Of all the things she had to deal with, she dint expect she had to deal with her Amma and Dadda at this point of time! Fear clouded her chest as it dawned upon her the consequences of them getting to know the truth and what she imagined made her being shake in fear! No! She couldn't let that happen! It wasn't good for anybody! So she went on to do something she had never, even in her wildest dreams, imagined she'd ever do!
She pulled her hairs out and adjusted her hairs such that it shall cover her parting. She then pulled the pallu a bit higher and adjusted the black of her thread she tied around her neck, just so to not draw any attention to the fact that she wasn't wearing her marital symbols. Her saree was long enough and hence her feet weren't seen which was a relief since she hadn't worn her toe rings as well. She moved towards them, her face steeled, once she was done.
"Imliya"
"Bitiya"
Both Meethi and Satyakam called out so affectionately that all she wanted to do was run into their arms. Only, she couldn't! She swallowed painfully and steeling herself further said
"Why are you here now? Aren't you happy to get rid of the burden on your head?"
"Imlie, we know what has happened isn't right. I'm sorry for not being there but this isn't the way to speak....." Satyakam began when Imlie cut him in between, for the very first time in her life!
"It wasn't right true. But can you change whatever happened? Can you reverse everything that happened? No you can't! And this is the way I shall speak! You people deserve this! And you Amma, what kind of a mother are you? When those villagers were forcefully wedding us off, not once did you protest! Not one sound escaped your mouth! And now you've come to show such a wonderful mother you are isn't it? I don't need such a mother then! Babusaheb's mother is much better! Atleast I'm lucky I got a good home here because at Pagdandiya, this was never so!" she said, each word spoken stabbing her heart. The hurt in both Meethi and Satyakam's eyes intensified the hurt she felt but she was helpless. She couldn't afford to let them know the truth.
"Imliya, I know I failed you as a mother at that moment but please beta. Please don't push me away! Please don't hate me for that!" Meethi uttered brokenly.
"I shouldn't hate you isn't it Amma? That's why you have brought this casket of Sindoor instead of coming here to take me home! By God's grace, my sasural is good but even if it hadn't been, you'd have left me here isn't it?" she rudely said snatching the casket from her hand.
"Just go away from here! I don't want to see your faces! And go before my in-laws see you. There's a function going on and I don't want to feel embarrassed introducing you as my so-called family!" she said and turned her face away, unable to mask what she felt anymore. She would never forgive herself for doing this to them!
"You're saying this because you're angry now but think about it with a cool mind later on. Maybe then you'll realise what you've actually spoken out! We're leaving and don't worry will never come here because we don't want to be an "embarrassment" for you!" Satyakam said and walked away, taking a broken and dejected Meethi with him.
Imlie looked at their disappearing forms and after she was sure they had left, walked brokenly inside. There couldn't be a greater sin than this!
___________________________________________
"How did you forget such an important thing Aparna? You kept the ring ready but forgot to check the size? If it doesn't fit what are we even going to do? And we don't even have much time now!" Radha whisper- yelled at Aparna who just looked down in guilt. She herself dint know how she had forgotten such an important thing.
"What happened Maa? Taiji?" Adi walked in. He was passing by because he had to take something and there were still 25 mins left for the engagement when he heard his Taiji and Maa discussing something.
Radha explained the problem to him.
"Arey you're worried for such a simple thing? I'll call Mun here and we can try it on her finger to verify. If it doesn't fit, we can use the spare ring" he said, moving the ring in his hand.
"Are you mad Adi? This is a ritual, not a game. You can put the ring only once!"
"But Maa....." Adi sighed
"No ifs and buts! This is important beta! Try to understand!"
"Okay but what do you intend to do then?"
"Imlie" Radha called out and he froze
"What Imlie Taiji? That isn't the answer to my question!" he replied irritatedly
"She is the solution to the problem!"
"No she isn't! She herself is the problem" he muttered but no one except Imlie heard it as she had just walked in on hearing her name being called.
"Give your hand" Aparna said.
"Huh?" Imlie asked confused.
"What are you doing Maa? How will you know the size by putting it on a random person's hand?" he said while she just looked down not understanding why it hurt even now.
"Shut up Adi! This isn't the time for all this!" Radha said making Adi look away irritated.
"Radhaji!" Harish called out when Aparna was about to take Imlie's hand.
Radha excused herself and moved out of the room.
Tensed and preoccupied, Aparna just lifted Imlie's hand and asked Adi to make her wear it. Irritated, he just pushed it onto her finger, only to realise a moment late what he had done! His eyes snapped to her eyes which had widened to the extent that it felt they'd pop out any second!
"Perfect fit!" Aparna exclaimed.
"That means it shall fit Malini as well!" she said relieved.
Love,
Pratyusha
YOU ARE READING
Lakeerein - Ties That Bind Us
Fanfiction------ 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...
