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||Teaser||:
"Tauji!!!!!!!!!!!!" The wailing of Shivani stormed through the corridor and stairs; and they ran towards the source of the voice... Jalal came first, and got the hugest shock of the life! He entered into the room before everyone follows him... Shivani was just in front of the entrance of Bharmal's room, kneeling down with covering eyes with palm and shivering in terror! "Hey Shivani... what happened? What??" Mohini sat beside her and started shaking her. She broke down into wailing in her arms, murmuring same words repeatedly... "Surya Bhaiya... Surya Bhaiya killed him!!"
The next scene inside the room was so unexpected that a current of tremor flowed through everyone's spine... Mr. Bharmal Singh is half-lied on the armchair, with the head tilted at right side as if he is sleeping; and a knife, a handle of knife is peeping out from his chest, while the sharp blade of the knife has pierced in the left of his chest and took out his life!
And Meenakshi is lying unconscious on his feet...
INDEX:
|| INTRODUCTION ||
19th December, morning...
It was a bright sunny day in winter; a four-sitter Santo car entered into the main gate of the old but magnificent mansion of Singhs swishing off the reddish dry sandy dust of the path of the village. The old heritage house of Singh's is located in a perfect position... just the point where the village ends and the nature spreads her glorious treasure over the horizon, the Haveli of Singh's is standing like the monarch with all the old glory and shame imprinted on its each and every brick. History can tell a little about that glory or shame as Singh's were no one other than mere land-lords of little Madhubani village, a negligible locality in the map of the vast India on the lap of Sahyadri mountain, but for the people of this little place, the dwellers of this mansion are the writers of their destiny. From the British period to even till today!
However, the car passed through the path surrounded by garden and stopped in front of the main building. A young lady came out from the front door of the car. The younger members of the family, who were waiting near the door, ran towards her.
"Was this car your surprise Di?" Shivani, the youngest daughter of the family hugged her eldest sister. "You bought a car?"
"No darling!" The young and elegant lady put off the goggles from her eyes after hugging her sister and then pulled her cheeks. "The surprise package is even more excited for you!" She turned to her younger brother. "How the preparation is going on Maan?" She asked while ruffling his hairs.
Maan smiled only. He does not talk much without need.
"So at last you have come, Jodha! All are waiting for you from morning!" The mistress of the house, Mrs. Meenakshi Singh came out hearing the sound from outside. "You and your idea of coming by car! Really! You would reach 4-5 hours back if you would come in train! Who drove the car? You or any driver?"
"Maa..." Jodha touched her feet before hugging her. "You'll not understand the fun of long drive in a winter morning. Well, before you start rebuking me again, let me open the surprise package. Let me introduce you to my driver..."
The car was being parked near the parking lot meanwhile, Jodha called out addressing that- "Oho late-latif! How much time will you take to park a single car?"
The frontal door of the car had opened again after being parked properly, and the guy came out from driving seat, who casually was putting off his goggles and setting his silky hairs just after getting out, can never be assumed to be a driver! His proper choice of outfit, the branded sunglasses and the wristwatch peeping out from the hand of jacket, the smart and charming personality with a slight touch of authoritative gravity in his severely bright and handsome features of face, the style of standing and walking and especially the decent but very intelligent smile on lips with delicate touch of intellect in shining eyes tells clearly that he comes from a highly educated background, and is gifted with a very measured and methodical intelligence power along with high educational qualification. Passing through the popped glances of the young members, and while being scrutinized by the surprised glare of Meenakshi, he directly touched her feet.
"He is Jalal. Jalal Khan, IPS officer." Jodha was answering the question marks of her mother's eyes meanwhile. "Jalal is my friend... a very special friend..." While emphasizing much on the word special', she was keenly observing the slight change of expression on her face with thinking about the next step of persuading her in a very professional eye... Jodha Singh, the very famous criminal lawyer, who has already become headlines of newspapers for her exceptional perfection and efficiency in some very famous criminal cases in recent years, obviously took no time to read her mother's thoughts from her gestures.
"I heard a lot about you all, Aunty!" Meanwhile Jalal was active with his attractive smile and hearty style of talking. "I was really eager to meet you all... and of course to taste the world famous alu-paratha of your hand and heavenly hand-made laddu and halwa of Dadi's hand!" he chuckled. "But you know, our job is the strangest one among all, so it takes a lot of effort to manage only 4 days of holiday! But now at last I am here, I will not go before tasting all the cuisines made by all the expert chefs!"
"Jalal's brother and sister-in-law have left him alone and have gone to a long trip. So poor he is eating burnt roti of own hand every day and cursing his life and job... So I told him to come with me. I told him that he will never find such a combination of royal and rural India blended together along with the beauty of nature other than Madhubani... and of course the grand cuisines from our expert chefs of our home!"
"You are most welcome Beta..." Meenakshi now smiled brightly wiping out the strain of dilemma and tension of her face. "No more gossip here, get in first. All are waiting." She hurried. "Hari... get the luggage inside!"
"You are Shivani, and you are Maan. Right?" Jalal smiled to them.
"You know everything about us!" Shivani chuckled happily. "We too have heard a lot of you!" She whispered to him and Maan smiled delicately. Both were shocked to see Jodha's courage, but were happy too! One could never imagine that one day daredevil Jodha will even bring her Muslim boyfriend in her orthodox country-house without any notice, but after all she is Jodha- the only one who has broken the barrier of conservative rules of Singh family to live her life in her own choice. One cannot see in one glance that the beautiful lady of 28-29 in Yellow casual Tee-Shirt with black shrug and black jeans denim, who is now talking so heartily with the gardener boy, has the flame of fire inside!
"What will happen now Jiji? How will Jaithji react..."A middle-aged widow lady whispered behind Meenakshi. Perhaps her timid and dim presence had been completely covered by the elegance of heavenly beautiful Meenakshi . "Don't worry Nirmala! Maaji is there... Everything will be alright. Let them get in first." Meenakshi assured her. After pausing for a moment she continued. "I know he fears from Jodha. He will not get the courage which he did in..." her voice sank in her sigh. And they had to stop the discussion too, as Jodha had noticed her aunt's silent presence behind her mother. "Kaki! What have you done with your health? You don't take care for yourself at all! What's Sukanya doing??" She poured all her concern to her before introducing her to Jalal. "He is Jalal Khan. My friend and has come here to visit you all!" She said while Jalal took her blessings touching her feet. Nirmala smiled dull, yet heartily to Jalal. Her timid gestures, dull eyes and lack of rigidity in personality somehow stroke Jalal... She is the widow of the second son of the house- Mr. Sujamal Singh, but hardly matches with the status... she is extremely average, both in look and personality, and somehow dim behind very dignified Meenakshi.
However, Jalal's eyes kept on gazing at the vast chandelier hanging from the ceiling just when they were entering into the royally decorated drawing hall. The old heritage building really looks like an ancient prosperous palace inside! The door of entrance directs a passage to the drawing hall and the main residency; and at the right side of the passage there is a medium-size temple just opposite to the drawing room. The drawing hall itself is a sight! Jalal has not seen such beautifully furnished sofa ever! Must be from pure Mehagani tick of British period. Two people were sitting on the sofa, got up hearing them coming.
"I hadn't expected you at home now Bhagwant! It's so nice to see you." Jodha profoundly smiled to her cousin brother of almost her same age, but in reply he shrugged only. Bhagwant Singh, recalled by Jalal from the information given by Jodha, is the eldest son of the house though being the first son of the youngest brother of Jodha's father. Jodha and Bhagwant are of same age, though Bhagwant is married. His fabricated colouring shirt, the hairstyle and the weird earring and bracelet clearly tells his category! Jalal stretched his hand to shake hand with him out of courtesy, but he kept on staring at him with arrogant suspicious eyes making him uncomfortable. "So is he your FRIEND' Jodha?" Another taunting voice from a woman stung in ear. "Yes Mohini. She is Jalal Khan!" Jodha smiled to her as decently as possible. So she is Mohini Singh, wife of Bhagwant Singh. She may not be much beautiful, but hell attractive. Eyes bending in sarcastic taunt and the rigid built of chin clearly tells that she is not very ordinary woman by nature. "Khan!" She smirked with bent lips particularly emphasizing on the surname of Jalal! Intelligent Jodha changed the direction of talk. "You're looking tired, Mohini... Any special reason?"
"Jodhaaa!!!" Before Mohini could answer, a woman from inside, with all kinds of precious ornament adorned and a heavy Shari wrapping her floppy figure ran to the drawing and almost threw her fat body on her. "How are you my dear? I was so worried for you..." Her voice and caricature was so funny and the melodrama was so overacted that Jalal had a tough time to control his laughter. "Chhoti Kaki! You have become slimmer!!" Jodha chuckled while maintaining her balance. "And wow! You're just marvelous! I mean how you kept your beauty intact in these long years?"
"Oh! You too..." She acted to blush, and her eyes fell on Jalal then, and the expression in eyes readily changed. "She is Radhika Kaki Jalal, my chhoti kaki. And Kaki, he is Jalal Khan; my friend."
"Friend! Friend means?" She almost shouted with shock and disgust in voice, but was calmed down readily just by a glare of Meenakshi. "Great! If only you could choose from your religion and cast! Jiji you have literally spoilt Jodha with your over-pampering!" She sighed sadly. Jalal was about to touch her feet, and she jumped as if she is getting electric shock. "It's ok beta it's ok. You people touch feet of elder's too kya?"
"What is the different of we' people and you' people aunty!" Jalal smiled and was about to start a speech on religion and humanity; but Jodha and Meenakshi started together... "First let's meet Daadi and Papa... baaki baatein baadme."
A staircase has gone to the 1st floor of the mansion from the middle of the drawing hall. The other rooms of the house are spread here and there in a series right on the vast area of ground floor. Jodha and her mother stopped near one of them and knocked. "Come in...!" An old voice came from inside. Jodha pushed the door and almost jumped on the aged woman's chest. "Dadi... My cutie pie Dadi!" She started in a cuddling voice with it shocked Jalal as he can never imagine that Jodha can speak this way too! Perhaps that shock distracted him for a moment, and he got back in sense hearing the voice of the old grandma again. "It seems your friend is not interested to meet this oldie, Jodha!"
Jalal held his tongue out and touched her feet to get blessings. The very elegant and majestically beautiful lady of late 70's, with eyes drowned in affection keenly observed Jalal's face from closer, then commented- "Hmm. My granddaughter's choice is not that bad it seems! What do you do Beta?"
"I am in Police Dadi." Jalal smiled. "In intelligence department..."
"Police! Working with gun, blood and criminals day and night? Very good!" She chuckled. "Though I had a concept that a police and a lawyer can never be friends; how you both made this possible?"
Her words had a gentle touch of amusement which pleasured them. "It's not that tough Dadi." Jalal smiled. "My father too was a lawyer. Though he could not get to see me in my uniform..."
"Oh dear!" Dadi's voice melted in sympathy. "And your mother?"
"She too..." Jalal's delightful voice had suddenly touched by a gloomy cloud. "Both of them passed away together in an accident years ago... Most probably the same year I appeared for ICS! That's why..." he smiled very charmingly. "I am too much greedy about mothers. How could I miss the chance of meeting so many mothers of this house?" He touched her hand. "I live with my brother and sister-in-law. Brother is a busy doctor, and sis-in-law is a busy professor... 3 of us, despite our very hectic schedule, make a very happy family, but somehow, our family misses a mother... Of-course the magic of taste created in an ordinary dish made in mother's hand can never be compensated with delicious Chinese, Italian , Russian recipes!"
"I understood!" Dadi laughed. "Now go and get fresh, I will feed you pure desi food made in pure desi dadimaa's hand!" She looked at Jodha. "I am liking my Grandson-in-law very much. You have passed with flying colours hence!"
Jodha's cheek shone in blush while Meenakhsi's eyes filled with a cloud of weary and fear. She looked at Dadi's eyes meaningfully, and it seemed Dadi also caught what she was trying to say and the shadow of tension spread into her eyes also... "Have you met your father Jodha?" She asked Jodha, with a gloomy tune touching the normal charm in her voice... "Not yet. Will go to him now..."Jodha replied, and her voice was firm.
Just when they were going to get out of the room, a boy of 20-21 years, with cheap quality yet designing cloths and weird hairstyle stormed inside. "Here are all your medicines of one month, Badi- Ranisa... I have bought all as per the list you gave me..." He declared in a very jolly way. "He is Neelu, the jobless son of our old maid Sabitri. He is there for all the part-time jobs of this house." Jodha whispered to Jalal to answer his curious glance.
A grand staircase has reached upwards to the 1st floor of the palace right from the middle of the lounge. The head of this family, the owner of this house and the crownless king of this entire village, Mr. Bharmal Singh lives there. Jodha's father, as described by her, is a terrific hardcore, head-strong, arrogant and angry rock-hard personality, who can do anything for own benefit! The whole family fears from him, whole family wants to get rid of his strangulating autocracy, but none dares to go against him... of course like always Jodha was an exception... she was bright and careerist from childhood, and when it came to choose between her career and family she easily goodbye the family behind and came Mumbai, struggled alone to study criminal law ignoring the red glares of his father... It seems Jodha's father is not that much concern about daughter's life as he cared a least about her further, but he was definitely insulted. After a long long trial from Jodha's grandmother and mother, the rock hard ice has melted a little now after almost 7-8 years, nowadays Jodha comes home to meet her grandmother and siblings once or twice per year and she has regular connection with her family via phone and social networking sites, but the cold-war between the father and the daughter is still continuing like the first day. Where father treats daughter as a mere stranger or at least as a guest, daughter cares him as much as a non-identity. For this nonchalant, carefree attitude of Jodha Mr. Singh actually does fear from her, and she knows it.
"Hey Sukanya..." jodha suddenly called out pointing a girl who was coming down from stairs unmindfully in a very slow pace... With Jodha's voice she looked up, and Jalal can guarantee that he has never seen such a gloomy, melancholic and depressed face in such a tender age in his whole career. The girl Sukanya, daughter of Nirmala and Sujamal, Jodha's cousin, is not more than 23-24 by age... she is beautiful, and surely will look irresistibly beautiful is she puts off the cloud of sadness her face and smile a little, but the dark patches under eyes, the colourlessness of face and overall the gray shadow of gloom surrounding her is reducing the natural beauty of her. She is neither as graceful as Meenakshi or Jodha, nor is she as ignorable and average like her mother. Her face is pictured delicately with the right proportion of the innocence from her mother's face along with the firmness of her grandmother's appearance. "Sukanya? How are you? Everything alright?" Jodha touched her chin affectionately but she could hardly smile. Helplessly she looked at Meenakshi who was behind them and suddenly lowered her eyes after their eyes met. "Sukanya, he is Jalal. My friend..." Jodha tried to introduce Sukanya to Jalal, but she gave the most unexpected response. She stared at Jalal's smiling face vacantly for a while and then ran away suddenly in a weird way...
"What has happened to Sukanya?" Jodha asked her mother whose eyes were closed due to helplessness. "I will tell you later." She said.
The first floor of the house is even more grandly architected, decorated with valueless antic paintings, sculptures and stuffed heads of wild animals... furnished and maintained more royally than the ground floor. The overall aura of the corridor gives a feel of visiting a great royal castle... as if someone has pasted a little instance of that old glorious era in this 21st century... Jalal was a bit surprised- how do these people maintain such a luxurious mansion in today's age? Do the Singhs still possess the same riches and properties as before?
The rooms are situated here surrounding the whole corridor, in a series one after another. Meenakshi stopped in front of one room and knocked. "Come in..." A husky and regal voice came out. Meenakshi opened the door and got in with Jodha and Jalal behind her.
An aged man of nearly 60 is sitting on the armchair, and another man, nearly of 52-53, looks like his brother was standing in front of him with a bunch of papers in hand. He must be Jaymal Singh, Jodha's youngest uncle and father of Bhagwant... thought Jalal. He has some resemblance with Bhagwant, but his personality has a tremendous shortage of the grace that a man of an aristocratic birth should have. But his eyes say clearly that he is a very cunning person, and his brain always work in a twisted way.
The man sitting on the armchair is surely Mr. Bharmal Singh. At one glance there is only a single definition of his personality- regal, imperious, aristocratic and vicious... He is much elder than Meenakshi in age, tall, stout, strongly built and very less gray hairs covering the bald head... his eyes have some strange charm which attracts and distracts at the same time... With the same authoritarian look he kept on piercing Jalal's eyes, and in a worth majestic voice uttered... "I had said that I am busy now. How do you dare me to disturb, Meenakshi?"
"Jodha has come... so..." Meenakshi gulped.
"So?" Mr. Singh shouted enough to stop the heartbeat for a second.
"Nothing Papa..." Jodha smiled and touched his feet casually. "Still in this house everyone believes they first need a permission from the lord of the house to welcome a guest of their daughter. So Maa has come to seek your permission."
"This rule is not applicable of you Jodha. You never had needed my allowance to get the access inside my house. All thanks to your grandmother." Bharmal Singh sneered. "And when she has already decided to use this house as a guesthouse, you can bring any guest along with you and that is final; why to disturb me?"
"I come in my house Papa, not in any guesthouse. And only for this reason I do care to meet you after reaching!" Jodha smiled in a curt way. "However..." She cared a damn to his father's attitude and pulled Jalal's hand. "Meet him. He is Jalal Khan, my friend. Actually not friend, more than a friend, and we have decided to marry each-other."
Very obviously suddenly someone dropped the curtain of silence in the room. All were staring at Jodha's face with shocked eyes... Even Jalal felt shameful in front of this sudden act of Jodha... he had planned to pursue everyone very coolly in DDLJ style but this Jodha ruined everything! Though everyone knows... Jodha is like this only!
"Ra...Ra...Rajasahab..."
The low voice, chocked due to suffering from cough and cold and a bad sore throat helped the room to be back in normal. Jalal looked at the source of the voice. A young man has appeared in front of the door of the attached office-room with a file in his hand. He is in his early 30, going by his face, in an ordinary and sober get-up he looks quite a nice gentleman. The person seems nervous type and also quite disturbed going by the involuntary movements of his facial muscles... from a little glance Jalal could read the hidden turbulence going on inside him, and this detection does not need any special observation skill. He coughed and gulped twice or thrice again which looked more to free his mental turmoil than to clear his bad throat.
"Yes, Surya!" Mr. Singh looked at him. "Your work is complete?"
"Yes... but... Rajasahab... I..." Poor Surya's voice choked again due to the congestion.
"You may wait Surya. I am talking on an important matter with my family... so where was I?" Mr. Singh harshly dismissed him, though he did not go off but stood at the side almost becoming negligible in the small crowd in the room. "Yeah Jodha... So you have decided whom you're going to marry?" His voice had touched a controlled rage, but that was not as violent as it was supposed to be, rather it was more like a businessman who is trying to measure his opponent in front of him.
"How dare you, Jodha!" The other male of the room, Jodha's uncle shouted in fury, and that fury was mostly to entertain his brother. "You did not shame to announce this in front of us that..."
"Jaymal..." Mr. Bharmal Singh raised a hand to stop him and looked at Jodha. "I am waiting for an answer Jodha."
"Yes Papa. We both have decided, so just came here to meet him with you all." Jodha cleared out without any dilemma in her voice. Jalal looked at her mother at a glance. In seemed she took a long breath due to excitement.
"If you think thus ends your responsibility towards your family then you're free to think this Jodha... But a father's responsibility does not end here, at least not for me!" Mr. Bharmal put a strange cunning smile which looked quite odd with the situation, then got up from the chair and stood in front of Jalal. "So, you're Jalal Khan! ACP Jalal Khan..."
"Nice to meet you Mr. Singh..." At this particular moment Jalal became too much professional and formal with this man by shaking his hands as the situation and this very personality demands it.
"ACP Jalal Khan, Intelligence department, Mumbai..." The aged man was recalling one by one. "Weren't you the one who had come on Times' headline for catching the woman-trafficking-Racket of Biwandi?"
"Yes. I noticed your habit of reading Times just after entering the room..." Jalal pointed towards the papers lying on the nearby study-table. "And you have a habit of paper-cutting too... You collect the important headlines from newspaper."
"Only those who are related to my work, young man." Mr. Singh smiled and patted on his shoulder. "Brave and honest young police officer... our nation needs the youth like you nowadays!"
"There was another article on Times... how the young lady advocate has become a face of justice in the crimes against women..." Jalal smiled. "You must have read that too, Mr. Singh!"
"Indeed! Jodha is doing well in her profession, and we all want her prosperity." Bharmal Singh laughed, "No matter what she thinks about me, I am always concerned about her well-being. After all I am not that type of filmy autocratic orthodox father that she thinks of me." He looked at Jodha who was still in a don't care' attitude, and then sat back on the chair.
"Are you ready to take the responsibility of my daughter, young man?" He questioned with an easy smile.
"Your daughter is efficient enough to take her own responsibility, she doesn't need me for that at all," Jalal laughed gently... "But yeah, I am ready to spend my entire life with her; as she said, we have decided to marry and all it needs is your blessings!"
"Nice. Indeed one should get the blessings from elders before starting anything new! It's very much needed, I think!"
The aged man ran his eyes from Jalal's head to toe for a moment just like an experienced trader dealing with his commodities. It was uncomfortable for Jalal, as he does not at all like to be observed like this, but more than that he was surprised that he was unable to match this man's reactions with Jodha's descriptions. Meenakshi was wondering the same it seems, as, when she talked after a while, her voice still had that hangover of shock.
"So... Should I... I mean should I open the guest-room..." she stammered.
"Oh! Obviously..." Mr. Bharmal Singh laughed profoundly. "In fact we all will be very much glad to have this brave young man with us for some days, isn't it Jaymal?" He looked at his brother who was looking to him vacantly, and then went on. "You are most welcome in our house, ACP Khan... You have come to seek blessings, but I think it won't hurt you if I want to bear some duties and responsibilities of a father regarding your decision? Jodha is my only daughter, and as a father I am bound to give something much more than blessings..."
"You're embarrassing me by saying these, Mr. Singh!" Jalal smiled, which made the smile of Bharmal's face even brighter. "I hope you are in leave for 3 days minimum? We have a ceremony day after tomorrow... the engagement ceremony of my niece. I will heartily wait for your presence there... And then will finalize everything with you regarding your proposal. So..." He looked and Jaymal and signed something before addressing Meenakshi. "Take care of him... You both go and rest, Meeting you today evening."
Before getting off from the room, Jalal's eyes had fallen on the man standing right at the side of the door... the man who has a bad throat and a disturbed thought, was staring at him in an intense, vacant glare with a strange grievance and pain in those wordless eyes... strange...very strange...
"Surya... You were to tell me something?" Mr. Bharmal called him in, and Jalal clearly watched his eyes to shiver... And then they got out of the room...
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"Your father is not that much demonic that I had imagined..." Jalal commented to Jodha when he got her alone after the lunch. "How coolly he accepted our relationship."
"Yes, it's strange that he didn't protest." Jodha uttered unmindfully, but smiled then... "Though I knew it that he is least bothered about the religions and castes and all, as Maa and others had imagined... all he knows is the profit and loss of his business but still! Even when he has dismissed Sukanya's lover as he was a poor vagabond and has fixed Sukanya's marriage like a serious orthodox guardian, this open-hearted liberty, that too with a daughter like me, can't be so simple... I am sure there is some story behind it..."
"Let it be there..." Jalal pulled Jodha's hand closer. "Main thing is, at last permission is granted. Welcome to my life, darling!"
"Stop your drama..." Jodha giggled. "And say, how is Madhubani, and my house?"
"To be honest, I am suffering from inferiority complex!" Jalal laughed. "I mean, you are really a princess of a castle! It's feeling like someone has made me a king for one night stand... remember Sindbad's stories?"
"O really?" Jodha ruffled his hairs with gentle amusement. "And, whom do you like the most in my family?"
"Your Dadimaa of course..." Jalal smiled. "Such an elegant lady! And your mother too... So affectionate and queenly at the same time...She is magnificently beautiful too!" He looked at her face with the habituated mesmerisation. "Now I know, from where you got such beauty!"
"Your guess is wrong Mr. Detective!" Jodha smiled this time a bit sadly. "Maa is not my birth-mother. She is my father's second wife. My mother passed away when I was a kid."
Jalal did not know what to say after this. They are dating from 2 years, and Jodha did never tell him anything about this. To answer Jalal's unspoken question, Jodha smiled again. "She never has let me feel the vacancy of my own mother... I don't remember my mother now, for me the place of my mother is completely occupied by Maa!"
"Now I understand why there is such a vast difference of ages between your Mother and Father." Jalal told unmindfully. "But your Maa has a surprising resemblance with you."
"Yeah, because she was my mother's distant cousin sister..." Jodha told.
"O, I see." Jalal said. "By the way, I forgot to ask... Who was the gentleman named Surya in your father's room... I mean he who has a sore throat?"
It seemed jodha paused a little before answering. "My father's secretary and manager..." She told then.
"I guessed so." Jalal told. "He was looking at me quite strangely when we were talking about our marriage. Peculiar!"
"Maybe!" A deep frown suddenly appeared on Jodha's brows, signaling her deep thoughts of heart!
Originally posted by: sashashyam
My dear Debastuti,I wish you a lot of fun with this one, my dear, and plenty of admiring readers, but I simply do not have the energy to stay with it and comment on it, given the situation I am in these days. It will be all I can do to keep up with your Chandra Nandini FF. I am sure you will understand!Shyamala Aunty
Originally posted by: -Felicity-
No comments before 17th...😉
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