Dark Night Dawning Chapter 24

Anjali sat in her room, crooning to her baby daughter. She looked up when she heard a knock and saw her brother walking in.

‘Chotte, this is a pleasant surprize!’ she exclaimed her facing lighting up at the sight of her brother. She hadn’t seen him in almost a month though he had been calling her regularly. But he hadn’t mentioned this visit when he called her a couple of days ago. ‘Is Khushi with you?’ she asked looking beyond him.

‘No Di, I came here alone,’ said Arnav, ‘I am leaving for London tonight on business and I have to rush to the office to look into a lot of pending work. I stopped by to see you and this little one here.’

‘How is Khushi?’ she asked him her forehead creased in concern, ‘why isn’t she here?’

‘Di, can we talk about how you are doing?’ Arnav walked up to her and sat on the edge of the bed, ‘How has your health been? I left you here soon after you came out of your coma. I feel so bad about that ----‘

‘Chotte, I have a house full of people to take care of me,’ she said putting him at ease immediately, ‘Payal makes sure I eat the right kind of food, naniji, mamiji and even Akash helps me take care of my baby.’

‘That’s nice Di, but are you really ok?’ he asked her, his meaning very clear to her.

‘I would be lying if I said, I haven’t thought about what has happened Chotte,’ explained Anjali, ‘but, I am determined to come out of it for the sake of my daughter and my family. My daughter is very important to me and I will not let anything come in the way of her happiness.’

Arnav hugged his sister, his eyes welling up when he remembered the time she lay in the hospital in a coma. But he was glad that she was okay now. He stood up.

‘Alright Di, I really have to rush now, but I will be back in a few days ok?’ said Arnav walking towards the door.

Anjali stopped him. ‘Chotte, I asked you how Khushi was doing,you haven’t answered my question. What’s going on?’

Arnav turned around and looked at his sister, a barely controlled temper simmering in his eyes, ‘Khushi is absolutely fine Di!’ he rasped, ‘but she needs to grow up!’ Arnav walked out shutting the door behind while Anjali looked on perplexed.

**

It was two days since Arnav had left and Khushi had thrown herself into work to keep her mind occupied. She had fired the maid and gone back to doing all the household work herself. She cooked, watered the plants and in the afternoon she went to Palak’s house to help with taking care of the guests who had arrived for the wedding. She had informed Varmaji that she would not be able to provide the dabba service for a few days. She had told everyone that Arnav had gone to Delhi to take care of some urgent business.

That night when Khushi walked into the house after helping out in Palak’s house one of the girls Mehek came up to her and gave her a parcel. She told her that it had arrived sometime earlier in the day. Khushi thanked her and took the parcel to her room. She opened it and was shocked.It was the beautiful red chikan saree.

She sat on the bed, clutching the saree to her chest as sobs racked her body. Arnav had bought the saree for her. From the past couple of days she had been trying to tell herself that his absence didn’t matter to her.But the reality was different. In the mornings, she inevitablyended up making two cups of tea.She saw him everywhere in the house --- on the living room sofa working on his lap top, watering the plants, walking into the house with the buckets of water, at the dining table, in the courtyard exercising, walking out of the bathroom with the towel around his shoulders, on the kitchen counter, even her dad’s scooter reminded her of him. She remembered their passionate kiss in the kitchen.But it got worse at night. She missed having his arms around her while she slept. She had not changed the sheets on the bed as she could still smell his cologne on it. She even put on the AC so it reminded her of him. She felt a deep pain in her heart like someone was squeezing it really hard.She missed him terribly.

Shyam had been one of the major reasons for the problems between Arnav and herself in the past. But now that he was no longer in their lives, why had she continued to resist? Her thoughts went back to the conversation she and Arnav had in this same house one month ago.

There is a vast difference in our class, in our traditions and our values….

In the past month he had proved that these barriers were no longer valid. He had adjusted to her middle class lifestyle without much complaint. After Rohan’s accident, the people in her colony had grown to respect him. Her friends liked him as well. He had earnestly supported her in her business. And she knew he done all this at the cost of neglecting his own business to some extent.

You move in high societies where girls like Lavanyaji will form a queue for you……

During Lavanya’s visit three months ago, she had felt that the modern, working woman was more suitable for Arnav.She had been insecure then.But not any longer -----Arnav himself had helped her improve her confidence by introducing her to latest technology, by making a website for her business.

Then what had made her say such harsh words to Arnav that night? She realized it was plain and simple jealousy!After spending one month with him, she had become possessive. She hadn’t even liked Palak’s cousins flocking around him the other day. When she had heard Arnav talking to Lavanya she had become jealous of their friendship. How could he talk to another woman that way? After that she had become even more upset during the dinner.

But it was the movie that had made her completely distraught. The protagonists in the movie, were star crossed lovers whose journey began in deceit and misunderstanding. Though the misunderstanding clears and they truly fall in love, they end up taking each other lives instead of succumbing to the wrath of their families – a modern day Heer Ranjha story. In the state of mind she was already in, she had become extremely upset and had taken it out on him. Hey Devi Maiyya, was she so foolish as to let a movie get to her that way! But to give credit to herself, she had warned him about that as well.

Remember the foolish things I have done?

He had still wanted to stay with her, hadn’t he? Then why did he walk out on her? Couldn’t he have stayed and asked her about it?

She stood up and wiped her tears. She realized what she had to do.

**

The next morning, Khushi walked into her house to find a surprize waiting for her in her living room. It was Anjali with her baby and Naniji! Khushi rushed toward them and hugged them, thrilled and surprized at the same time. She touched Nanijj’s feet and took the baby in her arms, cooing to her softly. Oh how much she had grown in six weeks. Tears of joy flowed from her eyes. She turned around to see Anjali and Naniji crying as well.

‘I …I am sorry for not visiting you…..’ she told them, her tone laced with regret.

‘Khushi, please…… there is no need for that,’ said Anjali touching her cheek affectionately, ‘we all needed a break after everything that happened. But the break time is over now. I came here as soon as the doctor told me that I could take this little one out of Delhi.’

‘We missed you so much Khushi bitiya,’ said naniji.

When Khushi was about to show them to the guest room, Anjali informed her that they were planning to leave in the night flight as the baby was due for a vaccination the next day. Since it was almost lunch time, she served them lunch and then took them to her bedroom for some rest.Anjali nursed her baby and she had gone to sleep on her lap.

‘Di……’ Khushi said hesitating a little, ‘I want to apologize to you for not telling you earlier about Shyamji.’

‘Khushi, we will talk about this in detail someday so that we can get it out of chests, but the reason nani and I have come here is something completely different.’ Anjali said seriously.

She continued, ‘Chotte finally told everyone the reason behind your sudden marriage. Though I was shocked at the time I realized that whatever the reasons had been, in the months following the marriage, I have seen that you both cared for each other a lot. When Chotte told me you had refused to come back I thought you were very much justified. I was happy that he had decided to stay back and convince you to come back.’

‘But when Chotte came back to Delhi a few days back, I realized that things were still not alright between you too. Knowing Chotte, I am sure he might have done or said something to hurt your feelings.’

‘No Di, it’s not like that,’ said Khushi urgently, ‘this time,I was the one who picked up a fight.’

‘Then he must have deserved it!’ exclaimed Anjali trying to put Khushi at ease, ‘in all this time he stayed with you did he ever express to you in words what he felt for you?’ she asked Khushi earnestly.

At Khushi’s silence she said, ‘Just as I thought.’ She was pensive for a few seconds and then she said carefully, ‘Khushi I think it is time you knew about our past.’

‘Di, you don’t have to ___’ began Khushi.

‘No Khushi, it is very important that you know everything about the person who love,’ she said firmly, ‘You do love him, don’t you?’

‘Yes.’ Khushi said simply, no more doubts in her mind.

Anjali began reminiscing as Naniji looked on, a deep sadness in her eyes.‘Our mother Sarita was the only daughter of Thakur Rudra Pratap Singh Raizada, one of the richest men in Lucknow in those days. He had many estates and businesses. Our father, Virendra Malik worked for him as an estate manager. Since our mamaji was still studying our nanaji depended a lot on father, and soon he became my nanaji’s right hand man. Love blossomed between mamma and father and nanajigot them married with great pomp and show. He gave them Sheesh Mahal as a wedding present. Nanaji had started trusting father like his own son and made him a partner in his business. Father’s status rose in the society. Everything seemed to be going fine for a few years. I was born and then chotte after a few years.Then suddenly, father began to change.

‘He started drinking and began to pick up fights with mother for no reason at all.Nanaji was shocked by his behaviour. One day nanaji found out that father had pilfered money from the company’s accountwhich led him to go bankrupt. Father had told mamma that our nanaji was the one who made bad investments. Mamma didn’t know what to believe. Nanaji couldn’t withstand the betrayal and died of a heart attack leaving nani and mamaji in dire straits. Mamma, chotte and I were devastated by this but there was nothing we could do.

‘In spite of everything that had happened mamma still loved father and lived with the hope that he would change one day and everything would be alright. But it was futile. Soon, she found out that he was having an affair and had become addicted to gambling. She also knew that his brother was the one responsible for influencing him. But, no amount of pleading from my mamma helped. We saw her being reduced from a vibrant person into a bitter and disillusioned woman. Seeing mamma suffer was very hard for both Chotte and me. I used to hide out in my room trying to shut it all out. But Chotte had just entered his teens and couldn’t take it anymore.He began to rebel against father so that he could protect mamma. This resulted in him being at the receiving end of father’s wrath. But soon, father found out that he was no match forChotte’s angst and physical strength. He stopped troubling mamma, though he continued indulging in his vices. By this time, Chotte’s hatred for father had turned into abhorrence.

‘A couple of years later, my alliance was fixed with one of the wealthiest familes in Lucknow. On the day of the wedding, when we were waiting for the baraat, mamma heard loud altercation going on in father’s study. She heard father and his brother fighting. His brother had used a woman to seduce our father into signing over Sheesh Mahal to his name. Father was in such a rage that he took a gun that he kept in his table drawer and aimed at his brother. His brother began to run towards the door where mamma was standing. In the confusion father ended up shooting mamma. Chotte who heard the gun shot ran into the room to find my mother bleeding profusely. He yelled for someone to call the ambulance and went in and took her head in his lap. By the time I reached the room, I saw her lying lifeless in Chotte’s arms. My Baraat returned back.

After this incident, father lost his sanity. The shock of killing mamma accidently, and having lost all his fortune and house to his brother was too much for him. He had to be admitted to a psychiatric facility. Our father’s brother kicked us out of the house the very next day. Chotte swore that he would get back our house one day. Then, nani and mamaji took us in. Overnight we fell from the lap of luxury into a mediocre life. Society could be very cruel to those who don’t have much. All our family friends who used to hang around us when we were rich refused to acknowledge us now. Chotte and I were made to realize the importance of money in a very hard way. Mamaji helped us as much as he could but he had his own family to take care of. Chotte worked very hard to put himself through college. After college, he started his own business with some money Mamiji gave him by selling her jewels. His business took off and we were back to good times again. Last June, he finally bought back Sheesh Mahal by paying double the original price for it. Father’s brother had mortgaged it as he fell into bad times. He wanted AR’s fashion show to be .held in Sheesh Mahal’s premises.’

How could she forget that fateful fashion show where she had met him for the very first time?

Anjali continued, ‘But the struggle had taken a toll on him. The same people who had shunned us when we lost all our fortune came back to us now for favours. We realized that money made people respect you. I was able to brush it off as a fact of life. But it was not easy for Chotte.Our childhood was anyway very troubled but Chotte had lost out on his youth as well. He began to view the world differently.He lost beliefin God as he began to believe that man writes his own destiny.He began to believe that money is all powerful and that everything and everyone can be bought. His belief inpeople and relationships got lesser day by day. He began to disrespect social norms and traditions which included the institution of marriage. He built a strong fortress around himself and didn’t let anyone come close to it.Most importantly, he did not believe in love.

‘Chotte loved mamma so much Khushi. It hurt him very badly to see mamma waste her life on a person who was not worthy of her. Since she was bound to father because of love, he began to hate that emotion. He swore never to be bound to anyone so much that they would have the power to destroy him.

The reason I told you this long story is so you can understand why Chotte is the way he is. But you have changed all that Khushi. He has started believing in love. I know it. He has changed and that is because of you. And you are the only one who can keep him that way. Will you please come back to Shantivan and give him another chance?’

‘Di, I know how difficult this was for you. I appreciate you sharing your past with me,’ said Khushi as she took her in her arms. Anjali cried softly into her shoulder. Then she wiped her tears and looked at Khushi imploring for her understanding.

‘I want to show you something.’ Khushi fetched her purse from the table and took a piece of paper and gave it to Anjali. It was a train ticket from Lucknow to Delhi.

‘You were planning to come back to Delhi?’ she asked her in surprize.

‘That’s where I had been this morning, Di,’ she explained, ‘I couldn’t book it for an earlier date because I want to attend my best friend’s wedding which is in three days.’

‘Chotte seemed upsetand I thoughtyou both____’ said Anjali lines of confusion creasing her forehead.

‘He could be upset all he wants Di……but he can’t get away that easily this time! I have a lot of questions for him when I get there, and he better be ready with the answers!’ said Khushi,her eyes flashing with temper.

Anjali and Naniji looked at each other and exchanged a mental Hi Five. Aranv was in for one heck of a surprize…... This was going to be fun!