Oh Calcutta!

Home Sweet Home

Emraan.Saritaa.Praveen.Latifaa. The life of these four humans have been linked unknowingly through an invisible chain of destiny. Events coincide. Fate alters. Things which are unimaginable happens. These happenings are either overcomed with coffee or codeine. Time holds a very dangerous predicament.

It was first of February. Praveen sat on the sofa of Emraan's apartment with a handgun on the mantle of the sofa. Cocked and loaded. Only thing that needs to set off the gun is just a little pull in the trigger. Praveen kept his word. He came to Emraan's home exactly at the end of his given deadline.  Saritaa was getting dressed, preparing herself to go back to the brothel, her eyes red with excessive crying.  Emraan was arranging all the money which he owed to Praveen for keeping Saritaa for all these time. Latifaa had a panic attack on seeing the gun and she fainted. Her senseless body lay on the bed. Praveen had grown more ferocious in all these time. He was now pleased to see that Emraan followed his orders without any objections.

Emraan gave an envelope to Praveen. Praveen checked the envelope and a bright smile came across his face to see the glittering currency. Saritaa came in the room, still weeping.

Praveen hold her hands tightly and dragged her to the door. As they were leaving, they were interrupted by Emraan.

Emraan said, "Praveen, why dont you have a cup of coffee or tea before leaving. I need to tell you something.  I need to it get off my chest. We can talk over tea. "

Praveen laughed aloud. This man is a lunatic or what?  He is offering the intruder of his house with beverages. He found it quite amusing and stayed to have a cup of tea.

Praveen and Saritaa sat on the sofa. Emraan went to check on his wife.  Then he went to the kitchen to prepare tea. The house was filled with a haunting silence. None of them spoke. Only thing audible was Saritaa's muffled cries.

Emraan came in the room with three cups of tea. Emraan sat on the chair facing Praveen.

Praveen said Emraan, "What do you have to tell young boy, I got no time. Quick words mate. "

Emraan smiled, pain and suffering apparent in his smile.  He said," Praveen, do you remember the first time we met? "

Praveen nodded.

Emraan continued, "Do you remember the sixteen year old girl who was raped and murdered wolfishly in the alleyway of the brothel just a week before we met."

Praveen kept quiet.

Emraan added, "She was brutally raped and her dressed were ripped off. The man who raped her, was drunk and had a beer bottle in his hand. He slit this girl's throat with a glass shard, which was a part of the broken beer bottle. The next day people gathered around the naked dead body of a teenager.People lolled at the lifeless naked body and made obscene remarks.People clicked photos and it became a public sensation. The man who raped her was acquited as no evidence favoured his crime. The father of girl cried in the court to punish the man,  but to no effect. He was released."

Sweat was now visible on Praveen's forehead. He wanted to say something but kept quiet.

Emraan's voice quivered and became more firm, " Do you know who the man was,  who raped and killed that girl. IT WAS YOU PRAVEEN! And by now you had already understood who was the father of the dead girl. Yes Praveen,  I am the wretched father of that girl.  I am the one who begged for justice. I was the one who went through an unbearable pain.  I was the one who had taken his own wife to an asylum after she became unstable fron her trauma."

Praveen sat there. His head downwards. Tears rolled down Saritaa's eyes.

Emraan again regained his calm maneur and spoke,  "Do you know why I went to your brothel?  To satisfy myself?  Hell No!  I went there to kill you Praveen! Slit your throat with my hunting knife! But I do not have a wolf in me like you. I did not kill you. My inner self did not allow me to commit this henious act. Instead I met Saritaa. She reminded me of my little daughter. Her big black eyes. Her long hair. Everything. She became the symbol of my daughter. When I saw her happy,  I felt happy. When I saw her sad,  I felt sad. She eventually became my daughter. Praveen, you have snatched my daughter from me before and now you are snatching my other daughter too. You are killing me twice Praveen. "

Praveen did not say a word. He finished his tea, took his gun and left without saying a word. From that day one, Praveen never showed his presence to Emraan. He became a no one.

In the meantime, Latifaa had gained her senses and came to the drawing room, still shivering. Emraan ran and held her tight. Saritaa also came in and joined them. Saritaa had found home. A home of her own. All three of them embraced each other. Crying. Emraan finally controlled himself and said to Latifaa, " Everything is fine sweet. "

Saritaa said,  "Everything is fine Ammi."

A beautiful smile became clear on her lips as she spoke.

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