A Shattered Family Portrait
It has been many years since Kavita and Surendra got married. They have two sons. The elder son is 11 years old. Kavita is a sensible and well-behaved girl and Surendra is also sociable and good at talking but does not care about anyone except himself. He feels that whatever he does is right. Surendra loves Kavita and cares for her too but he is a little strict with his son. He wants to keep them under his control. The children cannot play as per their wishes. Whatever work the children do, they do it after asking their father. The children are delighted with Kavita and have a lot of fun but as soon as it is time for Surendra to come, there is silence in the house. Everyone gets busy with their work. Surendra helps Kavita's family in times of need. He does not behave with Kavita's family like a son but like a son. That is why Kavita's family likes him a lot. They are not able to mingle with their other sons-in-law as much as they live with Surendra. For some days, Surendra is getting more inclined towards Kavita's family. Which Kavita did not like. He was spending a lot of money on Kavita's family. Every day he would come to Kavita's maternal home by making some excuse or the other. One day Kavita asked Surendra, did you go to my maternal home? Surendra says I had some work there. If I am not at home and come, they feel bad, that's why I went home. The effect of Surendra's changed behavior was now visible in their relationship. One day Kavita asks Surendra, why do you go to my maternal home every other day? Earlier you did not do this. Even when she had work in the city, you did not go home. What happened now? Now even when mom and dad are not at home, you go to meet them. Do you do all your work there now or is there something else? On hearing this, Surendra gets furious and abuses Kavita, and starts saying bad things. Their elder son hears all this but does not say anything because he is very afraid of his father, that's why he looks as if he has not heard anything now. For a few days, Surendra does not go to Kavita's house but after 2 months his visits start again. This time Kavita follows Surendra. What is he doing? Has he started going to my house again? Kavita's man turns out to be right. He had gone to Kavita's house. Kavita is surprised that there is no one at home. They all have gone to a wedding and will come by evening. At this time her younger sister is alone at home because she had her exam so she could not go to the wedding. Kavita now wants to go inside the house but as soon as Surendra goes inside, Kavita's sister Kamini closes the door. Kavita goes to her neighbor's terrace. She says Aunty Kamini is alone at home and she is not opening the door. Can I go to our house from your terrace? She says yes. Kavita comes down from the terrace. When she comes down, they do not show her in the drawing room. Now fear and doubt were increasing in Kavita's mind. She goes inside the room whose door is half open and half closed. When Kavita looks through the slightly open door, the ground slips from under her feet. She opens the door forcefully. Seeing Kavita there, Kamini and Surendra are stunned how did Kavita come here, the gate of the house was closed then how did she come. Kavita slaps her sister hard and asks her husband, is this why you came here?
You did not find anyone else, you found my sister, so I have nothing else to do, you did not feel ashamed of ruining your own sister's home. Kavita stops right there and says I will show your real face to mummy papa, I will tell the whole truth about you both, they should also know what is going on between you two. After Kavita's mummy papa comes, Kavita tells everything about what Kamini and Surendra were doing under your nose.
Do you know anything about them? Mummy and Papa say, Son, it does not work, she is a child, she has made a mistake, forgive her, which means you knew about her but still you people did not think it necessary to tell me. Mummy and Papa say Son tell the truth, we did not want to spoil your house, Kavita lives here, what have you made your house inhabited, my house has also been ruined, today I have caught both of them red-handed, and since when has this been going on between them. Surendra says Kavita says for 6 months, well then all your work was done here and you used to come here with Kamini to do all this which you have done today. Surendra no Kavita, that is not the matter, Kavita you should keep quiet, she is so younger than you, you did not feel even a little ashamed doing this lowly thing. Surendra……………… Kavita listens to me, Kavita slaps Surendra hard, and Kavita's parents say Son now you should go to your house, the children are alone and anyway you are angry, you calm down a bit, then we will talk. Kavita says that even if I am not alive till then, I feel like either killing Surendra or killing myself. Kavita's parents make Kavita understand that people should think of their children with a cool mind, you should also think about your children, calm yourself down, and look at the children. She comes back from there because of her children but she does not talk to Surendra. She was living only for her children. Surendra had thought that he would talk to Kavita and make her understand but he did not know that Kavita's anger and indifference would increase so much that it would become difficult for him to live in his own house. He was also ashamed of what he had done but Kavita was not ready to forgive him. Kavita stops talking to her family members as well. Then after a few days, Kamini calls but Surendra does not talk to her. When Kavita comes to know about it, she becomes furious and threatens to leave him. When Surendra does not pick up Kamini's call, she comes to meet him at his shop. She tells him that I am going to become a mother, now you tell me what should I do. How many times did I stop you, Surendra? Does your family know about this? How is the bitch? Right now they don't know anything. But how long will I be able to hide? Let me do something. You go home now. After a few days, Kamini's parents also come to know about the bitch's pregnancy. They also get very worried. They were not able to understand what to do now. What will happen if Kavita comes to know? They call Surendra and tell him that now we have to get Kamini aborted and get her married soon. If the matter comes out, we will be defamed a lot and if Kavita comes to know, then your house will also be ruined. Now we have to get Kamini married. After a few days, Kamini goes to Surendra's shop to meet him. She says, Surendra, did you love me only to cheat me? Kamini talks for some time and then goes to Surendra's house. There, Kavita was resting in her room. Both of them come to Kavita's room and kill her by strangulating her. Then they sit in the kitchen and fill the store with air and set it on fire. Gradually it gets onto Kavita's clothes and Kavita gets completely burnt. Everyone thinks that Kavita was working at the store and the stove bursts due to which Kavita gets burnt. Kavita's parents also do not complain but her elder son sees Kavita being beaten but he does not say anything. He starts hating himself and does not even talk to his father. Surendra and Kamini's parents also get married soon. Kamini killed herself to settle down in her home and her parents also did not try to find out the truth but Surendra's elder son started living with his grandparents. He leaves his father's house. Perhaps his hatred will never reduce.
Kamini and Surendra had no regrets about settling down their home by killing someone close to them or hiding their crimes.