02-12-2025, 09:27 PM
## Update 142: Vodka, Secrets, and a Plan (Avi and Sweta Didi)
I walked into the room where Sweta Didi was sitting. She looked up at me, her face pale, her eyes red-rimmed. I felt a pang of deep sympathy, seeing her pain so clearly.
"Avi, will you do something for me?" Sweta Didi asked, her voice sounding thin and tired, her hands clasped tightly.
I nodded immediately, my gaze fixed on her deep sadness. "Yes, Didi. Tell me what you need," I replied, my own chest tightening with sympathy.
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a low, pleading whisper. "Don't tell anyone, not a soul, what I'm about to tell you," she implored, her eyes wide with fear and shame, scanning the room quickly.
"You can trust me completely," I assured her, my resolve hardening.
"Can you get me some vodka?" she asked, the word barely a breath.
I felt a jolt of shock. "What? Are you going to drink alcohol?" I asked, completely stunned, leaning back slightly.
She met my shocked gaze steadily. "Yes," she said simply, her expression unmoving.
"But why, Didi? Is it about Rohan?" I pressed, worried about this drastic step.
She waved her hand dismissively, her impatience surfacing. "Can you get it or not, Avi, or should I ask someone else to help me?" she asked sharply, crossing her arms.
"Okay, okay," I conceded quickly. I rubbed my chin, thinking hard. "I'm not sure you can get vodka here in the village," I mused, already trying to find a solution.
"What *can* you get here then? I need something strong," she asked, her face suddenly filled with desperate hope, leaning closer.
After a moment of thought, a possibility flashed into my mind. I leaned in conspiratorially. "Maybe I can find it in one place," I said, lowering my voice.
Her eyes brightened instantly. "Where is that? Tell me!" she urged, gripping the fabric of her kurta.
"At Principal Sir's house," I replied.
"At Sir's? How could they have alcohol?" she asked, looking utterly confused, tilting her head.
"The Principal's son is in the army. They get their supply through him," I explained the system of the village.
"But will they give it to *us*?" she asked, her hope quickly fading again, her shoulders dropping.
"I'll find a way to get it, but..." I hesitated, knowing the strength of that liquor.
"But what, Avi? Just say it," she demanded, her voice firm.
"I've heard that army alcohol is incredibly strong," I warned her, wanting her to understand the risk.
She scoffed, dismissing my concern. "It's nothing like that. Just bring it, Avi," she commanded, her voice firm, signaling the end of the discussion.
"Okay. But have you honestly had this before, Didi?" I asked, trying to gauge the depth of her desperation, my eyes searching hers.
"Yes, once, a long time ago. Now stop asking so many questions and just bring it. And remember: don't tell anyone," she ordered.
"Okay, Didi. I'll bring it," I said, a deep sense of purpose—mixed with fear—settling in my stomach. I knew I had to help her find a way through this pain.
"Stay here tonight, Avi," she said, surprising me again, reaching out slightly.
"Why?" I asked, my heart thumping, looking confused.
"Just to give me company while I sit with the pain," she said, a hint of deep sadness filling her voice, looking down at her hands.
"I don't drink alcohol, Didi," I clarified, wanting her to know I wouldn't join the drinking.
"You can have a cold drink then, okay?" she said, a small, fragile smile appearing on her lips.
"Okay. I'll bring the vodka and stay," I agreed, nodding seriously.
I walked out of the room. Sital was standing right outside the door, her posture rigid. She had clearly been listening intently.
I stared at her, not surprised. "You heard everything, didn't you?" I asked, my voice flat.
Sital's expression was serious and knowing. "Yes, I did. And honestly, I knew something like this was going to happen today," she said, nodding slowly.
My eyes widened in shock. "You knew that she was going to ask for vodka?" I asked, stepping closer to her.
Sital confessed, her voice grave. "Yes, Avi. She drank vodka the day she actually saw Rohan with that girl in the classroom, three months ago."
"What? Did you drink that day, too?" I asked, concerned that she had been hiding her own pain, grabbing her arm gently.
"Not me, but Poonam Didi did. We all tried to comfort her," she explained, looking away briefly.
I rubbed my forehead, the situation feeling heavy. "Do you think I should really bring the vodka for her? Will it help, or hurt?" I asked, seeking her advice and counsel, my expression worried.
Sital grabbed my arm, her gaze direct. "Yes, you should bring it, Avi. If you don't bring it, she'll get it from someone else, or she'll go out to drink somewhere alone. And if that happens, it won't be good for us or her family. So you bring it safely," she advised, emphasizing the necessity of control, tightening her grip on my arm.
"Okay. I'll bring the vodka then," I said, a clear plan forming in my mind.
"Also, bring some sleeping pills with you," Sital added unexpectedly, holding up a finger.
"Why would I need pills?" I asked, confused by the practical preparation.
Sital explained, her face serious. "So that Mammi (Pooja Bua) and Raj don't find out that she drank vodka. And also, Mammi won't be able to handle the drama Sweta Didi will create after drinking. We need to make sure she sleeps before she gets too emotional," she said, thinking ahead, nodding decisively.
"Okay, I'll get those too. Is there anything else I need to manage?" I asked, ready for any final instructions, my hands open.
"Yes," she said, a small, mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.
"What is it?" I asked, leaning in, curious.
She quickly pulled my head down and gave me a firm, silencing kiss. "Now that's done. You go get the vodka. I'll go back to Sweta Didi to keep her company until you return," she said, winking conspiratorially, pushing me gently toward the door.
I took Sital's mobile phone from her hand, tucked it into my pocket, and went outside, ready to execute the risky plan.
---
I walked into the room where Sweta Didi was sitting. She looked up at me, her face pale, her eyes red-rimmed. I felt a pang of deep sympathy, seeing her pain so clearly.
"Avi, will you do something for me?" Sweta Didi asked, her voice sounding thin and tired, her hands clasped tightly.
I nodded immediately, my gaze fixed on her deep sadness. "Yes, Didi. Tell me what you need," I replied, my own chest tightening with sympathy.
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a low, pleading whisper. "Don't tell anyone, not a soul, what I'm about to tell you," she implored, her eyes wide with fear and shame, scanning the room quickly.
"You can trust me completely," I assured her, my resolve hardening.
"Can you get me some vodka?" she asked, the word barely a breath.
I felt a jolt of shock. "What? Are you going to drink alcohol?" I asked, completely stunned, leaning back slightly.
She met my shocked gaze steadily. "Yes," she said simply, her expression unmoving.
"But why, Didi? Is it about Rohan?" I pressed, worried about this drastic step.
She waved her hand dismissively, her impatience surfacing. "Can you get it or not, Avi, or should I ask someone else to help me?" she asked sharply, crossing her arms.
"Okay, okay," I conceded quickly. I rubbed my chin, thinking hard. "I'm not sure you can get vodka here in the village," I mused, already trying to find a solution.
"What *can* you get here then? I need something strong," she asked, her face suddenly filled with desperate hope, leaning closer.
After a moment of thought, a possibility flashed into my mind. I leaned in conspiratorially. "Maybe I can find it in one place," I said, lowering my voice.
Her eyes brightened instantly. "Where is that? Tell me!" she urged, gripping the fabric of her kurta.
"At Principal Sir's house," I replied.
"At Sir's? How could they have alcohol?" she asked, looking utterly confused, tilting her head.
"The Principal's son is in the army. They get their supply through him," I explained the system of the village.
"But will they give it to *us*?" she asked, her hope quickly fading again, her shoulders dropping.
"I'll find a way to get it, but..." I hesitated, knowing the strength of that liquor.
"But what, Avi? Just say it," she demanded, her voice firm.
"I've heard that army alcohol is incredibly strong," I warned her, wanting her to understand the risk.
She scoffed, dismissing my concern. "It's nothing like that. Just bring it, Avi," she commanded, her voice firm, signaling the end of the discussion.
"Okay. But have you honestly had this before, Didi?" I asked, trying to gauge the depth of her desperation, my eyes searching hers.
"Yes, once, a long time ago. Now stop asking so many questions and just bring it. And remember: don't tell anyone," she ordered.
"Okay, Didi. I'll bring it," I said, a deep sense of purpose—mixed with fear—settling in my stomach. I knew I had to help her find a way through this pain.
"Stay here tonight, Avi," she said, surprising me again, reaching out slightly.
"Why?" I asked, my heart thumping, looking confused.
"Just to give me company while I sit with the pain," she said, a hint of deep sadness filling her voice, looking down at her hands.
"I don't drink alcohol, Didi," I clarified, wanting her to know I wouldn't join the drinking.
"You can have a cold drink then, okay?" she said, a small, fragile smile appearing on her lips.
"Okay. I'll bring the vodka and stay," I agreed, nodding seriously.
I walked out of the room. Sital was standing right outside the door, her posture rigid. She had clearly been listening intently.
I stared at her, not surprised. "You heard everything, didn't you?" I asked, my voice flat.
Sital's expression was serious and knowing. "Yes, I did. And honestly, I knew something like this was going to happen today," she said, nodding slowly.
My eyes widened in shock. "You knew that she was going to ask for vodka?" I asked, stepping closer to her.
Sital confessed, her voice grave. "Yes, Avi. She drank vodka the day she actually saw Rohan with that girl in the classroom, three months ago."
"What? Did you drink that day, too?" I asked, concerned that she had been hiding her own pain, grabbing her arm gently.
"Not me, but Poonam Didi did. We all tried to comfort her," she explained, looking away briefly.
I rubbed my forehead, the situation feeling heavy. "Do you think I should really bring the vodka for her? Will it help, or hurt?" I asked, seeking her advice and counsel, my expression worried.
Sital grabbed my arm, her gaze direct. "Yes, you should bring it, Avi. If you don't bring it, she'll get it from someone else, or she'll go out to drink somewhere alone. And if that happens, it won't be good for us or her family. So you bring it safely," she advised, emphasizing the necessity of control, tightening her grip on my arm.
"Okay. I'll bring the vodka then," I said, a clear plan forming in my mind.
"Also, bring some sleeping pills with you," Sital added unexpectedly, holding up a finger.
"Why would I need pills?" I asked, confused by the practical preparation.
Sital explained, her face serious. "So that Mammi (Pooja Bua) and Raj don't find out that she drank vodka. And also, Mammi won't be able to handle the drama Sweta Didi will create after drinking. We need to make sure she sleeps before she gets too emotional," she said, thinking ahead, nodding decisively.
"Okay, I'll get those too. Is there anything else I need to manage?" I asked, ready for any final instructions, my hands open.
"Yes," she said, a small, mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.
"What is it?" I asked, leaning in, curious.
She quickly pulled my head down and gave me a firm, silencing kiss. "Now that's done. You go get the vodka. I'll go back to Sweta Didi to keep her company until you return," she said, winking conspiratorially, pushing me gently toward the door.
I took Sital's mobile phone from her hand, tucked it into my pocket, and went outside, ready to execute the risky plan.
---
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