Is Love Enough ??

Chapter 15

Kirti didn't know what to make of her first day back in her house. Correction, back in her parents' house. This wasn't her house anymore. If it hadn't been clear before, everyone had made sure she understood that fact by the time the day ended.

Pretend. Wasn't that what her mother had told her a few hours ago, Kirti thought as she stood in front of the mirror tying her long hair in a loose braid. Had that been only for her? Or had that been for them as well? Her father's tight, closed expression, her mother's guarded and reserved one definitely didn't begin to portray that they were welcoming her back. Her chachi and chacha had done a much better job. And of course, Anika and Vansh, because they were happy. And the genuineness of their acceptance of her reflected in their voices, their mannerisms and their affection. Veer...well, Veer had been another case altogether. For the most part her parents had been able to keep their anger or hatred or whatever they felt under covers, just barely so, but at least they had tried. But Veer, if he had been any more obvious of his animosity towards her, Kirti was sure she would have run. It had taken her all to stay in his presence, be in the same room as him. Vansh had tried all evening to keep Veer at bay. And Kirti had given him credit for it. Anika had grumbled 'Exactly what is his problem?' more than three times at least. 'Why does he act as the moral police of this household?' she had said through tight clenched teeth when Veer had shot a snide remark her way. 'You are still his sister, or has he forgotten that?' she had questioned unhappily. And all Kirti had said was 'Let it be'.

Only it hadn't been as simple. If only she could 'Let it be'. She was human after all. And it wasn't just her immediate family she had to contend with, it was her relatives and neighbors too. The whispers that were meant to be heard, the comments that were meant to hurt, the speculations that were meant for their target...Kirti had had to contend with all of that and more. Once Guddi bua had started there hadn't been a second's space to get her to even pause. Guddi bua was two years younger to Kirti's father and four years elder to her chacha. A very strong personality. Very vocal. And very authoritative. Kirti had seen both her mother and Preeti chachi go out of their way to keep her appeased. She was known to be a great counsel to Kirti's father. Even if Anoop Singh did not listen to anybody, he listened to Guddi. And nobody knew how or why that came to be the way it was.

'Praji, jo hona si ho gaya,' she had said with her hand on Anoop's arm, 'aaj kal de bachche kithe sunde ne,' she had gone on clucking along the way, 'ai te changa ae ki munde ne kudi de naal kuch galt nahi kita, chad nahi diya ainu,' she had said caustically and then glanced Kirti's way venomously, 'shukr kar rab da kude, ae honde ne maa peyo, bachche jinni marji galti karen, aunanu pher apne aanchal cha jagah de dende ne, Kirti tu ta pair dho ke pee aine dona de,' she had said and then turned back to face her brother, 'praji, khushi da mahaul ae, tussi kinne vade dil de malik ho jo Kirti nu maaf kar dita ae,' she had said pasting a sweet smile on her face, 'lucky hoon main te praji je tussi mere pra ho,' she had said.

And all her father had done was sit there silently, not once saying anything, not once looking in her direction. Which had given Ritu aunty, their neighbor encouragement to say a few words too.

'Guddi is absolutely right bhaisaab,' Ritu aunty had said, ' it is not simple and definitely not easy, you really have a big heart,' she had said with a broad smile, 'my Simi would never even dream of doing anything like what Kirti did,' she had said trying to get one sarcastic comment in too, 'but then Simi is Simi, very dutiful and caring,' she had said proudly, 'she doesn't even venture out without informing me,' she had chirped on, 'but anyway, it is your generosity bhaisaab that you are accepting Kirti back...had it been anyone else...' and Ritu aunty had left it at that.

But where Ritu aunty had left off someone else had picked up the thread.

'Really, Kamal,' one of the other neighbors started, 'had it been my Rinku, had she run away...I would have never seen her face again,' the lady went on sternly, 'this is you, you are being too emotional and kind, hats off to you,' the woman had said. But it hadn't been meant as a compliment.