ENDLESS

04

When Riddhima closed the bathroom door and stepped into the room, her heart stopped beating for a second. On the bed she caught Addy sitting leisurely, his toys scattered all over the bed, and his big body putting the grand structure of the bed in utter humiliation. Naturally it shouldn't be a huge concern since this was Addy's room but the problem was that that Riddhima was clothed in a loose bathrobe that barely reached her knees. And, in front of her was a, somewhat stranger, grown up man. She gasped loudly as she thought to make a dash for the bathroom again.
"Hi Riddhima." and he saw her. However, unlike what she formerly thought, he merely glanced over her casually and that too at her face before busying himself in his toys again. Riddhima breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes she clean forget that Addy is practically a child right now and she shouldn't behave around him like she would had his mental age complemented his physical age. Nonetheless, there apparently was another tinsy winsy problem. Because she has been living here since the last few days, she had observed that that lecherous guy, she forgot his name, was perpetually hitting on her and his body language did told her that he wanted something from her. Something which no decent woman would want to hand over to a filthy guy like him. And she was pretty sure he must be roaming the hallways for no reason which is why she couldn't go outside in this short garment, if she wishes to change in some other room. Bathroom was excessively wet so there was no way out there that she was going to change inside the bathroom. She couldn't even ask Addy to walk out as his brother is always looking for ways to harm him in one way or the other. Therefore, with no option in hand, she chose something different.
"Addy." she called him very softly. He responded with a childish 'hm', too preoccupied in fixing the arm of Mr. Fluffy. She cleared her throat.
"Addy could you please turn around while I change. Pretty please." she asked politely. He nodded compliantly and turned around so his back was on her face. It definitely was weird for her because, childish or not, physically he was a scarily built big man and with her changing her clothes in the presence of a man, it was really awkward as well as terrifying for her. Quickly, though, she threw on her clothes while keeping an eye on him. Addy was precisely unbothered like a child, not even for a second did his head move even an inch. Riddhima was thankful that he wasn't sneaky in anyway, especially after that incident in the night when she heard his natural manly voice, the voice which he must've used regularly 6 months prior to his father's sudden demise.
"You can turn back now." she told him. He turned around and lay flat on his tummy on the bed, something he does when he's bored or hungry. And honestly Addy has a diet of a beast, I mean a normal man eats three times a day but this guy over here needs food no less than 5 times a day ATLEAST.
"Riddhima I'm hungry." he whined cutely. She chuckled as she applied a tiny bit of vermilion on her head. Although she knew that this relationship she shares with Addy, in the eyes of society it's a big thing but for Addy it's probably a game. The only reason she still applies vermilion is because she doesn't want the man around eyeing her as if they own her.
"Thakurani I've brought the breakfast." the lady, Girja, said as she came in with a tray loaded with Addy's breakfast. Addy's eyes twinkled at the sight of food.
"Good. Girja you please see that Addy finishes all like a good boy while i go downstairs and have a conversation with the lawyer. He's been waiting for 15 minutes now." she told her. Girja nodded with a smile.

Riddhima walked into the foyer with a tray containing two cups of coffee and a plate full of cookies. There she saw him, sitting nervously on the grand couch in the foyer. Thankfully Addy's stupid younger brother and that woman were out, or else she couldn't have had any conversation with this guy. The lawyer was a short guy, and someone who wasn't so exciting to look at. I mean he had the average boyish kind of charm but nothing too fancy, so unlike Addy. The only difference was that that this guy had his mind working according to his age unlike Addy's.
"Good morning Sir." she said cheerfully. The lawyer looked up and for a moment he kept on looking at her, but then after a second he realised he was acting rather stupid and therefore pulled away his glance.
"Good morning....you...."
"Riddhima. Riddhima Dhami. I'm Addy's wife." she said uncomfortably. The lawyer's face fell but he said nothing.
"Um I wanted to know something about the will..... The will that..."
"I've come prepared don't worry." he chuckled nervously, keeping his briefcase aside. He drew on the lapels of his waist coat and began.
"My father was the lawyer of Aditya Sir's father. Now I look at all the business....my father's health is not that great so....Um the will, well I don't know how to keep things before you but...Mr. Aditya and his father had ordered to prepare something so twisted that even I sometimes can't understand why would anybody do that. I will tell you broadly the clauses that are the most relevant in your case because trust me the original will is one hell of a long bitch. So, according to clause 3rd, if Aditya Sir's father dies the entire property including the land, jewellery, farms, orchards, any...any thing that has the name of Raghuvanshis will naturally come to Mr. Aditya. Aditya Sir's younger brother will inherit nothing as Bade Thakur had already disowned him a long ago. He wasn't even allowed in this mansion but he just came on his own when his father died and never left. The only thing he has in his name is the pent house in Goa which, in my knowledge, he has already pawned off to a casino owner. So....if Mr. Aditya dies under any circumstance, the entire property will be transferred and shared between five different charity houses and institutions. The charity houses were later removed and in place of it temples were included. Hence the property will be disturbed among the temples of India and abroad. But if Mr. Aditya marries and is in the position of not taking his own decisions than the property will not be transferred until the wife of Mr. Aditya decides to distribute this property among the temples as mentioned before. However, Mrs. Aditya has no power to obtain any money or other asset of the Raghuvanshis, the only thing she can do is transfer this property if she wishes to, if not than you just function as a caretaker and recieve nothing. Huh!!!! Hence everybody is doomed. Until and unless Mr. Aditya gets his memory back, nobody gets even a penny from this property. Even I don't get my salary, and the workers here too will get nothing until their employer is mentally fit again." he told her politely. Riddhima listened quietly and made few mental notes.
"But why would he then marry me off to Addy???" she mumbled to herself.
"Well because, partly my fault since I recited the wrong will in front of him. But.....But my intentions were never wrong....I mean I just couldn't risk telling that dork all the truth. I told him that Addy's wife only had the power and access to the property. But I never knew that fool would literally marry his brother off to a girl just to get money. I was wrong I guess. I....I genuinely feel sorry for you. If there's anything I can do for you please feel free to tell me." he said softly. Riddhima smiled weakly.

In the evening when Riddhima went inside Addy's room she saw Girja trying hard to put the medicine in Addy's mouth but failed terribly everytime. Addy was really crying, like he had tears streaming down his eyes. This turned Riddhima angry.
"What's happening here??" she asked loudly, marching towards the bed. Addy, upon seeing her, quickly threw his strong arms around her thin waist and buried his face in her tummy.
"Riddhima you tell her.....I.....I don't want to eat this....... this gives me headache.... and the other day.....I....I threw up in the night because of this.....I won't eat this...." he hiccuped, sobbing. Riddhima grabbed the medicine from her hand. It was a capsule of deep crimson colour with something written on the upper side of it. She smelt something fishy.
"Girja, give me the number of the doctor." she asked firmly. Girja at once scanned through the numbers in her call log and came across the doctor's number. She dialled it for Riddhima. Meanwhile Riddhima clicked some pictures of the capsule and shared them on WhatsApp with the doctor.
"Hello Dr. Rajat speaking." he said on the phone.
"Dr. Rajat I am calling from the Raghuvanshis mansion, I've shared with you some pictures of Addy's medicine, please check them out." said Riddhima.
"Just a minute." the doctor said and started going through the pictures. A minute later he was back on call.
"Ma'am, have you given this medicine to him??" he asked anxiously.
"No. Not today atleast. What's the matter??" she asked.
"Ma'am this is a very dangerous drug that is known to have a psychedelic effect on the patient. In the long run it can potentially cause aggressive seizures in the patient. Please do not give Mr. Aditya this medicine. I'll come tomorrow and I'll bring with me the medicines." he told her. Riddhima said thank you and hung up. She then turned to Girja. Addy had slept on her tummy, he was snoring even.
"Who gave you these medicines??" she asked fiercely. Girja gulped nervously.
"Chote Thakur." she replied in fear. Riddhima cursed him under her breath and asked girja to throw all these capsules in the garbage immediately.

In the night when Addy was asleep, Riddhima gets a call on the landline. She picks up.
"Hello." she said.
"Riddhima.....how are you my child!!!!" Mrs. Rautela's sobbing voice reached her ears. She could hear the sounds of crying in the background. The entire Rautela family was crying perhaps. Riddhima couldn't hold back her tears.
"Aunty......" and she started crying.
"Those filthy parents of yours told everybody that you've gone to study in Dehradun. Your Uncle felt something wasn't right....we'd tried to contact you for so long. Somehow your Uncle got his hands on this number.....Oh my child!!!! What has happened!!!! You come back.....you don't have to sacrifice your life because of your selfish parents." Mrs. Rautela cried and said. Riddhima told her everything, why she cannot come back as now she has responsibility of Addy and how she wants to save him.
"What!!!! That poor man.....but.....but Riddhima you shouldn't sacrifice your life.... you're too young." she told her. Riddhima wiped her tears.
"Perhaps this is my destiny. I can't run away even if I want to. Nothing is as it seems like here. Addy's life is in danger....I can't leave him...that would be so thoughtless of me if I did." she said on the phone. Mrs. Rautela sighed.
"If that's what you choose. But always remember, we're here for you. If you need something just tell us..... I am just one call away never forget that ok." Mrs. Rautela said. A smile appeared on Riddhima's lips. Atleast she had somebody who cared for her.

Honestly she was ambivalent about leaving this mansion and this forced relationship. No doubt she had told Mrs. Rautela that she was going to stay but..... she somehow didn't want to. She wanted to go back to her previous life. And now she has the chance to do that. But would she??? Well she wanted to.
"Riddhima..." she heard her name being called. She walked inside the room from the balcony and saw Addy sitting on his bed, rubbing his eyes and looking around.
"Yes." she said politely. Once she was close to him, he softly wrapped his big arms around her tiny waist. He still was sleepy.
"Where did you go??" he asked childishly, yawning. Riddhima drew in a breath.
"I was in the balcony. Did you had a bad dream??" she asked concerned. He closed his eyes, nuzzling his head into her soft tummy.
"Don't leave me...... everybody leaves me alone. Momma also went away without me.....Papa also don't stay with me....But you won't ever leave me Riddhima....Hm!!!" he mumbled, already asleep. Riddhima had tears in her eyes. Perhaps she did right by staying. She didn't know about who she needed but she definitely knew that he needed her. And she'll stay by his side.
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