"What have you done? Why did you ruin everything? Our story was a fairytale dream come true."
She kept thrashing her arms on the door with full force, only for her pleas to fall on deaf ears. Her wedding bangles broke and fell, her wrists bled and h...
It was one of the darkest and longest nights of his life.
Having to spend it in jail, with no certainty about the next morning.
His father was arrested from his party office. He had made no plans to run away, because surprisingly, he didn't expect to get caught. He was hoping that Kalyani would have died in that fire.
He was taken into custody and forced to co-operate with the investigations. Until the court made a verdict after the hearing scheduled the next day.
Harassed and traumatised, he felt stuck and tormented .
I understand now what it feels like to live in fear. To constantly have someone prying on you, getting a hold on you. It's so toxic. Maybe Kalyani felt strangulated in my love. I was a toxic, obsessed lover to her. Maybe that's why she ran away.
With no work to do , his mind wandered off to over thinking.
He loved Kalyani, and yet, he lost her. He couldn't tie the dots and understand what made her do this.
He knew she hated his father, but so did he. He knew she wanted justice, but so did he.
When both of them had shared common goals and interests, then why did she switch paths and choose a different way to get what she wanted.
He didn't understand.
She tried to understand me and my ways. But even in her depths, I didn't put in as much effort to understand her pain.
His words were melancholic even as he didn't say them out loud. He hung his head and let sleep engulf his tired senses.
His own mind seemed far more haunting than the rusty walls of jail. A musty odour made his stomach feel weak, and he had not eaten anything since hours; fasting since the morning of his wedding day.
He tried to sleep on the pillow but it was too uncomfortable. So he rested his head on his bicep and turned to his side.
And then, he dozed off to sleep, without realising it.
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“What is the verdict, sir?” His mother ran in to receive Rudra with open arms.
He looked so pale and dull, having spent the night before in jail at the police station, with no fault of his own.
She hugged him and began crying uncontrollably. The lawyers and a few policemen accompanied him, who came to drop him home.
“Ma'am, your son is innocent and proven not guilty. But your husband”, the lawyer took a pause before completing, “he is sentenced to life imprisonment.”
She didn't react; knowing and expecting the consequences very well. “Fair enough”, she said softly.
She held Rudra and took him inside. “You look so pale. I've cooked your favourite dishes with my own hands today. I was expecting your arrival. I knew my son could never do anything wrong and you would be proven innocent. I have taught him well, unlike his father. The same blood may run through your veins, but you also uphold my morals and ethics. I am so proud of you, my son.”
His face lit up hearing his mother's appreciation. Tears flew down his cheeks and he hugged her back.
They went inside and he gave up his sherwani. He was still in his wedding clothes even at the police station.
He thought for a moment about throwing it away.
Hell no, I want to frame it. It's a crucial moment of my life. I'll never forget this.
But his body ached and he was too tired. There were still a couple of hours left for lunch.
He flung himself onto his bed and took a quick nap. The soft mattress made him feel so grateful for having all the luxuries of the world in his home, in contrast to that rotten jail with the stone hard pillows.
How much he had missed the comfort of home.
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As they sat for lunch, accompanied by Kalyani's mother, he kept quiet and ate without speaking a word.
“Do you not like the food?” His mother asked.
A variety of dishes had been prepared for his homecoming. It was like a culinary feast, far more grand than his wedding day. Infact on the day of his wedding, none of them had had food, owing to the circumstances. This definitely called for a small celebration.
But Rudra was genuinely enjoying the food. He was so disgusted by the jail services that he could not even imagine tasting the water even.
A spoilt brat like him, born with a golden spoon, and a neat picker, only deserved the best delicacies.
He smiled weakly, reassuring her.
“What's the plan ahead, Rudra?” Kalyani's mother spoke, joining in the conversation and breaking the awkward silence.
“I'm joining the IAS. I'll start preparing.” He spoke without hesitation and at one go.
His mother smiled, beaming with joy. “I knew it. My son is destined for greatness. One day, you would surely join the bureaucracy and fulfil my dreams.”
He smiled back at her. All the exhaustion from the interrogation had faded away, now that he had renewed motivation and fire.
