Chapter 2
Arnav left the Airport and took one taxi to reach his brother-in-law's work place. He had his bags and suitcase with him, because he didn't want to go home alone. He wanted to enter his home with Shiyam and surprise his Di. Maybe he should even wait till her birthday and surprise his sister on her party. This is something he should definitely discuss with Shiyam. After all it wouldn't be a huge problem to spend some time somewhere else but the surprise would be huge for his Di. He would talk about this with Shiyam. He would know, what was the best to do.
He was so happy that his Di found this carrying and trustful husband. Shiyam was one men to whom Arnav was looking up. He didn't saw his own dad as his hero, but Shiyam was it because of his family values. Arnav was sure, one day when he decide to start his own family, he will do exactly the same like Shiyam. Protect and love his wife to the core.
Just like his brother-in-law did with his Di.
Arnav intended to be stronger than his father and to resist every seduction from other women outside his relationship. Once when he found the right woman, he will stick with her till his last breath. He will show to the world and himself that he is different than him. Prove, that he is not his father's son.
He hated himself for every similarity which he shared with the men who called himself his father.
Probably he lived with his wife somewhere in India, lucky with his new family. Or he would have even children with her. Arnav didn't care. Nor his Di cared about their dad. They cut anything with him, on the day when he left their mother. The only thing which was still present in Arnav's heart, was disappointment. There should be also one big part of hate inside him, but after so long time, there was only disappointment.
He decided that it was enough to think about this men, who is more a stranger than his father. He ordered the driver to drive first to the place where he always went before he drove to his home. His Di is like his second mother. She took care of him even she was so young. Arnav won't ever forget his Di's love and sacrifices. In all this time she found her strength in her religion and to honor this, Arnav always went to the place where his Di left her prayers.
He told the taxi-driver to drive directly to Mandir, where his Di always went. He hoped she wasn't there right now because if she sees him there, it would ruin his surprise. Arnav's lips formed to one small smile when he thought on his sister. His beautiful and soft Di. His Angel, his strength, his family, his everything. He would never allow somebody to hurt her. Never.
He enjoyed the drive through his town. How much he missed the smell of it. The busy people and the streets full of cars, rickshaws and bicycles. India was so different than USA. It was poor, but also full of love. Every stone, every plant, every being, seemed like it was placed by chance on the place it was, but this chaos has it's own order. Every part was important for the whole picture. Like the stars in the universe. Or the cells in our bodies.
They reached the Mandir and Arnav just wanted to pay the Taxi driver, when his eyes fell on the front of the taxi. He was caught from the appearance of one girl. She would have long hair and wore colorful clothes. She have this smile on her face and he could say what kind of girl she was, when he sees her clothing style.
She was this typical Lucknowy girl. Everything on her spoke, traditional Family. He felt this sourness rising up from his stomach. His so called step mother was very traditional, too. Well it's needful to act as traditional woman, so everyone outside thought that she is religious and decent woman. This woman was also the reason why Anjali changed so much. His Di refused all traditional clothes since their dad left them, so Arnav did the same. They preferred western clothes and the only traditional thing what they did, was to go to Mandir. They did it for their mother and he saw it as his duty to go there.
The girl wanted to past the street and walked to the other side. The dish which she held in her hands was about to fell down and she tried to bring everything on the right place. Arnav saw the truck coming and it was too close to the border stone where she stood while being busy with her dish. If she bend only few millimeter ahead, the truck would get her.
Arnav jumped out if the taxi and ran to the front. He could clearly see the smile on her face while she was still busy with her dish. He hurried as fast as he could and it was one race between the truck and him. One second before the truck reached the girl, Arnav grasped her arm and drew her back to him. She let the dish in surprise out of her hand and everything flew over them, inclusive the crimson powder.
As the world stopped, they stared at each other.
The music resounded from the taxi which was near them.
Akhiyan
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Oh! Beloved Smiling in my eyes
Oh! Beloved Smiling in my eyes
Oh! Beloved residing in my heart
My life is yours
Before I die I wish to give you my life
I looked at you and my eyes fell in love with you
My eyes were so mesmerized they forgot the whole world
I looked at you and my eyes fell in love with you
My eyes were so mesmerized they forgot the whole world
Even God must have fallen in love
Even God must have fallen in love
Even God must have fallen in love
Even God must have fallen in love
They broke their glances and he let her go from his hug when she again lost her balance and he needed to steady her. He was again lost in her eyes and she in his. His glance wander over her face and saw the red powder here and there.
In your arms I lost myself
The fragrance of your breaths became a part of me
I forgot the whole world and let love take me away
I forgot the whole world and let love take me away
I feel like touching the sky
I feel like drowning in your love
What good is my living
What good is my living
If you are not by my side
We will live together and we will die together
We can't live without each other
We will live together and we will die together
We can't live without each other
Even God must have fallen in love
Even God must have fallen in love
Even God must have fallen in love
Even God must have fallen in love
They both realized that they were still in a hug and the people around them gazed, making both uncomfortable. Arnav looked at the Taxi where his suitcases were still inside. He saw the driver, who was staring at them, too. He helped her up and let her go immediately to create some distance for them and people around them. The moment Arnav wasn't busy with what happened around him, he finally remarked his own appearance. The red powder war everywhere on his clothes.
The girl followed his gaze down and became a shocked face.
>>Oh...no...<<,she started to pick everything from the streets. Arnav realized that she was still too near to the road. The cars drove very fast and it could happened, that one of the cars hurt the girl. She was just about to pick some things up, when he took her hand and pulled her back.
She looked up to him surprised.
>>Sir?<<
He answered very calm, >>You should be more careful. It's too dangerous so close to the streets.<<
She looked down on the ground and her face showed pure horror. While she crouched to pick the pieces up she spoke.
>>Oh, no. All my hopes are destroyed. This is one bad omen.<<
She looked at her mobile phone and checked the time.
>>I am going to meet him in half hour and I don't have time to go back to Mandir. My destiny is decided. I am going to fail. Everything is destroyed.<<
Arnav went down to crouch, too.
He touched her face to remove the red powder before it went into her eyes. He saw deep sadness inside them and felt some deep connection with the girl in front of him. Why he said his next words was not clear to him. These words were only reserved for his ears. These are the sentences which he used to say to himself very often and now he shared them with this stranger.
>>Your destiny is in your hands. Be more careful when you past the streets.<<
With this words he stood up and walked back to the taxi. He told the driver to wait for him
and turned around to see the girl again but she was already gone.
His eyes were searching everywhere but she wasn't there anymore. The girl probably went her way and he decided to do the same and went to Mandir. After all, the Mandir was the reason he was even here.
When he was done with the Pooja, he drove immediately to the office of Shiyam. He was a well known lawyer and was very successful in his work. Arnav was very excited to see Shiyam and offcourse his Di. If Shiyam decided that his wife can wait two weeks to see her brother, he will follow the plan. The party should be a huge success and if she is busy with planning the party, she wouldn't have time for her brother anyway. So why not use the time and do some sightseeing in India or check out the business opportunities? No matter what, Shiyam is going to decide.
Arnav left the taxi and paid the driver. He had one big smile all over his face while he took his baggage out of the car and walked to the entrance of Shiyams office, when his eyes caught the piece, of the same dupatta which he saw on this girl at Mandir.
Arnav stopped to walk and just followed the flying dupatta till he saw the face of the owner. And it was her. She has still red powder all over her face, just like him, but it was the same girl from Mandir. He saw her smiling face and saw her speaking with some other person. Suddenly she jumped up and hugged this person. She placed one kiss on his cheek and took one of his hands in hers. The whole situation seemed deeply intimate, that he felt the need to give them some privacy. Still, he couldn't look away.
The men turned lightly to side and Arnav saw that he was smiling back. He couldn't see the mens face clearly, but he saw that he returned the girls hug and spoke something to her.
And then the men turned around and Arnav saw his face. No, no! This can't be. Not Shiyam. No, God, please no. This can't be. Not again. The picture of his sad mother came to his mind and few seconds later his mind played with him. He saw his Di in same destructive state like his mother. No, not his Di. Not his innocent and lovely Di.
Something happened in this moment with him. He was shattered. Destroyed. His heart was bleeding. How cruel this world could be? And then his boiling blood pumped faster through his body. The angry Monster awoke and was fully concentrated on the face of the girl. His anger was enormous. It growth and growth, till he start to feel. What did he feel? Coldness. Emptiness. Disappointment. This girl was the root cause of it all and was going to pay. Pay for everything.
She will be punished. Punished for his shattered dreams. For his Di. For his mother. For everything.
Copyright©NilaKeis
Update 12.06.2019