Two pairs of eyes stare at each other. One with anxiety and another with anger.
Rahini gives a firm look and asks ‘So, what is the purpose of your visit here? To report to your monstrous predator whether his prey is alive or dead?’
Now Arun’s eyes turn in red. ‘What do you mean? I have come here to see and take my child with me. And what do you think you are talking now?’ says Arun in angry voice.
‘I am not speaking in any African tribal language and I know very well what I am talking. I asked you whether you have come here to check if the girl is dead or not. If she is not dead, you might formulate another plan to kill her, isn’t it?’ replies Rahini in same furious tone.
Arun loses his patience and looks straight to her eyes and says, ‘Excuse me. It seems to me that you are talking in some tribal language only. Let me clear you once again. I am Anirudh with whom you spoke few minutes before. You told me that our child is with you and she is ill. I went to your home and your mother told that you have brought her here and I came following you. That is it. Why are you asking me unwanted questions? I really don’t understand what you are trying to say? What is your problem?’
‘Well, I did a great mistake by informing you about her whereabouts. What actually I should have done is, straight visited to police station and lodged a violence complaint against your family and pushed all of you behind the bars.’ replies Rahini to him.
Arun’s face turn shocked on hearing her words. He looks at in her astonishment and does not utter any word. Rahini continues looking at him.
‘Not an issue. Once Trisha recovers, it is going to be sure that I will do whatever I said now. I will not leave every single member of your family. I am challenging you.’
Arun recalls the words of Radha ‘Consequences are going to be faced. But not by us but by you and your family. Go to the hospital and find out who is going to be charged by whom?’
Arun looks at her ‘Excuse me, I believe you and your whole family have been recently discharged from any mental hospital. Perhaps you have forgot one thing. You took her with you and kept without informing us for a long time. I can charge you for kidnap and it is you who is going to be behind the bars and not us.’
‘Oh really? Let me see who the law shall charge. Either the one who saved a girl from an abuse or the one who attacked her. Child abuse is a punishable crime under our country’s law. If you are not aware of it, better go and check with some lawyer’
‘What?’ shouts Arun in a shock. ‘What you are saying? Trisha is abused and attacked? By whom? When? Where?’ asks Arun getting nervous.
Rahini looks at him mockingly ‘Don’t try to act too smart and don’t try to make fool of me by saying that you did not know what happened to her.’
Arun looks at her like not able to believe what is hearing.
‘Please, don’t test my patience. Whatever you are saying now is a news to me. I really don’t understand. Just clearly tell what is going on with my child’ pleads Arun to her.
Rahini is about to say something while KP interrupts her. ‘Raga, I feel he is not aware of the situation. Don’t come to a conclusion without hearing their point of view.’
Rahini replies him ‘What you are saying Chitapa? You really believe him? He is saying that he does not know that Trisha is attacked by her own father and she is threatened to be killed by him. How is it possible? He is trying to cheat us. Don’t trust him, Chitapa’
Arun’s face goes to extreme level of shock in his lifetime. ‘What? What did you say now? My brother attacked Trisha and threatened to kill her?’ asks Arun to her. ‘No way. I will not believe this. You are lying. My brother would not do that at any cost.’
‘I don’t care about how that devil is related to you. Trisha is attacked by the monster who told her that if she ever showed his face to him, he would kill her. That is it.’
‘Who told you this?’ asks Arun
Rahini looks at him straight and replies ‘The victim’
Arun stares at her hearing her answer. Rahini says ‘The name which your family kept for that innocent victim is Trisha.’
Arun does not retreat and he answers her again but in a low voice. ‘No. I still cannot believe this. Some misunderstanding has happened. My brother is not such a character who can be so cruel. I knew him very well. Sure there might be some explanation.’
As he speaks his mind recalls the conversation that morning with Rohit.
‘I cannot accept her in my life at any cost. If she ever comes in front of me again, I swear, I will kill her’
Arun stands like a statue thinking about the words ‘God, what is this? Perhaps there might be some truth in which this lady is saying. Something has happened with bhayya and Trisha. Otherwise Trisha would have not gone like this. Maa was saying Trisha was looking so dull today morning. If that so, My God’
Arun’s face turns pale and he looks at Rahini sadly who stares at him with all vengeance in her mind.
‘What explanation you can give? Had you seen the horror filled in her eyes when she was at our home, I swear no place in the world you can go to find the explanation for that.’ Says Rahini
Arun does not answer her.
Rahini continues ‘I already knew that Trisha was abandoned by that monster when she was a baby. But today only I found for what the hell reason he did that. It is the first time in my life I am hearing that a father wants to avenge his baby girl for his wife’s death. Isn’t it weird? Even a monster shall not think like this about its offspring. But he did. He is far worse than a monster. Actually monster is really a polite word to address him. I have to find in the dictionary which word can well suit to address.’
Arun stands silent and looks at her.
Rahini looks at him and says ‘I have nothing to talk about this to you anymore. I want to meet Mrs.Arte. I know that she is the responsible person for taking care of the girl. You please go away From here and ask her to come. Whatever I want, I will talk to her. But one thing for sure. Don’t ever think of taking this girl to the place where the monster is residing. I will not let it happen Until I am alive. You got it?’ shouts Rahini at him.
Arun does not move from his place and he peeps into the room where Trisha is lying on a bed.
‘Mr.Arte. Please leave this place for heaven sake. I have promised her that I will not send her to her home against her wishes. She will not go with you to your home. I wanted to inform Mrs.Arte about the legal consequences which her family is going to face very shortly.’
Arun watches Rahini with a blank expression in his eyes.
--------
ARTE MANSION
Mrunalini wanders here and there looking at the entrance door once in few seconds. It has been an hour since Arun left to pick up Trisha from Rahini’s home. Neither he came nor any phone call from him. The family doctor is seated on the sofa waiting to treat Trisha for the illness since half-an-hour.
‘What happened? Why he has not come still?’ asks Mrunalini looking at the door.
Mrunalini takes her mobile and dials the number. The phone ring goes on from the other side.
‘What the hell is this? He is neither calling me not attending my call. What is he thinking he is doing? Doesn’t he knew how much worried would be I am? So irresponsible.’ Mrunalini shouts In an irritation. The doctor looks at her with a gentle smile. Mrunalini gives him an embarrassed smile for making him wait in this late hour.
A car sound is heard from outside and Mrunalini’s face turns bright. She immediately rushes to the entrance and looks at the car. Arun gets down from the car and steps inside the house with tired and weak steps. Mrunalini eagerly look for Trisha to get down from the car. She goes near to him and looks at the car.
‘Where is she? Inside the car?’ asks Mrunalini and goes towards it. She opens the back door and sees the empty seat. She then opens the front door and looks the seat to be vacant. She turns towards Arun with a questioning expression.
Arun avoids seeing her and steps inside the house. Mrunalini steps fast behind him and holds his hands ‘Arun, where is my child?’
Arun relieves her hand from his hands and steps further. Mrunalini’s face turn pale. ‘Arun, have gone deaf? I am asking you where is Trisha? Where are you going without answering my question’
Arun stands silently in his place and looks at the eager filled face of Mrunalini.
‘Beta, what is this? Why are you not answering my question. Where is Trisha? Why she is not in the car? Did not she come with you? Why you are coming alone? Answer me.’
Arun looks at his mother pitifully. His lips twitches and he does not speak anything, He makes fast foot step and gets inside the home and Mrunalini too runs behind him. Arun looks at the doctor Seated on the sofa. He reminds the conversation in the hospital with the doctor.
‘The girl is mentally affected by something. So she got scared of that and got epilepsy’
‘That is it, Arun. My patience fully ran out. You cannot take a single step without answering my question. Where is my baby? Why she has not come with you?’ asks Mrunalini with anger filled voice.
Arun’s mind once again recalls the incident that morning. Broken glass pieces scattered on the whole room and Rohit in full intoxicated state bluffing ‘I cannot accept her in my life at any cost. If she ever comes in front of me again, I swear, I will kill her.’
He also recalls the words spoken by Rahini ‘He is saying that he does not know that Trisha is attacked by her own father and she is threatened to be killed by him'
He turns to Mrunalini. ‘Where is your son?’ asks Arun in an anger tone.
Mrunalini looks at him surprise and with irritation. ‘What you are asking? You did not answer my question’
Arun turns to Mrunalini. ‘Is your beloved super star son is living in this world or not?’ shouts Arun. ‘Where is he?’
Mrunalini’s face turns pale. ‘What happened Arun? What is wrong with you? Why you are not at all answering my question?’ asks Mrunalini with tears in my eyes. Arun looks at her in a helpless expression. He goes to her and holds her hand.
‘Ma, please. I want you to answer my question. It is very important.’ Says Arun and Mrunalini listens to him in surprise. ‘Ma. You were saying that Trisha looked so dull today and you scolded her yesterday isn’t it?’
Mrunalini pause a moment and replies ‘Yes. So?’
‘Ma, please tell me what exactly happened yesterday with Trisha? I want to know. Please tell me without asking any questions.’ Says Arun to Mrunalini.
Mrunalini recalls the incident yesterday at dinner.
-------
Trisha and Mrunalini are seated at the dining table. Mrunalini serves some food in Trisha’s plate and some food in her plate and starts eating. Trisha does not eat and looks at Mrunalini.
‘Dadhi’ says Trisha
Mrunalini looks at her and says ‘Haan, beta’
‘Tomorrow there is parents teachers meeting at my school. My teacher told everyone to bring our parents, Dadhi’ says Trisha in a low voice.
Mrunalini turns sad and looks at Trisha. ‘Tomorrow?’
‘Haan, Dadhi’
Mrunalini looks uncomfortable. She says ‘Beta, it is not possible to come tomorrow. I will do one thing. I will call your teacher and inform her that we cannot come tomorrow. IS it OK?’
Trisha looks at her and asks ‘Why Dadhi?’
‘Beta, tomorrow is your mother’s anniversary celebration. We will be very busy. That is why?’ says Mrunalini.
Trisha does not say anything. Mrunalini looks at the girl with sorrow filled expression and does not eat anything from her plate.
‘Arey! Why you are not eating? It is your favourite dish, isn’t it?’ says Mrunalini and tries to divert the topic. She takes a spoon of food and tries to feed her but Trisha does not open her mouth. Mrunalini looks at her in surprise.
‘What beta? Are you not feeling well?’ asks Mrunalini.
‘Dadhi, I want to ask you one thing.’
‘Haan beta, what is it?’
‘Why has not Papa came to see me till now? You are also not letting me to go to meet him. You told me that once he comes home he will play with me, he will talk with me and he will drop me to school like Shreya’s Papa. But why Papa is not doing that? Why Papa is not talking to me?’
Mrunalini turns shocked on Trisha line of questions. Her face turns nervous and anxious not knowing what to answer. She smiles at Trisha and says ‘Nothing like that beta. Your Papa is not feeling well right now. That is why we are not letting you talk to him’
‘What happened to Papa? has he got fever?’
Mrunalini struggles to answer her ‘Like that only He is not feeling good.’
‘Dadhi, Then shall we go and see him. My friend once told me that her father too was not feeling well. She told that she applied some balm on his head and her father felt good. Like that shall I apply some balm on his head? ’ asks Trisha eagerly.
Mrunalini’s face turns very sad ‘Oh God, How affectionate this girl is towards her father! She wants to heal her father from his illness and wants to help him. But this idiot is not at all understanding the love this girl for him. God, Why Are you embarrassing me with such situations. Now what can I answer for her question?’
Mrunalini looks at Trisha and says ‘Beta, not required. Your Papa will be OK soon. Myself and your Chachu are there for him isn’t it? We will take care of him. You now finish your food and go to sleep’
‘No, Dadhi. I will come and apply balm for him. Or I will come and just look at him. Please Dadhi. Take me to Papa.’ Pleads Trisha to Mrunalini.
Mrunalini pretends to be angry on her ‘Trisha, I told you isn’t it? You are a small child. If you go there, you will also get the infections and get fever. So be a good girl and obey me.’
‘No’ shouts Trisha pushing the food aside. ‘I am not a small child. I will not get any infection. I want to see Papa, right now’. The food and plate falls to a great distance outside the table due to the forcible push of Trisha. Mrunalini gets angry for real and looks at her angrily.
‘Trisha’ shouts Mrunalini at her. ‘Behave yourself. I don’t like this type of manner less acts. What happened to you today? Why you are so persistent? I am saying isn’t it? You cannot see him today. I will take you to him another day. Until then keep quiet.’
Trisha too looks Mrunalini in anger and tears start to roll down cheeks. She runs from the place with anger and goes inside her room and shuts the door in full force. Mrunalini looks at her helplessly.
-------
Arun listens to the narration of incident by Mrunalini. His face turns confused.
‘Ma, did Trisha really was very persistent yesterday about meeting him?’ asks Arun in surprise.
‘What can I say? She cannot understand what is going on in the house and why her Papa is not talking to her? She is very interested to spend time with him.’ Says Mrunalini sadly.
‘Then what happened? Did you talk to her?’ asks Arun
Mrunalini nods like ‘no’. ‘I went to her room and tried to console her. But she did not talk to me. I was with her until she slept and came out of room.’
Arun pauses for few moment and then opens his mouth ‘Everything is getting clearer slowly. Now only one more gap needs to be filled.’ Says Arun in a rigid voice.
Arun looks at the direction of Rohit’s room and then takes a fast step while Mrunalini follows him with a surprise.
- - - - - - -
Rohit is seated on the chair and in front of him lies a small wooden stool filled with empty bottles and glasses on it. He holds a glass filled with a alcohol liquid and drinks it sip by sip. He looks at the shelf which was almost vacant with one or two bottles left in it. He looks at the floor cleaned by the servants sometime before. Morning the floor was full of broken glass pieces scattered covering entire the floor. The alcohol liquid poured from the bottles branched in different directions like a river. Had somebody dropped match stick there, the whole room would have easily gutted in fire. He was likely to drop a lighted match stick on the alcohol to scare her away. Like expected, she ran away from the room but what he did not expect was she ran away from the home.
"I don't want anybody in my life. I don't want mother, don't want family and I don't ever want this child which separated my wife from me. I don't want to see the face of this child. Take it away and leave me alone"
Rohit recalls how he shouted on the horrible day where his only soul and life left him alone. The truth which he cannot and which he does not want accept is going to be full seven years old after three days. He get glimpses Of the nuptial night in the same room in the same bed and sees an illusion of ‘her’ seated in her bridal costume. His illusion enters the room with all happiness in his face. He goes near to her and sits beside her on the bed. Her face Is veiled with the bridal shawl shining due to the designer stone work in it. Her hands and legs are full of Mehendi designs in bright red color which was considered as a good sign in a married woman’s life. He slowly unveils the shawl From her head and looks at the face which according to him is the only beautiful face in the world. The face is filled with all the shyness and the happiness pertaining to a newly married woman who married her soul mate. He holds her face in her hands and kisses her in her forehead. Her face turns red adding more beauty. He further approaches to her lips.
The door of the room suddenly opens with heavy force by a most angry young man of this world at that moment followed by a bewildered elderly woman behind him. Rohit looks at Arun, who is standing in front of him, in surprise but his facial expression turns with guilt within seconds which answers Arun almost to all the questions which intended to ask him. Rohit avoids looking at him at his eyes directly and turns away his head. Mrunalini looks at both of them with a lot of questions storming her mind.
‘So’ asks Arun in the rigid tone. ‘Do you have anything to say by your own mouth?’
Rohit looks at him and pretends to be surprised. ‘What you are talking about? What do you want me to say?’ says Rohit
‘I want to you to exactly narrate the incident which happened between you and the most unlucky daughter of this world.’ Says Arun with now filled with anger in his voice. ‘Just say what the hell you did to her.’
Rohit gets up from his chair and turns away his face to opposite side. ‘What? What I did to whom? I don’t understand’
‘Bhayya’.replies Arun. ‘I would like to remind you that I am not the same milk tooth kid who wandered behind you holding your shirt like a tail, believing all the stupid things without conforming it as true or not. You cannot cheat me always. I know everything which happened in this house. I just want your verbal confirmation. That is it.’
Mrunalini steps in between the two and looks at Arun. ‘Beta, what you are talking about? I don’t understand. What is going on here?’ asks Mrunalini in a worried voice.
‘Ask this question to your beloved son, Ma’ Says Arun. ‘Just ask him with which weapon he attacked your sweet little Trisha today? Ask him what words exactly he used to threaten her to death? Ask him what is his next course of plan to get rid of that innocent sorry that devil child according to him. Either by poisoning her or stabbing her or strangling her or immolate her? Ask him in which jail he wishes to count the iron bars for his rest of life? You yourself ask him’ shouts Arun in rage.
Mrunalini looks at Arun with the shock which she has not experienced in her lifetime.
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