A Veena cannot exist without its strings. A chariot cannot exist without its wheels. Without her husband a woman can never live happily even though she has a hundred sons.

Eight months ago,

"Janav!" Radha called running towards him. Janav, who was busy checking the register, looked up at her.

"Have you heard the news?" She asked, panting.

"What news, Radha?"

"I'm getting married." She stated in one go, leaving him confused. He gave her a glass of water. She gulped it all down.

"Breath and then, tell me slowly. What is the news?"

Radha beamed. "I'm getting married!"

There was a glow on her face, making his heart ache. "Who,who is the groom?" He asked slowly, trying to accept the new reality.

"You know him." She teased.

"I do?" Janav asked, flabbergasted.

"Yes."

"Who is it?"

"Think."

"Tell me, Radha." Janav whined, thinking for a while.

"He is..." Radha drawled, much to his dismay. "Sub-inspector, Janav Mayur."

"Oh," he nodded. Radha stifled a giggle, watching as the realisation dawned late upon him. "Wait, what? Me? Me!"

"Yes," she grinned. "Unless there's another sub-inspector with the same name." She teased, sticking her tongue out at him. Janav was beyond surprised.

"I'm getting..." Swallowing his words, Janav hugged Radha tightly and lifted her off the ground. "When did this happen?" He asked, putting her down.

"Three days ago. Your far away uncle came and told me that your late bhaiya-bhabhi always wanted to get us married." Radha beamed, reciprocating his happiness.

"But." She looked at him and took a step back.

"But, what?"

"Will you let me work after marriage and let Urmilla study?" Radha asked, unsure of his choice.

Radha and Urmilla's parents died of natural causes. At that time, Radha was only twenty, and Urmilla was merely fourteen. Radha held herself for Urmilla and tried to go back to the life they lived. She worked multiple jobs to pay off her college fees, Urmilla's school fees and also the debt their parents left behind.

After graduating, she worked extra hard to get rid of the debts that kept piling up.

It was one of those days that the principal of Urmilla's school had retired and everyone was on a look about for a new principal. Fortunately, Radha who was working there as a teacher, had alone passed the eligibility criteria and was given the position of the principal.

"Why will I stop you?" Janav asked softly.

She hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

He held her in embrace, caressing her hair tenderly. They pulled away to the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Excuse me sir." A constable called him.

"I'll meet you in the evening." Janav said, planting a quick kiss to her cheek.

With a mischievous smile, he walked away.

• • •

"Didi, are you really marrying that joker?" Urmilla asked, closing her book.

"Urmilla, he is going to be your brother-in-law. Respect him." Radha warned.

Urmilla laughed. "Didi, he will always remain a joker for me."

"And you will always remain a donkey for me." Janav said, surprising the duo.

"When did you come?" Radha asked as he sat beside her.

"I was always here. Where did I go?" Janav replied. Radha got up to make tea for the three of them.

"Don't act like Murlidhar." Urmilla said, after Radha reached the kitchen.

"Why can't I?" He asked, raising a brow.

"Cause you are not him."

"Ofcourse I am him." Janav replied, a smile forming on his lips. He got ready to depart some knowledge in her.

"He manifests in every being, whether it be rocks, leaves, sticks, animals or us. He is everyone and everything, yet no one and nothing. Then how can you say that I'm not him?" Janav asked.

Urmilla shook her head, unsatisfied with his answer.

"The Lord says — 'O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man. I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics. O son of Pritha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men. All states of being — be they of goodness, passion or ignorance — are manifested by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything — but I am independant. I am not under the modes of this material nature." Janav explained and she nodded, new questions appearing in her head.

"If He exists in everyone, then why do people discriminate between each other? Why would Murlidhar disrespect himself?"

"Urmilla, He exists in everyone, but it is for them to realise, it is for them to choose between reaching Kanha or becoming an Asur."

"Asur?"

"Yes. Urmilla, when a child is born, the child is neither good nor bad. Slowly, from its surroundings, it picks up habits and choices, regardless of it being good or bad. The child, if uses its wisdom, will reach Kanha in a way but if it goes by people's choice and makes a bad decision, it reaches an Asur or an evil person. Kanha, let's us choose our fate – if we want to be near him by submitting willingly or be against him by involving ourselves in the bad elements."

"So, people indirectly insult Murlidhar everytime they discriminate between each other." Urmilla concluded. Janav nodded.

"Yes and true devotees of Kanha, know it clearly that he exists in everyone and treat everyone as their equal." Janav ended his explanation and Urmilla nodded.

"What are you two talking about?" Radha asked, putting the tray of tea on the table and taking a seat beside Urmilla.

"I was imparting knowledge to this little donkey." Janav teased, hitting Urmilla on her head.

"Ow! Joker, stop." Urmilla glared at him, rubbing her head.

"No I won't. You are supposed to be studying, but here you are; sitting and having tea with us."

"Joker, if you want to spend some time alone with Didi, then say so. I'm going to my room and I'll be back in fifteen minutes." Urmilla chuckled, picking up her books and a cup of tea.

"Fifteen minutes! I'll be back in fifteen minutes." She repeated from the threshold of her room and shut the door softly, so as to not wake Abhiram up.

"Totally a donkey!" Janav mumbled, his cheeks flushing a faint shade of scarlet red.

"So, should I call her back?" Radha asked, a mischievous smile on her lips. She rose to go towards Urmilla's room.

Janav held her wrist and made her sit beside him. "It's so peaceful now." He whispered, putting his head on her lap and she caressed his hair. He lay on the sofa, with his head on her lap, silently.

"Joker Jiju, five minutes more and I'm coming out." Urmilla screamed from her room and Janav groaned in annoyance, making Radha giggle.

• • •

Their marriage was celebrated in a simple yet grand manner. Urmilla and Abhiram had fallen asleep on their way home, too exhausted from the celebration.

"I'm so happy. You are married and have a family now, di." Urmilla said, helping Radha with her jewellery.

"What made you think that?" Janav asked, leaning against the frame of the door.

"Think what?"

"That your sister is going to have a family?" He asked, a smirk appearing on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"It isn't just your sister who is going to have a family. You will also be a part of my family – as my sister."

"Joker Jiju!" Urmilla hugged him dramatically. Radha passed him a smile.

"Don't call me that in front of people."

"Why Jiju?"

"What will happen to my image then? People think I'm a strong and brave police officer. If they hear you calling me Joker, what will they think about me?" Janav said, making a sad face

"Joker, you have an image!" Urmilla asked, pretending to be astonished.

"Yes and it's better than yours." Janav pushed her out of the room, moving to close the door to get some privacy.

"Jiju, one more thing." Urmilla pulled him out. "If you make my Didi cry or hurt her, I'll not spare you. Remember that!" She warned, and he nodded, scared.

"Wow! A police inspector is scared of me." Urmilla teased, holding her head up in pride.

Janav moved towards his room, where Radha sat on the bed in her bridal attire, nervous of the night to come.

• • •

It was a happy marriage.

Radha worked hard as the principal of a school, Janav was busy with his own duties and Urmilla was working hard after getting into college.

When free, Janav would always manage to make Radha go red, by teasing her.

Four months later, out of the fortunes, it happened.

Janav disappeared! He disappeared without a word.

Word spread in the village, that he was dead, as claimed by some people who go to the forests for their needs.

If it wasn't enough, someone had spread a rumour, a deadly rumour – Janav was seen in the city with another woman, who they presumed to be his love, from the way he clung to her. There came more to prove what they saw. Photos and photos of him and another girl were shown to Radha, who was breaking every second.

Radha was shattered and the people around her only deepened her wounds. Urmilla stayed strong for her sister, supporting and helping her.

"Didi, people must be mistaken. It isn't anything like that. Joker Jiju isn't like that." Urmilla consoled her sister, who didn't pay any heed.

"The truth always comes out in the worst way expected Urmilla. If the people are wrong, then why doesn't Janav come back and prove them wrong?" Radha whispered, crying in her sisters arms.

"Didi.."

"Leave me alone."

"But-"

"Please!" Radha's eyes were full of unspoken sorrow. She was in pain, the wound caused by betrayal is hard.

"Only fifteen minutes." Urmilla sighed and walked out of the room, towards the main hall, crying her heart out.
Radha broke down into tears and sat against the bed, crying. Abhiram was in his room, left to play with his toys, kept in the dark from the truth.

The day was drowned in their tears.