"Imliya? What happened? Why are you crying?" Meethi worriedly rushed towards Imlie seeing her come home crying.
Imlie did not say a word. She just hugged her mother and sobbed more.
Meethi held her tight simultaneously trying to guess what could have made her so upset. And then, it suddenly struck her.
"Imliya, today they were supposed to announce who bagged the scholarship right?"
Imlie nodded
"Then did you not.....who got it then? I don't think anybody is more brilliant than you, then?"
"You are right Amma! There is no one more brilliant than me and that's why I have bagged the scholarship!" Imlie shouted, dropping her facade of crying.
Meethi's mouth dropped in surprise, happy tears filling her pools. She hugged Imlie tightly, feeling immense pride surge through her heart. Her daughter, the illegitimate daughter of an unmarried mother had made her proud! She had achieved the scholarship, all due to her brilliance and hardwork!
"Hey you two! What's the occasion that you witches are celebrating?" Nakli Nani shouted coming out of the house.
"Aagayi hamari khushiyon ki chandrama par grahan lagane" Imlie muttered, earning a playful smack from her mother.
(Here she comes like an eclipse to the moon symbolic of our happiness)
"Ahh Nakli Nani! Thats not of much importance. But there is something which is of very much importance for you"
"And that is?" Nakli Nani asked raising her eyebrow
"Imlie ran and came back with a bag full of packed food. She handed it over and said
"This is for you my dearest Nakli Nani. A packet full of food to feed this mound.... sorry..your stomach hehe"
Nakli Nani made a face and grabbed the packet of food. Settling down on the bed nearby, she opened the boxes and began stuffing her mouth.
Imlie rolled her eyes at her behaviour and turned towards her Amma who had the exact same expression on her face.
"Inka kuch nahi hosakta!" Both conveyed to each other through their eyes and giggled silently.
(Nothing can be done about her)
"Amma, just come with me. Let us celebrate in peace for sometime and for that we have just the time till this glutton devours her food" Imlie said making a face at Nakli Nani.
"Imlie!" her mother hit her back in mock anger.
Imlie giggled and the two walked to the side. Imlie opened her bag and took out the scholarship certificate.
"Close your eyes Amma" she said and when her mother closed her eyes, she placed the certificate in her hand. Meethi opened her eyes and the sight of the certificate reduced her to tears of joy and pride. She caressed her hairs affectionately.
"You have made me proud my child! I knew it that you aren't any sin or curse like the people called you. You are the light in my dark life. May Sita Maiyya fulfill all your wishes" Meethi said emotionally.
"Amma, why are you becoming so emotional! Come let's celebrate it before that oversized panda comes about looking for us! Where are my motichoor laddoos?"
"You'll remain incorrigible forever!" Meethi said shaking her head while Imlie giggled. Meethi wiped her tears and was about to feed her motichoor laddoo when it was rudely knocked off her hand!
The two turned to see Nakli Nani standing, glaring at the two.
"Amma?" Meethi whispered, shivering slightly.
"Oversized Panda huh?" Nakli Nani asked fuming, making Meethi gulp. But Imlie stood fearless.
"That's one of the most decent names I can come up with for you. Else, you are worth a lot more names" Imlie muttered.
"Did you say something?" Nakli Nani asked, fuming more at hearing what Imlie had uttered.
"You wouldn't want to know Nakli Nani!" Imlie said out aloud.
"Bahut zubaan chalne lagi hain teri kalmohi! Abhi dikhati hoon!" Nakli Nani said and snatched the certificate from her hand
(Your mouth seems to be running a lot nowadays. Now I'll show you!)
"No Nani/Amma" both screamed but it was too late as she had torn it to shreds.
Imlie felt her world collpase at the sight of her precious certificate reduced to mere shreds. This was an opportunity, a once in a time opportunity which she had worked hard for and now it lay shattered, all because of her Nakli Nani who had made it her life's mission to make her and her Amma's life as miserable as possible!
"This is what you get and this is what you deserve! A piece of filth like you dosen't deserve to move ahead and shine. You are the result of a sin and sin is always black. Don't ever dare to dream of light or to be the bearer of light!" Nakli Nani poured out venomously, thus revealing that it wasn't her anger at being called names by Imlie but her evil intention of stopping Imlie and putting her down as much as possible!
"What Sita Maiyya has written in each ones fate, one dosen't know Nani! Just by tearing this certificate, you cannot stop me from moving towards my dreams! You cannot stop me from reaching light or being the bearer of light because that's what is written in my fate. And I'm not a sin. You are one! Your entire existence is more blacker than sin. You know why? Because you derive happiness from others destruction, you live only to derive sadistic pleasure from others pain and sorrows. Your existence is of no use to anyone! So you can clearly see who cannot move ahead in life! And remember one more thing, the more you push me down, the more shall you encourage my spirit to move ahead!" Imlie said and left from the place. She needed sometime to herself to cry her heart out but she wouldn't do it infront of her Nani! No she wouldn't give her that sadistic pleasure! She ran as fast as she could, wiping her tears which were flowing down freely. The more she wiped, the more they flowed down.
Drowned in her agony, she did not see Aditya walking by and ran past him leaving him puzzled.
"Does she plan to run in a marathon or something? Everytime I see her, she'd be running!" Aditya thought to himself and shaking his head walked away.
Love,
Pratyusha
YOU ARE READING
Lakeerein - Ties That Bind Us
Fanfic------ Can Be Read As General Fiction ------ One night. One event. Lives of two people altered completely. When Aditya Kumar Tripathi, Chief Executive Reporter at Bhaskar times stepped into Pagdandiya and met Imlie, he did not know how his life woul...
