“The entire way to the police hospital I was thinking about my decision to meet Aditya. Am I doing wrong? When I told this to Papa and Maa yesterday, their reaction was quite predictable. Any parent whose daughter has suffered so much for a man will never permit her to meet him again even though he is her so-called husband. Maa’s words are still resonating in my ears, ‘Choose between him and us.’ Papa didn’t say anything but the lines on his forehead were indicating his disappointment towards me. Right now, I am getting torn between logic and humanity. Responsibility and love. Love? My conscience nudges me. Love for whom? For my parents or for Aditya? No...I don’t love him. Not anymore. I am just doing my duty. I grab my purse to feel the necklace. I just have come here to give it back to him. I don’t have any other intention. At least I gave this excuse to my parents. But deep down I know I have come here to see him. Is it love? Still? But why? How? He has done the worst to me. Still, why this heart beats only for him? My train of thoughts breaks while the police jeep screeches to stop in front of the hospital. I sheepishly look outside.”

“Ms Basu, get down. We have reached.”

SP Bhosle says while opening the back gate of the jeep. Nandana palely smiles and gets down at a hesitant pace. Bhosle escorts her to a room. Nandana observes two armed constables are standing on either side of the door. They salute the SP. As she knows, Aditya is wounded, senseless; then why this much security is needed? If he had wanted to flee then he wouldn’t have surrendered. She looks at SP. The query in her eyes makes the SP break the silence.

“I suspect the people who tried to harm Aditya can repeat it again. Ms Basu, now this matter is not only between you and him. He surrendered for the crime he did to you but his political enemies want to take advantage of this situation. They tried to kill him last night and I know they will do it again.”

Bhosle’s blunt words create havoc in Nandana’s mind. She licks her dry lips and asks in desperation,

“Then why don’t you give him police protection? A person can’t be killed like this in police custody. Please do something.”

SP Bhosle nods his head in positive to this eager plea.

“I have done. Whatever I can do unofficially.”

Nandana frowns at him. Bhosle adds,

“Unfortunately, sometimes police force and judiciary come under political pressure. We can’t do anything despite having the will. Well, I think we should proceed now. If you want, I can wait outside. But don’t take long.”

Nandana doesn’t say anything but her eyes want the same. SP Bhosle removes the curtain and gestures her to enter while he stops outside. With baby steps, Nandana steps inside. Suddenly, a familiar feeling stirs her conscience. Aditya is lying on the bed. A thick bandage is there around his head. The green bedsheet is covering his upper torso till his chest. The right hand is rested on his chest where the IV is joined. Nandana saunters at him, trying to make less possible noise. Every step she is taking makes her close to the man whom she should hate. But in reality, she can’t. Or else, she wouldn’t have been here. Nandana reaches the bed and places her empathic eyes on his face. Aditya’s eyes are closed. His chest is rising and falling in a slow movement. Nandana holds her breath and angles forward to observe him from nearby. This man is the brute. He is a monster but now, he is in danger. Her beast is vulnerable, weak and sick. She doesn’t know when tears brim into her eyes and roll down to drop on his cheek. Aditya’s eyelids show some movement. He mumbles under his feeble breath,

“Angel…”

Nandana’s heart skips its beats for a moment. She sharply inhales and withdraws herself to stand straight. Aditya again whispers,

“An..ge..l…you…he..re..Ahhh…!”

His moan forces Nandana to rest her palm on his chest. She fails to control her erratic breath. She wants to say something but her lips are sealed by some unknown force. Having the familiar touch on his heart, Aditya slowly unfurls his heavy eyelids. A seraphic face gradually becomes clear to clearer. Both of their eyes meet after a long time. Aditya lifts his left hand and places it on hers.

“Angel…you are here..!”

This time he clearly utters which breaks Nandana’s trance. She pulls her hand back with a jerk and steps back a bit. A pale smile appears on Aditya’s lips. He sighs and mouths,

“You shouldn’t have come but somehow...I knew you will come. The beauty always comes to save her beast…hmm..”

Aditya scoffs. Nandana flares her nose. Her eyes become rigid once again. She opens her purse and takes out the necklace.

“Yes, I have come. But not to save you. I have something which I should return to you.”

She says with determination and steps forwards. Aditya looks at her with a query. Nandana lifts her hand holding the necklace and mouths,

“This. Your mother’s love for you. I have come here to return it back.”

In a blink of an eye, Aditya’s eyes flicker with fume. His jaws get hard. With a grave and flat tone, he utters,

“You are wrong. This is my mother’s love for her daughter-in-law. In that case, it is in its right place.”

Nandana bites her lower lip and counters,

“I am not her daughter-in-law. I have no relationship with her son. So, there is no question of right or wrong place.”

Nandana again forwards the necklace to Aditya. This time Aditya places his ardent eyes on her hesitant ones. Then he touches his cheek where Nandana’s tears fell. He utters profoundly,

“I wish again your words match your actions. But these tears are treacherous.”

Nandana breaks her eye contact. She can’t show her vulnerability to this man. Aditya smirks and tries to sit. Because of broken ribs, he can’t and let out a suppressed moan. Nandana immediately nears him. Her hands were about to give support to his weak body but she stops in the middle. Aditya observes it and sways his head with disbelief.

“Nandana, can you do me a favour?”

He abruptly says. Nandana’s forehead forms a ‘V’ in between her brows. Aditya continues,

“Please keep this necklace to you. My life has no surety. At least my mother’s bailment should be with someone who can take care of it.”

Aditya's voice had something which gives a tremor to her heart. Unknowingly she utters with restlessness,

"Why don't you protect yourself? You are Aditya Oberoi. Not any usual normal person."

Aditya stares at the ceiling and mouths in a pitiful voice,

"I wish I would have been a usual normal person. Only Aditya..as I always remain with you."

Nandana again musters herself. She can't be driven by emotion again.

"You and I can't be together again. Still, I can't see you losing like this. I don't know why I am here when I hate you...I just hate you..."

Nandana gets choked while pressing herself backwardly on the wall. Her eyes are closed and her lashes are moist. Aditya gazes at her for a while and mouths gravely,

"Good...at least you feel something for me..."

Only then, SP Bhosle's voice is heard,

"Ms Basu, we have to go now."

.........................

"Sir, I got a piece of news. Aditya Sir is not in the police station. When I tried to find out through my sources, I came to know that some people attacked Aditya Sir yesternight. After that, SP Bhosle shifted him to another place. But despite lots of efforts, I couldn't trace his whereabouts. Nobody knows where he is."

Ravi Shetty informs concernedly. Ayan budges on the sofa. His expression is worried and tormented at the same time.

"When will he produce Sir to the magistrate?"

He questions specifically. Ravi Shetty replies immediately,

“Day after tomorrow. By the way, Sir, my information hasn’t finished yet and I think this news will give you a new ray of hope.”

Ayan arches his brow at him. Ravi sits on the sofa squarely and carefully affirms,

“Ma’am Nandana went to the police station today. After that, SP Bhosle and she went to some other place. I guess she went there to Meet Aditya Sir. That means…”

Ayan snatches his words. His eyes are beaming with hope and joy. He sits on the sofa squarely and repeats,

“That means, my effort to convince her didn’t go to the vain. I was not wrong to see pain and love in her eyes. Ravi, we have still hope. Though we couldn’t appoint a proper lawyer for Sir… but! If Nandana Ma’am is with him then he has nothing to worry about.”

Ravi Shetty leans forwards and sceptically says,

“But if she won’t come at the court that day? If this hope will turn into mere assumption?”

Ayan keeps on staring at him for a while and utters in a grave voice,

“Then I will believe that true love doesn’t exist in this world.”

.......................

As Nandana sits at the dining table Jaya questions her husband. Though her elder daughter is her indirect target,

“So, what have you decided? Nandu will go to the court for the first trial in front of the Magistrate?”

Vivek glances at Nandana who is fiddling with the food on her plate.

“Yes, she will and I think she wants it too. Otherwise, she won’t go today to meet him despite your inhibition. Nandu…what do you say? Am I right or am I right?”

Vivek sounds composed but his sharp words dry up Nandana’s mouth. She meets her father’s piercing eyes and meeks out,

“Yes, Papa...I was about to tell you this. I met him. But the reason was not that what you are thinking.”

She pauses for a second and continues,

“I wanted to meet him for the last time….But..”

She keeps the line unfinished. Vivek concludes,

“But you couldn’t say your last goodbye to him.”