Finding Peace: Abhira Sharma OS

One Shot

She has been done with the Poddars for the last three months. She had married into this family after winning every single person important to her husband over. Yet at the last possible second, someone turned. His mother. Vidya Madhav Poddar.

On the day of them getting married, she had cursed them with an unhappy marriage. She had blamed her and Armaan for breaking her heart. She had given the eldest daughter in law of the house a welcome she would never forget.

On the first day of their being married, she had ruthlessly, heartlessly, asked them to leave the house. Kaveri Poddar had put a stop to that, but honestly, even that was a calculated move. To keep her and Armaan in her vicinity and keep them in check. If she didn't see that a mile away, her mother's lawyer genes would be embarrassed.

She had realized that she was making a mistake, when her husband ran after his mother, leaving her heartbroken on the day of her marriage at the door of the Poddar Mansion.

Then, the realization dug deeper when he returned home drunk, asking for his mother, that very night. She had tried. Done everything in her power to mend what she initially thought she had broken. Vidya Poddar was a stubborn woman since the beginning. She knew that. But she didn't think that woman could see Armaan suffer and be fine with it.

She also remembered how ever since Vidya had realized that Abhira couldn't give them a grandchild, her focus and her love had shifted entirely to Rohit and Roohi.

In the last three months, Roohi had been the biggest surprise of them all. Truly. She was kinder, softer, sweeter, empathetic and over more.. like the girl she had heard so many stories about.

She hoped the change was here to stay. Her parents, Neil Birla atleast would be happy too see her show some of his kindness, some of his innocence.

Now Roohi is pregnant. Now she was expecting a child. Abhira was over the moon. She was so happy. So.. so happy and it broke her heart. She couldn't hug her. She couldn't congratulate her.

Because of Vidya Poddar. Her husband's mother.

And Armaan hadn't said a word. Not. One. Word.

Something broke inside her. The Poddars hadn't left much of her intact so it surprised her when she heard the unmistakable sound of something breaking, felt the agony that accompanied it.

She had been trying. Trying. Trying. Trying. Failing. Failing. Failing. Armaan blamed her for the cake. Vidya blamed her for getting married. All in all, it came down to a single thing. Her inability to give them a grandchild. But she couldn't have done that even if she was capable because Armaan refused to look her in the eye, let alone touch her.

She made a call. "Am I talking to Keerti Singhania? My name is Abhira. I'm.." She sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, willing herself not to stutter, "I'm.. Akshara Sharma's daughter."

***

She took him by the arm and dragged him inside where the rest of the family was still celebrating Roohi's news. He was protesting, asking a million and one questions, but she ignored them. Once inside, she left his hand and ran up to where Roohi was sitting. She knelt in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Rooh. Mai tumhari.. tumhari khushi ke din ko yeh sad mod nahi dena chahti thi. But, Mai thak gayi hoon. Mujhse.. nahi ho raha aur. Mene bahot koshish ki.. Roohi.. but meri kismat mujhe khush nahi.. nahi dekhna chahti." She was so close to sobbing, that her voice cracked.

"Abhira.. beta.." Someone had piped up in protest, but she didn't acknowledge it. She simply took Roohi's hands and kissed her knuckles.

Then she stood up. She walked back to where her husband was standing and dragged him again towards his mother.