The Arrangement

Chapter Twenty-One: The Petal That Fell

"Who's Farhan?" Sanjana asked. 

Nobody answered her. Vivaan's face darkened. "So what are you saying? We kick Sanjana out and leave her to survive on her own?"

"I don't know what I'm saying. All I know is that having her here puts us all at more risk than ever."

"Vivaan's right. Jayanti wouldn't do something like that." Even as I said it, I felt the fear that I could be wrong. But from what I knew of Jayanti, she wasn't capable of hurting someone like that. 

"I didn't plan to come here," Sanjana murmured. Her plate of food was forgotten in her lap. "There's a village in Himanchal Pradesh called Kasol. I heard about it once in school and remembered thinking it seemed like a nice and peaceful place. My plan was to hide and raise my child there. We could've built a life there."

Vivaan paused to think. "Kasol is closer to Delhi than Mumbai. Why didn't you go there with the money you had left?"

The young girl bowed her head. Tears pooled in her eyes. "I give birth in six months. I didn't want to do it alone." 

A moment of silence wrapped around us. My heart broke for Sanjana. Looking back at Preeti, I said, "She's only eighteen. We have to help her."

Preeti's face mirrored my own. She felt just as badly for the girl as I did. "Alright..." she said softly. "But we need to be really careful."

"You can't go out. Not with your father's men watching us, okay?" Vivaan said to Sanjana. "Whatever you need, we'll get it for you."

"I understand," she nodded eagerly. "I'll do whatever you say."

I volunteered to give my room to her since Farhan wouldn't be back from the hospital yet, but Vivaan insisted she take his room. We gave her a set of clothes and let her shower. She looked much better having showered and eaten, my only concern was her weight. I told her I'd give her whatever she craved, no matter how weird it was. 

And weird, it definitely was. 

"Butter..." I murmured, staring at her. "You just want... straight butter?"

The first two days, Sanjana had mostly rested, with us bringing her regular meals. The dark circles under her eyes were gone now, and her skin had a healthy glow to it. Pregnancy glow, I assumed. 

She currently cradled her belly while staring at the TV with wide eyes. "I know it's not going to taste good, but I need it. I need butter."

"Coming right up," I said, my mouth twisted in amusement. I scooped some out in a small bowl and handed it to her with a spoon. 

She hesitated for only a second before spooning it in her mouth. "Mmmm..."

It was Preeti who expressed exactly what I was thinking from behind, "Eugh!"

Other times she craved things like dhal with lots and lots of carrots in it, or just a load of jasmine rice with a tiny bit of spiced pickle for flavor. She slowly gained weight. Her morning sickness became a regular routine. I spent my days at the hospital to look after Farhan while Preeti stayed with Sanjana. Kunj's men were still watching us, but a month had passed and he never knocked at our door for his daughter, so we knew they hadn't seen her. 

The dynamic in our place had shifted. Sanjana had become like our daughter. Even Preeti, who had been uncertain at first, made sure to help her into bed every night. All the alcohol we had bought for ourselves had been finished or thrown out and we didn't buy anymore again. Vivaan splurged on a cradle for the baby from the money he still had left, even though there was still months till its arrival.