“Reborn Moon” Episode-06

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   The upslope ahead on the Lakhnabad Central Avenue was choc-a-bloc with vehicles. However, unlike the frustrated faces in the cars that surrounded him, Vikram found the bad traffic rather cathartic. The crowd gave him a feeling that he was not alone. Even though he had resented Raktim for certain personal reasons, he had never needed another friend. And now that he was gone, he missed having a friend. He figured that the only way he could retain Raktim’s presence in his life was by starting to do things the way Raktim would have done. He needed to re-prioritize his life.

Raktim had never hesitated shifting gears in his life whenever it was required. Like the time when his father Sukumar Chaudhari had died leaving the family business in a terrible mess. The once-envied ancestral properties of the illustrious Chaudhari family had dwindled owing to the man’s flamboyant lifestyle and stubbornly egoistic, unwise investment decisions. Raktim’s grandmother Nayanadevi had then made it worse by selling off whatever property was left, just so as to maintain the façade of grandeur that was associated with the family.

Though Thakurma had soon repented her decision, Raktim never grudged her for that. He was all of nineteen at that time, and was studying at one of the premier engineering colleges in the country. But he dropped out, and started a small marketing agency with the help of some loans that he managed to procure on his own merit. The Chaudhari Group of Industries today was an outcome solely of his hard work and perseverance. All the riches that the Chaudhari family enjoyed today had been acquired and made from scratch by Raktim alone.

By the time the traffic started to move, Vikram decided to get on with life and concentrate on his own goals. He would devote all of his waking hours to his restaurant business.

At the next signal, however, his resolve faltered within a fraction of the time it had taken to form.   From a huge hoarding on the right, Ananya Chopra, the woman of his dreams, was staring right into his eyes. The close-up suggested that she was wearing several strings of expensive pearls and nothing else. The come-hither look in her eyes made him squirm in his seat, and the slogan only made matters worse. “Wrap Me Some Pleasure,” it said.

Vikram could have still stopped his mind from getting distracted, but the prominent brand logo proved to be the last straw. “Pearls from Chaudhari”. When it came to winning over Ananya’s affections, Raktim Chaudhari continued to be an obstacle even after death. He had to meet her before she found someone else to replace Raktim in her heart.

When his car entered the apartment complex where Ananya lived, he saw a Lakhna TV van leaving the premises. He was suddenly alert, and when he caught a fleeting glance of Prabhakar in it, he couldn’t help but sigh in defeat. It was at once clear now, just as he had momentarily suspected earlier, that it was Ananya who had sent the journalist to heckle Aparajita.

As he got into the elevator, Vikram at once saw the promise that that the situation held out for him. Ananya’s hasty, imprudent move showed how vulnerable she was. He had to turn that to his advantage.

***

“Raktim was not your son!!” Bipasha yelled at Madhumita. “Just because you married our father doesn’t make you our mother!” And she barged out of the hall.

Aparajita had been aware of the fact all along, but she had not expected Bipasha to be so harsh with the lady. Especially so soon after Madhumita’s own children Pratim and Urvashi had called her names.

Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Madhumita turned and went towards her room. Aparajita felt bad for her. She was facing such flak just because she had officially accepted her as her daughter-in-law in front of the news crew. So far, Madhumita was the only one who had accepted her whole-heartedly. But the general hatred for Aparajita was a hurdle too high for even her to surmount.

Aparajita herself was very exhausted by now. Her instinct was to go back to the allotted guest room and rest a while. But when she spotted the candlestick telephone at the head of the staircase, she decided to use it. She headed up the stairs towards the black and golden antique piece that grandly sat atop an exquisitely contoured wooden phone table with tarnished knobs.

Meanwhile, Nayanadevi was in her room, sitting in meditation with closed eyes, trying to concentrate on her breathing. That was what she usually did whenever there was anything that her mind wanted to get rid of. Though the bravado that had become synonymous with her would not let her openly express it, Raktim’s death had shattered her tremendously. More than even her husband’s or son’s had. Whatever that followed in the past two days was nothing in comparison.

But the technique of control and extension of breath that she had mastered over the decades was not helping today. Too much had accumulated in the recesses of her mind where she had always pushed unresolved issues into. Today it all seemed to be leaking out.

She thought she had started weeping. And she hated it.

She opened her eyes. And realized that it was not she who was weeping. The hushed sounds were coming from outside the door. She quietly got up and peeped out.

Aparajita’s back was towards her. She was sobbing, talking on the phone. “No, Ma, I cannot take it anymore. Everyone hates me here. Yes, I tried, I had thought Raktim’s soul would find some peace if I lived with his family. But I have realised that my staying here can only bring disharmony in this house, and I don’t want that. I’ll come back home tomorrow morning, Ma. No, don’t send anyone; I’ll come on my own. Bye, Ma.”

Nayanadevi looked on as Aparajita replaced the receiver on the cradle, and started walking slowly, visibly burdened by emotions.

“Wait, Bouma.”

Aparajita stopped. Yes!!

Using the phone that was within the earshot of the old lady’s room had worked. With no redial facility in the machine, no one would know that she hadn’t dialed any number at all. She hoped that the matriarch was convinced enough by her sobbing phone talk that she had no ulterior motive whatsoever. Nayanadevi’s vote was crucial; it could swing the whole game in her favour. If she blessed her now, it would permanently put an end to all objections from her grandchildren.

Nayanadevi noticed that Aparajita took a little while to wipe her tears before turning to face her with a respectful, warm smile, “Yes, Thakurma?”

Thakurma sighed and gestured at her to come to her. Then taking Aparajita’s hand, she led her into her room, and made her sit on her reading chair. Walking up to the grand almirah in the corner, she opened its door and disappeared behind it for a few seconds. When she emerged, Aparajita froze. Nayanadevi was holding a pair of huge antique gold bangles.

“My mother-in-law gave me these,” she said, upon reaching and placing them on her palms. They were probably twenty-two carat, and breathtakingly studded with Polki stones.

Aparajita’s eyes welled up in tears. She couldn’t believe that her plan had worked so quickly. She had got the ultimate stamp of approval that she was looking for.

“I want you to take these when you leave tomorrow.”

***

There was something tantalizing about the way Ananya’s fair, slender fingers clasped the dark brown mug. And the rhythmic drone of steel rubbing against the granular brew and ceramic was almost erotic. Taking in the strong, tempting aroma, Vikram couldn’t believe that she was taking pains to do it. After the Thai dinner they had ordered in, he had suggested that he should leave, but she had insisted that she made good coffee. It seemed as if she didn’t want to be alone that night. And he was more than keen to oblige.

She mixed steamy milk and finally handed it to him with a smile. He took a sip. It was a little too sweet, but he nodded appreciatively.

As the warmth reached his insides, his imagination quickened and he said, “I don’t know what Raktim saw in Aparajita.”

“What do you mean?” Ananya said, at once stiffening. “You really believe that he knew her?”

Her tone dashed all the hopes that had built up in his mind. She was clearly all for Raktim even now.

But Raktim was dead. So he had to try again. “Ananya, Raktim was special to both of us. We will cherish his memories forever.”

Ananya was not listening. She was dialing a number on her mobile. “Hello, Urvashi! I want to test your acting caliber before I recommend you for GD’s next film! I want you to tell everyone in your family that your Raktim da married me at a temple, and you were witness to the ritual.”

Vikram cringed.

“Well, don’t we all want to get rid of that impostor Aparajita?” Ananya said patronizingly. “Your brother and I were in love, Urvashi. And I am willing to, in fact want to, spend the rest of my life as his widow.”

The sugary-sweet coffee couldn’t counter the bitterness he felt.

“What? Really? Oh, okay then,” Ananya mumbled with an awkward smile, and disconnected. Taking a gulp, she informed Vikram, “Tomorrow, Aparajita is leaving Chaudhari Bhavan for good.”

***

For Aparajita, the tomorrow came sooner than she wanted.

When she came out to the hall with her red suitcase, Bipasha came from outside with a suitcase herself. And both stopped, confused. Bringing a couple more luggage pieces a few steps behind Bipasha, Anshuman also slowed down.

“She’s leaving,” informed Nayanadevi coolly, coming down the stairs. She didn’t mention the heirloom bangles that she had given away to get rid of the bad rubbish. “So now there’s really no need for you to shift here, Bipasha.”

Even before Bipasha could retort, a gloomy Lucky came in, too. Leaving his small strolley bag at the door, he rushed and hugged Nayanadevi, “Good morning, Thakurma!”

Nayanadevi felt a tinge of sadness for the child, and kissed his forehead in response. And now Lucky saw Aparajita.

“You must be Mami!” he exclaimed at once.

Even before Bipasha could reprimand him, Lucky had run up to Aparajita. “May I call you Apu Mami? Aparajita is too long.”

Aparajita awkwardly nodded.

Lucky smiled, and then thinking of something, made fists with both his hands and placed one over the other. He then looked at Aparajita for her response.

The others looked on confused. They were totally clueless about what the little boy was up to.

Aparajita took a few seconds before she responded with a warm smile and took a step closer to Lucky. Then with a palm each, she patted both his fists once: from above the upper one, and below the lower one.

Lucky’s eyes widened in delight. But he waited till Aparajita repeated the patting once more by changing the palms.

And the next second, everyone looked on zapped as Lucky clung to her and wept profusely. Aparajita was choked, too, and she tightened her embrace.

“Mama had said he won’t tell anyone about our secret handshake,” said Lucky, without looking up from the embrace he was buried in.

The silence that followed was clearly perplexed. The impostor knew the secret handshake that Raktim and his nephew had shared – and none of them knew about.

Bipasha was still in a trance when she answered the buzzing intercom phone on the wall beside her. “Hmm… ok.”

She had hardly heard what the security guard said, and as soon as she replaced the receiver, she rushed and pulled her son away from Aparajita, “Enough! Let her go.”

Anshuman somehow felt bad for Aparajita. But he had no say in Chaudhari Bhavan matters. He was not a Chaudhari, after all.

Bipasha wasn’t sure if she was happy or sad. Though the impostor was finally leaving, she didn’t relish seeing her son being sad about it.

Nayanadevi seemed resigned to not have any second thoughts about the decision she had made. Letting Aparajita go was the right thing to do.

Aparajita let out a deep sigh, seemingly having accepted her fate. She smiled awkwardly at the bewildered Lucky, and resumed to walk towards the door.

She already felt bad. For them.

Something tingled inside her. She couldn’t wait to see the expressions on their faces when what was to happen next happened.

Before she reached the door, the guard ushered in the visitor. The one that Bipasha had absent-mindedly allowed on the intercom.

“Hello, I’m Advocate Kaushik Sanyal,” said the tall and burly middle-aged man in the dark-blue safari suit. “I’ve brought the will of Mr. Raktim Chaudhari.”

In response, Aparajita smiled at her best friend.

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