Arnav walked into Shantivan with a heavy and dejected heart. Hope was as distant as the profound distance between Him and his Khushi. Yet their hearts were connected with an invisible bond that was inevitable in its permanence. Still, Hope and Motivation had suddenly become foreign concept to him.
The Shantivan he had made with his own sweat and blood seemed like a bad omen. He had created those few beautiful memories in this place and this very place and it's people snatched it away from him in the most ruthless manner. And yet he calls it his home. He chuckked mirthlessly. A home that destroyed his only home that gave him solace.
"Chotte!" Nani strutted towards him.
She gasped as she saw his blood shot eyes and slumped figure which sent chills down her spine. This is the first time she was seeing her dearest grandson so lost and defeated. Maybe it was the first he didn't bother to hide this side from her like he always does. Else he had mastered the talent of pulling off a facade of the infamous cruel businessman. Maybe he was just too tired to do so today. Maybe he had simply surrendered.
He passed his grandmother blank faced and made his way in slow steps. Only to he hugged my Anjali on the way.
"Chotte! You're back!" She cried holding onto him in her embrace which wasn't returned. She waited for his hands to make it's way around her frame but it didn't come. It only made him take a step back making her frown. He didn't even look at her.
"Cho.."
"Arnav bitwa not hugging your Di? What happens. Wheres Phati Sadi! Gone permanently go maternity homewa?" Hearing his Mami snicker, everything his wife had told him some time ago came rushing back to him in complete rage.
Your Mamiji took advantage of our status to ridicule us!
Your Di! She took advantage of my financial crisis so she can have me teach her to be sister in law, the etiquettes of an ideal daughter in law. Only to have her leave the house.
Your Naniji! I respect her so much and yet...she can hurt anyone for her dearest granddaughter. Just because I was involved with him she has no right to bar me from walking wherever I want!
Your sister has a whole family to look after her! Who do I have? No one!
The Khushi that you people murdered. I want her back!
They had murdered her. Brutally.
He stopped in his tracks. Still looking down. His Nani walked upto him.
"Chotte. Please say something." The old woman tried.
"Why Nani." He whispered in his empty voice. It had long lost the weightage it usually had.
"Wha.."
"Why did you do that to Khushi Nani." He looked up at her. The blankness in his eyes scared her and everyone else in the room.
"She left me Nani. She left me. I.. lost her." He gulped. "She got tired. Who wouldn't Nani. You only tell me." He stared at his grandmother. "Who wouldn't get tired of giving and giving and giving with no return. Even in business we look for profit." He chortled sardonically.
"She didn't. She simply fought for others profit and ended up facing a loss on her own."
"And you know Nani who she fought for?" He questioned rhetorically. Looking at everyone with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you know? Who's profit she fought for? That stupid woman fought for the most ungrateful group of people. The most ungrateful bunch of clowns." He smirked painfully. He stared at a silent Payal. Running his glance through each and every face of his family. Perhaps trying to gauge their expressions.
"She fought for us." He whispered inaudibly that was heard only because of the turbulent silence.
"What wrong did she do by bringing out the truth of Shyam Nani? What was her fault if her one and only intention was to save Di from a two timing bastard? To save our family from wrong hands? Why was she called the destroyer when the actual person who destroyed peace from our lives was Shyam! Wh.." The lump of his sore throat prevented him from speaking further.
His Nani, Di and Payal had tears in their eyes. They were crying in regret as guilt chewed on them raw. His Mami was trying hard to control her tears. He could see.
