The Abysmal Chasm

Chapter 5

Pakhi Didi looked even more devastated than she did when she saw Virat Sir marrying Sai. For some reason, Virat Sir had made sure she was present for their wedding ceremony.

"Virat cannot do this to me....he cannot betray me, not again." Pakhi Didi was in tears.

Sai let out an exasperated sigh. "Poor Samrat Dada.... Bappa knows when this woman will realize....will she ever get out of her past?"

As Pakhi had left the door ajar, Virat did not need to knock before entering his room. "Sai, listen to me. I can explain...." It appeared Virat was listening in on Sai and Pakhi's conversation... at least the last part; hence he hurriedly entered the room.

Before Sai could say anything, Pakhi started her reprimanding. "Virat, how can you do this to me.... Why do you do this to me, over and over again!"

Giving up all hope on Pakhi ever letting Samrat Dada in her life, Sai started rolling her two suitcases out of the room. When she heard Virat say. "Pakhi, can you please leave this room. This has nothing to do with you. This is between Sai and me... .it's our personal business."

Sai had decided to just walk out of the room quietly, but she could not hold herself back after hearing that. "No Mr. Chavan, this is between you and Pakhi Didi. There isn't, never was and never will be anything between you and me....everything that is personal is between you and Pakhi Didi and whosoever else you choose. I just want to get out of this mess."

Pakhi started again. "Virat how can you?"

"Pakhi please leave."

"Why should she leave? You two have a lot to talk about... Pakhi Didi please stay here and carry on. I am the one who needs to leave."

Sai was about to start rolling the suitcases when her eyes fell on the ring Virat had gifted her on her birthday. He had told her that it would be the end of their relationship if she were to ever return the ring to him. Placing the ring on the dresser by the suitcases, she said. "So this is it....I am putting an end to our shaadi ka shenanigan."

Pakhi, still in shock, was stuck at, "How could you Virat?"

"Get out of our room Pakhi! Now!!"

"No Pakhi Didi, please stay here....I wish Virat Sir had shown some courage and given you your rightful place. And Virat Sir, this was never our room, always only yours."

"Pakhi leave!!" Tears still streaming down her face, Pakhi finally stormed out of the room.

"And Sai, like every time you are just going to jump to conclusions na? You are not going to let me explain. We are not going to talk about this like mature people do, right?"

"Well, I am the resident immature, so that's that!" She removed an envelope from her bag and gave it to Virat. "While our marriage was just a deal for us, in the eyes of law it is real. I want to change that."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a petition for a mutual consent divorce. I was going to mail this to you. Anyway, please sign it and file it so we can end this drama in the eyes of law as well."

"And what if I don't?"

"Then it will just be a contested divorce. I have grounds for filing for a divorce—adultery, mental abuse...."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, very much. And why do you not want it—this will give you freedom from me forever. Since you've returned from the mission, you have made me feel like my presence is stifling you every time we have been in this room alone. Now I understand why....I am that forced responsibility. This paper ends it officially. You can be with the person you want to be with. With this paper Virat Sir you will be free to bring your wife to her rightful place. Hiding in hotels does not suit you Mr. Chavan!"

"Sai, aren't you blowing this out of proportion? We need to talk.... At least let me explain."

"You had many opportunities to explain. I asked you so many times to tell me what is bothering you. But, you just shut me down, insulted me. And why?

"I was never asking you as a wife.... I have not given that right to myself. I was asking you as a friend. I think you've forgotten that we are supposed to be best friends, Modak and Mirchi. We had taken an oath to tell each other everything. And remember, we had also agreed that we would tell one another if we were ever to fall in love, so why did you not? Why do you tell me things only when I catch you in the act?"

"What do you mean catch you in the act?"

"Let's not go there....Anyway this your life. And as in the last few days you've reminded me, this is indeed your personal business. I just need to get out of this disgusting mess. From the day I married you I feel like I have been transported into some cheap daily TV soap."

"Sai...."

"Mr. Chavan, I just want my old life back...innocent friendships, honest relationships, no plotting, no conniving, just the fragrance of my Aabba and Aai's everlasting love. I want a simple, uncomplicated life where I fulfill my Aabba's dream peacefully. For me only that matters, nothing else."

With that said, bracing herself for the drama downstairs, Sai started rolling her bags out of the room.