CHAPTER 61: Hidden reasons
(Three months after Pankhuri’s arrest)
“Not again Maa, I have told you so many times, I don’t want to get married”
Mishti stood up from the dining table and walked back to her room….
Coming home on weekends was something she looked forward to but since the last two months, from the time she had told her parents about Abir and her coming back together, all conversations eventually led to their marriage…. And somehow the time she enjoyed the most was becoming unbearable for her…. There was no doubt that she loved Abir a lot and he loved her the same, but she feared the fact that their relationship had no future and she did not know for how long was she going to pretend that things were fine…. Getting back with Abir was all that she had wished in the last four years but now when she was back with him, it seemed like she was doing everything wrong, wrong with Abir, their love, their relation…. She had given Abir a hope in their love again and now she felt like she was going to break that hope again…. She felt immense pain even with the mere thought of breaking his heart all over again….
She was lost in her thoughts when she felt someone’s presence near her…. She looked to her side and saw her father looking at her…. She hugged him tightly as tears flowed from her eyes…. Her father did not say anything and caressed her back as he consoled her…. He knew his princess had a lot buried in her heart and letting her tears flow was the only way she could vent out her pain….
Mishti: Am I doing the wrong thing Papa, tell me?
Harsh: Right or wrong, depends on each individual’s perspective, you only need to think if you can do the same thing in a better way.
Mishti: There is no better way Papa, eventually all I am going to do is break his heart again.
Anjali: Then don’t break his heart, tell him the truth and let him decide. This time let Abir decide what he wants, last time you took the decision and we know the consequences, this time let him choose what he wants.
Mishti and Harsh turned to look at Anjali who entered the room with the tray of food…. A mother would never let her children stay empty stomach…. She kept the tray on the side table and sat on the other side of her daughter….
Anjali: Mishti, it is high time now, talk to Abir, and let him know everything.
Mishti: But Maa….
Harsh: Your Maa is saying the right thing Mishti; even I think you should talk to Abir. Let him know what is going on in your mind; tell him what is in your heart.
Anjali: Talk to him Beta, tell him whatever you feel before it is too late and things get out of your control.
Mishti thought about what her parents were saying…. They were right at their places…. Communication is an essential part of a relationship…. She should let Abir know what is going on with her and let him decide…. She should not decide for him….
Mishti: I need some time before I talk to Abir.
Anjali: Take your time but before that….
She took the food plate in her hand and forwarded a morsel towards Mishti…. Mishti smiled as she ate it…. Anjali fed her daughter while Harsh smiled seeing the two….
*****
“Maa, I don’t know what happens to her, whenever I talk about our marriage she starts behaving differently”
Abir spoke as he sipped the special coffee his mother made for him…. For a change he had decided to spend some time with his family this weekend, considering both his best friend and girlfriend were busy with their own plans…. He had even requested Mishti several times to come with him to Rajkot but she had denied the proposal each time with some or the other lame excuse…. He could feel it from the last few months that something was bothering her, and it had some connection to their relation…. He had no doubts regarding her love for him, yet something was not right…. Whenever he asked her about marriage, Mishti would change the topic or avoid talking about it and his doubts were getting confirmed….
His mother looked at him as he was busy thinking about the various possibilities of why Mishti did not want to get married…. Only if she could tell me why Mishti was behaving like that…. She knew that Mishti was just the right girl for her son but somehow things were not working in their favour….
“Kya baatein ho rahi hai”
Abir and Meera’s chain of thoughts broke as they heard Kunal’s voice…. Kunal smiled at the duo and settled beside his elder brother….
Abir: Kuch nahi bas woh Mishti….
Kunal: Seriously Bhai, you have come home after months and still all you talk about is her.
Abir: Nothing like that Kunal, we were just….
Kunal: Leave it na Bhai; let us talk about something else.
Abir could feel something was different about Kunal every time they talked about Mishti…. However he shrugged away his thoughts thinking it to be the possessiveness of his younger brother….
After their father died, Abir was the father for Kunal and they grew closer than before…. After Mishti’s arrival in their life, Abir got more involved in her and Kunal felt being left out…. He always felt that his Bhai now only cared about Mishti and that she was the only important person for him…. Kunal however never voiced his opinions to Abir…. Meera knew what was going on in her younger son’s mind and explained him many a times that whatever he was thinking was not right and that nothing and no one would make Abir away from them…. However Kunal never agreed to her and somehow could never come to terms with the fact that his brother loved Mishti and that one day, she would become an essential part of their family….
*****
Maana ke hum yaar nahin,
Lo tay hai ke pyaar nahin,
Maana ke hum yaar nahin,
Lo tay hai ke pyaar nahin,
Phir bhi nazarein na tum milaana,
Dil ka aitbaar nahin,
Maana ke hum yaar nahin….
The song played on the radio as Mishti sat near the window of her room lost in her thoughts…. The lyrics of the song caught her attention and she wondered if her life would become like that described in the song…. Would Abir and she also become like those strangers who know so much about each other yet knew nothing….
Raaste mein jo milo toh,
Haath milaane ruk jaana,
Saath mein koi ho tumhare,
Door se hi tum muskaana,
Lekin muskan ho aisi,
Ki jisme ikraar nahin,
Lekin muskan ho aisi,
Ki jisme ikraar nahin,
Nazron se na karna tum bayaan,
Woh jis se inkaar nahin,
Maana ke hum yaar nahin….
Would her life also become like the one the singer said, where there would be so much yet nothing to feel anymore…. Would they no longer be able to confess or express their love…. Would they become so apart from each other that even crossing a road to greet each other would become very difficult….
No….
She would not let the story of this song become the story of her life…. She would not lose Abir or their love…. They would be always together no matter what happened…. No matter how hard she would have to fight for it…. She would fight…. Fight for Abir, their love, their happiness….
Mishti: Not this time Abir, I will not let go of you this time. This time, I’ll fight for us.
*****
Kunal was working on his latest project completely immersed in his work…. He was going through the latest reports about the project when there was a knock at the door…. Hearing the knock he looked at the door and a smile covered his lips as he saw his Bhai walking in with his favorite coffee…. The aroma of the coffee was enough to make Kunal forget all his work as he kept the laptop aside…. Abir settled himself on the bed as he handed the coffee to Kunal…. Kunal took the coffee and enjoyed it, after months he was able to have his favorite coffee, especially made by his Bhai for him….
Abir: Tujhe dekh kar kon kahega you have are going to get married in a month’s time.
Kunal: Why, why will people think like this?
Abir: You are always busy with your work, from the past two days I am here and I have hardly seen you talking to Kuhu or even meeting her.
Kunal: Bhai, I am very busy nowadays, we have to complete an important project.
Abir: Then what about Kuhu, is she not important? The wedding, is it not important for you?
Kunal: Bhai, what are you saying, of course Kuhu is important but the project is also equally important….
Abir: Kunal, dekh kaam important hota hai, but people are more important; you cannot ignore Kuhu and your responsibilities towards her.
Kunal: Ignore, when I ignored my responsibilities, it’s just that I am busy and I know her, I am sure she understands all this.
Abir: Tujhe kuch samjhana bekaar hai, tu samajh hi nahi raha main kya kehna chahta hu.
Abir got up and was about to leave when he stopped hearing Kunal’s words…. He turned around and looked at Kunal surprised hearing what he had said….
Kunal: Kya hua ab aise kya dekh rahe hai aap, sahi toh keh raha hu main, ab aapki sari baatein bas woh Mishti hi samajhti hai, hum kaha aapki koi baat samajhate hai.
Abir: Mishti, how is she related to any of this? We were talking about Kuhu and you, why are you dragging her in between?
Kunal: I am not dragging her anywhere; in fact from the time she has come, she has been between us….
Abir: Kunal, what are you saying?
Kunal was about to say something further but stopped seeing their mother standing at the door of his room…. Seeing Kunal looking at the door Abir turned around and saw their mother looking at them…. Her face said it all, she was disappointed seeing the way the two of them were arguing with each other…. Abir and Kunal both realized that their voices had raised and their talk was definitely turning into an argument….
Abir: Maa….
Meera: Abir, you have to leave tomorrow, go and sleep, you need rest.
Abir did not say anything and left the room sensing the finality in their mother’s voice…. Meera turned to look at Kunal….
Meera: Stop trying to do what you are doing, stay away from Mishti and Abir’s life.
Kunal: Maa….
Meera: Kunal, I am warning you, do not repeat the same mistake again, this time I’ll not stand by and watch you ruin Abir’s life.
Kunal did not say anything…. Meera looked at him giving him a final look and walked away…. She had made the mistake once of not stopping Kunal at the right time….
*****
Meera came to her room and dialed a number…. The call connected in the first few rings….
Meera: Mishti beta, I want to meet you.
Mishti: Maa….
Meera: Beta, meet me once, and please don’t tell Abir about this.
Mishti: Maa, don’t say please, I’ll meet you. I am going back to Mumbai tomorrow. We can meet day after tomorrow.
Meera: Thank you beta.
Mishti: Maa, aap thank you mat boliye please. In fact, even I wished to meet you.
Meera: Take care beta, we’ll meet and talk.
Mishti: Yes maa.
Meera disconnected the call and prayed for the best to happen….
Mishti was happy hearing that Meera wanted to meet her…. A hope had risen inside her heart that things would change for the better…. This time she would not repeat her mistake…. This time it would be for Abir and his happiness…. This time she would not let go of her Abir and their love….
*****
Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well.
Here is the next chapter of the story, do share your views.
I’ll mostly focus on one couple in a particular chapter, so that all fans get plenty of scenes of their favorite couple, for me all couples in the story are my favorite.
And I’ll take turns in writing about one sub-plot, so all the stories will go together, and in each chapter something about the sub-plots will be revealed along with the closure of Tia’s case.
Here begins the Mishbir story.
And in the next chapter, you’ll get the Pranbir story.
Keep reading and smiling!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!