Nitya

Standing in my room at my parents' house, I look at the packed suitcases around me.

After spending three days here, tomorrow, I'll be going back to my home. The home where my Prathamji is.

A small smile curves my lips and I shake my head, unable to believe how much I missed him.

The sound of his voice, the warmth his presence brought me, the way he wrapped his arms around me at night—I missed everything. So much so that I have been unable to sleep properly for the last two nights. And I'm sure it will be same tonight too. I'll be sleeping fretfully tonight too because Prathamji won't be beside me on the bed.

But he'll be with me tomorrow, and I'll be able to sleep peacefully then.

Three days apart have been long enough to remind me how deeply I love him and how much I need him in my life.

Sitting on the bed, as I look around the room, I feel a wave of emotions wash over me.

Amidst the excitement to return to Prathamji, there is also a deep, poignant sadness tugging at my heart because tomorrow, I would be leaving this house again. I would be leaving my parents and my brother again.

The door creaks open, and I turn to see Maa entering inside.

"Are you finished packing?" She asks, and as she looks at the suitcases, I see the quiet sadness on her face that she tries to hide.

Gazing at her, I feel a lump in my throat and my eyes well up. "I'll come again, Maa. Whenever I can."

"We don't know when that will be," she says, her voice trembling slightly as she sits beside me on the bed and clasps my hand in hers. "Can't you stay for a few days more?"

I shake my head, swallowing the tightness in my throat. "Prathamji said I could stay only for three days. That's what Maaji also said to me before I left. I need to return tomorrow."

Although Maaji had said much more than that, I don't tell my mother all those things because I know how worried she'll be for me if she knew how my mother in law has been treating me.

"If you don't return on the fourth day, don't bother to come at all," she had huffed, miffed by the fact that Prathamji has allowed me to visit my parents' house for three days.

"It will be hard to watch you leave again," Maa says, cupping my face. "I have been missing you since you left after your marriage."

"Why didn't you call me or visit me if you missed me?" I ask, recalling how terribly I missed her too, especially in the early days of my marriage when I used to feel so lonely at that house.

"Yash and I wanted to do it, but your father said we should not do it because your in-laws' might not like it. He said we should give you some time to get settled in your husband's house on your own," she tells me.

Her words pierce my heart, realizing that Babuji cared about being an inconvenience to my in-laws, but didn't care at all about how lonely I would be feeling without any of their support in that new place.

I sigh, remembering how coldly he had welcomed me when I arrived her two days back. He didn't care to know how I was or if I was happy in my in-laws' house. The only question he had asked me was when I would be returning as he didn't want me to stay here for long because it would get people talking badly of our family.

Blinking away the tears brought by Babuji's behavior toward me, I wipe Maa's tears from her face. "Please don't be sad, Maa. I won't be able to leave tomorrow morning if you keep crying this way."

Smiling through her tears, she takes my hand close to her mouth and place a gentle kiss over my palm. "I won't cry much," she says. "Although I am sad you'll be leaving tomorrow, I'm also relieved that you are being loved at your in-laws' house."

At her words, a pang jolts my heart. She thinks that because I told her how much Maaji and Chachiji dotes on me and how much others also adore me.

The worry I had seen on her face when she asked me how am I being treated at my in-laws' house didn't let me tell her the truth. I lied because I knew she would worry too much about me if I told her the truth.

"Everyone is wonderful to me. They care for me so much that they don't let me do much chores in the house too," I repeat the lie, ignoring the jabs I feel at my heart as I remember Maaji and Chachiji's taunts. The way they shout at me to complete all the chores since the morning until the night.

I feel slightly bad about lying to Maa, but the relieved smile that I see on her face due to my words washes all my guilt.

As Maa stands up to leave the room, a gentle knock at the door makes us look there and we see Yash bhaiyya stepping inside.

His eyes meet mine, and in that brief, silent exchange, I realize he has something serious to tell me.

Perhaps about the documents I asked him to get if he could.

"What are you doing here, Yash? Nitya needs to rest now as she would be returning early in the morning tomorrow," Maa tells Bhaiyya.

"I know that," Bhaiyya says. "After all, I am going to accompany her to her house tomorrow. I just wanted to talk with her for a bit."

Maa nods at him. "Okay. But don't take much time. Let her rest properly."

"I will, Maa. Don't worry," Bhaiyya tells her.

Stroking my head and with a last lingering look at me, Maa leaves the room.

Once she is gone, I immediately turn to Bhaiyya. "Did you get it?"

He nods, his expression growing serious as he opens his briefcase, pulls out a file, and hands it to me. "This is enough evidence, Nitya. It has everything that we talked about. All that you need to prove your truth."

I tightly clutch the file. "Will this really be enough?"

Bhaiyya places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "It will be. Uday won't be able to deny anything with everything that's on the file."

I take a deep breath to lessen my anxiety. Udayji's behavior from the night before I left the house still bothers and terrifies me. And the way he had glared at me when Prathamji had told everyone the next morning that I would be leaving the house for a few days.

When he had caught me alone just before I had left, he had said, "Do you think you would be able to escape me by going away for a few days? The only thing this sudden escape of yours will do is create more problems for you."

A chill had gone down my spine as I listened to him then, but instead of asking him what he meant by that, I ran away from there, too terrified to be alone in his presence.

There is something unhinged about him that scares me. Something that makes me tremble in fear whenever I am in his presence.

I shudder, looking down at the file in my hand and hoping that it's enough to get Udayji out of the house.

"Nitya," Bhaiyya calls out and I glance at him, frowning at the hesitant look on his face. "After our last conversation, you told me that you have forgiven me. But I want to know for sure. Are you really not angry with me for what I did?"

I also recall our conversation from the day I arrived here.

The way I had lashed at him, demanding to know why he kept in the dark about how he forced Prathamji to marry me.

And the way he had apologized, telling me he had no choice because Babuji had threatened him that he would get me married to Udayji if he was unsuccessful in getting me the groom within the timeframe he had given.

I had sighed then, realizing Babuji must have meant it. Although he had said, we would all see his dead face if Bhaiyya did not marry me within his given timeframe, we all knew he would revert to convincing Mahaveer Kakaji to accept me as their daughter-in-law if Bhaiyya failed to fulfill his conditions.

That was when my anger for Bhaiyya had left me. After all, everything he did, no matter how wrong it was, was to protect me. After knowing what kind of person Udayji is, I'm relieved that I escaped from marrying him. And it was only possible because of my brother.

"I'm not angry anymore, Bhaiyya, because I understand your reason," I tell him, my voice soft. "But yes, I am sad. I know you didn't have any choice then other than to do what you did, but you could have told me about it. You could have at least warned me about what to expect."

He looks down, his shoulders slumping due to the weight of his guilt. "I am sorry I didn't tell you. I thought I was protecting you, but now I realize perhaps preparing you for what was to come would have been better than keeping you in the dark."

"It's okay. We can't change what has already happened," I say gently, not liking him looking so forlorn. "We can only move forward now."

Nodding, he glances at me, and I see the lines of worry marring his face.

"Are you being treated well there?" He asks. "You told me everyone there has been nice to you since the beginning. Were you really telling the truth?"

Bhaiyya's questions send a jolt through me, and I find myself momentarily paralyzed by the rush of memories.

The harsh taunts from Maaji and Chachiji, the loneliness that used to claw at me in the early days there. My strained relationship with Prathamji and the way it made me feel isolated and lost. All those memories flash before my eyes, making me grip the bedsheet tightly to lessen the wave of pain they brought along.

But then, I remember the recent changes in my relationship with Prathamji—the way he has started to support me, to care for me, to defend me even by going against his family. All the things that he has done for me. All the things due to which I have fallen in love with him.

Yes, the things with Maaji and Chachiji are still far from perfect, but I know I'll be fine as long as Prathamji is with me.

"Everything is fine," I tell my brother, not wanting to worry him by telling him about Maaji and Chachiji. "I am happy there with Prathamji," I say confidently this time because this at least is true. I indeed am happy with Prathamji.

Bhaiyya regards me thoughtfully for a few seconds, his eyes searching mine as if wanting to know whether or not I am telling the truth.

I hold his gaze, willing him to believe me.

Finally, he nods, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "I'm glad to hear that. My little sister deserves to be happy."

His relief is palpable, and I feel a twinge of guilt for not being entirely honest with him. But I don't want to burden him with worry for me when I know he is already feeling guilty for not only keeping me in dark but also forcing Namanji and Prathamji for his selfish reasons.

"Sleep now, Nitya," he says, stepping back toward the door. "We have to leave early tomorrow, and you need to be ready for the journey.

"I'll be ready," I tell him. "And thank you getting this." I point to the file that he gave me earlier.

Nodding at me, he gives me a small smile and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.

*****

Stopping the car in front of Prathamji's house, Bhaiyya looks at me with concern marring his face.

"Let me accompany you inside. I know you'll reveal the truth about Uday, and I want to be with you to support you when you do it," he tells me.

Hearing him, my chest tightens at the thought of what might happen if he walked inside the house with me.

Prathamji has been nice to me recently, but I know how much angry he is with Bhaiyya for forcing him into marrying me.

And Maaji and Chachiji already hate me because they were forced to accept me as their daughter in law. But more than me, they hate Bhaiyya because they believe Namanji agreed to this alliance only because he wanted to return the favor that Bhaiyya did on him all those years back.

"Bhaiyya, I know you are worried for me," I begin softly, reaching out to place a hand on his arm. "But I think it's best if you don't come inside. They are nice to me, but I don't know how they will react on suddenly seeing you."

He frowns, clearly not agreeing with what I said. "I'll handle them. And I don't about what they'll say to me. I'll quietly bear all the taunts too. After all, I deserve it. But I won't let you face Uday alone."

"I won't be revealing Udayji's truth right after I go inside," I say to him. "I'll first tell about it to Prathamji and show him the file you gave me. I hope he'll believe me, and once he does, he'll know how to break it to the family and get Udayji out of the house."

"But, Nitya, I can't leave you to dea—"

"I'll be fine, Bhaiyya," I say, interrupting him.

He sighs and nods at me. "I'll be staying nearby for a few days, just in case." He hands me a piece of paper. "I have written down my number there. After you have told the truth to Pratham, call me and let me know how it went. I'll come immediately if you need me."

"I'll call you," I assure him, overwhelmed by his concern for me.

He gives me a small, tight-lipped smile, the kind that doesn't quite reach his eyes. I know he is not happy about leaving me alone, but I can't let him accompany me inside too. Especially because I don't want him to know how Maaji and Chachiji treat me and also because I don't want him to be taunted by them.

Holding his hand, I give it a reassuring squeeze and smile back at him. Then, climbing down from the car, I wave him goodbye and watch as he drives away.

*****

I enter the house and frown at the silence inside.

It's already 10 am, so everyone should have been either in the kitchen or the living room, but I don't see anyone in the living room and there is no sound coming from the kitchen too.

Wondering where they have gone, I ascend the staircase to go to my room, hoping at least Prathamji is home.

I am eager to see him. To feel the warmth of his presence after days of being apart.

The nervousness is there about how he will react after I tell him about Udayji, but it is mostly overshadowed by my excitement to see him.

Although a bit anxious, I also feel more confident that Prathamji will believe me. That he will be supportive of me as he has recently been.

When I near the door to our bedroom, I hear voices coming from inside.

My hand pauses on the doorknob when I hear Prathamji saying my name. I don't want to eavesdrop, but I feel curious to know why he said my name.

"I had thought it would be difficult for you after what happened in London."

I freeze when I hear Udayji's voice.

What are they talking about? Is Udayji spewing his lies to Prathamji? But he said something about London.

"It is difficult for me. Every day has been a struggle after that fateful accident," Prathamji says and I feel a jolt of fear in my heart.

What accident? Is Prathamji hurt?

Wanting to make sure Prathamji is fine, I am about to turn the knob, but stop when I hear Udayji speak. "But you are with Nitya now. I thought you have forgotten all about Sandhya."

"Nahi. Main Sandhya ko kabhi nahi bhool paunga," Prathamji says.

( "No. I'll never be able to forget Sandhya." )

"What about Nitya then?" Udayji asks.

"Nitya mere liye sirf meri zimmedari hai, aur kuch nahi. Main kabhi usse apni patni nahi maan paunga."

( "For me, Nitya is only my responsibility, nothing else. I won't ever be able to accept her as my wife." )

Hearing Prathamji, my heart breaks, shattering into pieces.