Second Love (Completed)

Chapter 18

"Maa, papa!" Sanyukta mumbled under her breath. She was too shocked to see them as well as happy too.

"Maa, papa aap dono!" She said happily and hugged her mom.

"Maa aap kaise ho, papa aap?" She asked with a smile.

"Jaisa tune rakha hai hume!" Kishor ji murmured which was inaudible for others but Sanyukta's smile vanished after listening to this, she looked at him surprisingly.

"Aare mummy, papa; aap dono achanak?" Randhir asked and about to touch their feet but stopped by Kishor ji.

"Nahi nahi beta, tum humare damad ho, tumhari jagah humare pau mein nahi hai." Kishor ji said in an ubar sweet voice thus Randhir smiled a little.

"Ji aap log achanak?" Randhir asked, stealing a glance of Sanyukta.

"Haan beta, beti ka baap hu issi liye aana hi pada!" Kishor ji said thus fastened his heartbeats.

"Kahi Sanyukta ne apne parents ko sab kuch bata toh nahi diya!" He gulped hard.

"Sanyukta ne jo kiya uske liye hum tumse maafi mangna chahte thay beta, please hume maaf kar do." Kishor ji joined his hand thus Randhir got shocked.

"Aare ye aap kya kar rahe hai papa?" He asked, holding Kishor's hand.

"Aur aap mujhse maafi kyun mang rahe hai?" Randhir asked confusingly.

"Beta humne news mein dekha sab kuch, ke kaise wo press aur media wale tumhara aur samdhi ji ka insult kar rahe thay! Unke ware mein galat baatein kar rahe thay, aur ye sab kuch Sanyukta ki wajah se. Please use maaf kar do bete, main promise karta hu uski wajah se tum sab ko phir koi takleef nahi hogi." Kishor ji pleaded with moist eyes when Sanyukta stood there numb. She can't even imagine that her parents came here to accuse her.

"Nahi papa iss mein Sanyukta ki koi galti nahi hai, jo kuch bhi hua accidentally hua. Aap log please tension mat lijiye." Randhir replied hesitatingly.

"Haan Kishor bhai sahab, Sanyukta ne hi toh situation ko sambhala hai, warna pata nahi kya hota! Waise Sanyukta ne aaj se college join kar liya hai, maine bataya na aap logo ko." Renuka said with a smile.

"Waise shaadi ke baad ladki ki dhyan sirf apne pati aur ghar sansar mein hona chahiye. Harsh bhai sahab ne tujhe padne ki izazat de diya hai iss ki ye matlab nahi ke tu apna saara time kitabo mein hi barbaad kare!" Anju said sternly, thus Sanyukta looked down.

"Nahi Anju ji, Sanyukta toh sabka kitna dhyan rakhti hai, mujhe toh ek bhi kaam nahi karne deti. Sanyukta jau bhai sahab aur Anju ji ko apne room mein le jau." Renuka smiled at her, thus she nodded.

"Nahi bhabhi ji, hum toh bass samdhi ji aur damad ji se maafi mangne aaye thay, ab chalenge. Hum itne bhi gaye guzre nahi jo beti se akele mein baat karke aap ka apmaan karenge. Sanyukta ab hamari beti nahi aap ki bahu hai, uss par ab hamara koi haq nahi." Kishor ji said straight, thus breaking Sanyukta's heart in a thousand pieces.

As if girls were mere objects, not living beings, to be sacrificed by their parents to another's whims and forgotten like ashes in the wind. Sanyukta's heart seethed with anguish as she swallowed her pain, the bitter taste of abandonment lingering within.

"Achchha toh hum chalte hai." Kishor ji said.

"Ji driver aap dono ko chhod aayega." Randhir said.

"Nahi beta uski jarurat nahi, khush rehna." Kishor ji said and this time Randhir touched their feet.

"Jeete raho beta." Anju blessed him. Sanyukta also touched their feet.

"Sab ka dhyan rakhna, yaad rakhna sab ki khushi mein hi tumhari khushi hai." Anju said slowly.