Chapter 27

Kajal stepped into the vast foyer of Sharanya Productions. It was the first day of her job here. They had been kind enough to consider her appearing later for her exams. She walked towards the reception, where a temporary ID card was issued to her. Waiting for the formality to be done regarding that, she looked at her silhouette on the finely polished tiles adorning the wall behind. She was dressed in a pearl-colored salwar kameez with intricate sari work hugging her curves; the onion-colored dupatta was what had attracted her to this outfit. KB had insisted she revamp her wardrobe, given that she had to keep up the appearance of being a superstar’s wife.

She received the ID and made her way to the fifth floor, where the writer’s wing lay. After completing the HR formalities, she waited in her little cubicle as she was allotted a laptop. She had an hour since Ashwin Aacharya the lead writer she was to assist, was in an important meeting. She browsed through a few documents given to her the cacophony of the typing keys, but everything blurred before her eyes as she stared at the screen without scrolling down.

It was two weeks since they had been tied in sacred matrimony, and KB had barely spoken with her let alone spend time. He had never been home that first week. She had kept herself busy by dusting and mopping the furniture and cooking despite the surprised housekeeper visiting them twice. She had planted some more plans along the window and the drawing room was now redolent with the fragrance of certain flowering buds. She also read a lot in his enormous library. She never ventured upstairs but the curiosity never left her.

His cast had come off a couple of days ago and he had resumed shooting his serial. The Mahabaleshwar schedule that was missed was to come up next week and she was glad she now had the job to keep her occupied. She didn’t know what to make of the enigma called her ‘husband’, but it was heartbreaking every time she saw him going miles avoiding her. She often cried herself to sleep. She knew this was a marriage only in name but the fact that she had fallen head over heels for him didn’t change anything… it was way too painful.

Blinking back tears, she got back to her work. If people here knew about her no one asked. These people were used to celebrities hovering around the place so their reaction wasn’t surprising. KB had insisted she take the car and had arranged a driver for her. She decided to learn driving at the earliest so she could be independent in that area. By the time the year got over and they separated she wanted to be a full-fledged career woman with a degree in tow. Then, hopefully, she could apply to her dream university abroad after settling Krunal.

Despite everything, her heart fell… Right then, Ashwin Acharya walked in and called for a team meet. As she settled into her work, she realized it would be a long day… something she was looking forward to.

Later that evening, after a fruitful first day at work she walked into the house to blaring music. What the hell?

She saw a few people gathered and the chandelier on in full glory as they danced and laughed. She saw some of them consume what appeared to be liquor. She frowned as she walked in and it was then she realized KB’s condition the day their marriage was fixed. So this is what he meant. Finally, the man was showing his true colours. The cast was out and he was back to his flamboyant self. She was a fool to think of anything else… Speaking of which, where the hell was he?

Her question was answered when she passed the main part of the drawing-room. To her utmost annoyance, her plants were pushed to a corner along with the furniture now covered by coats and bags while they danced and in one corner, she saw KB dance with his arms on Hetal’s hips as she gyrated to the music a bit too close to Kajal’s dismay. She wanted nothing more than to slap the daylights out of the wanton woman but what could she do if her husband forgot his vows?

Blinking back tears, she rushed into her room, closing it shut, wondering if those gathered there knew about the reality of her relationship with her husband. The party went on late and Kajal was troubled by the rock music seeping through the shut doors and it irritated her no end. She had just been out a little while ago to catch up on a quick dinner she had kept for herself in the fridge when she had seen the crowd had thinned out but KB and Hetal were still stuck to each other like glue.

The music levels reduced suddenly but didn’t stop, and she now wondered what they were up to. Shutting down her laptop after being unable to get any work done, she rushed outside guns blazing. To her surprise, two guys were sprawled on the couch glued to their mobiles and she saw Hetal hovering around KB holding his arm as she forced him to try out a few dance steps. Kajal stomped to the music system and pulled out the plugs from their respective creaking sockets, plunging the place into sudden silence.

KB and Hetal walked towards her as she stood with hands folded near her chest, panting in anger.

“What the fuck, Kajal?” KB spoke in the same lethal voice he had used on the first day with her after the press debacle.

“I should be asking you that, KB…” she intentionally didn’t use his name. It meant nothing anymore.

Hetal moved closer and spoke. “…Chill Kajal. We are just winding up after a tiring day…”

“Winding up… my foot. You are just causing a nuisance around here… you ruined my plants, and look at the condition of this place… it reeks of junk food and booze…”

“Kajal…I had told you to stay away…” KB continued in the same voice, and she lost it.

“I am not interested in your rendezvous here…this is your home, and you are free to do as you wish… but don’t forget I live here too, and I am disturbed. As for you, young lady…” She turned towards Hetal. “… you should realize that you are no longer an arm candy. This man here is my husband. Why don’t you find someone of your ilk to get close to now?”

“How dare you talk to me like that?” Hetal’s eyes blazed.

“You deserve it, Miss. When you get close to married men… I don’t know how normal it is in your high society, but from where I come from, there is a name given to such women although the man is equally responsible…” She glared at a stunned KB and continued. “…There wasn’t a single lady around today here ever since I came, and its way past 1AM… that makes it 5 hours… 5 goddamn hours you have been sticking to each other…and the responsibility of maintaining marital boundaries aren’t restricted to the woman alone. So both of you stop your frolicking and please maintain some calm… I need to rest. There is a life beyond booze and partying on a working night…” She turned to leave.

“Kajal, stop right there.” KB’s loud voice bellowed into the silent night. Kajal turned around with her heart thudding. Her bravado gathered was long gone.

“How dare you insult my guests… apologize to Hetal right now…” he glared at her.

Tears filled her eyes as she struggled to retain her composure. “Forget it KB… I care a damn if she feels insulted or not… she knows that she is wrong, and so are you. If anyone here deserves an apology, here its me…” She stood hands on her hips.

The two men who were watching the fun so far suddenly realized it was going too far, and they stood up, picking up their jackets and bags and one of them pulled Hetal along as she reluctantly left.

“FUCK you all…” Hetal screamed as she banged the door shut, the noise vibrating through their walls.

Kajal turned to go back to her room when KB held her hand and pulled her back, turning her to face him.

“Looks like you have forgotten this isn’t a real marriage, so stop acting like my wife. I had warned you right from day one to stay out of my business and I will stay out of yours. So this is my last warning to you… don’t forget we both stand to lose a lot if your drama goes public. Baring Hetal, no one here knew about our marriage contract… what if it would have gone viral?”

She tried her best to control herself. “In that case, KB, you should be careful as well. What would they say watching you dance with a woman who is not your wife? Aren’t you worried about that getting viral?”

“That’s the way my life has always been… don’t you know about my reputation? I am a woman’s man Kajal… so for the last time, stay away. Complete a year in silence and then we can go our respective ways….” He walked out of place, leaving her in her muddle of sorrow.

One year? This first month was in itself getting tedious by the day. How on earth was she going to last…. She clenched her betraying heart; she wanted to hate the guy for torturing her but couldn’t seem to get herself to do it.

Dreams once envisioned are all in tatters

Retaining her sanity is all that matters.

********************************************************************************************************

KB rushed into his room, shutting the door, and slipped to the floor along its length. He rubbed his face as he breathed heavily. He knew he had gone the extra mile today and Hetal… God bless the lady. She had been a true friend and helped him in his ruse.

He had tried all other means in these two weeks but in vain. He was in love with her, and every little thing Kajal did for him or the house was taking him dangerously closer to her. That couldn’t happen. He looked up with vision blurring with unshed tears at the old picture of him with his friends a day before that fateful night years ago. He had kept that one framed picture to remind himself he was living their share of life. Something he didn’t deserve at all…

He couldn’t enjoy a happy married life, couldn’t fall in love… he had agreed to contract marriage for the same reason. But, he had never expected to fall in love out of the blue and further not expected Kajal to be the bride by chance!

This was so painful. Kajal must be hurting as well. She should be hating him by now. He sincerely hoped so… he couldn’t destroy another life. But, Mr. Mehta who was affected by Raj’s murder was digging deep and things appeared murkier than just a coincidence. His past was dark, not just from the decade-old accident but also from his father’s deeds. What was his father involved in? And why did it come to haunt him after all these years?

It meant he was in danger and by association Kajal would be too. The estate had good security and he wasn’t worried about his ajji and had arranged a driver for Kajal, who was a bodyguard. No use scaring her. And finally, Subodh mama… he wondered how the weasel fit into the scheme of things.

Whatever it was, he would do anything to protect the woman he loved, even if he had to let go of her and face her hatred for the rest of his life.

******************************************************************************************************

Meanwhile at Dongri

Rafiq plopped on the hard concrete seat in the garden with one leg folded up. Every movement caused pain in the joints… he wasn’t young anymore, and the years of physical labor were taking their toll. The place looked eerie at night, and he could see a few red glows and smokes emanating from the bushes. This was famous as a drug zone or soliciting for those who couldn’t afford Madam’s brothel.

He smoked a joint his neighbor Kader had given him earlier. The moron didn’t know Rafiq had fucked his wife behind him. The fat hag was a poor consolation for calming his libido left undone by Chameli. He would get back at that bitch soon. She would know what it was to insult him.

He was to meet some Subodh Deshmukh, apparently a relative of the target. He wondered how easy it was to betray your kith and kin. He wouldn’t know since he was an orphan but he had been loyal to Saabji for two decades now. He had received blows, beatings, bled, jailed and tortured. He had endured it all only for Saabji. He had even done the two-bit household chores for the older man and his mentally unstable wife but then the payout was good and his life was easy. This Subodh guy sounded like a crook and Rafiq could identify one anywhere. He knew he had to be alert as well. And this time he couldn’t let down Saabji.

He was a bike come to a halt near the garden’s exit, with a loud roar. Rafiq cringed. Why was the idiot publicizing? What if there are cops around? No one usually came to the stinky place since they didn’t get any hafta here. The uniforms only made rounds of the brothel and madam treated them well to look the other way. He had proof to bring them all down.

The man walked holding a handkerchief to his nose and Rafiq waved to him.

“So, you are Rafiq?” the man asked.

“Yes sir… I wanted the schedule…”

“Yes… yes…” The man spoke through the handkerchief. “…here in Mumbai, he had guards all the time. The home is guarded too. But next week, he is off to Mahabaleshwar for a shoot and that will be a golden opportunity. I have found out the shooting of a particular scene is on the mountain tip and there is a tiny railing. I have spoken to someone who will give you entry as a light man there… they are short on workforce and will willingly take you in. All you have to do is arrange an accident. So just be ready and don’t mess this up. Here are the tickets and a motel detail where you will stay. Here is cash for all payments. And here is the ID I got made for you…and … do not contact me. When you finish the job, go back to the motel and wait for further instructions” The man turned and left.

Rafiq peeped into the envelope with the wad of cash. Peanuts yet again, he huffed. He was just waiting. What did Saabji think? Would he be twiddling his thumbs? He had proof of all the nefarious activities and Saabji’s involvement in the same.

He smiled… his time would come soon!

©priyagole

Chapter 26

The marigold fragrance wafted into her autopilot senses, the mogra garlands adorning her bun engulfing her in their ambrosial throes.

Kajal sat in the makeshift mandap arranged in the Chintamani temple premises. She was dressed in a bright red saree chosen by her maami, who stood beaming as if she had set the whole show. Well, show it was. Kajal was meant to smile for the cameras like a happy bride, it would make good press and convince all the critics out there who were talking about some hush-hush romance between a superstar and an ordinary girl.

Ajji sat smiling, and Kajal saw her teary. She had insisted Kajal wear the heirloom necklace. However, since KB’s mom had eloped and married, it couldn’t be transferred to her thus, it was now entrusted to Kajal. It pained Kajal to see the woman expecting so much out of this contract marriage. Mr. Mehta flanked ajji and a couple of close friends of KB from the industry.

As expected, there was a frenzy of reports outside the premises, and the security had a tough time containing them.

KB sat opposite to her adorned in an off-white sherwani, and he looked so handsome that her heart paced. But right then, her eyes fell on his uncle standing gloomily right behind in a corner glaring at the proceedings.

She recalled the events last morning after KB had declared their wedding. The uncle had stood up and stared at KB who stood steadfast with his hand around her shoulder. All her bravado she had displayed not minutes ago had vanished into thin air. She had been shocked. She had thought the marriage wouldn’t happen for now and hopefully, she would get time to develop a good relationship with KB before plunging into marital life.

Hetal too had stared wide-eyed and Kajal had excused herself on the pretext of starting lunch preparations and walked into the kitchen. The next hour she ‘busied’ herself in there she barely got to hear the muffled voices in the drawing-room. From the banging of the door vibrating the house, she had known the uncle had already left. Thank God he left. The man didn’t give her good vibes.

Once in a while, Hetal’s piercing voice floated in.

“You are making a mistake KB… think it over.” Hetal had said.

Kajal couldn’t hear KB’s response, though. Was Hetal upset because she loved KB and wanted to marry him? What about KB? Did he like Hetal but was forced to marry kajal on his ajji’s insistence? Hetal didn’t fit the shoe as far as his ajji was concerned.

She had teared up thinking she was such a fool to think otherwise…

The blowing of the conch brough her back to the wedding. She looked around, suddenly feeling lost. Her brother and mama stood smiling so did Poonam tai and her fiancé, who acted like the guests of honor. It was then the reason for her getting into the contract began to sink in. She blinked away tears… at least her uncle and his family and her brother will have a secure future. As far as she was concerned, she was stepping into a cave with only blackness ahead not knowing what surprise may pop up somewhere.

The pandit began reciting the mantras and she felt KB’s eyes on her. She lifted her head to look ahead ans saw him staring at her, his expression unfathomable. She wanted nothing more to drown into the depths of his beautiful eyes. There was so much turmoil in them. He had adjusted the sling on the arm rest but she knew he was uncomfortable.

He hadn’t spoken much with her all day after lunch except for informing her that he had conveyed everything to her mama and the time she had to be ready for the make-up and hair guys. She wondered if her brazenness had put him off… did she cross the line yesterday? She was a novice in those matters and just followed something she had read. He was way too experienced in the area if the old press reports were to be believed. Was he disappointed that she wasn’t the sex siren he was used to?

Her heart thudded with each passing ritual, wondering what she was landing into. As they stood after the final ceremony of the pheras, it was time to seek the blessings of the Almighty and the elders present. She was lost in her thoughts and didn’t hear the pandit. She felt a warm hand engulf her cold one and looked towards KB. He smiled at her and gestured towards the pandit who continued his tirade about the importance of blessings.

He didn’t let go of her hand as they moved inside the temple to seek blessings of Bappa and her eyes filled. Her aai-baba would have been so thrilled… but would they have allowed this alliance to happen in the first place?

A little later post-lunch they posed for the scribes before leaving for Ajji’s home. Ajji insisted on a couple of rituals that her poor health didn’t permit much excitement and travel. So it had to be held in the estate.

The housekeeper welcomed kajal with the traditional Aarti and tilak. She then was made to sit on the couch next to KB while ajji completed the formalities of another ritual, similar to the puja sometime back.

KB walked away to the porch to speak on an incoming call, and ajji held Kajal’s hand in her frail ones.

“Kajal beta, I know this is very hard on you, but I want to thank you, my child…” Kajal was surprised as the woman continued. “…My Krishiv has always been a loner… I have never seen him happy. His mother died too early and his father wasn’t a father figure at all… so he is harsh and angry and feels he doesn’t deserve happiness for some kind of a twisted notion… But all this contract thing aside, I strongly wish you never leave his side. He doesn’t even know what he will miss… please stay by his side… Kajal, promise this ajji…please” the woman had tears in her cataract-filled eyes.

“Don’t worry ajji… I will do my best… Krish is a wonderful human being… I just hope he shares his pain with me.” She spoke honestly.

“Did he tell you to call him ‘Krish’…?” Ajji asked her, smiling and she nodded shyly. “…Oh, that’s wonderful. I am the only one who calls him by name. Even his grandfather called him ‘KB’”

Hope blossomed in her heart. But, did it mean she meant something to him beyond a contract bride?

Later that evening, after a quick dinner they rode back to the penthouse. As soon as they stepped in KB turned towards her.

“Your new clothes set is kept in your room so you can go and rest now. Tomorrow morning, I have some urgent work with Mr. Mehta and the producers of my ongoing serial. The shooting is stalled, so I have to do a couple of scenes with my close-ups… so good night.” He rushed into his room as if he couldn’t wait to get away from her.

What the hell was wrong with him? After what they had gone through in these last few days, she felt something was brewing between them. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. She flopped on the floor, holding her legs close to her chest as she cried her heart out.

He heard her door shut and his heart splintering into tiny bits, even as he leaned his forehead on the connecting door. He listened to her sob and all he wanted to do was go and take her into his arms. She had been selflessly there for him and yesterday he had the time of his life… her wide innocent eyes sparkling as she had been happy to see him come…

Right then she had asked him about his bruises and he had been jerked back to reality. The severed heads of his friends swam before his eyes. How could he enjoy life when he was responsible for theirs cut short? And that girl, whoever she was, they still didn’t know. He didn’t think he would be so fiercely attracted to Kajal, not just at a sensual level but also intellectually and emotionally. She was intelligent, and he craved for her fun company, not to mention the sexual undercurrents between them, trying to raise its head now and then. She was a fabulous cook too, and more than the taste, he loved the life she put into the food. She had made this house into a home already.

He had almost thought of letting her go and not ruining her life by marrying her. He would still help her with money and the job too. But then Hetal and his Subodh mama had arrived, reminding him how important this marriage was. He hated himself for forcing the decision on Kajal, and the lady hadn’t said a word. She kept looking at him expectantly, hoping for some explanation but he couldn’t embroil her in his mess.

He knew Kajal liked him… more than a friend, and he couldn’t let the poor woman hope. Hetal knew what role she had to play, and though she hated it, she agreed to go with the flow. It was all set for tomorrow evening. It should be enough for Kajal to start disliking him, and it would make his life a lot easier if she did. His guilt would reduce. He couldn’t wait to get into the particular room…

Kajal’s sobs subsided, and he hoped she would sleep well. He just hoped he could rest as well, knowing that the woman was right next door… the woman he was in love with…

Meanwhile, in the Dongri slum

“Don’t ever show me your face Rafiq…” Chameli screamed, her voice piercing the paper-thin walls of the brothel room. She adjusted her shimmering dupatta and tied up her hair into a messy bun.

“Chameli… meri jaan… don’t do this. I told you, it’s just a matter of few days…” Rafiq buttoned up his shirt not bothering if his drunk hands did the job correctly. He was hard, and Chameli had left him high and dry.

“Rafiq, you moron… you are a leech… do you know that? You promised me stars… you promised that necklace. And you couldn’t even do it. So why should I waste my youth on a scum like you? That other man from Delhi who comes here only for me, is gifting me a ruby ring do you know that? And that other party from Mira Road… he has arranged a getaway with just me to a five-star resort… just for sleeping with him. He isn’t rough like you either. So get the hell out now before I get you thrown…” She stood up and Rafiq was tempted to slash that delicate neck that plunged into her fake nape line. But they didn’t allow weapons inside and it was deposited at the counter.

He strutted out as the madam made a face at him. Every dog had his day, and he would have too. Chameli would be his soon

His phone buzzed. Freak… Saab calling so late in the night. Must be something urgent. Finally, Allah heard his prayers.

“Hellllooo Saabji…”

“Listen carefully and don’t fuck up this time Rafiq…prove your worth.”

What the fuck? Was the older man crazy? Prove his worth he had more than done that. For years and the body-count was also lost. Such an audacity. “Yes…yes Saabji. I await your command…”

“Shut up and just listen… I want you to contact this man who will help you with our target’s schedule… and I will tell you later how to go about the job. Just study the target for now. After that hospital debacle, he has increased protection around him, so do you work stealthily. I am reaching there next week and will plan the job…”

The call disconnected, and his phone beeped with an incoming message. Who the hell was this man?

‘Subodh Deshmukh’

©priyagole

Chapter 25

Kajal sprinkled the finely chopped cilantro on the kanda poha she prepared for breakfast that day. It was almost a week since KB had come home from the hospital. A couple of nights though there was a male nurse with him, she kept vigil just in case. But later, they settled into a rhythm.

She saw to his food preparations and cooking had never been so much fun before. The staff too loved and appreciated what she sprang up and she made it a point to feed it to him, his right hand still being in the cast. The left was better though there were a few tremors. KB’s physiotherapist was doing a great job and she helped him with the evening workouts.

They spent the afternoons playing monopoly or scrabble and KB was super fun to be with. They spoke about so many topics under the sky. Be it her culinary skills, Krunal had come one day and by the time he left he was only singing KB’s praises. Kajal had been thrilled to see his reaction and an indirect approval. She was also in a happy space and hoped her newly established camaraderie with KB wouldn’t end.

She realized for once in her life she had a friend, and she was so comfortable with him around, she had felt carefree for the first time in her life.

But life wasn’t a bed of roses, was it?

She placed the breakfast tray on his nightstand and turned to leave, he held her wrist and tugged her back towards him. She giggled as she fell on him, worried if she had hurt him. But he was stronger than he looked. He turned her around and pinned her to the bed with a single arm holding both of hers above her head. The movement brought his face closer to hers, her peaked chest beads straining to get out and feel his bare one.

Yes, he slept with just his shorts on, something she had discovered a couple of days into the house. And she had drooled the way they fit around his toned hips. He never used a blanket, and she had stared at his sleeping form as the robust torso sprinkled with the black hair formed the V as it entered into the elastic…. She blushed even now as he stared into her eyes.

“Care to share your thoughts…?” He whispered and she smiled as he continued. “…you think I didn’t know how many times you touched my body with your roving eyes? Do you even know what it did to me? Especially since both my hands were tied? So you think you can get away with it?”

She felt his warm breath on her face as he came closer, as well as the sharp prod in her belly. Her breath caught in her chest as he gently nipped at her lower lip. He didn’t need to nudge her as she opened up her softness and his waiting tongue made the plunge. As he explored, she raised her hips towards him, and he had crushed her under him. All clothed he rocked back and forth, and she thought she would die of lust. But, instead, she wanted him with hunger like never before.

She hadn’t been with anyone before and she couldn’t imagine anyone else more suited to pop her cherry… she went beet red at the thought even as she surrendered to the pleasure he was inflicting on her.

He stopped kissing and raised himself on his elbow. He looked at his hand in the sling and fell back on the bed, rubbing his face with his arm. She didn’t know where she got the guts from, but at that moment, they were alone at home, and some strange confidence overcame her.

She moved over him even as he stilled, startled, watching her wide-eyed. She straddled him her legs on either of his sides and placed her palms on his bare chest, feeling the softness of the gathered hair. She carefully moved her palms in the limited area because of the sling, touching his areolas, and then her index fingers touched his aroused nipples.

“You are… killing me here Kajal… I am trying to keep my hands off…”

“Shhhh… this is for you… only for you KB…” She whispered.

“Krish…”

“What?” She was confused.

“Call me Krish…” He spoke, his eyes sparkling with some strange emotion.

She smiled and nodded. “Krish… this is for you… I don’t know how to, but…”

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing and she could see he was nervous as well… That gave her the needed impetus. She touched him from his chest downwards towards his hips and with trembling hands, she lowered the elastic of his shorts. He hadn’t worn anything else beneath and his arousal sprang out, hitting her palm.

Astonished she felt the wetness pool in her crevice… she gripped him. He gasped as she increased the pressure of her hold. At that moment, nothing else existed around her except for his larger-than-life presence. His face contorted as if he was controlling his emotions. She moved her face closer to her hand her eyes not leaving his.

She kissed his shiny tip and felt him stiffen further… she licked the salty drop, and he closed his eyes shut, his jaw clenching, his non-plastered wrist closed tightly. She saw his veins jutting and wait… what were those marks? They didn’t look fresh bruises… something tanned between the bruises. She rose and looked at his thighs… she had missed it earlier in the throes of passion. She saw bruising in his inner thighs as well. They were old bruises for sure. 

Not to break the moment for him, she kissed his length and wrapped her palm gently over the shaft, sliding it up and down. It barely took a moment, and his warm liquid sprayed up and flowed down her palm as he grunted and then lay panting, his shapely abs now covered with a  sheen of sweat.

She walked to the washroom and, after washing her hands, brought out a wet towel and wiped him clean. He covered himself and lay on the bed, his drooping eyelids covering his satisfied gaze. He held out his hand, and she moved into his embrace.

“It was terrific…thank you…” he spoke softly, kissing her crown.

They lay silent in that manner with only their soft breaths and the chiming of the clock for company.

“Krish..?”

“Yea…”

“What are those bruises… were you injured? Earlier? Even saw a few on your back that day when…”

He stiffened and sat up straight. What just happened? Did she speak something she shouldn’t have?

“Kajal… there are things about me that you don’t know about and I request you not to ask me about it.” He bluntly spoke and rose, drawing up a pair of new shorts with great difficulty and walking out of the room.

Before she could understand the situation, the doorbell rang, and she straightened her clothes, rushing to answer the door. A beautiful woman in tight-fitting clothes emanating some expensive perfume fragrance with a face covered with war paint stared at her. Then without saying anything, she barged inside. Kajal knew her as Hetal…KB’s girlfriend…

“KB? What the hell? Why are the codes changed? You were in an accident, and I wasn’t even informed. Just returned from an assignment in Vancouver, and this is what I see…” She screamed and turned to look at a flabbergasted Kajal.

KB, who was now fully clothed, walked downstairs and gestured Hetal to sit on the couch while going to his bedroom. He stopped in his tracks as the doorbell rang again, and Kajal walked in a  daze to do the needful. This time there was a man in a safari suit and goggles perched on his nose. She didn’t unlock the door.

“Yes, please?” She asked.

“Tell KB his Subodh mama is here…”

KB walked towards the door and unlatched it.

The man walked in and sat on the opposite couch as if he belonged here. KB joined Hetal on the other couch and said. “To what do I owe your visit, mama?”

“I heard you were in… an accident so can’t I come to check on you? I was told you were to get married tomorrow… but now…doesn’t look like… and then there is one in the waiting and one next to you… so this marriage…” The man chuckled, and Kajal’s insides cringed.

“Don’t worry, mama everything is going to be fine….” KB spoke, standing up and walking towards her. He put his arm around her shoulder. “…Meet Kajal, my would-be wife. We are getting married tomorrow…”

Three pairs of eyes stared at KB with varied expressions.

All I yearn for is his alluring glimpse

My mind-body-soul craves for the magical unison

Where the morning sees our entangled limbs

Why is the universe so wanton?

©priyagole

Chapter 24

ACP Ramanrao Pradhan was a name to reckon with. The burly six feet tall man just short of his sixtieth birthday stared into the full-length mirror in the police quarters at Nagpur. He was retiring next week and moving to Mumbai… the city of dreams… his dreams. Dreams that were shattered years ago and had picked up with a snail’s pace, and he had to add the needed impetus.

He twirled his handlebar mustache, his pride, even as his doting wife Uma brought in the tray of piping hot filter coffee…She followed the routine diligently 30 years after marriage. They were issueless but that didn’t deter them from enjoying life to the fullest… till a few years ago, he hadn’t given her much time, and he regretted it. She had spiraled into depression, and it had taken her suicide attempt to come to his senses and take a transfer stopping all the extracurricular work that increased his pay now stashed safely in banks outside the country. It was his nest egg yet to pop… He had to fill it more.

But the transfer had worked in Uma’s favor. She had thrived and started her own online business. She designed clothes… Just like her classmate from those years ago. That woman had started his downfall. Someone whom he had blindly trusted just because she was Uma’s friend. He had thought she was a family woman would look the other way so far as he was giving her payments. But she had betrayed his trust.

Why did people hold morals so high up in the order?

Everything was going well. He had to make a little more money, and then he had thought of taking voluntary retirement and settling in Dubai. His crony, who worked as his right-hand man both at home and in his office in Mumbai, Rafiq had done well covering his tracks. Murdering someone neatly was easy for the man. His dimwit worked in Pradhan’s favour. He didn’t have to fear the guy ratting him out or becoming greedy.

Being a policeman gave a perfect cover to his covert operations. All he had to do was stop patrolling near the docks as the containers came in or pass the hint of a raid on a particular brothel. A few wads of notes worked wonders in shutting mouths, and since Rafiq and a few clueless guys under him did the dirty work, he was nowhere in the picture. He had covered all loose ends, so nothing got back to him. He could study people well and knew whose weak points he could strangulate and get the maximum out of them.

He got rid of unwanted people, too it wasn’t rocket science, and he had emerged untouched. But he didn’t envision two possibilities: first his wife, whom he loved above everything, losing it in the mental health department, and second, sub-inspector Manohar Shinde, whom he had misjudged the big time.

Uma had been admitted to the psychiatric ward of the super specialty hospital the day he was to receive a consignment. The women were from Russia and not over 20. Very young women brought in the maximum moolah, and since they weren’t from the country, no one would know where they disappeared. So he had made arrangements for their stay across his special partners, one of them and the most premier one in Mudh island, Rakesh Batra.

Rakesh had been an easy catch. The man was a hardcore womanizer and had a dwindling business in the form of a good for nothing factory in Virar. The location was perfect to ‘teach people a lesson or get rid of the unwanted ones. The factory was a huge front for all his nefarious deeds. He had helped the man get a loan through unscrupulous means to buy out that huge house that served as the ‘storehouse’ for his new conquests till they were auctioned off.

In return, Rakesh got a massive payout for each consignment to fuel his alcoholism.

Manohar Shinde was newly in charge of the special wing made by Mumbai Police for curbing human trafficking twelve years ago. Like his predecessors, Pradhan had tried to buy him out too… but he had staunchly refused. The man had been crazy and neurotically involved in the case. He had made it his mission to catch the mastermind and once almost got close to catching Rafiq. Though he needn’t have worried, something in the man’s zeal caught his eye. Manohar Shinde was a workaholic.

When Uma was admitted that night Manohar and his team caught a consignment at the docks but fortunately, it only contained few women, and a couple of them had died in transition. The women didn’t speak the local language, and he had prearrangement with Rafiq to silence the men on the ship. So besides frantic women screaming their lungs out, Manohar Shinde landed with nothing. But it was enough to raise red flags amongst their Russian counterparts.

He had to do something and found out about Manohar’s family. His beautiful wife seemed familiar, and it struck him he had seen her in the picture book belonging to his wife. His elephant’s memory had served him well. So he had arranged for that woman to visit his wife and Uma had been so happy that she had recovered very soon. She, along with Mrs. Rajani Shinde had planned to start a business…

He had been happy and had thought of using Rajani as bait to threaten Manohar. He had requested Rakesh to involve her in some ‘textile’ aspect of his business that gave her income. The naïve woman had readily agreed, and he had finally heaved a sigh of relief to see his plan go on track.

Yet again, his fate had other plans… he hadn’t envisioned Rakesh… the womanizer, to fall in love with Rajani, and not only that, the woman reciprocated too. She began to visit Rakesh’s home frequently, and during one of her visits, she saw the basement room at Mudh island with a couple of women held captive.

She had realized almost immediately what was going on and had decided to become the whistleblower. Before that, she had gathered all the data and their ledger details. He had been in the dark, but Rakesh had found her out once. The woman had been brave when confronted, and Rakesh had almost let her go without any evidence in her hands.

But he was Ramanrao Pradhan, and he hadn’t risen up to this level in the illegal business so easily or by being forgiving. He had ordered Rafiq to get Rajani out of the way. She also knew Rafiq since he was always home serving her food and drinks whenever she visited Uma. It was easy. But then Rakesh had been acting like a lost puppy. And Manohar had upped his ante. It was a dangerous situation.

It was easy to get rid of the drunk Rakesh Batra. The guy didn’t even know how Rafiq made him hold the pistol and aim at his temple. Rakesh had stolen copies of the ledger from the factory locker. They had arranged to search the Mudh Island bungalow but found nothing. Would his son know something?

For Monoher, he decided to make use of his anger issues. It took a while. He was the predator who awaited his prey…

Pushing a sloshed Manohar before the arriving train was no big deal.

He had arranged for the closure of the case involving Rajani’s disappearance and passing Manohar’s death as suicide. He had also gone over the top and made arrangements to put it on records as an accident so the guy could get benefits. So he had tilted the department respect in his favor. So also a grieving Uma who missed her dear friend. She had been sick for months after Rajani left, and he couldn’t watch her wilt away.

He straightened out on the chair in the balcony attached to the bedroom, watching his beautiful wife tend to the kitchen garden, his phone buzzed with an incoming text. His mood plummeted reading it. The moron Rafiq was no good these days. How many chances did he have to give the buffoon?

That man KB unlike his father had many lives like a cat. He survived not just once but twice… Once a few days back and once when he had spiked his drink with a heavy dosage of the date rape drug enough to stone an elephant… knowing he would go home. It was planned to the tee. The blame would befall Manohar Shinde.

The empty trailer he had arranged too was perfect in execution… only KB’s friends had died, and he had escaped unscathed.

He had to get more information now. This Rafiq was an idiot and a white elephant. He had also heard Rafiq’s alcoholism had crossed boundaries, and it wouldn’t be long before the fool blurted out everything. When Rakesh’s son KB tried to buy out the Virar factory, he had been cautious. He later learned of some investigating agency prying on their associates. He couldn’t afford any lapses… his reputation was at stake, not to mention the money waiting for him.

He stood leaning on the balcony railing. He had come a long way treading on innumerable bodies, and he wouldn’t go back now. The Russian syndicate had given him a good offer five years ago, and the work had restarted… But this time he would lose the garb of the uniform soon…

He had to be careful. Very careful. He walked to the mirror again and wore his uniform. He raised his sleeve at the arm to reveal the swastika tattoo… the one with a bent arm.

©priyagole

Chapter 23

‘Papa, its my birthday tomorrow…so…’ Ten-year-old Krish walked hesitantly into his father’s study. His father lay slumped on the table, papers flying all over, the room redolent with the whiskey all over; Krish wanted to gag. The man’s hand lay hanging loosely holding the glass of the half-drunk liquid while the rest had spilled on the red carpet staining it black… It was his mother’s favorite and he hated to see his father like this. His mother’s gift to his papa, the musical lighter also lay without a care in the world. He picked it up and pocketed it. At least there would be something besides a few pictures of his mom to remind him she existed.

But Krish had been used to this. He had barely known his mother and papa was always wasted whenever he was at home. The rest of the time he was gone to the ‘factory’ in Mumbai. So Krish was all alone with the staff in the vast villa… till he had made local friends a few years ago.

Tomorrow too he would celebrate with them like the earlier year. One of them would bring him a homemade pudding and another would get fish curry. These would taste better than anything his cooks prepared here. He often wished for his papa to be at home when he was sober and spend time with him and ask him about his school and friends.

But either his old man would be sloshed or string along his newest arm candy for the week sometimes, for the day. No one lasted… Initially, little Krish had hoped one of them would eventually be his mother. But after multiple heartbreaks, he had given up on the idea.

He had hoped his tenth birthday at least would be different. He wanted a special gift… he wanted his father’s permission to meet his grandparents. His aaji had once called on the home landline and expressed her desire to see him. So for the first time, there was someone who wanted to meet him… But his father lay strewn drunk to oblivion and he knew the man would be gone in the morning before he woke. Then he would be gone away for days together on business trips.

Disappointed surged through his body and erupted through his eyes, rivoluting down his cheeks. He turned to go back to his room when his eyes fell on something peeing out of his father’s sleeve. His father always wore full sleeves, even at home. Today the sleeve had moved up and curiosity got the better of him as he bent forward and raised it a little more.

It was two Z-shaped structures intertwined together. He had seen similar structures outside some of the homes of his friends here and even in the temple. But why did his father have that tattoo and it was strange… one of the arms was bent….’

Suddenly he was eighteen and running in the dark tunnel, the breeze out of nowhere hitting his body, impeding his movement and chilling him to the core. An infernous ball of fire followed him. Then, suddenly, a man standing ahead with no face but just a machete and his hand had the same tattoo as his father did. As he ran he wanted to scream to the man to move … but he collided and the sharp instrument made its way into his abdomen. Oh hell… it was so painful…. Aaaaaaa….he screamed….Aaaaa…

“KB…KB… wake up KB…”

Wait… was that Kajal? What was she doing in the tunnel?

He heard beeps around him and the strange antiseptic odor. The fireball or the man was nowhere in sight, but the pain was there… his body was on fire… there was no part which wasn’t in agony and he tried to open his eyes. A blurred vision of the beautiful Kajal swam before his eyes. She was worried and saying something. His fudged mind was clueless…

Someone came on his other side and began to check him… wait, was he in a hospital?

It was then some things began to clear. First, his meeting with the investigative agency and then that wait on the traffic island , being pushed…

“Mr. KB, you are better now, out of danger and extremely fortunate, I must say. It must have been your lucky day. I am sure you will recover completely in the next three weeks or so…” the doctor continued his tirade and he saw Kajal paying attention to every word. She was so adorable… What the hell was wrong with him now?

The doctor went away and the police arrived. First, they asked him standard questions. Then, finally, the inspector said.

“Mr. KB, can you tell us what you were doing in that area? Of course, the likes of you would never go there…”

“I… I had gone to gauge the people’s behaviors… we actors do that often to see them in the natural settings. “ He fibbed.

“Ok…Mr. KB we will go with your story. You are lucky to have escaped death twice… last night was tough, but thanks to the presence of mind of your fiancé, you were saved. I assure you there wont be any more such trouble…”

“What… who came last… night?” He struggled to speak. The policeman gave him a brief of the incident.

“We don’t have an ID of the man… he killed himself. He isn’t on the criminal database… so except for the strange Swastika tatoo there was nothing else…” the rest of what the police Inspector said fell on deaf ears as his heart thudded and fear gripped him. Was that dream he just had a mere coincidence or some sign from his subconsciousness…? Wait, what about Raj? Was he OK?

He couldn’t tell anything to the police right now. It would only open a Pandora’s box. So he had to find things on his own…

A day went by with Kajal fussing over him. He wasn’t used to anyone hovering around him all the time, but he found her gesture very cute and smiled as she fluttered like a confused butterfly, talking to doctors or coordinating with Mr. Mehta or giving him the medicines or reminding the nurses about his meal schedules. A couple of times she went out, she made sure Mr. Mehta was with him inside.

He missed her like crazy though the moments gave him a chance to talk to the grim PA.

“Mr. Mehta, there is something I need you to check discreetly. Do you remember you had given me a contact of that Investigating Agency guy, Raj? I want you to check on him without him knowing… just if he is OK. Can you do that?”

Mr. Mehta raised his eyebrow as if wanting to know more, but KB only looked away. He was still in pain, and the meds were playing with his head. He only wanted to hear Raj was safe.

Later that night, Kajal kept regaling about some media stories about him and other actors, and he smiled at her efforts to brighten his mood. The little fool didn’t realize it was her mere presence that brightened up everything around him.

After a week, he was all set for discharge, and it struck him Kajal hadn’t gone for her exams. So as she stood packing his stuff while he sat up in the wheelchair, he asked her. “Kajal, what about your exams?”

She ignored his question and continued doing the chore.

“Kajal… I asked you a question… can you answer me?” the effort caused him to cough. And she rushed towards him with water. His hands were in the cast and would remain so for a couple of weeks at least. She had been helping out all the time. She did it all without batting an eyelid, whether feeding him or helping the ward boy change his clothes.

“KB… I wasn’t prepared to write the exams so I forfeited them… I will appear after six months… it doesn’t matter.” She dismissed it and turned around to go back. Her bloodshot eyes and the mouve shadows below her lids broke his heart. She had lost weight as well…

“Kajal sit here please…” he indicated to the bed next to his wheelchair.

She sat placed her cold palms in his. “What is it Kajal? What is wrong?”

She began to sob laid her head softly on his chest. The position was awkward, but he had wanted to take her in his arms desperately, fracture or not… he mentally swore at his inability.

“KB… I was scared to death… I thought something would happen to you, especially since that attacker came in and tried to…” She gripped his fingers, and he interlocked his inbhers. “…I have brought you bad luck KB…”

“Relax Kajal… I am OK… thanks to you…In fact, I got saved because of you. So cut the bad omen crap all right? You are my lucky charm… and right now, my charm is withering away… You took care of that plant in my house… and now you need to take care of yourself too.”

Kajal nodded, and after an hour, they left for his home. On the way, Mr. Mehta kept him abreast of all the developments in the shoots and the stalling because of his accident. The Mahabaleshwar shoot was postponed for a couple of months because it involved him hiking… the ad shoots were postponed indefinitely.

Mr. Mehta had arranged for a nurse and a ward boy 24/7 to look after him.

“I… I will be there as well.. so don’t worry Mr. Mehta…” Kajal blurted out, surprising him.

He looked at her determined expression and couldn’t help but smile. “Kajal, are you sure? Your folks will be OK with it?”

“Of course they will… don’t worry KB. Just focus on recovering… your… fans are missing you…” She said and looked at the passing scenery.

He was settled in his bedroom, and he saw Kajal look around his plain white room with the extravagant ceiling and wondered what she must think of it. But she didn’t react, too busy setting up his stuff. Instead, she had arranged for her stuff to be delivered here and her uncle would be arriving later in the evening.

As she walked out of the room to get started for the lunch preparation, Mr. Mehta shut the door and latched it getting back to him.

“KB sir there is something I had to tell you for last couple of days but Kajal madam was there all the time so couldn’t.”

“What is it Mehta?”

“Its about Raj…”

That caught his attention and his heartbeats accelerated.

“Sir, Raj killed himself on the same day as your accident…his body was found hanging in his cabin in his office premises by the peon the next day…”

“What did the police… say?” his voice cracked in grief… yet another dead body on his count.

“Sir, they have shut the case a suicide. His family consists of old parents, and they didn’t want to pursue the case. But sir…”

“But what…?”

“…I have known Raj from his childhood… he isn’t someone who can kill himself… there is something sinister. I have the pictures taken by theta peon… Raj was murdered for sure…”

Mr. Mehta showed KB the pictures on his cell phone. It was a child’s play to know it wasn’t a suicide given the body position and the injuries on him… KB had done lots of research for his TV soaps to learn about these intricacies… but never in the wildest of his dreams had he thought he would have to analyze something like this.

His eyes filled as a strange fear gripped him. The perpetrator, whomever it was calling the shots, was no small guy. He was influential, and now KB even began to doubt if his father had killed himself or was that cold-blooded murder?

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In the other corner of Mumbai, Dongri.

He wiped his mouth as he consumed the cheap liquor. So he was soon going to get out of this dingy chawl, have a house of his own, and drink the best scotch money could buy. Saab had promised and had delivered so far.

All he had to do was push that man pointed to him. Easy-peasy, and no one could guess. It had gone well, except for the fact that the man was saved. The car whirled around, reducing momentum right then, and though he was hit, the man escaped death.

The other one was a cakewalk for him. He had walked into that guy’s office and as prior arranged, it was empty except for that man. He had bruised him and strangled him. He had strict instructions against using the blade, which would have been easier… the guy wasn’t too heavy to hang either.

Saab had still been furious. His payment was halved to teach him a lesson and he had been told to lay put for a while.

He was annoyed too. His Chameli was not satisfied with the mere change she got from him. There were wealthy patrons readily waiting for her to shower her with money. He had promised her a gold chain that she had eyes for long, so her loyalty was tilted in his favor. Besides, he had contacts in ‘high’ places; else the brothel madam wouldn’t have allowed him to have his way.

Saab had recognized his talent years ago and given him jobs in return for new currency. He had loved his life.

Today Chameli kicked him out, literally, and if not for Saab’s dikkat he would have shown her what it meant to insult him. One slash on that tender neck, and it would be the end of her.

Just like he had done years ago, the woman never knew what hit her. She had run, but the saree wasn’t the outfit one could sprint in. He had first hit her with a stone as she ran through the lanes in that basti in Virar. Then, she unknowingly had run into his lair. It was his area those days.. he was barely in his twenties, and the adrenaline rush was like a tsunami.

The stone had hit the target, and she had fallen. He moved close to her, and in her last moments, he lifted off his mask and revealed himself to her utmost horror. He had chuckled at her wide-eyed expression as she had recognized him.

She had given up the fight even as he had deftly used the blade cutting the jugular, draining the life out of the woman….

The gritty woman’s body had spasmed as she had whispered last words. ‘Ka-jal’

©priyagole

Chapter 22

Kajal was studying for her upcoming paper. She hadn’t turned the page in the last couple of hours.

The turmoil in her heart didn’t let her rest. The visit to KB’s home, the moments spent there, and then Ganpat kaka’s call… all did nothing to reduce her anxiety. But, besides that, she had the sense… some premonition of something going wrong somewhere…

What was it? Why was her heart beating rapidly… it was the same feeling she had that morning when her aai had hugged her for the last time. She shuddered.

Maami and Poonam were away shopping, and she had handed over the credit card and choice of clothes for the wedding to them. That they were ecstatic was an understatement. Maami was on the seventh heaven, and Kajal knew they would go overboard, to her utmost dislike. But she got a few hours of solitude, and that was important.

She saw the volume she had left to study, and her heart fell… how on earth could she appear for the exam? The exam for which she had her heart set on for ages didn’t hold much appeal anymore… nothing did, except for her heart which yearned to be with that enigma called KB. She longed to spend time with him and melt into his warmth… She knew by now he was struggling with something. She hoped she could help him find peace.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Mr. Mehta. Why was he calling?

“Hello, Mr. Mehta…”

“Kajal madam… KB Sir… he… he is…” Mr. Mehta was panting, and her heart beats increased.

“What is Mr. Mehta… what about KB? I can’t make out…”

“He got into… ac…accident…”

She dropped her book and stood as panic seized her. “Is… is he OK?”

“He is in surgery and… can you come here? I can’t reveal this to his grandmother… I have to take care of the media…”

“Where is he?” she already gathered her purse and the house keys to drop them with her neighbor.

“Winston Hospital… he is on level 4. I have informed them only to allow you… so bring an ID… take the service elevator. I have arranged that as well… I will see you upstairs.”

She didn’t wait to disconnect as she rushed out towards the auto stand. The diminishing sunlight resonated with her mood… She had lost too much. Was she a bad omen? Her maami had once said in a fit of rage that Kajal was unlucky and had the arrangement of her fortune stars was inappropriate. It brought calamity to whoever was associated with her. Kajal had often wondered if it was true. Her aai had left then her baba had been into that ‘accident’. Krunal was struggling… and now KB.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she realized how important KB had become to her in a short period taking the place of everything else in her heart. She did not doubt that she was in love with him. But she had brought bad luck to him… what would he now think?

Whatever it was, she only hoped he was safe as she desperately prayed to Bappa.

She reached the hospital and was spellbound to see the sea of scribes gathered outside the main gates. She rushed towards the service elevator, and a waiting ward boy took her upstairs.

Mr. Mehta was waiting outside the surgical ward, tension written on his face.

“Mr. Mehta… how’s it going?” she asked.

“Kajal madam, the surgery is almost done with… that’s what I heard a while ago. I have no idea how he is. The police have been handled, but the press got wind of it… you have to tell his grandmother… before she gets to know from the press. I have the driver waiting… please go to the estate.” Mr. Mehta rubbed his fatigued face, and Kajal felt for him too.

She only nodded and rushed towards the waiting car. How on earth was she going to console the fragile older woman when she herself was a mess.

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“Come beta… what a surprise at this hour… all OK?” Ajji called out to her, adjusting her heavy-rimmed glasses. From the looks of it the lady had been unceremoniously woken up. Her tousled hair and wrinkled cotton saree spoke volumes about her fragile state, but the glow in her opaquing eyes was something Kajal looked for. She rushed to the couch and sat at ajji’s feet, placing her head on the woman’s knew.

Though she had tried her best, it wasn’t possible to hold back tears especially as ajji caressed her head.

“What happened beta?”

“Ajji… KB has been in an accident… and I am scared for him… ajji…” Kajal cried amidst fear gripping her.

“Beta…” Ajji’s calm voice surprised her. “…our Krishiv is strong… nothing will happen to him. He has you now to worry about him, to look forward to spending a life with… I am glad you are with us, dear…”

“…But ajji…”

“…No buts, dear. I won’t be able to do anything, but you should be in the hospital. Don’t worry about me here. I am stronger than I look… its just that I have always been worried about Krishiv… he didn’t deserve anything that he has gone through.” Ajji sighed, her eyes filling.

Kajal rechecked her phone. There was no call from Mr. Mehta, which meant KB was still in surgery. What was happening? She wanted nothing more than to rush to be with him.

“Kajal…? Promise me one thing…” Ajji suddenly spoke.

“ye…yes ajji?”

“Promise me you won’t leave his side come what may… My Krishiv has lost so much… his mom, dad, friends, and being in this industry has alienated him from us too… he may be a part of showbiz, but he is all alone and lonely. I have never been his anchor whenever he needed me, but I saw how he looked at you… Kajal, I have never seen him happy ever since he came to live with us years ago….so promise me…” Ajji’s voice cracked as she raised a trembling hand towards Kajal.

Kajal held her hand and only nodded. Right then, her phone buzzed, and Mr. Mehta informed her KB was out of surgery in the ICU.

Kajal soon left for the hospital, wondering the strange turn her life had taken ever since she had met KB. Her life had never been a  bed of certainties, but this kind of inconsistancy was killing her. Her anxiety was at its peak. She texted Poonam about the situation. As expected, there was no reply… such conceited people… she huffed.

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Kajal sat on the hard steel stool next to KB, lying on the bed, all patched up. It looked like a sea of white, and his beautiful eyes were swollen shut. They had to do a craniotomy to reduce the pressure in the brain, and though he was out of danger, he was still in an induced coma.

The doctors had said that any neurological Issue would be known later, probably after he regained consciousness. His arms were fractured, but fortunately, the car driver was an expert and had put the brakes as soon as he got the hint of KB falling, and KB being actively into fitness, had tried his best to cushion his fall to save his head…

The doctors added that anyone else in his place would not have had it so easy. Kajal shuddered, and the very thought brought tears flowing down her cheeks. She had elected to stay back in the hospital, and Mr. Mehta had left after assigning a couple of bodyguards outside the private ICU. Kajal was allowed only after lots of pleading and after scrubbing and wearing the ICU gear. She didn’t mind wearing even the astronaut suit if it meant she could be next to KB.

Since when did KB become such an essential element in her life that she felt her breath halt totally… at the very thought of something happening to him? She shook her head. No, she had to be practical. She couldn’t let him know her true feelings at any cost. She didn’t want to make him feel oblidged… she knew by now he was a kind-hearted man.

Sitting amidst the antiseptic odor, she fell into a disturbed sleep with the instrumental beeps for a lullaby.

Somewhere in the night, she heard a creak… she opened her eyes a bit, trying to gauge the uncomfortable position she was in.

What was that sound between the monitoring beeps? She slowly moved her now stiff body and saw a silhouette of a man staring at KB. He held a …OMG a knife.

She screamed, startling the man who probably hadn’t realized her presence in the dark. Then, without thinking, she ran towards the man and pushed him away. She continued to scream…

“Help… is anyone out there?”

The man dropped the medicinal tray crashing the liquids all around, and Kajal waited in fear as the man stood up, his dark shadow heaving angrily, looking for what she thought was the knife. Right then, the door to the private ICU opened, and two burly guards got in. One of them switched on the lights…

Before anyone could react, the shadow in complete black barged out of the window shattering the glass… a trembling Kajal watched in horror at the scene unfolding, something she had only seen on TV. Right before he jumped his hand was exposed and she saw a blur vision of the unmistakable tattoo of the Swastika with the bent handle..

The police arrived soon following the angry doctor and Mr. Mehta, who was ruthlessly roused from his slumber. Fortunately, nothing happened to KB, who was lost into oblivion.

They were wheeled into another room, and Mr. Mehta increased surveillance, and the number of bodyguards beside the police constables gathered to keep a watch… it was now looking like someone was after KB… there were whispers around if the accident was also some kind of a  sinister plot. The man had jumped to his death, the news sending the hospital into a frenzy. So what was the superstar doing at such a downmarket area?

Now that the adrenaline had subsided, Kajal’s heart fell… she sat in the room, her sleep-laden heavy lids forbidden to shut by her as she stared wide-eyed at the man. Internet news was filled with speculations. Krunal sent her a few links. Her poor brother must be worried about her. She had assured him she was fine and asked him to focus on his studies.

As another hour deep into the solitude of the night passed, she sat back on the couch, covering herself with the shawl Mr. Mehta had got her. It was pretty cold. Or maybe the chill she felt in her heart after the incident was seeping into the rest of her body.

Something troubled her, but she couldn’t point out. Sleep was now long gone… she was too worked up to sleep. As she stared at the tiny subtle shadows playing on the ceiling, she replayed the event. Something about that man had caught her attention. There was something familiar about him. But what could be familiar about a thug like that, who preferred to end his life than surrendering to the cops?

She sighed as she tried to catch a couple of winks. Her mind was now a mush with a wide array of intermingled thoughts. Suddenly she remembered her mother. Would that retired ACP know more about her aai? Even if her mother didn’t want to return, she would be happy to see the woman was doing well. At least she was safe…

Suddenly she sat up with a jerk as it struck like a thunderbolt. She remembered very clearly.

The man who was probably an assailant had the swastika tattoo, and Kajal had seen it before… on the hand of the man talking to her mother that evening on Ganpati Vsarjan day years ago. She clutched at her chest. What was happening? Was this a mere coincidence? No, the swastika, too, had the bent hand. So how was KB linked to this? First the musical lighter and now the tattoo… too.

She remembered reading somewhere, ‘there is no such thing as a coincidence.

Right then, KB stirred… probably not yet conscious but in pain. She buzzed the night doctor on duty, and he checked the vitals. She was relieved to know KB was now stable and out of danger. He would sleep away the anesthesia and wake up gradually. The doctor and the nurse left the room to its silent self.

As she tried to settle again on the couch, she heard him again. KB was whispering something. Was he in pain? This was more than just pain.. he was in a nightmare. She saw him try to flail his hands which were now in a cast. He could hurt himself. She rushed towards him and held him, whispering into his ears that all would be fine.

“Gyan… don’t drive so fast buddy… Ruhaan will throw-up and who is this dame yaar… she is trying to get into my pants…right from ‘President disco-club’. Gyaan look out…lookout…aaaaa…Oh God… Gyan? Ruhaan? Oh no… no… no… it cant be…. No… I dodnt kill them… so sorry… so sorry… ”

KB moved in his nightmare, tears rivulated down his palloured cheeks, and she held him. What was he talking about?

“KB it’s going to be ok… don’t worry… Just recover. For our sakes, just recover… please, come back to me… please,” She whispered into his ear, and suddenly he went still, slipping into a deep slumber.

She continued to hold him close more for herself than for him. He was in so much of pain… physically, emotionally…. From whatever had happened in his life. As her eyes welled up for the nth time and she prayed for his recovery and peace.

As you cement your place in my memories,

Accelerating its growth, snowballing everyday

The earth and wind and sun may change territories

Your imprints on my soul are there to stay.

©priyagole

Chapter 21

KB walked back as he watched the tiny version of Kajal get into the cab. He felt like a piece of his heart had been taken away. No… he couldn’t… he had no right to feel the emotion. He knew Kajal felt something for him… maybe a tiny bit liked him as well.

But he didn’t deserve a pure soul like her. So he tried his best to stay away. But he couldn’t help it… Kajal had only been kind, and every gesture of her, whether caring for a drooping plant or preparing a quick lunch for him… she had cemented her way into his heart.

He walked into his bedroom and lay on the soft bed staring at the intricately carved false ceiling. This was his prominent extravagance in this house. He had wanted to look at something appealing rather than a blank ceiling reflecting his life. He was KB the small screen superstar for the world, but in reality, he was lonely… always had been.

He decided to take a little nap before getting back to reading scripts. As he turned to dig his head into the pillow, his eyes fell on the Zone-in visiting card he had kept when he had come in to change clothes earlier. Sleep all forgotten he remembered the day he had contacted the investigative agency a year ago.

Last year, he had been shooting for a hit TV series when he had received a package from the current owners of the Mudh Island plot where he had once lived. He had the dream to buy back the entire land and some more along with his father’s factory in Virar. However, he was falling short of capital because the factory was a dilapidated haunted unit, and he had to involve and bribe municipality guys. That would call for attention and link him to his father and everything in the past. So he had let it pass for the time being and focused on buying land in Madh island. He had bought land near the waterfront and it was still a vacant plot. So he had to buy his old home property close to it, which was now with a bureaucrat.

KB’s father had purchased the vintage bungalow during an auction years before he was born. How the man had acquired the money for that was still a mystery. He had seen his father live extravagantly and when he grew old enough, he realized his father had been busy with his alcohol and women in and out of his life.

He had always wondered what his father did for a living… was it textiles as the textile factory was their only source of income. His father had come from nowhere. He didn’t know his paternal grandparents or anyone else. He remembered the frequent phone calls towards the last days where his father would fight and abuse. Then in a fit of rage, he would throw away the bottles… in the last year before his death, they barely had servants in a house which at one time buzzed with them… He knew they had gone bankrupt, and that was what coaxed his father to pull the trigger on himself.

KB had been in touch with the owners whenever the house changed hands, hoping to buy him out someday. However, the current owner, though cordial, had no intention to sell the place unless someone offered him something extraordinary, which was beyond KB’s means at the moment. The owner, however, had promised to ask KB first before he sold it though.

Last year, when the house was remodeled, the current owner found a leather pouch containing receipts and bills and a ledger hidden in the basement. He had, as a goodwill gesture, handed it over to KB.

KB had been through it all… they were all hotel bills for different five-star hotels amounting to lakhs, and the ledger has transaction details. In addition, there were a few initials commonly next to the credits.

One name, which was an alias, stood out, however. It only said ‘the rain’. Some names, including this one, had the Swastika symbol next to them with one of the bars bent.

Nothing had made sense to KB, and he decided to find out more. He had taken the help of the investigating agency, which Mr. Mehta recommended when he said he had to trace a long-lost friend. But, of course, the NDAs were airtight, and the agency couldn’t reveal anything and face his ire. He had handed them all the information and numerous tidbits he could remember.

Then for a month or two, he had followed up, but they hadn’t faced success. Instead, he had pushed it under the carpet given his PR voes and work commitments.

But suddenly they had got back after almost a year… what could it be? Did they find something?

He placed a call to the man who had come to meet him and the agency owner.

“Hello Raj, it’s KB… what was it?”

“Hello Sir, we have to meet… there is some information I have unearthed, and I can’t even share with my colleagues… So I have to see you and you alone…”

An hour later, they both sat in a café, in the corner most seat, which offered the needed privacy. KB was skeptical about being seen in the public, but the down-market area was perfect for his camouflage. The likes of him didn’t visit the place infested with flies and the constant rotten fish odor.

“So what was so important? Could you get any information about those bills and the ledger?”

“I am not sure, sir, if the information I have is credible enough, given my source.” Raj looked scared and roved his eyes around.

“What do you mean?” what was so scary in a few hotel bills, KB wondered.

“Sir…” Raj spoke softly, and KB had to strain to hear. He bent his head further despite the foul-smelling smoking odor emanating from Raj’s breath. The guy was killing his lungs. “…Sir, I hadn’t received any kind of information for your stuff and had closed the file. But a month ago, I was following a man for his wife, who is our client. They are in a divorce settlement case, and she wanted dirt on his wayward ways. So he entered this hotel on the outskirts of Pune, and the logo sounded familiar. As I waited behind him in the lobby, it struck me that the logo was against one of the bills you had provided, but the name was altered… I remembered because the original name was Hotel Indra Plaza, but it was now ‘In drop Plaza’ with the same logo tilted… it was a huge drop of water model with a building in it which was unique, so I remembered….”

“…You mean to say the hotel names are now changed?”

“It’s possible sir. So I followed this man, and I saw he was taken to a special suit and very soon a young girl barely out of her teens walked into his room. There was a ruffian-like man with her, and another one waited back in a car. I don’t have to tell you what was going on in the room. I hid in the shadows… and I am very good at camouflage…. I heard screams and wails from the room. A while later, the man laughed ad left the room, and a little later, a doctor rushed to the room. After a while, the girl limped out all bandaged and she was taken by the service elevator back to the car.

I bribed a waiter there, and later, he spilled the beans that a part of the hotel was meant to supply girls to these men who had violent tendencies and had wanted more than a lay…I was also told the group of suppliers aka pimps was way too dangerous….”

KB couldn’t believe what he heard. Nothing made sense, however. “What is the relationship of this incident with those bills?”

“Sir, these activities were rampant during the period mentioned in those bills. The same group was involved… they were silent for a few years but have restarted operations stealthily right under the noses of the Law Enforcement. Besides, I am told these girls go there with their free will or perhaps are too scared to file complaints…”

“So… then…?”

“Sir I checked for other hotels too and found two others with similar name changes. I worked in one of them for a week and befriended an old guy… from housekeeping. He revealed something sinister too that had happened years ago, however, currently, that hotel was clean. But the owner of that hotel had kept a backup in the custody of this man. It was CCTV footage from those days. The old man hadn’t spoken about it because the topic never came up, but I had to pay him, and a few malts did the trick… he gave me the footage, and I made a copy of it…”

Raj pushed the pen drive towards KB. “Sir, I went through… it doesn’t have clear faces to incriminate anyone as such…, but there was something that caught my eye.”

“What… what is it?”

“All those men, including the ones I saw in that Pune hotel, had the Swastika tattoo on their arms… the one with the bent arm.”

“Oh… you mean… my father had something to indict these people?”

“Sir… I don’t know how true this must be, but I enlarged a picture from the footage… it took me two days, but here it is… this man looks like your father. The one, ordering the guys in the tattoo…”

All blood drained from KB’s face as he saw the picture. There was no doubt the man in charge was his father. What the hell… ? His head reeled, and he had to grip it in his palms.

“Sir… may I suggest something?”

KB didn’t react, too stunned to fathom anything.

“Sir… please stay away from all this… pretend you never heard about it. It won’t bring back the dead or stop anything. These guys have political clout and are dangerous…”

“Why do… why do you say that…? We can give this to the police…”

“Sir… don’t ever do that. The waiter who spoke to me in that Pune Hotel has gone missing… no one knows his whereabouts… and the old man who gave me this footage…”

“Wha… what happened to him…?” KB asked with a pounding heart.

“…that old man is dead… fell off the stairs and died instantly… how can it all be a coincidence?”

“But Raj…”

“KB Sir, let it go… destroy this… I only gave this to you because of our commitment, and I keep my word. I am out of this… Let’s not meet again.” Raj stood up and left the place like a breeze.

KB stood on wobbly legs and walked towards the main road where he could catch a cab.

As he passed the innumerable hawkers screaming out offers on their wares, the hair at the back of his neck pricked. Someone was watching him… he turned around but couldn’t make out. Speeding his steps, he walked fast towards the main road. The signal turned red, and he stood with the other common folk waiting to cross the busy highway to go to the other side from where he could hail a cab. The uncanny sense of being watched refused to go.

His father’s words suddenly rang in his ears from the night before he ended it all. ‘I shall not go down alone, you bastards… I told you I was framed… I didn’t betray you guys… you have to believe me’.  He thought his father had sobbed that night… but given his mood swings those days, his father could do anything.

Someone was watching him for sure…

Suddenly he felt a push from the back and before he could realize it he lost his balance and toppled on the street. The rubber screeched mercilessly as the approaching car tried to break, but it hit him hard, throwing him up, and he crash landed on the car’s bonnet…

The world blurred before him as everything got numbed, and he fell into the dark abyss.

The world isn’t what it seems

The past and the present make the future gleam

Letting go  of the tough veneer and staring into the soul

The only way to retain sanity and not lose control

©priyagole

Chapter 20

They walked into what Kajal felt was a different world. As they stepped out the cab, KB sprinted ahead, rushing through the sharply manicured lawn around his high-rise even as the security guards and the other housekeeping staff looked on. Kajal had to run to keep up with him and could barely observe her surroundings.

On the way to the foyer he was stopped by a man in black overalls and black cap standing next to a security guard.

“Hello KB sir I am from Zone-in investigative agency… we had spoken few months ago about…”

“…ok…Ok… fine. Can we talk later?” KB abruptly shut him.

“But sir, it’s very important that I…” The guy was persistent.

“…I said… I-will-talk-to-you-later…” KB firmly said staring down at the guy and he meekly bowed away.

“Please call me sir… you have the number…”

He walked away outside the compound and Kajal heard the roar of his exiting motor-bike. Why did KB need services of an investigating agency? Was there a serious problem?

The more the time passed she realized she knew practically nothing about the guy with whom she was tying the knot. She remembered some old Hollywood classic where the hugely respected doctor husband of the female protagonist was a serial killer.

She chuckled suddenly at the irony of her situation and KB gave her a look.

They got into the elevator and he pressed number 12. The last floor. Wow that meant she could have a great view, could she? She loved heights and to see the tiny world from there.

KB had withdrawn into his shell and had that mask of indifference back on his face. Her frustration was climbing higher up the ladder and she wanted nothing more than to jerk him back to his senses. He stood like a statue enroute and finally when the elevators opened, he gestured her towards his…. lone house… Gosh the entire floor for him? But of course, he was THE KB.

They stood outside his entrance; the door beautifully carved with tiny brass bells screamed of opulence. There was a security keypad which was covered by a plastic lid. KB slid it up and showed her the codes.

“Its better that you remember them since in less than a fortnight from now you will be here.” He spoke in a neutral tone as the lock clicked open with a musical tone… he turned the iron knob and the thick door finally opened. He stood aside letting her enter the house, before shutting the door.

She walked through the short corridor lined with a couple of his pics, otherwise the walls were blank and lonely…

The corridor opened into the huge drawing room. It had sparce furniture in its corners consisting of a three plus two-seater couch and a center table. There was a dining unit at the far corner of the room and the mother of pearl-colored walls. Here too there was only a single portrait of his on one of the walls while the rest were blank. There were a couple of potted indoor plants but their state of neglect was clear from the drooping leaves.

Kajal couldn’t see anyone or anything wither away. She immediately picked the water filled spray bottle next to the plants and sprayed water on them, using a thick twig to turn around the mud which had dried.

“What do you think you are doing?” KB asked from behind her. She didn’t know when he had come close.

“What do you think KB? This plant needed some tender love and care and that’s what I am providing it.” She answered not looking at him. Her annoyance was now increasing by the moment. She didn’t even know what she was doing here, in his house.

He held her arm and pulled her up. “That’s enough of gardening. These aren’t my plants. Ajji had forced them on me last month. I don’t have the time to nurture them and my housekeeper comes in once a week…”

She jerked her hand away. “Why did you get me here KB? And what was that on the road? I think I deserve to know what happened.” This time she looked at him into his eyes.

He stared at her as she saw the change of emotions in those beautiful eyes before he looked away rubbing his face.

“Let it go Kajal…” he said softly. He started to walk away.

This time she held his hand and turned him towards her. Folding her hands against her chest she waited for her anger to subside. The whooshing of the breeze from an open window was the only sound besides the ticking of the grandfather’s clock which ran through the silence.
“KB this is unfair. I know ours is a contracted union… I get it and I will always respect your privacy as discussed. But I need to know what happened there today. You had called me for lunch… all of a sudden. I thought… we had a moment after the engagement but I realized it was good for us to not mix up things here…I am not blaming you, but I demand to know… WHAT HAPPENED TODAY…”

“…I had a Goddamn panic attack, OK? I get one at times when I drive… I never drive at night. I had given my driver an off today so I took out the car. Happy now? Is there anything else you want to know and analyze?” She could see he was angry.

“Don’t be angry KB, I was worried so I asked you… I think you are fine now. So, I will get going then…I have my exam coming up in a couple of days and I don’t think there is anything else to discuss here.” She turned and walked briskly towards the corridor blinking tears of disappointment. Why on earth did she expect anything at all in this relationship, if any?

He followed her to the door and held her wrist, stopping her. “I am sorry Kajal… don’t go…please.”

She halted still her back towards him and he gently pulled her behind till her back touched his chest and he circled her body in his arms, digging his heard into her hair. She turned around in his arms and held his face in her palms.

“Are you ok now? Really, OK?” she asked him.

He only nodded and pulled her closer. She placed her head on his taut chest circling his torso and they stood like that for a while. A strange calmness descended on her bringing with it a strange sense of security. She always had to look out for herself and her brother but today she felt there was someone looking out for her. The breeze calmed her further. Suddenly she heard his stomach growl.

“Hey…” She chuckled. “…We forgot lunch…”

He drew a hand through his hair and smiled his million-dollar smile. “Yeah… lets order. What do you like?” he pulled out his phone.

“Wait… do you have anything in the fridge? I can pull up something quickly. I prefer home cooked food…” She pointed towards the giant double door fridge at the corner leading to what she felt was the kitchen.

He smiled and held her hand leading her towards the fridge. She opened it and was happy to see items which she was familiar with.

Picking up some of the veggies she said. “Wait for a little while, I will cook up something.”

 She rushed to the kitchen while he went to his room to change. She was enamored by his elegant kitchen which was neatly arranges unlike her cluttered one back home. Maami was a great cook but she didn’t clean up well after her work in the kitchen.

Kajal soon cooked bhindi fry and rotis. She also quickly chopped salad and found curd in the fridge. His housekeeper must be amazing to stock the fridge so well. She knew he would probably under some diet given his profession and hoped he would be allowed to eat what she had spruced up for them.

KB had showered and changed and as she placed the food before him, he looked wide-eyed smiling like a child who got a new toy. He put a bite in his mouth and as she waited in anticipation, he looked at her and smiled.

“This is amazing Kajal… actually it reminded me of someone from a lifetime ago…” He relished each morsel and she was glad they didn’t order food.

After lunch he showed her around the house on the lower level. He showed her, her future bedroom which was right next to his. It had plain walls like the rest of the house, complete with a wardrobe and a pretty double bed… not to mention the attached bathroom and a … study table. She had longed for this privacy all her life.

He didn’t show her his bedroom nor did she ask. The lower level also had a bathroom and a home gym. There was a huge library and she knew she would spend the maximum time here in the library amidst the enviable collection of books. KB didn’t look like a reader to her!.

“So, this is it Kajal. I wanted to show you the house. You may come here before the wedding as well if you want to keep your stuff in the room. But come alone so no one knows about the arrangement. And stay away from the first level. Its off limits even to my housekeeper.”

Though she was curious she didn’t bother to ask him. It didn’t concern her she explained herself.

She checked the watch. It was evening already. “I will have to take your leave now KB, I have to study…”

He nodded. “Uh… I am going to Mahabaleshwar for a shoot for next the upcoming week and then after returning I have back-to-back shoot before the wedding. You have the credit card so buy the clothes you need. As you know we will be having the marriage in the local temple near your house, but feel free to dress the way you want to… just send me a pic so I can ask my designer to coordinate my outfit accordingly. We have to keep a good show for the press. I have arranged for the security so it shouldn’t be a problem to keep the crowd away.”

She nodded and turned to leave.

“Kajal?”

She turned around. “Yeah…?”

“All the best for the exams”

She smiled and nodded as she walked out of the door. He had called for a cab and as the vehicle moved away from her future house, she felt as if a piece of her heart was left behind.

KB would be gone for two weeks… not that he called her or texted her regularly but at least he was in the city. She shook her head. Why was she even thinking about him? She held a hand to her chest trying to calm her racing heart.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Ganpat kaka. Why was he calling?

“Hello kaka….?”

“Hello Kajal, there is something I have recently found out about your… er… aai…”

Her heart stilled. Did he find her mother?

“Kaka… is she safe? Where is she?” she asked frantically.

“Look Kajal I don’t know details. It was just incidental finding. Why don’t you see me after your exams?”

“NO kaka… I will see you right away…”

“No kajal it’s of no use. Because the person who can give the information will be back only after a fortnight…”

“But kaka… my wedding…?”

“don’t worry Kajal, go along with the ceremony. Your marriage is in the Chintamani temple near your home, right?”

“Yes, kaka and you don’t have to be told that you have to be there.”

“Of course, I will be. Not every day do we get to see a TV-star’s wedding. Ever since you texted me about getting married to KB, I have been a celebrity myself here”

“Kaka, do you think aai is OK?”

“I hope she is beta… at least for the sake of your closure.”

“Who knows about her, kaka?”

“There is an Assistant commissioner of police who is retiring from Nagpur and when I heard about him, he felt familiar. It was then I realized I had come across his name when I was trying to look for your mother. He was one of the investigators involved those days. He handled the case till the end. So, if anyone knows something its him…”

“Can’t I see him kaka or speak to him?”

“No child, he is a big man. We can’t antagonize him…and he is busy with the handovers and stuff. Don’t worry he is shifting base to Mumbai. And I have been entrusted to the security duty arrangements at his bungalow. I will arrange the meet. Also, he won’t refuse actor KB’s wife…” kaka chuckled.

Despite her emotional upheaval, Kajal smiled.

She disconnected the call and wiped away the tears she didn’t realize were flowing down her cheeks.

The fire that ignited her desire, the ice that froze her heart

Was that what they called ‘till death do us apart’?

©priyagole

Chapter 19

KB had just changed into his track pants and a loose striped sleeveless t-shirt. The latter reminded him of the moment shared with Kajal in the vanity van. He rubbed his face… he had let his feelings and emotions get the better of him.

He didn’t know what got over him. Whether it was the engagement blues or the innocent smile on her round face or the beautiful, expressive eyes as she laughed at his funny anecdotes or her imaginative play on the board game… he couldn’t point his finger yet, but he had lost control, and when Kajal had melted in his arms he was a goner. He would do anything to relive that moment. From the go, he knew she was a virgin. It had taken all his self-control to stop what they had going back in that bedroom.

Later in the evening, she had been a pro before the photographers. He had drowned in her excitement and her beauty further enhanced by the saree as if it was designed for her. He had been sept away in the intoxicating aura emitted by Kajal, and nothing mattered. He had put on a show before the photographers, which he could do in his sleep, but in reality, he was enamored by the beautiful Kajal, who was now his fiancé.

And then that asshole had asked him a question about Hetal, and it was like someone had poured a bucket of ice water on his head. Everything had been ruined. In the flow of things, he had forgotten about Hetal and his ‘arrangement’ with her. He had forgotten his vow to himself… Kajal did that to him. She made him forget everything obnoxious or painful and made him want to live his life.

He had blocked her out almost immediately, and the poor woman must have been confused by his fire and ice attitude.

The doorbell rang, startling him out of his reverie. He knew who it was if his constantly buzzing phone was of any indication. He had been avoiding Hetal ever since he had come back after dropping Kajal at her place. He had wanted nothing more than to hug Kajal goodbye and kiss her before the world marking her as his…

He walked to the door and unlocked the alarm. Hetal barged in like a mad cat, huffing and panting with hands on her hips.

“Goddamn it… Goddammn it all… bloody hell, you are engaged? What the fuck is going on, KB?” she screamed, her high pitch screech echoing through the house.

“Calm down, Hetal…”

“The fuck I will calm down… what did you do, KB? And why?”

“Don’t… cross your boundaries, Hetal…” KB warned.

“Boundaries? Fuck the boundaries. So, you mean, what we shared was only me?”

“It isn’t like that…” he had a splitting headache and not to mention the ache in his heart.

“…cut the crap KB. We had such a great arrangement. I broke up with Rugved, and now all you have to say to me is ‘calm down’?” Hetal was panting in anger.

“Hetal, you wouldn’t have lasted with Rugved anyways. What we shared was mutual, and I agree I should have broken up officially with you before the engagement…”

“…Broken-fucking-up? You talk as if we were a couple romantically involved. I had been clear I only wanted a no-strings relationship… You seemed to be fine, and it was all going great… an open relationship where we were free to date and sleep with whomever we wanted but eventually had each other’s backs. Now that you have messed this up, my parents will pressure me to marry some nerd they choose for me….not to mention the huge embarrassment before the press. You are so damn selfish KB…”

“Hetal, just hear me out, OK?” A sudden brainwave hit him.

He spoke to Hetal, explaining the reason for his sudden engagement and upcoming marriage. He then proceeded to tell her his plan and her role in the same.

“What the hell KB, do you think she is an idiot?”

“Hetal, I don’t have a choice. This is a win-win situation for both of us. As you see, I can’t ruin her life…”

“Don’t you think by marrying you and agreeing to the contract, she is ruining it on her own?” Hetal stood with hands on her hips.

“She has her reasons, and I don’t want to be an obstruction for her in reaching her goals…” he rubbed his face for the nth time.

“Goddammit KB, had you not helped me out during my rock-bottom, I would have kicked your ass before the world. I am so angry though… you put me in a soup… big soup.”

“Nothing changes, Hetal…” he said softly, his head was now pounding with rising intensity.

“Of course, it does, just… just look at you, man… you are a mess. Do you think you can retain your sanity in this year?”

“I will need your help, Hetal and under no circumstances should Kajal ever know the truth…”

“KB..?”

“…Yeah…”

“…You love her, don’t you…?”

At that moment, he could only hear the wall clock ticking away to glory in its rhythmic manner as if it had no care in the world. But, of course, time waited for no one.

“There is nothing of the sorts, Hetal… it’s just a contract marriage.”

“Don’t fool yourself KB. The last two times we met up for sex, you just couldn’t get it up, and now I know why… but then how long can you keep up the façade? I have my options outside. But what about you? I know you have a huuugee appetite… Will you only resort to that room upstairs?”

“I will cross the bridge when I come to it… but our arrangement continues in name…” he wanted to drug himself to sleep away from the mess he called life.

“KB… I know it’s not my place to tell you, and I would want it for my selfish motives, but still, don’t do this to yourself… It’s ten years already…”

“Hetal don’t…you won’t understand…”

“Come on KB… you know how I felt about Ruhaan… he was the only guy I ever loved. You are aware we were childhood sweethearts. He ruined me for everyone else… I do cry for him once in a while, but he isn’t going to come back. Neither will Gyan. I wonder if I didn’t have a fever that night, I would be gone as well. But we are here… living. So let the past go KB…Officially declare we are done and set me up with some actor colleague of yours who is ready for my terms…”

“…No, Hetal… we need to continue this for a year at least… please…”

“Fine …. Fine… OK… so when is the wedding? And when do I come in?”

The following morning, he woke up with a mother of all headaches. He couldn’t sleep that night. The nightmares had diligently kept their date with him. His friends’ gore-filled black and white headless visuals haunted him as if blaming him for enjoying life while permanently depriving them. After hitting the gym, he had sat to look through his scripts that Mr. Mehta and his team had worked around and filtered.

But every time he tried to read, he had only seen Kajal, and her infectious laughter played into his ears. Finally, he shut the unread first page he had held open for the last half an hour and picked up his phone. He had almost called her at least ten times. What would he say? That he was a screwed-up guy and was screwing up her life as well? That she was marrying a ruthless monster? A murderer?

Even after a couple of hours of not being able to do anything constructive, he gave up. From tomorrow he had an outdoor shoot for the next week, following which he had back-to-back shoots for a couple of ads, and then he had taken a break for his ‘marriage’. So that left him only with today where he could see Kajal.

He picked up the car key and texted her. He didn’t even bother to wait for her response and rushed out of the house.

Kajal stood outside Sharanya productions waiting for an auto. She had to rush home and get to her studies. With a newfound goal in life, she could finally move ahead.

Right then, she received a text. Her heart skipped a beat to see it was from KB.

‘Come to Passions immediately. Here’s the address…’

What the hell was this? Though she was excited at the prospects of meeting him, her conflicted brain refused to give in. He was switched off last evening and all of a sudden he now wanted to see her. She knew the restaurant. It was close to where she was. But how could he just order her around like that? She had to make it clear to him; she had her studies. She would just meet him for a while and leave… yes, that she could do.

Nodding, she looked for an auto to take her to the restaurant.

Kajal reached Passions within twenty minutes given the light traffic, but KB hadn’t come as yet. She didn’t want to order anything given the exorbitant rates, and revealing that she was KB’s fiancé would call for unwanted attention. So she waited outside, covering her face with a stole and sunglasses. But for almost half an hour, KB didn’t turn up. She had texted him she had reached, but he hadn’t seen the message as yet. Was he driving so he couldn’t check his phone? Of course, but he usually had a driver. Did he forget his phone back home? No… his phone was his life.

She decided to call him. His phone rang for a while, and finally, he answered with a whisper and cracked voice.

“Hello KB…? Where are you? I have been waiting here…”

“Ka… Kajal… I … I …. Can’t….” there was a disturbance as if there was traffic around. She got worried.

“hello? KB? What’s happening? I can’t hear you…”

“…I can’t…Kajal…I…”

Her heart fell, and she was now worried. Something was wrong.

“Ok…KB, tell me where you are… I will come there…”

“Right across that lane… high… highway…” the call abruptly disconnected.

He would have been on his way here, which meant the opposite side of the highway. She hailed an auto, and as it stuttered through the empty afternoon highway, the heat hitting her hard, she struggled to check the road in the opposite direction. Then, somewhere between the rushing vehicles that side, she spotted him… next to his familiar white car. He was bent over the bonnet…

She stopped the auto, and it took her another five minutes to cross the highway, the other half being busy. The zebra crossing was a little away from where he was, and no wonder no one recognized him in the daily rush. He was in casuals…

She rushed towards him. “KB…KB…” She screamed as she struggled to sprint in her heels. What was wrong with him?

He looked up and started running towards her… what on earth?

They met somewhere in between, and he slammed his body into hers as he pulled her into an embrace. Then, holding her close, he dug his head into her hair. She felt him shudder in her arms and reflexively began to rub his back.

“KB… it’s fine… whatever it is… it’s going to be alright.” She was trying to be strong, but at that moment, standing on the side of a busy highway under the hot scalding sun, she was terrified. Was he ok?

She felt him relax and release his hold on her and move away. He rubbed his face, and at that juncture, he looked like a small kid lost in the forest without his guardian. He gripped her hand.

“Let’s… let’s take a cab back to my house… can you come along, please? I… I… will drop you back later…” he looked at her with eyes full of expectation shining in their depths. How could she refuse? She realized she had missed him. She only nodded, and he was already pulling her towards the car to lock it. He then called for a cab which arrived in about ten minutes. Even as it cruised towards his house, his grip on her hand remained while he stared outside the passenger window watching the zooming scenery.

She sighed… a mixed bag of emotions engulfing her. She was thrilled to be going to his house… the place where she would be staying for a year. Yet, she knew something was troubling him… would she ever know what it was?

The gamut of his emotions surpassing the stormy upheaval

Her rock-solid support beneath his rocky foundation gets critical

©priyagole