Dons of Punjab: Fluke of Reality✔️

Chapter 16

Prabhneet Kaur

For the past two days, I locked myself in my bedroom. I hadn't eaten anything, drank even a sip of water, or slept at all. My mind felt heavy, and my heart ached in ways I couldn't explain. Every five minutes, someone knocked on my door, begging me to come out, but I ignored them. I couldn't face anyone.

I curled up on my bed, staring at the ceiling as memories flooded my mind—memories of laughter, happiness, and warmth. But those memories only made my chest tighten. The world outside my room felt distant, almost unreal. I knew I couldn't stay hidden forever, but the thought of stepping out felt impossible.

The knocking on my door became louder.

"Prabh, please come out. You haven't eaten anything," a voice pleaded.

I knew who it was—my sister-in-law, Simi Phabi. She had been trying to get me to open the door since last night. But I couldn't. Not yet.

Another voice joined in, softer but firm. "Prabh, at least say something. We're all worried."

That was my eldest sister, Jashan Didi. I felt guilt creeping into my chest, but even that wasn't enough to move me. My body felt heavy, and my mind was drowning in thoughts I couldn't push away.

Then, silence. The knocking stopped. They had given up, at least for now.

I sat up slowly, rubbing my tired eyes. My hands were trembling. I couldn't stay like this anymore. I needed my brothers. I needed the comfort of their presence, the strength in their arms when they hugged me, the warmth of their voices.

Without making a sound, I got up, unlocked my door, and peeked outside. The hallway was empty. Everyone must have gone downstairs. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my car keys and slipped out of the house.

The drive to my eldest brother's house felt longer than usual. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. My thoughts ran in circles. What would I say to them? Would they be angry? Disappointed?

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of my brothers' mansion. My heart pounded as I pressed the doorbell. Within seconds, the door swung open, and there stood my eldest brother, Lalli Paji, holding his little son, Raj, in his arms.

The moment our eyes met, I knew he saw everything—the pain, the exhaustion, the fear. His face softened, and without a word, he gently placed Raj on the ground. That was all it took for me to break.

"Paji!" I cried, running into his arms.

He wrapped me in a tight hug, one hand cradling the back of my head as I sobbed into his chest. He stroked my hair gently, murmuring soft reassurances.

"Shh, it's okay, Prabh. I'm here. We're all here," he whispered.

I couldn't stop crying. My body shook, and the weight I had been carrying for days seemed to pour out through my tears.

Before I could catch my breath, another pair of arms wrapped around me. "What happened, Prabh?"

I didn't need to look to know it was Deep Paji. His hug was warm, strong, grounding.

I hiccuped, struggling to form words. "Paji, I... I can't do it. I can't marry Aman."

Lalli Paji pulled back slightly, his hands on my shoulders. His eyes were full of concern. "Tell me everything. Why don't you want to marry him? Did something happen?"

Before I could answer, Simi Phabi and Gunu, appeared. They took one look at my tear-streaked face and immediately joined the hug. The warmth of their presence made me feel safe. I wasn't alone.