What If? - IPKKND | slow updates

Thirteen

14 February, 2006
Mata Rani Temple, Lodhi Road

It had been an oddly dim day for the Raizada. Anjali was fostering a seven month belly. Her days had been oscillating between depression and confusion. It had been precisely three months since her excuse of a husband's true colours had been revealed to her, rather dramatically.

Nandkishore had taken painstaking efforts to expose the truth of his brother-in-law. He fully understood and had faith in Khushi. The revelation had left them all stunned like a rock. They couldn't fathom, how a man they had known for approximately four years could be so varied from their understanding of him.

Anjali had been numb; lost, looking for some sort of semblance. Life stopped making sense to her. She herself stopped making sense. There was a long silence on her part. She felt nauseous. And she wasn't sure if it had been because of the truth that had unfurled or the rambunctious baby in her womb.

She had failed to realise how she had ended up there. And when someone had asked her where the father of her baby was, at the temple, Anjali had had an anxiety attack. She had felt so burdened with the truth, she didn't want to take care of herself.

Manorama, Manohar, Devyani, Payal, Aakash and even Arnav had accompanied Anjali to the temple. They were too scared to see the ragged doll that Anjali resembled. And when Manorama had tried to fight Anjali's battles, a firm hand had stopped her. The hand belonged to Payal; metaphorically and literally.

"Why won't you let me go Khoon Bhari Tang." Manorama had admonished her, as they stood a little far away from Anjali and the person in question.

"Di needs us." Arnav had said hurriedly, attempting to step ahead. However, Payal had simply shook her head and stopped him from going.

That was the first time in his life, Arnav had felt scared of Payal. The resolve in her eye so firm that he knew even blasting wouldn't break.

"Di needs herself more than she needs us. We cannot be always taking care of her. We can't be shadowing her from the world. She needs to find her footing.." Payal said, a sigh escaping at the latter part. "Just like Khushi did." She added in a soft whisper.

Arnav had looked at Payal with a hurt expression. The mention of Khushi seemed to be his undoing. Before he could blast at her, he saw Payal pointing towards Anjali.

"I left the baby's father aunty. He did not deserve the love that we both showered on him."

Payal smiled a little proudly.

"How come..?" Arnav looked dumbfounded. He had expected his sister to start crying or have a prolonged anxiety attack. He looked around the faces of his family members. They held a mix of pride and confusion in their eyes.

"Sometimes it is better to let a broken person deal with their own problems. Otherwise, they fail to stand up for themselves." Payal told them, firmly.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Arnav's face as he saw his sister take farewell of the lady. She walked towards the deity confidently and it sent a warm sensation through his body.

Payal took everyone's silence as understanding. Holding on to Aakash's arm, she pulled him towards the main mandir. It had been one year to their marriage today. And she had relented to Anjali's wish to visit the temple. In the past couple of months —the way things that unfolded— Payal had felt her faith been rocked from the inside.

However, she lauded Anjali for her effort. Despite her despondencies and her almost crushed soul, Anjali had retained her faith in the almighty. That had been the one thing that had kept her sane in the whole ordeal.