CHAPTER 18 - Hook , line and sinker
Suhasini was sitting on the reclining chair in her room and carefully knitting a sweater. She looked up on hearing a knock on the door.
"Come in"
Adarsh and Swadheenta entered. Suhasini smiled on seeing them. She showed them unfinished sweater and asked
"Do you like it? Thought of making something for my granddaughter"
"It's nice Mom"
Swadheenta replied. It looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"What is the matter? You want to talk about something? "
Suhasini could sense that something was bothering them
"Mom, do you intend to fight the case against Swadheenta?"
Adarsh came straight to the point
"Which case are you talking about?"
Suhasini asked. The smile on her face was replaced by a frown
"You know very well which case I am talking about. Aren't you planning to defend Minister Chaudhry's son in the court against Swadheenta? So that you can negotiate with him to own up the charges against Dad."
Adarsh said
"Well, that is an interesting prospect but why do you think the Minister will have me fight the case for him. He can get any of the top lawyers. He knows Swadheenta is my daughter in law."
Suhasini tried to reason out
"I know Mom you are perfectly capable of manipulating him into doing that. Tell me , why else would you want Swadheenta to take up this case"
Adarsh said in an accusing tone.
"Is that the way to talk to your mother? And if you know so much you must also know the outcome of all this. Then what have you come here for ? "
Suhasini couldn't help raising her voice. She could feel the heat rising in her head.
"I just came to see if what I was thinking was correct. Now I know that me and Swadheenta are alone in this. You have just... "
Adarsh stormed out of the room without finishing his sentence. Swadheenta looked at her mother in law and then went behind him.
Suhasini knew what he was about to say. She didn't like the way this was shaping up. She started pulling a yarn in her frustration, undoing all that she had knitted upto now. Someone had pulled out the yarn in her and her son's relationship. She will have to start it all over again.
"You know you should not have talked to Mom that way. I had no idea you would say this"
Swadheenta reprimanded Adarsh when they were back in their room.
"I know Swadheenta, but I was just trying to stop her before it gets too late. You know this case is already weak. And if Mom fights against you then it is going to be really difficult for you to win"
Adarsh tried to put across his point
"What if she doesn't want to win? What if she is taking this case up so that I am able to win.?"
Swadheenta still had faith in her mentor
"I don't think it is what you think. Why would Mom jeopardize her reputation by losing twice to you? Last time she gave up because she wanted justice for her son. This time it is nothing like that. Roshan or his sister mean nothing to her. You know she can be very ruthless when it comes to the professional front."
Adarsh explained
"Adarsh she is your mother. You must be knowing her better but this time I feel you have misjudged her."
Swadheenta said
"Only time will tell whether your faith wins or my judgement , and trust me no one will be happier than me if it is the former"
Adarsh declared
Later that night Adarsh and Swadheenta were discussing about the case after dinner when Suhasini entered with a glass of warm milk.
She went to Adarsh and offered it to him
"Here, take this. I have put turmeric in this. It will help relieve your pain."
Adarsh took the glass and put it aside without saying anything. Suhasini sat down beside him and spoke gently
"You are still angry with me? Tell me one thing, who is more important to you, your father or those strangers for whom you want justice? How long have you known them ? How can you be sure that they are even telling the truth?"
Adarsh did not answer
After a brief pause she again said ,
"OK. For a moment let us assume that they are telling the truth. Fine, I never stopped you from fighting for them. I told you I am not going to make you do anything against your convictions. But at the same time you should not question what I do. Can't you have a little bit of faith on your mother ?"
Saying this she put her hand on his shoulder. Adarsh shrugged her hand off and left from there.
Swadheenta was not liking this growing tension between mother and son. She went up to Suhasini and said
"I am sorry Mom. He is just a little upset with all that has been happened in the past few days. And that injury has made him more irritable."
Suhasini looked at her and said sternly
"You don't have to have to apologize on his behalf. I know my son. Also, no need to feel pity for me. I don't like that"
Suhasini got up to leave the room then stopped at the door and turned around
"And one more thing, please make arrangements for a separate office for yourself as early as possible. We are breaking this partnership"
Swadheenta was surprised on hearing this, so Adarsh's one guess proved correct.
A couple of weeks later, Suhasini was working in her office when she got a visitor.
"Hello minister sahab, I never thought you would ever come to visit me in my office. Especially after Manohar testified against you. So tell me, how can I help you"
Suhasini asked
"Suhasini ji, let bygones be bygones. Let us start with a clean slate. Actually your daughter in law has filed a case against my son. That too a murder case. See, my son is completely innocent. Therefore I have come here to request you to discourage Swadheenta from taking up the case. I am ready to give as much money as you want."
Minister said
Suhasini smiled
"You know Sir, my daughter in law has never been much interested in money. For her justice matters the most. And it is going to be impossible for me to convince her. She doesn't listen to anyone once she has made her decision."
"You must not forget Suhasini ji that your husband and me are right now on the same boat. If I am going down, I will take him along too. You would surely not want that"
Minister now showed his claws
Suhasini was not intimidated in the least
"And you must not forget that it was Swadheenta who implicated you both. So she will definitely not give up on the case this time to save her father in law"
"Suhasini ji, if I am not wrong there has recently been some tensions between you and Swadheenta because of which have broken your partnership with her"
Minister asked
"Nothing can be kept hidden from you for too long. Actually I don't like being dominated. And I felt Swadheenta was dominating too much in the firm. She took all the good cases. Her being in the firm was proving harmful for my reputation"
Suhasini threw the bait
"In that case, I have a proposition for you. Why don't fight this case for us. Then you will be able to show that girl her proper place"
The fish took the bait
"Are you sure you want me to take up this case? You can get any lawyer you want."
"Yes, I can but Swadheenta is known to pull off miracles and I don't want to take any chances. No one knows her style of working better than you. I think you are the best bet for us"
"But what do I get from this"
Suhasini was playing hard to get
"As much money as you want"
The minister was about to take out his cheque book
"I don't want any money."
Suhasini said
Then she bent over the table slightly and said in a hushed voice
"What is more important for you Minister Sahab, your son or your freedom? "
"What do you mean? "
The minister was confused
"As you said earlier that you are anyways going down in the cover-up case, why do you take Manohar with yourself."
Suhasini asked
"Well, that is not in my hands"
The minister fumbled
"That is very much in your hands. You just have to own up to the cover up and say that you forced Manohar for it... See if you don't do it then also I don't have a problem. I have other ways to get Manohar out of this. But if you do this, I assure you that I won't lose this case"
Suhasini made her final move , then said
"Please go home and think about it. Consider all the possibilities. Talk to your wellwishers and see what they say. We are not in a hurry, so take your time."
As the minister left Suhasini had a smile of satisfaction on her face. She knew the minister will agree to her proposal. She has done everything to make sure of that which included discouraging all the well known lawyers from taking up this case. She rarely asked favors from her colleagues but bestowed them generously so the task was not difficult. She also set people up to convince the minister. All in all, the minister had fallen hook line and sinker for it
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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