Chapter - 82
It had already been a week since our small trip to Udaipur, and it felt like a dream. Every moment with Avi was special—whether we went to temples, the lake, or just walked through the streets together. Those memories were still fresh in my heart.
Today after coming back from college, I had lunch with Maa, Chachi, and Dadi Maa. The atmosphere at the dining table was warm, filled with laughter.
While eating, Dadi Maa suddenly said, "Navratri is just a few weeks away. We should start preparing. After that, it will be Dussehra, then Karva Chauth, and Diwali—so we won't get much time."
Chachi smiled brightly. "Yes Maa, I'm so excited this time. And it's even more special because this year our Siya will celebrate all these festivals with us."
My heart warmed hearing that, and I smiled softly.
Maa nodded and said, "Siya, Meera and I will take care of the list for distributing things to NGOs and people. You take care of the home, hmm?"
I nodded quickly. "Okay, Maa."
She added with a smile, "Tomorrow, I'll take you with me to the NGO. Now it's time you see what a Ranisa has to do."
Her words made my heart swell. Me... Ranisa? It still felt too big, too heavy, but at the same time, it filled me with pride.And the rest of the day went in doing my assignments or talking with Maa and Chachi.
By the time dinner was done, it was already 10 at night.
Everyone had gone to their rooms. I should have gone too, but instead, I was waiting for Avi.
He had promised he would come by 10... but there was no sign of him.
My eyes kept shifting to the door, my heart impatient.
But after five more minutes, the sound of footsteps reached me. I turned—and there he was.
I couldn't stop myself; I ran to him with a smile. His eyes softened, and he smiled too, pulling me into his arms. "Were you waiting for me?" he asked.
I looked away quickly. "No... why would I?"
"Then why didn't you sleep like I told you?" His tone was low, but not scolding—more like teasing.
"I... I didn't feel like sleeping," I whispered.
He buried his face in my neck, his warm breath making me shiver. "But I feel like I need some energy..." he murmured.
My heart skipped. "A–Avi... someone will come..."
His lips brushed against my neck softly. "So?" he whispered.
"S... someone will see," I managed, clutching his shirt tightly.
He only held me closer, his arms strong around me. I gave in and hugged him back, hiding my burning face in his chest.
But suddenly, a loud sound broke the moment—my stomach growled.
He pulled back slightly, looking straight at me. "Why didn't you eat your dinner?" His voice was serious now.
I lowered my eyes. Didn't he already know? Didn't he understand that I loved eating with him? Still... he asked. My lips pressed together, and I stayed silent.
He sighed and took my hand gently. Without a word, he led me to the dining table and made me sit. He served food on one plate and sat beside me.
He lifted the first bite, holding it near my lips. "Eat," he said firmly.
I opened my mouth slowly, and he fed me. Then he took a bite himself. Like this, we continued—one bite for me, one for him.
The food tasted even better like this, but my heart was too full. He always cared for me in ways I never knew how to ask for.
Between bites, his voice came again, soft but strict. "Don't wait for me next time, Siya. You have to eat on time. Understood?"
I looked down, murmuring, "But... I like eating with you..."
He stilled for a second, then cupped my face, forcing me to meet his eyes. His gaze softened. "And I like it too, jaan. But your health comes first. Promise me you won't skip meals, even if I'm late."
I nodded slowly. "Promise..."
He smiled and kissed my forehead. "Good girl."
And just like that, the hunger in my stomach was gone—but my heart... my heart was full.
Suresh and Meenakshi's life had turned into a nightmare. Days felt like punishment. They couldn't even manage one proper meal a day. Whatever little money they had was almost finished. Dev had stopped talking to them completely, sitting silent like a stranger.
The grand mansion they had once come to enjoy now looked like ruins of hell.
The bed in their room was broken—how, they didn't know.
Now they had no choice but to sleep on the cold floor.
Their clothes had become old, torn, and lifeless.
Nights were worse... full of whispers and footsteps echoing in the dark, making them shiver with fear. Sleep never came.
That evening, they were sitting on the floor of the living area, since the sofas were broken too. The silence pressed heavy on them until Meenakshi finally broke it.
"Suresh ji... why don't you take help from that person?" she said, her voice weak but desperate.
Suresh frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Which person?"
"You know who I mean...." Her tone was sharp, desperate.
At the mention of the name, Suresh froze. His lips moved slowly, almost unwillingly. "You mean... that person?"
"Yes," Meenakshi said firmly. "Only that person can help us now. Years ago, we helped them. Now it's time they return the favor."
"But..." Suresh's voice trembled. "Where would I even find them? I don't know if that person is a man or a woman. All I ever had was the code—R-9. Nothing more."
"Think, Suresh ji!" Meenakshi insisted. "Any number, any address, any clue you saved... there has to be something. We can't sit here and rot like this. We need R-9."
Suresh rubbed his forehead, sweat forming despite the cold night. "And what if that person refuse? We have nothing left to offer. Why would R-9 help us now?"
Meenakshi's eyes glinted with a strange determination. "We still have something, Suresh ji. Something you saved years ago. That can buy us help... that person will have no choice but to agree."
Suresh looked at her, shocked. "You mean... that?"
She nodded silently.
For a long moment, the air between them was heavy with silence, broken only by the faint creak of the old mansion. Finally, Suresh whispered, "Let me look through the old files. If there's any chance... it will be there."
He got up slowly, his footsteps echoing in the empty hall. Somewhere deep inside, both of them knew... once the name R-9 was called back into their lives, there would be no turning back.
I don't know why, but my eyes opened too early today.
When I looked at the clock, it was only 4:00 AM.
Way too early. Still, my heart wasn't ready to go back to sleep.
I was too excited. Today I will go with Maa to the NGO.
.. I will meet the children, spend time with them, and learn what Ranisa should really do.
I turned my head and saw Avi still sleeping peacefully. His face looked so calm, so beautiful in sleep. I bit my lip and smiled softly. Carefully, I lay down again and wrapped my arms around him. His warmth made me feel safe.
But my eyes... they didn't leave the clock. Every tick felt so slow. Time was teasing me today. One second with the clock, the next with my Avi's face. My fingers wanted to trace his hair, but I stopped myself. What if he woke up?
Just then, a husky voice came, half-asleep but still making my heart jump.
"Why are you not sleeping, baby?"
I froze for a moment. "I... I don't feel like sleeping more," I whispered.
He opened his eyes slowly, those deep eyes finding mine, and in the next moment, he hovered over me, making me feel trapped in the best way. His lips curved slightly. "Then... what are you feeling to do?"
Why did he have to ask such things at this hour? My eyes widened instantly, heat rushing to my cheeks. "N... nothing!" I stammered, looking away.
He chuckled low, hugged me close, and buried his face in my neck. His breath tickled, making my whole body shiver. "Then let's sleep. It's too early to wake up."
My heart fluttered, but I hugged him back tightly. "I... I couldn't sleep because I'm excited. To go to the NGO... to meet the children," I admitted in a small voice.
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his lips curved in a smile. "That I can see," he said, brushing his thumb gently on my cheek. "But it's still too early, baby. Sleep for a while more."
Before I could argue, he guided my head onto his chest, his heartbeat steady under my ear. I don't even remember when my eyes closed again.
When I woke up again, the bed was empty. Avi wasn't there. For a moment, I pouted. Did he leave without telling me? But then I shook my head. Maybe he's in study room.
I went to the bathroom, took a shower, and got ready. Today I chose a red Anarkali with delicate floral patterns, a matching dupatta, and my favorite traditional jhumkas. My mangalsutra and sindoor... they made me feel like I truly belonged to him.
When I stood before the mirror, I couldn't stop smiling. My reflection looked different—like a woman who was happy, proud, and... loved. My heart whispered softly—all because of him.
I was sitting in the car with Maa, on our way to the NGO. The other car was already filled with the items we had to distribute. I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Maa... do they know we're coming?"
Maa smiled gently and shook her head. "No, Siya. Whenever I visit any NGO, I don't inform them. I want to see the reality—whether the facilities we provide are reaching them properly or not. I usually come every month like this."
I nodded, impressed. "That's... a very good idea, Maa."
She patted my hand. "I learnt this from Maa. She always said, if you want to serve, then see the truth with your own eyes."
Talking like this, we soon reached HOPENgo. As soon as I stepped out, I felt something warm in my heart. Maa guided me around, giving me a tour.
"This Ngo has two main buildings," she explained, "one for children and the other for old people. And of course, there are common areas—like the dining hall, playground, activity rooms. You'll see most of them in the playground today. The weather is too good."
I followed her, observing everything she did. The way she checked the food supplies, asked about medicines, looked into even small details... I was quietly learning. So this is what it means to be Ranisa, I thought, not just looking royal but serving with heart.
The staff here were very sweet, but I noticed none of them made direct eye contact with us—probably out of respect.
Then Maa said, "Siya, since it's your first time here, you should distribute the sweets to the children and elders with your own hands."
I smiled nervously but agreed. Holding the tray, I went person to person, greeting softly, giving them sweets and chocolates. The way their faces lit up made my heart warm.
After a while, Maa went to talk with the staff, leaving me to continue. As I looked around, my eyes stopped on a little girl sitting under a tree, all by herself. She hadn't come forward for sweets, nor for chocolates.
Something inside me tugged. Why is she sitting alone?
I walked slowly towards her, my dupatta brushing the grass. She was maybe 6-7 years old, with big eyes staring down at the ground. She didn't even notice me coming.
I knelt down beside her, holding out a chocolate. "Hi... would you like one?" I asked softly.
She looked up at me, startled, but shook her head quickly.
I blinked, surprised. "You... you don't like chocolate?" I asked again, my voice gentle.
I waited patiently as the little girl hesitated, her tiny hands clutching her dupatta. Finally, in a small whisper, she said, "No... I do. But... I don't want to take from strangers other than my baba."
I placed the box of sweets gently on the ground and sat beside her. My heart ached seeing the sadness in her eyes, a pain I could feel as if it were my own.
"You know, that's very brave," I said softly. "You shouldn't take anything from strangers if you don't want to."
She didn't say anything, just looked at me quietly. I wanted to reach her heart a little more. "So... will you become my friend?" I asked gently.
Her big eyes looked up at me, wide and curious. "Friend? But... aren't you Rani Sa of Rajasthan?"
I smiled softly. "You knew?"
"Everyone knew," she said quietly. "I saw your picture in the newspaper."
I laughed lightly. "You're very intelligent. You recognized me from just a picture. That's amazing. I... I forget people's faces easily, but I will never forget yours."
"Why?" she asked, curious, her eyes filling a little with unshed tears.
"Because... you're like a pari," I said, smiling at her. "How can anyone forget a pari's face?"
Her smile faded a little, and I noticed the sadness in her eyes. "What's wrong? You don't like me?"
She hugged herself and whispered, "I'm missing my baba... he used to call me Pari."
Without thinking, I opened my arms and hugged her. "Then from today," I said, holding her gently, "I will call you Pari. Can I?"
She looked up at me, her eyes a little brighter. "Will... will you come to meet me?"
I nodded quickly. "Of course, Pari. I'll come to see you."
"And... will you tell me stories, like my baba used to?" she asked, a small hope in her voice.
"Yes," I said, smiling. "I'll tell you every story you want."
Her face brightened just a little. "Okay... then you can call me Pari."
I smiled and extended my hand. "So from today, we are friends. I'm Siya."
She looked at me, then at my hand, and slowly shook it. "I'm Parisha," she said softly. "But... what should I call you?"
"Whatever you like," I said, my voice gentle.
She put her tiny hand on her chin, thinking. Then she looked at me with a small, shy smile. "I will call you... Rani Didi."
Her smile was small but genuine, and I could see the glimmer of hope in her eyes. She was talking to me, laughing a little, and yet... I could feel the pain hidden behind her words, the same kind of pain I had carried as a child.
I blinked, and memories started flooding my mind—my father calling me "princess," the laughter of my family, the warm hugs, and the soft voices. And then... the last moments. My parents' faces, the forest, little me running, the fear, the struggle to breathe.
I tried the breathing technique Avi had taught me, but it didn't help. The voices around me faded. The world around me grew quiet. My chest tightened. My heart pounded wildly, and each breath felt too short, too shallow. Darkness began to creep in, swallowing everything.
I gasped, my chest tightening. My heart was racing, my breaths short and sharp. Pari's soft voice calling my name reached me like it was coming from far away...
"Rani Didi... are you listening? Rani Didi..."
But I could see nothing. I could hear nothing. Only the darkness...