The Other Half

Prologue

(Lucknow 1983 : Estranged)

"You need to call this number. Tell him the Maliks have called to collect their debt. When he agrees, I will talk." The voice did not seem as frail as the woman it belonged to.

Ye kundali ka dosh humare ghar ka vinash ka kaaran nahi hoga. The woman was determined.

A few moments later, the help came back. "Maaji, he will talk. I have put him on hold. Please come."

"Chaliye." (Let's go)

She picked up the phone with great trepidation.

"Mahantji... Hum Subhadra Malik baat kar rahe hain... Ji... Aaj wo din aa gaya jiska unhone sanket diya tha... Vaidya ne kaha hai do bacche hain, jaisa unhone kaha tha... Ji... Dosh toh hai, kuch karna to padega.... Hum Ratna ko samjha denge... aap kisiko Lucknow bhej dijiye Puranmashi ke lagbhag... nahi chauthey din ki hai.... Ji... Kaagaz?... Haan hum banwa denge...Kya? Aap? ... Hmm jaisa aapko sahi lage... Namaste." (Mahantji... this is Subhadra Malik... Yes... The day he spoke about has come...  the doctor said it's twins, exactly what the traditional physician predicted... Yes... The horoscope has defects, of course something needs to be done... I will make Ratna understand some way... send someone to Lucknow by this full moon day... no on the fourth... Yes... Papers?... Okay, I'll get it prepared... What? You?... If you think it's right... Namaste.)

A worry of six years was coming to an end. Subhadra Malik smiled at her hollow satisfaction. Together, they were dangerous,  these twins. But apart, apart they could both live normally. And if any enemy ever revolted, ever did anything to her known heir, she would have an ace up her sleeve.

(Allahabad 1983 : Adoption)

"Aap aa bhi gaye?" (You're home early?)

"Shh... Geeta! Wo so raha hai." (He is asleep)

"Maaf kar dijiye. Par aap to kal aane wale thhey na?"  (Sorry. But you were to arrive tomorrow?)

"Unhe bacha do din pahle ho gaya. Hum to phir bhi ek din ruk ke nikle taaki kaagaz sahi se bane ho." (She gave birth two days early. I stayed back another day for the paperwork to be done right.)

"Shukar hai bholenath ka." Geeta sighed. "Kya naam hai iska?" (Thank you Bholenath. What's his name to be?)

"Maaji ne btaya ki Advay hona chahiye. Par hum iska naam Dev rakhna chahte hain." (Maaji said it will be Advay. But I want to name him Dev)

"Par kaagaz?" (Paperwork again?)

Mahant Kashyap sighed. "Humne Maaji ko mana liya. Unhone kaha hai daswi tak ye humare naam pe padhega. Uske baad wo khud issey le jaegi. Iske kanoonan kagazaat pe iska naam Advay Malik rahega. Par yahan sab isey Dev Kashyap ke naam se janenge." (I was able to sway Maaji. She said he can study till tenth class on our given name. She would herself come and take him home. Under law, he will be named Advay Malik. Here, he would be known as Dev Kashyap.)

"Yaani hum iska bharosa todne waale hain." (We are planning to break his trust.)

"Nahi Geeta. Hum issey bata ke rakhenge ki issey god liya hai. Terahwe janamdin par, jab issey samajh aane lage. Taaki iska bharosa kabhi na toote."  (No Geeta. On his thirteen birthday,  we will tell him the truth. By then, he will be grown up enough to understand. We won't ever break his trust.)

Geeta nodded. "Humein apne bete ko god lene ka mauka milega aaj?" (Can I take him in my arms now, for today?)

Mahant smiled. "Aaj kya, ab toh isey bas apke hi god mein rahna hai hamesha." (Not just today. He will be in your arms forever. )

(Lucknow 1986: Twins Again)

Sashi Gupta was worried sick. His wife had been in labour for over an hour now and he was still waiting to hear anything from the doctor.

The OT door opened and Sashi breathed a sigh of apprehension.

"Mr Gupta, aap chinta chor dijiye ab. Pyaari si gudiya huin hai aapki." The compounder smiled at him. (You can stop worrying now. You have daughters.)

"Gudiya?" Sashi felt his heartbeat get erratic. He was a father. The elated feeling gave way to nervousness.  "Aur humara dusra bacha?" (Daughter? And the other one?)

"Kaha toh. Gudiya huin hain. Do betiyaan. Apke ghar to Laxmi ka aagman hua hai Mr Gupta!" (Like I said, you have daughters. Two of them. Goddess Laxmi has graced you home herself,  Mr Gupta!)

Sashi felt his knees give away. The compounder hurried over to him and helped him sit down on a nearby bench.

"Betiyaan..." Sashi's eyes glittered with happiness. (Daughters...)

(Delhi 2011: A peaceful moment)

"Chhote!" Nani screeched at the top of her voice. "Come down here this instant!"

Her companions, daughter in law Manorama Singh Raizada and granddaughter Anjali Jha shivered. They had been extremely careful about the matter soon to be discussed. But, the cat was out of the bag now.

Arnav Singh Raizada appeared at the top of the stairs. "Nani! What happened? Is everything alright?" He started to descend.

Nani looked over her grandson. Dressed in his regular three piece suit, he was ready to head back to office, she assumed.

"Did you leak the footage in Lucknow? Of that girl who landed in your arms?"

Arnav stood rooted to the spot. Never, in a million years, had he expected her to find out.

"I was... she needed to be taught a lesson!" It was ASR speaking,  not Arnav, and Nani knew that.

"You are getting worse with every decision Chhote." Nani thundered. "Do you have any idea what she must have gone through?"

"We went through a loss of lakhs because of her!" ASR snapped.

"Are you really comparing money to a woman's honor, Chhote!?" Nani was no one to back down.

Arnav went mum. He wanted her humiliated, didn't he. Because he was as well. Where did her honor come in the picture? "She started the game and I ended it. It's as simple as that."

"Chhote, it's never as simple as that!"

Arnav closed his eyes. When would he actually have a peace of mind in the house he had named peaceful garden?

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#AN: So, we have met the Arnav Singh Raizada. Any guesses to who was in his arms? I know you'll get it right! 😄

-What do we think of Subhadra's actions?

-What do we think of Nani knowing about what transpired in Lucknow?

Until next time, much love! 💜