Where the Secret Lies

by Gandhi, Malika

  ‘What is it? Are you alright?’ he said anxiously.

  ‘I am fine, don’t be worried. Arianna, first I want you to tell everyone what you told me, from the beginning. Then they will believe.’

  With all eyes on her, Arianna once again began the story. She told them how she met the maid, her conversations with her and finally entering the mysterious room where she found photographs, old clothes and how she acquired Anjali’s diary.

  She explained the love-hate relationship between Tehzeeb and Anjali, the murder and the suicide.

  ‘The maid is actually Anjali and I am Tehzeeb, the first wife of Mohan.’

  Arianna remained silent until they all could digest the information.

  ‘It doesn’t seem real, I know. All I want to do is free Anjali,’ she said after a long time, when everyone failed to speak – even Tianna.

  Tianna opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. Jai looked at Arianna. She knew he believed her from the day he set foot in the haveli; he smiled. Arianna smiled back a thank you.

  ‘Wow Ari,’ was all Khushboo could say.

  ‘Perhaps you need to see Anjali...to believe. Auntie, will this be alright by you?’ Arianna asked.

  ‘Yes beta, I would like to see her,’ auntie replied.

  ‘Anjali, I know you are here...please show yourself.’

  Tianna jumped and cowered next to uncle.

  Anjali came in as the maid and transformed, wearing the red sari. An audible gasp left everyone and Tianna fainted.

  Arianna splattered her with water.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘I will be,’ Tianna stood up. ‘I am so embarrassed!’

  ‘Please forgive me,’ said Anjali. ‘I didn’t want to frighten anybody. All I ask for is my freedom.’

  She looked around her.

  ‘This was once my daughter’s room,’ she said.

  ‘Anjali, what happened to Mohan and the children?’ asked Arianna.

  ‘I am guilty for Mohan ji’s condition after I...left him. He showed signs of madness and they locked him away. A neighbour took care of the children. She waited until Mohan ji was released from hospital...he did come home but he was unstable. He covered his mistakes by drinking.

  ‘I couldn’t watch. I tried to leave the haveli but I was denied the pleasure; God was punishing me and I had no choice but live with it.’ Anjali let out an ironic laugh. ‘The guilt weighed me down and kept me prisoner. It was only right. I did wrong.

  ‘The children grew up, married, and had children of their own. I watched silently, unseen. I locked the door of the room where Mohan ji stored my clothes, the photographs, and my diary.

  He accidentally found my diary under my clothes, and cried many times reading it; he apologised for the hurt he caused me. I could not see him like this but I had to bear it. Mohan ji died on his fiftieth birthday – they say the drink took his life but I knew it was grief of my wrongdoing. I killed Mohan ji...

  ‘On his deathbed, he called my name, but his eyes rested on Tehzeeb’s portrait. He closed his eyes for the final time and the portrait fell, shattering the glass.’

  Everyone sniffed.

  ‘It won’t be long now didi’ Arianna said in a low voice. ‘You shall be freed.’

  ‘Add the ghee (clarified butter) beta,’ the Marajh spoke.

  Arianna came back to the present.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said and carried on with the ritual.

  Anjali sat beside Arianna but kept herself hidden. Uncle, auntie, Jai, Khushboo and Tianna sat behind Arianna.

  The ritual ended and Anjali looked above; she smiled.

  ‘I am free,’ she whispered. ‘God is calling me...thank you, Tehzeeb didi.’

  Anjali faded into the light that only Arianna could see. A tear dropped on her cheek.

  ‘She has moved on,’ she said. ‘She has left the haveli.’

  ‘I’m going to miss you so much!’ Khushboo embraced Arianna tightly. ‘I wish you weren’t going.’

  ‘I will miss you too Khush, but you are coming to London at Christmas; it is only a few months away. Let’s hope for some snow eh?’ Arianna hugged her cousin back.

  Khushboo wiped her tears and turned to Tianna and Jai, hugging them both.

  They were at the airport; it was time to go home. Waving their last goodbyes to the family, Arianna, Tianna and Jai walked through to the boarding lounge.

  ‘Well, this is one holiday I won’t forget,’ Jai said as he drank his complimentary cola.

  It was night and all was quiet on the plane. The shutters down and the lights dimmed, the passengers slept – Tianna one of them.

  ‘It feels surreal,’ Arianna said. ‘I still think about Anjali and her life. I cannot forget my previous life either... I never believed in reincarnation until now.’

  ‘Were you scared when you first met the spirit, I mean when you realised she was a ghost?’ Jai asked.

  ‘I was spooked of course, who wouldn’t be? Look what happened to auntie and Tianna!’ Arianna gave a small smile. ‘Thank you Jai, for being here when I needed you most and believing me.’

  ‘You have to thank your cousin and your sister. If they hadn’t called me...’

  ‘But you came and that is what counts.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll give you that.’

  Arianna snuggled into him. Moments later, she heard Jai snoring. He was still holding his glass and she gently took it off him, placing it on the tray.

  Arianna snuggled back onto Jai’s shoulder and thought about Anjali. She missed her in a special kind of way. She had grown to like her and despite her past life and how she died; she forgave her.

  It was another lifetime, another era – something she could not relate to in its entirety; she could only imagine and maybe learn to accept it fully in time to come. Wherever Anjali was now, Arianna knew she was happy.

  THE END

  More books by the author

  Freedom of the Monsoon

  When Rakesh decided to join the Quit India Movement, little did he know the chain of misfortune and pain he would unleash. Determined to make India a better place, he unwittingly finds himself facing execution by the hands of the British Raj.

  Dev, a troubled young man tries to carry on after the demise of his brother Rakesh. A trip to Simla, he becomes trapped in love and injustice.

  Pooja, a girl whose life is altered after a rape attack, marries into an abusive arranged marriage to an older man with children. Plunged into despair, she fights back.

  Amit fell in love with the wrong woman, a Memsahib – but she has a secret. It takes everything away from him.

  Sunil, a man in love, is forced to grow up when his close ones face their struggles. Can he help them? Will he overcome his insecurities?

  Personal struggle is the play in five people’s lives. From a village in 1947 India, five individuals struggle against the Quit India movement. Each has a story to tell...

  Five lives, five stories.

  This book is available to purchase on Amazon:

  http://amzn.to/NVqvnC

  About the Author:

  Malika Gandhi lives in the East Midlands, UK. She is a homemaker and in between caring for her family, she writes her books and dabbles in a little painting.

  Malika was born in India but moved to London.

  Visit her blog: www.malikagandhi.wordpress.com for updates on her forthcoming books.

  Blogs:

  http://bit.ly/PakazR -About Me, My book, and Everything else

  http://bit.ly/TI5pZw - The Unicorns’ Book Reviews

  Facebook Page:

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