Pranav got to know Janaki is back in
town. He decided to meet her and prepare her for the media glare around their
divorce. He reached her home and headed for the open door eyeing another car
inside the premise.
“How many times I have to advise you to
not take stress? It is not good for your condition. But you never listen”.
Janaki had a low BP but luckily her maid
saw her fainting and rang for Sheila, their family doctor, who was scolding her
for her carelessness. This is the sight that greeted Pranav.
“What’s going on here?”
He acknowledged Sheila with a nod,
and strode towards Janaki.
“Janaki, what happened?”
Janaki stared straight into his eyes.
“Nothing Dev, just low BP; it’s very
normal during pregnancy I guess”.
Her casual statement hit Pranav like a
whiplash. It was unprecedented on many levels for him that he could not bring
himself to react in any manner. But maybe due to her mood swings, suddenly
Janaki felt really comfortable and cool in conducting this conversation. Her
ire got the better of her. A blind fury is propelling within her to burst it
all out on him. Mindful of the tension, Sheila took leave of them. Maids also
retreated to their quarters offering them the much needed privacy to hold this
unavoidable discussion.
“I think you should just speak up Pranav.
I know you are not happy with this news, but we can hardly deny this. What do
you want me to do?”
He closed his eyes unable to react to
this sudden change in his life. Janaki’s sarcastic question pulled him out of
his stupor.
“Do you want me to abort our child?”
“SHUT UP Janaki! I never said anything
like that”.
Janaki nodded mockingly.
“Okay, one question down. So now what
are you going to do about this? You are in LOVE with someone else. But unfortunately
I am carrying your child. Now what? Whom are you going to choose? How are you
going to solve this problem?”
No
matter how much I love this man, I’m feeling really good when I can hurt him
like this. I know he is hurting but I can’t care less. He doesn’t want me to
abort the child. Then what does he want from me now, from Pallavi?
It is like she is getting some
kind of a pleasure by being sarcastic of his plight. Her hormones are driving
her to be cold so that it can save her mind from the hurt that is to follow.
“I need time to think on this. But I
want to know something”.
She signed him to go ahead.
“Do you want this child?”
She looked at him with wide eyes.
Sensing her anger, he rephrased his words.
“No Janaki, I do not mean what you are
assuming. It’s just that, you know the timing. Right now we are on the verge of
parting our ways. This situation is my mistake. I just want to know if you are
really keen on having this baby. I don’t want to add any liability to your
life”.
“My child is NOT a liability for me
Pranav. But I’m not sure about your thoughts on the same”.
“Right now I’m confused....I don’t want
to give a rushed answer. It’s just that....everything was going good. But this
baby now, changes a lot of things. I just don’t know”.
A giggle left her lips. Slowly she
started laughing like possessed.
“Can people be so selfish? I know you
don’t love me, yet I’m swallowing my self-respect and literally trying for a
second chance for our child’s future. But you....how can you still think only
about your happiness, even now?”
He had no reply.
“You know what, though my mind told me
that you might not need this child, I never for once thought you will consider
your happiness before your own child. I thought….I thought you will at least
think for your child’s future. But all you can bother about is your happiness,
your life! You don’t even care for your own child before you needs; how SICK!”
“SHUT UP. You’re going overboard Janaki.
I know, my reaction is not ideal, but neither did I ask you to abort the
child’s existence for my happiness”.
“It doesn’t make you noble Pranav. I can
see it in your stance; you’re still trying to accommodate your happiness along
with this. You’re searching for solutions so that you don’t have to lose
anything but also take up this responsibility. You’re not willing to compromise
Pallavi, even for your child”.
“Oh so this is it. Now we are talking. How
are you different then Janaki? You’re also using your child for YOUR
happiness”.
Furious tears filled her eyes.
“What? Can’t hear the truth now? All
this being extra, is not for the unborn child, but for you. This is your last
chance at a life with me and you’re simply trying to grab it. But I won’t blame
you Janaki. Because when it comes to one’s own happiness, all are selfish. I
won’t judge you. But it’s my choice who I want to choose”.
She is stung by his words. She doesn’t
know if it is the truth in his words or anger at him for his selfishness or her
jealousy, but she blurted out.
“Are you sure you still have the right
to make a choice here Pranav? Will your lover still need you when she comes to
know you’ve fathered a child with me?”
She finished with a smug vengeance. His
face went pale.
“Let’s see if she is also as selfish
like us and if her parents let her be so, that she decides to spoil a child’s
future. Let’s see what the mighty Pranav Malhotra does if she denies for his
wedding bells”, she finished with a mocking expression.
Pranav had nothing to say.
