Soulmate

Chapter 9

Sankalp Sonia were shocked to see Shilpa at their veranda.She was staring at them as if fire will come out of her eyes and burn them.

“Why did you both lie that Gautami died?”

Sankalp Sonia sweated as they realized that Shilpa has almost reached the truth.

But they tried their best to behave as if they were ignorant of this matter.

Sonia asked her,

“What nonsense are you saying Shilpa?”

Sankalp said in a stern voice,

“We told you that the girl whom you saw cannot be Gautami”.

Shilpa raised her voice forgetting for a moment that they they were her close friends.

“Don’t tell lies again.I saw her again and she is Gautami only.

Gautami  is alive.That means you both were lying.Right?”

Sankalp and Sonia were sweating silently.

Shilpa became upset as their silence indicated that they were lying to her.It’s definitely heart breaking for her as her own friends lied to her.But why?She wanted to know it’s answer.

“I got my answer.My own best friends lied to me.But may I know why?”

Sankalp and Sonia were upset.They were in tears.

Sonia said,

“Shilpa…you yourself said that we are your best friends.Can best friends do something bad ?We did’nt have any bad intention”.

Sankalp requested Shilpa,

“Trust us Shilpa”.

Maybe their words melted her heart as they were her best friends.So she had a hope that they did not lie to her with a wrong intention.

Shilpa asked them emotionally,

“Please tell me why you lied to me”.

But Sankalp and Sonia were helpless.They were not in a situation to blurt out the truth to Shilpa.

Sankalp said painfully,

“Sorry Shilpa.We can’t tell that to you now”.

Shilpa did not know what to say, as again she got disappointed by them.But if they were not comfortable answering her question she was willing to give them their space.She did not want to pressurize them to reveal the truth.But still she wanted to know certain things.

“Ok…but let me know one thing.If Gautami was alive how did Bhavesh and Gautami get separated?”

Sankalp and Sonia were quiet.

Laksh’s face came into her mind.

“Is Gautami’s boy friend Laksh the reason?”

Other than that she could not guess any other reason for Bhavesh and Gautami’s split.

They did not say anything.

But their silence did not make Shilpa weak.She was adamant about finding out the truth.

“Ok..then I myself will try to find out the truth”.

Shilpa left leaving them in tension.

Sonia said to Sankalp,

“Sankalp…Shilpa is trying to trace Bhavesh’s past which is dangerous”.

Sankalp was equally worried.

“Yes.We need to inform this to Bhavesh”.

Sonia agreed with him as Bhavesh deserved to know this first.

“Yes.Be fast.We should inform him now”.

They tried ringing up Bhavesh.But Bhavesh was busy with his paintings.So he did’nt hear the call.

Shilpa reached Bhavesh’s workshop.

Bhavesh was very happy to see her.

“Shilpa!”

But suddenly he noticed Shilpa’s gloomy face.

Bhavesh asked her,

“What happened Shilpa?”

Shilpa did not want to hurt Bhavesh by talking to him about Gautami.But she was not willing to suppress the doubts she had in her mind.But she preferred to ask him politely regarding his past.

“Bhavesh…please don’t get me wrong.I know you are trying to get out of your past and even I too want that.But I need to know certain things related to your past as you are mine”.

Bhavesh asked her softly,

“What do you want to know Shilpa?”

She asked him,

“Gautami and you met with an accident.Right?”

“Yes”,Bhavesh gave her a simple reply.

Shilpa asked him specifically,

“Gautami died on the spot?Are you sure?”

Bhavesh did not have any difficulty in answering this question even though Gautami was his ex.

“Ya..she closed her eyes in front of me”.

Again Shilpa asked him,

“After that you regained your consciousness only in the hospital.Right?”

Bhavesh answered,

“Yes”.

Now Shilpa had to make him understand that an unexpected  twist must have taken place in your life.

“Just because Gautami closed her eyes in front of you how can you make sure that she is dead?What if she was just unconscious?I mean what if she was also taken to a hospital and she too got saved”.

Bhavesh was stunned as he never expected Shilpa to think from this angle.

Immediately he said,

“No Shilpa.But why are you talking like this?”

Shilpa thought,

“I should not tell Bhavesh about seeing Gautami”.

She said,

“I just simply felt like that.A doubt..”.

He said,

“No need of having doubts like that Shilpa”.

But she was not willing to accept whatever Bhavesh says.

“But that’s also a possibility.Right?”

But Bhavesh did not agree with her.He had something different to say.

“No way.I had attended her cremation”.

Shilpa was shocked.Her eyes became wet realizing that her Bhavesh lied to her.

Bhavesh noticed her tears and could not understand why those tears were formed in her eyes.

“Shilpa…these tears…”

He tried to wipe it.But Shilpa held his hand staring at him.

“No need Bhavesh”.

He was shocked when she stopped him from comforting her.

“Shilpa!”

Suddenly Shilpa blasted at him.

“Because I don’t want a liar to touch me”.

Bhavesh was shocked:Shilpa!

Shilpa could not hide anything more through lies as she was fed up of his lies.She did not want to lie like Bhavesh.So she decided to reveal to about Gautami.

“I saw Gautami.She is alive.How did you see her cremation?”

Bhavesh got tensed as he has been caught red handed..

Still he was not willing to reveal the truth.

“You are mistaken.She cannot be Gautami”.

Shilpa almost requested him to stop lying as his lies were hurting her a lot.

“Don’t lie again Bhavesh.I am fed up of these lies”.

Bhavesh became upset.

“Shilpa!”

Shilpa was in tears.She expressed her pain.

“I loved you from the bottom of my heart.I considered you as my soul mate.But you betrayed me.Why Bhavesh?”

Bhavesh was not able to face Shilpa as he felt that he became nothing like a melted icecream.

His  eyes got filled up with tears.

His throat ached, but because of the mental pain caused by his exposure. He never expected himself to get exposed in the weirdest manner which made her misunderstand him.

“You are misunderstanding me Shilpa”.

“How did I misunderstand you Bhavesh?Tell me what was the real reason why you got separated from Gautami?”

Shilpa’s frustration was evident in her tone.

Bhavesh was silent as he was still not prepared to reveal anything..

“Why are you hiding Bhavesh?”

She asked him.

But Bhavesh remained silent.

Aryan and Gopika came there.Seeing them like this, they were confused.

“What’s happening here?

Aryan asked them,

Immediately Shilpa asked them,

“Aryan bhaiyya(Brother)…Gopika didi(sister)…you both knew that Gautami was not dead.Right?”

Aryan Gopika were shocked hearing her question.

Shilpa asked them,

“Then why did you both too hide it from me?Why?”

Aryan and  Gopika became upset hearing her question and teary eyes.

Gopika stammered,

“Shilpa…we…”

Shilpa was more and more hurt as the last people who she expected to reveal the truth also are hiding the truth from her.

“I realized that no one wants to say the truth to me.There is nothing left to hear.I am leaving”.

Shilpa said with a bleeding heart.

Little she knew that her exit wounded Bhavesh’s heart also.

“Shilpa!”

Only her name came out of Bhavesh’s mouth as if he wanted to stop her.

But Shilpa just ran out crying as all her hopes had been burnt to ashes.

They all became upset.

Bhavesh sat down crying.

His tears could give only pain to Aryan and Gopika as they knew his inner turmoil.

Aryan uttered his name.

“Bhavesh…”

Like a small child who was crying,Bhavesh said,

“Bhaiyya… Bhabhi..(Brother..Sister in law)Shilpa is misunderstanding me.She hates me.I am going to lose her.I can’t imagine that”.

Bhavesh was absolutely broken.Seeing him,Aryan and Gopika were also upset.

Gopika tried to console him.

“No Bhavesh.Shilpa will understand your love and loyalty and come back to you.Because true love always wins”.

Aryan said,

“Yes.I agree with Gopika.Bhavesh…have confidence”.

Right now,Bhavesh did not know whether to keep hopes or not for a bright future.He was numb.

Aryan and Gopika caressed Bhavesh.

Bhavesh continued crying.

Bhavesh heard his phone ringing and attended the call happily thinking that it was Shilpa.

“Shilpa..”

But it was Sankalp.

“I am Sankalp”.

Bhavesh became dull even though it was his close friend who rang him up.Because only Shilpa’s call could give him peace of mind at this point of time.

Sankalp said,

“Thank God you picked up the phone at least now Bhavesh.I wanted to tell you an important matter.Shilpa had come here.She saw Gautami”.

Bhavesh replied without any expression.

“I know.She questioned me about my so called past with Gautami and… left me”.

Sankalp was shocked.

Bhavesh disconnected the call crying.

Sonia asked Sankalp,

“What happened Sankalp?”

Sankalp replied painfully,

“What we got scared of has happened.Shilpa questioned Bhavesh regarding Gautami and they had a fight”.

Sonia felt very sad.

“So sad.Bhavesh is so helpless now”.

Shilpa went to the beach and sat there.She was thinking of seeing Gautami, confronting Bhavesh regarding it and their fight.Suddenly her eyes fell on the couple who was enjoying in the waves.They were Laksh and Gautami.

Shilpa got angry and went near them.Shilpa became blind for a moment.She slapped Gautami.They were shocked.

Gautami lost her temper after all she got slapped by a stranger.

“How dare you?”

Laksh yelled at her.

“Are you mad?Since you are a woman I am leaving you.Otherwise I would have slapped you for hurting my beloved”.

Shilpa felt disgusted by his words as she was under the misconception that Bhavesh and Gautami got separated as Laksh came in between them.

“Beloved?You snatched Bhavesh’s beloved from  him. Now you are shamelessly claiming her to be your beloved”.

Laksh was stunned by her accusation imposed on him.

“What nonsense!I did’nt snatch anyone’s beloved”.

Shilpa replied in anger as she felt irritated by his reaction.

“Stop lying.I know everything”.

Now Gautami was confused about what this stranger girl was talking about.She wanted to know what misunderstanding she has on her due to which she slapped her.

Gautami asked her,

“What are you saying?Say it clearly”.

Shilpa said without thinking twice.

“Bhavesh loved you sincerely. But you left him for this flirt Laksh”.

That was the last thing which Gautami could bear.Because this unknown girl talked ill of her lover.

“Stop it.Don’t utter a word against my Laksh.Laksh is the only person I love and I don’t know which Bhavesh you are talking about”.

This angered Shilpa more as she refused to recognize Bhavesh.

“You shameless girl!You are refusing to even admit that you know Bhavesh.Really you don’t know Bhavesh who made your painting out of his love for you?

Slowly Gautami said,

“Bhavesh;the painter?Yes I know him.It’s true that he made my painting.But not because he loves me.It was just his work.I am the model Gautami.He paid me for posing for his painting.Otherwise we have no connection with each other.I don’t know why you are having such a big misunderstanding.

Shilpa was shocked.After all the girl she was made to believe as Bhavesh’s beloved says that she was only his model.But she was not willing to blindly believe her.

“No..you are lying”.

Gautami replied,

“Why should I lie?Since I am a model I have posed for many ads and paintings.That does’nt mean that all the makers are in love with me and I am in love with them”.

Gautami stood close to Laksh and said proudly,

“I am only Laksh’s girl”.

Shilpa was shocked.

She continued,

“I don’t know why you feel that I am connected to Bhavesh personally”.

Laksh said to Gautami,

“Guess this woman is mad.That’s why she is talking rubbish. Let’s go from this mad lady Gautami”.

Gautami replied sweetly,

“Yes sweet heart”.

They walked away.

Shilpa burst into tears.She felt completely betrayed by all the people she trusted.

“Such a terrible betrayal!Why did you do this to me Bhavesh?”

Shilpa entered her room .

Bhavesh rang her up.But in anger she switched off the phone.He was shattered.

Shilpa played piano and sang thinking about her moments with Bhavesh.In painful moments she plays violin it was a stress buster for her.

Bhavesh was looking at Shilpa’s paintings he made and weeping.

“Please try to understand me Shilpa.I can’t live without you.Please come back to me Shilpa”.

Hearing her sing ,Avantika, Raj and Rakhi entered the room.

They were shocked to see her crying.

Keshav asked her,

“What happened Shilpa?”

They were restless seeing her tears.

Avantika asked her,

“Shilpa…tell…”

Shilpa hugged them crying.

Raj said,

“Please tell the matter Shilpa”.

Rakhi tried to assure her that they will help her to overcome any problem.

“We will solve your issues”.

Shilpa spoke as if she has no hope left.

“There is no solution.All my dreams are shattered”.

Avantika felt that she lost her peace of mind in a moment.

“Shilpa…please tell the matter”.

Shilpa said in a painful tone,

“Bhavesh cheated me”.

They were shocked.

Keshav asked her to repeat it as he could not believe what she said.Because Keshav always trusted Bhavesh’s love for Shilpa.

“What did you say?”

Raj asked her,

“What did he do?”

Shilpa said in a weak tone.

“Not only Bhavesh…Aryan bhaiyya… Gopika didi …Sankalp… Sonia…all of them fooled me”.

Avantika said to her as she lost patience,

“You tell us clearly what the matter is”.

Shilpa said,

“Bhavesh was never in a relationship with Gautami.She was never dead also.I saw Gautami with my own eyes.Gautami was just his model.Then why did they cook up this story and make me a fool?”

All were shocked.

Avantika asked her,

“What decision did you take regarding Bhavesh?”

Avantika was anxious to know Shilpa’s decision regarding Bhavesh as she knew how much Shilpa adored him since childhood.

Shilpa’s reply shocked everyone.

“ I can’t be with Bhavesh anymore.He is not my Bhavesh.He is a liar.I don’t want him”.

They were shocked.

Avantika asked her as she was unsure of Shilpa’s current decision,

“But you got Bhavesh after a long wait.Do you really want to throw him out of your life?”

Shilpa replied,

“Maa…(Mother)how can I love a person who betrayed me with his lies?Bhavesh’s love itself was a lie.If he had loved me, he would’nt have lied to me”.

But Rakhi analyzed the situation  from a different angle.She guessed that Bhavesh could have lied because of her love for her.

“ But what if Bhavesh lied because of his love for you?Will you not forgive him then?”

Shilpa could not digest what Rakhi said.

“What do you mean bhabhi(Sister in law)?”

Rakhi answered,

“You only know that Bhavesh lied to you.What if he lied because of his helplessness?What if he lied for a good purpose? You only told me that Bhavesh is pure at heart.How can such a guy lie purposefully?”

Shilpa did not know how to react as Rakhi’s words got her confused.

Keshav said,

“Shilpa…that day at the party when Bhavesh  declared his love for you in public I found him genuine. I saw love in his eyes for you”.

Avantika said,

“Don’t judge anyone so early Shilpa”.

Raj said,

“You give him one more chance Shilpa”.

Shilpa was surprised as all her family members were supporting Bhavesh.Maybe because they saw loyalty in Bhavesh.Shilpa was in a dilemma.

“Did I misjudge Bhavesh?What will I do?God help me”.

Raj took his wedding album.Rakhi sat near him.

“Raj....what are you looking?”

Raj replied,

“Our Sangeet photographs”.

(Sangeet function is the pre-marital musical function in India).

Rakhi became emotional.

“Those moments...memories....”

She could not complete her sentence as she was covered by some memories.

They both looked at the photographs.