The Other Half

Chapter 28

(Prayag: Oncoming Storm)

"Hello, dear!"

Khushi turned around and squealed. "Nanu!"

The aged old man, clad in a simple dhoti, smiled and hugged his granddaughter.

"I'm here too!" Payal said.

"If she'll let go of me, I'll come to you." The man teased.

Khushi let go. "You can go to her. I'm not selfish."

"Payal," the man called her.

Payal bent down to seek his blessing.

The man pulled her to a stop. "Never with me. I might have become one of them, but my children do not have to touch my feet." Then he looked at the rest of the company. "I see it's time."

"You've known?" Advay asked.

"Everyone has. I am just glad that the death and destruction is over. Now, all that's left is you."

"It's over? What do you mean?" NK asked.

"Well the Kashyaps did die and Indrani's destroyed. You have done a good job, might I add."

"So Mrs Awasthi was right. Death and destruction did follow. It followed Advay." Arnav said.

"And my Khushi will end it." Nanu smiled at her, sadly.

"Nanu!" Khushi hugged him again, the safety of his arms uncomparable to only one. She needed so many answers still, but the company was not right for her to voice her questions.

"Come on Sanka Devi, chin up! Destiny's waiting."

(Kumbh: We're Here)

Akash stood beside Payal, beside Khushi, beside Arnav, beside Advay, beside Chandani. Mrs Awasthi and Mahi were waiting for something it seemed.

Khushi felt the vibrations at the same time Payal did. They looked at each other, then around themselves.

Do you think?

But how?

A loud stomp indicated the direction from which a woman was approaching them. A large woman was holding her long braid, eyeing Khushi and Payal beadily. She shook her head.

"Hai re Nand Kishore!" Khushi panicked.

"Issi ki kami thi, Payalia?" The woman asked Payal. (This is what it's come to, Payal?)

"Buaji," Payal whispered.

"What?" Mrs Awasthi asked. "You know her?"

"They are my nieces," Madhumati Gupta answered.

"And who are you?" Arnav asked. He didn't like that Khushi was afraid of someone.

"Arnav, that's our community head." Mahi answered.

(Arshi: Hold My Hand)

Khushi reached for Arnav's hand and vanished.

"You leave his hand, right now." She heard Buaji. "Of all things, that's the most dangerous to you!"

Khushi did and looked at her, fearfully. She rarely liked interacting with this woman. Right now, she felt an inexplicable need to be as far away from her as possible. She felt Payal's soothing touch and felt better.

Buaji had been the reason they had upended their life in Lucknow. In short, Khushi really hated her, but never had the guts to say it. Over the years, whenever she would visit them in Delhi, her eyes seemed to follow Khushi everywhere.