Cover Me In Sunshine🌅

7. Protectiveness

Ram knocked on the door.
Sandy: Come in.
Ram entered the room.
Sandy and Akki were sitting on the bed. Akki was hugging his knees and his face was turned on the other side. Ram's heart broke looking at him.
Sandy: Jiju I was going to see you only.
Ram(clearing his throat): why?
Sandy: We decided to leave that's why. Is Pri di okay?
Ram: I mean she ate and slept a few minutes ago. So I came to talk to you both.
Sandy(nodding): Come sit.
Ram sat there. Akki didn't look up. Sandy was looking straight at Akki. Her face very very sad.
Ram: Akki Sandy I know I've done terrible things to you that aren't forgivable. But I came here to say that if you like you can stay with us here. Wahan tum dono ki take care karne ke liye koi nahi hai.
Sandy: It's okay Jiju we can manage. Hum bachhe nahi hai. Khud ka khayal khud rakh sakte hain.
Ram: But Akki? Usse wahan rehne mein problem nahi hogi?
Akki(barely audible voice): No place is peaceful for me now. I can't stay here. I understand your situation but that doesn't mean I forgive you. Dekhne bhi nahi dia mujhe ek baar. You had no right to do that to me.
Ram(looking downwards): I'm sorry Akki.
Akki didn't say anything.
Ram: Sandy....
Sandy: Jiju don't. We are not kids. And jo aap ne kiya Akki bhaiya ke saath I don't think unhe yaha rehna chahiye.
Ram: I'm sorry.
Sandy(firmly): You did wrong with my Pri di. She is like that only. She thinks of nothing when it comes to protecting her loved ones. I say loved ones because it isn't only her family. She proved that multiple times. Call me biased for her I don't care. From the time we met Shivina di she also became Pri Di's loved one. She has always tried to protect her from every harm. Shivina di ke aap logo ne bohot bura kia hai. You fixed her marriage to someone she didn't love. Akki bhai ke saath shaadi fix hone ke baad bina reason deke shaadi tod di. Jab shaadi ho gayi thi mandap se aise hi utha ke leke chale aaye that she doesn't have any right to take her own decisions. Ram Jiju hum age mein chote ho sakte hain but we are not kids. So yeh sabko bachha banake rakhna is wrong. Shivina di ne aisa kyun kia bataiye? Kyunki aap aur aap ki family ne unhe kabhi yeh nahi shikhaya ke khud ke decision liye kaise jaate hain. She could've just come here utna sab karne ki hi zaroorat nahi thi. This is her house woh aa hi sakti thi. But yeh kisine unhe shikhaya nahi.
She raised me more than ma. I'm watching her from childhood. She endures all the pain, insults, taunts thrown in our way also, shielding us. Yeh toh unke system mein hai. And if I'm not wrong you remember she saved your life that day Jiju. Di would have died that day. But she didn't think of anything unhe sirf aapko bachana tha. Yeh hi karti aayi hai woh. MS aur unki family se protect karna, logon se protect karna as if unhi ka duty hai sab. Thik kaha aaj unhone that ma didn't try enough to protect us. Sara di? Even now she calls MS papa! Aaj sab clear hai meri aankhon ke samne. I'm sorry I shouldn't say all this to you now. But I've to say that you failed to see the pain in di's eyes when she told you the lie. You left her? Just like that? Sau maute ek saath mari hogi uss moment pe. She is selfless when it comes to her loved ones. She didn't wanna get married! Yet she did because Akki bhahiya ne shart rakh di. Unke liye kia. I was very happy ke unhe aap mile ho. But iss ghar pe aake bhi she endured humiliation. Woh kis liye tha? Aap ke liye. Jiju aapki family ne hamesha aapko cornered kia hai and you said nothing. You always put a smile on those wounds and that made you so blind towards abuse that you couldn't protect Di also. Mujhe pata tha that di's protecting someone. I went to meet her but she refused. I know why. Because she knows she'll not be able to keep her lie intact if she meets anyone. That's why she told the truth today. I'm not supporting her lie. Bilkul nahi karna chahiye tha yeh.
Thank you aap gaye aur unn se sach bulwaya aur ghar lekar aaye. Thank you. And I'm sorry for telling you all this. I know you are also grieving but you also have responsibilities Jiju. Pri di and your child. So I had to say all this as you need to stop being impulsive.
Ram listened to everything that Sandy said to him without interrupting as he knew what she'd been saying was true.
Ram(nodding): Don't be sorry for letting me know my mistakes. I promise Sandy I'll not disappoint you all again.
Sandy nodded.
Sandy: We should go now.
Ram: Sandy at least let the driver drop you there. Akki is not okay. At least let me do this.
Sandy looked at Akki who looked very very unwell.
Sandy: Okay.
Ram: Just call me without hesitation if you need anything.
Sandy: Okay.
Sandy: Akki bhaiya hold my hand. Come with me.
Akki finally looked up and held Sandy's hand. Sandy supported him by keeping his arm on her shoulder and started walking.