130

“Are you crazy..?” her friends had nothing else to yell….! She shrugged and moved away to assume her seat in the canteen….!

Poorva pulled her up.  “Now what?” Dhatri asked irritably.  

“Dhatri…. Why did you accept the challenge?” she asked angrily.  “It’s the pride of the seniors at stake… If you lose to that bloody Junior….!” Dhatri jerked her hand away.

“You mean we should accept defeat without even putting up a fight? She bloody challenged the seniors and there was no one…!” Dhatri retorted.  Suresh jumped in…

“that doesn’t mean one should accept the challenge without knowking anything about that sport…!” Dhatri looked at him with hurt.

“I have handled gun before…. In US… to rescue myself…!” she said meekly.  The gravity of the situation was sinking in….! She was losing her confidence….!  She closed her eyes….

“Baby…. Concentrate…There should be nothing between you and your target….” Grumpy was pulling her bushy, curly hair in his fist to steady her head…. She was crying, struggling to free herself…. Grumpy was all the more violent slapping her and twisting her arm ….

“I will hit you, if you don’t hit the target now…!” he said threateningly brandishing a stick in his hand… “Rapid fire…” thrusting a heavy gun in her hand he ordered and she fired without even thinking …. The chest of the moving statue was smashed… All six bullets had hit the target…

Smile appeared on Dhatri’s face…! 

“Look at her… Smiling..?” Ragini shook her vigorously… and Dhatri came back to her present from her childhood.  

“That was fifteen years back… I was only five… I don’t even remember the distance of the target now…” she again was losing her confidence.

“Ok. Now, listen.. I downloaded some videos for beginners … Shooting competitions… At least see those Dhatri…! Shooting lessons for Dummies…!” Suresh gave her the DVD.  Her hands shaking, she took it with a blank face…Poorva snatched it from her…

“Not now… First theory papers… We need to study… You can’t afford to keep backlog Dhatri… You got to get at least 6 and above grading points… “ She reprimanded Dhatri pushing her towards the Library. 

“Whatever it is… This rubbish competition can wait but not her exams… She has to give the seventh semester paper too… Backlog !” She said sighing and turning to her other friends. 

Dhatri went to library frowning and muttering….!

******  ********

“No Mr. Rehman… Please keep them away…!” Salil urged seeing the pile of files Rehman and Suleyman kept on the table…! Rehman looked up puzzled.  Nilima and Swarnima were at the kitchen door.. Salil glanced at them…! 

“I mean… Please… Not a question about the Family … But… I mean… We just had some questions about … I mean… Ravi’s mother and father…!” Virender said weakly feeling little guilty that they were raising questions about Ravi’s parents…But Disha had sowed enough doubt in their mind….! 

Rehman gaped and then glancing at his brother said… “My brother is here... I Hope he will be able to clear your doubts…” Suleyman cleared his throat.

“Hope you understand our position… We have a professional relation with Deo’s and Thakurs…I mean Dharmesh and Kalindi Thakur, though Dharmesh is my friend..!” he clarified as a preamble.  Salil nodded.  Rehman gestured Nilima and Swarnima to sit and Laxumbai appeared from behind with tea and snacks…! 

“Rehman and Sayajirao are classmates in Doon School.  The childhood friendship grew as they grew together.  He chose US for his engineering degree and Rehman did his literature from Cambridge…! I was a psychology student but had to drop out for some family reasons after my father’s death…” Suleyman continued….

“When Saya finished his post graduation, he returned to take over as Maharaja of Kenkar…!

“Kalindi, Santogita’s elder sister introduced her to Sayajirao and they got married.  It was a grand Royal marriage…” Suleyman hesitated a bit and taking a sip of water, gathering his strength said,

“Umm… I am a professional consultant and estate manager of Sayajirao but a friend too… I know my limitations… I am not supposed to discuss the personal matters… but I feel I must mention the necessary facts….!” Salil shifted nervously.  Virender held his hand for support.  They all waited with bated breath.

“Everything was going on well for quite a few months, after the marriage… Sayajirao was madly in love with Sanyogita, a beautiful, witty, smart, attractive lady..! But soon,  others could sense the trouble in their paradise…!” Suleyman took a deep breath, sadness appeared on his face.  Rehman looked away to hide his emotions… It seemed that they both were reliving those fateful days with Sayajirao.  

“She filed a petition for divorce when she was pregnant….demanding maintenance for herself and her unborn child… !” He swallowed hard to gather strength…!

“Sayajirao was going through a very difficult time… he accepted all her demands, losing a big chunk of his property to her…!” Suleyman said glancing awkwardly at the ladies.  Rehman pulled out the petition paper.  Salil shook his head not wanting to read it.  

“There was a long wait between the knowledge of her pregnancy and the delivery with worry, anxiety, tension and sleepless nights for Sayajirao….!” For the first time Suleyman seemed taking sides reliving Sayajirao’s endurance…! 

“The breakup was sealed with the decree of Divorce when Ravi was a month old.  My wife and Kalindi Bhabhi took care of the infant for a few days and then Sayajirao took over making up his mind to migrate to US for good…!” Rehman had taken over from his brother sensing his vulnerability.  Suleyman hung his head and sat there not wanting to hear anything further.

“What happened between them,  we cannot discuss… Its against our ethics… but what happened was beyond repair for Saya…. He left his motherland never to return, renouncing his title as Maharaja…!” Rehman chocked…!

All this information was of no use for Salil… the lingering question was still left unanswered…. He didn’t know how to ask … But he had to! It was afterall his daughter’s life…..! He fidgeted nervously looking at Virender.  Virender was renendered speechless.  He too didn’t know how to ask about what they had heard about Sayajiroa…! The ladies were busy wiping off their tears thinking about a month old child and the left alone father…..!

“The only additional piece of information I can give you is…” Suleyman said finally locking his fingers…

“That Sayajirao took care of the child and never remarried… “ He paused holding his breath… “But his ex-wife, Santogita married twice after this breakup….!” Rehman rummaged in the bag again to produce two documents.  Virender sighed relief…. His doubt was cleared… He looked at Salil who too looked relieved.  But the ladies were still in a trance.  “How could a mother abandon a month old child?” It was beyond their imagination…!