Hasta-prāpya-stabaka-namito bāla-Mandāra-vṛkṣaḥ

Chapter Twenty-Four

Throughout the afternoon, Pallavi remained acutely aware of Raghav's massive following on social media, as quite a few of his admirers ventured into Deshmukh Saree Emporium for a glimpse of the woman who had set him free.

Pallavi, Krishna, Nikhil, and Mandar altogether saw a dozen teenage girls and young women who had had no interest in sarees before the tabloids insinuated that Raghav might have a fetish. "Sārī kā Dukāna!" - they giggled at Raghav's misgendered sartorial nickname for Pallavi, which would be the hashtag for their selfies in the traditional look. Posing in exquisite handwoven creations, they imagined Hyderabad's most successful jeweler carrying them off from their families to sully their reputations with his lucre.

Married women, some accompanied by their children, also visited the shop to check Pallavi from head to toe, trying to find the mystique that made her fatally irresistible to Raghav. Sundry customers, who would think twice before purchasing the simplest ring or chain from Jayati Jewels, wondered what price Pallavi had paid to live as Raghav Rao's wife. Was she really faithful to her first husband, or did she chafe at her return to the middle class?

Pallavi felt relieved when it was time to close the shop for the day, and Farhad was waiting outside to take her home with him.

Farhad had silently observed Pallavi while Raghav was delivering Jagadish to her. Bhābhī's eyes were red; she had been crying. The news reports were embarrassing, for sure, but Farhad suspected a stronger motivation for Anna's effort to erase the CCTV footage. Was Bhābhī in trouble? He couldn't help thinking about her as Bhābhī still, although he addressed her as Pallavi jī to placate Mandar. Pallavi had been holding Mandar's hand when Farhad entered. No doubt, she found comfort in Mandar, and the longer Farhad kept Mandar's secret, the harder Pallavi's loss would be whenever she faced the truth.

Farhad prayed, Yā Allāh, please sustain Pallavi Bhābhī's strength for whatever trouble can't be avoided. Please guide Mandar to be the honourable man that he wants to be. Both Bhābhī and Mandar need the Deshmukh family's love, and they both need to live respectably, so please sort it out so that no one will be hurt. You inspired Raghav Anna to change his life for Bhābhī, so please don't let his love for her go to waste.

Farhad's thoughts turned to Raghav. Anna's fury with Jagadish had subsided with a sigh, and Farhad had caught him smiling at Bhābhī. Anna had tried to change his expression to mockery, but it had been a sad smile. What had happened to the vehemence with which Raghav Rao appealed rejection and avenged betrayal? Since when did Anna let off any wrongdoer, even for Bhābhī, without arguing?

Even stranger was the way Anna had behaved with Mandar. Farhad was familiar with Raghav's short temper, and expected him to be recklessly hostile with the man who took his wife. Instead, Raghav had looked at Mandar with an expression that Farhad had never seen in Anna's eyes for any adversary before. There had been frustration on Raghav's face, but also acceptance, and even a hint of gratitude, as if Raghav somehow thought Mandar was on his side.

"Go on, Dī, I will lock up," Nikhil said. "Try to relax; you have had a rough day. Dādā, you want to go with Dī upto Farhad's place, right?"

Mandar remembered Bābā's don't-go-anywhere-alone rule. "Nikhil, tell Bābā not to worry. On my way back, if I'm on the road alone, I'll call home so that you know exactly where I am."

Mandar put his arm around Pallavi's shoulders as they walked to the car. He hadn't told her yet about Sulochana Kākū being the one who left him with Dr. Ramya, or that Farhad was about to take him to meet Dr. Janaki. He shouldn't say anything today, Mandar decided. Pallavi needed comfort and support after her ordeal, and Mandar would give it to her. She had to be his priority. He tried not to look too long at Farhad, who held open the door to the back seat for them.