Ranjha

2.3 | Le Chal Sang Apne

Khaare Raaste

Chapter 3 - Le Chal Sang Apne

•×•

Vanraj sat in an awkward silence in the therapy room.
The clock struck eight in the evening.
Anupamaa was busily looking through her phone.

Extremely unlikely of her though.

"I guess I'm paying for this session.", Vanraj said skeptically.
Anupamaa finally removed the phone from before her face and placed it on the table behind her.

"Yes. Go ahead.", She stammered, snapping out.
"It's Samar's wedding tomorrow and I am still not over my own tragedy. My mind is messing up completely and I'll go completely insane if this goes on.. and if my own problems are not enough my ex wife's husband is here to ruin our day.", He said sighing.

"Exactly! I am so sick and tired of that Maaya behaving like she's my husband's wife! Damn, I seriously want to shove a knife down..", Anupamaa paused abruptly realising who she was talking to.

It definitely wasn't her bestie Devika.

Vanraj looked at her awkwardly.
Anupamaa drew in a deep breath and then forced a smile.

"Yes.. Mister Shah.", She said calmly.
Vanraj straightened up.
"Your wife ditched you, sad. You had ditched me, sadder. So it's kinda your Karma coming back. You must accept it and move on.", Anupamaa said sounding relatively more calm.

"You really are not okay.. isn't it? Because you don't talk that harshly-"

"My husband is staying with that Maaya because supposedly she's mentally ill and needs him! He's giving me a bundle of sorrys and apologies and despite all of my riot about self respect, I still don't know what to do.", Anupamaa snapped.
She shut her eyes, inhaled a deep breath, and finally said,
"So yes, Mister Shah. I'm not okay!"

"So you guys spoke.", Vanraj said, the disappointment quite evident.
"Ah sure, we did.", Anupamaa said desperately blinking off her tears.

Vanraj inhaled a deep breath, looking at her observantly.

Twenty five years, that's probably the one thing he hadn't done.
Observed, who she was.
Look beyond her broken English and the scent of spices.
And now, knowing it was pointless, he was doing the exact thing.

He knew among them, he was the erratic one. The one who messed up, wrecked havoc, while she was the calm one. The one who kept things tye way they should be.
Together they were balance.

He hadn't realised that back then.
You know they say, some people realise your value only after they lose you.
He was among those people.

"I guess you need a break.", He said finally.
Anupamaa raised a brow.
"I am going out for a ride today, if you care to join in maybe it can help.", He added.
"We are seperated-"
"My wife ditched me, your husband abandoned you. Maybe going on a ride isn't too big a crime for us.", He said in a matter of factly tone.

Just then her phone pinged.

Maaya had posted another photo with Anuj.
My Bestest Man 🫶
I love you forever 💞
Read the caption.