Part 87

** ** **
Sham went to Anjali's room asking for the courier. She had forgotten to mention about it.

"Raani saheba! where is the envelop? Why did you not give me?" He was annoyed.

"Oh! its here..." she searched it on the table... she rummaged the drawers..She could not find it. She looked nervous.

Sham was furious "Raani Saheba you have been very negligent of late..Please give me that envelop!"
"I am searching it... please wait.. I will give you..." She started turning everything upside down to find the envelope out.

** **
Arnav came to his room. Picked up his laptop and the file Anjali gave him and marched towards the main door. Aakash joined him and they drove to the office.

Arnav had his morning staff meetings and approved the budgetary provisions for the next six months and came back to his cabin. He sat on his chair and closed his eyes for a while. That helped him recoup his energy. He opened the file lying on the table and gaped at the file.

There was an envelope lying in the file. He looked at it. It was the same courier. His Di had misplaced it. He picked it up and stared at it. He picked his phone to tell his Di about it, Aakash came in.

Arnav put down his phone and looked at Aakash. "Bhai.. Our consignment is approved, we fulfilled the contract... Though we incurred loss but we won the client! The staff will have celebration party!" He said happily waving the letter in his hand.

"Hmm! Yeah! good!" said Arnav looking lost holding the envelop. Aakash looked at it..

"Bhai... this is... how did you get it?" Aakash asked picking it from Arnav's hand and flipping it.

"Di, kept it in my file by mistake..!" said Arnav not knowing what to do with it.
"Bhai... “Whispered Aakash staring at the envelop.

"No! Aakash No! I can't do it..! No! I will inform Di!" said Arnav dismissively.
"Bhai, wait! I mean why not? I will open it neatly and reseal it properly. Its a matter of few minutes.. Bhai this is our chance..My intuition says... " Aakash blurted trying to open the seal. He looked around and saw a glass of water. He pulled the glass.

"Aakash what are you doing?" asked Arnav bewildered.
"Shh! bhai.. keep a watch outside. I will finish this. " Aakash dipped his finger in the water and applied it to the edge of the envelop where it was sealed. He repeated keeping a gap of few seconds in between.

Then slowly he peeled off the seal and opened the envelop. He looked at his bhai triumphantly. Arnav gaped at Aakash.

"Aakash! No!" Arnav had a weak resistance. Aakash pulled out the contents and the photographs spread on the table.

"Both of them froze..." They picked up the photographs..They saw Sham's photos with another woman. They saw him with his hand on her shoulder; they saw him with her in some temple; they saw him holding up a small child with her; they saw him with her in a house with the same child and they saw him with her in bridal wear and garlands....."

"Bhai... " Aakash came back to his senses first. "This is unbelievable!" said Aakash taking the photos from Arnav's hand and flipping them.

There was a one liner note with the photographs...
"Sham ji, this is to remind you, in case you forgot!" Rama
"Bhai.. I am going to scan these.." He turned picking up the photos. He looked excited.

"No! wait!" said Arnav and taking out his cell, he took the snaps of the snaps and so did Aakash.

"Now take them to scan! This is our fall back plan!" Said Arnav shrewdly. Aakash smiled and left.

"How are we going to place it back? He must be furious on not finding his courier... Di must be in trouble" Blurted Arnav when Aakash came back and placed the photos with the note back in the envelope and carefully sealing it switching on the wall mounted fan and holding the envelop to dry in front of it.

"I will do it!" said Aakash confidently. Arnav gaped at his excitement and smiled.
"I will make sure Di sees these photographs!" said Aakash resolutely.
"Aakash, we should find out who this lady is! She will be of great help!" said Arnav.
This would help them win the next round of battle.
Aakash went out with the envelope and within a few minutes Sham walked in.

Arnav looked around in his cabin to see everything was ok and there were no traces of what they had done an hour ago.
"Yes!" said Arnav.
"Saale Saab! I had talked to you about selling your Di's shares. She is thinking about selling her shares and has a taker with premium!" Sham smirked.
Arnav looked at Sham, and then leaning back said "Ok!"
"She wants to do it as early as possible. She won't be able to find time with the baby, you see!" sham stared at Arnav.

"Ok!" Arnav bent forward and pulling his laptop said "Convene the board meeting with this agenda. When do you want to have it?" Sham looked aghast.
"um.. " He fumbled. "As early as possible?" he asked. Arnav looked straight into his eyes and said "Tell me your convenient date, Jijaji!"

"um.. Let me think and I will come back!" said Sham avoiding his gaze. He had not expected this from Arnav. He had thought Arnav would be upset and would try to convince not to sell. Then sham had a chance to squeeze Arnav. But this didn’t happen. Arnav apparently accepted his Di's decision. This was a mystery.  Sham got thoroughly confused. He went back to his cabin dialling the number of his god father.

*** *** **

Arnav came home early that evening and went into the kitchen to order a cup of coffee. The maid nodded. Arnav was working on his upcoming project and his cell rang. It was sham. "Saale saab, where did you vanish? I looked around in the office. Where are you?" he asked.

"I am at home. What is it? Come to the point, Jijaji!" Arnav cut him short.
"Saale saab, I wish you have the meeting next month, mid December?" Sham asked.

Arnav calculated the days and said "Fine! I will send the notice of the meeting to all the board members!" and disconnected the phone. He knew that Sham would dash home anytime. He continued on his project.

Sham came in. He went straight to Anjali's room. Anjali still looked confused and nervous and was searching for the envelope. Sham was annoyed. He curled up his lip in disgust looking at his wife. "Wait a minute!" Anjali said stopping in the middle. Sham looked at her.

"I gave Chote my returns file! May be...!" she thought aloud.
"What?" Sham screamed. "Go get the envelope from him, right now!" Sham yelled.

Anjali looked frightened. She hurried to Arnav's room closely followed by Sham.

"Chote!" she knocked the door. But Sham pushing it open barged in. Arnav startled.
"What is it Di?" He got up worried. "Are you ok?" he asked holding his Di's arm and looking at her scared face
"Where is that envelope?" Asked sham angrily.
"What? Which envelop? Oh! Your courier?" asked Arnav looking at Sham in disgust.

By that time sham was already searching around for the envelop. He saw the tax file on the table and hurriedly moved to pick up.
Arnav looked confused. "What is it jijaji? Why are you so desperate?" He asked smirking.

The file contained no envelops. Sham threw the file in frustration.
"Learn to control your temper, Jijaji" said Arnav raising his voice.
Sham gave him a hollow laugh. Arnav looked away.
"Don't worry, Di we will find out!" said Arnav assuring his Di.
Sham went out disgusted followed by anjali.

"Get me some tea" Sham ordered Anjali. Anjali went to kitchen with teary eyes. She asked the maid to prepare the tea and was busy dishing out some eatable. The maid took the tray and went out. Sham was alone at the table. Anjali was still in the kitchen.

"Sir, Khushi madam is coming next week. I heard them talking and the wedding will be next month!" she whispered. Sham looked satisfied. "My plan won't fail this time! She will be mine!" thought sham smirking, lust spilling over his face!


"Sir, what about my work?" she asked raising her voice a little and squinting at the kitchen door seeing Anjali coming out with Samosas and sweets.

"What?" asked sham irritatingly with his back at the kitchen.
"Sir, you asked me to do odd jobs, I did all that you had asked me to do. But you have not done anything about my pension. Please do something. And per your instructions I have been telling you everything I hear..." She sounded annoyed and frustrated.

"Shh stop it!" sham silenced her. She looked scared. Anjali was standing behind Sham. the maid looked frightened and hurriedly went into the kitchen.
"What was she talking about? What does she tell you?" Asked anjali looking at Sham.

"Its nothing Raani Saheba! it was regarding her pension. The election time stops everything. No government works these days. But how to tell her? she won't understand!" Sham said holding her hand and making her sit on the chair.

"Raani saheba.. don't worry about these matters. You take rest. Go to your room. I will come there finishing my tea!" Said Sham.

"What about telling you everything she hears?" she blurted the question.
"You seem to be weak, Raani Saheba.. please go and take rest!" Sham helped her get up and went with her. She looked all lost. She could not brush away that thought. "I have to ask the maid" she thought. She looked at her husband trying to read his mind. He looked away.

Aakash came into her room Sham was sitting on her bed. she was taking rest. "Di, bhai told me you misplaced some envelop..! Did you find it?" asked Aakash.

"No Aakash, i searched everywhere in this room.." Anjali sounded desperate.
"Di, are you sure, you kept it in this room only and not in Jijaji's room, i mean guest room?" Aakash asked innocently.

"Oh! i did not search in guest room" She got up and began to walk.
"Its ok! Raani Saheba. i will search!" said Sham and dashed out. Aakash smiled.
"Di, go and see if he had found out the envelop!" Aakash said encouraging her to go behind her husband. She went to guest room.

Aakash waited with bated breath to hear the expected outburst!