Chapter 22
It was Friday again and on the upcoming Monday, Sanchi would be joining the bureau as the private analyst. Sanchi and Vihaan hadn't spoken much to each other since their last fight and both had also signed the divorce application form willingly.
Mr. Choksey informed them that they would receive a notice after six months, enquiring of them if they would like to willingly go ahead with the application. If at all, they changed their mind, they woudn't need to go ahead with it.
Sanchi was standing beside Durga and Virendra for the morning prayer at the home temple when Vihaan walked down the stairs, dressed properly in his formal attire to leave for the bureau. He captured a quick glance of Sanchi's bright face early in the morning and his heart instantly skipped a beat.
Sanchi tried to behave normally in front of Durga and Virendra, and spoke to Vihaan in a humble manner, "Take the sac-red mor-sel and then I'll serve you the break-fast."
Instead of answering her, he simply rushed out of the bungalow and the booming sound of his Royal Enfield was heard even before realisation. Sanchi felt humiliated again since he continued with his rudeness in front of the family too.
Durga caught hold of Sanchi's arm as she muttered, "I am sorry dear that we didn't tell you this. He doesn't enter temples or worship idols. It has been three years that he doesn't believe in God anymore."
"Why maa? Why do-es he have to be like this ev-ery time?" Sanchi enquired of her.
"He has his stupid reasons which he doesn't like to share," Virendra interrupted, "But I have an important thing to talk about now. You must have heard of the present condition of Vidya and Dheeraj's relationship. Shall we move forward with our next plan?"
Sanchi agreed and took out her cellphone. Vidya answered her call after four rings. "Vanya, I have an important thing to talk about and I need your help. I was about to call you soon. I didn't disturb you because I thought you must be busy with the mission. Was everything alright?"
"Every-thing turned out to be as expec-ted, Vidya. I call-ed you for some other requ-est. Will you?" Sanchi pleaded her.
"What for?"
"Maa and papa have cho-sen a girl for Dhe-eraj bro and have entrus-ted me the respon-sibility. But I exa-ctly don't know his cho-ice. You know him bet-ter than me so I ne-ed your help. Can you help your best fri-end in deal-ing with this prob-lem?" Sanchi tried to suppress a laugh.
Vidya felt her hands tremble when her cellphone slipped from her, on the bed. She picked it up and replied, "But Vanya...."
"You said you'll stay bes-ide me alw-ays. We have met after years and I want every-thing to be the same like bef-ore. We need to be bes-ide each other in every-thing hence-forth." Sanchi knew her blackmailing would melt Vidya.
"Fine, I'll be there... He was here to choose a guy for me so in that case, I think I should also help him," Vidya uttered in a broken voice.
"That's li-ke my best pal. Now tell me what impor-tant thing you've got to talk abo-ut?" Sanchi asked and waited for Vidya's answer.
"I'll tell you when we meet. I'll be there at Bundela mansion in a couple of hours," Vidya assured her.
Sanchi smiled widely and informed Durga and Virendra about it. They waited in anticipation for the arrival of the new girl and also for Vidya.
Vidya disconnected the call and thought to herself, "I don't have to see Dheeraj today because he'll be at the bureau. But who can be the girl for whom Dheeraj went crazy and agreed to get married without even sharing with me? If he had the guts to turn up to choose Kushal for me, even I should have the same guts to assist them."
*****
Dheeraj sat at his desk in the bureau, inattentive to his work when junior officer Arjun came into his cabin. He took his seat beside Dheeraj and rested his palm on his shoulder. "Dheeraj, are you alright? I've been seeing you inattentive for the past few days. You seem to be very ill."
"I'm.. I'm in some sort of problem and unable to take a major decision in my life." Dheeraj expressed his grievance.
Arjun furrowed his eyebrows. "Can't you share it with me, with your best friend? When I joined the bureau, I was new in the city and had nobody to talk to. You were my first friend here and since then, we developed into best of friends. We worked together in so many cases and I've always seen you very humble and caring. But now I don't find my best friend to be the same jolly man again."
Dheeraj grabbed Arjun by the shoulders and hugged him gently. "Give me some time bro, I'll tell you later."
Arjun flung his chair away as he stood on the floor. "No Dheeraj, don't be so introvert and timid always. Keeping things inside your heart and mind won't do wonders for you. You need to share your problems with your closest ones to get them solved."
Dheeraj frowned and threw away the pile of files present on his desk. "I've no problems dammit. Just leave me alone, please!"
"What's wrong, man? You have never shoved your anger, at least on me!" Arjun was surprised.
"What do you want to know, Arjun? That my mother gave me her swear today pleading me to get married to someone of her and dad's choice! And guess what? I had no option but agree to her because I can't give her an another shock by refusing her. I don't want to risk her life."
"Does that mean you love some other girl and you can't accept the girl chosen by your parents?" Arjun asked, observing Dheeraj's emotional eyes.
Before Dheeraj could answer him, a strong figure barged into Dheeraj's cabin yelling loudly, "What are you both up to, creating noises here and disturbing the other bureau members? And bro, dad took a leave for a day and here you are flinging the important papers around. I didn't know my brother was so irresponsible!"
"I'm sorry Vihaan Sir, I was just trying to console Dheeraj for something," Arjun apologized.
"Yeah yeah, I totally get that but this is your office. You are requested to keep your personal problems outside of it," Vihaan shouted again.
"Vihaan! Keep Arjun out of your arrogance, he was here to help me. And Arjun, I'll talk to you later," Dheeraj retorted in a loud voice.
After Arjun left the cabin, Vihaan turned towards Dheeraj. "Brother, you don't seem to be in a proper condition and dad is also not here. It's better that you go home for today and take some rest instead of scattering papers and creating a nuisance for us."
"I'm not going anywhere!" Dheeraj refused in a roaring voice.
"Mr. Dheeraj Singh Bundela, it's an order from a senior rank officer that you are leaving the bureau right now. I don't need disturbances here. I need cops who have a peace of mind and urge to work with full concentration. You are on the negative side today so just leave!" Vihaan ordered in his dramatic harsh voice.
"Vihaan!" Dheeraj laughed at his brother's words. "You won't end your arrogance any day. Fine, I'm going home but if you need help here, send me a call."
"I don't need help. I can manage things here. Please go now," Vihaan muttered and left for his own cabin.
*****
It had been a couple of hours waiting for the girl chosen by Durga and Virendra. Sanchi initiated the conversation, "Is she also fr-om the dra-ma com-pany?"
Virendra laughed. "No, she's someone who knows Dheeraj since childhood. They have grown up together as close friends but as time flew by, they drifted apart. When I told her we need her help for bringing Vidya and Dheeraj closer, she agreed happily. They had last met a few years ago."
"I see." Sanchi heard emerging footsteps and stood up from the couch in the living room.
A fair and tall girl dressed in jeans and balloon top entered through the doorway. She had curly black hair, a little elongated face and was wearing high heels. She was waving at them as she approached nearer. Sanchi stared at the young girl in amazement because of the charm she was carrying on her face.
The girl wouldn't stop smiling as she hugged Durga tightly. "I've missed you so much, Durga aunt. I'm meeting you nearly after four or five years. Many things changed but you both still look so young."
The girl's voice was low pitched and lucid. She noticed Sanchi and carefully shifted towards her. "Hey hi, who are you?"
Sanchi remained quiet as she continued observing the girl closely. Durga stepped forward and said, "She is Sanchi, Vihaan's newly wedded wife. And Sanchi, she is..."
"Wait aunt, I'll introduce myself to her," the girl offered and bent her face towards Sanchi's. "Hey Sanchi, I'm Naina. Nice to meet you."
Sanchi smiled. "Hello."
"You have such a beautiful voice and you are also beautiful. I can understand the very reason why Vihaan married you." Naina laughed heartily. "Where did you both meet for the first time? Wasn't he arrogant? How did you fall in love with him, with the Vihaan Singh Bundela?"
Sanchi uttered slowly, "I met him at the orpha-nage and... He was arro-gant.. No...ya... I mean..."
"Oh gosh! Do you stammer, Sanchi? How did Vihaan choose you? I mean he never chose any perfect woman for himself but he fell for you! Do I have to believe it?" Naina exclaimed and sat down on the sofa.
Durga frowned her forehead. "Naina, stop with your nonsense jokes. Sanchi has a very innocent heart and that's the reason why Vihaan chose her over others."
"I'm sorry Sanchi, I was just kidding. I have known Vihaan and Dheeraj since childhood and I know how Vihaan is. I hope you both have a great life ahead." Naina laughed again.
"Since child-hood?" Sanchi asked her out of curiosity.
Virendra stepped between them and faced Sanchi. "Naina's mother Urvashi was Durga's best friend. When her husband died, Naina was only five years old. Naina also has a younger sister Ashna and they used to visit our home often. After her husband's death, Naina's mother fell ill and passed away within a few weeks. On Durga's insistence, we brought the two little girls to our house because nobody from their families was ready to look after them. Since then, the four children grew up together and later, they drifted apart because of their career and all."
"Oh! Th-at must have be-en so tou-gh for you, Naina." Sanchi comforted her.
"It's alright, Sanchi." Naina assured her.
"Dheeraj has been a very good friend to Naina since childhood so we thought to take her help in uniting him with Vidya," Durga said this time.
"Yes, Dheeraj was my closest friend and so was Ashna to Vihaan. You know Sanchi, Ashna and Vihaan are almost of the same age as Dheeraj and I."
The gleam on Sanchi's face faded and she proceeded to ask, "So where is your youn-ger sis-ter and what do you bo-th do? Why don't you stay here any-more?"
"Now we have our own house. I'm working in a private firm and Ashna is in..." Naina trailed off when Virendra intervened them.
"Cut the crap short for the time being. We have different things to discuss at the moment. I want these things to get over before Vihaan returns home. He shouldn't see you here at all and you know it," Virendra warned her.
"So basically, I'll have to act in front of Dheeraj's girlfriend that I'm his would-be fiancée!" Naina said, laughing again.
In the midst of all laughing and giggling, there was something that had hurt Sanchi to some extent. She didn't know Naina at all but somehow she felt Naina was a very strange girl with a lot of mysteries hidden in her. Moreover, her sister Ashna being Vihaan's closest childhood friend ached her heart a little.
Sanchi's wandering mind returned to reality when her gaze fell on Vidya, who was walking her way through the entrance. Sanchi rushed to fetch her into the living room.
As Virendra introduced Vidya to Naina, the latter spoke in her dramatic tone, "Hey are you the same Vidya, the best friend of Dheeraj? How could you replace me from his life when I was the one who was his first closest friend?"
Vidya's face dulled and her heart had already begun beating rapidly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that. Are you the same Naina who left the Bundela mansion and Dheeraj long ago?"
Naina jerked behind, taking in the harsh words. "I didn't leave. I went for higher studies and I was sure to return to his life again. I was already in touch with Dheeraj for so many years and that he has recently agreed to get married to me."
"In that case, you perfectly suit Dheeraj. For your kind information, Dheeraj and I are just friends, not even close. You don't need to feel insecure," Vidya answered plainly and turned to Sanchi, "For what reasons did you call me here? Only to get insulted by this girl?"
Before Sanchi could explain her, Vidya strode out of the bungalow. Sanchi followed her and blocked her way near the porch. "Vidya, will you lis-ten to me?"
"There's nothing to listen." Vidya snapped at her.
"You aren't supp-osed to be walk-ing out like this. I don't kn-ow who or how Naina is but when she'd been select-ed for Dhe-eraj bro, she must be a great mat-ch to him. We both can't do any-thing and espe-cially, you. You don't love him or poss-ess any feel-ing for him. Th-en why do you look so lost, pal?" Sanchi blurted quickly.
"I'm just tired, Vanya."
"What for? You can tell me any-thing and you kn-ow that. You love Dhee-raj bro and I have under-stood it," Sanchi assured her.
Vidya broke down before her and embraced Sanchi as tightly as she could. "Vanya, I... You are righ..."
Vidya pulled away from the hug when she heard Dheeraj's voice in the distance. "Hey Naina, long time and no see."
Naina rushed out of the bungalow, gave Dheeraj a tight hug and pulled his nose. "Hey, my sweet sixteen boy. How have you been?"
Dheeraj smiled widely at Naina when he saw Vidya staring at him in despair. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he spoke, "I'm very fine, Naina. I'm seeing you after so many years."
"Let's get inside, your parents want to talk with the two of us." Naina pulled Dheeraj's arm, leading him inside the bungalow.
Sanchi shook Vidya to free her from her frozen state and murmured softly, "What were you say-ing, Vidya?"
Vidya rubbed her eyes and spoke in a low voice, "I've agreed to marry Kushal on that Sunday. I wanted to talk to you about it since I don't know the guy personally. Maybe you can help me with it but I think it's not right to discuss it here. Can you come over to my place on Monday? I'll not be home this weekend due to a medical trip."
Sanchi's shoulders slumped in failure and she simply nodded. "I will me-et you at your hou-se but in the even-ing after duty. I'm join-ing the bur-eau on Mon-day."
Vidya quietly left the place and Sanchi stood wondering at all the new developments in their relationship. "I thi-nk it's time that I chalk out a pl-an to unite them. These silly jea-lousy things will not help any-more."
To be continued...
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