Part 12 Two selfish man

Aman was taken into police custody. The only sentence he uttered was, 'I DON'T KNOW'. The police could not get anything from him other than 'I don't know, no matter how much he was beaten up. They were fed up with his stubbornness. Govind was pressurizing the police to get the truth from him. He wanted to find his daughter before her menstrual period got over. He could not let some other castes get mingled with him. Before they start their relationship, he wanted to stop them. He thought they would not have started their relationship because according to him, that was Khushi's fourth day of the menstrual cycle.

The police inspector came to Govind.

"Sir, he is adamant. I think your daughter loves the guy so much that's why he is protecting them and bearing the pain. Please consider sir. Get them married and accept them" the police inspector said.

Govind sighed.

"If I have no choice other than that, ok... I will get them married."

Aman smiled forgetting his pain, upon hearing that. That is what he wanted. He wanted his friends to be together. If Khushi's father accepted them, they will lead their life peacefully.

Govind called his wife from the police station number. She attended it.

"I have decided to get Khushi married to the guy."

"But why?" She was shocked.

"What do you want me to do then? Who will marry her after what she did? Accepting her is the only choice we have. Make yourself ready to accept her. I'm going to talk to the boy's parents"

Keeping the receiver on his ear,

"What's the boy's name?" Govind asked Aman, looking inside the lock-up.

"Arnav..." He said in a feeble tone as he could not open his mouth.

Govind looked at the inspector,

"Arnav..."

"I will bring Khushi and Arnav home," Govind said to Megla and disconnected the call.

A Constable helped Aman to stand.

"You would have avoided being beaten up by telling the truth"

Aman smiled painfully.

"Thank God, her father is ready to accept them now. Don't worry. He will get them married" the pc said.

Aman felt happy.

"They got married already..." Aman said.

"Oh... When did they get married?" Govind asked not showing his disappointment.

"Yesterday..."

"I wanted my daughter's wedding to happen grandly... That's ok... It's all fate." Govind regretted.

"Do the reception grandly..." the inspector suggested.

"Will do it for sure" Govind accepted his idea.

Aman believed their words unaware of the truth that it was a drama to know their whereabouts.

They started to Ghaziabad with Aman.

.....

Khushi's cousin, Neya called Shiv Shankar to convey the matter.

"Do you happen to know about Khushi?" He asked.

"Yeah, she is in Ghaziabad"

"That's great..."

"I'm sorry to have to tell you that she got married"

There was silence on the other side.

"Shiv..."

"When did she get married?"

"Yesterday..."

"What about the first night? Is that over?"

"Don't know... But..."

"But what?"

"She was in her period when she left home. Yesterday was the third day of her menstrual cycle. There is no chance for that to happen..."

"Mmm... Govind uncle has a phone in his hand?"

"Yes..."

"Message me the number" Shiv disconnected the call.

The next day, early morning

Arnav and Khushi were sleepy as they didn't sleep the whole night. They jerked hearing a knock on the door. Neatening his dress, Arnav opened the door, expecting Nancy there. His facial expression changed, seeing the police inspector standing.

Khushi started shivering. They came out nervously. Aman came to Khushi.

"Don't panic. Your father is ready to accept you guys"

Khushi felt relieved and delighted. She smiled at Arnav.

"If they ask you anything, tell them EVERYTHING is over... It will not let them think of separating you" Aman whispered to Khushi.

She looked at him confusingly as she didn't understand what EVERYTHING meant and in what sense he wanted her to say so.

Khushi avoided, looking at her father. She felt scared more than embarrassed.

"As per the Habeas corpus, we will have to surrender her in the police station within twenty-four hours. So, we have to go to Delhi. Take your things and come with us" the inspector said.

Arnav looked at Khushi and gave a sign for her to get ready. She went inside the house and gathered the things Arnav bought for her.

Govind and a few cops occupied the car whereas Arnav, Khushi, and Aman were taken to Delhi by the police jeep. The jeep was congested. Khushi hesitated to sit closer to Arnav, in front of people.

"Arrey, you are husband and wife, after all. you can sit on his lap too. Feel free" the police constable said teasingly.

That made Khushi blush and Arnav relaxed.

There was no chance given to the couple to doubt their intention. Arnav and Khushi trusted Govind completely.

Govind was distraught. He had an extreme level of bitterness in his heart. ( if he had a heart) His daughter was the reason for the bitterness. She made him feel powerless. His power didn't work in front of his daughter's LOVE. She spoilt the reputation that he had sustained so far. He could not bear the humiliation.

That's when he got a call. He saw a US number on the phone screen. He knew who it could be. What he guessed was right. It was Shiv Shankar.

"How is Khushi?" Shiv Shankar asked.

"Mmm... We are coming back to Delhi..." He choked.

"Please relax..."

"How could I be? Who will marry my daughter after what she did?" He asked with a throatiness.

"You don't have to bother about Khushi. I will marry her... ( he paused for a second ) if she is a Virgin" Shiv Shankar added.

That's it... Was not it enough for Govind? According to him, it was very easy to get a virginity certificate even though Khushi was not a virgin. After all, he had a helping hand from a famous rowdy like Linga.

"Thank God, Khushi was still a virgin. I will take Khushi to any Gynaecologist you choose and get a virginity certificate from her" Govind said.

He's so confident statement gave hope to Shiv Shankar.

"Then I will surely marry Khushi"

"Thank you so much"

"It's my pleasure to save your reputation, uncle" Shiv Shanker said with a devilish smile.

They disconnected the call. Govind felt relieved. He will get the same respect from his community people forever if Shiv Shankar marries Khushi. No one can question him anymore. Shiv Shankar's stand on Khushi's problem turned Govind's condition upside down. If Shiv Shankar would not have called Govind, he might have thought of accepting Khushi's wedding with Arnav. But Shiv Shankar wiped the thought off completely. His words made Govind confident and hopeful. We can't deny that Shiv Shankar played a cruel role in Arnav and Khushi's life. That made their lives horrible.

On the other side, Shiv Shankar was delighted like anything not because he was going to get Khushi, it's because Khushi was still a virgin.

There was only half an hour's ride to Delhi. That's when Govind saw a tea stall on the way. He asked the driver to stop the car. Seeing them stopping the car, the police jeep driver also stopped the jeep.

Govind beckoned them to have tea.

They had tea while murmuring something between themselves. Arnav and Khushi felt something in their heart for the first time.

"What will we do if they separate us?" She raised the question.

"They can do nothing... We are husband and wife. I'm with you. You don't have to be scared" Arnav said.

"Yes, Khushi, you got married. Everyone knew about your marriage. Your father won't do anything to risk your life." Aman said.

"Mmm..." She said hesitatingly.

The inspector came to them.

"Beta, you need not sit congested anymore. There's a space in the car. You can come with your father by car" he said.

Khushi looked at Arnav swallowing hard. Arnav blinked his eyes in the manner of consoling her.

"We are getting late. I have to surrender her in the police station soon" the inspector hurried.

Arnav gestured for her to go. She walked towards the car looked at him back to back and got in. The car and the jeep started towards Delhi but on different paths.

To be continued...