Heart is a Fool

Chapter 3: Hide & Seek

Delhi - Noon House

The phone beeped incessantly and old Taari was struggling to answer in her sleep. It was in the wee hours of the morning and Geeta on the other side. She excitedly declared that she was going to be a Daadi soon and quickly enquired about Ritwik. Geeta updated Taari about the drama Vikrant and Palak did and how ashamed she was.  Taari wanted to run out on her old legs and give the happy news to her friend and Viju Baba but Geeta advised her otherwise. She requested Taari to keep her ears open and update her while she sorts out Palak.

Ritwik stirred in his sleep muttering Palak. His eyes were heavy after nearly 30 hours of sleep; he felt drugged and his vision was unclear. Slowly he regained himself and Aman went rushing to call Mamta. He was hungry and thirsty. Taari got him juice and his favorite ghee laden carrot halwa. She hugged him and thought this kid has got everything yet nothing. He lost out on his mother's love, then a wife who loved him and now does not know the greatest news of his life. She rubbed his back and consoled him as she could feel his tears on her kurta sleeve. 

Everyone surrounded him in his room but all he wanted was to run far away and gather himself. He could not stand Rishabh and Saachi in the room and politely requested everyone to leave. Aman refused to budge and sat next to him. They pondered in silence unable to believe what had happened. Ritwik wanted to go searching for Palak but his legs were too weak. 

Delhi - Ricky Palak Apartment

Manjeet was having a hard time giving away all the stuff to these buyers who were negotiating hard with her. Mr Sharma was ready to give away for free also just to get back with his daughter but Manjeet was not the one to give up. She got into petty arguments with almost all the buyers but one who was not ready to budge since he had traveled quite a distance for the Dining Table and Sofa. While pestering Manjeet; his eyes fell on Ritwik and Palak's picture and he could not believe it. He flipped out his phone and hastily typed a message while Manjeet continued to blabber.

Delhi - Noon House  

Aman's phone beeped and it was a message from Robin, Ritwik's earlier secretary. He wanted to know if all is well since an old couple were selling stuff from an apartment which also had pictures of Ritwik and Palak. Aman informed Ricky that Palak's parents were clearing out the apartment. Ritwik sprang up and asked Aman to take him there right now. 

Delhi- Sharma Residence

Everytime her parents left her alone, she wept uncontrollably until she was kicked into consciousness by those little angels growing within her. Just like their dad; attention seekers she thought as she drifted away in the past with Ritwik. Her laptop beeped and it was her cousin Jenny from Chandigarh. Di....she squealed to tell her that she had won a scholarship to study in London. It was a welcome relief to talk to Jenny ; who was always full of beans.  She wanted to spend some time with her Palak Di and Ritwik Jiju in Delhi before leaving since she had missed their filmy marriage. Palak quickly changed topic and assured Jenny that they will come over to Chandigarh. 

Then she logged into her mail to find the approval from the HR Manager of Archaic Pharma to work from home. There was also a mail from Geeta wanting to meet her since she could not reach out to Palak and her mom on phone. Palak was wondering what to respond and it struck her that Ritwik may try to track her on mail or social media. She quickly deactivated all her accounts. 

Delhi-Raheja House

Geeta scolded Vikrant and gave him a dressing down for being a part of the drama with Ritwik without knowing the reason and understanding the impact. He kept pleading with her but she was firm and asked him to immediately leave for America while she sorts this out. Vikrant dialed Navya and wanted to spend the evening with her since he had to leave in a day. They decided to meet at Some Place Else over candle light dinner.

Delhi-Ritwik & Palak's Apartment

Aman & Ritwik sprinted out of Noon House and zoomed to the old apartment. By the time they reached; they found Robin loading stuff in a vehicle. Palak's parents had left hurriedly after receiving a call. There were two boxes labeled Ritwik Noon and he was asked to drop them off in exchange of the rocking chair where Palak loved to lounge after a long hard day. Ritwik was breaking into a million pieces but he knew this was not the time to mope; he had to find his Palak. Ritwik pulled Aman and headed toward's Palak's home. 

Delhi-Sharma Residence

The doors were locked; lights were off and no one had seen the Sharma's since morning. All the phone numbers were out of reach. Ritwik kept ringing the bell, calling out their names but Palak held her parents close and requested them not to answer Ritwik while the little feet kicked her hard. Her mother Manjeet peeped through the door and saw Ritwik leaving. His feet staggering, with every step he looked back many times. She could not understand what these kids were up to. Her son-in-law was one in a million but her daughter was the strongest and most sensible of them all but she did not trust the Noons. That night Palak and her parents left for Chandigarh to meet her cousin Jenny. 

Delhi Noon House

That night Ricky retired straight to bed not in a mood for any conversation. His head felt heavy and his temples throbbed. There was a piercing pain in his heart. Rishabh came into his room and started off on a sarcastic note but Ritwik was emotionless and blank. Mamta scolded Aman for accompanying Ritwik and reminded him not to encourage this behavior since that girl Palak has destroyed her son and her family. Rishabh overheard the conversation and was glad that his mother had bought into his theory atlast, so his game was almost won. Later Mamta gave Aman the pills and food so that he could sit with Ricky and ensure he had them.