Hello everyone…
Thank you so very much for your lovely support to my work until now. I am here with the next update…which is a super long one…
Please consider is as the – Maha Update Types…😎🤗
Will let you all dive straight into it..without further delay…
P.S – Also I am posting the first draft so please ignore slight errors – as I haven’t proofread…
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Take 10 – The Aftermath
@ Monga’s House
Sahiba’s POV
I hug Keerat hard to my side and whisper – kissing her head even though overwhelmed emotional tears were still rolling down my cheeks – “ bass…band kar rona..ab meri keerat pehelwan…bass kar…bass kar…”( enough…stop crying now…my keerat pehalwan..stop crying..)
My dearest Keerat lovingly wipes my tears first at that now and continues crying nonetheless – “ pehle apne aasun toh pahunch lo…sahiba di…khud bhi toh tabse rote jaa rahe ho..”( wipe your own tears first Sahiba di…given that you have also been crying for so long now…)
I shake my head in a No at that kissing her head again – “ nai…keerat..mere inn aasunoyun ka behna zarrori..hai..behne de…bass behne di…dil halka hota jaa raha ha…aur ek tarike se sach bolun…toh yeh…aasun raahat ke hai…ki ab yeh saara syaapa khatam….”( no keerat…don’t you ask me to stop crying …for it is important for me to let them flow…coz its making me feel all light within…and to be honest to you…these are more like tears of relief…for all this mess is finally done with…)
Keerat nods in an instant understanding and hugs me harder – “ thike..sahiba di…toh phir aap mere assun bhi behne do…kyunki yeh bhi raahat ke hi aasun hai…acha hua…un brar -on ka syappa ab finally khatam hua….”( okay sahiba di…then just let my tears flow too…for even tears are of relief only…..thank god finally this chapter of our lives related to the brar’s is finally over…)
At that we both share a knowing look and continue crying hugging onto each other in support.You know like they say tears can be cathartic?
Its only natural for us to feel overwhelmed this way when the last couple of hours have been super intense here at home for us all. Like… just when I thought I had handled enough of the intensity for a day during the Brar’s confrontation…
Anyways, so walking out of there, I finally rushed straight home with Seerat di by my side feeling a deep sense of liberation consume me as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted of my shoulders for good. Only obvious.We had done it -we had brought the truth to light – and I had walked out with my head held high – in a respectful silence.
Honestly, though,walking towards home with Seerat di by my side – had been emotionally intense moment for me as well , personally given that I was also returning there first time – post it all…right?
And well, needless to say – the very second papaji, mummy, tayiji and keerat – saw Seerat di and me standing on the door – they got a massive shock of their lives – looking at us as if we were two aliens who had just landed on Earth from Mars. For the first time ever in my life – I think – Mummy ran towards embracing me first in her arms – ignoring Seerat di’s presence completely – as she checked on me first – succumbing to her overwhelming motherly emotions…
Plus, the bit that everyone else followed on those lines – without even sparing Seerat di an acknowledging glance did kinda break her heart. She’d flinched in her being at that but she was obviously prepared for it…
I had to remind everyone that it really was Seerat di standing at the door and not her ghost to pull their attention back at her. At that - Keerat had finally walked upto Seerat di fuming and bombarded her left , right, center with anger, accusations, questions (as expected) and seeing Keerat’s outburst – Papaji followed – along with Mummy as they finally processed that she really was right there in front of them.
For the first time ever – I think I saw Tayiji boil in anger as well – as she accused Seerat for ruining our family’s reputation plus my life….
What happened next had taken everyone by surprise though on Seerat Di’s accord for - they most surely were not expecting her to drop down on her knees in deep remorse and guilt as she accepted all the accusations, anger, blames etc etc.Honestly, it totally surprised me too - that she didn’t say a word in her defence and let everyone lash out at her hard…left..right…center…gesturing me to not interfere in the scene probably because she felt like she deserved every bit of it…
I didn’t interfere then for a while…because… it felt like it was important for every member in our family to vent it out at her and for her to actually gauge the intensity of the hurt she’d caused us all – nonetheless. I know she is repenting now… but the reality of what her actions led too…is what it is…
A reality that cannot be undone. Yes, we can all begin to move on from it…but what is done…is done…as well…
However - it was only when Papaji was on the crux of announcing that he was hereby intending to disown her/ questioned her as to why she came home now etc etc – did I finally interfere announcing to all – that she herself was dealing with a heavy blow/deep betrayal right now personally which she hadn’t seen coming her way at all…and it is obvious that any bird will return to its nest eventually after suffering a blow to its wings…
That caught everyone’s attention obviously. And Seerat di just simply slumpd onto her knees at that again and broke down in that moment. Taking a deep breathe – I finally narrated everything to everyone starting straight from the top as to how I found her in the first place, Garry’s betrayal towards her, then the trap we’d laid out for Garry and his mother, and the bit that we’d actually just walked back from a solid confrontation scene around the Brar’s…
Only a stunned silence had followed post that – with Keerat fuming in anger – as to why I hadn’t/we hadn’t involved her in this plan/confrontation to begin with. Papaji….sat down with a thump…on the charpayi..with tears streaming down his face…so did mummy…and tayji…as they finally realised the gravity of it all. I also did spot tears of relief in their eyes as they realised that my innocence had finally been proven amidst all this chaos and Seerat di had taken a stand for the same as well….in front of the Brar’s…
Further on, Seerat Di surprised everyone(again) by taking full responsibility for her actions for being consensually involved with Garry/rather than framing herself to be a victim – a moment that choked all oxygen out of Keerat’s throat in disbelief…momentarily…
And then - when Seerat di announced to all teary eyed that she totally deserved what she got served by karma and was ready to accept any punishment – we’d sentence her to as a family– Keerat almost fainted in shock…as did Papaji…and Mummy…tayiji…
Natural, they couldn’t believe – this was Seerat Di talking. Once again, it was me who interfered to reassure to all that life had taught her the lesson the hard way but now that it had, she had simply witnessed a massive turn around/overhaul within.
It was at that moment – Seerat di had asked mummy and papaji if she could lay her head in their lap and just cry before they gave her the due punishment and studying the genuine remorse and guilt she was consumed in - they’d just nodded their heads silently and Seerat di had gone onto cry her heart out in their laps…whilst hugging them hard…
Infact, she’s been at it for a while now and the sight has obviously got us all emotional - which is why..Keerat and me..have been crying this way hugging each other..
Keerat’s whispers now – “ still…Sahiba di..come what may…I am so angry at you for not including me in this plan…and confrontation…I could have been off great help..”
I nod and kiss her head – “ I understand meri pehalwan..just the situation was such…I am sorry…”
She glares at me – “ Sorry…bola na…toh ladai ho jayegi yahin sahiba di…but chalo acha hua…sab drama khatam hogaya…aur un brar -on ko sab sach pata chal gaya……”( if you say sorry…then I’m going to have a fight with you right here…anyways chalo it is good that the Brar’s know the truth now completely… )
I nod at that on reflex and it is right then we both spot Tayji come into hug us now from behind in a group hug as she whispers kissing each of our heads – “ bass bass…ab tum dono toh rona band kardo…seerat ka nal toh jaise band hi nai ho raha…”( atleast you two stop crying now…seerat’s tear tap isn’t closing at all…)
We ask her to do the same..first…
Right then – I spot Mummy get up from hugging Seerat di whose now folded her hands in front of papaji. Mummy walks upto me teary eyed and asks brushing my hair tenderly– “ Sahiba puttar…seerat ke liye to tune kaha…koi bhi panchi apni pankh pe chot lagne par wapas…apni nest mein hi jaayega na…toh phir…ab tub hi aaja na ghar wapis…meri beti…tub hi aaja…mat reh dukaan par…please….mujhe bass tu wapas chahiye iss ghar mein…tujhe bhi toh chot lagi hai meri bachi….tu bhi wapas aajana….ghar…”( Sahiba..in seerat’s reference you just said…any bird will return to its nest post hurting her wing..right? so now…you also just return home…now…don’t stay at the shop any longer…I want you back home…even you are hurt…please…come back home to us….)
Before I can say anything to that – Seerat di gets up in her spot frazzled as she gapes at me now – “ kya?? Sahiba?? Tu wahan se nikal ke…shop pe reh rahi thi?? Ghar nai aayi??”( what?? Sahiba? You were staying at the shop?? Didn’t come home??)
Before I can answer that – she bombards me with another question wiping the tears off her cheek – “ ruk…aur usse bhi pehle tu mujhe yeh bata…ki tu wahan se wapas aayi kyun??sahiba?? do din se tujhe pooch rahi thi…tune kaha…yeh sab syaapa nipat jaaye di..tab bataungi…ab bol sahiba…bol…mujhe ab sab bata..,,main teri badi behen hoon…. haan isse pehle kabhi bhi badi behen jaisa koi kaam kiya nai hai maine…. na hi iss ghar ki badi beti hone ka….par ab se…mein sab karungi….”( wait..wait…before you answer that…tell me the real reason as to why you walked out of there? I’v been asking you since two days and all you answered then was that you’ll tell me when this mess is over..so now is the time to speak…Sahiba..tell me…everything please? I am your elder sister…Sahiba…I know uptil now I have never played that role/responsibility neither towards that or towards my role as the eldest child of this house…but now…I will make all amends…)
OKAYYYY…
SERIOUSLY…
Now I feel like crying…hard…suddenly…just like everyone else!! Like when did we ever expect her to say something like this?
I gulp down my emotions as Seerat di suddenly walks upto hug me at that and I whisper holding onto her – “ bass samjho di…kuch aisa hogaya…ki mujhe woh ghar chodke aana pada…nai wapas jaa sakti waha…annulment ke papers sign karke de diye hai angad ko..”( just understand di…something happened..that I just had to leave from there…I have handed the signed annulment papers to angad..already…)
She pulls back and gapes at me wanting her clarity – “ par…aisa kya hogaya sahiba??”( what happened…sahiba??”)
Keerat chips in now – “ sandy waise toh mujhe yeh tera utlta roop digest karne mein waqt lagega…par main batati hun…uss atm ne solid badtmeezi karni ki koshish kari thi sahiba di ke saath aapke gusse mein…woh to inhone apne aap ko bacha liya …bass…toh bass yeh toh hona hi tha…meri sahiba di thodi na tolerate karengi yeh nonsense…isiliye unhone uss atm ko jijaji se ex-jijaji bana diya…sign kar diye annulment ke papers aur chuda liye apna peecha…”( look….sandy..it will take me a while to digest this reformed version of you but I will tell you now…that atm misbehaved with Sahiba di…solid all because he was in boling in anger over your doing…thank god – she managed to save herself in time…so ofcourse this was bound to happen…why will my Sahiba di tolerathe that disgusting level of misconduct? So she decided to turn make that ATM from jijaji to ex-jijaji..and signed the annulment papers and walked out…)
Seerat di’s eyes widen in horror at that as she asks me worried touching my shoulders/arms – “ kya????????? Angad?????? Angad ne aisa kiya??angad ne badtemeezi kari?”( what??? angad engaged in a misconduct with you??)
I simply nod at her…not wanting to relive the moment in my head. Its been haunting me still deep within.Infact, ever since the day, its become my defence reflex to put a meter’s distance and any other man around me…as if a fear has seeded in subconsciously. Not healthy for me personally in the long run for its not like I intend to stay a spinster all my life or something but I think I am going to have to resort to counselling to deal with this…eventually….
Everyone’s watching my forehead twitched deep in thought though and suddenly as if it hits them – that I could be deeply affected still by that misconduct - guilt displaces Seerat’ di’s horror as she falls onto her knees in front of me now and folds her hands with fresh fountain of tears leaving her eyes – “ maaf karde…sahiba…mujhe…pls..maaf karde…mere…chalte…tujhe pata nai kya kya jhelna pada..uss ghar mein….ek chanta maar le…please? sau maar le?? Hazaar maar le…par mujhe maaf karde…please?”( forgive me sahiba…forgive me…due to my blunder you had to face what not in that house…slap me hard will you please?not once? Hundred but a thousand times…but forgive me…please?)
I gesture her to get up from her kneeled down position at that instantly asking her to shut up because I was in no mood to slap her or something. She doesn’t budge and stays put. Before I can say anything to her – Papaji’s teary vulnerable voice comes through as he walks upto us now – “ maafi nai de sakti abhi sahiba… seerat…mat maang usse…maafi…usse abhi maafi manga gunha hi hoga…teri taraf se bhi…aur hamari taraf se bhi…kya main nai jaanta apni beti ko…woh ab tak hum mein se kisi ko…especially mujhe maaf kar hi nai pai hai…iss baat par…ki teri galti pe…humne uss din uski bali Chadha di…isiliye woh ghar wapas nai aayi…kyunki…chahe uska dil kitna bhi bada ho…hai toh woh insaan hi na…hum sab ne bhi…uska dil toda hai…bass ab hum sabne milke uske zakhm bhi bharne hai…”(she cannot forgive you right now/straight away seerat…don’t ask her/expect her to do so…expecting her to forgive you right now will be another crime not just on your behalf but my behalf too …on all our behalf too…like don’t I know my daughter? I know why she hasn’t come home in all these days but preferred staying at the shop instead…coz she hasn’t been able to forgive any of us..especially me…for my act the other day…when I sacrificed her at the altar when you went missing…we simply cant expect her to forgive us…coz even though she has a big heart she is only human…and we have greatly wronged her…we have also broken her heart…and we only now have to help her heal as well…)
Keerat chips in instantly vulnerable – “ maine kabhi nai toda bass apni sahiba di ka dil…”( only I never broke my sahiba di’s heart..)
Tayiji touches her head along with Mummy – “ haan haan…tune nai…hum sab ne…”( yes ..yes..not you..)
I shoot Keerat a loving look and finally gape at Papaji in surprise for even though I didn’t word to him yet he figured out my reason – “ papaji…aapko pata tha? Ki main? Iss liye nai aayi??”( papaji…you knew??”)
Papaji nods as he touches my head – fresh tears leaving his eyes – “ main jaanta hun tujhe…sahiba…jaanta hun…”( I know you…Sahiba..I know…you..)
Overwhelmed – I hug him at that as I confess – “ aisa nai hai…ki main aap sab ko maaf nai karna chahti….chahti hun…par abhi mein bass maaf karr nai paa rahi…gussa nai hai dil mein…dukh hai…jo hua uska bahut dukh hai bass…aur mujhe waqt chahiye hoga isse bahar nikalne ke liye..papaji..mummy…tayiji…seerat di…”( Its not that I don’t want to forgive you all…I want to..but somehow I am not able to yet…its not that I am angry…but there is so much hurt/disappointment within me and I probably need more time…to get out of that I guess…papaji…mummy…seerat di…)
Mummy nods in understanding now but asks tearful –“ hum samajh gaye Sahiba…samajh gaye…par..tab tak kya? Ghar nai aayegi kya tu? Jab tak hume maaf nai kar sakegi…ghar nai aayegi kyat u??”( we get you Sahiba…but until then…what? until then…won’t you come home??)
I look at Tayiji at that now – “ soch rahi hun…kuch din…tayiji ke saath Jalandhar ho aaun? Jaise ki maine kaha tha pehle? Ab toh seerat di aagayi hai..wapas…”( I am just thinking, like I mentioned prior to head to Jalandhar for a bit with tayiji..)
Seerat Di, Mummy, Papa, Keerat and Tayiji exchange a worried look at that.Keerat gets into an overdrive though – “ yeh kya matlab hua sahiba di…syaapa…baaki sab karein…aur ghar se dur aap raho…”( what is this nonsense sahiba di…all this mess happened because of everyone else…why must you stay away from home??”
I sigh – “ Keerat….,”but I pause instantly for there are sudden knocks at our door now. The bell begins to ring non-stop..
Seerat di gulps down her momentary nervousness now as she says to Mummy who was about to go open the door now – “ ruko…mummy…aap ruko…main dekhti hun..zaroor mohalle ki auntiyaan hongi…dekh liya haina jo unhone…mujhe andar aate hue sahiba ke saath…khana kaise digest hoga inka…mujhe taane diye bina….par ab inhe jo bhi kehna hai..mujhe kahe…sirf mujhe…”( wait…mummy…you wait…I think I know who it must be – our locality’s aunties..for they surely have seen me coming in with Sahiba right? and ever since I am sure they are not able to digest their food..only…without taunting me…but whatever they have to say..let them say to me…not to you..or any of you…”
OKAYYYY – NOW WE ALL GAPE AT SEERAT DI WIDE EYED – AT THAT – as she stomps to the door now determined to face it all as if she were going to border or something..
We all watch rooted in our spots stunned – as she opens the door – swiftly. Rightly expected we all see a group of aunties standing right there in front- all set to sneer and taunt her. She takes them and all of us by surprise now as she asks placing her hands on her waist post trying her dupatta in a knot to her side – “ kyaaaa??? Kya hai??? Pehli baar dekh rahe ho mujhe….jo aankhein phati hui sabki…haan haan…main hi hun…seerat kaur monga…mera bhoot nai….aagayi main apne ghar wapas…”( what?? what is it?? are you all looking at me for the first time…or what? that your eyes have popped into your sockets this wide? It is me only…seerat kaur monga…not my ghost…I have finally returned home…)
Not the time – probably – but Keerat and me bite a chuckle at that at ..on reflex…because of her tone…
One of the aunties scoffs at her now – “ badi besharam ho tum…seerat….apne parivaar ka naam duba ke…yahan aise hume dhons dikha rahi ho…”( you are very shameless…seerat..drowned your family’s name and now glaring at us..for coming here…)
Mummy, Papaji, Tayiji , Keerat are gaping at Seerat di wide – eyed…upfront…as she plays with her wrists as if she were getting set to punch them just like Keerat would…
I finally walkup to join Seerat di now and ask Keerat in my usual savage mode – “ Keerat..dekhna zara news mein…kya breaking news hai…ki wahan bahar nadi mein..monga naam ka placard doob raha hai…mujhe toh nai dikhta….balki yeh dikh raha hai…ki monga parivaar ki kudiyan khadi hogayi hai beech samandar toofan mein…apni naav ko bachane…” ( Keerat …turn on the news channel will you? is the breaking news flashing on screen now? that the name monga’s placard is shown drowning around in the river…oh why can I not see it then?? why do I see…that the girls of this house have instead stood up to save their boat… right in the middle of a storm…)
Seerat di gives me a look at that hiding her ache/guilt behind a savage fortress – “ yeh wwali baat toh tune mast kari sahiba…bilkul…toh ji jaan…aap log ab bolo…aapko kya chahiye..?ghar pe rashan khatam hogaya hai kya?extra chini chahiye?ya namak?daal chahiye?ya khichdi? Sorry..mummy ne aaj inmein se kuch bhi nai banaya hai…”( this point you very rightly pointed out…Sahiba…),”she asks looking the now quite disturbed aunties – for they had come to roast us and we simply weren’t in the mood to get roasted..-“ so now say..what is it that you want right now?has your house kitchen run out of basic material or what? you want?sugar?salt?daal? or khichdi..sorry..mummy hasn’t made it yet..)
Another aunty glares at us hard taking it to her ego for this and scowls at Seerat di to ask – “ vyah se kyun bhaagi? Tu? Angad singh brar se toh shaadi karne ka tera sapna tha naa?”( why did you run from the wedding? Wasn’t it your dream to marry…angad singh brar??)
Seerat di flinches at that but holds her cover strong as she gestures me subtly she got this – “ woh kya haina bhaagi main issliye…kyun mujhe bachpan se..hi bhaagne ka bahut shauk haina…apne hi vyah pe mood hogaya…pt usha banne ka…toh ban gayi…”( oh I ran…because I love to run since childhood…somehow on the day of my wedding only I felt like dawning the pt usha avatar…so..I dawned it…and ran away…)
Keerat burts into giggles at that…coz we know Seerat di never ran a mile in her life…
Another aunty scowls to ask her the same – “ tu kabse bhaag ne lagi??”( since when did you run??”)
Seerat di folds her hands out to them but in a savage way as she says – “ aapse matlab ?? dekho ji…jo bhi hai…yeh hamera pariwaar ka maamla…hai…jaaiye aap…sab yahan se…aur yeh bhi sun lijiye..aage peeche…chalte phirte..mere mummy ya papaji..ya sahiba..aur keerat koi meri wajah se taane sunane ki zurrat bhi ki na…toh mujhse bura koi hoga nai..joh kehna…himmat hai…toh mere muh pe hi kehna..saare jawab dene aate hai mujhe…rayta maine philaya haina…toh main hi samateungi…”(what is it to you??look..whatever the matter is..it is between me and my family..we will sort it..its none of your business…you all just go from here..and also…before that..listen to this very carefully…henceforth…here there…around..if any of you taunt mummy, papaji, keerat, or sahiba because of me…then no one will be worse than me…whatever you have to taunt..taunt to me…I will…hear it…for I know how to handle you all…if I am the one who pulled my family into the mess…I will clean it…”
The aunties gape at Seerat di at that as they say in unison – “ haan sahi hai..tujhse toh bura koi hai bhi nai…jo apne sage maa baap /behen ko apne hi vyah waale din…dhoka deke bhaag gayi…”( yes yes…no one is worse than you..anyway…I mean the girl you ran away at her own wedding…destrying her sister/parents lives…”
Seerat di flinches at that hard. She’s trying to hold back on tears at that but she snaps back – “ shayad haan…hun main buri…parr mujh jaise bure toh aap log bhi ho…jo aagaye…mere parivaar ke dukh pe apni chaati sekne…”( yup…I maybe worse…of all…but you all are sailing in the same boat as me only trying to get your sadistic pleasure…out of my family’s plight…)
Keerat roars now – “ chalo chalo…suna nai..aap sab ne…aap sab ka time out hogaya bass…”( chalo chalo…get out of here you all…)
The aunties continue to muster now and just as they are about to leave one of them turns around to look at me as she sneers – “ tune wapas ghar ni jaana?apne sasuraal??angad singh brar ki woti ab tu jo hai…( don’t you have to go back to your sasural…??now that you are angad singh brar’s wife??”)
I flinch at that on reflex. Damm the reminder. I have to get that annulment through as soon as possible…
Seerat di stands up in my cover at that putting her hand around my shoulder – “ aapse matlab? Woh apne ghar mei hai…jab tak rahe…aapko badi uljhan mach rahi hai…kyun? Aapne saath jana hai kya iske?aapki Manpreet toh mahino rehti hai aapke pass…Jalandhar toh aake…tab nai poochti apni beti se…wapas kab jaana hai?”( what is it to you?? she is in her own house…and will stay here as long as you like? Why is it bothering you so much when your Manpreet stays for months with you when she comes to mayka from Jalandhar..then you don’t ask her the same??”)
I gape at Seerat di again wide-eyed at that…as tears again engulf my eyes….maine kab socha tha..ki yeh mere liye…yeh sab…karegi..kahegi…( when did I think…she’d ever continue to stand up for me this way…)
The auntie’s jaw drop in horror at that embarrassed and finally she leads the way to the rest out mumbling taunts for Seerat di amongst themselves quite loudly and Seerat di finally closes the door shut fighting back her tears quite bravely – “ lo ji…yeh toh trailer hai…abhi toh picture aani baaki hai…koi na…main dekh laangi…aap log tention mat lena…ab galti hui hai..toh sunna toh padega…”( well…that’s done with for now..this is a trailer I know…movie is yet to come…but I will handle it/face it…you all don’t worry…I know…I deserve it…)
I touch her shoulder at that overwhelmed – “ seerat di..rona hai..toh ro le…”( seerat di..cry it out…”)
She turns around to face me and wipes her tears outta the corner of her eye – “ bahut ro li main…sahiba..abb bas…ek aur aausun nai..apni hi kartoot pe rone se ab koi fayda nai..ab bass usse sudharna hai…aaj se….tu akeli nai bass tu samjh…na hi papaji akele hai..aaj se..main bhi tere saath..iss ghar ki puri zimmedarri uthaungi..kya karungi abhi pata nai…par kuch toh karungi….”( no…I cried enough Sahiba…there is no point crying over my own misdeeds now..for it is time to redeem myself and I will…you listen…from today onwards…you and papaji will never be alone in handling this house’s resposnsibilities…I will stand right next to you…shoulder to shoulder…in that…I don’t know what I will do just yet..but I will do something substantial surely…”
Before I can say anything to that – Keerat knocks on Seerat’s di’s forhead temple at that if to check her head’s sensibility/availabity of brains – gaping at her wide-eyed– “ yeh ho kya gaya hai…tujhe..sindy…check karlun…itna dimaag kahan se agaya finally tere andar…yeh tune..aaj..mera kaam kaise kardiya…hamesha main dat ke khadi rehti thi sahiba di ke saath…aaj tune mujhe mauka hi nai diya…”( knock knock…whats up? How come so much brain in you sindy??how come you played my role today? Usually I always stand next to – Sahiba di…but..today….you didn’t give me a chance only..)
Seerat di tears up at that and opens her arms out to us both – “ pata hai tum dono ko mujhe maaf karne..mein time lagega…par jaan lo…woh purani seerat ka… the end karke aayi hun main..hamesha ke liye….bass ek baar phir abhi…mujhse gale mil lo…kyunki aaj se pehle..bahut kam aisa hua hai..ki maine pure saaf man se apni behno ko gale lagaya ho….”( I know you both will take your time to forgive me…just know…that I have burried that old seerat for good as I start on a fresh leaf now on…and I want you both to just hug me one more..time…for before this only very rare occasions did I hug you too with a pure loving selfless vibe…)
Keerat and me exchange a knowing look and nod at that and we hug her on reflex….as Mummy, Papaji, Tayiji – watch on teary eyed stunned – as if they were still processing the sight they had witnessed…in their beings…
Was this the big MONGa Sister’s/Family reunion? Not really…coz…we are all yet to shed our collective baggage in the aftermath of this debacle with the Brar’s and reach that station of forgiveness and peace amidst us all….but this does seem like a positive step in that direction nonetheless…
………………….
Oh if only – the members of the Monga clan had known in the above moment of time that there was another tornado brewing up right outside their door – preparing its destructive path with the intention to sweep them all in it hard and fast…
Oh If Only…the Monga sisters had known then…that this aftermath post the debacle with the Brar’s wasn’t simply destined to be a one that of calm….
If only the Monga’s had known then that the act from Santosh+ Seerat’s ambitious greed to get mingled with the Brar’s…was yet to come around with some more dire consequences…for them all…
………………………….
Two More Days Later
Brar Mansion
Nearing 4PM
Angad’s POV
How does one cope with a Standstill?
Is there any one particular answer to that or is it that every person has their own way of coping with a standstill sorts – position in their lives?
My experience from over the last two days kind off makes me want to believe in the latter – as every member of our Brar family has been going through their own respective coping mechanisms..in order to come to terms with all that has happened…
Daar ji and Bebe – being our eldest are the two who’v been handling it as maturely as they could – obviously.Gurleen chachi, chachu, ekam, veer – have been their usual cheerful self though trying to make the heavy intense aftermath light..for everyone as they digest it all. Papa seems to have gone in a silent shock mode – along with Prabhjyot bua and phoophad. Muma has been having her outbursts as she copes up with her realisations and I – have simply spent the last two days by myself – either in my room – or around the house – deep in reflective thought….
Just so you know – it wasn’t that I didn’t want to run after Sahiba the other day intending to stop her from leaving. I was about too – but Daarji stopped me. He believed I needed to give Sahiba and her family – the space to figure their stuff out on a personal front together first. My presence or constant barging in – would only add more to her issues – at hand perhaps? He asked me to respect the fact that she wasn’t in any headspace to handle anything from my end right now and after all that had happened the least I could do was give her that…
And because – I simply didn’t ever wana be the one to cause Sahiba any turmoil/pain ever again – I agreed with him.
We all returned home consumed in intense vibes obviously and in the aftermath of it all…as all the happenings continue to sink in deep in each of us still…those same vibes have continued to fill in the house in the last 48 hours…
Its also not that Muma didn’t mention to everyone that she wanted to personally apologize to Sahiba again. She did the same – yesterday morning over breakfast. But once again – it was Daar ji and Bebe who advised her that she must only seek out to meet Sahiba ever again if she had finally let go of all the grudges in her heart against – her mother/Seerat. For that would be the right thing to do. Muma kept quiet on that front then – which was sign to us all that she was still working towards coping with that part of it…
And its not that – I haven’t thought of Sahiba in these last 48 hours. Infact, she’s all I have thought off…almost every minute of the days..spent awake. Her face hasn’t stopped its rotation and revolution around my eyes – as my being continues to absorb the truth – that it was always her I was into – from the very beginning. My brain’s been in an obvious overdrive planning the thousand different ways to seek her /beg her for forgiveness and then for once chance to start afresh…
That’s it …though…
I think I’v run out of my patience on sitting and waiting here in the hope that things settle around at her end. Better, I begin to act on all that I have planned…
I am right on that thought – when I see Muma walking into my room now deep in thought. I ask – “ Muma…aap thik ho??”( Muma..are you okay??)
She nods – “ bass hum sab thik hone ki koshish hi toh kar rahe hai…angad…”( aren’t we all trying to be??)
She asks me if I am okay now and I shake my head in a No honestly – “ not really Muma…I don’t think I will be okay until I speak to Sahiba ..once…”
Muma nods as if she simply understands and asks me instantly – “ toh phir wait kiss liye kar raha hai..angad…jaa na…jaa..aur kar usse baat…infact main bhi chalti hun tere saath…mujhe bhi toh usse maafi maangni hai…”( then what are you waiting for my son? Go…go and talk to her now…infact I will come with you too given that I also wont be at peace without her forgiveness…)
I gape at Muma at that – “ par Muma daar ji said…the other day..so does that mean…??,” I pause implying the obvious.
She nods now taking me by surprise – “ yes..angad…it means that I am now ready to let go off all grudges against her mother and Seerat…look…I’v been thinking so much for the last two days…and as much as Seerat and her mother are in the wrong…I cannot deny that it was really brave of Seerat to what she did the other day..in front of us all…and just what do I say about Sahiba …angad…?,”and she pauses to take a sheet off A4 paper from my study desk and draws a small dot on it with a black pen and asks me now with tears in her eyes as I look at her puzzled – “ what do you see…on this sheet of paper now…angad??”
I shrug as I admit puzzled – “ that there’s this small black dot…on this otherwise white sheet of paper…Muma…”
She sighs now wiping the tear outta the corner of her eye – “ exactly…what..i’d see too…it hits me now..that probably most of us would see just that…that oh look there’s this small black dot…on this white paper…daar ji was right…Angad…its all about perspective and vision perhaps? most of us…will only see that black dot first…instead of saying…oh I see there’s this spik, span, white sheet of paper which is quite larger in its space/boundary vs that small dot…and I guess…especially you and me..were doing the same in Sahiba’s case ..all the while…as well…weren’t we? You realised earlier perhaps…now I see it…before going into the confrontation given that you knew what you had planned…and knows…and I see this part of it so very clearly now….kuch daag toh chaan mein bhi hote hai angad…par usse chand ki Roshni mein koi kami nai hoti…( there are always some dark shadows/spots of craters on the moon too…Angad…but never that has affected the mighty pure light that radiates from the moon….)….oh why was I so blinded…Angad?why was I so blinded??”
I nod at her in an instant understanding and confess now on reflex the words leaving my mouth on their own accord – “ chaand mein toh phir bhi daag hai muma…par sahiba mein ek bhi nai…kabhi tha hi nai…bass mujhe hi dikhta tha…kitna pagal tha mai…aaj sab clearly dikh raha hai mujhe…”( the moon has its dark shadow spots due to the natural spot of the crater…but now I can clearly see…that there are no dark shadows/spots looming around…Sahiba…there never were..to begin with perhaps? only I used to see otherwise? How crazy I was?”
Muma nods in understanding now and she touches my cheek – “ ab toh mujhe bhi samajh aagaya..angad…ki tere liye…sirf sahiba hi sahi hai..”( and now even I understand that Sahiba is the right one for you…)
I look at her emotional in remorse – “ but what if she doesn’t think I am the right one for her?Muma? I don’t blame her…my misconduct…with her is a big black spot on my accord……agar usne mujhe kabhi maaf nai kiya toh??main kya karunga muma..? mujhe bas yeh pata hai..main yeh annulment papers sign nai kar sakta…”(what if she doesn’t ever forgive me??then what will I do?? all I know is …I can’t sign these annulment papers…)
Muma nods and kisses my head as she whispers – “then don’t sign them…but perhaps…we’d have to respect her point and simply wait graciously for her to forgive you??perhaps??you just keep trying…”
I nod at that – instantly. She asks smiling – “ toh chale…ab…sahiba ke ghar??”(Shall we go now..to her home??)
I nod and we get up with the intend to head out to Sahiba’s and it hits me then that technically – I don’t even have her exact address but Veer does. I quickly call him now and ask him to text the same.But Veer arrives at my door grinning in the next thirty seconds as he asks – “ aap log sahiba Bhabhi ke pass?jaane ki soch rahe ho??”( you all thinking of going to see sahiba Bhabhi??”)
Before I can say anything – Muma nods – “ ofcourse yes Veer…why else would we ask you for her address??now come on…you come with us…too….she’s got a soft corner for you…you better help Angad and me… lighten the scenario there…”
Veer grins relieved – “ Tayji…yeh hui na baat…finally you came around…chalo chalo…lets go fast..although I still don’t know whether she will be at the shop at this time…or her home…given that Daar ji had asked to not try to poke into the Monga’s privacy for a couple of days…I didn’t even check with Keerat…”
Strangely, Muma and me end up saying in unison now – “ check now..then ..Veer…check now….”
Veer bursts into a happy chuckle at that nodding at us and makes the call to Keerat – as we watch on impatient.
Who would have thought? Muma – being as impatient as me – to see Sahiba????
Veer’s grin shortens now – “ aree…her phone is coming switched off….,”and he calls Sahiba at that – “ so is bhabhi’s….I wonder why…paaji…you try…bhabhi’s no…”
I do instantly but to my dismay – Sahiba’s number is switched off. I look at Veer – worried and Muma says now determined – “ look…lets just go there…maybe..they just blocked all of our numbers or something…lets go to their home…first…”
Veer and me – nod at that instantly and we get going but somehow a weird feeling consumes my gut. A weird feeling that tells me – somethings wrong – in here.I snooze the thought out for now.Why? Because I realised…I didn’t want to comprehend the possibility of it…
…………………………………………..
A While Later – Angad’s POV Continues
Veer parks the car at a spot and says to us now – “ Paaji…the car won’t go further in…okay? We have to walk…”
I exchange a nod with Muma and the three of us get out – determined.Thankfully, Veer’s music had made the car ride bearable and that weird feeling hadn’t returned to consume my gut..
Now, as we continue to walk down the lanes – near to Sahiba’s home – led by Veer- I feel my head get into an imagination mode visualising the sight of Sahiba here and around…smiling…laughing..and once again at that thought – my gut wrenches as realisation strikes – that I have never been the direct reason for the same…
I am right on that thought – when we both see Veer halt in his tracks and panic engulfs him as he looks at us pointing towards a house – that now looks seriously vandalised with a group of people looking on from the sides – “ paaji…tayiji…yeh…kya ho gaya hai…woh hai..bhabhi ka ghar..par lagta hai..kuch toh kaan hua hai yahan…chaliye…dekhe…”( paaji…tayiji…what the hell has happened?here? that is her house…but looks like something serious has happened here…)
Sheer Panic – takes over me at that on reflex as I exchange a worried look with Muma and we all run upfront. Babaji…No…please…please..mer karo…
Veer barges in through the vandilised open door – and Muma and me follow on immediately. And the very second – I do take in the sight off the scale of vandilisation/everything lying broken/tattered/ most of Sahiba’s art pieces/pots lying around broken – glasses shattered everywhere – black ash burn marks on the wall – my heart legit stops in on me…in stunned shock + truckloads of panic…
WHAT THE FREAKING HELL HAPPENED HERE?
ALSO – WHY DON’T WE ANYONE?
WHERE IS SAHIBA?
My panic reaching my peek. Muma clutches on to my arm in horror but I run to the group of people outside in panic and ask instantly – “ kya hua? Kya hua hai yahan? Yeh monga’s ka ghar haina? Yahan hua kya hai? Kahan hai sab?? Sahiba kahan hai? Sahiba ko jaante haina aap…??? Hua kya hai…yahan?? Boliye please??? kuch boliye…”( what happened here? this is the Monga’s house isn’t it?? what the hell happened here?? where Is everyone? Where is Sahiba? You know Sahiba right?? tell me…please…tell me…now….”)
Veer bombards the rest of the uncles around with the same questions. Finally, one of them speaks up as he looks at me – “ ek minute…ek minute…aap…angad singh brar ho na??”( one minute…one minute…you are angad singh brar? Right??”)
I nod at him instantly panic evident in my entire tremoring being – “ haan haan…main hi hun…angad singh brar…sahiba meri biwi hai..kahan hai woh..”( yes yes…its me only…angad singh brar…sahiba is my wife….where is she??”)
The uncle sighs – “ aap ab aaye ho puttar…jab sab khatam hogaya?”( you are coming now?when its all over??”
Thankfully, Veer asks on my behalf given that my throats choked in fear – “ kya matlab?sab khatam hogaya? What do you mean everything is over??”
Muma touches my shoulder and asks the uncles now – “ please…aap batiye…kuch toh batiye…hume kuch nai pata…sahiba bass..kuch din ke liye mayike aayi thi….”( please…talk…tell us ..something…we don’t know anything…Sahiba had just come home for a while to visit her parents…)
The other uncle sighs as he finally states – “ kal raat.,,kya Hungama hua…lag bahg 11 baje the raat ke shayad.. Hum sab so rahe the…phir ek dum se…aawaaz aayi…bahar aake dekha..toh kuch gunde…yahan zabardasti andar ghuske…un sab se ghar khaali karne ko kehne lage…kehne lage…santosh ji ka koi loan tha jiske liye unhone yeh ghar girvi Rakha tha…shayad vyah ki tayaariyon ke liye…aur phir kehne lage…ki zara paisa loan ka abhi ke abhi wapas karo…nai toh raaton raat bahar niklo…”( last night…around 11 pm…we were all sleeping..but then woke up hearing loud thuds and voices…when we came out…we spotted some local goons barging into their house…demanding…the loan money from Santosh ji against which she’d kept this house as security..for the wedding arranagements perhaps…they literally began demanding money…full amount right there…or else began asking them to vacate overnight…”)
WHAT THE FREAKING HELL??? Why didn’t Sahiba call me????
I gape at the uncle – “ aur aap sab ne madad nai ki? Kuch kaha nai?”( didn’t any of you ask for help?interefere…or call the police??”
Another uncle sighs now – “ ofcourse we tried to help and interfere…most of our sons did…they’v all been injured in the fight…with those goons only…they vandilised everything in their house…broke everything…even set fire to a couple of curtains…”
Tears of horror engulf my eyes now as Sahiba’s thought comes to my mind imagining her in sheer panic in the circumstance.Babji forbid..if any of those goons misbehaved with Sahiba…I’d become a goon myself and freaking hunt them down and bash them– “ whatttttttt??????wait…did the goons misbehave with …”
The uncle sighs – “ sahiba…keerat ya seerat? Nai…they were threatening too…but it didn’t come to that…for Keerat got into a hustle too…only she suffered a slight forhead injury…”
Veer asks zapped and shaken at that – “ kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? Keerat got hurt??”
He is paled into a ghost just like me…
Another uncle adds now – “ in order to protect his daughters from any sort off of hurt/misbehaviour…Monga saab gave in…he had no option…he agreed to vacate overnight..given that they didn’t have the full loan amount to give them anyway…the goons kept sitting there on their heads…gave them an hour…oh it was a heartbreaking moment…watching them pack up…”
I gape at them horrified my heart sinking in on me- “ why didn’t any of you call the police??”
One of the uncles son comes out from his home – now with his forhead bandaged – “ we tried…I went there…whilst they were packing up…figured we could use some help…but when I arrived there…we figured…that the police is surely involved in this…for they simply refused to register our complaint…or pay any heed come..for help…we wondered why…but we don’t have the answer…..”
I gape at everyone in horror – “ why didn’t any of you call me????”
They gape at me back – “ jaise ki hamare pass koi raasta tha aapko phone karne ka? Aur humne sochs sahiba puttar ne kiya hi hoga…hume laga woh sab yahan se nikal ke aapke pass hi aaye honge…yeh toh aapko dekha toh pata chala…aap ko toh kuch pata hi nai…hai…”( as if we had the number to contact you/reach you and moreover we thought Sahiba would have called you…we thought they’d go to you all only eventually…but only when we saw you now…we realised…that you simply don’t know anything…)
I send out a curse at myself at that…
Dammit..
This is all my fault…
Why did I have to think about – giving Monga’s the space to settle it all down amongst themselves. I rub my hands over my face in distress, fury and worry as does Muma clutching onto my shoulder in horror too with tears streaming down her face.
Veer asks in panic – “ where did they go?? Where did they all go??”
They shake their head in a No – “ we don’t know…”
I shout out loud now losing my cool – “ what do you mean? you don’t know?????????????yeh kaise hone diya aap logon ne??”(how did you all let this happen…)
Muma asks me to calm down but I simply can’t and Veer gets on with trying to reach Keerat/Sahiba and as I look around desperate at everyone – “ sorry…sorry…I yelled…but please…some of you…must know..one of you must know..please…tell me…”
Surprisingly, right then one of the aunties comes out of her homes now and with tears in her eyes she whispers to all – “ don’t you all have the guts to say it? tell him the truth??”
I gape at her – “ aunty…kya??”
She wipes her tears – “ I never liked Santosh from my heart ..or her girls much..but what happened..last night with them shook us all ..within…nonetheless…they were thrown/forced out of their own house overnight…the goons…even took hold of Sahiba’s shop’s keys…monga saab’s food cart they broke as well…I am sure they would have wrecked her shop also by now…”
NOOOOOOO….
NOOOOOOOO…
NOT HER SHOP BABAJI…NOT HER SHOP…IT WAS HER PEACEFUL HEAVEN..THE ONE SHE’D BUILT WITH HER SWEAR AND HARDWORK….
I’v turned into a horror statue…
Before, any of us could ask the aunty anything further – another aunty comes to her door and she says completely disturbed – “ this is all because of you…angad singh brar..all because of you brars…we over heard one of the goons mustering on the phone…reporting to someone..that the job was done…karwa diya sir…angad singh brar ki biwi ka ghar khali…itni tod phod machayi ki unhe toh jaana hi tha….(that we got angad singh’s brar’s wife’s house empty..we vandilised so much that they had to flee…)
WHATTTTTTTTT?
The first aunty whispers – “ we have all been discussing what could have happened..etc etc….since morning heartbroken…looks like someone wanted to seek vengeance from you…angad…singh brar…and sahiba and her family had to pay the price….”
And before I can react to that horrific piece of news – I spot Kulcha walking up the lane broken – crying and the second he spots us – he runs up to us and says – “ angad..jijaji…veer papaji…those were goons sent by some local MLA…I have now found out…the MLA seemed to have a tiff with you or something?and he was looking of a way to get back at you I guess…he must have seen your reception pics…tracked your wifes history down..maybe…and thought..the best way…to hurt you would be that…that MLA only is behind it I am sure..because his people only have taken over than small financial private agency through which aunty ji had taken the loan….oh it was all planned….it was all planned…”
PANIC.
TERROR AND REALISATION DAWNS AT – Veer and me at the same time as our head instantly connects the dots now. I explain to Muma and all rushed now – “ this MLA he wanted further donation from us for upcoming elections…we’d already…obliged and sanctioned some amount…he’d come around for more…we’d refused…as in…I’d refused…on his face…..oh damm…damm…Muma…”
Muma gasps in horror..
I ask Kulcha now desperate to know – “ the shop…Sahiba ki shop…is it okay? please tell me…the goons haven’t reached there yet?”
Tears leave his eyes as he whispers – “ sab tod diya unhone wahan bhi…kuch nai bacha..bass..main…babaji ki woh painting bacha paya…unki tod phod mein…main ghar le gaya…”( they vandilised everything…broke..everything….nothing remains there also now…I could only save one thing…the latest painting of Babaji…sahiba di had made…)
I slump to my knees at that – in shock, grief and guilt all at once.Muma comes out to hold me…as does Veer…they are asking me compose myself …but I simply can’t….
I simply just can’t….
……………………………………………………………..
An Hour Later – Brar Mansion
Angad’s POV Continues
Bebe exclaims now concerned – “ Angad…bass puttar bass…baith ja…kam se kam paani toh pe le..”( Angad ..enough…please sit down..or atleast have water…)
I shake my head in a No!
I continuing to fume and pace around restlessly gaping at my phone waiting for it to connect to Sahiba’s phone/or any of my texts to deliver. Iv been obviously trying to reach her non-stop ever since I sat in the car just like Veer is trying to reach Keerat.
Gurleen chachi/Muma/Prabhjyot bua say to me now – “ bebe…sahi keh rahi hai…shaant hoja. Paani pee le..baith ja….”( bebe is right..angad..sit down…sip some water…”
I pause to gape at them all zapped – “ you all are asking me to sit down? When you all just heard all that happened? yahan anarth hogaya hai phir se sahiba ke saath meri wajah se….aur uppar se uska kuch pata nai chal raha…”( again so much crap has ended up happening to Sahiba because of me.On top of that I still haven’t a slightest idea where she is..)
Phoophad points out now – “ Maine toh pehle hi kitni baar kaha hai angad…yeh MLA/politicians jo maange…unhe de dena chahiye…kyun unke saath panga lena..lo…nikal liya na unhone…badla…unhe laga…hoga…yahan brar mansion mein toh yeh sab karne ki himmat nai karsakte…toh jo hamare latest rishtedaar bane hai…unhe target karo..angad ki biwi ko target karo…”( oh how many times did I tell you before…angad..these MLA’s /politicians whatever they ask you should just give in..now see how they took out their grudge…they must have thought they can’t easily do any of this around us/brar mansion so target the vulnerable ones whov just become our relatives recently..lets target Angad’s wife..whose family resides in Shimlapuri…”
For the first time ever – I glare at him hard as I hold out my hand – “ phoophad…please??? for once…can you…think and speak??”
Daar ji goes onto school him concerned as well and he comes upto touch my shoulder – “ Angad…don’t listen to him….tumhe nai pata tha..yeh sab hojayega…”( you had no clue this could happen…)
Prabhjyout bua – “ also…let this theiry get confirmed atleast first? This is just what those locality people and that guy…whats his name? who came here with gifts with Santosh ji..”
I muster – “ Kulcha…”
Prabhjylot bua – “ haan..this is what he said…”
Gurleen chachi touches my shoulder – “ Veer is trying to confirm …it right…Angad….lets wait for the update from him on this…”
Right then we all spot Veer walk back into the hall from the side corridor his shoulders dejected – “ its true…I just got off the phone with SSP. He somehow get down to the bottom of this…its true…Balvinder singh and his goons are behind this…they bribed the police around shimlapuri which is why…they didn’t pay any heed…”
Balvinder Singh is the name of the MLA in context..
I fume and bang my fist on the wall in frustration – “ dammit…I won’t spare him…won’t spare him…”
Muma touches my shoulder now and I look back to see tears leaving her eyes – “ Angad…I understand..what you are going through…but..no..please? promise me…you won’t do anything…to venge Balvinder singh…the last thing I want for him to do is come after you…please??”
Prabhjyot bua adds with tears in her eyes – “ or prince..”
Chachu whispers worried holding onto Ekam close – “ or Ekam…”
DAMMIT.
I look at Daar ji helpless – “ kya karun main daar ji? Kya karun??”(what should I do..daar ji..what should I do??”)
Daar ji places his hand on my head - “ sahiba ko dhoondh…puttar..pata kar…mujhe pura wishwaas hai woh sab jahan honge…thik hi honge…mujhe Babaji…pe pure bharosa hai..”( try to find Sahiba..first..find out ..where she is…I have full faith in god that where-ever she and her family are…they will be safe only…)
I nod – “ I am trying daarji…I am trying..”
Veer adds helpless – “ I am trying to reach…Keerat too…”
I look into my phone screen again helpless – and it is right then a development catches my eye. One of texts just delivered to Sahiba’s phone. My heart leaps in joy. Does this mean she switched on her phone??
I gesture to all that I am calling Sahiba now and they all look at me restless – but to my surprise she cuts my phone.
I call again..
She cuts it again…
I call three times..
She cuts it everytime…
Dammit Her.
I keep calling. She keeps cutting it. But I don’t give up. When she cuts my call for the eleventh time – I drop her a text.
Me : Sahiba..babaji ki kasam hai tumhe..phone uthao…( Sahiba..please..for heavens sake..pick up the godammit phone…)
I call her again – now! To my momentary relief – she finally picks up and answers her tone exhausted – “kyaa?? Kya hai?Angad? why are you calling me??”
I walk to the side now to continue talking – spotting everyone take in a relieved breathe given that they figured – I did reach her. “ Sahiba..enough…are you crazy? I want to ask you the same..thing..dammit…why didn’t you call me??? last night? why didn’t you call me??”
Her surprised voice comes through – “ you know what happened?? how???”
I say urgently – “ I know..because I went by your house to see you ..dammit…I got to know everything…you hate me so much now…that you didn’t think you could call me in such dire need of the hour…Sahiba???”
She sighs and answers after a little pause from her end - “ its not about hate…Angad…its about the fact that I did not want to call you. Yes, we were hit by a sudden storm again. It all happened too fast.Our first intention was to simply get out of there safely…in the first place…”
I ask now immediately – “ are you okay? first things first..tell me..are you okay? is everyone okay??”
“ yes, we are okay…as in none of us are physically hurt…emotionally..perhaps..,”She musters.
I confess – “ I am sorry…Sahiba…i…didn’t know…I didn’t..know…”
She sighs – “ as if you knew about Mummy’s loan…angad..even I didn’t know..atleast in this context…you are not related okay…so..”
I admit because I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t – “ I am related…ok? I figured whose doing it is..Sahiba…one of the local MLA’s..who wanted to seek vengeance against me…for not sanctioning his party more funds…for the upcoming elections..he figured…about your mother’s loan..and decided to capitiliase on it as a sick opportunity…she was to pay in monthy installemnts only..never up at once…Sahiba…but just that his people took over that financial agency first from where she’d seeked the loan and…then…just to get back at me…they…they…,”I pause – not wanting to imply the obvious again..
Silence.
I get a pin drop silence from her end and through that silence - I hear the sound of what seems like railway tracks/train and I ask on reflex- “ where are you?Sahiba? where are you? are you on a train??or what??where are you all going??,”I ask straight up.
She sighs finally her voice surely disturbed but exhausted – “we were all feeling so angry at Mummy again…to be honest..so thank you telling me the truth…that this wasn’t just about her…”
Why isn’t she telling me where she is going?
I ask again – “ where are you?please tell me?where are all of you??”
Her voice comes out in a hoarse aching whisper now – “ I am sure..then…only vandiliased remains…remain at my shop too…now…for if that were the case….they’d have…already..,”and she pauses – and just the pause on the phone is full of angst and pain – that it stabs my heart.
I whisper – “ Sahiba..I am sorry…I had no clue…please…look just tell me where you all are…I will come…I…I..”
“ Noooooo….nooooooo…please…angad…no…we don’t need your help..or anybody’s help..we have each other…yes we perhaps have to start all over again..from the scratch…and we will…we are all capable of it…look…so much has happened…in the past couple of days..that now that I think it in retrospect..it feels like..maybe this for the best…not just me..we all need a break from Ludhiana for good…,”she answers.
I ask in panic again – “ where are you going?Sahiba???tell me now..please tell me now…”
She sighs and surprises me with the words that whip me hard – “ if you are really apologetic about your misconduct from the other night…Angad..promise me…you will not try to find any of us…or reach out to me ever again…just message me in a couple of days once…when the annulment finally goes through to let me know the status of the same..thats it. Next week – I will change my number. Can you promise me this? the only time …I am requesting you for something…myself…hoping that you can give it to me….”
NNNNNNOOOOO…Dammit…she didn’t ask me that…
I whisper sure she could sense the frustration in my voice – “ sahiba…no..please…ask me..anything but this…anything but this…please….”
Her voice comes through determined – “ what if this is all I want…??”
I ask broken – “ you really don’t want anything to do with me anymore? really? Sahiba?? Is that all you want??”
She asks disturbed – “ do I have to state the obvious again??”
And that is when it hits me hard again that this is really what she wants…and like Muma said…I somehow must accept her decision graciously no matter how difficult it is for me?
I sigh – “ alright then….for the first time…you’v requested me ….something Sahiba…I will oblige…”
“ thank you angad…goodbye…,”comes her reply before she finally hangs up leaving me staring at my phone – speechless and shaken yet again.
Muma comes to me instantly as she asks turning me around – “ kya hua angad? Kya kaha sahiba ne? woh thik toh hai..na? woh sab thik hai?kahan hai?woh?”(what happened…Angad…tell me?? what did sahiba say? Is she okay? everyone of them is okay?? where is she??”)
I manage to muster shaken - “ She’s okay yes..eevryone’s okay…they are on a train… I fugured that but don’t know where they are going for she won’t tell me….Muma..she doesn’t want anything to do with me/us anymore….she really doesn’t…,”and I pause to rub my hands on my face in anguish…at that.
Muma looks at me shaken and vulnerable and everyone begins to ask me about my talk with her and I give them the brief highlights of the same – feeling sort of numb within…
They are all shaken as well and it is right then we all look up to see Kulcha standing at our entrance as he asks – “ main aa jaaun andar? Angad jijaji…veer paaji??le aaya main who painting Babaji ki…jo sahiba di ne banayi thi..uss din…jaise ki aapne kahan”( Can I come in??i am here with babaji’s painting as you asked off me…)
I’d obviously asked him to hand me the only painting of Sahiba that he could save during the vandialisation. The one he’d taken home…
Veer asks him to come in immediately with it – but my feet take me to Kulcha now on reflex as I take the painting from him immediately and try to seek some solace/peace from the sight off it. Perhaps – this is a sign?
Kulcha coming here – just now at this moment is a sign? Perhaps – even Babaji thinks off Sahiba’s request just now as a solid form of my redemption. This is exactly what I deserve?
Daar ji comes up from behind now and sees the painting in my hand now and asks me momentarily in awe of it – “ yeh sahiba ki hai??”( this is Sahiba’s piece of work??)
I nod. He asks touching my head – “ guru maharaj ke kamre mein laga le??”( shall we keep it in our main path room??)
I shake my head in a No – determined as my gut continues to go into an overdrive and I whisper to Daar ji now – “ Nai…daar ji…kyunki main..isse apne..kamre mein rakhna chahta hun…iss poore vishwaas ke saath…ki woh dekh rahe hai…babaji dekh rahe hai…ki mein sach mein/poore dil se pachta raha hoon…aur…jiss din babaji khud mujhe meri galtiyon ke liye maaf kardenge ka…uss din…wahi mujhe…sahiba se phir se milanege….yeh ab pura wishwaas hai mujhe….”( No daar ji…because…I want to keep this in my room…with the full belief that he will be watching over in me my repetence/remorse within everyday…and the day Babaji…forgives me for my misdeeds/mistakes towards sahiba now…I have full faith…that day…he will only make me meet her again…)
Daar ji shoots me a sad smiles at that teary eyed, touching my cheek ..in an intense silence before he finally says in a whisper – “ itne gehre toofan ke baad…sirf waqt hi hai…joh sabke zakhm bhar sakta hai..aur mujhe pura vishwaas hai…ki yeh kaam waqt hi karega…sirf hamare/tumhare liye nai..angad……sahiba aur uske parivaar ke liye…bhi…”( after such a massive chain of events that storm it all around..its only time that can heal everyone…I believe..not just us/you angad…but even Sahiba and her family…)
I nod at him – understanding at that – as does everyone else around me…
He’s right..
Daar ji is right…
Perhaps – time is all I need to serve my repentance deep within my heart sincerely - and time is also what Sahiba needs to heal in her wounds too…
We will surely meet again...I'd like to beleive...we most surely will...I don't know when/how will that happen now...but I'd like to hold onto that belief - nonetheless..
…………………………….
Tadaaaaaaaaaa!!
Howwazzat guys??? Did any of you expect such a roller -coaster of an update?????? Or the events that eventually unfolded?????
So from where I see it – post this entire chain of events – everyone kind of simply needs the space to like heal and overcome/settle…within..first…before they start afresh again…because otherwise…baggage/hurt from the shadows…will constantly keep coming out in regular attendance .. which is why I decided that even though Angad has realised it all – both of them – need space and distance from each other for a while.This period is also going to be his redemption arc (more on that in the next update)and Sahiba really needs to overcome and heal out of it all in her own pace and time as well – right? Before she finally bumps into Angad Singh Brar – Version 2.0 again…eventually…
So yes, as most of you would have guessed…we are now headed into a Time Leap in the story next update on which is why – I will now give a weeks gap to posting and will return next Monday on – with the next update(post leap)
So yup – I hope you all enjoyed this rollercoaster of a Maha – Update!! I will be awaiting to know your thoughts on the same…
I will see you all next Monday with the next update!
Thanks guys once again..
Much love * Infinite Gratitude
Always
Prachi…
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