The Voice Or The Echo? (COMPLETE)

Chapter 19

Who are Kabeer Pratap Rana and Meera Kumari Shekhawat (formerly Meera kumari Rana)?

Why were they involved in  Padmini's kidnapping?

                    ☆☆

Thwack! An envelope placed amongst the pages holy scripture, fell to the floor spilling out its contents in the process. A stack of photographs!  Padmini crouched down to pick them up, a soft gasp escapes her realising that it was Meera and Kabeer's family photographs. Feeling a pang of guilt, like intruding on their family affairs, she hurriedly gathered them, slid it back into the envelope.

Ornately bound in velvet wrap, with the letters 'Ramcharitramanas by Tulsidas'   embossed in gold, caught her eye, placed among few other holy scriptures in purpose built book case at the altar.

"So that's where it was!" startled by Kabeer's voice she spun around to find Meera and Kabeer standing behind her "you do have an eye for detail".

"I...I.. the book..." Padmini felt like a trespasser caught in the act "I wanted to borrow... book," she gestured at the one in her hand "at home I used to read Ramcharitramanas regularly so when I found.." she broke out in cold sweat, panicking.

Her body and mind shuddered reacting involuntarily, from deeply engraved memory of the unpleasant consequences she faced when Chandrakanth accused her of invading his personal space.

Kabeer nudged his sister, she stepped forward with a fond smile, "Didi please, relax! We won't bite you. In fact, we are thankful to you." She reached for the photographs in Padmini's hand, "We were looking for them but never found it. Dad probably kept them there so that he could post them to my inlaws."

"Meera I have a client to meet, I'll pick Abhi on my way back. It's your day off, you rest" Kabeer left.

~~~~~~

"Meera, I... Can I ask you something personal?" Both women sat folding and putting away the washed clothes.

"You want to know about Abhi?" Padmini nodded her head in hesitance. "I knew you would have noticed. Abhi has motor skill disorder. He wobbles a little while walking and has developmental delays. He is five but can't speak in full sentences and his hand-eye coordination is also poor. I met with a serious accident when pregnant" regret and anguish filled her petite form, shrinking it further.

'Kanhaji, it's her husband!' realisation dawned on Padmini, she had seen framed photographs of them in the living room. She hurriedly reached out and held her hand reassuringly.

"Meera please you need not say anything, I'm sorry. It was stupid of me to invade your privacy."

Meera's lips curled with a sad smile, eyes glistening with tears.

"I want to Didi. You have the right to know. It's in a way connected to you. Did you ever suspect us? We were there in the place you were held after being kidnapped. Kabeer Da and I were part of the group guarding you. Don't you doubt us, our intentions?" She sounded incredulous.

Padmini exhaled, not sure what inspired this faith deep in her towards the siblings given the strange circumstance under which their lives had crossed.

"I did, initially but was not in a good frame of mind to question further. When you risked everything and helped me get out of there and the way you both have been caring for me all those doubts vanished. Now I trust you and your brother more than myself. There is a stronger reason to trust you both, but this is not the right time to explain anything further" patting her hand reassuringly.

A wry smile graced her lips, shoulder slouched and eyes downcast suddenly she seemed much older than what she was,
weighed down by the burden of whatever pushed them both to aid a kidnapper.