Chapter-10
Evening had crept in. Malhar was still unconscious. Tired of waiting for his Baba to wake up, Moksh had slept in Agni's lap. Giving her neck a light massage, Agni opened her laptop which she had made her subordinate bring and started working. As Marilyn Monroe had said, your career would never wake up one day and say it doesn't love you. Agni knew when she had nothing, it was only this career which made her capable enough to survive. So she was never going to neglect it, for anyone, except Moksh and her Aai.
Agni looked at Malhar's burnt chest and she felt a disgust for her own self. Strangely she was beginning to understand what happened five years ago:
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Kalyani crying: "Malharji. Pillu ro raha hai. Mujhe ek baar use god me lene dijiye."
"Mere bete par main ek bhi Deshmukh parivaar ke sadasya ka saaya bhi nahi chahta,. Meri behen ko maarkar chain nahi mila tumhe jo ab mere bete ko bhi khaana chahti ho?" Malhar said, turning away from Kalyaani, with Moksh in his arms.
"Aap apne badle ke liye Pillu ke baare me bhi nahi soch rahe," Kalyani said, "Ro raha h vo."
"Tumhe badi chinta hai Moksh ki?" Malhar said, "To ek kaam karo ki jo main Moksh ke liye doodh ubaal raha hoon na main. Use gas stove par chadhe chadhe tum das minute tak apne haath usme daale raho."
"Mujhe pata tha Moksh ke liye tumhara pyaar sab hawa hawaai baatein Hain..." Malhar was saying when he turned back to find Kalyaani with her hands in the boiling milk.
"Aap das minute kya das ghante bhi mujhe ye karne ko kahenge na Malharji, to Pillu ke liye main iske liye bhi taiyyar hoon," Kalyani said. Seeing the shocked expression on Malhar's face, Kalyani thought he would come running to get her hands out of the boiling milk and scold her. But when Malhar began the countdown of 120 seconds, Kalyaani was horrified at what Swara's death had made her husband
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Agni reassessed her plan again. To make Atharva and Sampada knees deep in debt forcing them to borrow from brutal loan sharks who didn't even hesitate to brutalize the debt-ridden in such a way that a death is more preferable. Most of the times, these debtors are criminals and murderers themselves so no one misses them when they disappear. In fact people feel a sense of justice and closure, when these criminals meet their fat. For Madhav, it would just take a sight of her to shatter his fragile ego. For him, a woman is only fit for responding to a man's beck and call. Agni had fair tricks up her sleeves to humiliate him like he always humiliated Kalyaani and Anupriya. Asawari- her heartbeats resided in Ahir- she just had to pinch Ahir and Asawari will be on her knees. The most tricky one was Malhar. Agni remembered if he had not abandoned Kalyaani that night alone out of his house, Atharva couldn't have kidnapped her and torture her leading to her child's murder. For once, Agni could forgive Malhar for how much pain he had caused his wife Kalyani but a mother couldn't forget the man who was at root of her child's murder. But hurting Malhar meant hurting Moksh which Agni never could let happen. She had to find a way to give Malhar a taste of his own medicine without Moksh getting affected by it.
Meanwhile, Sampada and Atharv were cooking their own plan.
"Music band kar Sampu," Atharv shouted, "poora din bhain bhain bhain..."
"Mera bheja mat khao Atharv," Sampada said, "Tumhe bhi Malhar wali beemari lag gayi h kya? Na khud enjoy karte ho na mujhe karne dete ho. Zyada muh chalaya na to tumhe bhi chhorkar chali jaungi main."
"Mujhe chhorkar jayegi tu Sampu," Atharv pulled Sampada towards her, lifting her face by chin, "Fir Agni ki company ke shares khareedne ke baad main Agni ka crorepati right hand ban jaunga to vaapis mat aana."
"Are tum to bura maan gaye Atharv," Sampada said, patting Atharv's cheek, "Main to bas ye keh rahi thi ki jab se Agni ne hame naukar banaya h, bas kutton ki tarah banakar rakha h humne. Vaise mere paas ek idea tha jisse ham maze kar sakte hain. Kyon na ham Moksh ki brain haemorrhage enable karne ki dawayein de rahe hain, usi tarah Malhar ko bhi ham paagal karne wali dawaaein de. Malhar agar paagal ho gaya to ham court me prove kar denge ki vo Moksh ki custody ke laayak nahi h. Fir kucch din baad Moksh bhi brain haemorrhage se apni pyaari Kallu aai ke paas chala jayega. Fir Rane parivaar ki jaydaad ki maalik hogi Moksh ki asli aai. Are 9 mahine maine Moksh ko apne pet me rakha h, us Kalyaani ne kya socha tha, Moksh aur Malhar ki saari sewa karungi main aur mewa khayegi vo."
"Mere saath rehkar tera dimaag bhi chalne laga h," Atharv said proudly.
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It was night when Malhar in his delirium asked for water. Agni tried her best to ignore his calls. Malhar after all, had kept her hungry and thirsty for hours several times as her punishment. But Agni, despite herself, couldn't see Malhar so helpless.
She took a water bottle and touched its rim to Malhar's lips. Her hand was touching stubble on Malhar's face. Then suddenly, Malhar kissed her hand. Agni was stunned. Though she knew Malhar was in delirium, but still?
On the other hand, Malhar in his dream, was remembering the time when he was down with fever and couldn't go to police station. He tried to get up to drink water but could not.
Kalyani scolded him, "Dekh na Pillu tere Papa bilkul nahi sunte meri. Kitna bhi bolo ki uthna nahi h fever k time magar majaal ye kisi ki sun le."
"Muh kholiye," Kalyani stood with a bottle over Malhar.
"Moksh dekh raha h," Malhar said sheepishly.
"To kaun sa hum Titanic pose kar rahe hain jo aapko sharam aa rahi h. Kholiye muh."
And Kalyaani made him drink water from her hands.
Malhar held the hands that were wiping with a handkerchief at his chin.
"Kalyani!" Malhar squinted. Why was Kalyani looking so different? Then Malhar remembered.
"S...sorry ma'am," Malhar stuttered, "I'm really very sorry."
"It's OK Mr. Rane," Agni said leaving the ward, "BTW, your son is really cute. Uski maa use aapke bharose chhor gayi h to uske bharose par Khare utariyega. Acche employee to Khair aap ban nahi sakte, at least be a good father." And Agni left.
Is chapter me utne acche scenes nahi the but I thought I should give some clarity regarding the characters' motivations. As always, waiting for your feedback :)
Edited by Autumn09 - 3 years ago
CID
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
