Taken For Granted

Chapter 16

Payal's POV (Before Leap)

As Nanheji took the divorce papers to mail them, I decided to call Amma and Bauji to inform them of our decision to leave the city. It's late, but they need to know what happened at the Raizada house.

Note: I will be typing whatever they are saying in English as some people don't understand Hindi

Bauji answers the phone, sounding sleepy. "Hello."

"Hello, Bauji," I say, putting the phone on speaker.

"Payal! It's 2 am. What happened?" Bauji asks, now fully awake.

"Bauji, we are leaving this city," I reply, trying to stay calm.

"Why? Garimaji, come here!" Bauji calls out, clearly worried.

From Bauji's words, I realize that Amma isn't sleeping with him, which is unusual.

Thinking the phone is cut, Bauji starts talking to Amma. "Garima, Payal and Khushi have separated from their husbands and are now going to move."

"Finally!" Amma responds, her tone filled with relief. "You know what? Because of the responsibility we have to them, I can't even get a child. Now that those two sisters are finally leaving, we can plan our future. We already have so much money for looking after them, why don't we move abroad? Who cares about those two idiots? I never liked them."

"Yes, Garima, you are right. Can I ask, did you have an affair with Arnav's dad?" Bauji inquires, sounding conspiratorial.

"Of course not. I never did. I only made Dadi lie and I lied so that Khushi doesn't marry Arnav and also so that their marriage breaks. This would lead us to get more money from them as Khushi wouldn't be fine mentally. Also, Payal would come back for her dear sister, which would lead Akash to divorce her. Did you like my idea?" Amma explains, her voice dripping with malice.

"It was brilliant, dear, but sadly it failed," Bauji responds.

"Who cares, dear? As long as they leave from here, then it's fine. I don't want a burden on me and I had two... why don't we go on a Paris or Europe tour with Buaji looking after the shop while we are gone?" Amma suggests.

"Yes, sure, but what will we tell Buaji? She doesn't even know about the separation that those two had from their partners as well as about them being real sisters and adopted daughters of ours," Bauji says.

Unable to take any more, I cut the call and started crying, not realizing that Khushi had heard the conversation. I stand there in shock, Nanheji's words echoing in my mind. I look at Khushi, who isn't crying or reacting. Instead, she is looking at me and smiling painfully.

"Jiji, we are blood sisters. I am not an orphan. I have you, Jiji... you are my real sister," Khushi says, her voice full of warmth.

I am astonished. Even after hearing the terrible things our so-called mother did, Khushi focuses on the positive side. This is why I love her so much.

"Khushi, can you promise me something?" I ask, tears streaming down my face.

"Jiji, of course, anything for you," Khushi replies, smiling innocently.

"Never forget this side of you... never change for anyone... not even for me," I say, painfully smiling.

Khushi starts crying, unable to hold back her tears any longer. I hug her tightly, sharing in her pain and determination.