Anika understood from the voice that who the person was. so, she without turning said while the rest looked back at the person who just said the last sentence. Anika without turning said.
A: and why do you think that I will listen to whatever you tell? (turning to the person) haan mr. sahil Chaturvedi…
Sahil (Sa): that’s because I know my jiju is innocent… and you don’t need to get so mad at him as this time anika didi you are equally at fault.
A: what… (confused) what did I do now?
Sa: what did you do? Now if you want me to explain everything then I will help you with that too. Didi while you were leaving I was asking you again and again what had happened but you didn’t tell a word. I mean if you had even told me then the matter would have not extended till this extent.
P: (interfering in between) sahil stop it… is this the way you talk with your didi?
Sa: I am sorry pankhuri didi… I am sorry anika didi.
A: well one minute how do you know that shivay is innocent… and what are you doing here? You must be at your school hostel right.
O: haan voh bhabhi… he is having holidays for few days and once when we went to meet him he told that he was getting bored by staying in the hostel. So, we thought to bring him over here.
A: okay but why didn’t chanda inform me.
Sa: arre leave it na anika didi… now you are seeing me to be fine then why are you taking tension.
A: om I can understand about chanda…
While all these questioning sessions were going on pari and sahil where having a talk between themselves. The talk was just audible between two of them.
P: sahil are you mad or what? You were almost going to spill the beans.
Sa: sorry pari didi… voh it came out all of a sudden.
P: well did you inform shivay about anika’s arrival.
Sa: haan… I told him but he told that this time anika didi have to find him out… only then he will come.
P: haan and the moment he will step into the house… meri toh lambi si class li jayegi…
[An elaborate class will be taken on me.]
Sa: (confused) and why so?
P: arre I don’t know what will the reaction of these people after they learn that I was knowing the truth of where he was staying till now. You know na that this matter is a very big thing in our case.
Sa: oh, fo pari didi chill. If SSO made us do such a big thing then for sure he might have also planned a back-up plan too.
P: haan vaise bhi tumhari didi ko shivay ke alava aur koi jhel nahi sakta.
[Well your sister cannot be handled none other than shivay?]
Sa: arre who told you that… before SSO married her I was the one who bared her.
Anika while noticing the talks taking between pari and sahil, cleared her throat and said making them both look at her.
A: well what is so big secret talk that is taking between you two? And that too when the matter that is being discussed is (indicating sahil) you.
Sa: nothing… and what will we discuss? Haina… (tapping pari) pankhuri didi… (almost murmuring to her) now you handle the situation didi… I can’t say a lie to anika didi.
A: (seeing sahil murmuring) again you both started murmuring… sahil what’s the matter?
P: (coming to sahil’s rescue) amm nothing anika just some school matters. Nai sahil.
Sa: haan… am… haan… yes, we were discussing about school matters.
A: anyways I do feel that you both are hiding something huge… but I will ignore that. And sahil you were telling that shivay is innocent… and why do you feel so?
Sa: nothing I just felt so I said… well gauri didi I am feeling really hungry can I get something to eat. And that was the reason why I came here?
A: oh, acha so you had not come to meet me. I thought you had missed me but by looking at you I don’t think that you even barely missed me.
Sa: (innocently) arre why will I miss you anika didi? After all you used to come to meet me once in every two weeks. Ab bhai ek hi insaan ko mahine me do baar milenge toh unhe dekh kar bore honge hi naa.
[If a person sees the same person over and over once in two weeks won’t that person get bored.]
A: acha ji… now I promise I won’t be looking after any of your matters.
G: (supporting him) haan… haan… sahil let her take her responsibility off from you. I am here naa I will be taking care of you now. Okay sahil.
O: (listening to the thing told and said to himself) haan… why not till now she has not even looked after me and here she is taking whole and every responsibility of sahil. Great.
B: (as bhavya was standing close to him she heard what he told and she smiled. And said to om smiling) I think that something is burning… nai om bhaiya.
O: (understanding that she was making fun of him) no I am not getting jealous. And that too of gauri… no ways.
R: but I think this ACP never mentioned that you are jealous of gauri bhabhi… so, why did you say such a thing?
B: exactly rudy… as per IPC section…
O: (getting irritated he said making bhavya stop in what she was saying) oh, shut up both of you. I understand that rudy is like this but bhavya you too have started talking like this… unbelievable.
After doing a constant pulling of the people present everyone left for having dinner and then left for their respective rooms. Anika on entering the room was just stunned to see everything intact in the room. Nothing was misplaced and the room seemed as if she and shivay had still remained in the room. She was just looking at everything and when to the cupboard to still find her belonging kept intact inside it. She was just remembering her moments when she hid inside the cupboard fearing shivay and a smile appeared on her face. she just hit her head slightly and left for getting freshened up. After getting freshened up she then sat on the bed when there was a knock on the door and pari entered in. on seeing her anika said.
A: arre pankhuri… why are you standing there? Come in.
P: (smiling she came and sat beside her and said) I just came to ask if the room is comfortable or not. Everything is like it used to be naa. Any other changes if you want you can tell okay…
A: oh, so you were the one who arranged the room. And to be frank everything is like the way it used to be I really don’t want any change. But how did you know that this room used to be like this itself five months ago.
P: (lost in her thoughts) amm I am not the one who arranged this room. I had asked shivay too not to do this but still he did… shivay you are totally mad.
A: (snapping in front of her) hello where are you lost. Sometimes you start doing secret talks with sahil and now you lost in your thoughts. What has happened to you?
P: nothing was just thinking how this house atmosphere changed. You know what anika the moment I entered this house… I just found this house totally broken and the people smiled but their smile was restricted to some kind of pain. I knew that mahi had a twin brother shivay but I had never met him even till I came here. And the moment I met him I could feel that he was having some unending pain in him. And from the rest I knew what happened over here. You really don’t know how badly I wanted to meet you from the past 1 and a half month as no one ever told anything bad about you except praises.
A: (smiling) so, now you are happy naa… you have finally met me.
P: very happy… anyways you had your medicines or do you want to get scolded for that. (anika was about to say something when pari cut her off and said giving her the vitamin tablet) I knew that you wouldn’t take your medicines by your own will so I brought it for you.
A: (confused) but how did you know that I have a medicine to take at this time?
P: (in a straight tone) shivay told me…
A: (shocked on hearing this) haan… shivay told you… what do you mean?
P: (understanding what she just told she knew that raita had already spread. She mentally slapped herself and then finding way to escape she said) arre baba I think your ear drums are beating all by itself. I never told shivay. and if you were missing him this much then why did you leave him and go. Arre, I was saying that mehek aunty called mahi and told that you have to take these medicines. So, I brought it for you. anyways, you rest you had a long travel today.
A: you are not leaving…
P: (smiling) well madam you rest… someone must be there by your side in this stage so I thought to stay back.
A: no pankhuri… I don’t want to trouble you. mahi will be waiting for you go back to him.
P: well anika this time you will listen to me and that’s my order… which you will obey without even protesting. So, just lay back and rest and I will be staying here only. Good night madam.
Anika knew that there was no reason to fight back. So, she rested back.
At around midnight pari was almost tired so she didn’t know when she drifted off to sleep. She was sleeping when someone tapped her and she almost woke up with a jerk. And was about to say something when the person who woke her up shut her mouth and after relaxing a bit she said taking the hands off.
P: shivay, what are you doing here? And is this the way to wake up someone.
S: (so, the person was none other than shivay. he said) and is this the way to wake up. You idiot you are staying in oberoy mansion and still you are afraid of thieves. And what the hell do you mean by what I am doing here? If you are forgetting then this is my room and I can come here anytime.
P: (standing up and putting her hands-on waist) oh, really so that was the reason why you never stepped in this room from the past few months right. anyways, shivay you will one day get me beaten up by the rest of the family members.
S: haan I know that my rest of the family members are searching me like anything in this whole Mumbai. But I very well know that they will not search this house. So, I purposely hid in the basement of this house without anyone’s notice. And I am sorry for making you a puppet in my play. sorry.
P: no… shivay I never wanted to hear any kind of apology from you. at least I am happy that I am getting in your use now. Anyways, why are you here? If someone sees you here then scene will be created at this night time itself.
S: nothing I just wanted to meet anika right from the time I felt her presence in this house. But that time was not safe and this time all would be sleeping so thought to come. And when I came here I found you sleeping so you better leave to your room. I will take care of anika over here.
P: are you sure I mean I don’t mind to stay here.
S: (Shivay smiled and leaving her outside the room said by holding her hand.) madam I am very sure that I will be able to take care of my wife much better than you. so, get back to my brother and have a nice sleep.
P: (smiling) fine then since you are telling this much I am leaving. But then after getting caught don’t blame me.
S: (folding his hands) acha meri ma I won’t. now at least go and let me at least see my wife. And I know how much my brother would be missing you that he might have not even slept properly. So, leave.
P: haan… haan… every husbands are like this only. After their wife comes back they will run after that wife only. Jo bhi hai chalne do. I am leaving enjoy. Good night.
S: I will return the answer to this tomorrow. For now, I am leaving you. good night.
Pari smiled and left. Shivay closed the door and turned back just to get shocked seeing anika wide awake and sitting on the bed. He first rubbed his eyes just to confirm that he was not dreaming but he understood that he was not dreaming. He said in a shocked voice.
S: why aren’t you asleep till now?
A: kyu… aap hi ko yeh hak diya gaya hai ki aap der raat tak jaage. Mein bhi raat… raat bhar jaag sakti hoon. And yes, now stop giving this surprised and shocked reaction. For your very kind information you are not sleeping… so, there is no chance of you dreaming about me. hence behave normally.
[Why are you only given the right to wake up till late night. Even I can also keep awake till late-late night.]
S: (composing himself) anika you know that you must take ample rest at this stage.
A: acha anyways, leave about me… let’s talk about you. well as far as I know you were not staying in this house? Toh what are you doing in the room right now. Now if I shout then all will think that a thief has got into our room and if they find you over here then you can imagine what your condition will become.
S: please haan don’t… now, you don’t try to break my secret. Not at least… at this time of day.
A: well why did you hide shivay? what was the need to stress everyone?
S: I know that I did hide but anika you only tell me what would I do by staying over here? Your thoughts were haunting me and you were not even here. I couldn’t face the family and after knowing the truth that we all met you over there and what all happened they will show sympathy on me… and I never wanted that. So, I shifted to the basement.
A: and how come pankhuri become a part of this act?
S: pari… amm I had to make her my prey. I needed some help and someone who can keep the family indulged in their work. So, I took her in my trap and even blackmailed her to keep my stay as a secret. And since she is new our family she has not known me well and she easily fell in my trap.
A: oh, really. And if she would have known then. She would have understood that… (coming close to him and putting her hands around his neck she continued) my bagad billa cannot emotionally blackmail anyone. (she then pulled his cheeks and said) as he is himself an emotionally blackmailed person.
S: (in an annoyed tone) anika… don’t begin at least now.
A: common shivay… you are a fool to stay away from your own family.
S: well why didn’t you sleep till now.
A: actually, the change in climate and even room condition everything was not matching. And I was feeling uncomfortable while sleeping so couldn’t sleep. And when I was about to wake up I saw you and pari talking. And don’t worry I heard each and every word which you and pari talked. So, don’t try to change the situation.
S: well how are you now and why did you plan to come so suddenly.
A: I thought that I have made you wait for a long time and even mehek aunty also told me the same. She even told me the thing which you told to omru, mahi, gauri and bhavya when I was admitted in the hospital and even made me aware of what all you had gone through and also made me aware that even on asking you to keep distance from me you every day came to meet me at her home. And after hearing all that I decided to come back and even on asking about you to omru and mahi they would tell me something which would either make me confuse or either bounced off from my head. So, after loads of thinking I thought to return back.
S: oh, so after hearing all these stuffs only you planned to return back then I am sure that you still might have not forgiven me. okay then I won’t force you again and like I said I will only come back to you once you forgive me completely.
A: then I guess you will have to wait for that. As I have still not forgiven you.
S: fine then… if you have not forgiven me I am leaving as I don’t want to disturb you by my presence. I just came to see that how you are doing and then leave. But now since I have seen you and also learnt that you have not forgiven me then what is the need for me to be here. I am leaving. Good night. (anika was about to resist but shivay continued) don’t worry this time I will not run behind you seeking forgiveness. It’s all upto you now. And don’t take any kind of strain for some days as you have just come after a long travel and also to a much-suffocated city. Take care and also take care of my baby.
Saying so shivay went away while anika just stood there seeing him leaving.
********
So, that’s it for today. This is the second last chapter of this series and the next one will be the final shot. And after that you all will be free from this few shots and even I will stop boring you all. I know that I have never replied back to any of your comments from the last few chapter but I have read each and every comment and even I am getting encouraged by it. Thank you all for reading and even spending time to comment and even silent readers thank you for reading. So, this is priya signing off for today. Have a nice day ahead. Bye.