“Reports are coming in from the CourtHouse that both textile industrialist Tara Singh Rathore and Veer Singh Rathore had been charged with child abuse and trafficking charges and have been successfully identified by the only witness Ajabdeh Punwar. Miss Punwar had been under police surveillance after an attack on her post the arrest of the duo.”
“We have lifted the police surveillance outside your residence and office,” Lata spoke, shaking Pratap’s hands and then Ajabdeh’s. “Thank you for your help on the case.”
“So should we celebrate?” Jalal asked suggestively once Lata was gone.
“I have work.” The reply came quick and in unison making Jalal stare at them both.
“Okay workaholics, what about dinner at my place?” He suggested again. “Khan Baba would like to have you both over.”
Ajabdeh agreed. Pratap sighed “Okay I will come but I can be late.”
“That’s alright.” Jalal smiled “I will see you.”
“Let me drop you to work,” Pratap spoke as Ajabdeh agreed.
“I needed to talk to you about something.” Ajabdeh cleared her throat “Do you have a few minutes to come up to my office?”
“Alright.” Pratap nodded checking his watch. “But just a few minutes.”
“My old office.” Ajabdeh clarified putting on her seat belt making him frown.
The office was still a work in progress with a fresh coat of paint on the walls, the windows being fixed and the carpenter at work on the cubicles.
“This place isn’t ready.” Pratap declared “Why do you want to shift?”
“First thing first.” Ajabdeh spoke, taking out a file from her box “This is the Punwar Mansion deal. We read through your terms and have signed.”
“Great.” Pratap took the files “I will forward them to my attorneys.”
“Umm… there is something else I need to say too.” She gestured at the chair for him to sit on but he didn’t. Pratap was curious.
“Why would you do something like that?” He asked in a disapproving tone. “You just added fuel to the fire.”
“I know I should have consulted with someone but I wanted to prove to her that I am not what she thinks me to be.”
“What would that be?” Pratap asked clearly displeased “A gold digger?” He sighed, shaking his head.
“Ajabdeh!” He reasoned “Ranima knows that. She is just… she will take some time and…”
“I am sorry.” Ajabdeh looked irked at his defence “I am sorry I had the self-respect to speak out when my character was being questioned. I was not taught to stand and hear things just because I have to respect someone for being authoritative or older.”
“What does that mean?” Pratap retorted “You think I have no self-respect? Do you think I couldn’t have defended you? Have I never?”
“You didn’t yesterday.” She snapped.
“That is because it would make things worse.” He reasoned. “Anyway, what’s done is done. You are two individuals perfectly capable of taking your own decisions in your best interest. Thanks for informing me. I will see you in the evening.”
“Pratap?” The door slammed behind him as Ajabdeh managed to speak. Before she could follow him out his car was gone.
Throughout the day Ajabdeh felt restless. She did understand what Pratap said was right too. But what bothered her was the fact that she expected him on her side. That was wrong in her own conscience. He shouldn’t need to choose between his family and anyone.
Pratap closed the cap of the fountain pen as it blotted the paper a little. He was unmindful. He was perhaps a little less understanding than he should have been. He knew he would have done what Ajabdeh had done if he was in her place. Yet, he found himself judging her for not being patient.
But he owed her an apology. Ajabdeh expected his support. And given the circumstances, she wasn’t wrong either.
Khan Uncle’s library was the only escape Ajabdeh had from her problems as a teenager. Walking through the library again, she felt at home. Bairam Khan smiled at her, savouring the books as though she would gobble them.
“I heard the Sisodiyas have a large private library too. With rare books.”
“Oh.” Ajabdeh seemed disinterested.
“How is life there?” Bairam Khan forced the question out even though he had hoped Ajabdeh would tell him on her own.
“Umm… different?” Ajabdeh said for a lack of better words. “It feels like I am living in a luxury hotel. There is a button for everything. Laundry, room service, cleaning.”
“It doesn’t feel like home?” there was a hint of worry in his voice.
“Not yet.” Ajabdeh realised quickly she was making him worry. “I mean everyone is nice. Especially Sajja Ma. But … there is no personalisation of… you know… “
She turned to see Jalal approach them with Pratap. Bairam followed her gaze and smiled at Pratap.
“Now that he is here, let's have dinner, shall we?”
The car ride back home was relatively quiet. Ajabdeh thought to herself how she could start a conversation and apologize without mentioning the fact that she was right or what she expected of him. She eyed him in the side mirror, keeping his eyes on the road at the steering wheel. Before she knew it they were at the Sisodiya Mansion.
It was Jaivanta who intercepted them unexpectedly in the hallway.
“I expected her to be back home by 9.”
“Were you worried?” Pratap’s question was duly ignored.
“Women in Sisodiya housework independently at their own will but they return by a certain time,” Jaivanta spoke directly to Ajabdeh.
“I sometimes need to work late.” Ajabdeh reasoned.
“We were at Jalal’s,” Pratap added.
Jaivanta nodded silently and walked away. Ajabdeh walked up the marble stairs to her room and turned the lock. She stood at the threshold for a minute and peeped inside.
There were tiny fairy lights on the windows, and a dream catcher hung from her bedside like it used to be in her old bedroom.
“I called Heer,” Pratap spoke following her inside the room watching her look awe-struck.
“She said you thought your room lacked personal touch so I let Sajja Kaki contact her and help me make your personal space more…”
“Thank you.” Ajabdeh smiled at him “Really I…”
“I wanted to apologize for the morning.” Pratap smiled faintly “I should have understood where you came from.”
“I should have too. Am sorry as well.” Ajabdeh added.
“We are cool then?” He asked as she nodded. “You should sleep. It’s quite late.”
“No, I have tons to work on actually.” She smiled.
“Coffee then?” He asked as she nodded. He took off his jacket and opened the connecting door “I will be right back with it.”
By the time Pratap got the brewing coffee and set the cups down on the rug in her room, Ajabdeh had papers and a portfolio scattered across the floor.
“Thanks.” She said, taking a sip of the coffee.
“Is that the look of the Mishra wedding?” He asked, pointing at a photograph.
“Almost.” she smiled “They added a few personalised touches. We have a meeting with them tomorrow.”
“You like this job?” Pratap asked curiously.
“Better than a nine to five.” She shrugged “I can sometimes have a god-sent client who lets me do what I want as well.”
“We are going there for four days.” He added.
“We?” She asked, surprised “I thought you didn’t like weddings. The scam industry?” She had a hint of amusement in her voice.
“The Mishra boy and I grew up together as the families were friends. Once upon a time, we were pretty close.” He shrugged as she nodded “Besides, I can’t miss Ajabdeh Punwar winning a bet.”
“Oh, you are that sure?” She shook her head.
“I always am. I can bet on you with my eyes closed. I know you will get through.” Ajabdeh looked up at his words. An awkward silence followed.
“Okay, I need to get rested.” He nodded at his words. “Goodnight.” He added before walking away with the empty cups and closing the connecting door behind him. She sat looking at the mess on the floor.
Ajabdeh decided to spend her first weekend tailing Sajja Ma through the mansion in the morning. Not only was it to know the place better, but also to avoid any kind of confrontation with Jaivanta. Pratap and Shakti had left early in the morning to attend a charity event. Sajja gave her a tour of the gym and the library and told her the thousands of royal rules she hardly remembered. Some of the rooms in the old wing had a lot of history and stories attached to them and they were fascinating to hear while she admired the architecture.
Sajja took Ajabdeh to the kitchen where she was slightly alarmed at the cooks bowing to her. Usually, whenever she entered the kitchen it was just the two of them. It was beyond Ajabdeh’s imagination that the mornings had so much hustle.
“Can I see your room?” Sajja was taken aback by her request.
“My room?” She smiled “But Baisa that is in the servant's quarters and nobody from the family goes there.”
“But you only said you must follow whatever we say.” Ajabdeh’s smirk caught Sajja off guard.
“You are too clever Baisa.” Sajja laughed “Okay I will take you there.”
Sajja’s quarter was a small one-room apartment. Ajabdeh entered to spot pictures on the wall.
“Are these your family?” She asked. Sajja nodded “Would you like some tea Baisa? I am sorry I have nothing else to offer you on a sudden visit.”
“Oh no. Please don’t be formal Sajja Ma. Tea is perfect.” Ajabdeh smiled. “Is this Ranisa?” Her eyes went wide at a black and white frame.
“My father used to be her father’s, right-hand man. I was 17 when I came here with her.” She recalled.
“Don’t you have a family of your own?” Sajja smiled. “This is my family. The boys grew up in my lap and outgrew it. They respect me. Love me. What more do I want?”
“Something to call your own perhaps?” Ajabdeh smiled faintly. She shook her head “We were taught marriages are solely meant for procreation. And that would have hampered my duty towards Ranisa. Ever since I have sense, my only duty was to be with her, I knew nothing else.” Ajabdeh smiled at the cup of tea she offered and looked up at Sajja.
“I respect you more today.” She smiled “I could never have been so selfless.”
“Oh but you are Baisa.” Sajja smiled reassuringly “What you did for the children and Nandini Baisa is beyond selflessness.”
“Let me show you something else.” Sajja took out an album from her shelf.
“Do you recognize them?” She asked, smiling.
“That’s Shakti.” Ajabdeh smiled amused “He looks the same.”
“He does indeed. That’s Kunwarsa.” Sajja pointed “He was chubbier.”
Ajabdeh smiled at the albums as Sajja told incidents related to every picture and every vacation as though it was yesterday. Her eyes shone as she remembered their allergies, their worst fears as kids, their happiest moments, their favourite toys, their first achievements, everything. Ajabdeh listened, cupping her face with her hand and wondering how Sajja perhaps knew both of them more than their biological mother.
“I know what you are thinking, Baisa. Honestly, I also doubted if I could know them so well, or care like a biological mother does. It's an old tradition of the Royals to have nannies and housekeepers. You must know that?” Ajabdeh nodded.
“My father had that too. My mother refused the luxury when we moved away from Bijoliya.” Ajabdeh sighed. “She always wanted us to have a normal life and value things.”
“She was one fine lady.” Sajja agreed. “I knew her briefly before her marriage quite well.” Ajabdeh nodded.
“When Kunwarsa was born and Ranisa left him to me, just 2 months old, as she had a meeting, I was very scared. The more I spend time with them I realised that blood relation is a myth. We often choose our family and we love them like we would have loved our own. I would have loved my own children no more than I love them.”
Her words made Ajabdeh reflect on her thoughts. It was perhaps true. Jalal and Bairam Khan were her chosen family, and Jalal often did for them what a brother would. She looked at the pictures and smiled tracing her hand over Pratap’s childhood smile. Some people were chosen and most often than not they outdid what biological relatives could do. Nobody knew it better than she.
Her phone rang as she sprang up. It was Shakti.
Ajabdeh entered the terrace smiling at Shakti pointing at the Pizza he just ordered.
“Care for a board game?” He asked.
“Be prepared to lose!” She smiled.
Pratap peeped into her empty room with a frown as he arrived back from the event. Loosening his tie he dialled the intercom. Sajja Kaki informed him that she had paid her a visit but left upon receiving a call. Pratap suddenly felt scared. He got out of his room and down the corridor looking for her in the open rooms. He stopped at the sound of chatter on the terrace and relief swept across his face as he spotted her smiling at Shakti’s joke. He shook his head and turned to go back to his room. He almost bumped into Udai who stared at him oddly.
“Why are you smiling?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.
“What?” Pratap looked startled. “I am not. Dad!” He walked away to his room as Udai shook his head and looked at the terrace at the far end of the corridor.
“Can I play too?” Ajabdeh was conscious when Udai came to sit with them.
“No, Dad! You always cheat.” Shakti sulked.
“How dare you call your dad a cheater? That too in front of Ajabdeh?” He mocked making Ajabdeh smile. “I will play and Ajabdeh will judge if I am cheating okay?”
“Yes sir.” Ajabdeh nodded with a smile.
“It’s Dad.” He whispered, “Just don’t tell Ranisa.” He made her smile a little wider.
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