Chapter 6

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

Chapter - 5

Emotions

Like that breath without air,

That flower devoid of fragrance,

Music without the melody,

That hug lacked the warmth.

A cell devoid of claret

And a life without a soul

The words, well were just words

If my presence was in the absence of an emotion.

“He looks familiar” thought Sai. And then as if on command the memory played the reel to her. She recalled the entire incident a year ago when she had first met him. 

Sai (Smile spreading over her face) – You? I mean you are ACP Chavan?

Time stood still for Virat. He had hoped for this moment, to see her again, that smile once again, to come face to face again. He had envisioned this meeting in many ways as sleep took over him in this past one year. But he had never expected to meet her in such awkward and mysterious setting. Her voice interrupted his thoughts, and he was rudely brought back to reality. The smile that had started to break out on instinct was held back and a more serious demeanour took over. He was here for a purpose and he couldn’t let his personal feelings weigh over him. He was back into the ACP Chavan shoes.

Virat – Sai Joshi?

Sai was disappointed to see that he neither showed any signs of recognising her nor did he seem too pleasant in his approach. So she decided to leave it at that.

Sai – Yes ACP Chavan. How can I help you? Why did you want to see me?

Virat had to choose his questions carefully. As much as his heart refused to believe that she could be a fraud, all his logical theories led him to believe otherwise. If he had been fooled by her act that day, then she was proficient in her craft and it would be difficult to break through her. He had to watch her, watch her very carefully. Every gesture, every slight movement had to be read carefully.

Virat – I wanted to know a few details about you

Sai – About me? But why? What have I done?

Virat – I haven’t accused you of anything. It’s a procedure

Sai – I understand protocols very well ACP Chavan. So instead of cutting around the bush, please come to the point. Why are you here? I prefer direct talks. Can you please be clear in your motive, and that will help both of us. And enable me to cooperate fully.

Virat – Fine. How do you know Ex Commissioner of police Nagesh Chavan?

Virat was observing her, and he wasn’t sure if he was glad or upset when her face drew a blank.

Sai – I have heard about him, but I don’t know him personally.

Virat tried to nudge further. 

Virat – Are you saying that you have never met or spoken to him ever in your life? Are you sure? Think again

Sai – I’m very sure. Why would I lie to you? I have never met him; in fact, I don’t think I even know how he looks like. What is this all about?

Virat pulled out his wallet and showed a family picture with Nagesh in it. He was quick to observe the recognition dawn on his face.

Sai – Wishy! (She squealed)

Virat saw how Sai’s face first glowed with the brightest smile at seeing the picture but was then followed by a series of various emotions. He couldn’t place them correctly. He realised that she was dealing with her own set of revelations, but he finally had some break through. She knew his Bade Kaka.

Virat – So you know him! (It was a statement rather than a question) Then why did you say you don’t know him? And what is wishy?

Sai – That’s what I used to called him. I didn’t know him as an ex-police commissioner. He never told me. The name did ring a bell, but I could have never imagined he was the person you were talking about. Never has he told us and with what I had known of him, I could have never imagined him to be someone holding such powerful stature.

Virat made a mental note of that last line, leaving it for future probing. He had not found a single fault in her behaviour and she sounded genuine. But it was too early to pass a judgement. His training forbade that.

Virat – So, how did you know him?

Sai – I just met him accidently one day at the beach. We got talking and then he would visit the beach and the orphanage regularly during his evening walks to meet me and the children here.

Virat thought over that piece of information. His Bade Kaka used to go for evening walks regularly. He was very particular and always eager for it. He remembered how happy he used to be when he returned home. Till now the pieces were fitting in, but it still did not clear off Sai.

Sai also had started to get uneasy. She had not seen him for so many days and now the mysterious questioning was only making her stomach churn in anxiety for his well-being.

Sai (worry written over her face and voice) – Where is he? Is he all right? He hasn’t visited us for so many weeks now. It’s very unlike him. Please tell me he is fine. Please

Virat didn’t know what to say. He was still coming to terms with Nagesh’s demise. Breaking the same news to anyone was not easy.

Virat – I don’t know in what capacity you have been interacting with him. But he is no more. He suffered a heart attack and passed away a few days later.

He saw how the color left her face and she went into a state of shock at his words. The initial shudder was then replaced by tears that streamed through her face. Virat pulled out a chair and guided her to it. He watched her carefully. If she was acting, then she had just passed with flying colours. Oscar Level! Her worry and then grief was of someone who had lost a dear one. There was a side of him that wanted to console her, share their common loss. But there was a rational mind that had taken precedence, that was still on watch. If she was genuinely grieving, he wanted to give her the time to absorb and come to terms with the news.

He sat next to her till her tears subsided and she tried to gather the courage to continue. Virat on the other hand was constantly fighting a battle with his heart and mind. With everything so far, in her favour, his mind was on check and deliberated if he was biased due to the judgement of his heart.

Sai – I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break down in front of you. Even though I feared about his well-being after his unexpected disappearance, but I wasn’t prepared to hear this. I’m not sure if I should thank you for informing me. Because I don’t know if I would have been happier waiting for him to arrive one day. That hope is now dead.

Virat – I’m sorry to be the one to break this news to you. I see that you are deeply affected by his loss, so I can come back later.

It was only considerate, to let someone grieve rather than shower them with questions.

Sai – Oh! So you are not here to inform us about him? Then what brings you here? Is it about Devi Tai? Is she all right?

Again, he saw the signs of genuine concern.

Virat – She is fine. The purpose of my visit is something else. It’s about his will.

Sai – His will? How does that concern me?

Virat – Well, he has left a generous part for you in his will.

Sai (She couldn’t think that he would leave anything for her exclusively)– You mean the orphanage?

Virat – No Miss Joshi! Kaka has donated a liberal amount to charities and this orphanage being one of them. But he left his farmhouse and his writings only to you.

Sai was shocked to know that her friend had left her such an inheritance. Her friendship with Nagesh had been pure and selfless, and she had never wished for anything in return. Except his happiness. And this was something least expected. Virat was still cautiously gauging her, reading her every gesture, every expression, every word. She had not faulted once, or he had lost his skill.

Sai was still trying let this information sink in when she suddenly picked on the word “Kaka”

Sai – Who are you? How are you related to him?

Virat – I’m Virat, Virat Chavan. He was my uncle.

She knew him. She knew him from the details Nagesh had shared with her. She knew how much he loved this nephew of his. Without knowing him, she knew so much about him.

Suddenly this was all making sense to her. Though she was still struggling with her tears, and with the new information that had been revealed to her, she was able to match the jigsaw puzzle. And that’s when something struck her, which made complete sense to her. 

Sai – ACP Chavan, I know that the farmhouse is an inherited property, and your family holds a sentimental value to it. I assure you I have no inclination whatsoever to take over such a property. I never expected anything, nor can I take such a huge legacy. You can be at peace with that. I can sign any papers to nullify this inheritance. I will just be happy to keep his literary works as his memory. But that too only if you and family is comfortable with me having it.

Virat couldn’t place an iota of doubt on her. There was nothing that she said or did that meant something unwarranted, our questionable. Nowhere did her actions and words misalign. He had painstakingly monitored her reaction time to every revelation, the emotions taking over in her expressions, the movement of eyes to the play of her fingers, to placement of her feet, to the tone of her words. They were all weighed and gauged. She just seemed so honest that Virat had started to feel guilty of putting her through this ordeal when he should have given her time to weep and release her sorrow.

Virat – That’s a different topic. We will get to that later. But before that if you feel up to it, can you tell me more about your relationship.

He never doubted this aspect. He trusted his Bade Kaka, but this was more to get the clean chit from his family.

Sai – Sure Mr Chavan. I can see that this is important to you. I can answer all your questions now.

Sai began by retelling her story of meeting Nagesh, and Virat noticed that twinkle in her eyes and the smile that came on her lips.

Sai – I met Wishy Mushy there, like right there (She pointed towards an empty can lying on the beach)

Virat (Amused) – What is Wishy Mushy? How can you call him that?

Sai – Wishy because he was like this magician who would turn up with just about anything that my heart wished for. From chocolates, to candies, to golgappe . (And she went on and swirled her tongue along her upper lip) And Mushy because every time he had a cotton candy with me, that would get stuck on his moustache.

Virat laughed at that one and her antics when she enacted it to him. And just like that the ice was broken. She went on to share the details on how she saw him sitting alone, depressed, how they got talking and eventually became friends. She knew that Virat was his confidante, hence when he probed further, she spoke about their conversations in detail. She could now see the Virat that her Wishy loved, than the stern ACP who had approached her a while back. They had slowly walked out from the orphanage and sat on the beach at her usual spot she shared with Nagesh. This place brought about so many memories, that made her choke and made it difficult for her to continue at times. But Virat waited patiently, his own eyes betraying him at times, visualising his Bade Kaka as Sai narrated him. Though they shared so much, Virat realised how much Nagesh was suffering. He had chosen his words with Samrat and Virat to ensure he doesn’t color them. But with Sai, he had been more frank. He didn’t know whether to be pleased that Nagesh had found a friend in her to confide and share his pain or jealous that it was not him. Their conversation had gradually taken a natural flow. It was no longer an interrogation; it was a heart to heart chat. About the common link that now bound them. A person no more alive but present in their vivid memory. Virat realised why it was easier for Nagesh to disclose and reveal such personal things to Sai. She had been his strength. He now worked out the reason for the change in Nagesh. His happiness, his courage, and his will to live. She was the source, and he couldn’t thank her enough for giving that solace, that peace, that encouragement to his Kaka when he most needed it. He wished he knew about this before, and felt more guilty that he couldn’t do much to ease his pain and pull him out of his miseries. He realised that how much she knew about him already, when all this while he had wanted to know her. And then it occurred to him that his Bade Kaka oblivious to anyone one of them had actually met and liked the girl Virat spoke about and wanted to introduce one day. Reminiscing memories to sharing emotions, Virat and Sai sat there sharing their silence.

Sai – ACP Chavan, I think..

Virat – Virat. You can call me Virat. I know I was quite stern in my approach with you as I met you in the capacity of a police officer. It was to know who you were and (he hesitated to reveal about the his and his families’suspicions )

Sai – I understand AC..Virat. Anyone would have doubted in such circumstances

Virat – What a coincidence it is. We had met a year ago and we didn’t even catch each other’s name. And all this while you have known my Bade Kaka so closely and have a detailed character sketch of me.

Virat laughed at his last line, and Sai saw what Nagesh meant when he spoke about him.

Virat - I apologise for feigning it. I did recognise you from that day.

Sai – And here I was thinking that you didn’t and was flustered on how to react. Whether to remind you or ignore and then you had that rotten look on. And I decided otherwise

And she burst out laughing and he followed her. He looked sideways at her as she watched the waves. Her tears dried but the sorrow lingering in her eyes. Her hair left loose was playing with the breeze and he had this urge the run his fingers through them. He carefully observed every feature of her profile, and he was sure that he forgot to breathe for a while. He wasn’t sure why their paths had crossed, and what was in store for them. But he knew that destiny definitely had a role to play and it had a purpose.

Virat was sure of her sincerity, he knew that every word she spoke was with absolute truthfulness. But he also knew this was the preliminary level.  She had to survive more scrutiny. And there was the clause in will about her inheritance which he was yet to reveal. The family’s reaction and more importantly his Kaku’s decision will be crucial. And in all this his feelings for her were a complimentary icing. There was too much happening, and it only made the course of things more uncertain. He knew that it had been a stressful day for Sai. He could save her from more. Prolong it. Leave it for later. one by one. He could save her the agony of all this and deal with it himself for now. He had to know her more, revisit that day a year ago with her. That had to wait. But his fluttering heart was ready to take off!

Chapter 6 - Inheritance with a price

 PS - I’m not really sure if you guys are liking this take on the story. I had decided to discontinue, but updated thinking maybe Nagesh’s demise was probably not accepted. Hence, writing this part to see if this one really needs to be told based on your responses. Accordingly will take a call on continuing with the story. 
Request you for an honest review/suggestion 

[MEMBERSONLY]