To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 56

Abhay stood there as if rooted. He had known the words that beeji would use even before she had said them and still he was shocked. How? Why? Why would anyone do that? To their own sister. No matter how selfish you are, no matter how conceited but to your own blood sister. He had thought Natasha was bad Simrit was incomparable in her acts. And that too on Amrit's wedding day. How had Amrit fared? How had she felt? He couldn't even begin to fathom the logic of it all. No wonder Amrit had trust issues. She couldn't find it in herself to forgive easily. It wasn't her fault. How had she said yes to him? What had she seen in him that made her say yes? How had she managed to face so many people at their wedding? And he had like a fool lectured her on things every other time. But then he hadn't known the truth.

"Was Simrit in love?" Abhay asked.

His voice sounded choked.

"No," beeji said and smiled dryly, "she was in love with him because she thought Amrit was in love with him," beeji explained, "it is difficult to comprehend why she did it. But in all the years she rubbed it in every single time so much so Amrit stopped coming for family gatherings, functions, festivals. She stayed away from all of us," she said sadly.

"And what did you do?" Abhay asked his anger returning.

"Nothing," beeji said as if she was ashamed. She turned and went to sit down on the couch again. "Abhay when there are responsibilities of an entire household on your head thinking about one individual takes a backseat," she said slowly, "I am not proud of what I did but with so many people around I had to make sure the scandal was short lived. We had to put up a face in front of everyone so at least in future the remaining girls did not face criticism," she said. "Even today whatever has happened I cannot let Kulraj take the brunt," she told him, "it is me who will have to face everyone and make sure things went properly," she said tiredly.

"Amrit is your granddaughter, isn't she?" Abhay asked disgusted.

He knew in a way what beeji said did make sense. It is how you operated on the front. With one man down you would typically want to save him but not at the cost of others. If possible that man would be saved if not it came with the job. Orders were to be followed at all costs. Goals mattered. But here it was different. Amrit was the one wronged. So how could the wrong doer go without any punishment? It wasn't justice. It wasn't acceptable.

"Abhay," beeji said tiredly, "I owe nobody an explanation of what I did why I did," she said bitterly. And Abhay knew the bitterness was directed towards herself rather than him. "Today Simrit crossed all limits. I tried to intervene but with no help from others I let them take it all out but Simrit went too far. Amrit put up well considering how short leashed her patience level is, you must be getting to her but when Simrit insulted you she couldn't take it and she slapped Simrit," she told him.

Abhay was surprised. So Amrit had slapped Simrit because she had insulted him. And she had kept up her patience till that moment. Why?

"You look surprised," beeji said as she watched the younger man stand there looking lost in his thoughts.

"Why would she slap Simrit because of me?" Abhay thought loudly.

Beeji smiled.

"You have yet to find out more about Amrit," she replied, "she is the kind of person who does not take kindly to insults whether it is her or whether it is someone who is close to her. You weren't there to defend yourself and the language Simrit had used was so foul had Amrit not slapped her I would have," she said.

"She wants to go back home," Abhay said broodingly.

"Amrit?" beeji asked surprised.

"Yes," Abhay said nodding his head, "I don't know if it is out of shame at whatever has happened or if it is out of anger or just her feeling more safe," he said.

"She is not one to run from battle," beeji said thoughtfully, "she cannot go back. People will talk. She needs to stay strong and face everyone. She hasn't done anything wrong. And those who have if they have no shame then defending herself and her husband should not shame her either," she said. "What do you want to do?" she asked.

"I don't want her to have any more upset," Abhay said firmly, "and I definitely don't want her to cry," he said tightly," so if leaving here would make her happy then we will do just that," he said.

Beeji smiled.

"You didn't even ask how Simrit had insulted you," she said.

"I don't want to know," Abhay said and shrugged, "it doesn't bother me," he told her.

"She told everyone about your past," beeji said quietly watching him closely but his expression never changed.

"She only said what was true. How is it insulting?" he asked.

"That was not all she said," Beeji said and then sighed, "I will speak to Amrit. She will listen to me. Just make sure she stays away from Roop and Simrit," beeji said.

"You won't let her decide for herself?" Abhay asked surprised.

"She can decide if the matter is related to her, here it is related to Kulraj and the respect of this house," beeji said matter of factly, "she has no choice," she said firmly, "and I know you understand what I am saying. I need your help Abhay," she said tiredly, "my family is incompetent in handling these matters. Just help me this once do it as a favor to an old lady," she said sounding desperate, "I know you are the only one who can get Amrit to see things for what they are," she said, "and I will call up your parents and apologize for whatever happened here," she told him as she got up again with difficulty.

Abhay leaned to help as he caught the weathered, wrinkled hand of beeji in his big, firmer one.

"I won't promise but I will do what I can," he said stoically, "and you don't have to call anyone to apologize," he added, "if my parents ask I will tell them. But knowing them they won't say anything," he reassured.

Beeji smiled and patted his hand where it held hers.

"Thank you Abhay," she said gratefully, "I know I should have protected her but..." she said and broke off.

"Take care of yourself beeji," Abhay said, "you look exhausted," he told her.

Beeji smiled.

"Thank you son," she said, "but you needn't worry I haven't survived two world wars to succumb to one of my granddaughter's stupidity," she said, "just take care of Amrit," she said as she took her hand out of Abhay's grasp and waddled towards her bedroom when she paused and turned, "did she cry much?" she asked.

"Yes," Abhay said grimly.

"You are not going to box my ears are you?" she asked smiling at him.

Abhay shook his head negatively and beeji left as if satisfied. She was something else entirely. Her strength amazed him though today for the first time he had seen her waver a little but to smile when the situation was so grim he had to commend her on that. To find humor now when it was all so tense everywhere he shook his head at that. He could see how similar beeji and Amrit were. Unapologetic, strong, grounded, unable to let go and the best their dry sense of humor. He actually found himself smiling.

He better go back upstairs and check on Amrit. She was not out of it yet. This time she had to tell him everything in her own words. And he wouldn't relent. She needed to do this more than anything else otherwise he would lose his wife to hatred and pain and he was not ready to do that. Not now. Not ever.

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