“ Anu yeh Dhruvi ke liye hai , usko yellow pasand haina "

“ Haan "

“ aur Rudra kaha hai ?"

“ so rhe hai , keh reh the ki gaadi chalakar thak gaya hoon”

“ Baraat aaj hi nikalna hai "

“ main uthati hoon unhe "

Life just changed on a certain day for Rudra and Anaswara , they never thought about it .

On the day of Rachana's baby shower , Rudra and Anaswara where the family to reach late if excluded Radhika and her family. 

After the function,  when it was just the family sitting and talking , Keshaki bua didn't like the smile plastered on Anaswara's face , and threw a jibe at her

“ shaadi ka toh saal gira haina , khush khabri kab suna rha hai Rudra "

“ Bua,  khush khabri toh bohut hai , Maine ghadi li , Ghar ko renovate ki yaha , AC lagwaye …… "

“ arre beta ji, yeh nahi ab toh tu tees saal ka hone ko aa rha , bacho ke baare main sochle"

“ Haan adopt karne ka soch rha tha "

This made everyone go silent and Rudra unwaveringly stayed at his place like he said nothing

“ adot matlab "

Dharani couldn't understand her son's way of blabbering in English when the discussion is serious

“ good lena ka soch rha hoon , baat ki hai , dekhte hai"

“ ghod lena ka matlab kya hai Rudra "

This time Dharani's voice presented disappointment and hurt.  Looking at her husband she said

“ suniye ji , aap kuch nahi bolenge aaj bhi "

“ main bache paida nahi kar sakta "

An hour long silence passed away awfully just the sobs of his mother could be heard

“ Ab bhabhi ji bolne ke liye kya hi rakha hai waise "

Keshaki added fuel to the fire .

“ Rudra bhaiya hum doctor ko dikha sakte haina "

Akash , his cousin voiced his concerns for his brother. 

“ Mere beta ko hi yeh hona tha "

And Dharani cried her eyes out , they undoubtedly understood everything wrong,  Anaswara deciphered.  Taking a deep breath and gripping onto her pallu , she said

“ aap jhoot kyu bol rhe hai , Rudra "

All the eyes looked at her,  who had her head hung down,  Rudra took a step forward but was stopped by his Bua who rushed to Anaswara and gripped her by her shoulders

“ kya matlab usne jhoot bola , tum batao “

Tearing of Keshaki's hands from her shoulder,  Anaswara explained

“ main kabhi ek Maa nahi ban sakti , Rudra main koi kami nahi hai , mein hoon jo bhi hoon "

A sob left her mouth and she was hugged by her husband

“ why Anu ?"

“ yeh kya badtameezi hai "

Keshaki said while others stood perplexed

“ kya badtameezi Bua, apko kya hua hai ?"

“ matlab jhoot bolkar , hamare bete ko phasakar shaadi karayi thi , bhaiya ji aap kuch nahi bolenge , bhabhi aap hi bole kuch toh "

No one uttered anything since the news that just blasted was quiet enough to turn everyone into a furniture,  they stayed silent , only the sobs of two women were heard , one who cried for her son and the other who blamed herself .

“ Baba , main aur Anu nikal rhe hai”

“ Haan beta mahol shaant hojaye toh aajana wapis "

“ yeh kabhi iss ghar main wapis nahi aayegi , isse apna ghar chhod de Rudra , jhoot bolkar mere bete ki zindagi tabah kardi , isse wapis chhodkar aa tu”

Dharani stood in the threshold blabbering,  she hated the only sight of Anaswara,if Anaswara was disliked earlier now she was hated wholly .

“ Maine shaadi isliye nahi kari thi , na main use chod rha na uske bina main yeh ghar kabhi aavunga "

“ bakwaas na bol tu "

Keshaki too screamed along with Dharani

“ Bua,  main apni Maa se baat kar rha hoon, aur aap log yeh kya tamasha macha rakha hai "

“ tamasha toh teri zindagi ka ho gayi hai Rudra,  tu kitna bhi mujhe ya bhabhi ji ko bol le kal ko tujhe samajh zaroor ayega ,sirf pyaar nahi bachate hai ek Pati Patni ki rishte , bache bhi hote hai usme "

“ Bua main apko galat nahi bol rha hoon na Maa ko , aap log apni jagah mein sahi hai aur Main apni”

“ yeh bhaanj aurat ko zindagi dena hai tera sahi galat "

Keshaki beeseched and Dharani too snapped her eyes at this lady who was spitting venom

Anaswara cried silently , her mind taking her back to the day when her ex- mother-in-law too blamed her and called her names , her relatives blamed her for not keeping the relation with her ex - husband strong , not capable of giving birth , she stood silently crying. 

“ meri biwi hai Bua,  apna zaban samaliye , Anaswara ne mujhe bola tha pehle hi , usne mujhe shaadi se inkar karne ke liye bhi bola tha , Maine zidd ki shaadi ki hai , Maine ulta use shaadi ke liye jabardasti ki hai , aur aap usko tarah tarah ka naam na de "

Rudra's voice was low but dangerously rude enough for all to be astounded.

Before anyone could say anything further,  he took his luggage and his wife's hand and left the place .

The cries of his mother echoed nonetheless he paid no heed.

“ bas kariye Dharani , main bhi yeh janta tha , usne kabhi humari baat na taali ,mujhse jab usne yeh bola Maine hi kaha tha use apne dil ki sun ne , ab shaadi ho gaya , bacho ka woh dekh lega , hum bas uska khushi jisme hai use dekhte hai , woh khush hai apni biwi ke saath aur kya chahiye "

“ phir bhi bhaiya ji "

“ bass karde Keshaki,  aur na chid iss baat ko"

The topic was never touched thereafter , it's not that they were wrong but they weren't right too.

Blaming a woman for everything that happens in the household ain't an appreciative thing .

The family might have accepted Rudra's wife and his adopted kids , they might shower love upon them , but they might all suppress this in their hearts too .

Opening the door , she looked at the man infront of her who was sleeping like a kid

“Rudra, wake up "

“ Haan "

“ Rudra,  uth jaaye , dher ho rhe hai "

“ uth gaya uth gaya "

Anaswara didn't move from her place nor she averted her eyes from her husband

“ kya hua ?"

Smiling she hugged him  who held her in a securing way that if he left her she'll vanish.

Dhruvi and Purvi , two adopted twins of Rudra and Anaswara stood aside enjoying their elder cousin's wedding .

Leaning back to the railing of their home in Mumbai,  Rudra asked her

“ kya soch rhi ho ?"

“ I was thinking ki ab Dhruvi aur Purvi ki bhi shaadi hojayenge , phir woh dono bhi chale jayenge "

“ Ab toh time hai "

“ they are 25 "

“ Haan toh let them settle in their life first "

“ aapne kabhi socha tha aise sab hoga ?"

“ Maine yeh socha tha ki jab hum bhudhe hojayenge tab Bhimbhali main shift hojayenge "

“ kya? "

Exactly twenty seven years ago, when they got married , neither of them thought of their life.

They found solace in each others arms , their home .

It was Rudra and Anaswara's story .

Winding up

Ashwani 😁