First of all I would love to thank Radhika402 for this awesome cover. You are love!

" Avanthika! You are losing it. "
Adway grabbed her hand and groaned.

Avanthika didn't react, only stared at him.

" Let her speak Adway. " , Devasena hissed.

While Amarendra stood, speechless.

" I don't want to Devasena. Thanks for your mercy! Just listen to me. That you called me a murderer, will forever remain embossed in my heart. And that this man just delivered and has been constantly delivering lectures on not to blame past life on present and all, I hope he and your everlasting husband remembers that I did not start this. You did. I did not call you a murderer even after the blurred image in my dreams cleared up to become your face, as my husband's murderer! You did not even hesitate for a moment before saying that Devasena! I hope the two standing here remember that as well. I didn't dig the past. You did! YOU DID! And now don't expect that I'll spare you. "

Avanthika pointed fingers at Devasena, threw fire at the other two and thumped towards the door.

Before leaving she turned to the awestruck crowd and uttered distinctly, " I'll make you pay. " , and left, in the rains.

Adway almost crashed on a sofa.
" Amarendra, I just feel I'm back to the night I murdered you. Everything's so devastating! "

Devasena watched Amarendra walk past her and place his hand on Adway's shoulder, who had cupped his face in his palm.
" Don't lose hope. Devasena is here right? We have a lot to know, and I'm sure a lot to make Avanthika understand. We need to clear her misconceptions. Yeah.... Misconceptions. Right Devasena?"

Amarendra looked back at Devasena. Adway did too.

But Devasena was not looking at them. She rather had a vacant look in her eyes. And then she slowly sat on the floor on her knees.
She murmured,
" I shouldn't have done that to her. I wronged her so much. I shouldn't have done that to her.... "

Adway's eyes slowly widened, and he shifted his gaze to Amarendra.
She did what to her? Was Avanthika right......

Amarendra walked over to Devasena, sat down beside her.
" Devasena, you had no option than do that to her. You have very recently entered this world of dual existence. You will take time to choose one over the other. Calling her a murderer was extremely natural of you dear! "

Devasena stared back at Amarendra, her eyes welling up. His reassuring eyes soothed her though, for the millionth time in the last twenty four hours. And the first time in this century maybe.

Adway almost heaved a sigh of relief. How did Amarendra know what wrong she's talking of exactly?

Adway stood up and walked to them.
" Devasena, I know it's awkward asking you this now, but given the situation in which Avanthika left... I would like to know what the truth.... "

Without letting him finish, Devasena jumped up.
" I need to go. I need to go to her. There's no one to console her. No one. Even she lost her husband, even she was in a situation I was in. If I could call her a murderer, what exactly is she going through? She needs me. "

" Devasena, don't be mad! "
Amarendra almost had to use both his hands to hold her.
" You cannot pacify her now Devasenas! We need time for all these. She won't believe in you at this point of time. "

Devasena immediately looked at Amarendra, and cupped his face in her palms. " And you? Do you believe I can murder my son? "

" Of course not Devasena! "
To this Devasena broke down into a wail. Amarendra hugged her tight. She hugged him tighter.

Adway coughed.
" Devasena, if you feel there's no one to pacify your friend, I may try once. I cannot make sure that I can, but maybe I can be with her for sometime. "

" Please Adway! Do that! She's calm but very impulsive. Plus she has a lot of sedatives in store.... "

" Oh Deva! Nothing is so drastic to anyone here as it is to you. But I warn you Adway, she can be dangerous. To you. That's the main reason I'm not letting Devasena go. "

Devasena kept staring at him.

" Don't worry bro! I have a licensed gun. " , Adway winked.

Devasena's jaw dropped.
" You are carrying that? "

" In my car. "

" Amarendra, why do you trust him? Maybe he's as dangerous as Avanthika! "
No one expected this drastic announcement from Devasena.

Adway was horrified and was going to say something. Amarendra gestured him to stop. And smiled at Devasena.
" I trust him because I want to. There's no ifs and buts. Plus neither will he gain something by murdering us, nor will the police spare him. Lastly, he's not impulsive. Unlike Avanthika.

Good luck bro! "

He shot a thumbs-up to Adway, who left looking back at Devasena time and again.

+++++

" Water? Cola? Rum? Vodka? Wine? Coffee? "

" Mix everything and give. "

Amarendra laughed at this.
" Fine. Horlicks and Cerelac too. "

" Do you think it's a joke Amarendra? Like really? I feel I've gone mad! I have no existence! I'm not real! Like I don't have the memory to hold so much memory but I have to! "

" Chill Devasena! If you don't want to overburden your brain, just relax! Your brain is elastic unlike your thoughts. And also your brain is smarter. It'll wisely choose what to remember and what not to. "

" I was your queen. "

" Oh suddenly? I mean, really? I didn't know that! "

Amarendra handed over a fuming cup of coffee to Devasena.

" We had a child too. "

" Yeah. And you shied away that day just over a kiss. "

" Shut up Amarendra! Mahendra... "

" Devasena, I'm not running away! Neither is time! I'll listen to everything but at this moment my only job is to make you realize that we are normal human beings of this century, each having a definite purpose of life, and our mission is not only to ponder upon the past. More because now, the pieces are joining. You are not alone, and not estranged from the rest of the planet. "

Devasena slowly smiled.
" We were talking of the kiss. "

" Exactly. Now imagine me knowing what all we have already done, and you run away after just a kiss? I mean, whaaat? "

Devasena smacked Amarendra.
" Pervert. "

" Pervert? Like really? You were my rightful wife! "

" Such an irony. I'm married without being someone's wife. I'm a mother without a child. "

" You're neither. You were.
Come. I'll take you somewhere tonight. "

" Where? "

And the next moment Devasena was almost dragged and dumped onto the backseat of Amarendra's bike, and they flying away immediately.

" Are you telling me where we are going? "
Devasena's voice was cut by the after rain breeze.

" Laxmi Narayan Temple. "

" What? Why? "

" You'll see. "