Haunting Memories

Chapter 14 - The End

The morning sun beat down on Ritika, but it could not seep into her and get rid of the chill that she felt in her bones. She sat in her chair, her mind completely blank. She looked around herself at the green lawn, and her hand twitched as she felt a strong urge to pull off her shades. Anjali had told her to keep them to hide the dark circles, and so she resisted. She was tired of doing what she felt like; she was going to do as others told her to. From a distance, she saw Mr. Arora and Anjali approaching, and she plastered a smile on her face. If it looked fake, there was nothing she could do about it.

She stood up to greet them, and they all exchanged pleasantries and finally sat down.

“I’m glad this deal is finally falling through,” Mr. Arora said enthusiastically, “I had invested too much time and money into this.”

Ritika tried for a smile and nod, but perhaps it wasn’t response enough, for her sister replied, “It is in the best interests of everybody involved here Sudeep.”

“Of course, of course,” he laughed, as the lawyers and witnesses arrived and several documents were laid out in front of him. A small part of her heart broke as she saw him sign those papers, but she knew she couldn’t live here anymore. Anjali suggested she move into her apartment for some time, get some psychiatric help from a good doctor she knew. Ritika wasn’t sure she’d take the offer. She didn’t want to believe she was going crazy. Maybe she would visit her mother. The thoughts of seeing her mom were reassuring, and helped her get through the ordeal of seeing her house getting sold. When Mr. Arora passed the papers to her, she borrowed his pen and poised her hand on top of them, but her hands trembled. Her sister gave her knee a reassuring squeeze, and she finally began scribbling her signature onto each page. Once she was done, she pushed the paper away, unwilling to touch them any longer. Other legal formalities ensued, but they all seemed a blur. It seemed like an eternity had passed when everybody left, leaving Mr. Arora, her sister and her alone.

Finally, Mr. Arora got up to leave. Her sister got up as well and gave him a tight hug; and Ritika wondered how she was so good at public relations.

“All yours, finally,” Anjali said, as he gave her hand a squeeze.

“Tomorrow, then,” he said, and she nodded. He looked once at Ritika and gave a smiling nod, Ritika nodded back.

He turned around and walked off, and Ritika watched him take her happiness away.

“He’s got broad shoulders,” she commented, without thinking, “He reminds me of Aarav.”

“Ritika, everything reminds you of Aarav,” her sister complained.

Somehow, that sounded very insensitive. But Anjali must be tired, after all these crazy days. 

Ritika stood up and went up to her.

“Thank you, for being there,” she acknowledged.

A look of guilt passed Anjali’s features, and she said, “Sorry if I’ve been hard on you. This was necessary.”

Ritika nodded her agreement, turned around, and looked out at the expanse of her beloved land one last time.

“I’m sorry Aarav.” 

*****

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