Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Finale Bumper!

 

Happily she would swirl around in her wedding gown

A satin blue and lime yellow one that too!

All of her friends and family were there again to cheer for her

As her parents would now pack her off to V’s for good

A divine force told her, “Welcome to a new world, you!”

1AM, Thursday, 2^nd July 2017

The parents met each other and the roka kind of ceremony happened yesterday itself. V’s parents had a gala time at the expense of Ramens’ doing magic and humorously trying to teach them to make water appear. They got along well and all V’s parent’s asked for from Ramen’s that she be sent only in her wedding dress. They had everything and their daughter was theirs now.

The marriage was set for next month and V promised they’d go back to another Milan this time!

Ramen, “V? Honeymoon in Milan?” She pointed her finger at him and she was like, “You have to promise me this time you’ll tell me the location.”

V gently shushed his wife and teased her, “Naah you guess this time. I’ll give you clues.”

Ramen jumped from the sofa and wagged her finger again at V and whaled, “no ha V you always do this ha!”

V laughed and picked his wife up and led her back to her bedroom. The parents cheered in unison but her father simply put said as politely as he could to V’s parents, “My daughter Ramen is very spoilt but she is a good daughter. She just does what she wants apart from that no trouble.”

V’s parents laughed out loud and reassured her parents that Ramen was their daughter now. V’s mum said, “Don’t worry Zubair, we will make sure she has everything she wants to flourish creatively.”

Pankti and Zubair thanked god like there was no tomorrow praying, “Aa parcel paacho na avey!”

In her room, V and Ramen stood by the window and lit a joint. After sharing a few drags the real conversation took place, one that would settle Ramen’s soul for good.

Ramen passed the joint to V and whispered, “V, these past months have been a test of time for me. When you told my parents that you only help the helpless, I fell in love with you completely then. It simply meant that you viewed my situation but let me take care of it. You trusted me and you thought I was empowered enough by your love to put people in their place when it was needed. I love you.”

V, “I love you too doll. More than that, it was a test to see if you came through the torture because the worst is mental torture and you suffered outrageously but everyday seeing you cope like a pro I was convinced that you are fit to be a witch. I was preparing you to see the worst to experience the best and you won! I am proud of how strong you are.”

Ramen, “I don’t want to be famous V. I hate the attention.”

V, “After the wedding you and I will disappear for a good period of time and nobody will remember anything . Like I said, you went through the worst and now embrace yourself to live a life full of wishes coming true. I lied to your parents about not using magic often. I promise right now even if at 4 am you want a chilled strawberry milkshake, you’ll have it!”

They both laughed at that and then Ramen said, “I feel like I could handle the torture because I come from a secured background and have always got what I wanted. That first empowerment came from my mum and dad. Secondly, I have doctor Tripti to strengthen me emotionally and you being by my side always made a world of a difference. But this incident of torture is a scar on me. It’s going to be difficult to get over it emotionally. Every time they banged doors I felt like something broke within me but I know that god helps those who help themselves and I hate to lose so I made sure through hell or high water I would rise above it.”

She continued, “But the worst was in the beginning when I began to doubt myself whether this was real or my imagination!”

V, “That’s when I stepped in and crossed paths with you on your blind cab ride and promised to save you if anything untoward happened to you. I saw you for the first time at the airport when you were rushing to get a cab and fell in love with you at first sight. I followed up on everything about you and an intuition told me you would have to go through hell to be mine, to be my witch Ray.”

Now they were laying in bed in each other’s arms and ray said, “I am amazed what jealousy can make people do. The devil takes over them but like they say you reap as you sow so they had the time of their lives in the end and now the losers can rust themselves behind bars.”

V, “Don’t spend your energy what people are capable of doing and not. As a witch, you just focus your energy on inspecting injustice in everyday life and put a stop to it. Just help people baby. That’s something I expect from you. Now close your eyes and stay still.I am doing something that will transform you forever.”

V gently held Ramen’s hand and passed his powers to his wife and it took an hour or more and a fire was burning in between them that Ramen didn’t realize until she woke up new and with a flick of her hand turned the fire off!”

V kissed Mrs. Agnihotri passionately and said, “Welcome to the family doll!”

 

 

 

 

Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Episode 10- Meet the Parents

 

Round and round you go on the merry go round wondering if it’s time to get off

Oh!  But wait, the parents are still around to pick you from falling down in your rush to take the ride the second time around

5:30 PM, Wednesday, 1^st July 2017

“Ramen Zubair Zaheer! Open the door right now! Who are you talking to? Son-in-law? *Holds chest and screams* I think I am getting an attack from the shock! Open the door or I’ll call your father to break the door!”

Ramen screamed from the room, “Do what you want. After breaking my trust the door is the least you can break! I won’t until my husband agrees to meet you!”

V was laughing uncontrollably at this hilarious exchange between a spoiled Bombay brat and a hysterically shocked mother.

“Baby what do we do? Are you ready to meet the parents?”

“I am ready when you are darling.”

*Frantically begs the daughter to open the door* “Ramen dikra, open the door. I don’t know your boyfriend but we will accept him. But he is only your boyfriend, right? And you didn’t do anything with him, right? Promise me you didn’t touch him! Zubair!! Come here!”

Zubair Zaheer, age 68, heard his wife screaming in pain and terror and wondered what happened now with Ramen! He didn’t think he would survive anything more. He rushed towards Ramen’s bedroom.

“Why are you screaming Pankti? We’ve had enough for the day!”

*Terrorized by the time her husband stood next to her outside Ramen’s bedroom* “Zubair, Ramen, Ramen is saying she is married! Our Ramen got married and her husband is inside with her! Do something! Break the door down!”

Zubair definitely didn’t see this coming so in shock he said, “Ramen? Open the door beta, what’s this new thing you’ve come up with to terrorize your parents?”

*Filing her nails sitting on the bed next to V* Ramen said to V, “Should we open the door V or you’re planning to teleport me to Milan once again and dobby is free finally?”

V was rolling on the floor laughing but he went to answer the door patiently and greeted her terrified parents with, “Hello uncle and aunty. I am Vishal Agnihotri and I love your daughter.”

Zubair was so shocked but in that state he took in the vibe of the young man and he liked him instantly and that’s when putting her hand on her chest again Pankti said out loud to her husband, “Zubair, mane Ramen kayche aa chokro toh kai witch che!”

V burst out laughing again and gently led his mother-in-law by her arm into the room and seated her on the study table’s chair while Zubair paid every ounce of attention the shock of finding a boy in his daughter’s room allowed him. The father now looking every bit of his 68 stood in the middle of the room and asked V, “So beta what do your parents do? What do you do?”

Pankti, “Zubair! Witch nu poocho pele!”

V made a chilled glass of water appear magically and Pankti died in shock!

Ramen finally got off her bed and announced, “Mom, dad, meet your son-in-law, Vishal Agnihotri. He is a half witch and half man. He is an architect and has a studio in Worli somewhere. We got married in my room last month in front of tigers, lions and penguins.”

This time both Pankti and Zubair just stared at their troublesome daughter like she was an alien and were really scared to form words when V swooshed around the room and got out a plate of fish fritters to calm his parents-in-law.

Zubair was the first to get his wits together. But Pankti started chanting prayers in full swing almost scared to death of this creature in her house!

Zubair Zaheer, “So beta, you’re a witch? How does that work? You mean you live a normal life or you present fish fritters by magic for a living?”

“Umm, uncle first of all I am terribly sorry for the shocks of the day both on behalf of my wife and I. Secondly, yes I am a witch half human but let me tell you honestly that I am a good witch and defer from using my powers unless to bring justice to injustice for the helpless in this world. That’s when duty calls and I do the witch work and come back to human life, in bed, eating popcorn mostly with my useless cousin John. The next day, I eat cereal and get back to work like a slave common in the human world. I don’t produce money as a principle, even though I can and my family has a lot that we can’t even count but I literally live on a 50 lakhs per annum pay check from the firm I have been working with since the last seven years after graduation.”

Zubair finally heaved a sigh of relief and calmed his chanting wife down. He said, “Pankti saaro che, saat waras si ekaj jagah par kaam kareche. Aapni Ramen toh job badla kareche. Aa saaro rehse ena maate. Pota nu ghar pan che. Ne magic aa chokro saara kaam maate kareche toh approved?”

Pankti finally blinked and called the boy to her. She examined him thoroughly and asked that one most pertinent question on her mind to her now strange son-in-law because her stubborn daughter wouldn’t respond to her, “Beta, all this is fine but nothing has happened between you and my daughter, right?”

Now it was V’s turn to be shocked. The first thought that flashed in his mind was, “The Zaheers’ are crazy. The daughter takes blind cab rides around town and the only concern the parents have is whether his wife and he got physical out of all the factors about him being half a witch!”

He calmly sat on the arm rest of the chair, next to his innocent and very cute mother-in-law and held her hand gently and said, “Nothing you should be ashamed of mum. Ramen is Mrs. Vishal Agnihotri and your daughter is now my responsibility.”

“But beta what is this marriage in front of tigers, lions and penguins? Produce some in front of me, show me? Our marriages have haldi, mehendi, sangeet, pheras and a full blown reception. That’s what a marriage is. Come now call your parents and let us meet them. Ramen maari chokri, shopping karvani che lehenga ni havey! Zubair, mane gamey che aa chokro!”

V silently whispered to himself, “Gujju che… Aye halo halo!”

He gathered his wits and said to uncle and aunty, “By magic or phone call?”

Zubair Zaheer smiled happily and said, “What will take less time?”

Pankti got up in full spirit now and dashed through the kitchen to get some sweets and farsan for her strange son-in-law but not without asking him, “Beta witches have regular digestive systems, right?”

At that they all laughed and waited to welcome V’s parents!

 

“

                                                      

 

 

 

Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Episode 9- Revelations

 

Whoever said ignorance is bliss was so true for curiosity killed the cat only when it started smelling the fish from a dangerous plate

Because sometimes,

It’s easier to live with a lie than it is to carry a truth that changes your life

4pm, Wednesday, 1^st July 2017

“You lied to me!!! How could you? You knew what I was going through all this while! The pain, the isolation, the torment, the torture and he constant ups and downs, away from a social life all this time! I can’t begin to tell you how it feels to be cornered and alone! I am not angry, don’t defend, I am hurt and heartbroken! It all makes sense now, doesn’t it? The relatives disturbing us constantly, not a peaceful conversation with you in almost a year, I have been stripped off any privacy and you thought you were doing this for my security? You call yourselves my parents? Take a bow. You’ve just lost my trust forever!”

Pankti and Zubair Zaheer were patiently sitting in agony on makeshift chairs in Ramen’s room while she cried a river. A howl of pain here, a dry tear of loss there and a whole lot of muffled sobs to make it known that her own parents had cheated her! She felt backstabbed and what was worse that all the feelings of isolated despair came rushing back to her of the past 10 months that she didn’t think she could take her parents’ lies anymore.

Pankti walked over to the bedside and tried to calm her beloved daughter who was absolutely right about the fact that they had somehow lied to her. She thought on her feet and simply said, “Ramen, listen, I know we have broken your trust and no, don’t trust us anymore. But hear us out just once and after that whatever you decide and however you decide to live from here on, we won’t stop you.”

Zubair Zaheer, “Ramen you’ve always been this creative eagle and you’re honestly not someone who takes her jobs as commitments unless it’s upon you to bring bread home. We have given you the freedom you need to explore horizons and be fearless because of which you mustered the courage to investigate the horror you’ve been through this past year. You’re not someone who can be silenced not easily but at all. You’re free spirited and go to where and when the mountains call you. Before college your job trajectory was not something you could recommend to follow your steps to your kids and we, as parents were sick worried about your future security.”

Pankti, “You called your jobs gigs and I know the truth you confided in your sister about your motive to take up a higher education when your career was at a peak. You told her that you were done living the Bombay sheltered life at home and wanted to spread your wings in a city whose language didn’t excite you one bit. It was a joke for you Ramen. It was the ultimate freedom for you to move cities and live alone. You simply went to Chennai because you were “done” with my nagging and deadlines.”

Ramen lay flat on the bed imagining her life had come to an end. She didn’t even have the strength to get up and reach the box of tissues next to her bedside night table.

Pankti Zaheer wanted to make their perspective as parental concern for Ramen’s future clear to their hippie daughter so she continued, “You bullied your elder sister into footing your college bills Ramen. Your father and I knew you wouldn’t last a job for a lifetime with your creative lifestyle and you know we are a simple middleclass family with no will at your disposal after we’re gone Ramen.”

Zubair Zaheer, “So when you flew out of Chennai on a fly without attending your placement exams we were really scared about your future prospects. Then after a day of your arrival back home, your classmates from college called and informed us that they had an animated reality show working in progress and you were the protagonist. At first we thought we would die of an attack. I remember telling your mother that I would soon get an attack but then they built our confidence by divulging that nothing out of order would be taped and the show about your struggle to get ahead with your baby Butterflytalkies would be shown until you succeeded in monetizing it. We dreadfully agreed because they said there were a million viewers of you and it the earnings were a great deposit to financially secure you.”

Pankti, “Your future deposit is the only reason we agreed and everything was under wraps until the show got really popular and you started gaining stardom and then like they say that ants get smell sugar from miles away, that’s when the disturbance began. I was aware of the relatives’ constant barrage but I thought you would grow emotionally with that burden but never once did we imagine that the neighbors would try and take advantage of the situation and pull a fast one on you.”

Zaubair Zaheer, “Ray, your future is secured financially and that’s the biggest worry that’s taken care off for you and for us. Please try and understand our point of view.”

There was a lava burning inside of her and she could barely control her rage when she blasted her parents for abandoning her emotionally and what did her mother think about the constant mental disturbance with barraging relatives emotionally strengthening her?

"You guys do know that I can sue you, right?"

"You could but as legal gaurdians we allowed it for your future security."

“So you just heard random people make a decision about my life and you agreed? Not once realizing what I may have gone through? Think about if your most vulnerable side was exposed to people to view and how they would judge you! My friends did and I literally have no social life anymore! What’s more? Everywhere I go, people stare at me like I’m a painting walking out of a museum! If this show wasn’t on, I would have had a job by now and would be perfectly content with it! You were wrong, I may be a hippie but I can take care of myself! DO you hear me?!!!!”

Pankti and Zubair thought better than to argue with their fiery daughter considering no one really could match wits with her when she had had enough, they simply patted her shoulder and left the room quietly but not without telling her that they had informed the project managers that they were done with the show. She would cash in the money earned soon enough and it would all be over now.

Ramen felt useless and she felt like her life had changed in an instant right before her eyes and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. She silently called V in her head and he appeared next to her. She was so scared she hugged her husband tightly and just lay there in bed with him for a long time until the sun went down and then V said, “It’s over. Ray, look at the brighter side – You’re a star baby there’s nothing to worry about. The worst is over and I have been watching over you nothing untoward shown on the show just so you know. Get your blog working again and come away with me forever.”

“Take me with you. I don’t want to live with my parents for even an instant.”

“You’re mine and tomorrow is the day we bid goodbye here. Just wait until tomorrow and see the magic unfold before you my love. Now sleep doll. Just flush it from your system. Tomorrow is when you will belong to me officially. Just one more night. I promise.”

“You’re a witch V, just make me disappear right away. I’m done being human.”

“Lol, I wish it was that easy my hippie!”

“You heard that?”

Pankti was passing from Ramen’s bedroom when she heard her daughter talking to herself again. She was really worried about her natkhat daughter and so she asked, “Ramen is someone with you?”

“Ya, your son –in-law and he’s a witch!”

Pankti thought she would faint.

To be continued…

 

 

 

 

 

Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Episode 8 – Truth be told, sins exposed

 

Row, row, row your boat,

Focused on the road,

Never catch a thief by his crown

Because he has none to show

And if you’re fierce enough to catch them by their tail,

A tale is what they’ll have to say

A tale of jealousy met with conspiracy

Because behind the back is all the guts they declare

12 pm, Wednesday afternoon, 1^st July, 2017

Ray didn’t think she had enough strength to spice up life right now. Seeing V smile ear to ear was annoying her more than ever! She sat next to him on the bedside and pulled his gaunt cheeks harder than ever and then just lay face down for five minutes thanking God for the fruit of the investigative work she had undertaken to prove the torture to her parents at the hands of her relatives!

She still couldn’t fathom the reason her neighbors would go to the length of prioritizing emotionally disturbing her over their own lives. She turned around and whispered to V, “Why V? Why me? Why would they hurt me?”

V lied down besides her massaging her forehead and after gently kissing her on the cheek to keep up her confidence intact until the police arrived to arrest the perpetrators and said, “Sometimes devil has no other way than to overpower weak spirits in his quest to hurt the God’s man trying to do the right thing. You see Ray, the thing with the devil is he won’t disturb the ones following his path but he will use his followers to disrupt the path of the man doing good for himself. Now relax, freshen up – Okay no wait don’t freshen up, you take like hours to wash your face, just splash some cold water and get ready to witness the downfall of the evil.”

Wrapped in her husband’s arms, the newlywed took a quick nap and then fifteen minutes before the cops arrived in the family building to make the arrests, Ray pulled on some fresh clothes and simply tied back her hair with a pin. V vanished. Ray didn’t inform her parents about hell going down in the next instant. She wanted to witness the drama first hand and catching the world off guard.

Officer Vetkar – “Hello, Ray?”

Ray- “Yes officer, all ready. How much time?”

Officer Vetkar – “Below your building.”

Ray- “Common up.”

Ray left her room to attend the front door in what seemed like a century. What with her secret rendezvous with her man at all times, she was happy in her small heaven. But today demanded she get her bitch out and she did. She sauntered towards the main door and opened to the waiting officers outside the Zaheers’.

Ray – “Please come in officer.”

Her parents assuming world peace and generally gossiping over afternoon tea stood up in full attention.

Zabair Zaheer – “Yes officer, how may we help you?” “Ramen, what is this?”

Ray – “Dad, this is when shit goes down. Please sit back and enjoy your tea while officer Vetkar and I fill you on the latest from crime histories.”

Her poor dad felt ambushed and was a little shocked, considering his 68 years, he sat back down carefully and her mother like a desi mother ran to the kitchen to fix more tea!”

Officer Vetkar – “Sir, your daughter is a brave young woman and I think you should respect that about her going forward.”

Dad – “What happened officer?”

Officer Vetkar – “Your neighbors hacked Ramen’s phone after she returned back from college a few months back. They used the phone censors to track your daughter in her most vulnerable situations to bang doors that followed her every move and tried to mentally disturb her so she would become crazy from the shock.”

Pankti Zaheer almost dropped the tea tray on her way to the living room and her father just sat there gaping at officer Vetkar.

Officer Vetkar continued, “We have an arrest warrant for Armeen Zaheer and her family – Husband and parents along with children as co-conspirators for which the children may face juvenile detention.”

Ray’s father finally spoke and said, “I can’t believe this! This cannot be true! They are distant relatives! They are blood! Are you saying they saw my daughter all this while and used it against her?”

Officer Vetkar – “Yes sir. Rahul, give me the prints please.”

Rahul, the sub inspector passed the proof of material downloaded from Ramen’s phone from all these past months and a record of Armeen’s phone discussing how to drive Ramen crazy with her gang of dumb fucks.

Zubair Zaheer broke down completely and Pankti Zaheer just stood still at the entrance of the living room.

Officer Vetkar – “Sir we are here to make the arrests. We dropped here to inform you about the torture your daughter has been going through these past months and how she bravely contacted us to investigate her doubts before announcing them to you.”

Zubair Zaheer now looked every bit of his 68 years as if the storm had wiped out the will to live from him!

Dad – “Arrest the bastards and get them here! They are now answerable to me!”

Officer Vetkar – “Yes sir, get back to you shortly.”

Officer Vetkar and his entourage left the Zaheers’ and climbed up a floor, Ramen following them, her face full of glee and she witnessed God’s slap on the evil when Armeen the fool answered the door.

Officer Vetkar flashed his badge in her face and Ramen was proof that truth be told at all costs at all times. Armeen was so shameless she yelled out at her good for nothing husband and demanded why they were at her door like the fool asking a fool why there were brains in the world.

Officer Vetkar lost his patience and entered their premises without being called in. Armeen face was boiling with rage while her husband and his parents gathered around to make sense of the “injustice” happening to them!

Officer Vetkar: “I’m here with an arrest warrant for Armeen and her family. It’s you if that’s you.” Officer Vetkar said pointing to Salman, Armeen’s husband and his parents who were now crying foul!

Armeen absolutely refused to be arrested, screaming and yelling the brids out of their nests!

Officer Vetkar had no patience for scums like them and ordered the lady inspector to do the needful. That’s when Armeen spoke for the first but not the last time, “Ramen you are bitch! You deserved the torture!”

At that officer Vetkar interrupted the hooligan and reminded her that no woman, no matter who she was, deserved the torture that Ramen experienced. “Ma’am you are not in your senses but before we throw you behind bars, Ramen’s dad wants an explanation. Please co-operate with us if you want to spare yourselves third degree.”

The criminals started laughing like maniacs and that’s when Ramen joined them and said, “The joke’s on you my friend.”

Officer Vetkar led them to the Zaheers’ followed by Ramen in step with the officers.

Zubair Zaheer was waiting at the door when Armeen started screaming uncontrollably. She yelled at Zubair, “You guys are poor! We are the landlords! We will revoke your rights from this house! Ask the officers to let me go right now!”

Pankti marched her way to the front door and slapped Armeen so hard she was almost knocked down by the force. The officers entered the Zaheers’ and ordered Armeen and Salman to sit on the floor and explain their motive.

Officer Vetkar – “You have very little to your defense so you might as well spill the tea now or wait for the lady inspector to treat you right at the station.”

Armeen – “I am entitled to a lawyer.”

Officer Vetkar – “I can assure you ma’am he will do very little with the amount of proof we have against you. You’re easily behind bars for years to come.”

Armeen howled and screamed expletives and that’s when her husband, Salman slapped her this time. He began crying and ordered Armeen to tell the truth finally.

“Why, should we? Ask the parents to tell Ramen that she is on TV! Her stupid reality show through which she is earning crores!”

Ramen just stared at Armeen and this time Officer Vetkar clammed down on the whole house! He pointed at Zubair and Pankti asking to verify this statement made by the culprit.

Pankti and Zubair could no longer take the more shocks and couldn’t let Ramen go through any more then she had.

Pankti –“Yes Ramen, you’re on TV. You’re really doing well for yourself. It was supposed to be revealed to you a year later when the challenge of you blogging successfully was accomplished but little did we know that these parasites would use it against you to torture you mentally disturb you.”

Ramen thought she lost her hearing and her eyesight. She just wanted to run back to her room and in V’s arms but she gathered the strength for the last time and asked her mother to tell everything finally!

Pankti – “This started after you returned unannounced from college where your professors and classmates got in touch with us informing us that you were live from the moment you returned and it was for your good so that you could earn your rightful money and claim success.  We agreed because we know that you’re least interested in a job and god knows when you’ll marry so this was for your financial security. Please don’t misunderstand this.”

Now looking at Armeen and Salman with hatred that the skies could be torn apart, Pankti continued, “but you spoilt it for my daughter! You criminals! I can’t imagine the pain my daughter must have gone through these past months!”

Armeen started laughing hysterically and declared, “Ramen you are a witch! The moment we found out your were live we couldn’t believe that you paupers had a chance to earn more than us and how can you be successful while my husband is a good for nothing? A lesson taught right!”

Officer Vetkar lost his cool and asked the lady inspector to take Armeen and Salman and drive them to the station.

Ramen continued to stare into space and suddenly everything made sense! The isolation in college! They were watching me all along!

Pankti and Zubair tried to talk to Ramen but she ran into her room with a zillion thoughts captivating her! “Was she really a reality TV star?!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Episode 7 – Spade Town

 

“Your life can go from Sadness to Happiness in a second and you won’t even realize it.

Just have patience and faith that your time is near and in my arms forever.

But, until then, you’re on your own darling.

The reason, Ah! The reason you may doubt my love for you at this time in your life right now- A test.

Sweet dreams Ray.” – Until the end of time, V

 

4am, Wednesday morning, Some where she called her Milan, 1^st July 2017

Ray witnessed the snow drenched mountains and trees that swayed graciously to the winds of an aftermath calling all its pupils to kneel and pray, for God had their better backs and the witch town she called her Milan was lit with the beauty of stars caressing the family and in it, just a little bit, Ray absorbed the warmth of the love she received from V’s family that night.

Ray was busy drinking merry and laughing to one of his cousin, Jack’s jokes when V flew from across the ballroom and took Ray by her shoulders, kissed her on her cheek gently and asked Jack to amuse someone else while he partook his heaven for just a while longer before flying his wife back home on his mat.

Ray and V found a spot to sit under the white stone cliff of the dragon that saved his generation when on the moment they had run into the devil and then, just then, the dragon had fired fury and his family was bestowed the power of magic. So it was a pleasant spot shining under the luminous light of the moon sashaying them to drink some more wine and confess to each other.

V: “So what happened in college Ray?”

Ray: “It’s a beautiful night, a dream almost to be around so much love for I have forgotten what it’s like to belong. Do we really need to dig graves right now?”

V: “Yes, it all links into your current situation that let me inform you today is the reason you bumped into me. Call this place a spade town babe. Let’s unfold the truth, all of it so you’re better prepared for to face the skeletons waiting for you to uncover back home.”

This should have shocked Ray but by now she was used to accepting the fact that her husband had magical powers and that he knew everything about her. She wondered why she had to revisit her brutal past then.

Ray: “I went to college last year to attain a higher degree that would help me give a career jump. I got through the entrance exam and formidably, even though my parents were against me leaving the city and go to Chennai alone, I did. I was too bogged down by the routine life in Kalbadevi and more than  masters, I wanted to break free of my life’s monotony. So I conjured the courage to get my sister to foot the college bills and flew on the first flight out of Mumbai. All looked pretty at first in the quaint student town of Baileys. But trouble began for me no sooner than the first night in hostel room no 505. My roommates turned against me for being more suave than them and come morning the entire hostel was plotting to get me thrown out of college.

I found myself an apartment close to college and got through the bullying in college for 10 months. I had to go through silent treatment and lonely meal time and underhandedness related to class projects but I was determined to get the degree and settle at in a news room after the course got over.

However, just a week before placements, a class mate threw negative energy on me, somehow they had the key to my room and so got hold of an outfit of mine to ruffle my feathers so I get scared and run back home. When the negative energy touched me, I was shook to my roots but I meditate so I overpowered the energy, calmed myself and submitted my last project for which I would receive the course completion degree and decided I couldn’t take the atrocity anymore. I got the late night flight back home. Life has been a mess ever since then, you know that.”

 V: “Then what happened after you returned?”

Ray raised her eyebrows but continued to recount the syndicate of a crime against her ever since then.

Ray: “I retuned at around 12am that fateful night thinking I would be safe now at home, what with the intimidating follow from college to the airport by a class goon, I was scared to my wits, but I was wrong. I remember banging the door on my roommates one morning after a cruel showdown and little did I know that the banging of the door would torture me back home for a long time until I did something about it. You know, I never once linked both crimes against me until now. It’s amazing how you find clues by talking it out with people at times. Anyway, so I returned that night alone, without informing my parents who were asleep at the time, through a spare key, still with me, I unlocked the front door and crashed on my bed that would become my electrocution no sooner than the sun would rise.

I woke up feeling heady from the flight and then the door banged for the first time. I didn’t connect the dots until I got up from my bed to go to my parents’ bedroom to inform them that I had come home early, that I hadn’t stayed for the graduation ceremony. That’s when the door banged again and I fell on the floor with my first nervous breakdown. I didn’t realize then that it was happening through the doors of the crime to drive me crazy by my college class mates, but I knew my neighbors were purposely harassing me. I didn’t realize for a second that there were hidden cameras in my room to follow everything I did and to use every bit of my privacy against me by my relatives. I live in a family building and so my neighbors are my distant relatives. They would follow every move I made and bang doors to torture me until last month when I couldn’t take it anymore and went for a random cab ride when I bumped into you to vow myself that I would get to the bottom of this crime against me and prove to my parents that I didn’t know why, but our relatives were out to get the better of me. It became paramount that I discover the truth when at every peaceful moment spent with parents, our family members would interrupt me; either through calls to my parents or then small interferences that have taken a huge toll on me. But I still don’t understand that okay in my vicinity the walls could have ears but no matter where I have been out of home since coming back from college, people stare at me like I am some celebrity.”

V: “You are Ray. You will know shortly. The time is coming.”

Ray was incredulous at that and her only reaction to V was, “What?!”

V rose and took Ray’s hand and held her up. “It’s getting late, your parents will be up shortly and you got to be home before that. Let me fly you home.”

Ray was still a little shaken by what V had told her but she held herself together and flew home with him at 5 in the morning. “Just one thing V, what is this place? Where are we?”

V stretched his arms and smiled widely and said, “It’s Milan.”

They both smiled at each other. V, mischievously and Ray with love knowing well that she would never know the real location.

Ray slept through half the morning after returning home in the morning until she was woken up with the ringing of her phone that, thank god, she hadn’t put on silent last night.

11:30am, Wednesday, 1^st July 2017

Ray: “Hello?”

“Miss Ray? This CBI officer Rohan Vetkar, I hope it’s a good time.”

Ray threw the covers off her and ran towards the window to speak in monosyllables because she was so frantic and excited at the same time to hear back from the crime department.

Ray: “Uh, yes?”

Officer Vetkar, “We looked into your hunch and let me tell you first of all you, young woman, are very level headed. Second of all, you are right about your doubt. Your neighbors have hacked your phone through which they can track you and hear what you’re doing at all times. So your doubt about them purposely trying to drive you crazy by torturing you is true.”

Ray was so shocked that she held onto the window pane to stand through the confirmation. She was light headed suddenly and thought she would faint.

Officer Vetkar: “Miss Zaheer? Are you there?”

Ray got her wits back in time and mumbled a, “Yes, I am here.”

“We can come down and make the arrests right away if you want. This is a serious crime against a helpless young woman and your parents need to be informed right away,” said the officer hurriedly.

Ray: “Yes, do that.”

With that Ray hung up and the next thing she knew was V was sitting next to her in bed smiling ear to ear.

 

 

 

Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Episode 6- One night in Milan

 

A seething attack met the calmness of the sea,

Ramen became her own anchor to save her sinking ship 

But in all the criminal drama, little did she forget,

She had a love to go back to 

And so she did. She met her witch halfway into the night 

In the abandoned alleys of the rising sun,

She spent a night in what she called her Milan

Vishal and Ramen Agnihotri were lying in bed in each other's arms after an organic orgasm that blew their minds. For the rest of the night, they were content with themselves observing the mutual camaraderie in silence they shared that they called pure love. But Ramen knew she wanted more. She wanted a partnership with V. Vishal knew what Ray was thinking and he was so close to telling her all about the togetherness they would share in a couple of weeks once her testament from God was done with if she came out of it with flying colors. Until that time, he would have to keep the news to himself. 

Come morning, at around 7 am on a misty Sunday morning, Vishal got out of bed reluctantly since he had his heaven so close to him, he didn't want to leave to go on a mission and disappear from Ray's life for the next two testing days. He knew this time without him would breach all the kindness of humanity against her but he had to know what she would do about it, how she would act under pressure and so he announced, "Babe, got to go in five, I'll be unavailable for the next two days. I've got some urgent work with the family and preparations for your welcome into the Agnihotris' to look after. I'll see you Wednesday night and sweep you off the earth into a palace of the anonymous." 

Ramen felt heartbroken to see her witch disappear. She hadn't expected this. She wanted V to be there with her now more than ever. But she quietly placated herself by calling for the strength to carry on from the divine forces in his absence. 

9 am, Monday, end of June 2017. 

Ramen was still in bed, feeling his scent close to her. She was still reeling over last night with V and then it happened so bad that it shook the living daylights out of her. She sat upright in bed at once with sweat breaking on her forehead and she felt palpations wrecking havoc with her nervous system. For some time, since the effect was so raw, she felt completely immobile and blank. She dumped her head into her pillows and cried loudly. 

She couldn't believe how this effect was affecting her subconscious to an extent that she thought she was about to give up and that's when a divine force entered her energy and pulsating on the positivity she resolutely scrammed her way to her study. She tore out a paper from her diary and started writing relentlessly for an hour. Of course, she needed more than just one piece of paper to chronologically confide the crime against her, dating back to her college days and it took her more than an hour to jot down every doubt, every suspicion and every gory detail of the psychological impact the crime had had on her being. 

Highlights of the letter: 

Batch of 2015-2016, All Journalist Command (AJC), private institute of journalism in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 

 

The batch and I didn't get along. I was the older student. 

 

They hacked my phone. 

 

Exposed my vulnerability.

 

Chalked a systematic criminal plan for my fall so I would not sit for placements. 

 

Gave me constant panic attacks through social media propaganda that set me off to Mumbai before I could sit through the job search at the Campus

 

Coming back, my relatives envisaged my fall through politically planned vengeance so I become crazy.

 

Constant barrage of calls every time I try to talk to my parents.

 

social isolation.

 

Loud and "co-incidental" banging of the doors following my every move. 

 

There are either hidden cameras or listening devices in the house.

 

Tarnishing my reputation through political rumors. 

 

The crime is hostile and done in a manner to set me off track manipulatively. 

 

Mental harassment. 

11 am, Monday morning, same day. 

The crime has reached a point where functioning normally has become ghosting my own spirit of life. It's followed by helpless depression and trauma. 

Ramen quickly freshened up and dashed through the front door with a thick envelope in her hand. 

She crossed the road and made her way two blocks to the post office and sent it to the Indian CBI. 

Vishal was witnessing his wife unfold a crime of a lifetime with stealth and stability of calm he never thought he could have pulled off being in her shoes. He opened a bottled of champagne to celebrate with his mother. She said, "Ramen Agnihotri will pull through the storm son, cheers!"

3 pm, Monday, June 2017

After returning from the post office she had ruminated over her circumstance at a coffee shop. Eventually, emotionally exhausted, she returned home and given her husband's absence, she decided, a moment idle, a moment lapsed into depression so she continued to do something or the other for the next two days while waiting for the CBI's response. 

Ramen ate her lunch and began vlogging. She wasn't a woman to air her dirty laundry in public so she faced the camera and went live on Instagram to talk about the importance of co-dependency in relationships. She spoke from her heart about the value partners can provide for each other in the absence of external support in achieving life goals. She had about 300 who joined her and she signed off, her spirits lifting with the unexpected audience in her live broadcast today. 

7pm, Monday, June 2017

Ramen lit a joint and an agarbatti and refused to spiral down the darkness of her reality all the while missing V. 

She put on some romantic songs and drifted into dreaming about her future with V and the justice that would prevail henceforth. 

10 am, Tuesday, June 2017

Ramen woke up hassled and she immediately called Dr. Mrinal Jain and took an urgent appointment for some EFT. 

4 pm, Tuesday, June 2017 

Just as she was leaving home to visit her therapist, her neighbors door banged loudly and it rang in her ears long after she was on her way to the clinic. She cried helplessly in the cab because she knew the doors banged to harass and torture her mentally, to break her spirit and delusion her into depression constantly. 

Dr Mrinal Jain, " Ramen close your eyes and repeat after me while tapping on your forehead and nerves to release the idiotic energy you go through at home."

Ramen repeated after the doctor, "I am done with suffering. Release. I am not what they want me to be. Release. This is temporary. Release..."

The EFT lasted for an hour and at the end of it, Ramen had more strength to carry on. 

Ramen returned home numb with subconscious pain and dosed off until 7 am, Wednesday morning. 

"V is going to come back today!" Ramen felt hopeful as she went about her day, anticipating what was in store for her tonight.

Ramen just laid in bed all of that day thinking about tonight's treat escape and breezed through the day efficiently until 9pm she received a call by CBI agent Ronald Shaw that changed her life! 

Ronald Shaw, "We will investigate this case and get back to you asap. Don't say anything to anyone until then."

Ramen, "Roger that."

Just as she was done smiling ear to ear is when V appeared from thin air and swept her on his magic mat, miles and miles through  the scavenging darkness of the despondent city lights into a run-down colonial style building with an open terrace that didn't feel very Indian. "Where are we V?"

V, "Welcome to the family doll."

Ruins of iron rusted walls and debris of cemented bricks under fresh daisy lights that cast it's spell upon the moon in the middle of the night, a palace so huge the chandeliers were hanging from the sky and monkeys served drinks and hors devours while tigers and wolves and serpents and sea lions all transformed into beautiful human faces and ran towards her to greet her amidst rain that cast a slight shadow through the bright lights from the stars above that blessed the couple a lifetime of eternity together. 

Ramen was so overwhelmed with such unconditional love, she immediately felt at home and the night was spent laughing with the family with V by her side all through the night, a night she called her Milan. 

To be continued…