Part 28 Sagar is in

More to Arnav's surprise,

"Khushi, you have not even changed a bit," Preeto said.

"But, you changed a lot," Khushi said.

Arnav frowned. Were not they meet ever before? Then how did Preethi ask him about Khushi? What did she think of them?"

"Khushi, Arnav Bhai..." Preethi was about to say something, and Khushi pulled her inside with her.

"I'm so happy as you are together, Khushi"

Khushi turned towards her and said,

"We are not together"

"What do you mean? I heard you eloped with him again..." she asked shockingly.

"I eloped... but not with Arnav," Khushi said in a feeble tone.

"I didn't get you," Preethi asked nervously.

Khushi explained the past happenings to Preethi. Preethi gulped her tears hard.

"What is this Khushi...? Do you know how happy I was thinking that you are with Arnav Bhai? I was thinking you guys are leading a happy life"

Khushi closed her eyes. Tears rolled down her cheek.

"I'm not lucky enough to live my life with him, Preethi"

"It's everything because of Trimurthi... your damn brother" Preethi gritted her teeth.

"We don't have to blame anyone, Preethi..."

"You won't blame him... but, fate bit him back," Preethi said with a kind of satisfaction.

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, not only Trimurthi, people who are the reason for your separation got their punishment"

"What are you talking about, Preethi?"

"Trimurthi's wife got divorced from him. Do you know what reason she said in court? She said no one could live with Trimurthi like a man."

"But why?"

"He is emotionless and feeling less idiot... That's why... which woman would tolerate his tantrums?"

"Is it? what is he doing now?"

"He is living all alone"

"What about my parents?"

"No one is there to take care of them. Your father got admitted to the hospital last month. Your sister and brother didn't even provide food for them, you know?"

Khushi gulped down hard. How big his father's pride was...!

"Do you remember the man Shiv Shankar?" Preethi asked.

Khushi nodded yes.

"How could I forget the man who was the root cause of all the problems?"

"His wife eloped, leaving him"

"Eloped means?"

"Eloped means, eloped... he doesn't even know the reason. Or, maybe he doesn't want the world to know about that"

Khushi sighed.

"Karma is a bitch, Khushi. Everyone should face their reaction. No mercy... no consideration... no one could escape..." Preethi said angrily.

"But, what's the reason for my sufferings? What did I do? why I'm facing only sorrow in my life?" Khushi asked.

"I don't know what to say, Khushi. Some questions don't have answers... or, maybe, we are not capable to answer."

"By the way, how do you know about them? Are you in touch with them?"

"Manoj told me... I met him at my cousin's wedding. I hope you would not have forgotten my cousin who studied in our college"

"Yeah... he and Manoj are classmates, right?"

"Yes... Manoj was the one who told me everything. Even he believes that you are with Arnav Bhai... not only him but also your family members are thinking so"

"They would think that way only"

Khushi wiped her face, seeing Sagar enter the room. She smiled at him.

"Preethi, he is Sagar... my son" Khushi introduced him to Preethi.

"Sagu, this is Preethi, my college friend"

Sagar's face brightened. If she was Khushi's college friend, she should have known his father too. He thought. He touched Preethi's feet, bending down.

"Namaste, aunty"

Preethi stood up instantly, jerking as she didn't expect him to do that.

"May God bless you to get WHATEVER you want" Preethi blessed him.

He smiled softly.

"You know what, now only, I think I'm getting old... I didn't expect you to touch my feet" Preethi said laughing.

"I would have done the same if we had met fifteen years before too because my mom taught me to take blessings from the elders when I was five years old," Sagar said smiling.

"You have brought him up so nicely, Khushi," Preethi said.

Sagar so wanted to say, my Dad also told the same but he left the place quietly. Though he left the place he stayed a little close to them. he wanted to know what really there in his mother's heart. He knew Khushi was hiding her real feelings from him just because Arnav was married. He had no doubt that Khushi was still loving his father but she didn't show it openly. He wanted to know that. he guessed Khushi would open her heart up to her old friend who knew their story. He was right. What he expected, happened.

"Does Sagar know about your story?" Preethi asked.

"He does... he knew Arnav is her father"

"Did you tell him?"

"He found it out"

"But how?"

Khushi was silent.

"Let me guess, you should have done something, could not resist yourself that made him understand that... right?"

Khushi nodded yes, gulping down.

"What have you done? Did you admire him or, did you kiss his photo?" Preethi asked tenderly.

Khushi nodded no.

"I drank the drinks Arnav left unfinished"

"No matter how hard you tried, you failed to hide the lover in you... right?"

Khushi was silent.

"People say, love is blind... but nope... it's crazy..."

She paused for a while,

"You are still in love with him... right?"

"What question is this Preethi? I'm still alive Preethi. I could forget him only when I die. Until I'm taking a breath, he will live in me. Twenty years, Preethi... there was no single second passed without his memories..." Khushi bit her lip.

"What are you going to do, Khushi? Are you going to be like this forever?" Preethi asked painfully.

"What can I do other than that? Do I have any other choice?" she choked.

"Don't you have feelings? Don't you want to live your life? don't you want to be with him?"

"Of course, I have... (She chocked) I have more feelings than other... because I have passed my life with the expectation of meeting him. but when I met him, I could not even talk to him. I became a stranger to him. He has family... wife... son... what can I do, Preethi? I can't ruin their happiness..."

"Why are you making a decision on his behalf of him? How could you decide what he wants? Don't you think, he ought to know about your sacrifice? There is no value in your love if the person who belongs to it doesn't know about it, Khushi. please, tell him that you are a single mother... Sagar is his son."

"No, Preethi"

"Who are you to stand in between the father and son, Khushi? What was Sagar's mistake in this? Doesn't he deserve his father's love?"

"He is married, Preethi..."

"So what? I'm not asking you to go to his house asking for a share in his property. He is your husband... Let him know you are waiting for him, at least..."

"No, Preethi... I used to be alone... so is Sagar. We can continue that but his wife and son want him"

"Don't you have any wish, Khushi?"

"Yes... I have a wish... Why won't I have a wish? I too am a human... I want to be with him for at least twenty-four hours. I want to be sitting with him... looking at him... that's enough... nothing more than that. if God has a little mercy on me, he will fulfill my wish before I die" she cried closing her face with her palms.

Sagar who heard her wish cried brutally.

Preethi was right. Arnav ought to know about the love that belonged to him. He should know about his mother's sacrifice. His mother deserved to be loved. Her love should be recognized. Sagar was not ready to hide it from Arnav anymore. Let him decide what he wanted. He wiped his face and rushed, searching for Arnav.

To be continued...