MishBir - Captivated Forever

Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

That night, No one spoke a word about Mishti's decision or about Abir Rajvansh.

Everyone was determinedly cheerful. Kunal and Kuhu were planning to return home within a few days. They wanted Mishti to accompany them.

Kuhu : Mishti! We wanted to go home and bring Mumma here as well. Kunal thought it would be well if we stay here for the next month or so. Why don't you come with us? Kunal can bring Mumma here but we'll stay there for two weeks or however long you want. The change in scenes will be good for you. Besides, your nephew would love travelling with you.

Naira and Kartik had come over later. Mishti knew Kartik was worried that Naira was moving about so much with her pregnancy which made Mishti feel guilty. What a mess she had caused.

Naira : Mishti! Naksh and Kartik want to start some project together in Mumbai. So, they were suggesting we move to Singhania House in Juhu for two months. I cannot go to London right now anyways, So I was going to accompany them. Why don't you come with us?

Naksh had approved of this idea and had appealed to Mishti about it.

Naksh : Naira would have company and Kartik would be glad that she's being taken care of. Or do you want to go somewhere else? US? You could visit Nandini Bua.

Mishti looked around her family.

Mishti : It looks like I have too many choices. I don't have any idea of my decision.

But all these plans had one thing in common. No walks along the lake, no shopping in the local markets, no spending time with her friends... Nothing in Rajkot, in fact.

Mishti had overnight become the pariah of the city and everyone thought of her as disgraceful.

And now, Even though it could redeem her in the society, She had refused to marry Abir Rajvansh. Why had she done so?

It was a question that nagged at her for the whole of the rest of the day. She believed that she loved him. After hearing his account of what had happened five years ago and realizing the terrible injustice under which he had been living for years, she had been even more sure of her feelings.

Why had she refused, then?

Had she expected him to be more persuasive, to assure her much more forcefully of his love for her? But she did not play games like that.

Perhaps she had been right to do what she had done. There had been altogether too much turmoil in her life this year. How could she make a rational decision about something as momentous as marriage? And perhaps she did not really love him. Perhaps it was only friendship and gratitude after all—and sympathy.

She was only twenty anyways. Even if she longed for love, She didn't know if marriage was suitable right now.

She thought of the last kiss they had shared in Srinagar and her heart gave a mournful twitch. She might never see him again. And even if she did, next year or the year after, they would perhaps merely nod politely and distantly to each other, like strangers.

She could not bear it.

Why had she refused him?

Mishti sighed and forced herself to take deep breaths until her mind was no more running to conclusions. She emptied her mind and tried to grasp the reality.

She had refused him. He belonged in the past and the past was done with.

But her traitorous mind kept going back to the moment where he had been about to ask her to marry him. She had stopped him from forming the question even.