FF: Chupanke Ki Saaza Last Part Pg 52 [Jul 7,'12] - Page 3

-PART 3-

Bani Makes Up Her Mind

"Bani uto… subha ho gayi hai," Kiran said, pulling back the curtains and letting sunlight through the window.

"Sone doh na Jai," Bani replied, sleepily and unaware that it was not Jai, but her mother who woke her up.

Kiran paused at hearing her daughter take her husband's name and waited for Bani to realize what she said. But none of that happened and Bani continued to sleep. It was in the early hours of morning that sleep finally overtook her senses.

Kiran tried once again. "Bani, uto. Hume mandir jaana hai."

Bani sighed and opened her eyes. "Seriously, Jai –" She stopped midsentence seeing her mother's face and quickly realized she was thinking about him once again. She could hardly blame herself though – how can one refrain from talking about someone if all they do is dream about him.

"Chalo, ready ho jao. Mandir jaana hai." Kiran said, as if she knew nothing was wrong. After one month of Bani's absurd behaviour, Kiran knew better than to bombard her with questions early in the morning.

Without a complaint, Bani followed her mother's orders and got ready. As she looked in the mirror, she finally noticed the dark circles under her eyes. I guess that's what everyone is talking about it, she thought sarcastically to herself. Well too bad! And without another glance she went downstairs.

"Jaanthi ho Bani," Kiran said, as they sat in the mandir for a few minutes after completing the pooja. "Pia tumse bahut pyar karthi thi."

Bani was startled at sudden mention of her sister. Her mother usually stayed away from the topic.

"Jaab tumhe pehli baar hospital mein dekha, she just came to me and said she never saw anyone as beautiful as you. Aur tab se lekhe uski akhir din tak, usne tumhare liye kuch bhi karne ke liye taiyaar thi. Tumhe bhi yaad hai na, jab bhi tum kuch gaalth karthi thi, punishment woh lethi thi. School mein tumhare koi mazak uda tha tha, toh Pia jaake usse ladthi thi. Har roz tumhari homework karthi thi…"

Bani closed her eyes as her sister's memories once again came back to her. It was true. Pia meant a lot for her.

"Pia hamesha mujhse kehthi thi, ki tumhari shaadi mein saab kuch woh karegi. Shopping, catering… saab kuch. She used to say, "Meri choti behen ha, Maa. Ofcourse saab kuch main hi karoongi!""

Bani looked at her mother, trying to see where this conversation is going.

"Aur wohi Pia, aaj kya karthi jab usse pata chaltha ki uski behen aapna ghar barbaad karahi hai?"

Bani stiffened. Her mother finally made her point. "Usse pehle Maa, woh kya karthi jaab usse pata chaltha ki uski choti behen uski mangethar ke ssath shaadi ki?"

Kiran was shocked at Bani's words. "Kya matlab hai tumhara?"

"Very simple, Maa," Bani replied. "Didi Jai se bahut pyar karthi thi, magar shaadi toh mere saath hui."

"Bani, you very well know shaadi kis halaath mein hui," Kiran said.

"Exactly," Bani said, adamant at her point. "Jai was supposed to be with Di, but I came in between then."

Kiran sighed. Bilkul baap pe gaayi hai, she thought. "But Jai didn't even meet you before Pia's accident. So, how can you hold yourself responsible for what happened?"

Kash aapko saach pata hota Maa, Bani thought. "I am not holding myself responsible. I am just letting you know that Di would have been very mad at me today."

"Tum gaalth soch rahi ho. Pia would have definetly wanted you fulfill your parents' dreams. And now that you love Jai, she would not want you to break your marriage like this!"

"Aapko kaise pata? Did you ever bother to find out what was going on her life?" Bani questioned.

Kiran was taken back at Bani's sudden change in tone. "Matlab?"

"Matlab yeh ki Jai never loved any of your daughters! Di usse bahut pyar karthi thi, magar he turned her down aur aaj main usse pyar karthi hoon, magar he just betrayed me!"

"Betrayed you? Aisa kya kiya usne?"

"Joot bola. All he did was lie to me and use me to feel better about himself!"

"Bani mujhe kuch samaj mein nahi aa raha! What are you trying to say?"

Bani very badly wanted to tell her mother, but at the same time was scared of her reaction.

"Bas Bani," Kiran said, angry at her silence. "Since one month you have been quiet. But now, its beyond my patience. You have to tell me what happened. Warna, main tumse kabhi nahi baat karoongi!"

Bani sighed. Well, here it goes. And starting from everything she found out about Pia's accident, she recounted every single thing to her mother. Kiran remained calm, not letting the hole of Pia's death break her, like how it did in the past. Finally, when Bani's finished, Kiran chose to be quiet.

"Dekha," Bani said, finally. "Saab kuch jaane ke baad, aap bhi chup ho gayi!"

Kiran looked at her daughter. She really had no idea what to say. While half of Bani's story had facts, many of other things seemed to be made of assumptions. But, she knew better than to point this out.

"Dekho Bani," she stared slowly. "Main jaanthi hoon Pia's ki accident se tumhe bahut dukh hua. Magar, usse letter se yeh saaf hai ki Pia ne… Pia ne kud kushi ki hai. She commited suicide. Usse me Jai ki kya gaalthi hai?"

Bani was outraged at Kiran's comment. Her mother was not supporting her and her long gone sister, but that man who ruined her family? "I can't believe this, after all this, you are taking Jai's side?"

Kiran sighed. She hoped her daughter wouldn't take it this way. "Tum gaalth samaj rahi ho Bani. I will always support you no matter what happens. Magar, tum khud soocho. First of all, Pia never explicitly said that she was… killing herself. Maybe it was really just an accident. But if you still insist that she commited suicide, then uss mein bhi Jai is ko gaalthi nahi hai… It was a decision that Pia took. Not him!"

"Accha," Bani said sarcastically. "If he had nothing to do with it, why didn't he tell about the letter before? Why did he hide it?"

"Kya baatha tha tumhe woh? Ki tumhari badi behen mujhse bahut pyar karthi thi? And then what would happen to your relationship? How would you ever move on with him after knowing all this?"

"You mean he was being selfish!"

"Haan, selfish. Because he truly loved you."

"Aapko kaise paata hai?"

Kiran sighed. "Uski ankhon mein saaf saaf likha hai… the way he looks at you, the way he cares for you. He can even give up his life for you!"

"And take my sister's life as well?"

"Enough Bani," Kiran said, now angry at Bani's stubbornness. "Stop blaming Jai for what your sister did. If she didn't have the courage to face reality, how can you say Jai was responsible?"

"Aapko thod bhi dukh nahi ki aapki badi beti aab iss duniya mein nahi hai? And the one responsible is your damaad? Seriously, you didn't even react when I told you the truth!"

And then it hit Bani. Kiran was way too calm in this situation. The same Kiran who couldn't come out of shock when her older daughter died, was sitting her, okay with the fact that it wasn't not an accident.

"You knew all this, didn't you?" Bani asked, looking at her mother.

Kiran paled. But she could no longer lie. "Haan," she said. "I knew everything. Jab main aur tumhare Papa tumhara rishta lekar gaye the, Jai ne saab kuch wahi baata diya. He didn't want to keep us in the dark. And he told me how he found Pia's letter, but it was too late by then."

"And you kept this from me?" Bani asked, shocked.  "Why?"

"Kyunki mujhe Jai par gussa nahi aaya. If my daughter was weak enough to kill herself, not thinking about us, then how can I blame someone else? Waise bhi, Jai ne usse dhoka toh nahi diya na. He told her everything.

Bani stood up. Main wapas jaa rahi hoon. I had enough. Every single person I trusted lied to me. Aab mujhe mein aur himmat nahi hai."

"Kahan jaaogi?"

"Wapas Canada. And don't try to stop me because you lost your right as my mother a long time ago."

"Bani suno!" Kiran said desperately. But Bani was already walking down the steps, her decision firm.

* * *

"Jai!" Krishna said, walking into the study of the Walia Mansion to find Jai absorbed in a file.

Without looking up, he said,"haan…"

"Bani jaa rahi hai."

The news hung in the air, as Jai stared blankly at the paper infront of him. Krishna waited anxiously for her son to react, but received nothing but silence in return.

Finally breaking the silence, Jai said, "Kab?"

"In a week or two," Krishna replied. When Jai didn't answer, she said, "She is leaving forever…"

Jai nodded.

"Can't you stop her?" Krishna asked hopefully.

Jai finally looked up at his mother, wishing he could. "Aap toh sab jaanthi hai na? Phir bhi kyun pooch rahi hai?"

"Main sirf yeh jaanthi hoon ki mere bete ko koi naa nahi kar saktha."

"Well, you are wrong then," he said, practically. "Kyunki Bani meri baath kabhi nahi maanegi. Main uss bahut achi tarah se jaantha hoon. I'm just surprised she hasn't left sooner…"

Krishna didn't reply and watched her son. "Since when did you become so mature Jai?" she asked.

Jai got up and walked to the window. "Sometimes its best to move on Maa. Main Bani ko kabhi bhool nahi saktha, aur uss rokh bhi nahi saktha. So, I really don't have a choice but to let fate play with me."

"Mujhe hamesha laaga ki mera beta kismat se lad tha hai, aur aaj woh hi haar maan raha hai?"

"Then what am I supposed to do? She hates me… she absolutely detests me!"

Krishna felt like hugging her only son and telling him not to worry. But alas, he was not the five year old Jai she consoled once upon a time. He was much older and the only one who can console him is leaving!

"Jai," Krishna said. "Main yeh saab kuch nahi jaanthi. Agar Bani ko koi maana saktha hai, toh woh sirf tum ho. If you still don't believe yourself, then fine, its my order that you bring my bahu back home. I don't care what you do, but I want her here!"

"Maa, stop joking," Jai said, understanding his mother's attempt to fix his relationship.

"I am not Jai," she replied. "Can't you fulfill this one wish of mine?"

Saying that Krishna left Jai to his thoughts, only to find Uday outside.

"Kya kar rahi ho?" he asked.

"I am telling your son to bring back his wife!"

"I can see that… but you seriously think he can?"

Krishna smiled knowingly and nodded.

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Waiting for your comments!

Archi