Once Upon a Curfew

by Srishti Chaudhary

  ‘But I see you struggling with it, bending to pressures, and I hate that I complicated it for you like this. More than that, I can’t bear that every day, I put you in even more danger. I want to be able to end this for you. I’ll go away and never contact you again after this.’

  ‘But I love you too,’ she said before she could stop herself.

  She saw his jaw tighten with emotion. He extended his hand to her, and Indu saw that he was about to say something, when the little Sardarji popped up at the gate. She cursed him silently and was about to signal to Rana to hide, but realized it was too late when she saw the boy already waving enthusiastically at Rana.

  Rana’s eyes grew wide too, but he recovered quickly and smiled, while Indu tried to think of an excuse.

  ‘Rana bhaiya!’ the little boy said, jumping in excitement as Rana patted him awkwardly on the head. ‘Where were you all these months?’

  ‘I was away on some work,’ Rana said lamely.

  ‘I am so happy you are back!’ Indu saw that he looked genuinely happy. ‘It was always fun to have you here. Indu didi scolds everyone a lot.’

  Rana chuckled quietly.

  ‘He is not here to stay,’ Indu said. ‘In fact, he was just here for two minutes to pick up a book. He is now going—to Kerala—and he doesn’t really want to stay to say hi to anyone, so don’t tell anyone he was here, okay?’

  ‘No,’ he replied with a pout. ‘You’re going again? Stay here, you can stay with me!’

  ‘I would love to, but I have some more work these days. When I am finished, I’ll definitely come back to see you,’ Rana replied.

  ‘Don’t tell anyone that he was here,’ Indu said to him strictly again, ‘or I will set the ghosts of Number 7 on you.’

  ‘There are ghosts in Number 7?’ he asked, his mouth slightly open.

  ‘Of course!’ Indu said with a cackle of a laughter. ‘Who else do you think stays here at night? An empty house is very comfortable for ghosts. I lock them in the house, but if I let them loose, they like to go to the homes of little Sardars and cut off their joodis . . .’

  At that, the little boy put his palms to his eyes, pretending he couldn’t see Rana, and walked back to the building.

  Realizing how late it was, Indu rushed away before Rana could say anything about their interrupted conversation.

  She reached home to find her father at the door, and felt nervous again.

  ‘Where have you been, Indu?’ he asked her carefully, and she guessed some of the distress might be showing on her face. Indu took a deep, calming breath before answering.

  ‘I was just out, you know, with some friends, watching a movie, that’s why it took so long. Hera Pheri,’ she said, naming the first movie that came to her mind.

  ‘Really? I thought you didn’t like Bachchan.’

  ‘I don’t, of course, but my friends dragged me.’

  ‘Why didn’t you ask Natty to take you?’

  She suddenly fell quiet. ‘Uh, just like that. I didn’t want to bother . . . I just used the bus. I have to get used to it for London!’

  Her father looked at her strangely and she wondered how high-pitched she sounded.

  ‘Come, sit here,’ he said, indicating the sofa. ‘Tell me how your day was.’

  She followed him to the sofa, taking a seat beside him. ‘Good, regular. Kittu’s getting better at handling everything, and I was—you know, I’m very glad about it. I really love being there.’

  Indu hoped he understood the meaning of her words, and he took some time to answer.

  He nodded. ‘It’s good you started this, right? I remember you were so excited.’

  She laughed nervously. ‘I still am.’

  ‘You fought Govind so hard to get hold of Number 7.’

  She didn’t answer.

  ‘Amita was also on your side. Perhaps that caused a rift . . .but never mind that now. And then you found that chap, what was his name again . . .’

  ‘Rana,’ she answered carefully, now looking around for her mother. She must be in bed already.

  ‘Quite smart, that one, wasn’t he?’

  She didn’t answer, again, and her heart began pounding; was it possible he knew? No, it couldn’t be. Natty would never. Not in a million years.

  ‘Smart fellow, he asked me for a job at some point. He will do well in life, I can tell. I know you two were friends . . . but alas, everything was already fixed.’

  He was talking to himself now.

  ‘What are your intentions, then?’ he asked her.

  ‘What . . . what do you mean?’

  ‘Your intentions. To marry Rajat.’

  The question left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth. ‘I don’t think my intent was considered very much,’ she said.

  Indu wondered why her father made a face, as if this piece of information was news to him. ‘Indu,’ he said, holding the side of the sofa, ‘I never—we never . . . we are very liberal. We would never stop you from . . . that is not fair.’

  Indu restrained from retorting. ‘I know, but . . .’

  ‘You knew all along you would marry Rajat. You’ve known it for two years, and you never said anything!’

  ‘Yes, I never did say anything! And so this is the last thing you should ask someone when their marriage is already fixed.’

  He stared at her before shutting his eyes and leaning against the sofa, and she walked out of the room, too scared to stay longer, unsure of where the conversation would lead.

  * * *

  ‘Jai Ram ji ki,’ Natty said when he saw Rana early next morning, slouched comfortably on the couch, his arms behind his head.

  Rana grinned at Natty’s greeting and held up his own folded hands, bowing his head.

  ‘So you are back in the library?’ he asked him.

  ‘I just couldn’t live without it. The flip side is that to see Number 7, I have to bear her as well,’ Rana said, pointing to Indu.

  ‘You have to take care of this idiot, Natty,’ she said. ‘He has nowhere to go for the day. Take him around, feed him something, go sit in a park, chill out, I don’t care. Bring him back in the evening and hopefully, we will get this situation sorted out soon.’

  Half an hour later, girls started arriving and took their seats. Indu called Rajat and told him they had what was needed. She asked him if Dhar uncle might possibly be ready to make the exchange, as more complications had arisen.

  ‘You should ask him,’ he replied testily. She decided she didn’t have time to analyse his mood.

  ‘Please give me his number,’ she said, and noted it down. ‘I’ll tell you what the plan is, okay?’ she added, but he didn’t answer and just said goodbye. She then called Dhar uncle and told him that they must make the barter as soon as possible, and after much cajoling, he said he would try his best for the next day.

  The morning hustle had settled down, and Indu had been idle for just two minutes. Her thoughts constantly wandered to how her mother was already discussing their living arrangements in London with Supriya aunty. Indu marvelled how this part of her life was so distant from the rest of what was happening. She thought her day would pass uneventfully till Dhar uncle called her back and told her it could be done tonight. Finishing their talk, she immediately called Rajat back.

  ‘Okay. We should make the exchange tonight here, then,’ Indu said. ‘At 11 p.m. okay? Most people should be in their homes already. I’ll tell my parents I’m sleeping at didi’s house.’

  ‘Right.’

  ‘Will you come?’ she asked him.

  ‘Uh, I’ll see.’

  Her day passed in anxiety, and she could hardly pay attention to anything, constantly flipping between what had happened last night and imagining how tonight would go. She informed Amita, who promised she would be there with Indu. Amita told Govind that she would be sleeping at her parents’ house.

  Indu’s mind worked non-stop. She found her father’s behaviour the previous night odd. Why had he asked her what her intentions were? May
be Rajat had said something to him, or maybe her mother had commented on how her mind wasn’t fully on the wedding preparations. Most importantly, she stopped herself the moment her mind strayed to what Rana had said when they had said goodbye. In the evening, she called Dhar uncle again to check that everything was on track, and was glad to know that it was.

  Just tonight, Indu thought. After tonight, all this would be over and she would be free to think about other things—not to think about so much as get used to Rana leaving her life again, Indu thought. And to focus on her new life with Rajat.

  It was late evening by the time the last of the girls left and Amita strolled in, greeting and smiling them on their way out. Sangeeta had just been telling Indu how she had been feeling quite low recently. Indu nodded sympathetically and casually asked her if she remembered Fawad. Indu noticed Sangeeta’s eyes light up as she nodded keenly.

  ‘Of course! He was so funny, just like Ranaji! I wonder where he went.’

  Indu shrugged nonchalantly, trying to hide her delight that Sangeeta had gotten so excited at the mention of Fawad, and how happy that would make him.

  ‘Yeah, I really wish I had the chance to speak to him more, you know,’ Sangeeta said, as Indu marvelled at the ironies of life. ‘I mean, I don’t know, but I thought there was something about him. He was always so sweet to me too. I wanted to ask you where he was but then, you know how girls like to gossip here . . . oh well, what’s gone is gone.’

  She eventually left with a melancholic goodbye. It would be something nice to tell Fawad when Dhar uncle brought him there that night. Indu and Amita had been sitting and talking when Rana walked in with Natty. Indu instructed Natty to go back home and leave the Ambassador there, and tell her parents that Indu had been dropped off to Amita’s. Indu asked Rana in a low voice if he still had the gun that he took from VP ji, while Amita unpacked some food she had brought along. He nodded slightly.

  ‘Get rid of it as soon as possible,’ she said.

  Rana nodded. ‘I can’t wait to see Fawad, ask him how he is.’

  The three of them played cards for some time, as evening turned to night.

  ‘Oh,’ Indu said, ‘I forgot to tell you what Sangeeta told me today. Fawad will be so happy. She had a crush on him, she told me. She said he was funny.’

  Rana got up from his seat, his hands on his head. ‘Really?! Oh my God, he will be thrilled!’

  ‘Who is this?’ Amita asked lazily from the couch. ‘The same Sangeeta who used to teach Esha?’

  Indu nodded keenly.

  ‘Ah the good, old days,’ Amita said, staring dreamily into space, telling Rana, ‘I had moved back into my home to study for some time, into Indu’s room, in fact. I used to come to Number 7 with her, study all day, eat dinner with my parents, and then Indu and I would giggle and gossip about boys after dinner!’

  ‘Really?’ Rana asked chuckling. ‘And who did you gossip about?’

  ‘Well, she would talk about you so much,’ Amita told him absent-mindedly. ‘Who was that girl who started coming in for some time, the one with the short, curly hair . . . Renu or whatever. Yeah, Indu used to complain about her a lot . . .’

  Indu widened her eyes at Amita, but her sister wasn’t paying attention. Rana caught her eye but she looked away, pretending it wasn’t true.

  ‘Well, anyway, it was great because I had to see so little of Govind, you know. He can really be a pain.’ She was silent before she said softly, ‘I think there was a point where I could have loved him, but I lost that hope when I moved back in with him. Maybe what they say is right—it falls apart without the children . . .’

  They sat in silence for some time, then, each lost in their own thoughts. At long last, it was close to eleven and they got ready for the arrival of the expected party.

  At exactly 11 p.m., the bell rang.

  Amita sat daintily on the sofa while Rana stood at the very back, the pictures snug in the pocket of his jacket and his arms crossed over it. Indu set the dupatta on her shoulder, gave a nod to Rana and Amita, and opened the door.

  Dhar uncle stood outside, looking as tall as ever, dressed in a suit, immaculate. His pepper-grey hair shimmered in the glow of the light in the corridor, and he gave a slight nod, waiting for Indu to invite him in. Indu glanced swiftly behind him, and when she didn’t see anyone, looked quizzically at him. Dhar uncle looked to his right and Fawad came into view, standing farther down the corridor.

  The first thing that Indu saw was that he looked haggard; there were dark shadows beneath his eyes, his hair unevenly cut. A rough beard grew on his face, hiding his dimple, and his entire body seemed to have shrunk. The usual shine on his face was missing, but when he gave a small smile, he looked like a shadow of his old self. Indu wanted to take a step towards him to give him a hug, but stopped herself, and instead backed up so that they could enter Number 7.

  When they walked in, Indu saw him and Rana exchange a friendly, wistful look. She then noticed that Fawad’s wrists were still tied together. Dhar uncle looked at Indu.

  ‘Let’s sit here,’ Amita called out from the sofa, making him jump—he hadn’t noticed that there were more people there. ‘My name is Amita, I’m Indu’s sister,’ she said and he nodded a greeting at her. He went over to the sofa and Fawad followed him.

  ‘So,’ said Indu.

  Dhar uncle nodded.

  ‘Would you like anything?’ she asked uncertainly, ‘um, water, tea or something?’

  ‘Photographs, please,’ Dhar uncle said, extending his hand.

  ‘Fawad first,’ Rana said from the back, and Dhar uncle looked up sharply at him. ‘I have him here, you can see it. I still don’t know whether you have the photographs.’

  Rana stared at him for a few seconds, and then shook his head.

  Dhar uncle looked at Indu in appeal, and she signalled to Rana that they could trust him.

  Reluctantly, Rana walked over to Dhar uncle and handed him the brown package.

  He took a good five minutes going through the pictures, inspecting each and every one of them, his eyebrows going higher and higher until they finally threatened to disappear into his pepper-grey hair. ‘These are all your own pictures?’ he asked.

  Fawad spoke up for the first time. ‘We put our lives on stake for them!’

  ‘Are there any other photographs that aren’t among these?’ Dhar uncle asked.

  Rana was indignant. ‘I wouldn’t do something as immoral as blackmailing you for something and then not holding up my end of the bargain, even if I did blackmail you in the first place.’

  Dhar uncle stared at the three of them for a few seconds but didn’t say anything.

  He went through everything again while Fawad impatiently asked Rana to untie him. Rana had barely gotten up when the doorbell rang again.

  Indu looked at Amita in alarm; no one was supposed to know they were even here. Unless it was Rajat. But why would Rajat not have arrived with Dhar uncle if he wanted to come? Indu put a finger to her lips to indicate to the others that no one should say anything. They all sat still and the bell rang again, thrice in a row, and then somebody banged on the door. Rana quietly suggested that everyone tiptoe into another room. Once everyone was in the other room, Indu went to the door and opened it, hoping it was just the little boy across the corridor.

  Her heart turned to lead when she saw Roshan standing there with Govind bhai, and three men behind them.

  ‘Good evening, Indu,’ Govind bhai said, smiling at her dangerously. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping over at my house right now?’

  When Indu didn’t reply or move from the door, Roshan gave her a little shove and walked inside, with the others following him. Indu wanted to protest but suddenly had no voice left in her. She walked back, her body shaking, as Roshan shouted for the others to come out. Dhar uncle walked out and asked what was going on. Roshan ignored him and asked the other three men to go inside the room.

  Next thing Indu knew, they had dragged Rana, Fawad and Amita
out of the room. Indu yelled at Roshan to stop it, and he asked the third man to let Amita go.

  ‘What the hell do you think you are doing?’ Indu screamed, and perhaps it was the treble of her voice, but Roshan paused for a second and then asked his men to back off. They were now on one side, and Indu, Amita, Rana and Fawad on the other, while Dhar uncle stood in the middle, trying to understand what was going on.

  Govind stepped to the front. He and Amita stared at each other for the longest time without saying anything, and just when Indu was about to speak up, Govind spoke. ‘It was an interesting evening today,’ he remarked mildly. ‘I was going over some work at home when I got a visit from Roshan here, who introduced himself as Indu’s fiancé’s brother.’

  When no one replied, he smiled and went on. ‘I was completely taken aback, wondering why he was at my home, but I invited him in, of course. That’s what decent people like us do. But then, he showed me a picture of this man—’ he jerked his head towards Fawad, ‘—and asked me if I knew him. I said, of course I know him, he is the one who maligned my family, someone who should have been put in jail a long time back. Guess what Roshan told me then?’

  Indu looked at her future brother-in-law, hating him; Govind clapped his hands. ‘He told me that my wife, who’s supposed to be at the home of her parents, is meeting him tonight!’

  If Amita felt anything, she didn’t show it. Her face did not betray emotion, apparently taking no note of the fact that Govind was now staring at her in intense dislike.

  ‘I told you not to help her,’ Roshan told Dhar uncle with menace.

  ‘Your brother was fine with it,’ Dhar uncle replied.

  ‘My brother,’ Roshan emphasized, ‘was the one who told me about Govind and his problems with his wife. He was the one who advised me to talk to Amita’s husband and ask him to put some sense into her. Who knew I would open a pandora’s box? I mean, Govind told me that he had some unfinished business with the man that his wife was trying to get released! Wrote some things that put Govind’s uncle in trouble, I am told.’

  Indu couldn’t believe that he had gone to this extent. ‘I don’t get your problem,’ she said to Roshan brusquely. ‘This is none of your business.’