Parivara: Story of a Family

23 : Cold Attitude

It was one week after Rakesh and Vishu had left, and already news of their return reached the castle. They had finished controlling the situation in the warring province, and had actually successfully brought peace to it with limited casualties. Both the men were fine, and would be home by that evening.

For the whole week while Rakesh had been gone, Divya had kept herself away from everyone except her mother. She would spend the day with Maa, doing pretty much nothing, and then lock herself in her room for the night. She knew Abhay had been wanting to speak with her and visit her at night, but she would find excuses to avoid him especially. She practically hadn't spoken a word to anyone that whole week.

She couldn't sleep much either. Without Rakesh to hold her, nights seemed cold and scary. The dark rooms seemed to haunt her, and she found herself taking walks in the garden to stay away from the sadness of it all.

Meanwhile, Payal still received almost all of Abhay's attention for that week, spending time with him during the days and nights. She would even give him advice when he sought it, helping him with his business. She was torn between letting her happiness cloud her, and letting her anxiety attack her. She felt as if she were his wife and confidante, but she knew this wasn't the case at all. She was the woman he kept behind locked doors, never showing her off and instead afraid someone will know about them.

Aditi had been much the same as Divya, except she actually hadn't spoken one word. She would go to her lessons, then spend the day locked in her rooms, sewing and changing her outfits many times. She would do anything to keep herself busy, and to keep her mind off of her emotions.

But sometimes she couldn't help the world becoming quiet around her and her thoughts taking over. She felt horrible about the way she had spoken to Vishu before he left. It had left a sad hole in her stomach, and the feeling kept gnawing away at her with each passing day. What if he didn't return, and he died thinking about those vile words she had said?

Thankfully, he hadn't died and was now returning and she knew she had to apologize. She had to tell him she wanted to be his friend, but nothing more. They could never be together, but she could not live with herself while he was so hurt.

Upon hearing the good news of their success in the province, Papa planned a large dinner party in Rakesh and Vishu's honor that night. Aditi got ready for the party, dressing in a pretty pink lehenga (gown) and wearing heavy jewelry. She fixed herself one last time before the mirror, and then left her room to look for Vishu. She went by his room and saw he wasn't there. She began walking around the castle to see if she could catch him anywhere. Finally, she happened to glance out over the castle walls to the fields behind the castle, and saw him pacing around slowly in the tall grass.

Aditi made her way out to the fields quickly and walked over to him. Vishu turned when he heard her jewelry chiming, and his face looked strained. She stopped a couple feet away from him and simply said, "Hello."

Vishu didn't respond, looking back down at the ground and kicking some dirt. Aditi swallowed her nerves and tried again. "You look nice. Is that a new outfit for the party tonight?"

"Yes. Your father was so kind as to provide new clothes for his servant boys," Vishu finally spoke, spitting out his words as if they were venom.

Aditi decided to look over his statement, instead remarking, "Congratulations on the success in the new province. Everyone is so proud."

"Even you? Are you proud of this servant boy, because it looks like he is finally going to get somewhere in his life?"

Aditi sighed and said, "Vishu--" but she was interrupted.

"No, Aditi." He almost growled. "I've heard enough. I remember every single word you said to me that day. Your words kept echoing in my mind as I fought and worked this past week, pushing me to keep going because maybe I'll prove myself worthy of you. But why should I? You want some king, and I am not that. In fact, I am nothing to you."

"That's not true," She told him adamantly. "Vishu, I want to apologize for what I said. It was wrong of me to say those things, and to hurt you like that. I never meant to. I've always considered you my best friend. You're the only person who knows the real me. I want us to still be friends. I want us to go back to the way things were before everything."

"Everything?" He asked. "You mean before we admitted what we felt to each other? Because I don't want to go back to chasing you around the castle and playing stupid pranks. I've grown up since then, and I don't want to go back to being a silly child."

Vishu stormed past Aditi and left the fields. She stood watching the spot where he'd stood, feeling whatever was left of her heart break a little more.

***

The dinner party was roaring with life and laughter. Everyone was so thrilled with the way things had gone in the province. Papa had made a beautiful speech honoring Rakesh and Vishu, and both men were blushing with the praise. They were being congratulated left and right, their work in the province amazing everyone.

Aditi would catch Vishu's gaze sometimes and try to smile at him, but his face would only frown in disappointment before he turned away.

As Rakesh turned to shake hands and accept more congratulations, his eyes met Divya's. She looked beautiful in a jeweled lehenga with an elegant dupatta, and their first glance pierced his chest as painfully as an arrow. She held her hands up, palms together, in greeting, but he could only give a curt nod in return.

"Congratulations," she told him quietly.

Rakesh opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. He could not go along with this, as if every second he spent with her wasn't paining him, so he only nodded again and turned away.

When he practically ignored her so, it tore Divya apart, but she couldn't blame him. She'd told him they had to end their relationship, and he was only doing as he was told. It made her sick, and she had to leave the party early before her emotions completely took hold of her.