Intertwined Fates -- An IPKKND FanFic

Lavanya

Barun arrived the next day on time for once.

"We have a meeting at 10 AM with Mrs. Kaur," Khushi informed him and the two of them sat in terse silence until it was time.

Deepali Kaur greeted them and then asked, "So what's your plan to figure out what happened with the email?"

Feeling nauseous, Barun opened his mouth to confess.

"I found it this morning," Khushi said swiftly. "It was sent to spam."

Deepali sighed, rubbing her forehead. "What a small thing, and look at the trouble it caused. Very well. Keep an eye out for that in the future. Let's discuss the retrial."

Stunned, Barun clamped his mouth shut.

***

As the Rickshaw came to a stop, Sanju looked at the police station with interest. This was it. This was where Officer Lavanya Kashyup worked.

Wow. A police officer. Who knew that the clumsy, shy girl that he'd watched grow up next door could have turned into something like this?

Regardless, he thought, it was time for her to take over her own responsibilities.

"Come, Aunty Ji," he said, helping the old lady off the Rickshaw and grabbing her suitcase and his duffel bag. "Let's go find your daughter."

Inside, he discovered that Lavanya's shift wasn't until later this morning.

"Oh," he said, shifting from foot to foot as he figured out what to do. "Can we just wait here?"

The man--Lavanya's second-in-command--looked at the old woman. "Is that Officer Kashyup's mother?" The similarities in their features were uncanny.

"Yes," Sanju nodded.

"And you're her brother?"

"Something like that. So can we wait here?"

The officer-in-command thought for a moment. This seemed like it was building up to family drama. Officer Kashyup was intensely private, and most likely, would not want it to be aired in her place of work.

"I'll give you her address," he said. "You can go meet her there."

Sanju perked up. "Thank you."

***

"Why?" Barun asked as soon as they were alone. "Why did you save me?"

She shouldn't have. She hadn't been intending to. She had wanted to get the punishment he deserved, and possibly to be kicked out of the firm altogether. He didn't deserve to work here, or anywhere else, for that matter.

But the look on his face all morning reminded her of Arnav.

She'd seen that dejection, that self-loathing on his face, too.

And her stupid heart, which had been begging her to forgive Arnav, was now begging her to forgive Barun.

And it was wrong, so wrong to use Barun as a proxy for Arnav, but she couldn't help it. If Barun was sincere, maybe it meant that Arnav was sincere, too. It wasn't logical by any means, but her mind seemed stuck on the idea.

"Redemption," she replied. "I'm giving you a chance at redemption. Ever since I've first met you, I've thought of you as a spoiled, egotistical brat. You've proven me right at every opportunity. Now I'm giving you the chance to prove me wrong."

His eyes sparked, and again, she saw Arnav in him. "I will, Ma'am. I swear."

I'll believe it when I see it, she thought.