CHAPTER - 19

Pallavi is now removed from Bharka’s film too. She got an official confirmation of the same through news channels. Her parents have zeroed in on her childhood friend Arjun Saxena as her prospective groom and are pressurizing her for the match. But her current tension is not the downward graph of her career or her parents or Arjun, but Pranav.

He is not coming to meet me and during calls and messages he seems disoriented but refuses to admit the same. Something has happened and he’s hiding it from me.

When it continued for a week, she decided to meet him directly and find out the reason for his weird behaviour. But when she finally made it to his home, she was unprepared to see a messed up Pranav. He is clearly drunk but still in senses; but didn’t give her any proper answers.

“That’s enough now. Tell me what’s bothering you right away. I want to know why you have been avoiding me. And if you’re not going to give me a straight answer then you won’t hear any more questions from me King”.

 He knew her enough to know she’s stubborn to stick to her words. He has prolonged this moment long enough. He knew he had to come clean before she gets to know from someone else.

“Janaki is...pregnant”.

Pallavi didn’t know how to react to what she just heard.       She kept looking at him in shock.

“The IVF treatment......got a positive result finally”.

He moved his gaze away from her unable to look into her eyes. They sat in silence; one unable to take in what she heard and the other unable to take in what’s going to happen next.

“King....”

“She wants to keep the baby; divorce decision is left to my choice”.

Pallavi felt suffocated.

“I haven’t made a final decision yet Pallavi. Just relax”.

“What do you mean?”

“Means I’m perfectly capable of taking a decision which will benefit all of us. I’ll surely take up my child’s responsibility but I don’t have to lose you”.

They both stared in each other’s eyes for some minutes.

“Is it so? Then why were you avoiding me? Why are you still looking torn?”

He averted his eyes once again. And in that moment she knew; she knew he is torn between his child and her. He is wordlessly giving away the duty of making a decision to her. On one hand, he’s selfish, not making a choice on own and burdening her with it; but he’s also giving her the chance to hold on to her remaining self respect, by walking out on him.

“I’m going to Shimla tomorrow”.

His attention is immediately on her.

“Papa and Amma are worried. I can’t push their concerns for long. Its better I go there and face them. Otherwise they’ll bring themselves here. I don’t want to trouble them more”.

He looked down unable to ignore what she’s trying to tell him.

“Don’t go....”

“I have to”

“Is it that easy?”

“YOU are asking me that?”

“We can work something out. Give me some time”.

She didn’t reply for a long while.

“It is no more about you and me. Till now, no matter what my parents said, what society called me, I never thought of this. But from this point on if we go ahead, then it will be the worst mistake of our lives. There has to be a limit to selfishness too”, her eyes moistened.

He looked away.

“A child needs both parents. I needn’t tell you this. You and Janaki are victims of broken marriages. Do you want your son or daughter to go through the same thing?”

“That’s the only thing stopping me Pallavi. I’m not able to choose myself over my child. I don’t want to be like my parents”.

She nodded gulping down her pain.

“I know......Whenever I felt guilty about Janaki, I used to console myself with the fact that she’ll someday find someone for herself. But this child....will not get the love of a father from anyone but you. It’s your duty....to give him that ...I....I know”.

She didn’t resist the tears this time.

“What about you Pallavi?”

She gave a sarcastic smile amidst the tears.

“I entered this relationship with my eyes open; so half of the blame is mine. So don’t worry about me. Give Janaki and yourself a chance again. Ask her what she wants and try sincerely for the sake of the kid”.

They sat numb in each other’s company.

“Bye”

He reached her in no time and kissed her; she responded too. They kissed each other with desperation and all their emotions came through in that kiss – anger, pain, guilt, regret.

She broke the kiss and walked out of his house as fast as she can while he stood lifeless in his hall.

This is our The End.

Next dawn, Pallavi started in her car for the airport. Unknown to her Pranav’s car followed her till the airport. He saw the driver dropping her at the gates and her walking in, papparazi covering her from sides. He saw her for one last time.

5 years ago on such a dawn, he had met Pallavi in cemetery. And on today’s dawn, he saw her going away, just like she had entered his life.