Doomed

Chapter 8

***

On the third day, Viren knew something was off but he couldn't put his finger on it. He stayed still and left the nurse to cut off his stitches. He was groggy and drowsy from all the medicines and sedatives. It also had been three days since he had seen Aghanya. Whenever he asked about her whereabouts, he just got vague answers.

Something was terribly wrong with her and he could feel it. The nurse finished and was about to leave when he stopped her and asked for her phone. She happily obliged. He rang Aghanya's number and it was switched off. Frustrated, he gave back the phone. Staying inside the room made him feel restless and anxious. He stepped out of the room and walked towards the end corridor, there was a sitting area with a TV present. He wouldn't have paid attention to it but he had heard her name and he snapped his head towards the TV.

"We're informed that Mrs. Aghanya Jha Raizyada who has gained consciousness as of yesterday was questioned by the police an hour ago. The parts of the interview that were released showed her acting unaware and innocent of the allegations against her. She said that she wasn't in the room for illicit lesbian affair as she had been accused of. Also, she confesses that it was a masked man who had attacked her and the escort and not her. As the case gets deeper, a raging suspicion has taken roots in the minds of people, is Aghanya Jha Raizyada acting innocent to hide her sexuality or does she deserve the benefit of doubt? For more on this topic, Stay tuned for the discussion panel led by Tajveep Pavdesai. You're watching -"

       His ears rang in silence even though there was ample amount of hustle and bustle in the seating area. His stomach turned and twisted in knots as he walked back inside his room. He saw his dad inside the room.

         "Where were you gone Viren?" He asked smiling but his smile dropped as soon as his face met Viren's.

          "What happened to Aghanya?" He said through gritted teeth.

        A flash of fear crossed his father's face but he soon masked it, "Nothing, beta. She's fine, she's at the gallery, working."

            Viren gulped the knot inside his throat. He let out a deep breath. "Lies. What happened to Aghanya?!" His voice boomed. "I asked you, What in hell happened to my wife?! And where the hell is she?!" He bellowed.

          "Viren...she's safe. She gained consciousness yesterday. You're still not better, why don't we go visit her after you're discharged?"

          "Oh I will! I am getting discharged right now!" He hissed disappointed at his father for hiding the truth.

         ***

            Janvi raised her hand to press the doorbell but decided against it. She sighed and rubbed her sweaty palms against her blue kurta. She wore it, because it was his favourite colour. She wore the perfume he gifted, because he liked it. She shook her head and then again tried to press the doorbell. But again, let her hand fall. She raised her hand again and the door clicked before she could press the button. Dhruv stood with the door ajar.

           "You looked lost trying to decide whether to ring the bell or not." His eyes never left hers. Concern marred her face as she saw his eyes red. Was he drunk?

            "Why are you standing there? Come on in." He said and walked inside the room. He chugged from a can of what she assumed was beer. She cringed her nose at the suffocating smell of cigarettes and beer. Somehow she knew, he would be in this state. He hated his dad and whenever he crossed paths with him, Dhruv got like this.

            She saw him slump on the sofa. She moved past the couch and reached the other side of the room and pulled apart the curtains. She opened the french doors to let the air inside the room. The room filled with the noise of Mumbai suburbs and the humid air.

            She then stood looking at the fantastic view of the suburbs. She looked down at her fingers, while wringing them, trying to start a conversation. She couldn't come out and say that she came here because she cared for him. Definitely not that. Anything except that.

       "So.." She cleared her throat, "your dad..."

          He stood up and walked towards her. He leaned on the door frame, his arms crossed around his chest. An amusing smile played across his lips. He then chuckled, dropping his head. He met her eyes, "Do you think I'm like this because of my father? I'm not. I'm in this state because I dragged Aghanya into a huge mess and put all my blame on her." He said his lips curving in a half smile.

She clenched her jaw and looked away from him, to control his anger. It wasn't news that she disliked Aghanya.

He stepped closed to her, "You always look away when you're annoyed. Why? Are you jealous?!"

            "I'm not." She faced him, her chin tipped high.

          He gave her a mocking smile, "Sure then." He held up one finger to her. "Wait....right here...I have something for you..."

         Dhruv left the room for a minute and stumbled inside the room after a while. He thrust a small crystal bottle in her hand. She looked closer to see a pink liquid inside the crystal.

He rested his hand on the walk behind her. "I never knew middle class people hoarded things for so long....but the perfume you're wearing, it's not my favourite anymore, this one is."

Her jaw tightened as she grabbed the crystal harder, "Meaning?"

"Meaning, it's okay if you can't buy that stuff. You could've if you had been less selfish but you weren't. This whole flat, all of this could've been yours..." He tsked twice. "It's sad that you're jealous now..."

She didn't let him complete his sentence and threw the bottle on the floor. It crashed and broke into pieces. "Bas! Enough! I'm not jealous. Even if I was, I'm not anymore. I'm glad that we broke up. I'm glad that I dumped you. What do you have anyway? Nothing. No family. No friends. No stable job. I don't regret it, Dhruv. I don't regret it at all. Now, if you let me!" She snapped at him and moved away from him to storm away.

"And what do you have?! The same low income job that you had years ago, an incomplete family with a disfigured sister!"

Janvi turned around as her brain filled with anger and spite. Tears flooded her eyes, if only he knew. She turned around and beat his chest repeatedly. "How could YOU say that?! How could YOU?! The reason why Kushi has a disfigured face is!" She stopped herself and moved away. She felt bile rise in her throat in shame. She regretted coming here, to check on him.

"I shouldn't have said that-" He started but she stopped him. "Oh please! You've shown your rich people superficial mentality." She wiped her tears with her palm and walked away outside the apartment.

***

        Viren walked inside her hospital room. She snapped her head to look at him. "What are you doing here?!" She asked shocked. "You're not even fully healed."

            "Worry about yourself first." He said and crossed the distance between them. He cupped her cheek and saw that a gauze was plastered on her right cheek. He frowned and controlled his anger. He pressed his lips on her forehead.

         "Now that you're here. Can I cry?" Her voice was almost in a whimper. He nodded and her resolve broke. Her whimpers turned to sob. And he held her as she vented out.

*****

A/N: I know. So long. I'm busier now. My college has started and it's a mess. Anyways. Thanks for comments and votes. I appreciate all your comments and votes!