Chapter 11
Rudra looked at his watch for the hundredth time. It was almost noon and the man they were to meet was still not back from his tea break. This is why he hated meeting bureaucrats. He wished Aman was here instead and he could have spent the day with his Paro. Now he had leave her alone when there a was strange man coming over with pizza at inopportune moments. He needed to check with the police who that bike belonged to. He sighed. Paro looked so beautiful yesterday under the moonlight and the night ended to early. If only she wasn't looking so tired, he would have shown her stars of a completely different variety. He shook his head as his hand reached for a pencil and paper. "Rudra! Come on. Mr. Asad is here now," the general beckoned, an hour later. Mr. Asad was very co-operative and told them that three of the girls come home anytime. But the other two on the list are married and hence will not be able to return. "With all due respect Sir, I made this list with the help of an officer of the Pakistani army. These girls are part of a prostitution ring there. There are two other girls who are married to Pakistani nationals not mentioned in this list. We haven't asked for their extradition as they are content in their new homes," Rudra explained handing him a brief report of his trip across the border last year when he went looking for the Birpur girls who were still alive. Mr. Asad glanced through the pages quickly and took of his glasses. "I think there has been some mistake on your part. I have the marriage certificates to prove that Mr. Mirza whom you claim is a pimp is actually the husband of these two women, Poonam and Manjiri. Tell you what why don't you confirm your findings and we will discuss it tomorrow," he suggested. The two officers remembered that it was Republic day so the office will be closed. And the man told them to come next week instead. Rudra wasn't in the mood to let this go yet, "Sir, give me a few hours. I will cross check all this for you." Mr. Asad agreed to meet them again after lunch.
The two BSD officers went back to their car. "Rudra, what is this man saying? Why is there a doubt over your report?" the general asked. Rudra pointed to the date on the marriage certificate. It was registered only one month back. That means he must have married them to avoid loosing them, the general observed. He asked him to contact his friend from across the border for more information. He then called his officers in Rajasthan to fax all the details of the case to him. "Al Salaam alaikum, Rudra," his friend greeted him as soon as he picked up the phone. "Alaikum al salaam, Zaheer. I need to discuss something important with you," he got to the point immediately. Zaheer congratulated him on the award he was to receive the next day and asked him how he could help. Rudra quickly briefed him on the situation. "This Mirza is a crook. Anytime girls go missing in that area, you can be sure he has them in his establishment. Usually when girls are kidnapped and the parents can't afford the ransom, he buys them off. I don't think he respects women enough to marry two or even one of them. What names did you say?" he asked once more. Rudra repeated them to him. "These two are his youngest and most innocent looking girls. They fetch the maximum business for him because of their virginal looks. He probably got fake papers to make sure they stay in his custody for good," he explained. Rudra was disgusted by what he heard. How could he do something so wretched and get away with this for so long? Zaheer replied, "Law enforcers are lax along the border and Mirza has some contacts who ensure that he gets a steady supply of girls through trafiking. Your Tejawat is not the only person who is a part of this. We need to find out who else is involved before ending his operation. Too catch the big fish we need to let the little ones go." Rudra asked him to call back if he remembers anything else about this. He then asked about Nandini, Paro's sister's well being. Zaheer informed him that his men are keeping an eye for him. Her pregnancy is progressing well though there are hiccups along the way because the man doesn't trust modern medicine. "Its customary in India for girls to stay in their mother's home during their first pregnancy. Is it possible for her to stay with my wife for a few months?" Rudra asked. Zaheer sighed. Mr. Rusheed hated to be reminded that his wife was wedded to someone else and then danced at a bar before becoming Nadia, his wife. He will take out his anger on her. It would be better if Rudra and his wife visit her instead.
There was a soft knock at the door and Paro was pleased to see Deepa, Aman's mother. She smiled, "Please come in Kakisa. Was there some work you needed me to attend to?" Deepa shook her head and told her from the time she entered their home, she has been helping in every possible way. "It's my brother's wedding. How can I sit back and relax?" asked Paro. Deepa felt her heart weep a little. It was almost as if her own daughter was back with them. "Ok dear, as you wish. I just wanted talk to about something. Aman asked me to buy earrings for his wife and sister. So I picked this for you," she said opening a box with a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings. Paro didn't know what to say. Deepa continued, "I picked a emerald and diamond pair similar to this for Kavya. Aman had told me that blue is Rudra's favorite color and you tend to wear more of blue after your wedding." Paro blushed and thanked her. "Thank you. I will wear this tonight. I had planned on wearing this peacock blue lehenga for the Mehendi. This will match perfectly," she said when they heard another knock at door. They were surprised to see Aman come in. He was in a hurry. "Paro, where is Sir's laptop?" he asked and she handed it over immediately. "Is something wrong?" she was worried. He just said there was a temporary set back but nothing to worry about and ran out of the door. "Aman, wait! Where are you going?" Deepa followed her son out.
Paro felt terrible. She had expected Rudra to be around for the wedding without work distracting him. She knew it was selfish but couldn't help it. She knew when they reach home, he will drown himself with his cases all over again. The phone rang. She picked it up with a hello. "Paro, are you alright? Your voice sounds dull," spoke Maithili across the phoneline. Paro was glad to hear the voice of her beloved sister whom she missed. "How are the wedding festivities going on? Did Devarsa give you your gifts before the Sangeet yesterday?" she asked. Paro replied that she got the gifts and they were beautiful but she doesn't want to talk about Rudra. He happily left for some BSD work and hasn't returned yet. The Mehendi function will start soon. Maithili laughed as she heard her sister's complaints. She reminded her what her mother-in-law says about men in uniform. "I know Jeeja. But I thought he left his uniform behind in Chandangarh and now he is gone all day. And I have a strong feeling something is wrong. Things are not turning out the way he planned. I'm worried he will get hurt. I just wish he comes back soon," she whispered her fears into the speaker. Maithili told her sister to have a little faith in both Bholenath and his namesake. She then asked if Samrat spoke to his cousin. Paro said she wasn't aware of it and asked if it was something important. Maithili didn't have an answer.
Maithili remembered her mother-in-law enquire about the Sisodia family from Jaipur. "Paro, are you acquainted with the Sisodias?" she asked. Paro told her that she knew the family for the past year and Shatabdi Sisodia is a good friend. But Rudra and Aman knew them from their training days. She asked Maithili, if she knew about them too. "No, maajisa was asking," her sister replied. Paro told her that she should talk to her Geethanjali Maasiji to know the Sisodias better. The sisters spoke for sometime and ended the call. Maithili conveyed all that her sister told her to mother-in-law. Mohini smiled things were looking up for Sumer's wedding. The pandit was right. Shatabdi Sisodia will be perfect for her son. A beautiful bride with plenty of money, just what she wanted for him. And if she gets along with Paro and Maithili, it's a bonus. They will take care of the house without any kitchen politics. Maithili recognised the look on the older woman's face. She was scheming about something. She turned to leave her alone hoping no trouble will come from this when Mohini called her. "Sumer is coming home tonight. So make some paneer dish for him," she instructed.
Sumer raced down from Jaipur. His brother's words reverberated in his mind. "Thaisa is back in town. Bapusa is helping her." He couldn't believe that his father will go against his brother for that woman. After all that she put their family through. After all Thausa and Rudra went through. Now she returns to torment them again. Wasn't Rudra clear that he wanted to do nothing with her? Why did she have to contact his father? He pulled up in front of the cottage on the outskirts of Chandangarh. The door rattled with the force with which he knocked. Mala Tejawat opened with shaking hands. "Don't you dare say a word. You have no business contacting Bapusa. You will just make things worse for him," he yelled. She said he was the one who was kind enough to provide her with shelter and money. She had nobody else to turn too. "Why? Because your Thakursa's deeds are exposed, Birpur is not an option for you?" he mocked. "You don't belong here. Thausa is finally feeling at home here. He is happy now with his brother and the rest of us. Don't take it away from him. Stay away from our home," he warned. Her eyes hardened at the mention of her former husband. He was the life her parents chose for her not what she wanted. The only good thing that came out of their marriage was her son, Rudra. "No, my son Rudra will want to see me. I'm going to stay here. But if you insist I won't bother Danveer bhaisa," she assured him. Sumer wanted to laugh. Rudra didn't care about anyone other than his bride, the woman who brought peace to his soul and their home. "He won't want to see you again. You represent everything that went wrong with his life. If you have a shread of affection for him, you will leave town. Before he realises you are back and throws you out himself," he told her firmly and left. Mala knew she had to stand her ground. Rudra and Thakursa were the two people who mattered most to her. And they would be her family, not the Ranavats. She just had to convince her son to drop the charges against her husband. Maybe his new wife will help. Husbands were quite malleable when it came to their brides. She heard tell around town that the latest bride was a girl called Parvati from Jaipur of peerless beauty. Their Jhanki was still remembered where the besotted groom couldn't stay away from his lovely bride. Circumstances surrounding his work had stopped their wedding during the Shivratri mela. The same day she and her husband had to run. But apparently now they were wed in a quiet and private ceremony. Parvati Rudra Pratap Ranavat. It had a nice ring to it. And if this girl is anything like Paro of Birpur, she will be very useful in getting her son back from his father.
Meanwhile at Delhi, Paro had changed into the peacock blue lehenga when her aunt stopped by. "Why aren't you ready yet? People started to leave to Kavya's house," she gently chided. Paro dejectedly told how she wasn't in the mood since Rudra wasn't back yet. He had promised to apply mehendi on her himself. Geethanjali asked her to call him and find out what's still keeping him. She dialed his number but the operator said that the person she was trying to contact is not reachable. Geethanjali felt bad for the girl. She was used to VK going off like this leaving her in the middle of a function but she still didn't like it. From the look on her niece's face, she realised that the girl was worrying more than necessary. She guided her to the mirror and said, "Don't worry my pet. Let's get you ready. If you make this evening memorable for him, he will think twice next time he has to work during his holidays." She gently parted her hair and curled one part to cascade along her neck. The rest of her hair was styled in soft ripples across her back. She painted her lips with a soft pink color and her eyes were lined with kohl. She paid extra attention to her eyes as they were Paro's best feature by coating her eyelids with hues of green and blue. Her niece would shame the most beautiful peacock tonight. She opened the jewellery box that Paro had ready and burst into giggles. "It's pretty isn't it? Mohini Kakisa gave it for my wedding," she said taking a dazzling emerald and sapphire necklace. It looked like it was made of peacock feathers. Geethanjali helped her with her jewellery, glad that her in-laws were being loving towards her. She asked the young woman to twirl around. She was pleased with the final result. She looked like a princess. And her prince will be very sorry for leaving her behind tonight.
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