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UR 54.
It was later that evening that waiting was starting to get under Nandani's nerves and around that time Zamira landed at Indra Gandhi National Airport. Zamira could feel her nerves crawling in the back of her spine. The first thing she did was to hail a cab and then with multiple travel ways she got to the place where she wanted to be and the next thing was to text Ivaan from a very secured network, this was the safest time for him to tell everyone because Zamira had reached alive and well.
Not having seen Zamira in a long time was making Manik restless as well. Ivaan had to ask for everyone's attention to finally break the news to them, he expected worse of the reactions and he couldn't blame any of them, after all he was sweating due to nervousness himself. He couldn't sleep a wink ever since Zamira left, not that earlier he was able to sleep really well but knowing what kind of danger Zamira was facing by going out there, scared him senseless. Breaking that news to their family was even more unnerving.
'Where is Zamira?' Nandani asks them.
'Um...' Alishka nudges Ivaan to speak but all he could do is look at his family and think how this was a bad decision in million different ways.
'Where is Zamira?' Nandani asks insistingly.
'About that...' Alishka smacks Ivaan's arms bringing him back to earth.
'Buddy...' Ivaan addresses Manik for a reason he couldn't point his mind to but it felt right. 'Zamira has gone to India.' Ivaan didn't know a better way to say it. Well, there was no better way to say it.
'What?' Nandani asks shocked.
Manik was looking at Ivaan dumbfounded hoping he didn't hear him right.
Wrapping his fingers around the letter Zamira had given to him, Ivaan takes a deep breath and continues, 'Zamira is in India. That's her decision. She wanted us to tell you that once she reached, India.'
'Ivaan what are you saying.' Manik asks not being able to keep his head straight.
'Last night Zamira left for India. She left this.' He stares at Nandani with a mix of hatred and anger. He didn't know why Zamira gave a letter for Nandani and not for Manik. It made no sense to him. Manik brings his hand forward for the letter but Ivaan extends it for Nandani.
Snatching the letter out of his hand Nandani reads it. Every word seemed to pain her and by the end she was in tears.
'What does it say?'
She looks at Manik and then back at the letter and reads it out loud for everyone.
'Hi! Mom
I am in India; you would know this by the time you will get this letter. I know you always have wished the best for me and gone out of your way to give me everything in life and no matter what I will always be great full for that. I am saying all of this in a letter because I can never say any of it to you, up front. Whenever, you triple checked the door lock every night, the way you always listened to other people's comments and never replied back even though they made you furious and how we moved from place to place every few years, I always knew something was wrong, I just could never pin point it, mom. It was just a feeling. A scary one though. But it was there and just like you, I started feeling scared too when I was at home, in school, in playground, with friends, there was one thing common in every moment, that looming fear. I guess that's why fear has been my constant companion. But then we shifted all the way to New York and I hoped more than anything that I will see you relax yourself for once and maybe then that fear would leave me but that never happened. Instead, something else did. I know seeing me in pain, hurt you a lot mom. Seeing me in so much pain and most of all being scared that they will kill me any second, was actually more like seeing me die not once but many times. You know what, it was same for me as well. I never wanted to return to that place, it scared me but I did because there was something that scared me even more, it was not being able to be by your side. I won't tell you what dad means to me because I know you know that better than I can ever explain. When I sat down to think why you reacted the way you did? I guess if I was in your place, I would have done the same thing. But I am not you mom, I am not even the same old me and I hope you understand that. What we went through in those few months has changed us both for better and for worse. I truly love you mom and nothing in the world can change that. What I am trying to say I guess is, I can't live like this mom. I have never been as scared in my life as on the night when they took you away from me and beat you up. I stayed up that night and the next morning when I couldn't figure out what was wrong with you and I have never been that afraid, not till date. Still every minute of my life I have only spent being afraid, looking over my shoulder except for when we freed you that day. There was no fear. When I sang on the stage all by myself, I was nervous but never afraid. Fear has been my constant companion but I am done leaning onto it. You gave me a choice mom, between dad and you but it was never about either of you. So now I am giving you a choice. You have to choose whether you are going to be with me in this fight or not. It's far easier than the choice you gave me. If you can't be here, I will understand but still I will be waiting for you.
Zara'
Everyone stood there in silence but it was Manik who broke it, 'Ivaan how could you let her go. Why didn't you tell me anything?'
Ivaan had no answer. 'It's not just him, we all supported her.' Yuvaan said patting Ivaan's back even though he never did.
'Where is she now?' Manik asked overwhelmed.
'Um... she said she was safe and we don't have to worry.'
'Safe? What do you mean by safe?'
'Buddy... she messaged us.'
'She messaged you and you believed her. Have you lost your mind Ivaan?'
'Don't worry it was a secure network and a coded message.'
'Since she has gone through all that trouble to hide and leave, I am pretty sure she didn't take her phone with herself. Mind giving me her new number.'
'It's a burner.' Ivaan said forwarding his own phone where he had received the message.
'Her flight details.'
'She didn't give it to us. Just to be safe.' Alishka jumps in and answers, it wasn't fair that Ivaan had to take a fall for all of it.
'Safe wow... nice.'
'But I guess she took Brian's help so I can call him.'
'I will call him myself.' Cabir says looking at all of them angrily. And pulling out his phone. 'He isn't picking up.'
'Neither is she.'
'Maybe, Brian went after Zamira.'
'How do you know that Alishka?' Navya asks sternly.
'I talked to him; I am pretty sure he cares for her way too much to let her go alone.'
'And apparently none of you does. How could you let her go? You all knew her life is at stake. Are you her friends or her enemies?' Nandani asks angrily.
The accusation made Alishka furious, 'At least we care enough that she can entrust us with her decisions.'
'Don't you dare talk to her like that Alishka.' Navya roared. 'You guys made a blunder. You knew her life is in danger and even then, you supported her for her stupid adventure.'
'It's not an adventure, aunty. She knew exactly what was on stake.' Adair defends Zamira.
'That doesn't justify what she has done Adair.' Nandani's world was falling apart at the very moment.
'No, it doesn't but maybe she hadn't done it if you all would have been supportive. If you wouldn't have put her in a position that you did, maybe she would be here.'
'Enough... shut up all of you.' Manik roared. 'Cabir get the plane ready I am going to India.'
'Fine. We will pack up.' Mukti said agreeing to his decision.
'No... no guys you all are not coming. It's too dangerous.'
'And this is nonnegotiable Manik.' Aliya cut him. 'We are in this together, no matter what.'
'But the kids should stay here, it is much safer over here.' Abhimanyu points.
'Yeah, and mom and dad too. Please...' His parents agree seeing him already drained out of energy.
'But I am coming.' Ivaan interjects.
'No, Ivaan.'
'Zamira wants me there. I promised her.'
'Ivaan, I get it you want to be there for her but this is not the right time.'
'I am not going to leave her alone.'
'You are not putting your life in danger like that.' Aliya retorted.
'Mom... I am not leaving Zamira alone. I have lost my best friend once I am not going to lose her again. Neither because of Ms. Murthy nor Mr. Raghuvanshi. Either you guys take me with you or I will come on my own.' Saying that he marches out of there. Arguing with their parents was really exhausting. They would never listen to reason or try to understand them. They just wanted to be safe but what was being safe going to do any of them any good. They might be kids but they were going to have each other's back. That was one thing they knew, better than anyone else.
On the other hand, in India, Zamira knocked on Rishab's door. It was an understatement to say that Rishab was surprised by the visit.
'What are you doing here?' He asked peeping out of his apartment suspiciously.
'Are you in middle of something.' Zamira asks.
'No. Why?'
'Mind if I come inside.'
Rishab looked at her skeptically, 'Fine.'
Owing to Rishab's awkward reaction Zamira expected to see something funny in the house but instead of something funny, Zamira found someone surprising.
'Hi...'
'Hye...' The awkwardness in the room could have been cut with a knife.
'This is my boyfriend, Leo. Leo this is my niece Zamira.'
'Oh... Hi I am Leonard Grace.'
'Nice to meet you, Leonard. I am Zamira.' Zamira passes a teasing awe look to Rishab. 'I didn't know this was the important work for which he had come here.'
'Zamira what are you doing here?' Rishab asks cutting her short.
Zamira had rehearsed this conversation many times so she was pretty confident about it. 'Actually, I came here to surprise you.' She chuckled meekly.
Rishab raised his eyebrows knowing that it was a lame excuse.
'Oh, come on... can't I come to meet you. Am I not allowed? Is it so Leo?' She gives puppy doe eyes to Leo.
Rishab chuckles incoherently, 'You aren't allowed to talk to him. You come here.' He takes Zamira from her arm to the next room.
'Wooh... What's wrong?'
'What do you mean? How can you show up just like that?'
'I am sorry. I thought we were over all of this. I mean weren't you and I kinda good.'
'Good?' Rishab raises his eyebrows. 'Just because I took care of you at the airport doesn't means we are good.'
'Okay calm down. I will go if you don't want me here.' Zamira felt like crying at the moment. Somehow, she felt sorry for her own self. She was alone and scared but couldn't tell anyone anything because she is the reason for everything going wrong. Somehow all she wanted to do was roll up and cry in a corner and that was the last thing she could do but there was one thing she wanted more than anything and that was to be with her dad, to tell him she is sorry for putting everyone through all the trouble, she wants to make everything right but she is really confused, she wants him to hold her and tell her that everything will be alright and she doesn't have to worry. She missed him more than anything.
'Hey...' Rishab snapped his fingers in front of her, 'I have been asking. Why are you here?'
'Um...' Zamira gulps, 'Actually... Just came to meet some old friends. Thought I would surprise you. I am sorry, I didn't know you want me here. I will leave.'
'Shut up! Just shut up and sit here and don't you dear move.' Zamira nods as she sits on the sofa.
Rishab walks out angry at her.
'Seriously...' Leo looks at him in disbelief.
'Don't you start Leo.'
'Okay so what... What do you want from me? Shall I leave.' He says in a smooth English accent.
'I didn't say that.'
'But that's what you want.'
'I didn't say it.'
'So, you mean you are going to let your niece and me be in the same house.'
'Leo...'
'Yeah, I thought so. And please stop being angry on her because of your own ludicrous behavior. She just came here to surprise you. And if you didn't notice she didn't judge you. So, maybe try thinking for once that the only person judging you is you. Everyone else might be really happy for you.' He says ready to leave.
'Leo... please...'
'What please? Talk to me once you can respect us. What we have together. When you asked me to be with you, I agreed to come all the way to India, hoping that I really meant something to you Rishab. But if being gay is such a huge problem for you, then I guess I am just fooling myself by being here with you.
'You are misunderstanding me, Lee; I really respect us and I don't care what anyone says about me being gay.'
'Oh, so that is the reason I haven't meant your family yet and if somebody form your family comes all you do is take them separately and treat me like I am a squirt.'
'You are not a squirt and you know that. You even know that what we have means everything to me.'
'Then why scold your niece or why not let me meet her.'
'I didn't say you can't meet her.'
'Well from what I heard you said exactly that.'
'Fine... fine... I will do whatever you want but please don't leave Leo. You know I care about you and you know I want to be with you.'
'Even if that means making me meet your family.'
'Yeah... whatever.'
Leo smiles blissfully and pecks Rishab's lips. 'Good. Then I will like to meet your niece and maybe you can mind your manners this time around. She is such a lovely person.'
'You have no idea what she is.' He says rolling his eyes.
Rishab had had a very hard time accepting his own self and opening up about being gay, especially when he has felt abandoned for most his life. He knew most of his fears were baseless because Manik was the most understanding person anyone could ever be but letting someone inside his heart and not worrying about being hurt wasn't something possible for Rishab. He didn't expect to see Zamira and he definitely didn't expect that he would call Leo his boyfriend. That was a lot in a few minutes and he naturally fumbled.
'She is really adorable.' Leo expressed seeing her sleep.
Rishab looks at Zamira regretfully, he just can't control his anger whenever he sees her, his sister's betrayal always comes to his mind. Just like that one day she left, without a word, without a goodbye, without any explanation, just like their parents only difference was she was alive and she took Zamira with her too.
'Well, she is off. So, you can talk to her when she wakes up.'
'And maybe then you can apologies to her as well.'
'Excuse me...'
'You were being rude to her; she came to surprise you.'
'There is one thing I can tell you for sure, she is not here to surprise me. She is here for something else.'
'What?'
'I don't know yet.'
Manik's call interrupted Rishab's investigations.
'Hi bro...'
'Rishab is Zamira there.'
'Yeah... She just reached here like half an hour ago. Where are you guys?'
'Thank God...' Manik sighs in relief. 'Is she okay?'
'Yeah... she is fine. Is something wrong?'
'Everything. Listen to me Rishu. Get the hell out of your apartment and leave for Rajasthan right now.'
'Bhai it's super late can't I go tomorrow.'
'No... Take Zamira with you and make sure she doesn't run away again.'
'She ran away from you guys. Totally Nandani's daughter.'
'Rishu... please promise me you will take care of her and no one should know she is in India.'
'You are scaring me bro. What's the matter?'
'Rishu promise me you both will reach Rajasthan safely by tomorrow. Take the road and be very careful.'
'But what is the matter bhai.'
'Are you talking to dad.' Zamira wakes up startled. Rishab nods. 'Can I talk to him.' Saying that she snatches the phone from Rishab's hands. 'Dad... Dad...' Manik cuts the call listening to her voice. Right now, he was way too angry on her to think or talk objectively. 'He cut the call.'
'Why the hell did you run away then?'
'Technically... I didn't run away.'
'Oh! But technically you did.' Rishab just kept feeling angry towards her.
'I didn't mean to. I mean... I didn't have an option.'
'Classic Nandani Murthy's copy.'
'Don't blame mom. She didn't have an option.'
'Yeah, that kinda sounds like the two of you.'
'Urgh... Can we talk alone.'
'No. Leo can hear whatever you have to say. After all he thinks you are this adorable little munchkin. Now you see what I was talking about.' He directs the last line to Leo.
'I mean she might have a good reason.' Leo says rationally.
'Seriously Leo...'
'Thank you... thank you so much. At least someone is being objective and rational here.'
'But he is not wrong either you shouldn't have left your home like that. It's not right.'
'Finally...' Rishab says sarcastically only to receive a look from Leo.
'I know Leo. I didn't want to leave.' Zamira says sitting back down.
'Then why did you.'
['Because you fucking shot me Daniel.' My inner reel screaming at me (you know if you know hahaha)]
'Believe me she doesn't has a good enough reason. She just likes to play with every one's feeling.'
'Receiving kaki ma's head in mail as a gift seemed quite obvious a reason to me.' After saying that Zamira lied down on the couch looking away trying to hide her tears.
'What? What do you mean?' Every emotion Rishab felt boiled away into surprise.
Zamira turns around and unzipping her bag gives him a file. It had all the messages that were sent to her and every other so-called evidence and turning around she leaves him to make up his mind.
'Okay what am I missing. This just seemed to have gotten too intense. I mean I am sure your referral to head was metaphorical.'
'Not really...' Rishab says getting teary eyed seeing kaki ma's head placed in a box. How disrespectful and demeaning it was he couldn't even explain.
'Bhai told me she died naturally.'
'Yeah... that's what we told everyone.' Zamira murmured. 'If I didn't come here. Nachiket would have kept killing people or maybe doing the worst of the worst possible. So, I am here. I didn't run because it seemed fun.'
Rishab looked at her apologetically but he couldn't get himself to say it. He felt ashamed of what he said. He always ends up taking out his anger on her when she is clearly never the reason behind his anger.
'Come here.' Rishab pulls her in a hug even though she resists. 'We need to leave for Jaipur, okay. Bhai wants you there, he is on his way too.' Zamira nods.