Next day when Swamini woke up, it was quite late. Sumedh was already awake and he wasn't in the room. Swamini stood up and felt a little pain in her stomach but still she walked towards bathroom.
Swamini looked at herself in mirror. Her hair were messy and she was looking destroyed! She saw a hickey on her neck and blushed thinking about last night.
Sumedh was already ready and was downstairs drinking tea with Amit.
"Tum dono kyu itne jaldi uth jate ho" Ridhi came there. She was still in her night suit.
"Hi Didi.. Baccha kaisa hai?" Amit asked.
"Mujhe sona hai aur wo sone de nahi raha hai.. Bahot ulti jaisi feeling aa rahi hai. Kuch khaya nahi ja raha" Ridhi complained.
"Breakfast me ice cream khao.. Accha lagega" Sumedh advised "Tumhara baccha hai after all.. Galat aadatein abhi se hongi"
Ridhi chuckled "Main ab nahi khati itna ice-cream.."
"Ridhi tumhe kya khana hai batao" Aaradhya came there "Main bana dungi jo bhi tumhe chahiye par aise hi baith nahi sakti tum"
"I hope mujhe kuch cravings ho.. Cravings ki wajah se toh shayad kuch kha pau.. Man hi nahi karta mera kuch khane ka" Ridhi said.
They saw Swamini coming downstairs.
"Good Morning Vahini" Amit said "What a beautiful day today"
Swamini furrowed her brows "Why are you so random"
"Bas aise hi" Amit answered casually.
"Ignore Amit, save your sanity" Sumedh sighed.
Everyone laughed.
"Aaj Bhaiyya Saheb ke liye bada din hai.. Pata chalne wala hai aaj ki aapka future kya hoga" Ruturaj reminded.
"I am already very nervous.. Tum log soch nahi sakte itna nervous" Prithviraj said.
"Mat hoiye nervous itna" Ridhi said "I am sure sab thik hoga"
"Let's hope" Aaradhya said.
Prithviraj was feeling like this morning was the longest one in history. It's really hard to sit and wait for something to happen!
Aaradhya was sitting beside him whole morning. She was holding his hand and was trying to calm him down.
Slowly everyone gathered in living room and sat around to wait for news. All these people who were not ready to see each other few weeks ago were sitting together. They all were united to support Prithviraj.
Prithviraj had kept his phone on table and everyone was sitting on ground around that table. Each passing minute was making it harder to wait more and after what felt like eternity, Prithviraj's phone rang.
Everyone gasped. Prithviraj widened his eyes.
"Hath pakdo sab log" Ridhi said.
They were sitting in circle and grabbed each other's hands. Prithviraj took a deep breath and picked up the phone.
Everyone was holding their breaths. They were waiting for Prithviraj to end the call. His expressions were changing. Aaradhya was on verge to cry. Prithviraj just disconnected the call and looked at everyone.
"Committee ne uss din bataya tha ki they think I didn't kill people intentionally.. Surely not because of casteism.. They believe I did everything for the safety of my team and my family.. Government agreed with the report and is giving my posting back to me" Prithviraj said.
Everyone smiled widely and clapped. They happily cheered for Prithviraj and congratulated him. Aaradhya hugged Prithviraj tightly and broke down in tears.
"I am so happy" Aaradhya said.
Sumedh saw Swamini's eyes getting wet. She was so emotional after looking at Aaradhya.
"Aapko bhi congratulations Vahini Saheb" Purvi said "Ab sab thik hone wala hai"
Aaradhya smiled whilst wiping away her tears.
"Vahini Saheb aur bhaiyya saheb aapko yeh jeet Mubarak ho" Ruturaj said "This is really big"
"Yes. Very big" Amit said "Itna bada ki ab party toh banti hai"
"Haan bilkul" Sumedh agreed "Party toh chahiye"
Prithviraj still couldn't believe. Aaradhya was clinging to him. Everyone around him was congratulating him and cheering for him but he couldn't hear anything. All he could hear was Abhimanyu's voice telling him that he was getting his posting back. He was still processing the fact that he got a second chance!
"Saheb" Aaradhya made him look at her "Sab thik ho jayega ab"
Prithviraj looked at her and said "Aaradhya we got a second chance"
"We did" Aaradhya said with heavy voice "We were right and we won. We got everything back"
Prithviraj's eyes filled with tears and everyone became quite. He was looking at Aaradhya.
"I got my posting back" Prithviraj said.
"You did" Aaradhya cupped his face.
Prithviraj was happy and couldn't understand why he was crying whilst smiling widely. Everyone else felt the corner of their eyes wet. It was a big and happy moment of Prithviraj's life.
"Bhaiyya saheb sab thik hone ja raha hai" Ridhi said "Khushi ke aansu bas ab"
Prithviraj chuckled and wiped away his tears.
"Main mithai leke aata hoo" Sumedh stood up.
"Main bhi chalta hoo.. In fact hum sab chalte hai.. Bappa ke mandir me darshan karke aayenge.. Waha pe bhi mithai chadha ke aayenge" Prithviraj said.
"Haan.. Good idea" Ruturaj said "Sab chalte hai"
***
When Swamini stood in front of Ganapati bappa's idol. She closed her eyes and folded her hands. She thanked him for all these lovely people she now called her family. She was happy. She was filled with gratitude. What more she could ask from him?
'I hope everything stays like this.. Always and forever' Swamini prayed.
Their family always caught attention wherever they went. So when they were praying everyone was looking at them. Swamini also looked at her family and thought how good looking everyone was! Family of good looking people!
"I saw you on news today" A lady came there and said to Prithviraj "Congratulations"
"Thank you" Prithviraj smiled.
"Truth always wins" She smiled back and left.
"Aap toh celebrity ban gaye bhaiyya saheb" Amit said.
Everyone chuckled.
They came out of the mandir. Sumedh was no where and everyone was trying to find him.
"Iske alag nakhre hai" Amit said "Normal kuch karna hi nahi hai"
"Wo dekho" Ridhi said pointing at a direction. Everyone looked there. Sumedh was walking towards them with Rudransh. They were looking excited.
"Kaha the tum log?" Amit asked.
"Mithai lane gaye the" Sumedh said.
"Kaha hai mithai?" Purvi asked.
"Wo rahi" Sumedh pointed towards a truck.
Prithviraj widened his eyes "Are you serious?"
"Yeah.. Pune ki sari mithai ki dukan se pedhe uthaye hai.." Sumedh said proudly "Pure Pune me mithai batenge"
Aaradhya smiled widely "This is so great"
"Tumne mama ko puccha?" Amit asked "He might not like this"
"He doesn't like me either" Sumedh said.
"Sumedh" Ridhi widened her eyes.
"Listen it's a thing to celebrate okay?" Sumedh said.
"Thik hai ab ghar chalo" Ruturaj said "Log dekh rahe hai bahot jyada"
Sumedh and Rudransh looked at each other mysteriously. Swamini noticed that. Everyone was walking towards car when Swamini went ahead and caught up with Sumedh's walking speed.
"Jab ghar jane ki baat hui aapki aur Rudransh ki aankhe kyu chamak gayi?" Swamini asked.
"You noticed?" Sumedh asked.
"Yes" Swamini said.
"Toh tumhe ghar jake pata chal hi jayega" Sumedh winked.
***
Prithviraj heard noise as they turned on corner and went towards Sumedh's house. He came out of the car as he saw people gathered around near main gate.
Everyone was confused. What was happening? Prithviraj heard dhol and tasha in background and people chabting and celebrating.
"Yeh log kaun hai?" Prithviraj asked.
"Yeh log hamare party ke karykarta hai.. Tum nirdosh ho yeh sunke khush honge.. Papa ko bahot sunaya tha na aapki wajah se aur wo sab jhoot nikla" Ridhi said.
People saw Prithviraj and came forward to greet him. They made him wear garlands and applied gulaal on his face. Sumedh was already pink in gulaal and was distributing sweets.
"Sumedh.. In sab logoko tumne bualaya?" Amit asked.
"Haan" Sumedh answered.
"Mama ko shayad accha na lage.. Kyu kiya tumne?" Amit asked "Tumhe yaad hai na mama ne socialise karne se mana kyu kiya hai hame"
"Are ab jane do.. Ho gaya sab saja wagera khatam" Sumedh said carelessly.
For next two hours they were celebrating. Crowd was getting wild. Ruturaj didn't want to be seen celebrating this particular thing. It was a big loss for his party. So he took Rudransh with him and sneaked into house and kept quiet. He saw Sumedh lighting a big line of firecrackers. Prithviraj was happily meeting everyone but he wasn't used to this as Sumedh and Ridhi were. Soon he found himself surrounded by many people whom he didn't know.
Aaradhya was smiling and thanking everyone but somewhere in her heart she was feeling that this wasn't right. There was so much gulaal in air that it was hard to see around. Everything was pink.
"Swamini?" Aaradhya called "Are you here?"
"Haan Vahini saheb main idhar hi hoo" Swamini answered.
"Sumedh ko bolo gulaal fekna band kare" Aaradhya said "Dikh nahi raha hai kuch"
"Okay" Swamini agreed
Aaradhya's phone rang. She answered it but couldn't hear anything.
"Hello" Aaradhya covered her another ear with her palm and tried to hear.
"Doctor Madam?" Aaradhya heard a voice and furrowed her brows.
"Kaun?" Aaradhya asked.
"Doctor madam aapke bahot ehsaan hai isliye aapko phone karke bata rahi hoo.. Aapke saheb ki jaan ko khatra hai.. Wo yaha wapis na aaye isliye unko maar dalne ka plan hai.. Aap ho sake toh bacha lijiye" The woman on phone said.
Aaradhya felt her brain going numb. She felt everything going slow.
"Saheb" She shouted loudly and started searching for him. There were so many people that she couldn't see him. Gulaal was still in air which was making it more difficult to find him.
"Saheb" She again called him "Ridhi.. Swamini"
Swamini was searching for Sumedh who was also somewhere in crowd. The security guards were also confused because So many people were around.
Sumedh saw Swamini and went to her.
"Kya hua?" Sumedh asked
"Vahini Saheb bol rahi thi ki gulaal band karne ko bolo bahot jyada ho raha hai" Swamini said "Aur itni bheed kyu hai yaha? Aapko nahi lagta achanak bahot sare log aa gaye hai idhar?"
"Haan aaye toh hai.. Par ab dhire dhire sabko pata chala na ki yaha celebration ho raha hai toh aa rahe honge" Sumedh said.
"Main didi ko andar le ja rahi hoo" Swamini said "Aap bhi bas sabko leke ab andar aa jaiye.. Bahot der se idhar hi hai hum"
Sumedh nodded "You're right" He said "Tum jao main aata hoo sabko dhoond ke leke aata hoo"
Swamini saw Ridhi talking to someone. Purvi was with her. She grabbed her hand and said "Didi hum abhi andar ja rahe hai. Purvi Vahini aap bhi chaliye"
"Rudransh kiske sath hai?" Ridhi asked.
"Daaji use already andar leke gaye hai. Wo andar hi hai" Swamini answered.
Aaradhya was searching for Prithviraj whilst her eyes were flowing. She was screaming his name yet no one seemed to care.
Amit was getting suspicious of the crowd. He saw Sumedh and went towards him
"Sumedh yeh itni bheed kyu hai idhar?" He asked.
"Are yar log aa rahe hai idhar celebrate karne.. Toh bheed hogi hi na" Sumedh said "Aisa kyu puch rahe hai sab log"
"I don't like this vibe Sumedh.. Yeh kuch jyada hi log hai.." Amit said "Look around and tell me how many faces are known to you?"
Sumedh looked around but gulaal was all he could see.
"Amit tum tension mat lo. Yeh sab apne log hai" Sumedh said.
"Bhaiyya Saheb ko dhoondo aur andar leke chalo" Amit said "Aur Vahini saheb kaha hai?"
"Dhoondte hai chalo" Sumedh said.
Aaradhya felt that crowd was getting denser each passing minute. There came a time when she felt being squeezed in between so many people. She wasn't in control of direction anymore. She was being dragged by crowd.
Aaradhya was scared. She was screaming. But her screams were not audible in front of chantings. She could hear 'SSP Prithviraj jindabad' chantings but she knew he was in danger.
Prithviraj was trying to get away from people but crowd was getting mad. He couldn't see his security guards and anyone whom he knew. Everyone around him was unknown to him. Suddenly he saw a face which was familiar to him. He couldn't remember who he was exactly but watching him made hair on his head stand up.
Aaradhya saw Prithviraj looking at a man who was wearing head scarf. She used all her strength to push the crowd and went towards Prithviraj.
Prithviraj was looking at that man "Kaun ho tum?" He asked.
That man didn't answer. He just smirked.
Prithviraj saw him taking out a big knife and widened his eyes. That man used all his power got ready to stab Prithviraj. But before Prithviraj could do something Aaradhya saw what was happening and hugged Prithviraj to protect him. Because of this that man stabbed Aaradhya in back.
Prithviraj shouted loudly. That man got scared. He stabbed wrong person! Sumedh and Amit came there and saw what was happening.
That man decided to run away. He pulled out knife from Aaradhya's back and started running away when Amit caught him.
"We have to get him to police" Amit said.
"We have to get Vahini saheb to hospital first" Sumedh replied.
Amit didn't leave that man even after hearing this. That man was more powerful than him but Amit was angry and holding him with all the strength he had. So as a last resort that man stabbed Amit on his arm. Amit screamed and left him. He ran away.
People around them slowly understood what was happening. They started walking back and Sumedh saw everything clearly. Prithviraj was sitting down, wailing and crying, whilst Aaradhya was in his arms. There was a lot of blood on road. Amit was sitting on ground and was in pain too. His arm was bleeding crazily.
Sumedh was shocked. What had happened!!!