Chapter 17

When their bus arrives back in Ambala, Raj is already waiting for them, and as soon as Naina has crossed over to where he waits, he envelops her in a hug. Aalekh wanders off a short distance to give them some privacy and slightly surprised at his reaction, Naina hugs Raj back.

"Has it really been that bad?" she asks him sympathetically when he finally lets go of her.

"It's been even worse than that," Raj tells her, "I don't think I'm ever letting you go away by yourself ever again."

And Naina suddenly feels warm at this comment, at his possessiveness of her, his need of her.

"But what's been going on?" she asked him, "It wasn't a good Diwali?"

"Well Lala Saheb and Sherry didn't stop fighting practically the whole time they were here, and when they weren't fighting they weren't talking to each other." Raj tells her, "And most of the time Sherry wasn't talking to me either."

Aalekh wanders back over, having decided that he's given them enough time alone together.

"Did you have a good Diwali, Aalekh?" Raj asks him, "And thanks for looking after Naina. I really did feel better about sending her all that way."

"It was my best Diwali ever." Aalekh tells him, "And no problems."

Because looking after Naina is definitely not a problem for him. Before leaving, while Naina had gone to get her bag, he had made a promise to her mother. A promise that he would protect Naina, and from now on he considers it his responsibility to do so.

**

When they get back to the academy, Aalekh says goodbye to them and goes to put his bag in his room and find his friends.

Raj carries Naina's bag and they walk to their room, he notices that she looks tired, in fact almost exhausted. Worried about her, he puts his arm around her shoulders comfortingly and she smiles up at him, but there is a worry in her smile, a question.

It's after they've gone into their room and closed the door, putting her bag in the bedroom and sitting on the bed, that Naina starts to speak.

"Aalekh knows everything," she tells Raj, "I told him the truth… all of it. Ma accidentally mentioned Navin and at the time…"

She looks so worried about what he'll think that Raj reaches out and takes one of her hands, squeezing it.

"You don't have to explain yourself, Naina." He tells her, "I know you would've made the decision carefully before telling Aalekh and I believe that he's trustworthy. He'll never tell anybody's secrets."

Naina nods, relieved. She had worried that Raj might disapprove of her telling Aalekh, after all, if the truth is discovered then it will affect him as well.

"Why don't you go take a shower and I'll make us something hot to drink." He suggests, "Then we can sit down and you can tell me about it properly."

Raj is just preparing to make some chai when the door opens and Sherry wanders into the room, not having bothered to knock.

"So where is she?" Sherry asks, looking around the living room. "I heard that you went to go pick her up."

"She has a name you know," Raj tells Sherry gently, a little bit amused. Because for the first time since she arrived Sherry is showing some emotion other than hostility. She seems curious, finally wanting to meet Naina.

"Fine, where's your wife, Naina?" Sherry asks, crossing her arms over her chest. "If I don't meet her this time then I'm really not going to believe that she exists."

"You can definitely meet her this time," Raj promises gently, "You'll just have to wait until she's finished freshening up. Why don't you take a seat and I'll make you some chai."

And almost hesitantly, Sherry sits down, as if reluctant to appear as if she's too interested or commit herself too much.

Raj is glad when Naina comes out of the bedroom dressed in a simple salwar kurta and towelling her hair dry, because honestly, before that he wasn't sure how he should be handling Sherry.

The two of them notice each other and Naina smiles at Sherry, friendly but not over friendly. "Hi, you must be Sherry." Naina says, "It's good to finally meet you."

"Hi," Sherry tells her, almost smiling back but not quite and then she looks Naina up and down before turning back to Raj.

"So what's wrong with her?" Sherry asks him.

"Excuse me?" Raj asks, not quite sure what it is that Sherry's trying to ask.

"Well considering you hid your marriage for two years I assumed there must be something wrong with your wife… but she looks perfectly fine to me." Sherry tells him with a shrug.

Raj glances at Naina, hoping that she's not offended, but she seems as if she's amused instead, a slight smile on her face.

"Well perhaps it's not obvious from the outside," she tells Sherry, sounding perfectly serious and saving Raj from answering, "Maybe I'm actually crazy."

And Sherry looks at Naina in surprise, unable to believe that she hasn't offended her.

But Naina has already turned to Raj. "Is the chai ready?" she asks him, and crosses to the kitchen to take one of the mugs while he takes the other two.

Naina hands the mug that she's holding to Sherry and the girl takes it hesitatingly, almost suspiciously.

Naina determinedly pretends not to notice, taking a cup off Raj and sitting down to sip it. In the few minutes since she has met Sherry, she thinks she understands perfectly well what's going on.

Whatever hostility Sherry shows is a defense to keep people away from her, to ensure that they dislike her. The only thing that Naina doesn't understand yet is the real reason behind it.

"You'll have a lot to catch up on," Raj tells Sherry as he sips his chai, "But if you need any help then Naina and I here, and I'm sure the other cadets would be happy to lend a hand too."

"I don't need any help," Sherry tells him, "I can succeed or fail perfectly fine on my own."

Raj doesn't comment on this, he wants to, but the look that Naina gives him convinces him to keep quiet.

"So you're studying medicine?" Sherry asks Naina suddenly, and Naina tries to hide her surprise, happy that the girl is actually making an effort. "That must be hard."

"It is," Naina replies, "I spend most of my time studying, trying to keep up with it."

"So when you're going to be a doctor, couldn't you find yourself a better husband than someone in the army?" Sherry asks her. But while there is a slight tone of hostility in her voice, Raj can sense curiosity there too. She's still trying to figure out how it is that they got married.

"No," Naina replies simply, her eyes fixed upon Raj, "I don't think that I could've found a better husband."

And it is the tone of her voice which melts Raj's heart all over again.

"Well I'm going to bed," Sherry announces, "I heard you have to get up at 5am in this damn academy, so we've all got to sleep at ridiculous times too."

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Raj tells her gently, "We've got communications and strategy class in the morning."

"Great," Sherry comments sarcastically, "I can't wait… just how I always imagined spending my time."

And without bothering to say goodnight, she leaves the room.

"I think that went well…" Raj comments, "Trust me, I think she likes you."

"I think she just needs some time to settle in." Naina reassures him, "Just let her adjust at her own pace, eventually she'll be ready to open up to you."

"I certainly hope so… I worry about her, you know." Raj tells Naina, "I mean I know she's not a baby, she's the same age as you, but still…"

"She's your sister." Naina finishes for him, understanding perfectly, "It's natural for you to worry."

She tries to stay awake, wanting to tell him about the holiday, but her eyes keep closing as she's tired from the trip.

"Why don't we go to bed now?" Raj suggests, "It's been an exhausting three days."

Naina nods, and after washing the cups, they head to the bedroom.

She's asleep almost as soon as her head hits the pillow, and Raj considers her for a moment, the way her face relaxes when she's like this, the way her fist curls slightly in her sleep.

And for the first time, consciously, he reaches out and puts his arm around her, drawing her closer.

Because he's missed her terribly for the past three days, and because right now, he does need the comfort that she can offer him, even while sleeping.

And somehow Raj knows that Naina wouldn't mind.

**

The next morning when Sherry enters the mess, already dressed in her uniform with her hair neatly tied back, everybody turns to look at her.

After all, she is new.

"Wow, who's this?" Huda remarks, "We needed some more good looking girls around here, I think I should go and welcome her to KMA."

"I don't know if I would do that if I were you Hudabhai," Ali told him warningly, "Do you remember what happened the last time you tried to welcome a girl to KMA?"

Huda suddenly looked worried, "Arre, this one isn't Major Nair's wife is she?" he asked, and Pooja started laughing.

"Oy blank caller," she tells him, "She's Captain Rajveer's sister Sherry, she's joining our batch."

"That's almost as bad…" Huda remarks with a frown, "And how do you know?"

"I heard it in the girls' hostel this morning, she's Sonali's new room mate," Pooja told him. "So don't even think about it."

"But we should definitely be polite…"

"Huda, don't do it."

And as Sherry walked past with a tray of food in her hands he suddenly lazily put a leg out, blocking her way.

"Hey girl… why don't you have your breakfast with us?" he asked her.

Sherry looked him up and down before looking at his leg stuck out in front of her.

"Because I don't eat breakfast with arrogant idiots who think too much of themselves." She told him, and then she kicked his leg away and went to sit at a table by herself on the other side of the room.

Huda stared at her in shock while Ali, Yudi and Pooja all burst out laughing and Aalekh smirked.

"Just accept it Hudabhai, not every girl in the world finds you as attractive as you think you are." Ali tells him, and Yudi high fives Ali as they continue laughing.

Having come into the mess in time to witness the exchange, Naina grabs some food and goes to sit with Sherry at her table.

"Don't mind Huda," she tells her, "He's just like that. In fact he even tried to flirt with me on the day I arrived."

Sherry looks a bit amused at this, "He even tried to flirt with his teacher's wife? Now that really is shameless." She comments.

"Well I don't think he realised I was married when he did it," Naina explains, "But still, don't allow yourself to be bothered by it, they're a good group of cadets."

"I'm not interested in making friends." Sherry replies, even as she glances towards the table where everybody except Huda is now laughing.

"That's okay," Naina replies, "But even if you don't become friends, you will all be training together."

"Then I'll meet them properly then." Sherry replies, sounding uninterested.

Naina just nods, not wanting to push the girl too much at one point.

And watching from a distance, Aalekh catches Naina's slight nod in his direction.

**

Entering the classroom for Captain Rajveer's class, Sherry chooses a seat close to the wall and towards the back. It's not too long before she finds the seat next to her occupied and she turns to see who it is.

"Hi," the occupant tells her, "Apun Aalekh hain."

For a moment she instinctively wants to tell him to go away, but hearing his way of speaking, she's curious about him.

"I know you already know who I am," she tells him, "What are you doing in this place?"

"The remand home sent me. To make me a better person." Aalekh replies simply, shrugging.

"Even I've been sent here to become a better person." Sherry remarks sarcastically, "Has it worked in your case?"

And Aalekh looks at her very seriously before replying, as if he's seeing past all her defenses. "I don't know," he replies, "But I've found people who realised that I was never that bad."

And uncomfortable with what he's saying, Sherry turns away only to find another face looming in front of her.

"So you've met our Qaidi," he remarks, "Meet me too, Amardeep Huda."

"I met you before," Sherry tells him, "That was more than enough for me."

"Well since everybody else is making their introductory calls, I might as well make mine too!" Pooja announces cheerfully, "I'm Pooja Ghai."

Sherry nods at her in greeting.

"And this is Ali, Ali Baig!" Pooja continues enthusiastically, "You know he's the third generation of his family to join the army!"

"Doesn't he talk for himself?" Sherry asks, and Pooja flushes.

"Of course I do, and I'm happy to meet you." Ali tells her politely.

"And I'm Yudi," the young man tells her, coming over to join them. "And that's basically our whole gang."

It's then that Captain Rajveer walks in and the cadets scramble to get back to their places.

"Well everyone, I'm sure you've all noticed that we have a new arrival." He tells them, "From today Sherry Gehlot is going to be a member of your batch and I'm sure she'll prove her capabilities very soon."

He doesn't ask them to help her out… he knows that Sherry wouldn't appreciate it.

Turning back to the blackboard, Raj begins his lesson for the day.

He's done all he can for now.

**

Meanwhile in her room, Ritu Mishra dials a number, drumming her fingers impatiently on the table until the person on the other end picks up.

"So what have you found?" she asks them, "You'd better have something good for me."

"We're having trouble tracking down any information on her," the man replies, "But I think we're getting close, we've just managed to access her transfer records from her college before this one, she only joined there after her marriage."

"Interesting…" Ritu comments, "So after her marriage she moved but didn't go to live with her husband…"

"We're trying to find out more, ma'am." The man tells her, "We'll have some information as soon as possible."

"You'd better," Ritu tells him threateningly, "You know what depends upon this, and you know who'll be angry if you fail."

"Of course ma'am," the man replies nervously, "It will be done as soon as possible."

Ritu hangs up the phone and crosses to the window, looking out of it.

She knew that Naina Singh Shekawat was hiding a secret, now all she had to figure out was exactly what it was.

And when she did… nobody would be able to save Naina from her.

And this was Ritu's promise.