Apulki Chapter 19 - Tears, Truths and a Birthday Surprise
- Hansa
- May 12
- 5 min read
Recap Chapter 18: Isha lands up with five seats to Delhi thanks to everyone double-booking her ticket, while Yamini sabotages yet another rishta by declaring her loyalty to Sunil Waghmare. As chaos turns to laughter, the chapter ends on a darker note with Yamini in tears over unexpected news.
Breaking News, Breaking Hearts
“What happened, Yammu? Bad news from home?”
Yamini didn’t answer.
She simply pointed at the breaking news flashing on the TV screen… and burst into tears all over again.
“Sunny’s got engaged.”
“What?” Isha stared at her. “You dragged me from an important meeting for this?”
“And this isn’t?” Yamini wailed. “The love of my life has got engaged to another woman! What am I going to live for?”
Akash gently stroked her hair. “Don’t say that. You’ll find a guy much better than him, you wait and see.”
He winked at Neerav as he said that.
The Theory of Want (Debunked)
“Shahrukh Khan is a big liar,” Yamini declared dramatically.
“Who?”
“You don’t know Shahrukh? Superstar? King Khan?”
“When did you meet him?”
“He said in that movie… if you want something real bad, you get it. I wanted to marry Sunny real bad, but I didn’t get him.”
“Actually, it was Paulo Coelho who said that.”
Yamini gave him a look that could have reduced a lesser man to ashes.
“Never mind,” Akash added quickly.
Yamini resumed crying.
“Well,” he tried again, “20,000 other females wanted him real bad as well. He couldn’t possibly marry all of them, could he?”
“But my want was the strongest.”
Akash wiped her tears with the back of his hand. “Okay, hush. If you cry some more, your eyes are going to look all puffy.”
That did it.
Yamini sprang up and rushed to the mirror.
“OMG. I can’t go to Aunty’s party with swollen eyes.”
“Exactly,” Isha said. “So stop crying. I don’t want anything to go wrong tomorrow.”
Yamini nodded solemnly… and immediately began tapping furiously on her phone.
“What you doing?” Neerav asked.
“Updating my status on Facebook.”
Neerav leaned over her shoulder. “Lemme see what you posted. ‘Am sad.’ That’s it?”
“Yupp.”
“And for those two little teeny-tiny words you’ve got 132 likes and 51 comments already?”
“So?”
“Not fair,” he grumbled. “I posted a bloody recipe that took me two days to master and all I got was four likes and two comments.”
Isha chuckled. “Should have been born a girl.”
“Seriously,” Neerav sighed. “It’s a woman’s world.”
Four Kids and a Balcony Confession
A little later, Isha stepped out onto the balcony to water her plants.
Neerav followed.
She set the watering can down and stared silently at the building opposite, its endless rows of identical balconies and windows stretching across like a grid.
“Neer… do you really want four kids?”
She didn’t look at him.
“What?”
“You’ve said it a few times.”
“I have?” He frowned. “Hmm… It kinda sounds nice... a house full of kids. But not very practical in today’s age, is it?”
Then he looked at her properly.
“You’ve been worrying about that Ishu?”
She nodded.
Without another word, he pulled her into his arms.
“You know how I sometimes say things without thinking. I probably scared you, didn’t I?”
He added softly, “You, as a mum, will always have the final say. What you want will always be more important for me.”
He gently cupped her face.
“Look at me, Ishu.”
She lifted her eyes slowly.
“I love you. I admire you. Even if you don’t want any kids, it’s okay. I want you to be happy with me. That’s all.”
He hugged her tightly.
“Oh Ishu, my silly girl. You have no idea how much I love you. Not just me… Ma and Baba as well. Do you know, whenever I’m with them, we end up talking about you?”
Isha held him just as tightly.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Later that day, Isha lay in bed, replaying the entire conversation in her mind.
A small smile spread across her face.
She hugged her pillow.
And for the first time in a while… felt completely at peace.
Whisky Wisdom and 100 Messages Too Many
The next morning, Yamini woke up and immediately regretted being alive.
“God. My head.”
“Yupp,” Isha said cheerfully. “You polished off half a bottle of whisky last night. Neat.”
Yamini grabbed her phone.
Scrolled.
Froze.
“OMG!”
She sat bolt upright.
“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.”
“What now?”
“What did I do?” Yamini groaned. “I sent like a hundred messages to Sunil last night.”
Isha burst out laughing.
Yamini opened the messages and began reading aloud in horror.
“You’re a bastard… scum of the earth… you were supposed to marry me…” She clutched her head. “Oh God, what did I do? I’ll never be able to show him my face again… He’s never going to reply to me now. He’ll block me.”
She buried her face in her hands, wishing the mattress would simply swallow her whole.
“Well,” Isha said helpfully, “if he doesn’t, his fiancée surely will.”
The pillow flew across the room.
“Kameeni!”
Not Quite What Was Ordered
That evening, the birthday celebration was in full swing.
It wasn’t a massive party. Just a small, tastefully arranged gathering at home for Mrs. Banerjee’s close friends and family.
But to Isha, it might as well have been the Met Gala.
She had planned every detail.
And she was determined to get it right.
“Ma, you’ve got to see the food,” she said, practically dragging her mother-in-law to the buffet. “It’s mouth-watering.”
She handed her a plate.
Mrs. Banerjee examined the first dish.
“Fried fish for starters.”
She gave Isha a polite, slightly strained smile.
“Yes Ma, and kebabs,” Isha said eagerly. “They’re finger-licking delicious.”
“Yes, yes, it’s wonderful,” Mrs. Banerjee said, scanning the table. “Oh thank heavens – pulao.”
“It’s chicken biryani, Ma,” Isha corrected enthusiastically. “And just smell the prawn curry cooked in coconut milk… totally divine, no?”
“Great,” Mrs. Banerjee said weakly. “You know what? I feel quite full seeing all this food. I think I’ll eat later.”
“But Ma...”
“Actually… I’m fasting today.”
“Who fasts on their birthday?”
“I had made a wish to Ma Kali,” she said serenely. “And promised to fast on my 60th, if it came true.”
Isha stared at her.
“Ma, why didn’t you tell me? I ordered all these dishes especially for you.”
The Good Bahu Masterclass
A little later, at the drinks table, Neerav picked up two glasses of Coke and thanked the waiter.
Isha marched up to him.
“Your mum’s so annoying. She had to fast today of all days?”
“Ma? And fasting?” Neerav chuckled. “She doesn’t even know the meaning of that word.”
“That’s what!”
“Ishu,” he said gently, “she’s vegetarian.”
“She’s what?”
“I thought you knew.”
“How is that even possible?” Isha stared at him. “She’s a Bong.”
“Yes. A vegetarian Bong.”
“Seriously? Is that even possible? I’ve never seen a Bengali who doesn’t eat fish before.”
Neerav smiled, took her hand, and squeezed it lightly.
“Relax, babe. It’s okay.”
Isha looked down, embarrassed.
“One small thing she asked me to do… and even that I mess up. Damn.”
Neerav lifted her hand and kissed it.
“These things happen. Don’t worry.”
Isha gave a small, sad smile… and nodded.
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Missed a chapter? Click on the links below:
Chapter 10 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-10
Chapter 11 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-11
Chapter 12 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-12
Chapter 13 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-13
Chapter 14 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-14
Chapter 15 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-15
Chapter 16 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-16
Chapter 17 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-17
Chapter 18 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-18
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Great chapter, happy to see isha is finally resolving her dilemmas, i wonder how will sunil react, now yamini is gonna be confused if he actually comes to marry her.. well maybe im thinking too filmi-ish. Yam and the gang's banter was funny. Looking forward for next chapter
Nice chapter , nice to see Isha's fears getting nullified but I feel like Isha is going to run away the day of her wedding lol
Waiting for the next chapter
Ha ha ha. Dramatic yamini
So ishu now slowly accepting neerav and family.
Oh bongs r mix they eat fish but they do eat vegetables too. I personally loved aloo poshto &dokar dalna. Sweets I love lavang latika and sondesh
Looking forward to next chapter