The Birlas' - IKSHANA

Chapter - 13: Moving On

Relief washed over Roohi's face as if she was waiting to hear that only for God knows how long. When Abhimanyu spoke again, he had her attention.

"Jab Akshara tumhe peeche chodke gayi, uske apne reasons the. Jab usne Abhir ki sachai chupayi, uske apne reasons the. Jab woh co-parent karne keliye raazi nahi hui, uske apne reasons the. Jab usne humein Abhir ki zindagi ka part banne se roka, khudko hum sab se alag kiya, uske paas tab bhi reasons the.....But na mujhe woh reasons jaan ne layak lage. Na maan ne laayak!

Main use apne bachon se milne se kabhi nahi rokta, aapki life mein involve hone se nahi rokta, meri life mein wapis shamil hone se nahi rokta agar usne Abhir ko zabardasti kidnap karne ki koshish nahi ki hoti toh. That was not something I could ignore. Bachon ke mamlon mein police aur court ko involve karna nahi chahta tha main.

Kids are too sensitive for that. But she forced my hand. Uske apne reasons ho sakte hai but mereliye ab unki koi value nahi hain. Nothing comes before the safety of my kids, not even the love of my life." Roohi looked shocked.

He was sharing something so personal with her, just so that she can feel assured. She felt like she was intruding his personal space because he never spoke about his love or the woman he loved. Not casually, not in serious conversations, never until it was required. Even then he just spoke about respect. That's it. Her Poppy was a closed book in this matter. That was the reason she had hesitated to share her fears about choosing the same career like Akshara. She didn't want to meddle with his feelings especially when she was so unaware of his feelings about her.

He was always the father, the brother, the son and the very reputed Doctor. She knew nothing about his love for his wife or how he was as a husband. No one spoke about it. It was as if that phase was never a part of his life. She knew that he didn't move on from her even after knowing that she moved on and she assumed that he must have loved her with his everything. Her father was a giver. He didn't know how not to love.

She remembered him telling her that, when she was insecure of Abhir as a kid. She didn't take the new inclusion into the family well. He gave her time and dealt with her with so much patience that she gave Abhir a chance just for her Poppy. But Abhir won her over in no time. He was too much like her Poppy for her to not like him. She never understood why anyone would do that to a man like her father.

Why would anyone be foolish enough to not want him in their life? That was also why she assumed that she must have been the reason because the timeline suited her narrative. But now that her Poppy said it wasn't her, she had no reason not to believe him. But she wanted more than just that.

Abhimanyu understood her curiosity. He can't blame her for wanting to know about her parents and their life. It was natural but it was a pity that he couldn't tell her much without disrespecting Akshara and his love, so decided to tell what he could.

"Maine bahut zyada pyaar kiya bacha. Jitna main kar sakta tha tab, utna. Cheezein work out nahi hui. Lekin jab aap meri zindagi mein aayi, meine realise kiya ki maine jitna pyaar aapse kiya, utna kabhi Akshara se bhi nahi kiya. Aap meri life mein ek hope banke aye the. You forced me to leave my pain behind and thrive. You were the reason I fought back.

Aapne mujhe himmat di ki main apne pyaar ke bina jee paun. Aap nahi hoti toh shayad mein in sabse, is situation se bhag raha hota. I wouldn't be the proud man I am today. Kabhi sir uthakar dekhne layak nahi hota main, agar aapne apne jadu se mujhe apni ore kheench ke roka nahi hota.