Ch:13 • Suhasini's Game

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Expecting a disappointing reaction he was staring at the ground, but instead her face lit up with excitement.

"Sachhi?!" She asked not believing what she just heard.

He hummed in response not meeting her eyes.

"Wow kitni sundar jagah jaa rahe hain aap!" She clapped like a happy child.

Kartik looked at her, astounded.

"Tum nahi chal sakti Naira..." He clarified thinking that she misunderstood him.

"As if I don't know..." She rolled her eyes.

"Tum naaraaz nahi ho?" He asked her confused.

"Kyun hongi?" She shrugged.

"Kyunki main tumhe akela chhod ke jaa raha hu woh bhi jab humari nayi nayi shaadi hui hai..." He answered her.

"Toh humesha ke liye jaa rahe ho kya?" She joked, but he was serious.

"Nahi...kabhi nahi...tumhe chhod ke kahaan jaunga? Tumhare bina jee hi nahi paunga..." His eyes turned glassy.

Tears brimming from her eyes too, she hugged him tightly.

To lighten the atmosphere she said
"Aur agar main chali gayi toh?"
She smiled secretly.

"Toh tumhe jeene nahi dunga...tumhare peeche pad jaunga...tumhare sapno mein aa kar tumhe sataunga...aur phir poochunga- neend churai teri kisne o sanam?" He smiled.

"Tune!" She giggled punching his stomach.

*

It was two days since Kartik went. Nothing was normal. Naira was supposed to be on bed but she was not. She was moving around the house doing all the work.
It was dadi's magic.

Naira's pov:
Kartik ke jaane ke baad mujhe laga I won't have anyone in this house kyunki Swarna maa bhi apne maaikey gayi hai. But yesterday dadi walked up to me. I thought she came to vent out her anger, but I was taken aback when she said sorry. She apologized for her behaviour in the past and I obviously forgave her. I was really pleased that we mended our bridges. She asked me to behave like an actual bahu today onwards, which means getting up early and doing all the household chores. It was kind of absurd of her because she knew I was in bed for one more week, but it was ok as I was better than before.
At night
I am hell tired and just want to see the bed's face. I am going to give dadi her milk and then directly go to sleep...
Pov ends.

Naira stood rooted to the spot when she heard Surekha speak-
"Achha hua maaji ki Kartik ko kuch pata nahi chala warna Janmashtami ke ek mahiney pehle hi humara bhaanda phut jaata. Woh toh usne zyada puchh-taach nahi ki warna main toh darr ke maare sab ugal deti..."

"Tum toh bekaar ka hi ghabrati rehti ho Surekha. Hum apne kittu ko jaante hain. Woh kabhi hum pe aisi cheez ko leke shak nahi karega. Naaraazgi hai nafrat nahi jo durr nahi ho sakti.."
Suhasini spoke valiantly.

"Ji maaji aur Kartik ko ab iss baat ka kabhi pata nahi chalega ki seedhiyon pe tel maine giraya tha aapke kehne par." Surekha spilled the beans.

"Dheerey bolo Surekha diwaaro ke bhi kaan hote hain...aur hum ne tum se yeh issiliye karwaya tha taaki woh ladki Kartik ke saath Switzerland naa jaa sake...jitna saath rahenge utna hi ghulenge-milenge jo hum nahi chahte. Janmashtami aa rahi hai aur hum jo chahte hain woh hum Naira se lekar rahenge...Kartik ki shaadi humne usse sirf khaandaan ke waaris ke liye karwayi hai. Ek baar humara pad-pota iss duniya mein aajaaye phir Naira ke marne ya jeene se koi farak nahi padta" Suhasini spat.

Naira was broken from inside she took a step back. She didn't want to accept the fact that dadi hated her so much and she was chosen not to be Kartik's wife but to be the mother of Kartik's child. Only.

She wanted to pack her bags and walk out immediately but she could not. She promised Kartik that she'll be here, just here to welcome him.

She composed herself wiped her tears and knocked Suhasini's door.

She called her in. She gave her the milk. All this time she was looking down.

She was going when-
"Beta? Tumne khaana kha liya?"
Suhasini spoke in her sugar-coated voice.

Naira always wanted to be accepted by her as the daughter in law of this house but not like this. Not when all this was fake.

She wanted to scream and cry to tell her to stop acting nice but only if she could take a stand for herself. She lacked the self-confidence to do so.

She nodded her head meekly uttering a "Ji."

She went and crashed on the bed. She cried all night and came to a conclusion by morn.
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