Perception of Life Part 4

Part 4

On the way to the boarding school, Shivay sits silently thinking about everything that has happened over the last few months. He looks at Anika’s letter to Dadi and re-reads her saying how she feels like she is the other women. He thinks back to everything that has happened since their wedding, how he announced to the world that he is married to Tia. How no one but only the Oberoi family know that he legally married Anika. He looks out the window as his visions get blurry with tears. Om notices Shivays quietness from the front but doesn’t say anything just like Rudra keeps mum as he drives to Sahils boarding school.

Once they reach the school the three get out and go straight to the residence office to speak to the office administrator so that they can get Sahil. The administrator tells them to wait as he will go and get Sahil.

“Mr. SSO, OmRu?” They turn around to see a little boy with crutches walking to them looking confused. Shivay looks at Sahil and remembers the few times that they have met and how Sahil was always sitting down. He thinks back to how he spoke with him for being ill-mannered and now feels even guiltier for being rude to him.

“Sahil?” OmRu ask and looks back at Shivay to confirm.

“Yes? Can I help you? Where’s is Anika didi? Did she come with you? She called here this morning but before I could come to the phone she cut the call. Where is she I have to yell at her for not talking to me earlier? But wait it’s not my birthday for her to surprise me like this. Why are you all standing there looking at me? Oh ho, you all just stand there but first tell me where she is so that I can go and talk to her.” He continues looking at them as they look down at him in confusion.

“Wait Anika Bhabi didn’t come here?” Rudra asks looking at his brothers and then to Sahil.

“What do you mean? Anika didi didn’t come with you? Then why are you all here? Wait what do you mean ‘didn’t come here’? Did she say she was coming to see me?” Sahil looks at them and starts to get scared for his sister. “Where is Anika didi?”

“Sahil, did Anika call you today?”

“Yes. The counselor came and told me Anika didi was on the phone waiting to talk to me so I came down here. But before I can speak to her she cut the phone on me. I tried calling her back but her phone wasn’t reachable. I didn’t know your house number so I couldn’t call you.” Sahil says with tears coming down his face. “Is she okay? Where is she? I want to see her. Please Mr. SSO, please take me to my sister.” Shivay holds a crying Sahil in his arms.

“Don’t worry Sahil, we will find your sister and then you can yell at her for being irresponsible.” He comforts Sahil. “Go and rest now. Once I find your sister I will bring her here and you can yell at her all you want. Okay?”

“Okay.” Sahil says walking back to his room. He stops half way and calls out to Shivay. “Please bring her back safely. I don’t know what is going on between the two of you but I
want my sister.” He turns around and leaves.

Shivay looks after him and turns to his brothers. “Where did she go if she didn’t come here? This ladiki. What is wrong with her? Why did she have to leave like this?” He turns and storms out of the building and gets back into his car with OmRu following him in. He calls Khanna and tells him to find Anika and let him know once he finds out anything. He cuts the call and turns and looks out the window. As they drive back home, Shivay thinks about their past encounters. He pulls out the letter that Anikia wrote to Dadi and re-reads it. His mind boggles at the thought of her thinking to be the other women in his life. He feels guilty and stares out the window.

They reach home and Shivay goes straight to Dadi’s room. “Did you bring her back? Where is she? I have to pull her ears and ask her why she left me and how dare she think to leave this house. Come I want to talk to my bahu.” Dadi says getting up from her bed.

“Dadi! Stop! She’s not here. She wasn’t with Sahil. I have Khanna looking for her. He will call me once he knows anything. You don’t worry I will bring her back here to you.” Shivay says making Dadi lay back down on the bed. After letting Dadi rest, Shivay goes back to his room and continues thinking about the past moments with Anika and the past couple of months how strange their relation had turned. He felt guiltier and guiltier as the moments flashed one after the other in his mind. “Where are you Anika? Why do I get this feeling that you may be in some danger?”