It is the moment to bid goodbye to her mayka (parents' house) and move to her husband's house. Malini's eyes fill with tears as she embraces her mother who barely seems to be holding herself from completely breaking down. The others around will never know the significance of this moment, the truth of what actually is occurring except for Malini and Anu. Malini holds her mother extra tight, guilt stabbing her heart for leaving her mother behind, having been her only anchor all her life after the events of that fateful day. The guilt grows more profound as she recognises it is her own need to get away from her parents' frequent fights, the chasm between them and the agony that exists in both of them that she can never eradicate because all she can do is witness it.
The hug lasts longer and is only broken when Dev steps in towards her, his eyes red and moist.
"Papa" she whispers and moves ahead to hug her dad while not letting go of her mother yet. The only thing that remains common between them is her and she wants to hold them both, together, for what she knows is the last time for a long time!
_
The kalash with the rice is placed right in the centre, in front of the doorstep. Nidhi brings in the golden thaal with kumkum water, placing it in front of the kalash, though a little away so that it will not fall into it when toppled. A white cloth is spread in front of the thaal, a record of the footsteps that their daughter-in-law shall enter their house with.
Aparna performs the aarti of the newly weds, a smile bright on her face. The rest of the family too has bright smiles on their faces and it brings solace to Aditya's heart. It has after all been a long time since he's seen this joy on their faces, unbidden and not tinged with lingering sorrows of the past. His eyes then fall on Rupi Didi and a thought comes to his mind - of the breaking threads around him that now seemed to have strengthened, right before the collapse of the last knot holding them in place.
As his eyes look around, taking in all the joy and peace, the absence of one person strikes him. He looks around, his face serious, wondering how he couldn't spot someone who stood out to him the most, nevermind his conflicting thoughts behind the reason that he constantly brushes aside.
"Malini, gently kick the kalash with your right leg and enter the house. Adi, hold her hand" Aparna instructs.
Malini extends her hand and Aditya takes it, though her absence has begun to alarm him. Is she inside and unwilling to participate or is she in some danger? She is capable of anything and he never ever wants a repeat of what happened when she went all alone to save those girls from trafficking. The image of the gun placed on her forehead flashes in front of his eyes and it is just as they enter the house after Malini kicks the kalash that her name escapes his lips. It is a silent whisper despite being a little panicked and nobody hears it in the commotion. Nobody except Malini who turns to look at him, confusion marring her eye brows. He doesn't register her gaze though as his eyes are still looking here and there, like she'll emerge from within and that causes Malini to copy his action, trying to comprehend. When her eyes fail to find Imlie too, it dawns on her, the reason behind his slightly panicked whisper. And as worry fills her, something disturbing too starts to form alongside what she just comprehended, something she brushes away like always, inadvertently not acknowledging yet another sign the universe has sent her way!
As if summoned by his whisper, she appears behind them, looking a bit worse for the wear and they turn at the same time to face her, despite her having made no sound to hint at her arrival and none of the other family members had been able to call her name yet. She gets a bit startled at the sudden attention and the concern on both their visages with hints on panic, subconsciously taking a step back.
"Arey Imlie, tum itni der bahar kya kar rahi thi? Tum toh andar gayi thi na?"
("Arey Imlie, what have you been doing out for so long? I thought you went in")
Aparna says.
"Woh kuch nahi Choti Kaki, bas aise hi bahar thi"
("Oh nothing Choti Kaki, I was just simply outside")
Before Aparna can question her evident excuse, she urges to complete the grih pravesh vidhi (house entering ceremony), unwilling to keep everybody at the door any longer. Though unconvinced and slightly troubled by what is clearly an excuse, Aparna understands the importance of her point and decides to continue the ritual.
_
She looks tired and he knows she did not simply stay out. But it is not really his business to ask despite what his inner conscience deems to say. The relief at seeing her unharmed though is great and a welcome one that prompts him to turn to continue the rasam (ceremony). Malini steps on the thaal, her one hand holding Aditya's and her other hand holding her lehenga. After coating her feet properly, she places on foot on the thin white cloth slowly. She then lifts her other leg more comfortably and places it in front, thinking the cloth secure enough in terms of not being slippery but it is proven wrong when she slips, pain shooting through her foot and a yelp escaping her mouth.
Imlie who is a little behind them, jumps forward to hold Malini, adrenaline pumping through her while Aditya tries to stabilise her with her hand that is holding his. The family too have stepped a step ahead in the shock of the moment.
"Hey Sita Maiyya, Malini Didi are you alright?" Imlie asks as she manages to straighten Malini. It does not register to her or anybody else that she is standing in the thaal with kumkum water.
"My foot!" Malini gasps, even as pain takes over the slight embarrassment creeping over at the hasty judgement that has been misfiring, as proven by the chunri incident as well.
"I think I sprained it" she manages to say.
Before anyone can just about do anything or even react,
"Adi pick her up and bring her to the sofa immediately. Rupi, get the Move spray or pain relief ointment, whichever you find" Radha says.
Aditya does as asked while Imlie helps him in the endeavour, stepping out onto the cloth even as she makes sure Malini's chunri does not hang out and cause any more slipping even as the family rush in.
_
She makes to run behind them but yet another wave of pain traverses across her lower abdomen, halting her in her tracks just like they had back in the parking lot. Her hands clutch at the area, face wincing and eyes closing in pain. It takes a moment for it to pass after which she sighs. She takes two more steps ahead before she realizes just what she is doing!
She looks in horror at the white cloth she is standing on and the kumkum water lining her feet. Looking back, she finds her footsteps continuing from the first one that is Malini's. Disbelief clouds her as does a stinging pain that she cannot comprehend. Looking around, she finds no one has witnessed her blunder. Unwilling to go through the blame he is sure to place on her if he sees and not sure of the others' reaction, she steps away from the cloth and folds it. Then, she runs into her room.
PS: hastily typed. Forgive any errors
Love,
Pratyusha
YOU ARE READING
Lakeerein - Ties That Bind Us
Fanfiction------ Can Be Read As General Fiction ------ One night. One event. Lives of two people altered completely. When Aditya Kumar Tripathi, Chief Executive Reporter at Bhaskar times stepped into Pagdandiya and met Imlie, he did not know how his life woul...
