Chapter 27
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
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Part 5: Day 9
Section 4
Anjali clung to Chotey, weeping. Khushi put her arms around the broken woman as she sobbed wildly, her heart broken, her dreams shattered by cruel reality once more.
Mami, Nani, & Payal rushed to Anjali's side to comfort her.
Anjali whispered, "I.. am... sorry... Khushiji... I am... so... so... sorry..."
"Sshh..." Khushi replied. "It is not important."
NK and Akash dragged Shyam by his arms towards the door of the house. A wide-eyed HP opened the door for them to aid his expulsion. The well-built crook struggled against the hold of the two men, almost throwing them off.
"How dare you touch me?" he shouted at the boys. "Who are you to throw me out of my house?" He shook Akash away. Akash fell back, but recovered fast and took hold of the schemer.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance..." Shyam bit out, his eyes spitting fury at the weeping woman sitting in the midst of her concerned family.
All gasped and looked at Shyam in shock.
"But you have the luck of the very devil... the very devil!" Shyam laughed bitterly. "Even a car accident couldn't kill you. Even after I cut the brake cable. Fire didn't burn you even after I added ether to your perfume... There is more poison in you than there is in the scorpion I brought to kill you..." he hissed, his anger and acute disappointment making him reveal the extent of his iniquities.
Every eye was on him, every one was slack-jawed at the villainy of the snake they had harboured in their collective bosom.
Anjali stared at the father of her baby with deep disgust and horror. Nani clutched her heart. Payal hugged her to give her courage, staring at the wicked man.
"And Arnav Singh Raizada!" Shyam spit on the floor. "The spawn of the devil! You escaped my men who had kidnapped you! One against eight! But you still escaped them... the kerosene meant to burn you got turned into water... Even Yamaraj does not want you!"
Shyam pulled against the arms restraining him. Anjali put her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the cry from her heart at the thought of her Chotey's life being endangered by the callous criminal she had married.
Mami was the first one to respond to this damning confession. She got up from her seat by Anjali, removed her sandals, and threw them at Shyam's face, one after the other. They hit the mark, infuriating the ego maniac with a criminal bent of mind.
She shouted, "You! You ghatiya... murderer! You... you... rascal... staying here for 3 years, cheating Anjali bitiyaa and phooling all of us... and trying to kill hamre Arnav Bitwaa and Anjali Bitiyaa for money!"
Unable to control her fury, Mami borrowed her Saasumma's sandals and sent them flying at the cheat. Like heat-seeking missiles, they too found their mark.
Arnav stood up. He walked slowly to Shyam. NK & Akash lowered their arms.
"HP, call and ask the police to get here. Fast." Arnav instructed HP, handing over his phone to the man.
Shyam jerked in shock, a slow realisation of where he was and what he was doing to his own health and well-being seeping into his muddled brain.
"You tried to kill Di..." Arnav whispered. He punched Shyam on the nose. Shyam rocked back, stunned, feeling the full force of Saale sahab's akhada-trained muscles on the bridge of his nose. Blood flowed from his nose in a vivid red stream. Shyam clutched his nose in pain.
Arnav was not done yet. He strode forward. "Her baby... you tried to starve it to death, you monster..." Arnav let his fists speak for him.
"So it was you in the dark, hitting me when the others held me bound for you to show your cowardice." Arnav kicked him where it hurt the most.
Shyam jumped around, clutching his privates, yelping like a hurt dog.
"You shouldn't father another child, cheat any other woman..." Arnav said as he kicked him again and again.
Shyam fell to the ground and curled up like a worm to avoid being hurt any more.
Police walked into this drama, and left dragging a handcuffed Shyam who couldn't put one foot ahead of the other after Arnav's fond ministrations.
Arnav turned to look at his sister, who was crying in to Khushi's shoulder. Suddenly, as he watched, she clutched her stomach.
"Chotey..." she whispered.
All looked at her in fear.
She clutched her tummy with both arms, bending over to bear the pain.
Arnav & Akash rushed to Anjali's side. NK ran for the car keys. They rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late.
Anjali lost her baby. It was her day of losses.
"It is better that she stays here for a couple of days. She has lost a lot of blood." the doctor told Arnav. "We can sedate her. She will get some much-needed rest and we can keep an eye on her."
Arnav and the ladies nodded.
Buaji & Amma who had rushed to the hospital on hearing about Anjali, looked at her sleeping form with tears in their eyes.
At dawn, leaving NK, Akash, Buaji, & Mami at the hospital, the rest returned home.
Khushi dropped the dupatta on the recliner, ready to get in to bed. She frowned and looked around. Arnavji was nowhere to be seen.
She walked to the door leading to the poolside on silent feet. He was standing by the pool, looking in to the murky water, lost in thought.
As she watched, Arnav raised his head and looked at the sky. The stars were gone. A new day was dawning.
Khushi turned to go.
"Khushi..." Arnav called.
She turned around.
He was looking at her.
"Do you think my Mama is happy with me, Khushi?" Pain filled his voice.
Khushi looked at him silently.
"I was supposed to look after Di, take care of her... I failed, Khushi. I let her marry a trickster. A criminal..."
"Anjaliji is older than you." Khushi whispered. "Had you refused her permission to marry Shyam, would she have heeded your words?"
Arnav stared at her, his eyes wide, his brain focusing on her question. The answer gave him great relief.
"No. She would not have listened." he could say, honestly.
"She is stubborn, like you. It was her choice to marry Shyam. Unfortunately, it was a bad choice." Khushi said softly. "You are not to blame for her marriage or for her miscarriage." Khushi absolved him of all guilt.
Arnav stared at her, silent, his heart slowly filling with hope.
"And yes, I think your Mama will be very happy with you. Because you are looking after your Di, taking care of her... Controlling your Di's life is beyond you. It is beyond any human being. And I am sure your Mama knows that."
Arnav looked at her, his eyes glinting with tears.
"You may be Arnav Singh Raizada, but only Devi Maiyya can decide what is going to happen to you, or your Di, or your family. She drew your past, is drawing your present, and will draw your future. So don't take the blame for what was not your doing." Khushi's voice was low, but her conviction came through clear and loud.
Arnav drew in a shaky breath, trying to swallow his tears.
"She took a lot from you... your parents, your childhood, your happiness, your peace... But she was not miserly in filling your lap with blessings. She gave you your Naniji, Mamiji, and Mamaji. Your Di. Brothers who will protect you from all harm. A sister-in-law with a kind heart. Hari Prakashji. Your business. Your wealth. Your position... Everyone and everything that helped you today to unmask Shyam and throw him out of your Di's life."
Arnav could feel the tears fill his eyes, but he continued to look at her.
"If she knows how to take away, she knows how to give too. Anjaliji will become better. The poor baby..." Khushi swallowed. She continued, "A few years from now, this will be like a half-forgotten dream. Anjaliji will learn to live again..."
Arnav stood looking at her. She walked up to him, and cupped his face.
"We need to sleep. You have to go to the hospital..." Khushi turned to look at the clock "... in 4 hours."
Arnav nodded and bent to lift her up in his arms. He carried his precious bundle to bed.
Arnav dimmed the light.
He put his arms around Khushi and pulled her close in to his hold. Khushi did not resist. He buried his face in her neck, taking comfort from her jasmine scent, her warmth, her love, her giving heart, her strength, her constancy, and her fortitude in times of peril...
If Khushi felt his hot, salty tears wetting her skin, she said nothing. She just held him closer.
They slept together, fitfully, the nightmarish events of the evening and night refusing to leave them to rest in peace.
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