Abhay frowned at the wall clock. It was already seven o'clock. Where was Phulwa? He was mildly irritated. She could at least have sent a message through Chotu. Suddenly fear gripped his heart. What if something had happened to her? He grabbed his car keys and rushed outside.
***
Phulwa felt like she was in a nightmare. The past she had been trying to keep Abhay away from was already connected to him. She felt soiled. She suddenly could not push the thought away. Was Abhay another pawn in Thakur's game? Had he been deliberately sent to trap her? Her heart protested vehemently against that but she ignored it. Her eyes hardened in the dark. Thakur had always tried to use her own emotions against her. He knew what to use to hurt her the most. She remembered how Sharbati, the one she had considered equal to a sister, had lured her to Chote Thakur. A sob of desperation escaped her. She clenched her fists. Maybe in her blind love for Abhay she had failed to see his true colors. How else could she explain the closeness she had sensed existed between Abhay and Thakur? She saw Thakur's hands around Abhay again and wanted to throw up. Why? Why could her past not leave her alone? Why did it have to cast its shadows on her present? She would never be happy, she realised. She wiped off her tears, hardening herself. There was no place for emotions in her battle. She had been right the first time, love was not meant for her.
****
Abhay walked to the camp, his eyes scanning the place for Phulwa. The place was lighted by oil lamps and there was small buzz as see the Kabila went about their activities. Phulwa was nowhere to be seen, he was anxious now. Where was she? Gayatri noticed him and walked up to where he stood.
"What do you want?" her tone was curt. She still could not bring herself to trust Abhay fully. She did not know if it was as a rule or because he really did not deserve it.
Abhay focused on her.
"I need to see Phulwa. Is she here?" he asked trying to ignore the feeling that something was very wrong.
Gunta Ma approached them, her eyes worried. She had seen Phulwa walking to the back of the camp earlier but she had not come back. She had even missed dinner. Gunta Ma wondered if they had a fight.
"I think she's at the back." She said pointing to where Phulwa had gone. "What happened?"
Gayatri looked at Gunta Ma angrily. Why was everyone so keen to accept Abhay?
Abhay shook his head, smiling a little absent-mindedly at Gunta Ma.
"I don't know myself. Can I go meet her?"
Even if they had said no, Abhay knew he would still have gone. He felt his unease increase.
Gunta Ma nodded looking as his back as he quickly walked to Phulwa.
***
Abhay could hardly see in the dark. Unlike the camp, this place was not lighted and only the full moon allowed him to move around. Then he made out the shape of a person sitting on a bench. Phulwa. His whole body sighed with relief. Her back was to him, her shoulders rigid. He walked to her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. Phulwa turned but surprisingly did not return his smile. She looked strange, Abhay thought.
"Why didn't you come? I was worried. You could have told me." Concern and annoyance mingled in his voice.
Phulwa slowly got up then shrugged his hand off, walking away. Abhay frowned. What was happening here? He grabbed her turning her around towards him then looked angrily in to her eyes.
"What is it?" he demanded, Phulwa remained silent. "Don't test my patience Phulwa."
Finally some emotion came back to her eyes. She looked at him with an expression close to…….hatred. Abhay felt cold.
"You have no right to ask me any questions." She was disoriented, unable to think clearly. She kept seeing him and Thakur together.
Abhay gripped her forearms harder, his eyes dark with suppressed anger. What the hell was going on with her?
"Ok, stop this nonsense right now!" he growled. "Why are you behaving like this?"
Phulwa's voice was ice cold.
"So, you know Thakur Daroga Singh, do you?" she had a bitter laugh.
Abhay released her in surprise unable to comprehend what that had to do with them. Phulwa could not stop herself. She felt the only way to lessen the hurt she was feeling was to cause pain to someone else and the only person in front of her was Abhay. She felt hate mar her heart.
"How much did he give you? I heard he pays his slaves well." Phulwa laughed again, but tears were now coursing down her cheeks.
Abhay was angry now. He was reeling from the strong emotions emanating from her. Her words had the effect of poison.
"It must have been such a break to get both money and the chance to dump Phulwa." She spit out the words. She could no longer separate the truth from her own dark musings.
Abhay's control snapped.
"PHULWA." Abhay bellowed, shaking her violently.
Phulwa pushed him back.
"Don't lie to me!" Her eyes shot daggers at him then she felt herself breaking inside. She pummelled his chest with her fists, tears of anger gushing out.
Abhay stood motionless, hurt but having an inherent feeling that something was hurting Phulwa much more. He let her hit him feeling her pain, but unable to understand what had caused it.
***
Phulwa hit him, trying to get rid of the darkness eating at her. Then she knew, she knew she was wrong. The Abhay she loved would never do that to her. He would never betray her. The realisation sapped the last of her strength from her and she threw herself in his arms, her sobs an anguished sound which vibrated in Abhay's heart. He closed his arms tight around her, frustrated at not knowing how to ease her pain. He pressed her close, placing his chin on her head, letting her shed her tears unrestrained. He ran his hands up and down her back, offering comfort as one would to a child. He hated this feeling of helplessness.
They stayed like that for what seemed like hours before Abhay could not take it any longer. He had to know. He lifted her, wrapping her in his arms and sat down, gently rocking her until she stopped crying and lifted puffy eyes to look at him.
"I'm sorry." Her voice was heavy with controlled emotions.
Abhay wiped the tears from her cheeks with his fingers then kissed her forehead, pushing her head back under the crook of his neck. The warmth seeping from his clothes and his body soothed her.
"Tell me what happened Phulwa," he said softly, still rocking her slightly.
Phulwa swallowed her pain. How could she have thought he was with Thakur? His every gesture spoke of love for her. His heart was too pure to be corrupted by someone like Thakur. She felt like a weight had been pressing on her chest but now it was slowly lifting away.
"Why does my knowing Thakur Daroga Singh bother you?" his hand caressed her hair.
She took a deep breath. She had been wrong in keeping all this away from him. She had already delayed too much, it was time to tell him everything. She lifted her head so that she could look at him.
"He….He is the one who killed my parents." Even thinking of that day tore her into pieces.
Abhay's hand stilled on her hair. He felt shock and disbelief at the same time. His thoughts were a blur of confusion but he looked into Phulwa's eyes urging her to go on. He could not stop her now that she was finally opening her heart to him.
Phulwa took a deep breath then recounted him her whole story starting from her childhood. Her mother, her father, whose darling she had been, her jijia, who had been the kindest sister anyone could have and who Phulwa had loved dearly, her little sister Bela and her brother Babu. Abhay listened, not daring to move. Phulwa looked lost back in the world which had been hers. Her father had a boat which was their only source of income but they had never felt the lack of money. Their house had always been full of love and laughter. Phulwa's eyes lit up as she told him of the kulfi wala, whom she had planned to marry, her friend Chunni and her neem tree. How she would sit under it for hours, looking for the answers to her questions which nobody could answer. Abhay smiled at the image. He could almost see that little Phulwa,bubbly, happy, carefree and innocent. Then the light in Phulwa's eyes dimmed a little as she remembered how her cousin and his family had tortured her father, making his do rounds of the court to get the piece of land which rightfully belonged to them. A single tear coursed down her cheek. Abhay wanted to wipe it but was afraid it might break the moment.
They had deliberately drowned her father's boat but Phulwa had found it when she dove in the riverv after her the man she had made her brother, Bhavani had told her God resided in the depths of earth. She smiled at the memory. She had been her father's strength, the one the village called lucky. Everyone had loved her except…..Thakur Daroga Singh. Darkness clouded Phulwa's eyes again. He had tried all ways to snatch their land from them. He even made her sister be seen as a witch in front of the villagers, breaking off her wedding and condemning her to be stoned. Phulwa felt the fear grip her as if it was all happening again. But Phulwa had acted like a shield to all of Thakur's attacks. She had saved her and gotten her sister married to the kulfi wala making her escape the atrocious death Thakur had reserved for her. Abhay stiffened. How could someone do that? But Abhay felt pride suddenly. His Phulwa had been determined and strong as a child also. Then Phulwa reached the part where she hesitated, looking into his eyes for reassurance. He nodded, silently pushing her to continue.
"I had become a thorn to his side and…..and one day, he…….he deliberately instigated people to believe that..that….I had married a Dacoit." She swallowed in pain, "He trapped me but everyone believed him and the man, thinking I was the one who lied, married me."
Abhay felt his blood freeze. It was as if someone had whipped him. He could not believe what he had just heard. He had trouble breathing and he gritted his teeth against the red rage overtaking him. How dare he? HOW DARE HE do that to a child. To his Phulwa. He wanted to kill everyone one who had stood and watched this happen with his bare hands. Phulwa sensed the tension in his body. She looked up at him. She had never seen him like that before. His jaw was clenched, his eyes looking at a point beyond them. He was breathing heavily, fury emanating from his body in waves.
"He did that?" he asked, his muscles taut with the effort of restraining his anger.
Phulwa placed her hand on his heart, trying to calm him down.
"Abhay, but the man he married me to was kind. He had just been misleaded and when he realised that, he helped me the most." The words rushed out of her. She could not see Abhay like that. He had lost all the gentleness from his face.
Abhay was no longer listening. He punched his fist on the bench, blood spurting from his knuckles.
"Abhay! Please don't be like that. I swear the man never did wrong to me. He…masterji was the kindest person and he supported and protected me against Thakur." She tried to grab Abhay's bleeding hand but he wrenched it away.
"What did he do after that?" his voice was deadly calm now.
Phulwa tried to get up.
"That's enough for today, Abhay." She twisted herself to get away but he held her still, his face stormy.
"Tell me what he did Phulwa." he growled. "I want to hear."
Every single sentence she had uttered had been a blow to him but he could not let her stop now. He had to know. What else did she have to endure?
Phulwa saw he would not release until he had his answers. To her surprise, she realised she felt lighter. Those words had never been pronounced before. She had never shared her pain with anyone else but now it felt like Abhay had taken her pain for himself. She shook her head but Abhay sent her a look of warning. She thought back of the scene and tears coursed down her cheeks.
"He killed off my family one by one and showed them to me," her breath caught on a sob. "He laughed as he uncovered their bodies then he killed my masterji in front of me. He emptied out his gun in my masterji's chest." She shook with sobs now. "He wanted to kill me too but I escaped with Babu." She could no longer contain her pain. "I could not save them, Abhay. I could not save them." She cried her heart out, hiding her face in Abhay's chest, her tears soaking his shirt. Abhay's arms tightened around her in an iron grip.
****
Abhay remained like that long after Phulwa had gone to sleep in his arms. He knew he would not be sleeping until she got justice. His eyes gleamed in the dark. He had thought Thakur Daroga Singh could not do wrong but more than anybody, he believed Phulwa. He had seen how she had looked when she had told him her story. Every single favour Thakur could have done on him was washed away by what he had made Phulwa endure. Thakur had taken the most horrible payment for a worthless piece of land from an innocent child. He had tortured her, trampled on her pure heart, taken what she had most precious away from her. His fists clenched again then his arms constricted around Phulwa even more. She murmured in sleep making her realise he might be hurting her. He loosened his hold, his heart darkening with hate for Thakur. He vowed he would not rest in peace until he got Phulwa her revenge. Only then would her soul be cleansed from the pain and resentment. Only then would she embrace happiness fully. Abhay stood up, walking slowly so as not to wake her up. The whole place was asleep. He pushed Phulwa's door with a foot then gently deposited her on the bed, looking at her face. The tracks the tears had left on her cheeks burned him inside. He hated it. He hated to see a single drop of tear fall from her eyes and God knew how many tears she had shed because of Thakur. Abhay hardly noticed the throbbing in his hand. The only pain he felt was Phulwa's. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, then pulled the covers over her before disappearing into the night.
****
Arjun walked past Aarti's desk without even glancing at her. He wanted to turn but he resisted and headed straight to Abhay's office.
Abhay was deep in conversation on the phone.
"Jitendra, no need to come to the station first, go straight to the records office and bring all the files related to Thakur Daroga Singh's properties." He glanced up at Arjun and signalled for him to sit down.
Arjun raised his eyebrows. He waited for Abhay to hang up.
"Your new case is related to Thakur Daroga Singh?" he asked, surprised.
Abhay put a strained smile on his face, which did not convince Arjun at all.
"No, nothing like that. Just something personal." His tone indicated the topic was closed.
Arjun decided to let it go. He knew Abhay. If he did not want to say something then no amount of coaxing would work on him.
"So when are you getting sacrificed at the altar of marriage?" he grinned at Abhay.
Abhay glared at him but he felt some of his tension ease away. Whatever happened, Arjun was always there to lighten the mood. He grinned back at him slowly.
"Soon, I hope. I'm not letting her run away without getting sacrificed." He laughed softly.
"Man, you are a gone case! No sane man would be so impatient for that." Arjun chuckled.
"I'm assuming by sane man, you mean yourself." Abhay said.
Arjun threw back his head and laughed.
"Who else?"
Just then Abhay's phone rang.
"I'm sorry, I have to take this."
There was a frown on Abhay's face. Arjun nodded. He could see his friend was troubled.
"Yeah, I was going anyway. Don't forget to send me the invitation, ok? And please don't put the jungle as venue." He roared with laughter while Abhay shot him an exasperated look.
Arjun walked out then stopped near Aarti's desk. She was deep into a file. He fidgeted, uneasy. It was the first time he felt nervous. He sighed when she did not look up and went out. Usually he annoyed and flirted without requiring any permission but he was strangely bound by the promise of not bothering her again. It was not like he believed in promises, he told himself. Then why did the one made to Aarti mean so much?
****
Aarti felt disappointment wash over her as he walked away without saying a word. She had been expecting him to come up with some annoying comment but he had not. Suddenly she was irritated. She could no longer take it. What was the use of staring at her every time he came, if he had nothing to say? She got up, dropping the file and marched behind him stopping at his car. He turned surprised to see her. Aarti stared at him for a second then was infuriated when he kept looking at her in silence.
"Do you eat?" she surprised herself with the question.
Arjun wore a shocked expression. Serves him right, Aarti thought. He placed his hand on her to check whether she was real. Aarti slapped his hand away, glaring at him. Arjun grinned.
"Yes yes, I eat, drink, whatever you want!" he said cheerfully.
Aarti wanted to laugh. He looked like a little boy, grinning from ear to ear. The man was a total package. She kept her face serious.
"Dinner at 8 tomorrow, same restaurant." She said curtly.
Arjun saluted solemnly.
"Yes, Ma'am." He said. "I'll pick you up at….." he waited for her to tell him the address, looking innocently at her.
"No need to pick me up. I'll be there." She said over sweetly.
Arjun faked a disappointed face then grinned again.
"Okay."
Aarti turned to go. Arjun looked at her, he could have danced around the parking lot. It was the first time a woman made him feel like that. Suddenly, Aarti came back. He smiled wickedly, thinking she had changed her mind and would tell him the address.
Aarti removed a bloc note and a pen from her pocket then wrote something on it. She looked up into his face, tearing the page from the bloc note.
"You parked in a reserved zone. You are fined." She handed him the paper then walked away, hiding her smile.
Arjun frowned at it in confusion then threw back his head and laughed. God, he loved this woman. He stopped laughing instantly and quickly retracted his thought. He loved the attitude of the woman, he corrected himself comfortingly.
****
Abhay was deep in thought when Jitendra walked in with the stack of files. He thanked him then started flipping throught the pages of the first one. He was surprised at the amount of it. Surely Thakur could not own so much land. He saw that very few of the lands belonged to him, in fact most of the files were of lands mortgaged and finally seized by thakur. Abhay's jaw clenched. He would have to bring them home and study them in detail. He rubbed a hand across his tired eyes. He had not even shaved this morning. After leaving Phulwa, he had kept up the whole night. He almost wished he had taken her home last night. Having her on the bed next to him would have helped ease his tension. The kabila and Phulwa would not have been too happy when they woke up though, he thought, a smile tugging at his lips. He closed the file then lifted his head to look at the doorway. His body went rigid when he saw who was standing there. Thakur, his phony smile in place. Abhay gripped the corner of the table hard to prevent him from getting the gun and shooting him down. Only Phulwa had the right do that.
"You should have knocked before coming in Thakur Saab. I suggest you do so next time." He spoke between clenched teeth.
Thakur was taken aback. Then he understood. He felt rage. He had lost Abhay to the damned girl. He kept the anger out of his face and voice. He could still try his last move to pull Abhay to him.
"You are right Abhay. I'm sorry." He said, faking regret. "Can I come in?"
Thakur boiled inside. This worm of no value had dared to say that to him. Let me finish with Phulwa,you'll be the next Abhay, he thought with malevolent glee.
Abhay remained silent then he nodded, the expression on his face clearly indicating he had no wish to see Thakur in his office. Thakur sat down.
"Abhay, I never got to tell you but my son was killed some time back." Thakur started crying, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. He made a grief-stricken face.
Abhay leaned back and surveyed him. He could now see how fake the man was. None of his manipulations would work on him now. Even the sight of him disgusted Abhay. Thakur Daroga Singh had to pay but Abhay wanted him humiliated first. After what he had done to Phulwa, he could not die a hero, Abhay refused to let that happen.
Thakur felt his last ploy going waste as Abhay looked at him indifferently, the glimmer of hate clearly visible in his eyes. Thakur cried more, his wails resounding in the the office.
"Phulwa killed him. She killed my only son, Abhay." He held his face in his hand as if the memory was too much to bear, his shoulders shaking with feigned sobs.
"And you did not kill anyone?"
Abhay's voice was so icy and deadly that Thakur at first thought he had heard wrong. He looked up to see Abhay's face twisted in anger. The charade of pain was now gone from Thakur's face. Abhay would not be swayed. Thakur's face distorted in an ugly mask as he got up, sending his chair crashing into the wall with his foot.
"For that bloody hapless Dacait, you are going against me. Did you forget my favours?" he shrieked.
Abhay lost control, he came around and grabbed Thakur by the neck.
"Next time you talk of her, watch your words." He snarled. "I don't want you to utter her name with your filthy mouth. One more word against her and I'll rip out your tongue." His fingers pressed into Thakur's pudgy neck making his eyes bulge.
Abhay brought his face close to Thakur's.
"I could kill you right now. But for what you did to her, you don't deserve an easy death." Abhay's voice oozed hatred. Thakur was now suffocating. Abhay appeared frenzied, not caring he was pressing on his windpipe. "Now either you get out of here alive or I bury you in my office." He roared.
Abhay felt he would really kill him if he stayed longer. Every time he saw Thakur's face, he remembered Phulwa. Her sobs, her pain. It had killed him to see her like that. And all the pain she had buried inside was because of the man standing right in front of him. It took unimaginable control not to finish him off right there.
Thakur struggled, trying to wrench his neck from Abhay's grip. Jitendra came just in time, to take the scene. He almost stumbled with shock then he rushed to Abhay.
"Sir, Sir, you'll kill him. Please leave him Sir." His tone was desperate. It was scary to see ACP Abhay that way. His eyes darted from Thakur's red face and Abhay's stormy one.
Abhay pushed Thakur away, his chest heaving at the effort it took to let him go. They both stared at each other in mutual hatred.
"You will pay a very high price for siding with her Abhay. Thakur Daroga Singh never forgets his enemies. Never! If I don't make you beg for her life, I'll change my name" he screamed in anger then walked out.
Jitendra kept looking at Abhay until Abhay turned his face towards him, his expression causing him to rush out of his office.
****
Phulwa felt refreshed and alive. She had found the peace she had searched for all her life, in Abhay's arms. She sighed. More than her, he had appeared hurt last night and that warmed all the cold places in her heart. He would never let anything happen to her. Phulwa had always thought she did not need support, that she alone could fight against the whole world. Depending on someone else made you vulnerable but Abhay proved her wrong every time. Having someone at your side, holding your hand through every single road, made it easier. She realised what she had lacked all these years. Someone to hold her while she got all the bitterness and foulness out of her, a shoulder to cry on. She had shed all the guilt, the pain she had been keeping inside since her parents' death. She felt cleansed and all because of Abhay. Now she could fight without any chains holding her down.
She waited for Abhay the whole day but he did not come. He must be busy, she told herself, as she went to sleep feeling disappointed.
****
Abhay sat at his work table at home, Thakur's files strewn on it. He had noticed anomalies on several of them and he planned on exposing each and every one of his misdeeds. There were cases where Thakur had claimed lands mortgaged to him as his own before the loan period expired. He needed a break, he thought, he had been at it since he came back from work. He checked the time. It was too late to go to meet Phulwa. He sighed. He had missed her the whole day but he needed to finish this. He would go to see her tomorrow, he vowed. He decided against the idea of a break and grabbed the red file from among the one he had not yet studied. He opened it and his eyes fell on a name which made him go still. His father's name was inscribed on the land contract. He scanned the page. It was written that Abhinav Rai Singh had sold the totality of his lands to Thakur Daroga Singh on the 18th of May 1991. Abhay's blood froze, disbelief written on his face. That was the date his father had died. How could he have sold his land to Thakur on the same day? Realisation dawned on Abhay, and he banged his fist on the table sending the files flying. Thakur had stolen his lands. Abhay felt his pain and disgust mounting. All these years he had thought his father had gone bankrupt. Thakur had told him his father had lost his properties to bad judgement in business long before his death. That he had hid it from his family out of embarrassment. He had sympathised with Abhay, offering money to his grandma for his education. Abhay felt cheated. What he had considered to be favors where actually his rights. He looked back at the years he had felt resentment for his father at having left them in such state and he wanted to cry. He gritted his teeth against the deception. He had to think clearly. He was going to strip Thakur of his pretense and return all that he had stolen to those to whom it belonged. And finally Phulwa would have her revenge.
****
Phulwa walked about the camp listlessly. She was annoyed. He could be angry when she did not turn up without informing, now he had disappeared without any reason. Well, he would pay for that, she thought fuming.
Chotu came running to her, a letter in hand. He was grinning from ear to ear.
"Phulwa didi, ACP Abhay sent this." He said happily.
Phulwa grabbed it quickly, a smile making its way into her eyes. Then she frowned at the letter. Her face fell. Abhay knew she would not be able to read it, he usually sent the messages directly through Chotu. Abhay must have forgotten, he must be overloaded with work and sent it absent-mindedly, Phulwa thought exasperated.
Chotu noticed her disappointed look and extended his hand.
"I'll read it for you if you want Phulwa didi."
Phulwa smiled gratefully at him then handed him the letter. Chotu read it aloud.
"Be at Chambal waterfall at 5 today. I'll be waiting. Abhay."
Phulwa thanked him then frowned at the note. Why would he be asking her to be at the waterfall? Then she brushed it off. He must have gotten one of his silly ideas again. Phulwa grinned already thinking of the evening.
****
Thakur laughed uproariously, thumping the constable on his back. He placed a stack of notes in his hands then watched as the man walked away. Thakur smiled twistedly. He had his men everywhere. If Abhay thought he could destroy him, let the fool think so, Thakur thought with a self-satisfied grimace. He had been keeping tabs on him from the day his suspicions were aroused. Constable Hirani had reported his every move. Abhay strangely talked with Chotu frequently. It was not difficult to figure out why, Thakur smirked. The note had duly been handed by the constable to Chotu, with Abhay's name. That is called killing two birds with one stone, Thakur thought an evil gleam in his eyes. Abhay would be the reason Phulwa would come running to her death, Thakur laughed again, the sound bone-chilling.
****
Phulwa looked in the distance. The sun was setting, casting its orangey glow on the whole place. There was no one there. Then Phulwa smiled as she saw Abhay approaching. As always, he seemed almost surrounded by an aura which belonged to him and no one else. He came up to her, smiling into her eyes then yanked her to him, drawing her in for a long kiss. Phulwa's arms went around his neck, his heart thumping away. She hardly noticed the hills and scenery around. There was only Abhay. She felt like the train of their lives would now finally reach its station. She kissed him back, biting his lower lip naughtily, making him lift his head to look at the hills in the north. She stood on tiptoes, refusing to let him go, making him laugh. Then a voice came from behind snapping Phulwa out of the day dream. Abhay was not here. She blushed then slowly turned around to look at the source of the sound. Her heart stilled, her hands went cold then the familiar wave of hatred washed over her at the sight of him. Thakur Daroga Singh stood there grinning mockingly at her………
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
