Chapter six: who killed him?

"Nivi, what's wrong? Nivi it is just a wind. Come. Everyone is waiting for us. After all, it is your welcoming ceremony. Come, my love." So they went to the huge garden. People were all around the garden. Nividita and Vyom greeted everyone. But Nividita's family hadn't arrived yet.

"We have to get everyone's fingerprints and we will match it with this knife. Then we will know the culprit." Said Odhir. Prerna followed, "yes mother, once we know who is playing this dirty game on Nividita, we will uncover it before her." "But, if that monster, Mr. Pratap Agnivirya knows about this, he will eat us alive." Said Odhir. But Prerna didn't give up. "Mom, it isn't the time to fear. Neither Mr. Pratap nor Vyom will stop us. The God of truth, Goddess Durga is with us. And no power in the world will defeat hers." Prerna's words gave Odhir strength.

Odhir started giving orders. "Look, here is the plan. You will get in as a dancer. And I will go as a waiter. No one will suspect me, because I will change myself as a male waiter. But, preu you have to be careful. They have surely hired traditional dancers. Because Nividita loves it. Is that clear?" Prerna nodded. "Yes, mother. I get everything. Let's go," Prerna was always courageous. Like her name, she was always inspired.

Mrs. Mohini and Aditiya came to the welcoming program. "My dear, you're so beautiful when you are with Vyom." Said Mrs. Mohini. "Ha! Mom, are you supporting him than me?" Nivi smiled "just joking. Mom, where is dad? He must be with you?" This time Vyom said, "Nivi, don't make mother-in-law busy with such questions. Of course, father-in-law is here. He must be parking his car. He will come." Pratap joined them. "Oh! Mrs. Basu, glad to see you. Where is Anihrud?" Nivi noticed tension and worries on her mother's face. "What's wrong mom? Where is dad? Aditya? Where is he?" Mohini started crying out of frustration. "Your father hasn't come back yet, my dear." "What?" Everyone was worried about his whereabouts. "Let me stop the party. We have to find him." Said Mr. Pratap. Vyom agreed with his father. "Dad is right. I will inform the police." But Mrs. Mohini argued. "No. Mr. Pratap. Don't stop the party. I already informed the police. And it has been a long since my daughter went to a party. So let it be. Anihrud will be fine."

The traditional dancer group controlled the stage as well as Nivi's mind. "Vyom, tell me? Did you organize this? How do you know I like traditional dance?" Vyom smiled "I know everything about you Nivi. Anyways, are you happy?" With a lot of smiles "Happy? I am extremely happy." He invited her for the dance. They started dancing. Everyone except Praveen and Mohini was dancing. And Prerna and Odhir were working for their mission. They collected anything that, those family members touched. Wine glasses from Vyom and Nividita. Lipstick from Arti. Black label bottle from Mrs. Paveen. Spoon from Avni. A wine bottle from Vidyut. Plate from Mr. Pratap. Alcohol glass from Ishaan. Fork from Mrs. Mohini. Coca-Cola bottle from Aditiya.

After completing their tasks they started going out. But unfortunately, Odhir got into Pratap's eyes. He followed her with those suspicious eyes of his. The unfortunate Odhir bumped with another waitress and her identity got revealed in front of Pratap. He chased her but she finally pushed a refrigerator. The refrigerator fell and everyone's attention diverted to the refrigerator.

The police were dictating Mrs. Mohini and suddenly saw the refrigerator. After around a million icebergs came out, then, Mr. Anihrud Basu came out from that refrigerator. Everyone was stunned. "Dad?" Nividita was as good as dead. "Anihrud?" Mrs. Mohini was freeze due to the shock. But Parveen, she didn't even go to see what happened. She smiled and said "this is just the beginning! First, it was your doctor, and now it's your father. I wonder how many more people would your 'spirit' will kill." Prerna had heard Mrs. Paveen.

"Mr. Pratap? Vyom? What's happening? How did my husband end up in your fridge?" Pratap saw Odhir. "She. She is the one who killed him." Odhir got shocked. "No. I did kill him. Why would I kill him?" But Pratap was certain about Anihrud's murderer. "No inspector. I am telling you. No one would do rather than her. She is after our family for since long. She wanted to exact revenge on our family. And she did by killing Nividita's father on her wedding day." Mrs. Mohini went to Odhir and warmed her face by giving her a warm slap. "Why? Why did you do this? What did my husband do? What is his fault? What's Anihrud's fault?" "No madam. I didn't kill your husband. Nividita, trust me. I didn't do this. Why would I kill Mr. Anihrud?"

Arti is active. She had never failed to be seen as an important person in Mr. Pratap's eyes. "Here, brother-in-law, this video clip is from the CCTV footage on the street." The video showed Anihrud running to escape from someone or something. And Odhir was following him.

"See inspector? I told you. She is the one who murdered Mr. Anihrud. Arrest her office." Said Mr. Pratap. Prerna arrived but it was all at the sea for her. Odhir gave her a sign not to tell anything to anyone. "Nividita, I didn't kill your father. Look, your father was running to escape from someone. I was just trying to help him. Trust me."

Odhir was taken by the police. Police took Mr. Anihrud's body for forensic. "Vyom please pacify her and take her to your room." Said Avni. "Yes. Come Nivi. Come." This time Arti "please, don't be like this Mohini. I know it is hard. But you have to be strong. And I promise you, The murderer of Anihrud will be punished." Avni gave her water. "Mohini, please drink some water. You have to be strong, Mohini. Otherwise, how will Nividita be strong?" Said Avni.

The next day morning. Vyom awakened Nividita. He wore a full white outfit. "Nivi, wake up" "dad? Dad? Where is dad, Vyom? He will come, right? Vyom promised me that he will come. I know my dad. He keeps his promise no matter what. So he will come. What? … what is this you wore. Change it. We aren't in a morn. Dad will surely come." Her condition was so painful. Anyone who saw her would cry. Vyom hugged her and cried. "Nivi, I wish you were right. I wish my father-in-law was still missing. But no. Nivi, we have to accept the truth. Father-in-law is never more. The police troops brought his body here. We have to perform his last rituals." He wiped her tears.

"No. No Vyom. I can't do that ritual. I can't do it. I can't burn my father." Vyom pacified her. "Nivi, you have to. You have to be strong. For Aditiya and mother-in-law's sake. Come. Change your cloth and come. I will wait for you in the garden." She had no choice. She wore her white sari and went to the garden.

Everyone wore white and there was an unstoppable cry. Her father was sleeping peacefully in the woods. Sleeping forever. Her father-in-law hugged her. Her mom was crying. Her eyes were turned red due to her unstoppable cry the whole night. Nividita hugged her mom and brother and sobbed a lot. Finally, Vyom stopped them. He took Nividita to her dad. "Dad. Why? You… you promised me to come. Then why? Why did you leave me alone? You never abandoned me. So, why now? Why dad? What about mom and Aditiya? Who will take care of them? Dad, please look at your wife for once. She was with you for the last 35 years. Why? Answer me. Why?" Everyone was crying for Nividita. Even Mrs. Paveen. Nividita's condition was so sympathetic. Vyom hugged her. "Father-in-law, I couldn't save your life. I wasn't there when you needed me the most. I didn't fulfill my responsibilities as a son-in-law. But I promise you this. I won't leave Nivi, mother-in-law, and Aditiya alone. I will never abandon them. And the person who did this on you, whoever he is, I won't spare him. This is my promise father-in-law."

The priest said, " now Mr. Basu's firstborn will come here." Nividita went to the priest. "Yes. I am his firstborn child." The priest told her to carry a pot full of water. "My child, you have to carry this pot by your shoulder and pour it around the body 7times. And on the 7th round, you will drop the pot. This represents human life is like a pot. It would break one day." She did as the priest said. And dropped the pot and turned it into pieces.

"Now, you have to perform the last ritual of your father." Said the priest. "Take this fire and burn the body." She took the firing wood from the priest. She remembered her good and sweet memories with her father. Since her childhood, her father was in her mind. She couldn't have the courage to burn him into ashes. She frizzed there. Vyom holds her hand. And helped her to fire her father's body. She was dizzy. She was just looking at her father burning into ashes. Suddenly, she said "no! No, dad! No! No! No! No!" She ran to the fire. Vyom caught her on time. "No, Nivi! Control yourself." "Vyom, my father is burning." He hugged her and passed that incident. Everything had been done now. Mr. Anihrud is never more. He had left this world forever. 'Who killed him?' Is the next headache for Nividita and the rest of her family.