Chapter 21 :  " When  Your Best Friend killed your Dad"

At Ram Prasad house:

                      Sujatha got up a little late the next day and was bit surprised to find her son in law in her house.. He was playing with little Asha and Sujatha who was not aware of the fact he stayed the night in their guest rooms assumed he visited earlier the day to meet his daughter.  Though she wanted to greet him, she didn't want to interrupt the father daughter moment.. She knows how much Sanskaar needs those moments. Though she can't help but think of her daughter and remember the previous moments of Sakshi in this house.. Recently ever since Asha came to live them, every actions of little Asha reminds Sujatha about her daughter. The little girl is just so like her mom.. So sweet and lovely and even today. She is reminded about how Sakshi and her dad would spend the day in the same room when she was young.. For ram is daughter was the princess and he was a slave to her.. Would do anything and everything for her.. And he searched the best of the best for her daughter and only married her to Sanskaar because he knows him.. And though it feels like a lot of time as passed away she still remember each and every moment of their lives as if it happened just yesterday.. 

                          Sujatha came out of her thoughts when her husband hand gently rested on her shoulders assuring her.. He was always the silent support for her.. And even without saying anything they both know today looking at the father daughter they both are thinking along the same lines.. As the loss of their daughter will be forever remember in each passing moments of their life.. 

                              Meanwhile Sanskaar was lost in his world.. Every pain, every harsh memory, and even tear fades away in the presence of his kid. Sanskaar had reached Sakshi house to find comfort in meeting Swara. He wanted to share his pain as he didn't feel like he can hold it any longer. And share he did,  about how he felt when his mom told him the truth, how it felt to realize they both died, his suspicion about his dad death and finally the helplessness he feels after reading the letter for being too late to save them from her. Swara was the gentle and yet constant support throughout the night.. And when he decided to return back home it was she who insisted he stay the night in the guest room as it too late to travel back.  For the first time after his father death Sanskaar drifted into sleep because of his father letter and the knowledge it provided him that he was loved.

                                     As if that was not enough to make him happy, two tiny hands was shaking him up to wake the very next day.. His daughter was sitting  on top of him and using her tiny fists to wake him up and his love of the life standing beside him trying to convince her to Let him sleep for some more time.. But the little girl was adamant to be with her dad and her persistence finally won when Sanskaar woke up to take in the sight of his daughter trying to wake him up in her sweet voice. 

                                     Sanskaar was so lost in playing with Asha that he didn't notice his in laws until bit later. He had no reason to explain his presence here in the dead of the night. But if there was anything he know about them.. It is they are very understanding and accepting. Before Sanskaar could speak up with an explanation, they both reminded him this is his home as well and dragged him to have breakfast. Breakfast was an lovely affair with adarsh trying his best to make Asha choose him over her father. The little girl was more than adamant that even ice cream as bribe failed as she choose her father each and every time. Soon even the ever persistence CEO of karma and Co has to give up when he realized there is no winning with the father daughter duo. Usually any topic around Sakshi was restricted in the presence of Sanskaar but even Sujatha can't help that day. 

Sujatha: "Even Sakshi picks her father every time.. She didn't even pick me once.. It always her dad.. I was hoping once she grew up and had an child of her own.. She would realize how much I loved her and would pick me.. But that day never came" 

Ramprasad : "Sujatha.. Not now please.. You know she loved you and she always loved annoying you by picking me.." 

Adarsh :" And you got me Maa.. I always picked you.. Didn't I? "

Swara:" And me.. I choose you Maa over dad anytime.. "

Ramprasad :"  And now that doesn't make me happy.. Both of my kids are on mother side not fair "

Sanskar:" Well if my vote matter than I pick you dad"

Asha :"  Me too.. I choose you grandpa.. Don't feel bad "

Sujatha :"  No.. Not fair.. I make you anything you want to eat.. Pick me Asha dear.. Please "

               And this time, instead of Adarsh it was Sujatha trying to best her husband in the heart of Asha.. While Adarsh gave up soon, Sujatha was persistent until the little girl finally relented and picked Sujatha. The small act of the little child was enough to warm the heart of Sujatha that throughout  the rest of the breakfast she held an smile on her face and it brightened up further when she went to help her daughter in the kitchen only to find her son in law helping her instead. 

Sujatha:"Do you need any help.. Not that you need it given you got company "

Swara:"  Maa.. I didn't ask him to help.. He used to do it back home and so he insisted.. "

Sujatha :" Relax I was just teasing you.. I know Sanskaar helps out in house chores unlike my husband "

Swara:" I forgot dida must have told you "

Sujatha:" Not Maa.. But Sakshi did.. She used to always praise you Sanskaar relentlessly if I may say so and that is why I got to say this today.. When she died I was blinded by pain and anger.. I took it out on you.. Those words where I blamed you for her death.. If I could ever go back in time and change it I would but since I couldn't do that.. All I can say is I am sorry for being just an mother for Sakshi and forgetting my promise to be your second mother as well.. Always remember that I am still you mother even if I failed you sometimes "

Sanskar:" I know that Maa.. You need not say sorry.. Those words I never took to heart.. It because as an son I know you better than to give weight to those words.. "

                     Just then Sanskaar got an call and he excused himself to attend it leaving Sujatha and Swara to finish cleaning up. He returned after a few minutes and Swara could see from his serious face something was up. She walked towards him and asked what up. 

Sanskaar :"That was krish"

Swara:"Did he find anything?  "

Sanskar :" Yeah"

Swara:" What? "

Sanskar:" He said he will say it in person. He was just boarding the flight now.. Will land in few hours but he did tell me something.. Whatever he found, he is 100% sure of payal.. "

Swara:" And so what are you going to do now "

Sanskar :" It time to tell your parents and my siblings.. Don't you think we have delayed it long enough.. Each of them lost someone they held close too.. Sakshi parents lost their daughter, adarsh lost his sister, ragini lost her parents and almost lost you, laksh, uttara and me lost our parents and finally Asha lost her mother and dida lost her grand daughter.. There has been too many people dead because of her and they all need to know "

Swara:" I know that Sanskaar.. So who are you gonna tell first "

Sanskar :" Since I am here.. Let start with RP uncle Sujatha aunty and Adarsh.. And dida too.. Sometimes I forget she is Sakshi grandmother "

Swara:" Okay.. I keep Asha occupied.. It will be tough but the little girl love me.. "

Sanskar :" And I love you as well.. You do know that right "

Swara:" I do.. I am just worried about Maa.. How will she handle it.. "

Sanskar :" They will be fine Swara..And even if they aren't we are going to be there for them till they are fine.. I wanted to take you back home after the share holders meet was over but I think you should stay a few days here.. Just to be there for them and Asha does provide great comfort to them.. And I think uttara might not take it lightly either and I had to be their for her as well "

Swara :" I get it.. As you said we all lost someone and we all need time to face it head on "

Two hours later:

              Sanskaar was still hesitant to leave.. But he had told krish to meet him in the Maheshwari house as soon as he arrived.. As expected Sakshi family took the news with varied emotions.. RP was the silent one.. If not for Sanskaar knowing him as well as he did , he would think he had no reaction to the news but since he knew him.. He can understand RP is not someone who would share his pain with anyone.. And so he got his silence and then there was Sujatha aunty.. Who true to herself.. First it was anger at payal which she exhibited in various choice words then the feeling of betrayal though she didn't know payal well enough still to put an face to the person who killed her daughter was hard enough and then finally she broke into tears as everything finally sinked in.. And Adarsh reacted more along the way he reacted.. Almost walked over to kill payal with his own hands.. And he had to be held back by sanskar and RP..At times sanskar failed to remember Adarsh as Sakshi brother as he was more along an friend to him than an brother in law. But the few minutes of anger and vengeance that sparked in his eyes was enough for Sanskaar to know just how much Adarsh had loved his sister..Dida remained the mysterious one as Sanskaar failed to recognize the emotion that went through her face.. Maybe it because dida never met payal.. It would be hard for her to connect to the anger and betrayal the rest of them felt. For her payal was just an name.. It might not change anything except her pain about losing her grand daughter was all too real.. 

                       Lost in his thoughts he reached Maheshwari house. But he was thankful that at least laksh and ragini are aware of payal because the left only uttara to deal with. It going to be the hardest because she was the most closest to payal and the betrayal of payal would hurt that much more.. Not only that if he knows his sister then it would mean she is most likely to blame herself too. Just like he did for all this year's.  And what more hard is breaking the news to his sister who just lost her parents.  And yet sanskar didn't feel like postponing it long but it was laksh who held him back when he approached uttara room, Swara must have called ragini and told her everything because laksh seemed to be aware of Sanskar intention in approaching uttara room . 

Laksh:"She is with uttara now. . Let do it later "

Sanskar:" Now. . How can she still waltz around her like she. . " 

Laksh:" I know how you feel. . And ragini had to drag me to my room before I did something stupid and so here I am trying to do the same to you. . Let go bhai. . Not now" 

Sanskar:" Sure. . I really don't want to see her right now. . It might wake the beast in me. .   And Laksh I might have an visitor soon. And when he comes and we are in the study.. Do make sure no one disturbs us.. "

Laksh:" Will do bhai. "

Two days later :

         Payal Bose had enough of play acting. She feels like suffocating playing  this awesome and lovely friend role to uttara.. She liked the girl, genuinely too but her crying over her father was beginning to annoy her. She had half mind to tell her everything she overheard and make her stop crying. She wish she never heard the fight between her parents, while she still doesn't regret killing her father, the fact her mother died as well was something she regrets. Regret that an emotion that used to consume her back when she killed Sakshi, but know it just an emotion she feels time and time when she sees uttara crying face. 

                But something changed with uttara behavior for the last two days. She was not crying about her parents as much as she did before..Payal know time heals most wounds but the sudden change was bit confusing. Add to that she was more distant towards her. And it bothers her a lot. Not only that unlike before when everyone let them alone in her room.. Now ragini is always sticking around with uttara, not even leaving her alone once.. Payal knew something was going on but she couldn't point her finger to it. And the last outburst of uttara when she accidentally let her parents picture fall from the table was more than enough for payal to confirm her suspicions. Payal decided enough is enough and she would confront uttara the first chance she gets with her alone. The chance didn't come till an day later.. Ragini and laksh had went to visit Swara.. Well that what ragini told, Sanskaar was locked up in his study as always.. And payal had finally got her opportunity. 

Payal:"What bothering you Tara.. Come on.. Tell me.. It feels like you are keeping something from me "

Uttara:" Nothing.. Just with all happening I am bit upset "

Payal :" You are lying.. I know that.. Come on we are best friends and you are hiding something from me "

Uttara :" I tell you later payal.. I don't want to hide it too but bhai won't like if I said anything about it "

                It took all effort from payal to extract the news from uttara.. And then immediately she regretted slipping up and asked her to forgot what she said but payal knew this is not something one can forget easily.   She went home dialed the number and waited for him to pick up 

Rocky :"Hello "

Payal:" It's me"

Rocky :" sorry I don't know anyone named it's me "

Payal :" Don't joke.. How can you do such an blunder "

Rocky:" What blunder.. Mind you I don't make blunders.. If I do I can't very well be your dad no one competitor in such an young age .. If you are so worried about my capabilities.. Why didn't you hire you dad to kill that idiot.. Why choose me.. Your idiot brothers would have done it for you as well "

Payal:" I choose you because of that.. For all the hate my dad cherish on you for being good.. You are not so good "

Rocky :"  Don't be so rude.. Just because you are his daughter doesn't entitle you to be rude to me...Your father thinks you are the innocent one in the family.. I wonder what he will think of you when he knows you hired few of my best recruits and got them killed in the process. You know the biggest black mark in my career will be that girl. I send the best for her and each time she get them killed. Why did I ever agree to your offer "

Payal:" Because I pay you well "

Rocky:" Come on you think what you pay is good.. Hilarious.. Little girl.. I am not saying it bad but  it definitely not worth getting the best in the field killed.. I do it for the fun it provides,  the knowledge that your father money is filling my bank account . Also Helping an enemy daughter  kind of make me the bigger guy. Ofcourse I do expect some kind of favor returned and I do appreciate the Intel you provided so far.. But I always thought your plan was to eliminate your father. Well the what I believed when you first met me.. But things did change drastically because of your crush "

Payal:" Enough.. I didn't call so you could talk about the past.. You keep saying you send the best.. But every execution of your fails big time.. I killed Sakshi and all you did was cover up my tracks. And you failed to do an proper job at it given Swara is still alive and instead your best in the field killed her parents instead.. And all those blunders didn't matter because they are all dead. But the recent one made some stupid mistake.. I just found out he left some evidence behind and he might be caught soon.. Ask him to run away somewhere before he gets caught and never  to mention my name if he got caught "

Rocky:"  Impossible.. He never makes an mistake and this plan of yours was perfect.. Sometime I envy your evil brain.. He was my second in command and so far he never once made an mistake.. Since durga Prasad was a top profile I send him for the task and it very unlikely for him to make an mistake.  And he didn't know the order was from you.. So relax.. I will check up on him "

Payal:" You better.. Krish the guy I told you about is so he'll bent on this case.. He is the one who is so adamant on not believing it to be an suicide and he found something that confirmed his doubt. So stay careful and don't get caught. "

               Payal knew once the seed was planted into rocky brain he will take care of it,  his method sure meant who ever killed durga Prasad would soon be joining him. So she was confidant about her safety. So it confused her when sanskar left the house in the middle of the night.. She was plagued with one of her nightmare so she woke  up in the night and walked to her balcony to get some fresh air that where she  saw him driving  away in his car. She didn't know what happened.. But when he didn't return by noon she was worried something must have gone wrong.. She decided to gently ask uttara about sanskar whereabouts and reached Maheshwari house.  Uttara, ragini and laksh were having lunch in the dinning room. The moment uttara spotted her.. She marched towards her with an expression that payal couldn't decipher until her eyes fell on the knife she was holding in her hand. 

Ragini :" Uttara.. What are you doing? "

Uttara:"  what I should have done long time ago"

                With that she almost would have stabbed payal hadn't it be for laksh who held her back forcefully.. 

Laksh :"Calm down uttara.. Please "

Payal:" What happened Tara.. Why are you behaving like this? "

Uttara:" Don't call me that.. Don't.. I believed you over my brother.. I refused to believe them and choose to believe you.. Because of that one more person is dead.. Just how can you do it to him.. "

Ragini :" Uttara stop.. Please.. "

Uttara :" What she will kill me too.. Then let her kill me as well.. Here hold the knife and kill me like you killed Sakshi bhabhi (With that she forcefully threw the knife back at payal that it fell near to her feet) .. And I will make sure to write your name on my death letter and that should be enough to send you to jail right.. If not kill me in front of everyone.. Why are you standing right there do it.. I know about you too.. Try to kill me as well just like you killed krish.. "

Laksh :" Uttara shut up.. No more.. "

                      Payal bose finally realized her mask has fallen off long time ago.  She was so careful in playing her innocent act and she got away with it for so long that she never realized there would come an day when her best friend would try to plunge an knife into her. If that how uttara reacted she didn't want to wait and see his reaction.  Nope every night she spent in fear of being found out by him. Now that it out she didn't want to face it. When her eyes fell on the knife thrown at her feet. She finally found the answer. She bent down to pick it up . The first time she saw fear in the eyes of her best friend and protectiveness in the eyes of her brother laksh. He simply pushed uttara behind him and stood in between them determined to protect his family from payal.. 

Payal :"Tell him I said sorry Tara and don't worry I will never harm you.. You were my best friend.. " 

                   And payal plunged the knife into her  leaving the entire Maheshwari family in shock. Before she lost her consciousness the last thing she heard was his foot steps.. And his words 

Sanskar :" Call an ambulance laksh.. Now.. "

Laksh :" But bhai.. "

Sanskar :" I said now ". 

P. S- A Short update I know... But do let me know your feedback  and hit the Votes if you liked it 

Love 

Nita