Arjun's PoV
I am now driving to Preethi's house. Preethi's married life is at strain now. She recently found that her husband has an illegitimate relationship. Preethi's wedding was an arranged marriage. She has been married for almost 6years now. Her life was going smoothly until 3months ago when she found some dirty texts on his phone.
Praveen and Preethi's family is an upper middle class family. I am an avid reader and I go to the library very regularly even at my very young age. I got their friendship when I was in second grade as their house was near the library that I went to and they were often seen outside the library playing. I started to make acquaintances with them in the time I waited outside for the car to come and pick me up. Preethi was the one that came and talked to me first. Our friendship grew stronger as the days passed and I started to go to the library just to spend some time with them. I am an introvert and I don't talk so easily to anyone. But with them, I was myself and I liked it. I even changed my school to be with them. My parents were glad that I made friends and never opposed the change of school after making acquaintance with Preethi and Praveen's parents. Our friendship has become stronger and tighter ever since, so is our parents'.
Preethi got married when we were 24 years old. Her husband's name was Nilesh and he was 29 years old during their marriage. He spoke very nicely to all of us and we all worked with so much happiness in her wedding. Preethi had a baby girl the very next year of their wedding, her name is Avni. Avni is now 5 years old.
"Preethi!" I knocked on the door of her room. She is now in her parents' home. Aunty and uncle are devastated and are not ready to talk it through. Even though she found out about her husband's cheating, she tried to fix it up. After 3 long months of struggle she finally realized that her husband is far from retrieving. She came here last week and refused to open up the door for anybody.
"Preethi, open up, dammit!" I kicked on the door out of frustration. Preethi is a bubbly girl. She is a carefree girl that lived in the moment. She never had any big dreams but was happy and satisfied with every little thing she has got. She has lost herself for that douchebag.
"Preethi!" I shouted at the top of my voice and the door opened up.
"Ajju!" She called me. I couldn't recognize the bubbly girl that I know. She was standing there like a ragged painting that lost all its color and glory.
"Preethi!" I took a step forward and that was all she needed to rush to me breaking into tears.
"Ajju, I... I want to end my life, Ajju. I don't want to live but what will happen to Avni? Will you take care of her?" she leaned on my shoulders putting her arms around my neck.
"Shhh, Preeth, Come in. calm down!" I tried to calm her down. I made her sit on the bed and gave her water. I sat beside her and tried to talk some sense into her.
"Preeth, listen to me. Marriage is not the only thing that life has to offer you. You have Avni! She is a beautiful soul that God has given you. She will make your life colorful and beautiful. We are all with you. He is a scoundrel and you want to cry over him? He is not worthy to have you. You are a pearl and he is not the right man for you. Come with me to our office. Make yourself busy with work. This will pass soon." I know this cannot be forgotten or moved on in a blink of a day but still I tried to make her feel better.
"Ajju, promise me that you will take care of Avni." she asked me without any reaction.
"Preethi!" I pulled her face towards me and her eyes had no life. I could not see her like this.
"You want me to kill that scoundrel?" I asked her.
She nodded NO!
"You want me to end his affair?"
She nodded No!
"You really wish to live with that douchebag?" I am out of patience now.
She nodded No again.
"God, what is your problem, Preeth?" I asked her.
"I want to die!" she said for which I slapped her hard across her face. Aunty and uncle came running to the room but stopped right on the doorstep. They could do nothing but cry.
"Are you insane? You want to take your life for that bastard? Then what are we to you? We are not as important as him to you? Look at them. What will they do if you die? Avni? She already has no dad. Do you wish for your child to live without mom too?" I asked her.
"I loved him, Ajju. You won't understand. I loved him with all my heart. I thought he loved me too. I could not take this betrayal, Ajju. My heart feels heavy that it may stop any minute. I cannot live like this forever, Ajju!" she cried, hugging me and aunty and uncle broke their silent cries and joined her.
I could do nothing but give her shoulder to cry on. She is depressed. It is not good for her nor her parents.
"Preeth, look at me. Do you believe me?" I asked her. She nodded Yes.
"Be ready tomorrow at 9am. I will be here to take you to a place. I want you to trust me and give me your time and your whole heart for one week. I promise that if you don't feel better at the end of one week, I will do as you ask." I told her.
"Ajju!" aunty exclaimed in shock but uncle stopped her and took her away. Preethi looked at me and tried to smile in which she failed. I took her leave and went out to talk to aunty and uncle.
"I am so sorry to have hit her uncle." I told him.
"No, Ajju. You have all the rights to take care of her. She refused to open the door for us. We are happy that she at last opened it. We trust you, Ajju. Take her in your hands" Uncle told me while holding my hands together.
"She is in depression, Aunty. It should be treated properly. She needs counseling. I will take good care of her aunty." I told her.
"She is blessed to have your friendship, Ajju. Give my daughter back to me!" Aunty said.
"I will aunty. Make sure she eats well and get her ready by 9am tomorrow." I took their leave and started driving home.
I called Rishab, my friend whose sister is a psychologist.
"Hi, Rishab. How are you?" I asked him as he picked up the call.
"I am good, Arjun. How are you?"
"Good. I need a favor from you."
"I knew it when I saw your call. Tell me, man."
"I want an appointment with your sister tomorrow."
"Are you ok?" He asked me. Yeah, everyone thinks like this because I am a failure in my married life.
"I am perfectly alright. It is for my friend." I told him.
"Ok, da. Can’t say no to you. I will ask her to free her morning for you."
"Thank you so much, da."
"I know you wont ask for favors easily. So it must be important. Don't mention it, da."
"Ok, da. Take care. Bye."
I got off the phone and called Praveen.
"Where are you Praveen?"
"In the lab, Ajju. Will start to go home in 30minutes." he said.
"Sharanya didn't call you yet? It's already 9pm." I asked him as his wife is too strict with timings. She often tells me to leave him early. Praveen lives in a separate home that is close to his parents home.
"No, da. She knows the situation now. She must have thought that I am with Preeth."
"I just came from home, da. You go home and make sure Preethi eats. She will be fine. Bring Avni to my home da. Your home is very gloomy for that little girl. She will be happy with Tarun."
"She opened up the door?"
"She did. Bring Avni tomorrow to my home. Pack her things for a week." I told him.
"Ok da!"
I stopped the car at the corner of the road and leaned on the steering. Why is this happening to Preethi? My life is already a hell and now her's too? Why do people always break the heart that has love in it? She says I can't understand. But I can! I know the pain of love being refused. I know the pain of taking up betrayal. I have experienced it!
Anika's PoV"Ma, please ma. I cannot come to this festival now. My exams are very close and my project review is next week. I am still working on the output to get it more accurate. You all go. Just 2 days right. I will ask Nithu to come and stay with me." I was trying to make my mom understand that I cannot go to Tirupur with them for a temple festival."You are a grown up girl. How will I be at peace when you are here all alone in the house for two days?" Mom said."Pa... Make her understand, pa. I am not a child. I know how to cook. I can take care of myself and the house. I can manage two days without you guys. I will make Nithu come and stay here." I pleaded to my dad and he finally agreed and compromised mom for the arrangement.They will leave
Arjun's PoVI got ready and entered the elevator to go down. I called my PA to cancel all my morning meetings and work. I assigned my work to my subordinates to make sure nothing stops in my absence. When I got to the dining room, it was already 8 o'clock. Mom was busy bringing all the dishes to the dining table along with the cook. We have a cook and two servant maids to clean the house and do laundry. We have a driver and a gardener who will be in our home from morning 6 to evening 6."Amma, I have to leave a little early today. Praveen will bring Avni here. Take good care of her." I told mom."No worries, Ajju. I will take good care of her. How is Preethi?" Mom asked me."I am taking her to counseling today. She will be fine ma!" I told her.
Anika's PoVDad came into the home and yelled at my mom. I am more than scared now. I am dumbstruck. What should I do now? Should I agree that I am in love with Arun or should I hide that fact and act like nothing? What if I tell them now? Arun has no job. I have no job yet. The chances of rejecting him will be high now. But what if I hide the truth now? Dad will fight with mom for hitting me without any reason. He will be my pillar of support. But then, it will be a great sin. I cannot deceive my parents. Later, when I tell them about Arun, dad will be devastated. He trusts me so much."Anandhi, how dare you lay your hand on my daughter?" Dad confronted mom."Your daughter? She is my daughter too." Mom said with a shiver."If you had thought li
Arjun's PoVI am relieved of the stress I had for Preethi. Though she said she felt better because she spoke to me, I have a strong doubt that her sudden change of mood is because she met Harish. It is human tendency to compare them with someone that has a similar problem only worse than theirs. I think she felt better when she saw him with that heartfelt smile. I knew very well that she doesn't have any love back in school or college but what if they both can find solace in one another's company? He is a widower and she is a soon to be single mom. He has a son and she has a daughter! They will together make a perfect family. This may not happen overnight but if they are moved in the right direction, this will happen soon. I decided to make their meeting more often to make them spend time together.I finished my work and closed the laptop. I looked at the time and it s
Anika's PoVIt's Friday today and I am too scared to open my eyes. I don't know when I fell asleep last night but even in my sleep, I dreamt of the worst things that would happen. Not even a flake of good flashed in my mind. I heard shuffling in the room that tells me everyone is wide awake. I am to explain myself and make them understand that LOVE is not a sin and I didn't do it deliberately to disrespect them in any means.I woke up and went straight to the restroom without facing anyone. To my surprise, Advay was awake and was having his morning tea. The home was inconveniently silent and everyone was so rigid and moody."Good morning, pa!" I went to my dad after doing all my morning work including yoga."This is not a good morning, Anu. You and I
Arjun's PoVI am now driving to Tirupur to my grandparents home. My mom hails from Tirupur and my dad from Coimbatore. We now live in Chennai because of our work. Mom hates to be in Chennai for she dislikes the traffic and heat. But the most important thing she hates about Chennai is the language they use to talk. She often would say that people here are killing Thamizh. Though I was born in Tirupur, I have been in Chennai for all my life and I love the regional Thamizh in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode. Their Thamizh is like music to our ears. The way they address you, you would feel compassion from even a stranger. I love being there to enjoy the love of my grandma and grandpa."Ma, When is the 'Kumbabishekam' exactly? Why is Priya not here?" I asked mom."Kumbabishekam is on Sunday. Priya is not
Anika's PoVAfter making up my mind just like mom said, I felt a lot better. I called up Nithu and told her about the change of plans. I am still reluctant to let her know what actually happened. But anyways I must tell her on Monday before I tell Arun to wait for me for a year. We got ready and went to the bus stand to go to Tirupur. It is 2hours travel from Coimbatore to Tirupur. Once boarded I found a window seat and sat comfortably there. Advay sat near me leaning on me to sleep."Akka, did you tell Arun about your decision?" he asked me."Not yet da. I have to tell him on Monday. It is not nice to tell this on the phone. He will come to college on Monday. I will explain to him then." I told him and myself that I can do this."You know dad w
Arjun's PoVIt really hurt me where she dashed on me and I lost my cool. I turned to scold her but she was already on the ground and was apologizing to me. I tried to help her and that is when I noticed her, she was crying and panic evident in her face. I helped her stand and she again apologized to me and turned to run. I stopped her and asked what was bothering her. She was struggling to speak out but I made out that something is wrong with her father. She took me to her home and I saw my 'Mama' (father in law) there.That girl's dad was laying on the floor and with just a look at him I can say that he had a stroke and is now paralyzed. I waited no longer and took him in my arms and ran to my car. My Granny's home is in the next street and my mama and the girl and her mother came along. I drove the car as fast as I could and reached the nearest hospital in the neares