Completely Lovestruck

• | Response Nil! | •

"Aunty, please bura mat maaniye. My intention is not to interfere your personal matters par main ye ignore nahi kar sakti hoon. I feel as if aap Aditya se zyaada kisi aur baat ko lekar pareshan hai. Kal jab main lunch keliye aayi toh I saw, aapki aankhen nam thi aur aisa lagraha tha jaise, you have been crying aunty. Aap sach mein ro rahi thi na? Is baar bhi Aditya ko lekar ya phir koi aur issue?"

Anjana was petrified with Zoya's direct question.

Continued...

Zoya kept staring at Anjana with a glum expression since she had quite an idea what was coming her way. Anjana's face fell faster than she expected and her mouth hung low with lips slightly parted. Her eyes were widened with surprise unable to get hold of herself. As Zoya placed a warm hand over the mother's she could feel her nervousness with the shaking hold.

"Aunty, aap is baare mein baat nahi karna chahthi hai toh I don't mind. Ye aapki personal life hai. Aap mujhe abhi tak teek se jaanti bhi nahi hai aur aap soch rahi hogi ki why am I questioning you? With what right, haina? Please bhool jaiye ki maine aapke saath is baar mein poocha aunty.."

Zoya said in a dejected tone as she understood her mistake. She shouldn't pressurize Anjana or anyone to talk about what they don't want to talk willingly.

"No! Zoya, not at all. Tum mere liye anjaan nahi balki in kuchi dinon mein mujhe samajh mein aaya ki tum achchi ladki ho Zoya. Achche sanskaaron ke saath badi hui ho. I'm glad that you came here to stay with us. Aur kal.. main upset thi Zoya aur.. main ro rahi thi! Ha..."

Anjana's lips turned in to an awkward upward curve, stiffening at the cheeks. Zoya moved towards the door and closed it, putting the lock and came back and sat cross-legged on the bed as she knew that Anjana was perhaps deciding to continue with her tale. No one should have the slightest idea about their conversation if it should remain a secret. The mother stared outside the bedroom window, let go of a deep sigh and looked at Zoya, who nodded her head.

"Kya hua aunty? Aditya hi haina jis ne aapko rulaya? Kuch kaha unhone?"

Zoya asked concerned about the poor mother sitting in front of her. She was helpless as Aditya wasn't a typical son, who heeds to his mother. But from whatever the bits Zoya could gather about the background of Aditya's family she knew that he prefers his mother over his father, given the night how he defended his mother's secure nature towards him when both Aditya and Zoya returned home, late. Anjana meanwhile was struggling between two minds unable to comprehend whether she should take this broad step without letting her husband know and let Zoya in with their lifestyle and the secrets that they have been hiding from the society due to their reputation.

Is she trustworthy enough to let her know about my family? All of its pretense for so many years? How Aditya always quarrels with Harsh and brings the house down? How he has faced mental trauma and had to attend psychotherapy sessions as a teen? How I have cried for days? What will Harshwardhan say if he gets to know that nothing is hidden from Zoya anymore?

As Anjana thought to herself carefully, she didn't realize that Zoya had moved closer to her by keeping the bowl of peaches aside.

"Aunty, it's alright. Ab aap jaaiye aur aaram kijiye. Ye saari galti meri hain! Aap itni achchi mood mein thi aur maine raita faila diya. Extremely sorry Anjana aunty.."

Zoya's sincere apology melted Anjana's heart as she placed a caring hand touching the girl's left cheek.

"Nahi beta, tumne kuch gadhbadh nahi kiya hai in fact saara kasoor mera hai. Meri majboori hi is parivaar ko bighara tha aur woh bhi buri tareeke se.."

Zoya said nothing as she kept paying attention to whatever Anjana was saying.

"Harsh tumhare aane se pehele mujhse ek promise liya ki mujhe Adi ko tumhare saath dosti ka haath badhane keliye manana hoga aur maine usi silsile kal Adi se baat ki, kyun ki pehele mujhe time nahi mila. Most of the time as you already know beta woh ghar ke bahar hi rehetha hai. Par kal Adi ne mujhse jis tarah se baat ki, mujhe achcha nahi laga Zoya! He hurt me with his words and all I want is for him to be happy. I've failed as a mother, main kabhi achchi maa nahi ban paayi apne bete keliye..."