Sometimes Hate is Enough

Chapter 21

Arnav

Di and Akash dragged me with them from my temporary room, and I was very annoyed. But when I heard her voice and finally saw her in that green dress, all my annoyances slipped away. But the sudden happiness of seeing her after so many days has made me forget how fast she could run from any pressing situation. She literally ran away without meeting my eyes, even for a second, and had also dragged Payal with her.

"It's fine, Akash. Give her some time. I'm sure Payal will give you a chance to explain." Di said as she placed a hand on Akash's shoulder soon after they left.

I nodded with my hands in my pockets and, for the first time, took a look at my surroundings. At least 15 feet away from the house was a dry pond with four, three-step stairs leading inside the depth from all four corners of it. Lights bloomed from the pillars that stood encircling the pond area, starting from Akash's side of the house to my side, and standing on those pillars was a balcony of the same shape on a level above. And neatly arranged on the borderlines of the property were empty planters.

"I guess the balcony is on the second floor. No?" Di asked from my left as she also looked around the place.

"It seems so." Akash replied from Di's left as he leaned forward to look up at the balcony, and we stood there silently for a few minutes before Mami came to join us outside and ruined the peace.

"Have you all se..." Mami stopped as she came to stand beside Di and stared dumbfoundedly at the view ahead.

"Mami, you were saying something?" Di asked softly as she turned to look at Mami, who fell completely silent.

Mami gawked around for another minute before stammering, "I... How do they have this place?"

"What do you mean, Maa?" Akash asked, leaning on his shoulder on a wooden pillar in the open hallway where we all stood.

"Look around this place. How can they manage to own this? How can it be that Phati Saree of the people who own this?" She explained astonishingly before coming to a conclusion by herself. "I think they stole it from the previous owners. Or... or, the real owners live abroad, and the Gupta family are the caretakers of this place. And started thinking of this as their own." Mami nodded to herself as we all silently silenced her nonsense muttering. "Yes, this is how they have this house."

"Pushteni hai." A voice came from behind, and we all turned around. Manoj stood by the open door as he glanced at all of us one by one before motioning at the house with his hands and explaining, "Haveli...pushteni hai. Patrimonial property of the Awasthi family. Previously managed by Garima Gupta for 10 years and recently inherited by Khushi Awasthi for 4 years as the sole biological heir of the family." He gave us a big, close-lipped smile after he finished and stepped aside from the door before motioning with his hand inside the house. "The dinner is served."

Poking my tongue on my cheek wall, I turned to look at Mami, who stared at Manoj with shock.

"Wait till Dadi hears of it." Akash spoke slowly through his teeth as he stepped in front of Mami and walked past Manoj inside the house, with Di closely following behind. Shaking my head twice, I also followed her, leaving Mami behind with Manoj.

Almost everyone, but some of the Gupta's, were already at the table of twelve by the time we reached and took our seats on the three empty seats next to Mama, while Nani sat at the head of the table and Bua Ji on the other.