PART 1
The garden here was
bigger, unlike Shantivan. The rooms were smaller, unlike Shantivan. The mandir
much smaller, unlike Shantivan. Khushi gauged the present house comparing with
her Shantivan where she spent the last few months serving everyone, laughing
and sharing with everyone, where she was the eldest Raizada bahu, where she was
the centre of fun and frolick, where she was the centre of love and devotion.
Her Shantivan. Where she does not belong now. Her eyes filled up with tears
remembering the past events, remembering how she got married with all the
rituals , her deep desired wish, despite of the present situation of her
family. The haldi, the phere, the marriage, everything was done, though in a
low profile mode, but they were done, because it was her wish which her husband
wanted to fulfil. She searched for her husband and saw him standing near a window,
silently, gazing the sky.
Arnav
entered with a tray of food and saw his sister hurled on the bad sobbing
furiously.He closed his eyes briefly for a moment, trying to absorb the pain
and proceeded towards his sister. Settling the tray aside he kept a hand on her
shoulder.
"Di"
"Go
away…", she shrugged his hand , crying continuously crying.
"Di",
he tried again.
"Leave
me alone"
"Di…
please have your food"
"I
will not.. just leave"
Arnav
started loosing his cool now. The whole fiasco has taken a toll in his senses
too but he tried keeping calm and tried persuing her again.
"Di…
you are under heavy medication, you need food."
"NO",
she sprang up on her bed, "I need Shyam ji"
Fury
raged through Arnav at the mention of that basta*d. He wanted to shout out
something against him when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Calmness started
settlingin him as Khushi's hand found Arnav's shoulder. He turned to look at
her anxious expression and saw his family members entering the room , listening
Anjali's howls.
"Di",
he tried again. "Calm down"
"I
need Shyam ji"
"Di"
"I
need Shyam ji"
"Di"
"I
need Shyam Ji", she continued " Bring me Shyam Ji, I need Shyam Ji…."
"ENOUGH",
he bellowed ,silencing his sister and shocking his entire family.
"Di!
We all are with you, do you understand?", he laid his hand on her shoulder. "We
are here, you need medicines, you need your family and No one else.. do you get
that? NO ONE ELSE".
"ENOUGH",
Anjali protested, silencing Arnav for the first time. He looked at his di
perplexed whereas the family looked on shocked.of
"Shyam
Ji is my family.", she started. "If he is not allowed in my life then none of
you are allowed in my life..do you get that?" she stood up but sat down
immediately due to weakness.
Khushi
and Arnav caught Anjali by both her arms, steadying her when she shook them
off.
"Don't
touch me… I need my Shyam Ji, he's my everything, I need him.", she sobbed.
"Di",
Khushi started.
"Shut
up Khushi Ji", Anjali warned. "Its just because the two of you, I am incomplete
today, its because of your some stupid misunderstanding,my husband is away from
me."
"YOU",
she pointed towards Khushi. "Blamed him with the dirtiest accusations.. and YOU",
she pointed toward Arnav , "threw him out of this house… and YOU all", she
pointed towards her family, "Believed them and supported them." And she sobbed.
Arnav
stood shocked and wide eyed. Tears trickled down his face as he watched his
sister blaming him for everything and pleading to bring her husband back.
Khushi
as if sensing his pain clutched his hand tightly sobbing quietly.
Dadi
rushed towards Anjali, took her in her arms and patted her back . She looked at
Arnav and Khushi accusingly and turned her face back towards Anjali, soothing
her.
Khushi
understood the privacy needed for Anjali and therefore she tugged Arnav's arm
to take him out but he resisted.
"Di..",
he started in a broken voice, "What do you want?"
"I
want Shyam Ji", she replied sobbing on Dadi's chest.
"and…and
… me?", he asked in a quiet voice.
"I don't need you", she replied
looking at him with bloodshot eyes.
Arnav felt Khushi's
hand over his shoulder and that brought him out of his thoughts. He looked at
Khushi and saw her tear filled eyes. He hugged her tightly comforting her and
himself. He recalled about his decision to leave the house and shift to this
property of Raizada's. He recalled the protest of his family but he couldn't make
himself stay in that house where his sister did not want him. Shyam had to be
brought in that house, as it was a lost battle from his side. But he couldn't make
himself stay in the same roof as him. He left the house ensuring his Di's
security with extra security guards and domestic help. He entrusted his Di's
safety to his family's hand and left the house for good.
Arnav broke the hug and
caressed Khushi's face.
"Forgive me Khushi"
"For what Arnav Ji?",
she asked perplexed.
"I couldn't fulfill all
the rituals of our marriage", he confessed.
"What are you saying
Arnav Ji?", she asked shocked. " It does not matter, really, and you fulfilled
all the rituals."
"We did… but I am sorry
we cannot have the Grihapravesh", he admitted.
"Arnav Ji", she
interrupted. "It does not matter", she confessed cupping his face.
"But it does matter to
us"
Arnav Khushi turned
towards the entrance and saw his nani standing with his whole family excluding
Dadi and Anjali.
"Nani?", they chorused.
"Raizada Bahu deserves
a Grihapravesh and we all are here for that. Get ready Bitiya", Nani smiled
with others which was returned by Arnav and Khushi , with tears.
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