He realised how it
looked to her and decided to tease her. "What does it look like Paro? I'm
seeing you after so... long," he said dropping the garment on a chair. She jumped
out of her chair like a frightened rabbit. He walked towards her and cornered
her against the wall. "It was just 48 hours. This is not the place for this,"
she said. He held her wrists above her head and traced the contours of her face
with his free hand. "Think about it Paro, if you want those dreams of sons to
come true. We have to practise," he whispered. She shut her eyes. How could she
think of anything when he was standing so close? He blew gently on her
petal-like eyelids and she opened them. "This is where I work. You should keep
your distance" she whispered. He laughed letting go of her hands, "You know if
you showed up in my office to surprise me, I wouldn't keep you away." Her arms
slipped down to his chest. She shoved him gently trying hard to regain her
composure. "Rudra, what will my colleagues think? I won't be able to look them
in the eye if you carry on like this?" she said sternly. He thought for a
minute stepping away.
Paro thanked Bholenath
for making him see sense finally. "But Paro, after the kiss in the parking lot,
they won't judge you badly for what happens in your office," he said in a
matter of fact tone. Paro was mortified. It was all his fault coming here
instead of going home and waiting for her. She was angry now. How could he let
her get carried away? Even if her mind wasn't functioning properly, what was
his excuse? He should have realised how she would feel afterwards. He observed
the various emotions fleet across her face. He edged closer placing his hands
on either side of her. She immediately placed her hands on his chest to hold
him back, "Rudra, you need to put on that shirt." He shook his head. She shut
her eyes tight. He whispered in her ears, "I hate to disappoint you. You have
no idea how much. But that's not the shirt I need to wear now."
Her eyes shot open to
watch her husband coolly walk towards the bag he had brought. "I'm supposed to
be dressed in military formals for the court proceedings. I thought since
Shatabdi is not here. I might as well change here. It's okay isn't it," he said
casually as he took a crisp white shirt out. Paro turned red with
embarrassment. He chuckled. "I'll inform Bapusa that I will be home late," she
said rushing out with her phone.
At the Ranavat haveli,
the family was gathered around the dining table. "Samrat, did you see Bhaisa
anywhere?" Danveer asked as he took his place. His son replied that he was on
the phone with someone and should be joining them soon. "Tsk tsk... You should
have hurried him, you know that your father can't eat without his Ramji by his
side, as he is the Lakshman in this family," Mohini said as she served rice on
her granddaughter's plate. Her husband frowned as her son laughed. Mala at the
other end of the table fumed, everyone was waiting for Dilsher. She was their
guest, even the mousy Maithili was keeping away from her. It was 1 pm. Rudra
should be home by know. Maybe Paro was delaying him somehow. She might have
asked him to pick her up or maybe even take out for lunch.
"Shall I serve your
lunch Thausa?" asked Maithili with a smile as he sat down. He patted her head
affectionately, "Yes, child. Looks like your sister won't be joining us." His
words didn't help Mala's mood. He should have told her first not this girl
pretending to be Paro's sister. She had been waiting for days for a glimpse of
her Rudra. They had so much to talk about. So many plans to make. "Rudra has to
appear in court and Paro wanted to go along with him," Dilsher continued.
Mohini flexed her fingers as she asked with a saccharine smile, "And you gave
her permission." He was confused, what was wrong in that. The girl was out with
her husband. "The beendini of this house wasn't asking for permission to go to
the matine with her husband. Has anybody from this family ever gone to the
court or police station till now? What will everyone say?" Mala scolded.
Dilsher glared at her,
nobody had a right to scold his children. He was about to chew his former
wife's head off when Mohini stepped up. "Thakurainsa, ours is a respectable
family where we never needed the assistance of the local authorities. Even when
Kuwarsa's mother ran away, bhaisa decided to let her go rather than use the
police help to hunt her down," she said in an oily tone. Danveer shook his head
in warning. He didn't want that part of his brother's life discussed in such a
casual manner over a meal. He knew how much he was affected by it. Mala felt
like she had been slapped. Mohini smirked at the effect her words had caused.
"But this is different. Rudra's beendini is going to support her husband.
Surely you know about it, your husband is the accused in today's case," she
pointed out.
Mala's blood turned
cold. The hearing was today. Her Thakursa had accepted the BSD's accusations
just for her to get away and meet her son. And she had planned to coax Rudra
into intervene and have the charges dropped. Wasn't he like a father to him?
Won't he be kind to the man who stood by his mother for so long? But she had to
discuss this with Paro and together address Rudra. Paro owed them for all the
things they had done for her. She got up deciding to go to court herself. She
was already running late to save her husband. "Where are you going?" Dilsher
asked. She cursed his timing. "Parvati mentioned that you needed plenty of rest.
Why don't you relax in your room someone will bring your meal there. We seem to
have family matter to discuss," he dismissed her cutting off all arguments.
"Don't goad her into
going to see Tejawat, Mohini. I want that crook's wife here till my Rudradev
decides what has to be done with her," Dilsher told his sister-in-law sternly.
She was disappointed. She enjoyed putting her sister in place. Her words were
nothing compared to the barbs they had to endure from their society when the
fool ran away from home. But she knew better than to annoy Dilsher. Their
improving relations were worth more than such childish thrills.
"Fine, Bhaisa. I will
leave her alone as long she stays away from the children's lives. I can't hold
my tongue when she scolds Paro or Maithili. She doesn't have the right to raise
her voice against them," she said sternly. Danveer smiled at how protective his
wife was being. "Fine. But I have the right to permit them to go out as they
please," his brother replied. She shook her head, "Bhaisa, you made a big
mistake by letting her go there. This case is very important to Rudra because
of the way it has affected his wife. Her whole world changed because of that
man. You think she will be alright to hear people question his actions. She
even told us yesterday how much she has lost because of Mala and her traitor
husband. Why make her sit through it again?" The brothers exchanged a look with
each other. They hadn't really thought of all this. "Mohini, she was the one
who wanted to go. May be she has made peace with her past," Danveer suggested.
His wife tugged her pallu and scoffed. "Maithili, tell your Bapusa how Paro
feels about what is going on," she said and looked around for the young woman.
They noticed she wasn't in the aangan with them. "Maybe Shanti needed
something," Danveer suggested.
Minutes later, Maithili
rushed to them, "Maajisa, it's alright. I spoke to her aunt. She just reached
the court premises. She will stay with Paro." They were revealed. They knew
that Paro's Maasisa will watch out for her.
Meanwhile at the court,
Rudra was being cross-examined by Tejawat's lawyer. "Major Ranavat, the BSD has
earned an ill-reputation along the border villages, am I correct?" the lawyer
asked. Rudra replied, "People didn't understand what we did so didn't trust us
initially. Now things have been clarified." The lawyer moved closer to the
audience and recognised Paro. Geethanjali held her hands comfortingly. "Their
opinion changed after a press conference last year, is it not?" he asked. Rudra
replied coolly, "Yes, they realised that we had concerns about their leader but
had nothing against the rest of them." He smiled at Tejawat mockingly. After
all these years, his tricks had lost its charm. He could no longer fool people.
He had finally lost their loyalty. Nobody stood by him now.
"Major Ranavat, this is
the public testimony of Ms. Paro regarding Thakur Param Singh Tejawat's
activities is it not?" the lawyer asked handing him a sheet of paper. Copies
were handed to the judge and the BSD lawyer. Rudra affirmed that this was
Paro's statement to the press. "This was after she left you at the mantap on
Shivratri isn't it?" was the next question. Paro looked away. She hated that
she had hit him and run off with Thakursa. He gave her a small sign. He had forgiven
for that a long time back. If she hadn't run away, she wouldn't have known
Tejawat's true nature. Their lives would be so different. In spite of all the
drama, he liked the way things were now.
"Yes, she trusted
Tejawat at that point and thought he had come to take her home," he replied. The
lawyer grinned widely, "That must have hurt." Rudra scowled and Aman prodded
the BSD lawyer. "Objection, your honour there is no need to discuss Major
Ranavat's personal life here," he said. His rival countered that this case and
the Major's marriage are closely interwoven at this point. The judge asked him
to focus on the case. He continued with his questions, "Why did she run away?
Did you force her to marry you?"
The general's head fell
in despair. He knew this would come up. He wished he hadn't backed Rudra in a
corner then. He wished Paro wasn't sitting in the audience watching this.
Aman's hand moved
towards their lawyer to object but the man shook his head. If they avert the
question, Rudra will look guilty and their case would weaken.
Tejawat smiled. He knew
he would lose this case eventually But he wanted Rudra to suffer too, for what
he was put through. He can't sit there and pretend this was all BSD business.
He chased after him for Paro, his wife. That was personal. And he had
surrendered for his wife, Mala. That was also personal. If Rudra doesn't accept
his mother back, he would lose everything. This was just the trailer of things
to come.
Paro tried hardest no
to cry. Her heart went out to him. He couldn't say the truth about the marriage
threat. He would lose his job. And he
couldn't lie after being sworn to tell the truth. She wanted to be strong for
him. But she couldn't help but worry. It was all her fault for not trusting
him. Will she ever be free from the sins of her past? Was this price for
trusting the wrong man?
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