Edited on August 7th, 2020

| . . . C H A P T E R . . . 3.12 -  T O U C H - O F - R E A L I T Y . . . |

On the way back home, I texted Armaan and Riddhima in our group chat even though I was fairly certain they were with each other.

Khushi: Meet us at Arnav's place

Armaan: Doll, love you and all, but I'm not going to come help unpack

Khushi: Lavanya is missing

Armaan: On our way

I suggested to Aarav, "Hey, why don't you take your bag to your room? You like arranging your own clothes, right?"

He nodded and left up the stairs towards his room. Arnav slumped on the sofa, head in palms, looking defeated. I walked to sit next to him and place one arm around his back while the other on his knee.

The second it was just the two of us, his walls came crumbling down. He shattered in my arms as he turned and hugged me in a tight embrace. His forehead on my shoulder. His warm breath frantic and unrhythmic. "We'll get her back, Arnav." I promised. Shyam had won for far too long. He had evaded the law without consequences, but no more. "At any price."

He argued, leaning back just enough to rest his forehead against mine, "We don't even know what he wants!"

I placed my hand on his cheek feeling the light stubble graze my palm, "Doesn't matter. He is not getting away with it this time."

He closed his eyes, nodding and letting the last of teardrop fall. It falls on my knee, over the pair of jeans I am wearing. Offering a small smile, my thumb wipes at the wet trail on his face before caressing the back of his head, "You have to be strong. For Aarav."

"How are you?" He searched my eyes for the truth. The whole time, I had either held his hand or been next to him, but he still needed to know.

"I don't even know." I whispered, a heavy weight on my own heart. My hand pulled away from him, dropping to my lap. With a deep breath, I began to sort through my thoughts and feelings. "Vivek... just... he threw everything off balance."

I didn't want to process any of it. There was no time for that right now.

His palm came up to my face, thumb caressing the right cheek bone. "Even I don't know whether or not to believe him... trust him."

"What choice do we have?" I gingerly expressed. For Lavanya's sake, we had to go with it for now and trust that the hope she always kept for Vivek was worth this. It was the only chance we had for the time being.

The doorbell rang the same time as Arnav's phone. Taking it out of his pocket, his brows narrowed. "Why is Aman calling me?"

I moved to answer the door while he answered the call. My lips thinned in a forced smile as I let Armaan and Riddhima in. They already look impatient for answers. Before I could tell them anything, we heard Arnav's raised voice.

"What do you mean she's not with you?!"

We rushed inside and hearing us come and silently asking him what the matter was, he placed the phone call on speaker, handing it to me as he left towards Anjali's room. Aman's voice echoed amidst static, "...went to the washroom and when she didn't return in a few minutes, I got one of the waitress to check and she told me there was no one inside. I think she ditched me? I mean, I thought the dinner was going well and all... But... are you sure she didn't return home? Maybe she's in her room."

Rushing back from her room just in time, he answered. "She's in her room resting. She said to say sorry to you, Aman. She had an upset stomach and she did ask a waiter to inform you, but I guess he forgot."

Aman said in concern. "Oh, is it bad? She could have told me. I would have taken her home instead of her catching a cab."

Arnav rushed the call into ending, "It's fine. She'll call you back later. Thanks for checking. Good night."

"Oh, goo..." Aman's voice cut out as Arnav pressed the red end button. Then he went on to curse and punch the glass table. It shattered into pieces at once, causing us all to flinch back. Small shards pierced against his knuckles, blood instantly oozing out.

"Arnav!" I exclaimed.

Riddhima had her hands covering her mouth in surprise while Armaan had his eyes bulging out.

Aarav ran out of his room hearing the sound. "Dad?!"

I glanced at Riddhima asking for help and she ran up the stairs to nudge Aarav back into his room. I pulled at Arnav's hand to inspect it while scolding, "What the hell, Arnav? You can't go around punching things when there's a kid in the house! You can't seriously be mad at Aman because di has an upset stomach from dinner."

Snatching his hand back, not caring of the blood as if the glass shards embedded in his skin didn't hurt, he snapped. "She's not in her room."

"What?" I echoed, at first unable to understand why he would lie to it to Aman. Then it dawned. He didn't want Aman to worry. But... then it meant... "No."

Arnav went on to pace back and forth, his fingers meshed through his hair. Armaan stepped up between us, "Arnav, calm down and..."

Arnav yelled at him too, his eyes turning a shade darker, "Don't tell me to fucking calm down! She is missing! They both are missing! If Aarav hadn't been hiding, that bastard would have taken him too!"

There was a growing sorrow within me, seeing his state. My feet neared me towards him, and I dismissed Armaan calling my name in a warning. He was worried about me approaching Arnav when he was enraged out of his mind, but that was my last concern.

I've only known Lavanya and Anjali a short time, but I know how close I've gotten to them. There's an invisible bind between us. We have all endured a kind of pain that no one should ever have to. If what is going through inside of me is any indication, I couldn't even begin to father what Arnav must be going through.

Seeing me nearing, he took a step backwards as if he didn't trust himself around me. But I only retraced it. He needed to know his anger wasn't going to scare me away - now or ever in the future. Reaching up on my toes, my arms wrapped around his neck, hiding my lips at the crook of his neck where it met his shoulders.

If I was all out of sorts right now, losing touch of reality, this is what he would do for me. This is what he has done for me.

The first few seconds, I stood against his body in silence, letting him get a hold of himself as one of my hand traveled to his upper back, rubbing it.

In a low whisper, I pleaded. "Come back to me, Arnav."

I felt a wet stain on my bare skin, learning of his tears, just as he wrapped his arms around my waist. His heart was hammering against my chest, breaths in soft pants before he inhaled deeply into my hair as if the lingering scent of my shampoo would calm him down.

There was a storm churning inside of him that would prove to be fatal unless he could gain control over it.

"This is what he wants," I pulled back just enough to be able to glance into his eyes. "Us, vulnerable and out of balance. You can't play into his hands."

"He has them." He whispered back terrified to even say it aloud. His dejected and broken voice continued to tug at the strings of my heart.

"Yes, and they are counting on you. Remember what di always says? Be patient. You can't let your emotions get the worse of you right now, Arnav. We have to think with a calm head. Clear mind."

"We have to be smarter." Armaan walked up to stand next to us. Arnav's hold around me loosened just a bit as he looked at him, but still keeping me close to him. "Arnav... The few hours when Khushi was missing had been hell for me. I was running around blind trying to find her with no luck. So, I know what you are going through right now."

Arnav finally listening to both of us and worked on collecting himself. I reminded them, looking at Arnav, "If he has them, he has to be in this town. Why don't you...?"

Arnav caught on to my upcoming words and already started going through his phone to call NK. I glanced at Armaan, asking him silently to stay by him. He nodded in response and I left to check on Aarav and also get the first aid kit to clean up Arnav's wound.

When I returned, Arnav was again pacing as he talked on the phone. I quietly took his hand and dragged him to the couch where I made him sit.

"Yeah... no, can you come here instead? I can't leave Aarav alone at home... Okay, thanks."

I carefully picked the pieces of glass off his skin, cringing myself at having to do it. It has to hurt... but there was not a wince on his face. Not even a flinch. I suppose I could understand that. There was a turmoil within him concerned for his sister and best friend. This superficial wound was the last thing on his mind. Still, I informed, "This'll sting a bit," just before pressing the cotton ball dipped in antiseptic over his knuckles one by one.

At the deeper cut, he flinched. I blew air to ease the burn. "Don't go punching things next time." I looked up through my lashes intending to glare at him, but there was a calming smile on his.

Amidst the circumstances, he found my concern for him a cause to smile – even if just for a moment.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

The smile on his face vanished when his phone rang again. As he held the phone in his hand, I could look over at the number.

Unknown.

Sharing a look, he slid the bar to accept the call and placed it on speaker. "A smile on your face when your sister has been kidnapped, Arnav?"

I gulped hearing Shyam's voice. It must have been years since I heard his voice, but it still felt as if yesterday. The back of my spine chilled and I fought to stay in control.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Heartless. How will your sister feel when she hears that?"

"Where. Is. She?" Arnav clenched his teeth. Shyam had the guts to mock us right now. It did prove one thing. There had to be hidden cameras in this house as well. He couldn't have known Arnav had a faint smile of his face otherwise. It was terrifying to think how he could have gotten cameras here where we lived.

This was supposed to be our home. A safe place.

"If you touch her..."

Shyam cut him off, "All concern for her and nothing for your best friend?" Then, he laughed like the monster he was. At Arnav's silence, he continued his attempts to rile him up, "What? Are you not going to ask where they are? What I have done with them? What I want?"

I shook my head as I asked him to listen instead of showing to Shyam just how worried he was.

"Wow, who would've thought ASR would listen to a middle-class girl. You're taking the fun out of it!" He dragged a sigh, "Oh well, I'll just have to tell you as it is then. I want an exchange. It's simple. Aarav for Anjali. Khushi for Lavanya."

Armaan ditched his silence, exclaiming while Arnav fisted his palm. The cuts on his knuckles started to bleed again. "Forget about it! You are not getting anywhere near them." He was fighting not just for me but for Aarav as well. I knew neither Armaan nor Arnav would let anything happen to Aarav.

"Oh, Armaan. I will get what I want. I'll call again. Arnav, do say hi to Khushi for me. I can't wait to see her again." Arnav opened his mouth, but we all heard the end beep of the call.

There was a silence for passing seconds as we all grasped in the phone call, wrapping our heads around it. Armaan eventually broke that silence, "We can't stay here where he is watching our every move. Let's go."

"Where?"

He answered to me, "Somewhere he can't get to us," and then went up the stairs to get Riddhima and Aarav. He was right about that. If we hoped to get ahead of Shyam, we couldn't stay here.

All of this was frightening. How could one man be responsible for stealing so much in a matter of a single night? He had bashed through our life, turning our world upside down. His danger always loomed, but I don't think any of us had predicted just how much of a danger he was.

Armaan and Arnav would never go through with Shyam's demands, and I was afraid of what that would mean for Lavanya and Anjali.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

Armaan took us to his penthouse. It made sense when one would think about it. Being the public figure that he was, he had the place checked weekly for any hidden bugs the paparazzi or media journalists desperate for a scoop might try to sneak in. It was safe to say this place was bug free. Shyam couldn't get to us here.

Given it was late in the night, Aarav was sleeping in the spare bedroom with Arnav watching over him. I walked out after telling Arnav I was going to get some water to find Riddhima keeping herself busy in the kitchen - something she did when she needed an outlet from the scary thoughts swarming around in her head. Armaan was in the living room, head thrown back against the back of the couch staring at the ceiling. Hearing me walk in, he lifted his head. "How is he?"

With a sigh, I sar next to him, "As can be expected." It was a highly emotional time for him. I leaned back, my head at the crook of his shoulder searching for some comfort.

How did Arnav constantly deal with this feeling? First with the death of his parents. Then when Anjali was raped. Then with Aarav's birth. If that wasn't enough, he put himself through starting a halfway house for abused children. Then, he went through everything that he did with me. Things happened in his life without a break and he was still trying to keep himself in one piece. Anyone else would have shattered a long time ago seeing those they love go through some of the worst in one lifetime since a young age.

I was being there for Arnav, but now I needed someone to fall back on. "He's angry, Armaan. So angry. I have never seen him like this. He isn't going to stop feeling guilty and blaming himself for not protecting them."

"I don't blame him." Armaan muttered causing me to realize he was mad as well.

I pulled away slightly to glance sideways at him. "Amy, please. I am too worried about him. Don't make me have to worry about you too." Unlike Arnav, this guy had a track record when it came to anger issues.

"I know, I know," He spoke in an assuring voice, "I took anger management and karate over the years just to get it in control for this day."

As a kid, he always had a temper. It's why my parents had enrolled him in karate to get him to channel that anger positively. Then, after what happened to me, it seemed to only get worse for him. I've never seen it myself, but I recall Riddhima telling me about the things he turned to, how she had caught him and how she had talked him into taking a few anger management classes before he'd walk down a path he couldn't come back from.

Riddhima walked out of the kitchen with a huge serving bowl and placing it on Armaan's lap, went to sit on his other side. Both of us looked at the food in the bowl. Noodles mixed with fried Chinese rice. "Eat up." She muttered with a frown on her face.

Armaan asked, "You couldn't put them in two separate bowl?"

"It's all going to mix when it goes in." She nonchalantly explained herself. "Hear back from Arnav's friend?"

I shook my head in answer before starting to sit up, "Have fun eating that." I came out to get water, but I had been here longer than that. With a detour to the fridge, I returned to the bedroom.

Arnav was patting Aarav's head. He didn't even look up to check if it was me or someone else as he informed, "He woke up again, asking for Lavanya. He's not used to going to sleep without her reading him a story."

Aarav was just a kid... he must be so confused right now, and so scared not understanding anything that was going on. I asked, not knowing what else to do, what to say. "What can I do?"

He glanced away from him and turned towards me at the question. I waited as he stood up and walked the steps to stand in front of me. Really looking into my eyes, he whispered. "Just... be here." It was as if he couldn't stand the thought of losing me as well. He then leaned in and pressed his lips to my forehead, his hand on my nape. My own rested on his chest where I couldn't faintly feel his heart pumping.

"Always," I whispered back trailing my hand and intertwining it with his. After giving him a moment, I said, "Come on. We have work to do." I nudged him to come out so Aarav could sleep in here without being disturbed while we waited on his friend to give us some good news.

We all desperately needed it.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

There was a knock on the door and all four of us stopped talking. Before they could, I stood up. "I'll get it." It was three in the morning, six hours since we learned that Lavanya was missing. Five since Anjali had been missing. Four since we have been at the penthouse holed up for any progress on tracking where Shyam could be.

I could only imagine how much it was killing the boys at the inaction. Their hands and legs were itching to go out there and start searching themselves instead of relying on proper authorities.

There was no one at the door. Just a package dropped on the floor. I picked it up, closed the door and walked in. Armaan asked, "What is it?"

I shrugged and then proceeded to open it. There was a box with a note on top. I flipped the note open to read.

Only one. Can't wait to see who he picks.

I held in a breath, well aware who could have sent this. The handwriting was all too familiar. I opened the box and pulled out the ingredients. Four pictures.

Lavanya.

Anjali.

Aarav.

Me.

I gasped and dropped the empty box. Arnav came over and took the contents of it from my hands, cursing as he read the note and flipped through the photos within a second.

"Have you found out where he is?" I glanced up to find Arnav on the phone, yelling. "Then find him! How long does it fucking take?!"

"Let me go." My own voice sounded strange to me. All eyes turned to me and I repeated. "Let me go."

"No!" Armaan and Arnav both exclaimed at the same time.

I kept my eyes on Arnav, attempting to convince him, "Look, it's the only way he'll tell us where they are."

"There is no way I am..."

"I won't be alone, Arnav. NK can follow me for all it matters. This is the only option he is leaving open for us. There isn't anything else we can do." I desperately tried to get him to see some rational logic in this, though it sounded twisted to me as well. I didn't know if I can do this, but we also had to do something. We had been sitting on our hands for too long with no answers. "Once he lets Lavanya and Anjali go..."

"You're crazy, Khushi." Armaan grabbed my elbow and turned me to him sharply. "We're all on edge her but exchanging one for the other is not the way to do this!"

"He's right." Riddhima agreed with him. "He has some obsession with you. We don't even know if he'll keep his word."

"Then we make sure he will." I countered, sticking to my decision. "If he is obsessed with me like you say, then he'd be stupid to not let them go."

Arnav nodded at the both of them and stepped up. Capturing my attention with his gentle touch on my arm, he shared his point. "Sweet pea, look at me. I want them back too, but not at the price you are suggesting. This is a suicide mission. I will not let you do this. I will not lose you too. I will lock you up in that room if that's what it'll take."

"It is my decision to make." I couldn't help but feel a flash of temper pass through me. Then, I had to inhale to control that temper because we couldn't all get hotheaded here. "I'm not worried, Arnav." I honestly expressed. "You'll find me and save me. You always do. Wouldn't you do anything you could to get them back?" I could tell I was getting to him with the way his demeanor changed from stiff to wondering if this would actually work. "I know you wouldn't forgive yourself if you didn't do everything you could to get them back. I am no different. Yes, I haven't known Lavanya or Anjali di more than a few months and I can't compare your relationship with them to my relationship with them, but they have become my family too. Arnav, please, let me do this?"

Just when I thought I was getting through him, it didn't work exactly like I had wanted. Armaan decided to cut in and snapped Arnav out of that trance. "I have another idea." I turned to glare at him, but his words caught my interest. "We force him to come to us."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I questioned. "How exactly is that going to happen?"

He turned to Riddhima, "Call your dad." At the same time, he unlocked his phone.

"Armaan?"

He didn't share his plan yet as he went on to instruct Arnav. "Call your detective friend here, and Vivek. I don't necessarily want that bastard to know where I live, but we don't have a choice right now." He shivered at the thought of Vivek entering his penthouse, but put his phone to his ear.

"What...?" Arnav went to ask, but Armaan put his finger up silencing him as he spoke in the phone.

"Sapna? Hi, this is Armaan Gupta. I'm sorry to call you in the middle of the night, but I need your help. Could you come over to my place right now? I have something that I think you'll be interested in."

I didn't understand why my brother was calling Sapna. She was a media journalist who worked for a channel dedicated to celebrity insiders. She was one of those who gave out serious interviews that'd be published professionally in reputable magazines. What was he doing involving her into all of this?

"Great, thanks. I owe you, dear." He chuckled slightly at whatever her response was before he said goodbye and ended the call. Arnav walked a few feet off to call Vivek and NK. Armaan turned to Riddhima and she handed over her cell where she had been filling in her dad of tonight's events. "Uncle, do you think you could come here with Khushi's rape kit results?"

I narrowed my eyes on confusion. Rape kit? I wasn't aware there was one. Then again... I had been out for almost the entire day after due to my injuries. Even then... that rape kit was kept safe all these years?

He looked at Arnav for confirmation while he spoke the later, "Arnav will send his jet for you to get here quicker." Arnav nodded at that and got on his phone again.

Great. I thought and headed over to sit on the couch. Looks like these two boys have ganged up on me, deciding they were going to draw out an elaborate plan that had no guarantees of working instead of just going with the one there already was laid out by Shyam and turning it to our advantage. A part of me knew their plan might be the right way to go considering it would be a hell less dangerous.

Riddhima reminded sitting next to me with her hand atop mine, "By the book."

It's what we had told them. By the book. No violence. They were only following through on that. I should be relieved and proud, but a part of me was still worried because this plan meant everyone would know. They planned on lifting the covers off this by bringing the evidence, including a journalist, calling the eye-witnesses, and presenting the detective to make an arrest as a cherry on top.

All of this into forcing Shyam to surrender, bringing the force of law to him – even the corrupt one of this country where the people rarely got justice – by putting the pressure of media and using Armaan's public figure and Arnav and Anjali's fashionista status. People listened to Armaan's music. People wore clothes designed by AR Fashion House. Put it all together, and what does it make?

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

Riddhima and I were in the penthouse with Aarav the next morning. He was sleeping as we watched the news. Armaan, Arnav, Dr. Shashank, and Sapna's interview was looped on the right corner of the screen as the live footage of Shyam being handcuffed by the police and taken to the police jeep showcased.

Aarav waddled into the room, rubbing his eyes. "Khushi, where's mom?"

"Hi kiddo," I turned to him and Riddhima took the remote to turn off the screen at once. "Come here. Did you sleep okay?"

He nodded in response, climbing the couch and into my lap. "Dad promised mom would be here when I woke up."

I smiled bringing the side of his face to my chest, cuddling him to me. "He went to get her, okay? He'll be back soon."

He tilted his head up to me, "But he was on the TV. Are you lying to me? I'm almost 7, you know? I'm not a kid. Don't lie to me." His lips trembled by the end as tears fell from his eyes.

"Oh baby." I hugged him again, rocking him. "I'm not lying. Both your mommy and daddy will be back very soon."

"You promise?" He said with his big brown eyes, as innocent as ever only too worried about his parents.

"I promise," my heart, clenched wiping his wet cheek with my fingers. "How about... how about we go get ready, hmm?"

"Mommy does scold me when I don't take a bath. Or brush my teeth after waking up." He informed. Perhaps, he wished for her to be here right now scolding him instead of her missing.

I pulled him up on his feet and put an arm around his shoulder. "Well, we don't want her to have to yell at you when she is back, right?"

He nodded and placed his chin on my shoulder, silently asking me to carry him to the bathroom. Riddhima offered a small smile of comfort as I passed by her. She's always been the better one with kids, but with Aarav, I knew him better.

Even though I had seen Shyam in shackles on the TV, I had yet to hear about Lavanya and Anjali. I hope to God they found them. I did not want to be responsible for making an empty, false promise to a kid.

I was trying to get Aarav to eat some breakfast with little luck when the doorbell rang. Riddhima said to him, "I bet that's them!"

His eyes lit up with hope and I warned Riddhima to not do that, but she only grinned at me, taking Aarav's hand and helping him off the chair. His palm enclosed around her index finger and he took her towards the front door. He couldn't reach the lock, and so Riddhima twisted the look open before pulling the door in. My heart filled with relief as I saw everyone standing there.

"Mommy!" Aarav exclaimed and ran over to Lavanya just as she sat on her knees and scooped him into a tight embrace.

"Oh, baby. I am so sorry, but mommy's back. And you're okay." Lavanya went on to shower kisses on him.

I walked to Anjali and hugged her. I should be consoling her, but she's the one doing the job speaking in my ear. "It's okay, Khushi. We're okay." Deep down, I was afraid of what Shyam could have done to them while he held them captive. Hearing her say this put my mind to rest.

He hadn't hurt them.

Aarav then tugged Anjali's hand to get her to look at him. He asked as she squatted, "Di, why are you not wearing a sweater? Aren't you cold? You'll get sick."

Anjali smiled at him lovingly, her palm cupping his cheek. "Then why don't you give me a hug, hmm?" He did, wrapping his tiny arms around her neck. A tear escaped her, holding him against her consoling herself on having her son in her arms after the night she must have had, being held by the one who raped her and was enough of a scumbag to hold her hostage in exchange for Aarav.

It killed me that even though the world now knew, it would be a few more years. We could tell Aarav now that Anjali was his mother, but it would make everything beyond confusing for him. We had to wait for him to be old enough, and that wait would be the worst for Anjali over anyone else.

Arnav came to stand beside me, draping an arm around my back. "Thank you for looking after him." He expressed with his eyes entranced on the mother and son, his sister and nephew.

I tucked the back of my head against his right side, my fingers clutching his worn-out shirt. "I'm glad I listened for once."

He chuckled in response, pretty sure he was appreciative for that as well.

"Let's go home."

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .