After The Rain

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Broken Glass

In fury and terror
the tempest broke,
it tore up the pine
and shattered the oak,
yet the hummingbird hovered
within the hour
sipping clear rain
from the trumpet flower.

- Elizabeth Coatsworth (The Storm).

~

Anjali had long stopped feeling.

She had felt her characteristic cheeriness when she woke up this morning. Had engaged in an enthralling conversation with Khushi-ji, conjuring up all sorts of plans to tease their newly married siblings. She had then felt a deep satisfaction as she subtly teased Khushi-ji herself, who had recently been at the receiving end of her Chotte's affection. Her elation persisted still as she went about her day and had only increased when her husband said he had a surprise waiting for her.

The elation grew throughout their long drive, as she, blindfolded and teaming with excitement, chatted her way through the drive. She remembered being excited about spending some time with Shyam-ji. They had been drifting apart lately-whether it was because of the pressure at his job or her own preoccupation with Akash's wedding, she did not know. But she was grateful for him to take the first step towards rekindling.

But her joy had abated when they stopped and he took her blindfold off, only for her to find herself in front of an old decrepit building. It honestly looked like one strong gust of wind will knock it right off. She had turned to him with a frown only to find standing behind him two men whom she did not recognise. Two men who wore on their faces an eerie, almost leering, looking. And two men who were holding guns to the heads of two other men, who were laying on the floor, bloodied and unconscious. When her eyes urgently sought her husband again, she found herself staring down the end of the barrel of another gun.

That was when she had stopped feeling. Her elation had soared high before confusion and disappointment clipped her wings. Fear and dread had punctured deeper holes, and everything had pummelled to the ground when she found her husband pointing a gun at her, until she. felt. nothing.

She had barely registered what was happening after that. Had hardly reacted as Shyam-ji jeered and nudged her inside the building, up a flight of stairs and inside a dusty old room. And she had remained emotionless still as he pushed her onto a chair before proceeding to tie her. The ropes had dug into her flesh, stinging and most probably drawing blood but she said nothing. She simply stared at him, her face blank.

That had been an eternity ago. Shyam-ji had had time to leave the room and come back, before engaging himself with something on the table that stood on her left side. When he was done, he lifted his head to her.

The face that she saw was no longer of the man she loved. It had ceased to be so the moment she realised he was the one holding the gun. Gone was the affectionate smile and soft eyes and instead, he pulled on a twisted, almost cold curve of his mouth. A glint went through his eyes as they stared down at her.

"I must say Rani Sahiba," he drawled. He pulled a chair from behind him before seating himself right in front of her, his face level with hers. "I am disappointed. I expected tears. Some yelling. Some futile attempts to hit me or knowing you, a pathetic sight of you laying on the floor in sobs. I expected some signs of heartbreak as I told you the devastating truth. I spent all this time narrating my evil plans and you can't even give me a proper reaction? Tut. After four years of marriage. That's all I get?"

Had he been saying something? The devastating truth? the evil plans?

He had been talking nonstop, but she listened without understanding, without taking it in.

He talked about how he never loved her. She remembered an apology that seemed the farthest thing from being sincere as he admitted a series of nonsensical actions-committing fraud against her brother, lying to her for years, something to do about tricking Khushi-ji, and finally, he had spoken of a plan for revenge. Revenge against her brother-a plot that centred around her and what happens to her today.