A Right Turn

20.

Lakshya was preparing for bed when he got Uttara's call. She was distraught while relaying Ram and Sujata's conversation to him. Sensing her distress, Lakshya assured her that he will not let their family break. Finally, after half an hour he was able to calm her down. After finishing the call, he was stressed, he knew if Sanskar returned all that would stop but he seemed in no mood of returning. Moreover, it would seem that he had burned all his bridges to Sanskar. The way to Sanskar he was left with was through Swara, but he didn't think she would help him after what he had done to Kavya. He was at his wit's end and that is how Shekhar found him.

"Kya baat hai, beta? Tum kuch pareshan dikh rahe ho?" Shekhar asked. When Lakshya didn't reply, he continued. "Jo bhi hai, mujhe tum pe pura bharosa hai ki tum karloge." This shocked Lakshya.

"Aapko sachme aisa lagta hai?" Lakshya asked.

"Phele nahi lagta tha par aab lagta hai." Shekhar replied. This provided Lakshya with much-needed confidence. He now knew what he had to do, he just hoped Sujata won't take any drastic step in the meantime. With that thought in mind, he tried to sleep.

In Bose's house, both the sisters were preparing for bed. Both of them were walking on eggshells, finally, Swara had had enough and she asked Kavya what was Lakshya talking about on the balcony, earlier in the evening.

"Kuch nahi di, nothing I can't handle. Aap chinta mat karo." Kavya replied.

"Arre par tujhe sab akele handle hin kyun karna hai? Aur tu mujhe sab sach sach bata. Jab se main aayi hun, main dekh rahi hun sab ajeeb behave kar rahe ho. Aur ye kya naya obsession laga rakha hai tune baba ka?" Swara said.

"Obsession! Di aap ye kya keh rahe ho? Woh humare baba hai. Main toh bas humari family ko ek karna chahati hun."

"Ragini ka rishta todke. How can you be so insensitive? Mujhe laga woh dost hai tumhari."

"Di main aisa kabhi nahin chahati thi ki uska rishta toote aur Lakshya toh waise bhi khud rishta todna chahata tha. Aur aap ko kyun itna bura lag raha hai? Aap toh unhe pasand nahi karti."

"Sahi kaha, I don't like them but main dida ke tarah unse dusmani bhi nahi rakhna chahati. That family is a circus, to which, I don't want to buy tickets to. Mera bas chalta to unlogon ko humari life se gayab kar deti. And you have a family, unse kya chahiye?"

"Di, baba."

"Nahi Kavya, woh insaan humare pita nahi hai. We already have a father. Unhone pita ka sara kam kiya. He took our responsibility. Humari maa unke saath jo kia uske baad bhi, sab sach janne ke baad bhi unhone hume aapnaya. Dur se hin sahi par humari parvarish ki unhone. Yahan tak ki unki second wife ko bhi manaya hume accept karne ke liye. Shekhar Gadodia ne sirf sperm donate kiya aur puri zindagi hume bin baap ke hone ka tanna diya."

"Di unhe pata nahi tha."

"Unhe toh kabhi kuch pata nahi hota. Jo bhi hua tha badon ke bich hua tha, humari kya galati thi? Bahut bolte hai ki Sharmistha se pyar karte hai par Sharmistha ka saath nahi de paye."

"Di tab halat hin kuch aise the."

"Accha, ab halat sab thik hai toh humare saath hai, kal ko halat phir palat jayega toh hume chod denge. Uss inshaan pe mujhe ratti bhar bh bharosa nahi hai."

"Toh mujhpe karlo."

"Tumpe? Dost tak toh tum thik se nahi chunti."

"Di! This was uncalled for. Aap meri life mein interfere mat kijiye. Main sab sambhal lungi."

"Main dekh rahi hun kya sab sambhala hai tumne!" Swara was now getting agitated. Both of them were shouting at each other at that point. She took a deep breath to calm herself and then asked Kavya, "Kavi main bas tumhare iss zid ka karan janna chahti hun. Hum aaj tak toh the na unke bina aur kush the. Phir kyun? Please mujhe bata."