The Abysmal Chasm

Chapter 8

When the following day Sai woke up, she could not believe that she was still in Chavan Nivas. Aai had somehow convinced Sai to not leave the house. The room, however, she woke up in, was different. It was her own.

"Please Sai, do you have to tell everyone? Can we not keep this between the two of us?"

A dejected Sai smiled at her failure. Virat Sir was not stopping her from leaving him but telling the truth.

"Virat Sir, you know I hate people who lie, and I do not lie. However, I believe that only truth sets you free, so why shackle yourself with lies?"

Virat held her hand. "It's not that simple. Life is not always black and white. There are grays. You do not know the truth. But right now, I cannot tell you the truth. I wish I could. It hurts me that I cannot talk to you and tell you everything that is going on within me. Yes, I have been avoiding you, but only because I hate myself because I need to lie to you."

"One never needs to lie, Virat Sir, one chooses to. You chose to lie to me, your best friend. You did not need to. I know you have always considered me immature. So perhaps you thought that I would not comprehend, help you. But Virat Sir, a person who has lost everything, how can that person not understand taking on the responsibility of another person who has lost her everything? Have you such little faith in me?"

"It's not like that, Sai.....what can I say that will stop you from leaving me?"

"Nothing, Virat Sir. I don't need you; however, that woman does. And perhaps you need her as well. I was a misfit in your life, in your Chavan family. If it were not for the promise, you made my Aabba, we both know we would have parted ways long ago. But as they say, it's better late than never ho na.

"And don't worry, I don't plan on creating a scene downstairs. First, I will talk to Aai and take her advice. But as Lord Buddha once said, Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth."

Aai was shocked would be an understatement. "How can Virat do something like that? Are you sure he is staying at the hotel as Mr. & Mrs. Chavan?"

"Yes Aai....the nights he has been spending away from home.... He has been with that woman."

"My Virat cannot do this. Are you sure, Sai?"

"There's a part of me that wishes I had not gone to the hotel today. And a part of me is glad I did. As Ladies Representative, I had to go. I had to meet student delegates visiting for the competition. Remember I had told you we have the intercollegiate competition. The students are staying at that lodge.

"I saw Virat Sir, holding this woman's hand, walking with her in the lodge's garden. I think they were going somewhere. I asked at the reception, 'Isn't that ACP Virat Chavan? I have heard so much about him.' That lady seemed very impressed with Virat Sir. Then, starry-eyed, she told me, 'Yes, that is him. What a pity he is married. That is his wife, and she is pregnant.'

"Aai, you can only imagine what I was going through. First, I had to get a grip on myself. The students I had met were close by, waiting for the great LR Sai Joshi. I tried to get more information from the bellboy, who seemed very eager to talk. His sister is a nurse, and he said he had offered her services to the loving husband and wife."

"I am so sorry you had go through that. But I still can't make sense."

"There is nothing to make sense, Aai. Virat Sir jyachi pakki zubaan, I am sure he knows what he is doing. He just did not dare to tell me. Why is it me, Aai, who ends up catching him doing things that hurt me?" Finally, Sai allowed herself to cry. Aai pulled her in her arms and let her be. For about twenty minutes, Aai let Sai cry."

"Bala, do you think this has something to do with his mission? He has been so edgy and worried since his return. Give him some time. Don't leave. Everything will be alright. I am sure there is some misunderstanding."

"Aai, how can you say there is a misunderstanding after I've told you exactly what and how I found out? It's simple Aai, Virat Sir has taken on Shruti's responsibility as her husband."

"I am sure there is an explanation."

"Aai I am sure too, but I am not interested in it. It is too late. If this were part of some covert mission, I would have understood. But this is not an official assignment. Remember what DIG Sir told us? His mission ended. Everyone returned but he did not. Now I know the reason. He was taking care of Shruti. Every time he is away, he is with her."

Sai wiped her face. "What would you do if Baba had done this to you?"

"I don't know, Sai. Perhaps exactly what you're doing."

"Then why do you want me to stay back? What for Aai? You know very well for me this wedding, this marriage never mattered. The last time I came back, it was only for you, Aai. Please Aai."

"Then stay back for me. Not as Virat's wife, but my daughter. The day you entered this house I had promised you that I would take care of you as your mother. How can a mother let her child go, when she needs me the most."

"Aai, I cannot stay here. I cannot stay in Virat Sir's room. His presence disgusts me. And it will be so awkward when he brings his wife home. As it is there is Pakhi Didi and now this."

"I am not going to allow him to bring that woman home, Sai."

"No Aai, you are not going to do anything like that. If she is his wife, she has a right to stay with Virat Sir. You cannot do that to her."

"How Sai, how can you? That woman is the reason you think you have to leave this place and you are fighting for her rights? Your Aabba has raised you so well Sai. No matter the cost, always do the right thing. And I am also going to do the right thing. I am not going to let my daughter be alone when she needs me the most."

"Please Aai, don't do this to me."

"Sai bala, please. I have to face your Aabba some day."

"But Aai, where will I stay? Please Aai, I don't want to see Virat Sir everyday. It will be make my parra go up."

"How about this, Sai? You stay in the guest room for some time. It's aloof from the rest of the house, so you will not see Virat much. Your Baba and I will look for a good flat on rent for you."

"But what about Kaku and rest of the family....Virat Sir did not want his secret out. And it is his secret to tell anyways."

"You leave that to me. Virat and your fighting, there's nothing new in that. This is not the first time you want to leave. So it will not be difficult to convince Kaku to let you stay in that room, especially after what Devi pointed out. Kaku loves Virat too much to take the risk."

"I am sure she doesn't care about me, but Virat Sir la kahi zhala nahi pahije for sure na Aai." Sai chuckled.

"Ho! Sad, but true. So you are staying in the guest room until we find a better arrangement and that's that."

"Aai, do I have to? Prachi has agreed to put me up for some time."

"No, you are staying here with your Aai and Baba. For Aabba's sake, Sai don't go."

Sai agreed to stay back as she had promised herself she would never hurt or disappoint the woman who had wholeheartedly accepted her as her daughter. However, Sai also understood why Aai did not want her to leave. She was holding on to some hope....what that hope was for Sai did not understand. Nor did she have the stamina to, for all she wanted was to put her head on a pillow and sleep, a deep sleep where dreams or nightmares couldn't reach.