Intertwined Fates -- An IPKKND FanFic

Unexpected Visitors

It was true. Madhumati's neighbors had stopped what they were doing to openly gawk at the clearly wealthy group.

"Yes, well, right this way." Buaji led them up the steps. By the time they had oriented themselves and gathered on the porch, Anjali had joined them.

As Buaji unlocked the door, she said, "Payal didn't tell me you were visiting. She's not home right now."

"Oh, we thought we'd surprise her," the elderly lady responded cheerfully. "When will she be back?"

"I'll call her. Please sit."

"Let me introduce ourselves first," she said. "I'm Devyani Raizada." "

"Namaste. I'm Madhumati Parmar."

"This is my son, Manohar and his wife Manorama. This is their son, Akash."

The young man with glasses smiled and held out a bouquet of flowers. "This is for you, Buaji."

She smiled back at him but was too overwhelmed to say anything. Devyani continued, "This is my other grandson, Arnav and my granddaughter, Anjali and this is her son, Aarav."

Both Aarav and Aanjali beamed at that introduction, but Madhumati didn't notice. She was too occupied by the way that Arnav was looking around her house. Not one to remain silent, she said, "Arnav babua, everything is alright, yes?"

He stiffened. "Yes."

"Then sit down. Nothing in my house will bite you." She waited for them to be seated. "I'll call Payal." Most of them seemed nice but she didn't care for that Arnav or that Manorama. The sooner they left the better.

But they heard the door being unlocked even as she reached for the phone. Akash sucked in an anxious breath. Payal was here.

***

Can you come down to the station for a debrief? Otherwise we can schedule a time for Monday.

Finally, Khushi thought as she read over Lavanya's text. Hurriedly, she finished wiping down the last of the furniture. "Buaji?" she called.

"What is it?" came the answer from the kitchen, where Buaji was finishing up with the dishes.

"I have to go down to the police station. It's about a case."

Buaji came bustling out of the kitchen, wringing her wet hands. "Hai Sankadevi, what work do you have on Saturday? And decent girls don't go to police stations."

"Buaji, it's for a very important case. I need to meet my friend Lavanya--remember I told you about her?"

"But what about Prisha?"

"It won't take that long; I'll be back in two or three hours, promise."

"Wait, Khushi," Payal called as she passed by, broom in hand. "Is that the 19th district station?"

"Yeah."

"Oh can I come with you? There's a cloth market nearby; I wanted to get some fabric for Preeti's wedding sari." Preeti was a girl who lived in their neighborhood, who'd asked Payal to design and make her outfit for her special day.

"Who's going to finish all these chores?" Buaji demanded.

"We'll do them before we go," Khushi said. "Come on Payal, hurry."

***

An hour later, Khushi sat in front of Lavanya listening intently as she described the raid she'd led the night before, which led to the recovery of Anya, one of the kidnapped girls.