Leap of Faith

Summary: Poore zindagi padi hai jeene ko - ek doosre ke jeena, todi aazaan kar dete hai.

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Randheer was proud of his organising this once.

Everything was perfectly placed and even Nalini Devi did not have a shred of doubt. She was all in for using her daughter in law's name for the new foundation as Randheer had suggested. Bringing attention to how adoptive she was of refugees and at the same time unknown to her bringing glory to Amrit's name. Now all he had to do was get Amrit downstairs to bask in all this rightfully deserving attention. He wanted to do it himself, to watch how she would light up with joy.

Randheer knocks at her door, feeling quite impatient himself.

To his chagrin it is Veer who opens the door, a customary saccharine smile playing on his lips.

The man born to beliefs of his supremacy could set Randheer's blood boiling with one look over that crooked nose of his.

"Ah, secretary sahab - man of the hour - I was waiting just for you!" He says pompously, clasping a hand on Randheer's shoulder.

"Not me," Randheer says, trying to look inside the room over Veer's obstructing shoulder. "Aap dono ke intezaar ho raha hai neeche -"

"That's what I'm telling you man," Veer waves him off with a lazy hand gesture still standing unmovingly at the entrance to his room. "You see we have other plans. We are not going to make it -"

As if on cue the adjoining door to Amrit's room opens and she steps out. For a moment neither man says anything. Randheer feels an odd fury at the bottom of his stomach, a low burn of unease.

This isn't Amrit - his beloved. Or, he was rather unwilling to admit- this was some shade to her that he did not know existed.

Amrit steps out wearing a gown in a dark shade of plum wine. Her arms encased in black lace gloves and carrying a matching black hat. The silk pools at her waist rather enticingly and cascades down. Randheer gulps and turns his fury on Veer. What has he done with Amrit?

But Veer has no eyes for him.

"Bhai jaam ho aisi, ke aankon se peeye aur dil main utar jaaye- nahi?" He says instead. "Bohut sundar dhikthi ho biwi sahab."

Amrit's eyes scatter past his and find their way to Randheer's. He tries but fails to find any joy in them.

Randheer tries to tell her, beg her to stay with his eyes. He could protect her - defend her against this man if needed. But that is only if she stays in his vicinity. How was he going to help her if she allows herself to be carried away like this - how could he -

"Biwi sahab," Veer raised his voice. "Chaliyein."

Amrit blinks and looks away, much to Randheer's dismay she allows Veer to take her hand. Entwine her lace encased fingers with his own. It is only when she is tucked to his side that Veer's eyes find Randheer again.

"Please do keep ma sahab informed. We might not make it back tonight - right darling?"

Tipping her chin up with a finger Veer smiles at Amrit and the two of them leave, without as much as a backward glance.

Randheer watches them until they disappear down the hallway, watches with mounting fury how Veer's thumb keeps stroking the small of her back, back and forth, back and forth - and they are gone.

They break apart the moment they are no longer in Randheer's vicinity. Amrit presses a hand to her throat, feeling rather exposed in unfamiliar clothing.

"There's a shawl in the car," Veer is not even looking at her anymore. They take a short flight of stairs down and the car is waiting for them. That car, which Veer was driving when she first saw him.

The shawl was there but it couldn't take away the uncomfortable burning on the back of her neck where she could still feel Randheer's eyes on her.

"Why did you do that - Kuwar sahab?" Her voice is small, her eyes tight shut, trying to erace that look of utter betrayal in Randheer's face. "Why must you -"

"Dava dardh kar ke hi azar kar tha hai, Amrit. You want him to heal - don't you? Or do you wish to see him festering in your memories?"

Amrit swallowed. Veer had such sharp words when he wanted to.

"Is that what you did with Anaita?" She asks him savagely. Wishing to cause as much hurt in return. "Did you cut off the parts that were festering with her memory?"

Veer turns to her. A smile playing at his lips.

"Nicely done Biwi Sahab but no - I was the rotten thing there. She cut me off before I could fester."

"Kuwar sahab main -"

"I know you tried to call her," he cuts her off. "Don't ever do it again. Bohut saude karliye hum dono ek aur hi sahi. Don't go digging into my past Amrit - I won't go pulling yours along with us. Poore zindagi padi hai jeene ko  - ek dusare ke jeena todi aazaan kar dete hai - hmm?"

"Is that what you are doing? Trying to get me to write again - you want to make my life easier?"

"Kushi nahi de saktha, pyaar bhi nahi- the only thing I could give you is a goal. Like you so eloquently put - I've taken advantage of your circumstances Amrit. It's time you take advantage of mine."

*

There's a scream tied in her throat as Amrit sits at the edge of her seat, watching with rapt attention the game unfolding before her.

Veer's taste in sport is as lethal as his taste in beverages.

"Do people die doing this?" She mutters to herself.

On the empty seat beside her a woman comes around to sit. She carries a flute of lemonade in her hand, and has a floating kind of walk. She is just in time to catch the tail end of her monologue and chuckles.

"First polo game?" She asks, greeting Amrit by raising her glass. "Don't flinch darling, when Nawab sahab first brought me to a match I nearly bit all my nails. A bad habit that I grew out of since. And trust me - Kuwar Veer knows what he's doing."

"He should have told me," Amrit mutters darkly. Flinching again at the sharp maneuver of Veer's horse.

For a moment she could no longer see him due to the dust the horse had kicked up. But she could very well hear the tell tale sound of mallets hooking up. The thrill of the game was undeniable - Amrit thought begrudgingly - so was the danger. It had her own blood racing, though she was far away and safe in the seats. The sun, the scent of heated grass - the speed and brutal force - everything was raw - power, danger, focus all rolled into one. It would make one heady, it would make one's breath catch.

"You know only recently did English polo allowed players to hook mallets?" The woman beside her asked. "I think Veer is one of the few who takes a wicked pleasure in that."

"He is - uh," Amrit clasps a hand to her mouth as Veer takes a hit, feeding the ball to number one. For a second or two the horse and man moves like one.

"Yes!" Number one send the ball straight to the post and Amrit cannot help herself but cheer.

The woman beside her watches her appreciatively. Amrit remembers her half forgotten reply.

"He's a man who'd take wicked pleasure in anything."

"Spoken like a true wife!" Chuckles the woman lifting her glass to that. She drinks deeply and Amrit asks her.

"Anyone you know is playing?"

"The other three your Kuwar sahab is playing with are my sons," she points them out with a tilt of her chin. "They've been a team since college days - a bunch of mischief makers way before that. One is Omar Hussain Siddiquie, my youngest - he is new to the game too. Two is Hedar Hussain Siddiquie my second son. While Veer always plays on number three Anwar my eldest plays Four - none of the other three can match up to his patience."

Amrit turns to her rather surprised and finds those eyes crinkled in smiles.

"You are - you are -"

"Farida Begham Siddiquie- yes, the very same." She smiles. "Delighted to meet you Veer ke Amrit! Can't begin to tell you how much."

"So he -" her eyes drift back to Veer, in the flutter of last minute actions it's difficult to spot him. So, this game is a ruse for her to meet Farida under Rani Ma's nose?

"Oh he planned this! You are invited to dinner afterwards. Shaadi ke baad peheli baar aaye ho, I won't let you go so easily."

Farida reminds her of Mogor bua, the fussy - motherhen like manner of hers is heartwarming.

"I'm supposed to take care of you. Veer has told me specifically. Biwi sahab hai humari- yahaan peheli baar aayi hai- kissi ko pehejaanti bhi nahi hai - haye, itna kuch suna diya humein."

The game draws closer to its ending and Amrit watches with heart in her throat, aided occasionally by inputs from Farida. She doesn't notice but the woman's keen eyes remain on her, on her face flushed with excitement - on her eyes fixated upon Veer.

"Veer comes here often, when he wants to run away from life," she says. "It used to make me worry. Zindagi se bhaagon ge toh jaaonge kaha?"

As if on cue, Veer notices them in conversation. He gestures towards them, a tilt of his head as he rides past.

"But if all his running has ended up bringing him to you -"

"It hasn't-" Amrit cuts her off. "We are not each other's destination Farida Ji,  Main unka manzil nahi hoon - buss ek padaav hoon raaste ki. Yeh padaav nikal jayenge, hum bhi -"

"You think so?" Farida looks amused. Then she sighs. "Loog pyaar sirf ek baar karte hai Amrit, par uss pyaar ke liye sau baar marrte hai..."

The game ends with a spectacular goal. Amrit finds her breath knocked, her hands aching with all the clapping. Her blood still runs wild, and Farida's words begin to dawn.

"Yeh mohabbat hai, ya maut ab tum hi feisla karlo." She smiles. "If not, as you said -  Yeh padaav nikal jayenge - yeh mausam nikal jayenge, zindagi dal jaayengi aur tum sochthi rehe jaaongi. Chaar kadam hi toh tha, chali hoti toh kya hota?"

**
As promised, celebration update!
Enjoy your weekend dose of Amveer! Thank you for reading, if you liked what you read please consider voting and commenting. So that I know you are here reading! 🤗