Chapter 17

Anshuman rubbed his face as he stared at the sea spread before him. The old men had left a  while ago and he was in a chasm of doubts… probably without any means to vindicate anything. His mind drew a blank whenever he tried to think about what the man had told them… was Meera alive? But would his little sister stay away without any contact for a decade? How could the SOP go wrong in their information?

He wondered if he should tell Rewa about this development. Would the SOP be interested in helping him find the truth? Because if anyone had the resources to do so…it was the SOP. But currently, they were busy with the terror cells and they wouldn’t bother about something not related to national security. Just then Kader sat next to him on the lounge chair chugging water out of a bottle, and placing the bottle on the table he wiped his mouth.

“…I am sorry man…I couldn’t help you much… but the information was… don’t you think you should work on it…?” He spoke.

Anshuman didn’t know how much to trust the guy but now he was the only option he had. “Uh… yes… but I cant approach anyone without proof… so…”

“…I will help you, man…” he straightened on his chair as he spoke.

“…Why Kader…? Why are you doing all this…?”

Kader sighed and looked away. “…I know what it means to lose someone you love… you feel like the end of the world only to realize you have to drag in the treacherous breath every day to survive because they would have wanted you to… life just goes on…but the wounds don’t heal… every time you encounter the similar path the band-aid is ripped open to give you the pain of the same intensity…”

Anshuman stared at Kader. The man had a forlorn look as he gazed at the horizon. What was his story…? Kader had hit the nail on the target… Despite a decade passing, Anshuman’s wound still felt raw… engulfed by guilt. “…Fine… so how and where do we start…?”

Kader turned towards him. “…if… if your sister is alive… we can first check out her whereabouts in Goa… I don’t think she has left the place… I mean… where would she go…? She was docile, wasn’t she…?” he rolled back his sleeves and it was then Anshuman saw his heavily tattooed arm… there was a strange design that didn’t make any sense. It seemed vaguely familiar though. But then artists made abstracts all the time and mostly it didn’t make sense.

Somehow his hopes sored a bit. He nodded slowly. “…so you mean… she could be in… Goa… then how would we know…?”

“…Wait…I have an idea… a mini carnival…look… a major attraction here is the local carnival which is usually held in December on the road to Christmas… but because of the pandemic we didn’t have it… let me organize one this weekend… the whos who around here will flock the place…there will be rumors…I will spread my staff to gather information… what do you think…?” Kader seemed excited.

“…But… I don’t know Kader… I don’t know even if she is alive… my sister was never into parties or socials dos… she was a very private person…”

“…I am not saying she would be here… but there would be some news… some thing to point us in the direction of beginning to search….look… she was last seen in Baga… so who knows she must… she must be somewhere closeby… or may have been for a while…”

Anshuman nodded. At that moment it seemed like a good idea. “…So what kind of carnival are you talking about…?”

“…Oh… it’s mostly dancing on the streets… and I will extend it to the beach fun too… arrange merry-go-rounds for young kids … have stalls for games and food… that will help us attract the crowd of ur sister’s age group…”

“…Wow… you seemed to have planned it all…sounds good…”

“…whatever happens at the end, the children will have a blast… they usually do such times… poor kids barely got a respite in lockdown… no schools… stuck at home… this will be a change for them too…”

The passion in Kader’s eyes was palpable in the gleam shining as he animatedly spoke about the program. Anshuman couldn’t help himself. “…Kader, you seem to love children…”

Kader smiled and nodded. “…Yes… I do… children are very innocent with malleable minds…” His smile faded as he continued. “…But then these children often are molded into something that they shouldn’t be… and misused… abused… left to…rot… or abide by the monstrous elders…” he began to hyperventilate and Anshuman only stared at the man who had changed right before his eyes. Gone was the suave businessman he knew… in its place was a man who looked defeated and lost to a different universe.

Kader recovered from the momentary fudge and smiled rubbing his face. “…I am sorry Anshuman… I am burdening you with nonsense… So do you like my idea…? There is nothing to lose though…”

Anshuman remembered Manpreet right then. Would Simrat allow him to bring Manpreet to the carnival..? That boy would have a blast. He would try and convince her… he decided.

Later after discussing the plan with Kader, Anshuman was in high spirits as his vehicle approached Varca. He almost ran to Manpreet’s house hoping to catch Simrat. But she wasn’t there… however Manpreet rushed into his arms the moment his grandmother answered the door. Probably the boy had seen him coming. There were still two more days for the carnival and Anshuman hoped to convince Simrat to take the kid. He knew Simrat would be away for a while so brought a chirpy Manpreet back with him to the condo and they spent the rest of the day solving maths problems, playing board games that he had purchased recently, and of course, sketching. Manpreet unlike his apparent diagnosis of a learning disabled was very quick to grasp whatever Anshuman taught him.

Later that evening Anshuman served him dinner of his favorite chicken soup with floating eggs. Manpreet regaled him with his tales from school before the pandemic and Anshuman realized the boy missed being there. Soon it was time to drop the boy home but Manpreet refused to move from the sofa.

“…Come on buddy… we have to go… your nani must be waiting…”

“…No…i…I  ddddont wa…wa…want to gggo…” He stuttered for the first time in hours leaving Anshuman surprised. The boy’s anxiety levels had risen. He sat next to him and gathered the boy in his arms. Manpreet held on to him tightly as if his life depended on it.

“…Buddy what is it…? Are you upset…? Has something happened…? You can tell me … you know that don’t you…?”

Manpreet nodded. “…I don’t like…mmmm….mmmom….”

Softly rubbing his hand over the boy’s head, Anshuman said, “…you don’t say that buddy… your mom works hard for you… that’s why…”

Manpreet jerked away from him and moved to the sofa corner pouting and crossing his arms at his waist as he stared at the wall in front. The wide eyes filling with unshed tears. This was so unlike Manpreet.

“…Buddy what’s wrong…? I promise I will keep it a secret… what happened…?”

Manpreet shook his head and looked down tears now flowing freely. Anshuman’s heart broke. The boy was hurting… but what had happened? “…Ok… buddy… did mom scold you…?”

He shook his head. And Anshuman asked again. “…Did your mom raise her hand…?”

Manpreet replied in the negative and Anshuman sighed. “…Buddy please tell me… so I can help you…” He held Manpreet’s hand softly and moved closer to the boy.

Manpreet looked up and said. “…mmmom on…on…only… cccrying…”

“…When…?” His heart fell. Simrat was fine till the little argument that morning.

“…Mo…. Mo…. Orning…Shhe th…th…thought I wwwas assslee…eep….”

“…But why was she crying, buddy…?”

“…I…I…don’t….dont…nnnn…know…but…she touched mmmmy…fff…face and sssaid … ‘So…so…sorry …I…am nnnot a gggood mmmom ttto yyyyour ssson…’… ttthen sshhe held the llloocck…locket in hher hhand… and cried…”

Anshuman stood up. Did Simrat cry for Manpreet’s father…? Did she still miss him…? He hesitated and asked,“…Manpreet… do you know anything about your father…?”

Manpreet shook his head. “….mmmom gggets Aa…aangry when aaasked… she said… hhhe wwwas bbbbad mmman… Hhhit mmmy mmom…”

Anshuman was angry at the monster who scared the woman and his child for life. Was that also the reason why Simrat kept Manpreet hidden…? He held Manpreet close to him and said. “…I promise you, buddy… I will take care of you and your mom too… you won’t have any problem… no one will hurt you…”

That night as he dropped an unwilling but drowsy Manpreet back to his house he had made up his mind. He decided to ask for Kader’s help in locating the boy’s father and settling the bill once for all.

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 16

Simrat vigorously wiped her tears as she sprinted along the shoreline, even as the morning breeze blew her unruly curls all over her face. For over a decade she had been relentless at her job pursuing it with a passion no one had heard of. She had become an integral part of SOP’s undercover division. But not many knew the true cause of her diligence. She had given up her prime with a sole aim… she had only one target for which she had slogged all these years and now that she was close to achieving it, her heart was playing footsie…

She couldn’t contain her attraction to Anshuman. She had made a similar mistake in the past for which she was still paying. She had promised herself and her mother, this was the finale after which she would resign from the SOP and take up a desk job. Things were heating up and she was the only one Manpreet had. She couldn’t endanger herself. She had just lost her guard that evening and was caught unawares by Anshuman. She had her target on sight and their mission would have probably been on the last track. But Anshuman had ruined it… nonetheless the enemy was now alerted and they would do anything to protect themselves. The worst part was SOP still didn’t have the know-how of what the enemy wanted. She and her team were to find out. She had been waiting up last night to warn Anshuman about the impending danger but things had spiraled out of control and to her chagrin she had loved every bit of it.

But in the morning, reality had sunk. Anshuman was an honorable man… he would never forgive her if he knew what she had done or what she was hiding from him. He was already attached to Manpreet and vice-versa. She couldn’t imagine her life without Manpreet and she couldn’t afford to lose him to Anshuman. But watching Manpreet bloom a little in the last few days she didn’t know if hiding him was the right way to protect him. She had failed as a mother all these years…

As she entered the house in the clove she decided she would come clean before Anshuman before things went South. The man was perceptive and would find out the truth sooner or later. He was obsessed with Meera and would go to any length to find out the facts. The idiot didn’t even know he was teaming up with the enemy. But she couldn’t warn him without the risk of revealing everything and messing up their mission. Her arm still hurt where he had accidentally hurt her. With great difficulty, she had dragged him away from the location to her colleagues… if they had been caught by the enemy it would have been the end of everything. The SOP by rule would have disowned her. As she undressed in her bathroom and stared at her abdominal scar in the full-length mirror her eyes filled. The ever-strong Angie who was a lethal machine when in her element, was now all mush inside. That bastard Haider… had ruined her.

She had been so naïve … in her mid-twenties and a trainee with the Punjab police when the asshole had befriended her during some passport verification process. She had been attracted to the charismatic personality who had shown a great deal of interest in a simple girl next door… Simrat had stars in her eyes and been swept in the wave…

She had excellent reflexes and had caught the eye of the Crime branch which was recruiting for the SOP. She had been thrilled but due to the NDA, she couldn’t disclose it to Rehmat. He had been gone for weeks during their 6-month-old affair but being busy herself she hadn’t suspected a thing. He took great care of her ailing father too whenever he was in town and had bowled over her family despite religious differences. But then tragedy had struck multi-folds. She was very new in the SOP and they had received intel about the possible sabotage on the Army battalions in Kashmir. The SOP was being deployed to get into the details. She was among the three field operatives who visited the high tension sites the attack was expected. There was no trace of anything else besides what the preliminary investigations had found out.

She had an amazing instinct just like her boss Rewa Nagarajan. She wasn’t convinced withg their findings and had secretly gone to one particularly suspicious site the same night… She was shivering in the cold night trying to find out what she could amid the piling snow and scattered houses in the vicinity. It was then she had seen a  movement in the dark corner towards the house she had suspected. The man had moved towards the house and tried to pick the lock. She had then shown the high power light suddenly and rushed towards him. But he had turned towards the light just then and she had almost dropped it in shock when she saw he was Haider. But he didn’t flinch and attacked her continuously instead before she could get out of the shock and left her for dead.

The uproar roused the neighbors who took her to the hospital and though she foiled the impending attack on the army battalion at that particular time, she was a mess with multiple stab wounds to the abdomen. She had lost the ability to carry a child in the future… She later got to know Haider was a noted terrorist on Interpol’s wanted list and a master of disguise. He probably knew she was with the SOP but had lost interest in her since she didn’t share any intel with him.. The double whammy struck when her father passed soon after and her younger sister Manpreet was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After getting out of the hospital, the SOP still offered her a spot after her recuperating which was huge, given her history with Rehmat. She had been a fool to not go with her instincts… She had decided to first visit her younger sister in Pune where she studied and look after her as the young girl wanted to give her final exams. It was her dream despite facing the grim reality that awaited her. It was there she had met her sister’s best friend who could pass for her twin… the young and pretty Meera who was a fabulous artist. She had heard of Meera often from her sister. The girls were very close and willing to go the extra mile for each other. But something told her all was not right with Meera and the young woman was not just upset because of her friend’s tumor but there was more.

One day, when she returned from a session of chemotherapy with Manpreet, Meera had disappeared. Meera barely spoke to anyone so no one knew about her whereabouts. It was then Simrat had seen the pregnancy test kit in their dustbin in the hostel room which she shared with Manpreet and Meera. She had shuddered at the thought wondering how Meera would be facing the turmoil alone. Meera had told her about her archaic family and how only her older brother Anshuman supported her. But at the time Simrat didn’t have his contact as well to inform him.

After about 2 months Meera called Manpreet who was sinking and barely in her senses. Simrat had chosen to stay in Pune waiting for the results hoping her sister would live to see the graduation certificate. She answered Meera’s call. Meera was hysterical saying she was in Goa near Bagaa and she was in danger from her husband named Rehmat…Meera had then taken Manpreet along and rushed to Goa. Manpreet’s last coherent speech was a request for her to save Meera at any cost. Simrat knew she was taking a huge risk but there was no time left. She had struggled for a couple of days to find out about Meera’s whereabouts. Baga was a huge place and she didn’t have the contacts. But she was well trained and had managed… Meera had only slipped the information that she was now Shifa Begum after marriage. Simrat had admitted Manpreet to a center for the terminally ill and had rushed to save Meera.

But by the time she had reached the warehouse where Meera was kept it was kind of late. The woman had lost it… Meera was tied and bruised, probably beaten up. There was a huge blow to her head which fell limp over her frail body. She had dragged her out of the place and taken her to the center where Manpreet was admitted. She couldn’t contact anyone in law enforcement because Rehmat sounded dangerous and he would find out sooner and kill all of them. Though they tried to treat Meera, she was as good as brain-dead. But they decided to help the baby survive. Simrat pledged everything she had to pay for the expenses and to shut their mouths. She then dragged an almost dead Manpreet with the help of an employee at the center and shed tears as she undressed her surgical wound on the head. Tying her sister to the same chair she bid her adieu… As she was escaping from the place she had a glimpse of the man and his group who had come to the warehouse. She had barely made it outside and when she looked from her hideout she was shocked out of her wits… it was Haider alias Rehmat. She then waited for a while to see them bring out a bundled-up body in a white cloth… the assholes hadn’t realized it was the wrong person. Simrat had a tough time containing her tears and her heart cringed as she saw them move away with the almost dead body of her terminally ill comatose sister.

So Haider was the bastard behind all this. She had decided to reveal everything to SOP… when she opened her sisters’ photo gallery… Meera had sent a  grainy picture to Manpreet about 4 months ago… and she looked happy. And the guy with her was not Haider… he was older and someone else. Oh God, What on earth was happening…? She had then shared all details with the SOP. She had decided to stay in Goa to watch over Meera and had got her mother too. The SOP had entrusted her to new projects based out of Goa. To everyone else, it was because her sister had passed in Goa but for Simrat it was because of Meera…

Finally, tiny Manpreet came into this world four months later by C-Section and had to spend a month in the NICU… while Meera was still in a coma.

Today, as Simrat emerged from the bathroom and looked at Manpreet’s still sleeping form, her heart filled with love for the boy. He was a living epitome for her sister… a living proof of Meera’s and Manpreet’s deep friendship. If only Anshuman could know the truth… but not before she found out about the man in that picture with Meera… Manpreet’s biological father…

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 15

The phone rang shattering the quietness around and woke Anshuman with a start. He had slept like a log…he couldn’t believe it. He shifted and beside him, Simrat stirred and turned around and continued sleeping. She probably didn’t have her quota of sleep too. He quickly walked out of the bedroom and shutting the door checked the phone. It was Kader… why was he calling so early in the morning…?

“…Hello…? Kader…?”

“…Hi Anshuman…I am sorry to have bothered you so early in the morning… but I have some information that might help you… I have found someone from that period you are looking for…”

Anshuman still hadn’t got rid of his suspicions around Kader and the only way to find out was to visit the guy. But right then he could only think of his explosive reunion with his Angie… it was difficult for him to acknowledge her as Simrat. He went to the kitchen to fix breakfast for them. Should he call Manpreet here…? He didn’t know how the boy would take the intrusion in his life. Especially watching his mother in this house. He heard Simrat use the washroom as he poured the scrambled eggs in the plate and two cups of piping hot coffee. He took the tray to the drawing-room as she emerged fully dressed. He gestured towards the breakfast but Simrat shook her head.

“…Anshuman… I have to get going… Manpreet must be waiting for me…”

“…uh… About Manpreet… I wanted to…”

“…Anshuman… I am sorry… but please stay away from my son…now that you know about my profession… just keep away… you will bring danger to him…”

“…But Simrat… he is suffering… his stuttering, learning problems… I can help him Simrat…”

“…No… No Anshuman… I am very close to finishing this mission and this is the last mission of my career… I am then retiring and… will move from this place with Manpreet and my mom…”

Gosh, the woman was exasperating. “…Simrat…. Manpreet and me…we get along so well… I love that boy Simrat… he has hugely impacted my life… Please don’t do this… I promise I will protect him by all means… and no one would know about us…”

“…Cut it Anshuman… I don’t have the energy to deal with this… my mission…”

“…Manpreet isn’t your Goddamn mission Simrat… He is a little boy who needs… someone to help him battle his demons…and I… I need him too…”

Simrat straightened her back and narrowed her slits as she stared at him. “…for the last time Anshuman… get this straight… you will not keep any contact with my son… he doesn’t need any kind of distraction right now…he misses a father figure and so is drawn to you…but I can’t complicate his life…”

“…I promise I won’t leave him…”

With her hands on her hips, she moved closer. “…If you ever meet Manpreet… I shall be forced to use restraint… so stay away…” She turned around and left the house, the banging of his door echoing through the walls and his heart as well.

Didn’t last night mean anything to her? Didn’t she trust him with her son…? What the hell…? He rubbed his face. He had to meet Kader and start putting an end to this chapter that was now pushing its tentacles deep into his heart and soul.

Soon after Simrat left he made his way to Passion. Kader was pacing along the now empty lobby. He gestured him in and served him freshly ground coffee. For the usually calm and composed man, Kader appeared nervous. Anshuman didn’t know if it was his observation or some kind of bias. In a few minutes, Zulfikar chacha wobbled his way along with another man in a grown white beard who looked even older. Kader moved quickly to assist the other man and helped him settle on the chair. The older man was panting with the little walk and he stared at Anshuman.

Kader spoke. “…Well… Anshuman this is Salahuddin Kazi… he used to officiate weddings in this area till a decade ago… can you show that picture…?”

Anshuman took out his mobile and showed the picture. Salahuddin Kazi held the instrument with his trembling hands adjusted his glasses as he squinted to watch the photo. After about a minute he returned the mobile to Anshuman even as the latter held it with a thudding heart, wondering what was to unravel.

The old man coughed deeply and cleared his phlegm panting again as he spoke. “…Beta… I remember this beautiful girl… it was the last wedding I… got done… weird… totally ajeeb… I don’t her name… she was a Hindu girl… nikah with Muslim… name changed… Nikahnama very quick… they were already married for a while… Her husband…namaqul… Allah will never forgive him… I heard he died… no Jannat for him…” The man started to cough violently and Kader had to order hot water to help him sip. The man held up his rough trembling hand and continued panting. Every breath he inhaled was labored. “…Allah punished me too… I wanted money so did it… but I had tried to rectify it when I heard the poor girl died… I told police… and that Army man who had arrived… senior man… the girl was Hindu… he thought she was his daughter… but later found she wasn’t …He cremated her…performed Hindu rites…I was there… right there…” He rubbed his wrinkled face struggling to breathe. Anshuman was finding it difficult to hold back his tears even as rage boiled inside him. How he wished his sister had called him just once… how he wished he had listened to his gut feeling after her last call and not waited. The old man cleared his voice as he continued. “…you see… Allah never forgives wrongdoings… I am suffering too… I have lung cancer…won’t survive long beta…”

Anshuman inhaled deeply and spoke. “…Kazi saab… I thank you for telling me all this but I… I already know about it… I was hoping to get additional information…”

The old man held up his hand to stop him. “…Beta… Kader here said… your sister was pregnant when she died…”

Anshuman nodded. “…Yes, Kazi saab, 3 months pregnant I was told…”

“…That can’t be beta… you have the wrong information…”

Anshuman’s head shot up. “…What…?” he saw even Kader who was pouring hot water for the old man still in his tracks.

“…Beta… I was always guilty about ruining that girl’s life to an extent… I had tied a sacred thread from our dargah to her wrist… hoping Allah would protect her from that villainous husband of hers…But when I heard she died the same week… I rushed to find out what happened… I know the doctor who handles such deaths… the post-mortem was conducted before that Army man reached here… that woman who died… was not pregnant but she had a brain tumor in the terminal stage… and …” He looked into Anshuman’s eyes. “…the dead body was bloated beyond recognition but there was no sacred thread on the wrist….”

Anshuman stood up on wobbly legs, the news becoming too much to sink in. 

The old man spoke as if no one existed. “…Either your sister had taken off the thread and she wasn’t pregnant… or… that woman wasn’t your sister at all…”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 14

Anshuman sat on the nearest chair with a thud. His head was reeling and suddenly he realized what had been off with Simrat last night. She had a little limp in contrast to her regular taut spine whenever she walked and she had been holding her left hand as if it was paining her. Oh God, she was the one who was shooting last evening and he had ruined it for her. Rewa had to know that, hence she must have hinted. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. Nirvi and Keshav sat next to him. Amandeep had gone to drop Rewa till her vehicle.

“…Are you all right Anshuman…?” Nirvi asked in her soft soothing voice.

He rubbed his face. “…I don’t know how to feel Nirvika… I just… I just want this to get over…I… I want to know what happened to Meera… what exactly happened that she had to be killed and she was goddamn… pregnant… why…?” He also remembered Zulfikar Chacha’s doubts which irked him…but at the moment he kept silent. Those were just postulations after all and Rewa had proof…

“…Anshuman…” Keshav spoke. “…We can’t run from our destinies…it always catches up… if I have learned anything in my life… it’s that we have to face whatever is thrown at us… you know about Avanti and me…don’t you…?” Anshuman nodded. Avanti was Keshav’s wife. Her father had been like a father figure to young Keshav and had been working on a wonderdrug in this very place Vedshastra. He was a farsighted man and arranged for his older daughter, Avanti’s sister to marry Keshav as a means of cementing a business relationship. Fate had other plans and the old man had been killed in an airplane crash. Just on the morning of the wedding, Avanti’s sister had taken off and Avanti had married Keshav instead. What was initially a friendship between the two had soon blossomed into love and Avanti and Keshav were each other’s strength and support systems. Keshav had hereditary Huntington’s disease and the miracle drug was to help him contain the symptoms and it did. He didn’t have any symptoms to date. Anshuman had seen the camaraderie between Keshav and Avanti and also between Amandeep and Nirvika. Whenever the men were in the same room as their partners the sparks always flew. Anshuman had felt it many times. He often remembered Angie…alais Simrat those times but now… he lost all hope. Simrat had probably been playing a role that night four years ago… probably trying to pry information out of him. Didn’t she feel an iota of attraction that he felt for her…?  Was it just a casual lay for her…?

He knew he couldn’t openly confront Simrat, she couldn’t blow her cover. Even as he boarded the return flight that evening he couldn’t help getting annoyed at the woman. Why on earth did she drag her son into the mess. The boy was suffering because of his mother’s need to keep secrets about her job and cover. The little fellow was forced to live with an old temperamental lady just so his mother could keep up the farce of her work. Later in Goa, as he got into the cab to get to his condo, he suddenly realized the danger involved in her job. Last evening was an example. He chided himself for hurting her, though it wasn’t intentional. Simrat was exposed to danger constantly. He now knew that the hotel job was a front. That’s why the hotel looked shabby… it wasn’t a real hotel at all. He remembered Manpreet crying on nights when his mother didn’t get back home from work. The little boy missed her and she was trotting around in dangerous waters. How could she do this job now that she had Manpreet. How could she put his well-being at stake…?

As he neared his condo he checked the time it was almost 1 AM…. It was pretty dark since the street lights weren’t functional for a while outside his condominium and he reminded himself to put up a letter to the local authority soon. It was dangerous for the scarce residents who lived there. As he navigated the dark pathway towards his condo, he thought he saw a shadow at the entrance and he was alert. He shone his mobile light in the direction but there was no one. He was sure he had seen someone. He shut the light and walked slowly in the direction. He wasn’t a trained operative but knew how to walk without making a sound. He could feel the presence of another human being. But he also knew that if they had to kill him, they would have done by now. Heart thudding he walked towards his house and just as he opened the door someone pushed him inside and shut the door. Before he could get up the lights came on and he saw Simrat standing with fire in her eyes and hands on her hips. She had the same outfit from outside Passion last evening and her sleeve had a bulge at the arm which indicated a bandage.

“…What the fuck do you think you are doing…?” she spoke. Her voice dripping in anger.

“….Simrat…I…”

“…Do you know… how you ruined our mission yesterday… just to satisfy some stupid curiosity…?”

“…Stupid curiosity…? Do you even realize what you are talking about…?” He stood up to his full height towering over her.

“…huh… you ruined months of hard work and alerted the enemy… you idiot… you have been messing around ever since you arrived here…”  She spewed the words staring daggers at him.

“…Cut the crap… Simrat or should I call you Angie…?” At her stunned look, he chuckled. “…you think I wouldn’t find out…? How on earth would I know about some goddamn mission of yours… my sister didn’t know either…she was fooled and got caught in between… just like me and …now… you have the nerve to accuse me…?”

Simrat recovered quickly “…Why the hell do you civilians interfere in such things when you have no business to poke your noses…? Why the fuck did you ask around in Baga about your deceased sister…” she spoke accusingly pointing her finger at him.

“…I came here to find out the truth about my sister… her last days… I didn’t even get to see her ashes… do you even know what that means…? Had you all done your jobs well… my sister would probably have been alive or I would have known the truth… I wouldn’t have led a life of desperation for the last decade… like a vagabond in quest of the truth…” he was panting and he walked close to her. She moved back till her back hit the wall and right then under the glowing brown light her face looked flushed and now sans all that make-up she looked beautiful. The nose stud that had been his Achillies heel shone brightly illuminating the darkness in his heart. Her eyes softened and filled and a tiny drop of tear tried to slide its way down her shining cheek. He held the errant tear on his fingertip and she sucked in a quick breath. She was as affected as he was… he could see that.

He palmed her cheek and she leaned into it shutting her eyes. At that moment she wasn’t a hardcore operative but a vulnerable woman who had been fighting a battle. Despite everything, his heart went out to her. The hibernating attraction rose with full force and in the next moment, he slammed into her lips. She circled his neck holding him by the death grip as if her life depended on him. They kissed like there was no tomorrow. In the solitude of the night, the only sound they heard was their lips slurping at each other amidst heavy breathing. He feasted on her as if she could take away the hunger pangs from his stomach deprived of food. But at that moment nothing mattered… he felt the same arousal and his boner was penetrating his boxers painfully for the first time since that night four years ago.

She suddenly moved back and looked into his eyes. She wet her lips and he thought he would explode right there. “…Anshuman…please…”

“…What is it..Simrat…?” his heart fell at the thought that she would want to leave.

“…please… make love to me…” She pleaded softly and he didn’t know what got over him, he lifted her in a fireman’s carry and took her to his bedroom.

They undressed each other in record speed and his eyes fell on her bandaged arm. “…I…I am so sorry Simrat… I didn’t know…”

“…Shut up Anshuman… don’t talk about that… please I just want to forget it……just…”

She didn’t have to say anything more. He had recently purchased a fresh pack of condoms… his heart soared at the trust she put in him as he sheathed himself and he stared at her lying eagle spread on his bed with passion-filled eyes gripping the bed on either of her sides… though the room was dark except for the soft glow of the corner night lamp, he saw those indents on her stomach. He bent forward and kissed her on her belly and she gripped his hair. He kissed her torso all over upwards till he reached her beautiful and full bosom. He loved the way they felt in his palms and took in a soft nub into his mouth and sucked at it even as he gently fondled the other globe. She was writhing holding his head close to her chest and he gave her a tiny bite on the nub. In the next moment, she shattered shuddering to his arousal. He couldn’t hold it any longer. He moved to position himself at her apex and plunged into her wetness. Finally, he was home…

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 13

Anshuman went through the daily news updates… which was just to while away his time and drive away from the accompanying restlessness. He was seated in the meeting room of Vedshastra, and he waited for the others to arrive. Something constantly pricked at his conscience… what was it about Simrat that disturbed him…last night…? He wasn’t even curious about what she was doing in that women’s home… that was her life, maybe a part of her job at the hotel… but then something was not right. As he pondered over a cup of fresh coffee there was a commotion outside and Keshav entered the meeting room followed by the burly Amandeep and Nirvika. He couldn’t miss the beautiful couple in love holding hands and communicating with each other through their eyes. It was only when they saw him that they separated and smiled greeting him. He couldn’t help but chuckle… would he ever have that with any woman…? He didn’t believe in love at all but as the thought passed his mind there was only one image that came up before him… his mysterious doe-eyed beauty who had taken his breath away every time she had encountered him.

He stirred out of his thoughts as Keshav and Amandeep enquired about his stay and life in Goa. As they spoke there was a knock and the door opened. Anshuman was amazed to see the tall beautiful woman in a Navy blue suit jacket and trousers looking every bit professional, walk inside. She carried an air of supremacy and attitude which charged up the atmosphere in the meeting room. Anshuman didn’t need to be told She was Rewa Nagarajan. He had heard about her a little from NIrvika… she was the one who had found out about his late sister and he was grateful to her for that.

Rewa placed her laptop on the table and Amandeep quickly made the brief introductions for Anshuman’s benefit. Without wasting any more time Rewa opened her laptop and projected her presentation on the flex board behind her. “…Well as you all know this is classified information and nothing that we speak here goes out of this room… the only reason I am here is that the recent intel we have gathered is linked with Amandeep and Anshuman to some extent and we would like your inputs in the time to come… am I clear on this…?”

Anshuman looked at a grim Amandeep who had interlocked his fingers with Nirvika. Anshuman had known traces of their story… Amandeep was an army major who had been badly injured in a sabotage attack on his battalion a decade ago… almost the same time his sister had met with her watery grave. Amandeep was an amputee who had faced all odds and battled his demons. Nirvika had stood by him as he had cruised through the plot laid by the enemy and had emerged victorious. Amandeep and he shared the same nemesis named Haider-ul-Rehman Alais… Rehmat, a wanted terrorist. The bastard was married to his sister only to kill her… Anshuman’s blood boiled at even the thought of what had happened to Meera…

Rewa flipped the slides and the projector threw up a grainy image. “…this… is Wajid-ul-Rehman, the founder of Al-Harb-Alfaith…the criminal syndicate from across the border. The guy never dirtied his hands but hired and brainwashed young men from the bordering villages of Baluchistan to carry out the mission across the world… mainly in our country. Since the last decade, he has been inactive because of his health which is failing him, and the funds running dry, thanks to our government and the ever-vigilant army. As you already know, he had two sons… one his biological son Kasim known to be his commander in charge in India whose whereabouts now aren’t known, nor do we have any picture of his. It’s like he disappeared a decade ago. The other is his adoptive son Haider alais Rehmat. Rehmat was killed in the encounter with the army last month. And before that, we got to know of his deceitful rendezvous with Army a decade ago… We also know that he had married Meera and impregnated her before doing away with her because she was privy to their secrets….” Anshuman cringed as he heard the words which were not unknown but still… they hurt. He sighed as he looked at Rewa. Rewa stared at him and continued. “…the SOP had been requested by the GOI to track and weed out any sleeper cells belonging to Al-Harb-Alfaith existing from that time before they get woken up and launch an attack on us… So we first checked out all their active members. All are dead and accounted for but for Kasim. There is news that he went abroad and is settled in the UK though the news is yet to be confirmed…”

Rewa took a sip of water and changed the slide. “…Anshuman, the reason I requested for you to be here is we now have intel about a sleeper cell being active in Goa. They have been there for the last decade or so and are now gearing up to cause trouble. We don’t know the details but there have been talks about the perps taking advantage of the pandemic and infusing life into their members financially to activate them. They are also recruiting local guys… in their late teens or early 20s to tackle the backlog and to leave them high and dry if things go south…having locals also makes tracking for us difficult…” Rewa looked at Anshuman.

“…I get it till here Rewa… but what does that have to do with me…?” Anshuman asked

“…the SOP had been active all over the country for years tracking down any kind of untoward activity to nip it in the bud. We have our undercover operatives spread across the country. The SOP channelized a special division with our special operatives and they are active in Goa as we talk. They are gathering information by blending with the locals. And Anshuman we have just discovered that the new sleeper cell is being activated to complete a mission left undone because of your sister’s interference a decade ago… though we aren’t sure as yet as to what the mission was and how it was linked with the sabotage on Amandeep’s battalion…”

Anshuman began to breathe hard. What was this leading to…? What had his innocent Meera done those years ago? Rewa continued. “…Anshuman we are keeping a discreet watch on you just in case… you are our bait for those perps now… because you have been asking around and ruffled feathers… So you have two choices. Either you leave Goa till we are done or stay and help us… we cant take away the vigilance… because you are in danger as well…”

“…but…I have no clue about anything…”

“…We know that Anshuman… but those perps don’t… they believe you may have the information they need and may go to any extent to cover up… so you have to be alert… and don’t worry you won’t even know you are being watched…besides our special agent has been doing active work there for years now…”

Anshuman’s head reeled with the information overload. There was no second thought on what he wanted. He agreed to help the SOP. That was the only way he could get his closure as well.

Rewa wound up the meet and just before she left she walked up to Anshuman. “…One more thing Anshuman… our guys will contact you if needed and there is a code for each of our operatives. The one in charge of ur protection… who has been doing a good job so far goes by the name… Angie…”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 12

Anshuman was still in a daze as he walked into his condo later that night. He was aching from the sudden run and fall, not to mention the scuffle with that woman. He didn’t know who those people were. But they had blindfolded him and held him up for an hour interrogating him. He had to give them references the main being, his friend Amandeep Singh Sehgal and the latter…God bless him came to his rescue by contacting his old Army colleagues who intervened. Mission…? Fuck… what was happening…? What kind of mission did those people have in Passion…? He had to visit again but for now, he had to stop his limbs from trembling. The adrenaline had flown away and fear now set in. Why did he feel everything he was facing had something to do with Meera… Oh dear God… where was his sister headed…? She didn’t even know what hit her… his poor naïve sister. Did Simrat mean all this would transpire? How did she know and how on earth was Manpreet involved…? Was Simrat scared to be associated with him? Nothing made sense…

 Sudden spikes in anxiety left him panting as he lay on the cold times in his living room and sleep had gone away hours ago. He suddenly stood up after an hour. He didn’t know what came over him, he walked outside his house and along the beach towards the clove… he just wanted to be close to her… Simrat. Something about her always calmed him and now that he knew she lived so close he couldn’t help himself. It was about 3 AM… and he walked outside along the roaring sea, the black infinity reminding him about his life right now. Suddenly his life felt like that black hole where nothing could escape the spacetime area. Could he just time travel to a decade ago…?

There was not a soul there right now as he walked towards the clove. As he neared it he saw someone walk outside the house through the gate and shut it. The person was covered with something like a shawl and he hid quickly at the side of the clove. Darkness favored him and he couldn’t be seen. Was it a thief…?  he wondered… no.. a thief wouldn’t be so calm in escaping. The person had an awkward gait…

Suddenly breeze increased its violent streak and the shawl blew off the person’s head and Anshuman didn’t need light to tell him it was Simrat. Where on earth was she going at this ungodly hour..? She was hugging herself protectively and there was something strange in the way she walked… he couldn’t make out in the dark though. What kind of hotel called their employees so late at night…? His protective radar was on red alert. She was rushing along the shore and he followed her from a safe distance. In the noise dominated by the sea, his footsteps were camouflaged. She moved away from the beach and began to walk along the empty silent streets, dimly lit by minimally present streetlights. What he loved best about Goa was he didn’t find a single homeless destitute lying drunk or sleeping on the pavement. At least where he lived and where all he had been so far. He brought his focus back to the intriguing woman.

He didn’t know why he didn’t stop her but just continued to tread the same path. They walked for about twenty minutes and she reached the auto stand and quickly got into one of the only two standing autos. Being close to the outstation bus stop he was fortunate to find another auto and getting into that one he instructed the driver to follow the first auto. After about half an hour of the back-breaking ride, they reached a place which he got to know was Benaulim town.

 He got off a little away in the dark and kept following her with queries hovering on his mind. She moved towards the thicket and as it cleared she walked into the gate of a three-storied white-colored building. The security guard knew her and allowed her access to the inner sanctum where she disappeared. Anshuman stood across the premises hidden in the dark and just as he strained to see her disappearing silhouette he read the glow signboard. “ Annie Gomes home for women”. He was still irked by her bizarre gait when he saw another printed board next to it with a long list of honorary doctors and as he read the visible boards he realized it was a home for the terminally ill and destitute women. Why on earth did Simrat come here…that too at the dead of the night…? If he stood for a longer time, he would call for attention not to mention the nocturnal creepy-crawlies…

As he rode back to Varca, his mystery woman, he realized was just the tip of an iceberg… What were you hiding Simrat…? And the biggest question of all how was her life linked with his…? The more he tried to analyze the more the astute businessman in him was puzzled… He had his job cut out… he had to visit Passion again.

 But if things had to pan out the way humans planned, his sister would have been alive today. Around 8 AM that morning as he freshened after an hour of sleep still groggy, he got a call from Nirvi. If she called so early that meant she had something important to talk about.

Smiling he answered it. “…Hello Nirvika… how are you…?”

“…All good Anshuman… um… there is something I had to tell you…”

“…What is it…? Everyone all right there…?”

“…Yes yes… we are all doing good… but worried about you there…”

His friends were so caring… he was blessed. He chuckled. “…I am good Nirvika…so what’s it…?”

“…Um… Anshuman… you have to visit Mumbai for a day or two… immediately…”

He suddenly sat up. “…Why… what is it…?”

“…Um… do you remember Rewa Nagarajan from the SOP (Special Operatives on Prowl), a unit of Crime branch…? She was the one instrumental in resolving our case… She had found out about your …. Um… sister…”

Anshuman sighed and nodded. “…Yea… I remember…so… what happened…?”

“…she is visiting Mumbai for a training program for police officers and wanted to share some intel with us… she has requested your presence as well…”

“…Me…? what have I got to do…?”

“…Anshuman we know why you are in Goa… so… maybe Rewa’s information may help you… we are all with you Anshuman…”

“…so when do I have to come…?” his head was reeling.

“…Today… take the earliest flight… there is one in two hours… if you leave now, you can reach on time… shall I book it for you…?”

Anshuman inhaled deeply his emotions scattering all over the place. “… all right Nirvika… I shall be there…”

After they hung up he quickly packed his bare essentials and called for a cab. Before going he called Manpreet’s grandmother and spoke with the boy. Though disappointed Manpreet promised to practice all that they had learned yesterday. Once Anshuman boarded the flight to Mumbai, he got busy with his long-awaited online search…Kader Shah. the entire hour he browsed through the available articles. Kader was a management graduate student from the prestigious NMIMS in Mumbai. He had built his hospitality conglomerate from scratch in Pune, with minimal seed capital, and had now ventured in two other places in the country. Passion was his third acquisition. The astute businessman in Anshuman couldn’t help but appreciate the upward growth of the charismatic man. Passion was a loss-making night club and Anshuman had seen for himself how Kader had turned it around already. Looked like the man had the Midas touch.

He alighted the airplane and hired a cab to reach Vedshastra the pharmaceutical company specializing in generic drugs and research for rare genetic disorders. It belonged to his friend and Nirvika’s brother Keshav Goyal… actually to be precise it belonged to his wife Avanti. Anshuman had invested last year into the Vedshastra nursing home which was growing in leaps and bounds. He had plans to invest further if need be.

As the cab breezed along the Bandra-Kurla complex he wondered what kind of intel had the crime branch received that Rewa was going beyond her means to convey it to them… The seeds of his fate were already sown… he had been fighting with his destiny for a decade now. It was time he made Destiny a matter of choice….

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 11

Anshuman was mystified with what had happened even as he sipped his coffee. His morning encounter with his one-night fling had left a sour taste in his mouth which didn’t get rid of by an extra serving of sugar in his coffee. Though she had warmed up to him…melted in his arms she was still obscure. He was now sure Simrat knew something… there were so many unanswered questions in his mind which threatened to explode. There were 2 avenues of information for him and if he played his cards right then he could squeeze out information from both. One was Simrat and the other Kader who had lived here for ages and had contacts he could use.

Anshuman hoped, Kader probably hadn’t realized his folly as yet… and decided to visit Passion later in the evening without prior announcement. There was some event he had read last evening on their bulletin board… about some pop singer performing in the club and the tickets were limited given the pandemic restrictions. He wasn’t interested in the gig but just wanted to look around and see if he could catch Zulfikar chacha or his whereabouts. He had been a successful businessman and had taken his family business to new heights within a short period. He couldn’t have done it without foresight and planning. In hindsight, he realized he had been undaunted, fearless, and confident. He just had to do that now. He had to keep his deep-rooted emotions for Meera under wraps and try finding out information with a logical mind.

He knew Meera wouldn’t return but he owed it to her to uncover the mystery surrounding her last days and most of all he owed it to himself.

As he settled before his laptop trying to conduct some searches on the news from a decade ago… as he had always been doing, his doorbell buzzed. Startled since he didn’t know anyone here, he walked to his door. He was amazed to see Manpreet with his grandmother who was huffing and panting. He invited them in and offered the lady water. Manpreet directly walked to the balcony and settled himself on the rocking chair with his sketchbook as if he owned the place. His grandmother spoke. “…I couldn’t handle the boy… his mother had left for work while he was still asleep… and he brought the house down… but… I am glad in a way…”

It probably was a day full of surprises as Anshuman looked in bewilderment. The woman who till a couple of days ago was hostile towards him was suddenly courteous. She continued. “…His mother had refrained him from doing everything a child of his age does… I hadn’t restricted even my daughters the way she does her son… the boy was troubled always… his father not being there, it was tough you see… but then in two days… he changed… he is…he is alive… I am thankful… his mother doesn’t see reason… but then I saw her talking to you today morning and I know you ruffled her feathers… she normally doesn’t get disturbed like that… so son, if you are fine with it… can he stay here for a while…? Call me on my number… he has memorized it… I will come to get him…”

“…Oh Don’t worry aunty… I will drop him and he can stay all the time he wants to… what time does his mother return…?”

“…She doesn’t have any fixed time… sometimes she doesn’t come back at night… but most days she arrives late… poor girl works hard for Manpreet… for us…” The woman stood up and walked slowly towards the door.

Once she left. Anshuman got back to the balcony with an additional chair and joined Manpreet. He saw the boy sketch yet another portrait of his. “…hey buddy… why is it me all the time…?”

Manpreet replied without looking up from his work. “…I like you…”. He didn’t stutter.

After about half an hour Anshuman fed him the light lunch his housekeeper had prepared that morning and then started to teach him to read. He had learned a couple of techniques using phonics and decided to experiment with Manpreet. To his utmost wonder, the boy picked up the skills like fish to water and they practiced for the next couple of hours. He even helped the boy solve simple maths problems and Manpreet appeared to be a pro. Anshuman wondered what ailed the boy who didn’t seem like a slow learner at all. He decided to speak with Simrat once she had calmed down. As they relaxed after a meal of kadhi chawal, Anshuman casually asked him. “…Buddy who taught you to draw so well…?”

“…No one…” he curtly replied.

“..Oh I thought your mother did…”

Manpreet shook his head. “…maa isn’t at home ever… only Nani loves me…”

“…It isn’t like that buddy… your mom loves you too in fact a lot more than all of us do… but she has to work right…?”

“…But she will leave too one day… like dddda…daddy…” Manpreet’s face crumbled.

“…Why do you say that Manpreet…? Did something happen…? And where is your daddy…?” the moment he asked the question Anshuman kicked himself.

Manpreet stilled and looked at Anshuman. His expressions broke his heart. At that moment the boy looked so vulnerable, his eyes wide and the cleft on his chin pronounced… Anshuman realized the cleft brought out the cuteness in the child. And then Manpreet frowned in annoyance for the first time since he had met the boy, the bushy eyebrows struggling to touch each other in the center, his forehead wrinkled. “…Daddy died… many years ago… aaaa…I haven’t sssseen him… Nanu also ddddied ttttwo years aaaago….Maa was hurt so many times… it scares me…”

Now that caught his attention. Simrat was a widow, but she also had been hurt. “…When did she get hurt…?”

“…So many times… she rushes to the bathroom comes out only after I sleep…  I have acted sometimes lllllike aaaa…I am asssleep… then I saw her cry…I am ssscared Anshuman… what if shshshe… dies too…?”

He held the boy close. Somehow he felt they were bonded in grief. “…Don’t worry buddy… nothing will happen to your mother… I promise…”

He had to have a serious talk with Simrat he decided. Later that evening before he left for Passion, he dropped Manpreet back to his house with a promise to collect him the next morning.

He entered the Passion premises and as expected there was a huge hustle bustle with people in masks trying their luck with the now unavailable tickets. The singer had belonged to the Bombay Rockers band and now had branched out independently. But given the popularity of the original band, he was on-demand too. Anshuman crossed the crowds and walked behind the building towards the shacks and it was empty given that it was still early by partying standards. He settled himself in the corner most seat away from anyone’s direct sight of the vision and watched the sea for a while. He saw little kids running on the sand building castles or just digging their feet. Water sports were not allowed at this end of the beach but he could hear the occasional buzz of the motors. He hoped tourism returned to pre-covid levels soon so that these guys could make a living.

Just then he saw movement in the bushes at his side. Since he sat in the dark, no one could see him but he saw the unmistakable silhouette of… oh goodness… it was a hand holding a pistol. Something got into him and instead of freezing, he crouched slowly towards the bush on the other side. He saw a sleek figure in black overalls bent and looking ahead aiming the pistol. He looked up to see the target was Kader… who was chatting with a couple of guests who had assembled at the far end of the shack. He had his back towards the bushes and though there was a great distance, there was a possibility of him getting shot. Adrenaline surged through him and without giving a thought he rushed ahead and grabbed the person. The shot rang but missed and hit the asbestos roof making a loud sound and ricocheting and hitting the only light bulb that hung close to them. He was now totally plunged in darkness. The commotion caused a furor and the person in his arms struggled to move. Finally, Anshuman held him down and straddled him with his legs on either side. He took out his mobile phone and switched on the torch. He realized the person had given up the fight. Fuck… the guy was injured in his hand and it was bleeding. He bent and removed the mask covering the face and along with it, thick hair came down in waves… Oh God, it was a woman, although her face was still covered with the special clothing she wore and she looked downward. Anshuman jerked up and the woman suddenly held his hand and rushed out from the bush covering.

Anshuman didn’t even know which direction she was dragging him but he ran for the next fifteen minutes or so, along with on autopilot and they reached a corner most shack away from Passion. She pushed him to the ground and he was immediately surrounded by a few men holding guns trained on him. The lights came alive and the woman had disappeared.

A tall man stood before him then bent and patted him throughout as if checking for hidden guns while he was stunned to silence. He was a businessman not a fighter for god’s sake. The man stood up to his complete height and spoke. “…Who the hell are you man…? Which organization do you work for…?” The man had taken his wallet and tossed it to another man close by. That guy took out his Driving license. “…The name is Anshuman Khanna…” he read it aloud.

The tall man continued in a tone that gave Anshuman the chills. “…bloody hell… you are a  civilian… and you just messed up an important mission for the country… you idiot…”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 10

Anshuman paced the confines of his condo like a hungry lion. He was sure he hadn’t mentioned Meera’s name to Kader. He consciously avoided taking her name because of the pangs of despair it always invoked in his heart. Back in Hissar, no one was allowed to take her name and once in a while when cousins got together, someone would just whisper a prayer for her. There was no chance it would slip out before strangers. How on earth did Kader know about Meera. Was he hiding something…? Was he just playing around with Anshuman…? But the million-dollar question remained… why…? Why after a decade…? By any chance was it just a mistake on his part…or did Kader know Meera…? Now that he looked back, Anshuman was certain he had seen Kader affected last evening on seeing Meera’s picture… His gut feeling now told him, Kader was concealing something and he had to find out…

First Manpreet was in danger then…Angie… here of all the places and she turned out to be Manpreet’s mom… and then Kader, out of the blue now under the scanner. He was going crazy.

He couldn’t sleep and only waited for morning to arrive. He had to see Manpreet and how he was doing. He wanted to speak with Angie too… He had felt the strong mutual attraction from 4 years ago. But why did she run…? As far as he knew she wasn’t committed to any man anymore. He sighed. When he had decided to move to Goa he didn’t even know what he was seeking… it was just something that told him to visit the place where his sister breathed her last. Most of all he wanted a break from his life which he had just been dragging for the past decade. He wished for solitude…where he could just mourn his sister in peace, where no one knew him. But just a fortnight here and it had been a hell of a roller-coaster. He had bonded with super-talented kiddo who reminded him every time of his deceased sister and the boy’s mother turned out to be the woman who had given him wet dreams ever since they first met 4 years ago. He still had the note she had left him that morning. He hadn’t known at that time whether she had meant for him to give up on her or his sister… if it was the latter, that meant Angie knew him and Meera as well… at least something about them. Now that he thought of it, she had come up to him that night in the club, as of looking for him.

There were too many questions ricocheting in different directions but he knew eventually they would converge in someplace with common answers. He knew he had to make a start and that was with Angie. He started his run earlier than usual to calm his racing heart and slowed down as he jogged towards the clove. He halted as he reached the house and looked up. As expected, only the roar of the waves colliding as they rushed to the shore broke the early morning silence. The chirping of birds in the clove added to the cacophony and he longed to meet Manpreet… and Angie.  He stood with hands on his hips trying to figure out if he could see anything. He thought he saw the curtain on the first-floor move a bit…

He walked away back towards the rock but Manpreet wasn’t visible. Worry engulfed him… was the guy OK…? He didn’t have any contact number and wondered if he should give Angie a visit at her workplace when the front gate creaked open under the weight of the creepers encroaching on it. Angie walked out in a t-shirt and shorts. She was without make-up and the morning breeze blew her hair in all directions. How he ached to hold the strands and tuck them behind her ears.  She walked towards him and stood before him. “Let’s walk…” She spoke softly and moved briskly towards the rock. He followed her and as they reached the rock cave she halted. She presented an erect stance and a serious facial expression as she spoke. “…Why Anshuman… why do you keep following us…?”

“…Angie… I mean Simrat… I just…Manpreet…”

“…STAY AWAY FROM MY SON…” She raised her voice and panted as she glared at him.

“…Simrat… what the hell… what did I do…? Manpreet and I are friends… he needs…”

“…I am his mother and I know better than anyone else… what he needs… so just stay away all right…?”

“…Don’t do that Simrat…he has problems and I can help him out… he is super talented….”

“…Don’t you think I know that Anshuman…? What we don’t need is some stranger out of nowhere interfering in our matters…”

“…Simrat… we aren’t strangers… are we…?” He purred as he moved closer. Her fresh mint scent, probably from the soap she had used to freshen up wafted through his nostrils.

She looked away but he could see the pulse at her neck throbbing. “…Anshuman… please let it go… let the past go… it was just a one night stand… just forget it happened…OK…? And please stay away from us…” She blinked away tears and he realized there was more to it.

“…Simrat… I remember that night as clearly as you do… I know there was a connection… deeper… that ran deeper than the surface emotions…”

“…there… there was nothing of the sorts…” Simrat looked away.

He held her shoulders and turned her to face him. “…Why are you doing this Simrat…? I know you are struggling with Manpreet… I just… I am not interfering… Manpreet and I met by chance… the boy is lonely and gets bullied… his confidence is low…he has trouble with his studies….most of which he cant do with the crappy internet here…And his drawing… he is a genius artist… Simrat….I just wanted to be his friend and help him…. That’s all…”

Simrat blinked back tears and bit her lower quivering lip and he knew he had hit the bull’s eye. He pulled her towards him and hugged her. “Relax Simrat… just let me help…I promise I won’t ask anything…please…”

He felt her stiffen and move away. “…My answer doesn’t change Anshuman… I can’t allow that… don’t make my life difficult by visiting us again… If you care then leave us alone…”

“…I am not going anywhere till you give me a reason Simrat…” he stood on his ground.

She didn’t reply but he continued. “…I need answers Simrat…this last decade has been a living hell for me… and now I get to know everything was a façade… Manpreet was the only silver lining…”

“….Manpreet is not any ‘silver lining’ for you…Anshuman…”

“…Simrat… don’t do this… please…”

“…getting close to Manpreet will only put the two of you in danger…mortal danger…” She spoke with eyes pleading to understand and before he could reply she stormed out of there.

Anshuman only looked on. What the hell was this now…? He…in danger…? The layers of the metaphorical onion were getting peeled only to reveal newer layers…

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 9

Angie alias Simrat straightened the bedsheet to free it from the wrinkles. She looked at Manpreet’s sleeping form and her heart broke. His tears had dried on his cheeks. He had been furious yesterday at being dragged away from his ‘new friend’. He had barely stuttered before her but yesterday his speech was filled with blocks and facial contortions as he struggled to express himself. He had thrown a tantrum and flailed his legs as he had come home. He wanted to go back to his ‘friend’. No amount of cajoling had helped and she was at her wit’s end. Man[reet had never given her any trouble from his birth till date but this kind of tantrum was new to her. She was stern at her workplace and got things done easily but this little charmer couldn’t be handled. She had eventually slapped his back and he had retreated to the bedroom shocked at her use of corporal punishment…for the first time in his life. Ever since she had been miserable and unable to rest at a place. Manpreet had cried himself to sleep and her sleep was miles away, as she twisted and turned in her bed yet again staring at the dark expanse of the sky outside her window. Usually, the roar of the waves calmed her soul but today it did nothing to reduce the pace at which her heart galloped away…

 She had died multiple deaths today, when she had got the call from the police… she had reached the hotel early after finishing her errand and the call had come. Fortunately, Inspector D’Lama knew her well and he had recognized Manpreet. If something were to happen to Manpreet then she wouldn’t have been able to survive.

All these years in Goa she had struggled to stay in hiding without being promiscuous and all that was going for a toss with that guy Anshuman butting in. She never thought someone she had left behind four years ago… would come back like this. It wasn’t meant to be anything beyond general chat but she was carried away by the intriguing man with a trusting face and despondence reflecting in his eyes. It was only a one-night stand that happened by chance… but she hadn’t forgotten him. She could never be with any other man after him. He hadn’t looked at her like she was a piece of meat up for grabs like usually men did with her kind of get up that night. His eyes had shown with passion unfolding in their depths. She had seen honesty in those orbs. Something innately soulful had connected them… probably they shared similar grieves. For that night she had thrown caution to the wind and had decided to go with her heart which urged her to trust the man. It was her first and last one-night stand.

The last decade of her life had been spent in disparity and unfulfilled promises as she worked hard to achieve her goals, for the sake of her loved ones. She had lost so much a decade ago that she feared losing anymore… She only had her mom and Manpreet… the little boy, her life revolved around him.

Their life wasn’t ordinary. If only people knew about her, the façade called life that she had led so far… it would put Manpreet in danger. She was close to achieving her target for which she had given up the last 10 years of her life.

She wished to rush to Anshuman and tell him everything about her. She was thrilled to see him again but caution had reared its ugly head as she was reminded of what she was doing in Goa. She had built a conniving web of deceit around herself just to catch her prey and Anshuman was in danger of falling into it. No, she couldn’t let that happen. He was a wonderful guy; she had known it instantly that night years ago. She had gone with another purpose totally but hadn’t expected the fierce attraction to the man with chocolate boy looks. She had been burnt in love a decade ago…mercilessly that it had robbed her of her faith in men or to the extent the species could go to ruthlessly. Her abdomen still bore the scars from that night years ago… and she had sworn off men for good. But Anshuman had challenged her beliefs that night and she had gone with the flow. He had kissed those scars and she had been a goner. Even now as she touched her abdomen, she remembered the shower of passion that night in that dingy room. She just wished she had met Anshuman under different conditions…

She was a lone soldier fighting an important battle… a battle she couldn’t afford to lose. All that she had worked for in the last decade would go down the drain. And most of all it would endanger the most precious entity in her life, the innocent being who lay murmuring in his dream as he slept. Her Mannu was what made her face life perils and she would give up her life for him in a jiffy. She had managed to safeguard him in this clove for nine years. Only Inspector D’Lama knew about her.

 Her mother had told her everything that had transpired after Manpreet was admonished to bed last evening. She had to be the ruthless mother everyone thought she was for Mannu’s sake. She knew he had a speech problem… but his therapist had said it was psychogenic in nature and he needed to express more. He had been diagnosed with dyslexia a little before the lockdown last year and she couldn’t take him to the learning center. It would expose him to different people around… she wanted him alive even if that meant he wouldn’t be able to read and write well. Her work kept her away from home most of the time and her mother took care of Manpreet. So far it had been just the three of them managing well. But off late Manpreet had started to revolt and after what happened yesterday, she was scared… really scared.

Morning arrived changing the hues and shadow patterns on the walls from the moving trees outside and she still didn’t have a wink of sleep. Standing up she stretched and walked towards the window.

As she looked up through the bedroom window, she saw him. Heart thudding, she went towards the window and drew the curtain peeping through the gap. Anshuman stood in his running shorts, probably waiting for Manpreet. She had seen the lust shine in his eyes yesterday and all she wanted to do in that mall was kiss him to oblivion and have her way with him. But that was not possible.

Any other man in his place she would have investigated him and even thought about the camaraderie they shared. She would have done anything to help Manpreet. However, Manpreet was getting swayed towards this particular man and Anshuman was synonymous with danger.

He was Meera’s brother.

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.