Memories That Burn #IFFA2019 Ongoing G

Chapter Five

Anurag irritably paced his room, his hands clenched and unclenched at ever decreasing intervals. He did another length of his room in an attempt to calm himself, only the thousand conflicting thoughts in his mind would not succumb to his will as he tried to force them into some semblance of reason. But every time he thought of the possibility of Prerna being with someone else, Prerna allowing anyone else close to her, reason left him. He had no idea what he should believe. He held his mother in the highest regard, knew she would have no reason to lie to him,but Anupam’s words haunted him… how could his mother dislike Prerna so much?What was the reason? He was tempted to ask his mother only he had no idea what she would say. He also knew that he could no hear anything negative about Prerna, especially from his mother. He did not fully understand the circumstances, which meant that things could be more confusing, so than they seemed.

The doors to his room opened and he swung around, ready to chase Sonalika away from him. He needed space, but the words remained unspoken as Anupam entered the room and closed the door.

Anurag approached him and asked, “Are you alright Anurag?” Anupam reached for his shoulders to hold him still as he looked into Anurag’s eyes. “You are confused.” Anupam stated before pushing Anurag down onto at the end of the bed.

“I don’t know what or who to believe anymore. My heart tells me one thing, my mind another and then everybody, no, nobody is willing to make sense of these flashbacks I get.”

“Are you getting them often?” Anupam asked joining him.

“Increasingly so?”Anurag answered.

“I may not be able to help you with all of them but I can help you place them so that you have an idea as to where they fit.”

“Like now. This. You coming and talking to me it feels familiar, yet I don’t know when or why.”

“We became more familiar with each other when you started to fall in love with Prerna.”

“But why?”

Anupam looked at him for several long moments before he replied, “Because you could finally understand how I feel about your sister.”

Without giving it much thought, Anurag said, “But you married sister Nivadita for money.”

“How is it that you can remember that but not anything else?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nivadita and I have not yet been married for two years.”

Anurag thought it over for some time before shaking his head, “I don’t understand how I could know that, perhaps because you were here when I arrived and mother has mentioned it,but everything else is a mess.”

“If that were so then it would be easy for you to understand how you are being manipulated.”

Concerned, Anurag asked, “What do you mean?”

“It is simple you see,your sister and my marriage does not concern you because you are not emotionally attached to the events around out marriage. She appears happy and you accepted the premise of it.”

“She’s my sister, how could you say that?”

“Because your sister’s welfare and emotions are not… how can I say this. You know I will never do anything to harm your sister, which is why you are not stressed about her relationship, unlike Prerna.”

Just her name conjured up a myriad of conflicting images, all gathered in the short time they had been working together; her avoidance of certain aspects in conversations, his desire to keep her and the baby safe, her challenges when he had seemed to get too close. He braced against the heavy sensation that settled over his shoulders and pressed down on him. He shook his head and asked, catching Anupam completely by surprise. “Was Prerna really married to that guy?” Anurag asked outright.

“You know I’m not supposed to answer questions like that.”

“No, please, Anupam, I feel like I’m going out of my mind. I can’t even imagine her married to anyone else and at the same time my father says that my mother tried to get her married to some guy twice her age.”

“Mr. Navine.”

“What? Then who’s this other guy?” Anurag demanded. “I’m so confused now.”

“Bajaj?”

“Who’s he?”

Anupam at first looked at Anurag, then tilted his head as he said, “I’ll be honest, because you deserve as much… Prerna was married to him for a short period of time.”

The words served as a blow to Anurag, for a moment leaving him speechless. He swallowed against the lump that formed in his throat as his mind rejected Anupam’s words. He shook his head unwilling to believe that Prerna could do something like that. He knows that something must had happened between them for her to remain as calm,even whilst knowing the truth. Or was he wrong? Had she loved the man, did she still love him? He had to know.

“Does she love him?” Anurag asked, the band around his chest made it difficult to breathe. Had she loved the man, her behaviour would make sense, it would explain as to why she had not objected to him being remarried.

“I cannot answer that,but I can say they were acquainted for a really short time before they got married.”

If she had not loved him, why then had she married… Prerna was the one who taught him how to love…

Anurag’s entire body jerked at that, causing Anupam to grip his shoulder and ask? “Are you okay.”

“I just realized something?”

“A memory?” asked Anupam.

“Not so much a memory as an awareness of a fact.”

“What?” Anupam demanded.

“It’s difficult to explain, it’s just something I know is true.”

Anupam let go of Anurag’s shoulder and said, “I am really going to loose my mind with this.”

“Why you?” Anurag asked, I’m the one with memory loss.”

“But I’m the one who has to endure all mother in law’s antics. I can’t even take Nivadita from here for a few days.”

“Why not?”

“Because she thinks mother in law needs her here, and until that is done we will not have any peace in this house.”

“I wish I could have some peace,” Anurag murmured more to himself than for Anupam’s ears.

But the man had heard and demanded, “What do you mean?”

Anurag released a heavy sigh, his gaze dropped to his hands and his shoulders drooped, before he replied, “ It’s this thing with Sonalika.”

“What thing?”

Anurag pulled up his hands in a frustrated gesture as he said, “She won’t leave me alone, she’s constantly coming close to me, even thought I don’t want her to come close.”Anurag saw Anupam’s incredulous look and continued, “I mean we never got married for that, but she seems determined to come close to me and it makes me feel weird. I feel almost dirty when she’s touched me, and in a way even that feels familiar. I don’t want to be alone in a room with her but she insists.”

“So demand some space.”

“I have, but it only works for a short while, then she’s back.”

“Then put space between you.”

“And how do I do that.”

“Really, Anurag?”Anupam flung back in disbelief, “There are enough rooms in this house to start a full scale bed and breakfast, and you cannot find a way to place some distance between you and your wife.”

“She’s not my wife,I’ve only ever put sindoor on Pre…” Anurag countered, only to catch himself when he realized what he’d been saying. He tried to push his thoughts, to understand how and why but only got a headache for his efforts. He gripped his head to try and ease the pressure.

Just then was a knock at the door. Moments later it opened to reveal Sonalika who overly sweetly asked as she entered the room, “Are you alright Anu baby? You seemed really upset when you left the table downstairs.” She looked at Anupam and said, “You can go now. I’m here to take care of him and I promise to take good care of him.”

Anupam got up and sarcastically replied, “Oh, I’m certain you will.”

Sonalika then angrily demanded, “What do you mean by that?”

“Sometimes care can feel like torture.” Anupam said looking towards Anurag, nodding his head sideways once.

“I’m going to sleep in one of the guest rooms,” Anurag said getting up, “I need some time and space to myself. Sleep well Sonalika, I will speak to you in the morning.”

He and Anupam then left a fuming Sonalika in his room.

The following morning Anurag was about to descend the stairs when his phone rang. He stopped and fished it out of his pocket at first checking the number before answering.

The person on the other side of the line introduced himself and his reason for calling. Just them Moloy stepped from there room and Anurag gestured to him before replying to the man on the line, “That’s fine, but I want a full assessment of the structural soundness of the building, Only then can I best decide what needs to be done.”He for several moments listened to the man and then replied, “Forward me the reports once they are done.”

“Sounds important,” as he finished Moloy joined him.

Anurag ended the call and turned his attention to Moloy, “That was what I was hoping to speak to you about. Dad did you know Rajesh Sharma’s house had burnt down.”

“What?” Moloy asked,both alarmed and concerned. His disbelief obvious. “When did this happen.”

“From what I could determine, not too long ago.”

“How did it happen?”

“The fire brigade claims it was arson.”

Visibly distressed by the news, Moloy asked, “Is everyone okay? Veena? Prerna? Are they still staying there?”

“The damage to the building was too great, so they are living with family at the moment.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.At least they have somewhere, but we should help them. I can’t have my best friend’s wife and daughters live in such conditions.”

Anurag zealously replied, “I agree dad, especially with Prerna being so far along and her husband not being with her.”

“What are you saying?”

“I spoke to Mrs. Sharma yesterday, and she agreed that I could get someone in to look at the building and help with some repairs, but I was hoping you could help me.”

“What do you need me to do?” asked Moloy.

“I need the contact numbers of some renovators…” Moloy made to speak, but Anurag lifted his hand to stop him, then said, “…I know mom will know many, but I also know that she will object to this. Which is why I’m not only asking you for help but also want the fact that I’m helping them to remain between us, I don’t even want Prerna to know.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. I will get you some names.”

Just as Moloy made to move on Anurag called him back “Dad, wait, one more thing. I was hoping you could speak to Mrs. Sharma. I want to arrange for somewhere else for them to stay in the meantime, but I don’t think she will agree. Can you please speak with her and convince her? She will be more agreeable if you speak with her rather than I.”

Moloy nodded his head and said, “Consider the work done.”

“Thanks dad.” With that Anurag made his way downstairs.

Just then Mohini stepped past Moloy, who stopped her, “Tell me dear, have you heard that Rajeshe’s house has burnt down?”

“No, I haven’t, should I have?” Mohini asked with obvious indifference.

“And this news does not distress you?”

“No, why should it?”Mohini nonchalantly replied.

“I’ve just told you that the woman who is carrying your grandchild has been rendered homeless, and your response is that it does not concern you.” Moloy stressed.

“She is not carrying my grandchild and she is no longer anything to this house. I never wanted her herein the first place so it is not my worries if she has nowhere to stay. I’m definitely not allowing her to move back here. In fact she probably burnt down their home with the hope of being allowed to move back here.”

Shocked, Maloy said,“At times I wonder why I ever fell in love with you. Your grandchild will certainly be born hating you. Forget your grandchild, I’m halfway there myself.”

“I just wish you would wake up and see those people for what they really are, greedy chancers who will do anything to get what they want. Why can you not see that?”

“And why do you fail to see the contribution that family has made to your own status. Yet they have never demanded anything from you.”

Mohini looked at him, fora moment doubtful, before she flatly stated, “I will not allow that girl to influence my Anu again. And I will not allow her to come back into his life,claiming that the baby she is carrying is his. I know it is not.”

“Well, then, we’ll let a DNA test confirm that the baby is Anurag’s. What will you say then?”

“I don’t know how you cannot see sense. That baby is not Anurag’s. I doubt Prerna even knows herself.”

Moloy visibly became angered and retorted, “I have no reason to question Prerna, she’s like my own daughter. A mother knows who the father of her child is. Would you question your daughters in such a manner?”

“My daughters don’t behave like Prerna.”

“What is the use, when you obstinately believe only your foul thoughts. You will one day come to regret your actions and sadly it will be too late then.”