Thank you all for the PMs and the comments. Sorry it took forever to update this part. I haven't been feeling too well for the past few days and have had no motivation to write.
I'm not sure how this update has really turned out as it was written in between other things. I hope you guys like it.
Lots of you have questions regarding why Anjali isn't going crazy trying to find Rishab. Don't worry, you will find out.
Is Rishab Ronit? Did Mausi really recognize him? We don't know. You will have to wait and find out. Zaroori nahi hai ke Rishab hi Ronit ho, ho sakta hai ke koi hor Ronit hai.
Ohh and lots of you asked me why Mausi keeps referring to Ronit as her son and if he's really her son. Mausi has no sons. She considers Ronit and Jai her sons. She raised Jai after her sister and BIL passed away. Ronit is also like her son, though they're both her nephews in relation, she considers them her son so that is why she keeps on referring to him as her son.
Many of you mentioned that Mehndi is like a bridal shower of the east. It really isn't. Mehndi is a totally different thing.
I hope the clarifications have helped. If you guys still have questions, feel free to ask!
Happy Reading!
Anam
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Chapter 110
Mausi, Daadi and Ruchika quickly stopped what they were doing when they heard Jai and Bani walking towards the kitchen. "Munna, did you find out anything?" Mausi asked anxiously.
"Anjali's bombarded at work Mausi but she did suggest something. She suggested I might come out there and look for him myself so Bani and I are leaving Sunday for Los Angeles."
"Are you sure that is such a good idea?" Mausi questioned. "They may have more aftershocks and I'd hate to think another one of my sons…"
"Don't worry Mausi" Jai said calmly. "That's why we're not leaving till Sunday. Anyway, Anjali told me she can get privileges as a visitor for investigation if Officer D'Souza can help me out and I can work right out of her office. So I'm going to go see him and see what he can do to help me."
"Are you sure you want to do this Munna?"
"Yes Mausi" Jai said. "We both do. As long as you stay calm here and just concentrate on the wedding, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to bring back Ronit, if it's really him. Yeh aap ke beta ka aap se wadah hai mausi."
Mausi had tears in her eyes. She kissed Jai on the forehead as he hugged her. She knew in her heart that she couldn't be wrong.
"I can fix you up with a few things to do" Ruchika grinned. Quickly she jotted down several items for Jai and Bani to check on and suggested they go back to the house to do them. "Oh and Bani? Tomorrow I think you should meet me here around 1:00 and we'll get the final fitting for your lehnga so we don't have to worry about it later."
"I thought we did that last time" Bani frowned. She'd had so many dress fittings; she was getting tired of them now.
"It has basically, but I just want to go over it one last time before I give it back to Manish for the final touching. Plus, I need to check with him about your reception dress too. I'll be staying here with Mausi tonight, just to make sure she's okay after everything she's been through today."
"That's a good idea," Jai said. "I'm sure with everyone here, you can help keep Mausi's mind off Ronit for a little while. Please, I need you guys all to stay calm. Adi and Ranveer are here so Ruchika, if you have any problems, just ask him."
Mausi nodded slightly but said nothing.
Jai took the list from Ruchika and he and Bani glanced over it. "Okay. We're going to stop by the office for a few minutes so I can just sign the papers I have to sign for tomorrow's meeting and then I'll be at with Bani next door if anyone needs us."
Jai and Bani said their good byes to Ruchika and Mausi and left. Ruchika heaved a sigh. "Good. They're gone. Now we can get this place ready for the best shower this family has ever seen." Mausi shook her head and smiled.
"I believe you are right" she said.
Even though Mausi and Daadi were not going to be at the bridal shower, Mausi had promised Ruchika she would help her plan it. Anu tried to convince them to join them but they both said, they were too old for that kind of a thing and the girls should enjoy it. Instead, both Mausi and Daadi had gone to Mrs. Sharma's house for tea.
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"Oh Ruchika di this is so exciting!" Anu said giddily. "This is the first shower I've ever been too!" Anu arranged the silverware on the dining room table for the third time as she anxiously awaited for Bani's arrival.
"Same for me" Raashi smiled. "Thank you for inviting me."
"Of course I'd invite you Raashi" Ruchika replied. Raashi and Ruchika were finishing covering all the hot dishes to keep the food warm until the group of ladies was ready to eat. "After all, you and Rano got to know Bani well at the Youth Center."
"Is she here yet? Is she here yet?" Khushi asked excitedly running up to Anu and tugging at her skirt.
"She'll be here any moment little one" Anu smiled fondly at the tiny girl.
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" Khushi announced hopping up and down. "I can't believe so much has to get done for the wedding. I get to hand Bani all the presents!"
"You certainly do have an important job" Raashi grinned. "Come on Khushi; let's go make sure everything at the gift table is in order." Anu smiled gratefully at Raashi. Khushi was a darling child but she was still only six years old.
"Let me help you with this Ruchika di" Shilpa offered. Just as Shilpa offered the door bell rang.
"I'll get it!" Anu yelled as she bounded across the room to answer the front door. "Hey Yukti di" Anu greeted. She then greeted Rano, who was carrying gifts. Khushi and Raashi joined them at the door and helped relieve them of their burden. After all, Khushi took her responsibility very seriously and wanted to make sure the gift table was perfect.
"From the sound of the chatter in the other room I'd say the gang's all here" Ruchika remarked as she and Raashi closed the stove. Once they'd finished they returned to the living room and greeted the new guests until the guest of honor arrived. It wasn't more than ten minutes later when a knocking was heard at the back door.
"She's here! Khushi shouted excitedly. "Bani aunty is here!" Ruchika took Khushi's hand and began giving instructions to them while Anu excused herself and went back to the kitchen to answer the door.
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Bani stood at the back door to the Walia mansion kitchen for someone to open it for her. Ruchika had asked her to meet her there at 1:00 and it was precisely that time. She smiled to herself while waiting taking another glance inside the shopping bag she carried at her side. One of the items on Ruchika's list for Bani was to make sure she had her Christmas shopping completed for all her friends abroad if possible. She reminded both she and Jai that the closer they came to the wedding the less time they would have for their normal Christmastime activities such as shopping. Bani took Ruchika's advice to heart and while her and Jai did some shopping together the previous evening. They both also bought some gifts for Anjali and her "friend" Rishab. They were both eager to meet him, especially Jai as it was the first time he was going to be meeting someone his Anju had fallen totally head over heels for. No matter how protective he was towards Anju, he still wanted to share a comfortable relationship with Rishab as he was Anju's happiness.
Bani smiled as she thought about the previous night out shopping with Jai. Jai didn't go shopping with her much, but when he did, he was a perfect gentleman. Letting her take her time on deciding on the clothes, even suggesting colors he loved on her, giving her dresses to try on. He even went on to choose some sari's for her. She never in million years thought Jai would actually enjoy shopping with her. 'I guess having Anu around, you really have no choice but to have patience' She smiled. She knew Jai probably had all that patience because he did take Anu out to shopping he was in the mood to spoil her.
The door opened and Bani shifted her attention away from her purchase and towards Anu who was standing there with a warm smile. "Hi Bani di!" she said pulling her into a familial embrace.
"Hi Anu" Bani returning Anu's welcome, contentedly. Bani walked into the house and her olfactory sense was greeted with the most wonderful aromas. "Mmm, Anu this place smells heavenly. Whatever are you cooking?"
"Me? And cooking?" Anu grinned.
"Never mind that I actually mentioned that" Bani laughed. They both knew what happened the last time Anu cooked.
"Why, thank you Bani di!" Anu grinned. "Why don't you come into the dining room and you can find out."
"Sounds good to me" Bani laughed. She followed Anu and gasped in surprise at what greeted her.
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Jai poured over the folders on his desk hoping to finish the report from his current contract deal before leaving for California the next day. It was tedious work at best, the worst part of being a businessman, but he didn't want anything left undone.
"Finishing up paperwork?" Tarun asked with a slight smirk.
"Yeah" Jai frowned, placing the file he was reading on his desk. "Just a few more to go and I'll be finished."
"Good" Tarun replied sitting down across from Jai. "It really is something you know? Mausi seeing Ronit on TV during the earthquake no less."
"Tell me about it" Jai said. "I still can't believe it. I have to tell you Tarun, I have mixed feelings about all of this. We still don't know why he left. I hope he has a good reason for leaving the family the way he did."
"If you find him I'm sure you'll get some answers."
"Maybe" Jai said. He furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
"What are you thinking Jai?" Tarun asked. "Whenever you get that look you have something heavy on your mind."
"I don't know Tarun" Jai said honestly. "It's a feeling really. A feeling I can't seem to shake."
"Oh? What's that?"
"I can't stop thinking that Ronit's disappearance is somehow related to my parents' death. Maybe he knows something."
"Well, he did leave shortly after uncle and aunty died" Tarun agreed. "I suppose it's possible."
"It's also possible it has nothing to do with their death and Ronit was just a coward. He couldn't handle the pressure of helping mausi raise his younger siblings."
"Jai I think you should hold judgment until you find out exactly what happened. You won't know anything for sure until you find him, if you find him."
"I'll find him all right" Jai said. "I have no intention of coming back here without Ronit with me no matter what the reason. If it does turn out he ran away from his responsibilities as the oldest child then he needs to come back and face Mausi and tell her that. If it turns out something happened to him, like the Malhotras are responsible, then I'm going to make them pay for it."
Tarun shook his head. If it turned out the Malhotras were involved he had a feeling there was going to be hell to pay.
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"So Ryan" Anjali asked walking up to his desk. "What's next?" Anjali was exhausted but she still had a way to go before her she was to get a break. What she wanted to do more than anything at this point was check her messages and see if Rishab had left her one. She'd only had one chance to check her messages in the last few hours and so far there was nothing from him. She was slightly anxious, having half expected him to call her cell phone and he hadn't. She didn't have time to dwell on it too much however as work was keeping her too busy to worry too much.
Ryan sighed. "Where to begin" Ryan said throwing his hands in the air. Ryan was a senior Volunteer and his older brother was a cop himself so whenever situations like this arose Ryan and Anjali usually worked out of his brothers' office. They were both well known around the office and having been volunteer for so long, they were pretty much part of the BHPD. "I have a list of things that need to be done. Why don't you… The phone on Ryan's desk began to ring. "Hold on Anjali, let me get this first" he said grimacing.
Anjali shook her head. The phones at the station had been ringing non-stop for the past 24 hours. It amazed her how many people paid no attention to the emergency numbers that were being announced on every television and radio station in the area and continued to call the station.
"Beverly Hills PD, Ryan speaking" Ryan answered. Anjali wondered if this was going to be a real call or another person calling to ask when their power was to be returned. Ryan furrowed his brow as he listened to the person on the other end of the phone. Anjali watched with interest, as Ryan seemed visibly upset by this call.
"All right Ritesh, calm down" Ryan said with authority. "Have you tried his house? Okay, how about his cell phone? Hmm, okay, what about the store in San Diego?"
Anjali'd been listening with interest to the call but it wasn't until Ryan made the last comment that she felt a lump develop in her throat.
"Ritesh, I'm sure he's fine" Ryan soothed. "I'll do a little nosing around here and see what I can find out for you, all right?… Listen, if you hear from him call me right away… Don't worry; I'll do the same… bye Ritesh." Ryan hung up the phone and looked Anjali square in the eye. "Do you remember my buddy from the electronics store? The one who went to the game with us a few weeks ago?"
"Yes, Rishab wasn't it?" Anjali said nonchalantly.
"That's right. You stayed and helped him pack up" Ryan remembered. He hid the grin that wanted to surface. He cleared his throat and continued. "Well, that was his assistant manager and it seems as though Rishab was supposed to open the store yesterday morning and he never showed up."
"We had an earthquake Ryan. It's no wonder the guy didn't show up" Anjali said keeping her emotions in check and trying to respond only as a normal volunteer.
"True enough" Ryan readily agreed. "But he still hasn't shown up and it's a day later. Ritesh can't find him anywhere and he's worried. He has the store cleaned up and is ready to reopen but he needs Rishab's okay. It's not like him to disappear like this."
Anjali buried her fear deep down. "I see" Anjali replied robotically. "I hope he's okay."
"So do I" Ryan said, worry etched on his face. "Listen, Anjali, I did have something else in mind for you but I'm changing my mind. If you don't mind, I'd like you to call around and see if you can locate Rishab for me." Ryan began writing down what he knew about Rishab and handed the slip of paper to Anjali. Anjali stared at the paper and barely heard Ryan's next words. "Check the shelters, hospitals, and morgue. You know the routine."
"Yeah, I know the routine" Anjali said. She forced a small smile. "I'll track him down for you Ryan."
"Good. I knew I could count on you" Ryan said. His phone started ringing again and Anjali made her exit as Ryan busied himself with the next emergency. Anjali headed straight for their shared office, her heart in her throat.
"Get a hold of yourself, Anjali" she told herself. "He's fine. Rishab is just fine."
To be continued…
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Hope you all liked it. Looking forward to your comments!