The Present - Chapter 11

               So sorry for the late update... And frankly saying i don't even have a reason to be late this time. It was just that i couldn't come up with this one no matter how hard i tried! Sorry!

Recap -

           Arya Prayduman a well known defence lawyer of USA is now back in India after 22 years... With her father ACP Prayduman. She has bonded well with the whole team in so less time. But as she comes back she starts discovering truths of her own life... From notes leading to abandoned bungalow... To hospital and then police station... Where she finds that her biological parents were killed by her own father, ACP Prayduman. In her dilemma she decides to go to her father and ask him all that was going in her mind but in those thoughts she faces a dangerous accident... She is now out of danger but still in hospital. She has told about her dilemma to her best friend Rahul as he came to India after knowing about her accident. Rahul went on to investigate the things further and for the same met Arya's biological father's lawyer Mr. Raghuveer Jagdishwar who told him that the fact that Arya's parents were killed by ACP sir is true. Also he told him about Arya's father's property which was transferred to Arya as soon as she turned 18 by him. But when Rahul went to LRO office he found out that the property was now registered under ACP sir's name and no more was Arya's. He comes back to hospital and tells all this Arya...
              ACP sir is carrying a secret in his heart only known to him and Dai maa... A secret that can create a havoc in many lives if revealed.

                               Chapter 11

                  Out of the window she stared... Blinking lesser than usual... Her empty eyes staring the setting sun while the birds flew back to their nests... She was still, like a frozen lake without any life present in it. Just emptiness and nothing else!
                 Rahul was still holding her cold hand... Trying to make her understand something... Or maybe simply consoling her! He was uttering some incoherent words which made no effect of Arya. Her pale face and dull eyes making him worried and so he couldn't stop making failed attempts to make her feel ok and better! But none of his words reached her ear and no action of his registered in her brain... She was still sitting like a lifeless creature... No better than dead! Tensed for her, Rahul stood up from his chair and held her face in his both hands and made her look towards him and said with teary eyes...

Rahul - Yaar... Tu toh meri superwoman hai na? Jo kabhi haar nahi manti? Aise kaise tu tut sakti hai!

                 He looked in her eyes with expections but was dejected to once again fine only silence there! In those ever expressive eyes that never failed to make an impact... It was hurting to see silence there! He tried once again...

Rahul - Hum ACP sir se baat karte hai na iss bare mai?! Ho sakta hai jaisa hum soch rahe ho waisa na...

              He was silenced in midsentence by a voice that felt very loud in the otherwise silent room... He looked down on the floor to see Arya's phone lying with cracked screen. Its screen still on, displaying a notification... But Rahul soon realised what it was that made the phone slip down from Arya's hand... It was the lock screen wallpaper of the phone in which ACP sir was holding a cute little girl almost a year old in his arms... The girl was wearing a white frock while ACP sir was kissing the little girl's forehead. 'My pyare papa'... Arya's words echoed in Rahul's ears! Thats what she used to say everytime she saw this pic! Arya's favourite picture this one was... The wallpaper of her phone she hadn't changed since years! Cause nothing ever could be as beautiful as this one pic according to Arya! Worried, when Rahul looked back at her he saw her eyes sparkling with tears while one tear trickled down her left eye onto her cheek... Her gaze fixed on the broken screen of her phone!
                Soon the phone's screen became black and slowly she got up from the hospital bed... Without looking back or saying anything she opened the door of the ward and walked out from the room... Even before Rahul could understand what was happening she was out in the hospital corridor making way through the nurses, wardboys and doctors who were trying to stop her...

Nurse 1 - Madam kaha jaa rahi hai app?

Nurse 2 - Madam aise jana allowed nahi hai! App theek nahi hui hai abtak! (Trying to hold her)

Wardboy - Aise bina discharge ke! Madam discharge toh lelijiye!

Doctor - Excuse me? Ma'am? Aree suniye toh?

                 They kept making attempts to stop her while she kept walking without registering what they were saying to her. Meanwhile Rahul came outside running of the ward and making way through the chaotic crowd ran towards her but before he could reach her she was out of the hospital gate, again ignorant of the guard trying to stop her! Rahul lost her track and she was lost in the crowd...

*Beauro*

                ACP sir was looking at some evidence lying on the table... His one hand holding a pen and rotating it in random direction while his one hand was busy rubbing his chin... Typical ACP Prayduman thinking pose! Just then his phone rang disturbing his thoughts. It was a call from the hospital... He picked up the phone and his calm expressions gradually changed to worried... Still talking he came out of his cabin and murmuring...

ACP - Mai aata hu

                 He left the beauro telling duo that he will be back soon and before they could even ask if everything was ok he had already rushed out towards hospital...

*Road*

              Arya was walking on the road still in her hospital clothes... She was attracting people's gazes as she was walking lost in thoughts. The sun had almost set now and darkness had already started engulfing the sky... The remaining sunlight hidden by the dark clouds of this rainy season. While Arya was walking where her feet led her in trance unbroken! Not even by the people who she accidentally bumped into walking and neither by the voice of horns that vehicle drivers blew for her when she came their way... Infact she was lucky to not meet with any accident as of now!

*Hospital*

                ACP sir was angrily staring at the hospital staff who was standing with their head hung low... While he once again said growling in anger...

ACP - Ek ladki ko nahi rok paye tum sab log milke? Aise kaise koi patient hospital se nikal jata hai aur pura staff milke bhi usse nahi rok pata?

                Collecting all his strength an assistant doctor spoke up...

Asst. Dr. - Sir humne koshish ki thi... Lekin unhone kuch suna hi nahi...

                Receiving the same answer that he was tired of listening to in past few minutes ACP sir glared at that assistant doctor shutting him up as he couldn't muster any more courage seeing those angry eyes!

ACP - Aur koi jawab toh hai nahi tum logo ke paas! Baad mai baat karuga tum logo se! Abhi Arya ko dhundna zayada zaruri hai!

              Saying ACP sir left the hospital building and just as he was about to leave the hospital premises, Rahul bumped into him...

ACP - Tum Rahul ho na?

Rahul - Yes... Yes sir...

ACP - Kaha the tum jab Arya hospital se nikli?

Rahul - Uske saath hi tha sir... (Lowering his eyes)

ACP - Toh roka kyu nahi usse? (He asked gritting his teeth)

Rahul - Ko... Koshish ki thi sir... Lekin... Woh... Woh...

ACP - Woh chali gayi aur usne kuch suna nahi... Agar iske alwa koi jawab ho toh woh do!

               Rahul kept silent for a minute having nothing to say... Yes he was guilty... Also worried... Arya had not yet recovered fully after the accident and the after seeing her empty eyes today Rahul was already scared to what she would do now! While he was still trying to figure out what to say... ACP sir spoke up again...

ACP - Kam se kam yeh toh dekha hoga na ki kis taraf gayi hai woh?

Rahul - Ha... Ha sir... Woh woh uss signal se right gayi thi! Uske baad... Nahi... Dikhi mujhe...

              And again he lowered his eyes... Cause no one has the strength and courage to face that burning glare of angry ACP Prayduman - Now a father!

ACP - Hospital mai hi rukna tum!

               And soon enough ACP sir found himself on the driving wheel again... Speeding towards his home from the shortest way... Home? Cause the direction Rahul had indicated to, led towards his home... And Arya being new in the town didn't know many places where she could go!

*Road*

               The clouds thundered and started pouring down the water they couldn't hold anymore... It was completely dark by now... The street lights on, while they reflected through the drops of rain... The street was a busy one... Vehicles were going up and down the road flashing their headlights while they splashed the water filled on the roadside... The pedestrians walking with umbrellas giving her a glance and then moving their own way... While the change in climate affected her in no possible way... She was still walking slowly in unknown direction... The rain drenching her from top to bottom... The wind was blowing fairly high making the feel cold... She was somewhat shivering with cold... But not even that affected her. She hadn't even worn her slippers while leaving the hospital... And the pebbles on road has bruised her leg... Dirt had gone into her wounds and rain water made it terrible... Some people good at heart tried asking her if everything was ok? And who was she? Why walking on the road this way? A young man even offered her an umbrella... She looked at those people... Said nothing and started walking again... Once again she hadn't registered anything of what was going on!

*ACP sir's house*

                ACP sir's car came to a screeching halt in the driveway of his house... He came out of the car hurriedly without caring to pick up the umbrella lying on the backseat of the car... He removed his pair of keys frm his pocket and opening the door, came inside. Looked around the dark house and when he found Arya no where in drawing room he ran upstairs upto her room... Calling out her name loudly. But there was no one to hear him today... The uncanny silence spread everywhere only to indicate the silence before the storm! When ACP sir couldn't even find her in all the rooms ACP sir ran to terrace... Scanned it quick and came to the drawing room again when he couldn't find her anywhere! And then he suddenly remembered backyard!!! Once again with a slight hope he went to the backyard and once again his hope broken he found her no where.
                 Hands on his waist he faced the sky, his eyes closed and the cluster of thoughts leaving his mind. ACP sir wanted to calm himself down... He knew it was necessary for him to stay calm if he wanted to find her. It was hashtag rule no. 1 to find something or someone! A minute later he spread a hand on his face... Wiping away the drops of water and then removed his completely wet coat off his shoulders. His shirt was already half outside and half tucked in... Tie loosened up. Sighing he came inside the house again... Came towards the landline as his phone was no more working being wet in rain and picked up the receiver to make a call... Just then... He felt someone coming inside the house through the open door that he had not cared to close... He turned back to look at the visitor and in the faint light that was entering the house from the lawn he saw Arya standing there... When he had entered the house he never cared to switch on the lights and at the moment they were again of least importance... So the house was again left in an envelope of darkness. Keeping down the phone receiver hurriedly he came towards her and started firing his questions!

ACP - Kaha chali gayi thi tum? Aise koi bhaagta hai kya hospital se? Pata hai kitne tension mai tha mai! Aur yeh konsa tarika hota hai hospital se jane ka?

                Finding her silent he then noticed her appearance... The wound on her head was bleeding now... The bandage had already turned light red all around and little darker at the right side of her forehead at the point of wound as the rain water had taken with itself the blood. The right side of her face had many light red drops on it. He still hadn't seen her bleeding foot... Worried he said again... While she was still silent like before...

ACP - Yeh kya haal bana rakha hai beta tumne! Forehead ka wound phir se bleed karne laga! Kya hoga tumhara! (He said dejected) Acha ruko... Mai bandage change karta hu

              He rushed towards the cabinet and removing a cotton swab made it wet with antiseptic liquid... Came back to her and as he tried touching her wound to remove the old bandage Arya pushed his hand away from herself! Shocked at her action ACP sir tried saying something... But before he could speak up Arya said...

Arya - Kyu kiya apne aisa? Kyu kiya? Paiso ke liye? Paiso ke liye itna kaise gir sakta hai koi? Kitne paise chahiye the apko? Ek baar bata dete na mujhe! Apna sab kuch apke naam kar deti mai! Mujhe dhoka dene ki kya zarurat thi?

                 A deep silence followed her question... ACP sir didn't say anything and didn't try answering her... Only he knew what was going on in his mind. The silence was soon broken by a loud voice of a thunder. And as the lightening struck finally Arya and ACP sir could see each others face clearly for a microsecond. But it was long enough for a father to notice his daughter's empty eyes. The emptiness made ACP sir scared... Scared for his little princess... Before he could come out of that vacuum he had just seen Arya spoke up again...

Arya - Do do khoon karke nayay ki murat bane ghumne mai sharam nahi aati apko? Paiso ke liye apne mere mummy papa ko maar dala? Mujhe kyu chod diya tha uss din? Ek goli mujhe bhi maar dete na (she raised her voice above the voice of splattering rains)... Khel hi katham ho jata! Do ki jagah teen cases of mistaken identity hote! Kamse kam puri zindagi dhoka toh nahi dete!

                 A tear trickled down her eye and she wiped it in anger...

Arya - Ajj tak bohot kuch sikha hai maine apse! Thodi acting bhi sikha dijiyega! For the amazing actor that you are! (She clapped loudly and rigorously... The voice of her claps so loud that they echoed in the whole house) Yaar... Matlab bade se bada actor fail ho jaye apke samne toh! Yeh... Yeh sab care, pyar, tension (moving her hands in random direction as if these feelings were some objects that she was indicting towards)... Kamal! 27 saal tak! 27 saal tak iss level ki acting karna koi choti baat hai kya? You should get an Oscar for this!

                   Again a deep silence followed her words... But this time it wasn't broken by a thunder but was broken by a small weep from Arya... Her tears that were finally making way to her eyes now had chocked her voice... And the fact that even today it was only him in front of whom she broke down made her angrier... On her own self...
                  No matter what all she had said to him until now... But what broke ACP sir's heart the most were his daughter's tears... And the fact that he was the reason behind them. He tried to wipe them when she took a step back...

Arya - Khabardar jo app mere paas bhi aaye toh! Ek khooni ko apne paas nahi aane dungi mai (she said pointing a finger to him)... Koi haq nahi hai apka mujhpe! Koi haq nahi hai!

              Hearing her ACP sir subconsciously took back his hand... While she continued saying

Arya - 22 saal tak puchti rahi mai... Ki kyu mujhe US bejha? Kyu dur rakha apne app se? Finally i have got the answer to my questions! I have finally got the answer! Taki... Yeh jo raaz apne yaha apke iss shehar mai chupa ke rakhe hai na... Woh kahi mujhe pata na chal jaye! Am i right papa?

              Wiping her red eyes harshly...

Arya - Wait! Kaise papa? Konse papa? Mere papa woh the na jinko apne saalo pehle maar diya tha? Apne toh mujhe adopt bhi nahi kiya na! You are only a legal guardian of mine... Toh papa word toh apke liye use hona hi nahi chahiye!

                  Her eyes tearing up again...

Arya - Sach mai woh sab natak tha? Woh pyar (weeping) woh... Woh sab sach mai natak tha kya (she asked broken)... Woh sari pictures... Woh... Woh wali... Jisme app mere baal bana rahe hai (she looked at the sofa in the hall and saw a four year old her sitting in her father's lap while he was combing her hair)... Woh wali picture! Jisme... Jisme app mera homework kara rahe hai? (She saw towards her room where a little her was sitting supporting her chin on both her hands while her father was teaching her something)... Woh meri favourite wali... Jisme mai apko chocolate khila rahi hu? Aapke... Aapke pure face pe chocolate laga di thi maine! (She laughed in between her tears looking towards the dinning table where she could see 3 year old self sitting on the table while ACP sir was sitting on the chair smiling looking at her daughter who was feeding him the chocolate... It was already spread all over his face... But he didn't care as it was the most tasty dish he ever had)... Woh sab nakli tha? (She looked towards ACP sir... With her expectant eyes)... Kaise nakli ho sakta hai woh sab kuch? Maine toh unn pictures ke sahare hi apni aadhi zindagi bita di... Jaise sirf ek wahi sach hai aur baki sab jhoot! Lekin ajj pata chalta hai! Ki bas ek wahi jhoot tha... Aur baki sab sach!

                 Once again wiping all her tears harshly... And she spoke up again... This time without crying... She was sounding so strong now... Stronger than she had ever been...

Arya - Thank you ACP Prayduman!!! Thank you so much... For teaching me that there's nothing called as love, trust, belief, care, concern anything in this world! Thank you!

               Saying she turned her back to leave and simply walked out from the house without even giving ACP sir another glance. While ACP sir finally found his voice when he saw her leaving. She was injured... And so much hurt! Both physically as well as mentally! A father that he was... No matter what his daughter told him... No matter what she thought of him. And no matter how much she hated him now... Hated? How can a daughter hate her first love? One man she had always trusted? The man she since always knew would not cheat her... And now she hated him! The realisation broke his heart into a thousand pieces. But no matter she hated him... He still loved her! He tried calling her to stop her. It was still raining heavily outside... And he couldn't let her go this way!

ACP - Ar... Arya...

                His voice was too low to be heard... But a daughter would have heard it some other day. But today she just didn't want to hear his voice!
                 Taking help of a table he came out behind her... But all that he could see was her bruised feet walking away from him... As she was about to cross the main gate of the house beyond the lawn he tried again... In feeble voice that he could manage...

ACP - Arnu beta...

              He was himself standing under the open sky getting wet again in the rain now... In between the two open doors... One of the lawn and one, the main door to the bungalow... A tear slipped down his eye as he saw her retreating figure disappear into the foggy rains. The tear was soon mixed in the rain water while the cotton swab he was still holding slipped down his hand... And now it was ACP sir whose eyes were empty... At the loss of his 'little princess' he loved more than anything.

To be continued...

               Mujhpe gussa aa raha hai na? Pata hai *sad face*... Mujhe bhi acha nahi laga humare pyare se ACP sir ko yeh sab bulwa ke... Lekin kya karu? It was necessary part of the story... Sorry...
                The real story begins now... Keep reading and don't forget to review!