Anjali entered the huge mansion slowly. Another week had gone by and after much thoughts and discussions with her sons, Anjali had decided to check on Niranjan again. Predictably Shlok was upset at this decision. Yet Varad and Shlok wanted to accompany her since both of them didn't trust their Baba anymore.
Anjali felt like bawling her heart out at the turn of events. She had got an entire family for herself, but she had lost her husband whom she had once loved. Niranjan was not always cruel. He was obsessive and possessive. He took unfailing measures to know everything was perfect and smooth. It was a deep compulsion that was born out of him.
They had been happily married for a while before his behavioral problems started creeping one by one. He had managed to control his emotions during the initial phase of their marriage. But soon he had started losing control. The more he lost control, the more submissive and defensive she had turned out. That was the life of Anjali Agnihotri until two weeks back.
Now she was a determined woman. She wanted to give her husband of thirty years another chance. Take it or leave it. It was his choice entirely. But to offer that helping hand was her duty she felt. Anjali had had two weeks to think and rethink her decisions. Her sons had already hired a detective agency to locate her hopefully alive parents.
The once fun filled Agnihotri Mansion was now in darkness. Anjali entered the living room followed by her two sons. There was an eerie silence and the house looked unkept. Out of old habit Anjali started placing things in their place as she went in. She drew the curtains apart and let sunlight stream in.
She found Niranjan no where in the ground floor. Anjali asked her sons to wait downstairs and went up the stairs. She felt memories hit her, good and bad, as she climbed up the stair case. As she went into her room, she found a man who was sitting on the bed. He remotely resembled the husband she knew all these years. By face they were the same, yet this man looked shattered and miserable.
He had a framed photo in his hand. Anjali crept into the room slowly. Her heart was thudding painfully in her chest. What had happened to her proud husband? He looked completely broken and defeated. In the two weeks that she had left him, he seemed to have lost lots of weight. His clothes were now merely hanging on his frame. There was a thick stubble in his jawline. He looked haphazard and very unlike the sharp man she knew.
She must have made a sound, for he looked up from his deep thoughts. "Anjali?" He sprang up from his position and came to her in swift strides.
Anjali looked at him in pity and with resolve. "Niranjan ji." This was the first time she called him by name after years. The time had come for her to bend and mend a few rules here. She looked at him clearly without fear for the first time. And what she saw roused deep pity. Behind that angry mask lay a very vulnerable man. Almost a frightened child. Anjali made up her mind at that very instant to stay back and put things right.
"Have you come back for good? How are my sons?" His tone was very unlike the earlier NIranjan. She saw the photo frame in his hand. It was her own photo. So that is what he was having in his hand.
"I can come back but it all depends on you."
"Me?"
"Yes. And I convince my sons also to come back."
At that, his eyes shone bright and he looked eager and hopeful "Can you?"
"It all depends whether you will co-operate with me."
"I want all of you; need you. Please. This existence is killing me. Without family there's no meaning for the wealth, my fame, Nothing makes sense to me anymore."
"Well, first of all let bygones be bygones. I am willing to start afresh if you will start again too."
"Yes." His answer was instantaneous.
"Not so fast. It means quite a lot of changes in this house and in you. Women should be treated equally. I will run this house with my conscience. And most importantly, you should never touch me again with an intention of hurting me. Never!"
Niranjan listened to her quietly. "Okay. But I don't...I don't know if I can control my temper. I lose myself sometimes. I don't know what I am doing in anger. It is better you don't come back. Maybe you deserve better."
Anjali's eyes prickled with tears. At last she was able to see the love her husband had for her. It was twisted and sadistic, but he did love her in his own way. Anjali continued without betraying her emotions. "Yes I am aware of that. And we are going to seek help together for that. That is my last and final condition. If you are okay with all this all of us will move back in. Otherwise this may be the last time I am seeing you."
Niranjan nodded slowly and caught her hands in his gratefully. He was willing to take baby steps into a normal life if it meant his Anjali would be besides him. He was willing to redeem himself if it meant his sons would stay with him.
Anjali held his hands and took him downstairs. Shlok and Varad were waiting impatiently. They saw their parents get down and were shocked at Niranjan's changed look. He looked like an old man. Despite himself Shlok felt his heart twist in pain. Immediately he resolved to keep his emotions in check. He could not afford to be a fool again.
Varad however went forward. He was shocked to see the proud man like this. Varad caught his father's hand. "Baba!" Niranjan cried, really cried in his son's arms. He had felt alienated and neglected. Seeing both of them back and his elder son call him as Baba, Niranjan's heart had burst open.
Varad too had tears in his eyes seeing his father like this. Varad knew coming back was the right decision then. Shlok turned away when he felt tears clogging his throat. He desperately felt like being near Astha now but she had gone to her college. Anjali came to him and turned him around. Niranjan was waiting for his second son to say something.
But Shlok couldn't forgive his father completely. He neither hugged him nor reproached him. Varad spoke to Niranjan in a gentle tone. "Shlok will come around. Give him sometime."
Anjali spoke again. "Niranjan ji and I are going to concentrate on his therapy and our lives. He will retire from the board. I want both of you to come on board and take charge of everything."
Varad was perplexed at this new announcement. They hadn't discussed it before. "Ayi.."
Anjali held up a hand. "No Varad. All these years you were working apart and it was fine. But now it is time you too get into the family, as the head of the institution along with Shlok. Baba needs both of you now more than ever."
Varad nodded in slight agreement. "And the wedding will go on as planned in another week. Baba will rightfully take his place." Shlok and Varad were relieved at Anjali's behavior. She had seemed to emerge out of her shell and had taken complete charge. It was as if they were seeing her true self only now.
Anjali stayed back in the Agnihotri Mansion while the two of them went to get back their stuff and get back to business.
Anupamaa
50