Next Morning
Sameera opened her eyes with great difficulty. She tried to remember when did she fall asleep last night. Because she was not at all in a good mind after Amar leaves the room. She slowly moved her legs and she felt so relaxed. Because the pain has reduced. She got up from bed and walked towards the washroom.
She came back after having a cold shower that could calm down her heart. She went towards Yamini's room to check whether she is awaken. She entered into the room and found it empty. Then turned towards the washroom hearing noise from there. She understood that Yamini is bathing.
She turned to leave. That's when her eyes fell on the bangle stand placed on the dressing table. She moved towards the table while fixing the eyes on different colored bangles. Bangles were always her life. It was her habit to wear different colored bangles on each day. She tried to remember the last time she wore bangles. It was her wedding day and after that she lost everything. She observed herself on the mirror. Her white saree is not only showing her blank mind but also her life with no dreams. She shifted her gaze back to the bangle stand. She slowly started caressing the bangles with her hand.
Yamini is also a widow. But her mother in law is not like her. She wore beautiful sarees with matching ornaments. Even at this age she is so beautiful and no one can take eyes off from her. But look at herself. She had changed a lot. She remembered how her life was before this marriage. Her life was filled with colors and now it's all blank just like her heart.
While moving her hands through the bangles, she noticed a pair of legs near the door. She immediately pulled back her hands realizing that Amar was staring at her all this time. She couldn't meet his eyes thus lowered her head.
Amar felt something stucked on his throat. He wanted to speak but nothing came out. He moved a little towards Sameera. But then the door of the washroom opened to reveal Yamini drying her hairs. Sameera and Amar looked at each other before shifting their look to Yamini.
"You both woke up? Sameera, how is your leg?"Yamini asked.
"Fine. Pain has gone."Sameera said.
"But you should take rest dear. I can do the works in kitchen."Yamini said lovingly.
Sameera just smiled.
"Amar please wait for 5 minutes. I will bring your coffee"Yamini smiled at her son.
"It's ok mom. Actually I am here to inform you regarding an important matter."He spoke.
"Tell me son"
Amar looked at Sameera one last time before turning back to his mom.
"There are some urgent jobs pending at Delhi which I cant say excuses. I am going back mom. Day after tomorrow. I booked the tickets."
The towel fell down from Yamini's hands. Sameera looked at him with disbelief. Her saree head is clenched within her fist.
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Amar was packing his bag. Yamini sitting lifeless beside him. She lost all abilities to protest finally decided to let him go. The house once again became a death house. Every happiness that was prevailing there vanished within some minutes.
"Mom why are you so stubborn? I don't think there is any need of celebrating Holi tomorrow. We haven't done it before. What's special now?"Amar asked confusingly after hearing his mom's last wish before he goes.
"It's needed Amar. You won't understand. Because day after tomorrow my son is leaving. I don't know when we can celebrate another festival together. May be I can't once again. I need to cherish each and every moment tomorrow."she sobbed.
He took her hand in his and kissed his mom.
"Mom I am sorry. I cant live here like this. I need to go." he said in a sad tone.
"If it will help you to escape from all sorrows, then go. Dont care about me. Because there was no one to help me recover the sorrow of losing my son except that poor girl who dont know to cry for whom first. For her mother in law or her one day old husband."she said emotionless.
Amar felt so many knives stabbing his heart together.
"I need to invite all our family members for tomorrow's function."she added standing up determinantly.
"Maa lunch is ready."they turned to see Sameera near the door. She was also emotionless.
"Sameera why can't you take some rest? You need to take care of yourself dear. Because from day after tomorrow onwards it's again us only. In this house. I have no one except you. So don't let you fall sick."Yamini said in a strict tone.
With that Yamini walked out of the room. It's now Amar and Sameera left. He looked at her with confused face. She gave him an intense look with anger. He couldn't decode what that stare intend to. She glared at him and then walked away following Yamini.
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Next Day Morning
Amar came out of the washroom getting ready in a white pyjama and pants his mom have arranged for him. He heard noises from outside. Probably the guests started arriving for the Holi function. He felt to lock himself in the room not to show his face outside. He didn't want this now. But his mom was so stubborn and he couldn't say no to her. And all decorations and arrangements have already done. Now he have to be a part of this celebration. And tomorrow morning once again he is bidding good bye to the house where he have brought up.
He wanted to talk to Sameera one last time. To ask her whether he need to do something for her. Leave about talking, he is confused whether she will come infront of him once again. Yesterday after he declared that he is leaving, she is treating him like an enemy. Ofcourse she have every reason to be angry at him. But he couldn't understand why she is ignoring him all the day and sending murderous glares at him whenever their eyes meet.
He came out of the room after thinking for a long time whether to attend the function or not. He saw his mom standing near the prayer room wearing a white saree. He moved towards her and took blessings from her. Then he saw Sameera standing beside her like a shadow in her usual white saree. Atleast today everyone is equal. He sighed.
His cousins and other family members were also there. They greeted him and chatted with him
"Happy Holi Amar."Yamini kissed her son's forehead with great affection. She applied color on one side of his face.
"Happy Holi mom"
He leaned forward to see Sameera standing hesitately while playing with her fingers.
"Happy Holi Sameera."he said reminiscing each and every Holi moment they spent together. Before the series of tragedies in their lives. Sameera looked at him with half shocked and half surprised face.
Sameera was about to say something when one of his aunty interrupted.
"Amar, it's bhabhi for you. You can't call your brother's widow by name."
He felt angry and looked back at the aunty with rage.
"She will be always my Samee."he muttered in his mind.
Yamini who did realize the tension between Amar and Sameera on hearing those words from her relative decided to deviate the topic.
"Sameera, you start the prayer by lightening it."Yamini said. Sameera was about to move towards the idle, when someone from the crowd shouted.
"A widow starting the function. It's a bad omen."
The match box fell down from Sameera's hand. She looked at Yamini and Amar helplessly. They were also shocked. She felt the urge to cry yet controlled.
"They are right Maa. I am not the right person to do good things. I am always a bad omen for this family. Sorry Maa."Sameera ran away from the prayer room before Yamini or Amar could do anything. Yamini followed her. Amar stood there rooted on his place.
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The Holi celebration started. People were applying colors on each other and enjoying. After a long consolation from Yamini, Sameera became ok and started distributing sweets to the guests. Yamini also helped her. Of all the people present there one was not yet recovered from the shock he got a few minutes ago. Amar didn't think that his own cousins can be so low on treating Sameera only because she is a widow. He wondered what would have happened in his absence last two years.
He sat on a couch away from the crowd at a corner since he was not interested in all this. And also to save himself from the colors that is forbidden for Sameera now.
He looked at Sameera who is smiling at everyone whom she gave sweets. He is sure that her smile is fake. She is hiding a lot of tears behind that smile. He felt his heart aching.
"Samee, why didn't you give me a chance? I could have save you from all these people who are ill treating you."
He closed his eyes feeling the pain.
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Sameera saw a beautiful baby girl sitting on the hall while playing with her toys. The baby might be only eight or nine months old. She didnt see her parents and without thinking for a moment took the baby into her arms. She likes kids a lot. She started pampering the baby and baby started laughing.
Her shine in the eyes seeing the baby's smile didn't go unnoticed by Amar who was watching her for a long time now. He smiled seeing that old Sameera once again back with full of life.
And then they heard a shout.
"Who told you to take my baby?"A woman yelled snatching the baby from Sameera's hands.
Sameera was shocked and she couldn't utter a word. Amar gulped down a lump from his throat.
"Do you want to harm my baby too just like your bad luck killed your husband the moment you became his wife?"the woman shouted at the top of her voice.
Sameera was dumbfounded and looked around for Yamini. But she was not there. She looked at everyone for a help and then stopped at Amar.
"Excuse me what the hell are you talking? Dont you know to respect a poor soul?"Amar shouted furiously at the woman.
Yamini came back to see a crying Sameera. She hugged her immediately and looked at the crowd without understanding anything.
"I didn't do anything wrong Amar. I am scared to give my daughter into her hands. She can never be a mother and such women can reduce the lifespan of the baby she is taking."
Sameera stood there numb. A volcano erupted in Amar's heart. Yamini slapped the woman angrily.
"Shut. Dont talk about my daughter anymore."Yamini yelled with red shot eyes.
"Why are you supporting her Yamini?" A middle aged woman came forward.
"Only because this girl entered into your house, you lost your son."
"Wait. My son was already a patient. She is not the reason why he died."Yamini spoke.
"But he lived 30 years with the same disease. Only when he got married, he......."Yamini interrupted before she can speak further.
"Dont talk any more and this is my final warning."Yamini said sternly.
Sameera couldn't handle everything. She cried her heart out. Amar looked at her with so many thoughts going on in his mind. Yamini came back to hug her to her chest.
And then he decided. He moved towards them and stood infront of Sameera. She looked at his determined face confusingly. Shocking both Yamini and Sameera, he held her hand tightly. And then he dragged her towards the centre of the hall where so many plates of different colors are placed.
"Amar what are you doing? Leave me."Sameera tried to escape from his grip. But his hold on her was tight.
"Amar, leave her. What are you upto? Dont hurt her please."Yamini said coming between them. She was worried.
"I can't leave her mom. I can't leave her for my entire life."he said stopping on their tracks. Sameera was shocked. Yamini was stunned.
"I tried my best to leave. To escape from her. But again. Fate brought me back here. Now I can't leave her anymore. Because now I am aware about my final destination" he said making both of the ladies froze on their place.
"Amar please...stop this all."Sameera felt hard to frame words.
"I can't Samee. I can't live a dead life like this anymore. I cant behave infront of the whole world that nothing has happened. Moreover I cant treat you as my brother's wife anymore when I myself wanted to be your husband in all your lives. I can't anymore hide the fact that you were once mine and it was me who asked you to marry my bhai."he said making the entire atmosphere shocked.
"What did you say?"Yamini shouted.
Sameera felt helpless on his sudden confession at the most unexpected time. If he could have do this earlier, she wouldn't have lost her life. She looked at the shocked face of Yamini once before lowering her head.
"Yes mom. I loved her. I wanted to marry her and make her my wife. It was not bhai, it was me who saw her first and fell in love with her. Ask her whether she loved me or not. She did with all her heart. And thats why she agreed for this wedding. It was me who dragged her into all this mess. Only if I could have confess my love infront of you all, may be she wouldn't have been a widow now."
Before completing Yamini slapped him hard on his cheek. Sameera was shocked and covered her mouth with her palms. This was the last thing she wanted to happen and that's why she didn't reveal the truth till now.
"Slap me more mom. I deserve it. I betrayed everyone. I didn't tell you the truth when you approached me with her photograph to go with a proposal for bhai. I didn't inform bhai also. I know if I had the audacity to tell him that I loves her, he would have given up on his love and her life wouldn't have been like this. I messed up everything."
Yamini clenched her fist. Sameera looked at him with red shot eyes.
"Above all I destroyed her life. The very same girl whom I wanted to be happy always. I gave her so many dreams of having a good life and ended up the reason for the end of all happiness in her life. Now everybody is blaming her because of the fate I had gifted her."he sobbed.
Yamini looked at Sameera who is now crying.
"What have you done Amar? Were you mad?"Yamini shook her head in disbelief.
"And what did you gain after doing all this Amar? Your brother's happiness? Where is he now? Could you make atleast anyone of us happy with your decision?"Yamini asked boldly.
He didn't have an answer.
"You blamed me for being selfish for Anand. And what about you? Weren't you doing the same with a girl? That too the one who loved you deeply." Yamini shouted.
"Leave everything that happened in past. What can you do now?"
Amar raised his head determinantly.
"I can do so many things mom. If I am the one who messed up everything, I will be the one who fixes it too."he spoke from his heart.
Both Yamini and Sameera looked at him confusingly. He stood infront of Sameera.
"I should do this Samee. Otherwise my bhai won't forgive me."he said and she shook her head without knowing what he is upto.
He moved towards the plate of colors. He dipped his one hand on red color and the other one on blue. He came back to face Sameera.
"If I was the one who faded away all colors from your life, I would be the one to fill your life again with colors."he said applying both colors on her face and saree.
She was shocked beyond limit. Yamini stood there stunned.
He took yellow color and green colors with his hands.
"No one can blame you anymore Samee. You are not forbidden from any pleasures of life. You are not a bad omen. You are good in each and every aspect."he poured the colors on her body.
She looked at herself. The white saree she was wearing now shows the shades of red, blue, yellow and green. She was shocked.
He took violet and orange colors on his hand. He was about to apply it when she held his hand to stop him.
"Please Amar. Dont do this. I want to die as Anand's widow."she said.
"You wont. You don't have any right to be my bhai's widow. Did you ever love him? No. You agreed for this marriage not for you, but for your family and me. He might have loved you. But you didn't Samee. I know. You didn't get a chance to love him. Before that he left us. Then why should you sacrifice your life for him?"he asked and she was stunned.
Before she could relieve from the shock he threw the colors on her face and saree. He turned to take other colors on his hand.
"This is what my bhai wants me to do now. You can hate me with more strong reasons. But I will never stop loving you Samee."he again poured the colors on her.
Everything felt like an earth quake for the people around them including Yamini. But at the end she could form a smile on her face hearing the last words from Amar.
"You are mine Samee. No one can change that. Even fate can't. Because you are destined to be mine only. I love you. I am sure that you too have loved only one man in this life, it's me."
She widened her eyes realizing his hands travelling through her waist. He held her tightly. She tried to jerk his hands away from her. But he stopped her.
"Dont Samee. I still believe that I have every right on you. You can't always escape from your feelings."he warned making her motionless.
"Let's end this journey where it started. I love you"he kissed her head.
With that he applied the red color on her hair partition. She was shocked and collapsed into his arms unconscious.
"Samee...."He held her safely in his arms.
After two years Yamini smiled wholeheartedly even when her daughter lying unconscious in her son's hands. She decided it. God didn't take everything away from her completely. She still have one more chance. To make things perfect.
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This is my favorite chapter for unknown reasons. I was emotional while writing this part.
So how is the story going? What would be next?
Amar have a terrific timing in realizing & expressing his feelings. Sameera is no more confident about anything in her life after going through a lot. Anyone here don't want them to unite?
With the last chapter, we are winding up the story. #StayExcited for the climax.