55

Khushi and Aakash came in the Court Room. Sham as usual was smirking. Khushi had requested Anjali not to come to the Court. "I will handle it Di. I will not be in the witness box, today. I will just see how low HE can stoop and come back!" Anjali reluctantly nodded.
Khushi was waiting for the session to start. The defense appealed to the Court that before continuing with the accused examination, the defense wants to include a new eye witness .
Outside, the call out was made for the name of new eye witness.

Khushi, surprised, looked at Aakash and the prosecutor. They too were puzzled. A figure appeared at the entrance. Khushi turned her face and froze. Lavanya walked in slowly and stood in the witness box for oath. 

******** ********** ***********

Arnav was restless. He had asked Aman several times. But Lavanya had not returned. Arnav could not concentrate on his work. He couldn't establish correlation between Sham and Lavanya. He had to get it clarified from her. He tried her number several times which was switched off. Frustrated, he rested his head on back of his swivel chair.

*****
"I am going!" said the tall man determined to go. He could see a gathering in his room. All family members were staring at him. A young beautiful lady came forward.
"Please, Don't go! For my sake?" she pleaded. 

"Its only for you I waited so long, Bahena! Now I got to go!" he said looking at the young lady. The lady looked helpless. She looked at the elderly person.

"That's why I called you, to convince him!" he said sounding equally helpless.
"Bhai, please... Promise me that you will come back!" she held out her hand. He stared at her without moving.

"Please, bhai?" she pleaded again. "I came all the way from Delhi for the celebration.. and you are going!" she said.

"I have to go! I did my duty!" came a deep voice from the tall man. He gulped, closing his eyes.
"I am coming!" he whispered. The gust of wind took him to her. He could see her satisfied smiling face. 

"I am coming .... to you, forever!" he said it loudly.
"How can you do this to me?" screamed a shrill voice.

"I am your wedded wife! You can't leave me!" another lady charged on the tall man.
"Bhabi, please, calm down!" said the young lady in a soothing voice.

The tall man looked at the lady, disdainfully and went towards the window.
"Please, reconsider!" pleaded the old man.

"I did everything you wanted me to! Now don't stop me!" said the tall man turning towards the old man.
The tall man turned towards the door. It was dark outside. He stepped on the threshold of the room and lost his balance in the dark.

*** ***

Arnav slid down to wake up with a start. He was on the flood of his cabin. He got up hurriedly. He had dozed off. His sleep deprived night had tricked him in to a sleep during day time, in the office. He looked around. Everyone had gone for lunch. He took a sigh of relief and dialed Lavanya's number to find it switched off.


Raj Had landed on Kolkata airport and Elsa was there to receive him. The Nanded Project had started taking shape and the training was to be initiated. The things were running smoothly and they had appointed a Senior Marathi person as CEO to handle the day to day affairs of the Mill.
Raj looked serious when Elsa explained to him about Khushi's state and the Court cases. 

"Dasgupta Uncle is taking over! That's something to be worried about. Otherwise he would never handle lower court cases!" Raj thought to himself.

"Elsa, I think I should meet Khushi. I should be there with her!" said Raj. Elsa nodded.
"Even I want to be there with her, but the school and office has tied me down. Mom wanted to go, but Dad did not allow!" said Elsa. "He said it would complicate the matter! You know, Raj, Khushi had been alleged for having relations with Dad by that....!" She said.

"What?" Raj was shocked. "How can one talk like this?" he was anguished. 

"I don't care! I am going to meet her. I am going to go with her to the Court. I am going to stand by her!" He said with determination. "Damn with the complications... damn with the world!" He vented out. Elsa held his hand. She was happy that at least Raj would be there with Khushi. She knew Arnav was under restraint order. 

********* ********* *********

After the oath, Lavanya started her deposition. 

The Prosecution objected to her deposition stating that she had already given her statement in writing and there was no need for her deposition.

"Your honor, there is a need for her deposition as she wants to change her earlier statement. I would like Ms Lavanya to tell everyone why does she want to change her statement" said the defense lawyer looking at Lavanya.

Lavanya glanced at Sham. He gave an assuring smile. She started off.
"um.. I mean.. I was asked to give the statement, and I did!" she said fumbling a bit.
"What do you mean you were asked to give?" asked the defense lawyer little dramatically.
"um... I was told what to tell when the police asked!" she said resolutely avoiding to look at the prosecution side.

"Can you elaborate?" asked the defense.
"um.. I mean... um... Di and Khushi told me what to tell!" she said looking down.

"What?" Khushi's mouth fell open. She felt thirsty ....
She remembered her conversation with Lavanya. 

Lavanya was very nervous. She was literally shivering.
"Chamakili, I am so scared.. I don't know what to say... that.... That inspector gives me creeps... Please Chamakili, I don't want to do this...!" Lavanya was panic.
Khushi had supported her saying... "Lavanya ji, it is just a statement. Tell them what happened and what you know!" Lavanya had nodded still in panic.

"um... I mean... um.. Chamakili, tell me what to tell!" she had asked miserably.
"Lavanya ji! Don't worry! Tell them you were in the room and came out only after the police came in! it is simple. You tell them the truth!" Khushi had said matter of factly. Lavanya had nodded.

The same facts were now described in totally different perspective. Khushi couldn't believe her ears. Lavanya had continued...!

"I mean... I heard the commotion.. I opened the door... I saw Chamakili... I mean...Khushi fighting with Jijaji.. I mean Shamji.!" She said.

"Khushi asked me to stay in the room!" I kept the door ajar and saw what was happening!" Lavanya said.

"What?" Aakash too was shocked with the blatant lie. He looked at Khushi's aghast face.
"Did he carry a gun?" asked the defense lawyer.

"I did not see a gun!" said Lavanya looking down fidgeting with the fingers.
"Did you see his both hands?" came a question.

"um.. I mean... um yes!" came an answer after fumbling.
"And there was no gun...!" question cum statement.

"umm... i... i... don't remember!" she was confusing everyone.
"But just now you said he had no gun!" asked the Defense lawyer little sternly, looking at sham. Sham was staring at Lavanya's pale face.

"Yes.. I mean there was no gun!" she confirmed.
"you said you can recollect the incidence, right? So, can you tell us what exactly happened?" asked the defense lawyer. 

She started narrating in a stutter, stammering and fumbling... losing the continuity several times. But strangely her story was in synchronization with what sham narrated. Khushi felt drained out.
"Does she know what is she doing? Has she gone mad? How could Lavanyaji do this? This is blatant lie!" Khushi felt all her energy had drained out. 

"What is she telling? We were at the table and nothing in the dining hall, can be seen from her room." Khushi knew Lavanya was in the guest room. 

The deposition went on. It came on to the relationship dynamics.
"How long you stayed in Raizada House?" question.

"More than Seven months!" she answered.
"How long you were with Mrs. Raizada?" 

"Four Months!" she answered.
"How do you find her to be?" asked the defense lawyer glancing at Sham. Sham kept his fingers crossed. She better tell what I told her to tell!" he prayed. And she did.
"Objection~" raised by the prosecution.

It was overruled as the defense side assured that the questions were of utmost importance in this case.

Lavanya went on saying Khushi was a poor girl, always in want of money. She had fraud and embezzlement charges and had faced departmental enquiry in  AR group! She always fought with everyone around.  Arnav Singh Raizada hated her to the core.

However, Naniji and Anjali ji adored her as she was from Lucknow. She was brought in to teach Lavanya, values of family system, the rites and rituals and other cultural things. Khushi did it well and finally Naniji had accepted Lavanya !

"Then something happened beyond my imagination, suddenly one night ASR, Jijaji I mean Sham ji and Khushi walked in saying, ASR married her. I was shocked to the core.. " Lavanya went on with tears in her eyes. 

"I don't know what she did to compel him to marry her!" said Lavanya. Khushi sat there with dropped shoulders defeated completely.

"I should have told Arnavji about Lavanya... !" she repented. But it was too late now. The damage was done. The prosecutor wiped off his sweat. Lavanya had completely supported Sham matching her story with his. Sham's smirk grew wider. He thought the case is in his pocket now.

Prosecution begged for time to conduct her cross examination. Lavanya walked out of the court room not even glancing once at Khushi. Lavanya went out and headed towards office. Aakash rushed out dialing his bhai's number. Khushi still sat there thunderstruck. "How could Lavanya ji do this to me?" She was unable to get any rational answer. This was beyond her imagination. 

"I made a big mistake by not telling Arnav ji about Lavanya ji and how she was torturing me. I should have asked Arnavji, about their relationship. I know she was exaggerating the facts. If she can lie under oath, she might as well do it with me!" Khushi clutched her head trying to stop it from spinning.

She got up in slow motion. She looked around, the Court was preparing for the next case on board. She came out dodging the reporters lurking around for some sensational scoop. Aakash was approaching her.

"Khushi ji, don't worry! Our lawyer will take care of this. Just stay calm" Aakash had no words to console her. She simply nodded with a blank face and unfocused stair.

"I will drop you home!" said Aakash placing his hand on her shoulder. She sat in the car still lost in her thoughts. Lavanya's deposition would be a disaster for the case.

"Khushi ji, you have an appointment with Dasgupta at six. I will come with you if Bhai is busy!" said Aakash. He knew Bhai would be busy dealing with Lavanya. He had called up Arnav and told him everything.

"No, Aakash jijaji, I will drive down!" Khushi said faintly smiling at the mention of Das uncle.
"Ahh, Das uncle is there. I need not worry. He will take care of Lavanya .... Ji!" her heart did not allow her to call Lavanya 'ji'!. She felt relieved. She was confident her uncle will handle this and she really need not bother about anything. She actually smiled.

She came home. As usual Anjali was keen to know about the proceedings. Khushi had no energy to talk about it at all. 

"Di, I will just freshen up and come down. I will tell you what happened!" she ran up to her room. She sat on the bed, thinking about the proceedings. She went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She kept gaping at her own reflection in the mirror. 

"Why did she say that? Why did she say I trapped Arnav and HIM? How could she think that I would do this?" her eyes reflected pain and sadness. Her heart filled with darkness. 

"Khushi, why do people think, whatever goes wrong in their lives, is because of you? Why do you always have to take the blunt? Is it your fate or your deeds?" she asked her reflection in the mirror.

"But what have I done wrong? I always wanted everyone around me to be happy...!" she said aloud.

"But you always ended up hurting and making them unhappy.... K.H.U.S.H.I?" her devil mind screamed sarcastically stressing upon the word KHUSHI~~!! "The one who spreads sorrows everywhere is Khushi!" the devil whipped her heart again and again. A figure appeared in the mirror.

"Arnav ji?" she turned around to see no one in the bathroom. She again turned towards the mirror. Her Arnav ji had vanished. She took out the diary bending down. She looked at it disdainfully.

"This diary.... I don't need it. I don't want to see any dreams! I don't want anything else! I want peace and my Arnavji... for some time at least!" her heart cried out for herself. 

"I will remove all the possibilities of fights with Arnavji. I will not hide anything from him from now on. I will give this diary to him. Let him do anything with it. I don't want him to be unhappy with me. I will give him whatever he wants... even my life!" she chocked. 

Coughing hard she came out with the diary. She looked at the time. She was to meet Dasgupta at six. "I have to meet Arnav ji and tell him everything and give him the diary!" she thought with determination. She got ready. It was four in the evening. She came down and went to Anjali's room

"Di, I am going to meet Das uncle. I will come back and tell you everything!" she apologized. Anjali nodded. Khushi took out her car keys and drove towards office craving to meet her Arnavji and to tell him everything and to give him the diary and to get support and to forget everything in his arms.