• ISHAAN •

THREE DAYS LATER…

“What?” I almost yelled in a way that could gain everyone's attention after hearing the bad— errr… worst— news from Ved. “Uh… When did this happen?”

“Yesternight.” Though he sounded coherent due to his wobbling, I understood what he was trying to say.

“Okay. Are you at your home or hers?” I asked, already packing my things to see my devastated friend and his dead wife.

“Our house,” he replied, emphasizing on the word “our house”, indicating that he was at the house Ved's father had gifted them for the wedding. “I have already informed Mehak's parents of this.”

“Oh.” I ran as fast as I could from my office canteen to the parking lot and started to ride my car, my mind barely worried about the wrath I would earn from my boss in the future. But, it's okay. He would understand, unlike Aadya Chatterjee. “Okay. You don't worry. I'll be there soon. Love you. Bye!”

I disconnected the call and continued riding the car cautiously faster, remembering how Mehak Trivedi Singh and the baby in her womb died in a car accident the previous night.

I couldn't help but blame God for bringing Ved into this plight. Ved may be the sunshine of his loved one's lives, but Mehak was the sunshine of his. Especially after her getting pregnant with his baby, Ved thought that God was being extremely kind with that guy and was raining sunshine on his side.

Until she died.

Be it in Advika's world or in mine, Gods were total sadists. Don't blame me. It was just my agnostic self doing all this talk. But anyways, if one could be more cruel than your sworn enemy towards you, it's God. And, especially in my life, God was just more cruel than Aadya Chatterjee.

That was when the realisation dawned on my dumb ass and I halted my car almost in an urge. If Gods were the ones who are the reason behind everything that happens in our life and if they were the one who determine everything in our life, then was Aadya Chatterjee— the one who created this world and was determining everything that has to happen here— the God of this universe? So, was she the one who planned the death of Mehak and her unborn baby?

But, why would she do that after all that “Ishaan is my baby” drama she created?

***

The first thing I saw when I reached Ved's house was not Mehak shrouded in a white cloth— just as I didn't expect. Ved, leaning on the wall, rested his head on his knees. His body was shaking due to him crying, though he didn't make any noise. His mother sat near him, placing her hand on his shoulder while his father and Mr Trivedi sat on the couch with their eyes holding no light and life.

“Ved.” He looked up at my call as I went to him and sat next to him, questions on Mehak's existence looming over my mind.

“Ishaan,” he called with his tone wobbling more than I heard over the call. “Police said that Mehak's body was missing. We searched for her body throughout the night. All we could find was her car and her belongings.” And, he went on to cry more while I couldn't help but curse at Aadya Chatterjee for doing all of this. “God!” He looked up at the ceiling and exclaimed. “You must have taken me away. What did my Mehak do? What did my baby do?”

The moment he mentioned God, I couldn't help but tell him something that was hovering on my mind for a very long time. “Ved. You think that God is a celestial being, that he knows everything, and that he's perfect. No. First of all, God is a woman.” As he frowned at me for uttering stuff at the most inappropriate time, I added, “God is a human being. Just like you and I.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, his frown getting deeper every second.

“I mean, there is a universe just like ours. And, your God lives there.”

With that, I rambled on about Advika, Aadya Chatterjee, and their universe.

“Ishaan,” Ved called in a warning tone. “This… This whole stuff is just so ridiculous. You know what I'm going through right now. And, I know what you are going through. I understand that forgetting Maahi is a totally difficult thing to do.” While I could react further to him mentioning Maahi's name, he interjected, “But…” He sighed as though he was fed-up and continued, “I can suggest some psychiatrists who can help you. Reach out to them and talk about it.”

“Ved, but—” Can someone kindly tell him that I don't need someone to help but believe.

“Let me repeat, Ishaan. You need help. Stop drinking from now on: they may cause hallucinations. I warned you; you drink a lot. Take a break if you wish to and—”

“I'm not lying, Ved!” I raised my voice, successfully managing to gain his attention. “Let me repeat. That woman Aadya Chatterjee was the one who killed your wife and your unborn—”

“Ishaan!” He yelled at a decibel louder than me: a sign that he was so angry that he could destroy anything right then and that I must stop babbling the truth. “No random woman from a parallel universe had killed my wife and my baby. It was a drunk driver and a faulty traffic system. That's what the police and the media says. You get it? I'm telling you. You— Wait.” He took out his mobile, dialled someone, and spoke up a few seconds later. “Hello? Fior, it's Ved here. Uh… Ishaan is at my house now. Could you please take him to his house?... Sure, he can wait…Grazie, Fior. Arrivederci.” Disconnecting the call, he looked at me and informed me, “Fiorella will reach here in five minutes. Go home safely with her. Okay?”

“Ved, but work…” I paused midway, unable to comprehend what was going on then.

“I'll talk to your boss. It's Mr Smith, isn't he? I have his number. I'll explain. You go home and take a rest.”

I wondered who was supposed to be the depressed one: him or I, as the room fell back into silence.

***

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

Subject: Nobody believes me.

I have a theory. If Gods were the ones who determine everything in our life, was Aadya Chatterjee— the one who created this world and was determining everything that has to happen here— the God of this universe?

Mehak and her unborn baby died at an accident last night. I visited Ved today. And, I told him about your world. I know that the timing was bad, but I couldn't help it. I explained how “God” played it hard with his life. He didn't believe me, though. Who can blame him?

Anyways, reply after seeing this mail. Love you!

I

***

AN HOUR LATER…

I received two emails from Advika: one a screenshot of a text message and the other a text mail.

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

Subject: LOOK AT THIS FIRST!

aadyachats ✓:
Hi, Advika Bansal! You may think that there's almost nothing between us to have a conversation yet again, but no. I'm here to send my condolences and apologies. Condolences to Mehak Trivedi Singh and her unborn baby. And, apologies for planning a brutal death for them and executing it on manuscript— especially after knowing that it would happen for real. Sorry. ;)

Still not recovered from the astonishment the screenshot gave me, I read the next mail, only to drench in surplus guilt.

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

Subject: Where are your brains?

Your theory was proved right, dear. Unfortunately.

And, I wonder where the fuck did you misplace your brain when you thought of confessing the truth to Ved. I mean, you know he was in sorrow at the loss of his family. But, you… NO FOOL WOULD DO THAT, ISHAAN! How did you even manage to do that? I'm not surprised that Ved didn't believe you.

Advika B…

***

Though I hate Aadya, the reasons why she waved a red flag for Ishaan's relationship with Advika... It's valid, though.

But, we never listen to our heads, do we?

See you soon!