What if Sai heard Patralekha badmouthing her in front of Devi and Virat ?
Trigger Warning : Mentions of kidnap, suicide, accident and abuse.
Silence
Silence speaks volumes. It can make and break lives. Silence towards injustice makes you as liable as the perpetrator of that offence. Silence towards insult, makes you worse than the person delivering the insult. The one who's insulting knows that he/she might be false but a person who stays silent during the course of those insults, accepts that those insults are true.
Sai dragged herself back to Virat sir's room, with all the energy and will to fight, having left her. She felt betrayed and insulted. It was not Patralekha's insults that hurt her the most, but Virat Chavan's silence to them. He knew how much she valued Devi Tai. He knew the amount of affection that she holds for Devi Tai. He also knew if were the kind to play a game for her selfish needs, she would never involve Devi Tai in it. Virat Chavan knew all these, yet, chose to remain silent. She finally understood HIS game. EGO.
She hurt his ego by turning him down on their, so called anniversary trip, and he's taking his revenge. He was playing a game, in name of staying away and transfer and God forbid, if she let him win. She was Sai Kamal Joshi from Gadchiroli and she was not going to let Virat Chavan win this game. She was done being grateful for all he had done. He took up her responsibility, but that doesn't mean she owes her self-respect and honour to him.
It's time IPS Virat Chavan gets a reality check. Sai Joshi was more than eager to deliver it. She had nothing to lose.
She entered her room and sat in the couch to control her anger. Anger would lead her to yelling and that would destroy the point of her whole task. It would make her look like immature, childish girl from Gadchiroli. She would be proving him and that best friend of his, right, and, this time, Sai Joshi wasn't going to do that. She sat there taking deep breaths, nose ring jumping with every breath she took and her red Saree providing all the gravity she needed.
Sai Joshi looked like the invincible Goddess that took form to drive away ignorance and she was ready to play the part.
She saw Virat enter the room, bracing himself for an argument and shielding eyes with disgust and hatred. Directed towards her. A while ago, she would have flinched at it. She would not do it anymore. Not now, not ever. She was above that. It doesn't matter to her anymore.
"So...Sai Joshi Chavan. What is your plan ? You've been chanting "tomorrow" like Hanuman Chalisa. What new nuisance are you coming up with ?",he questioned, hatred and sarcasm dripping in his voice.
"Virat Sir, I have many things to say tonight. But first. I AM SAI JOSHI. That's it. I did not agree to take your last name, so please don't attach it to mine.", she answered sharply, voluntarily ignoring the hurt that passed through his eyes. What she didn't ignore was the way that hurt changed into anger and then into more hatred. She stopped him before he could open his mouth.
"Let me speak for today Virat Sir. You have spoken enough. You said I didn't deserve the love that my father gave me. Who are you to decide that ? You are no one. Being my namesake husband doesn't give you that right. Hell, even if you were my actual husband doesn't give you that right. So never ever, talk about him with me. I want him to rest in peace, not regret his final decision". She stopped to see him take in her words. She saw the wheels turning.
"And, as for me getting your best friend into our discussions, I didn't start it. It was YOU and YOUR BEST FRIEND that started the pattern of making me the third person. Don't blame me for that. Despite all that, despite all the troubles both of us put each other through, despite all the blames we have put on each other, I wanted to apologise. For my reaction on the Mahabaleshwar trip. I wanted to make things alright between us and started to imagine a future for use. How foolish was I ?", she scoffed out in disgust at her own naivety.
"Let me make it clear for you one last time. Patralekha is not a good woman. She's cheating your brother and your family. She's also making you a participant in her crime without your knowledge. I would have normally fought her. I won't anymore. Because, I wanted very few lines from you. Lines that assured me, that you will never choose her, your ex, over me, your wife. That the commitment you gave to her, the position she held in your heart is null and void. That she's no longer your pyaari cheez. That you care for me as a wife, not just as a responsibility, you were forced to accept.That you were willing to envision a future with me. But you didn't. Instead, you chose to hurt me, insult me, belittle me and serve me twisted words every single time I questioned you.", she gasped, out of breath, from all the emotions hitting her.
She felt the heart in her chest, tightening, close enough to explosion. She wanted to stop that pain and go hug her father and hid in his embrace from all the problems that the world seems to throw at her. She wanted to cry, cry and cry, until there were no tears left and no energy left. She wanted go back to Gadchiroli and be the carefree child she was. Alas ! Fate had something else planned, and God forbid, if she didn't live happily in whatever she got. She deserves happiness and she's going to get it back. bUt for now, she's going to draw her energy from her pain.
"I started caring for you Virat sir, I wanted you to be next to me. Your presence or absence started to make a difference. I am 19, Virat sir. I would barely comprehend romantic feelings. But, I think, I began feeling for you. I took everything. Your anger, your indifference, after the Mahabaleshwar trip. But then, you locked me in that room. You turned into my nightmare. The person that I expected to drive away my misfortunes, turned into my nightmare. I was kidnapped Virat sir. I was abused, mentally and physically. I met with an accident and I attempted suicide. Did you for once think about what would happen to me, if you confine me? You had your ego to cater to and you did"
"Sai..", he began to speak, "I am sorry. I didn't intend to scratch healed wounds. I got angry and-", he was stopped by a scream. He looked up in fear and shock.
"ANGER DOESN'T JUSTIFY ABUSE MR CHAVAN.", Sai yelled at him, getting up from her seat "Healed wounds ? HEALED WOUNDS? Where did I get time to heal my wounds ? Did you give me time or a chance to heal them? Instead, you gave me more wounds. ", she stood there, gasping in anger.
"But today, today you killed whatever feelings I had for you. Care, respect, honour, sympathy, maybe love.You chose to stay silent when your best friend was accusing me of the vilest things and you did not even stop her from doing so. I'm done Virat Chavan. I am going to prioritise myself this time. As for the tomorrow act, I'll be leaving this house tomorrow and I'll send the divorce papers to you. Normally, divorce can't be granted under mutual consent and even if I have grounds of abuse, I will not use them. For Aai. She doesn't deserve fingers to be pointed at her upbringing. Don't you dare to get me back to the house under the provision "Restitution of Conjugal Rights *". I will not hesitate with grounds of abuse that way.
She quickly turned around without saying another word. She began to walk out with her head held high. It was Devi Tai's room for today and freedom from tomorrow. She is going to make a better life for herself. A life that her Aaba would be proud of. A life pointing at which she can say, "I'm Dr Sai Kamal Joshi and this is my story"
He chose silence earlier and now all he can get anymore from her is silence.
A/N
I don't know why I chose to watch the episode today. Seriously. Then, I proceed to attend a class teaching about wrongful confinement and restraint in Indian Penal Code. This is more of a frustration shot than an actual shot with a proper plot. I apologise for the lack of a central plot. I made Sai walk away in this one. But my Stockholm syndrome and SaiRat loving heart might write a different version of this. Maybe.
If you're are a Virat fan, you will not like this and that's okay. I might write a shot saying Virat is the culprit today and a shot with Sai getting all her due lessons tomorrow. This is a liberty I'm taking as a writer.
Please excuse any mistakes.
*P.S : "Restitution of Conjugal Rights" is basically law restoring the rights that marriage bestows upon a person. Usually happens in the cases where a spouse leaves his/her matrimonial home without any reasonable excuse. I'm speaking only for Hindu Marriage Act.
