Gajra:- A Love Tale

Episode 24

Poonam was in 2nd year of MBBS, that journey of two years were beautiful and struggling but they made it together. Despite getting hate from family, he always supported. For him, she's the only happiness he had in his life and he wanted his happiness to get every happiness of her life. But from the last few months his behavior has slightly changed, nowadays he gets too angry with her and sometimes ignores her. 

One day, Poonam mistakenly left a towel on the bed. Kaushal became frustrated and yelled at her in front of everyone but regretted as soon saw tears in her eyes. She left for her college with Rudra without saying anything to him. From that day, so many incidents happened which led him to fight with her or shout at her. 

Rudra told her that Kaushal is diagnosed with OCD and has severe anger issues. He had tried so many times to take him to a psychiatrist but he always refused. Poonam felt bad and from that day she made sure that she was behaving according to his preferences to avoid conflict. But since last month, he's been ignoring her, even some days he didn't come home. 

His behavior was worsening her tension day by day. This morning she got to know that he had to leave for Pondicherry for his business project. And that felt like a betrayal to her, not getting informed by her husband about his sudden change in plan for the first time, didn't settle well with her. 

One month later

Poonam's POV

I'm so excited today, finally after a month he's coming back today from his trip. But more than that I'm excited to see his reaction when I reveal to him about my pregnancy. A week ago, I found out that I'm 2 months pregnant. no one knows about it because I want to surprise everyone with him. 

It's past twelve in the noon, when I saw him entering the house but he wasn't alone. A woman in a blue sari with her luggage entered the house after him. After seeing the unknown guests in the house, my mother-in-law squealed in happiness and ran to embrace her in a tight hug. Others also greeted her with smiles. 

"Are, kesi hai beta? Maa-bapu ji thik hai, tumhare?" My mother-in-law asked her and the woman only gave a nod to her, while smiling gracefully. 

(How are you beta? Are you mom-dad okay?) 

I looked at my husband with a wide smile but he was ignoring my presence as if I'm not even standing here, dying to wrap my arms around his torso, still controlling the storm inside me, I took slow steps towards him and was about to say something, My mother-in-law's chummed in, wanting me introduce to the lady,  "Are Poonam isse milo yeh hai Radha, Kaushal ki bachpan ki dost" 

(Hey poonam meet her, she's Radha your husband's childhood friend) 

I gave a polite smile to her and again moved my gaze back to him, wanting to admire him as much I can. How weak he looks, his under eyes said a lot about his sleepless nights, can't he take care of himself. After feeling my continuous gaze, he moved his gaze to me, making our eyes stuck to each other and my heart swell, his eyes still looks at me with same love but it didn't feel like usual, as if he is trying hide his emotions, not wanting to acknowledge his feelings, i don't but this scares me more than anything else. Babuji told them to take rest and Maaji took Radha with her to the guest room and I followed him to our room.

As soon as we entered the room, I hugged him tightly from behind, "I missed you, ji" But he didn't respond back. Soon tears started falling from my eyes, making his shirt damp. I couldn't handle this ignorance anymore, his silence was killing my soul each second.

I pulled away from the hug, but my arms were still loosely wrapped around him, wanting him to talk at least, turn around and end this longing but he pulled away from the hug and went to the restroom. Why Ji, why are you ignoring me? Why this ignorance? 

I don't know how long I stood there, looking at the bathroom's door with longing in my eyes and tears spilling down my cheeks, until Maaji called me downstairs to prepare lunch. While walking towards the kitchen, I saw Khasish Bhabhi and Renu discussing something but as I entered the room, they stopped talking. It sting a little, I mean I don't want to invade their privacy but since 2 years, we've been like bestfriends, sharing everything with each other, be it gossip or marital nights talks but then suddenly excluding me from a certain topic hurts a little. I just gave them a fake smile and began preparing dough for chapatis.

"Wese yeh Radha kon hai? Ise toh humne humari shadi mein nhi dekha" My question caught them off guard, their hands stopped moving for a fraction of second before they replied that she lives in city and due to family emergency couldn't make it at my wedding. But the way their voice shutters in between convincd me that they are lying but I choosed not to stretch the matter and nodded my head in acknowledgement. 

(Sisters, who's Radha? I haven't seen her in my wedding) 

We together prepared lunch within an hour, and sent Dhruv bhaiya to call everyone to the baranda for lunch. Renu and I served everyone, while Khashis bhabi was making fruit chaat as per daughter's demand. 

Everyone finished their food and went back to their rooms. I also had my lunch and went back to my room for an afternoon nap. I found him buttoning up his shirt, wait he's again going somewhere but why? I went near him and snatched the tie from his hand and asked, "kaha jaa rahe hai, aap?" 

(Where are you going?) 

"Kaam hai kuch" He responded, still rolling his sleeves and picking up another tie but I snatched that as well, making him clench his jaw and finally he looked at me but rage shimmered in them.

(I have some work) 

"Jhooth mat kahiye, papa ji ne bataya tha koi kaam nahi hai 2 din tak. holi ki chhuti hai, toh aapko konsa kaam h?" I asked back . 

(Don't lie, papaji said that there's no work for 2 days due to holi, so what work do you have ? ) 

"Par mujhe hai" He said and turned to leave the room without wearing his tie, surrendering to my stubbornness but I stopped him by holding his arm and finally asked, “Kyu?  Kyu kar rahe ho aisa" 

(But I have) 

(Why? Why are you doing this?) 

"Main kuch bhi nhi kr rha hu, mujhe jane de Poonam" He ignored my question and tried to free his arm from my grip. 

(I'm doing nothing, let me go Poonam) 

"Aaj nahi, aaj apko btana hoga ki kyu yeh berukhi, kyun yeh andekha karna mujhe, akhir kyu ji" I finally asked him, my composure shattered and a jagged sob escaped my lips as I broke down in tears. 

(Not today, today you have to tell me why this ignorance, why this coldness, why ?) 

"Kyu aap mujhe dekhte tak nhi h ab, kyu mujhe khud se door kar rahe hai akhir kyu? Jawab dijiye" I asked, stumbling through the words, fighting back the tears. 

(Why are you ignoring me, why are you pushing me away from you, tell me why?) 

"Mujhe koi jawab nhi dena" He said and left the room. Why? why? Why is this happening? Why is he changing? What's happening Mahadev? I cried myself into a fitful sleep, drained and hollow after hours of weeping and sobbing. 

(I don't want to give any answer) 

............... To be continued