Chapter 5 (End)

Aniket went to India to talk to his family but no one contacted me from my family as I expected. According to them, I had sinned and had tried to snatch Aniket away from Ranjini. Anyways, I already knew this will happen and I had made preparations for my departure; I volunteered to go to an earthquake hit area in Africa where no one would be able to find me, not even Aniket, which I made sure. I was leaving behind no evidence as if I never existed. When Aniket comes back, he will not be able to find me and after sometime his memories of me will become dull and eventually he will marry Ranjini, who I was sure, will never leave him alone.

I was waiting to go when there was a knock on the door. When I opened the door, I found Ranjini outside. I was not surprised because I knew that she could go to any extent to avenge. She entered in the house and she was very looking lovely in a blue dress. I asked, "You! Why didn't you inform me before coming?" She replied sarcastically, "Are you scared?" Probably she was right. Yes, I was scared. I felt that actually I was running away from all this because I would not able to confront my family, Aniket's family. There, standing before Ranjini, I realised that I was a coward who didn't have the courage to face anyone. I was leaving Aniket in the mess. Then it dawned upon me that by running away, I was turning my love for Aniket into a lust. It will actually become sin if I don't stand with Aniket and face the consequences, whatever they maybe.

This gave me energy and courage and I said, "What do mean?" Ranjini replied angrily, "You very well know what I mean, you bitch!! How dare you!!?" She was shouting and I tried to stop her, "Don't shout. Let's go outside where we can talk". Ranjini looked around and said in an acidic tone, "It actually seems you are fleeing. Your luggage is all tied up. You lame woman!" I literally had to pull her to an isolated spot near my house. It was a water body, a small lake and we stood there and it took whole of my strength when I said, "I don't know what crime I have done to you that you're always insulting me. Your hatred has driven me this far that I could do what I did. You won't believe but it is true that Aniket and I fell for each other when we first met. At first, I didn't know about your engagement and it was too late when I came to know about this...." Before I could complete she came forward and pushed me hard, I lost my balance and.....

Nikky did not complete her sentence and abruptly said, "I will miss my flight, I have to go, bye.... and thanks for coming." Avni tried to stop Nikky who waved while running, "Stop!! tell me what happened next...." But she kept running as if she was a cindrella and soon she was out of Avni's sight. Avni too came back to her home but she was very upset. Why Nikky went away so hurriedly as if she was under some threat? Avni felt that she had to find the whole truth. She called at Nikky's house and phone was picked by the same servant, "I want to talk some member of the family, be it Misha or Arvi and I had called before too." Avni was very edgy.

"Yes I have recognised you. You had phoned before too but nobody is at home because everyone has gone to attend Ranjini didi's engagement." Avni was confused. Why Nikky didn't tell her about the engagement. That was the reason perhaps that Nikky ran away. "Nikky didn't come to attend the engagement?" Avni asked. "I don't know about it but I will tell everyone that you called." servant replied.

Question was what she should do now. First of all, she needed to talk to Nikky and for that, Avni needed her phone number. She called at Nikky's house again and this time, she pretended to be Nikky's friend and lucky for her this time, phone was picked by someone else who said, "Hey, I am Nikky's brother but I am sorry she is not with us." Avni was quick, "What do you mean? You have no idea where she is?"

"Actually, she went to South America for some project and you know how it takes time to get things settled. That's why she couldn't come to my younger sister's engagement." Arvi was defending but Avni became more confused, "Ok then, no number and no contact either? By the way, I worked with Nikky and Aniket at USA. I will talk to Aniket and that will be enough, actually it is something work related. So, if can I get Aniket's number?" "Yes, yes, I will have to look for Aniket's number", gladly he gave her Aniket's phone number as if he wanted to be get rid of the caller. Avni was shocked to see the indifferent behaviour of Arvi as if Nikky didn't matter at all to them. Now Avni was able to understand the meaning of Nikky's words. Anyways, there were many more important things on Avni's mind than this.

She dialed Aniket's number and a male voice answered, "Hi, who is calling?" with some urgency in the voice as if he was expecting someone. "I am Nikky's friend; her childhood friend. I want to know about Nikky. Actually, I have some urgent work but I have not been able to make any contact with her. I called at her home also but they too are ignorant about her. Is there any way to get in touch with her? You see, it is very important. She met me here yesterday but disappeared suddenly. She was telling me something but could not complete."

"What??...She met you.....it means she is alive.....and I was thinking something happened to her....." desperation of his voice made Avni angry, "So, you went to get engaged with Ranjini. Right?" bitterness of her voice made Aniket perplexed, "Who? Me? You are mistaken. I have not gone anywhere, nor i got engaged to Ranjini! If you know so much, then you must be knowing that I refused to even meet Ranjini because I love Nikky. But you are saying that she met you yesterday and that too in India; this is not possible.....how.....?"

Now Avni could not hold anymore and told Aniket every thing, "she was telling how Ranjini came to her home when Nikky had planned to go Africa, some earthquake hit area where she volunteed to work because she wanted to go away so that you and Ranjini could get married. Suddenly Ranjini came from India and both the sisters were standing near the lake outside Nikky's house when Ranjini pushed her." Aniket was startled, "So much happened and Nikky never told me anything.....she should have....whatever happened between us was not Nikky's fault....we both were equally responsible....but she disappeared suddenly...I didn't know what to do but I firmly refused to marry Ranjini. ..and she(Nikky) went to India, met you...told you everything.....how.?

Avni cut short Aniket, "Listen, you are not understanding the graveness of situation. ....I have a feeling that Nikky is somewhere down under the lake, in the water because only I saw her here; there is no entry of her name in hotel register nor any body saw her talking to me. And above all, she was cold and her heir were wet all the time even we was sitting in the sun; as if she wants me to be the medium to convey what had happened with her." Avni was having goosebumps while she was talking. During the course of conversion, things were becoming vivid in her mind, things which she was not able to understand till now.

Aniket was angry, "Are you out of mind? She met you and told everything and you are saying she is dead?..what the hell.....Please don't talk rubbish. "Avni was finding it difficult to make him understand, "Listen, my husband Anish is there on some official visit to USA. I have told him everything and he reacted the same way as you. But I request you to please go to lake and with the help of some professional diver, look in the lake. Anish will meet you tomorrow morning. Now please give me your address."

What happened next, was unbelievable. Remains of a body were found in the lake. Aniket recognised that it was Nikky because of the ring in the finger of corpse. Aniket had given that ring to Nikky. They had already called the police. Case against Ranjini was registered because on inquiring about Nikky around the area, police came across someone who was Nikky's neighbour and at that fatal night, he had seen Nikky standing with a girl in blue dress near the lake. But Avni's account of events was not admissible in the law. So on the basis of suspicion, warrants were issued against Ranjini by Interpol.

Avni knew the time had come for her to confront Gupta's and especially, Ranjini. Avni, along with her brother Ashish went to Nikky's home and said that she wanted to meet senior Mr. Gupta. She met him alone in a room and told him everything; who she was; how Nikky contacted her and met her; how she told everything to Avni; how she disappeared suddenly; how she was cold all the time. Avni asked, "Did Ranjini go to USA on that date?" Gupta uncle nodded in yes, "But only for two days. There was a fashion show but what happened? Why are you asking? And why would Nikky come to India and not meet us, but you?" "We will discuss this later but first of all call Ranjini" Gupta uncle asked someone to call Ranjini but he was not satisfied, "I am sure nothing of the sort has happened. Why are you doing this?" Avni expected this, had it not been the case, Nikky would not have contacted Avni but her family. Anish had already told her that police was on the way to arrest Ranjini.

As Ranjini entered in the room, Gupta uncle introduced her with Avni and told her everything that Avni had told him but Ranjini was very calm, "Who told you that I killed Nikky? Ridiculous!! You are talking as if Nikky told you this. ... But how can she? we don't even know you.....why are you..." Suddenly Gupta uncle cut her short, "Yes, Nikky came and told her that you pushed her in to the lake.....my child!..why didn't she come to me….!" He was sobbing. Everyone in the room was shocked and Ranjini said, "This is bullshit. How can she come....I..." But her face was white with fear. When she was told how Nikky met Avni and everything, she started shaking and confessed that she had killed Nikky, "I'm sorry. ...please forgive me....." But Avni could see that she was not sorry. Just then, police reached there and arrested Ranjini.

"Today, I lost both my daughters. We neglected Nikky from the childhood because my wife and I used to think that she was not beautiful and then her foot was wounded in an accident. Instead of giving her proper treatment, we thought she was a stain on our lives. But we pampered Ranjini so much because she was smart and beautiful, so much so that she became rude and arrogant. I knew that she used to misbehave with Nikky but ignored this because of my narrow thinking. I am equally responsible...." and he became so agitated that it took a while before he calmed down again. Avni was confused, "But why me? Why did she choose me above all?" To this, Misha answered, "Because her spirit was around when you phoned and somehow she knew that you will help her get out of the lake. She believed in your goodness and you proved her right."

Everyone was weeping. A puja was conducted and everyone prayed for her peace.

It was time for Avni to go but something was still to be done. Avni and Ashish went to local police station where Ranjini was taken. When Ranjini was brought, Avni asked, "Why?" Avni requested to be alone in the room with Ranjini. Ranjini said with a wry smile, "I knew you will come. As far I am concerned, I did what I felt was right. Aniket was mine and Nikky had no business to be in his life. But to tell you the truth, I had not planned it that way but when I saw that she was ready to leave the country and not leaving anything behind, the idea crossed my mind, no one will know where she had gone. We went towards the lake and it was dark with no one in the sight. I knew that Nikky was afraid of water and didn't know how to swim. I thought it was perfect time and I pushed her in to the lake. I hated her so much that it never came to my mind what would have happened to her. But Aniket was so stupidly in love with her that he refused to marry me, just think...me! Still, I got a millionaire match but how can you fight with a ghost. ...She sighed heavily."

Avni was shocked to see that there was no remorse in her behaviour. That moved Avni to say,

"But she defeated you in death also." Avni said this with sadness in her voice. Ranjini was starlted, "How?" Avni said, "Remains of Nikky's body revealed that she was pregnant...It means. ...you know what it means..... perhaps even Nikky herself didn't know." Colour drained from Ranjini's face which gave satisfaction to Avni.

Avni left her there to fight with her own demons and came out.

Avni's husband Anish was back and told how upset Aniket was to see Nikky's remains, "It was very thoughtful of you that you sent me there because it was very difficult situation for Aniket."

After sometime, Aniket came India to meet Avni, "I have come to thank both of you for what you have done. Besides that, I wanted to know about your meeting with Nikky. Please tell me everything." When Avni had told everything, Aniket stood up to go but suddenly asked, "How was she looking?"

"She was cold and her heir were dripping wet."