#5 - Iktara
"Jo... rishta..." Akshara heaved a sigh, mustering the courage to speak, "ehsason se khatam ho chuka hai, unhe kagaz pe bhi riha kar dena chahiye." She turned to Manjiri, "I'm sorry... ke ab aap kuch aur chahti hain, ho sake toh pehle ki tarha mujhse nafrat karna seekh lijiye, aunty."
Manjiri Birla had been shown the mirror with the last thing that Akshara said before the turned to leave. And while the Goenkas sat in the car taking their daughter away, the Birlas stood at the entrance of the court, watching the dead eyes of Abhimanyu staring at the silhouette of the car disappearing from his eyes, and at Manjiri staring at the ground in a stark realisation of who she had turned out to be, knowingly or unknowingly.
Present
Akshara knocked at Bade Papa's door. Bade Papa raised his head from the book he was reading to find Akshara standing with a tray in her hand and a forced smile on her face. Bade Papa sighed and kept his book down, motioning her to come in. He removed his spectacles as Akshu placed the tray on the coffee table.
"Bol bachhe," Bade Papa studied her nervous face, "kuch kehne aayi hai tu."
Akshara pried her eyes away and distracted herself into pouring a glass of water.
"Sahi kehti hai Mimi, ke Maa-Baap ki do zindagiyan hoti hai," Akshara handed him some medicines, "ek apni, aur ek... unke bachhon ki." She lowered her gaze the moment her Bade Papa stared at her in attention. "Bachhon ki zindagi mein tufaan aata hai, toh naav Maa-Baap ki bhi dagmagane lagti hai."
"Kehna kya chahti ho Akshu?"
Akshara sat across Manish with her fingers in nervous fidgeting, and suddenly held her palms tightly together, all of which her Bade Papa observed.
Akshara had come to make a decision.
"Isse pehle Ma-" Akshara gulped a lump, "I mean... Isse pehle Manjiri aunty ki umeed badhti jaaye, main unhe phone karke keh deti hoon ki..."
Bade Papa looked on, noticing how Akshara couldn't even complete the sentence she started.
He softly shook his head in wonder.
"Bolo Akshu beta, keh deti hoon ki?" Bade Papa encouraged her to speak.
"Keh deti hoon ki..." Akshara heaved a sigh, "jj..jo woh chahti hai, woh nahi ho sakta."
"Akshu," Bade Papa caressed her head, "tu sach mein chahti hai na... divorce? Bina soche faisla toh nahi le rahi na?"
"Jitna sochna tha soch liya Bade Papa," Akshara held his palm tighter, "aur kitna sochun uske liye, jisne mere baare mein ek baar bhi nahi socha?" She shook her head and stood up, "Zindagi jo iss ek saal mein nahi sikha payi woh lautne ke ek hafte mein sikha diya," a tear rolled down her eye, "kaash pehle hi maan liya hota ki pyaar kaafi nahi hota hai."
"Kya!"
"Kab?"
"Kyun?"
Bade Papa glanced at the three shocked faces staring back at him.
"Aise kya dekh rahe hain mujhe?" Bade Papa pushed his fist in his pockets, "Kal... divorce ke baad, Akshu seedhe Mumbai ki flight legi aur wahan apna singing career pursue karegi."
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Socha Na Tha - Abhira SS
Fanfiction"Ek din aap yun, humko mil jayenge, Phool hi phool raahon mein khil jayenge, Maine socha na tha!" Akshara's giggles echoed in the hall of the Birla Mansion through the speaker as Abhi paused, twirled her around and lifted her high up in his arms. He...
