aurore - an unusual love story √

part thirty seven

Jai sat in the middle of the lounge. Unmindful. Detached. Lost.

The picture of a happy baby flashed through his eyes, and surprisingly he didn't mind.

Life was awkward. Life was weird. Life was a crossroad, itself.

Sonara had promised she would leave, once Maya returned. Jai knew, Maya Raichand would never let her leave. He had given up on thinking for sometime.

Now, he returned to calculating aspects again.

One thing he realised, whatever Sonara did was for no one else, not even herself. Only for her child.

And she could be immensely selfish for the very reason.

Jai's disgust decreased several folds, but not his anger at her opportunistic behaviour.

After storming his brain for a while , he decided he won't intervene if Maya kept her and she stayed. It was a matter amongst them.

The one thing he might do though, was inform his father. Only.

Sonara Parvez could do anything for her daughter. But it wasn't Jai Raichand's duty to ensure that she did so every time, specially when she didn't need his help any longer.

Jai smiled within. This time too she would find a way, even after being thrown out by Raghav Raichand.

Jai couldn't let Maya win. Nor fall low in everyone's eyes by intervening personally.

---

Maya walked into the mansion. And the first thing that caught her eyes was, Sonara sitting with her luggage packed and with Humaira in her lap on a sofa near the door.

" What's going on? " , Maya asked, rolling her eyes.

" Please allow me to leave. I know you tried helping me in my worst times but..... I cannot stay here for long. "

" Why? Are you free from that scoundrel? Did he call you and ask for forgiveness? "

" No.... But.... "

" But what?
I had promised you he would do exactly so. Fall on your feet and ask for forgiveness.

But for that we need some time, don't we? We need to reach the correct people who can help us. Why are you not ready to give me that time? " , Maya knew every word she should speak right now.

Sonara stood lowering her head, trying to gather what reason exactly she should provide. In no way could she utter that Jai Raichand didn't like her staying here.

" Tell me Sonara....what are you planning and why are you choosing to leave suddenly? "

Sonara stayed silent yet again, for a while. After which she slowly uttered,

" I think I should fight my battles alone. I cannot repay big debts. "

Maya stared at Sonara, her deep eyes boring through her skin.

" Who reminded you these?
You can share with me. " , she uttered distinctly.

" My conscience did. You might give me the number of the police commissioner we were about to visit, or just keep him informed about me. But I really cannot stay in this mansion any longer. " , Sonara too sounded very distinct with her words.

Maya didn't take a second longer to realise that Sonara wasn't any dancing doll who could be stringed and forced.

However, she could at no cost let her leave this house.
She knew very well, Jai had asked her to leave. But her not taking Jai's name for even once, convinced her of the fact that if worked upon, she could succeed in her mission.

Hence she chose reverse psychology.

" Fine. I'm no one to hold you back. Life is yours. The choice has to be too. You may leave. And I've already kept Rajat informed about you. Here's his address and contact, you can visit him anytime.

Just that I've got a simple request.

And you cannot say a no to that if you are a good mother.

Till you sort out issues with your life, keep Humaira here with us. I don't want a baby I know, to endure turmoils in life, specially when I can do a lot for her. "

Sonara stared at her, spell bound.
Her eyes welled up, instantly.

Life was awkward. Life was weird. Life was a crossroad in itself.

" I admit I don't stay at home all the time. But my brother mostly does. And we have a hugely dependable set of housekeepers. My mom and dad too would return in sometime. In all, Humaira will get the kind of protection, you might not be able to give her.

I might sound rude, you are her mother and the baby is safest with its mother. But if the mother itself is laid down with issues in life, and she's stubborn enough to not have external help, even if for the sake of her child, it's a third person that needs to intervene. "

Maya Raichand had till date never lost a game of chess. She knew very well how to corner the opponent, and how to double cross.

A responsible mother like Sonara would think trillion times now before bowing the head of her little child before her own self esteem.
She would choose to stay back.
And even if she didn't, she would keep Humaira. And once she did, a child is always the best weapon to melt a man.

Humaira would serve as the bait for Jai to develop an unbreakable connection with a baby at home....and definitely her mother, very soon.
Maya Raichand knew her brother, extremely well.

Her chain of thoughts broke to pieces, when Sonara spoke,

" Thank you so much for the offer again, Maya ma'am. You are a very good human. May Allah bless you always.

But Humaira cannot stay without me. Nor can I.

And I believe too, a child, however small she is, should witness her parent's struggle while growing up, instead of remaining within some protected boundaries.
I always had this notion, but was blinded suddenly by spontaneously arriving helps. Thanks to my stars that I got my eyesight back.

Thank you once again for being so generous, Maya ma'am. "

Maya's brows squeezed. Was she losing a game of chess for the first time in life? Could she really afford to?

Sonara picked up her bag.

" I admit, a child should know what her parents went through. But what's the use of putting her through such nightmares when you can easily avoid them, Sonara? " , one last try, on Maya's part.

Sonara smiled.

" We cannot fight with our fates, ma'am. My child could have easily born with silver spoons between her lips. But that didn't happen.

And I cannot afford to provide her momentary luxuries, under whose debts I'll have to stop breathing in future. No, I'm not even that selfless a mother. "

Sonara turned to go.
Maya stood silently, watching her dream break into pieces.

Exactly when, a baritone spoke from behind both of them,

" You don't need to be a rebel, with everything in life, Sonara Parvez.

At times, know to accept things as they come.

Stay back. For the child. "

The receding footsteps of a mother, stopped.

However, was she who stopped, only a mother ?

----

Happy Sunday and I won't mind if you don't read boring stories on a beautiful holiday.

But if you did read by any chance, why do you think Sonara was stopped by the baritone?

Bye bye.