needed to see her and his desperation was evident. He enters the room with an envelope in his hands. His eyes fell on Mauli, observing her body language, he knew she was lonely and depressed. "Mauli." He called out to her.

Mauli sighed as she heard his voice. She wished he'd turn right around and go far away from her. Tears formed in her eyes knowing she had to face the reality one way or the other.

"We need to talk." He said, his tone grew serious.

Mauli just stares at the dark sky finding no hope and joy in anything. "Do we?" She replied dryly.

Kunal sighs. He knew he hurt her with his actions Neither could he force her to understand how much he suddenly loved another. "Yes. This is important for us both. "

Mauli wiped her tears and turns facing Kunal. It was now the only way to get him to leave. "What is it?" She asked.

"I went to get information about our divorce proceedings.." He said as he reached the envelope towards her.

Mauli stared at him with a broken look then the envelope. She took the document from him and opens it.

"They finalized a date." Kunal said and Mauli read through the papers. Her eyes lingered at the date decided in disbelief. It was now turning real. The divorce, the fact that her family was about to break apart. The pain hit her like a truck. "We agreed on an earlier date but they postponed to two days." Kunal said, he tried to withhold his annoyance.

Mauli continued to read as she walked past him. "You sound disappointed."

Kunal sighed and asked, "Isn't this want you want?" He looked back at her, crossing his arms against his chest.

"No Kunal." She rests the envelope on the bed then turned her face and looked at him. "I wanted so much more for us. I wanted us to always love and respect one another. Have a good marriage. Have a family of my own. I didn't want this." Mauli said with tears forming in her eyes. "I never wanted this."

Kunal stared at her with a look of guilt and shock. He looked away to the floor avoiding the judgmental gaze she set at him.

A broken smile tugged Mauli's lips. The fact he disregarded her and their marriage told her so much. "It seems you forget what I really wanted. That's funny, but I guess it happens."

Kunal looked at her to find pain on her face. "Mauli, look, I'm sorry that-"

"You can go now." Mauli said. She walks last him and stood by the balcony's door leaning against like before.

Kunal sighs and looked back at her taking in one last look before he exited the room.