Veils of Time [Completed?]

VOTE 💋

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

“Karthik!” I rushed outside.

“Karthik! Kahan hai aap?”

"Karthik, where are you?" I literally shouted on the top of my lungs.

“KARTHIK?” I rushed downstairs and my eyes fell on him who was walking towards the stairs, his eyes tense too.

Before I could think of anything else, I rushed to him and hugged him tightly, sliding my hands under his arm and locking myself against his body. He hugged me back, but loosely.

Tears were rolling down my eyes. I was sobbing. Hiccupping.

He whispered, “Vaidehi? Jaan. Kya hua, kyun ro rahi hain?”

"Vaidehi, jaan, what happened? Why are you crying?" I didn't pull myself back. I kept on hugging him and crying like a child. Like seven years old me because I have just got a little of my memory back and that memory contained him. HIM. My Karthik. He was in that horrible place too. He worked there. He lived there. Even before I was brought there, he was already surviving his life there. Oh God!

“Jaan. Koi bura sapna dekh liya kya? Hum bas do minute ke liye niche aaye the, Vaidehi. Sach. Kya hogaya?”

"Jaan. Did you see a nightmare? I had come downstairs just for two minutes, Vaidehi. Honestly. What happened?" He held my arms and tried to break our hug but I had no strength inside me to break our hug.

A voice startled me, “Aapki Bahu ko tameez nahi hai lagta hai, didi.”

"Seems your daughter-in-law doesn't have manners, didi."

I immediately stepped back, because that voice was of his aunt.

“Kyun Priya ji?” My jaw dropped upon hearing my mother's name from my aunt-in-law’s mouth, “Mayeke mein kuch sikhaya nahi kya?”

"Why Priya Ji? Didn't you teach her anything at home?"

I raised my eyes up and spotted my mother, his mother and his aunt standing in front of us in the hall, looking at both of us.

Maa gulped. Karthik held my wrist and looked at his aunt angrily. She lowered her face down within a second.

“Vaidehi ki tabiyat theek nahin hai, Anupama. Bolne se pehle do baar soch liya karo kiske baare mein baatein bol rahi ho. Yadav khandaan ki badi Bahu hai. Jaise humara beta iski beizzati nahi sahega, waise hi hum aur tumhare Bhaiya bhi nahi sahenge. Beti hai humari,”

"Vaidehi is not well, Anupama. Better think twice before opening your mouth that about whom you're using those words. She is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Yadav family. Like my son, I and my husband will also not tolerate this misbehaviour of yours towards her. She is our daughter," My mother-in-law said to her and ignoring her completely, she walked to me.

Tears trickled down my eyes.

She stood in front of me and wiped my tears away gently. Caressing my head lightly, she said to my husband, “Take her to your room. I'll send her lunch through Meena,” she looked at me and said after palming my cheek lovingly, “Don't cry, beta. It's okay. Go and rest.”

I leaned forward and I don't know why but I couldn't just stop myself from hugging her. She stroked my hair carefully and whispered, “Koi baat nahin.. jao.. aaram Karo. Hum samjhte hai, hota hai inn dinon mein.”