The idea for this one was born from one of my reply in a topic by @Nomadic_Vibe. She suggested that I write an OS but it became too long and I converted it into TS (Three shot). Posting the first part here.
A note of caution: This doesn't have much of Shaurya and Anokhi so read at the risk of getting bored.
Part 1
“I am sorry Badima, but I cannot let Anokhi go. I love her more than anything else in life. If you do not agree to her working after marriage, I will have to leave this house.”
The determination in Shaurya’s voice shook everyone present there. Devi could not believe what she just heard. The little boy to whom she had given 25 years of her life has now grown up so much that he is ready to leave his Badima, his family for a stubborn, selfish girl who only cares about her ambitions. Can’t he see that she was using him, putting conditions on him?
“If you don’t care a bit about all that this family has done for you. If you are ready to forget how your mother left you and your Dad for your career, then fine. You are free to go wherever you want with this girl.” Tej’s thundering voice echoed in the hall. He continued, “You cannot see that she is a mirror image of your mother. She will not think twice before going away from you if her career demands it. Do you know why divorces are so common these days? It is because of women like Aastha and Anokhi. They want to live life on their own terms. They want freedom from family obligations.”
To this Shaan interrupted, “Did Aastha or me ask you people to take care of Shaurya? She wanted to take him along. You did not let her because of your ego. You raised him because you wanted to show her that Shaurya was not losing anything by being away from her. You did not want to give her any chance to point fingers at you.”
Then he looked at Shaurya and said, “Don’t let them control your life like they controlled mine. I felt indebted to them and could not support Aastha. You should not do the same. Just because they raised you doesn’t mean you become a slave to them.”
Devi could not control any longer, “Slave? You think we want to make Shaurya our slave. Your Bhaisaab asked Aastha to leave because she broke our tradition. She agreed to our condition before marriage but broke her promise at the pretext of caring for her parents. A woman’s first and foremost duty is to serve her husband, look after her children. She refused to do that. She just wanted to have a carefree life, without any discipline, without any responsibilities. Didn’t Tej offer to take care of her parents? Why did she refuse that?”
“Devi is right, and this Anokhi is just like Aastha. Aastha never wanted to learn how to be a good bahu. She always answered back to the men of the house. She countered all my decisions, even those regarding college matters. I can see the same vices in Anokhi. She is rude and irreverent. Don’t you remember how she used to answer back to you in front of everyone? She tried to teach you how to behave...”
“Anokhi is not like Aastha Kashyap.” Shaurya interrupted his Bade papa. He could not hear another word against her. He continued, looking straight at him, “She is not going to leave me for anything. All she wants is to have a career. She has completed her masters and has got an exciting job offer at a college here in Chandigarh itself. They are also flexible enough to allow her to pursue phD alongside. This is a never before opportunity. I must support her. She can go to any extent for her loved ones unlike Aastha. She can fight for what is right but she can give up her dreams for someone she truly loves.”
“So did she leave her dream to have a job for you?” Alok asked.
“No Chachu, but why will she be the one to make the compromises? Shouldn’t it be my responsibility that she is not forced to do anything for my sake? My love should be her strength, not her weakness. Can I not make any sacrifices for her?”
“That means you are sacrificing us for her?” Tej asked.
“No, I am sacrificing nothing. I am going out of this house but not from this family. I will be your son Badima as long as you want me to. Just because I am physically away does not mean I have forgotten you. Now it is up to you to decide if you want me in your lives or break all ties with me just because I want to support the woman I love.”
Shaurya looked at Tej expectantly. Tej was quiet. It was evident that he had not budged from his decision.
Shaan looked at his son with pride. His eyes grew moist. He could not wait to tell Aastha how their child did what he could never do.
Shaurya went to pack his bags.
Devi went and held Tej’s hands, “Tej, please agree to his demands. Don’t let our child go away like this. If he is at home, we can find some way out. We can convince Anokhi, but if he is gone, nothing can be done.” She pleaded.
“Things have gone out of our hands Devi. That girl has wrapped him around her little finger. Today he is arguing with me in her favour. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. How I wished it was Shagun he loved instead of Anokhi. I had been such a fool. I don’t understand what he saw in Anokhi that was not in Shagun. Perhaps the girl did not try enough.” Tej sighed.
Then he pushed aside Devi’s hand and got up to leave.
Devi wondered where Shagun was. She was not picking up her calls. Last night she had sent a message threatening her that if she tried contacting her again, she would reveal everything to Shaurya. How Devi made her believe that Shaurya still loved her, convinced her to try and seduce Shaurya.
Devi looked around. Everyone had left. There was pin drop silence in the hall. Devi slowly walked towards the puja room. She knelt before the deity and tears started rolling down her cheeks.
“All my life, I had only tried to keep this family together. I struggled to protect my loved ones from inauspicious gaze. I drove away everyone and everything that threatened the cohesiveness of this family. I carried out all the duties of a woman unlike Aastha who disregarded them. Our elders have taught us that a woman’s temple is her husband’s home and the husband is her God. I followed those teachings. Was I wrong? Was I wrong in keeping Shaurya away from the influence of a person like Aastha who will give him wrong teachings? She doesn’t know how to bind a family. All she cares for is her freedom. Same with Anokhi. That is why I did not want Anokhi in Shaurya’s life and tried my best to keep him away from her. Now Shaurya will misunderstand me. Oh God, please tell me how I will live without the apple of my eye, my son, my Shaurya.”
Aastha was preparing to go for work when the bell rang. She opened it. Shaan was standing there with a broad smile on his face.
“What is the matter? Why are you so happy today?” She asked, surprised.
“You won’t believe what happened today. Shaurya stood up against Tej Bhaisaab and Devi Bhabhi for Anokhi.” Then he narrated the whole incident.
“Good to hear he could break the shackles that bound him for the woman he loved. How is Devi Bhabhi? Shaurya’s decision must have shattered her.” Aastha asked, with concern.
“I am surprised to see how much you care even for the person who wronged you. Even after 25 years you don’t fail to impress me.” Shaan said, admiringly.
Aastha smiled. Then said, “You will have to leave now. I am getting late for work.”
“I want you to resign from college.”
“What? Are you serious?” Aastha raised her eyebrows. “What am I going to eat if I leave my job?”
“See, you rejected my proposal because you could not come and live with me in Chandigarh as your job and your parents are in Kapurthala. So I have a plan to shift you and your family to Chandigarh by giving you a job there.”
“No Shaan. This cannot happen. I have not taken any favours from you in 25 years for myself. I cannot do that now.” Aastha shook her head strongly.
“It is not a favour Aastha. I want something in return. Your company. You know I had given up on life. Everyday I thought of ending it. I could not do it only because of Shaurya. You know after you left, he was my only solace in that house. I tried to cling to him but Bhabhi always hovered in the vicinity. I barely got a chance to go near him. Slowly as he grew older he went farther away from me. Soon everything became meaningless to me. I felt as if I was living inside a deep dark well with high walls around it. No ray of light could reach me in that bottomless pit. I could not climb out even if I wanted to. Then you came back one day, and I saw a tiny streak of light, of hope. I wanted to live again. Please Aastha, don’t push me back into that well again. If I fall this time, I will die.” Shaan wiped a drop of tear from his eye.
Aastha turned away to hide her emotions from him. Then she said in a firm voice, “It is too late now. I cannot come back into your life again. No one in your family will like it, especially Shaurya.”
“Shaurya may not accept you but he loves Anokhi and he knows how much you mean to her. He will not do anything that will hurt her. Besides, we will not stay with Shaurya. You, your beeji-bauji, and I will live in my flat. Is that okay?”
Aastha laughed, “I can see that you have made quite an elaborate plan, but first tell me what job you are offering me. Is it in SIAC? And if so, will your brothers be okay with it?”
“Doesn’t matter. They never cared about my feelings.. Why should I care for them?” Then he took out a document from his bag and extended it towards Aastha, “Here is your job offer.”
Aastha took the documents and read them. She looked at Shaan in disbelief and said, “You are offering me the position of director at SIAC. No Shaan. This is impossible. I cannot take this offer.”
“I am not doing any favour on you Aastha. I am just transferring my rights as a director to you. You deserve to be a member of that board much more than me. You have the qualifications, the experience and you have earned enough goodwill in your profession. No one can contest your appointment.”
“But your brothers will oppose it.”
“They cannot as long as it is in the family. As my wife you will have every right to be a director of SIAC. And if anyone opposes it, I will fight them in court.” Saying this Shaan did the unthinkable.
He knelt before her and produced a ring out of nowhere. He extended it towards her and asked, “Aastha Kashyap, will you marry me?”
Aastha smiled through her tears and nodded, “Yes”
Tej was pacing up and down in his chamber in SIAC. Despite the AC being on, droplets of sweat were visible on his forehead. A high level inquiry regarding complaints of malpractice and covering up allegations of ragging and molestation was being conducted against the institute. The members of the inquiry committee would be here any moment. He knew he would be exposed. The media was covering it extensively. If found true, the college might be closed down. All his hard work of years was going to be destroyed within minutes. Tej knew who was responsible for it. He went out and walked towards Shaan’s chamber. It belonged to Aastha Kashyap Sabharwal now. He barged inside without knocking.
“What kind of behaviour is this, Mr Sabharwal. Don’t you have basic manners?” Aastha got up from her seat and asked angrily.
“Woman, you tried to put your hands in the lion’s den. I am not going to spare you. I know it was you who informed the education ministry about everything. I had told Shaan this woman was coming back only to destroy us but he was blinded in your love. First you snatched Shaurya away from us using that student of yours, and now you are trying to take away my SIAC.” Tej was breathing fire.
Aastha smiled and then said, “Thanks for having so much faith in my capabilities Mr Tej Sabharwal, and I am glad I did not disappoint you. But please calm down. So much excitement at such an age might tear one some of the arteries in your brain. Would you like a glass of water?”
Just then there was a knock on the door. It was ACP Ahir. Tej looked at him in surprise and asked, “What are you doing here?”
“For your information, I am one of the members of the inquiry committee. Since the charges are serious and criminal proceedings are a possibility, they have included me. After all, I am the one who passed on the information in the first place. I have been entrusted with interrogation of each and every member of the board of directors. I will start with Mrs Aastha Sabharwal. Could you kindly give us some privacy.”
Tej looked at him shocked. Then he looked at Aastha. “You two are in this together. Isn’t it? Wait till I expose your true face to Shaan and Shaurya.”
“Looks like the lion has been caged and his roars are going in vain. Do whatever you want. I have nothing to lose.” Aastha said, as if challenging him.
Tej angrily stormed out of the room.
“Ahir, please close the door.” Aastha said.
Ahir obliged.
“Thanks. Without your help I could not have done this.” She said, sitting down.
“Anything for you Mam. You took me under your care when my own mother had to abandon me due to pressure from society.” Ahir said.
Aastha smiled. “It was my duty. Your mother was a childhood friend of mine. One night she came to me carrying you in her arms. You were just a day old. Her family was not ready to accept her child born out of wedlock. They were afraid of the society.”
“But she had faith in you. She knew you would not turn her away.” Ahir added.
“You were with me for almost a year. I gave you a nickname, Golu. I didn’t even know that Sunita had named you Ahir. Fortunately, your mother married a kind hearted man who accepted you and gave you his name.” Aastha said.
“I did not know this story for a long time. It was only when I told my mother about you when you went missing, that she revealed it to me. That is why I went to Kapurthala to have a talk with you and express my gratitude.”
“I was pleasantly surprised when you revealed your true identity that day. Then you said that you owed your life to me and would do anything for me. I had sensed your admiration for Anokhi, but that acted as a roadblock in my path to destroy the Sabharwals. That is why I asked you to make such a big sacrifice.”
“That is fine Mam. Anokhi never loved me. My love was completely one-sided. Shaurya has been the only man in her life.”
“Still, my demand was completely unfair. It is not that I had looked after you selflessly without getting anything in return. Your presence was like drops of rain to a mother’s parched heart. You are like my own child, but I had no chance to meet you again as your parents moved to Mumbai soon after. I thought it better not to come into your life.”
“I think we should not talk about these things here. Anyone can walk in and hear our conversation”. Ahir cautioned.
“Let them. I don’t care.” Aastha shrugged.
Ahir got up and said, “By the way, this exposure is going to be good for my professional career. I might even get a promotion. And I owe all this to you once again.”
“They have dug their own graves. I just led you to find those and push them inside. The complaints had been piling up for years. Anokhi was not an isolated case. They had covered up similar incidents in the past to pacify their benefactors. All I had to do was to find the supporting documents. Being the director helped a lot in this regard.”
After Ahir left, Aastha closed the door. She came back to her seat and looked at the hourglass on her desk. She turned it upside down. As the grains of sand started pouring down through the narrow passage, her mind went 28 years back in time.
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