Aryan and Siya too left while I stayed back so that I could spend some time with her. Our this routine continued for a week. I stayed back with dadi and Riddhima at her place while Aryan and Angre used to visit once a day while Siya whenever possible. I started working from home and Angre made everything possible for me and they both managed in the office. In this week the other 2 bastards too were caught and were in remand until the 1st hearing of the case and cops visited her thrice in this week and this has created a chaotic environment in the building. All the gossip women were engaged in acquiring the reason behind the arrival of police. But who bothered, Riddhima was getting well but still she doesn’t talk to us trio boys and we are hell-bent to irritate her the most by our blabbering. Riddhima started walking and dadi used to take her for a walk around the building regularly in the evening.
That day wasn’t different, I was in the guest room going through a presentation going in my office when I heard some chaos from the ground floor. Curious and afraid of Riddhima I reached to find many women and men surrounding something or someone and speaking or almost accusing someone. My eyes were searching for Riddhima when my ears heard something which made my legs to stop in their tracks
Women 1: This is a respectful society and police coming here frequently is a shame
Women 2: Absolutely, first of all, I asked the president of the society and even Pathakji to not give the house to such a characterless woman but none heard me
Men 1: I spoke to the president and he isn’t understanding the gravity of the situation.
Women 1: How can we let such characterless women in our society!! This is going to impact our prestige and our kids too
Men 2: When I spoke to the president in the morning he was asking me what proof do I have to prove her character isn’t fit to stay in our society!
Women 3: Arrey what else is needed when we clearly know that her husband left her and now she comes home after 3 weeks with 3 men and with that police frequently visit her. What else is needed to prove her low character
That’s it I understood who they were pointing fingers at, clenching my fist I rushed towards Riddhima and saw her crying over dadi’s shoulders while dadi was trying to get off the crowd but they being adamant weren’t even moving and were blocking their way. I ran to Riddhima and stood in front of her as her shield and glared all with volcanoes in my eyes. Over my shoulder I saw Riddhima staring at me as if she got her savior but how do I tell her I want to be the one for sure forever in her this life and upcoming births too.
Men 1: See here comes one of her lovers
I grit my teeth listening to their lure comments
Women 3: Not only him look behind, but there also comes the other 2 too
I turned to see Aryan and Angre coming with frowns on their faces and were wondering what the hell was happening
Aryan: Bhai, dadi what happened?
Angre: Why are you trio here and they? What’s happening? And Riddhima…. (concerned) Riddhima are you okay? Why are you crying?
Aryan: Is it hurting somewhere (worried)? Shall I call the doc?
Dadi: Kids she isn’t hurt physically but yes (looking around) definitely hurt mentally
Angre: Dadi what do you mean? (Confused)
Me (sarcasm): I’ll tell you Angre…. You know what!!! This is a high prestige society and they live for their respect here. Every individual living here is a self–obsessed person who lives only for respect and one woman oops it’s actually one characterless woman here who is degrading their society. So, they all are here to abuse the women. That woman who is divorced and being a divorcee, she doesn’t deserve to live, a woman who met with an accident and was in the hospital for 3 weeks with 2 weeks in a coma doesn’t deserve to live, a woman who has a family with a dadi, a sister, 2 brothers, and a friend doesn’t deserve to live, women for who’s statement cops come to meet her doesn’t deserve to live. ISN’T IT!!!! (shout)
Angre (clinching his jaws): What the hell!!!! Who spoke of Riddhima here! Bhai I swear they’ll not see tomorrow’s sunrise
Aryan: Who the hell are you to judge my sister? Who gave you the right to do so? Are you her well-wishers? Are you anywhere related to her? Are you her family? Or are you her friends??? Who the heck are you to question her and point your filthy fingers at her? (angry)
Me: Enough now!!! Riddhima isn’t going to stay between these people who’d question her character even if she roams around with her brothers. A society that doesn’t know how to behave with a pale woman doesn’t deserve my Riddhima to stay there. (To Riddhima) Riddhima you wanted to stay here and we respected it and came here but after all that happened today, I don’t think you have to stay here where you won’t receive any love or well-wishes but just taunts and back b*t*hing. You are shifting to VR Mansion now, and are going to stay there. And am not going to hear a NO, not at any cost.
Me: And you all… what do you think of yourself by pointing your fingers at her? Do you consider yourself some saints that’d point mistakes of others? And what wrong did she do? She met with an accident, is it her fault? Her marriage didn’t work out is it her fault? She is independent and is earning for herself, is it her fault? She isn’t back b*t*hing about anyone like you all do. She is living for herself, not bothering about who’s thinking of her or who’s gossiping about her. Being a divorcee, being a victim, being an independent woman doesn’t give any right to the so-called society to point a finger at her character. She doesn’t have any necessity to prove herself to mean people like you all. At the same time, you don’t have the right to comment on her life and judge her character by your own theories. And coming to the respect of society then let me put my view, where’s Mrs. Sinha (searching) there you go… so, Mrs. Sinha where’s the respect of the society when your husband an alcoholic returns home late at night and bangs random doors in alcoholic effect and disturbs the sleep of the neighbors? Then didn’t you think of the respect of the society where you are living? Mr. Singh, didn’t your wife leave you because of your violent nature? So, what are you supposed to be called? Even you are a divorcee or should I say you were in jail for a month over domestic violence charges levied by your wife then how come you are living in this society? As per what I heard a few minutes back then a divorcee is treated as a characterless person then how come you are still living in this society when you are a criminal as you have even stayed in jail? Doesn’t it affect the respect of the society? And where’s our great Mrs. Iyengar who was thinking of the welfare of kids (searching). There… found you…. So, Mrs. Iyengar, as per you a woman who’s divorced doesn’t deserve to live in a respectful society like this right, varna kids would be spoiled. Yea, it reminded me of your son and daughter, they are twins right, 2 years back, they were caught in a scandal right, which scandal it was (thinking) yes, it was a DRUG SCANDAL. At the age of 14 years, they were partying and when cops raided the pub, they caught them taking drugs. And your daughter who’s still 16 years, has many boyfriends and in fact, daily a new boy comes to drop her home and your son isn’t home for days and at times weeks bossing around and partying around in different pubs and clubs. So, when your kids are already spoiled, then how can a single woman change or affect them? Are they not spoiling the kids of the society by their antics? As per my sources, every kid who’s above 14 are into drugs, partying, s*x, etc… when they never affected the reputation of the society how can a mere independent women affect it? In fact, she is giving a pure message to the society that a woman is married, divorced, widow, or whatever she is, if needed she can stand for herself and be an independent woman, which she is, and today we all proudly say that we are her family for what she is, she is a fighter and we are lucky to have her in our family.
None dared to speak while I turned to see Riddhima with tears in her eyes, those tears weren’t of pain, guilt, or the b*t*hing but they had some emotions in them as if … it’s like she found someone who’d stay by her when even the whole world is against her. I had no wish than giving a peaceful life to her and for that, she has to move out of that place which suffocates her by taunting and giving names.
Me: Angre,
Angre: Yes bhai
Me: I need to meet the owner of this society now. I want him in front of me within 10 minutes. Any idea what’s his name?
Angre: Will be done bhai and he is Pathak
Me: Can you arrange 2 chairs for dadi and Riddhima and some water for her
Angre: Sure bhai, just give me a moment
In a flash of a moment, he was back with water and chairs, as the ladies sat, dadi helped Riddhima to wash her face and drink some water.
Me: Aryan, go to the house and pack all her stuff, and ours too. We are leaving for VR Mansion. Inform the servants and Siya about our arrival.
Aryan: Okay Bhai
Me: Angre, make sure none in this crowd would move from here until I want to
Angre: Guards…
Guards came and they surrounded the gossip gathering making sure none would leave as I wanted to show them what’s it is to mess with my Riddhima, what’s it to hurt her! Aryan left to pack everything while Angre was on the work of calling the Owner of the society. After few minutes, the owner was here panting and sweating, seeing which I smirked
Owner (Pathak): Sir, you called me! What happened! Did I do anything?
Me: I don’t want to beat around the bush so coming straight to the point, I want to buy this society, tell me the cost
Everyone there including Riddhima gasped hearing to my demand. The residents were murmuring among themselves for which I rolled my eyes.
Pathak: But VR…. (worried)
Me: Look, am not interested in stretching this topic. I need this society on the name I want and I need your decision in 2mins.
Pathak: Sir, how can you ask suddenly!! I need to think
Me: You have 2 mins that’s it
I saw him murmuring something under his breath, and I was sure he was accusing or badmouthing me, but that doesn’t affect me. Nothing is important than Riddhima’s respect. I saw everyone b*t*hing around and giving me glares while my focus was on Riddhima who laid her head on dadi’s shoulder while she was caressing her with love. I understood she might be exhausted from all that happened and even the medicines she’s still consuming are making her tired without her indeed doing anything. I wonder how dadi and Riddhima bonded well in a very short span of time. Riddhima speaks to only her and at times she requests dadi to sleep with her fear of night, as that reminds her of that tragic night. She isn’t purely off that incident. She still has nightmares that disturb her sleep. In this whole month, she didn’t speak of her ex-husband and her family. I always wondered how come none contacted her. And even she didn’t speak of them, how can her parents not contact her! Maybe they aren’t aware of what happened with her but still, a parent calls every hour or at least once a day to know about their child’s whereabouts but how come they didn’t call the whole month!! I understood she’s definitely hiding something in fact much more as she didn’t open thoroughly. In this week I got to know that her parents used to live in Delhi until Riddhima’s wedding but soon they vacated the place and without informing anyone they moved off the city but their present whereabouts are still a mystery.
I saw Pathak still sitting and thinking, rolling my eyes
Me: So, your time is over. Did you decide the cost?
Pathak: I….ac….t…I actually
Me (irritated): Oh, cut the crap!!!
Me: Angre!!!
I gave him a look which he understood and bought my checkbook and handed it to me, taking which, I signed a blank cheque and gave it to Pathak who was giving me curious glares
Me: This is a blank cheque and fill the amount you need and yes, before taking the cheque sign this document of transferring the property in Riddhima’s name.
Listening to which Riddhima gave a sharp glare unable to understand what I was intending to do, ignoring her glares, I gave the documents to Pathak who signed it with the greed of money, rolling my eyes I went through every clause and handed the papers to Angre who preserved it. After all, those cunning people dared to talk ill about my Riddhima and they expect me to leave them to their fate!! (smirk) NOO!!!! They have to pay for this and their punishment would be given by me. All this while Riddhima was glaring at me trying to digest what just happened, though I can feel her glares on me, I didn’t intend to see her as that’d make me fall weak and in this state, I can be anything but not weak. I have to give her culprits the punishment they deserve.
Me (taking a long breath): Angre…. I need everyone here to vacate their houses in a week
I heard many gasps followed by shouts of many residents, ignoring them I spoke to Angre giving him instructions of what I was expecting
Women 1: You… you can’t do this to us
Men 1: This is our house; you can’t force us to vacate it
Women 2: How can you do this to us…. What did we do such a grave mistake that you’d throw us out of our own homes!!!
Women 3: It’s our property and none can throw us without any proper prior intimation