It was a little past 8 pm when Anupama and Anuj finally made their way back home. 

Throughout the journey, Anupama kept thinking about what she should do. On the one hand, she really wanted a showdown with Kavya. Enough was enough. But then, on the other hand, Anuj had told her that whatever the outcome, it would have an effect on her plans to adopt Kinjal. Her rational mind told her that these plans had hardly been made a few hours ago, but Kinjal had already made a space for herself in Anupama's heart. And she didn't know how she could live peacefully if she didn't take responsibility for Kinjal.

Their drive back home had been rather silent. The only sound was that of twirling magnets, interspersed with the occasional blast of air from the car vents. With anxiety building within her, Anupama had turned to Anuj, quite a few times, sometimes to share her fears, sometimes to consult and seek advice, and sometimes to simply seek reassurance. Each time she turned, she noticed the twirling at an even pace. The man was lost in thoughts of his own. She didn't want to bother him and so she let it be.

When the two entered, GK informed them that dinner had been served. Both refused indicating they weren't hungry. Without a look at the other, Anuj made his way to his room and Anupama went to hers. As the door to Anuj's room shut, GK sensed something monumental had happened. He walked through the open door and placed his hands on a very lost Anupama's head.

*****

"Kaka," Anupama startled as GK sat down next to her on the bed. 

She made space, trying to erase the invisible creases from the bedsheet, her eyes hovering around the room to keep him from reading her confusion. GK smiled. Her efforts were futile. In the few months that she'd come to live with them, GK had begun to read her like an open book. She was a simple, kind-hearted soul.

"What's wrong?" he asked, patting her hair gently.

"Nothing Kaka." Her voice, which had developed a certain spunk to it sounded muted. She oddly reminded him of the Anupama he first met when he got robbed at Ghatlodiya.

"Anu," he gently chastised. "You call me Kaka and you still want to lie to me?"

She turned and hugged him, staying there, drawing strength from this man she'd accepted as a father in her life. And her let her stay there, slowly rubbing her back, letting her derive strength from him, from his wisdom, assuring her of his support in any situation.

No one knew how long Anu stayed there before she broke the hug, made her way to the dresser, picked up the advance copy of tomorrow's newspaper that she'd placed there, and handed it to GK.

GK saw the contents of the newspaper, turned angry and swore. He then looked at Anupama, worried as to what was going through her mind.

"Anu, you don't believe..."

Anu shook her head to negate his thoughts. "I know this picture is morphed. That person, who has Anuj's face is actually Mr. Shah. I even know when this picture was taken."

"Then?" GK looked puzzled. Anu had not misunderstood Anuj. Things between them were still okay. Then what was the problem?

"Me," Anupama answered the unasked question. "I'm the problem," she sighed in response, her lips quivering with the weight of the unshed tears she was holding inside.

"Because I'm tired. I'm tired of this. When I got married to Mr. Shah, I didn't love him. And yet, I stayed faithful. I fulfilled all my duties and responsibilities as a daughter-in-law, wife, and mother. For what? A nine-year clandestine extramarital affair, a divorce that left me bereft of everything - family, relations, love..."

She brushed aside that hot tear that streamed down her cheek. 

"I picked up the pieces and started building my nest again. Slowly. I, who had been deprived of my education and a normal societal experience, got a job. For the first time, I learnt about the challenges of the normal world when I tried to find myself an apartment. Mr. Shah had never bothered to share anything with me. Share?? That man never spoke to me in our 26 years of marriage, except to order me around to find his things, make him food or taunt me for some inconsequential transgression. I was like a frog that wasn't allowed to leave the well. And the water was beginning to stink. I was finding it difficult to breathe. 

"By a stroke of luck, or should I say destiny, I did. Then Anuj and you came into my life. And after, Kinjal. I'd just begun to smile when....this..." She pointed to the newspaper lying open between them. "Why? Why me?"

As Anupama continued to vent her frustrations, GK got up and made his way to the armoire in Anupama's room. He opened it and fetched the small red cloth bag, he'd intended to gift Anupama.

Sitting back down on the bed, he patted the spot next to him, asking her to sit too. She obliged.

"This belonged to Gayatri," he told her, opening the strings of the cloth bag that had been kept untouched for the last 50 years. "And she wished for her daughter-in-law to have it. I have always been wary of parting with this to any girl. But a few days ago, I decided that regardless of whether you married Anuj or not, you should be the one to have this."

Curiosity getting the better of Anupama, she wiped the trail that her tears had left on her face and looked at GK. "On the day, you announced your engagement at the Press Conference, Anuj told the media that you reminded him of his mother. And I'd agreed. But I had also told him that there was one major difference between you and Gayatri. Gayatri knew how to stand up for herself as well as others."

As GK turned the bag upside down, three things spilled out of the bag - a pretty large ruby and pearl broach, a traditional 12 string Kundan rani haar with a ruby peacock pendant on one side and a flower pendant on the other, and a black and white photograph.

Anupama looked at the photograph and then looked back up at GK to confirm what she thought was right. GK nodded.

"Gayatri was truly a princess, Anupama. She was the youngest and only daughter of Maharaja Ranjitsingh Rao Gaekwad and Maharani Shanta Devi, the royal family of Baroda. Gayatri had two older brothers. When she fell in love with a commoner Anand Kapadia and decided to marry him, the family forced her to give up her royal titles and connections. She did it quite willingly and happily, not turning back to look at what she'd given up. She was glad she'd gained true love. 

"Gayatri lived the life of an average Gujarati businessman, cooking and cleaning, taking care of the family, raising Anuj. Anand and she saw some major ups and downs in their life, but every challenge only managed to strengthen their relationship. Their marriage was a rare one - based on trust, mutual respect, and equality. 

"As to her royal status, Gayatri never mentioned it, ever, to anyone. As far as the world knew, Gayatri was a Kapadia."

Picking up the black and white family photo where Gayatri would have perhaps been 16, GK smiled. She was looking straight into the camera, so royal and confident. He'd only seen that confidence falter, once, when Anand was on his deathbed. But she hadn't lived much after him either.

Fondly caressing the picture, GK added: "Her mother handed her this the day she left the palace, as a memory of her maternal house. She'd accepted it out of love for her parents but had kept it locked in her cupboard. Her hope and wish were that Anuj would find a girl who would be able to carry the burden of the legacy she was leaving behind."

As GK got up to make his way out, he turned towards Anupama and said. "I'm leaving you with it. Hopefully, you'll know what you need to do."

He closed the room door on his way out.

Anupama didn't know how long she spent in that room, looking at the things GK had given her, his words repeating themselves in her ears. Gayatri had fought for her love. She'd led a happy and fulfilled life with the partner she'd chosen for herself. Such was the power of true love. 

Was Anupama truly in love with Anuj? She thought of all the times she'd smiled and laughed, learnt to accept herself, her likes and dislikes, staked claim to what was hers, cared for him, felt vulnerable in front of him, shared her fears with him, cried for him, cried with him, leaned on him for support, supported him, thanked God for him, lived with him, loved him. Love wasn't a teenage emotion that was fulfilled by the mere exchange of flowers and gifts. Contrary to society's superficial standards, Anupama accepted that she and Anuj were equals, matched in every way. Their relationship too was based on trust, mutual respect, and equality. 

And with that realization came another. Anupama's love was much deeper than what she'd chosen to accept herself. She'd only believed herself to be truly, madly, deeply in love with Anuj. She now realized that Anuj and she were no different. Their lives and destinies had become so enmeshed in the last four months that one would no longer be able to survive without the other. 

Maybe Kaka was right. She'd always found the courage to stand up for her near and dear ones. Time and again, she'd stood up for Kaka, for Anuj, even Kinjal, but never herself. Until now, she didn't believe herself worthy, but now she did. Anuj had shown her an entire side to herself that she didn't know existed. She knew she was valued and appreciated by the members of the Kapadia household. Maybe it was time she valued and appreciated herself. Maybe it was time she stood up for herself.

****

It was a little past 11 o'clock when she knocked on Anuj's door.

As he opened it to let her in, his wary countenance gave away his fear that she wouldn't retort in an appropriate manner. And she fell in love with him a little more. He cared for her. He cared for her reputation.

"Anuj," she gingerly began. "I've made up my mind. Can you please take me to the Shah house now?"

"Now?" he questioned, turning his hand to check the time in the dial of his Rolex.

"Yes, Anuj, now. Why should I waste time waiting around when I know what I want?"

"Are you sure?" he asked again, worried she was making a hasty decision. Anupama was docile and he didn't want the Shah's to get away slightly this time. 

She nodded and he sighed. She smiled. He was unable to read her intentions. If Anuj couldn't read her intentions, she was sure no one else could.

He asked her to wait for him in the living room while he changed and she obliged. For the first time since her divorce, she couldn't wait to meet her ex-family.