IshVeer FF : La Douleur Exquise| Important Announcement (Page 51) - Page 13

Chapter 14: Loyalty: The Bridge or the Wall?

Ranveer dropped Ishani home, explaining her not to complain about anything to Mota Babuji and hoped she did not suffer anything for her behavior today in the party. It was already late- around 11 PM- when they reached home, delayed by their several halts before reaching home. Devarsh, Pratiek and Disha had not yet returned back, much to Baa's worry, but despite all, her biggest worry was Ishani for something Ranveer could not understand. By the time he left Ishani, Falguni Maa and Mota Babuji had joined her, excited to know the experiences from the party for which she seemed not keen enough to explain. It didn't matter, though, for Falguni Maa remained adamant. Ranveer left the family to their liberty and escaped the mansion quietly, hoping for the best for his best friend.

By the time he arrived the servant quarters, his room lay empty as if no one had set their foot in since he left early this evening. Where could his father be? Ranveer looked around, in a moment noticing his father making his way back from outside. He seemed a little drunk.

"Baba?" Ranveer loped forwards to catch hold of the staggering form of his father. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I am fine." His father laughed slowly. "It's just... I needed something to take my mind off everything."

"And you thought alcohol was the best way?"

Kailash looked up, and shook his head. "You won't understand this unless you find a reason to forget something. Do you know, Ranveer, why I drink too often from the money we earn from so much hard work?" He didn't give Ranveer time to say anything and continued, "Because I'm a failure."

Ranveer opened his mouth to protest, but his father shut him up. "No, it's true." His voice was quiet and grave. Knowing his father wasn't in his senses anymore, Ranveer helped him in the room, his father's steps disoriented because of the increasing influence of alcohol. Ranveer eased him on the bed and sat beside him.

"Baba, you are not a failure. Trust me."

Kailash smiled and lifted his hand to caress his son's cheek. "If it wasn't for Mota Bhai we would still be stuck somewhere, lost in the darkness we could never escape. He's our God, right?"

Ranveer smiled. Whoever had denied that? "Yes, Baba." He caressed his father's forehead as the old man began to drift into sleep. "But that doesn't make you any failure. And I promise I will give you everything back that you sacrificed for my sake..."

From his half-closed eyes Kailash smiled, the wrinkles beneath his eyes becoming evident when the smile grew wider. "You always say that."

Ranveer's eyes gleamed quietly, as though a spark lifting itself up from the gloomy corner of his soul and flaring generously. Ishani's words from the evening again echoed in his mind, making him smile at the memory. And as he was about to get up, his father held his hand again.

"Ranveer," he said, and Ranveer sat back immediately. "I forgot to tell you one more thing... I am going to the village tomorrow. It's the case's hearing next week."

"Baba, can I do anything in this?" Ranveer asked, his voice urgent.

"No, look after Mota Bhai here. He'll need you. Make sure to do your best and never disappoint him in anything."

Ranveer squeezed his father's hand in assurance, but remained silent. "I will, Baba," he said after sometime.

"I'm to leave early tomorrow morning..."

"Then you should go to sleep," Ranveer said, covering his father with the duvet. "I will drop you to the bus stop."

He watched his father go to sleep and smiled wryly as a sigh escaped his lips softly. The dark circles under his father's eyes were too obvious to be ignored, for they simplified the sufferings he had endured for him and their family in hope of a better future. Without earning high wages, he remained fiercely loyal to even someone like Baa.

Ranveer returned to his own bed, unable to sleep as the dreams from earlier this evening kept returning to him, gently mingled with the hopelessness of the current situation they were in and shifted to another realm where he was something else... more valuable to the world and people respected him. No one treated him like trash and Ishani... she was by his side, just like she promised him today. But then, he was alone and cold, stuck in place he could not identify. And when all seemed hopeless and cold, a hand tugged at his shoulder, gently pressing him.

"Ishani." He smiled.

"Ranveer."

The voice was too distant and he couldn't reach it. It took a few more moments for him to realize where the voice came from.

"Ishani!" Ranveer jerked out of the sleep and saw her sitting beside him, her eyes red and swollen.

Without giving him another moment to question, Ishani wrapped her arms around his neck and wept in his chest. She muttered a few unintelligible words before drifting into the sobbing again. Ranveer struggled with strong urge to wrap his arms around her and take away all the pain that haunted her, but something stopped him. His arms wouldn't lift up and wrap themselves around her. It was wrong, his conscience told him and Ranveer let Ishani cry.

"Ishani," he said when her sobs receded and she separated herself from him. Ranveer dared further and wiped her tears decisively. "What's wrong?"

"Am I too bad, Ranveer, that no one can love me?" she said, her voice choking suddenly at the last words.

"Ishani, no! Who said this?"

"Why doesn't Disha understand I'm not her enemy? I'm her sister! Why does she behave like we're stepsisters, not belonging to each other at all? Does it really matter, Ranveer, that I'm not Papa's real daughter?" She looked at him and Ranveer realized his opinion mattered a great deal to her.

"Ishani," he said gently, "you are Mota Babuji's daughter, no matter what others say, alright? And what everyone else says, even if she's your sister, doesn't change the fact. You might not have been his blood, but the colour of your relationship goes deeper than that. It's his manners, his lessons, his love that flows in your blood. And trust me, girl, they're equally important for survival. Even if you don't see it, you make him proud every day, by fighting against the odds. And that proves you're his daughter."

Ishani heard him intently, and wiped her tears. "You think so?"

"Of course I do! Ishani, people are always going to find a way to hurt you and you will be hurt, not because you're weak, but because you feel so deeply. And those do feel like this, are always more vulnerable to the blows of the world."

"And I know you'll always be there," Ishani said.

"Certainly. And don't worry about Disha. I'm sure one day she'll understand you love."

Ishani smiled and this time brightly as she took a deep breath.

"Now, it's late already. Go and sleep."

Ishani seemed reluctant at the thought of leaving but obliged nonetheless, shutting the door behind her quietly. Long after Ishani was gone, Ranveer remained in thoughts, praying for his own words to come true.

She deserved all the happiness in the world and if it meant lifelong suffering for him, he wasn't afraid.

The morning came quickly as Ranveer prepared for the breakfast for his father before he left, thankful to God that his father had done packing the last night already. The bus would leave at 5 AM and Ranveer and Kailash hurried, before they missed it. They reached the bus stop, finding it almost full as Ranveer arranged a seat for his father's long journey.

"Baba, call me once you reach home. Take care of yourself and don't stress too much," he said, as the bus prepared to leave.

Kailash, now almost over the influence of the alcohol, smiled and patted Ranveer's shoulder as the father son duo hugged.

"You too take care of yourself, alright?"

Ranveer nodded his head and got out of the bus while the vehicle whirred to life before it slunk away out of the view in the night.

Ranveer sighed, unsure how to feel and what. The morning was unusually cold due to rain a night before, and the stars were yet shining in the sky. His thought travelled to his father and he wondered about the final verdict in one week. They had slim chances of winning the case, but if they lost it...? They had their home in Mumbai, yes.

Ranveer decided to stay away from Ishani for the day, lest the girl noticed something and created the drama, it would turn out to be the bigger problem than what he was entangled in.

However, fate planned something else in store for him, for when Ranveer returned back, an unexpected sight met him. Ishani dozing off on the rocking chair beside the window, her head leaned on the window frame. The sun had begun to rise, spilling the mauve coloured glow through the clouds while the streak of orange escaped from another corner of the eastern sky. Her cheeks flushed in the radiance of the sunlight, but unable to conceal the signs of worry which he assumed were from the last night. Ranveer sat beside Ishani, wondering when she came and why. Assuming, she probably hadn't slept at night properly, Ranveer let Ishani sleep, easing her comfortably on the chair itself. He'd wake her up after a while.

15 minutes later Ranveer returned back, water dripping from his hair as he soaked them with the towel. It was then did he hear a soft yawn and turned back to find Ishani slowly opening her eyes against the sunlight that fell unimpeded on her face.

"Good morning!" Ranveer said, preparing the tea for both of them but Ishani still struggled to make sense of everything around her.

"How did I end up here?"

"That's exactly what I want to know, too." He placed the cup in front of her and another yawn escaped Ishani's lips.

"I... Oh, yes! I couldn't sleep last night," Ishani confessed, her head low, as if ashamed. "And thought maybe you could talk to me... since you wake up early. But when I came, the room was empty and you and Kaka weren't here. I waited and waited for one hour, then two hours, then three hours, but you didn't come."

"You were asleep when I came," Ranveer said.

"Yes, when you didn't come back for half an hour, I fell asleep. What could I do?"

"Seriously, Ishani?" Ranveer said, surprised. "You fell asleep in my room. It doesn't have anything you're used to..."

"But I fell asleep here!" Ishani said, furrowing her brows. "Do you have any problem?"

"Not at all! By the way, your tea is waiting for you." Ranveer pointed at the smoking cup.

"Where had you been to, Ranveer? And where is Kaka?" Ishani asked after sometime, looking at him curiously.

Ranveer fumbled for a few words then shrugged. "Maa wanted to see him, since it's been so many months. Baba thought he should take a visit since Mota Babuji doesn't have much of the important work out of station. So..."

"Is that it?"

"Is that what?"

"Don't pretend anything, Ranveer! Like I don't notice it. Look at your eyes. They're red."

"So?"

"This means you didn't sleep properly either. You kept thinking about something the whole night and woke up early and you are worried about something."

"Sherlock Holmes." Ranveer made a face, but Ishani shook her head, irritated.

"What's wrong, Ranveer?"

"No, nothing's wrong. And you should stop being so inquisitive about my life as well. You know we guys can't share everything with a girl."

"Wow, what kind of things' they are?" Ishani quirked her eyebrows.

"Just in case I had had some fight with my girlfriend? I could be worried about that, too. Don't you think?"

"Ooh, girlfriend?" Ishani excitedly finished the tea and placed the cup on the table. "You found someone? Who is she? What's her name? Where does she live?"

"Why am I supposed to tell you anything?" Ranveer asked. "It's my own business."

"And I'm your best friend!" Ishani squinted her eyes and smiled.

"Ha ha ha.That doesn't mean you have to become my grandma. Also, it's the bad manner to ask personal questions to others."

"And it's not bad manners to hide things from your best friend? How does she look? How is she?"

Ranveer smiled, as he watched Ishani's features more closely, wondering how to describe them in words. At last he spoke. "The first and last letters of her name are same."

"That's it?"

Ranveer shook his head with a smile as his eyes twinkled warmly. "She is the kindest soul I've ever known... she is as beautiful as the morning sky with a thousand colours dancing on the blue canvas before the dawn. She's as pure as the untouched snowflake. Fragile like a delicate rose petal. However cliche it may sound, but the truth is, whenever she smiles it brightens my entire world. She can be stupid too, you know? At times I have to be her savior because she says no one else can understand her and that's true too. She's my girl, a sweetheart, and I love her." Ranveer suddenly snapped out of the thought at the realization of what he had just said.

"You love her so much, don't you?" Ishani said. There was an imperceptible melancholy in her voice that made his heart jump slightly.

"Yes." Ranveer smiled.

"And you can't live without her either?"

"May be!" He shrugged his shoulders.

"She must be so lucky," Ishani whispered, staring out of the window, her voice laced with a sudden detachment.

"You think so?" Ranveer asked, awed.

Ishani turned her face towards him and smiled. "The way you described her, Ranveer, it hardly seems otherwise. And..." she paused for a moment. "... and I envy her."

Ranveer felt his breath caught in his chest while Ishani stared at him, her smile implying nothing more than he was used to. Tell her what you feel! a voice from within yelled out but Ranveer composed himself, sighing and looked away.

"That's good," he said in a much chirpy voice. "Ishani Parekh needs a competition too."

"Stop it, Ranveer!" she growled.

"On another note, it's already about 9 in the morning, so before Baa catches you here, you must go back!"

"Not before you clarify the whole matter. Was this the only reason you looked upset?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" Ishani looked more suspicious with the passing moments. "Tell me, Ranveer, what's the truth?"

"All is fine! Alright?"

"Kaka had no plans of going back to the village until yesterday and he leaves suddenly in the morning. Doesn't smell anything good."

"There's nothing wrong, Ishani!"

"You know very well I'm not going to let go of the matter right now. And your girlfriend story was entertaining too, but I want the truth!"

"I need to go to Mota Babuji. He's about to leave for the office!" Ranveer rose to his feet but Ishani dragged him back.

"No, silly. Papa will go late! And that too to that Chirag's house. Now tell me!"

Ranveer sighed, narrating the entire story to Ishani as she listened to him silently, smoldering on her own.

"How can they do this?" she said at last, her cheeks red with anger. "And why on earth you never told us, Ranveer? Papa could've..." She fell silent suddenly. "Ranveer," she said, "I know you'll never take our help, but it was the matter of something as important as that! And if you can selflessly work for us, why can't we help you when you need us?"

Ranveer remained silent, not looking at Ishani.

Ishani descended from the chair and sat beside him. "This is your home, I know," she said. "But what you had back in the village was important as well. And it wouldn't hurt if Papa does anything for you... I'm going to talk to him."

"No, Ishani!" Ranveer shrieked, slowly composing himself. "He's already done enough for us. I don't even know how I'll ever repay him back. I owe my life to him, Ishani, and even I'll do anything to repay him back. For that, I can never burden him with anything anymore than already I have."

"But--"

"Would you too have done this if you were at my place?" Ranveer asked and Ishani fell silent. "Somehow, this is a relationship we share with him... the only one that belongs to us in this city, in this house is him. And I don't want to burden him anymore without my problems."

"But you'd lose everything, Ranveer. Kaka, Kaki, and you..."

Ranveer smiled. "And yet," he said, "Mota Babuji's presence feels comforting... But promise me you won't tell him anything!"

Ishani placed her hand on Ranveer's and smiled. "I understand that. And you don't have to worry about anything, Ranveer. This is your house and I will make sure you never have a problem here anymore if anything goes wrong. And don't worry. I won't tell Papa anything."

Ranveer smiled.

"And yes, thank you for bearing me for the morning! Your problem makes mine look like a child's play."

"No wonder it does!"

"Ranveer," Harshad Parekh said, stuffing a bunch of files into his bag, "you need to accompany me to the Mehtas. I have an urgent meeting with them."

Ranveer nodded. "But Mota Babuji, there was none until yesterday... I mean you didn't mention it and right now we were to attend Mr. Dixit, remember?"

"Yes, yes," he said. "But I have to meet Ketan first. You met Chirag?"

Ranveer nodded.

"How did you like him?"

Ranveer opened his mouth, struggling with the words to say, as he remembered Chirag's behavior with Ishani and himself, but also recalling the apology at the end which proved to be a completely different image of the same person. "He seemed nice to me," Ranveer said at last.

"Do you think he's good for Disha?"

"Disha?" Ranveer asked, hardly concealing the relief from his tone.

"Yes," Harshad answered, and Ranveer thanked God that his Mota Babuji did not catch hold of the real emotions behind his excitement. "He seemed to like Disha as well. You were there. What did you feel?"

"They seemed to grow fond of each other quite quickly," Ranveer said, remembering the incidents from an evening ago. "They remained together for the most part. And our Disha is already head over heels in love with him, it seems."

His Mota Babuji laughed. "And the best thing is, there is no conflict in the family at this. Your Falguni Maa was skeptical until yesterday, but she seems alright with Chirag now."

"That's great!" Ranveer said, feeling more relived. Although why he had to feel relieved in the first place, he wasn't sure, but it was a feeling he would welcome dearly.

"So before we leave for the office today, I need to visit them as well."

"Yes, Mota Babuji!"

It did not take long to reach the Mehta Mansion in the noon, the journey considerably shorter right now. The absence of the crowd from the last night did nothing to assuage the stifling suffocation that Ranveer felt everytime the thought of the place crossed his mind, but today the purpose of their arrival was more comforting. However, he let the thought go, for the experience with these people a night before here had not been great.

It wasn't the matter of concern right now. They had come for something more important and Ranveer hoped for a more productive outcome this time.

As Ranveer parked the car and Harshad Parekh waited outside, dialing the number of his friend. And suddenly, from the near distance the sound of yelling caught their attention as Ranveer and Harshad advanced further towards the mansion. On coming closer they found Chirag, shouting at an old man who seemed apparently like a rickety twig of a damaged tree, ready to collapse any moment.

"Do you even have any idea how important this was?" Chirag shouted, pointing something in his hands, but Ranveer could not see the object. "If you can't see with your damned eyes, get the hell out of here!"

The old man cowered as the volume of Chirag's voice increased, frightening the man awfully.

"I- I'm- sorry," he stuttered, but fell silent at Chirag's glare. "...It will never happen again."

"Oh really?" Chirag sneered. "Of course! You are fired."

The man started. "No, sir, please!" he pleaded. "I've dedicated my entire life in my service to your family. Please don't do this. I'll have nothing to do. Nowhere to go. Please, sir, have mercy!"

Without another word, Chirag turned around and began to walk, snapping at the man who tried to follow him but failed against the great pace of Chirag.

Harshad looked at Ranveer, suspicion flickering in each line of his otherwise quiet features. "This... do you think we've made the right choice of choosing Chirag for our Disha?" he asked, his eyes not leaving Chirag.

Ranveer half-shrugged his shoulders, unsure about the judgment of the man. Oh, he was rude! Cruel! Somehow, Ranveer imagined Baa doing something like this in her ego and ideals. Just like she had kicked Raghav out on Gauri's wedding for something as trivial as sweets brought for the guests.

"I don't know, Mota Babuji," Ranveer said after a while. "He seemed nice until yesterday."

Amidst their thoughtful conversation, a voice from nearby called out. "Harshad Parekh here, is it?" A man in the simple track suit appeared and threw a friendly smile at his Mota Babuji. "I was waiting for you for a long time! When did you come?"

Harshad smiled half-heartedly as he greeted his friend. "Just now, Ketan. I was trying your number as well. Guess you were busy."

"Oh, yes," he said. "Chirag and I had a match and as usual he won." Ketan Mehta laughed. "Come, come! Let's go inside, it's hot here."

Harshad smiled at Ranveer as he plodded alongside his friend. Ranveer's attention was suddenly caught by the same old man who seemed broken as though the last hope of living from him was taken away ruthlessly. He would never have expected this with the beginning of the day today. Ranveer hurried to the man and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

The man shook his head as his red eyes grew damp with tears which he hurriedly wiped away. "How... how could I be alright? My sole source of income is gone!" He sobbed. "They haven't paid me for the last 3 months as well. Kept making excuses everytime I asked for my salary."

Ranveer felt his heart fill with strong sense of dislike for Chirag, who by now was talking to someone on phone. This matter needed to be seen. Ranveer smiled at the man and checked his own pockets, thankfully finding a decent sum of 800 rupees tucked in his wallet.

"Take this," he said, handing the money to the old man. "I don't have any more right now, but his should do for you. Go, and find a better job for yourself, alright?"

"May God bless you, son," the man answered, wiping his tears. "I'll try returning you this as soon as possible."

"No, no!" Ranveer said, "it's not necessary. Keep this as your own."

"I'll be in debt of you, you know? How can I ever pay you back?"

Ranveer smiled. "I'm sure our destiny will find a way for that.."

"You are a fine fellow, son. I wish you all the best." The man left and Ranveer turned towards the place Chirag stood, now engaged in heated arguments with someone by the poolside. He slunk towards Chirag, fuming, but stopped when the words he talked on phone made little sense to Ranveer.

"How can you say that?" Chirag said to the person on another side of the line, his eyes closed as if in thought. Suddenly, he hardly seemed angry. "Look, I want this done by today itself, alright?"

Chirag remained silent for a while to listen to the answer from the other side. At last he spoke, "Fine, but do this quickly. I want the money transferred to his account soon. It becomes more important because I've fired him today... " He paused and Ranveer assumed the person on the other side questioned him on the matter. "... well, you know I don't like the older staff working in here anymore. They're getting old and need their own time as well. And this particular fellow whom I fired today needs some medical attention as well. So make sure to give him both, the salary and the medicines."

Ranveer frowned. What was this? He didn't have the time to wonder, for the next moment Chirag stood in front of him, a stupid grin plastered on his face. "Hey, Ranveer, if I recall your name correctly?"

Ranveer nodded, trying to conceal the curiosity which made his stomach churn.

"I'm sorry, I was caught up with something..."

"You fired him because you thought he needed to be retired?" Ranveer asked and Chirag relaxed in a smile.

"Oh, you saw that?" He looked genuinely surprised. "I'm sorry, not one of my brightest moments."

"Why? You could've just told him to go. What was the need to slash someone's self-respect?"

"You think it was easy for me? He's been here with me like my own grandpa, narrating me the stories, or making me sleep when my parents were away. I have grown up seeing him, Ranveer! It was awful seeing him working all day with no rest. And if I hadn't fired or insulted him like I did, I'm sure he'd keep working till his last breath. My father has asked him several time to take a permanent leave and rest, bu he doesn't agree. Says, he won't have to live for if he stopped working. What would you have done?"

Anything, but not insult him like you did, thought Ranveer.

"Well, he'll be getting his medical bills paid by this weekend, so that's going to be a relief for him." Chirag smiled.

Ranveer too smiled, feeling better after perceiving the things from Chirag's point of view. It didn't justify how he behaved but somehow, it made more sense to him. Yet, something didn't.

"Anyway, I need to go right now. My dad wants me to join his office ASAP."

Ranveer nodded as Chirag left.

It wasn't long when Harshad emerged from the mansion again, and Ranveer darted towards him. He looked crestfallen and confused, and unsure of various things that needed introspection before any final decision was taken.

"How was the meeting, Mota Babuji?" Ranveer asked the moment car came out of the gates of the Mehta Mansion.

Harshad Parekh remained silent for a long time, his mind still entangled in the brusquely tightening threads of confusion and questions. "Ketan and I have known each other for years and I always wanted our friendship to turn into a family relationship. Though not without Disha's consent, but since she seems happier with Chirag, I thought it was wise to go ahead. I'm not sure anymore, though."

"Mota Babuji," Ranveer said after a while, deciding to tell him of the conversation with Chirag. And when he did, Harshad Parekh seemed pleased.

"So this was the matter," he said, still thoughtfully staring .

"But, Mota Babuji," Ranveer asked, still unable to trust Chirag's morale completely, "shouldn't he have just let man go and not hurt his feelings?"

"Ranveer..." His Mota Babuji smiled. "This is what you do when you want to help someone but the influence of staying away from your home, you parents shows. Chirag has spent last ten years in America and hardly knows the matters of heart, or how to deal with the people around here; and from what you tell me he did, he seems the kind of person who will take time to get used to the manners."

Ranveer chewed his lower lip, still in thoughts and confusion hovering him. For certain reasons, he could not bring himself to trust this Chirag guy completely. But how did it matter and why it should in the first place anyway?

He was a servant, who had nothing to do in the matters of the family. But he also knew if a danger fell upon the family of his Mota Babuji, he'd be the first one to combat the danger, no matter what price he paid.