“Aap toh yahi kahenge na! Aap aur wo same category jo ho. Jis tarah aapko peene ke baad kuch hosh nhi rehta, unhe bhi nhi rehta. Koi farak nhi padta ki ek parivaar ko zimmedari hai.”

Her father was shocked. Nitya had never spoken to him like that. Before he could reprimand, she continued.

“Arre aapko toh ye tak nhi pata tha ki aapki khud ki biwi ko ek hafte se jyada se bhukhar hai. Nhi maanti mai aapko insaan. Naa aapko aur na uss aadmi ko jo unfortunately mera pati hai ab.”

Aarav was shocked when she said that.

“Mumma reh li aapke saath ghut te ghut te. Mai uss aadmi se saath aise ghut ghut kr nhi rahungi. Insaan ko gussa aata hai. Lekin ko apno ke saamne shaant bhi ho jaata hai. Par aap dono ko apne khudke alawa koi aur dikhta kaha hai peene ke baad. Aur hosh mai aap log rehte hi itna kam ho ki kisi ki parwa kr sko.”

She took a step closer to her father who was still reeling from the shock.

“Itne saalon mai kitni baar mumma ke saath do baatein kri hai aapne? Kitni baar unse puchha hai unka din kaisa gaya? Kitni baar unhe bahar lekar gye hai. Ye sab yoh bhul jaaiye. Aap toh unke birthday pr bhi itne nashe mai pade the ki ye tak bhi yaad nhi tha ki meri biwi ka birthday hai aaj. Ek wish hi krdu.”

She cried and pushed him, making him stumble a little.

“NHI MAANTI MAI AAPKO INSAAN! Aur nhi rahungi mai uss aadmi ke saath bhi. Wo agar kabhi aaye toh keh dena unse ki aaj ke baad se unka mujhse koi rishta nhi hai. Befikr hokar pee skte hai wo.”

She fell back on the couch and sobbed. Her mother held her and the two cried in each other's arms. Letting their pain free. Her mother looked at her father with an accusing glare and he thankfully had the audacity to look ashamed.

“N-Nitya?”

Aarav finally spoke and all three of them looked at him standing at the door with a surprised and scared expression.

She looked away and started to walk towards her room when he spoke.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't know I was hurting you.”

She turned around to looked at him with a fierce glare and yelled.

“Ofcourse you did not know! What did you ever know other than your precious drinks? Pehli raat maine saath sone se mana kr dia toh mud kr dobara dekha bhi nhi aapne!”

Her father looked away feeling awkward at her words and her mother closed her eyes. She never wanted the same fate for her daughter.

“Pati patni ka rishta kya sirf yahi tak hota hai? Aapne toh aise ignore kr dia jaise aur koi value hi nhi hai meri. Jaise sirf aapki bhuk mitane ke liye hu mai. Teen mahine ho gye hamari shaadi ko, ek baar bhi kamre mai hosh mai aaye hai aap?”

He looked down ashamed and she continued.

“You're sorry huh? What are you sorry for? Kis kis cheez ke liye sorry bolenge Aarav? For not paying attention to me? For making me feel like I'm only there to satisfy your needs? For making me feel so devalued? For never caring about what I felt? For never putting any effort into our relationship? Ya phir aaj ke liye sorry hai? Specify kriye Aarav! What are you sorry for?”

His phone rang but he didn't bother. His head hung low in shame.

“Jaaiye yaha se! Mujhe koi sorry nhi chahiye! Mai wo zindagi nhi jee skti jo mumma ne jee hai. I can't stay with you Aarav! Leave!”

She said in a tired voice and turned to walk towards her room again. But Aarav ran towards her and held her elbow to stop her.

She hissed and he saw the wound on her elbow. He knew the wound was fresh because it had dried blood on it.

“How did this-”

He stopped realising when it might have happened but she pulled her hand out of his harshly and said in a sarcastic tone.

“Jab aapne dhaka dia tha mujhe. After knowing well that it was your wife in front of you, when you pushed me. Agar aap bina dekhe, galti se dhaka maarte na Aarav, toh shayad mai kuch na kehti. But you saw me, stopped for a moment and the pushed me. I don't call that a mistake. I call it assault.”

He fell on his knees and held her feet. Her parents were shocked. Nitya too took a step back and looked at him wide eyed. He looked at her with tears in his eyes and said.

“I know I've hurt you a lot. But please just give me one chance. Don't finish this relationship like this. Please!”

“Relationship?”

She chuckled and said.

“Was a relationship even there Aarav? Shaadi sirf 7 phere lene se nhi hoti, usse nibhana padta hai.”

 He bowed his head and she felt his tears soak her feet.

“I promise it will never happen again. Bas ek mauka dedo Nitya. Please!”

She looked at him for a moment and then asked.

“Ek baar ke liye maan lo maine mauka diya bhi. Toh kya badal jaayega aisa Aarav? Aisi aadatein chhut ti nhi hai, waqt ke saath bigadti hai.”

“Nhi! Mai saari bottles fek dunga. Zindagi mai dobara kabhi bhi liquor ko haath nhi lagaunga.”

Nitya continued to look at him for long hoping that he would break but the sincerity in his eyes didn't waver. Nor did his resolve. He was telling the truth. He was ready to change if given a chance.

And Nitya did want to give him a chance. But that didn't mean she'd be light on him.

“Aur agar kabhi pee toh?”

“Tum jo saja dogi wo manzoor hogi.”

He said without hesitation. She gave him a hard look and said.

“If you ever drink again, I'll divorce you.”

He clenched his jaw and nodded.

“That day won't happen. I'll make sure it never happens. Just give me a chance, Nitya. Please!”

“Just one chance.”

She whispered and his eyes lit up in hope.

“Just one chance.”

He promised and asked him to get up. He wiped his tears and got up from her feet.

“Thank you so much Nitya. I'll make sure you'll never regret it.”

She looked away not wanting to melt in his words right now. Let him act to his promise and then she'll see what to do.