Chapter 36
Kripa was sleeping…..she was dreaming….she and Angad sat on a sunny beach, she was in his arms, he was kissing her and she had her arms around his neck, kissing him back! Suddenly the sun dipped below the horizon, the sea turned blood red and she saw HER again….emerging from the waves, water dripping from her transparent body, her long hair wet and dripping….she raised her hand towards Kripa and pointed a finger straight at her……blood dripped from her fingers! Kripa moaned in her sleep…..the sea suddenly turned into a pool of blood and there was Prithvi's head dripping blood and suddenly his face was on hers, breathing heavily, with an evil smile….Want to have fun? We can have fun! And then Angad was there in the blood-red sea, floating in the pool of blood!
Kripa screamed as she woke up, sweating with fright! She was having these dreams lately. She was convinced now that Dona Paula had cursed them, cursed their love! That is why she had appeared to Kripa that evening…out of the waves in her ghostly apparition! Otherwise why would only Kripa see her? And all these misfortunes happen to her?
She cursed herself everyday for going to the Gym that night without talking to Angad first….why did she think he would call her instead of taking her there? She never suspected even once that it wasn't Angad who had sent her that note! She was too excited that night by her dance awards and wasn't in her senses and that one mistake had ruined their lives!
It had been a month since the incident and the dreams were getting more vivid each day…..she dreaded what they portended! She visited Angad in jail almost every day, bringing him home-cooked food which they allowed there for the time being! He was allowed to go to the Visitor's room for those meetings. Even the jailors knew about their love story and were sympathetic to them. She and Angad spent that short time everyday, relishing each other's company as she watched him eat her specially cooked food with great satisfaction….she had learned to cook his favorite dishes….Prawn Balchao and Lamb Vindaloo with Rice!
On his birthday on Feb. 10, she baked him a chocolate cake and took it to him! He was touched…..ever since his mother had died, nobody had baked a cake for him….he blew out the single candle and cut the cake and fed the 1st piece to her and licked off his fingers after that! She fed him a piece and he licked off her fingers as well, sucking each one as she blushed prettily!
He looked at her hotly and whispered: If only these jailors werent here, I would eat you as well" They had to satisfy themselves by licking off each other's fingers that day!
5 days after that, Prithvi regained consciousness! Shabbir called Kripa to inform her that Prithvi was in full senses now and had given his testimony to the police. Court date had been set for 2 days later to hear his statement and decide the case finally!
Kripa and her family went to High Court and sat in the stands……her heart was pounding with fear, dreading what Prithvi would say in his statement!
The Judge asked the bailiff to read out Prithvi Mehra's statement :
I, Prithvi Mehra, in my full senses, declare that on the night of January 1, I was attacked from the back with an iron rod by Mr. Angad Khanna! I had seen Ms. Kripa Sharma meet Angad secretly for some days and nights. On that night, I followed Kripa to the Gym and saw Angad doing something to her…..I went forward, thinking he was attacking her! He attacked me and started beating me up, while Kripa stood and watched without stopping him! I tried to defend myself with a pocket knife, but Kripa started hitting me from the back…..I turned and hit her arm and her cheek !He picked up an iron rod and hit me on the back of my head while my back was turned to him! I believe Angad intended to kill me because Kripa's father was trying to fix her match with me in marriage.
Kripa's face blanched of all color, as she felt faint…..her worst fears had come true! Prithvi had implicated both her and Angad in the case…..but her molestation charges were still valid from the torn dress and shoulder bruises! But Mr. Chawla argued that she had herself torn her dress in order to implicate Prithvi in rape charges and also that the shoulder bruise had been caused when Prithvi fought with her! There was no hope anymore…..she looked tearfully at Angad who was equally depressed but he looked at her lovingly, reminding her of her promise! She nodded and smiled through her tears!
Then suddenly she remembered something! THE NOTE…the waiter who had given her the chit….he might remember that it was Prithvi who had given him the chit to give it to her! He would definitely know it wasn't Angad as every waiter in Morisco's knew Angad!
She jumped up, leaned over to Shabbir sitting at the Defense table and told him about the waiter softly! Shabbir nodded and spoke aloud: MiLord, abhi abhi Ms. Kripa ko ek khaas gavah ke baarey mein yaad aa gayi hai…..main adalat se darkhwast karoonga ke humein 2 din ki mohlat dee jaye iss gavah ko pesh karney ke liye"
The Judge granted permission and court was adjourned for the day.
Kripa went out of the courtroom, her steps dragging, her mind numb…..now how could she save Angad? He was doomed…..Prithvi had doomed him with his destructive statement! He had taken his revenge on them!
Mishti supported her, tried to comfort her…..she cried on her Dii' s shoulders….unable to stop her tears, hopelessnes setting in at last!
Mishti said : Baby, be brave…..agar Angad ko sazaa ho bhi gayi toh zyada saalon ke liye nahin hogi…..Thank God ke Prithvi bach gaya nahin toh Angad per khoon ka ilzaam bhi lagta…..think of the positive side!
Kripa nodded, then suddenly she thought of something! Dii, kal please aap mere saath Nanavati Hospital chalengey"
Mishti: Kyun? Prithvi ka kaam tamaam karna hai ? No worries, I will help you this time"
Kripa couldn't help laughing at that…..then she said seriously: Nahin, mujhey Prithvi se kuchh kehna hai"
Mishti: Kahin tu uskey saamney gid-gidayegi toh nahin? I don't want you to lower yourself in front of that monster!
Kripa looked at Mishti tearfully: Main Angad ke liye kuchh bhi karney ko tayyar hoon"
Mishti looked at her and didn't say anything more ….she knew she would do the same for Kartik if needed!
Next morning, Kripa and Mishti went to Nanavati Hospital and went to Prithvi's room…..he was in ICU ward and had his own room!
Kripa asked her Dii to wait outside for her and went in……Prithvi was sitting up on bed, with his laptop, typing something!
He looked up when he saw Kripa but didn't look too surprised to see her there….as if he was expecting her.
Prithvi looked at his laptop again, ignoring her for a while….Kripa went up to his bed and said: Mujhey tumsey kuchh baat kehni hai"
Prithvi looked up: Oh Hello, Kripa! Kaisey aana hua? Aaj tum apna wo iron rod nahin layi?
Kripa flushed angrily, then took a deep breath and said: Main chahti hoon ke tum apna statement wapas le lo…..main request kar rahi hoon (she had to swallow twice to say that, her throat dry)
Prithvi (mockingly nasty) : OH REALLY!! And why would I do that?
Kripa closed her eyes, shaking with the effort it was costing her to say this: Agar tumney case wapas le liya toh main tumsey shadi karney ke liye tayyar hoon"
Prithvi laughed loudly for some time, then sneered at her: Sorry Honey, I don't buy SECOND-HAND GOODS!
Kripa looked at him with murder in her eyes…if she had the rod or some other weapon in her hand now, she would have really killed him! Prithvi sniggered at her helpless rage and said: Payback is a B****, isnt it, Baby?
Mishti who was standing outside heard his last 2 comments and came rushing in, she put an arm around a shaking Kripa and led her out, pointing her finger at Prithvi she said: YOU!! I am sure you will get ur just dues some day…..I don't know if we will ever forgive you, but I know that God will never forgive you for what you did!
Prithvi laughed nastily behind them, confident that he had destroyed Angad and Kripa forever!
Shabbir had left for Goa right from the Court, he located that waiter and returned with him to Mumbai!
The next day, the Court heard the waiter's testimony! He said he knew Angad Saab very welll and it wasn't Angad who had given him the note to give to Kripa Madam. Shabbir showed him a photo of Prithvi and asked him if it was that guy who had given him the note…..he identified Prithvi at once: Haan haan yehi hain wo saab jisney mujhey wo note diya tha us madam ko deney ke liye ( he pointed to a hopeful Kripa sitting in front row)
The Courtroom buzzed again! The Judge called the courtroom to order!
So finally the waiter's testimony proved that Prithvi HAD indeed lured Kripa to the Gym using Angad's name and tried to molest her and Angad had tried to save her!
But the rod hitting Prithvi on the back of his head was a point against Angad's innocence and he was accused of unnecessary force causing near fatal injuries!
The Verdict was read out the next day! Before the verdict, Kripa met Angad in jail again with that day's tiffin-carrier! She tried to smile but cried instead! Angad wiped her tears and took a quick kiss when the guards had their backs turned. He asked Kripa to feed him with her own hands…..she fed him weepily smiling….he tried to bite her hand, she smiled again, he licked her fingers again: Your fingers taste better than the food!
Kripa: Toh kya iska matlab hai ke mera khana tasty nahin hai?
Angad looked hotly at her: Tumhara khana delicious hai lekin ab main kha nahin sakta (looking at the guard)
Kripa blushed and said: Mujhey toh pehley se hi pata hai tum ek cannibal ho….they laughed remembering their sweet nights and days in Goa….they laughed and cried together …..they had their little paradise for a half an hour before Doomsday arrived!
------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------
Pallavi
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
Continue Reading next part >
Comments (0)