The Chronicles Of Subhadra Hegde √

Chronicle 22

Flashback continues....

Dr Dharmendra Bakshi sat with jailer Shastri, having chit chats over evening tea and snacks. Shastri was an old friend. Dharmendra would mostly visit him after work.

A tall young man in his mid twenties walked in. Shastri hurriedly stood up. The man gestured him to sit and threw a glance at Dharmendra.

" Dr Bakshi, aren't you? "

Dharmendra smiled.

" Ohh I heard so much of you. You are such a pioneer.

Myself Wasim Khan. CBI. "

After a handshake, Shastri called in a constable, who took away Khan with him.

" Does he often visit to make rounds? " , Dharmendra asked after he left.

" No no. He's a new inspector. He's visiting for the third time. He only comes to meet Vaibhav Patel. "

" Vaibhav Patel? The one who got life imprisonment two years back? " , Dharmendra unnecessarily cross checked.

" Of course. "

Dharmendra Bakshi sat with a terribly gourd face.

---

Two years passed since Subhadra Hegde lost her entire blood relations almost.

Maanav, Subhadra and Myra shifted to a huge apartment. Sandhya remained at her place.

Mohan Patel too had expired months back.

Just four years to their marriage, and things were going downhill between Maanav and Subhadra Hegde.

Subhadra was emotional.
Subhadra was impulsive.
Subhadra was keen on practising euthanasia which was illegal.
Subhadra this. Subhadra that.

Maanav bore a thousand complaints against her.

Subhadra and Maanav were both working in the same hospital then.
Subhadra was an intern in her own college hospital. Maanav was doing a job at Cardiology in that hospital as well, then.

Anyways, Subhadra Hegde hardly found that Maanav Hegde anymore, who supported her in everything just two years back even, leave alone the one, who could even kill for her.

Subhadra Hegde was blamed to be sick, mentally unstable, overpossesive, this, that.

Sometimes Subhadra thought, it wasn't she who was mad. It was Maanav. Someone whose love was in extremes. When present, hugely present. When absent, completely absent.

Maanav even stopped returning from the hospital with Subhadra. He stayed on late. Hardly talked to Subhadra throughout the day.

Subhadra Hegde's life had turned upside down. She couldn't think of a moment without Maanav Hegde. How could she treat her that way?? 

Subhadra time and again thought of talking to Sandhya about this. But her unending love for Maanav prevented her from doing that....

When Maanav was home, Subhadra would shout on top of her lungs. Throw things, shatter utensils. But nothing affected Maanav.

" You are mad Subhadra. I was wrong in marrying you so so early. I should have waited.

You didn't have a single drop of tear when your father died, mother almost died, your brother wrongly landed in jail. You hogged in the entire property. You are not only mad but terribly inhuman. You are a doctor, but you still believe in mercy killing!!!!

Your place isn't a house but an asylum. "

Subhadra would almost pounce onto him. And spring back.

" Whose smells?? You..you....
Are you having an affair?? 

Oh my.....

Tell me Maanav Hegde, TELL ME!!!! "

Maanav Hegde would never speak a word.

~~

Nayanthara Jaiswal was in her first year post graduations in cardiology then. At twenty eight, she had seen quite a lot of life.

Almost forced a marriage at twenty one according to family traditions, despite studying medicine, Nayanthara never grew close enough to her husband Sameer. Except that, he gifted her a son. Her major reason of survival.

Sameer died in a rare blood disease, just three years post their marriage.
Nayanthara, though it sounds worse, felt blessed. Freedom. Again.

Deepak and she would live a happy life. She had thought.

Until, she met Maanav Hegde.

Maanav Hegde was three years junior to her. Worked in cardiology.
Called her 'Di'.

But, could she resist her heart from thumping ....whenever he came irresistibly close for any casual purpose?

Maanav Hegde mostly knew of Nayanthara's unnatural affection towards him. But he never took any interest.

Because, he was married.

Nayanthara got to know this someday. And her heart broke to pieces.

She withdrew herself, talked only that much needed for job, and maintained huge distance from Maanav Hegde.

One day, while Nayanthara sat in the cafe, Maanav Hegde came out of the blue and sat before her.

She was startled. And shy.

" M-m-maanav? " , what was wrong with her tongue? 

" You are avoiding me. Aren't you? "

" N-no.... Why will I...? " , Nayanthara looked down and started stirring her coffee.

" You are... Nayanthara... "

Nayanthara's heart stopped for a moment.
The depth with which he pronounced her name for the first time, almost choked her.

Maanav slowly placed a hand on hers. Nayanthara's blood vessels were almost on the verge of erupting.

" I admire you as much as you do to me Nayanthara....

Yes, I'm married. And I used to love my wife to the moon and back.

But she.... 

I won't deny she loves me too. But she's not normal.

She's crazy!!!  She's sick!!! She's insane!!!

These days, I'm afraid of her.
She can be godly. But she can be the grossest on earth!!

And she's extremely, extremely possessive over me....
That chokes me to death.

She prevents me from talking to anyone, any woman, any friend, any neighbour.
She does that to Myra as well.
She finds everyone on earth dangerous and with bad intentions.

She even believes in mercy killing!!!! 

Ophh!!!! 

Subhadra Hegde chokes me. Completely.

And I don't even know, how will I ever get rid of her. I sometimes feel like slitting my own throat!!!  "

" Maanav.....!! "
Nayanthara grabbed both his hands.
He withdrew.

" Don't forget, she works in this hospital itself. If she gets a single glimpse of me sitting with you, we both will be murdered. "

Maanav sprang up and left.

Nayanthara sat, freezing.

" I'm selfish. I cannot share you with anyone else. "