Kavita's Submission [COMPLETED]

Chapter 23

Kavita's POV

Coming to the aangan, Sameerji sits on a chair there, gesturing me to sit on the cot in front of him.

"Main jaanta hoon ki Surili ke aane ke baad se jo bhi iss ghar mein huwa hai, usse tujhe bohot takleef pohonchi hai," he starts when I sit on the cot. "Isiliye main tujhe batana chahta tha ki-"

"Nahi, Sameerji," I say, interrupting him. "Main yahaan isliye nahi aayi kyunki mujhe aapki baatein sunni hai. Main sirf isliye aayi hoon kyunki mujhe mere kuch sawalon ke jawaab chahiye."

"Kaise sawaal?"

"Aapne mere saath aisa kyun kiya, Sameerji?" I ask him the question that has been niggling my mind since I found about him and Surili.

The hurt that has been clenching my heart is not only from the betrayal I got, but it is also because I have no idea what I ever did to get such pain from everyone.

"Maine aapka kya bigada tha jo aapne mujhe itna bada dhokha dediya? Kya galat kiya tha maine aapke saath jo aapne mere saath itna galat kardiya? Bataiyye, Sameerji."

"Main maanta hoon ki tere saath galat huwa hai, lekin mera yakeen maan, main Surili ko apni patni nahi maanta. Bas tujhe apni patni maanta hoon," he says.

I scoff, unable to believe his audacity. "Achchha? Aap mujhe apni patni maante hain? Toh Surili aapke kamre mein kyun hai, Sameerji? Agar aap mujhe apni patni maante hain, toh apni maa se kuch kyun nahi kaha jab Surili ke aane ke baad unhone mujhe iss ghar ki naukrani bana diya? Tab chup kyun rahe aap? Aapne mujhe samajh kya rakha hai? Ki aap yahaan akele mein aake kahenge ki aap mujhe apni patni maante hain, aur main sab kuch bhool ke aapko aur aapke pariwar walon ko maaf kardungi?"

Sameerji stands from the chair and walks to me. Kneeling in front of me, he grabs my hands that I had kept on my lap, but I quickly swat his hand off and stand up from the couch, not wanting his proximity and his touch.

He also sighs and stands up, looking at me guiltily.

"Meri baat ka yakeen kar, Kavita. Agar Surili mere bete ki maa nahi hoti, toh main kabhi usse iss ghar mein aane nahi deta. Kabhi usse apni zindagi mein lautne nahi deta. Par mujhe yeh karna pad raha hai. Apne bachche ke liye," he tells me.

I only shake his head at him and take a deep breath, trying to dampen my pain and annoyance rising within me due to his words.

He still does not understand.

'Par inhone kabhi mujhe samjha hi kahaan hai?' I sigh.

"Baat yeh nahi hai ki aapne Surili ko apne zindagi mein aur aapke ghar mein jagah di. Baat yeh hai, Sameerji, ki uske hote huye aapne mujhse shaadi ki aur meri zindagi barbaad kardi. Mana ki Surili aapko chhodke jaa chuki thi. Manaa ki aap paanch saal se akele the. Par aap uske pati the aur ab bhi hain. Lekin phir bhi aapne mujhse shaadi karne se pehle ek baar nahi socha?

"Aapne kar kaise liya, Sameerji? Kaise? Aapne na hi sirf mujhse shaadi ki, aapne mujhpe pati hone ka haq bhi jataya. Mere jism pe aapka woh haq jataya jo kabhi aapka tha hi nahi. Aur haq bhi aise jataya jisme bohot baar meri manjuri nahi thi. Ya yun kahun ki kabhi bhi meri manzuri nahi thi. Har baar maan isliye jaati thi kyunki mujhe lagta tha aap mere pati hain. Par ab pata chala ki aap mujhe apni patni nahi, randi hi maante the. Isliye toh aap ko meri sirf tab hi yaad aati thi jab aapko mera istemaal karna hota tha."

The acute pain that courses through me jolts every fiber of my being. So much so that unable to keep myself upright, I slump to the floor, taking deep breaths to try and soothe the hurt that was trying to clutch me into a dark, empty void.

"Kavita, ek baar meri bat sun-"

"Nahi sunni mujhe aapki baat. KATAYI NAHI SUNNI," I shout at him and swat away his hand that he held out to me to help me stand.