Dedicated to thegirlnextdoor7781 because this chapter contains your birthday.

"I came, I saw, I conquered."
-Julius Caesar
________

27th December
Indrayan's pov:

Sampurnaa was well in control now. I was driving towards home but she had other plans.
"Please drop me at the studio." she told me

"Drop you at the studio? Are you nuts? If you want I can speak to your senior..." I said in reply but she cut me off.

"Drop me at the studio. Please. I need to go. It is important for me!"

I sighed while stopping the car at the red signal.
"Sampurnaa, it isn't important! You know what happened sometime ago... No one will tell you anything." I tried explaining her

"You don't understand! I am not affected by them. I shouldn't be! I know what I did! I know I cried when I shouldn't have... But if I don't go to the studio today, then people would think that I was affected by what he said. They would think that I am shying away from facing the public after all that happened at the court.... That would only give people more reason to believe rather than speculate. I AM GOING TO READ THE NEWS TONIGHT THE WAY I DO EVERYDAY. That man ought to know that I conquered his words and that I surmounted myself and my doubts!"

I looked at her stunned. Some car behind me honked and I restarted the car.

"Don't be ridiculous! You are already stressed out and troubled... Moreover you are on your monthly cycle right now! Too much of stress can cause severe hormonal imbalance, Sampurnaa!" I tried explaining her in a strict yet soft tone

She sighed.
"I know. You come to the studio with me. Just be there behind the scenes... You will be there if anything happens. I believe so."

She may have uttered those words in a flurry of emotions, not meaning much... Yet I felt a certain feeling of satisfaction.
Satisfied that I had her trust and belief.

...

I finally directed the car towards BKC. She asked me to follow her into the studio.

He colleagues stood up one by one, in disbelief when they saw her. I was a mere spectator and I followed her silently.
She stopped in front of a glass cabin that had her senior's name on it.

She knocked twice and then opened the door after a 'come in' was said in reply.
"Good evening, Sir! I wanted to ask you which slot have I been allotted today." Sampurnaa asked the senior journalist who stood there baffled

"Sampurnaa! You? I didn't expect you here. I heard what happened..." he began but Sampurnaa gestured him to stop

Good lord! She actually has the guts to even speak to her senior without allowing him to finish!
"I am here Sir because I am fine. And I am fit and in a great state of mind to continue with the work. With your permission, can I read the news at 8 tonight?" she asked

Her senior took some time to reply but nevertheless agreed.
"Yes, you may read the news at 8. But the news also involves the happenings at court today, will you be comfortable?" he asked her hesitantly

"Yes, Sir. I will be."

Her senior noticed me standing at the door then.
"Mr. Chakraborty! Please come in and take a seat! I am sorry I did not notice you before."

I smiled and greeted him with a hello.
"It isn't your fault, Sir. I know how intimidating my wife can be, while speaking. And from the time she entered your cabin, she's been speaking without a break."

Her senior laughed and Sampurnaa glared at me.

"Sir, I'll go and collect the news from the informations and analysis team and the script too, from the creative team. I'll be along Sir. I hope my husband won't be much of a problem." she said and walked away.

I remained seated at the cabin and the senior journalist asked me about the court proceedings in detail. He told me that I could go and see the live shooting while Sampurnaa was reporting.
...

It is 7.55 now. Sampurnaa is sitting at the desk she usually sits at while reading the news. There's a screen in front of her which is supposed to display her lines. The camera personnel are ready and are waiting for the clock to strike 8.

At 8, the camera man announced that Sampurnaa was going live and she lifted her thumb in order to show that she was ready.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the News at 8 with me, Sampurnaa. Let us begin with the news today.

"Mumbai Church at Mount Mary got the maximum number of visitors on Christmas Day. The local residents described that day's scenario as a nightmare for cars and commuters."

"Sports news: with the Euro Cup scheduled to take place in 2020, footballers in Europe are skipping club matches, in order to practice and play with their national teams."
"National news: India gears up for...."

She continued reading the news with utmost confidence and a natural flow. This was the first time that I had come to the studio and it felt great to see her bask in the glory of her profession. There's that spark which is present in her eyes when she is living as the journalist.
I was starting to wonder when she would read the news about today's court proceedings when she dropped the bomb.

"Breaking news for the day: The Health Minister of India, Mr. Ramlal Tripathi has reportedly confessed and admitted to permitting female foeticide in rural Government hospitals. He classified women and girls who are born into uneducated and backward families as 'liabilities' and also stated that this was a good method to ensure 'population control' in the country. He also blatantly said that this is 'selective birthing' that would ensure that only girls who are 'assets' would get to live. This call which was taken by the Minister violates two important laws under the Indian Penal Code as stated in the Indian constitution. Apart from this, the minister is suspected to be having links with Ms. Anya Siddiqui who is currently in police custody due to a forced prostitution racket and a drug racket. The Chief Justice at the Mumbai High Court, Justice Peter Cardiff has ordered the police to place the Health Minister under house arrest. The case doesn't yet have a clarity and is still ongoing."

The lines on the display screen were only till here, but then Sampurnaa decided to shock me and also the entire unit.

"The Union Health Minister also alleged a journalist of bribing fugitives and staging a molestation case against herself in order to "GAIN FAME". The minister also questioned her character in the open court by stating that she had even gotten a lawyer to represent her in the case by paying him in 'either cash, or kind'.
The nation is stupefied at his assumptions and thoughts and is appalled at the poor state of politics and politicians in our nation. The next hearing is on the 2nd of January. The prime minister expressed his concern on Twitter and the President has reportedly asked the National chief of the ruling party to bring in a replacement for the post of the Health Minister. The opposition is strongly condemning the Union Minister. The question that the falsely accused and defamed journalist asks today is, "Would the Health Minister raise such questions that the woman been a man?" The case is still underway and the speculations regarding the assassination of the former HRD Minister, Mr. Rajguru Desai continue to go about."

Then she smiled at the camera and said, "That's all for the news tonight. The debate begins at 9 and it's now time for a short break. Stay tuned to India Today."

The shot was taken, recorded and aired live. And amidst all this, she had managed to surmount the challenge that had been thrown her way. She had done what several of us don't do... She had taken the lemons that had been thrown her way, in order to juice them and make lemonade!

She had a smile on her face when she came to meet me after her segment.

She came and hugged me.
I was a bit taken aback at first but then I put my arms around her in return.
"I did it! I gave that Minister a fitting reply!"

...

Sampurnaa's pov:

Throughout the entire car ride from the court, I had remained silent and quiet. I had given it all a thought... If I did not go and report today, then I would undoubtedly lose; lose to myself and to those bloody criminals who dared to question me.

Indrayan was skeptical about me going to the studio; but nonetheless, he listened to me and drove me to the studio. He was there the entire time that I read the news. I never thought that I would say this, but truly, having a supportive husband like him is a blessing.
Once the reporting was done, I went and hugged him. His initial shock that was perceptible by the stiffening of his body, was soon replaced and he hugged me back.
He kissed my forehead while breaking the hug.
"Yes, you did it! Are we going home now?" he asked me

"Yes. I am going home today and it is my day off tomorrow."

We went towards the parking lot after bidding goodbye to senior and the rest of the team.

"Here you go!" he said all of a sudden, handing me the car keys

I looked at him inquisitively

"Drive tonight. You seldom drive anyways!" he told me

I looked at his car and then at the keys in my hand.
"I know how to drive, but I have never driven such an expensive car. Moreover it is an automatic car, what if I crash it?" I asked him  dubiously

"Go for it! You know how to drive and I know that you have always wanted a Mercedes Benz. You don't have one from your own savings yet, but you will someday. So, are you not practising how to drive one?" Indrayan replied with a smile.

I nodded excitedly and went and sat in the driver's seat. He came and sat next to me, on the passenger's seat.

"God! Save me and help me!" I muttered under my breath while starting the car.

Here goes nothing!
...

"See, I told you will be able to drive." he told me after I parked the car at home and we both entered the house together.

"Yeah right! Driving in the extreme left lane and then getting motorists to honk at you is great!" I said sarcastically

He chuckled at my expression.
"That was their fault. They wanted to go home quickly."

"What if someone had an emergency? I totally could have gotten them late or even worse, your car would have been in a bad state." I rambled on

"The car is safe and so are we. So please keep those extra thoughts out of your head. I don't want my wife to get grey hair so soon!" he said and ran up the stairs to our room.

I followed him and then caught him while he was trying to escape to the washroom.

"You'll leave me when I grow old?" I asked him faking hurt
"If I leave you, then I wouldn't get anyone else, because the day you grow old, I grow older... So I guess, you are going to be here."

"I am using the washroom for freshening up first!" I said and grabbed my clothes from the wardrobe and ran to the washroom.

All this seems perfect and natural!
...

Maa, Dad and Dida are in Kolkata. Dida did not want to go alone and Dad did not want Maa to leave him with the two of us... Hence, they are all gone.

The house is empty other than the room that we two occupy.
Dinner and all other meals had to be prepared by the two of us. We both had had enough of Indian food; so I asked him if Chinese would be okay. I wasn't keen on ordering from a restaurant, hence we both cooked at home.
I had left the marinated chicken in the refrigerator and had purchased all the required sauce bottles and ingredients that would be essential for cooking.

"Don't add water now. It needs to be added after the vegetables." I instructed him

"Alright. Tell me one thing though, how do you know cooking so much? From what I know, you come from a family similar to mine, where the kids don't learn cooking much... And I know that you stayed abroad, but still, so many cuisines?"

I replied to him while adding vegetables to the pan.
"I worked at a restaurant for 6 months when I was at Columbia, as an assistant in the kitchen; the one who cleans the plates and cuts the vegetables and stuff. I was fired from my job when I refused to touch beef though. I told them that it was against my religion and they threw me out. After that, I worked as a babysitter for a working American couple who had 4 kids. They always demanded to eat new things. Hence. I remained in the job for 2.5 years... Since the kids liked me and I liked them too. It was a well paid part time job that helped me buy monthly groceries with my own money."

He nodded.
"I know cooking due to similar reasons. I worked at a café and then at a bakery."

"Story of almost every student who goes abroad to study." I shrugged

We both prepared the food by 10 and were done with dinner by 10.45. Since it is a Saturday tomorrow and my day-off, I did not have any official or editing work to do. Indrayan on the other side, was busy reading files line by line in order to find a strong statement that would trap the minister and get him to confess to his crimes. He was sitting on the bed with papers and files scattered all over.

He was reading each line with the utmost attention, sitting with a highlighter in hand.
"You look like a 12th grader who is trying to underline important lines while studying Organic Chemistry. Trust me, every line is important. Flowcharts are a better option." I told him

"The court records which the stenographers make are so vague. They have literally copied down every single statement word to word... And now what I am looking for is like a needle in a haystack." he sighed while leaning against the headboard.

I started picking up all the files and papers and keeping them in a neat pile on the bedside table.
"How is that going to help? I need to read each and every file from cover to cover!" he asked me annoyed

I wordlessly went and got my notepad on which I scribbled statements and notes.
I handed it to him.
"Open this and read the notes. Instead of being the student who tries to top by studying the entire book by rote, on the last day; be the student who tops by revising important on the last day, in a calm and composed manner.
Look for the right key in a bunch of keys, and not for a needle in a haystack." I told him and took the files with me for going through them once.

"Where's your phone?" I asked him
He had just taken the notepad in hand.
"I think I left it on the study table. You need it?"

"Yes. I am just going to listen to the recording of Mr. Raj Matthews audience with you. There might just be something that we'll find out."  he nodded and started leafing through the pages of my notepad.
...

I listened to the recording thrice, while reading the files one by one simultaneously.

Towards the end of the recording, something caught my attention and I rewinded and replayed.

Oh My God!

I immediately took off my headphones and kept the files aside while waking up my husband who had fallen asleep while leafing through the notes.

"Get up! Uthe poro! Aamar kichu bolar aache!" (get up! I have something to say!")

He woke up with a start and then quickly sat up straight.

"What is wrong? Why are you screaming? Did something happen?" he asked me frantically

I shook my head.

"Eureka! I just found it!"

________
To be continued...