Scene 3
The phone on the bed flashed Nisha's name. The faint ringing of Ramesh's phone was the only sound that could be heard in Ramesh's household. There was an eerie silence in that section of the house. Contrastingly, the rest of the house, and outside the house were filled with tension and commotion.
At the courtyard, while Dadi looked sombre, Dadaji was serious. The entire family had assembled to tackle the situation, to fight the media who have gathered outside to build their sensational stories.
The division within the family was so evident with the way the members had positioned themselves. While Ramesh and Lakshmi stood on one side, facing the main door, the rest of the family stood opposite to them, each one casting their own version of an accusing look.
Lakshmi, who had just returned from visiting her ailing mother, was sobbing. She had seen the footage of the PC and couldn't believe what had happened, and the false stories media had yarned together. All she could think about was her daughter's life and future. Her daughter's name and respect had been tarnished, and more than that she knew her daughter's confidence would have been shattered to pieces. She wanted to meet her immediately. At the same time, she knew how important it was to send her on the trip alone. She had to stay strong for her daughter. She looked at her husband standing in front of her, like a lone warrior.
Ramesh's thoughts were clouded. He wasn't able to focus on what was happening in front of him. His mind was still preoccupied with Nisha's voice, the crack in her voice. As much as his daughter had tried to hide her emotions, he knew she was crying. Did he do the right thing by sending her on this trip? He just wanted his daughter to come out of this problem successfully and for that, he was ready to do anything. ANYTHING. Letting out a long breath, he slowly brought his eyes to face his family. He knew he had no weapons or any shield this time. He could not defend; could only counter attack.
"Sir! I have called for two more people to handle the situation outside. They will be here in a few minutes," informed the security guard as he went back to maneuver the main gate where journalists have gathered to talk to the family. Nisha had been alleged to be Viraj Singh Rathore, a national level sportsman's girlfriend, someone who had conspired against him for his downfall.
"Chote! Things have gone completely out of hands. Media is blazing our house now...Nisha is the only person who can stop this by meeting them and giving some answers...We have to bring her back..." told Mohan in a calm tone.
Ramesh remained silent.
Viren charged to Ramesh. "Are you listening what Mohan is telling?" he shouted on Ramesh's face. One thing Viren can never accept is a black mark on his family's name.
Ramesh remained silent.
"Umesh!" screamed Viren for Umesh who was on the terrace with his cousins. "Go to the bus station and bring back Nisha immediately!" he ordered. There was no response from the terrace.
"Nisha will not come back Bhaiya!" told Ramesh politely. He didn't want to argue. One thing he didn't want was his family to stand against him.
"Ramesh! Because of Nisha, the entire family is suffering now. At least now, think about the family. We have to contain this, else...what will happen to the future of my daughters then? Who will marry them?" Rupan rumbled.
"Rupan!" Mohan asked Rupan to keep quiet.
Ramesh stayed silent but rage poured out of his eyes. Here was his family whom he expected to give him a hand and support him but alas! Whom will be fight first? The people outside or the people inside?
The phones constantly rang. Flood of calls from relatives, friends, media, and others made their way home, suffocating their lives even more.
"Chote! Call Nisha and ask her to come back..." yelled Viren.
Ramesh stayed silent, aggrieved.
"Say something!" blasted Viren.
"Viren!" called Dadaji loudly. Immediately Viren went silent. Ramesh had been expecting this moment. He had been waiting for his father to say something. He had no hopes of him lending his support and he wasn't wrong.
Dadaji walked and stood in front of Ramesh, scanning him.
"With whose permission did you send Nisha on this trip?" asked Dadaji in a dangerous voice. "Answer me, Ramesh! Don't think you can escape the situation without replying".
"Bauji! Nisha wanted to go on a trip, to be alone, to gain her strength back and I thought..." answered Ramesh annoyed, but without confidence. Witnessing how the media was acting, fear had seeped in. What if media had chased down Nisha?
"Rehne De Ramesh! Your decisions have always been reckless. Why am I not surprised?" commented Dadaji caustically.
Ramesh stiffened.
"Whatever is happening, it's because of Nisha's careless attitude which she has got from you" told Dadaji as a matter of fact. "She has brought in dishonor and disrepute to the family. Her actions have shot our reputation to pieces. She has not only fallen, but has taken the entire family along. She, not even once thought about the consequences..."
"NISHA IS THE VICTIM HERE!" countered Ramesh, baffled, cutting in Dadaji's line and looking directly at him. His face flushed, his hands trembled in anger.
"She has been framed into all this. Don't you all see that? You all think Nisha wrote those mails to conspire against Viraj? To get back at him?" asked Ramesh bemused.
"Isn't it true that she loved Viraj and wrote those mails" asked Viren in a nasty tone.
Ramesh ran his hand across his face desperately trying to keep his anger in check. "Yes! She loved Viraj...Is that wrong? She wrote those mails in innocence, to get closer to Viraj...to help him..."
"And that's not wrong?" scowled Viren. "Which girl does that?"
Ramesh stood coldly. He could see the futility of the argument.
"Bhaiya! You won't understand..."
"Look Ramesh! Don't turn you back against the truth..." badgered Viren.
"I beg you all to please stop this..." pleaded Ramesh. "Nisha needs support now, at least from her family. She needs hands to help her stand and not feet to stamp her down even more..."
"All this happened because of your theory of giving freedom Ramesh" Dadaji seethed with anger.
"Have it any way you want..." Ramesh replied with finality, unable to shield the contempt from his voice anymore. "Good that I sent her out...as she would have had to battle her own family if she had stayed back"
"RAMESH! The entire family's name..."
"So? What do you want to do Bauji?" asked Ramesh refusing to succumb. "Sacrifice Nisha so that your family name will be regained? Nisha is the daughter of this house...instead of thinking about her wellbeing...you are thinking about the family..."
"Your family name is your identity..." replied Dadaji furiously.
"Then I don't need this identity...Nothing is more important to me than Nisha..." answered Ramesh with resolute.
Lakshmi quickly walked to Ramesh and placed her hand on his back to calm him down. She still had no idea why all these arguments were going on.
"Bauji! " started Ramesh in a calm voice. "Nisha will come back only when she feels like it. I won't or let anyone force her to come back. She is my daughter...and I know what's good for her...If I cannot make decisions for my children in this house, then..." Ramesh left the sentence to be understood.
Hushed silence descended on the courtyard. The first to react was Viren.
"How dare you talk like that to Bauji!" shouted Viren.
Dadaji raised his hand stopping his eldest son.
"If that's the case..." began Dadaji. Dadi instantly knew what was going to happen. Dadi got up to stop her husband...
"SIR!" the loud voice of the security emanated from outside. The buzz outside the house have suddenly increased.
Dadaji stopped his sentence looking curious. Ramesh's instincts told him that something wasn't right. He started moving forward towards the door, when Umesh and Sukku came running from behind him, over taking him, rushing outside. In a few seconds, both of them brought Nisha inside the house, closing the door behind. The media frenzy had tried to mob her and get some answers and clicks for their story.
Ramesh, stumped for a second, instantly knew why Nisha was back. His fears had come true. No body moved or told anything. With tears, Ramesh stood pained, disabling him from taking any step. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to handle Nisha when he himself needed support?
"Nishu!" was the only thing he could get himself to speak. His shoulders drooped in resignation.
The moment the voice of her father reached her, she looked up to see worry written all over his face, concern visible in his body. She tried hard not to cry. She didn't want to break down in front of her family, in front of her father. She didn't want to show her pain and her struggle to anyone. But every step her father took to get to her, she could feel her defenses crumble.
Ramesh could see his daughter slowly breaking down. He could feel his own strength crumbling inside. The one thing he could never bear to see was his daughter in tears. He had failed to protect his daughter.
As soon as he reached her, Ramesh gathered Nisha in his arms. He could see his daughter had no strength left in her. She held him tight. She wanted to feel safe and no one apart from her father could make her feel that.
"Papa!" croaked Nisha.
"Ssshh!" silenced Ramesh. "Nothing happened. I am here with you. I won't let anything happen to you...Ok?' He put all his strength on those words. Umesh and Sukku stood helpless.
Ramesh helped Nisha, walk towards her room. She hadn't left her grip clutching him. The entire family eyed Nisha with contempt. Dadi moved towards her, "Be strong...we are all there for you...Hmm?"
Ramesh didn't tell anything. He could see how his mother had no confidence in what she had said. He passed his father, without looking at him.
"Nisha!" he called with no pity or sympathy in his voice. "I want to talk to you..."
Ramesh stopped a second, before he continued walking. He expected a little understanding from his father. If he doesn't care to understand, he doesn't want to listen to him.
"Ramesh!"
Ramesh didn't stop but took Nisha upstairs.
"Look at his..."
"Bauji!" spoke Lakshmi for the first time. She had been in trance seeing his daughter in this condition. She couldn't imagine what her daughter must be going through. It's not the time to discuss who was right or wrong, but to make sure all these happenings didn't affect her daughter drastically.
"Bauji! Please...please try and understand. Nisha is not in a state to listen or talk. She needs support and strength. Yes. Whatever happened was bad. But Nisha is the one who is affected the most. You are all worried about the name Gangwal, please think about Nisha too. If you can't, at least leave her alone."
Lakshmi spoke politely, but her words and attitude sent out the message clearly. Unable to control her emotions seeing her daughter in this state, she started crying. Dadi and Vimla consoled her, taking her to the common room.
Dadaji stood unnerved and inscrutable. He knew what he had to do now to solve the problem.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Debate Mansion
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Real Estate
Arjun
