Long Shadows of Old Sins

Chapter 16

                     I need to get away from here. I have to take my daughter and escape, Mehek decided in her mind. She was sure that Shaurya will try to harm her and use Drishti as a bait. He is no longer the person whom she knew. She needed aid to protect Drishti. 

 If Mehek has to choose between Drishti and her self esteem, she will always choose her daughter. So finally she has to go against her resolution of never troubling her family. After many deliberations, she gathered enough courage to call her father. Mehek didn't have enough courage to used her own phone so she moved to the pay phone provided near Drishti's room.

'The number you dialed is not valid. Please check the number'. Mehek heard the same announcement again and again. May be Papa changed his number, she mused. She tried the landline number of Mann's house. Thankfully , it was answered. "Hello, can I speak to Vikram Maan", Mehek asked politely. "Mr. Maan is not available. Can I know who is speaking?", the person on other side asked her. 

Mehek was not sure to reveal her identity. "This is personal and very urgent. So please let me speak with Mr Maan", she tried to firm keeping her tone polite.  "I am sorry, Madam. Vikram Sir doesn't attend any calls. All his affairs are now handled by Nehal Madam, his daughter. If you want then I can connect you to her". 

Mehek didn't wait but disconnected the call. She couldn't face her sister. She was always a bad example for her baby sister. She needed more courage to speak to Nehal who always looked down on her.

Miles away @ Maan's house. Nehal was busy in her office room. A part of Maan's house was converted to her office for convenience. Maan's business was no longer huge like earlier times but Nehal was managing it well to her capabilities. She was working diligently when maid informed about arrival of Shauyra.

"This is a pleasant surprise!", Nehal was glad to see Shaurya, "Hope you will be staying for lunch". Shaurya was always her role model and she never made any attempts to hide her adoration. She hugged him and he reciprocated it amicably. "Good to see you too Nehal. But I need to go back soon", he replied. Nehal asked maid to bring tea while they sat down to chat.

"Why don't you shift back to city. Shaurya? You moved to that remote area due to Swati's preference. Now that she is no more so why not come back", Nehal suggested him. He didn't befit her proposal with a reply but kept on a wry smile. 

Nehal always managed to irk Shaurya despite her noble intentions. She was good in academics but lacked social skills. She wasn't timid but crass. While Mehek's rudeness also had its own charm, Nehal failed to maintain even small talks. Vikram Maan always adored on Nehal while being strict on Mehek. Perhaps lack of mother and having an overly doting father made Nehal as she is.

"How is Diya? Why didn't you bring her? I would have loved to spend time with her", Nehal told him ornamentally. Shaurya knew well that Nehal was never good to with kids but pretended otherwise. Unknowingly his mind went back to Mehek who takes good care of Diya.

"How is Vikram Uncle?", he asked to divert the topic. "The same", she sighed, "Just stares vacantly at the ceiling for whole day", Nehal was sad. He knew she misses him terribly. Unlike Mehek, Nehal was attached to Vikram Maan. 

Almost a month after Mehek's elopement, Vikram faced an accident at home. He fell from stairs and got paralyzed. Their business empire started to decline. If not for Ahlawats, it would have been completely perished. They bought Maan's companies at a fair price. Thereby helping Nehal to manage their home, father's treatment and continue a midsize business as well.

At times, Shaurya felt pity for Nehal. She was tied down to their house and her father. She was never a vibrant girl but she deserved more. In her attempt to keep things afloat, she lost her chance to have her own family. "Vikram Uncle will be so proud of you", Shaurya told the truth. "Papa was always proud of me. It was Di who disappointed him. But he hoped that her marriage to you will bring balance to her", Nehal sighed recalling it, "I am sorry to bring it up".