Chapter 29
Rudra looked at the face of his former mistress, he knew she was hurt. But he couldn't go on with their relationship. He should have ended things with her long back. He shouldn't have encouraged her advances. It was clear to him that he meant more to her than what she meant to him. In the spirit of the long companionship they shared, he had to let her go gently yet firmly so that she knew that their dalliance was over. She needed a chance to find in someone else what he felt towards Paro. "You were right that day, Laila, when you said that I had fallen in love with Paro. I am not going to explain to you why, when and for how long I have felt this way, I need to tell her that first. I'm not sure what you got from our relationship but I'm certain it was enough for you. I wasn't capable of giving you more though you probably deserved it. We were both stuck in a dark place, Laila and didn't want to come face the world where everything is not despair and heartache. Paro showed me that and maybe someday you will see it too. I'm going home now, don't follow me anymore. I don't want to see you ever again." He waved goodbye and left for his home.
Laila was furious, she was livid with his speech. She wanted to chop off his tongue for having the audacity to discuss his feelings towards another in her presence. Was she too bold for his liking, he was a jaanwar who liked it that way for eight years. He didn't treat her with the gentleness that Paro was. What did Paro have that she didn't? She was just a timid, little village girl who was foolish enough to marry a man because a temple snake chose her cup. Why was Rudra ready to offer her a future that he didn't even consider for them after so many years. Why was he giving her his heart on a platter when he told her so many times that he never had a heart. Why was he ready to make a lifetime commitment with Paro when he barely spared a few minutes for her. Rudra belonged only to Laila and nobody else. She wasn't willing to surrender yet. Rudra had to come back to her, she would make sure of it. She knew Paro lived in Jaipur, she would find her and let her know how honorable a man, Rudra truly was. He would regret dismissing her affections.
Rudra was still hungry when he reached home. He went straight to the kitchen hoping some food was leftover for him. His bhabhisa was getting milk for the baby, she asked if he needed anything. He shook his head not wanting to trouble her and searched for something edible in the fridge. "Are you looking for Paro's kheer?" she asked. He gave her a sheepish look as she took it out for him. "Bhabhisa, did she call you, once she reached Jaipur?" he asked softly. Maithili shook her head, Paro was very upset when she left, so its best to talk to her in the morning. "You think I should have confided this beforehand, don't you?" he asked. His Bhabhi replied that it didn't matter what she thinks as Paro is the one who was hurt. After everything that happened, the girl is trying very hard to hold on the relationships she has left and he is making it difficult for her by not letting her meet Nandini. "Bhabhisa, its not that simple. Her sister's marriage is not as easy as it seems" he confided. Maithili smiled, it is never easy for a woman to share her husband with someone else and its difficult for Paro to see that kind of a life for her sister even if the man she married is a saint. "Being the second wife is not the biggest challenge Nadia has and Rusheed is not a saint by any standard" he confessed. She didn't understand what he was implying she herself went through a lot of pressure from her mother-in-law for being barren, surely Nadia will face pressure from her husband to bear a son for him. But she will be able to tolerate it, most women face such things everyday with courage. Even Paro who is as delicate as a butterfly has great inner strength. Women may not have muscle power but mentally they are tough a nails, she explained.
He sighed and then proceed to explain, "I know women are very strong on the inside and no one knows of Paro's strength like I do. But the way kakisa used to treat you is nothing compared to what Alina, Rusheed's first wife faces everyday. She looked like some of the victims of war crimes he had seen on his previous mission. So battered and bruised and her eyes, they held so much anguish and terror" he shuddered at the memory. He recalled how her hands shook when she served them tea, spilling a little on the saucer. She had apologised to him for being sloppy, but Rusheed had hit her because she dared to speak to another man. Maithili was shocked to hear this, "Couldn't you help her in someway. Surely there should be law that protects her. Was he the same way to Paro's sister?" No, nothing can be done to help Alina unless she speaks out against her husband to the authorities which she won't do for the sake of her daughters. As for Nadia, she is now with a child, so he will treat her like a princess. But we need a plan just in case she delivers a girl" he clarified. Maithili felt that Paro should be informed all this, in detail. Rudra disagreed there is no telling what Paro might do if she knew the whole truth. "Rudra is right, she knew you barely for a day. Yet she stood up to Maasa who didn't want you to adopt. This is her own blood, she will not sit quiet" said Samrat as he entered the kitchen. Maithili was surprised to see him, he told her that the baby was crying with hunger. She rushed out with the milk as her husband stayed back to talk to Rudra. His thoughts however went back to how she was ready to marry him rather than betray her people. If she didn't mind marrying a Jallad to protect her people, to protect her sister she will be ready to anything.
"Be honest, what is the worst that can happen if Paro goes to meet her sister?" Samrat interrupted his train of thought. Rusheed was a man who doesn't respect women or relationships he explained. He beats his first wife on a regular basis and treats her like his slave without bothering about how it will affect his children. He goes to dance bars to ogle at other women, probably spends the night with them too. He was attracted to Nadia but instead of wooing her, he bought her. What kind of man does that? And how can keep his Paro safe from his roving eyes. What if he sees the exquisite beauty that Paro is? What if she ends up as the third Mrs. Khan? Samrat understood clearly why he pretended to be Paro's husband. He was in love with her and though he wasn't ready admit it he would kill anyone who would take his Paro away from him. Rudra saw the strange look in his cousin's eyes, "What? Don't look at like me that." He shook his head knowing that this was something he had to figure out for himself. "Are you worried about meeting his general tomorrow?" he asked. Rudra smiled he was more worried if his general's niece refuses to see him.
The next morning, General VK Singh was waiting in his office for his juniors to show. A lot of mistakes had been made in the case with respect to the witness. Especially by him, he trusted Rudra but shouldn't have given him so much liberty on where to house the witness. When the pressure increased he shouldn't have shunned responsibility for her and expected him to handle everything by himself. Rudra and Aman entered the room and he looked at the two young men standing in front of him. There a strange confidence in their eyes as if they knew they had done their best under the circumstances inspite of how it affected them personally. One was hopelessly in love with Paro and the other adored her like a long lost sister. It wasn't their fault that she carved a place in their hearts. She was one of those people who flutter in gently like a butterfly and take over your life like a storm. He knew she done the same to his wife and himself and now they couldn't imagine a life without her. He remembered his conversation with Geethajali last night. He hated that she was right this was not what they wanted for either of them. But Paro called him Maasaji, and as an uncle he had to watch out for her interests. "Gentlemen, I have called you both to discuss how sloppily this case has been handled. Rudra, were always reckless and didn't think for a moment before acting. But Aman, I expected better from you. I thought you would be a calm and sensible junior partner to this hot-headed officer." Aman's face had a hint of regret, the general continued his tirade. "Was Paro's safety the only concern here? Didn't you think how everyone would react if they come to know that she was alone with you all the time. They would react exactly the way your aunt did and demand to know what relationship you share. And this will affect your mission too. Now they will think her witness has been forced to speak on our behalf. Rudra I have told you several times to think, plan, discuss and then proceed. When will you stop being rash? Do you how people are talking about her in Chandangarh? They all think she is a loose woman who lived with a man for awhile and then refused to marry him. They don't understand how complicated your situation was and what your problems were." Rudra felt terrible with the way things turned out for Paro. "Ranavat, I have made a decision, henceforth Aman will handle this case. I'm sending you to Uttarakhand where you needed for rescue operations." Both officers were stunned, why was he being sent for flood relief in the middle of an important mission like this. "Rudra, you have mixed your personal and professional lives. You need to get some perspective and the distance will help."
Rudra was fuming in his office, Paro wasn't picking up her phone. Aman entered his cabin and he lashed out at him, "God knows what that foolish girl told him that he is sending me from her side. Tejawat is still around, what if he does something, you can't tackle this alone." Aman felt that the local gossip surrounding the case regarding the army officer and his witness was affecting the general's conscience. Hence he is sending him away till things quieten down. Rudra wondered if he would be back on the case if he could get people to know the truth. He found a card in his desk drawer and started to dial the phone. He told the person on the other line, "I'll meet you in an hour." Aman shook his head, this was the worst idea that his senior ever came up with. " Sir, you could get suspended for this" he warned. Rudra asked him not to worry, Paro needed him to do this.
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