PARINEETI FF- KOI APNA SAA

Chap 1- Parineet is shattered

Parineet brushed her hair gazing at her reflection in the mirror. She wore a beautiful orange-crimson salwar kameez with a heavily embroidered golden dupatta. She applied sindoor and smiled to herself.

"We are getting late Pari," said her husband Rajeev walking in. He hadnt been home on their wedding night. His excuse was that one of his friends had met with an accident. He was supposed to be dropping her off at her parent's house for pag-phera. Pari couldnt help feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"I am ready," she said adjusting her dupatta.

"I am waiting outside," he said in a cold voice and walked away. Pari followed him.

"Why such a small bag?" Pari's mother in law Gurvinder said looking at her backpack.

"Its just one day mummi ji," she said.

"But still," said Gurvinder," you should have packed better. Just in case.............."

Gurvinder stopped mid- sentence looking at Pari's tensed face. She then smiled and said," just in case you wish to stay a little longer Parineet putr."

Parineet smiled and looked at her husband.

"Aap kal mujhe lene aa jayenge naa?"she asked him.

"Kal kisne dekha hai Pari," he said in a cold voice and walked out.

Rajeev's behaviour had been bothering her for while. She didnt know why. He had looked so happy on their wedding day. But now............................

PARINEET'S HOUSE

Pari got down from the car holding her bag. She smiled at Rajeev and said,"andar chalte hain."

"I need to leave Pari," he said breaking her heart into pieces.

"But......." she said," mummi ji and bauji.........everyone is waiting.....I......"

But before she could say anything else, he drove away leaving her alone. With tears in her eyes, she felt ashamed and embarassed to go to her pag- phera alone without her husband. With a heavy heart, she walked inside.

Everyone in her house were delighted to see their beloved daughter back. But Rajeev's absence did not go down well with her bauji and brother Vikram.

"Rajeev ko Pari de naal aana chahiye tha tauji," Vikram said through gritted teeth. The elders nodded but maintained their smiles for Parineet's sake.

FIVE DAYS LATER

Parineet sat in her room holding her wedding photo frame. Her beautiful golden dupatta was soaked in tears and her once hopeful smile had faded away. Rajeev had not come back to take her. Neither did he answer any of her phone calls. Gurvinder had visited her once informing her about Rajeev's new job in Chandigarh.

"Pari putr," her bauji said walking in,"menu tere naal kuch gal karni hai."

Parineet wiped her tears and got up.

Her bauji folded his hands in front of her and said," main haar gaya putr ji. Tere liye sahi ladka nahi dhoondh paya main."

"Hua kya hai bauji?" she asked him in a shocked voice.

And thats when she heard the truth. It was so bitter that her heart refused to believe it, so distressing that her mind shut itself off and so painful that for a moment her soul felt engulfed in a tornado.

"Rajeev nahi ayega putr," her bauji told her," naa uska naam asli tha aur naa pehchan. Usne tere naal vyah hamari zameen de vaaste kiya tha. Bhag gya wo tujhe chad ke!"

Parineet froze at her place. The frame fell from her hands and shattered into pieces.

"Pari," said Vikram walking in," Pari main................."

"Aap sab please mujhe akela chor deejiye," she said fighting back her tears," mujhe kuch der akele rehna hai."

ONE WEEK LATER

Parineet was packing her bags. She had cried, she had wept and yelled. She had destroyed all her wedding stuff in a fit of rage and emotion. But now, all she felt was a deep desire to move on.

"Parineet putr," said her parents coming upto her," is all your packing done?"

"Ji bauji," she said.

"Tera khana pack kar diya hai," her mother said," pohunchke phone karna. Vikram tujhe station chor dega."

Parineet hugged her mother and continued with her packing. Their small village of Barnala was full of gossip mongers. And she longed for a fresh start. Putting away her sindoor and mangalsutra, she wore simple salwar kameez and decided to shift to her nanihal in Udaipur.

Her train was due in the afternoon. And she was busy with her packing. She was also disheartened that Neeti, her best friend had not even once contacted her after leaving Barnala. But today was a new beginning for her.

"All done," she said looking at her packed bags.