Counseling OS
Based on Samanalyse’s idea: "In fact, I would love a semi-comedic scene where the judge sees these two bickering and she's like, are you sure you want to get divorced? And Kuhu and Kunal scream, YES! and NO! simultaneously, so she's like divorce not granted, I'm extending your grace period three more months and mandating counselling! You two have a lot to figure out, and you clearly need help sorting through this baggage."
First session
Enter a brightly sunlit room with light blue walls and yellow drapes over the windows. The room smells faintly of oranges and daisies. The counselor, maybe in his mid to late forties sits at his desk at the front of the room. In walks Kunal. He greets the counselor and takes a seat on the turquoise sofa with bright yellow and orange cushions that matched the walls a little too well.
Kunal glances at his watch. Kuhu is already five minutes late. The counselor looks at him expectantly. Kunal awkwardly smiles at him and nods. His knee bounces up and down. Where is this girl?
In walks Kuhu. She’s dressed in a vintage yellow dress with prim heels and long earrings to match. Unfortunately, she matched the walls. And the sofa. Just a little too well.
Kuhu: Sorry, main late hogaya. Actually traffic bohot thi so-
Kunal: (under his breath) Jhoot.
Kuhu looks at him sharply. An uncomfortable silence follows. The counselor clears his throat and takes out his notepad and pen.
Counselor: No worries. Mera naam Agastya Mukherjee hai, but please, call me Agastya, none of this Mr. Mukherjee nonsense. The two of you are here to receive counseling, yes?
Kuhu: Yes. But not by choice.
It’s Kunal’s turn to look at her sharply. She refuses to make eye contact.
Agastya: Right. So aap dono yeh divorce chahte the?
Kunal and Kuhu speak at the same time.
Kuhu: Haan
Kunal: Nahin
They look at each other, clearly disgruntled.
Kuhu: How convenient.
Kunal: [looks at Agastya] Dekhiye, I know yeh session court-mandated hai, but I really think you can help us solve our problems. I really believe that we have a second chance here.
Kuhu: Oh, really? Kunal, hamari shaadi kya ek maths ki problem hai, jo hume solve karna pad raha hai?
Kunal: For God’s sake Kuhu, what nonsense!
Kuhu: Haan! Meri baatein hamesha tumhare liye nonsense lagti hai, hai na? To chhod kyun nahi dete ho?!
Agastya: Okay, guys, let’s just take it easy, yeah?
Kuhu and Kunal fell silent. The air was crackling with tension.
Agastya: Let’s go back a little. Why did the two of you want the divorce?
Kuhu: Main divorce nahin chahti thi. Kunal wanted it. He hated my guts.
Kunal: That’s not true. [He glances at Kuhu] Haan, initially I wanted a divorce.
Agastya: And now? You don’t? And she does?
Kunal: [Looks at Kuhu again] Haan.
Kuhu: Oh, please. Don’t make me the villain here.
Agastya: So who do you believe is the villain here, Kuhu? Oops, sorry. Can I call you Kuhu?
Kuhu: Huh? Yeah, whatever, that’s fine.
Kunal: She thinks it’s me.
Kuhu: [angrily looks at Kunal] Did I say that Kunal? He asked me, not you!
Agastya: Kunal, why do you think she thinks you’re the villain?
Kunal: It’s obvious, na? I married her but didn’t love her and in doing so, I ruined her life.
Kuhu: [scoffs]
Agastya: Kuhu, do you have something to say?
Kuhu: Agar tum aise oversimplify karoge na, to then I’ll start looking like the villain. Tell him what you did Kunal. Main sunna chahti hoon.
Kunal: Okay, fine. You want me to go through the whole thing again? Just so that you can hate me a little more, right? If that’s even possible.
Kuhu: [voice cracking] I don’t hate you Kunal! I can’t hate you! And that’s the problem! You can’t even see that!
Kunal looked at her. Her eyes were completely dry, but her mouth was quivering. Was she upset with him? Angry at him?
Agastya looks at the couple in front of him. They were both seated on opposite sides of the tiny sofa, so as to maintain as much distance as possible. Kuhu was wringing her hands, and Kunal’s knee just wouldn’t stop bouncing. While Kuhu’s eyes were filled with anger, Kunal’s were filled with… regret, perhaps?
Agastya: [clearing his throat yet again] Kuhu, why don’t you tell me. In your words.
Kuhu: [takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, willing herself to calm down] Pata hai? Jab ek ladki shaadi karke aur apne ghar aur gharwaalon ko chhod deti hai, woh uss umeed ke saath apne sasural jaati hai, ki kuch ho yah na ho, her husband will always be there for her. Woh usse kabhi bhi akela nahin chhodega.
Kuhu takes a pause to sniffle. Agastya pushes the box of tissues across the table that sat between him and the two of them. She shakes her head. She was determined not to cry. Kunal looks at her hands. They’re trembling.
Kuhu: Hamari shaadi waali raat, Kunal ne mujhse bohot gusse mein kaha tha ki woh mujhse pyaar nahi karta, aur uske bade bhai ne usse zabardasti mandap mein bithaya tha. He told me to pack my bags and leave. [Pauses] This is the same guy who faked loving me throughout all the weeks leading up to our marriage, the same guy who promised over and over to keep me happy, to keep my dreams of a fairytale intact-
Kunal: And I promise to do all of that. Just give me a chance.
Kuhu: [looks at Kunal angrily] Shut the hell up, Kunal. Tumhe mujhse jhoot bolne ki itni adat ho gayi, ki tumhe khud pata nahi chalta ki tum kab sach aur kab jhoot bol rahe ho.
Agastya: Why do you think he’s lying this time, Kuhu?
Kuhu looks at Kunal coldly. He returns her icy stare with a pleading expression.
Kuhu: I don’t trust him. I don’t trust his ability to love anyone else other than his brother and his mother. What, you think I don’t know? You’re only trying to save this marriage so that you can keep your happy, perfect family intact. Perfect bahu for a perfect family, hai na Kunal? Yahin to chahte ho tum?
Kunal is left speechless. Because she isn’t entirely wrong. He wanted her because he saw how happy she made his family. He wanted her because he wanted to hear her laughter echo throughout his house. He wanted… her?
Kunal: Toh usme konsi galat baat hai, Kuhu? Am I selfish for wanting the best for my family?
Kuhu: [raising her voice slightly] Haan, Kunal. Tum selfish ho. But not because of that. You are incredibly selfish because in your craze to see your family happy, you forgot that I was a part of that family. Has the thought never occurred to you that maybe I want something more out of a marriage than just my husband’s family?
Kunal is stumped. She had never vocalized these feelings to him. Sure, he had always subconsciously suspected that those were there, but to hear her say it out loud? It hit him completely differently.
Kuhu: You have hurt me over and over. Tumne mujhe desperate kaha, dumb kaha, mujhe sab ke saamne baar baar neecha dikhaya. Tumne mujhe itna hurt kiya, ki kabhi kabhi main jeena hi nahi chahti thi. Phir bhi maine tumhare saath, tumhare ghar mein rahi. Kyun? Because I fell in love with your family. I valued your family and their happiness. I valued my family’s respect and my mother’s sense of security and joy in the fact that her daughter was in a marriage filled with love and comfort. Agar koi selfish hai, Kunal, toh woh main nahi hoon. Woh tum ho.
Kunal felt instantly guilty. He knew that he had put her through a lot. But he had never bothered to put himself in her shoes. What kind of monster was he, to put her in such situations over and over? A wave of shame washed over him. But he straightened slightly. He had many things to feel guilty about, but he wouldn’t let anyone, not even her, make him feel bad about prioritizing his family.
Kunal: I am not selfish for wanting what is best for my family. And I will stand by that.
Kuhu: Accha? Toh Nanchak ki drink spike karna, Abir bhai ka dil dukhana, mujhe ek jhoote shaadi mein fasana, that was all for the wellbeing of your family? You know what? Maa ne tumhe itna zyada brainwash kiya hai, I had no clue.
Kunal: [angrily] now listen here-
Agastya: Okay, wait Kunal. Kuhu ko bolne toh do. And Kuhu, insulting Kunal is not kindling for a productive conversation.
Kuhu: Mujhe toh lagta hai, ki Shweta ke baad, tum kisi ladki se pyaar nahin kar paaoge. Mujhse toh bilkul bhi nahi.
Agastya: Shweta?
Kuhu: His girlfriend.
Kunal: My EX-girlfriend.
Kuhu rolled her eyes while Kunal looked at her angrily. He had come with the intention of fixing things with her, but instead of being her usual receptive, open self, she was cold and franky, a bit cruel.
Agastya: Kunal?
Kunal looks up.
Agastya: What are you so afraid of?
Kunal: Main? Afraid? Why would I be?
Kuhu: There you go again.
Kunal: Ab kya kiya hai maine?!
Kuhu: Tum toh hamesha mujhe immature bulate ho, hai na? But sabse immature kaun hai, pata hai? You, Kunal Rajvansh!
Agastya: Kuhu, what do you think Kunal is afraid of?
Kunal: For the last goddamn time, I’m not afraid!
Kuhu: Mujhe kya pata? The last time he was “afraid”, he spiked my brother’s drink.
Kunal: Kuhu, for the last time, woh ek accident tha. And I’m truly sorry for that. Par yeh baar baar keh kar kuch haasil nahin hone waala.
[He looks at Agastya] Fine. What do you think I’m supposedly afraid of?
Agastya, with a small smile on his face, closes his notebook and sets it down with his pen on his table. He looks at his watch. Their first session had come to an end.
Agastya: Rejection.
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