Chapter 40

"What is all this, Moon? Did you know the truth?" I asked.

Moon tried to hold my hand and said sorry, but I pulled my hand back. "Stay away," I said and started to walk away when Geet came running. "Did something happen? What?"

Looking at Earth, I understood and she told Geet, "Go, take care of Payal, Geet."

Geet asked, "But what happened?"

Earth said, "There was evidence with Moon that proved you were right and Payal hid it."

Geet got angry and looked at Moon with disgust, but she still went and saw Payal sitting in the car. She sat beside her.

"Why did you come?" Payal asked.

"You're angry, driving in this state. Let me drive."

"Are you still worried about me?"

"I came out of humanity."

Tears were flowing from Payal's eyes.

"I hate myself, I am feeling guilty."

Geet listened quietly. Payal started the car. Geet said. "I know, but you shouldn't drive now. What you did wasn't entirely in your hands."

"So, can you forgive me?" Payal asked with regretful eyes.

Geet replied angrily, "No! Never!"

Payal started the car and increased the speed.

"You're starting to get angry like me." Geet teased.

"Because I can't stay away from you, I can't hate you. Even when I knew you were wrong, I still..." Payal cried out as tears streamed down her face.

Geet sighed and said, "And my heart has turned to stone. nothing matters to me anymore. I'm scared of you and your words. I don't want to go back to that darkness you pushed me into."

"Please come back. Without you, my house doesn't feel like home, life doesn't feel like life. Every moment feels incomplete," Payal pleaded, sobbing while driving. Just then, the car was about to crash, but Geet grabbed the steering wheel, pulled the car to the side, and took the keys out, putting them in her pocket.

Geet said, "I can't do this. Just accept that this is the end. I don't want to love anyone or be with anyone anymore."

Geet got out of the car and started walking away, but Payal ran after her and hugged her from behind.

"Just stay, don't forgive me, but stay close to me. Fight with me, hate me, but be with me. Can you do that?"

"No, absolutely not," Geet replied angrily.

Geet began to walk away and said, "I'll send the car keys to your house, and I'm booking a taxi for you. It should be here soon."

"Fine, then drop me home. Drive." Payal said angrily.

Geet put her phone in her pocket, got into the car, and started driving. When they reached the house, Payal's mom opened the door. Seeing Geet, Payal's mom became emotional.

"Geet?" she said, "My daughter-in-law has come back."

Payal tried to speak, "Mom, she..."

But her mom didn't let her finish, "You keep quiet, Payal. Nancy, bring a plate and a Diya, my daughter-in-law has come."

Geet said, "Aunty, I..."

Payal's mom stopped Geet and said, "Quiet, you won't say anything."

Geet looked angrily at Payal and said, "Speak up." Payal held her head, unsure of what was happening. Payal's mom performed a (Aarati) traditional welcoming ritual and offered Geet Laadu (sweets).

"I made them. How do they taste?" she asked.

Geet nodded, indicating they were good. Payal's mom blessed her.  Geet touched her feet. Payal's mom hugged her.

She invited Geet inside, where Geet sat on the sofa. Payal's mom sat next to her and said, "Beta, what will you eat? Where's your luggage?"

Payal said, "Mom! listen, listen."

Payal's mom said, "You don't tell me anything these days. I would've prepared something for you."

Geet saw Payal's dad's wheelchair nearby and got angry at him but held back for her mom's sake. She touched his feet. Tears welled up in his eyes. Nancy wiped his tears.

Payal said in anger. "Take Dad inside."

Payal went to her room, and Geet followed, while Payal's mom, feeling happy, thought about preparing something special to eat.

Geet took Payal's hand and placed the keys on it. "I'm leaving. Tell your mom I'm going."

As Geet was about to leave, Payal held onto the keys tightly, her mind filled with memories of Geet's laughter and flirtations. When Payal's mom saw Geet leaving, she said, "Beta? Geet, are you leaving? Are you going for work? come for dinner on time."

Geet stopped and said, "Aunty, don't prepare anything."

Payal then folded her hands and pleaded with Geet not to tell the truth. Geet signaled that she wouldn't lie.

Payal's mom said, "After you left, Geet, Payal hasn't smiled even once. I get bored in this house. Payal is always out, making the office her home. She drinks alcohol, smokes. Sometimes, she doesn't sleep for seven to eight days. She's gone mad. she gets so angry like she'd shoot someone. They call her 'Lady Don' at work, a stone-hearted person. It's gotten very bad. Payal will die. She takes 10-12 pills a day. she has so many illnesses now. You did the right thing by forgiving Payal. She never listened when I said her father might've been wrong, that Geet couldn't be wrong, but that crazy girl never understood that trust is more important than evidence." Payal's mom was feeling very weak, and she begged Geet to stay.

Payal was also sad, realizing how much she had hurt her mother.

Tears filled Geet's eyes, but her anger urged her to leave. She finally said, "Aunty, I'll get my bags. From now on, it's my job to fix Payal. Old Payal will come back" she said, looking at Payal.

here was intensity in Geet's eyes, but no love. it was as if she was only angry about Payal's mother's sadness, and nothing else mattered to her. Her anger faded, and she couldn't stop herself from helping Payal's mother. Geet remembered all the good times she had spent with Payal's mom.