An untellable secret
(Some secrets may better remain secrets for ever)
Kotra Siva Rama Krishna
“In before also I did not object to that at all you must remember.” Madhuri said. “Yes, now I am even more firm that you should stay in this house. We have to do whatever in our capacity to make this old couple happy.”
“I am seeing a new mom in my mom on this day.” Menaka kissed on her mother’s right cheek.
“Its alright. Ever that old woman came into this room after you have settled in this?”
“Not even for once.” Menaka frowned and asked. “Why did you ask like that?”
“That old man came here but that old woman did not come at all. Is this is just casual or anything particular stopping her from coming here?”
“I cannot say. There may be memories regarding her daughter’s hanging body here. She was the first person who found her daughter hanging from the ceiling fan in this room. That was sudden and without any expectation.”
“Horrible! How anyone can cope with something like that? There is no surprise that she became mad like that.”
There was some silence between them both then.
“Mom, shall we go downstairs now. The old woman may be waiting for us with snacks and tea.” Menaka reminded her.
“You are right, come.” It was Madhuri who led her daughter down then.
“I think you both enjoyed yourselves in my daughter’s room.” Nirmala was ready with coffee and snacks on a tray by the time Madhuri and Menaka came down.
“Your daughter’s room is very nice. She kept it in good shape and condition.”
“At present it is your daughter who is keeping it like that.” She handed over the tea and snacks to both of them. Menaka and her mother settled themselves in the chairs there.
“I want you to visit our home again once my daughter comes here. You really do like her a lot.”
Menaka and Madhuri exchanged a stealthy look.
“I have seen your daughter’s photograph. She is indeed very beautiful.” Madhuri said.
“Everyone says it like that.” Nirmala said.
They talked some more time between themselves. Then Madhuri said. “I have to go now. I do come here again. I like you people a lot.”
“I wish you to stay in our home for this night and take dinner with us.” Ranganath said.
“I feel glad to if I can. But there are very important things I need to attend which I cannot avoid.” Madhuri got up. “She said “bye”
Menaka accompanied her mother onto the road “Mom I cannot say how much happy I am feeling that you have come here.”
“I am also feeling satisfied Menaka. I cannot say that I did a great thing. But….” She paused for a moment and said. “I am a little satisfied.”
“I can understand your feelings” Menaka said. “But there is another important character that you have to meet. She is my friend Sukanya.” Then Menaka told her mother about Sukanya.
“When I come here again I sure do meet her also.” Then Menaka stopped an auto coming in that way.
Madhuri said bye to her daughter and got herself into that auto. It took her from there instantly.
***
“Ten years after their marriage, they gave birth to Nirupama” Smaran said
“Yes, of course.” Menaka said. This time also Sukanya was with her in Smaran’s office. She has shown interest to come there and Menaka took her with her to her uncle’s office. It was second time to her to come to that office.
“She is the only child to them. They looked after her so nicely. She had everything she wanted. It must be indeed a very good life.”
“Yes it was. She never had felt bad for anything. She always smiled. She always felt happier. I have seen her sad only on that day that too only in those few seconds.” Sukanya said.
“You have not seen her sad at all after that particular day?” Smaran asked her.
“I went to my relatives’ home and held up there. I came home only two days or so before her death. I think I met her once in between those two days and we talked also. But I could not detect any difference in her. Anyhow…..” she paused for a second and said again. “If she tried not to let her feelings out, it was possible. I think I have told you already about this.” Sukanya said
“Yes, you said about that to me. I forgot.” Smaran nodded his head.
“How often she used to go to that Niranjan?”
“For every two or three days. On many an occasion I accompanied her.” Sukanya said. “Niranjan is really a peculiar person. I went to him two or three days back with a problem and he solved it.” Then she explained her experience and what Niranjan said to her.
“I agree with you. He is really very interesting.” Smaran nodded his head.
“But I found something very surprising with him.” Sukanya said.
“What that is?” Smaran narrowed his eyes. Menaka also looked at her surprisingly.
“He always wears those black spectacles. I never have seen him even on one occasion without those.” She said.
“Is it is so?” Smaran said. “I have seen him on two or so occasions. You are right. I found him only with those black spectacles.”
“They are out of fashion. Very few people wear those black spectacles now a day. Why he prefers to wear such spectacles particularly?” Manaka asked
“Only he may be known about that” Sukanya said. “Better I do ask him about it when I meet him again. He talks very freely with me also.”
“Alright then. We are side tracked. Where we are…..yes..Nirupama used to go to him for every two or three days. How many times she might have met him after you have found her like that at your home?” Menaka asked her.
“Your uncle talked with Niranjan. He might have asked that question to him.” Sukanya looked at Smarn.
“Yes, I asked him. I think that he said he was also out of station for some fifteen days or so just before Nirupama committed suicide and he came home only after her death.”
“A little odd indeed she did not say anything to him also..” Sukanya said. “She always liked him. She shared everything of her life with him I think. In fact her father and mother also respected him like that.”
“I know about it. I saw him at their home on two or so occasions.” Smaran said.
“Here one thing we need to consider” Menaka once again intervened. “Whatever has happened that much depressive in Nirupama’s life has happened just fifteen days or so of her committing suiside. And in those fifteen days also neither Sukanya nor Niranjan were available to her to discuss or share that matter.”
Frowns gathered on the forehead of Sukanya for some time and in few seconds they were cleared. “I don’t think even we were available, she shared or discussed about it with us. To her own dad, with whom she was so much intimate and consider like a friend, did not say anything at all. She was so much intimate to her mom also and she did not say anything to her also. I don’t think she would have discussed anything with us either even we were available in those days to her. To tha matter…..” she paused a second before saying. “We have talked over phone occasionally when I was in my relatives’ home also and I could not discern any difference in her.”
“May be you are right.” Menaka nodded her head.
“Now we shall consider the messages that she had left unintentionally. First message ‘I cannot bear this’ second message ‘I want to pluck my eyes out’ what we can make out of these messages?” Smaran asked
“I just cannot think of anything about these messages.” Menaka said.
“I am also so. These messages are appearing quite odd to me too.” Sukanya said.
“What she could not bear? What a twenty one years aged girl like her could not bear? Was there a love failure without your knowledge? Did she fell in love with anyone without your knowing about it at all and faced bad experience?” Menaka asked
“We talked about this.” With little irritation Sukanya said.
“There is no wrong in thinking again. Try to remember if you have forgotten anything.”
“She would have told me hundred percent if she had fallen in love with anyone. What is the necessity to keep something like that as a secret? Especially with a close friend like me?” Sukanya’s voice was firm just like on that day.
“We cannot say. May be you better make some inquiries in the college. There may be some reasons that she did not say about her love affairs to anyone at all.”
Sukanya breathed heavily and said. “Alright. I make inquiries. But I am not thinking there is anything like that at all.”
“So far my staying in their home did not give any productive result at all.” Menaka said despairingly. “Is there going to be any use in my staying in that house in future?”
“Sure there shall be. Don’t be despaired that fast. Detection work is like this. We have to be very patient. Sometimes we may not have any result until the end.” Smaran laughed and said.
“I may not be fit to become a detective I think.” Menaka said. “Anyhow I don’t want to become a detective either. I am just helping you for some fun.”
“Whether you do have any interest in becoming a detective or not” Smaran paused for a moment and said “You have wonderful qualities to become a detective. If you want you sure do can become a great detective.”
“Why you have got such an opinion at all?” Menaka smiled.
“Anyone does feel fear to stay in a room where a girl committed suicide just six months or so back. But you did not feel like that. Even after having such scary experiences in that room you are still interested in staying in it. You think rationally and logically like me. So in my opinion you sure do can become a great detective.”
“Still uncle I must say.” Menaka said. “I just don’t want to become a detective.”
“Alright, alright no one would compel you to become a detective if you don’t like it at all. Don’t worry.” Smaran said.
“But I am really interested in this profession. May I suitable to this if I try?” Sukanya asked Smaran.
“Detection job is a very tedious one. It is difficult to say unless observing you for some days, whether you are suitable to become a detective or not.” Smaran said.
Sukanya hissed out heavily. “Then I think about this. Anyhow if I want to become a detective at all, I shall get the training only under you.”
“Its very nice of you to think like that.” Smaran said.
“Alright. What I should do in future while my staying there? Just sit idle and pass time?” Menaka asked him.
“The old work itself. We talked about it on the first day of your going there. Observe carefully. Especially that old woman. I cannot say why but I am feeling it is important to observe her.” Smaran said thoughtfully.
“You know, mom had become very much emotional looking at the old couple.” Menaka said.
“You are right. I talked with her. She felt very much about that Ranganath and Nirmala.” Smaran said.
“Is it is not odd? I never had found my mom becoming that much emotional for some outside people.”Menaka said.
“You don’t know your mom inside out. She feels too much but most of the time she keeps her emotions inside herself. But when it comes to this old couple she could not do it like that.” Smaran said.
“May be you are right.” Menaka said.
“I am very much interested in meeting your mom” Sukanya said.
“I mentioned you to my mom when she had come to Ranganath’s uncle home. She said that she would meet you when she comes here again.” Menaka said.
“I indeed wait for that pleasure.” Sukanya said.
“I take you to my home and you meet my mom there. Just be prepared to take your lunch and spend the whole day with me there.” Menaka said.
“Sure no problem” Sukanya lauhed and said.
(I hope that you enjoyed upto here. I shall publish the next chapter as soon as possible. Please don’t forget to rate and review.)
