What Could Have Been - Page 2

Aman lowered his head slightly with his wineglass raised in a cheer toward Rahul, and a quietly mocking smile on his lips. Rahul turned away from the temptation to plant his clenched fist solidly on his brother's face. "Brother," he muttered, shaking his head a little. "He's no more a brother than he's a saint." He slammed his own wineglass down on the table and manoeuvred his way through the crowd, while his hand reached into the pocket of his jacket and found his cell phone. He pressed the speed dial button and pressed the phone against his ear, waiting.

Kakun answered after several rings. "Hello?" she sounded breathless, tensed.

"Kakun, where are you?" he asked instantly. "Is everything alright?"

"No," she answered, frustrated. "I- I can't talk right now."

"Kakun, wait. What happened? Where are you?"

"In Aman's office," Kakun answered quietly. Rahul whirled almost instantly and his eyes searched the room for Aman, even though he knew it wasn't possible for Aman to be with Kakun, he still needed to be sure. He found Aman, standing with Tanu. "It's gone," Kakun said. Rahul slipped out of the room and into the foyer.

"What's gone?" he asked, nervously. "Kakun, what's going on?"

"Naina cell phone and bill," she blurted. "It's nowhere in here. I've been searching everywhere for it. Rahul, it was the only proof there was against Aman." He could hear that she was panicking.

"Kakun, wait for me. I'm coming to pick you up."

"No," she said quickly. "If you leave the house, Aman will become suspicious."

"Kakun-"

"Rahul, please. People will notice if you're not there," she exhaled. "I don't know if he destroyed the evidence or if he just moved it someplace else." Rahul opened his mouth to speak, but she continued. "I'll just- I have to go, I'll be home soon."

"Kakun-" he blurted, but there was nothing except the beep-tone in the other end. He was about to call her again, when someone said his name from behind. When he turned around, Naina was standing there in her beautiful lilac dress.

"Rahul, are you okay?" she asked with a frown.

"Yes," he lied; his hand clutched his cell phone. But then he suddenly loosened his grip and took a step toward her. "No. Actually, Naina, I need to talk to you." She smiled at him.

"Okay?"

"But not here," he added. "Maybe you should sit down-" he was interrupted as the Bhasins came into the foyer, closely followed by Bebe, DB, Dinesh, Sid and Preeti.

"Let's begin the sangeet," DB said with a bright smile and his arm around Dinesh's shoulders. "What say you, old man?"

"Old?" Dinesh chuckled sarcastically. "I dislike it when you speak of yourself like that, DB, mate." Naina gazed at Rahul, questioningly, but now Sid draped his arm around Rahul's shoulders and guided him back into the hall.

"You know, I'm so happy for you, Rahul," he said with a warm smile. "Tomorrow you'll start living again. Tonight, we should celebrate and forget everything else."

"Yes," Rahul answered blandly. Forget everything? Not a chance in Hell. His eyes sought Aman again, and the old familiar fury shot up through his guts, searing in his veins. "Tonight we'll forget. Tomorrow I'll have my life back."

The sangeet began. The music was loud. The dances were marvellous. Rahul played his part and then slipped into the background, watching silently. His mind couldn't focus on Naina dancing to a love-song, it couldn't focus on anything. His eyes were searching Kakun. Where was she? He kept an eye on Aman in case he should leave the room suddenly. He wouldn't take any more chances. The first opportunity he'd get to talk to Naina in private, and he would tell her everything. There had to be a way to have Aman arrested temporarily, until they had some solid proof. More than that, he wanted Kakun as far away from Aman as possible. The first step toward that would be a divorce. Naina could help with that. She knew the law.

"Kakun, come on," Sid exclaimed. Rahul turned his head with a jerk and his heart sighed relieved at the sight of Kakun. She was back. She was alright. Sid made her dance with the crowd in the centre of the room. From the opposite side, Rahul saw Aman watching her, and it agitated him.

Rahul swallowed the remaining wine in his glass and reached for another one. When a new song began, a slow love-song, the crowd cleared out and space for couples. Just then Rahul saw Aman reaching out for Kakun's hand. She glanced around to make sure no one was looking and then hissed at Aman.

"What the Hell do you think that you're doing?"

"I was going to dance with my wife," Aman answered, smiling. He easily held on to her wrist, which she twisted and turned.

"I'm not going to dance with you again, Aman. When is it going to get through that thick head of yours?" she snapped, pulling her wrist free and turning to walk away. He was about to follow her, but then Rahul stepped in and shoved him hard enough that he almost fell backwards. Kakun whirled, her heart beating fast in her chest as Rahul stared coldly down at Aman, and Aman stared right back. She glanced around nervously, and then gripped Rahul's sleeve, pulling him back. "Rahul, don't," she said lowly. "This isn't the right time or place. Just walk away." Several curious faces turned to look at them, and Kakun smiled briefly to them. "Rahul, please." Aman's lips slowly curved into a smile.

"Listen to her. You don't want to create a scene, do you?" he muttered, provokingly.

"Rahul." Kakun said urgently. People were starting to murmur around them. Rahul turned around and started to walk away, his face completely bland, and his jaw set.

"Coward. So much for protecting her, huh?" Aman said so low that only Rahul and Kakun heard. Her heart leaped as Rahul whirled; his eyes were searing dark, and he moved toward Aman, oblivious to everyone in the hall.

"Rahul-" several voices exclaimed at once. But he was deaf to them. Kakun, who'd been anticipating this ever since he'd gone for Aman's throat the first time, now she ran forward, coming in between them. People gasped. Kakun put her palm against his chest to stop him, but he moved around her and drew his clenched fist back for a hard blow.

"Rahul-" her sentence broke off, when the back of Rahul's hand collided with her face with enough force to knock her to the ground.

"Kakun," Devi exclaimed shocked, and hurried toward her daughter. The silence in the room was deafening. Everyone was staring at Rahul. He stood motionless, gazed down at Kakun, and before he could make a move toward her, Devi, Naina and Be-be helped her up. She was bleeding from the right corner of her lower lip. All anger abandoned Rahul's face, he looked as if he could have killed himself then and there. The pain on his face could not be mistaken. He couldn't look away from her face.

"Kakun, are you alright?" Naina asked, supporting Kakun's left side. Devi checked her lip, her brow creased in concern.

DB glanced around in the room at the guests, and then cleared his throat. "I think, I think that the night is over. Thank you all for coming." The guests starting mutter-ing and moving toward the door. Rahul caught a few of them whispering about how he'd always wanted his brother's wife. But he couldn't be enraged about that. All he could do was to stare at Kakun in disbelief of his own action. He had hit her. He was no better than Aman. No better.

"Kakun-" he managed, but Devi looked up at him.

"You will say nothing," she warned him, her eyes dark and burning. "Kakun, come. Naina, bring some ice." Kakun met Rahul's eyes once before following her mother up the stairs. Devi had to support her little as she was still dizzy from the fall. Just as they disappeared up the stairs and the last guests went out the door, Gayatri walked toward Rahul and slapped him hard across his face.

"Is that what I taught you?" she questioned him furiously. "To attack your brother in public, to hit your Bhabhi, to humiliate your father?" she grabbed his arms and shook him, angry tears in her eyes. "Answer me," she demanded. "Why are you just standing there? Answer me." Rahul merely stood there. All anger, all fight had left his face. He looked broken.

"What were you two fighting about?" DB interrupted, his voice was dangerously in control. Neither Rahul nor Aman answered. "I asked you two a question. What were you fighting about?"

"Kakun," Preeti said. Everyone's heads turned toward Preeti. "Am I right?"