Hail The Kalyug! #YourStoryIndia

The Talk.

Scene XI

The curtain is raised.

Our Mia needs a minute.Why don't we check out the one who caused the need in the meanwhile?

Mrs Verma : You sent Mia to arrange the files in the basement?

Mr Verma : Who told you about all this?

Mrs Verma : Your dear Sophie.

Mr Verma : And why did you talk to her?

Mrs Verma : Oh sorry, I was worried about my daughter who hasn't been home since dawn.

Mr Verma : She left at 10!

Mrs Verma : Whatever. I hadn't seen her all day long and Cynthia told me you sent her to your office.Do you know she left from there two hours ago? She still isn't home.

Mr Verma : I didn't expect her to be.

Mrs Verma : Why are you so okay with it? Aren't you worried? What if something happens to her?

Mr Verma : She's my daughter.She'll be fine.

Mrs Verma : Fine? She has never been fine, Mr Verma.You don't see it, do you? Why did you let her see the files?

Mr Verma : She deserves her answers. I'm just trying to help her.You don't see her the way I do.Her anxiety is beating her up from inside.

Mrs Verma : And instead of telling her everything yourself you just let her gather all of it herself. Why do you always do that to her? She's not as strong as she shows herself to be.

Mr Verma : Don't you think I know that? I'm her father.I know everything.But I couldn't tell her myself.I don't want her to hear my biased opinions. I want her to see the facts and then decide for herself.

Mrs Verma : Decide what?

Mr Verma : Who she's gonna live with. We're getting a divorce, remember?

Mrs Verma : So this about that.You...you are probably right . It's high time she got to know the truth. But I'm still worried about her.

Mr Verma : You don't need to worry . She'll be fine.

Mrs Verma : I sure hope so.

Mr Verma : I'll just call up Aarush. She should be with him.

Mrs Verma : Yeah.But no, don't call.Let her be.Drop a message, though.

Mr Verma : Alright.

Mrs Verma : This is the first civil conversation we've had in a while.

Mr Verma : Yeah.I don't understand it, though.Why do you care about Mia so much?

Mrs Verma : I would be lying if I say I consider her my daughter. She's my support system.She has always been there to pick me up.That poor girl had to hold the weight of her own parents.
Mr Verma : I wish I could've given her a better childhood. This was not how I wanted my daughter to grow up.She didn't even get to be a kid.

Mrs Verma : It's the right decision.

Mr Verma : What?

Mrs Verma : The divorce.

Mr Verma : Yeah, I don't want her to suffer more because of us.

Mrs Verma : Is it only because of her?

Mr Verma : I wish I could blame her.But no.We're incompatible. We held on for way too long than we should've.

Mrs Verma : Do you really regret marrying me?

Mr Verma : Not really.I needed you at that moment and you've been a great mother to Mia.

Mrs Verma : But I do regret marrying you.

Mr Verma : Really? Why?

Mrs Verma : I could've been so much more.I didn't see the potential in me when I was young.But now, as I run my boutique, I realise I could've done this even then.I didn't need you.

Mr Verma : Huh! You really are delusional.

Mrs Verma : Sorry?

Mr Verma : You should be.Who started you goddamn boutique? Me.Who invested in it? Me.And you say you didn't need me? I never needed you, dear.I could've easily thrown your manipulative self out.

Mrs Verma : Why didn't you?

Mr Verma : Oh you don't even deserve to know that.

Mrs Verma (with a sigh) : We always end up fighting.

Mr Verma : It's all your fault.

Mrs Verma : Well, someone has to take the blame.

Mrs Verma exits.

Mr Verma sinks low in his armchair and shuts his eyes for the longest time.He isn't used to this emotion.He can't comprehend why he's suddenly not so numb.

The curtain is drawn.