Chapter 28

unicornwriter

@unicornwriter

CHAPTER 27 : OUT IN THE OPEN

From here onwards kaka and kaku will be addressed as Aai and Baba respectively.

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Pallavi was enjoying with her family when she heard a voice call out to her.

"Pallu" Sharda Aai called out to her as Pallavi shut her eyes ready to face her past once again for one last time.

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"Pallu" Sharda Deshmukh called out again.

"Hello Mrs Deshmukh." Pallavi turned replying to the person she once trusted the most in her life.

"Pallavi yeh tu kya bol rahi hai?" Milind Kaka asked confused with the entire outlook of the situation.

"Waise hi jaise mujhe karna chahiye kaka." Pallavi replied folding her hands infront of her chest.

"Sharda tum iss ladki ke liye aansu bahar rahi thi jo apni nayi zindagi main khush hai. Jisse hamari zara bhi chinta nahin hai." Mr Deshmukh taunted.

"Ab aisi ladki se aur kya ummeed bhi kar sakte hai dada." Kaku added.

"Bass yeh mera competition hai aur yahan aapka koi drama nahin chalega. Jo aapko yahan laya hai usse kahiye aapko wapas le jaaye." Pallavi showed her palm as she gave Raghav a pointed look, turning her back to her new family she addressed Aaji.

"Aaji main kapde change krke aati hoon. Thori der main announcement hoga." Pallavi smiled at Aaji as she made her way towards the greenroom area only to be followed by everyone as Keerti turned Pallavi by her elbow.

"Tumhe inhe jawab nahin dena hai toh mat do lekin tumhe Amma aur mujhe jawaab dena hoga Pallavi." Keerti raised her voice to which Raghav moved forwards but Pallavi stopped him.

"Jawaab sunna hai? Aap sab ko janna hai na. Toh suno kyunki main thak gayi thi Pallavi Deshmukh aur Pallavi Raghav Rao bankar." Pallavi shouted back, "aur main thak gayi thi har kisiki zindagi main unke dard ki dawa bankar. Woh log jinhone mere pyaar, apnepan and vishwaas ke badle sirf dard aur dhoka diya hai. " she replied eyeing each one of them when Aaji, Aai, Baba and Shiva came running.

"Isliye tune jaakar iss ladke ke saath ghar basa liya."Mr Deshmukh taunted.

"Ayee Sanki buddhe", "Aye yede" both Raghav and Shiva shouted together.

"Han toh. Aapka beta toh mar gaya na. Uski vidhwa thi main ab uske baad main kisike saath bhi ghar basaun aapko Mr Deshmukh usse koi farq nahin padna chahiye waise bhi saare rishte todkar ghar se toh aapne hi nikala tha na." Pallavi gave a pointed answer.

"Pallavi tera dimaag toh theek hai na yeh kaise baat kar rahi ho tum dada se." Kaku spoke stepping forward.

"Aapse hi seekha hai kaku akhir aap meri badi jo hai. Aur bachche toh badon se hi seekhte hai kyun haina Mansi?" Pallavi replied back raising her brow.

"Ab agar aapka yeh pariwar milaap ho gaya ho toh mere paas aur bhi bahut kaam hai karne ke liye." Pallavi saod turning to leave when Sharda Deshmukh spoke.

"Maine toh tujhe beti mana tha na, tune apni iss Aai ki qadar bhi nahin kari." 

"Aai toh maine bhi mana tha magar aapne bhi toh mere pati ko mujhe divoce dene ke liye majboor krne se pehle nahin socha na." Pallavi replied shocking everyone.

"Amma main manti hoon ki maine aapke saath galat kara hai. Sabse galat. Aapne mujhe itna pyaar diya, apni beti mana lekin Amma main bhi thak chuki thi. Aap mujhe Raghav ki life main laai taaki main usse sudharun lekin aapne ek baar bhi mujhse nahin pucha ki kya main usse sudhaarna chahti hoon. Kya main apni uljhi zindagi main aur uljhan lana chahti hoon ya bass khud ke liye bhi jeena chahti hoon." Pallavi spoke in a soft voice as she came towards Amma and held her hand.

"Main Pallavi Deshmukh ya Rao nahin balki bass Pallavi bankar jeena chahti hoon Amma. Apne aap ko ek pehchaan dena chahti hoon. Amma-" Pallavi looked at Raghav who had his eyes moist, " Raghav shayad galat nahin hai. Uske apne dard hai, apne reasons hai lekin main bhi insaan hoon Amma. Mujhe bhi dard hota hai aur iss baar bahut dard hua, itna ki main bardasht nahin kar payi." Pallavi cried.

"Tera galti nahin hai Pallavi." Amma finally spoke as she wiped Pallavi's tears, " Hum tera gunehgaar hai isliye tujhe poora haq hai hume saza dene ka aur mereko toh tera har saza manzoor hai." she held her face.

"Nahin Amma. " Pallavi nodded in a no, "Main aapko koi saza nahin dena chahti. Main bass ek nayi shuruaat karna chahti hoon. Kya mujhe itna sa haq bhi nahin ?" Pallavi asked in a broken voice.

"WE REQUEST ALL THE CONTESTANTS TO COME BACK ONSTAGE." Before Amma can reply Pallavi stepped back and walked towards the stage area but not before taking blessings from her new family and giving a small smile to Shiva who had his fingers in a fist all this time , ready to pounce like a hungry beast but he knew his best friend will never approve. 

Before setting foot onstage Pallavi gave a final look to Raghav who nodded in an approval as she closed her eyes letting destiny decide her fate.

"AND OUR FINALISTS AREEE - MISS SUHANI FROM KERALA AND MISS PALLAVI FROM BANGLORE." The host announced as the hall errupted into a celebration. Pallavi couldn't stop but let those tears fall as she saw Aaji jumping up and down like a kid. Raghav was actually by her side as he and Shiva both gave eoch other a handshake, i mean that's a little growth. While her old life stood at the very end into a pool of tears f their own.

"So we'll have the final face off a week from now until then i wish both of you the very best." The host congratulated them, "Would you like to speak a few words. Miss Pallavi?" he asked.

Pallavi with shivering hands, held the mike and stepped forward, "I am actually at a loss of words right now --- This is everything i've dreamt of personally and professionally. I was a kid when i heard stories about how my birth mother loved dancing, but there were also times when i used to think that- main kyun kabhi dekh nahin payi. Why couldn't she be with me? I left dancing due to some unwanted reasons in my life- too scared to fight for my own self until i met my Aai. Well she might not be my real mother but Aai tune mujhe himmat di hai apne aap ko sambhalne ki samajhne ki. Baba aapne bhale hi mujhe chalna na sikhaya ho par meri iss nayi shuruaat ke pehle ghunghuroon ki khanak aapne mujhe laakar di thi. Aaji tu kehti hai ki main teri life ka miracle hoon jabki sach main toh tu meri life ka woh miracle hai jisne mujhe markar dobara jeena sikhaya hai." Pallavi smiled at all of them.

"Shiva, mera sahara, meri dhaal banne ke liye Thank You." she spoke. raghav smiled at shiva as he saw behind him to everyone and started walking towards them until he heard her call his name.

"Raghav" Pallavi spoke in a soft voice that made him smile, he knew nothing can keep them apart.

"Thank You. Aaj tumhari wajah se maine finally apni buri yaadon ko goodbye keh diya hai." Pallavi smirked as Raghav's smile fell. The determination he saw in her eyes today was like meeting her for the first time on that deserted highway. All over again. 

Outside The Hall

"Dekhliya aap sabne ek bahar ki ladki ko apne sar par bithaane ka nateeja. Maine toh pehle hi kaha tha dada ki yeh aapke aur vahini ke pyaar ke layak hi nahin hai. Dikha diya na apna asli rang." Sulochna Kaku taunted as soon as everyone came out of the hall.

"Sulochna bass karo. Abhi yeh sab baatein karni zaroori hai tumhe." Milind kaka scolded kaku.

"tum toh rehne hi do Milind. Apni betiyon se zyada ehmiyat dete the na usse lo dekhlo apni pyaari Pallavi ko." Kaku taunted.

"Aye bada bindi." Raghav shouted getting out along with Amma and Keerti.

"Tum jiske baare main bol raha hai na woh mera Pallavi hai. Mera wife. uske baare main ek aur bhi galat word bola na toh main tumhara yeh bada sa bindi tumhara muh par lagakar usko permanently band krdega. Ardhamainda . " he gave a tough look.

"Raghav rehne de aise logon ko samjhana matlab gadhe ko path padhana. Tu chal." Amma held his hand.

"Lekin Amma Pallavi aise kaise-" Keerti tried to speak when amma interfered.

"Pallavi ko majboor bhi hum hi log kiya ya tu kaan bandh karke baitha tha jab woh andar sab bata raha tha toh. Woh hamara family ko phirse milaya aur badle main humne kya kara. Usko hi galat samjha, uske saath lada aur usko itna takleef diya. Tu mat bhul ki tune aur tera uss ghatiya boyfriend ne uska saath kya kiya tha." Amma replied back.

"Main manti hoon Amma ki accident Sunny ne kiya tha lekin woh jail main na sab settle ho gaya tha na phir yeh sab marne ka natak and all." Keerti spoke.

"Natak hi toh aata hai iss Pallavi ko." Mansi taunted.

"Taai tum toh rehne hi do. Shaadi Aai ki wajah se tuti aur uska sara blame aap ne hamesha se Pallavi ko hi diya hai. Waise bhi aap toh usse apni life se nikalna hi chahti thi na toh ab yeh taunts ki kya zarurat." Amrutha came in defense.

"Bass bahut ho gaya tum sabka tamasha. Ab mujhe uss ladki ke baare main ek shabd bhi nahin sunna hai. Ghar chalo sab ab." Mr Deshmukh ordered everyone.

"Jaane se pehle mera ek baat kaap kholkar sunlena. Specially tum Sanki Buddha and Bada Bindi, agar tum main se koi bhi ab Pallavi ko kuch aia waisa bola ya usko aur hurt kara toh main tumko Hyderabad kya iss desh se gayab karde. Ardhamainda." Raghav threatened everyone.

"Chalo Aai main tumko ghar chhod deta hai." Raghav held Sharda Aai's hand as Farhad got the car. 

An Hour Later

Deshmukh Niwas

" Aai tumko koi bhi zrurat ho mereko batana." Raghav spoke as he dropped Aai and others to the house but a commotion caught his sense.

"Aye yeh samaan bahar nikalo." a worker shouted on the other.

"Are yeh hamara samaan kahan lekr jaa rahe ho." Mr Deshmukh shouted to which Raghav and others hurried inside.

"yeh sab kya ho rha hai?" Raghav held a worker who replied nothing.

"Anna aap chinta mar kariye main pata karta hoon." Farhad nodded and moved ahead.

"Yeh mera ghar. Tum log yeh kya kar rahe ho?" Mr Deshmukh tried stopping them.

"yeh tumhara ghar tha ab yeh hamara hai." came a voice from the door turning around Raghav saw Aaji, Aai and Baba standing with a smirk on their faces.

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