Part 5
After reading the letter he stared as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
He looked at the date & saw that it was written nine months ago, in fact only one month after he left Vancouver
It was impossible that Taani would change her mind so completely & so quickly, & because it seemed so incredible he read the letter again.
He thought he should find some explanation but he couldn't.
He look through the pile of letters & under several bills he found his mothers letter.
He opened his mother's letter & read:
My dearest son,
I was so delighted to receive a letter from you yesterday from Casablanca to tell me that you were on your way back home.
I have been desperately anxious to get in touch with you, & it seemed almost an answer to my prayers that it would not be long before you are in Vancouver again.
What is important is that as soon as you receive this letter you should come back home immediately.
I know that you will be extremely upset and sad to learn that Shivam had met with an accident three days ago & I have just learn that he died this morning from his injuries.
Now poor Shivam is dead, & Dr. George, who came to tell me what he had learn, also brought the grave news that your uncle has had heart attack.
He has not been well for the last few months owing to the fact that he is so over-weight.On top of this, the news of Shivam's accident had been too much for him.
He is in coma, although still alive, but Dr. George says frankly there is little chance of his recovering.
You will therefore understand, dearest Rey, that you are needed here urgently & I can only pray that you will get this letter quickly.Please call me when you receive it.
I'm sorry that your home-coming should be spoilt by such unhappy news, & the sense of loss which we both feel.
At the same time I know that you will take your responsibilities & perform them conscientiously with same dignity & compassion that was so characteristics of your father.
Bless you, my darling son, I'm waiting anxiously to hear from you.
Your devoted & affectionate mother,
Priya Singhani
If Rey was surprise & shocked by Taani's letter, his mother's letter left him gasping.
He couldn't believe that Shivam was dead or his uncle was in coma.
He realise that in consequence his whole life had changed, while at the same time he couldn't believe what his mother told him was true.He had never thought even in his wildest dream that he would become the head of the family.
It never crossed his father's mind that he would inherit instead of his brother.
Rey's father had no ambitions of that sort, nor had he ounce of envy in his whole body.
"No one would be a better head of the family then your uncle." he would say frequently.
When he was ill & aware that he wouldn't survive he said to Rey:
"Look after your mom & help your uncle in every way you can, I know that he relies on you."
"Yes of course dad." Rey replied
His father gave him a faint smile.
"You are a good son." he said firmly." I have always been proud of you!"
Rey found himself thinking who would help in to carry on as head of the family.
Then he remembered how urgently his mother needed him , he looked at the letter & found it was written three days ago.
I have to leave for Vancouver tomorrow morning he thought.After he called airport to book his ticket, he called his mother & told her that he is on his way.
Then he say that the hotel had written a date on his mother's envelope which told him it had arrived yesterday.
It was clearly written 27th June.An idea come to his mind & he picked up Taani's letter & saw date was 27th June.He couldn't believe his eyes.
Then he saw the date Taani had written on the envelope was 20th October.
Then he understood, he thought that he should have expected this, that the moment Shivam died, Taani tried to make sure of him.
Because the thought made him feel murderous, he threw the letter on the floor & walked towards the window.
He wanted to kill her.
He couldn't believe that any woman would behave in such an appalling manner or he he almost believed her lies.
He know that the last vestige of feeling he had for Taani had finally been driven out of him as if by thrust of a knife.He knew even if she would kneel at his feet & look up at him imploringly with her large, dark, liquid eyes his only impulse would be to strike her.
If hotel had not been so punctilious about marking post as it arrived, he might never have guessed that what Taani had written was not a genuine change of heart when she had learnt that he had left Vancouver.
He threw Taani's letter & deliberately put his foot down hard on her letter, pressing it brutally into the carpet.
At night he went out of the hotel.
Without paying any attention, he saw a slim figure of a very young girl moving along the edge of the water & was looking down into it.The moonlight seem to touch her hair with silver.
He watched her & thought that she had a grace that made her as if she was walking on the water rather than on the ground.
Then she reached the shadow of bridge & stood looking down with curious intentness.
Almost unconsciously he become aware of what she was about to do.
She didn't move or bent forward, she stood there looking at the water & he was aware that she was choosing her moment.
Without thinking he walked quickly to the opening in the wall just beside the bridge from which step led down to the tow path.
They ended only few feet away from the girl.Moving silently, he reached her side.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
37