Chapter 17

Lucknow, India:

Khushi opens her eye in the city of her birth, her childhood, her heart… LUCKNOW…

At first, her disoriented self looks at the city confused; then her eyes widen in panic as she remembers that she is not supposed to be here… She was in Delhi on her way to have lunch with Big B. 

She whirls around in panic and starts running through the wide corridors. But as she runs, long buried memories of being chased increases her anxiety.

She vaguely hears her name being called and runs faster to get away from it.

Suddenly an arm grabs her and whirls her around. Her back hits a pillar and her startled tear-filled doe eyes looks up in panic to see a pair of very familiar caramel coloured eyes looking at her.

Khushi screams in rage: YOU…

Living Room, Shaantivan:

VJ sneers at Aakash: Would you like to do the honours of sharing your bhai’s deeds or shall I?

Aakash sits down on the couch in shock and shakes his head. Payal tries to console him.

Anjali asks anxiously: Will someone tell me what’s going on here?

Garima also asks: Vishal, what are you talking about? Is it about Khushi?

VJ nods his head curtly: Yes, it’s about Khushi. In fact, what I am about to tell you is something you may find hard to hear. But you all need to know what Khushi has done for all of you.

Then he narrates the whole story that his investigators found out.

After he finishes, there is a pin-drop silence in Shaantivan. Everyone seems to have turned into stone.

Buaji breaks her silence first: I always thought Sanka Devi was crazy. But now I know she is. Because only a crazy woman like her destroys her own life for people as selfish as us.

Garima starts sobbing: What have I done? I will never be able to forgive myself.

Shashi slowly raises his hand and holds Garima’s hand.

Garima looks at her husband in surprise: You knew all this time, didn’t you?

Shashi nods tearfully.

Garima breaks down on his lap.

Shashi slowly pats her head.

VJ says: He knew more than everyone. He found out about Shyam first, but Shyam caused his accident to keep his mouth shut.

Anjali looks up in shock: So that’s what he was trying to tell me when we went to his place to talk about Payal and Aakash’s wedding.

She starts crying: How could I have been so blind?

Mamiji holds her: We were all fooled by him, Anjali bitiya. Not just you.

Naniji looks up sharply: Yes, but the only person who paid for our stupidity was Khushi. So that doesn’t excuse us. We were all feeling high and mighty when we thought we forgave her for her mistake of running away with Chotey. But it turns out, we should have been asking for forgiveness for misunderstanding her.

Naniji walks to Shashi and says: I don’t know if you can ever forgive me, but I am sorry for my grandson’s mistakes and I am sorry that your daughter paid such a huge price. But I promise you that when she comes back, we will ask for her forgiveness and her wish and no matter what she decides, we will accept it.

Shashi nods gratefully.

VJ says: Yes, but where is she and why isn’t there any ransom call yet?

Mamiji says: We should have got some contact from kidnappers by now. It’s been almost 8 hours since the kidnapping. It’s like the kidnappers don’t need anything from us.

VJ’s eyes gleam: You are right. The only reason the kidnapper didn’t call is because he got what he wanted.

Mamiji gets confused: What do you mean? What could the kidnappers want that they won’t even make a ransom call?

VJ turns to Mamiji: The kidnapper wanted Khushi and he got her.

Mamiji gets even more confused: Why would the kidnappers want Khushi?

This time Anjali answers: Because the kidnapper is Chotey.

Mamiji exclaims: What? But how can you say that?

Anjali answers: Think about it Mamiji. I called Chotey informing him about Khushi’s kidnapping. But not only he is out of town, he didn’t even call me to ask about Khushi. Chotey loves her more than anything else in this world. He used to go crazy when Khushi used to come late for work and that was when he didn’t even know that he loved her. Now he knows that he loves her, do you think he could have waited calmly while she is missing?

Mamiji nods slowly: But where could he have taken her?

VJ turns to Anjali: He couldn’t have taken her out of the country without a passport. That means they are in India. How many places have you got in India?

Anjali says: Other than Delhi, we have a bunglow in Mumbai and our ancestral property in Lucknow. That’s it.

VJ thinks for a moment: He would require a flight to go to Mumbai. It would be difficult to sneak in an unconscious woman on a commercial flight without grabbing unnecessary attention. So, he must have taken her to your ancestral property in Lucknow. Where is it?

Anjali replies with a small smile: Of course Chotey would take her there. Because that’s where it all started – Sheesh Mahal.