Part 1
Lavanya and Shailja started for Singapore from Kolkata as Lavanya's vacation has started. Pulak was also going to reach Singapore the next day from Australia. Shailja knows as soon as they reach home, Lavanya is going to ask questions when she will see the middle door closed and entrance from another side. So she decided to tell her everything during the flight. As Shailja was narrating her everything, tears were rolling down from her eyes. Lavanya’s soft heart is aching with the pain that such a thing can happen with her parents. To accept this fact that her parents are not together any more is very difficult for her but it is a harsh reality. Shailja hugged her and gave her the strength to take in everything.
As soon as they reached home, Lavanya opened the middle door. Shailja didn’t say anything. The next day Pulak also arrived. Looking at everyone’s face, he understood something was wrong. Lavanya told him everything and started crying like a baby in front of her brother.
“Why bhaiya?? Why did this happen with our parents? This is such a terrible feeling.” Lavanya cried her heart out.
Pulak was shocked after knowing everything but he handled himself. He kept himself strong and sat near Lavanya and hugged her. He consoled her.
“See Lavanya… when we are feeling so terrible, how Mumma would have felt when she got to know about it. How difficult it would be for her to accept all this? But she never let us know anything. She made herself strong throughout this time and now it is our responsibility to support her and respect her decision whatever it would be.” Pulak explained her with maturity.
Shailja heard their conversation from outside and her eyes filled with tears. She can see her kids have grown mature and sincere. Now it's time for her to make a decision.
The next day she went to meet Vinay Uncle. Uncle gave her condolences and asked about her mother.
“Uncle, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart that you helped me in my hard time and kept your faith in me. You guided me with patience and did so much for me and returned everything.” Shailja said gratefully.
“Shailja… My experienced eyes read your sad eyes and dull face that day. Whenever parents give Jewelry to their daughters, they keep it like their treasure for their whole life. When you brought them here to sell off, that moment only I understood there must be some major reason behind it. So I immediately informed your father. ” Vinay Uncle told her.
Shailja couldn’t control and tears rolled down from her eyes. She told him everything about Abhay. She also told him that now her mother doesn’t want her to stay here anymore. Vinay Uncle took a deep breath after hearing everything and offered her a glass of water.
“Shailja… I think your mother is absolutely correct. There is no future of the work, which you are doing here and also nothing left in this relationship. There are no certainties of these visas and work permits as well. You should go back and handle your father’s business with the experience, which you gained here. The circumstances are built as such that you have to face it with your maturity. Take your decision with a calm and composed mind.” Vinay uncle advised her calmly.
“You are right Uncle. I have to make a decision. Kids also knew everything now. I cannot leave my mother alone as well. And anyway I don’t have any place left in Abhay’s life.” She took his blessing and left for home.
After a few days, she sat with the kids and asked Abhay that she wanted to tell him something. She put forward her decision of going back to Kolkata and staying with her mother in precise and succinct words without any fight or blames. Abhay was stunned with her decision. But he didn’t stop her. Still, he has no regrets about what he had done. He only said, “As you wish.”
Shailja ended her conversation saying only one last thing, “Kids belong to both of us. So we both hold responsibilities for them and their future. They can visit and stay with any of us whenever they want.” She sounded firm and strong.
Kids also accepted and were happy with the decision. They don’t want their parents to hang with each other because of them and live an unsatisfied life. It would be best and peaceful for everyone.
Pulak went back to Australia after his vacation got over. Shailja and Lavanya also took the flight to Kolkata. But this new Shailja was reflecting only one thought – “A strong woman will automatically stop trying if she feels unwanted. She won’t fix it or beg, she’ll just fly away.”
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Part 2
Aakash got to know that Shailja went back to India for good. He was shocked to learn this but he was unaware that Preeti had played a vital role in all this.
“Preeti… do you know what happened between Abhay and Shailja? She went back to Kolkata. I asked Abhay but he didn’t say anything. Do you have any idea what is the reason?”
Preeti got nervous with Aakash’s question. She replied with a little-shocked face hiding her nervousness, “Yes… I got to know about it at the kitty party. It must be their personal matter. How would I know about it?” She was sweating with A.C. on. She had not expected that Shailja would leave everything like this.
Now she started feeling that Aakash is getting suspicious about her behavior. She became cautious now. Now meeting Abhay like before is not very practical as there were no family dinners anymore. Even she is finding it quite risky meeting him alone also. She is finding it difficult to avoid Aakash’s growing inquiries on going out and chatting on the phone. On the other side, she realized that due to a lack of attention towards her kids, they have moved to the wrong paths. They were not in good company and started telling lies and making excuses.
Gradually she started realizing that her family is also falling apart because of her negligence and involvement with Abhay. She thought about it and decided that still there is time and she can fix this. She started making herself distant from Abhay.
“Preeti… why are you not replying to my messages these days?” One day Abhay asked with irritation.
“Actually I went out with kids to watch a movie. And then we all went out for dinner. I couldn’t get time to check my phone.” She replied casually.
Now Preeti started avoiding taking his calls and replying to his messages. One day Abhay kept on calling continuously. After 3-4 hours she finally picked his call.
“What is this Preeti? I am calling you for so long. Why aren’t you answering?” Abhay lost his cool and kind of shouted at her.
“Look Abhay, I also have my own life and commitments. I am not bound to take your calls. I will take it whenever I feel. Anyways I am very tired. I am going to sleep. Bye.”
“Preeti… Listen to me.” Abhay pleaded but she already hung upon him.
Abhay was not able to understand this sudden change in her behavior. Preeti knew that he would not stop calling or messaging and she couldn't block his number. He will call with some other number. So she changed her number and didn’t inform him. Now meeting Preeti has become way more difficult for Abhay. He only got to meet her occasionally in some business parties or so and that too with Aakash. If he tries to talk to her, she simply makes some or the other excuse and completely avoids him.
This new version of Shailja and Preeti made Abhay paralyzed and he was deeply hurt. But he has to reap what he sowed.
After 2 years
Outside food, smoking, drinking alcohol, wrong company, adultery, and most of all the frustration of getting dumped made Abhay completely hollow from inside. But still, his ego and pride haven’t got down a bit. He was trying to find happiness and satisfaction with these outside things and people. He is not accepting the fact that they cannot give him the happiness he is trying to seek. He was like this from the beginning – for momentary happiness he ignored long-lasting happiness of life.
One night, he felt a terrible pain in his stomach and started vomiting. He lied on the bed. He doesn’t have the strength to stand up and take medicine. He is feeling dizzy and nervous, as there was blood in his vomit. He slept just like that. The next morning he felt a little better and rushed to the hospital. The doctor immediately attended him and did a number of tests. Reports were supposed to come in the evening. He was lying on the bed in a private ward all-alone. In the evening, the doctor came on the round with reports. The doctor asked him to get admitted instantly as they have to start the treatment from the very next day.
As it is rightly said Karma knows its address. Till late night, Abhay’s eyes were staring at the ceiling holding a report in his hands. Disease name was written in a bold letter – Hepatocellular Carcinoma(Liver Cancer).
