Fatigued sun rays poured inside the room. Sakshi stirred in a haze and tried to rub her stinging eyes, but the saline drips affixed to her hand prevented her from doing so. Tardily getting up, she took in her surroundings- pale walls, fluorescent lighting, a powerful odour of antiseptic liquid, machines and green blinds. A bitter taste of medicine permeated her tongue.

"Beti!" Lajo said with a weary smile.

Her vision was blurred. "What happened?"

"When I came to serve you dinner, you had fainted, and I rushed you to the hospital."

"How come? Babaji wouldn't have agreed," she said softly.

"This place is in South Sonambar."

"What's the name?"

"Dr Nahar Clinic."

"What about my family?"

"Your parents came here last night, and left within an hour."

"Why aren't they here now?"

"Rana Sahab said he couldn't stay longer as people will get to know."

"What did Bhaiyya say?"

"He had some work so he didn't come. I don't think Rana Sahab told him."

"I hope Babaji is feeling guilty."

Lajo shuffled in her seat and shifted the topic. "How are you feeling?"

"The pain is much better."

"The doctor gave you a pain killer injection."

"I'm feeling hungry."

"I'll ask the nurse to get your food."

"How is everyone else? Our friends and relatives?" she asked, holding onto the thin string of hope that father would have spared Jeetu's life.

"Don't worry, Beti. All are fine," Lajo said, quieting her fears.

With a relieved sigh, she rolled her head onto the pillow. The knots of anxiety in her muscles dissipated. Though upset at her father's violence, she was grateful that Jeetu was safe.

"Did Vini call?" she asked.

"No, but a contact named 'A' called many times."

"Ayush!" she shouted but held her aching throat. He must have finally realised her innocence.

Her reluctant eyes met Lajo. To her surprise, the woman merely smiled and nodded.

"What does this Ayush do?"

Taken aback by her sudden interest, she said, "He works as an accountant and wants to be a musician. I've met his father and even gone to his house."

"Do you have any pictures of him?"

"Promise you won't reveal his identity to my family."

"Promise," she said with a smile.

"Please pass my phone."

Lajo grabbed Sakshi's handbag from the corner of the room and passed it to her. "I brought your bag in case you need anything."

"Thank you, Aunty."

Sakshi unzipped her bag and fished her phone out when a tiny object twinkled in the light. A keychain with a couple of teddies and a heart. She pressed a switch at the back, and the keychain glowed with the words 'I love you'.

"How did this come here?" she whispered.

"I thought it's yours, Beti."

Closing her eyes, Sakshi recalled seeing similar keychains at Gaurav's shop. Her face lit up like the sky at sunrise. Her cheeks tingled realising the unsaid words he tried to express, followed by sorrow of their temporary separation.

"Ayush gave this to you?"

"How did you guess?"

"Your smile says it all."

Sakshi grinned and secured it inside one of the bag pockets and unlocked the phone. Swiping through her gallery, she selected her most favourite picture of Ayush.

"Here, Aunty. This is the man I love," she said, handing the phone to Lajo.

He was nestling Barfoo in his arms with a dimpled smile and hair spilling over his forehead. The evening sun rays painted his face and cocoa eyes a shade warmer. The unadulterated joy and innocence radiating from the picture never failed to lighten her heart.

Lajo clamped her mouth and gasped. "Haye, he's the one who found Barfoo!"

"Absolutely."

"He looks very sweet!"

"I can't believe you're saying this, Aunty. What caused this sudden change?"

Lajo returned the phone. "Rana Sahab assaulted you for speaking against him. He cares only about his prestige, not you. Hemant is the same. If you marry him, the same restrictions and torture will continue all your life."

Sakshi stared in shock. "I'm so happy you finally understood me."

Lajo smiled and cupped her cheek. "When you were writhing in pain, Rana Sahab didn't call a doctor because his deeds will be exposed. The only person who was called relentlessly was this Ayush."

Her smile faltered as a dreadful thought plagued her mind.

"As you said long back, Ayush and I don't stand a chance. After Babaji attacked me, I'm afraid to connect with Ayush. What if he hurts him . . . or even worse."

Lajo clutched her shoulders. "My Shashi couldn't have the life she dreamed of, but I want you to have it. I will help you and Ayush."

"Really, Aunty?"

"You have my word."

Sakshi beamed from ear to ear. "Thank you so much."

Lajo's tiny feature phone buzzed. "One minute, Beti."

The woman answered the call and darted out of the room. A while later, she trudged back inside, her lips pressed into a grim line, eyes flickering.

"There's bad news," she said.

"What happened?" Sakshi asked.

"Remember your Babaji's friend and party member Jeetu?"

She swallowed hard, speculating what Lajo was about to say.

"He has been shot by goondas from the other party! Poor man! His wife and little girl are inconsolable."

"W-when did it happen?"

"A while after we rushed you to the hospital."

She bit her lower lip and grasped the bedsheets with her trembling hands.

"Rana Sahab is very upset. He is planning to sponsor Jeetu's daughter education. He has also filed a case against the other party. I hope Jeetu gets justice."

•••

Ranveer Rana handed the rifle to his father, lowering his gaze to his leather sandals. Darting to his room, he took a hot water shower and changed into a crisp pair of silk kurta-pajamas. Spotless white, radiant as the moon. But the smell of dread stank on his clothes. The previous night, he hurriedly pulled the trigger. Jeetu's scream agonized him. He recalled Sakshi's poignant please as she stopped him from the balcony. If only he had listened.

He plodded to the dining table, contemplating how to explain himself to her. His brows arched seeing Sakshi's chair empty, her plate missing. Lajo wasn't present either. Did they flee the house knowing what he was up to?

Udayveer filled his plate with oily khichdi from a restaurant. Rolling up his sleeves, he raised an eyebrow at Ranveer.

"Have your breakfast," Udayveer said, cold and harsh.

He didn't care to touch a morsel of food. "Where is Sakshi and Lajo Aunty?"

"Admitted the hospital."

"Hospital?! Who?"

"Sakshi. She got hurt."

"When? How?" Ranveer said, a concerned expression marking his features.

"Let me eat in peace."

"Baba, how can you be this lenient when Sakshi is admitted?"

"She is in safe hands. If you're not hungry, arrange the party files. They are on my bed."

Ranveer rose up, unable to decipher why his father was being indifferent toward Sakshi.

"Does Maa know about this?"

"Three days since she went to her useless sister's house. Not a single call. How will she know?"

"Why are you so upset?"

"Sakshi has been going out with a young man! Are you happy now?" Udayveer screamed. He slashed the plate to the floor, shattering ceramic pieces and blobs of khichdi across the room.

"I trusted you to keep her under control. Look what you have allowed!"

"I had no idea, Baba. Did you find out who the guy is?"

"Not yet."

"Where is she admitted?"

"Nahar Clinic."

"Never heard of that before."

"It is in South Sonambar."

He quivered in indignation. "That's terribly far! We have better hospitals in North."

"Stop pestering me!" Udayveer's words sealed the discussion.

Ranveer rose and darted out of the door. Though baffled at the revelation of his sister's love affair, he was worried about her safety. Udayveer was a walking volcano, ready to burst out any moment and char everything around. He was clearly lying that Sakshi fell down. Did he push her down the stairs? Or beat her?

Noting the details from the guards, Ranveer hastily drove to the other end of town. Halting the jeep at Doctor Nahar Clinic, he rushed to the room on the first floor where Sakshi was admitted.

Clenching his fists, he turned the doorknob and stepped in. His dear sister coiled on the bed, saline drips ploughing her nerves. A blank, pale fright reflected in her eyes.

"Saash," he whispered.

"Go away," she said, staring at the walls.

"Your father choked her, Beta. It seems she told something he did not like," Lajo said, pushing Sakshi's loose hair strands behind her ear.

His soul chilled seeing the faint finger marks lining her neck. His pulse slammed in his veins. He realised that Udayveer felt betrayed by Sakshi, else the man would have never done this heinous deed.

"She has been upset about Jeetu Sahab," Lajo said.

"It is very sad news indeed. I will always remember Jeetu Bhai," he said, feeling Sakshi's disbelieving glare on him.

"If a neta is not safe, imagine the plight of commoners. I hope the killers are punished!" Lajo said.

"Wait in the canteen for a while, Aunty."

The old woman looked puzzled by his sudden indifference. Nevertheless, she nodded and meekly walked out. His gaze followed her till she disappeared at the end of the corridor. Bolting the door, he swivelled his neck around, checking for CCTV cameras. Finding none, he knelt beside her and touched her arm. Seeing her grimace in pain sank his heart.

"I apologise on Baba's behalf. He was upset that you cheated us, and so am I, but that doesn't mean he can hurt you."

"Hurt? This is physical assault! I am not returning to that wretched mansion for another minute!"

"Don't say things in anger, Saash. You will regret it later."

"Bhaiyya-I am ashamed to call you that. I know Mr Rana and you are violent, beat people up and all that. But taking someone's life? How can you fall so low?!"

"I wasn't alone, Hemant accompanied me last night."

Her eyes flooded with fury. "You are a remarkable human, Ranveer Rana. You joined with your sister's molester and killed a man!"

"Ssh, please keep it down."

"Baba didn't choke me because of the boyfriend story. That was a pathetic excuse."

"Then?"

"I questioned him about the plot to kill Jeetu. That triggered him."

"Jeetu was leaking sensitive information about our family and the Vardhans. He was the one who stirred the police raid the other day."

"You can take legal action on him face to face. Only cowards hide behind and hurt someone!" she shouted, straining her veins.

"Calm down, please."

"I stayed calm all my life. I won't stop now!"

He shuddered at his sister's unforeseen change. "My presence is disturbing you. I'll come tomorrow."

"Don't come tomorrow, or any day! I don't want to talk to a murderer."

With a wounded expression, he hung his head in embarrassment and barged out of the door.

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