Unreachable Destiny- The Curse Of Your Love

Chapter-24: The Unreachable Answer and The Unspoken Secret

"I can manage this much, ji." Ranav insists on getting the luggage himself as Abhimanyu just shakes his head no.

"No. The only reason you got discharged early is because of the assurance that you have two doctors by your side. So, technically, you're still under observation." Maya explains clearly why they are denying him of doing any tasks. "Just one day, Mister. ONE DAY."

"Fine. But I should still drive to the camp right?" Maya just stares at him in silence. "Don't tell me I am not allowed to drive either."

"You can drive but can't go outside especially long distances." Maya puts on a sweet fake smile and it only annoys Ranav more.

"Come on. He is my family and I am supposed to drop him off as he can't drive." It strikes Maya odd that she never saw Abhimanyu drive but as far as she knows, he has a driving licence.

"That's enough. I am fine. I can book a cab, Ranav. So don't worry."

"No, sir. You don't need a cab. I will drive you." Maya says. 

"You will?" Akshay couldn't believe that Maya offered to drive Abhimanyu as she usually doesn't try to please anyone.

"Yep. This way, Ranav can accompany his father and I can supervise him as well." Maya and Ranav look at each other. Maya nods in response to Ranav's questioning gaze and he replies with a smile. Akshay watches that interaction with clear displeasure as their quickly growing friendship.

***

Maya excuses herself to get her car keys while Ranav gets his jacket and Abhimanyu waits for them in the living room. Maya takes the keys from her drawer and is about to leave the place when she hears Atul Cacha's voice in the corridor. She can tell from the tone that he must be anxious about something.

"Calm down. I told you I would get you out of there soon, so don't worry." For a moment Maya thought that she should probably leave but as the conversation continued to get heated, she thought it was best not to leave the room as he may think she is eavesdropping. She waits for him to leave but he keeps talking in hushed whispers and Maya can barely make out his sentences when his voice becomes more audible. "That bastard hit you again! I will kill him. Even if he's your husband, you don't have to put up with him. I am here for you." Maya's eyes widen at the words. Who was Atul Kaku talking to? She couldn't resist anymore as she peeked from the door to see Atul Kaku anxiously flipping a pen as his angry voice reached Maya.

"You have to be careful. I will take care of this. Until then don't let him touch you." Maya's mind fills with questions. Could it be possible that the woman on the phone is Atul Kaku's partner? But he is also married, could it be he is cheating? No, Maya may not know him well but from what little she read about him in the diary, he is not untrustworthy. Then, who could it be on the phone? Why is Atul Kaku so worried for her? "I'll always be here for you... Ketki" Maya's breath gets caught in her through as she finally gets the name of the person on the phone and it was none other than her Bua, Ketki. Maya couldn't understand the situation but before she could hear more of their conversation, Ranav's voice echoes in the corridor and Atul Kaku leaves in a hurry. Shock hits Maya as she realizes what the conversation she just heard meant. Ketki Bua could be in an abusive relationship. But why has no one done anything about it and apart from Atul Kaku, no one had mentioned Kekti Bua until now?  What is happening? Before she could digest the revelation that she just faced, Ranav finds Maya in her room.

"How long does it take to get the keys, Madam?" Maya does not react to his words and frowns, lost in her thoughts. Noticing the worry on her face, Ranav approaches her carefully. "What happened, Maya? Is something wrong?" He places a hand on her shoulder and she jerks in surprise as if she didn't notice him in the room until now.

"Ah, yes. Let's go." Maya hurries to leave, but Ranav can't shake the thought that something changed. Ranav silently follows her as she takes each step with growing tension in her, and with each step, he stays right behind her, not knowing how he can make things better. He looks at her from behind and it feels like he has done this a billion times before. A multitude of images flip through his mind where Maya walked in front of him but it felt like an entirely different world in his head. She was in a lehenga and had long hair, unlike the medium-length hair that she has now. And then there she was again, walking in front of him in a blue saree with kundans on its border as her hair flew with the wind, leaving her scent behind. Ranav shakes his head to get rid of the pictures that kept interfering with his thoughts and he focuses on the Maya in front of him, the Maya with medium-length hair and exceptionally intimidating presence, as she walks away while he keeps his pace in check. 

Abhimanyu observes them both from a distance. The look on Ranav's face is something Abhimanyu recognises, yet he stays silent as they get into the vehicle and leave for the camp. During the entire journey, Abhimanyu can't help but observe the two as one keeps looking at the other while the other is lost in her thoughts. Maya now has a greater secret on her hands and she has no idea what she should do with this information. Ranav is lost in an abyss where he knows that the answer to all his questions is just 3 feet away but still unreachable. Little did they know that one step could result in an entirely different story. With the course of their timeline and their decisions, Maya and Ranav still have a long way to go and their story is yet to begin. Their story is budding but before that, the land needs to get fertile and ready for plantation and whether the love blooms at the right time or not depends solely on the willful soul that called for the change in their destined path.