"Life is not, nor ever has been a straight line forward... Life is characterized by much more by exception and disorder than by total or perfect order."

-Richard Rohr

Indrayan's pov:

It was 7 am when I woke up. Abhimanyu had left me some clothes so I could change after a bath. I was done with my morning chores by 7.30.
Now I had to go to the prayer room. I had been introduced to daily prayers in the morning by my grandmother. Even as a grown up, I followed this out of habit.
Old habits die hard!

I was about to go to Adrija or Abhimanyu to ask them where their puja(Worship) room was when I heard someone blowing the shonkho (Conch).
I followed the sound of the conch towards the puja room.
I had expected Deepshika aunty there, but instead her daughter stood their blowing the conch with ease thrice diligently.
I decided against disturbing or interrupting her worship and began praying myself.
Once done, I walked to the dining table and started reading the newspaper.

Ma, Dad, Uncle and Aunty were all up and about. Adrija was throwing up while Abhimanyu was with her and Sampurnaa was still in the Puja room.

One by one, everyone came and sat at the table. Sampurnaa was still not there. Where was she?

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Abhimanyu's pov:

The first thing I woke upto was the sight of my beautiful wife throwing up. Had this been some other time, I would have surely been worried sick, but today her sickness brought a smile on my face as I knew our child was wishing us 'good morning' in this weird fashion.
Nevertheless I helped her out and then went to the dining table with everyone else. I had left clothes for Indrayan last night itself.
At the dining table, everyone had sat down for breakfast but no one had began. We were waiting for Bonu (Sampurnaa: bonu means little sister in an affectionate way).
She was in the puja room and had been there for the past hour or so. She was more involved with God than anyone else in our family. Usually, she did not get time on weekdays, so Sunday mornings were reserved for her Lord Krishna who she would spend a long time talking to while praying.

All of us began talking to each other to keep ourselves from feeling hungry. Once or twice we even contemplated on beginning our breakfast as Sampurnaa was taking a long time to come.
Indrayan refused that straightaway and so did his parents.

Of late, I had noticed that my brother in-law had been behaving quite differently. Sampurnaa and Indrayan had both come closer even though they had been involved professionally. Adrija believed that the circumstances the two of them had to bear at the red light area may just have broken the ice between them.
It felt good and I knew I could trust this lawyer with my journalist sister. Yesterday's dinner plan had obviously been for announcing the due arrival of our child but somewhere during the entire time that Indrayan and Sampurnaa were under the same roof, Maa, Baba, Ma and Dad had been scrutinizing them and analysing their compatibility.
None of us had said anything to them yet. We were waiting for the storm to die down before approaching them for this alliance.

Baba and Maa had been insisting on Sampurnaa's marriage even though we were open minded and she was young. They were hoping that she would get married now and take all the time she needed to adjust with her husband and then think of family. Sampurnaa on the other hand had high hopes of doing something bigger with her career.

Sigh!
I know what she desires and I just hope the Almighty blesses her in abundance.

Just as I was taking the newspaper, my eyes fell on the date. It was 9th August! My sister's birthday was barely 3 days away!

(HARINIGANESH8 because you addressed me as Sampurnaa! Thank you for the lovely card dearie!)

I had to plan a surprise for her. This is the first birthday in 4 years that she is going to be with us! It's got to be special! Her 25th birthday at that!

I was thinking of plans and surprises that would make her happy when finally my idiotic sister arrived at the dining table. She wished us 'good morning'and apologised for keeping us waiting and then sat down with her regular yogurt which she consumed first thing in the morning after her puja.
She was eating quietly while Maa was passing around the bread basket.

All of a sudden, someone's phone started ringing. From the ringtone which played 'tomay hrid majhaare rakhbo' (a bengali folk song that is very popular and loved),
I knew it was Sampurnaa's phone.

She picked it up, carelessly glancing at the caller id.
She began the conversation from her end with a simple 'hello' but then her expression changed totally. Her eyes reflected shock! She stood up abruptly pushing her chair and going towards her room.
She ignored us all even after we called out to her and simply went her way.
We stopped eating immediately as worry descended upon us.

What had happened?
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Sampurnaa's pov:

"How could this happen?" My mind screamed at me.
Even as I was changing into my formals for reporting on the field and later in the studio, my thoughts were in turmoil!

That one phone call had jeopardized everything!

I walked out grabbing my phone, wallet and watch.
Maa, Baba, Dada, Boudi, Subhash Uncle, Manabi Aunty and Indrayan were waiting at the dining table. They had stopped eating the moment I got up from the table.

Dada saw me walking out of the room and immediately confronted me. I was in a real hurry so I simply said, "Something just came up. I need to go for on filed reporting and cover the case."

Maa asked me where I was going but I gave her vague answers. Baba was more concerned about my injury which had not yet healed completely.
They would have asked me more questions had it not been for Boudi! She felt dizzy all of a sudden and that gave me the perfect oppurtunity to escape.

I was walking out of the front door when someone held my arm stopping me from moving further.
I turned back. It was Indrayan!

"Pichone keno daakle? (Why did you stop me from going my way?)" I asked a bit agitated.

He asked me, "What is it that has come up? Where are you headed to?"

I was genuinely frustrated now! How could he question me like I was his personal secretary!

I scowled and gritted my teeth and then replied, "Mr. Indrayan Chakraborty! I am headed to my workplace for some emergency. I would prefer if you let me be on my way. Please go and look after Boudi. Tell her I am sorry that I had to leave like this. And yes, check your phone in case there is something someone needs to tell you."

I informed him indirectly that there were new developments. He nodded and released my arm.

I walked away a wee bit guilty at my sudden and unnecessary outburst but nevertheless I had to go!

What had happened was indeed news and breaking news at that.

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Indrayan's pov:

Sampurnaa simply walked away. She had been in a foul mood since she burst out at me. Maybe it was my fault for asking her personal questions but honestly I couldn't help it!

I brushed aside the slight hurt that I felt at the way Sampurnaa spoke but maybe I had become too comfortable with her and overstepped the professional boundary.

Shrugging all this off my mind, I went to check on Adri.
She had regained her equilibrium and was stable now. Abhi was making her drink some water and her mother in-law was asking her if she had taken all her medicines.
A few more questions later, it became clear that Adrija had not eaten anything after throwing up in the morning and that had caused her weakness.

We fussed around her for sometime more before Sampurnaa's absence was noticed by her mother.

She looked around and then expressed her concern, "Where is that monkey of a girl gone? Kothay o (Where is she)? Kichu bole gache (Did she say something before leaving)?"

The question was obviously addressed to me.
I told her about the vague answers that Sampurnaa had given before leaving.

Her parents exchanged worried looks. Having had their daughter rescued from the red light area in an injured state, they had all the reasons to worry.
Abhimanyu was a bit pissed off. He told me what he had on his mind, "Even after Adrija felt dizzy, that girl decided to leave! She's so much involved in her work that her priorities have changed! What if one of us dies next? She might as well be running the news of our death on the television instead of mourning!"

I decided to speak up at this point. Abhimanyu was carrying his rage too far and if Sampurnaa heard all this, she will be broken beyond repair.
"Abhi, she apologised to Adri. She was honestly in a hurry and said that it was an emergency. She did not give me any further details but I don't think she would have rushed out like that had it not been important." I spoke in her defence.

Ma, Dad and Adrija raised their eyebrows at my desperation while Abhimanyu's anger evaporated and he smirked slightly.

I shook my head and took my seat at the table. The others followed suit.
Deepshika aunty and Ma were feeding Adrija while Abhimanyu was speaking to someone over the phone regarding his work.
Dad and Anirban Uncle were having a heated discussion about the polls that had recently concluded.
I was fiddling about with my cell phone when a notification popped up on my phone.

It was a message from Sampurnaa!

The message read:

"Minister Rajguru Desai has been found dead near Vashi creek. His body was discovered by the locals in the wee hours of the morning. He had a bullet wound and had been washed ashore. Seems to be a planned murder. Switch on the television in around 10 minutes time.
P.S. please ensure that Boudi doesn't come across such disturbing news early in the morning. It might cause adversities to her health and the baby."

The news she had shared made me choke on the food I had been trying to push down my oesophagus! The minister had been murdered!
I immediately excused myself from the dining table and put a call through to the DCP.
He spoke to me in a haste as he was at the crime scene.

I went to Abhimanyu and told him that I wanted to watch the news on the television but that I had clear instructions from his sister to keep Adrija away from the television.
He nodded and led me to Sampurnaa's room which had a 24- inch LED TV.

I immediately put on India Today and there was Sampurnaa reporting live. It was raining but she seemed to have been in too much hurry to put on her raincoat.

Regardless of the fact that her clothes were ruined or that she was drenched from head to toe, she spoke with confidence, "Recently appointed HRD minister for a second time, Shri Rajguru Desai has been found dead. His mortal remains were uncovered by the local fishermen who were rowing their boats near Vashi creek. The minister was shot. His body is going to be sent to Fortis Hospital for the post-mortem. The exact time or cause of death is yet to be known. The Deputy Commissioner of Police of Mumbai is going to lead the investigation of this case. Minister Desai's death has left a void in the Indian Parliament and several unanswered questions. Why was he killed? Was all this a planned assassination? Who could have killed him? For all the viewers' knowledge, Minister Desai was a widower and had an illegitimate son who recently died. Other than that, he isn't known to have a family. The minster was here in the city as he had come to inaugarate the new English medium Government schools in New Panvel, Oshiwara and Bhandup. Almost all citizens in Mumbai knew of his arrival thanks to the newspaper advertisements, so the police have a long list of suspects they might have to check with. The Prime Minister, the President and several others have recently expressed their grief and paid respects on Twitter. The minister's body is going to be flown to New Delhi for a funeral with state honours once the post mortem is done.
The nation is in shock!
With cameraman, Raj Saini, this is Sampurnaa Roy for India Today."

With Sampurnaa's part over, the news channel started running the footage of the crime scene.

I sat back in deep thought.
The minister's assassination and the ongoing case at the court must have some relation!
I had nothing to do but wait for Sampurnaa to arrive. There were going to be complications arising in the case. I had to brief her about the court proceedings and also inform her about the changes that we would inevitably come across during the court trials in the near future.

Just when I had been able to absorb the news of the minister's death, a phone call from Zakir, my assistant left me in even deeper turmoil.

What was happening?

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To be continued...

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A/N

I have been trying my best to write. If there are changes you desire to see and if there are things you do not like in the plot, then please do give me a feedback!
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Cheers,
Shubhadittya