Chapter 5 :- Frozen heart
The wish of getting married sooner and have a baby like Avya grew as Bhagya played with the little toddler , it felt like she was reliving her infance , the craziness and innocence she had spent with Avya's father during their childhood, how she wished Suraj hadn't change to this self absorbed figure perhaps today things would have different
The best moment spent with Avya was when inspite of Chakor she gave Avya the baby skateboard she had bought for her in advance who squealed happily on seeing the baby pink and purple Skateboard , it was something she had been dying to receive eversince she watched the elder sibblings of her nursery friends use
"Thank you shooo much masiii" She said hugging Bhagya but the question remained , she'd not know how to balance on the board , before Bhagya could teach her the tailor came
"Are the trials necessary???" She whined not wanting to go through the whole trying dresses sessions
"It is , if you want to look pretty tonight for your ring ceremony" the tailor answered
She sigh dejectedly facing Avya ,"Baby why don't you stay here and play with the ball, i will go try my dresses and be back in a flash to teach you skateboard" She said lovingly to the child who pouted her lips, she had had to wait some more to start skareboarding , that was annoying
Suraj watched the little girl sit on the grass her legs folded , she was playing with the skateboard pushing it forth and back with her hands , her pink lips pouting giving her an incredious ressemblance to her mother, but then even when she wasn't pouting she looked like Chakor , he couldn't help but try and imagine how She looked as a newborn , 'must have been the most beautiful baby' he thought surprising himself , why had he ever suggested Chakor killing the baby??? , Now that Avya stood infront of him he couldn't stop feeling sorry
He walked towards the girl , taking a seat besides her on the grass not caring for his suit , "Hi" he said directing her attention towards him
He felt nervous as he saw his reflection in her little baby eyes , he gulped wondering what was going on in her mind as she watched him carefully
"avi can't talk to stran...gers" She said slowly unknown her words had a great impact on the guy who sat besides her
'Ouch that hurts' He could feel someone squeeze his heart , her baby tone did break the long term stranger but it felt soo much painful
"yeah but i am not Stranger i am your Bhagya bua's brother Suraj" he introduced himself again
"But Avi has no Bua, whats a bua?" She asked curriously tilting her head looking at him carefully again
She has no bua??? " How do you call Bhagya???" He asked frowning
"ermm..Masiii" She replied again clueless about the rush of emotions which were slowly frustrating Suraj , he started thinking if it really were a good idea to talk to the little girl , it felt like an explosion of guilt and hurt inside of him
"Right masii" Of course why would Chakor ask her to call Bhagya bua when she dint approve him his father's rights
"Sooo , i am not a stranger i am Bhagya's brother , Suraj" he said but received only a "ciao" in respond was she saying hi or bye?
He followed her sad frown and found it fixed on the Skateboard , "You wanna ride?" he asked stupidly , of course she wanna ride , it was written all over her face
She nodded , her ponytail again moving cutely , Chakor did spend some time dressing her up " but i dunno how to"
"Alright then i will teach you how to Skate" He said determinedly , she raised her head looking at him hopefully , it almost reminded him how Chakor looked when she saw him at her parents house , she smiled at him first hopefully , he clenched his fist and said yes , controlling his urge of slapping himself
"You can't " She simply replied looking at his outfit , he looked down at his formal suit, dress pant , shirt tie and coat , he din't look fun he had to agree then it clicked him , he smiled at the kid ruffling her hairs"Just wait here" He said running back in the house , straight to his room opening his closet
Coats, formal shirts , suits 'bingo' he found his leather jacket ,damn he just realized in this 4 years he hadn't wore it earlier it used to be his typical style , in trying to portray himself as a perfectionist he had forgot his fun side, the prankster mischievious guy, he smiled to himself remembering how he used to tease Chakor back in high school , her red embarassed face everytime she tried to retort back , or her comebacks, 'darn it he had no idea why was he thinking about that past but he had to admit to himself while talking to him Chakor was all but innocent and cute , if anything she was bitter with each words meant to hurt him
He shook his head as if trying to regain focus and wore a casual white tee , his normal jeans slipping his jacket on it completing the look by setting his hairs upwards , he had enough of the serious kinda look
He opened a drawer which had few of his childhood things which he adamantly never shared with anyone but somehow he wanted to share it with Avya , perhaps he owed her that much if not more
He rushed downstairs with his Skateboard in hands , to say he was excited was an understatement , he was super ecstastic , when was the last time he was soo excited to do something???? Far long ago to be memorized
He reached in the garden and found avya sitting impatiently where he left , again he realized a habit which match to his , he couldn't stay at the same place for long , he'd get bore impatient and frustrated
"Okay let's begin" he said widdening his smile as Avya stood cheerful having saw Suraj now , he looked more fun and now she could believe he'd teach her how to skate
"Comme faccio???" She asked as she picked her mini Skateboard , he winced at the language puzzled what'd she say
He knelt down to her height , he raised his hands pushing a strand of hair which escaped her tied ponytail behind her ears , the touch of his daughter felt soo real , he gently asked "What did you say kiddo?"
She lifted the skateboard infront to his face and repeated but this time in a language he could understand "How to do it" impatience dripping off her voice
He grabbed the skate from her hands placing it down, picking her up and guiding one of her foot on the skate , slowly he pushed the over excited princess holding her carefully by her little waist and then guided her second foot on the skate , he pushed her slowly as she gained a pace in the balance he left her , she did skated a minute but then she fell on bum
He felt his heart in his mouth as he watched the sight and quickly rushed to her picking her in his arms craddling her , something which came instincly
A beautiful sound of giggle echoed in his ears , unbelievable , she was laughing??? who laughs after a fall
"Why are you laughing kiddo??? you scared me" He could still feel his heavy heartbeat
"it was funnn" she screamed happily , "avi wanna try againn" she insisted but this time he doubted wanting to let her skateboard again
"No we will play another game" He said thinking practically
"Nooo nooo nooo" She replied swinging herself in his arms , "di prego lets skatee" she whined babily she could see he was melting but he denied again
"Please mumma will not let avi when she comes" she said cutely and then she grapped his t shirt collars pulling herself up , leaving a kiss on Suraj's cheeks
It was the most heavenly feeling he had ever experienced when he felt that , it was almost as if Avya accepted him ,he smile knowing he lost against his daughter he bent snd returned the kiss on both her cheeks something he wanted to do every since he saw her , a calm feeling surrounded his heart , he then placed her again on the skateboard but this time he din't leave her , he proudly watched her every smiles knowing he was the reason for it , it'd make him feel good but instead of lessening his guilt it increased it , he wanted her dead , a bile rose in his throat making him wanting to puke as he remembered the words which escaped him when he learnt about Avya
Bhagya having done with her trials returned back in the garden shocked if she was seeing it right, her brother and Avya playing together
"Masiii seee i am skatinggg" Avya happily announced looking at Bhagya
He looked at his sister nervously
"Yes baby i can see that but now you will have to eat your lunch , your mumma just called and asked us to feed her beautiful angel" Bhagya ignored suraj and spoke to her niece
Avya pouted but she couldn't turn her mother's orders down , "Avi can still skate after eating???" She questioned innocently looking at both adults
"Yes avi can still skate , now go with Girja didi , i have to talk to suraj i will join you in a moment"
She nodded happily and left for her food
"remember you wanted her aborted???" She said sarcastically making sure Suraj remembers his mistake
"You're my sister Bhagya , we're twins how can you be soo bitter towards me , yes i made the mistake , i want to remend it but i dunno how , i want to hold this beautiful girl and say to the world she's mine , i'd be proud but how??? you lived in the same house as me , you know all expected highly from me how could i have turned them down??" He was sick of his sister's taunting and constant reminder of his past
She was surprised by Suraj's outburst , "you should have thought that before having 'it' with chakor and moreover You have done nothing good for her to be able to announce the world proudly that she's yours Suraj" She was sad to say those words but it was true even his brother's pained expression don't deny this , "but let's just ignore the fact you knocked my bestfriend up and let her take up all the responsibility alone , have you been a brother to me in this 4 years??? all you were doing were trying to be a successful business or Imli's fiancee , that's it! what about me? your twin sister ,if you think the reason i am bitter towards you is chakor then you are in high illusion suraj , i am bitter because you forgot what's being a brother , doubting my choice of a life partner is not called assuming your responsibility , if you were actually a good brother , you'd try to know arjun , not judge him for mere his title"
First Chakor , now Bhagya , 'Was he really such a despicable human being? such a failure????' but she said all true , in this last four years all he did was trying to be a good businessman and following to Imli's pressure spend time with her , Imli was someone who wanted to be everyone's center and he'd try to give her that , but he failed to see he was drifting away from all by doing so
He sat on the stairs thinking all what transpired in past and he felt someone sit besides him
He least expected to find Avya , "Perche sei sola?" she asked crossing her legs on each other
That language , he'd have to carry a google translation app with him , "Meaning kiddo?"
She facepalmed herself forgetting it was india not the place where all spoke italian , "Why you alone??" she asked again
The girl he wanted to get rid of asked him about his solitude , where was imli? oh yeah beauty palour with Ragini for tonight's ring exchange ceremony
"Just elder's problem" He explained vaguely but then there was a question which irritated him , he wanted to ask it but it felt wrong but still he said it
"Where... is your daddy kiddo?" He asked placing a stone over his heart , it was wrong to ask this the child but he was sure she'd see others kid having fathers what was her idea about it ?? did she ever ask Chakor ? maybe Chakor told her , her father is dead
Looking at Avya's smile he left spellbound , here he thought it was a tough question , "Mumma says daddy is away for his ress...res.." She was stuck on the word still trying to pronounce it the very same way her mother did
"Responsibilities" Suraj completed for her completely fazed out , ironic huh? he ran away his responsibility yet Chakor gave this excuse to their daughter
"Must be a very bad man" He said to himself but audible to Avya who stood confusing Suraj
"No No No Daddy was a good man , mumma said but we don't need him to worry about us since mumma is happy with avya and avya is happier with mumma" she was honestly happy with her mother, when other's kid had daddys play the ball with them , she had her mother who step in the park no matter how busy she get , she would always find time to be with her
His lips parted but no words escaped him , Chakor said he was a good man???? Why would she lie soo blantly???? It was beyond him. Earlier he was only guilty but now there was a fire of repentance burning inside him , 'Why couldn't he have faced his mistake??' he couldn't help but respect her ,no child willwant to hear their father is bad so this might be the reason Chakor did it but still she could have said he died or something ,but she did not
"I am sorry" He said looking at the girl who ran away on hearing her mother's call , the excitement of seeing her mother after a long day was obvious
Indian wears were not something Chakor saw herself in during this 4 years, so when she received the custom made lehenga she was pretty excited to get donned in it , it was a beautiful red lehenga and besides it was the same kind of dress but in a smaller version, just like she wanted it to be
She placed avya on the bed and helped her to wear her lehenga she was equally excited as her mother by the blinky embroidery it had along it's border , "It makes me feel like a princess mumma" she said cheerfully
"that's because you are a princess my love" she kissed her forehead as she finished pinning her dupata up next were to wear hers
"Wow mumma matching matching" She said even happier having now discovered her mother were wearing same as her
"Yes same as you" as she said , her daughter pushed herself up her toe kissing her forehead just like she did a few moment ago , Chakor day long's exhaustion left as she did it , it always happened , one simple act of Avya motivated her to move ahead
Suraj stood by Imli who blabbered something he couldn't focus on no matter how hard he'd try too
"So how am i looking???" She asked looking at her outfit , a classy black saree sleevless blouse
He was about to answer when he watched Chakor and Avya descend the stairs , wearing Matching lehenga , the red complementing both mother daughter , it was soo apt "Beautiful" He said
Imli looked at him and found him gazing at Chakor and her daughter her anger knowing no bounds , "Seriously Suraj???" she said angrily as suraj realized what he just said was not just for Avya but also Chakor , eversince he spent time with Avya not only he found himself respecting Chakor but also admiring the wild cat he used to call names in past
Imli angrily walked towards Chakor thinking a face off might be long due with her sister
"Seriously??? even after doing soo much , having played with our family name reputation you are here standing like you're the most glorious lady" she said as Chakor frowned but then she ignored her and looked at her daughter
"Aviii , just go to Bhagya masi , she wanted to see how pretty you look wearing that dress" listening to her mother she ran to her masi to show her dress
Imli din't fail how she called Bhagya masi , seriously???? , Suraj stood awkwardly not knowing what should he say to stop Imli's tauntings
"So what did you say Imli???" Just when she asked she faced her Parents who still couldn't believe Chakor were there
They knew they had taken harsh decisions , they should have given Chakor a chance , they wanted to call her back , letters for chakor delivered at their place could have directed them to Chakor but they chose not too , not to ruin it for Imli in the society
"Yes i said inspite of doing soo much you have the guts to show off your daughter around????" Imli spatted angrily while suraj clenched his jaws , why was she dragging the innocent girl between hers and her sister's rivalry , he starting doubting if she was the Imli he fell in love with , how can she be soo stupid instead of praising her sister for having had achieved soo much despite everything she was targetting her infront of her parents and why were they even allowing their younger daughter insult the elder
Chakor could hear her sister's every bitter accusation but her eyes were on her parents , she wanted to hear what'd say
"Is that your daughter??" Her mother asked for the first time looking at a joyful avya who played with Arjun and Bhagya
"Yes My Daughter" She said proudly which were misunderstood arrogance by her sister once again but she was stopped by Suraj , who desperately wished to take Imli away from hurting Chakor verbally , 'since when he cared for her??' oh yeah eversince he saw she did everything to deserve respect and care
"Why are you asking her maa baba after all you have done for her , she repays you by talking arrogantly, no sign of recognization" why was chakor even back was the question who made Imli angrier and having heard her praise from Suraj drove her madder
She finally thought it to be the apt moment to answer, " Ma baba done for me??? No dear sister , done for you , you din't tell her??" She asked to her parents who lowered their head , "While you were busy swinging from one Rajvanshi brother to the other , i was busy earning my way through scholarships and part time jobs, their money were dedicted to the younger weaker sibbling since i was the elder i had to Be responsible , right baba??" she said keeping her tears on bay driving Imli speechless
"Chakor you know why we did it we trusted you more" Her mother tried to explain herself but she simply shook her head
"No maa , you trusted me only for show , had you trusted me for real , you'd never reject me , thinking my doing might have affected Imli's future , i agree i made a mistake a huge one , you and baba had all rights to punish me thats why i said nothing and endured the slaps but was i soo bad you threw me out the moment i needed you both the most???? you could have punished me you had rights but i expected you two to have hugged me and asked me the real issue after having had cooled down" She could see guilt all over her parents but it din't affect her , not anymore
They cried looking at their grand daughter who looked just like their little Chakor , she could see through their wishes but she gulped down the emotions and said "i am sorry , i can't let her meet you , because when she'd ask me where were you all during these years i'd have no answer and also i don't want my daughter to go all those favoritism insecurities i did once imli has her own child" they couldn't blame her for shielding her child
She walked away from them to her bestfriend and daughter and continued joking with them as if nothing happened
He could have salvaged the bhuvan family , just a few words in Chakor's support but he din't do it , his head ached with pain , even Imli's arm around him and cries about how rude chakor were din't affect him , he simple entangle her out of his arms and walked off
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
