KMKV FF - Hearts & Diamonds or Clubs & Spades (in hiatus) - Page 5

Originally posted by: Gisel

Could you give me the character names of the Arjun household?

His elder sister?

His younger sister?

His brother?

Originally posted by: ramyvijay

Both sisters are younger than him pa..

1st Sis - Sukanya
Bro - Manoj
Youngest one - Sruthi

*****

Part 6

Chapter 7

He hadn't explained and she figured out that it wasn't safe to talk anything there. They had headed for home, his home. She looked out of the window of the moving car. The sky was painted in hues of yellow, orange and red. It had been almost 12 hours since Pooja had been kidnapped. Was she safe? She was the only anchor for her staying alive and going. If anything happened to her...

"Avaluku onum agathu," she heard him say, as if he could read her thoughts.

He parked his car into his allotted parking space of his apartment.

She didn't reply, but got down from the car.

As she entered the apartment, she suddenly realized she would have to go to his house and actually handle his parents.

Sighing she entered the lift.

*****

He knew his parents would be in a fury. How had Vandana and her father reacted? Most important of all, how would his parents react?

He dreaded it already.

He took his spare key and before he could open it, the door opened.

And there stood his mother, father, brother and two sisters.

"Amma," he started.

She just turned to her husband and said, "Ennga nama ACP veetla irunthu poronu sollunga. Enuma oru nimisham kuda inga neeka matum neengalai sollunga."

"Amma."

She just twisted her lips and swayed her shoulders expressing disappointed anger.

"Vaanga pollam."

The crew started to move out of the house.

"Oru nimisham..." started Priya, but Arjun placed his hand on hers to stop her.

His mother saw this and scoffed and walked away haughtily, with his elder sister, Sukanya following closely behind with their bags.

His father came up to him and squeezed his shoulders gently communicating with his eyes that he had no say in this matter.

He looked at Priya and gave tight-lipped smile and followed his wife.

His brother, Manoj and younger sister, Shruthi were in glees though.

"Congratulations anna!" whispered Manoj, shaking hands with him.

"Anni super!" whispered Shruthi, winking at him.

He allowed himself to glance at his wife.

"Ippo theiku bye. Aana engaluku treat venum ok va?" they teased.

He smiled and nodded.

"Ok bye!" they said before parting.

Everyone was gone in a minute and both of them stood in the deserted corridor.

"It's good for them," he said.

"Huh?"

"Yaro, ena target panuran. Inga iruntha avangaluku safe illa."

"Oh!" she nodded in understanding.

He gestured her to enter the house.

Without even giving a thought to it, she stepped in with her right leg making the first step...

*****

He looked at his watch, it was 9. The control room would call in another 30 minutes with the information. He had told her to sleep in his room after they had had their ordered food dinner. He had looked around the house and the only things that reminded where things that he had bought and thankfully that was many. He made way to the dining room and tilted the jug to the glass and found that it was empty. He went to the kitchen and refilled it and drank some water.

Was there water in his room?

What if she needed it in the middle of the night?

Was it appropriate to go to his room in a situation like this?

Deciding that he didn't actually care, he turned the door knob of his room.

*****

She heard a loud clicking noise behind her. She turned back to see that the door was closed. She tried to open the door, her bare hands pushing against the rough surface of the door. It was all in vain. The door stood stubbornly in its place. There was not even a window in this room. A shudder ran through her. She was trapped. The room was pitch dark. Suddenly, an ear splitting scream came from the door.

"Pooja!" she gasped.

She was so scared yet she stepped forward and tried to open the door yet again. The door flew ajar. Slowly and cautiously she moved out. In the half-light of morning the street was eerie. It stood as empty as any desert. The silence pressed in on her and all she could hear was the beating of her own heart and scuffing noise her own feet made as she stumbled down the sidewalk.

She had to find her.

"Pooja!" she called out again.

"Priya!" she heard someone call from in front of her.

The voice was vaguely familiar.

"Priya! Priya!"

She felt shudders as if the earth was quaking.

Suddenly her vision cleared and she saw him. She saw Arjun hovering over her.

"Priya! Enthiri!" he was sitting on the bed next to her, holding her shoulders and shaking her gently.

"...ena achu?" she asked feebly.

"Ethavuthu keta kannava? Pooja! Pooja! nu kathitu irunthe," he stated.

She grimaced, not really remembering her dream.

"Nyabagam illa..." she said slowly.

He let her go.

"Itha kudi," he said and brought a glass of water to her lips. She immediately obliged.

Only then did she realize that she sweating in spite of the air conditioning in the room.

She turned to face him.

He looked worked up. He hadn't been sleeping.

"Neenga thoongala?"

"Nightla konjam vela iruku," he said, placing the glass in the night stand. Then, he opened the drawer and took out something, which she guessed was a bottle of pills.

He handed it to her, "Eduthuko!"

Cautiously she took it and looked at the label.

She frowned, "Ambien? Do you take it regularly?"

"Illa..." he said avoiding her gaze.

She narrowed her eyes.

He took a deep breath and said, "Aama."

"Ena prechana ungaluku?"

"Doctor madam nalaiku kalaila pesalam. Ippo matharai pottutu thoongu," he said, mock-fully folding his hands.

She smiled. She actually smiled.

"Thanks"

"Pooja kadaicha approm sollu."

Her expression immediately changed and he wanted to hit himself for being the reason.

"Ava kita ena pesa kuda vidala..." she said slowly.

"Ava kedacha approm asa thira pesalam," he said, holding her hand in his and gently caressing her knuckles with his thumb.

She looked at his astonished. He immediately withdrew.

"Tablets potuko. Naan enum konga nerathilla velliya ponnum."

She slowly nodded and took it.

Satisfied she was tucked in comfortably, he exited the room.

His phone rang.

There was so much work to do.

*****

The light filtered through her thin eyelids awoke her. She strained her eyes groggily to look through the dim lit room. She felt human warmth pressed to her side and immediately she sat up straight, willfully wishing it wasn't Arjun. She signed in relief when she saw him crouched in the couch opposite the bed.

Wait a minute! Then, who was it on her side?

She turned to see a small figure covered from head to toe in a blanket.

Her breath caught in her throat. Was it possible?

Nervously, she pulled down the blanket to find her daughter sleeping peacefully.

She felt a warm rush of joy through her veins.

She wanted to bend down and shower her with kisses, but stopped herself, seeing that she would be exhausted and she couldn't afford to wake her. Who knows what turmoil she would have gone through? Placing a quick peck on her forehead, she turned to her savior. He was sleeping in the couch, rather uncomfortably. She got out of the bed and went near him to wake him and tell him to sleep in the bed. She shook him awake.

"...enum konjam neram thoongrein ma..." he said groggily and suddenly woke up, as if he had realized it wasn't his mother.

She smiled at him, "Bed la poi padunga."

He shook himself awake and sat up straight.

"Illa parava illa."

"Eintheringa," she said, holding his hand.

He immediately winced in pain.

Only then did she notice the bandage on his right hand.

"Sorry," she said, slumping on the couch next to him and examining his hand.

"Athisayama iruku. Ein? Epdi? Ena achu?nu kekala?"

"Neenga olunga thoongi elumbuna approm kekiren. Ippo poi padunga."

He shook his head smiling, "Enuma thookam varathu."

She frowned, chiding herself for waking up.

"Sorry and thank you," she said slowly, locking her gaze with him.

He just smiled and shook his head in acceptance, enjoying the brownness of her eyes.

"Amma!"

Both their eyes darted to the third occupant of the room.

(AVI Credits - krithikas)

Priya got up happily and ran towards her.

"Amma! Appa...Appa...," she said taking the covers off herself.

She froze midway. Arjun noticed it.

"Amma...antha uncle enga? Appa kita kutitu poren sonnaru."

Priya looked at Arjun in confusion.

Arjun got up and walked towards them.

"Pooja. Antha uncle poi sonnanga," she said.

"Illa...avunga sonnathu unma. Enaku appa kita ponum," she said, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Pooja, naan una unga appa kita kutituporen," said Arjun, crouching to her height.

"Promise?" she asked holding out her hand.

"Promise," he said, placing his hand on top of hers.

"Thank you uncle," she said. Then suddenly deciding she needed more sleep, she went back to bed.

Arjun turned to face a bewildered Priya.

Looking straight into her eyes, he asked, "Inspector Ashok a ithuku munadi theriyuma?"

(To be continued)

*****

*****

Part 7

Chapter 8

Flashback

Phone a bug paani, redirect ivalo specialized oru police aala thaan panna mudiyumnu doubt pannunen. Appo thaan Ins. Ashok nee ein kita onum sollalanu nambi poi sonnan.

"Avunga phone la international sim matum thaan iruku."

"Frequent log elam check panengala?"

"Expert team check panitanga. Nothing unusual."

Avanukum kidnapperskum eitho samantham irukunu doubt panen.

Approm ein most trusted friend, Jai, ACP of Bangalore a call paniruthein.

"Hello Jai?"

"Arjun, un kalyanam ena achunu sollavei illa? Alumini ku intha varusham athu varuviya?"

"Approm sollurein, aantha numbers yaaru namela register airunthuthu?"

"Raidla Chennai la R2 police station officers confiscate panna sim cards."

"R2 police station...Inspector Ashok! Thanks Jai! Bye!"

Odana Ashok phone a vechu, GPS tracking panni, track pannitei irunthom. At about 10 o'clock, avein duty mudijapprom he went to his hide-out. Anga thaan poi Pooja va kapathinom.

Ein kalayanatha nirtha try pannunan, mudiyala. Approm Pooja vechu ena pannanumnu theriyama irunthaan.

"Enaku ena vo avunga ponna kadathirukanganu thoonuthu. NRInu sollura, oru veila kasukaga irukumo?"

Naan atha sonnathum, Pooja vechu kasu panalamnu try pannirukan.

Pooja va kapathitom, aana avana pidika mudiala. Avain friends a pidichitom. Escape aitan. Problem enana avein friends avana kati kuduka mateingiranga. Strong evidence illa. Avana suspend kuda panna mudiyala.

Flash back end.

*****

She sat in silence listening to him, twirling the thali in her hand subconsciously.Though she had heard him, her whole thoughts were on what Pooja had told her. She had mentioned her kidnappers knew about her father. How was it possible? Even she didn't know. Oh God! Why did she even listen to her and come to India?

"Priya, Pooja oda appa yaru?" Arjun's question cut into her thoughts.

Her weary eyes shot up and stared at him.

"...uhm...Pooja kaga..."

Before Priya's looks could kill him, a phone call saved him.

She put her head in her hands. What was happening in her life? What was she to tell him? The truth? What will he think of her? Did that matter? Maybe revealing the secret that had haunted her for 7 years will give her some peace of mind.

He had ended the call, but didn't look her way. Maybe he felt guilty for asking her bluntly.

Taking a deep breath she said, "Theriyathu."

He turned to look at her bewildered. Had he heard her right?

"Huh?"

"Pooja appa yarunu theriyathu," with that she turned away not meeting his gaze. She knew he had a hell lot of questions. She wasn't prepared to answer him.

Before he could ask anything, Pooja came out and walked towards her mother.

"Amma."

She crouched to her daughter's height, "Pasikutha?" she asked softly. She was surprised at how composed she was. She had seen worse in life.

Pooja rubbed off the sleep from her eyes.

"Aam..." she started and stopped short.

"Amma, thali poturuka?" she asked, reaching out to examine the addition to her mother's neck. Priya's eyes immediately darted with its owner. Fortunately or unfortunately, Pooja seemed to see the silent conversation the eyes of the couple had. She had always been called the intelligent one in school and she immediately connected the dots.

Was it possible? Did that mean that this uncle was her dad? Then, why did her mother not say anything? She had seen her mother lying on his shoulders in the aircraft and grasping his hands during the turbulence. And why else would they be in his house? Maybe they had a fight and drifted apart before she was born. Yup! That was the only explanation!

Very sure her theory was right, she turned towards Arjun and called out, "Appa?"

(To be continued)

Part 9

*****