44. CLIMAX!

Krishna Murthy is running on the street with a baby in her hands who has no clue about her surroundings. The baby is quiet after so much chaos around because she is in familiar hands. 

Krishna is huffing but she doesn’t stop being hell scared of consequences. She is running and running to save HER Shehnaaz BABY who is more precious to her than her life. 

After running for more than 20 minutes she reached her house and rang the bell frantically. Her husband, Ashok opens the door and gets worried seeing her state. 

Ashok:- Krishna, kya hua? ( Krishna, what happened? ) 

Without saying anything Krishna went inside and locked the door while huffing badly to breathe. Her heart was throbbing uncontrollably and her moments disturbed the baby in her arms. The baby wakes up and starts crying the next moment when she finds unfamiliar surroundings.

Ashok:- yeh kiska baby hai. ( whose baby is this? )

Krishna didn’t reply as she was busy making Shehnaaz calm. 

Krishna:- aw….. Bacha!…… idhar dekho…… aapki Daimaa hai idhar……… Shehnaaz……… bacha, dekho idhar. ( aw….. Baby….. Look……. Your Daimaa is here. Shehnaaz…… look at me, baby girl. You are a good girl….. Right!…. )

Hearing her, Shehnaaz looks at her and smiles broadly with a giggle. Ashok got mesmerized seeing the angelic face of the baby. 

Ashok:- ( caressing her cheeks ) yeh toh pari jaisi hai….. ( she is like an angel ) 

Krishna:- pari jaisi nahi…… yeh hai hi pari. ( she is an angel!…… not just like an angel. ) 

Ashok:- par yeh hai kiski beti? ( but who are her parents? ) 

Krishna:- Yeah Dixit sahab ki beti hai jaha mai kaam karti hoo. ( she is Dixit’s daughter where I work. ) 

Ashok:- Par tum ise yaha kyu layi ho? ( but why did you bring her here? ) 

Hearing his question, she recalled everything and got scared for Shehnaaz. 

Krishna:- ( terrified ) Iski jaan khatre mein hai. Iski bua isko marna chahti hai sirf paiso ke liye. ( Her life is in danger. Her bua ( aunt ) is behind her neck. She wants to kill her to gain the property. ) 

Ashok gasped and looked at the pitiful baby who was smiling and playing with Krishna’s nuptial chain unknown to the fact that her family was behind her neck. How can anyone think about killing a small baby? The thought is itself a cruel reality of today’s world. 

Then, Krishna narrated the whole scene how she got to know about Avantika’s plan and how she brought her here.

Ashok:- ( worriedly ) agar woh ek choti se bachi ko marne ka soch sakti hai toh woh tumhe bhi maar sakti hai. ( If she can think about killing the baby then she can do anything to kill you too. ) 

Krishna:- mujhe meri parwah nahi hai. Mai sirf Shehnaaz ko safe rakhna chahti hoon. ( looks at the baby Shehnaaz with all motherly love ) Bhagwan ne mujhe kabhi ek aulad nahi di isliye mai janti ho uski ahmiyat. ( I don’t care about myself. I just want to keep Shehnaaz safe. ( looks at the baby Shehnaaz with all motherly love ) God never granted a child to me that’s why I know their value. ) 

Ashok nods, being highly emotional, and takes the baby in his arms because a child is always a touchy topic for them. They tried every possible way to have their own kid but god has some other plans for them. They are deprived of the things that they want desperately. 

He looks at the innocent kid in his arms who is unknown to the situation and busy gawking at him. She is looking at him with wide eyes because she is seeing him for the first time. Seeing her innocence and cuteness, he kissed her forehead with all the love he had. 

Ashok:- ( looking at his wife who is admiring the baby till now ) Aab kya karna hai, Krishna? ( Now, what do we have to do, Krishna? ) 

Krishna:- Kya karne ka, kya matlab hai? Mai un logo ko nahi chodungi. Mai saara sach abhi jaakar Dixit sahab ko bata dugi. ( What do you mean by “what do we have to do”? I will not leave them. I will go and tell everything to Dixit Sir. 

Ashok:- ( worriedly ) kya woh tumhari baat par bharosa kare gai? ( Will he believe you? ) 

Krishna:- ( angrily ) mujhe nahi pata lekin mai unlogo ko meri Shehnaaz bitiya ko chot nahi pahuchane dugi. ( I don’t know about that but I will not let them hurt my Shehnaaz. ) 

Ashok:- thik hai! Jaisa tumhe sahi lage. ( Ok!… as you wish. ) 

Manish interrupts him and asks the question with teary eyes. 

Manish:- par woh kabhi mere pass nahi aayi mujhe sach batane. Kyu? ( But she never comes to me, to tell the truth. Why? )

Ashok chuckles sadly. 

Ashok:- kya aapne sachme socha ki jisne itna sab kuch kiya naam aur shorat ke liye, woh ek sadharan se aurat ko bigad ne degi? ( Did you really think that the person who did all this to get the name and fame, will let a lady ruin that? ) 

Manish has no answer even though no one has anything to say. They all just close their eyes to prepare themselves for the bad. 

Ashok:- woh nikal gayi par mujhe Shehnaaz ki zemedaari de gayi. ( she went but gave me the responsibility of Shehnaaz. ) 

Krishna:- mai jaa rahi hoo par jab tak mai wapas na aayu jab-tak Shehnaaz ka khayal rakhna. Yeah mere liye bhut keemati hai. ( I am going but till I come back please take care of Shehnaaz. She is very precious to me. ) 

Ashok:- tum fikar mat karo, Jayo. Mai Shehnaaz ka khayal apni beti ki tarah rakhuga. Mai koi bhi pareshani is tak pahuchne nahi dunga par waada karo ki tum jald hi aayo gi wapis. ( Don’t worry, you go. I will take care of her like my daughter. I will not let any harm near her but promise me that you will come back. ) 

Saying this, he looks at Shehnaaz who grabs his index finger in her hold with a cheeky smile. 

Krishna:- Waada…….. par aap Shehnaaz ka khayal rakhna aur ise hamesha apne pass rakhna. ( I promise…….. But please keep her ( eyeing Shehnaaz ) safe and close to you. ) 

Ashok:- ( while crying bitterly ) then, she went…… went and never came back. But I kept my promise of keeping Shehnaaz safe with me. 

Everyone gasped knowing the lady who is no less than a family member is no more with them. Arjun’s condition was worse than anyone else’s. He considered her as a mother. He always loves her more than her biological mother because whatever he is today is only because of her teachings. His throat is hurting because of silent cries but still, he is determined to know the truth. 

Arjun:- What happened to her? How did she die? 

Krishna is running on the streets to reach Dixit’s residence as soon as possible but luck is not on her side. She approached almost 20 autos and taxis but nothing worked. At last, she is running on the streets. 

The guard of Dixit’s residence saw her approaching and immediately informed Avantika about it who came out with a happy face followed by her husband. 

Avantika:- Hello, My dear. How are you? By the way, where is my Shehnaaz baby? You know everyone is mourning her death. Such a poor soul. May God give her long life in her next birth. 

Krishna slapped her hard after hearing such words for HER Shehnaaz. 

Krishna:- ( angrily ) Khabardar jo tumne apni is zuban se meri Shehnaaz ka naam bhi liya toh. Aaj mai tumhara sach sab ko bata ke rahungi. ( Don’t you dare to utter My Shehnaaz’s name from your shitty mouth. Today, I will show your real face to everyone. ) 

Avantika fumed in anger and pushed her hard making her stumble. 

Avantika:- you want to tell the truth to everyone, right? Then, go and fulfill your wish. They are mourning over their daughter’s death in the hospital. ( in a rage ) Just go! 

Without much delay, Krishna makes her way to the hospital. 

Prakash:- Avantika, what are you doing? You are letting her go. Did you know that she became a hurdle in our plan? 

Avantika smirked silently. 

Avantika:- Just wait and watch, husband. 

Saying this she settled in her car and drove at maximum speed. Without thinking twice she dashed her car with Krishna who was running to reach the hospital. 

Krishna’s body flies in the air and falls after two or three turns while making a loud sound. Her body is lying on the ground without any moments while the blood is flowing like a river. 

Seeing her state, Avantika relaxes with a content smile and gestures to her man to take care of the crowd and the dead body. No one witnesses the accident so she is safe from any kind of legal action.  

Ashok:- The police said that it was an accidental death. But I know it was a murder! She was murdered by Avantika. 

The Dixit’s are ashamed because of Avantiks’s deed. They are finding it difficult to look into his eyes and apologize. They all know that he is telling the truth. Avantika must be behind Krishna’s accident but they have no words to sympathize with.  

Asha:- Why didn’t you file a complaint against Avantika? 

Ashok:- I had Shehnaaz’s responsibilities. I didn’t want her to get the clue that Shehnaaz was safe and was with me. Krishna, died for saving Shehnaaz and who am I to put her life in danger just to get justice for my wife? 

The respect for the couple increased in everyone’s heart knowing whatever they sacrificed to keep their daughter safe. Whereas Malhotra’s are sad seeing how a lady can turn into a villain just for the property. 

To be continued…