a twist in the tale; swabhiman (chapter 3)

after hearing they were going for their honeymoon to bali, both naina and karan were panicking. naina was pacing around the room not knowing what to do but she did know one thing – she couldn’t go back there. karan didn’t even accept their marriage and besides, a fake honeymoon to accompany a fake marriage was definitely something he was not a fan of. just as naina decided to call rohit for help, karan entered the room.

karan and naina: we can’t go to bali!

at the same time, meghna was at her room worried for naina. after everything naina did for her, the wedding, the last seven years – she had to help her sister now. meghna had to get kunal to change their honeymoon destination. kunal came in the room and saw meghna pacing around the room.

kunal: topper, i can’t wait to go to bali with you!

meghna: kunal, please tell dadaji we can’t go to bali!

kunal: why not? what’s wrong with bali?

meghna: uh, no nothing. sorry um, it’s just that i’ve always wanted to see spain. do you think we could go to spain instead?

kunal: well, if that’s what you want, sure. i’ll have to talk to dadaji, though. you know what? i’ll go and see what he thinks about it right now.

meghna: thank you, kunal. i’ll go and tell naina and karan about the change of plans.

kunal went off to talk to dadaji and meghna ran towards her sister’s room.

meghna: naina! naina, kunal’s talking to dadaji, we’ll go somewhere else. don’t worry, i handled it.

karan wasn’t sure what was going on and meghna was so caught up in the moment that she didn’t bother to check if karan was in the room. once she took a breather, she saw him there and realised she had to come up with something, quick.

meghna: um, karan. actually, i’ve always wanted to go to spain and so i told kunal if it was okay we went there instead. he’s talking to dadaji right now, i hope that’s okay.

karan: i don’t care where we go, bhabhi. although, you made it look like there’s a specific problem with bali.

before meghna could say anything, kunal came in to save her lie.

kunal: dadaji said we can go to spain. although, he suggested that it’d be better if we went to greece instead as we have a house there, with a pool and everything. it’ll be more comfortable and we’d feel like we’re at home and not at a hotel you know? but the choice is yours, meghna.

naina: di, i think greece sounds as good and besides a house would be more convenient.

meghna: if you’re okay with greece then greece it is! but where in greece should we go?

karan decided at this point that no matter what it was, he was going to have to go on this honeymoon. so, instead of fighting it, he decided it was a good idea for him to just join in. besides, it wasn’t just him and naina going – kunal and meghna was going to be there too and now they were going in their own home, which meant they wouldn’t need to share a room either.

karan: santorini.

naina and kunal: what?

karan: (looking at kunal) we can go to santorini.

kunal: okay then, santorini. we leave day after tomorrow for six days.

naina: okay, thank you jeeju.

kunal: no problemo. oh naina, i need your passport for the visa’s.

naina: um, actually jeeju don’t worry about it. i’ll get it done myself.

kunal: you sure? i’m anyway doing all of ours.

naina: yeah, i’ll get it done.

kunal: okay.

kunal and meghna left their room and naina breathed a sigh of relief. she managed to take care of the passport issue easily but if it wasn’t for meghna, they’d still be going to bali. naina couldn’t let kunal take her passport if not he’d know everything. he’d find out everything she’s been hiding – her real name, her place of birth, and most importantly, how someone like her – a normal middle-class girl from boondi, already has the visa’s needed for greece. karan however, was getting slightly suspicious.

karan: (thinking to himself) something seems off. why was naina so worried to go to bali, and bhabhi too? and why didn’t she want to give bhai her passport? ugh, what do i care? she won’t be here any longer anyways. when she finds out about my problems, she’ll leave like everyone else too.

naina: karan, why did you have a problem with going to bali?

karan: i have a problem with our honeymoon naina, not with bali.

naina: but you were okay with greece?

karan: i’m not. but i figured, there was no way to get out of it and besides, we’re not going to stay at a hotel which means we won’t have to share a room so i have no problem. why do you have a problem with going to bali, though, naina?

naina: we won’t share a room?

karan: no, now answer my question naina. why do you have a problem with going to bali?

naina: i don’t, i don’t have a problem with bali. karan, if meghna di finds out we’re not sharing a room and sleeping in different places, on our honeymoon that too, she’s going to know something’s wrong. i can’t get her worrying about us on her honeymoon. don’t be selfish, karan.

karan: selfish? oh god, please naina. don’t act like you’re so selfless.

naina: what is that supposed to mean?

karan: nothing.

naina: no, tell me.

karan: forget about it.

naina: please, tell me. what’s that supposed to mean, karan?

karan: well, you don’t expect me to believe you married me for your sister, do you?

naina: (taken back) why do you think i married you then? come on, tell me, karan. what do you think i married you for?

karan rolled his eyes.

naina: oh my god. (scoffs) you think i married you for your money? karan, i don’t know what you think of me and honestly, at this point, i don’t care. but still, let me tell you something. i married you because i had to. you heard your dad, didn’t you? you could have stopped it if you tried but you didn’t. my sister was married and your father refused to take her doli unless we got married. (breathes and stops for a second) i love someone else karan. i gave away a life i had planned and dreamt. i was finally going to be happy. but no, i couldn’t be selfish, i couldn’t see her life get ruined. not after everything she and ma did for me, i couldn’t do it. and so, i got married to you. (realises what she said) oh god, we got married. i married you.

it finally sunk in. naina finally realised that she was married. it hit her, she was married to karan. she was not going to get the life that she once planned of having. she was not going to get her much awaited happiness. naina wasn’t going to get married now to the man she loved. instead, she was going to live in a loveless marriage all her life. karan realised naina was in shock, he was confused but realised that it all happened so fast that ever since, naina never got time to properly sit and realise what happened exactly happened. and then everything he and she both said came rushing back to him – he accused her of marrying him for money, she was selfless, she couldn’t see her sister’s life get ruined, she loves someone else.

thank you for reading! i’m really sorry for the wait, i hadn’t finished writing the chapter. i hope you enjoyed it and please comment any suggestions for the upcoming chapters!