Chapter 5

One week later

    Devyani was discharged from hospital one day before. Arnav didnot get any chance to sit and have a conversation with his Di and Akash. They were busy with the hospital and their work. His Di seems to be very busy. But what confused him was her late night phone calls. He saw her talking to someone sitting by the poolside after midnight. To whom she was talking? was it Shyam? Everythings seems to be puzzle for him. 

     He went to Laxmi Nagar on the very next day of his arrival. Gupta house was locked.  From Happy Singh he came to know that Gupta's relocated to Lucknow before 3 years. Of course.. How can he expect them to stay here facing the humiliation? How tough it might have been for them to face the society? How can he do that to her? 

    When he came back to Shantivan he saw Akash, NK and Di were discussing about someone's flight. when they saw him coming they immediately stopped the discussion.. Who was coming?  What the hell is happening here? Akash and Payal were cold towards him. They avoided communicating with his unless it is unavoidable. His Di talked to him normally but he sensed her avoiding the conversation. 

Today when he came down to living room, he saw Akash and NK discussing about something. He stopped before walking down the stairs when heard a part of their conversation.

" Her flight landed already. I just talked to Vivek. He is waiting outside for her to finish immigration."

"So what's her plan for two months?"

" I did not ask in detail. She will be staying with Veena Aunty for one week. Then will be going to Lucknow. That's what Payal told me. By then Nani will be better and Payal can also leave for Lucknow. " 

Last one week he tried to get answers from everyone , but everyone was avoiding the conversation. Now he cannot wait anymore. he wanted answers.. with determination he walked towards his Di's room. His sister opened the door after his 3rd knock.

" Come inside chote"

"Di... What is going on?"

"First you come inside.. we will sit and talk in detail."

    He went inside and sat on the sofa. Anjali closed the door and sat on the recliner facing him directly. Her face was calm. She knows this conversation cannot be avoided anymore.

"What do you want to know chote?" 

"Where is Shyam?"

"He is in Jail... And I am no longer married to him" Anjali's said casually.

In the past week he understood that Anjali and Shyam are no longer together. But he was in jail? 

" Jail? Kyun?" He asked

"Multiple charges.. For killing my unborn daughter, for trying to murder Payal's Babuji and me,  for kidnapping you.. the list goes on.."

Anjali saw Arnav's face turning pale. He sat there frozen. 

"Why.. why no one informed me about all these?" his voice a was mere whisper.

"It happened after few weeks of your departure chote.. he installed hidden cameras in every corner of Shantivan to observe everyone. And that camera caught him exchanging my medicines with the abortion pills and making me fall from the stairs. I got the video file from his laptop and handed over to police. And he was arrested. He is sentenced to life time imprisonment. " 

Arnav watched his Di in shock as she fed him the details. How his Di came in terms with the reality of her husband? How she managed to get a divorce? 

" Itna sab ho gaya.. Kisi ne mujhe batana Zaroori nahi samjha Di? Did you all write me off from the family?"  

Her brother was hurt beyond words can explain. She can see that. She stood infront of him and cupped his face. Immediately Arnav hugged her and started sobbing. 

Anjali was angry with her brother. But after seeing him broken she cannot hold herself back. 

"I was very angry with you chote, not only me ,  everyone...  But that doesn't mean we all wrote you off from our lives. You left everyone and went away.. Not even bothered to talk to anyone about your decision. After that everything has changed. Payal and Akash shifted to Lucknow, I started working, Nani, mami and Mama were on pilgrimage most of the time. Everyone was trying to move forward in their own way. But we all were worried about you. I was in touch with Lavanya. She kept me updated about your whereabouts. But I never asked you about it directly because I felt we all deserve this, deserve this pain for ruining an innocent girl's life"

Arnav hugged her more tightly and sobbed. She caressed his head and let him cry. 

"I am a monster Di.. How can I do that to her? How can I do this to everyone? I am too damaged Di.. I am not capable of loving her freely.. But I realized later it doesn't matter if her Aunt was the other women, she has nothing to do with that.  But it was late and I didno have the courage to go to her and asking for one more chance.. I donot deserve her di ..." 

"It is all in past now chote.. We cannot change it... What we can do is not to repeat the same mistakes again.. No need to talk about it anymore.. "

"How did you take Shyam's truth Di?, I failed as a brother for not being there for you when it happened.."

"No Chote you didnt fail me.. It was my mistake for not believing you when you all tried to show me his real face. I blindly trusted him. It was not easy for me.. But everyone helped me to overcome it and embrace a new life.  It is good that it happened otherwise I would have wasted my entire life with that monster."

She wiped his tears with her saree pallu and continued.. " Now look at me chote .. I have moved on.. I am no longer grieving for that cheater. I found myself  and I am happy.."

    He looked at his sister with pride. Yes.. She has moved on.. He can see a strong independent woman in her. he wanted to ask about her late night calls but decided against it. This much revelation was too much for him to process.He felt she purposely avoided detailed explanation. She just gave him an outline of what happened with Shyam. There are more to the story and he need to find out. But right now he don't want to make her sad by asking about the painful past.

Hari Prakash knocked the door.

"Kya hua Hari Prakash ji?" Anjali asked

"Woh Vijay Sir has come didi. " 

"Ok I will be down in 15 minutes" 

Arnav looked at her with questioning eyes.

"We have a meeting in Agra, He came to pick me up. I will be back in 3 hours. You please have food and relax we will talk later."

" Vijay is your Boss?" Arnav asked.

"Yes and a friend too.. His younger brother Vivek and Akash are close friends. "  Anjali replied while taking a file from her cupboard. She did not want her brother to get another shock knowing about her relationship with Vijay. She can talk to him later about it. She placed a kiss on his temple.

"Remember one thing always Chote... We might be angry at you but your family loves you. And we were here only waiting for you to come back. It was you who left everyone, we did not leave you. No one can take your place in our family. you are always my chote." 

With that she left the room taking her laptop bag and file. When Anjali came down he did not see Vijay anywhere. 

"He is in Nani's room" Told NK who was sitting on the couch. She nodded and turned to go to Nani's room. Same time she saw Vijay coming back to the living room.

"Hi.." She greeted him with a smile which was returned with a broad one.

"Chale.. we are getting late" 

Anjali nodded and waved at NK. He took the laptop bag and file from Anjali and walked towards the door. Anjali quietly followed him. 

    Arnav stood upstairs watching them. The exchange between them was not like an employer and employee. He knew Vijay as a business man. But he did not know him personally. Was it Vijay with whom Di was talking in late hours of night? In that case he need to make sure Vijay doesn't turn up like Shyam. He was not going to repeat the same mistake he did with Shyam. He quickly dialed Aman's number.

"Aman, I need full details about Vijay Verma at the earliest "

"Ok ASR, I will get back to you within 24 hrs" 

 Arnav hang up the call and went to his room.

" Vijay where are we going? this is not the way to their office" Anjali asked him confused.

"We are going home Anjali, I told them I will be joining them in a video call ."

"What about the files?"

"I will send it through the driver today evening. Don't worry."

"Why you did not inform me?" 

"well.. I told you now right.. And this meeting was an excuse to bring you out of your house. otherwise you wouldn't have come with me leaving your beloved Chote" 

He chuckled. She smiled hearing his reply.

"He is here after 3 years Vijay. And I terribly missed him. But that doesn't mean that I did not miss you last week" 

"Acha.. Thank you for enlightening me finally. Did you tell him about us?"

"No... But I will tell after sometime.. " 

He parked the car and took the elevator to his apartment. He opened the door and let Anjali inside. He locked the door and took Anjali in a bone crushing hug.

"I missed you so much Anjali..." He whispered against the crook of her neck and roamed his hands all over her body.

"I missed you too Vijay.." She closed her eyes and hugged him back tightly.

He cupped her face and took her mouth for a kiss. They fought with each other for dominance. He roamed his hands through the exposed skin of her waist and made way towards her breasts. She moaned inside his mouth and pulled him closer. they parted for air and rested their heads against each other panting heavily. He gently picked her in his arms and walked towards the bedroom.

He placed her on the bed and closed the bedroom door. 

" Remove the saree quickily .. I don't want to tear it  like last time" 

She removed the saree quickly and left it on the carpet meanwhile he undressed himself and sat on the bed. Anjali slowly walked towards him naked. He extended his hand to her silently. She took his hands and went to him. Both of them were dripping with desire.

She boldly lied over him bringing her full length naked body in contact with his equally naked one. Both of them felt electrified feeling the skin to skin contact after one week of separation.

He suddenly pinned her down and started feeling her hungrily with his hands. Later he replaced his hands with his mouth. He entered her with a swift motion earning a moan from her. She matched with his stokes. Finally they looked straight into each others eyes after recovering from the earth shattering climax. 

"Now I am home"  He whispered while pulling her close to chest.

Love,

ST