Entry by Team Romance for round 3:

PROMPT:

Opening line of the story: "This time it will be different."

ENTRY:

"This time it will be different" his eyes glistened as these words made their way out of his mouth. She turned her face towards and saw the depth in his eyes, trying to find traces of lie and betrayal in them but to her own astonishment, there was none. A smile automatically made its way on her way and silently nodding, she kept gazing at his eyes, his dark brown orbs that never failed to bring peace to her.

Sighing she rested her head on his sturdy shoulders and they both sat there in silence, watching the sunset. Chirping, the birds flew back to their homes while they both found their home in each other once again, or so they hoped.

**

“Mama tomorrow is a function in my school, and the teacher told everyone to bring their mama and dada. Can you bring my dada to school?” Before Paridhi could respond to her daughter, the landline rang, and a smile appeared on the face of her daughter. “Dada!” She shouted before running to pick up the phone.

Aayush called once a week to talk to their daughter. It was his routine, no matter what happened, one call was a must. Paridhi sighed sadly as she saw the tsunami of happiness on her daughter’s cute little face as she conversed with her dad. She had second thoughts a lot of times, but it was her best friend who convinced her not to forgive him at any cost.

Her trance was broken by the loud cries of her daughter. She panicked and rushed to her wailing daughter with the handset still on her ear. She could hear some sorrys from the speaker and anger built up inside her. She snatched the handset from her daughter and shouted at her ex-husband, “What do you want now? What did you say to make her break down in tears?” But before she could ask more the other side responded, “I refused to come to her school programme which is scheduled for tomorrow.” And that is when the silence fell over them, ignoring the cries of their beloved daughter.

Seeing no response from her parents, Shreya teared up again and wailed louder, if that was possible, and that is when the silence broke. “Shush baby, please, for mama?” It was the first time he heard her voice after their divorce. But keeping on the track, Aayush was even trying to pacify their daughter by giving her fake promises of meeting her super soon. They hadn’t met even once in the past year, the year which marked the legal end of the relationship shared between her mother and her father. And even before, she met him when her mother left her father’s house－a whole six months before the divorce was finalized. Shreya had forgotten what her father looked like －maybe a tall heavy man, or was he thin the last time she met him? Did he have a moustache or a beard, or was he clean shaved? How much has he changed during this year? The girls of his life had no idea.

When the crying of the girl could not be stopped he sighed and spoke the golden words, “I will come to your programme tomorrow angel, I promise?” A smile curved on the lips of the little doll. “Pinky promise” She said as she forwarded the pinky into the speaker of the handset. He sighed loudly and let out a meek yes. 

Shock adorned the face of Paridhi as she began to get furious. “How dare you?! How dare you try to enter our lives again. I was lenient enough to let her talk to you, but not anymore. You can still talk to her, Ii am not that heartless, but only once a month. And you shall not be coming to her school tomorrow, promise me! I won’t let you!” Paridhi seethed out. It was the first time after their divorce, she had talked to him.

“I know you are angry with my words but I had no option other than that to pacify her and you know how stubborn she is. Remember when she was just a few days old, when she wanted to be with me, she did and if not she cried the entire time-” Paridhi broke the vase near her while getting up from the uncomfortable position and hence breaking his talk.

“What happened? Are you fine? I hope you’re not hurt.” “I am fine,” Came her reply. Sensing the boiling anger inside her, Aayush decided to let this conversation end with his final statement, “I will come there tomorrow.”

Hearing this she tried to speak but heard the dial tone. She was frustrated at her heart which still wanted to reunite with him. “WHY?” She shouted at some tears of vexation seeped out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Shreya came all dolled up in her costume for tomorrow, but no you’re wrong if you thought she was perfectly ready, all the costume parts were almost destroyed at her unsuccessful attempt of keeping them intact with the dress and fit in her. Parishi gasped and rushed to her stuck daughter. “Baby the programme is tomorrow, so why not doll up tomorrow for your dada?” She spoke with a heavy heart.

The next morning her little gudiya was dressed up perfectly, with nothing missing, not even the smile she used to yearn for, every programme. She was in tears seeing how happy and excited and impatient her daughter was to meet the person who broke her heart.

Sitting in the car, her emotions and thoughts were all ver and she was unable to compose herself, after countless tries since the previous night. Every nightmare, every what if, every scare of her engulfed her. “Mama, dada will come na?” In response she just nodded. “He will like my performance na?” Nod. “He will cheer for me na?” Nod.  “He sit side you na?” Nod. “He loves me na?” Nod. “He loves you na?” Paridhi half nodded, when she realised the question her innocent daughter just asked her. With tears filling her eyes, she lied －A nod.  A content smile filled Shreya’s face but it was not the same case with Paridhi. She was too busy fighting her demons.

“Umm... Hey?” Aayush said as he sat beside her. “Are you okay?” He asked after not receiving any reply from her. Soon he realized what she was doing. He sighed and looked in front to see small jolly children performing and he could hear the claps from all around it. The atmosphere was jolly and pride was radiating from each and every adult standing or sitting, teachers or parents, helping staff or principal.

The curtains closed and the host spoke, “Many of the parents here are divorced and do not live with each other. We do not want you to relive your memories or take it to your heart but this is just a sequel to the different cultured marriage performance that the little children had just performed. The atmosphere got awkward as the teacher let out these words. Paridhi and Aayush were panicking in themselves. The curtains opened to reveal a courtroom and there went the heartbeats of Aayush and Paridhi, up and fast.

Soon their angel came up dressed in a pink salwar kameez with the dupatta pinned up on her shoulders covering her neck. The dress was joined by the black judge coat she was given in between her entry, giving a strong entry. The teachers had choreographed all the performances for the annual day beautifully. As she sat on the judge’s chair, the breaths of her parents hitched. They couldn’t see what was happening on the stage, all they could see was the courtroom scenario when they had the final hearing!

“You both div - div - div - or - ced!” Shreya spoke in bits and they came out of their memories to go back to them.

**

"DIVORCED"
"The custody of the child will remain with the mother."

Reaching their cars, they took a last look at each other and with a smile wished each other luck. Driving back to their places, they knew one thing with utmost surety - their divorced love is complete in a parallel universe.

**

Shreya was rushed down the stage to get prepared for another performance. Aayush looked at his ex wife to find her eyes closed and tears gushing down. He couldn’t even wipe them off for he lost that right the day he had cheated on her, betrayed her love and he gave in to the temptations of his colleague who tried to seduce him.

**

A beautiful office was being emptied as the employees finished their shift and left for their houses, and some for their homes. Aayush was packing his bags to go to his home －his wife’s arms and his daughter’s giggles. His dreamland was interrupted by a colleague who asked him some doubts regarding the big project he and his team were working on. He solved them quickly and was ready to leave before she said something he did not want to hear ever, “Sir I think Paridhi ma’am is cheating on you… with my husband.” What he did not focus on and tried to recall was that this colleague of his was unmarried.

“What the hell are you saying?!” She sighed dramatically and continued her act, “I know sir it’s difficult for you to digest this, but I have proof.” She did show him the proofs －the cliche edited pictures but Aayush fell for them and was devastated. Taking advantage of his vulnerable state, she seduced him, and he gave in, disrupting his beautifully married life. The next day when he woke up and recalled what happened and with a practical mind he remembered the grave mistake he committed, the grave crime he committed.

The next few weeks he remained distanced from Paridhi and intentionally dropped hints of him cheating on her with some other woman. The guilt inside him was eating him up alive. He could not man up to confess but he wanted her to know the reality. He was successful, not only she got to know the bitter truth but they parted their ways. He did not try to fight for Shreya for he knew his love will be better for everything in his life.

**

Paridhi looked at her ex-husband to see his clouded eyes - clouded with the bitter memories of his grief and regret. Not once did he try to fight, or refuse her blames or even tried to explain. All he did was accept everything with closed eyes and open heart. He even accepted no contact with Shreya but she could see the sadness then as well, and she granted him the right to talk to her only on landline, once a week.

In her mind, she knew that she took the right decision by divorcing him. However, her heart wasn't ready to accept the judgement. There won't be anyone to prepare coffee for her after a hard day at work, no one to lift up her mood, no one to share her joys and sorrows. He was the only one she had loved more than anything else. Their hearts wanted the same thing- to reunite with each other. However, a part of them knew that they took the right decision by separating.

“Why did you do that, that day?” She asked him as they came out of the annual day function and waited for their doll to come up to them. “I can just say I am sorry.” Paridhi opened her mouth in disbelief and closed it again, unable to form any words. “Just a mere sorry? This is not the Aayush I fell in love with!”

He chuckled and let out the secret and guilt he was withholding his heart for the past 2 years, “He died the day he doubted you” Paridhi looked up at him in confusion. He revealed everything slowly, but in brief. Paridhi looked up at him in disbelief but as soon as he mentioned the part where he forgot the part that his colleague was unmarried she couldn;t help but crack up. He smiled seeing her smile and laugh.

She realised what she did, and composed herself. “I am sorry, Pari-Paridhi.” It was the spur of the moment and she took advantage of my vulnerable state. I know I am not worthy of forgiving but if you ever find it in your mind - not heart - to forgive me, please do it and free me from the immense guilt. “I forgive you. Not completely but a lot. Slowly and gradually I will forgive you completely. For now just come to me and Shreya. We miss you terribly.” She said and broke down in his arms. He crumbled down in her arms.

•••••

“Why did you come that day?” She asked gazing at the starry ceiling of the balcony for not being able to spot a single thing in the sky of the still emerging Gurugram. “Did you not want me to?” came his simple reply. She chuckled dryly and told the bitter truth to him. “Being very honest, no. I was terrified at the thought that you would be coming the next day and I shall be sitting next to you, cheering for our daughter.” “The daughter we created with sheer love” He interrupted. “Yes, for her, I was terrified and frightened of my heart. What if it wanted to come back to you?” He interrupted her again, “So it did and made my hard work a bit simpler.” “Will you stop interrupting-” And again the interruption was made, this time not by him but by their grown up daughter, who came towards them and hugged her parents. “Never ever stop interrupting mom, dad, or she can go on for hours.” She did receive a light slap on the shoulder from her mother but they all laughed at the end engulfing each other, uniting themselves in the love they had for each other.