A Right Turn

5.

"Isiliye toh hum ja rahe hai, woh carefree Shona ko bahar nikalne." Sanskar replied trying to cheer her up. It will be very difficult for him to go back to Kolkata but he cannot keep Swara away from her family anymore. His family was cold and oppressing but her was warm and loving. She took a huge decision to leave everything behind for him, not knowing how their future will be or even if her family will ever speak to her. He can do at least this much for her, moreover, Kolkata was such a big city, and his family usually kept away from Bengalis. There was very little chance of them crossing paths.

"Sanskar, chale?" Swara called him, breaking his train of thoughts. "Boarding ka time ho gaya."

"Han chalo."

The next morning Kavya was trying to placate her dida by her bad cooking when Ragini called her to talk in private. She was very hopeful after the call that the constant conflicts can be stopped. So she reached the designated place before time and was waiting for Ragini.

"Kavya," Ragini called her after she reached there.

Kavya happily turned to her and replied, "Mujhe pura biswas tha ki tum mujhe baat karne keliye zaroor bulaogi. After all, tum bhi chati hona ki ye roz roz ke jhagde khatam hojaye."

"Bakwas band karo Kavya. Hum tumhe bas ye batane aaye hai ki humare maa ke katil ke pariwar ke saath hume koi rishta nahi rakhna." Ragini accused.

"Ye tum kya keh rahi ho? Tumhari dadi ye sab bola hai na tumhe? Ragini tumhari dadi jhoot bol rahi hai, woh toh wese bhi hume pasand hin karti." 

"Bas karo Kavya, humari dadi humse jhoot kyun bolegi? Unhone hume ek maa ki tarah pala hai. Hume tumhara plan, pura samajh aachuka hai. Jo kam tumhari maa na kar payi woh kam tum pura karna chahti ho."

"Kya?" Kavya asked, shocked.

"Han, tumhari maa humare papa se shaadi karna chahti thi, jo ki ho nahi paya. Aur tum wahi kam pura karna chahti ho."

"Ragini, tum galat samajh rahi ho. Asa kuch nahi, tumhari dadi tumhare dimag main bewajah ki baatein dal rahi hai. Mera biswas karo."

"Kyun? Lagti kya ho tum humari? Aur han woh behen hone wala jhoot phirse mat bolna."

"Woh jhoot nahi hai."

"Jhoot hai. Humare papa ki sirf ek hin beti hai. Aur tumhe pata chal raha hai ki tum kya bakwas kar rahi ho? Zara aapni badi behan ka socho, unhe kaisa lagega ye sab sunke." Ragini said and turned to leave.

"Ragini meri baat toh suno." Kavya held her hand to stop her from leaving.

"Hume kuch nahi sunna," Ragini said and pushed her away. Kavya fell from the stair due to her push. She was sitting on the ground like that for some time contemplating everything that just happened. All this was witnessed by Parvati who was happy that her machinations worked. Kavya got up and started aimlessly walking. She did not know when reached the same place where she had first met lucky.

She stood by the railing and kept on crying. Someone pulled her from behind and threw gulaal on her. When she opened her eyes, it was lucky and his gang.

"Bas, ab hua score settle. Ab mujhe chain ke nind aayegi. Woh kya hai na, jab tak score settle nahi ho jata mujhe nind nahi aati." Lucky kept talking while Kavya just kept looking at him with her tears flowing. "Arre, kya hua. Main socha ki jis dusmani ki suruwat itne dhamake se hui hai usko ek grand farewell de dun." Lucky said.

"Dushmani dard ke alawa aur kuch nahi deti."

"Are you okay? Omi, pani de."

"Nahi, it's okay." Kavya said and started to leave but she stopped after some steps and asked, "ab toh humare bich sari dushmani khatam hogayi na?"