.jpg)
A month had passed since the day, and Pratap was in his own turmoil. He was unable to forget what happened. He had barely known Hansa or spoken to her. What made her trust him? Whenever he closed his eyes in the shower or lying down, he could hear the monitor's beep, and the moment Ajabdeh's hand was under his, it haunted him. He stayed awake, lost in thought. What could he do? Ajabdeh was dignified enough to remind him to forget it, and his mother was firm. Yet something stirred in Pratap. Something he couldn't decipher. He felt restless. A dying woman had trusted him with someone she loved. It meant something. In this dilemma, he decided he couldn't face Ajabdeh. He let his father handle the event meeting for the year and called up Heer to check on them only twice. He didn't want to come across as nagging.
He was happy that Shakti was being a good friend and was there with their mother for the two girls. He tried in vain to forget the events of the day for the better, but the more he tried, the harder it was. The more he thought of it, the clearer Hansa's intentions appeared, like it all made sense. Restless from the same, he sought help from the only person who knew them both well. Jalal sat, whirling his pen in between his fingers, leaning back on his chair as Pratap looked restless across the table.
"Look." Jalal placed the pen down and leaned in. "Ajab doesn't want it, Jaivanta Aunty doesn't want it, so don't stress, okay?" Pratap looked up at his words. Jalal shook his head, "You are not liable. Ajabdeh is right, Hansa Aunty is dead, and your life decisions can't be based on her."
Pratap agreed reluctantly. "But the guilt?"
"It will go away with time. And yes, we assumed what she meant; we were never sure, were we?" Pratap bit his lips and sighed.
"Now everyone is in denial." He said, looking up at Jalal ``But yes, I will drop the idea. Thank you." Before Jalal could say anything, Pratap stormed out of the office and back to his car.
Pratap reached the office the next day, thinking of starting things afresh. He needed to meet Heer and, most importantly, let Ajabdeh know she was right. He also had plans for the weekend party he wanted to discuss with her team. He wanted to get back to work on the Punwar Project and let her be involved, too.
He found his secretary greeting him in the hallway.
"Good that you are here, fix an appointment with the err… Miss Punwar for tomorrow."
"Sir, your father instructed you to be free all day tomorrow."
"But why?" Pratap frowned "What is so important?" His secretary followed him to his chambers and spoke the moment he sat down.
" Veer Singh Rathore is here with his granddaughter, Sir."
Pratap looked up absent-mindedly. "Who are they?"
" The Textile giant, sir." He looked taken aback by Pratap's question. "Your father was looking for a partner in the new venture into textiles. They are interested. They hail from Bishangarh and are here today. His granddaughter runs a textile business. Your father expects you in a meeting tomorrow, around eight?"
Pratap nodded. "I will be there. Thank you."
Ajabdeh received a phone call from the NGO that Khan uncle presided over, and she often volunteered at. It was unusual for them to call on a weekday, and she rushed to the NGO in urgency and saw a police van there. Her heart skipped a beat. She rushed inside to see several police personnel in the room, and a few lady officers sitting beside three children.
"Hello, Miss Punwar, I am Lata Bakshi. I think you know my father, Ashish Bakshi. He was a friend of your father's." One of the women officers introduced herself.
"Oh, Lata? It's been so long." Ajabdeh managed a smile. "Please call me Ajabdeh."
"I brought them here." Lata pointed at the children. Ajabdeh eyed the visibly scared teenage girls and a boy barely five. The volunteers were talking to them, and a doctor was taking their blood samples and checking on them.
"What happened to them?" Ajabdeh asked almost in a whisper.
"Come with me." Lata directed her out of the room into the corridor.
"One moment, please." Ajabdeh interrupted, "Should we first offer them some food before we talk in the office?"
"Don't worry, we already fed them." Lata insisted.
"So what happened?" Ajabdeh asked, sitting down in the office of the NGO. She was just a volunteer here when she was eighteen; now, she is everyone's favourite and the employees' emergency contact. The names of the NGO trustees hung on the board. Fifteen years back, it was her father; now it was Khan Uncle who introduced her to this world.
"I rescued them from the streets this morning. They are from an orphanage near Bishangarh." Lata spoke, " They had escaped at night as per their alibi and were looking for a safe place, and I am so glad they ran into me while I was on highway patrol."
"But why did they escape, Lata?" Ajabdeh frowned.
"Well, from whatever they were saying..." She opened the file in her hand, "They were part of something bad."
"How bad?" Ajabdeh looked worried.
"Umm... child trafficking? Sexual assault." Lata spoke.
"Oh god." Ajabdeh looked shocked. "They are barely teens."
"Twelve; the girls were twelve. The boy is six." Ajabdeh noticed the lack of emotion in Lata's voice.
"Did you get any leads?" Ajabdeh asked. Lata shook her head.
"Well, the NGO they talked of belongs to a certain Veer Singh Rathore; he is about seventy-five and active in the NGO."
"Did you talk to him?" Ajabdeh asked worriedly.
"No. Therein lies the problem." Lata took out an artist's sketch, "All three children claim this man came to them at night." Ajabdeh looked at the sketch in disgust.
"This is Veer Singh Rathore," Lata said. Ajabdeh suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline in her veins. This was sick. The man looked almost seventy, if not older.
"So what is the plan?" Ajabdeh asked.
"We need someone inside the place to catch them red-handed, you know how these people get away with the money." Lata spoke, "I have already found a constable. She will be in disguise. But I need your help."
"Anything." Ajabdeh spoke, " Should I go with her?"
Pratap entered the conference room absent-minded, with files in hand and nodded at his father. Udai smiled and introduced his son to the new people.
"This is Veer Singh ji, that's his granddaughter and CEO of Rathore Textiles, Tara." Pratap looked up at the girl, in a business suit, extending her hand to him rather professionally.
"Hello. Mr Singh. It's a pleasure working with you." She smiled.
"Same here. Miss Rathore." Pratap shook her extended hand briefly.
"Why don't you show Tara the office building and our various departments?" Udai insisted. Pratap frowned at his words.
"Yes, why not?" Tara smiled, "I would love to know about all your projects, they can be perspectives of future investment." Pratap nodded. He walked out, followed by the girl.
"My granddaughter is a workaholic." Veer Singh spoke, sitting down, "She barely sees anyone except for work."
"Yes, my eldest one too. Hence, his mother thought this would be a good idea." Udai smiled. "He needs to meet more like-minded people."
"So you will be organising the party?" Tara asked, stepping out of the elevator into the newly set-up Textile department.
"Party?" Pratap asked cluelessly.
"Oh, I assumed you knew that your parents arranged a party tomorrow, to welcome us into the business." Pratap looked up at her words. "Your mother is a gem of a person."
"You have met my mother?" He asked suspiciously.
"Of course, she and my mom are Kitty friends." She shrugged, "I thought you knew." Pratap shook his head. His mind was running.
"I think we should go back." He said promptly.
"But what about the rest of the place?" Tara asked, confused.
"I have a meeting, my secretary will show you around, Miss Rathore. Excuse me." Pratap briskly walked away, leaving her in the hallway.
He dialled a number as soon as he was in the office. It went unanswered. Once. Twice.
"Answer the call," he murmured to himself. Then dialled another number.
"This is Rukaiya here. How can I help you?"
"Rukaiya, this is Pratap Singh. Have you seen Ajabdeh?"
"Oh... Mr Singh? Sorry, I didn't check the caller ID. Ajabdeh? Yes, she was at the NGO yesterday, haven't heard from her since... do you need something?"
"I... yes... the party tomorrow you are arranging..."
"What party?" Rukaiya looked confused "You must be mistaken, Mr Singh. Ajabdeh took the week off; she is spending time with her sister before Heer heads to Delhi. Heer's admission for the MBA has been approved. We are not doing anything new this week. Umm.... can I help you with anything?"
"Oh, Ranima must be aware of that. I didn't know, I'm sorry." Pratap felt awkward.
"Mr Singh, your mother didn't mention any party to us; maybe she hired someone else. Have a good day." Rukaiya kept the phone as Pratap immediately dialled Heer.
"Heard you are leaving for Delhi?" He tried to sound normal.
"Yes, Jija has this friend from school whose father is a trustee in the MBA institution. He agreed to my enrollment. I am nervous, sad and worried to leave her alone here, you know. I am so happy you called Dadabhai."
"Heer, are you not coming tomorrow?" He asked.
"What's tomorrow?" Heer looked confused. "I am leaving soon."
"Ohh..." Pratap spoke, "Umm... should I come to say goodbye?"
"No, Dadabhai, you must be pretty busy given what I heard." Heer's tone made his eyebrows shoot up.
"What did you hear?" He asked.
"Oh, don't act naive now, Dadabhai. Shakti told Jija You will be engaged soon." Heer smiled, "To your new business partner. Congratulations."
"Wait... what?" Pratap was irked. "Heer... I have to go." He hung up and grabbed the keys to his car.
Shakti and Jaivanta came out of their rooms at the screeching sound of his car as he stormed inside, looking furious.
"When were you going to tell me?" It was Shakti who faced the question.
"Pratap? What's wrong?" Jaivanta asked, confused.
"I am not even talking to you." He said, "I am talking to the only person I trusted a little in this house."
"Pratap!" Jaivanta fumed, "Is this how you behave?"
"And what about your behaviour?" He asked, surprising her.
"He knows." Shakti spoke calmly, "You made me swear on you, and now he's angry with me."
"Ranima I..." Pratap was about to speak when the phone rang.
"I don't want you to make mistakes like an emotional fool. Is it too much to ask?" Jaivanta sobbed as Shakti went to comfort her. "She is perfect for this house, you have so much in common, and she is well-educated and from our circle. The alliance will be good. I fear you will end up..." Her voice died down as the phone rang louder.
Pratap checked the dialer, and his heart skipped a beat.
