Chapter 98

Chapter #95

With everything on a much more even keel; Sareena availed herself of Jack's company solely as a friend today, when she appeared for the final time before the adjudicator who had, just last night, righted the wrong that had taken place two years prior.  Mindful, not to overly-express her happiness in face of the gravity of the situation, Sareena held the coveted passport that had just been handed over to her. Having it in her possession removed the final obstruction to her leaving the country with Sanjay - to fulfill her brother's final wish and make her family whole once more.  After detailing their travel arrangements for the court records, Sareena thanked the judge once again, before the senior official brought the brief hearing to a close.  She glanced over at Sonal, who was in a quiet discussion with her own attorney, and then turned back to her own legal counsel with the intention of thanking him for his able representation. The older man beat her to the punch when he spoke up first.

"Dr. Arora - Sareena, before you speak, if I may have a few words before we conclude our business..."

 

Because he was just unable to turn off his instincts, Jack left the courtroom ahead of everyone and went outside to survey the area. He couldn't exactly pinpoint what he should be looking for, but felt it necessary to do so.  Removing his mobile from his inside suit pocket, he brought up an application and ran it, while at the same time he performed, what would look to the common man, like a cursory look around. His eyes were drawn to the app - the signal was lower than he would have expected. Just to be on the safe side, he would have to make a point of ensuring that the GPS device was removed and placed in its charging station before they went on their trip to the seashore. However, as he knew that the safety of the wearer was of no real worry right now, the bodyguard went back to his original intent.  

 

There was nothing that at first glance seemed untoward. Theirs had been the first session, a quick fill in before the normally scheduled cases were to begin, so in fact the exterior was probably less populated than it would have been had it been in the middle of the day. The faces in the crowd displayed what was to be expected of those who would be attending to have their plights heard and decided by the Family Court Judges. And then there was the gentleman who waited just outside his car; the vehicle that Jack had noticed arrived just as they were entering the building this morning. He stood there waiting; mobile in hand, just staring anxiously at the court building.  Either he was exceptionally early for his appointment, or as Jack suspected, he was there for another matter: one closer to their situation. He wasn't anyone that was known to him, and he wondered what role, if any he had in the situation.

 

"Sareena!"

Jack turned at the shrill voice calling out, to view his friend heading in his direction, with Sonal fast on her heels.  Sanjay's mother had been subdued to the point of making him suspect of her passive demeanor while in chambers, but outside of the building the underlying demand was clearly heard in her cry.  He observed his friend fold her arms, before she turned to acknowledge the request for her attention.  There was a steely determination behind Sareena's natural compassion and kindness, and if Sanjay's mother thought to browbeat the young doctor now, then she was sorely mistaken.

"Ji Bhabhi?"

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come at you like that...I just wanted to make sure not to miss you. Um, I was wondering if I should bring any of Sanjay's belongings..."

"That won't be necessary, he has sufficient at home, and obviously I shall be outfitting him once we get back to the UK. The climate differences make it necessary."

"Yes that makes sense," the child's mother answered. She raised her hand when her ex-sister-in-law would leave. "Sareena, you will let me see Sanjay before you leave the country won't you? I would appreciate the opportunity..."

Sareena studied the other woman, hoping to gauge her sincerity. "If you stopped to think about it, Sonal ji, you would realize that keeping you away from him was never Bhaiyaa's intention. Nor was it mine. In an ideal world, we would have worked together to ensure that Sanjay grew up as happy as possible, unaware of the fact that his family had been torn apart. If you choose to do the right thing, we may still one day reach that point." She paused and studied the woman next to her. "I will call you with our travel arrangements both to and from Goa, and back to the UK."

"Thank you," Sonal replied to the woman who had already turned her back to her. In turn, she rotated and headed for her waiting ride, lamenting that the overly-attentive physician was already en-route to intercept her. Exactly what was so hard about being discreet did the man not understand, Sonal thought.  Abhi was right to complain that the doctor: now the most vital one in their plan was also their weakest link.  She would need to handle him, and assure him that the two of them being together had to override his qualms in what they needed him to do.

 

**********

Somehow, in a miracle of logistics, the majority of her family and friends were leaving today: if not the country, then Banaras itself. Smitten by the hospitality they had received in this part of India, quite a few of those who could, were actually venturing out to see other parts of the country before returning home. Naomi couldn't help but feel pleased that hers and Rajeev's nuptials had been the catalyst for this, and after evoking promises of full details of their adventures, she had waved the last of them off, before turning to her immediate family; who naturally would be the last to go through the security checkpoint.  As soon as she walked to where her parents stood with her in-laws, she was at once caught up in her mother's embrace. 

"Oh my darling, I will miss you so much," the older woman tearfully began. She released her daughter, and right away wiped her eyes. "I promised myself that I wouldn't make a spectacle, especially since I know you we are leaving you in the most capable of hands." She reached and grasped Rajeev's hand. "Don't give into any of her whims if they are not in her best interests, Rajeev. She's very easy to spoil."

"Mommy: really?"

"Hush darling, it's absolutely my prerogative to say such. In a matter of months you will surely understand. Speaking of which," she said as she raised Naomi's hand, "Savitra di, tells me that technically you should be removing your bridal chura, given your condition."

Naomi, smiled, and nodded. "Before we return from Goa, Rajeev will have removed them. I will send you a picture," Naomi added, "And then you can announce to the entire world, that you and Daddy will be becoming grandparents, okay?"

Her mother covered her trembling lips with one hand and nodded.

"And I promise I will let you know about every appointment, every test, and every scan. You will probably get tired of hearing from me Mommy."

"That's highly unlikely, Princess," Naomi's father interjected, joining his wife. He hugged his son-in-law and then turned to Naomi. The pair shared a smile, one that showed their complete understanding of each other. "Take care of each other first," he instructed his daughter and new son. "Before anyone, your responsibility to each other should come first.  It goes without saying that this will include the two little cricketers that my princess is carrying, but everything will be fine if you two just do that, I promise you."

 Naomi laughed, "Yes Daddy."

"Cricketers, Uncle Ji," Rajeev asked smiling.

"Just wishful thinking on my end," the older man replied with a laugh. "But, it will be good to have some new blood in a few years' time when we play some beach cricket at the family picnic," he mused. "A little of their father's dexterity will probably come in handy."

Naomi stood with her mouth ajar for a second, but then closed it and smiled. If there was any doubt that her father had any lingering qualms about their relationship, his casual inclusion of Rajeev in their silly family banter allayed that thought.

"Maybe we should re-think the game, Daddy since we already have the in-roads on a Championship winning hockey coach. We will be unstoppable," she said as she reached up to kiss her father's cheek, aware that time was quickly getting away from them, and that her parents would soon be gone.

"Hockey," he said unconvinced. "I'm not so sure about that, but we will sort it out before the two of you come home for a visit with our grand-babies okay?"

 

 

With promises to definitely visit them before they left for Goa, Rajeev closed the door to his parents' car and then he and Naomi walked hand-in-hand towards the long-term parking area where their vehicle was located. She acknowledged the tightened grip on her hand and tilted her head up to him. Inwardly he was relieved to see her clear eyes, devoid of any tears, so in lieu of the comfort he had envisioned would be next on his agenda, he smiled back at his wife.

"That was a wealth of advice," he suggested.

"Yes," Naomi agreed, "But I doubt they will hold you to any of it, if it helps."

"Aacha, is this your way of circumventing the rules and getting your own way Mrs. Agarwal? We will see, but I have to confess to being partial to the fact that we should put each other first, before all others, and their problems."

Naomi's smile faltered and then  she looked away momentarily, before facing her husband. She stopped suddenly, and when Rajeev did as well, she took a deep breath. "I'm so worried about all of them, and especially how this will affect Sanjay. I want to be able to help, but Daddy is absolutely right. My first priority is to us, and because of this I won't make a decision that you aren't happy with or won't agree to."

********

Kabir looked at his watch and then made his way to Rachna's work place. She was busy finalizing things that needed to be taken care of in advance of their week-long trip, and probably hadn't the time for his interruption, but unapologetically he did just that when entered the room calling out for her.

 

"Arpita can you please excuse us?"

Rachna smiled when her assistant nodded her understanding, and left the room. As soon as the door clicked close, she approached her suffering husband; offering him the solace he needed, by enfolding his larger frame in her arms.  

"We've done the right thing, and this won't mean the end of things. Our family will just be a little displaced, but never out of reach."

It had been the mantra that she had come up with and was using to get herself through this trying period. To a degree it was working, but unlike her husband, she also had the ability to see the larger picture right now: that the child whom they loved so much had been removed permanently from the destabilizing influences of his mother and was now with one who would always put his best interests first.

"I'm being selfish, aren't I?"

"You're being a father, Kabir: nothing more, nothing less. And letting go is not an easy thing for any parent to do." She smiled up at him "If nothing else, the wedding should have shown that to you. I don't imagine that what you are feeling is anything different than what Naomi's parents have had to contend with, but they are leaving knowing that their child is fine, and if anything their family has just grown a little larger. It will be the same for us, I promise."

Kabir held his wife in silence, pondering her words.

"Do you think Sareena will agree to it then? If so I can call the lawyer today and start."

Rachna was confused. "Agree to what..."

"Her adoption of course; I'd rather make it official," her husband countered with a wry smile.

Rachna giggled and went up on her toes. "You are an idiot Papa Kabir, but Sareena would be a fool to say no" she whispered to his lips before closing her eyes and kissing the foolish man she was so lucky have married.

 

A few hours later, Kabir passed Arpita as she exited the workroom, after the shortened work day and bade his wife's trustworthy associate goodbye.

"Have a good vacation, Kabir. I will see you when you get back."

"Thank you Arpita; hopefully my wife hasn't left you inundated with tasks."

The young woman stopped completely. "No actually I have just enough to get me through the next few days at home, and then I will basically have the week off as well."

"Aacha, are you sure you wouldn't care to join us then?"

The young woman, facing the entrance, blushed, and stammered. "Nay...nay, that is thank you for the offer, but it isn't something my parents would approve of."

 She shuffled her bags to her other shoulder and then muttered some excuse before hurrying away. Behind him, Kabir heard Arpita mumble a greeting and saw that Sareena and Jack had returned. Immediately he noticed that the smile the bodyguard wore did not reach his eyes, and as quickly realized that Arpita's answer had contained a wealth of information that was of note to the man. When Sareena discreetly rubbed her friends shoulder in commiseration, Kabir was even more sure that somehow during the busyness of their lives, and completely unbeknownst to him, at least, a connection had been made between the bodyguard and the young design assistant. And that it had unmistakably hit the worst of roadblocks: parental influence.  About to speak, Kabir was interrupted by the door opening and Rajeev and Naomi coming home. She must have been watching out for them as Daadi came rushing to meet the couple.  She ushered the group in and to the dining room, where the children waited already and instructed Kabir to call Rachna from her work for lunch.  Only when the group had settled at the table did they realize that one of them was missing.

 

"Arrey, where is my Vihaan," Daadi exclaimed indicating the empty seat between herself and Sareena.

The man in question hurried into the house, exclaiming his apologies. "But when you all see what I have lined up for us to do in Goa, I know you will forgive me," he announced confidently.

*********

 Mentally, Naomi went over their luggage, and then thinking better of it, pulled out the list she had made. Across the room Rajeev was talking to Vihaan in hushed tones; helping her Devar with some last minute problem.  She answered her own phone, smiling when she saw it was Rachna.

"Are you all done now; everything packed and ready to go?"

"Ji, including ourselves. I was just calling to let you know that we were going to head off early since we there are so many of us, and we aren't exactly travelling light. We will just go and check in and rid ourselves of all of this baggage and then meet you guys outside of the security check point, thik hai? Will Vihaan be coming with you or making his way to the airport on his own?"

"I'm not sure actually, Rajeev is talking to him now.  At any rate, I don't think we will be leaving for at least another half hour or so, so you should be all settled by the time we reach there, Ra."

"Okay then," Rachna said before pausing for a second. "It seems everything is loaded in the car now, we will see you in about an hour at the latest."

 

 Stuck in the heavier than anticipated traffic, Rajeev blew out a sigh of frustration; Kabir had been sensible to have made an early start of it. While they were not in any danger of missing their flight, it would be slow going getting to their destination. He reached one hand over to his smiling wife who was beyond excited for their unplanned honeymoon. It would be the best of both worlds, the time alone in the exotic location, but with the option of company should they wish. He recalled the sexy swimsuit, she had shown him when the rush online-order had shown up, and raised Naomi's hand and kissed it. He winked at her when he saw that he had her full attention.

"Don't worry Rajeev, I've packed a more conservative suit for the beach," she said, reading his mind. "The other one is exclusively for the private pool that comes with our suite," she said of the strappy bikini. She smiled to herself as she thought about what else she had packed, after finally building up the nerve to investigate the array of lingerie boxes Rachna had "gifted" her.  A couple of the least offending outfits had made it into her case, and she prayed that the tropical paradise would lend her the courage to actually wear them for her husband.

"Something about your expression has me nervous, Sweetheart. Tell me what's going through that pretty mind of yours."

Naomi opened her mouth to answer when he mobile rang. "Saved by the bell," she teased. "It's probably Ra letting me know that they have arrived," Naomi said as she answered the call.

********

The couple rushed through the hospital corridor, racing to the hospital room they had been directed to. A physician exited the room in question as they approached.

"Doctor, is he okay; is Kabir okay... And Rachna and the children were they injured?"

"Rajeev and Naomi," the physician asked.

"Ji"

"Kabir has suffered the greatest extent of injuries, which are serious, but thankfully not life threatening. His wife was a little bumped up but, again thankfully she and her child are fine. The family is in the room now.  Please come in; I know they have been waiting. They were fortunate to be travelling with a physician themselves," the hospitalist continued as he led them into the room.

 

The attack was swift and unexpected, as both husband and wife were focused on the man laid up in the hospital bed and the woman, her head down, weeping beside him. Walking ahead of Naomi, Rajeev reached Rachna first and called her name. And then he heard it - the whimper behind him and turned to see Naomi succumbing to the chemically soaked cloth covering her nose and mouth, seconds before he felt the pricking sensation in his neck that caused his world to blur almost immediately. Rajeev fought them - the doctor and the make-believe patient who had posed in the bed, his wavering concentration on his wife whose supine figure was now being placed on a gurney that had been hidden in the room.

 

"Are you certain that the drug won't harm her or the babies;  you realize that your life won't be worth shit if it does?"

 

The voice was enough to set his adrenaline pumping, and with a bellow Rajeev launched at the bas***d who would dare make another attempt against his wife.

"Help us," the doctor called out as he and his companion tried to control the enraged coach.

Abhi's response was to land a flurry of punches on the restrained man, which did little to subdue Rajeev, but had provided him some measure of satisfaction. He stepped back defensively when the coach would have responded, and grunted gleefully when, the victim of another injection, the man finally slumped to the floor. He watched as they placed the man into the hospital bed, and set up the IV which would finally sedate him, so that they could carry out the remainder of their plan. Abhi noticed that Rajeev was still semi- conscious and following his every move. He would make his watching worth it he thought as he approached Naomi, and  first violently shattered the chura she wore, and then wiped her forehead of the sindoor her husband had applied that morning. Grinning malevolently at the coach, Abhi looked for and found a sharp edge of one of the broken bangles, on which he nicked his thumb and then in a morbid validation of their union, applied his own blood to Naomi's maang.

"Mine," he mouthed evilly to the incapacitated man, before he nodded for his beloved to be secured until he could spirit her away, right from under everyone's noses.

 

"What you did was totally unnecessary," the doctor started in on him.

"An accident will be reported, so what harm is there in making it appear legitimate," Abhi answered noting that the unconscious patient looked slightly worse for wear. The doctor shook his head, unsure of the need of what had been, and what had yet to be done.

Abhi gripped the physician to remind him, that he shouldn't think to back out from their plan.

"Aacha: remember the end goal, now is the time we help your love get what she wants, and then, we will all disappear, right?." He looked at the man noting that the mention of Sonal had appeared to steel the physician's resolve. The hapless fool, Abhi thought, but whatever got him to do what was needed, so be it "It's time to activate part two of the plan, Doctor."

 

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2016-03-27 15:26:45