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When Kaesav returned, the house was silent and he heard Aakansha crying softly, at the sitout.

He went and stood before her and said, "The photograph was taken before we got married. If you could remember, I told you on our first meeting itself, that I loved a girl, but she left me after we got engaged. There was no reason, no explanations and she just disappeared and I tried to locate her but with out any success. Few months back, out of blue, I got a call from her, telling me that she is back and she was sorry to have left me like that. I was furious and told her that, I don't wish to see her and I am married to a girl, who thought that the world begins and ends with me."

Aakansha stared silently at Kaesav's face. She had questions for which she hasn't got her answers. She really wished Kaesav had plausible answers and if he gives one, one part of her was willing to accept it, while the other waiting to search for gaps.

Kaesav continued... "Ahalya insisted that she wanted to meet me once. 'For old times sake', she said. I wanted to go to and meet her too, out of curiosity to know, why she disappeared the way she did. Little did I expect the shock waiting for me. When I reached the restaurant, I scanned all the tables, couldn't find her. I sat on a corner table and waited. A middle aged fat woman, with dark shades who sat across the room, stood and started to walk towards me. The world spinned before my eyes and I cried out, "What the fuck happened to you?"

"Lots happened... I knew that we don't hold a chance with all those people, waiting to kill us. I wanted to save your life, if not mine" said Ahalya.

"To kill us... Come on! there wasn't anyone waiting to kill us.", said Kaesav

Ahalya insisted, "No, they are still lurking out there.  After all these days, they still follow me wherever I go and I had been travelling round the country and wherever I go, they too follow."

Kaesav slightly uneasy, told her, "Ok.  We will discuss about this later.  Tell me what you'd like to eat".

Ahalya said, "Not now.  Let's escape through back entrance".  Her eyes wandered here and there and dragged Kaesav out through service entrance.

"She demanded that I meet her everyday.  We met couple of times and she behaved perfectly normal.  Third time when she asked me to come to her place, she seemed to have forgotten that I was married and asked me if we could get married that Friday.  It was the fourth time,  when I saw her lying on the floor, covering herself with mattresses and rugs.  She told me, waving her hands, that if only those men knew waiting outside, knew she is hiding beneath the mattress, will pull her out and rape her.  It was then I understood something was really wrong with Ahalya and discussed about her condition to a doctor friend of mine.  He paid a visit and when Ahalya started being abusive and threatened to kill him, he told me, that she is dangerous to be left out.  He added, that she suffers from a mental disorder called Schizophrenia.  People who suffer from Schizophrenia starts hallucinating and live in that world and forget that a world exist around them.", recounted Kaesav.

He continued, "There were times when she recognized me, there were times when she didn't.  When she recongnized, she acted as if we never parted.  She wrote mails, she chatted and I had to go with the charade, as she was undergoing treatment. The doctors felt that, if otherwise, she might try to kill herself or even harm others around her.  Aakansha, there were times, when I wanted to tell you all this, but it was hell for me and I didn't want you to suffer too.  The photo you saw, was taken when I was dating her.  I need not justify myself to you, for I was not married to you then, but nothing happened after that kiss."

Aakansha her eyes wide, knowing what to believe and what not to, asked Kaesav..."Where is she now?"

Kaesav looked at Aakansha and said, "She's dead.  She killed herself."

Aakansha stared at Kaesav and started to apologise and Kaesav stopped her and said, "Hope you atleast believe me now, if not I can take you to the doctor right away and you can check for yourself."

Aakansha said sorry and she sobbed with relief, Kaesav gathered her in his arms and kissed her forehead.  She said, "wish you had told me everything at the beginning itself and you need not have faced it alone."

Aakansha and Kaesav stared at each other for a while and Aakansha slowly started walking towards Kaesav.