Here is chapter 1!! My exams starting this week. So update might take time. Please bear with me. Hopeyou like it. Thanks for your wonderful comments.
CHAPTER 1
He barely noticed the busy streets of Mumbai with all its sights passing by as he looked out of the car's windows. He was just staring into the space distracted by his thoughts. He had been filled with a strange sense of foreboding since he had landed in Mumbai . He was feeling restless. It must be the thought of attending the wedding he told himself. He was just aware of the pain the pain the atmosphere at the event was gonna give him.
"We have reached the resort. Come on Bade papa! !" his nephew said excitedly bringing Adarsh out of his contemplation. Adarsh smiled at Aman sitting on his lap.
" Kya Bade Papa aap hamesha sochte rehte ho" Aman asked.
"Mr Adarsh Sinha ne khud se vaada kiya hai ki hamesha apni dimaak ki sunte rehenge. Aur Adarsh Sinha promiss nahi thodenge. Thats why Aman. " Abhay told his son.
Aman smiled at his father while Adarsh who knew the actual significamce of his brother's words said "Aur Abhay Sinha ne vaada kiyahai ki apni dimaak ko hamesha rest dega" .
"Haan bhai. Kyunki main apni dil ki sunta hoon." Abhay whispered and then sensing his sadness said " Sorry bhai."
Adarsh walked into the room booked for him and opened the window. He had to say the sight was beeathtaking. The resort looked out on the sea. Aman ran around excited at the sight with an equally excited Simmi.
"Papa lets go out and play" Aman was saying.
"Nahin. Baad mein. Abhi sangeet pe jaana hai." Abhay said and even Simmi agreed with him saying she needed time to get ready.
As Simmi and Aman left the room Adarsh asked "Chottu, Simmi ko shaayad tayaar hone mein itni time lagegi par hum dono to Aman ke saath beach jaa sakte de na? Tu kyun itni jaldi mein hai? "
" Aisa kuch nahin Bhai. Socha sab thoda aaram kar lenge aur phir time pe sangeet ki venue pahunch jaayenge." Abhay said and left the room.
Adarsh knew something was amiss. He knew his Chottu too well and had noticed his nervousness throughout the journey. Abhay had been a bit too interested in this wedding. Karan was his school friend but the two hadnt even been in contact till a year or two back when Abhay had come across him at a party.Thereon they had been in touch and would get together for dinner or coffee when Karan came to Delhi. Adarsh barely remembered Karan from their school days. But a few months back he had joined them for dinner one night and Adarsh had met him briefly. Thats all he knew about Karan and from what he knew Abhay wasn't very close to him. But when he had invited them for the wedding Abhay had insisted that the whole family attend the ceremony. And the surprising part was that his mother had given in. She said that Karan ' s parents were good friends of hers and hence they would all go. He had made excuses to stay behind but Chottu had been stubborn.
" Please Bhai, samjho na. Aap hamare saatg thoda time spend karo na. Hamesha aap kaam mein uljhe rahte ho. Just 2 days. Mere liye. Please. We will have a good time. Bahot saalon baad aapse kuch maang raha hoon." He had insisted and finaaly Adarsh had given in.
He along with Abhay Simmi and Aman had reached Mumbai first. His mother felt it was unnecessary to make Jaya Bhabhi travel withhher little baby girl and so she and Bhaiyya had stayed back . Mom and dad were joining them the next day and soon after the wedding they were going back together.
But Adarsh couldn't understand why his brother had been nervous the whole day. He was trying to be normal but Adarsh knew that he was planning something. Adarsh tried to brush off these thoughts and after some rest and a shower he began to get ready for the sangeet. The venue was Karan ' s farmhouse , a short distance from the resort. The bride and her family along with other guests were here at the resort Abhay had said.
" Bhai aap toh Simmi se bhi zyaada time le rehe ho. Jaldi keejiye ." Abhay said sitting down on his bed as Adarsh was getting ready.
"Chottu...tu itni jaldi mein kyun hai?Karan ki shaadi ka sangeet hai. Teri nahin. Sach bata kya baat hai?" He asked.
"Meri shaadi ke time to sangeet hua hi nahin. Seeda shaadi kar li. Its unfair." Abhay said making a sad face.
"Meri sangeet to bahut grand hua. Par shaadi hui hi nahin. Which is more unfair?" Adarsh asked n the brothers broke out laughing.
Finally after an hour and half they reached the venue. Abhay took them to meet Karan and his family.
"To Dulhe raja aapki dulhan kahaan hai? Milayenge nahin." Simmi asked him.
"Woh guests se baat kar rahi hogi. Lo aa gayi." Karan said signalling them to look behind.
Adarsh saw Simmi's shocked face and looked around and the next moment he felt himself choking. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes on. Her eyes made him want to never look away and that smile. ..what wouldn't he do keep it like that forever. He hadn't felt anything this strong for years now and it affected him with the same intensity as the first time he had seen her.His first love. Swadheenta Ramakrishnan.
And soon to be Mrs Karan Iyer. As soon as that thought came into his head he felt a sharp sting. Like someone had stabbed him in the heart. He remembered his harsh words and her pleas. She wasn't his. She was his lost love.
She saw the pain in his eyes as their eyes met. For a moment as she saw him she thought it was a dream. She had this dream at times. But that pain in his eyes showed her the truth. She saw Simmi and Abhay behind him. What were they doing here? Today of all days. She saw Karan asking her to come to him and went forward trying to look calm.
He looked at her. She looked the same. Breathtakingly beautiful. She was dressed in a bright green lehenga with simple jewellery
The maang teeka covering half her forehead. It was too heavy she would say making a puppy face. Her hair lay in thick black curls. She looked pretty but something was missing. The sparkle in her eyes and the glow on her face.
Karan introduced them to each other but neither of tgem heard a thing. They were looking at each other remembering a similar night years ago. At the first opportunity available Swadheenta excused herself. She went to the snacks counter and started putting something into a plate barely looking at it. She felt someone come up behind her. Was it him?
She started putting more snacks into her plate.
" Lagta hai dulhan khud sab kuch khaa jayegi. Par itni sab kuch khaayegi toh kal shaadi kaise hogi?" Abhay asked.
It made her smile. Hearing him after years. Smiling she turned around to face him. He looked fine.
" Kaise ho tum? Tumhari tabiyat kaisi hai?" She asked.
"Wow. Ab pooch rahi hai Bhabhi? Bhai kaha aur ek baar milne bhi nahin aayi. Kya aap itni gussa thi?" He asked.
"Nahin Abhay. Mein gussa nahin thi. Na tumse na kisi aur se. I needed to get out of that city at that time. Aur tum hamesha mere bhai hi ho." She said.
"Aur phir bhi aapne mujhe shaadi pe bulaaya nahin. Haan bulaaya nahin...theek hai...bata to deti . Ek baar phone karti
" he said .
"I am sorry. Par shaayad mein darti thi. I was worried about you par uss waqt tumse ya family ke kisi aur member se milne ki mindset mein nahin thi. But i am happy aaj tum shaadi pe aaye." She said giving him a hug.
Simmi came near her looking apologetic.
"I am sorry Swadheenta. Meine tum pe bahot chillaaya. Abhay se milne nahin diya ." She said crying.
Swadheenta gave her a hug.
"Simmi meine pehle bhi kaha tumse. Tum meri behen ho aur mein tumhari haalat samajhti hoon. You were onnthe verge of losing your husband and I was supporting the people who to u were his enemies. I forgave you long back. " she said.
"Hum sab ko maaf kar diya to Adarsh bhaiyya ko kyun nahin? Woh aap se bohot pyaar karte hain." Simmi started.
"Meine Adarsh ko maaf kar diya hain. Par mein ab puraani baatein nahin karna chahti." Swa said cutting her in.
"Mein jaanta hoon. Mein to aaapko kise milvaane aaya tha. " Abhay said dragging Aman "Meet Mr Aman Sinha. " he said smiling.
Swadheenta smiled looking at the child. He had a huge smile on his face like his father and had taken after his father and uncle in his looks. He looked very smart for a 4 year old.
"Hello Junior Abhay. Aap mujhe jaante ho? Mein Swadheenta hoon . Aapki papa ki sister hoon." She said bending down to greet him.
"Hi. Aap papa ki sister ho to hamare ghar mein kyun nahin rahti ho?Meri behen to mere saath rahti hai. " Aman asked.
'Behen" Swadheenta asked looking excited.
"Bade Bhaiyya ki beti. She ia just a year old." Abhay said and then told his son " ye meri sister jaisi hai. But in reality meri Bhabhi hai. Matlab mere friend ki honewali biwi hai".
"Aman , aap ko pata hai aap ka naam kisne suggest kiya?' She asked the child.
"Haan aunty . Papa ke kisi partner ne . Papa hamesha unke baare mein baat karte hain." Aman said happily.
"Aur aaj tum usse milnewale ho" Abhay said looking around.
"Asad yahin kahin hoga." Swadheenta told Abhay . She was asked to come on the stage and they all went towards the stage. She noticed Adarsh was nowhere to be seen.
Adarsh was on his way out from the venue. As soon as Swadheenta had excused herself leaving him with Karan and his family Adarsh had seen Abhay slip away and go towards Swadheenta. Simmi he knew had no idea that the bride was Swadheenta. She had been as shocked as he was but Abhay had remained cool. There was no way his brother had come all the way from Delhi without knowing who the bride was. Adarsh had asked him about the bride and her family. Abhay had lied that he didn't know much except that the girl was also a lawyer but he didn't know more. He had believed Abhay. Now he knew why his brother had been nervous the whole day. And after all this his brother had tactfully avoided him. He had seen them talk but he was in no condition to think about it.Abhay wwould have to talk to him but this wasn't the time. Right now he had to get out.
He was almost on his way out when someone heard someone behind him "Adarsh Bhai ".He knew who it was but he didn't want to turn back. But he did. Asad stood a few feet away from him. He had changed a lot. Adarsh remembered how he had seen him with his Freedom at a wedding 5 years ago. Her bandar protecting her from him. Then he remembered the frightened Asad with whom he had been most unfair. He couldn't bear to look him in the eye.
But Asad came towards him. He wasn't that child anymore but a grown up man. But he still had that huge grin on his face.
"Adarsh bhai kaise ho aap?" He asked .
"I am sorry Asad. For everything I put you through." Adarsh told him looking at the ground.
"Mein kabhi Abhay bhai ko hurt nahin kar sakta tha. " Asad said.
"Nah kisi aur ko. Tu toh hero hain." Adarsh said patting him on tge shoulder.
"So to hai. Woh sab chhodo. Aap kya kar rahe ho?" Asad asked.
"Jaa rahaan hoon. Meinnahin ruk sakta." Adarsh told him.
"No . Aap nahin jaa sakte. Dekhiye Adarsh bhai Freedom Karan se pyaar nahi karti hai. Woh to bas uncle aur aunty ke khaatir ye shaadi ke liye raazi hui. Woh kehti hai ki woh move on kar chuki hai aur ab aapke aur uske beech kuch nahi ko sakta aur shaayad aap bhi yahi sochte honge. Theek hai. Par ek dusre ke saamne aana aap logon ke liye bahot difficult hai. Aur aaj aapko dekh ke Freedom nervous ho gayi hai.abhi aap yahaan se jaayenge to woh yahi sochegi ki aap aaj bhi usse pyaar karte ho jo shaayad sach hai par aap logon ka ro kuch ho nahin sakta hai. Isliye behtar hai ki ye shaadi ho aur freedom Karan ke saath nayi life shuru kare. Aur agar usse ye laga ki aaj bhi usne aap ka dil toda hai toh woh khush nahin rahegi. Isliye uske khaatir ruk jaao. Taaki use yeh lage ki aap ko kpi farak nahin padta' Asad requested.
Adarsh knew Asad was right. He had to stay. This was his punishment. He would have to bear it. And so stood there throughout the ceremony avoiding her gaze. Maamu and Maami had seen him but remained silent after greeting him with a smile
her parents Asad said hadn't arrived yet. They were in Chennai doing some last minute arrangements.
As soon as the function was over Adarsh made his way to the resort and straight to his room. Once in the darkness he let himself break remembering all that had happened 5 years ago.
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Next part will have the flashbacks. Thanks for reading. Exams are on so I have no idea when I will update.
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