The Mafia's Collateral

Part 66

Deep's P.O.V.

"Sonia," I whispered in disbelief at Arohi's thus far narration. My eyes widened. "Yeah. And then I decided that I have to talk to Avinash about his wife's insolence so I went back to his apartment with Ananya. Reaching there, we saw Sonia hugging him and Ananya's face showed how hurt she was. When I couldn't take her sorrow again, I stormed up to Avinash and pulled them apart. Then I took Avinash to the kitchen and as I was questioning him, Sonia came and interrupted us. I was even more surprised when Avinash told me to leave. When I went back, Ananya had already left and I decided to go back. But when I reached back, Dad told me that Ananya had locked herself in her room after taking a knife from the kitchen. But what I don't understand is that before taking the knife, Dad said that she said she wanted to leave tonight itself. So if she wanted to go away, then why did she cut her wrist?" She said. I listened and asked, "When you were talking to Avinash in the kitchen, where were Sonia and Ananya?" "They both were in the hall," she said. I now understood why Ananya took this step. Surely Sonia must have spread her poison in Ananya's head. This is the only thing she's good at. I began to feel angry at her. She will surely get a lesson for this. I won't spare her. "Mr. Raichand," a deep voice called from behind me. I turned around and looked at a police officer standing. "We need your statement in regards to Miss Ananya Kashyap's suicide attempt," he said. I stood up and looked at him saying, "Officer, I wasn't present for any of the occurrences so I can't tell you anything useful. I only got to know after she was admitted in here." He then turned to Arohi and asked, "Who are you?" "She's Ananya's sister. But please, leave her family alone. They are already in a great trauma," I said. "We are here to do our duty Mr. Raichand. You don't need to tell us whom should we interrogate and when should we," the officer replied.

Arohi held my shoulder and said, "It's ok Deep. I will answer their questions." She stepped in front of me and said, "I am ready officer. Tell me, what do you want to know?" "Come with us," he said. I held her hand and said to the officer, "She isn't going anywhere. Whatever you want to know, ask here." The officer turned to me and looked annoyed. "Mr. Raichand, I can arrest you for obstructing the duty of a police officer," he said. "I'm sorry officer. But as far as I know, there are no such crime like that. So whatever you want to ask, ask in front of me," I said. "Why? Are you the reason the girl cut her hand?" He asked. I gritted my teeth and was about to rush him when Arohi blocked me saying, "Deep. Calm down." I looked at the officer angrily as he was amused. Arohi turned back to the officer and said, "Let's go." "Arohi, you are not leaving this cafeteria! Whatever they want to find out, they can do it right here," I said sternly. She turned to me and rested her hands on my chest. She looked into my eyes and said, "I'll handle myself." She turned back and looked at the officer sternly and said, "Let's go." They left the cafeteria and I decided to go and check on Uncle Navin. I went back to the room and saw him sitting next to Ananya in the same position as he was in before we left him. I slowly went to him and rested my hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at me. He wiped away the few tears he had in his eyes and stood up. "Uncle, I think that it's best for you to go home. Take some rest and then come back. I'll see if I can convince the doctor to shift Ananya home," I said. "I won't leave her and go," he said. "But Uncle, only one person can remain in the ward with a patient," I said. "Well I will remain. You and Arohi go home," he said. I looked at how worried he was and decided that it might be best for him to remain with Ananya in front of his eyes at the moment. "Ok Uncle, if you insist. I am going with Arohi, we will bring back your medicines for you," I said.

He nodded and sat back down. I looked at him as he held Ananya's hand. I left the room and met Arohi about to enter. "Where are you going?" She asked. "We are going home. Uncle is insisting on remaining so you and I would have to leave and bring him his medicines," I said. Shaking her head, she said, "No way! I am not leaving Dad here alone! I will stay with him. You can go if you wish." "Arohi, don't act childish. Uncle will remain, you come home and change your clothes. Look at how it's stained with blood. We will come back in a while," I said. She looked at me annoyed and said, "You are telling me that I am acting childish? Really Deep? My sister is here in this state and you think that if I want to be with her, I am acting childish?" "Arohi, I didn't mean it like that. You know what I meant," I said. "No I don't know what you meant! All I know is that Dad is ill also, he can't remain here alone. And I am not leaving my sister," she said sternly. I sighed and said, "We will come back. We have to go home in any case for Uncle's medicines." "Fine. But we will come back," she said. I nodded. "Let's go," she said. She looked at Ananya and then turned around and left with me. She sat silently without saying a word in the car. Her silence was bothering me and I held her hand. I intertwined our fingers and looked at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to leave your sister in that state and come home with me," I said softly. "It's ok. I know," she said softly. "Listen I understand that you are worried about your Dad and sister, I am just as much. But you need to take care of yourself as well. Go home, change, get a little fresh, and we will come back," I said. "You're right. I'm sorry," she said. I smiled. We reached back and got out. I escorted her to her apartment and as we were going to her room, she stopped and looked at Ananya's room. She frowned and stepped closer.