Kalma TS Part Eight on PG 9 - Page 5

Part 7

KALYANI was defeated. She had done exactly what she wasn't supposed to do. She had begun loving Malharji. When she had married Malharji, her only expectation had been to be an Aai for Moksh. She had neither the intention nor the want to become Malharji's wife. She hadn't even thought that she would ever get to be Malharji's wife. She never thought she would begin to love him. She never thought that her life would lead her to a point where she would be confused and dejected because she had fallen in love. 

What has her life come to? She was happy in her life, even after Madhuri had died and her dad had been arrested, she had come to lean on Aai. Then why, why the hell was God throwing these new problem her way? And it was a problem. Because even though Malharji was moving on, it didn't mean he was moving on to her. Even though he had this Chaska of earning her trust, it didn't mean that he would ever love her. She had made a stupid mistake. One that could cost her, her most important relationships. One with Malharji and the other with Moksh. And she had never had Malharji, so losing him would be nothing new for her. But Moksh, her little Pillu, she could not even begin to imagine what it would feel like losing him. 

She didn't even remember when she started falling in love with Malharji. She had always had a crush on him. With his angry young man look, his protective nature regarding Aai, his constant reprimand for her. Oh Atharva had nothing on him when compared to Malharji. It was like being in a cheesy romantic comedy then. She was beginning to develop a crush on an angry boss who was married. But then the tables had turned. She had come to know the truth about herself, and her family. She had never imagined that her family was a carefully crafted lie, built upon the destruction of Aai. 

That was the day she had seen his real nature. This supportive and understanding man he could be. She had gained a family overnight, a family that hated her. He had been the only one to show her the direction she was supposed to go to. Then she had seen the way he treated his wife. That was the way she had imagined and wanted someone to treat her. That was the day she, Kalyani, accepted that she was crushing on an older married man. She was really her mother's daughter. That was the one thought that had turned her sober. Because she knew that if she followed this path, she would destroy a beautiful family. She would become just like her mother. While that thought had thrilled her in the past, now she got infuriated just thinking about it. She had thought of moving on being the best option. And she did too. 

But her fate had been decided. She had come to know about the nightmare that was Atharva loving Sampada. And moreover, it was a crisis, continuously trying to reveal Atharva's truth. And then she learned Sampada too loved Atharva. That the plan of kidnapping her was a joint one. She had been so unprepared for that, she had no idea what she should do. She still regretted not telling Malharji the truth. If she had, none of it had happened. Sampada would have given birth in a hospital and hadn't had the chance of running away. But she would never have got the chance of raising Pillu. She never would have got the chance of loving Malharji the way she did. But Malharji would have been happy. 

She had always thought Malharji would have been happy, but looking at him standing up for her now, fighting for her, she now had begun trusting him, more everyday, but she had also begun to hope he would fall in love with her, as she had with him. But would it be possible? He had already said that it was easy to fall for her, but their life has never been easy. It would never be easy for them. 

That was the thought, that thought made her take a decision today. She would ignore her feelings. Even though she had confessed so many things to him, she would ignore these feelings. Until she knew for sure, that what Malharji was doing wasn't because of the guilt he felt, she would ignore her feelings. She would face him like she always had, and she would not let her feelings be revealed. She had said enough today to last a lifetime. She would not reveal any more things about herself to him. 

She decided to ignore her feelings. She decided to ignore him. She decided to focus on Pillu. Bas, ab no more. 

MALHAR had been incandescently happy when he had heard about Kalyani's feelings. Past few days, he had even stopped his mind from thinking of Kalyani like that. He had thought it would never be possible. But Kalyani had, once again, surprised him. He was glad he was eliminating her walls, but he had also heard what she had said. She had said she was afraid of falling in love with. 

He had been so happy that he hadn't realised that this was all scary for her. It was her first time. And because of that, he decided to follow her. At least to make sure that she didn't do anything stupid. That was what he used to convince himself, instead of admitting that he was checking up on her. She had just unloaded a huge part of herself, there was no way she would be okay. He had to look for her himself. 

He found her in the shed built outside of the house, the place she hangs out at with Maai. She looked like she has decided something. He hoped it was not something against what he was trying to achieve or something regarding her feelings for him. But knowing his luck, it was probably one of those. He went towards her and kept a hand on her shoulder, making her jump up. She was clearly startled, and turned with her hand on her chest. He looked at her frightened eyes to the hand on her chest, in middle of her breasts, and looked up again to her eyes. There are, yet, some things he hadn't allowed himself to do. His own feelings were as unclear as ever. At least till his own feelings were resolved, he would refrain himself from looking at her. At least he could try. 

But before he could say anything, her eyes wandered away from his. She avoided his eyes. She backed away from him, and he wasn't even moving forward. Oh Oh! Looks like his luck has played it's magic again. He means his bad luck. She moved towards his right to go around him, but before she could he grabbed her left hand and pulled her back to where she was before. 

"Kaha jaa rahi ho Kalyani? He asked her. And she, being haughty, replied, "Khaana banane jaa rahi hun. "Acha he replied back, "Tum kabse khaana banane lagi, woh toh Aai karti hai na. "Haha Malharji, aapko sach mein lagta hai ki Aatya kuch kaam karti hai, pata nahi kyun aapne unhe ghar ke iss side bulaya. Kuch karti toh hai nahi, bas TV dekhti rehti hai. Pillu ka bhi dhyaan nahi rakhna aata hai unhe. She replied complaining about Aai. "Oh toh aisa hai. He asked sarcastically, which was his usual tone with her, which he has been refraining from using, he wouldn't want her to be more angry. "Haan aisa hai. She replied and asked, annoyed, "Ab mein jaao, mujhe bahut kaam hai Malharji, and mujhe naahi aapse aur naahi aapki baaton se koi fark padta hai. Toh aap mujhe jaane dijiye. 

At this Malhar was angry, how dare she, how dare she says that he does not affect her, when just few moments back she had confessed how she was on the way to fall in love with him? How dare she says he doesn't affect her when even if she so much as he breathes he f**king loses his mind? How could she even dare to say that she isn't affected by him, when she f**king runs away from him, every f**king chance she gets? Oh she had made her bed, and he was going to make her sleep in it too. She had just trapped herself, and he would not let her go.

As she began to move again, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, and grabbed her waist too, pulling her so close to him, there wasn't an inch of space between them. He looked at her wide eyes. She was scared, and he remembered how she had been scared of the feelings she had for him. If she was scared, then he probably affected her more than she thought. He looked at her and asked "Koi fark nahi padta tumhe? He pulled her more close, she said "Nahi padta, he lifted his hand and backed the hair away from her face, asking her, "Abhi bhi nahi padta?, she replied defiantly, "Nahi padta, he cupped her cheek, and looked at her quivering lips, "Abhi bhi koi fark nahi padta?, and then looked up to her eyes, her eyes were shut close. She nodded her head sideways. He leaned his head forward, his eyes shifting between her closed eyes and lips. He wanted to kiss her. He so much wanted to. But not like this. Not when she wasn't even ready to accept the effect he had on her in front of him. He would wait. He would wait and make her realise how he affected her, and how she affected him. 

He abruptly, but reluctantly, moved back from her. Left her in that state. He looked at her, she opened her eyes with that pinched expression on her face. He smirked and said, "Ab toh ek aur cheez karni hai mujhe. She looked at him confusingly. He continued, "Tumhe apne upar vishwaas dilane ke saath saath tumhe yeh bhi batana hai ki mere hone yaa na hone se tumhe bahut fark padta hai. Aur tumhe yeh bhi samjhana hai ki tumhare hone yaa naa hone se mujhe bahut fark padta hai. She looked at him wistfully. He further continued, "Kyunki Kalyani tum ho to mein yaha hun, nahi toh pata nahi mein kaha hota. Nahi toh pata nahi ke mein hota bhi yaa nahi. Nahi toh pata nahi ke mera kya hota. He looked at her one last time and went back inside the house. He had to do one more thing today. Hopefully, this will make Kalyani realise how much she means to him. 

KALYANI was busy making dinner and thinking of the things that had happened today. It was just one day, and yet it felt like a year has passed. She had seen what Malharji was doing for her, she had confessed most of her feelings to him, she had realised her true feelings for him, she had almost kissed Malharji today, and she had learnt that she too, at some level affected him. So much in one day. However, she had never felt what she felt today when Malharji held her. It was an out of the world experience. It made her curious. Though she was lying about not being affected, she clearly felt his hard body against her own soft. And she knew what was beneath the shirt covering his body, because Malharji liked being shirtless. And he liked teasing her nowadays. Uhhh! How was she supposed to ignore him if he did things like this? He was going to weaken her resolves. He already had. 

She was frustrated, and as usual, she began to pour her frustrations out, talking to Pillu about his dad. She said, "Malharji ka bhi sahi hai na Pillu, kabhi aag toh kabhi thanda paani. Samajh hi nahi aata, ke kab kya karne wale hai. Aur unhe lagta hai ki mein unhe samajhti hun, ek percent bhi agar mere palle pad gaye naa woh, toh mein toh baba haath jodungi and God ko thank you bolungi. Aur upar se unka naya naatak. Jaanna chahte hai ki mujhe fark padta hai ki nahi. Arey yaar obviously padta hai, pya- I mean, husband hai woh mere, itna qareeb aayenge toh fark toh padega naa. She looked at Pillu and he was smiling, "Aur has tu. Khaali hasta hi reh tu, tere baba mujhpe bijliyaan gira rahe hai, mujhe shock pe shock de rahe hai, aur tu mujhpe has raha hai. Kya zindagi hogi hai teri Kalyani? She asked herself. 

Before she could do anything else she heard a commotion outside. Again! What was he up to now? Someday, she would crack this mystery he surrounded himself with. But for now she simmered the stove and carried Pillu outside with her to see what the hell was happening? 

When she was saying that Malharji was dropping lightening on her, she meant exactly this. Malharji was throwing Aatya's bag to the other side of the house. Like, what the hell? Does he plans to do the things deliberately, so that they would shock her or does he have a to-do list somewhere, and he is ticking items off that list? What goes on in his mind? How does his mind justify these actions he takes? 

Malharji answered her questions himself. "Aaj se Aai waapas jaayegi, aur Maai yaha rehne aayegi. Meine Aai ko iss taraf isiliye bulaaya tha ki woh Moksh ki sahi se dekh baal kar sake, par aisa toh kuch karti nahi hai woh, toh acha yahi hoga ki aap waapas chali jaaye. Aur Maai toh Kalyani ki bhi dekh baal kar lengi. But Aatya was not to be stopped, she said, "Acha toh iss Kalyani ki wajah se tum apni saas ko ghar se nikaal rahe ho. Issi ne tumhe barkaaya hoga. She said with an bitter face. But Malharji was having none of it. He was determined. He said, "Kalyani ne kuch nahi kaha, mere pass aankhe hai, mein sab dekh sakhta hun. Aur mujhe dikh raha hai ke aapki galatiyon ka ghada bhar chuka hai. Aur mein nahi chahta ke aap mere bete ke aas pass bhi rahe. Kyunki aap meri koi saas nahi hai, Maai meri saas hai, toh uss haq se unhe mere ghar mein rehne ka aapse zyaada haq hai. 

Aatya looked furious, she said, "Yeh mat bhulo Malhar, ke meri beti ne Moksh ko janam diya hai, mera Moksh pe pura haq hai. Malharji replied back, "Mein aapse aapka haq nahi cheen raha, mein aapko bol raha hun ki aapki beti ab meri biwi nahi hai, toh aap yaha se chale jaayiye, aur rahi baat Sampada ki Moksh ko janam dene ki, toh yeh mat bhuliye ki Kalyani ke bina Moksh iss duniya mein nahi hota. Kalyani ne ek baar nahi, kai baar Moksh ki jaan bachai hai. Toh iss baare mein kuch nahi boliye. Aap yaha se jaayengi and Maai yaha pe aayengi. Aatya was about to say something when Malharji stopped her, lifting his hand, in the universal talk to the hand gesture. He said looking at her, "Aap jaati hai, ki mein tehqeeqat shuru karwao, ke kaise aapne truth serum ke bawajood jhooth bola. 

Aatya was struck, even Kalyani was stumped. How could Malharji know about this? She didn't even know about this. He looked at Aatya and said, "Haan mein jaanta hun, ke aapne jhooth bola tha, ab aap jaa rahi hai. Aatya looked away from him. Bitter woman. Malharji looked to Aai and said, "Maai aap yaha pe shift ho jaayiye, Kalyani ko aapki zarurat hai - and after a little pause - aur mujhe bhi. 

Aai looked ecstatic. And the reason for that was Malharji. She remembered the conversation they had in the shed. She remembered how she had complained about Aatya. She never expected that he would be listening. But nowadays, he seems to be listening to everything she was saying. He is doing everything a husband in love with his wife does. He is doing everything she hoped her husband would do. He is doing everything, that she knew he was capable of. He looked at her, she looked at him. 

He understood that she was grateful. 

She understood he did this for her. 

She felt like she could finally trust him with everything. 

She felt like she was falling in love, over and over. 

And she didn't know how to stop... 

Loved it! 

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