Jogging was not Khusi's forte. But the adrenaline rush in her blood, that day, kept pushing her forward, as she ran and ran around the central park. Her sweat, which glided down her cheeks along with her tears was a constant reminder of what mess she had left behind at the apartment.
Her cheater of a husband and his so called lover, who was carrying his child.
When her lungs started burning, she sank down on a bench, huffing and gasping for air. Khusi needed to clear her head, and staying cooped up in the apartment was suffocating her.
Bhaskar played the ultimate trick by giving her the choice to decide. But what was she to decide? Whether to live with a cheater husband or not?
And what about that girl Sanjana? Did she even want the baby? Or was she a trickster too, like her husband, whose only motive was to bind Bhaskar.
She didn't know ... and with every passing hour the weight of the inevitable decision she was needed to take, was getting too heavy for her to bear.
Her phone rang and she quickly checked out the ID.
"Baba." Khusi's throat tightened with emotions as soon as she received the call. She was not expecting him to call. A small ray of hope started peeking inside her head. Maybe her Baba could give her the much needed advice.
"Khusi. I heard what happened." Khusi's heart fell when Dipankar called her by her name, and not Shona Ma. She remained silent, waiting for her father to speak.
"I will have a talk with Bhaskar if you want. He can not just ask for a divorce like that. You were his responsibility. He can keep the child but he can't divorce you like that. Don't worry Khusi, I am on your side. We won't let your marriage crumble. We won't let your life get destroyed."
Khusi's eyes fell shut at her Baba's words. Her stomach churned and clenched, the soles of her feet pricking with unease.
Life destroyed? Won't let the marriage crumble? Responsibility?
No one understood that her marriage had already collapsed. The moment Bhaskar didn't hesitate to bed another woman, the relationship between Khusi and him broke.
And now, everybody was expecting her to accept her husband with open arms? To blindfold her eyes and ignore the fact that his betrayal was justified, only because he was getting a child out of this?
Why was she expected to stay mute and bear whatever was getting thrown at her direction? Only because she was a woman?
What about her dignity? Bhaskar disrespected her the day he decided to have sex with another woman ... and everyone still wanted Khusi to be with him. Why? Only because the society would talk behind her?
But she was not her. Not the woman who will silently accept the atrocities of her husband, only for the sake of society. Only because the people around her would look down upon her, even though it wasn't her fault. If being a perfect wife meant turn a blind eye to your husband's wrong deeds, stay silent and accept him with open arms, she was better off being an imprudent woman.
"And that other girl, how shameless is she? Having an affair with a married man!? It must be her wicked conspiracy, to tie herself with a financially stable man with the ploy of pregnancy ... "
"I will solve the problem myself. Good bye Baba." Khusi smiled sardonically. It took two to cheat. And if Bhaskar didn't wanted it, no one could have make him sleep with another woman.
Dipankar was unaware of the fact that it would be the last time he would be hearing from his daughter.
Khusi wiped the tears off her cheeks and looked up at the sky. There was no one left to talk to.
Taniya?
Annanya?
Sudeep?
Neil?
Any relative from her in-law's side was out of question. If her own parents weren't supporting her, how could she dare to expect her in-laws to be on her side?
*******
Upon returning back, Khusi quietly shut the door and was strolling upto her room, when a low sob rang near the open balcony. Khusi whirled around only to see Sanjana, weeping her eyes out, talking to someone on her phone.
The glass doors were reflective from outside but transparent from inside. So Khusi decided to eavesdrop on her.
"I don't know Appi! If Abba finds out I am carrying a child out of wedlock, he would kill me! I never wanted to be a home wrecker. I just had a huge infatuation on Bhaskar sir and this is where it had led me to," Sanjana sobbed, her chocolate brown eyes trained on Khusi from the other side of the glass door. For Sanjana, she was staring back at her reflection.
Khusi eyed her, her fist tightly curled when Sanjana's chocolate brown eyes turned horrified and she gasped, "No Appi! I can't kill it. I know I did a mistake, but I can't sin again. I am ready to own upto my mistake, and take it's responsibility," Sanjana whisperer, gently caressesing her belly.
"I know, I know ... I don't want it to be called a bastard child too, and honestly I don't even think that Bhaskar Sir would let that happen, but I am too scared right now." Sanjana's heavy voice stirred something in Khusi's heart.
"Bu ... but what if sir's wife doesn't give him divorce. I won't let anyone take my baby away from me. I can't give it away!" Sanjana weeped, covering her mouth and turned her back on the glass door.
Khusi pursued her lips and sighed tiredly, looking up at the ceiling. She was tired, way too tired to deal with all the mess Bhaskar had created in her life. His lowest move was when he had asked Khusi to prove her love to him. Was this where she went wrong? Maybe Bhaskar never loved her, that's why all of this was so easy for him.
But she couldn't let another woman suffer, wouldn't see another life getting destroyed. Even if that woman was equally responsible for Khusi's miseries. But so was Bhaskar.
Slinking inside her room, she dialled the number of the person, she knew she needed to talk to, that very moment.
"Geetika Ma'am?"
*******
Bhaskar was on a call with one his friends, who was a lawyer, when a knock reverberated in the room. He quickly pushed himself on his feet and pulled open the door, to see Khusi standing there with a blank face.
"Khusi? Come." He ushered her in and took his seat back on the bed.
"I want the divorce papers ready as soon as possible," Khisi clipped.
Bhaskar's eyes widened and he sprang up on his feet again.
"Are you hundred percent sur ... "
"Yes!"
"Okay ... ," Bhaskar drawled, rubbing his nape. He was a bit disappointed, with Khusi walking out of his life when he was about to get the biggest blessing, but nevertheless, it wasn't something he was unprepared for.
"One of my friends is a very powerful and influential lawyer here. Normally even mutual divorces take 6 months, but I will talk to him, to prepare the paperwork as soon as possible."
Khusi nodded absent-mindedly and was just about to walk out when Bhaskar grasped her wrist. She jerked her hand away and glared at Bhaskar for his audacious behavior.
"Don't touch me," Khusi hissed.
"Thank You," he murmured, passing Khusi a sad smile, ignoring Khusi bitter words.
A taunt sat on the tip on her tongue, but Khusi didn't bother to waste any more words on him. Before walking out of the room, she snipped, "If you really want to thank me, do me a favour. Keep the news of our divorce disclosed from my family as long as possible."
*******
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