Titaliya

Chapter 2

It wasn't even a half-an-hour since sunrise. No one in Shantivan was awake yet. She cursed herself for not buying a cellphone. Thankfully, none of the Prakash brothers were awake yet. She paused before descending down to the living room.

Maybe her family would forgive her quickly. They were all kind people. Perhaps things could be resolved by talking. She chuckled. The idea of Arnav Singh Raizada listening to her side of the story was laughable. He'd already come to his own conclusions, and been sure enough of his assumptions to ruin her life.

Even if it was resolved, her future was unclear. She couldn't go back home to Amma and Babuji. Shantivan would be left in shambles if the truth came out. Khushi knew Anjaliji wouldn't easily accept reality. And there was her pregnancy to think about.

She and Shyam were the problem. Shyam wouldn't leave Shantivan, but she could. She could disappear forever. Even the Raizadas would never find her.

Before she knew it she was at the landline. She checked to make sure no one was around, and dialled the number. Khushi never thought she would use the number, but it was stuck in her mind. Every year a gift arrived on her birthday with a card and the phone number written on it. Every year, she received the invitation to leave her family behind. Now, she was finally taking it.

The phone rang and rang. Khushi realized it was only five in the morning. There was a chance no one would pick up. And if they called back later in the day... it would be a disaster if one of the Raizadas picked up.

"Hello?" a wavering voice asked.

"Hello, Nani?" Khushi whispered. "It's me, Khushi."

***

She heard fumbling at the other end, what she imagined to be blankets thrown off the bed and standing up.

"Beta," her grandmother breathed.

It was wonderful hearing a friendly voice. So much had changed in twenty hours that one kind word broke her. She let out a sob.

"Nani," she whispered into the phone. "Please take me away from here."

"Where are you, beta?" Her nani asked.

"Shantivan, Delhi," Khushi replied. "I have to leave Amma and Babuji behind, Nani. I have to disappear from here."

The old woman scoffed.

"They were never your Amma and Babuji in the first place, beta. Pack your things. I'll be there in two hours."

"Nani, I'll be waiting for you at the Durga temple near Shantivan. I have to leave now."

Her grandmother stayed silent for a moment.

"Beta... what happened?" Her nani asked.

"I'll tell you everything once we meet, Nani."

"I'll send some of my Delhi branch employees to meet you at the temple. They will take care of you, darling."

"I'll see you soon, Nani."

Not soon enough, Khushi's Nani thought.

***

Khushi hurried out of Shantivan. The guard at the gate was awake, but she told him she needed to go home to get something for a pooja for the newly married couple. She hid her mangalsutra and the sindoor had been washed off.

The temple was ten minutes away. She prayed no one in Shantivan noticed her absence till she was gone. Then she realized, praying had done nothing for her so far and simply walked faster.