THE STORY OF LIFE | A 21ST CENTURY RAMAYANA

TARA, THE LADY

"Your wife, Siya has been kidnapped by Raghavan too, isn't it?"

Tara asked Ram after a long silence between the two. They all sat facing the sea on the boulders, having left Ruma and Sujit to their privacy. Ram gulped and looked down. Lakshman looked

at the lady in a short glimpse, thinking; why did se have to bring up the topic again? But the truth was, both of them had been thinking about the very same incident since what seemed like eternity.

Ram shrugged and spoke.

"Yes. That Raghavan has ruined many lives. We just happen to be two of them. But, how do you know? I mean, we have been incognito for a while now and.. "

Tara sensed the question in her voice and smiled a little. She said,

"You have remained incognito, but your presence hasn't. When Raghavan had come here, he told us that he would be doing something to destroy you. You, he specially mentioned. To me it sounded absurd and I was clueless then, but had I known or had the smallest clue, I would have come to help then and there itself. Who knows, maybe such a situation might have not arisen in the first place."

Ram was amused to see the emotion of care the woman had in her even in such a time of distress. She was similar to Siya, but then he thought, were all women of good heart meant to suffer such a tough life?

Pawan's phone rang at that odd hour.

He answered it and there were a few unexpected remarks from either side.

"But why?" Pawan asked.

"Have to Sir, please arrange everyone," the person at the other end answered.

"Ya that we will do, anything serious though?"

The call continued for a few seconds, but was dropped abruptly.

"What happened Pawan?" asked Ram.

Pawan turned with a confused expression on his face and sighed.

"The police had called. They said they are coming back."

"Coming Back?" exclaimed all of them together.

"Uh, Yes. Atleast thats what they said. Come, lets go back to where we were. The police will be coming there."

"I will stay here," said Tara.

All of them looked at her as they stood up and dusted themselves.

"Why Bhabi?" asked Pawan. "Are you not feeling well?"

"Nothing like that. I just, dont want to be in the presence of the police again. You can talk with them and tell me what happened later."

As all of them left her and walked ahead, Lakshman whispered in Ram's ears,

"Bhaiyya, I dont have a really good feeling about this."

"About what Lakshman?"

"The fact that the police are coming back. Did anything happen to Balve.."

Ram stopped in his tracks. Lakshman understood that he aroused a sense of fear in Ram, something which he intended in the least.

"No Bhaiyya I mean.."