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Raizada ladies were sitting in their pristine lawn, basking in heat of November-sun, giggling and teasing each other, munching on chai and samosa. Ofcourse, jalebis were part of this afternoon snacks, courtesy Khushi. It was Sunday, a day they have lately started to enjoy to the fullest, after six days of non-stop work.
"Anjali Bitiya, I don't understand what was the need of that ugly-costly patch of cactus in our beautiful garden. I don't like it one bit", Mami threw a googly, pointing to the cactus plants at the opposite end, near the drain.
" What say Phati-saree?", she turned to Khushi and smirked hard, wriggling her eyebrows as she dipped her samosa in spicy chutney, before biting into the hot delicacy stuffed with masala potato and peas.
Anjali and Khushi stared at her in shock and then looked towards each other, realization dawning in their eyes. Anjali's face was blanched with horror and a nervous Khushi kept her cup back on the table and started fidgeting, not knowing what to answer, what to make out of this sudden curvy ball. Nani and Mami passed an understanding nod at each other and soon both had a knowing smile on their face.
Payal, who was silent all this while, added two and two together. She realized the elder women were not as unenlightened, oblivious as they had thought. But what baffled her more, was their calm reaction to the incident as if they were completely unperturbed by what had happened seven months back. Wait a minute, all this meant - they knew the full story and were supportive of the two women in question? Most probably. Payal smiled in relief at that. Thank God!
"Why Khoon-bhari taang? Why are you smiling so much? You know the reason behind that ugly patch which hadn't bore a single flower or vegetable till date? I am telling you Anjali, that nurseryman was a cheat. Full seven months have passed, not a single flower! One thousand for each of these prickly, creepy, snake like plant! Hmpff!!"
With these words, clearly showing her disgust towards them, it became very clear to Anjali and Khushi that Manorama Raizada knew it all.
"Mami relax! Nursery-wala didn't cheat at all. He infact gave me discount for buying so many plants when I decided to overhaul this lawn. I had bought each plant with flower on them. But those on cactus wilted by the first week. Poor them!"
"I think its just the soil of that patch, its all barren and unfit for other plants. Look at this rose bush, it is most productive place of our lawn with very fertile soil. See flowers have come out so beautiful, spreading their heavenly fragrance in the air. I just love roses especially these Darcey ones", she got up from her chair and went to sit on knees before the beautiful bush.
She gently touched satiny petals of a rose from one of the plant, they were baby-soft. The flower was brightest of red in the bud, opening into a raspberry red colour. She inhaled its light fruity scent as tears rolled down her eyes. Anjali wiped them gently into the rose, enclosing them there close to the bud, before kissing the flower softly. Controlling herself, she got up and went back to the ladies who were observing each action of her with sadness in their eyes. Anjali smiled back at them, her smile as bright as the sun overhead, telling them that she's fine. Alright. She has her roses near her and it was enough.
"Mami, Cactus are just the reminder that things aren't always rosy in life. Its good that they are part of our garden. They 'll help us to bear some sadness in our otherwise happy lives", Khushi spoke up. Her demeanor had changed after watching Anjali's actions. They reminded her of past when she was defeated,wrecked, ravaged in darkness of the storm. Anjali clasped Khushi's hands tight, signalling her to not remember that ugly time. Payal wiped her sister's tears and hugged her close. She won't leave her alone ever? Khushi looked up at her sister. Never. Payal answered with kiss on top of her head. Collecting herself, Khushi smiled at both her sisters, it was a momentary lapse, nothing to worry. She's in better place and much happier.
Nani placed her hand on Khushi's shoulder, pressing it in support. Seven months back, the old lady had some grievance. She wished they had come to her with problems but she also knew one thing that - she would have never agreed for things to proceed the way they had actually taken place. Inspite of her sub-conscious that had accepted that what had happened was somewhere right. Some deeds are really irredeemable, punishable even if there is no such provision of law.
But coming to terms with everything, wasn't easy for her. It was shocking and heartbreaking. Hers tears for him were real, genuine no matter how much she was disgusted with him. Blood relations are such! But she was a strong lady and had made her peace in these seven months. She now supports the two women completely.
"I have read somewhere that certain places are just barren, unproductive. You can't help it. Reason can be the soil profile that's infertile, rotten even six feet under!", Khushi quipped, pouring herself another cup of tea as she provided her two cents. Everyone stared at each other for a moment and all five women burst out laughing.
What a creepy private joke!
***
Akash was working by french windows in living room when their ringing laughter travelled with the air. What used to bring a smile on his face now irritated him a lot. Already, he had workload of whole universe on his shoulders and insensitivity of these women irked him. Women are supposed to be gentle, compassionate, kind and loving right? It was hard for him to forget everything.
The incident that was unbelievable in itself, was still so fresh, like it had happened yesterday and they have forgotten it all! They were busy enjoying so called Sunday! Laughing like a group of hyenas. He was still not over his great loss. Police was now not interested in solving the case. They had no clue of absconder till date. As if he had vanished in thin air!
He couldn't understand how Anjali-Khushi were so thick friends even after all the revelations. How can they giggle away? Don't they miss him? It looks like its his loss alone. His phone rang for umpteenth time, frustrating him so much. He rubbed his face trying to calm his anger before shouting for Payal.
She came after full five minutes with a nonchalant expression on her face. His anger increased a notch higher. He pulled his specs further up on his nose, trying to control his fury. He wasn't able to handle things on work-front and his wife was busy wasting her Sunday, enjoying bloody winters while he worked his ass off. What the hell was happening in this house. These women were nothing but a bunch of ungrateful, thick-skinned idlers!
"What the f 's wrong with you? I called you five minutes before and you have come now, waltzing as if you are some goddamn princess!!!"
"I 'd control my tongue, if I were you!", Payal remarked, acting all cool. She had no idea what has crawled up his pants these days. He was behaving so not like the man she had married but as if he was biggest jerk in the world, a snobbish certified MCP.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?", Akash marched towards her, seething in barely controlled fury. It was unbearable to see his meek mouse- like wife behaving so uptight all the time. He couldn't pin-point, what had caused her to go all fiery from her earlier 'Yes Akashji'. She had suddenly changed overnight after that incident when it was him who actually held the grudge against her for hiding things.
The man was clearly unaware of many others things happening around him.
***
Seven months earlier, 4:30am
Anjali was sitting at stairs that led to their grand living room. It was all dark with eerie silence. She was scared as she scrolled the investigation report in her mobile phone, praying that next page contained something less dreadful but she was proved wrong everytime. It was turning worse everytime, her finger slid the page upwards. Even after reading ghastly accounts of fraud that had happened with her, her eyes had not a single tear in them.
Suddenly out of nowhere a figure collided into her, almost sending her spiraling down but she held onto the stair as the slim figure yelped and moved back terrorized. Her mobile light shone on her face and the figure took a sigh of relief, before sitting down beside her with a hiss as pain between her legs increased sharply.
Anjali realized it was Khushi and was relieved herself. But she was busy trying to absorb the information due to which Khushi's sound of pain escaped her notice. As Khushi's eyes caught her father's name on mobile phone, her eyes rounded wide. She forgot her own pain for sometime as she picked it up.
The report had not missed anything
Shyam causing her father's stroke.
His attempt to kill him in hospital.
Giving wrong medications.
Writing names on walls, engagement, everything.
She was horrified as she read details of his attempt on Anjali
Live wire in pool.
Scorpion attack.
Ether spray.
Tampering car brakes.
Khushi couldn't believe that all of this had escaped her notice. How he had managed to fool them so. Brutally trying to murder people right under their nose. He was not just a creep, married man lusting on her but a murderer.
"How, how did you find out?", her voice was calm, unexpected by both women. Maybe due to the ordeal she had faced earlier. It seems they were lot stronger than they had assumed themselves to be.
"To my good luck, I had to go alone for the check-up. My princess' brain is deformed with no possibility of further development. Doctor suspected it was unnatural. I was hysterical and then some days later, I caught my dear husband replacing my supplements with abortion pills. Later, Doctor confirmed those pills were the culprit. I had no option but to abort my baby that had no growth at all"
"Di, how can he kill his own...own child? Why?"
"My princess' birth would have distanced you further from him"
"Di, I have nothing to do with hi..."
"I know, already read it here. I don't blame you for my misfortunes. I am not like my brother", her voice was dry as if nothing mattered to her any longer. Her world was already lost, three days back when her princess left her.
"You could have told me rather than giving into Arnav's blackmail. Akash wouldn't deserve Payal had he agreed to leave her"
"Di"
"You need to change your father's pills, remove the harmful ones. Get a fresh, thorough checkup done. Call your mother as soon as possible" , Anjali seemed robotic.
Khushi had just started to get up when she fell back down in acute pain. A low scream escaped her mouth. Her screams that had been muffled under a hand sometime before, unable to shout her pain to members of the house, walls or air in the room were free now. With him sleeping, she could scream all she wanted. Tell everyone what had happened to her today.
Anjali moved her mobile light on Khushi and gasped loud at her state. She fell down to sit back on the step in complete shock. The tears that had not stopped entire night, started streaming down Khushi's face again. Anjali covered her mouth unable to believe what she saw. No, it was not possible. But Khushi's state screamed it, slapping the reality of this nightmare on her face. They awakened her to other sordid tales in their house, another monster under the same roof. The tears which had refused to come till now, flew in rivers as she realized that one more light had extinguished. It was death of another dear one.
Khushi kept weeping as she remembered what had happened.
"You think I am a fool? I know all your dirty tricks"
"If I ever saw him around you, you 'll see worst side of me. I am warning you Khushi Kumari Gupta"
"Who's going to stop me? I am your husband, don't ever forget that. Not just this, I can do many other things too. You are my legally wedded wife. Understood!"
"Today you' ll understand that you are mine, only mine"
She flung herself into Anjali's arms, both women cried out their pain in silent tears. When they parted twenty minutes later, they had promised each other to be strong.
One week later, they had freed themselves in darkness of night, with help of sleeping pills and two brand new knives, Payal had coincidentally bought for the kitchen four days before. They laid the trap and slimy mouse was caught. Anjali requested Khushi to drop knife in second case, replace it with just pills, he was her brother for crying out loud. Khushi reminded her of the torture of six hours, she had suffered at the hands of same brother of hers. How law would never help her, there was no legal justice in this case. Anjali had given up in end and helped her, leaving no trail behind.
They had woken up next morning to a mourning with news flooded with a cold-blooded crime that shook India. Loss of one of the famous business tycoon in India at such a young age.
They were mourning beside the body, when it struck Khushi that they hadn't cleaned the red stains from security room's door handle. They were puzzled when they found it was all clean. Payal hugged Khushi to herself as she repeatedly assured her that she was not alone now. That her elder sister 'll always protect her. Anjali and Khushi exchanged glances and they threw herself upon Payal in the 'great grief', glad to have found another person who understood them. Nani and Mami grieved too, though they had hint of what had actually transpired but he was their son for God's sake. May he rest in peace, they couldn't help wishing.
PM, Ministers, corporate houses, VIPs, everyone paid their tribute. He was suspected to be murdered by his revengeful brother-in-law who was absconding. It seemed well-planned as CCTVs caught him sneaking into the security room many times. How he was captured in recording of that unfortunate night - sneaking into it the room and then system was switched off. Security of RM has been reported to be beefed up after this lapse. Condolences to his grieving family. Drama continued for some-days with reports that new bride was senseless in agony and pregnant sister seems to have miscarried in shock.
Guptas had left for a physiotherapy camp in Ooty after grieving with Raizada. Mamaji had left back to States after a month. This house was no longer safe. He had tried to make his son understand the same, take him away with him. Alas, things don't go as per our wishes, his son had turned down the offer. Akash had hard time coming to terms with his loss and AR workload turned him into his brother.
Things died down slowly and it finally became normal, after seven months, for ladies atleast.
***
Next day
"PAYAL!! PAYAL!!! What the hell is this? This curry has so much salt! Did you empty f**kng whole bottle in it?"
"It tastes alright. Everyone found it okay. Wait I ll bring something else for you Akash"
"No thanks, I ll have something at office. Atleast its not puke-worthy like your dishes. Useless, incompetent woman!!", he stormed out of the door before anyone could stop him.
Payal gritted her teeth as she went on to cut an apple for Nani. Khushi and Anjali stared at her deft hands.
Manorama tensed as Nani tried to rub away her goosebumps, assure her that it won't be women only, in the end. It 's another normal husband-wife tiff. Its okay, she tried to reassure her daughter in law as KAP trio left for their restaurant humming the tunes of,
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair
Hover through the fog and filthy air"
***
One Evening,
Taking a break, Khushi relaxed back on the reclining chair, enjoying the cool waters of pool and light breeze in the air. Her eyes fell on hour-glass kept on a decorative stool in one shady corner.
She got up from her chair and rearranged her shawl close, making sure she was fully covered as she kept staring it. The elegant piece was both dear and disgusting to her. She traced its wood with a faraway look in her eyes, caressing the teak, wishing things could have been different.
Well, she had had hard realization that they are not. Breaking out of her thoughts, she turned it upside down, making sure her fingers didn't touch the pear-shaped bulb made of glass. Fine grains of ashes started falling into the empty half - the turned tables of time.
As the day set and it started to become dark, Khushi gathered her files and went back inside her room. She closed the french doors, pulling pink curtains over them as bright fairy lights bathed her colorful room that was once grey and black just like those ashes - that were stranded, left outside at poolside to fend in darkness of another cold winter night.
***
Loving someone who doesn't love you back is like hugging a Cactus,
The tighter you hold on, the more it's going to hurt.
Maybe it is better to let go.
Roses are red, violets are blue.
I 'll never love someone, the way I love you.
My princess
Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust,
Rules of life are a must.
They can't be broken, only bent,
What goes up, must descend.
HOW WAS IT? I JUST HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. READ CAREFULLY AGAIN AND PICTURES ARE HINT TOO. I KNOW ITS NOT VERY HARD TO GUESS, WHAT HAD ACTUALLY HAPPENED. RAPE OF ANY KIND IS UNFORGIVABLE, NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE PERSON DOING IT IS, FOR ME ATLEAST.
AT LAST I DO ADMIT, IT WAS ONE CREEPY PIECE.
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