Part 15 –

 

Her father was remarkably solicitious. He treated her as if she had been in the accident, as if she were breakable when she didn't feel breakable at all. the town treated her the same way. One would have thought prithvi and mishti had been involved in separate accidents so determined were people not to mention their names in the same breath.

But they had been together. There again, no one would tell her what it was about the accident that had so compromised them. Had they been found stark – naked? She rather doubted that. Was mishti in a state of undress? She finally got it from josh when she called into the office to see him in person – they had spoken on the phone – and ask for time off.

Josh – needless to say out of respect we won't be printing the full story (he loved this girl and was as dear as a daughter he had wished for but never had).

Kripa – at last we get to it. Tell me josh, get it over. I guess 24 isn't to late to find out you're a gullible fool.

Josh – you're no fool, my girl. It's that fianc of yours who's the fool. I don't understand this whole business actually. I could have sworn prithvi was madly in love with you. No pretence, he coouldn't wait to marry you.

Kripa – it's all over josh.

Josh – he's still in the induced coma?

Kripa – yes (she was waiting for him to open his eyes so she can tell him it's all over)

Josh – are you going to give prithvi a chance to tell his side of story? That khanna girl is trouble. I've long said no.

Kripa – so what's the full story?

Josh – it seems mishti wasn't wearing anything.

Kripa – (shocked) that seems extraordinary wild, even for mishti, or was it night – time?

Josh – must have been, you're going to visit him?

Kripa – regardless of what they were up to, it's high time I did. I'll look in on mishti while I'm at it. We've never been friends but I've often thought there's something sad and lost about her. That's why she behaves so badly.

Josh – dreadful crowd. Cruel what they did to dilip and his young family. I've met angad. He came into the office last week to make himself known to me. I must say he appears to have turned out splendidly.

Kripa – (keeping eyes downcast) he's a wonderful horse-man. It was quite thrilling to see him win the cup .

Josh – prithvi must have hated that?

Kripa – he didn't take it too well. Was there some feud in their childhood, angad and prithvi? If so it's carried through to now.

Josh – prithvi was a bit of a bully in those days, kripa. Prithvi bose had fiercely knocked a younger, smaller child to the ground. He chose to pick angad – every time he saw him in town. Bose and the girl dilip was getting married to were friends and they turned against him and his family. Awful the things that were said about that young woman. Not a single rumor that was sustainable. But mud sticks. 

Kripa – I'm wondering how long this particular piece of mud is going to stick? I pray for prithvi's rapid recovery but I can't marry him, josh. I had decided not to even before this.

Josh – look, who would expect you to?

Kripa – when it happened, dad was shocked out of his mind. He thought the world of prithvi.

Josh – yes, isn't that odd?

Kripa – you didn't?

Josh – well, he's a handsome young fella. He's much admired in certain quarters. He's certainly going to be very rich, but I didn't really see you two as compatible, kripa. Prithvi doesn't have your depth of character.

Kripa – oh, josh what depth of character? I'm not much of a judge, am I? do you think it would be okay if I took this week off? Dad wants me to go and see prithvi as I feel he is still in dad's good book.

Josh –yeh ofcourse you can.