Valley of Flowers

Chapter 25

TWO weeks later, Anjali sat in the park outside Ashray talking to Manav. 'I am worried about Arnav. Since he came back from the police station last week, he is behaving strangely. 'What exactly happened there Manav?'

After one week of running to and fro to the police station, the SP had finally been forthright with him. He had told him that Shyam hadn't confessed to kidnapping Khushi in spite of the third-degree they had meted out to him. They believed that he was telling the truth. He was being shifted to Tihar after which he would be awaiting trial for the murder of his father. They had also found the remainder of the fifty lakh rupees stashed away in his house.

Then the SI had told him that since there was no foul play in Khushi's disappearance, he would either have to wait for his wife to come back to him or go looking for her in places she was likely to go after a fight.

'This is ridiculous!' Arnav exclaimed banging his fist on the table. 'I am sure Shyam is lying.'

'Sir, he has nothing to lose now, why would he lie?' The SP was trying to be patient.

'You don't know him like we do.' Arnav insisted.

'I beg to disagree Mr Raizada,' he countered. 'We have been dealing with criminals all our lives. Have you considered the fact that your wife wants some time off to think?' The inspector said gravely.

Arnav sat back a little taken aback with the suggestion. His eyes blazed with fury. 'You are just not trying hard enough.'

The inspector's temper rose up. 'We don't usually interfere in domestic disputes Mr Raizada. We have better things to take care of. How can you be so sure she wants to be found?'

'I thought Arnav was going to hit him,' Manav chuckled. 'I calmed him down and brought him home.'

Anjali was surprised. 'Is that why he is behaving like this? He goes to work in the morning, comes back late at night. He hasn't been eating well. I think he has been drinking. When I tried talking to him, he completely closed up. He isn't even searching for Khushi.' She added anxiously.

'It's a delayed reaction to everything that has happened Anjali . I think he is feeling guilty.'

'It was mom who caused all this.'

'That is exactly why he feels guilty,' explained Manav. 'In the past five years, Arnav has lived with the belief that Khushi betrayed him for her career. He thought he was the victim. Now he suddenly finds out that Khushi was innocent all along. He blames himself.'

'He shouldn't.' Her face creased with concerned.

'Well, I don't know the depth of the relationship they shared at the time, but considering their age, I can only surmise that it was still in a nascent stage. Arnav and you come from a broken home and hence you both have serious trust issues.'

'Me?' Anjali was taken aback.

'Yes, you as well. Your relationship with Shyam was based on duty rather than trust and sharing. In spite of being in a marriage you have tried not to depend on your husband for anything. You knew all this and felt guilty. If Shyam was a good husband he would have tried to earn your trust, with patience and understanding. But he played on your guilt and took advantage of you.'

As Anjali remained silent, he continued. 'This inherent distrust in relationships probably caused Arnav to hold back all those years ago. Khushi didn't know where she stood with Arnav at the time, whether she meant anything to him at all. That is why she couldn't come to him when your mother asked her to leave.'