An Imperfect Story ||✔️||

19.

Svetlana: Papa ki maut ko 1 saal bhi nahi hua tha jab Amy... Amyra ko l...leukaemia ho gaya. Doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital; sabko consult kiya. Ya unke paas ummeed nahi hoti... ya humare paas treatment afford nahi kar sakte. Banks, relatives, Oberoi Mansion, inke office; mom aur main sabke chakkar kaatte rahe. Likin madad karna toh door, koi hume ek nazar dekhta bhi nahi tha. Aur doosron ki kya baat karoon. Yeh, Oberoi Family; Tej, Jahnvi, Shakti, Pinky, dad inke business partner, inke so-called friend they. Likin jab inke "friend" ki family apni beti ki zindagi maangne inke paas aaye, toh inhone aisa behave kiya jaise hum exist hi nahi karte. *with disgust* Aur kyoon karte? Ek "c..corrupt aadmi" ke parivaar ke liye kuch karne se inki izzat gir jaati na. Humare paas jo kuch bhi bacha tha, humne sab Amyra ke treatment mein laga diya. Likin hum...*teary eyed* uske liye bas ku...kuch din hi khareed paaye. Meri behen, me...meri Chhotu dard mein tadapti rahi aur main uska dard kam karne kuch nahi kar paayi. Woh... woh meri aankhon ke saamne humse ch...chhin gayi aur main kuch...kuch nahi kar paayi.

Svetlana fell to her knees, head down and shoulders shaking. Tia knelt beside her and hugged her tightly while being in tears herself.

Tia: Di, please apne aap ko blame mat kijiye. Aap khud bhi chhote they likin aap humare liye jo kar sakte they aapne kiya. Di please, Amy ke liye, don't blame yourself.

Svetlana: *breaks down in tears* I failed Amy, Tia. I failed you too. Tum... tum dono mujhe Rakhi baandhte the, maine tum dono ko protect karne ka promise kiya tha but main kuch nahi kar paaye.

Tia hugged her tighter.

For the first time, the Oberois felt their heart clench in pain for the two women.

Shivaay: Tia, Svetlana, main samajh sakta hoon tum dono par kya beet...

Svetlana: *shouts* TUM KUCH SAMAJH SAKTE. Tum kuch nahi samajh sakte Shivaay Singh Oberoi! Tumhare liye bhi apne parivaar ki izzat kisi cheez, kisi insaan se upar nahi hain. Tumhare bhai ko agar ek kharonch bhi aati hain toh tum use hurt karne wale ke khoon ke pyaase ho jaata ho toh tum kya samjhoge? Ek behen ko khone ka dard tum kya samjhoge?!

Anika went towards Svetlana and kept her hand on her shoulder. Seeing her, Svetlana and Tia got up. Unlike rest of the Oberois, Anika's expression was that of understanding.

Anika: Tumhara dard..main samajh sakti hoon. Apne papa ko khona, phir apni behen ko khona; maine... apne papa aur behen ko bachpan mein kho diya. Yeh dard kya hota hain, kaisa hota main achhi tarah samajhti hoon. Likin agar us dard ka ilaaj na ho, toh use chhod dena chahiye. Waqt ke saath dard... agar kam na bhi ho, toh uski aadat pad jaati hain. Likin us ghav ko kuredne se, uspar namak chidakne se aur dard aur taqleef ke alava kuch nahi milta. Main maanti hoon jab aapke dard ka kaaran aapke saamne ho, toh usse badla lene ke alava dimaag mein kuch nahi aata. Likin us badle ke aag mein kayi maasoom bhi jal jaate hain...aur sabse zyaada insaan khud. Svetlana, jo tumhare saath hua, bahot galat hua. Likin ab bas karte hain. Tum sabki zindagi ke itne saal barbaad ho chuke hain. Abhi bhi der nahi hui hain, tum apni baaki ki zindagi achhe-se jee sakte ho. Aur main tumhe woh mauka dena chahti hoon.

SveTia: *eyebrows furrowed* Matlab?

Anika: Matlab main, apni taraf se, tum logon ke khilaaf koi case nahi kar rahi.

All were surprised at Anika's statement.

Shivaay: Anika, jo kuch inhone tumhare saath kiya uske baad tum inhe maaf kar rahi ho?

Anika: Maaf nahi karoon toh aur kya karoon? Ek aur badle ke aag jala doon taaki jo bache hue log hain woh bhi us mein jal jaayein? Shivaay, humare parivaar ki wajah se jo inke saath hua aur jo inki wajah se humare saath hua, use badal toh nahi sakte na? Waqt aage chalta jaata hain, agar hum peechhe dekhkar chalenge toh ladkhadakar girenge. Main yeh ladaayi nahi lad sakti, kisi aur nahi kho sakti. Mujhse se yeh nahi hoga Shivaay.

Shivaay hugged Anika from her shoulders.

Shivaay: Main tumhare saath hoon Anika. Jitna waqt beet-ta jaayega, unti maasoom zindigiyaan juditi jaayenge aur...barbaad hoti jaayenge. I want to end it, too.

SveTia looked towards TejVi and Om.

Tej: *hesitantly* Tumhari family ke saath sahi nahi hua but we will compensate for...

Svetlana: Oh please! Mujhe tumhari charity nahi chahiye. Bas itna batao, tum mujhe sue karne wale ho ya nahi? Agar haan toh I'll see you in court or I'll see you never.

Jahnvi: "Never" matlab?

Svetlana: Matlab yeh ki main tumhari, tumhare pati aur bete Omkara ki zindagi se chali jaaoongi, for good. And don't think main tumse koi keemat maangoongi kyoonki yeh main tum logon ke liye kar bhi nahi rahi.

TejVi looked at each other than at Omkara before facing the Kapoor sisters.

Tej: Hum tumpar koi case nahi karenge likin tum bhi mere parivaar, at least mere baton ko akela chhod do.

Svetlana took off her engagement ring and tossed it to Om.

Svetlana: Jo 100 crore tumne mujhe transfer kiye the, woh tumhare account mein waapis pahonch jaayenge. *walks up to Mrs Kapoor* Mom, let's go, we're done here.

Mrs Kapoor: Svetlana hum haar nahi maan sakte...

Svetlana: Mom, try to understand, is badle kia ag yeh Oberois jale na jale, hum zaroor jal rahe hain. Papa aur Amy...waapis nahi aa sakte, humari zindagi ke khoye saal waapis nahi aa sakte. What's the point?

Mrs Kapoor was speechless. Svetlana held her from her shoulders and headed outwards. She stopped at the main door, she could feel all the eyes that were on her. She closed her eyes and sighed before she walked out the doors without turning back.

A/N: All Chamelis and kacche ande (raw eggs) welcome 😶