i know i have been a bit lazy in updating this week... so here comes 3rd chapter for 2nd weekend
Chapter 7
Gopi was still walking aimlessly for more than an hour, when it starts raining and she finally realizes it's no use, she has to go far away from the place of her humiliation. From a place where people just used her as punching bag to a place where either people don't care about her existence at all or like her for herself. While in this state she boards a bus and gives her earring as a fare to the conductor and tells him to let her alight wherever she wanted. She also told him, she won't ever ask for her jewelry back, so he can sell it or do whatever with it. The bus conductor understood what this girl was going through as he also once had a girl her age, who went through the same situation of being thrown out from her Saasra because of Dowry. That's what the conductor thought was the reason for her being thrown out. And his child had committed suicide. But he got a determined look on his face and thought he couldn't save his own daughter, but he won't let this girl die without a fight.
Conductor – Beta, you are looking very pale and scared. I too have kids. One was your age and had been thrown out as I couldn't afford to give her enough dowry. You keep this earring child. I'll pay for the fare.
Gopi – you are very nice Kaka. I know someday we will meet again and I'll do my best to help you at that time. I am helpless right now.
Conductor – my name is Suraj Pratap. You can call me Suraj Kaka and I believe you don't have a place to live. You are welcome to my house as my daughter.
Gopi – I am very thankful to you Suraj Kaka. In this age and time when people don't help their own, you are offering help to a stranger. (She is remembering her Mami)
Suraj Kaka – I might not recognize you by face child. But I can recognize you by the desolateness written all over you. The same look as my daughter had before committing suicide, since I am not wealthy enough to give her dowry. I may not be wealthy enough or influential enough to solve your problems, but I am human enough to help a human being in need. And you are coming with me. If this gets to my wife that I let a helpless girl, who was in same situation as once her daughter was, all alone to fend for herself, she will tear my heart out and feed it to dogs. So for the sake of your Kaka, do come to our home.
Gopi – Sure Kaka, if I am not too much of a burden for you.
Suraj Kaka(with tears in his eyes) – No burden at all Dikhri, no burden at all.
At Modi House everyone was frantic and all the elders and Jigar were talking about how to bring Gopi back home. Jigar in his naivet suggested to lodge a police complaint. Which was rejected very roughly by Koki. But everyone agreed with her as it was question of Modi Family's prestige.
They started to search meticulously at all places where they though Gopi might have gone. Her Mama's house, temples, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations… everywhere… but there was no trace of Gopi. It was as if she had disappeared from the face of earth. Even Ahem was feeling her loss once he threw her out and was cursing his temper. He thinks "I know what a scaredy cat Gopi is and it is no wonder she didn't answer me when I shouted at her. No one would have answered me and this was Gopi, who doesn't answer in a proper line without mumbling in normal circumstances and these were shocking circumstances. I listened to Anita even when she dug her own grave, but I didn't give a chance to Gopi. God… what have I done"
He comes down to go search for Gopi, when he hears his family talking about Gopi
Koki – that child never even raises her voice to anyone or even ask for anything. I don't believe she had any affair. I think something bad is going to happen. Or has it happened already?
Hetal – don't lose heart Koki, nothing will happen to our Gopi Dikhra, her goodness will shield her from all evil. Trust Kanhaji… Gopi trusts Him and talks to Him about all her pain… lets trust Him too…
Koki – I do trust in Kanhaji, but He won't be able to help us if we sit and fiddle with our thumbs.
Chirag – Don't be frightened Kokila, we already are searching everywhere. We have checked most of the places. Thanks to lord she is not in any hospital and there is no death reported as well. That means Gopi is out there somewhere. I can't say safe or not, but she is alive. We can trust Kanhaji to keep her safe and we will double our efforts to search her.
Baa – bring back my Dikhri. What has that child ever done, that she always faces trials at everyone's hands.
Parag – Haan Baa… we will bring her back
Jigar – Haan Baa… we will surely bring Bhabhi back. Now she atleast knows something about reading and writing. She will be safe from con men atleast, till we can find her.
Koki – what do you mean she knows about reading and writing.
Jigar – Kaki… Ahem Bhai taught Bhabhi and I too helped in it. So atleast she won't be totally lost
Koki – ohhh… what a selfish women I have been. It should have been me, who thought herself to be Gopi's mother and mother-in-law, who should have started her education. Thank God the kids took care of it.
Chirag – Koki, I am not sure but me and Parag were thinking some scheming is going on. I don't think a girl who was always looked down by her family has enough guts to conduct an affair and it is impossible for a girl who is as pious as Gopi.
Parag – Haan Baa… this seems to be someone's scheme to throw Gopi out of the house.
Baa – who can have vengeance at such a sweet girl?
Chirag – we don't know Baa, but we will find out. And whoever it is behind this will be severely dealt with. I won't spare the person, who hurt Gopi so much.
Ahem couldn't bear the despair of his family anymore and by their conversation, he too felt something amiss, in this situation. Now, after his temper cooled down, he didn't need any proof, so many people cannot be wrong. He totally trusted Gopi without any proof now. He knew he just had to dig a little deeper to know everything and he intended to do just that. But he didn't want to alert anyone to his intentions yet, since even the walls were said to have ears. Maa, Chirag Kaka and Jigar were okk, but everyone else is either too soft or very gullible… they are good but if this thing comes out there would be nothing left for him.
Ahem – Maa. I am going to the office
Koki – Theek hai.
Ahem couldn't feel the love from his mother. He knew he had hurt her a lot. But he vowed to set it right soon.
Here Gopi was taken by Suraj Kaka to his home in a village a little far away from where he worked and lived and very far away from Gopi's home. He had vowed to protect Gopi at any cost now. It was as if he owed this to his dead daughter to save this daughter.
Suraj's wife Mamata was very happy to see him and was astonished when she saw Gopi. But looking at her face she soon understood that something terrible happened to this girl. She just spontaneously embraced Gopi, as if to say, you still have your mother.
Now Suraj and Mamata have a small child playing in the verandah. Their grandchild. The child of their dead daughter, who was abandoned by its father when its grandparents were unable to fulfill dowry demands and her mother committed suicide. A girl of 16 or 17 years came from inside to see what was taking her mother so long. Suraj introduced Gopi to her.
Suraj – Malini beta, this is your sister. Her name is Gopi. I hope you will be as good to her as you were to your own sister. Though your sister couldn't come back to you, she sent Gopi, so you don't feel alone.
Malini and Mamata now have tears in their eyes and Malini hugs Gopi as spontaneously as her mother did. She immediately relates her to her sister and calls her Gayatri Di…
Suraj – Beta, her name is Gopi not Gayatri.
Gopi – Kaka, it is okk. All of you can call me Gayatri. I might need a new name with my new life. Isn't it so Kaka?
Suraj – As you say beta. You are my eldest daughter.
All of them go inside the house for dinner and after dinner they all go to sleep. Knowing that Gopi (Gayatri) is hurting no one asks her where she came from and other details. They didn't need it; she was one of their own now. The village when they knew of the plight of the Girl, were very supportive as one of their own died because of their customs and indifference. Now, for the whole village, she was Gayatri not Gopi.
So what if she was living a lie, truth never saved her. If this small deception with the world lets her live in peace, then that was what she wanted.
Here in Modi Enterprises, Ahem enters Chirag's cabin
Ahem – Kakaji… I want to talk to you
Chirag – yes Ahem… what is it?
Ahem – Kakaji, can you also call Jigar. Infact I want to talk to both of you
Chirag was now even more perplexed and he dials for Jigar and asks him to come to his office. While he was dialing Jigar's office number Chirag notices the tension in Ahem's posture and gets worried as to what this kid is planning now.
Jigar(entering Chirag's office) – Ji Papa… you called me
Chirag – Yes Jigar… Ahem wanted to talk to us about something.
Chirag and Jigar look at Ahem.
Ahem – Kakaji, Jigar… I will need your help in doing something
Jigar – What do you need our help in, Bhai?
Ahem – In tracing who is after maligning Gopi's name in my eyes?
Chirag – But why would you do that, you don't believe she is innocent
Ahem - I believe you all. After I had time to cool down my temper, I really didn't know why I trusted what I saw. I want to get to depth of this.
Chirag – You could have said this at home in the morning itself. Why in the office?
Ahem – because, I am not sure whom to trust and whom not to. No one except for the family knows mine and Gopi's current sleeping arrangements after the first incident where her so-called boyfriend was caught. It has to be someone within the household who did this.
Jigar – But it can't be Baa, Maa, Kaki or Parag Kaka either. They all love Gopi a lot.
Ahem – That's exactly it. But you haven't taken two other names and those are what concern us.
Jigar – but why keep this from others
Ahem – I'll tell Maa as soon as I get a chance. But as per others, they are too trusting and won't see anything wrong with anyone
Jigar – Hmm… I understand you now Bhai. I'll do my best to help. Koki Kaki can keep an eye at home front and we can see who is having troubles from Business point of view and who will be benefited by removing Gopi from your life.
Ahem – that's what I intend to do. But I'll need to behave my angry self at home and behave rudely. Please behave in a manner that befits to show that you understand my anger.
Chirag – sure Beta… we will do everything to help. Gopi is the Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity) of our house. Keep us in loop as to what you want us to do.
Ahem – Shukriya Kakaji… Thanks Jigar… I'll always be indebted to you. If I weren't such a hot headed guy, I would have made arrangements to hide her and seek the truth. But now, because of my temper, I lost Gopi for real.
Jigar – Don't despair Bhai, we will find Bhabhi soon.
They all have determined look on their faces.
Once they are home, the charade starts. Ahem gets a chance to speak to Koki and tells her his plan and since her Dikhra is repenting, she is supportive of his plan and says she will do everything she can to get justice for Gopi vahu.
Precap - How will Gopi's life be now? will Ahem be able to find her? Can Gopi forget her pain and accept Ahem readily? Will Ahem be able to find the real people behind defaming Gopi? What will he do to Kinjal once he finds out? What trials will Rashi face, when there is no Gopi to take the blame?
Edited by upasana.diya - 14 years ago