Just finished Hum Saath Saath Hain and I've fallen for Prem/Preeti all over again. Vinod is my favourite character though so this will deal with his turmoil a lot too.
Chapter One:
It had been two years since both Prem and Preeti as well as Vinod and Sapna had gotten married. Everyone was living in the same family although lately Sapna and Vinod had gone to visit Sapna's father in Rampur.
Preeti and Sadhna along with Mamta were making breakfast for everyone when there was a knock on the door.
"Are ye kaun agaya is waqt?" (Oh, who is here at this time?) Mamta said to the others and Vivek smiled.
"Main dekhta hoon," (I'll go see) Vivek offered standing up and going to the door. He opened it and was tackled into an embrace by Vinod.
Vinod had wrapped his arms around his older brother's middle and appeared to be crying as he buried his head in Vivek's shoulder.
Taken by surprise, Vivek wrapped his own uninjured arm around Vinod's shoulder, concern surging through his heart. Vinod was his baby brother, the most innocent one in their family, the one who was always happy and positive regardless of what happened. But right now he was...
"Vinod," Vivek said gently. "Chalo andar chal ke baat karte hain." (Let's go inside and talk.) He guided his brother back into the lounge room where the food was being set aside.
"Vinod?" Mamta said frowning. "Sapna kahan hai?" (Where is Sapna?)
Vinod moved away from Vivek, hugging his mother tightly. "Ma!"
"Vinod," Mamta said, stroking her son's hair. "Beta, teri ankhoon mein ansoon?" (Son, your eyes with tears in them?)
Sadhna glanced at Vivek but he shook his head, going to Vinod's side.
"Vinod," Prem said. "Kuch toh batao. Kya hua hai?" (Tell us something. What happened?)
Vinod shook his head. "Nahi." (No.) He tried to wipe away his tears. "Kahi bataoon toh aap logue bhi mera saath na chor dein." (If I tell you, you might leave my side too.)
Vivek's heart hammered in his chest as Mamta stroked her youngest son's hair soothingly. "Vinod, aisa mat socho. Tum mere chote bhai ho. Tumhare liye toh main apni jaan bhi dey sakta hoon." [Vinod, don't think like that. You are my little brother. For you, I can even give my life.]
"Toh usne kyun saath chor diya?" [Then why did she leave my side?] Vinod looked at Preeti as he said this. "Preeti bhabi, woh toh aapki bhi bachpan ki saheli thi na? Kya usne apko kuch nahi bataya? Ya phir aap bhi..." [Preeti sister-in-law, she was your childhood friend, wasn't she? Didn't she tell you anything? Or are you as well...] He didn't mean to because along with being his sister-in-law, Preeti was also his friend but right now, Vivek felt his little brother had no idea what to do.
Preeti shook her head, looking in shock herself even as Prem took her hand, squeezing it in reassurance. "Nahi, Vinod mujhe kuch nahi pata. Main tumhare saath khabhi nahi aisa hone doon." [No, Vinod, I don't know anything. I would never let this happen to you.] She moved forward. "Main baat karoon gi Sapna se lekhin batao to hua kya hai?" [I'll talk to Sapna but tell me, what happened?]
Vinod looked at his mother before leaning closer. "Hum l-logue Rampur ja rahe the to raaste main doctor se milte ve gaye. Usne last time hamhe kuch tests likh ke diye the...aur uni ke results liye the." [We were heading to Rampur and stopped by at the doctor's. Last time we visited, he gave us some tests to have done so we had to get the results.] His voice choked up a little at that and his mother hugged him tighter, giving him the courage to continue. "Meri kuch medical problems hai...jiski waja se main aur Sapna ke kabhi bache nahi ho sakte." [I have some medical problems...that because of which, Sapna and I can never have kids.] At this final statement, Vinod buried his head in his mother's shoulder blades again.
Mamta kissed him on the cheek, beginning to cry. "Arey mere bache is liye tujhe Sapna ne chod diya hai?" [Oh, my child, that is why Sapna left you?]
Vivek's expression was downcast and he sat on the sofa besides Mamta and Vinod. "Vinod..."
Vinod peeked out at Vivek, looking a small child. It tugged at Vivek's heartstrings and it reminded him when they were little kids. Vinod would be a typical prankster and would fall down, injuring himself and begin crying. Vivek would tend to his wounds, wipe away his tears and take his pain away. But this was no physical injury that he could heal with medicine.
Vivek reached out, touching Vinod's shoulder. "Vinod, hum tumhare saath hain." [Vinod, we are with you.] He glanced at Prem who immediately sat besides his older brother.
Vinod tilted his head to look at Prem. "Preeti bhabi karein gi Sapna se baat?" [Will Preeti sister-in-law talk to Sapna?]
Prem smiled a little. "Haan of course." [Yes, of course.]
Preeti nodded. "Main abhi milati hoon Sapna ko phone. Mujhe use ye umeed nahi thi." [Yeah, I'll talk to Sapna on the phone right now. I didn't expect this from her.]
Sadhna smiled. "Vinod, aapne nashta kiya hai?" [Vinod, have you had breakfast?]
Vinod shook his head. "Nahi, Uncle ne mujhe subha hotae hi..." [No, as soon as it was morning, Uncle...]
Prem clenched a fist and Vivek frowned. Mamta felt more tears roll down her cheeks. Preeti hung her head, her eyes saddened while Sadhna just smiled.
"Chalo phir chalein dining table pe?" [Then let's go to the dining table?] Sadhna offered, leading everyone towards the lounge room where the table to eat was. Ramkishen was already sitting there.
"Kya hua? Tum logue sab ek dam se..." [What happened? All of you just suddenly...] Ramkishen stopped where he was when he saw Vinod. "Vinod, beta kya hua? Tum to Rampur gaye the na?" [Vinod, son what happened? You went to Rampur didn't you?]
Vivek wrapped his arm around Vinod's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Kuch nahi Papa, baatein baad mein abhi sab ko bahut bhook lag rahi hai." [Nothing Papa, talking later right now everyone is very hungry.]
Ramkishen glanced at Mamta who shook her head at him, their eyes meeting.
With that, the family had breakfast together.
---
Preeti and Sadhna allowed the three brothers to spend some time together as Preeti went to call Sapna. The phone rang a few when Bharam Raj, Sapna's father answered the phone.
"Hello?" he said.
"Gee, Uncle, main Preeti baat kar rahi hoon," [Yes, Uncle, Preeti speaking.] Preeti said, exchanging a look with Sadhna. "Kya aap meri Sapna se baat karadein ge?" [Could you give the phone to Sapna so I can talk to her?]
"Sapna aap logoon se koi taluk nahi rakhna chahti," [Sapna doesn't want to keep any relationship with you guys,] Bharam Raj said stiffly. "Joh humhe kehna tha humne Vinod se kehdiya tha." [Whatever we wanted to say, we already said to Vinod.]
"Uncle, main aur Sapna bachpan ki saheliyan hain, please humhe baat to karne dein," [Uncle, Sapna and I are childhood friends, please let us talk] Preeti said, her heart thudding wildly in her chest as she thought of the broken look on Vinod's face. Sadhna placed a hand on her arm.
"Kyun?" [Why?] Bharam Raj said, his tone of voice rough. "Kya Vinod ne tumhe bata nahi? Woh ek adhura mard hai. Aur meri beti ek adhoore mard ke saath zindagi nahi guzar sakti." [Has Vinod not told you? He is an incomplete man. And my daughter can not spend her life with an incomplete man.]
"Uncle, kya yeh aapka faisla hai yah Sapna ka?" [Uncle, is this your decision or Sapna's?] Preeti asked, her eyes filling with tears.
"Main apni beti ki khushi jaan ke yeh bata raha hoon," [I, knowing my daughter's happiness am telling you this]," Bharam Raj said simply.
"U-Uncle please, Vinod Sapna ke beyghair nahi re sakte, please hum koi aur hal nikaal lehte hain, lekhin Sapna aur Vinod ko alag mat karein," [U-Uncle please, Vinod can't live without Sapna, please we can figure out another solution but don't separate Sapna and Vinod.] Preeti could feel her voice choking and Sadhna's hand tightening. Her bhabhi's hand had begun to shake a little too but she didn't say anything.
"Ek hal hai is ka," [There is one solution to this.] Bharam Raj offered.
"Ji boliye," [Yes, do tell.] Preeti said, her voice calming down a little.
"Har ladki ki khuwaish hoti hai ke uske bachein ho," [Every girl has a wish to have kids.] Bharam Raj said. "Lekhin Vinod mein ye kami hai. Prem aur Sapna ek raat ek saath guzarein takey Sapna ko woh khushi mil sake. Kya tum ek raat ke liye apna shauhar de sakti ho? Phir Sapna koh Vinod har haal mein kubool hai. [But Vinod has this lacking. Prem and Sapna will sleep together so Sapna can have that happiness. Can you give up your husband to another woman for one night? Then Sapna will accept Vinod in any condition.]
Preeti could feel her head spin as she heard Bharam Raj speak. Tears ran down her cheeks. She wanted to yell but it was like the shock had taken away her voice. Unable to muster up a reply, she disconnected the phone line.
"Preeti?" Sadhna said softly, pulling Preeti close.
"Bhabhi," [Sister-in-law] Preeti began crying, curling close to Sadhna. "Sapna...Sapna..." She couldn't say it. She couldn't say what Sapna wanted and just broke down completely, both in shock and in denial at what had just happened.
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