STARS AFTER THE STORM

23. TRAVERSING TOUGH TIMES.

Rechecking if Anjali was in deep sleep, Shyam slid out of the bed, slipped into the bathroom, picked his phone and immediately dialled the moneylender's number.

"Hello Sinha, What is the matter? Is everything under control?" He nervously hushed.

"No...It's all gone out of hand." the person on the other line spoke.

"What?!" His fears had come true.

"Sinha!! I faked those documents on your insistence and because you said that you will handle if anything goes wrong!."Shyam was struggling to keep his voice low.

"Don't overreact! Listen to what I have to say. The party for whom I asked you to make those documents might have got hand of the original copies."

"But you said the original copies were destroyed?! How can you be so careless? It's I who'd get caught,if legal action is taken. Do you even know, that my whole plan with the Raizadas will be tarnished if that happens. Already I'm unable to figure out what's going on here and now this?" Shyam seethed.

"Don't dare talk to me like that. If you had paid your installations right on time, none of this would have happened. All this talk is of no use now. Do as I say. Get the hell out of where you are right now. My sources say that the party might head to the police station tomorrow. I'll try my best to stop him. But, if I can't, I suggest you go under hiding. It's our only option."

"What?! Now? What will I tell?.. The Raizadas won't like it. It'll raise suspicion."

"Don't tell anyone, just leave. When things start working our way again, you can come back and do all the convincing of the Raizadas . That should be the least of your worries now. Leave immediately." Sinha barked and hung up.

Shyam cursed his fate. Nothing was going as he planned. It was getting on his nerves. He let out a frustrated groan.

Taking deep breaths, he made up his mind. He first priority was to not get caught and for that he needed to leave. He was going to do that. He was confident of his ability to manipulate the Raizadas, so he decided to depart without any intimation.

*****

As she stirred in her sleep, Anjali heard a soft thud of her room's door closing. She sat up with a jolt, realising that her husband was missing. That meant he'd gone out.

Tired of waiting for him to confess, she at once got out of bed, wanting to confront him. She was done with him playing games with her, taking her love for him granted.

Trying to catch up to him, she treaded as fast as she could. Without a clue, that his wife was following him Shyam rushed down the stairs. In a minute, he'd reached the main door and had gone out.

Realizing that, Anjali increased her pace as she descended down the flight of stairs, not wanting to let him go. Little did she know, that Shyam had sprinted out of Shativan. Her impaired leg, had seen that exact moment to not cooperate with her speed. An yelp escaped her lips.

The next few seconds were muzzy. Pain. Shooting pain. It was all she could feel. Her voice had left her. Through her veiled vision, she could see her surroundings light up. The next thing she saw was her Chhote's face, filled with a fright and concern. Despite of not knowing what exactly was happening to her she wanted to wash away his worry. "Di!" His voice trembled. Soon, she could hear the voices of her loved ones. And then everything blacked out.

*****

Anjali fluttered her eyelids open, only to force them shut again, due to the brightly lit room. Her head felt heavy and her whole body numb. Opening her eyes again, she was welcomed by an unfamiliar room and distress filled familiar faces.