dew and the Mist 

 

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Till now you have read – Kusumita  a young girl from a poor family is forced to marry Nihaar Singh who is heir of a rich family of Delhi.  Soon she comes to know the reason behind their marriage as Nihaar has a dark past, his first wife Radhika’s mysterious death. 

In last part 19, you read Kusum leaves Nihar, but soon returns as she realises she must give him a chance to explain.

 

Part 21 : dew and the Mist

After a few days, Nihar and Kusum were on way to Manali. Nihar was driving, a bit tensed for it was raining heavily, the road was slippery and for very poor visibility he could hardly see anything. He wanted very much to reverse the car back to Delhi. He looked at Kusum who was deeply engaged in her thought.  

He asked, ‘Kusumita, I don’t understand it. Why are you doing this? I have told you many times that I don’t care about the truth.’ His frustration was visible in his voice.

‘Don’t care about the truth or scared to face the truth?’ She looked at him and laughed softly.

He replied, ‘Why can’t you take anything seriously? We had suffered enough because of Mohit and now you are hard-bent on knowing the truth.’

He then paused for a while and looked straight into her eyes, ‘Do you realize the truth may break me completely?’

She ignored his argument, ‘Nihar, May I ask you one thing?’

‘Yes….’ He kept looking at the road and avoided her eyes completely.

‘About Mohit…’ and she held her breath tighter.

He looked at her, his eyes did not approve of her question but then he replied taking a deep breath. ‘Yes, go ahead!’

‘Why do I always feel you are not comfortable with him around?’

He became silent for a while, and then with a deep sigh he replied, ‘You are right in your assumption. I do not know why but we always have this undeclared tension between us.’

‘Is this related to Radhika?’

‘I do not know for sure but yes she was very friendly with him too.’

‘Do you doubt him?’

He didn’t reply and looked ahead.

She prompted him, ‘But then Nihar, you said Radhika did commit suicide in front of you. Her suicide is a truth which you cannot deny.’

‘Kusumita, if she was in love with Mohit then she could have told me, I know there was nothing between them; I cannot be that blind.’

‘Then there could be only two reasons. Either she loved you or she loved someone else, whom we don’t know yet and that man could be Mohit.’

She waited for a moment, ‘What your heart says?’

Without any hesitation, he said ‘She loved me only.’

‘So, further, there are two possibilities. Whatever happened, either it was with her consent or she was forced.’

He was stunned for a moment and then looked at her. ‘Kusumita, I never thought like this. But…she could have told me.’

Shocked, he tried to sink in what he realized.

‘Kusumita, now I remember she was very much disturbed before our marriage. Yes! She wanted to tell me something but I was in my world. I thought she was having marriage blues.’

‘Nihar, this is our assumption. We have to find evidence. That’s why I decided to come to Manali. I think she too wants the truth to come out.’

‘How do you know she wants the truth to come out…?’ he was amused.

She laughed, ‘We are friends now. Remember, we celebrated her birthday together on the terrace!’

He stopped the car and took her hands in his and held them tight,

‘Kusumita, I don’t know how to thank you. I know God has sent you for me only. You are such an understanding human being; don’t you ever feel jealous of her?’

She gave him a naughty twinkling smile and came out of the car. The dazzling raindrops fell on her face, and she spread her arms to feel the drizzle. She started dancing, matching her steps with the rhythm of the raindrops splashing on her; her black curly hair swayed and her white dress swirled. He watched her, completely lost in her innocence of her.

Like a fresh dew, she came into his life and pulled him out of the dense mist.

He came closer to her, and she turned back. She ran into his arms and hid completely in his embrace. He lifted her in his arms; she could see water dripping from the hair on his shoulder. Mesmerized by his scent, she slowly brought him closer to her and held him tightly, and murmured…. ‘Nihar, you mean a lot to me and I have to find the truth for you.’

 

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Soon they reached Manali and the first stop was at the police station.

‘Madamji, why do you want to see this file? This case Sahebji himself had closed it a long time back.’ A flabbergasted Police Inspector told her.

‘Please Inspector, we want to re-open this case.’

The Inspector was hesitant but then she again requested. He went inside the room and after a while came out with a file in his hand. They went through the file; it was having accident photos and a post-mortem report plus some evidence collected from the hotel room.  She quickly made notes of whatever she could see in the file.

As they were about to leave, the Police inspector came closer and hushed into their ears.

‘Sahebji, a few days back, someone called Mohit Singh had come; he was also looking for the reports. But as you had instructed, I didn’t share anything with him.’

Stunned, they looked at each other.

 

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They left the police station and soon checked into a hotel. They did not speak to each other on their way to the Hotel.  As they reached, she quickly freshened up; took out the notes she had made and started going through them. 

After some time, Nihar came to her and she looked at him, he was in deep thought as if he was trying to conclude some findings.

‘What are you thinking?’

‘Kusumita, Mohit was here.’

She gazed at him firmly, ‘Maybe he also wants to know the truth or maybe he is behind her death and came to see if all pieces of evidence are closed.’ She tried to assure him.

He silently stared her back.

She looked at him, and his hesitation worried her. ‘Nihar, I want to know from you. Will you be able to stand against your brother?’

Without any hesitation, he replied, ‘Kusumita, there is no excuse for such an act, he cannot be pardoned.’

She then looks back into her notes.

‘Nihar, did you see the Police file?’

‘Yes, Ms Detective….’ He took off her spectacles.

‘Did you notice? It mentioned a pregnancy test kit.’

‘So?’

‘She was pregnant. I believe she realized that day only about her pregnancy and in rage she did what she thought was best, she could not face you. This is my guess.’

He kept quiet…stunned for the moment.

‘Yes, you are right. Now I understand why Radhika was crying so much when I saw her on the edge. She loved me but she was helpless to make me understand anything and left without explaining.’

‘Nihar, do you remember anything about her…like any diary…notes?’

‘Diary…?’

‘Yes, Diary….like you write?’

And she realized trouble, she bit her lips.

‘How do you know I had a diary?’ he frowned.

‘I had seen it in your drawer…’ She looked another side, avoiding his prodding eyes.

‘Kusumita, you checked on my private things?’

‘Nihar, when Mohit had told me about you….’  She bit her lips as Mohit’s name came out of her and repented as she saw him nearer to her. He tightened his hands around her. His eyes shone with a sense of naughtiness. ‘You have to face the punishment.’

‘Nihar, can you be serious?’

He withdrew and retorted… ‘Yes… go ahead!’

‘Are you aware if Radhika also used to keep something like that?’

He thought for a few seconds and then looked at her helplessly.

 

Next – Will Kusum unearth the truth?

 

 

Rakhi Sunil Kumar