The hues of twilight deepened into dusk as Christy slowed her car approaching the red light of the traffic signal, she hardly noticed the bar on the corner where her car had slowed to halt. The street junction near sector seven usually experienced heavier traffic than the rest of the city.
A well-attired young man, beer can in hand strode confidently towards her vehicle with measured steps. He wore a dark black shirt and blue jeans, his eyes were bright and large, he could easily be mistaken for a movie star.
“Excuse me miss, I am new here, which way would lead me to Khuda Ali Sher?” he directed his question to Christy as he approached the vehicle.
Christy slid down the drivers’ window, “It’s a very easy route.” she smiled at him captured by his eyes. She felt butterflies in her tummy, her attraction to him had caused her to lose focus and she failed to notice the revolver fitted with a silencer in his jeans pocket.
He quickly drew it and pointed it at her demanding “Get out of the car, Christy!” Christy was in a state of shock not due to the gun pointed at her but her name being called out. There were only a few individuals that knew her by that name, and they could be counted on one hand with fingers to spare, Rozy, Victor and Balbir.
“Quick” the man shouted as his facial expression changed from the innocent timid stranger to one of a cold killer.
Were it another lady she would have obediently followed all his instructions, but this was Christy, one of the “Angels of Death” as known in the underworld the other being Rozy. Her wits sharp as a freshly whetted razor studied the situation in a flash.
“Don’t fire I am coming out” she moved her hand to open the door yet this was a farce to distract the man and put him at ease, She floored the gas pedal taking off, the engine roaring she was still in first gear, the man stepped back. He fired at Christy, Christy dipped the clutch slapping the gear lever into second, the jerk had caused the bullet to miss her and hit the rear door. He fired again but this time he hit the roof as the car hurtled out of his range.
The carjacker walked away calmly, no one would dare stop, him yet he fired another shot to render it a certainty. The crowd pretended they saw nothing.
Christy was a professional carjacker, she had entered the crime world in her mid-twenties. She would wear clothes that revealed enough of her body to tempt passers-by into giving her a lift, one attained she would reveal her gun instead of the stock of temptation. She was never caught, she never left a victim alive.
She was well versed in the profession, hence this seemed strange, carjacking normally takes place on lonely roads and not in city centres. It sat ill with her that a person would try it there perhaps this was not primarily a carjacking…no she was certain it was not, she had been in the game for more than eight years under Victor.
She grabbed her phone which had fallen from the dashboard onto the centre console, after two rings she heard a familiar voice.
“Rozy here”
“It’s Christy”, Rozy asked detecting the fear in Christy’s voice, “What happened?”
“Someone tried to jack my car!”
“No one would dare such a barmy mistake in this city.” Rozy tried to calm her.
“He was a stranger,……”Christy continued spewing profanities.
“Maybe a coincidence?”
“No, the wretch was waiting for me in particular, the bastard knows my real name too”
“Where”
“The sector seven, bar”
“I’m at sec-8, meet me.” Rozy hung up the call.
Christy still lost in thought – was it a detective? Was it revenge for Danny? A coincidence? Or… did Victor no longer have a use for her?
The last thought scared her as she knew Victor’s method of shedding dead weight.
She stopped her car outside a vacant building in Sector 8, to find Rozy awaiting her.
“What did you find out?” Christy still aquiver with rage.
“He was a government agent”
“Agent?” Christy questioned in surprise, yet relieved it was not a thug of Victors.
“Yes, Agent Malik, a man in a black shirt and blue jeans, holding a can of beer.
“Wow! How did you know that?”
“Cause he is behind you” Rosy smiled cunningly.
“What?” Christy uttered as she turned to notice agent Malik behind her.
It struck her along with the beer bottle in Rozys’ hand, that she had been betrayed, it was her last thought as she fell unconscious into the waiting grasp of agent Malik.
*
Archana had already arrived to fetch Shyam when he rose at 7:00 a.m. and rode to her room.
Kavya prepared and served them snacks.
Afterwards, Archana stood up with the aid of her stick, she walked over to the T.V cabinet. She drew the left drawer and removed a little box from within. She walked over to Shyam and sat beside him on the sofa, this was the first time she sat beside him.
She opened the tiny box, and withdrew two tiny rings, she placed both on her palms showing them to Shyam. He looked at the rings one which had a white diamond and the other a red, they both glittered in the soft morning light.
“You have seen me, I walk using a stick. Polio has restricted the use of one leg and I am also simple-looking. I don’t know whether my people will accept you but I love you and will continue too. You can still turn from your decision and I will accept it freely. You arrived here keeping faith in me and that is more than enough for me to be happy and cheerful for the rest of my days remembering this day.”
When Archana had stopped, Shyam was long and down. Her eyes brimming with tears, which glowed as bright as the diamonds in her palm.
“Look at the window” Shyam suggested.
“Why?”
“Your eyes are filled with pearl-like teardrops, if you face the sun you can see the rainbow in them” Shyam smiled, “Which ring do you like?”
“I like the red one so I selected it for you.” Archana trying to smile but bursting into tears sobbing.
“Don’t you like the white one?”
“The white is for me” she was dabbing her eyes with her dupatta.
“Why so?”
“You added colour to my darkened life, that’s why the red for you.” She had by now ceased to sob.
“There must be a reason for the white one, too?” he gazed into her eyes.
“Your love is selfless and pure, hence I want the white one on my finger as a sign of pure love from you.
Shyam felt his heart sink. He took the red one and tenderly placed it on Archanas’ finger. She in return placed the white one on his finger.
“Engagement is done!” Kavya shouted with joy running into the kitchen fetching a box of sweets for the couple and joining the tasting as well.
Shyam and Archana felt a unique bond between them.
“Jiju, why have you put the red one on Didi’s finger? It was actually for you.” Kavya stated as she pulled a chair and set herself upon it.
“The one whose life has been filled with colour should have the colour on her finger” Shyam spoke heartfelt words.
Archana’s eyes filled with tears again, but this time joy was the sole reason. The trio continued their happy, humorous conversations until it was broken by the ring of Archanas’ mobile.
“My cousin has arrived at Satara. Please go out for ten minutes and pass the time near the Gurudwara.” Archana requested Shyam after disconnecting the call.
He went out toward the Gurudwara, he thought that he should perhaps visit the temple. He entered Gurudwara donning a Kesari, he made his way to the Guru Granth Sahib. He folded his arms to pray… “I don’t know what your name is perhaps Waheguru or something else, what I do know is that God is one and merely the names vary. Today I feel the burden of Kajal’s sorrow has been cleansed of my spirit. Please bless us so that what happened to Kajal should never happen to Archana. As well offer rest to the soul of Kajal” as he concluded he wiped away the streaming tears from his eyes.
He exited the Gurudwara and noticed Kavya and her cousin leaving, Kavya slyly hand gestured for him to return to the room. He had understood the signal and strode towards Archana’s room.
Archana’s face beamed with delight as she again set eyes on her love, they sat on the sofa, Archana had hidden her shoes beneath it and walked into the kitchen asking Shyam to come with.
“Why?” Shyam voiced in uncertainty.
“I am alone now. If the landlady sees you, she may inform my father and I am not eager for that to happen.”
“Okay,” Shyam said entering the kitchen.
Both sat on the floor in the kitchen. Archana wearing her dupatta had set up a small tiny wooden bench and the photo of a goddess and an idol made from the brass of Laddu Gopal. Archana fired a Dipak in the earthen lamp and offered Dhup and Prasad to the goddess and Laddu Gopal.
“When will our wedding be performed?” Archana asked removing her dupatta.
“When do you want it to take place?” he asked all the while staring at Archana, noticing her devotion to God.
“Now, I want it now.” Archana resolved.
Shyam rose and walked to his backpack which lay on the sofa, he unzipped the bag and from it removed a box.
“You also bought a gift for me!” She was surprised to see him return box in hand.
Shyam remained silent, he sat next to Archana removing from the box a chain, a Mangal Sutra, which he placed around the neck of Archana. They were both silent and enjoying the new relationship as husband and wife.
*
Fortunately, no one visited after Kavya had left around mid-day, the newlyweds, spent their day cooking and served each other rather than sitting together to a meal enjoying happy conversations.
Winters dusk was approaching, the couple longed into each other eyes…
“I have to leave soon” Archana remembered
“I will leave early tomorrow, my train departs at 7:30 am” recalled Shyam
“I will return at 5:00 am” Archana getting up to go cook.
They shared their supper, and then Archana rode away on her activa.
***
To be continue...
