Did they say a single word to each other? Nope, not a single word, both of them just heart broken, confused. Arjun drove at a speed so fast that he could've gotten them killed and Diya just sat in the car, like a life less statue, she wouldn't care if she died. They were heading to to her parents' for breakfast.
Her mother asked her to serve Arjun some poha, Diya tried to smile, tried to show that she was happy. Arjun just behaved casually, only she could sense his hostility towards him. She served him some pohe and touch his arm accidentally. Arjun jerked her arm away. Diya sat there, a little shook. She placed the dish back on the table. Her plate was empty.
Bade papa, Badi Maa, her mom, her dad sat before them, munching on the food. Diya suddenly felt agitated. In the echoing silence she delivered, "I got a letter from Meeta". Every one turned to her. Arjun who was going to put a morsel in his mouth dropped it midway.
Did she knew about the letter he hid from her? What was she doing here? Shaming him! No way, this couldn't happen, he wouldn't let her blame everything on him and get away with it.
"Don't do this here" Arjun whispered as he tightly held her arm above her elbow and warned her with his eyes. Diya looked him in the eye this time, Arjun could swear that for a minute he had a peek at her barren soul, not infertile, just bleak.
They had made eye contact, only when there was some foreplay involved before they kissed or while they kissed or the day they had almost fucked each other. Should he call it 'fuck' or 'making love'? How does it matter, it will never happen again, his conscience answered.
"It's not about the one that you hid from me" Diya said smiling yet grief visible on her face
"Meeta's pregnant" She announced on the table plainly, suddenly no emotion was visible on her face. She was the Diya who had interrogated Arjun before he got engaged to Meeta.
Everyone gasped in horror at this news, morsels were dropped, jaws were dropped, and to some, their reputation was droppedbut there was only 6 people including Diya so from the story so far, I suppose you can guess who dropped what. Well clearly Diya didn't drop any of these things after dropping this huge bomb on her family, I'd like to call it little boy to gain a reference to the world war but then it could be a little girl too, depended on the chromosomes of Meeta's boyfriend. And Arjun he didn't even hear all of this, he was just looking at her, just hoping he'd find his answers, just waiting to get a peek at her soul once again so he'd find his answers
"Oh what, Bade papa, I thought she sent you a letter" Diya asked innocently, pretension evident on her face as she played with the tassel of the mat.
"Shut up Diya! I don't want to talk about this right now!" Bade papa declared, his eyes so furious.
"Why bade papa? She is pregnant, all of yo-"
"Because Arjun is here!" Bade papa warned her, while her badi maa and mother just tried digesting the news. Her father sat there, still.
"Exactly why we should talk about it, because Arjun is here, you have added one more life to this game of yours right, Arjun" Diya said as she sniggered fakely
Arjun was suddenly processing the information, Meeta was pregnant? Was he surprised? No. What did he feel? nothing. Did he care? not a single fuck given. All he wanted was answers from Diya, he wanted her to explain herself to him without him asking her to do so, but Diya, she was done explaining to him or anyone else.
"Diya stop!" Bade papa roared
"Why? Tell everyone bade papa, how she sent you a letter, begging to be forgiven, begging to be accepted, begging to be given a little financial help, atleast the help she was entitled to by blood! She could've gone to the courts, or to the police! but, she sent you a letter begging you! But what did you do bade papa, what did you do to the letter! Did you tear it? Burn it? throw it away? WHAT DID YOU DO!"
"Stop it Diya, that's it!" Her bade papa said
"Diya, what are you saying? Ji, listen to her what is she saying? How do you know all this Diya, tell me? what is going on? did you call Meeta? Did you talk to her? Did you meet her? How is she? Diya, tell me na!" Her badi maa pleaded almost on the verge of choking, Diya's mother comforted Badi maa as she held her shoulders
"I said stop it" Her bade papa said clear and audible
Diya took no notice of him, "I got a letter from her a few weeks ago Badi maa, apparently she did send me a letter before too, but I never go it" She said as she look at Arjun but Arjun pursed his lips and looked away
"She said she was great badi Maa, that she loved the freedom, that she was experiencing love and happiness like never before!" She said looking at her bade papa who was still muttering, 'I said stop it'
"She is pregnant badi maa! She is pregnant, and she is so happy!"
"Oh my god really! Did you hear that, did you hear that" Nirmala shook Diya's mom as she shone with happiness, "You and I will become grandmothers! our dear daughter she is pregnant, Oh my god, I can't wait to see her"
"That's enough! No one is going to take that girl's name in my house! God knows what filthy blood that child is carrying in his veins! She will not step into this house!"
"Bas kijiye bade papa! Bas, that's it! Till when will you keep imposing yourself on others! On badi maa, on papa! How, how can a person be so unpleasant! be so harsh! Do you hear yourself!? Do you not take any lessons from your mistakes! The more you tried to get a control on Meeta, the more she tried to get away and see, she ran away form under your nose! maybe if you would have understood her, then you wouldn't have to see this day but instead what did you do? Impose yourself on my life! Tied me in a relation with someone who was my sister's fiancee!"
Thats it, was I just her sister's fiancee to her? Arjun thought to himself
Diya continued "And when I tried to get off this imposition, you threatened me, actually you threatened my parents! Your brother who spent his entire life in your service, you threatened to cut him off! To let him be devoid of his privileges! His entitlement! Just for what? Your reputation and with that, you ruined two lives! Arjun and me!" she cried out pointing at Arjun and herself. Arjun came to understand the intensity of the situation. He wanted to calm Diya but what would he say? He may have just caused this frustration!
Suddenly Diya's father rose from his seat, "What, what is she saying bhaiya? Is it true! Of course, how else would she give me paper of assets on my birthday" He said as he stroked his hair
"Yes papa, He made me sign a contract that Arjun and I would have to remain married for 5 years for you to get all the assets to your name or else all the assets would go to charity" Diya said a little calm after the meltdown.
"I don't believe this! He is your brother! how could you do this to me! i have treated him like my son!" Badi maa cried out
"I had to say it! How else would i get them to stay married, my reputation was at stake!" Roared bade papa
"That's enough!" Badi maa cried out, for the first time in her life defying the husband she worshipped
"Reputation, reputation, reputation! What will you do with this reputation if the entire family is not happy! Never have I ever expected anything from you towards me, I did everything the way you liked but I don't want that for my children! He is your brother ji! He has treated you like his father, you can not do this to him and Diya? My child, she bore the brunt of everyone, I can not see this pain anymore! I can not! Either I will leave the house or you will welcome Meeta into this very house!" badi maa said, for the first time her voice echoed in the house, "Diya tell me? Where is she?"
"Badi maa, actually she told me that she needed some financial help with the baby coming and sent some account number, I didn't transfer it from my account because Bade papa could trace it, I transferred it from the Rajghera office's account, I think that account number can help us trace them" Diya said. Suddenly Arjun felt guilty. It was all in front of him. He looked at her in disbelief.
"Diya? You did all this for us? For what? Do you think we valued those assets more than happiness! Are you stupid! We don't need those assets, if you aren't happy"
"No need of this 5 years contract and all diya, your bade papa will transfer the property to your father's name and I guarantee that" Nirmala said imposing her new found hold on her husband who sat there in silence, in a dilemma, between right and wrong.
"Yes Diya, if you don't want to stay in this marriage you don't have to" her mother advised her.
A guilty Arjun just hung his head low. He didn't ask to be a part of this, but he was, what he asked for now was fro Diya to stay but ego and courage are sometimes what don't let lovers come together.
"Diya do you want to stay in this marriage?" Her father asked her
Arjun suddenly held her wrist. Diya felt the grasp and she wanted to run back to him, in his arms, cuddle with him and sleep on the terrace in rajghera but she just couldn't get the footage out of her head. She just couldn't get the things that he had said, out of her head. She wasn't even given a chance to explain herself! not that I want to-she lied to herself. She felt Arjun's gaze fixed upon her but she didn't have the courage to look at him and let the melt down continue. Arjun kept looking at her, holding her wrist but after all that he said, he didn't have the courage to ask her to stay. Arjun's bruised ego, bruised Diya's ego. I told you, it's all the matter of courage and ego.
say you want to stay, just say you want to stay, Arjun prayed in his mind
Diya slowly pulled her hand out of his grip and answered politely, "It's not about me papa, Arjun has a life, and I cannot impose himself on me. He want's different things from life and I want different things" She said biting her insides to stop her form crying. "I don't think being together is the best idea"
She said still not having the courage to look at him. Arjun got his answer. He rose up and folded his hands to leave, everyone just gave him a repressed smile.
"I'm sorry beta, you had to deal with all these troubles, we are very sorry, ho sake toh hamein maaf kar dena" Diya's dad said folding his hands before Arjun.
"Arrey nahi nahi papa" Arjun said as he held Chandra prakash's hands between his hand and smiled. As he briskly walked out of the room and then the house. He was about to go press the button for the lift when Diya suddenly came out.
She handed him two papers, one of them showed the transaction of 6 lakhs from her account to the Rajghera office account, "Who does your finances Mr. Goenka, they clearly didn't include the incoming cash flow in your statements, they probably don't know that I don't rob people, yeah I sometimes borrow things but always give them back" She said. Then what about my heart- Arjun wanted to ask her. But he was at fault, what could he say now
Arjun turned to the next page,
there were divorce papers
"Happy independence day, Mr. Goenka" She said as she smiled to him
"Is this good bye, Mrs. Goenka?" Arjun asked to lighten the mood. It might be the last time he could call her that.
"Kabhi alvida na kehna" Diya said painfully
Ask me to stay - diya prayed in her head.
But she didn't hear anything from Arjun, she could barely hear herself, she was so fickle right now, what she wanted changed every second.
She quickly went away before she'd lose herself.
Arjun stood there holding the divorce papers, a few months ago he could kill for these but today they were killing him, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
Diya stood in the shower, she as yet to turn it on and still her face was watery, well clearly it wasn't sweat, your eyes cant sweat, can they?