Omkara did not want to deal with this woman twice in the same day. The girl was frowning in recognition. She seemed to shared the same thoughts about him.
The girl bent to pick her phone which had fallen when they collided. Wait a minute, her phone? It was his phone! But how did she get it?
"How did you get this phone?" Omkara asked, suspiciously. He didn't know what to think. Pickpocketing is rampant all over India, but at the same time this girl had refused his money just this morning.
"And how is it any of your business?" replied the girl, checking her ridiculous shades for any scratches.
"Its my business because its my phone." replied Omkara, irritated.
Thats made her look up, and then look him up and down.
"Really? I don't think so because this phone belongs to some Omkara." said the girl, determined not to give him the phone.
"And I am that Omkara." replied Omkara testily.
That stumped her for a moment, but only for a moment.
"Jata jut Shankarji jaise, neeyat kaale chor ki. Smartphone dekha nahi, ki ban gaye Omkaraji. (Long locks are like Shankarji, but intention is that of a thief. Sees a smartphone and claims himself to be Omkaraji). I told you that this phone belongs to Omkara, and you agreed. You think I'll fall for that so easily. If you are really Omkara, then tell me one of his brother's name." she enquired of him
Omkara's patience was wearing thin. "I have two brothers, one is Shivaay and one is Rudy. Shivaay is married. The name of his wife is..." Before he could finish, Gauri cut in," Annika bhaujaai, I know." She looked disappointed that he was correct and now she would've to return the phone to him.
"The three of them are really worried. You should speak to them. Even if you lost your phone, you could've informed using the PCO. They've been calling since morning...." she wanted to go on, but this time Omkara cut in.
"You talk a lot! And you spoke to all my family members?" he was curious.
"Yes, its our fundamental right to express ourselves, and I exercised it. Thats what people do when they get a phone call, they answer it." she tried to snub him.
"Listen, please just return my phone and let me go." Omkara almost pleaded, he just wanted this day to get over.
"Haan, so take it, what would I do with it." she said handing him the phone with a huff, and walking off with her mother, murmuring something like.."paagal chirota (mad boy)" which sounded a lot like his criticism.
Omkara felt his headache returning.
*******************************************
Gauri returned home with her Maa in high spirits. However, the sight awaiting incensed her.
Her chaachi-chaachi were sitting on the sofa, counting piles of notes, an expression of ugly greed on their faces. To see them sitting over so much money, and yet refusing to help her mother in the hospital, triggered Gauri. But another thought struck her. How did they get their dirty hands on so much cash? They did no work, apart from taunting Gauri and her mother. So did they sell something? But what did they possess of such value, that would fetch them so much money? Worry replaced anger in Gauri's mind.
"How did you get so much money? What did you sell?" Gauri questioned them ferociously.
"Smart girl, cut to the chase. We sold you." replied her chaachi, laughing away.
"What nonsense are you blabbering? What do you mean you 'sold' me?" asked Gauri, anxiety seeping through her voice.
"I meant what I meant. You caught Kali Thakur saab's eyes. He named a price, and we agreed. Get ready to become the new Thakurain." replied her chaacha, smirking.
"What have you fools done? I'm a human being, not cattle, you can't sell me to anyone!" asserted Gauri, with more confidence than she felt. Her insides were shrinking, these two had sold her to...Kali Thakur, the unsaid Don of the village. No one dared to cross his paths.
Lost in her momentary fear, she did not see her chaacha's hand flying to hit her. He slapped her with so much force that she fell to the ground.
Gauri's Maa immediately crouched to help her daughter. She looked up and pleaded with her in-laws. "Please don't hurt my daughter. Please tell me you're kidding. Please help us, don't do this to us." she said begged, tears running down her face.
But Gauri's chaacha-chaachi only laughed cruelly looking down at the sight below them.
Gauri got up and helped her mother get up. Looking at her mother, she said, "Maa, jiske Shivji rakshak, uska kaun bhakshak? (The one who is protected by Shivji, who can devour them?)"
"Accha? Aisa hai kya? (Really? Is it so?)" a lazy, menacing voice sounded at the doorstep of their courtyard. Kali Thakur had arrived.
Fear rooted Gauri to the spot. No, this could not be happening to her. After everything, after avoiding the tragedy in her childhood, she could not be 'sold' now, to this monster. Gauri looked for escape routes, but she there was none. Her aunt and uncle were standing behind and Kali Thakur and his henchmen ahead. Even if by some miracle, she managed to evade them, her weak and fragile mother won't be able to make it. She was trapped!
Kali Thakur asked his henchmen to switch on their torches and shower some light.
He walked up to her and touched her cheek. His touch was light, but Gauri started shaking uncontrollably.
"What happened to her face? It looks like someone hit her." Kali Thakur sounded angry.
Now Gauri's chaacha also started quaking in his knees. Kali Thakur walked up to him slowly and smiled.
"Kya karte ho chaachaji? (What did you chaachiji?)" he smirked, and then suddenly hit chaacha with such force, that his cheek got a cut and he started bleeding.
"I didn't pay so much money for this girl, to have you idiots hit her and spoil her face. The entire village should be envious of me when they look at her. I don't want her damaged." he said angrily.
Kali turned his attention to Gauri's mother, who could barely stand due to fear for her daughter.
"See how much I care for the well-being of your daughter. You'll never find a son-in-law like me." he smiled evilly.
Kali Thakur went back to his jeep and returned with heavy chains.
"No...no!!!" Gauri started shouting.
"Don't shout, Bulbul. This is necessary to keep you under control." he said, bending to tie bind her feet in the chains, and caressing her feet lightly as he did so, which creeped out Gauri further.
"See to mollify you, I've got this." From his voluminous pockets he took out a heavy golden bangle which he fitted in her tiny hands forcefully. Next he unfolded a bright red dupatta, with heavy embroidery and draped it over her head. covering her like a bride.
"Ah, now you look like the future Thakurain of the mansion. I will cover you in riches for the rest of you life. You will want for nothing." he said smiling. "But resist me, and you will suffer pain." he said slowly, with menace, and saying so he gave a tug on the heavy chains on her feet.
"Aaaahhh" Gauri cried with pain.
"Yes, like this. I don't want to cause you any pain my Bulbul. So, quietly get into the jeep. And don't struggle, otherwise your mother here will have to pay the price." he finished, smirking.
Gauri looked at her mother, who was now held by her uncle and aunt. She would have to think of some plan quick, and get herself and her mother out of this. But she can't do this alone, she needed help.
Kali Thakur did not wait for Gauri to start moving. He lifted the tiny girl easily and walked towards the jeep. Gauri was shocked but she surreptitiously signaled her mother not to worry. She will get them out of this mess.
As Kali Thakur forcefully made Gauri sit in the jeep, to take her to the mansion, Gauri's panic increased, and she started struggling.
"Quit struggling. If you try any tricks or alert any passerbys on the road, then on my one phone call your relatives will put your mother's face on a pile of hot coals. Don't forget, I could've easily had my share of entertainment, and then fed you to the dogs, but I chose to make you my Thakurain. So, be quiet and smile." said Kali Thakur softly, but his each word laced with a threat.
Gauri knew she had no option right now. She kept her peace, and started thinking of possibilities to escape this nightmare.
****************************************************
Omkara felt little chilly at night. Unlike Mumbai which had only two seasons, summer and rainy, in the North it got exceptionally cold during winters. Though the winters were retreating right now, and spring was almost upon this place, the nights still got pretty cold here.
He was sitting outside the outhouse next to the Thakur mansion. Kali Thakur had actually invited him to stay over at the mansion for the night, but Omkara was not interested. He just wanted to fulfill any pending requirements and leave early next morning. He chose to stay at the house, away from that despicable man.
It was dark and he was lit a fire to warm his hands. He knew he should go inside and sleep off, but for some reason there was a turmoil in his heart. Like something bad was about to happen. Omkara didn't believe in premonitions or intuition. And in any case, how worse could his life get?
He was occupied in his thoughts, when he saw Kali Thakur's jeep passing by. What he saw astonished him.
Kali Thakur was sitting behind, his arm around that mouse of a girl Omkara had clashed with in the morning. There was enough moonlight for Om to see her face. She didn't seem to be resisting Kali Thakur in any way, dressed like a bride-to-be.
But the scene didn't look right to Omkara. Kali Thakur looked too smug. His jeep was followed by another jeep full of his guards.
Why would Kali Thakur, with his gang men, bring a young girl to the mansion, that too, so late at night?
Something fishy was going on here. Omkara made a move to follow the jeep to the mansion, and investigate. But before he could walk a few steps, a shriek sounded behind him.
Jahnvi Thakurain was alight. She was standing in the backyard of the mansion, facing the outhouse. From the fallen container of kerosene, it was clear she had set herself on fire.
Jahnvi, Omkara's mother, was on fire, the flames were eating her. Omkara was momentarily caught in the memory.
But he snapped himself out of the stupor and ran to pick up a blanket lying next to his chair, which he'd got to protect himself from the cold. He wrapped that blanket around the Thakurain's body and picked her up. He called out to the servant in the outhouse to start the car. Together, they took the Thakurain to the nearest hospital.
The doctor and nurses rushed the Thakurain in emergency care. The he turned to Omkara, "This is a suicide case. Since this is the Thakurain, who is a well-known person here, we will try to keep it under wraps, but I don't think we can for long. Meanwhile, someone inform her husband; he will need to sign the forms."
"Her husband will not come here." replied one of the two ladies standing nearby.
"What do you mean?" said Omkara. Even the doctor looked puzzled.
"We both came here to see the Thakurain, because we saw you trying to save her life. But honestly, there's no point. Her husband has abandoned her. He is making a fool out of himself, running behind a young girl, half his age. The Thakurain grew old, so he disentangled himself from her, and found a new, younger and more beautiful Thakurain to take her place. What could poor Thakurain do, but immolate herself!" cried the woman, as the other woman also joined her.
"And the girl, why did she agree to Kali Thakur's proposal?" Omkara asked quietly, dreading the answer.
"How would we know? Maybe she was blinded by the sight of all the jewels and expensive clothes, maybe she wanted to lord over the rest of us, climb up from her humble origins, maybe something else...." the other woman sniffed, choking on the rest of her words.
Omkara did not want to believe this of the girl, who refused his money and returned his expensive phone just this morning. She was annoying but she didn't look evil. But then Omkara remembered that looks can be deceiving. Ishana looked vulnerable, but it turned out that she was taking advantage of his sympathy and conning him. He thought he knew Riddhima for years, but it turned out that she was a social climber and was more interested in his surname and money. People deceived him all the time.
The doctor coughed. "We'll still need someone to sign the form." he said uncomfortably.
"I'll sign it, the Thakurain is like my mother." Omkara said as he signed the form. "Please, please, try to save her." he urged the doctor. The doctor nodded.
Omkara was reminded of how his mother also gave up on hope and tried to take the same route. He had not called up his mother since he arrived here.
"Hello, mom, are you well?" Omkara asked, as the phone connected.
"Now that my son has called me, I'm well." Jahnvi smiled.
"Whatever happens mother, don't forget your promise, don't give up on your kids. We're nothing without you." Omkara almost pleaded.
"Don't worry Om, I won't give up, but why do you sound so anxious, has something happened?" Jahnvi asked, with worry in her voice.
"Nothing mother, nothing has happened. You take care. Bye!". Omkara disconnected the call.
He was overcome with fatigue. It was a tiring day.