Opposite Poles..Part 140

Part 140

“Sham babu, take care of yourself first, then talk about my vested interests.  Your brother in law has filed for reopening the accident case of Prashant.  He mentioned that he has some evidence to suspect murder..!” said the voice from other end.  Sham froze.

“What? Why?” he was nervous.  “I don’t know, but he knows that you had a joint bank account with Prashant.  He has furnished the account number and requested for the bank statement!” came the response and Sham gritted his teeth. 

“Saale Saab, you don’t love your sister anymore, I believe.  Otherwise you wouldn’t have gone against my advice to close the enquiry! Now you will see what happens to your sister. I really pity her, and her blind love!” Sham smirked.

******   *********   ******

“What?” Arnav got up with a jerk picking up his car keys.  “Don’t worry Chote, Damaad ji is here.  She is alright!” said Nani and he looked shock.

“Was he there when this happened?” he asked with bated breath.  “No chote, he just walked in..!” Nani responded and he clenched his fists.  “Be it a coincidence!” he wished.  

When he reached home, Anjali was in her room and Sham was sitting by her side looking worried and talking to her soothingly.

“Di!” Arnav sat on the other side.  She smiled faintly.  “Don’t worry, Chote! I am alright.  It was just an accident.  I just fell down from the flight of stairs!” she said.  Arnav shuddered with the thought of the worst.

“Why can’t you be careful?’ he asked in anguish.  Sham smiled.  “I am alright, Chote! And he was there...! My everything!” Anjali held sham’s hand and patted her.  

“I am always there for you Raani Saheba! You are my everything!” he said glancing at Arnav.  He had removed her hand from Arnav’s grip and was holding both her hands as if separating her from her brother.  Arnav couldn’t bear the thought.  “Di..!” he touched her forehead.  She gripped his hand and said.

“Chote, Don’t worry! So long as he is there with me, nothing will happen to me! He is my protector..!” She gripped Sham’s hand too.

“And you know? I have a double protection, you and my everything!” she smiled at Arnav and he came out looking more worried.  “Umm Raani Saheba.. you take rest.  I will be right back!” he said and came out to see Arnav standing on the landing.

“Saale saab, don’t worry! I am here, she is safe!” he said with a glint.  Arnav gaped at him.  “What is he up to? Is my information wrong?” he gazed at Sham piercingly as if trying to read his mind.  “So long as I am with her, she is safe! Don’t worry Saale Saab!” he said with a tinge of threat! Arnav clenched his fists.  Sham was slowly and systematically moving his wife away from her real protection under the pretext of love.  Arnav gaped at this Sham.  “Is he the real one?” He thought and winced.  “I should find out!” he went away with the thought.  Sham smirked.  

“You wouldn’t dare do anything against me! Saale Saab, I always have a trump card with me!” he came back to his wife.

 

******   ******  ******

Khushi forgot to give the directions to Auto wala.  He frowned.  “Kahan Jaana Hain, Laxmi Nagar Main?” he asked irritably crossing the Laxmi Nagar signal.  She came back to her senses.  “Umm.. no! Take me to the temple.. Laxmi Nagar Temple!” she said.

“Pahalay batanaa thaa!” he protested taking  a U turn to the road to Mandir.

“Devi Mayya! I know, you wrote my destiny, when I was born!” she closed her eyes praying hard.  “You write for everyone.  Then how come he says he writes his own? Did you give him that power?” she asked looking at her smiling face.

“Don’t smile, like this, teasing me!” she frowned.  “Tell me, if you gave him that power, why didn’t give me too? Why do I have to depend on you for everything? Tell me Devi Mayya! I thought I have a direct connection with you and I am your favourite.  But now I see, he is more close to you.  You favour him more.  You gave him the power to write his own destiny!” she muttered sulkily.  Devi Mayya was still smiling on her.   Khushi gaped at her pleasant smile and pursed her lips sulkily. 

“So you are not going to tell me, how to write..! Fine...! I will find out myself!” Khushi turned her back on her Devi Mayya and came out of the Mandir.  Devi Mayya was still smiling.

***********   ********   *********

“Excuse me Gentlemen, I have to take this call!” said ASR going out of the conference room stopping the conversation in the middle.

“Khushi?” he was surprised to see her name flashing.

“Hello, Arnav ji?” Khushi called out.  “Khushi? Are you Ok?” he was worried.  

“No! I am Ok, Arnavji.. I just wanted to ask you...!” she went ahead loudly. 

“Volume kum karo!” he barked and she said “Sorry!” in a low tone sheepishly.

“Now, what is she up to?” he thought waiting for her to continue..

“Arnav ji, you said you write your own destiny...! I just wanted to know..!” Arnav closed his eyes in frustration.  

“You called me up to ask..!” he couldn’t believe her brainlessness.. !  “No I mean.. I just wanted to know..!” she went ahead and he blew his top in rage.  He had come out of the important meeting, which he hated to do and she was asking some crap  idiotic questions about destiny...!

“Shut up Khushi.  That requires brain which you don’t have! Stop it!” he disconnected with a frown first and then a line of smile appeared on his face. “Silly girl!” he came back taking a deep breath to come back from Arnav ji to ASR.  He resumed his presentation.  

*********   *********   ********

“Devi Mayya kay Ladlay! So you also won’t tell me..! I will find out myself.  I will also write my own destiny and undo everything that has happened to me!” she muttered furiously, walking down on the road to her home.  She felt a sudden rush of emotional outburst.  Her babuji was muted.  He would have guided her.  She broke into a run with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Why am I so alone in this world?” she had no answer.  She had no one to turn to.  “Why am I so miserable?” she asked herself.  “Why should I be? I am going to write my own destiny... I should be cheerful to write better..!” she smiled forcibly but it remained on her face for a long time.  She actually felt cheerful.

“Humm... this is better!” she patted her back and entered her house.

“Jiji... bhookh!” she yelled from the main door and Payal understood that Khushi was back to normal.  She smiled.  She had prepared all Khushi’s favourites including jilebees...! Khushi smiled broadly.

“Aray Wah! Jiji! Meray iss ghar se jaldi jaanay ki Khushi main? Is this a parting dinner? I will be going out of this house soon!” Khushi said loudly and Payal’s heart bled with the stab.

“Khushi!” she held her hand tightly looking angrily at Buwaji.  Buwaji looked away with tears.  She too felt the pain in Khushi’s voice.  She couldn’t help.  She was doing this for the family.  

“Khushi...!” Buwaji came forward to console Khushi.  But Khushi was smiling.  “Don’t worry Buwaji, I am also equally eager to go out of this house! Just tell me when.. and Puff I will be gone!” she said looking at Buwaji.  

“Amma!” she heard a sob from Babuji’s room.  “Please..Amma!” Khushi hugged her Amma.  “Don’t cry in front of Babuji..! And don’t worry! I am perfectly alright.  All set to get married.  I have come to terms with my destiny, Amma!” Khushi said with fingers crossed at the back.

“I am not going to bow before the destiny.  I will modify it, if not write it afresh!” she was determined.  She came back for dinner to find sham entering.  

Buwaji was preparing a list of things to be done for engagement.  She wanted to invite the neighbourhood but Sham opposed the idea.  

“Let us save money, Buwaji.. We need it for Uncle’s treatment..!” he had played the emotional card and Buwaji was overwhelmed at his thoughtfulness.  

“I am thinking of a very simple marriage, Buwaji... !” he had gone ahead cashing on the same mood of Buwaji.  “But that we will decide once this is over!” he couldn’t wait for his engagement.  Khushi was on a different level.

“I will call my close friends.. Nirupa, Lavanya ji, Anjali ji.....!” she gave her list and Sham opposed.

“No, Khushi ji! We will not invite anyone.  Inviting rich people means more expenses.. We can’t afford that..!” he put it logically.

“But Lavanya ji, wouldn’t expect anything...!” Khushi protested.  “Khushi... let us discuss the invitee list later..!” Buwaji reprimanded.  “We can’t afford to spend money now!” Buwaji played her card coming to sham’s rescue.  

“Yeah.. you are right!” Khushi gave up.  Payal went inside completely frustrated.  Khushi enjoyed the food and went to bed early that day drawing the blanket over her head, meaning that she was not to be disturbed.  Payal sighed looked at the blanket and switched off the lights gazing at the ceiling.

********  ********  ******

“What the hell was she trying to find out?” he was pacing the room.  He got time in the night to think about Khushi’s phone call.  He was thoroughly puzzled.  “How to write Destiny..? Has she gone mad? I mean.. she is already!” he thought curling up his lips.  

“What was that? Why did she wanted to change her destiny?..” It was shocking for him.  “Why would one who believes in her Devi Mayya and her destiny, want to write her own destiny..?” his head spinning he threw his mobile on the bed.  

“Is she in trouble? Again?” he stopped at the thought.  “I must find out!” he dialled her number immediately.  

“Khushi? Are you Ok?” he said at once when the phone was picked up.

“Umm.. !” came a different voice.  “Payal, this is Arnav.  Where is Khushi?” he asked sounding concerned.  “Umm.. she went to bed early..!” Payal said hesitantly.  

“Is she ok?” asked Arnav again.  Payal didn’t know what to answer.  “Umm.. yes..!” she said hiding the facts.  She was not sure whether Khushi wanted to tell everything to her Monster. 

“Ok!” he disconnected feeling little relieved.  “Some weird bug must have stung her..! Pagal!” he smiled and went to bed early, switching off the lights.  The smile lingered on his face in his sleep too.