Chapter 36

It was done.

Arnav drew in a deep breath of relief and satisfaction.

All of Anurag Mallik's possessions were in his grasp, all bought, sealed. Now the rat had no home, no roof to call his own. No income. He had sent a notice to Anurag, asking him to move out in two days. His place was now on the streets where he had tried to abandon him and his Di after killing Papa.

"Arnavji," Payal called softly.

Arnav turned to look at her, surprised.

"Someone wants to see you. A lady," Payal said.

"Here, in Gomti Sadan?" Arnav was surprised. Very few people knew where he was. And a lady wanted to meet him?

"Ji. Shall I send her in to the study?" Payal asked.

Arnav nodded bemused.

Soon a lady shuffled in to the room on slow feet and stood before him, her eager eyes running all over his face and figure with ill-concealed joy.

Ghoonghat covering her head, the body covered in a brown and green sari with a beige shawl thrown over her shoulders. Arnav looked keenly at the middle-aged face, trying to remember where he had seen her before.

Slowly a smile bloomed on her lips.

Arnav stood like a statue. That smile...

"Arnav bitwaa," came the soft call.

He tensed. His Chachi. Anurag Mallik's wife.

He turned his head away, pushing away memories of a happy childhood he had spent in Sheesh Mahal. Chachi running after him with a glass of milk, trying to make him drink it. Chachi feeding him with her own hands when he had hurt the fingers of his right hand. Chachi slipping him a peda when no one was looking. Chachi helping him make paper boats to float on the surface of the tank in the courtyard that always filled up after every rain...

"You may have forgotten me," came the diffident voice. "Koi baat nahi. You are entitled to. I am Chandra, Anurag Mallik's wife."

"I know," Arnav kept his face away from hers, scared to look at her for fear that his resentment and need for revenge would melt away in to nothing in face of her kind and loving face. "Why have you come to see me?"

"Your secretary sent a notice that we have to vacate the house in two days. I called him to ask if we could have a week's time. He gave me your address and asked me to contact you," Chandra said, her voice soft, soothing.

"Why? What miracle is Anurag Mallik planning to bring about in one week?" Arnav asked, his lips twisted in contempt.

"I don't know. And as I haven't bothered to find out what he is up to for decades, I don't care," she said, her voice low, sweet but with steel in it.

"Then why do you need a week?" Arnav asked.

"To shift in to a house in Kanpur that my brother transferred to my name last year," Chandra said.

Arnav turned his head to look at her. "You can have your one week. Sit down," he said.

Chandra sank in to a chair with great difficulty and pain, her swollen knees refusing to co-operate. Arnav had to steel his nerves to stop himself from helping her settle in to the chair.

"Do you believe in God, Arnav Bitwaa?" she asked, slightly short of breath.

"No," he said.

"You should," the lady smiled. "Even if no one else believes in God, you should."

Arnav looked at her, silent, his very silence a question.

Chandra smiled.

"Anurag Mallik stole from his brother, your father. He abandoned you and Anjali bitiyaa when you needed his care and protection. And how did God repay him for his sins?" she asked.

Arnav's eyes grew more intent.

"Devi Maiyya took your parents but gave you shelter with the Raizadas, gave you a better upbringing than the Malliks could give you. And today you are in a position to beggar Anurag Mallik. Wouldn't you call that poetic justice?" Chandra asked. She continued, "And she kept Anurag Mallik childless. He has no legitimate or illegitimate children to call his own," Chandra smiled at Arnav.

Arnav stared at her.

"Did you think I am or was unaware of what the brothers were up to?" Chandra asked, her bright eyes on his pallid face. "Scoundrels, both of them." Her lips twisted in disgust. "And their mother, my Saasumma," Chandra sighed. "She believed that men could do no wrong. If our husbands strayed, it was Ratna bhabi's and my fault. If Anurag Mallik could not have a child, it was my fault. If her sons were frequenting kottas, it was the tawaifs who were to be blamed, not her sainted sons."

Arnav had to look away.

"Ratna bhabi had no idea what her husband was made of. He was atleast discreet while his brother... Ratna bhabi believed in your father and he was careful to keep her illusions intact because it made life easier for him. But my husband," Chandra smiled bitterly. "He did not believe in wasting time in subterfuge. Within a month or so of marriage, he made it clear to me what I could expect of life as his wife."

There was silence in the room for a while.

"I knew what your father was up to, but I never told her. I knew she would never be able to digest the truth. Ratna bhabi was shocked to find out the truth about your father. She couldn't bear it," Chandra said softly, looking down at her hands. "She kiled herself." Chandra looked at Arnav. "Everyone called it a tragedy, but... but I think she had a lucky escape."

Arnav stared at her.

"To live as the wife of an immoral man, a lecher... to listen to the snide remarks of people about where your husband is and with whom, to have your husband's mistresses pointed out to you as you attend some function, to have those women come to your house for Diwali and Holi with their husbands and to have to smile at them... to have the jewellers deliver a bangle that you had ordered to be made to your husband's latest love on his orders... to find your husband ogling the maids employed in your haveli... to lead a loveless life as the object of everybody's pity... it is good that Ratna bhabi was spared all this," she said.

Arnav had nothing to say.

"Anyway, she escaped. But why did your father kill himself?" Chandra asked Arnav, her eyes direct. "Unless Anurag forced him to commit suicide... or killed him with his own hands?" Chandra said bluntly.

Arnav drew in air deep in to his lungs.

"I wouldn't really be surprised if Anurag did kill your father," Chandra mused. "Knowing him as I do, I can safely say that he is capable of worse."

"How are you?" Arnav asked finally.

Chandra smiled. "As you can see. Cursed with arthritis. And the nightmares of childish feet running up and down the stairs... and waking up to the knowledge that you and Anjali were far away from me..." The smile died away. "He waited till the doctor had administered a sedative to me before throwing you out because he knew I would not stand for it.

When I woke up and found out... I tried to locate you. The servants told me that Devyaniji and Manoharji had come to get you. I wanted to get you back to Sheesh Mahal but... I realised that I wanted both of you to grow up away from the influence of the Malliks. The Raizadas are good people, not... not lechers and arrogant tricksters like the Malliks. A few months later, I lied to Anurag and travelled to the Raizada house to see you both. The house was locked. The guard told me that you had shifted to Delhi. I was happy, very happy that you had gone far away from this hellhole and your uncle."

Arnav nodded. "We did not want to remain here."

Chandra nodded. "How is Anjali bitiya?"

"Happy now. She... she married a bad man and then divorced him. Now she is happy," Arnav confessed.

Chandra sighed. "My poor girl. Anyway she got rid of him. Thank God we are living in a world in which such mistakes can be corrected without the girl being blamed. In our time, we had no choice. Ratna bhabi and I... we were doomed," she said in a low voice.

"Would you like to meet her?" Arnav asked.

"Very much," Chandra said, her face lighting up with joy.

Arnav left the room and returned with all the Raizadas and the Guptas, including Sasiji.

Anjali squealed, "Chachi!" and hugged her till Chandra protested of broken ribs in a tear-filled voice.

Nani and Mami too hugged her and introduced her to Buaji, Payal, Amma & Babuji.

"This is Payaliyya, Akaas bitwaa's wife, my bahuriyaa," Mami claimed.

"Are you old enough to have a married son, Manorama?" Chandra teased her and removed a pair of gold bangles from her arms and made Payal wear them. She hugged her and pressed a fond kiss on her forehead.

"Arnav is not married yet?" Chandra asked. "I imagined him to have a wife and many children by now."

All fell silent, looking at each other.

In to that silence came Khushi's call, "Arnavji! Where are you? Where has everyone vanished off to?"

"Khushi," Arnav called. Chandra looked at the softness on his face and the tenderness in his voice with amazement and a heart filled with happiness.

Khushi came in smiling, looking like a bright ray of sunshine in her yellow suit. She was about to tease him when she noticed the stranger in their midst and fell silent.

"Khushi, this is my Chachi," Arnav introduced his Khushi, wondering how Chachi would greet her.

Unlike his Dadi's contempt for her when he had introduced his wife to her, overwhelming love was what Khushi got from his Chachi. As Khushi bent to touch her feet, Chandra hugged her warmly and kissed her on the forehead.

"She is so beautiful," Chandra whispered, specifically for Arnav's ears.

Arnav flushed, his heart filled with joy.

Chandra removed an elaborate chain from around her neck and fastened it around Khushi's neck. Khushi looked astonished at her. Why was Arnavji's chachi gifting her such a beautiful & priceless necklace? She turned perplexed eyes at Arnav who smiled at her.

"I have to go now," Chandra said reluctantly.

"Won't you stay for lunch, Arnavji's Chachi?" Khushi asked, beating the others to it.

Chandra smiled at the eagerness on her face. "No, not today," she pinched Khushi's cheek and tried to stand up, her swollen knees making the effort a painful one.

Arnav's hands leaped out to support her. She stood up with his help, wincing. Khushi and the others looked at her plight with sorrowful eyes.

"I want your phone number," Arnav demanded.

Chandra smiled as she gave it to him.

She turned to the whole family and bid them a fond farewell.

"Arnav bitwa, will you come with me to the car? I have something to tell you," she said.

Arnav nodded and helped her out to her car.

Chandra turned to look at him. "You have turned out well. Ratna bhabi would be proud of you. You have become successful, have kept your family together and are looking after your sister. Devi Maiyya is kind, without a doubt."

Arnav swallowed hard.

"Anurag found out a day after you visited him that he has liver cancer. The doctors have given him about 2-3 years to live," Chandra said softly.

Arnav stared at her, his eyes wide.

"God's punishments are more terrible than man's," Chandra smiled wryly. "And pain is a more terrible punishment than death. Now it is time for Anurag to pay for all his sins."

Arnav drew in a deep breath. "I will transfer all the property he had pledged and I had bought in to your name, Chachi," he offered.

"No. I don't want them," Chandra smiled. "Give me a new pair of knees if you can, but not land or houses. I have enough for my needs. My parents had given me huge cartons of jewellery and acres of land and many houses across Uttar Pradesh at the time of my marriage. Once I saw which way the wind was blowing, I began to give the income from the houses and land to my brother to invest. I also transferred some property in to his name so that Anurag could not sell them. I am safe now. I will take Anurag and shift to Kanpur within this week."

Arnav stared at her, helpless.

Chandra cupped his face in her palms. "Be happy. Where ever you are in this world, just be happy. That is all I want. You and Anjali bitiya should be happy."

Arnav hugged his Chachi, breathing in her familiar sandalwood scent. His eyes filled with tears.

"Don't punish yourself for the sins of your elders. Be happy with Khushi," she whispered.

Arnav nodded. He whispered in her ear, "Don't forget my number. Call me, especially if you need help. Any help."

Chandra nodded, wiping wet eyes dry.

"After he is gone, I want you to join us in Delhi," Arnav said.

Chandra looked at him in astonishment.

Arnav nodded in confirmation. "Don't think I will let you go again, Chachi. I want you in Delhi with me and the others."

Chandra smiled and nodded.

He helped her in to the car and shut the door. He stood waving at her till the car vanished from his sight.