'I know Dada, Virat Sir will never play with two women at the same time, I have that much trust in him, but neither has he forsaken her or his promise. Perhaps he wants to have his cake and eat it too....' Sai smirked as she pondered over her conversations with Samrat dada. She was relieved that Samrat dada had agreed to speak with both Virat sir and Pakhi didi. 'It's their mess, they need to sort it,' she thought as she zipped up her last bag.
She lined up her things: 1 large suitcase she had so excitedly bought to move to Nagpur with her Abba, 1 small one, and her college bag—her life's possessions since Abba's demise.
'Wonder if I will get to see Virat Sir before I leave. Well, at least this time he has allowed me to gather my things, the last time he just threw me out of the house. I still would like to say goodbye to him. I owe him that much.'
She expectantly looked towards the door, and there he was.
"Finally you are doing what you always wanted to, leave this house, and leave me."
"Leave you? Did you not say that you are breaking all ties with me? And mind you this is not the first time...."
"Sai tum..."
"Please, Virat Sir, can we not argue? Don't you think last night was enough? Yes, you're right. I always wanted to leave this house, but only to maintain my self-respect that has come under attack numerous times. I have always felt like an unwelcome guest here—and sooner or later, unwelcome guests have to go!
"Well, all that does not matter anymore. Virat Sir, I want to thank you for everything. I know my Abba is very grateful; you took such good care of me, gave me shelter when no one wanted to. He and I are forever indebted to you. Now, however, even he knows I am strong and ready to do this on my own. Without you, Virat Sir, I would never have gotten this strength, so thank you from the bottom of my heart."
'This is it then...just like that, her bags packed.' He looked around the room – it seemed that she had taken everything that belonged to her.' His eyes searched the room for the plant she had gifted him. It was nowhere to be seen. He opened the cupboard to see if she had even taken that horrid pop-up toy. The toy was not there, but everything he had given her, gifted her over the year, was still there. He was finding it hard to breathe. It was hard to hold back his tears. She was leaving him, and she was so calm about it. His Sai, the Gad Chiroli superfast express, the one with the gussa always on her nose, was so quiet. What did I do to her? Why is she doing this to me? She is leaving—for good...taking everything of her, leaving everything of me behind.
'How do I stop her?' 'Why should I stop her' Just because I love her, that does not mean she has to love me in return. But... this cannot end this way. He needed to keep a door open.
"You may think you're ready to go on your own, but you are still my responsibility. Call Ajinkya and tell him that he does not need to pick you up. I will drop you. I need to see where this so called PG flat is. I have to make sure you're safe—and I am not doing it for you...."
The anger was back. "I know Virat Sir, you need to do this because you have promised my Abba! But you seriously don't need to—I am sure it will be a nice place—I doubt Ajinkya will recommend something unsafe to me. Ani, whatever kind of place, it will be my own and more importantly it will be drama-free."
He wiped his tears and turned to face her. "Sai, I am taking you and that is final!"
"Virat Sir, have you taken permission from Pakhi didi?"
He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that Patralekha is no one to him. He needed to scream out loud so even Samrat could hear that he has moved on from his stupid past, from his idiotic commitment, but all he could say, fuming. "Sai—enough. How much more do you want to hurt me, insult me? Was last night not enough?"
Sai bit her lip to calm herself down. She wanted to say sorry, but her ego got in the way. Her phone started buzzing. It was Ajinkya.
"Tell him I am dropping you and ask him to text the address."
The family was still busy with Patralekha—the coast was clear. So, after kissing her Aai goodbye, Sai set off to start a new chapter without her Abba and Virat Sir.
