Part 10

Sham was feeding Anjali, Prashad taken from Pandit ji.  Khushi’s mouth fell open in shock.  She couldn’t comprehend anything.  “What is going on?” she wouldn’t know.  She got up with a jerk to take a closer look.  Sham had held Anjali’s hand and she was heavily leaning on him for support.  Clearly, she had removed her footwear and her braces.  He polio stuck ankle was hurting badly.  Sham had held her close to him and was helping her to walk up to the stairs.  Khushi was as if seeing a ghost riveted to the floor.  She couldn’t move an inch.  “Sham ji? With Anjali ji?” she couldn’t understand anything.

“Aray wah! My husband is also Sham Zaa!” Khushi remembered Anjali saying this.  “This Sham Zaa? The same person who stays with us?” she couldn’t believe her eyes.  Sham and Anjali had reached the stairs and threshold.  Sham lifted Anjali in his arms and started descending the stairs with Anjali blushing furiously and hiding her face on his chest.  He was smiling at her fondly.  They looked a perfect couple.  Khushi collapsed on the floor in a heap, thunderstruck!  

Sham had betrayed everyone.  Her Buwaji had a blind faith on Sham.  She was about to marry him in a few days. “Devi Mayya!” she couldn’t continue.  She had nothing to talk to her Devi Mayya.  Her tears streaming down she hid her face in her knees.  She didn’t know how long she was crying.  She had lost her faith... on everyone! Even her Devi Mayya! The earthen pots had crashed down to pieces, the castle in the air of having a life away from her family had vanished in a puff! She had no ray of hope....! She didn’t know, what she was going to tell her Buwaji and how would she take it.  She didn’t know how she would handle this.  Suddenly she was panic struck, worried about everyone.  Her Jiji, her babuji, her Buwaji, her amma! What if he did something to them? What if he blackmailed? What if he killed any of them? She broke down under mental pressure.  

“What if he does something to Anjali ji?” she tried to suppress her sob and in turned chocked gasping for breath.  She had no one to turn to.  Not even her Devi Mayya.  Everything had happened in the Mandir, in front of Devi Mayya and she had not done anything for her child, Khushi!

“Huh... Arnav ji was right! We have to write our own destiny! Devi Mayya can’t do anything...!” she concluded but couldn’t get up and move away.  Her Devi Mayya was still smiling on her. On her plight! Khushi must find out a way... she should find out solution... Devi Mayya waited smiling at her child for her child, Khushi to get up with strength and take charge of the situation.  Khushi had collapsed under mental pressure...! She couldn’t think of anything.  The only solution she could think of is end her life.

“Beti...~” Pandit ji, came with Aarti and Prashad.  Khushi shook her head still hiding in her knees, refusing to accept Prashad and Aarti.  Pandit ji went away.  Khushi couldn’t stop crying.  Her babuji was critical, Buwaji was hell bent of marrying her to Sham, her bad omen was showing up everywhere, her family members were suffering because of her bad omen, her financial condition  had already driven her to the edge...! She was engulfed in darkness.  There was no ray of hope...! Khushi collapsed...! Her fate had driven her over the edge...! There was nothing left in her life.  She should end it, if she wanted her family to survive.

She dragged herself to the threshold of the Mandir but couldn’t take a step ahead.  She sat there losing all her energy, with her knees giving way.  She had lost it.  All her positive thinking, attitude, her jovial nature, her strength was snatched away with one instance.  Sham had managed to break the back bone of her family.  Everything had collapsed like a card house.  

“Are you ok?” Someone had put a heavy hand on her head and she looked up with reddened tearful eyes to see who it was.

“Puttar... Are you ok?” A heavy but kind voice asked and she nodded ... Next moment she leapt up like a panther, broke into a run like an athlete and within a blink, was jumping down the stairs....! She ran down the slope and diving, flung herself before the Wheelchair clutching the wheel with all her might to stop the free fall of the wheel chair.  The wheel chair was diving down the slope uncontrollably among the screams of the crowd.  Khushi stopped the wheelchair and the servant came running.  She handed over the charge of the wheel chair and a pale lady in shock! 

“Water~” Khushi screamed and the servant came running with water bottle.  Khushi gave water to the shocked lady and stroked her head.  When she realized that the middle aged lady had regained herself, she moved away descending further down the stairs.  

“Beti..!” the lady on the wheel chair called her out and Khushi didn’t care! She descended further panting for breath and sat down losing all her energy.  

The realization came crashing on her.  “No one will believe me! Not even Amma.  She will think i am making up stories..! This Sham ji will go to any extent..! Oh! How can I tell this to Anjali ji? Who will believe a girl like me?” she had all negative answers.  She had nowhere to go, no one to talk to, no family, no friends, not even her devi mayya would be able to pull her out of this mess.  Ending life was the only solution.  She was truly a bad omen.  She would ruin everyone’s life around.

“No!” she sobbed hard breaking down.  “This is the only solution.  Everyone will be happy without me!” she wiped her eyes resolutely.  Someone was sitting next to her.  She looked startled and tried to get up hurriedly.  She looked at the same elderly Sardar ji, who had asked her whether she was ok just a few moments ago.  She was confused.  He gave her a reassuring smile and she sat back inadvertently gazing with tearful eyes.   

“You are a brave girl!” he opened the talks and she looked away shaking her head.  “Brave? Look at me, I am on the verge of ending my life?” she closed her eyes thinking about the incidence.  

“Thank you!” he said in a husky voice gratefully.  She looked up at him.  He smiled holding out his hand. “Balwindar Singh from Kolkata!” he said and she gave her hand in his. “Ku..Khushi Gupta!” she said mechanically.  His smile broadened.  “Do you want to know, who that lady you just now saved is?” he asked looking into her eyes.  She shook her head. “No!” she didn’t want to know anything now!

“Do you need any help?” he was direct enough to make her wince.  She shook her head again.  “No one will be able to help me!” she said looking away and trying to hide her tears.  

“Right! Self help is the best help!” he said clearing his throat.  She looked up at his smiling face and looked away immediately. 

“Puttar... if there is a problem, there is a solution...!” he said holding out a glass of tea.  She shook her head.  “What if there are many?” she asked.  “Then there are many solutions..!” he said brightly with twinkling eyes.  She gaped.  He gave her the glass and gestured her to have a sip.  The sweet tea pumped in some strength with her thinking capacity back.

“I want a job!” she was determined.... to move away from her world.  He looked at her piercingly. 

“Ok!” he nodded.  “Done!” he said and she looked at him shocked.  “What?” she asked.  “Done! You will get a job!” he said as a matter-of-factly.  She gaped.

“Look puttar... I am a businessman.  I don’t believe in people on their face value.  I need to judge you! But that can be done only when you tell me the truth!” he said gauging her.  She nodded looking down.

“My life is a open book.  There is nothing to hide...!” she started off with the truths of her life, desperately wanting to get a job somewhere...!  He listened to her with rapt attention making mental notes of people and places in her story.

“Where?” he asked after a while when she finished her story and looked at him hopefully.  “Haan?” she couldn’t understand.

“Where do you want a job? Here in Delhi? Or in Kolkata?” he asked smiling.  Khushi gaped at him in disbelief.  He smiled broadly.  “Puttar, first rule... don’t trust strangers... I am a stranger..!” he looked at her.  She beamed back.  “Of all these people around, you were the only one to come and ask me whether I was ok!” she said with a faint smile.

“You win!” he gave up picking up the disposable tea cup from her hand.  “Will you be ready to work in Kolkata?” he asked her solving her problem unknowingly.  She nodded smiling faintly.  Devi mayya had closed all the doors but was kind enough to open a small window of hope for her.