"For her I seemed like an unwillingly kid, who went to school due to his mother's persistence" he let out a chuckle.
"It was for her. I used to stay back to be with her. Now that she's not there, for whom should I take a break or stay back for? I'm just being like how she wants me to" he said this time looking straight into her eyes. Or was it straight through her or she just felt like that?
"I'll just roam around a bit" she got up to walk out of the van. That's when Rk took the first sip of that coffee. It tasted familiar. Not just familiar but a lot more. He experienced a warmth within him that he hadn't felt for long. Just when she reached the door knob, she heard him "thank you", she got startled at the sudden acknowledgement.
Sikky stood leaning on the car door waiting for his wife to come out. Made for each other couple, both went to jail coz of the same person. Sikky thought. It had come as a shocker to him when Rk decided to withdraw the case against dips n pabho. Though hunt for Madhu was still on.
"Let's go Sikky" he turned to his wife who said disinterested as always. "Where is pabho?" he asked when he saw her standing alone. "They sent her back to the ashram, she was unwell. Don't know if she'll come back" she said and was about to get in the car when Sikky stopped her. "Just because Rk took back the case, do you think he'll let you stay in his house? We would've been thrown out long before if it wasn't for bhabhiji. Now that you've ruined everything, I guess it's better you shift somewhere else. otherwise I'll also become homeless", "how can you say that? I'm your wife!" she exclaimed with shock and fury. "I can see that you only get to remember it at your times of need" he gave back sarcastically. "I can't believe you said that!"she was beyond shocked at the change in his behavior "after all that you've done for me, I'm surprised that I could bring myself to talk this calm and normal with you." He replied as a matter of fact. "Whatever, I'm coming with you. I'll stay in that house only. I know how to convince mummyji" she said cunningly , "if you think so, you're deadly wrong. She's not the same anymore. No one is" he replied and she could see that it referred to him too. "Not a word more please. I know what to do. My tear works have always worked on her. I'm not that bad actress after all. Just take me there and I'll handle it" What can you do to straighten the dog's tail. "Alright, but if I have to choose between staying there and leaving with you, don't even expect me to consider the second option" he warned her and drove off to the mansion.
Madhu was walking through the sets, nodding to the greetings from all passersby's. Her eyes searching for a place to rest for some time keeping aside the current situation she was in. finally she spotted the perfect place to lay herself. The most inviting and comfy place for her.
Rk was setting his hair when his phone started buzzing. He picked it up in a jiff seeing the caller Id. "I need you here now sir. This is important" the voice at the other end said. "I'll be there" he cut the call and rushed out of his vanity. "Bittuji, tell the director that I'm taking a two hours break. I'll be back at 6. It's urgent", "but chief..." Rk ran out not waiting to listen to another one of his questions. Bhabhiji, where is she?' Bittuji turned around to look for her.
"Mummyji" radhaji heard that unwanted and hatred voice of hers and turned to look at her furiously. How she hated that moment to see her back again. Dipali was taken aback to receive that fierce gaze from the ever so calm radhaji. It has been long since she saw such a look cross her face. "look who we have here? A leech who even after got thrown far away have come back to feed on our blood again. What I don't understand is your sudden appearance now." She questioned venomously. " I know sorry is not even the least I can say." She began her drama as the glycerin started working forming few water droplets in her eyes. "What I did to you and RK can't be forgiven that easily, but I ..." , " after all your toll free goody services for us, you dare to ask for forgiveness?" radhaji scoffed murderously cutting her off. "please mummyji, all I'm asking for is a chance. I can't live with this regret eating me up. The rest of my life, I want to live repenting and do what all I can for you to make up for my mistakes. Please don't ask me to leave" she faked pleas. "I'm not the same old woman to believe you blindly. I don't even have a drop of trust on you. We've already broken all relation with you. I hope you remember .If you're still craving so much to do something for us then go away from us as far as you can and don't even show me your face ever again." She coldly replied . "where will I go mummyji? You're the only relations I have. Please let me stay and I'll do everything as per your say. Please give me a chance." She fell on her knees folding her palms together. "so that's why you're here. You're homeless I see" she said, her tone dripping with cold sarcasm. "so you want to stay here. And you got the nerve to think that I'll let you to. Madhu had let you stay and had saved you everytime from getting thrown out. And what did you give her in return? And sikky, does your wish also say that I let her stay here again? Is that why you brought her here?" she asked sikky in a rather warning tone. "never mom. I had told her to shift somewhere else but she had insisted on meeting you. I had cleared it out to her that she is nowhere in my concern list now and that I won't be making any recommendation for her" he said making her look at him appeased and dipali could see her efforts drowning with no effects. "I hope now you got your answer very well clear. You may leave" she stood up to walk off when dipali cried, "I'm not going anywhere mummyji. I'm going to stay here rooted till you're ready to forgive me and give me a chance. I won't move an inch from here until you let me stay." She decided to try her last weapon hoping her fake sincerity would do some miracle and change radha's mind. "now I get why rishu refused to cast you in his film. I should've known before. Well, I went blind due to responsibilities. Least to say acting isn't your cup of tea." she walked to the stairs and turned to dips "I need to take my medicines and get an evening nap. They're a bit sedative you see. By the time I get back I want you out of this house premises. Else I'll have the security throw you out" dipali sat flabbergasted as she watched radhaji and sikky retreat. But she still had the audacity to believe that her acting can do wonders. She decided to wait there itself.
RK looked at them questioningly. Inspector Arjun placed a file in front of him. He opened it and read through carefully. Suddenly everything came crumbling down. Shocked he looked at the doctor for conformation. "it's true sir. Madhu mam's abortion was not because of stress. It was slow poison. Someone had tried to kill her and the baby." Arjun spoke seeing the doctor's nervous face. RK sat there unmoving. His body had gone numb. His brain refused to continue its mechanism. Nothing bothered him. "sir" arjun's voice brought him out of his trance. He was unaware of the dangers surrounding his wife. This increased his already overflowing guilt ,now he became more anxious and afraid of her whereabouts. "sir, it's not only this. Look" Arjun passed him another bunch of sheets. There came another shocker. No. a bolt from the blue. He was left thinking what his life was upto. What all more secrets or tormenting revelations was yet to come ? "Ria Behl?" he voiced meekly looking at a photograph in it.
Rk was back at the sets by sharp 6. He had fixed something in his mind. Some firm decisions. There was a strange instilled confidence within him now. He noticed the absence of his personal counselor and enquired to Bittuji about her. "where did jeeva go?" , "she had gone to take a stroll around the sets chief" he nodded and left to shoot the remaining scenes of the day's schedule. Shoot got over within an hour and half. He finished his scenes effortlessly with that elegance and class. The whole crew was so happy to see their old rk getting back. It gave them a new found energy. He went searching for jeeva. It was time to head back home. Suddenly he started getting nervous. She was nowhere to be seen. He was frantically giving a look out for her when something struck his eyes. He moved a little more forward and saw her cooped up in the corner of that swing.The same one which served as a witness to some adorable Rk Madhu moments. Her face was lightly tilted and rested on her folded hands placed on the armrest. Seeing that innocent beautiful face asleep oblivious of the happenings around, some soothing feelings aroused within him, something he couldn't fathom. Involuntarily his legs started to move in her direction. He sat beside her and brushed few strands of hair off her face which was disturbing his view. It felt like dejavu, or was it something more? With her eyes closed she looked just like Madhu. He sighed. Only if it was. He kept fidgeting thinking how to wake her up. Sensing some movement around her, she woke up startled and he stood up to avoid any embarrassment. "sorry to disturb you", "it's fine. By the way what's the time now?", "it's about to be eight. Time to get back" he said helping her up. "are we leaving now?", he frowned at her question. "yes. You wanted something?", "no. I was just curious. I thought you'd be shooting the whole night but I guess you found something at home to get back to" he understood her sarcastic drawl and smirked. Adventures were yet to come. "so tell me about your day. How did it go? Just simply shooting or found something new to check out?, any candid clicks?, some new twist in script?, something eye catching?..." , "breathe woman" rk cut off her questionnaire letting out a gentle chuckle making Madhu smile at her childishness. Her talks reminded him of madhu's chatterbox nature. "well I really thought it would go with just shooting. I have worked with this heroine more than twice so there's nothing new to check out on her" he mentally burst out laughing seeing her mouth open in o' shape hearing his commentary. He was pressing the right button. She did get irked with the mention of heroine , " well, there is a new interesting twist coming up, actually it's already on roll." He said thinking about his meeting with the inspector. " And I did find something eye catching but not during the shoot, after it. When I took a stroll around" in search of you. He finished in his mind. She smiled , relieved knowing that he was getting back to normal. Unknown to her she was that something he mentioned in the last line. They kept talking throughout the way back home.
Rk entered the hall and saw dipali seated on the sofa with a crooked look plastered on her face, lost in thoughts. He wasn't shocked, surprised or irritated as he was already aware of her release. He knew her next stop would be his house and he was kind of waiting for it. Dipali saw him and got up quickly. Putting up her act she went towards him with slow shaky steps. " rk, I know I'm not worthy of your forgiveness but please, don't send me out of this house. I have done wrong and I got my punishment. My rest of life will be so only. All I ask for is a chance..." she looked at him in between her fake pleas to check his reaction and was bolted to see him looking at her with his devilish evil smirk. He didn't look broken or shattered anymore. His attitude and aura was back. As she stood wondering about him, radhaji and sikky entered the scene. "ma, your elder bahu has come home after a long time and you've kept her waiting for so long? Really bad. Sorry bhabi, It slipped my mind that you'd be coming today, else I would've arranged for some band and music" he said acting as if playing a piano. Radhaji and sikky looked on curious. "RK.." dipali began but he stopped her raising his index finger. " go take rest in your room for now. You have a lot to repent for, right?" he said in a tone dripping with sarcasm. Sikky stood rooted not exactly getting whether rk was serious. "but rishu ..." a shocked radhaji tried to probe about his decision. "let her in ma" he gently told her and turned to dipali. " you can stay here as long as I WANT you to. If I find even the slightest mistake from your side, then there won't be a conversation between us. Straight away action. You get that?" dipali nodded reluctantly. She was happy that he let her stay. But the fact that even after radhaji's refusal he had let her stay in his house without even rethinking for a moment what would be the result made her sense some trouble. She very well knew RK doesn't do anything without cause. But what if he was fed up of this loneliness and had got tired of searching for Madhu? What if he understood it was of no use and can consider her back in his life once again? Her mind was racing on the possibilities she wanted to be true when her eyes stopped struck on something, no someone behind Rk.
Madhu had gone to get her bag from Rk's car. Radhaji had called her in for dinner. Walking in she was taken aback to find dipali there. She hadn't expected to see her, well not this soon. She was more shocked and confused seeing Rk's reaction. She never thought Rk would let dipali stay. She sensed something going on his head and decided to trust his will. Finding dipali's eyes on her, she pulled on her act. Rk found dipali staring at something aghast. Following her gaze he saw jeeva standing behind him looking curious at the new entry. "jeeva, come in. this is my bhabi dipali ji, sikky's wife. just returned after a trip. I hope you know where to." He introduced dips and Madhu acted as if realization suddenly dawns on her. "bhabiji, don't get shocked. She isn't your arch enemy. this is jeeva, my personal counselor and friend." Sikky had already informed her about jeeva being a look alike of Madhu but now on meeting her, she couldn't bring herself to believe that it was someone else and not Madhu. "ma, I'm pretty hungry. Get us something to eat. Come let's go" he said and holding madhu's hand, pulled her along surprising her. as they walked past dipali, she remembered the day when rk brought back Madhu from chawl, fixing their marriage. Then too they had entered hand in hand and she was on the verge of getting thrown out. Even now her situation wasn't any different. Her place wasn't permanent. But there was something about jeeva she couldn't ignore. Could it only be a mere coincidence that a perfect carbon copy of madhu end up at rk's place right at the time of her disappearance? There was something cooking up and she had to find out. "I didn't know you had a personal clown too" Madhu whispered to him looking back pointedly at dipali. "well, I do agree she's a clown but not anything of mine in person" he replied.
I don't know if I'll be able to answer you individually but I'll try don't know when but still. Do like and comment.
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