Ruhi:
Saza dena hi tha toh ek baar batha toh dete. Shayad itni takleef nahi hothi thi Aaj Hume.
(If you intended to punish me, you should have informed me beforehand. Maybe it wouldn't have hurt me as much as it's hurting now.)
I hate Ekansh Razdan. I hate him so much.
My dadu hates me now. What should I do to reconcile with him?
I had made numerous calls to my dadu, but he didn't answer them. All my plans of spending this week with him were crushed into pieces. Why, Ekansh, why did you do that? Yes, I started loving you, but I would have convinced my heart if you had said to back off or stay in a loveless wedding. All I wanted was my dadu's happiness. I never wanted to marry you, but I didn't want to disappoint Dadu. I couldn't hurt him.
I also received calls from Ekansh. I ignored all of them.
However, he came to know my whereabouts from Gurpreet. What does he want now? He got everything he wanted.
My whole day went like a tsunami destroyed my life. Luckily, our clinical postings have changed from that day. We were in obstetrics and gynaecology. I thought I would have an encounter with Anthra but she was on leave for today.
I didn't see Ekansh either in the cafeteria. Maybe they are together. He claimed what he wanted. Let him be happy with her. Let him live his dreams.
I went to the library and decided to focus on books instead of the incidents that took place in my life. But the paper that I was reading turned wet with my teardrops. I wiped them, and another set of tears escaped from my eyes. I rested my head on my book and recalled our moments, which had little meaning. Those dates, Karwa Chauth fast, our love-making night.
But I felt a familiar presence around me. My heartbeat increased, and so did my breath. I lifted my head with the hope of seeing him. "Ekansh!" I whispered. I looked to and fro, left and right, but he was nowhere.
I misunderstood. He will not come for me.
But my friends approached me: Saniya, Manoj, Avinash, and Rayan.
They sat around me and said random things, mostly to make me laugh. Rayan put on his flirting, but it didn't feel realistic.
The smile was nowhere on my face. "Ok, guys, what about we all go to the mall tomorrow? We will watch a movie and eat in the food court," Avinash suggested. The next day we have a public holiday.
"Ruhi will join us," Manoj declared.
"No, I decided to visit Gurudwara."
"Will you manage alone?" Saniya asked with concern.
"Yes, I will," I assured her.
Ekansh:
Gurudwara. She is going to Gurudwara tomorrow.
But she did feel my presence around her, didn't she?
My mobile rang with Harsh's caller ID. I answered the call after stepping out of the library. "Ekansh, come to your bungalow. Mahi and I got the proof against Anthra."
"I am coming," I added and cut the call.
They both arrived home before me and were waiting in the living room.
I sat on the couch chair, while they were settled on the sofa. Harsh handed me a mobile, in which a clip played. It showed the video of Anthra and her mother.
Annoyance reached on peak. She was planning to sleep with me.
After it ended, I stood up and moved to my room. I took my gun and made my way out of the house.
"Ekansh," Harshit came in front of me. "What are you doing?"
"I will kill that mother and daughter. Just for money, they separated me from my Ruhi."
"Ekansh stop." He grabbed my arm but I pushed him and moved to the garage.
He followed me. I sat in my car and pulled it out of my house. Harshit was fast but he couldn't approach me.
The video replayed in my head.
Fake pregnancy. She decided to go too low.
My heart rate increased as I interpreted the consequences of it. If it happened according to their first plan, then Ruhi would have been more devastated. But they did hurt my Ruhi. She cried because of them.
I reached Anthra's apartment and the moment her mother pulled open the door after I poked the buzzer, I pointed a gun against her forehead.
"Ekansh!" She screamed out of fear. "What are you doing?"
She took back steps when I moved forward, giving her a murderous glare.
"Murdering you and your filthy daughter," I screamed back at her.
Anthra approached us. Her eyes widened in shock. "Ekansh, are you out of your mind?" Instantly, I strolled towards her and pointed the gun at the centre of her forehead.
"You are a shitty, disgusting person, Anthra!" I cursed her. She closed her eyes.
"Ekansh, pagal math ban!" I heard Harshit's voice from behind. He was even huffing and puffing.
"Yeh dono maringi Aaj, Harsh," I announced, scaring the shit out of them. "Paison ki buki. Lalchi auratein hai yeh dono." (They will die today, Harsh. They are nothing but gold-diggers.)
"Ekansh." Anthra voiced. "I am sorry." She whispered. "I planned everything..."
"Anthraâ" her mother objected. But the way, I glared at her, she shut her mouth. I respected them all these years. I never counted the money I offered them to help.
"I thought of making you sleep with me so that I can fake a pregnancy. Then separate you and Ruhi. But Ruhi's words of that night made my work easy. I faked suicide and even the suicide note."
"Why Anthra?" I asked, helplessly. Tears flew out of my eyes. "Why did you hurt her? She is such a nice soul and you hurt her."
She lowered her head. "I will resign from the hospital. I will never disturb you or your wife."
"I don't trust you. Even this can be your plan."
"I realised a relationship doesn't depend only on money. Love plays a major role too. I can only get your money 'cause now your heart is fully occupied by Ruhi."
"But you separated us already."
"I am sorry, for that." She mumbled, lowering her head. I put my revolver down.
"I don't hold any hatred or liking for you. If Ruhi was here, she would have wished you success. And I want to do the same."
I took a step back. "Ekansh, I want to return your things." She mentioned and walked inside a room. She came back with the things, I gifted her. "You can take them."
"Even I don't want them," I whispered and walked out.
"Ekansh, what will you do now?" Harsh probed, as I approached my car.
"I will confess things to her Dadu. He should know that his Ruhi was always right. It's me, who got distracted." I turned and hugged him, "thank you for the clip. I was too scared that they would file a case on Ruhi."
"What about Ruhi bhabhi?"
"Unki narazgi dur karna matlab ek pahad chadne ke barabar hai," I acknowledged. (To mollify her anger is as hard as to climb a mountain)
He chuckled and patted my shoulder. "I wish you good luck."
After I settled in my car, I made a conference call to Kirpal and Sajjan dadaji. I confessed everything in front of them. Kirpal dadaji was upset with me but Sajjan Dadaji sounded disappointed.
***
After I confessed, I received a call from Maa. She was upset with me. And even said to never show my face to her. Papaji called to me and expressed his regression that he couldn't give a proper Sanskars to me.
"It's not your fault, Papaji. I got distracted."
"Distracted. You spoiled an innocent girl's life, Ekansh."
"Give me a chance. I will correct everything."
"I am no one to give you a chance, Ekansh. Ruhi should be one."
I had no backbone to face her. "You are right, papaji." He cut the call after that. No one contacted me after that but I do know that everyone is upset with me. Bhai and Bhabhi. Her cousins.
Ruhi had bonded to me since her birth but still, I saw another woman.
I decided to visit Gurudwara too. Having no idea which one she was visiting, I drove to the dormitory building early morning. As I saw her driving out of the parking area, I followed her.
I guessed her to visit the one, which is near to us. She always wanted us to visit that one.
After she parked her car, I parked my car behind hers. I followed her inside. She removed her sandals at the corner and I removed mine beside hers. After she washed her foot in the running water channel, I washed mine.
She covered her head with a dupatta. I tied my kerchief around my head. I kept following her. At some point, she halted and immediately I hid behind a fat pillar, as I interpreted her to turn. And she turned. I peeked from behind, She bit her lip and resumed her steps.
After we walked inside the main room. I sat far behind her. Last time when we visited Gurudwara, I wished for the best for me. Now that I got best I want my best to remain with me always.
Kaise samjhaya apko Ruhi. Jaan aise hi nahi kehte hum apko, sach mei ap humari Jaan ho.
(How should I explain to you, Ruhi? When I refer to you as my soul, indeed you are the one.)
I turned around instantly when I saw her standing. She walked past me and I stood to follow her.
She appeared pale. Did she eat anything for the past two days?
She sat on the steps before a small pond and gazed at the people. I sat behind her.
After a long moment, she whispered, "Ekansh!" My heart froze. I stared at her back. I thought she would turn but she didn't. Then she began, "aise kyun lag raha hai ki aap humare as pas ho. Yeh humari galth fehmi hai ya sach mei humari Dil ki dhadkan apki dhadkan ko mehsus kar rahi hai." She chuckled. "Nahi. Ap toh abhi apni Mohabbat ke pas hoge."Â (Why do I feel as if you are here? Can this be my misunderstanding? Or in reality my heart can feel the beat of your heart. No. How can you be here? You might be with your beloved.)
Haan Ruhi hum apni mohabbat ke pas hi hai.
(Yes, Ruhi, I am with my beloved.)
She was watching a newlywed couple. The boy was feeding Prasad to his wife. I gazed back at Ruhi. I interpreted her to wipe her tears. I was about to approach her, but my movements froze after I heard her.
"Chahe sachi thi ya jhuti, par Jo bhi Mohobath apne dikhayi bhut pyaari thi. Isiliye humne us Mohobath ka karz Chuka Diya sab kuch apne upar lekar. Thaki hum par apka karz na rahe."
(True or fake, whatever love you show me was so sweet. So that's why I renumerated your love, so that I don't hold any debt to you.)
Her words brought tears to my eyes too.
I stood up to get Prasad for her. After I took a bowl full of Prasad, I walked back to her.
I stood in front of her, obstructing her view; I sat down beside her.
She stared at me with wide eyes. Her eyes drifted between me and the Prasad bowl I was holding.
Instantly, she stood up and without uttering a single word, she walked past me, but her dupatta gave me a lively and peaceful feeling as it swept across my face.
****
You all have to wait a little for them to get back together. Till then read and enjoy the story.