Pranbir: His redemption

Part 57

Ranbir went to their room and locked the doors. Dida followed him and knocked at the doors but no response.
Rhea also came up and looked on.

Rhea, to no-one in particular: 'Sorry Ranbir, but this pain is just for some time. Once we get together, you will forget her and everything about her.'

Dida, crying: 'Ranbir, please open the door.'
Aryan also came up and saw Rhea there, he ignored her and went to Dida. He touched her shoulder and Dida hugged him.
Dida: 'What happened, Aryan? She was just here with us.'
Aryan hugged her, consoled her but didn't utter a word.

Later on:
Everyone was in the hall but still no-one was talking. Sushma Aunty came there with Aryan and they looked at everyone.
Pallavi came to them.
Pallavi, worriedly: 'Ranbir?'
Aryan: 'he locked himself up and he is not answering. It's better to leave him alone.'
She nodded understandingly. Aryan looked at Pragya who was distraught. Even Abhi was disturbed, they couldn't believe it. They had already lost Kiara and now Prachi.

Vikram: 'Aryan, we should be in the hospital right now? They are going to perform the autopsy.'
Aryan: 'Ranbir couldn't stay there, that's why I brought him back. And the officers won't let anyone be there. Ranbir categorically told them.'

Abhi: 'But why is he refusing? Ok, he hates me for not being there for Prachi but Pragya.... At least her and Sushma Aunty can go.'

Aryan: 'Ranbir said no. He knows well who is behind this and who is responsible for what happened. And he also knows that YOU won't believe us.'
Everyone looked sad, they all knew that it was true.

Rhea, angrily: 'What are you insinuating?'
Pallavi, rebuking her: 'That you are responsible for this. Everything wrong that happened to Prachi, you were behind them.
And this time too. I am ashamed that I trusted you even for a moment. I always compared Prachi to you, how wrong was I? Prachi is exceptional and you are so heartless.

Rhea clenched her fists in anger. Aliya noticed that and feared that Rhea doesn't do anything in anger.
Aliya: 'Don't go beyond limits, Pallavi.'
Pallavi, angrily and teary eyed: 'she went beyond all limits and you are still defending her.'
Aliya: 'You are unnecessarily accusing Rhea.'
Sushma Aunty: 'Unnecessarily? Trust me, I will make sure that she rots in jail.'
Aliya: 'Why will she go to jail when she did nothing?'
Sushma Aunty: 'She will have to pay for everything.'

Now, it was getting out of Rhea's control and she shouted to stop it.
Rhea: 'You all are blaming me. I know I never liked Prachi, in fact I hated, but she was still my sister. I wouldn't kill her.'

Aryan: 'Oh, you did try. Not once but several times.'
Rhea: 'Because she snatched Ranbir from me. Maybe it was karma. SH egot what she deserved.'
She felt someone pull her back and soon her cheek started throbbing.

She held her cheeks while everyone looked on. Turning around, she saw that it was Pragya whose anger knew no limits right now.
Pragya, angrily: 'I trusted you and stopped everyone from sending you to jail. And this is what you do.'

Rhea looked on sadly at Pragya as for the first time, she saw hatred in her mother's eyes for her.
Pragya: 'They all warned me, Sushma Aunty, Ranbir, but no. You destroyed everything. How could you do something like that? She was your sister, your twin sister.'

Rhea, angrily: 'Prachi, Prachi, Prachi, you only see Prachi. You don't trust me. I am saying that I didn't.....'
She couldn't complete her words as Pragya slapped her once again.

Pragya: 'Don't lie to me. I am your mother. I knew every time you lied. But still I protected you. I thought that no, I will be able to reason with you. I was the one at fault. I was a big fool to believe you.'