The Rathores in Therapy: A BCHD Epilogue

Chapter 41: Mirror of Missteps

Last Time: She paused, her gaze dropping. Her voice sank to a whisper as she continued, "But then... then, one day, all these false hopes were dashed in an extremely horrifying manner."

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February 4th, 2022, Rathore Bhavan, Jodhpur

Alpana gently guided a heavily pregnant Tulika towards her room. She looked sideways at Tulika's forlorn expression and felt her heart fill with sympathy.

Dinner downstairs had been more of the same. The rest of the family still held onto their anger and resentment and refused to share the meal table with Tulika. Alpana's protests had been met with a grim warning from Mamusa. "People who shatter others' families," he had said sternly, "should not be surprised if they find themselves without one."

Alpana wanted to argue that it was not entirely Tulika's fault, that Kabir and Yuvaan had played a part in the situation. But she had held her tongue, knowing the family was not ready to hear it yet. She just hoped that things would change with time and the baby's arrival.

As they approached Tulika's room, they found Yuvaan meticulously arranging her medicines in a tray. Alpana felt a spark of hope ignite in her heart. Over the past few days, Yuvaan had started showing an inexplicable excitement for the unborn baby. This led him to become more attentive towards Tulika and her health. Though his behaviour was still distant and polite, this marked improvement was heartening.

Alpana gestured towards Yuvaan, busy in his tasks, as a comforting smile graced her lips. "Look at him, Tulika. See how much he cares about your health and how excited he is about the baby. He's coming around." She gave Tulika's hand a reassuring squeeze as she continued, "Give it some time, dear. I believe he will come to accept you as his wife, and love you too."

Yuvaan had moved on to sorting out Tulika's vanity table when he suddenly paused, his hand frozen in mid-air. He straightened up, holding a black beaded necklace—a mangalsutra. He stared at it intently, his expression unreadable.

Alpana's eyes widened in recognition as she took in the sight of the mangalsutra. She had seen this chain before, but she couldn't place where. Her gaze darted between the chain and Tulika, who had gone quiet and still.

"Tulika, isn't this...?" Alpana began tentatively, but Tulika cut her off.

"It's my mangalsutra," she said softly, her eyes never leaving the chain. "The one Kabir placed around my neck when we married."

Alpana's eyes widened further. "You kept it?" she asked, surprised. "All this while?"

Tulika nodded, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. "How could I not?" she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Even though our marriage wasn't legal, it meant the world to me. It was a sign that someone... someone loved me."

Alpana looked at Tulika, her heart heavy with pity. She reached out, gently laying her hand on Tulika's. "I can only imagine how difficult this situation is for you, dear," she said softly. "But remember, you are not alone in this."

Tulika looked up at Alpana, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Alpana gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, her gaze steady and comforting. "No matter what the family says, I am with you," she continued. "And I believe that, in time, Yuvaan will come to love you too..."

She glanced at the mangalsutra still clutched in Yuvaan's hand, its black beads gleaming softly in the light. "And that day," she said, her voice filled with a quiet hope, "he will put this mangalsutra around your neck himself."