Chapter Two

K-Shandra

@K-Shandra

His father’s insistence and behaviour has bugged him ever since their return home, which was why he’d secluded himself in the study. No matter how Anurag analysed it, he could not make sense of it. He knew and understood the reasons behind his father’s attachment to Prerna and the Sharma family, Rajesh’s family was as good as his family, but his father’s instance in performing the rituals made no sense.There had been no need – as his mother had continuously lamented even after their return. It confused him. Because he knew his father well, or at least he thought he knew his father well and Moloy would not have been as adamant about the matter had there not been a deeper reason for it. In order to be that stubborn, Moloy would have, at the very least, strongly believed that what he was doing was right,. And it was the reason behind Moloy’s obstinacy Anurag wanted, no needed, to know.

He needed to discuss it with his father, but knew that no actual answer would be given - even if he were to ask directly.

A knock at the door interrupted his deliberation. Anurag turned to look towards it, but felt his ire rise on noticing the servant. Debu, holding a tray, stepped into the room The tray held a glass of water and his medication.

Anurag checked his watch noticing the time and released a heavy sigh, Sonalika was adamant about his medication schedule, where he could happily forgo it.  

Anurag gestured for Dabu toplace the tray and medication on the table and said, “I’ll take it later.”

Hesitantly,Dabu replied, “Mrs. Basu insisted I remain until you have taken your medication.”

Anurag did not know whether he should be thankful or irritated by her concern. He needed to make sense of his own thoughts and feelings not worry about taking medication that made his head feel fuzzy.

Knowing that Dabu would not leave until he’d fulfilled the obligation, Anurag took the medication, placed it in his mouth and drank some of the water. He then dismissed the servant and spat out the pills once the man had left.

Having finally come to a decision, he rose from his seat and made for the door. The only way he would get answers were to ask the difficult questions to the one from whom he needed the answers, his father.

The lights in the hallway were dimmed, indication enough of the hour. But he knew that if did not follow through with this it would remain overlooked or ignored, as so many things were recently.

Anurag slowed his progress as he approached his parents’ room. For a mere moment the thought crossed his mind that they may have already gone to bed … a thought that was just as quickly disregarded when he heard his parents’ argue. He hesitated for a moment,uncertain whether he should intrude. He’s never known his parents to argue so vehemently or loudly before, especially since his father has always eased-over matters whenever his mother became agitated. Anurag knew enough of their personalities and their relationship to know that there were things they were not telling him, or at least that was the impression he got from Anupam and his father.

He considered his options, but when his mother mentioned Prerna’s name he hesitated.

“And just what is wrong with that?” demanded Moloy.

“What is wrong with that? What is wrong with that?!” Mohini’s voice grew louder with each utterance. “The problem is that you were insistent on embarrassing us! What was the need to make such a scene at that house?”

“I did no such thing. You refused for the ceremony to be held here, the same as you refuse to acknowledge Sneha.”

“She’s nothing of me! So why should I?”

“It does not matter how ardently you deny it, Mohini, it will not change the fact that that little girl is our granddaughter. Had it not been that Anurag had lost his memory I would have taken him to task a long time ago.”

Anurug’s blood ran cold. He shuddered, as if someone had emptied a bucket of ice water over him. He gasped in an attempt to replenish the air that had been knocked from his lungs. He shook his head.

No, he must have heard wrong, it could not be.

For a mere moment his heart stopped while his fathers words, so decisively, resolutely spoken, swirled around his head repeatedly; ‘that little girl is our granddaughter.’

Anurag had the answer to the most prominent, pertinent question on his mind, but he could not believe it. Cupping his hands over his mouth he took several shallow breaths as he tried to process the information… Information that seemed impossible to believe yet his heart would not refute it. He ran his hands up over his ears and clasped the back of his head in an attempt to still the conflicting thoughts that ran through his mind. None were as conflicting as the feelings that surged through him.

Nearby Mohni and Moloy continued their argument, unaware of the storm brewing within their son.

Mohini angrily challenged back,“It still means nothing! Anurag is married to Sonalika, his future lies with her!”

Moloy angrily challenged back, “Is he? I never attended his wedding or any of the rituals. I never saw him marry that girl.”

“I will not allow him to accept the responsibility of another man’s child!”

“You repulse me Mohini! You very well know that child is your granddaughter but think you can change the fact by denying it.” There was a moment’s silence before he added, “I’m not even going to argue with you! You are not even worthy of being called a grandmother!”

“Moloy!” Mohini angrily chided.

“Don’t you Moloy me, I well enough know my own name, and what you have done is inexcusable.”

“I did what needed to be done.”

“Really?” Moloy challenged, “And just how do you plan to explain it to our son that you cast his pregnant fiancé from this house the moment a seemingly better daughter in law appeared on your doorstep.” Mohini started a response but Moloy cut her short. “It is obvious to anyone who can see that Anurag’s affection and attachment to Prerna has remained unchanged.”

“I was not going to allow that girl to trick him again! That baby is Bajaj’s! It’s a Bajaj not a Basu.”

Their arguments only served to confused him. It’s meaning made no sense. If he were to believe his father’swords it would mean that he and Prerna had been about to get married… But what stopped it? Had they had a fight? It seemed most likely as he and Prerna were prone to arguing.

‘Where had that thought come from?’

Anurag gasped as a band tightened around his chest and made breathing almost impossible. He stumbled towards the nearby seating area and staggered onto one of the chairs, his entire body became numb and then fully alert, leaving his skin tingling all over.

The numerous implications swirled in his mind. Each fought for dominance yet it only took a moment for them to fall into place, for realization to form. One that left him seething. If his parents knew, that would imply that Nivedita, Anupam and Tapur, in fact both families knew that. Prerna had been pregnant with his child when she was cast from their home! That would mean that everyone had lied to him.

Yet how was it that he’d been engaged to Prerna but had in turn married Sonalika? It also meant that someone could have told Sonalika - which explained her sudden behavioural change. Oddly, that did not anger him as much as he knew it possibly should have.

‘Are we even married?’

Anurag thought back and tried to recall their wedding, but it all seemed a blur. He tried to make sense of what could have happened… yet his mind seemed intent on rebelling. His thoughts instead milled around Prerna and Sneha, as the reality of the situation impinged itself on him: Sneha was his. He need not wish forit, need not imagine it. It was a fact that gave him as much joy and elation as it gave anger and trepidation

The realization brought with it another jolt of shock. If Sneha was his, that would imply that he and Prerna had been close, that close. Then how was it that he could not remember it? How could he have forgotten something like that, given what he felt and sensed between them?

The harder he tried, the more distant it seemed to be.

Anger quickly replaced confusion and consternation. How many times had he asked for answers? Clarification? How many times had he sought information on Prerna’s husband? Only for her to brush it aside by claiming that the father was near. The thought caused another chilling sensation to overcome him. She had not lied but she had not been totally honest with him either.

An overwhelming sense of betrayal filled him. Anyone could see, everyone knew how he felt about Prerna. Yet no one thought to inform him that the very person he was angry with for putting his friend in such a position was he himself. No one had bothered to correct him.

And then there were his mother’swords… How much was true?

Had his engagement to Prerna been a shotgun affair, which his mother had opposed? Why else would she be as heartless as to cast Prerna from their home? Then there was Anupam: his actions and his encouragement. His brother in law would have known the truth – would also have known how he feels – and no effort had been made to stop or caution his actions. In fact Anupam encouraged him; possibly because Anupam knew that to their class a baby that was not just some little thing that could be swept aside. It was not a problem that was handed to a caretaker and money thrown at.

He recalled the way his father sat with the little girl during the ceremony. The joy and pride that was obvious for all to see. When taken into consideration with the facts so blatantly revealed, they explained his father’s behaviour far better than his mother’s doubts.

His father was right. Had he known of Sneha both her and Prerna would have been brought to their home, and he would have insisted that they be married. This meant there were wrongs that needed righting. But first he had to find out how Prerna felt about the matter.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Without thought he hit Prerna’s speeddial, only realizing afterwards that he’d done it and muttered out loud,“Another thin I never bothered to question.” He lifted the phone to his ear,realizing that it had to have been a well-established habit for it to feel as natural.

“Answer Prerna,” he again muttered, forgetting that it was late and that it had been along day for them. The call went to voicemail and he ended it before again redialling her number, urging, “Pick up the call.”

A few moments later a sleepy Prerna questioned, “Anurag?”

He voice jolted him, for he had not even considered what he would actually say to her, which caused him to stammer, “I woke you, sorry, sorry, I didn’t think.” 

“That’s okay, is something wrong? It your dad okay? I know you wouldn’t call at this time if it was not important.” Her sleepy voice filtered through the line and strangely calmed him.

“No, dad’s fine… I was calling…”Anurag started but found he could not continue.

“Yes. Tell me.”

“I would say that we should meet, but it is too late for that.”

Her concerned voice confused him as she said, “You’re scaring me Anurag. Why would it be too late? What is too late?”

He thought over his words, and then took into consideration the time. He’d never before had any problem with simply showing up at her house at any given time, even scaling her balcony if that was what he needed to do in order to see her, but this time… It was different… like the time he’d realized he was actually seeking her out.

“Anurag?!” the urgency in her tone drew him out of his musings.

“I’m here,” he instinctively replied.

What is be so urgent that it cannot wait until morning?”

“Do you still love Sneha’s father?” Anurag asked thinking it would be better if he established how Prerna felt about him.

The hesitation before she answered concerned him and caused his heart race anew, He needed to understand what and how she felt, also where they stood before he revealed to her that he knew.

“You phone me so late for this?” Prerna asked, adding a more concerned, “Why ?”

“I just wanted to know”

“But you’ve asked me this before.”

“But you never really answered me,” he then irritably added, “I need to know.”

“Of course I love him, I love him more than my life.”

“Enough to forgive him?” Anurag demanded.

“What type of a question is that?” Prerna demanded.

“Just tell me.”

“He hasn’t done anything I need to forgive him for.”

Anurag then demanded outright,“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“I know about Sneha’s father.”

Her silence unsettled him. He clenched his one hand, he should have waited until morning, should have done this face to face, because at least then he could determine what she was trying to hide by not speaking to him. The longer she remained silent the more irritated and angrier he became. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Anurag…”

“No, I don’t want excuses. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you trust me enough to tell me that I’m her father? You allowed me to believe that another man has rights over Sneha and you. For so long now I wanted to take the man to task, I hated him for what he’d done to you, and you said nothing!” His voice grew louder with each argument, eventually growing loud enough to draw everyone from their rooms.“Tell me!’ He demanded.

“Anu!” Anurag swung around the moment his mother’s angry tone registered, “Enough! you’ll wake the entire neighbourhood. End that call and go to bed. Everyone here would also like to go to bed!”

Anurag made to say something only for Sonalika to step forward and take his phone. Ending the call she said,“It is late, I’m certain this can wait until morning.”

Anurag made to grab his phone and countered “No it can’t, it’s too important.”

“Baby, you’re far too tense after having taken your medication.” Sonalika said, sweetly adding, “I’ll go get us some water, why don’t you go to the room.”

“I won’t…” Anurag insisted, only for Anupam to cut him short.  “Come brother in law it is late, you can discuss it with me until Sonalika returns to the room.”

“No!” Anurag resolutely countered, then looked from one to the other before finally exclaiming, “You all lied to me, you all withheld the truth.”

“What truth?” demanded Sonalika.

“Sneha is my daughter.”

Stunned expressions greeted his words and everyone immediately became hesitant.

Anupam was the one who however approached Anurag again, “Come brother in law, we should speak.”

“Anupam!” Mohini angrily cautioned.

“Your greatest fear has been uncovered mother in law.” Anurag’s gaze fixed on Anupam, his expression that of disbelief as the man continued, “It’s best that he speaks to someone who will tell him the truth about the situation.”

Instantly Mohini countered,“That’s not for you to decide.”

“Well none of you seem willing,besides all of you hide behind partial truths, whereas I have nothing to hide.”Anupam then gestured to Anurag to proceed him, “Come it’s gonna be a long evening so we’ll go to the study.”

Sonalika stomped into their room, fighting to contain the scream that ripped though her being. “Tomorrow,just you see, tomorrow I’m going to kill that stupid doctor for giving me useless medication.”

Sonalika pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial before irritably pacing the room. She did not even give the person on the other side chance to properly answer before ranting, “You had better marry that woman and get her out of here or else I will kill her tomorrow.”

Calmly the voice on the other side replied, “Your goons couldn’t kill a mosquito at a swamp. It would be better if you left Prerna to me.”

“Well then you had better hurry up, because Anurag knows the kid is his.”

“I’ll take care of it.”