09.Give up

ROOHI.

"If that's what it takes to keep you under my fist," he said as I ended up crying in front of him when I didn't want to. "Stop being stubborn and do whatever I'm saying," he said trying to convince me to do this.

"First call whoever you did before and tell them to not ever dare put a finger over Suman Aunty or Sukriti," I retorted back to him. Not caring about what he said before.

"Don't give me conditions for what I want. You are supposed to do whatever I'm saying,"  he said back not calling to stop them.

"Fine, I am going to do whatever you want stop hurting them," I said to him. Let's give up. There is a point and no place I can go back to. He looked at me for assurance and then dialed a number to stop whoever it was.

~

I went inside the house and ran around to find Suman Aunty and Sukriti as I saw them with Rohan.  Soon as I entered my room Rohan smiled at me and was busy doing something on an iPad.

They all smiled at me as Rohan came running to me.

"That uncle gave me this!" he said to me as he gestured toward a guard outside my door. Which I was finding annoying.

"So how was it?  What is his family like?  How many people are there in his family?" Sukriti came running to me as she showered me with questions. Not giving me a second to breathe.

"Both of you shut up. And let her rest a little," Aunty said as I went to her and slept on the bed with my head on her lap. They got astounded but then she started to caress my head. "Adjusting to a new place can be tough. But I don't find any reason why you should not settle with this man. He also cares about you." She again started to convince me.

"He threatened me that if I won't do what he says. He will hurt you all. He is no different than Aarav Bhaiya or Vimal Bhaiya." I said to her honestly as a drop of tear escaped me without my consent. Sukriti came and sat on the floor with her back relying on the bed.

"What does he want you to do?" she asked me.

"He wants me to change my name. And pretend like someone else with his family and give up my family and never meet them again in my life." I told them as Suman Aunty slightly hit on my head.

"Stupid! What can be better than this?? It's time when you should let go of all the evilness you have endured with the name. It will be like a new beginning for you with a new name. And what more of a golden opportunity can it be if he wants you to have no connection with your brothers? It's for the best. It's for your good." Suman Aunty tried to explain to me.

"But I don't want to change anything. My name is the last thing I hold of my mother, "

"And that last thing has been continuously hurting you from the beginning. Sometimes it's better to let go of the thing that is hurting you even though it is precious. After all, nothing is more precious than yourself. "

"And my brothers. No matter what they are my only family how can I let them go like that? Yes, they do wrong and always been doing it but -"

"There is no but-nut in it Roohi. If you have forgotten let me show you all the bruises again. God has given you a new chance to click the reset button don't be blind by right and wrong at this time. If you are hungry take the bread. A few rupees are not more costly than your life." She said to me explaining to me again and again to go on with whatever is happening around me.

But I can't.

I can't shake the question away why is he so desperate for me to let go of my name and my family so badly?

But then my eyes went to Rohan and Sukriti who was playing happily on her phone and Suman Aunty laughing with Rohan. I sat up as I looked at their smiling face.

But I should do this.

All this time ever since I was a kid the only thing that has happened to them is suffering for the mistakes I make.

Suman Aunty's hair, Sukriti burned by a stick. Rohan, being beaten. Everything that has happened to them for all these past years is because of my recklessness. And my faults.

I need to pay them back and marrying Rudram and accepting all his rules can make them happy. Then it doesn't matters.

They are just questions that are bothering me. I can just shove them in a box and lock them up forever.

~

"Roohi - Roohi -Roohi..." a voice came into my sleep as I opened my eyes and saw Sukriti.

"They are calling you downstairs for dinner. You slept while playing with us in the afternoon," she said to me as I sat up looking at the unfamiliar room.

"Go, wash your face and set yourself. He is waiting for you at the dining table," she said to me as she took me by my arm. In the bathroom and I washed my face.

You have to do this Roohi. For everyone, you have left.

You need to make the people with you happy than the people who have already left you.

I came outside as she started to drag me downstairs.

I saw not only he was on the table but even Vanish was there with two more men.

I went to him and I was standing as he asked me to sit.

"Things have sorted with your brothers. He has given his consent in writing that from now on he will have nothing to do with you or any decisions you make as well as he gave a promise in writing that no harm will come to you from their side. He has given up all relations with you." he said as he slip some papers towards me. I saw them as tears pilled up in my eyes.

Just like that.

All these years. In vain just with these few papers.

No relation. My foot. He is still my brot-

I ended up crying. But I controlled myself as I swipe my tears away. And looked at the paper.

And then he slips another piece of paper towards me. "And this is the form that you need to sign that says that you will be changing your name to Ruby.  Or whatever you want. Just not Roohi." he said to me as I was immersed in the consent paper of my brother.  He gave me a pen to sign that paper as I kept the consent paper down and took the pen and sign the form.

"I'm fine with Ruby. Whatever!" I said as I stood up with the consent paper and left the dining room. But I heard footsteps behind me and I stopped. And looked back.

"This is for your good. You can do whatever you want. Be whatever you want. No one is going to stop you or hurt you for being happy." Vanish said as I remember my promise to myself that I'm gonna pay Suman Aunty and Sukriti back.

And that means taking and being with him is breaking Rudram's rule.