Raj family had migrated toNew Yorkafter Aditya’s marriage.  He was in the family’s diamond business and had entered into a 50-50 partnership with his childhood buddy Shiva who was already settled inNew   York. The ancestral home had been in their family for almost two hundred years and he had left it in the able hands of his younger brother Satya and grandmother. Their parents had retired in the holy place ofBanarasbut the old grandmother refused to leave the home where she’d come as a bride. No lure of a holy place could pry her away from this house. Then five years ago just before grandpa’s first death anniversary, grandmother had taken ill and passed away. Satya was single and had no desire to wed, hence joined Aditya inNew   Yorkafter granny’s death. The house was left in the care of their old faithful cook and jack of all Ramu and his wife.

Aditya and son Vijay had a good night’s sleep and were ready to walk down memory lane. This was their first visit after granny’s demise. Sounds of joyous laughter and scampering feet reverberated in their ears. Granny’s beckoning voice the loudest. She had a whole repertoire of fairytales and delicious goodies to share with her grandchildren. The kids adored her. Neighborhood children came by even after her grandchildren had migrated toNew   York.  She never tired of telling stories.

Zeba Khan was very attractive. Classic features, long brown hair and almond shaped eyes and an hourglass figure made her an instant cynosure for all eyes. She had eyes for Satya Raj only.  No one else existed as far as she was concerned.  All alliances put forward by kith and kin were summarily dismissed.

By one pretext or another, she would visit Satya in his oldDelhijewelry store and chat him up. She intimated that one of her ancestors had been an important minister inDelhi’s royal court where Satya’s ancestors were the royal jewelers. She shared many such anecdotes with facts and figures leaving no doubt in Satya’s mind that indeed, their family lines were interconnected.  She tried to dangle a family secret as a carrot as she was madly in love with his looks and demeanor. But Satya would have none of it. Zeba was beautiful he admitted to himself and had gotten under his skin but he never gave up his resolve to remain celibate like his beloved deity Hanuman. Plus he was a staunch Hindu and she was a Muslim. His folks would be scandalized, not that he wished to marry. Then granny had passed away.

Caretaker Ramu and wife, in order to properly care for the house and make some extra money on the side, rented the house without Raj family’s knowledge. It was Zeba and her elder brother Ali who had rented the house. Unbeknownst to Ramu and wife, both Zeba and Ali searched the house every night. They especially targeted granny’s room. They had almost finished searching every inch of the room when by accident, Zeba’s hand hit upon the center rose carving on the bed’s head board. With a whirring sound the rose opened up and inside was a secret drawer. Full of excitement, Ali pushed his sister back and stuck his hand inside the drawer. A velvet pouch touched his fingers. With shaky fingers he extracted it and opened the bag.  Out popped a priceless diamond, the size of an egg. This is what they had been seeking.  Finally their hard work had paid off.

Ali was up to his eyebrows in gambling debts and needed money badly. He was aware that he was living on borrowed time. Zeba cried that in all fairness half of the money belonged to the Raj family as it was their property. As family history ran, this diamond was meant for the favored Queen of the King but she had been mysteriously poisoned and subsequently the King had declared the diamond unlucky. Raj family had since then hidden it from view for sake of its safety and family honor. Ali had no intention of sharing the proceeds from the diamond’s sale even with his half sister Zeba. Hence he had no compunction of ending her life. He smothered her with a pillow when she was asleep and fled. Ever since that day, Zeba’s ghost roamed the corridors of the old mansion always on the lookout for her beloved Satya Raj.

The caretaker and his wife had come to know about this ghost as it had appeared to them while cleaning the house. The police case had been closed after thorough investigation due to lack of clues.  Ali had vanished into thin air.

Ramu and wife reluctantly confessed to renting the house in their absentia and the murder thereafter. Aditya and son were quite upset. Somehow Aditya felt, maybe that was the reason he had this urge to return home. He decided to play it by ear. That night he slept in granny’s room with her favorite shawl around his shoulders. After a while, he felt the air around the bed change a bit and he felt a presence. He saw the floating figure of granny and she seemed to be looking at him with love in her eyes. Aditya’s eyes moistened involuntarily. Granny seemed to be pointing at something. Then her finger elongated and touched the carved rose on the headboard. Aditya decided to examine it. He tapped it gently and it sprang open. Excitedly, he put his hand inside but came up empty. Then he pushed it further and came into another compartment and in that he found a small diary and a pouch. He removed both. The diary was written in pristine “Urdu” language (Urdu -is a register of the Hindi-Urdu language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia).

Luckily Aditya knew Urdu and read the diary with growing excitement.  In great detail it narrated the story of their ancestor, the royal jeweler.  His son had been fatally wounded while fleeing from dacoits.  The ancestor had prayed to Lord Krishna promising a twenty one diamond studded crown in return for his son.   The son healed in record time and now the promise was yet to be fulfilled.  Somehow, the favorite queen got a whiff of this through her spies and wanted a necklace made with the biggest stone from the lot of 21 diamonds.    Even before Satya Raj could plead his case, the queen died mysteriously after being poisoned.  The diamonds were declared unlucky and went underground.  This news did not deter the court’s greedy sycophants.   Thus began the quest for diamonds.  The promise to the lord remained unfulfilled.  The chase was on.

Gafoor Ali Khan was one such greedy minister plagued by his many wives for expensive baubles. To end his money troubles, he set his sights on those diamonds.  In the interim, Satya Raj had a master carpenter build a solid bed with a carved headboard with secret drawers.  In the first drawer he had placed a false diamond; the size of the largest one to misguide any would be thief.  He had the carpenter swear to secrecy on his only son’s head.  The elder sons of the clan were privy to this secret only.  Time sped and the diamonds stayed hidden in the second drawer, to this day.

Aditya Raj was inNew Yorkon business when grandpa shared the family secret with granny on his deathbed, to pass along to him only as Aditya’s father; their only son was unworldly and had no interest in family affairs.  Granny had waited to convey this secret on grandpa’s first death anniversary when Aditya was sure to come down fromNew Yorkbut died without revealing it.

Aditya got in touch with one of his old trusted craftsmen.  He had him overnight craft a beautiful crown for the lord studded with the promised twenty-one diamonds under a cloak of extreme secrecy.  After swearing him on Lord Krishna’s name, he quickly left for the Lord Krishna’s temple in Vrindavan to make good the promise and uphold family honor.  The Lord had a playful smile after receiving this offering.

Aditya and son returned toNew York.  As promised, he checked into the hospital for the by-pass surgery.  He felt on top of the world.  A sense of well being pervaded his person.  The doctors were mystified.  After several tests, they discovered that his heart was completely normal and blockage free.   The Lord smiled mischievously in his temple inIndia.

*Lord Krishna and Hanuman are Hindu deities

Gorby (Govardhan) – Ghost, Ravi’s friend/adversary/ TV-movie star

Biba – Gorby’s love, Monu’s mom, Ravi’s wife

Monu (Mandeep): Ravi’s son fathered by Gorby

Kaka- bungalow caretaker

Ms. Rosie: Monu’s nanny

~~

Silently, ninja entered the house. Surefooted, knowing exactly where to go, he reached the bedroom. He tapped awake the sleeping man ever so gently.  It was movie and TV star the Great Gorby.  Once he was awake he threatened Gorby menacingly, “Leave Ravi Talwar and his family alone or else you will be sorry!”  Gorby quietly extracted a gun from under his pillow and tried to shoot but his hand was shaking badly and the nimble ninja deflected the gun. Gorby shot himself instead.  The gloved ninja left same way he’d come.

After initial hue n cry, the death was declared accidental. Mumbai’s tinsel town, notorious for its short memory span, soon forgot Gorby.

Gorby’s ashes were ritually immersed by his grief stricken dad but he never left.  His ghost roamed the bungalow determined on seeking revenge.    The caretaker Kaka was sorry that he had rented the place surreptitiously. He should’ve asked his “sahib” first.  It was too late now.

Ghost Gorby was bored.  He longed for real people to scare.  Ever since his ignominious end, he had been thirsting for revenge, stuck as he was between the living and the dead. To date, he had merely scared caretaker Kaka and a bunch of adventurous kids.

Ravi Talwar was a restauranteur in New York. He had had no desire to join the family business that was well run by other family members. Quick wits and hard work had paid off and now he owned three successful restaurants offering ethnic Indian food.  He had dark thick hair, laughing eyes, big forehead, biggish Talwar nose and full lips. His body was athletic due to morning workouts and careful eating.  Altogether, he was a well dressed easy on the eye marriage prospect. Happy and ready to settle down, he proposed marriage to his childhood fellow prankster and love, Biba.

Biba was a distant relative of Ravi’s mom and often came to stay in their house with her parents who were also their business partners.  Only child of doting parents, she had become a spoilt princess and being beautiful, everyone simply indulged her shamelessly.  Only Ravi did no such thing hence Biba had a love hate fascination for him.  She always tried to get the upper hand but failed- this had earned Ravi her grudging respect.   She even felt a sneaky kind of love for him. The minx had determined that only way to make Ravi succumb was to marry him. So far, Ravi had held out.

Ravi’s proposal had been everyone’s dream come true and they became engaged.

Gorby after graduation had left for tinsel town Mumbai to try his luck in movies.  A few pulled family strings had panned out and he had landed a small part in a TV serial.  He was a consummate actor and soon got noticed.  His drop dead looks, green eyes and chestnut hair also helped.  His mom had been a fair green eyed Kashmiri beauty whose family had been uprooted from their beloved Kashmir valley.   Enroute to their second home in Dehradun, militants had struck again and she had died on the spot.  Pandit Kaul hastily made a makeshift pyre to consign the body to flames and waited for dawn to gather her ashes. Thereafter, he hid his three year old son under his shirt and headed non stop for Dehradun.  His wife’s ashes were duly consigned to the holy Ganges there, amidst tears and chants.

Mr. Kaul’s close friend and neighbors, the Talwar family had taken them both in and healing had begun.  Talwars and Kauls were business partners and to occupy his grief stricken mind, Mr. Kaul took upon himself all out of town travel secure in the knowledge that his beloved son was in caring hands…  Gorby was easy going and charming but with a flexible slant to life unlike Ravi who had been molded by his mother and grandmother in strict moral code and conduct.   He and Ravi were close buddies.

Biba heeded to her inner drummer alone.  In their heart of hearts Ravi’s mom and granny would’ve been happy if Ravi had chosen another.  But love is blind and they were happy enough with this choice.  Better to deal with a known devil than an unknown one.

Dashing actor Gorby swept Biba off her feet at the engagement party and she fell headlong for him.  He praised her looks outrageously and encouraged her to become an actress.  Ravi and the rest were unaware of this.

A week before the marriage day, Gorby and Biba eloped to Mumbai.  Spoilt Biba was in for a rude awakening.  Nymphets like her were a dime a dozen and she was not amenable to the casting couch.  She was blacklisted and Gorby had to apologize to everyone and mollify Biba as well.  He genuinely loved her and wanted to marry her.  They both felt terrible about backstabbing Ravi but were madly in love.  In a moment of weakness, they made love after another scathing rejection of Biba.  She became pregnant.  Both were aghast as they did not wish for a child.  Repentant and tear stricken she returned home.

Ravi still loved Biba and both the families quickly got them married and soon after they left for New York.

The nurse brought the wailing baby to Biba but she turned her face away.  She had gone into depression.  Ravi singlehandedly took care of both and finally engaged an Indian nanny to care for his son.  They named the baby Mandeep but called him Monu.

To prove to herself her own self worth, Biba soon took an interest in the restaurants and became a cordon bleu chef. Digging out old family recipes and begging family ladies for recipes, she dabbled and created new dishes.  She gave them exotic names and gradually introduced them in their restaurants.  Their revenue trebled.  Finally the family had come together.  In time, she came to adore her geeky son Monu as well.

Monu was in the process of boarding his school bus when a brakeless car slammed into the bus injuring several kids.  Monu’s spine was injured and he lost the use of his legs.  He was only ten.

After trying all treatments, devastated Ravi and Biba decided to sell everything and return home to their beloved Dehradun valley.  Fresh air, Ayurvedic massages were next on their agenda.

Exercise equipment, physical therapy aids, computers et al had been shipped in advance.  The bungalow was readied for wheelchair accessibility.  It was then that Kaka made a clean breast of having rented their bungalow to actor Gorby without their knowledge and his subsequent accidental death. Kaka was unaware that Gorby, Biba and Ravi were childhood buddies.  He also said that their house was haunted.  Ravi and Biba laughed in his face.  Sheepish at this reaction, Kaka slunk out.

Monu was a nerd and it had been agreed by his US school principal that he could appear for exams online- so everyone was happy. His Indian nanny Ms. Rosie had agreed to travel with them and Ravi and Biba were relieved.

Monu was a night owl and as he worked on his homework, he felt a presence. He turned his swivel chair and saw a man seated on his bed. He was looking at him with love.  Monu asked, “who are you?’  Gorby replied, “I am your dad son! “ But how can that be Monu cried my dad is Ravi and not you! But Gorby insisted.  Then Monu asked why are you  still here? Gorby said he wanted to know who had plotted to scare him to death literally.   Then he saw that Monu was unable to stand and was stricken. He came to know about the accident and their move back home.

During subsequent days he noticed the love and devotion Ravi had for his son and he softened.

The day before, he had been seething in anger when he’d overheard Ravi and Biba talking.  Ravi had confessed to Biba that he had sent his close friend, a New York cop to scare away Gorby from them for good.  On chatting with a local Dehradun friend, he had come to know about the paying guest in their bungalow. The town was all excited to have Gorby the actor in their midst, his friend had expressed. He had had no intention of killing him he told her emphatically.  She’d believed him.

During childbirth, Ravi had come to know that Monu was not his son, but had forgiven Biba and loved Monu as his own flesh and blood.  Now he only wished to keep Gorby away from disrupting his family again.  That was all.

Gorby forgave his childhood buddies and quietly departed from their lives.  Next to Monu’s pillow they found an exquisite cameo with Gorby’s mom’s picture in it.  Gorby had worn in his neck when alive.

Lalaji sold his compact two bedroom place, banked half and left for his village, to live out his remaining days basking in old memories in the mellow surroundings of the ancestral home.

Shalani, an childhood friend and favorite cousin saw him under the ancient banyan tree surrounded by children and came over to greet.  They had been very close as children and soon Lalaji spilled his guts and wept.  He missed his grandchildren left behind in the city. Hence he showered his love on the village kids who soon came to love him and addressed him as Grandpa.  Shalini decided to teach Lalaji’s three sons and their wives a lesson.  She had a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Shalini’s daughter Leela and her husband Ram were close neighbors of Lalaji’s sons Amit, Sumit and Ankit and she decided to call them for a party.  Her wedding anniversary was within days and would be the perfect excuse.  Once Lalaji’s family was within earshot, Leela said to a friend,” you know it is a real shame about poor Uncle Lala Amar Nath.  His sons deprived him of all his worldly goods sucking him dry and then got rid of him like yesterday’s newspaper! The shameless ingrates.  My mom Shalini told me that she was very happy that they did not come to know about uncle’s safe treasure”.   Then, she glided off leaving Lalaji’s offspring aghast!

The mercenary sons scrambled to huddle in a corner and palaver over this new information nugget.   Their wives urged the sons to seek out the old man and invite him back to the city after showing abject remorse and seeking a pardon in piteous tones.  The old man was sure to melt as he doted on his grand-kids.

Lalaji was seated at his usual perch surrounded by children when three sets of feet halted near him.  In unison they genuflected before him blubbering for forgiveness.  Shalini was standing behind the banyan having come there on an errand and became privy to this show of crocodile tears.  She snorted and laughed wickedly.  Her plan had been foolproof after all.  Now it will be smooth sailing for cousin Amar Nath she thought and left with a happy relieved frame of mind.

Lalaji resettled in his family’s bosom where all his three sons lived in the dream home he and his beloved wife Shanti had built and they’d  inherited from him.  Each son lived on a separate floor and had separate business as well.  Hence life was a smooth sail.

Lalaji was made much of each week by a different son and his shameless effusive wife who’s eye was only on the main chance of knowing more about the safe treasure.  Lalaji stayed mum after having been stung so bitterly by own flesh and blood.  He enjoyed his grand children very much.  They never tired of his folk lore and fairytales and tales from the Panchtantra and the great Hindu epics.  Thus their morals and moral fiber strengthened by gentle advise imparted with love and humor that matched his twinkling happy eyes.  He silently thanked the good fairy whoever he/she was that had wrought this miracle.  His sunset years had become full of light.

Lalaji had only hours to live.  His family gathered around his bedside.  Finally the youngest grandchild of five egged on by his mother asked grandpa about his Safe Treasure.  Grandpa smiled and all the puzzle pieces fell in place.  He remembered Shalini, his cousin called him a safe treasure- full of sound advice and a treasure trove of folktales for tender ears.  Silently he thanked his beloved benefactor.

In a firm voice he said, “Listen children, the safe treasure you seek is me.  Cousin Shalini always called me a “safe treasure” as she loved my stories that I weaved constantly and which she never tired of.  Regarding any cash and valuables, I have in the bank a nest egg of a quarter million which I leave up to you three to divide equitably amongst you.  However, if you can give me a proper sendoff in the traditional Hindu way and immerse my ashes in the holy Ganges River, your mother’s soul will be at peace.  I do not care one way or another.  Also if you my three sons, can on a regular basis visit a home for the aged and bring some cheer in the lives of the forsaken all your sins will be washed away.   Your children will benefit immensely from such trips as well.  I leave the decision up to you all.  That is all I have to say to you”.  Then he turned his face towards the wall and journeyed on.

** Pañcatantra, Sanskrit:  ‘Five Principles’) is an ancient Indian collection of animal fables in verse and prose, in  frame story format.

Last week the funeral had been conducted as befitting a much loved father and husband by the grief stricken wife Sheila and twin offspring Yogi and Yamuna, both doctors. The deceased was one of Jaipur’s top industrialists. His name was Yograj Sisodia.

Dr. Yamuna was short and stocky like her dad with gorgeous flowing hair and limpid clear eyes that mesmerized. Her other attractive feature was a tinkling laughter which reminded of soft musical notes. Other than that, she was ordinary in looks department but was a gifted general surgeon.

Dr. Yogi her fraternal twin was classically tall, fair and handsome. He had taken after their mom Sheila who was a known beauty in her heyday. Handsome doctors attract more nurses than their counterparts and Yogi was no exception. A graveyard of broken hearts could be chalked up to his name. He was an incorrigible flirt. His sis warned that one day he was going to fall flat for someone who would not give him the time of day. He merely snorted. The siblings however loved each other very much. Yogi was an interventional cardiologist.

The family was quite well off and hence inheritance was the last thing on their minds. It was more curiosity to know what their beloved (dad/partner) had had to hide from his family.  The attorney came over with the key to the safe and they gathered in their father’s study room. It was his private den and only place that was taboo to all, without exception. Their dad even cleaned the place himself.  Various properties had already been distributed per deceased’s last will and testament. The only item left was the safe.

Sheila said “I wonder what Yograj hid from us all these years? Yogi, Yamuna, do you guys have any inkling?” Both shook their heads equally mystified.  Impatience and curiosity were palpable. Per instructions of the deceased, the attorney opened safe and left them alone. His work done, he quietly saw himself out of the mansion.

With rising excitement Sheila opened the safe door. In it covered by an antique red velvet table cloth, edged by an exquisite gold filigree lace was an antique Chinese box with carved dragons. It was one those trick puzzle boxes and they had a tough time finding the secret drawer as it definitely contained something which rattled when gently shaken.

Yamuna said, “Ma please hand it to me. Let me try“. Skilful surgeon hands gently tapped the mouths of each carved dragon. Finally the left side gave a clicking sound and a drawer sprang open.

Wrapped in a scented embroidered kerchief with royal insignia was a huge blue topaz the size of a small egg. It had to be priceless. Their collective mouths fell open. There was a sepia tinted old newspaper cutting under the stone. It spoke of a daring theft of the legendary Topaz from the royalpalaceofJaipur.

This stone was, per the legend stolen from an ancient temple and whosoever possessed it- misfortune would befall his immediate family. The temple thief had sold the gem to the royal jeweler for a mere pittance and disappeared. He had met with a freak accident and died on the spot. The royal jeweler made a forehead ornament for the royal princess and presented it to his highness the Raja of Jaipur. The jewel had next been stolen by an ancestor of Yograj Sisodia called Pratap Singh as he had easy access, being the chief treasurer of the palace.

Pratap

“This topaz is driving me crazy. I have to have it or I will go crazy. Please gods either free me from this obsession or help me acquire it by fair means or foul”.

The minute Pratap had laid eyes on the topaz he had been hypnotized by its beauty and was driven to do the unthinkable. He seemed to be possessed by the evil spirit of stone itself.

Once the stone came in his possession, bad luck came along with it. His prize winning horses suddenly broke their limbs and an ancient Peepal tree inexplicably shriveled and died. Pratap Singh realized his error but it was too late.

Repentant and grief stricken, in order to make amends, Pratap Singh performed various rituals and tantric remedies with help of knowledgeable priests to appease the malefic planets and demi gods. Then per the sage’s instructions, he placed the stone in this box along with its history to be passed on to his bloodline. Tide of bad luck had been successfully averted.

Sheila and the twin doctors were shaken, enchanted and fascinated by their discovery. Knowing one another well, they decided to gift the topaz to the national museum where it truly belonged, unanimously.

**Hindus worship Peepal tree like a deity, without having any knowledge about its history & origin. Check out a few interesting legends about it. Peepal Tree- The Sacred Fig  (written for a challenge- using “safe” word in a short story 1000 words max)

They were all headed back to India during summer break and by a mere fluke they had been privy to a cryptic text message on a fellow passenger’s cell phone.  They had quickly noted down all the info and had decided to investigate upon landing.

Raja’s dad was a bigwig in the airline’s corporate staff.  Through his aegis they acquired full data with copy of fellow passenger’s passport.  Their job had been made easy by this information.  The safe’s secret had to be unlocked to get to heart of the matter.  Excitement tinged with fear was palpable.

Raja was tall and reedy in structure with a prominent adam’s apple but due to his dark liquid eyes, all the girls shamelessly gave him chase in the college campus.  He was shy to boot.

Bunty and Goldie were the extreme opposites and were constantly riding love’s seesaw on an off and on basis.  Bunty was of rugged build, fair and tall and had a wonderful voice.  Hence he too was much sought after.

Goldie was the nerd of the triad and hence kept them afloat in studies singlehandedly.    Goldie was hooked on workouts, if not busy solving difficult problems.  He spent half of his free time tackling weights.  His body was like a Greek God’s and hence cynosure of many eyes of both genders.

The passport revealed the name of the passenger to be Salim Malik.  The message had come from a girl named Ameena Begum.  On further research they were able to locate the whereabouts of Ameena.  They had to find the alleged safe quickly to get to the bottom of this plot.  Here they faced a stone wall.  They went into a huddle to solve this issue.

Fortunately everyone was from Mumbai which made things much easier.  They solicited aid from   local police station officer (SHO) who thought if this yields some crime in the making, he would make headlines and hence helped them with all means at his disposal.    With inside information from the cell phone service provider they had nailed down the exact location of the house and hence the safe.   The police usually made the rounds in the riot prone areas and hence their SHO with help from his Mohamed Ali road counterpart, effected a raid on Ameena’s house.

Ameena’s father Abbas Baig was a cab driver and father of five girls.  Ameena’s mother Samina Begum was deathly scared of her bully husband and did his bidding.  Hence the children suffered without respite being girls.  The SHO had seen the dilapidated safe hidden in a small alcove in the backroom wall covered by a dirty curtain.  He told the triad that now it was up to them to retrieve, open and put back without anyone the wiser.

The trio rejected the numerous invites from local friends and relations and went into a huddle.   A series of festivals were imminent and the streets would be teeming with processions and an odd blast here and there to create communal disharmony.  Keeping all this in mind, they designed a harmless noisemaker as a diversion and planted it near Ameena’s house.  As everyone ran out, they ran in and retrieved the safe.

Finally the SHO with expert help pried open the safe and it yielded three neat dollar bundles along with passports of Ameena, Samira and Aamna the three older girls aged 17,16 and 15 years.  All had Saudi Arabia visa stamps in them.  Apparently the girls were being sold to rich Saudi sheikhs.  They were all shook up to confront this human trafficking by a parent.  Now they wondered how Salim Malik their plane’s co-passenger fit in here.  They decided to visit him.

The SHO explained the whole situation to Salim and then he told them of his own heartache.  He was in love with Ameena from childhood but knew her abba (dad) was bent upon encashing all his daughters and had forbidden them from meeting.  They were only able to meet near their school or the mosque at given times.  They communicated via a note they left under a designated stone at a nearby park.  About two years ago Salim had gone to USA on scholarship and had been saving money to buy off Ameena from her Abba.  The information about safe and other details were messaged to Salim by a desperate Ameena who was scheduled to be married within the fortnight to a Saudi Sheikh along with her two younger sisters who had brokered a deal for all three of them paying handsomely to cab driver Abbas Baig, their father.   Now all the pieces fell in place.  The girls were under age and hence this was an illegal trade.

The SHO openly returned the safe back to Ameena’s house even as the camera’s from all news channels rolled in live action.  Abbas Baig was arrested and all the girls were rescued.  Ameena and Salim Malik were married by the mosque priest and rest of the girls along with their mother were whisked off to a new neighborhood under different names with relevant paper work, ration card etc…  With Salim’s permission, Ameena sent money to her mother each month to meet all the expenses.   No one missed cruel Abbas Baig.

***Ten years later

Raja, Goldie and Bunty as preplanned inaugurated their brand new NGO called Safe Haven meant for all homeless, abused and society’s pariahs seeking care and shelter.

notes: SHO- policestation Head Officer, NGO= non-govt. org.

Mita and Ajay were seven year old orphans and best friends.  Fortunately they got adopted by same couple who wanted a boy and a girl.  Kanta and Kamal Mehra secretly hoped that the kids would grow up fond of each other and thus never leave the family roost.   Luckily, things seemed to be going in that direction.

**

Mita had turned out to be a beautiful young lady with fine patrician features and slim body.  That pretty faced housed a brilliant mind and a stubborn will.  By providing her a stable home life, the gods had been kind and she wanted to be a healer and chart unknown frontiers in the medical field.  And by god she was going to do it! 

Mita always wanted to be a doctor and had worked hard towards achieving this goal.  Her heart was set on becoming a surgeon and a cardiac one at that, which seemed strictly a male bastion.  She faced many roadblocks in her quest but her sheer brilliance and persistence paid off.  She had incorporated new procedures to make the surgeries easier and less painful for the patients.  They had been adopted by her colleagues after they were tried and tested over and over again.   She had won accolades and citations in medical journals. 

The spanking new Arya hospital erected by a leading business family hired her as their heart surgeon.  She was also a visiting surgeon at various facilities and post couple of breakthrough surgeries where famous people were involved, things became easy for her.  She was grudgingly accepted by her male counterparts as a colleague.  She had arrived.

**

Ajay grew up to be an average looking man with way above average mind.  Having ordinary looks was a great asset in his chosen line of work.  His perfect body was well honed and a lethal weapon when push came to shove.  He had mastered the martial arts early on.  He was a human chameleon.

Ajay loved Mita above all next to their adoptive parents.  They had cemented their love in a simple marriage ceremony in the presence of close family and friends at the registrars.  They did not enjoy crowds and had a very small circle of friends and kin.

Ajay was smitten by the armed forces and would watch war movies over and over.  He wished to serve his country and finally found his calling.   After a rigorous training he joined military intelligence.  Multi lingual skill and a flair for drama made him succeed at his calling.  He never was one for the limelight as he preferred to work behind the scenes.  His beloved Mita had become famous and that was enough for the both of them.  Life was beautiful.  To celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, they had gotten their ring fingers tattooed with each others names in English in very fine lettering almost indiscernible.  This way even if they did not wear their wedding rings, they were bound to one another indelibly.

**

Ajay Jr. was five years old and was yet to see his father.  Given his line of work, Ajay did not wish to have a family and therefore when Mita became pregnant soon after their marriage, she never told him about it.  He was away during her pregnancy and was never told about it either upon his sporadic return.  The baby was cared for by the joyous grandparents in their home.  Mita being a busy doctor came around as often as she was able to. 

**

Mita had received an emergency call from the military hospital and she hurried over.   

There were injured soldiers from Pakistan and India lying side by side and emergency surgeries was required.  The Pakistani soldier seemed to draw her from the first moment.  The face was unfamiliar but the eyes were Ajay’s!  How could that be!   She gave a mental shake and immediately scrubbed and performed surgeries on the two cases that required her particular skill.  She promised to check in the morning and after giving firm detailed instructions, she left.  

Quietly she let herself in at the Mehra residence and looked in on her sleeping son.  She hugged him close and wept.  His dad had been missing for a couple of years now and her heart was breaking.  The irony was not lost on her, the hot shot heart doctor with a broken heart.  Somehow, the Pakistani soldier haunted her.  She was clueless.  Then she called that emergency number that Ajay had given her.

**

Armed with the cosmetically altered face of Ajay in her hand, Mita hurried towards the army hospital.  She went to the Pakistani soldier’s bed and compared the two faces.  It was her Ajay.  She quickly peeled off the skin grafted on his ring finger to double check.  It was indeed her love.  Quickly she sent an affirmative text to that secret number.   Ajay was unobtrusively whisked away by his people.  He would be discharged after he had fully recovered from his surgery and got back his original face.  Mita would wait for her love.

She had a lovely surprise for him and was certain he would not be mad at her.  It would be her surprise gift of love for her beloved. Maybe she can push her luck and have him change his vocation.  Only time would tell and if her Krishna so desires.  She smiled wholeheartedly for the first time.  She squared her shoulders and prepared for work.

The Bond  

Her tattoo was throbbing! Yogi had to be near!  Why could she not find him?Getting second wind, she got up again and searched the debris and broken bodies strewn all around due to that unexpected landslide.  Their tour bus had been hit and the driver was dead  

Mia and Yogi were childhood sweethearts and post storybook romance, had tied the knot.  In childhood during a visit to India they had gotten each other’s names tattooed in their inner arms which had further cemented their bond.   There are only few times in life when all the planets are aligned and a perfect match takes place.  They were those soul mates Yogi had always wanted to serve and had joined the army.  His skill with languages and analytical ability led him to a plum assignment in Kabul.  He could speak Pashto like a native and had blended seamlessly.  The only way he could communicate with his US bosses was via an Afghan asset Lalrukh who ran a dry grocery store in Kabul.  This shop had been in Lal’s family for generations.  He had become an agent due to disenchantment with the Taliban and other fundamentalists. Lalrukh like his abba (father) respected women and that was another reason for helping the Americans.

 Mia did not need a laptop to connect with Yogi.  Each time she caressed her tattoo, Yogi’s arm throbbed and vice versa.  Their tattoos kept them strung together as one.

It was a stroke of bad luck that a bomb had landed in the very bazaar where  Lalrukh’s store was and Yogi had been having a cup of tea with him in the back room.  Both had been injured and taken to the local hospitals.  It was there that Yogi had been caught.  In a state of delirium he had babbled in chaste Hindi the name Mia over and over again. He was still in his afghan getup and head gear.  An injured young man brainwashed by the Taliban lay in the next bed.  He got suspicious of Yogi and immediately informed the local imam (priest).  Yogi was brusquely whisked away even as the US army was on its way to airlift him to safety.  The nightmare had begun.

Mia had visited Vrindavan once only and had been captivated by the playful god Krishna.  She had heard many stories about Krishna and had adopted him as her own personal god, friend, and confidante.  She would close her eyes and get transported back to Vrindavan. The awful news about Yogi was conveyed to both the families who were stricken, fearing the worst.  Mia ran to her small Krishna and closed her eyes.  She pleaded with him to help.  She found herself roving in the streets of Vrindavan until she saw Kanha with a flute in front of her, smiling away.  She woke up with an upbeat mood.

 Through various channels, Yogi’s whereabouts had been located.  He was stuck in a cave in the nearby hills under militant’s control.  He was being lashed daily but divulged nothing.  He caressed his tattoo parroting Mia and Mia only. 

 Handpicked men trained in rescue missions were sent after exhaustive briefing.  Everything had been timed to perfection.  Divert, attack, rescue and run like hell.  They chose a cloudy night and the rescue went like clockwork.  Yogi was now resting in a US army hospital and was scheduled to fly back in a week’s time.  Mia was aboard a flight to India to bring him home personally.  It was then that Yogi’s mom requested them to visit their family shrine in the lower Himalayas.  They had agreed and had boarded the bus to pay their respect.

 Locals had gathered and were helping with rescue operation.  A few scavengers too had emerged from dark crevasses like birds of prey.  Mia had informed the parents along with the US embassy.

The tattoo throbbed and frantically she searched here and there.  Then she saw him!  Krishna with his flute was beckoning her.  She walked in that direction unquestioningly.  After climbing down some precarious ledges, Mia saw her Yogi lying on an outcrop of the hill.  It was a natural ledge.  Krishna had vanished.  Eyes filled with tears of joy she screamed for help.  

They were aboard a flight home when Mia shared her news.  They were going to have a baby finally.  Yogi and Mia had been married for seven years.  To Mia’s relief Yogi had to decide on a career move now as promised by him after marriage.  That could wait as he savored the word “dad” on his tongue. (picture from internet)

Seth household was like a war zone.  The three “bahus” (daughter-in-laws) were constantly bickering and elder Seths had had it up till here.  They decided to make an early run for it to their summer home in the hills.  Their one and only daughter Minnie was visiting from USA with her twin boys Samir and Ranvir and she decided to go with them. The foursome along with the nanny got in the family jeep early a.m. and took off without a backward glance.

**

Minnie had met Alex Burns at NYU (New York University) and had fallen headlong in love.  They were kindred spirits with lots in common. Once married, they never looked back.  Alex had had specialized training in military intelligence and was on call as and when needed.  Currently he was on an assignment.   Minnie took this opportunity to visit her parents in India for a few days.   

**

Seths quickly settled in and the caretaker couple soon had a warm fire crackling with hot food on the dining table.   Warmed and replete, they decided to retire early.  The peace here was a stark  contrast from the pandemonium at home.

**

Whimpering sound in the middle of the night woke them all up.  They hurried to the nursery and saw Ranvir crying in his sleep.  He was having a nightmare.  Minnie took him in her arms and coddled him.  Suddenly the elders screamed, “Where is Samir?”  His bed was empty!  Minnie turned to stone!  Hurriedly she thrust Ranvir in her mom’s arms, and armed with flashlights, her dad, nanny, housekeeper and she fanned out in search of Samir.  A thick fog hung like a curtain, hiding everything.

**

Sirens cut the silence and fog like a knife! Squealing sounds of tires burnt the asphalt.  The tolling from the prison bell tower a couple of miles away announced  the escape.   The night was fraught with danger becoming nightmarish progressively.

**

The ringing phone startled Mrs. Seth.  It was the DC (District Commissioner) calling to warn them to be careful as the convict was armed and dangerous.  DC and their elder son were classmates.  Mrs. Seth secured the house tight and started reciting Hanuman chalisa (holy mantras).

**

There was a soft knock on the back door.  Mrs Seth opened it cautiously and a gun was thrust in her face.  A ferocious wild looking man was carrying Sammie and waving the gun at her.  He pushed her aside and hastily closed the door.

The front doorbell rang.  The convict hid in the next room.  Standing at the doorstep was a young couple.  They were lost in the fog and wanted directions to nearby hotel.  Mrs. Seth invited them inside so that she could give them written instructions.  The young couple looked at each other wondering why she looked so edgy.  Mrs. Seth hustled them out on the double.  They drove off soon after.

Then the front door opened.  Mrs. Seth quickly hid him in the children’s room.  Her family had returned, downcast.  The fog had hampered the search.  They decided to wait till it lifted.

In muffled tones Mrs. Seth filled them in.  They sighed in relief and then were full of consternation.  They decided to let the escapee rest for the night in the children’s room and worry later.  Things settled temporarily.  Their minds were racing trying to find a solution to this risky dilemma.

**

After a couple of the longest hours of their lives,

they all trooped into the nursery.

The sight that met their eyes took them

by surprise filling them with delight.

The convict had dozed off and little Ranvir

had calmly picked up his gun and sat pointing it at the convict.

 His eyes were unblinking! Samir was hiding behind Ranvir.   Elder Seth quietly dialed the DC’s number.

(picture from the internet) 

(just wrote this for a creative challenge- a fog- a house at a hillstation, a 3 year old missing, escaped convict w/cops in hot pursuit and a lost honeymoon couple)

picture from internet

“Headlines screamed defense attorney Sam Bishop stabbed to death outside his home. Police on the case.  DA Chuck Molina braying for blood”.  Molina decided to lean hard on the police chief.

**

Police chief Sam held a closed door briefing.  Among list of suspects were widow of deceased, son and his wife, daughter, secretary and partner.   The chief whistled in envy as all the Bishop women were real good lookers. He ordered tapping of phones and hidden cameras to get a quick lead on the case.  He told everyone to cooperate with other departments.  He urged all to search for clues, make calls to their contacts with underworld et al.  Ace homicide detective Sidney was assigned to the case.

**

The myriad people Bishop had saved were clamoring for a quick arrest.  They started bombarding detective Sidney with theories and tips.  Sidney decided to go to his hideaway away from the city and try and work on this puzzle in his own unique way.

**

Ursula Bishop Jr’s wife was in shock out of grief and remorse.  “What have I done?” She had never imagined this horrific end!  She had married the son out of love but after getting to know the elder Bishop, she had been attracted to him.  She knew he was ripe for plucking as he was not easing into his 50s gracefully.  Instead he had started dressing like a younger man with a new flashy car et al.  Family was independently wealthy from various holdings.  After numerous attempts and rebuffs, she decided to teach him a lesson.  She self inflicted some wounds and went for a massage.  Her masseur Tommy was in love with her and she counted on this fact.  He was horrified at her bruises and name of her culprit.  He was full of rage.  He recalled all the beatings his old man had given him in childhood and in his mind, the old man and elder Bishop became one person.  He planned meticulously. 

He tailed Bishop unobtrusively for a few days.  Then he struck.  In a rage he stabbed him repeatedly thinking he was his nasty old man.  Then he removed his Rolex watch and wallet and fled.

**

Detective Sidney holed up in his hideaway to put together the pieces. Events clarified in his mind.  He decided to go for a walk with his dog.  As he strolled in the nearby park, he heard his dog yapping excitedly.  He had dug up something in the ground.  Sidney investigated and deep in the pit he found the Rolex watch and wallet.  They belonged to the deceased.  The wallet had nothing missing.  He was both excited and mystified.  He had his dog sniff the objects and followed his lead. Soon they stopped near a cottage.  The dog barked excitedly.  The nameplate read Thomas Parker, Physical Therapist. Sidney had to merely link him to the list of suspects.  He homed in on Ursula who quickly broke down and spilled the beans.      

Fate’s Spin

Marvin Peabody III came from old wealth.  His old grandfather had been a skinflint who had treated his labor atrociously.  Their numerous readymade clothes mills were more sweat shops than factories.  This bloodline petered out with the birth of Marv the third.

Marvin was a wide eyed gullible soul.  The cut of his soul’s cloth was fashioned after his mother who had been swept off her feet by his father, a dashing rake.  She had been on the verge of becoming the bride of Christ.

Marvin was born within the year and there were limited rejoicings only.  Number One Peabody was reluctant to open his purse strings wider than necessary.  That was good as well as this child was the beginning of the end of the business and Peabody bloodline.

Marvin grew up to be a kind hearted soul.  He was sanguine about the family’s black history and had decided to make all the workers equal partners in the factories and run it like a co-operative business.  The wheel of justice had come full circle with him.  He had been orphaned on his eighteenth birthday due to a horrific fire in the family house.  He had been rushed to safety by his old nanny.  Now, there was nothing to keep him rooted.  He walked off, a liberated homeless rolling stone.    

Marvin rejoiced in playing his violin when he needed money for a meal and a bath.  He was good enough to attract sufficient appreciative dollars.  Life hummed along nicely.  Then something happened that changed him forever.

He had been playing his violin in the subway when he noticed a waist pouch that had been unclipped when a Good Samaritan dropped a fiver in his violin case.  He picked it up and counted a twenty grand wad.  He was stunned.  He wanted to hop on the train and return it to the owner.  The train left even before he could pack his violin.  He scratched his head at a loss for a new plan.

He went to his favorite night shelter and once again searched the pouch thoroughly.  In the inner pocket he found a business card.  It had a travel agency’s address.  He decided to investigate further.   Putting away his belongings in a locker and wearing his good clothes he hurried to the place.      

Marvin did not appear like the down in luck violin player of the subway.  The Good Samaritan (GS) failed to recognize him.   Marvin removed the card from his pocket and held it front of the GS.  He took the card and handed Marvin an envelope.  Involuntarily Marvin took it.  Even before he could utter a word, the GS left in a hurry while talking to someone on his mobile.   Mystified, Marvin came back to his shelter.

He opened the envelope and found a coded list of twenty five.  He and his best school buddy Paddy Bell were nerds.  He called Paddy and went over to meet him.  They tried to make sense of the list at once.   Finally they decoded it.  In their hands they held twenty-five private addresses.  Bell senior was in intelligence and they decided to share the list with him.  Mr. Bell immediately called a meeting of all his colleagues.  Marvin had already repeated all that had occurred a few times, succinctly.  The notes turned out to be a portion of the recent heist pulled at a local savings bank.  The thread was fast unraveling.   Then one of the field hands recognized one of the addresses after cross referencing their significant data bases.   It belonged to one of people of “significant interest” with ties to the Al Qaeda.  It was one of the safe houses of the terrorists and on intelligence watch list already.  The list became extremely valuable.

They decided to install surveillance cameras and other gadgets in all the other remaining 24 locations.  In short span of a month they had gathered enough intelligence to abort a planned attack on the white house.

They had struck gold via Marvin.  This was major breakthrough for them.

They recruited Marvin and Paddy who accepted with alacrity.

Marvin had finally found his calling.

~~