Chapter 19 :
"WHAT!!!!! Manyata was pregnant? With MY child?? Are u sure Jaggat?" , Uday was astounded with the news. As much as he was shocked ... he was also overjoyed that he had a kid with Manyata.
"yes Uday - she was pregnant, when U and your mates ravaged her".
"No Jaggat - I was not involved!"
Fine! Then tell me what really happened"
"It was a Friday ... as usual , my Dad made his weekly call to me on this day ... he said that he has fixed my marriage to his friend's daughter Arthi! I was livid ... how dare he make such a decision on my behalf? I knew Arthi ... she was a good friend to me ... maybe even 1 of my best friends ... but Marriage?? NO WAY! I was in love with my Princess - my Manyata. I told it to my Dad ... and a huge argument ensued between us. I slammed the phone and went outside to get some fresh air. From my position on the bench outside , I spotted Manyata on the auditorium's balcony. THAT was her favourite place - she'd often be studying or just reading there. I crept up slowly behind her and screamed out BOO in her ear - she screeched out loudly but soon started laughing when she saw it was me. She hugged me tightly and told me not to ever scare her again. At once she noticed the turmoil in my mind and asked me about it - I told her everything, and she got teary, she asked IF THIS WAS THE END FOR US, I immediately kneeled down in front of her and proposed marriage . She agreed and my heart leaped out of joy. I know that together , we could overcome anything - even my wicked father! We kissed for the longest time , before ... "
"Before what , Mr Singh? ", Jaggat asked.
"Before getting intimate ... but we never got THAT far as we got interrupted. Aryan , Akash and Sameer entered the auditorium and began snickering nasty things to us. They were making crude comments to Manyata ... I lost my cool and punched Sameer. Akash pulled me aside to calm me down ... but I don't know what happened thereafter ... everything went blank. I could hear voices ... I could hear Manyata screaming for me to wake up , but nothing in my body moved. Akash was a drug-addict and he used to experiment a lot ... mixing different types of drugs together - I figured he injected me with something that shut down my nervous system. As much as I tried to move , I just couldn't. Manyata eventually stopped screaming ... and I felt like someone carried me from there. I tried calling Manyata's name , but no voice escaped my mouth. When I 'woke-up' , it was 2 days later. Manyata was in hospital and no-one was allowing me to see her. The rumour that was doing the rounds at the college was : MANYATA , AKASH , ARYAN , SAMEER & MYSELF were involved in an ORGY which lasted for many hours ... & Manyata was now in hospital because she was drawing attention to herself"
"... And you agreed with that story and left her all alone in an asylum!", Jaggat argued.
"No - no way ... Manyata was not that kind of girl - I know exactly the kind of person she was ... she was sweet , innocent ... a darling, but she was a fool to get involved with me ... because with me - CAME MY 3 DEMON FRIENDS!", tears rolled down Uday's face.
"Tell me Uday - U found out that they raped Manyata ... yet u still remained friends with them , HOWCOME?? "
"Manyata gave her first statement that 3 guys raped her , the next day , she added my name to the list ... I got a small chance to see her , maybe after 5 days ... I told her what had happened to me and asked her why did she name me ... she replied that SHE HEARD THE GUYS SAYS - 'THANKS BUDDY' to me , she felt that I allowed them to do that to her and she felt that I was equally guilty. I spoke to her , made her understand that I was paralysed for the whole time ... I had nothing to do with it , neither did I "allow" my friends to have a good time with her. I felt that she believed me when she withdrew her second statement. But yet again , after few days , she renamed me ... I was dragged to jail by police for something I didn't do. When I made bail , Aryan told me , that we all should stick together as Manyata has gone psycho and determined on sending us to death-row. I was stupid - I got scared ... instead of standing by Manyata and getting her justice - I cowered."
J : U never stopped her from being sent to the looney-bin? ... WHY?
"same reason , Manyata kept changing her story ... I also started to think that she was loosing her mental balance! Maybe, she'd get better ; if she spent time at the asylum." , Uday slumped onto his chair, holding his head in his hand . "I should've stood by her - I still love her , U know. I would've still married her despite the rape ... but ..."
Jaggat patted his shoulder ... "for what it's worth Uday - I believe that you're no rapist. But there's some huge piece of the puzzle that's missing ... and I'm going to find it out!"
**************************
Veer came home totally boiling, he was drunk ... but his anger had not diminished; in fact - it doubled! Seeing Maya through the windows, made his blood churn ... "How can she carry on as if nothing happened?!"
As he entered the front door , he flung the table aside and smashed the glass with his bare hands, blood started flowing yet he did not flinch. Maya came running hearing the noise.
M: what is this veer? Have you gone mad!!!
V: yes, I have!!! I have gone mad. What's it to you!
Saying this he took the chair and threw it away, it hit the tv and the screen cracked
M: veer!!!
V: Don't take my name! Just DON'T!! He holds her hands and shows it to her, v: tell me , Are these HANDS blood stained? ANSWER ME!
M: what...
V: don't act.. don't!! I know u killed arthi. I want you to admit it to me ...
M: but..
V: am not yet finished!!! Don't interrupt when I talk!! (he pointed his unsteady finger to her face) He shook her by her shoulders while Maya stood there like a statue.
V: U took a knife and played GOD! ... (he threw all the things from the side counter)
M: VEER.. (she screamed , covering her ears with her hands)
V:NOOO!! I HAVENT FINISHED YET.. (he stumbled a bit almost falling backwards) I killed !! I did kill!! (showing his hands ) but never has my hands ever claimed a innocent life!! (he remembers killing Sanusha - but quickly shook his head , blocking the thought) NEVER!! I KILLED THOSE LOW LYING FILTH, BUT THEY DESERVED IT... ARTHI DIDN'T DESERVE IT!
M: I ...
V: I .. WHAT I? (he began laughing) I KNOW WHY YOU KILLED HER!!! YOU KILLED HER BECAUSE OF JEALOUSY , ISNT IT? You wanted what she had ... U wanted HER HUSBAND! But u know what ... you should have killed Uday!!! That MAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR MISERIES !! DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT?? That MAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR MISERIES!!! NOOO!! YOU WONT KILL HIM - YOU ARE TOO F*CKING BLIND! You make me sick! You're a SLU*!
"BAMM" - a had slap turned his face to one-side. "ENOUGH Veer ... THAT'S ENOUGH! You've had your say earlier today , and I remained quiet. Now you've gone too far", Maya exploded with reddened watery eyes. "If I was silent , it didn't mean you could go on and on and on ... I had my reasons , AND THAT'S ALL U NEED TO KNOW FOR NOW! Don't forget ... I'M YOUR MOTHER & I KNOW BEST!"
***********************
Jaggat's words echoed in Uday's mind ... "Manyta and her kid - HIS KID ... HIS SON - HIS ONLY SON! His thoughts revisited his college days, how he had fallen in love with Manyata unknowingly, how her talks used to amuse him, the sweet innocence in her eyes, the day when he held her in his hands, their first kiss, his confession, the terrible rape and how he had lost her forever.
If things were different how his life would have been? Manyata and their children would have lived happily, he thought with a smile on his face.Suddenly the huge desire to see Manyta and his son washed through him. He grabbed his car keys and started driving aimlessly. He was sure Manyta was in this city. He knew it. His mind believed it , especially , since he KNEW HE HAD SEEN HER THE DAY HE WAS NEARLY RUN OVER!.
He scanned the faces of people around him, but in vain. He parked the car at the entrance of a busy market and continued his search on foot. Walking among the sea of people he looked for that familiar face, his son must be around , um , (after doing a brief calculation) say 17 years old. Who would he resemble? Him or Manyata?
His attention turned to boys but none fitted the category. Standing alone in the market surrounded by faceless and nameless strangers, Uday felt alone, he prayed for the first time in years "god please show me the way , lead me to Manyta and my son", before walking away, a broken man.
********************************************
So sorry for keeping everyone waiting.
Hope this chapter answered a VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION 😉!
Do LIKE & COMMENT before u leave,
Love ...
ANDY+ NAVINA😳.
Edited by ...navina... - 11 years ago