Silent Whispers

Chapter 31: Perfectly Imperfect

"Sorry, sorry!" Anjali gasped, hurriedly sitting in the sleek white Mercedes car, waiting just outside the gates of Shantivaan.

Shyam waved off her apology. "Is everything okay? It's never like you to not pick up my calls."

Anjali stared out the window. The lazy Sunday morning was slowly drifting off into the afternoon, while the sun continued to play hide and seek with the pearly white clouds. It was the perfect day for a picnic, and Anjali might have convinced her brothers of the same, had Akash not ruined it all.

Akash.

Where should she even begin with him? Anjali had always known her brother to be emotionally naive, and not to mention, insecure, but she had never expected him to burst out like he did, especially at Arnav.

"Anjali?" Shyam called. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I was with Bhai – that's why I didn't pick up the phone."

"But that's not what you are upset about, is it?"

Anjali glanced at him. She really shouldn't be surprised to see him pick up on her turmoil, but she was. And more than that, she was confused. What could she possibly tell him? After all, Khushi was his sister. 

"What? Is it a secret?"

"No," she replied, finally. "It's.... it's Akash. He is... pissed."

"About what?"

"About life. He came home today and found that article they published about Bhai and Khushi and he just blew up. About how unfair we have been to him all this time, about how Bhai has been unfair to him... the list is endless."

Shyam looked at her. "Well, did you tell him what really happened?"

"I tried... but he wouldn't listen. He was so angry that anything I said made it worse."

"I don't blame him."

Anjali turned to him, staggered. "What?"

"I don't blame him," Shyam repeated, calm. "Anyone in his place would think the same."

"Of course not! It's Bhai we are talking about here!"

"And I'm talking about Meeti."

She stopped short.

"She doesn't love him Anjali," Shyam explained. "She never did."

"And how do you know that?!"

He glanced at her, incredulous. "She is my sister. What don't I know about her?"

Anjali rolled her eyes, being strongly reminded of Arnav and her conversation with him earlier that day. "Why are all brothers stalkers?! Does it hurt to give some privacy?"

A line appeared on Shyam's forehead.

"Bhai," she explained, catching his look. "He knows about us. He knew since the day I said yes and he has been in the loop ever since!"

Shyam nodded, as if making a note to himself. "Clever man."

Anjali was now flabbergasted. "Clever man?! I just told you that my brother knows about us and the fact that we have been lying to his face all this time, and all you can say is "clever man"?!"

"Yes," he answered, with an infuriating smile. "Because he is looking out for you, to make sure I'm not some psychotic killer, just like any good brother. I would and have done the same thing."

She shook her head in disbelief. "So what? You have been snooping on Khushi and Akash all this time then?"

"Don't have to. Meeti tells me everything."