Yuvaani
As soon as he went to the office I turned to see Di and Jiju consoling Vihaan. It was his birthday today, he shouldn't have seen all this! That little boy doesn't deserve this.
You too don't deserve this, Vaani.
Yeah, I know. Now it's on my self respect. And I won't tolerate it.
You shouldn't have worn that piece of cloth and thrown his face. To shut him up.
That's rude.
Shaking my head, wiping my thoughts, I went to the room where I used to sleep, and I took out the car gift for Vihaan, and went to him hiding it behind my back.
"Hey little boy!" I said with fake enthusiasm to cheer him up and ruffled his hair.
He looked up to me. But his face held a downcast expression, making me more sad.
"Happy Birthday Vihu" I wished him.
"Mami, on my birthday there's nothing to be happy about. Everything is sad sad. My birthday morning is also sad. Now, my day will also be sad" He said in his baby voice and made a face that he'll cry anytime soon.
"No dear, it is your day today. If the birthday boy is happy then everyone will be happy"
"I'm sad, mami"
"What about this?" I showed him the gift I was hiding behind me and forwarded it to him.
"Gift!!??" His eyes sparkled up in excitement.
I nodded my head smiling at him genuinely.
"What is it?" He asked taking it from my hand
"Open it"
He looked at his parents and he gave Jiju to open it after his failed attempt.
"Papa jaldhi!!" He ordered his father in his baby voice.
[ Be fast! ]
His parents smiled at his excitement and his face glowed seeing the cars.
"Carss!! Wow!" He touched the surface of each car by surfing his hand through it.
"Thank you bolo beta Mami ko" Di asked him to thank me.
"Thank you, Mami! You're da best!" Saying this our little man went to the other side of our living room, to play with his car set.
[ You're the best ]
As soon as Vihaan went, Di and Jiju's expressions downcasted. I was about to go but Di held my hand. I looked at her and she immediately engulfed me in a hug.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I forgot to tell you about that sare-"
"No, Di. It's not your fault-"
"It is somewhere! I'll make Aaru understand. Please don't think much about it. He's just not letting it go"
She too thinks the same? No god! It's not done.
"Not letting it go? Di, he needs time. And ghar pe kuch na kuch aisa ho raha hai ki Priya ji ki baatein unhe yaad aane par majboor kar de rahi hai"
[ And at home happenings are in a certain way that it reminds him of Priya ]
She broke the hug.
"Maybe you're right. We shouldn't-"
"It's okay, I need to go to the kids" saying this I rushed into his bedroom as I heard their cries.
"Kya hua bachho, see mumma is here" I went to their cots and both were crying.
Maybe they're hungry.
I took both of them and placed them on the bed, cooing them. Their cries subsided and they're looking at me. I slowly placed them in the center of the bed and went to latch the door.
I came back and took them in my arms to feed them. They were wiggling, playing and having their milk. After being done after a good half an hour, I changed them into comfortable outfits and played peek-a-boo with them. Their laugh is quite soothing and joyous. It somehow soothed my heart a bit, still guilt was engulfing it some way or the other. I don't know why.
I looked outside, towards the balcony from the bed, and I noticed a small library there. I went there and looked at his book collection.
I had an idea!
I should try telling them stories.
I looked for something like picture books for kids, but it felt like he didn't have one. But my gaze fell upon a brown covered thick shirt book that looked like it had a leather hardcover. I attempted to view it.
It was a diary.
I turned the hard cover to take the view of its first page.
Priya Aarush Nair.
This diary belongs to her. I really want to know about her. I know she's a pure hearted soul, but I wanted to know more than that.
I turned the page.
24 April 2020.
11:53 pm.
Yay! I fulfilled one of my dreams today. I married the best man in the world. The greatest man! My Aarush. I really can't believe it.
Bhagwaan ji, I promise. Aur iss baar I'll stick to my words. So my promise is to maintain this journal till my last breath. You know na bhagwan ji, I've tried to maintain a journal but I've failed miserably. But iss baar I won't. I swear on Aarush.
I'm feeling happy. Delight. This feeling is out of this world! I married my love! He's sleeping next to me. I know I know, bhagwaan ji what are you thinking. That who's sleeping on their wedding night? Hehe! I'm blushing! But we made this decision long back, that when we will be comfortable, then we'll take a step ahead.
Moreover, he was so tired so I let him sleep and here I am writing to you. God, thank you for this marriage. Thank you for 'him'. Thank you for making him my husband. Now, we can wake up to each other. He'll be the first face I'll see in the morning, everyday. He'll be the one whom I'll have breakfast with. (To ensure him I'm not skipping my breakfasts). We'll go together to the office.
His family! Oh gosh! His family is so loving na bhagwan ji, sometimes I feel they love me more than him! Hehe. I and Ishaani Di team up and make fun of him a lot. You know it better, right bhagwan ji?
I love him. I really do. I want to grow old with him, and this is our new beginning. Please bless us and our family. Keep all evil eyes off us, okay? Especially my Aarush. He's quite popular with girls because of his good looks! God, please make those shitty girls rot in hell.
Thank you!
Love you Bhagwan ji, but not more than my husband.
Pati Parmeshwar you know!
(Wink)
Priya Aarush Nair
(My new name sounds good! Lol!)
I heard the kids' voices and I came back to the bed, keeping her diary back on the shelf. I put some of the toys on the bed and sat next to them, to ensure they wouldn't fall off the bed.
No doubt why Aarush still remembers her even today. No doubt why he loves her that much. And after reading just a mere thought of her day, anyone can easily tell she loved him. Maybe more than he does, but nothing less. No doubt why Aarush tends not to move on. Aise pyaar naseeb walo ko milta hai. Yaha na unke parents against the unke marriage ke, and they had a happy love marriage. A complete happily ever after.
[ The lucky ones get such love. Here neither their parents were against their marriage, and they had a happy love marriage. A Complete Happily Ever After ]
My heart gripped reading her side of the story. She loved him, and he loves her too.
But destiny!
Why does God have to separate them? They were so happy with each other. She thanked God on the wedding night itself. That she's grateful for Aarush, as a husband.
I want to imagine how lovely dovey Aarush will be if he's in love. Literally, a part of him has gone with her. No doubt, why he yelled at the family for that saree.
It's not just Priya, but her belongings too. I felt that, he wanted to preserve each and every thing of her. Her clothes were kept in the room I slept in. Her thoughts, which were penned in her diary. Everything!
How happy she was, just by the thought and the reality that they're married.
I wish I could be happy too.
It's not that I am jealous. But I want to feel how happiness in married life is! How it feels to be happy with your husband. Just by the love and understanding you share.
I felt that Priya was lucky to receive love from her love. And unlucky as she didn't get to live by her love's side for long.
Love. This word is not in my stars, I guess. And just by reading a mere page, I can assure myself that Aarush can never love me. I can never be loved by my husband.
Godd! Why me!? The thing I crave the most for, you've deceived it. I don't know what's on my cards now!
I just got a reality check that I can never be loved. I was just getting happy because the mini cake thing means nothing now.
I will find my happiness in his kids and my work. That's it.
I'm not denying anything, God. I'm trying to accept whatever comes my way. But I just want to ask you one question.
I've to be like this forever? Like. Forever? No love from my husband. My parents didn't consult me. My in-laws are good to me, but in one way or the other they hurt their own son, and he yells at me!
I don't like it.
Why can't I have a happy family?
My questions came to halt when I heard a knock at the door. I quickly opened it and it revealed little Vihaan, with a teddy bear that I gifted him.
Vihaan came into the room while holding the toy's hand and gliding it behind him. He climbed the bed and made his toy sit next to him too.
"Mami" he called me.
I closed the door and sat next to the three kids.
"Yes, Vihaan"
"Bian" Pihu tried to mimic me.
"Bian" followed by Ansh.
The twins giggled seeing each other uttering the same words, and Vihaan kissed them one by one.
"Mami, I love you!"
"I love you too mera baccha" I hugged him, and kissed him on his forehead.
"Aapne khana khaya?" I asked him as it was one forty in noon.
[ You had your lunch? ]
He shook his head.
"Wait, I'll bring it for you. Will you fulfill the job of being an elder brother? Will you look after Pihu and Priyansh?"
"Yesh!" He said and he played with them.
I brought him a plate and fed him, giving small bites of rice and dal to twins too. Then I made them sleep on Aarush's bed and covered them with a duvet. I placed a few pillows at the corner of the bed too, so they won't fall. And I paced out of the room.
I went to the living room and I found Maa was sad. She apologized to me for his behavior and for her stubbornness too, for the saree.
But what's done is done, we can't rewind and correct it, right?
I asked her to let it go and focus on the upcoming evening party.
Soon, it was five in the evening and everyone was going to get ready. Aarush already texted me that he'll be there at six. Di and Jiju went for a final check of the venue and Maa and Papa were getting ready.
Papa waited for Maa to get ready first and then he'll be ready anytime soon. So till that time, he sat in the living room.
"Vaani beta, can I talk to you for a minute?" He called me
"Ji Papa" I went to him and sat opposite him on the sofa.
[ Yes Papa ]
He joined his hands and said "Hume ho sake toh maaf kar dena beta, hum sab tumhare gunehgar hai. Sab ki taraf se I'm sorry beta. I know how Aarush treats you. I'll try to make him understand too. Mujhse jitna ho sakega, mai usse aur uski maa ko samjhane ki koshish karunga beta. But I'm sorry for the hurt you are facing due to this family"
[ If possible, please forgive us, child. We all are your culprits. I'm apologizing on behalf of everyone, dear.
I'll try my best to make him and his mother understand.]
"Kaisi baatein kar rahe hai Papa aap? It's okay. I'm also a part of the family na? Why are you saying these things?"
[ Why are you saying like this, Papa?]
"We don't deserve you bacche. We simply don't. And I know that. Maybe, you'll not understand this now. But one day you will. I'm always with you, daughter" and he completed by placing his hand on my head, as if he was blessing me.
I sensed a fatherly feeling. It felt as if he really meant those words. I miss my Papa now. Aarush's papa was nothing less than my papa. I felt that my papa won't understand me to this extent as his father does.
Suddenly, Maa called him to get ready and he gave me a small sad smile and he went to get ready.