Redamancy

Congruence

Khushi slumped down on the recliner, her heart beating wildly as the line went dead. The whole conversation felt unreal to her. How could her father go missing from the house without anyone noticing? Her mother and aunt were so vigilant since the time he had suffered the cerebral stroke. 

She kneaded her temple, her addled brain refusing to comply with her. Unable to sit any longer she stood up and started pacing the room, her hands clammy with worry. Sweat beads formed on her skin running down her scalp and neck... Her father was absolutely helpless without aid. Her gut wrenched thinking of how Shyam was treating him. And Shyam had also asked her to literally steal from the family. She would die rather than do something like that.

She let out a frustrated groan. In these moments of ambivalence, the only person whom she could think of confiding in was Arnav. Her thoufhts had veered yo NK but shr had to be honest yo herself. Though NK was a great friend, she still couldn't bring herself to trust him the way she trusted Arnav. Which was ironical but true. Arnav's incisive mind could think objectively but with him also, she wasn't sure it would help this time, more so because Anjali was with Shyam as well. And for Arnav everything came after Anjali.

Her phone beeped with a message and she unlocked her phone with jerky hands...

"Thinking of you Khushiji...remember the time we had chaat together...I wonder why Arnav and Anjali had to come into our lives..why we couldn't meet earlier..but that is going to change very soon I am sure.."

Khushi clamped down her jaw. The obscene manner in which he had constructed the message would indicate she was in connivance with him as he plotted Anjali and Arnav's destruction.

This message propelled her to make the call she was being hesitant to make,  calling Arnav and telling him everything. Anjali was with Shyam so he would definitely make every effort there was and she would make sure she worked with him in tandem...they both had people they loved immensely under Shyam's clutches.

Hands so sweaty that her grip almost slackened on her phone, she called him.

**************************************

Arnav had gone out looking at the possible places Shyam could have taken Anjali, their new apartment at Greater Kailash, their old home at Mayur Vihar. But Anjali was nowhere to be found.

He had just gotten in his car to start for his farmhouse in Chattarpur when his phone rang. He saw it was Khushi and his heart thudded hard. Maybe Anjali had come back home.

He picked up the phone hastily..

"Hello Khushi??Is Di back?? Khushi???" he asked desperate for a good news. 

"No, she is not back but there is something I need to tell you.."

Arnav noticed the tension underlying her voice...Like she was trying her utmost to keep it together...he frowned worried for her...

"Khushi? What is it??Tell me..."

He heard her sigh... Heavy and laden with anxiety...

"Shyam called me sometime back...he wants me to meet him..."

There was absolute silence and Khushi checked whether the line had disconnected while Arnav tried to bring his temper down...

Khushi understood what was happening..

Without further ado she continued...

"Its not just Anjali ji who is in danger, he also has my bauji held captive.."

Arnav's grip hardened on his phone...

"What did he say he wanted?"Arnav said while his voice quivered with rage that consumed him.

If this time Shyam tried anything with Khushi , Arnav would kill him with his own bare hands.

Khushi felt absolutely disgusted having to say this aloud...

"What he always wanted, money and..." Khushi hesitated...
She would have to show him the messages...She couldn't say it aloud...it was sacrilege for her...

She cleared her throat...

"You need to come back now and then we can think of what to do...he is going to text me the place he wants me to go to...!"

"I am coming back right away...Khushi don't worry, nothing bad will happen this time...I will not let him harm you or your father..."

Khushi's throat clogged up thinking about her father, the benign man who had welcomed her into his family with open arms and had never differentiated between her and Payal.

The next time when she spoke her voice reverberated with raw emotion that was washing through her... the feeling of fierce protectiveness for the foster father who was more to her than her own father could ever be...

"You have to help me!! You owe me that Arnav! I will not ask anything from you ever again I promise!! You have to help me bring my father back home safe..."

The stress and anxiety finally took its toll and tears started streaming down her cheeks, as fear gripped her hard.

Arnav had been momentarily taken aback as she called him by his name. that had never happened before...The suffix 'Ji' was an absolute necessity for her, but now as he suddenly heard her say his name, but without her normal "Arnav Ji ", his name sounded weird coming from her. He felt like the chasm between them had deepened a little, though it was a ridiculous thought as his analytical brain chided him... 

"Khushi I am on my way ..Listen you are the strongest woman I know... You just need to hold it together a little long..And you need to tell me everything he said okay? "

"He told me not to tell you or inform the police but I couldn't do that. It is not just Anjali ji who is in trouble. He is almost certain that I wouldn't tell you anything considering.." she paused for a moment.. "the equation we have, but I needed to tell you..and I couldn't put my faith on anyone else."

Words tumbled out of her because of the disquiet that engulfed her as dread and apprehension wrapped its claws around her...

"Khushi, stay in the room...i will be there in 15 minutes...And I promise you everything will be fine this time...he is not winning..not again...Khushi?"

"Hmm..." she managed to say...

"Trust me this one time... I will not let you down..."

His words renewed the hope that was always burning bright in her, but had dimmed a while back...

She would bring back her father safe...she thought as she crouched down on the ground waiting for Arnav....

Hello!!!! I am back with a new part ... Do let me know what you think of this part by commenting on the chapter...will be great help if I knew what my readers are thinking...

Cheers

Juhi