aurore - an unusual love story √

part seventy one

Like a lightning strike, a powerful slap hit his face, leaving him dejected for a moment.

And before he could reorganise himself, he heard a thunderbolt.

Actually two, together.

One of them shrieked,
" Aunty!!!!
I'll leave, I'll leave right away!!
You please calm down, and Jai doesn't deserve this, never, for me!!
Please don't do this to him..... "

The other, was even more powerful.
" Sonara!! Shut your mouth up, for god's sake!!
You won't leave, in fact, no one will leave ever again for the sake of the guardians of Raichand mansion...!! "

Jai stared at the two, one after the other.

His love, his woman, looked shattered, extremely vulnerable at the moment, yet staring with all her strength, at their hope, one of the biggest hopes in this suddenly estranged house.
Maya. His sister.

Siddhi Raichand suddenly crashed on the sofa, as if unable to bear the impact of her own actions. She cupped her face in her palms.

Jai went completely silent. He needed to rearrange his thought process. Because he had just realised, his battle was growingly bigger than he had ever imagined.

He had always had this faint hope that the love for him his parents owned was bigger than any of the ideals they perpetually held. But he was slowly being proved wrong. As if he was walking on a seemingly peaceful desert, and suddenly caught in quicksand.

He wound his arm across Sonara's shoulder and pressed reassuringly. He then looked at Maya, who seemed to be disoriented big time, maybe back to some terrible pool of the past.

Jai walked across them and knelt on the ground before Siddhi.
Placing his hand on her knees. She shivered and looked up, streams flowing down her eyes.

" Why did you do this Jai? " , she slowly asked.

" I did nothing mom. I just loved!!
For once can we look beyond religion and status, at the beauty of the human in front? Her strengths, her guts, her struggles, don't they matter? " , he spoke as softly as he could.

" No, they don't matter to them!!! You better not beg Jai!! You will receive nothing in return!!! " , Maya Raichand uttered distinctly.

Siddhi glared at her. But she was loosing strength as well.

" Di... Calm down...

I am trying to handle... " , Jai said.

" I know you are! I wish you all the best as well..
But I am highly astounded by this woman who is supposed to be our mother as well.
However, all she is, is Raghav Raichand's wife.
And she calls you brainwashed, when she's an epitome of a lifeless, strung, wooden doll herself, dancing on her husband's wish! "

" Maya!!!!! You better stay in your limits otherwise........ " , Siddhi shot up from the sofa, and approached Maya at the speed of a bullet.

Sonara cupped her face, Jai stood up dumbstruck.

" Otherwise what???
Will you slap me like you did to my brother?
Or better, will you get me killed like you did to Farhan???? "

Sonara wailed, but silenced her sobs with her own palm.

Jai freezed....not even his heart beat for a moment.

And Siddhi Raichand, lost every ability a living individual possesed, standing like a doll of wax.

The Raichand Mansion turned into a
pyre, where human flesh silently burnt.

_________

The greenroom buzzed with a huge crowd of people dressing themselves up in as many ways as they could, while Maya stood at one corner with her bag of lehenga - choli and stuffs.