The Unexpected Trail | Kindle Unlimited Novel | Sample Chapter

 

Chapter One – Happily Ever After

It was that time of year again—celebrations were in the air. Tanvi and Raj were on vacation and planned to usher in their eighth anniversary.

Raj had surprised Tanvi by gifting her a one-week stay at a five-star hotel, The Majestic Hills, nestled amidst the mountains of Mahabaleshwar. Thus whisking her off to a perfect escape from the chaos of daily life. They spent their whole week indulging in the spectacular panoramic views of lush greenery and stunning waterfalls. They revelled in the getaway, away from erratic phone calls, unforgiving deadlines, and endless work hours.

'Today, we are celebrating our eighth, and, in a flash, we would be on our ninth,' a thought occurred to Tanvi. Enclosed in Raj's embrace, she smiled. They were at the famous Sunset Point, watching the Sun captivate everyone in its glory.

'Ninth! I wish to be with you till infinity!' beamed Raj. He had held her from behind. He set loose his grip.

‘Oo la la, that sounds like a —' Tanvi broke off as she turned around to face him. Indeed, the moment she was waiting for was here.

Finally! He is proposing to me!

Raj had gotten down on his one knee, holding a diamond ring; he asked, 'Will you marry me?'

All Tanvi managed to do was nod in affirmation; words deserted her mouth. Raj slipped the diamond ring into her finger. She looked at it like it was an elusive dream. Raj held her hands tightly, and Tanvi looked at him with moist eyes.

Her tears refused to stop until Raj said, 'By the way, this diamond ring is not real.'

She smiled and mock punched him, ‘But my love is real.’

They spent the next few minutes cuddling each other.

‘Our relationship has been through tough times,’ Tanvi glanced at her ring. Raj sighed and firmly clutched her hand as if to assure his presence by her side forever.

An hour later, Tanvi rushed into her hotel room. Unable to contain her joy and eager to share the news, she quickly took a shower and wore a satin nightgown. She clicked several photos of her hand adorned with a flashy, enormous ring. She sent all the pictures to her best friend, Neha, in Mumbai. As soon as she sent them, Neha rang her up. Tanvi immediately picked up her mobile phone.

'It's finally happening, Neha!' cried Tanvi.

'Wow! I am so happy for you. Where is Raj? I want to speak with him too,' said Neha.

‘Our Mr Ambitious accidentally met a CEO of a big pharma company at the hotel’s reception area, and now he won’t rest until he converts the lead into a sale,’ said Tanvi, rolling her eyes.

‘Typical him,’ Neha felt tickled, and both friends laughed.

'Raj is here,' Tanvi beamed, seeing Raj enter the room.

‘Let's do a video call,’ Tanvi wanted to see her friends.

'Good idea,' Neha was more than happy to catch up on a video call. Neha's husband, Adi, and Raj were friends too.

In an instant, four friends were talking, laughing, and planning the wedding function.

'What about Ganga Tai? How has she reacted to this development?' asked Neha. With the mention of Ganga Tai, the fun session was not fun anymore. The silence made it evident that Tanvi didn’t inform her.

'I want to give her the good news when we return home,' said Tanvi.

‘But don’t start it with - I have good news — otherwise, she will think you are pregnant,’ Neha giggled. Then, her friends joined her too.

'Anyway, we are coming back the day after tomorrow!' Raj said, animating a teary face. The painful thought of resuming office after a blissful holiday resonated with all.

They wished each other goodnight.

Later in bed, Tanvi asked Raj, 'Do you think Ganga Tai would be happy for us?'

'She has no choice! It's our life! Let's not discuss her now,' Raj's refusal made it hard for Tanvi to carry on with the discussion about Ganga Tai.

'Be by my side! That's all I want from you,' Raj said and closed his eyes.

Tanvi rested her head on his shoulder and placed her hand on his chest. She stared at her ring, and a smile appeared on her face. She, too, closed her eyes and glimpses of her parents appeared momentarily. Her parents looked happy. But then, the epiphany made her open her eyes, and profound happiness struck her. Her parents blessed her decision, which mattered most to her. Only if she knew tomorrow would question her decision.

Ganga Tai was in Konkan, Maharashtra. For her, visiting Konkan at least twice a year was a custom. Her ailing mother, Ujjwala Tai, needed her more than ever. So, whenever Tanvi was out of the city, she would quickly plan a trip to Konkan. Ganga Tai looked at her mother, who was fast asleep. She smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead. She then arranged a mat on the floor and slept on it. Rays of light pierced through the window and made it easier for Ganga to see her mother even in the room's darkness. She gazed lovingly at her mother. Even at the age of seventy-two, she was quite pretty.

Ageless beauty! Tanvi would call her even though they hadn't met each other.

Ujjwala would send Konkan specialities for Tanvi – cashew nuts, jackfruit chips, and kokum syrup. Ganga reminisced when Tanvi would eagerly unpack her bags to relish the delicacies. She smiled, thinking about Tanvi. She checked her mobile phone. A notification message of seven photos from Tanvi appeared on the screen. She clicked to open them. She was glad to see pictures of Tanvi sans Raj. She was still not comfortable with texting and usually settled for emojis. So, she sent her a smiley emoji. She kept her mobile by her side and closed her eyes to rest. Innocent Ganga missed the ring and what it meant for Tanvi. Ganga didn't know it was a special peaceful night she was about to miss once she returned to Mumbai.

Neha and Adi had just finished the show they put up of being a perfect couple. Adi's parents had called them. They had chatted on a video call like everything was fine between them. Neha had reminded Adi about his medicine, and Adi had given her a pullover sweater. Once the call was over, it was time for grim actualities. They both headed to their separate rooms.

Somewhere in Mumbai, the night was perfect for Soma Kothari. Soma's dinner awaited her in the dining area of her lavish sea-facing bungalow. At Soma's behest, her cook, Soni, had made sandwiches and coffee. She ate her food quietly while reading a novel. It was a suspense thriller, and murder was about to happen. She drew her breath, wondering — how many more pages to go until the murder. After a while, she seated herself on the sofa. The book was still keeping her company. Later, she sprawled on the rocking chair, her eyes intently absorbing every word as she turned over the pages. Had she known this night was one of the rarest, bearing incredible peace in its air? She would have chosen to fall asleep in the night's arms.

Tick-tock!

She shot a lazy glance at the wall clock that was persistently ticking away. Then she brought her gaze straight down to her son’s photo. She and her husband Deven had lovingly named him Neil Kothari. She smiled and kept the book aside.

His photo reminded her of a life-changing day. Ten years ago, when her father-in-law took her only son Neil away. Since then, Neil has been staying in the US. Poor Soma had to take the hard decision of meeting him only once a year in the US during his vacation. She didn’t want Neil to know about his parents' estranged relationship. 

In the last ten years, Soma took up a career as an actress instead of crying for her son. She featured in many Television commercials and series. Her acting stint made her almost famous in certain parts of India. She particularly enjoyed her celeb status and being in the spotlight within her social circle. She also loved getting pampered to give away upcoming twists of the serial or gossip about her co-actors. But what mattered to her the most was her financial independence — freedom from being dependent on her good-for-nothing husband, Deven Kothari.

She remembered those eventful years that led her to where she stood today. Finally, she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

******

Two days later, a car came to a screeching halt at the enclosure of a standalone high-rise tower called Sunshine Heights. Tanvi stepped out of the vehicle, and Raj drove it to the parking area. Tanvi made her way to the lobby. After a few minutes, Raj joined her with a luggage bag. They entered the lift cabin and elevated themselves to Neha's apartment on the seventh floor. Neha answered the door on hearing the doorbell. She wasn't surprised to see Raj and Tanvi but couldn't contain her excitement. Both girls awkwardly embraced each other; Tanvi barely reached Neha’s elbow.

Adi, too, joined his wife and friends. Neha had cooked a special meal to celebrate her best friend’s upcoming wedding.

'Guess what am I serving for lunch?' asked Neha.

'Chicken Biryani,' said Tanvi sniffing the steam from the kitchen.

'Yes, your favourite,' beamed Adi.

'Now, I am starving even more. So, let's eat,' said Raj.

‘You guys carry on. I need to freshen up,’ said Tanvi apologetically, knowing she was delaying lunch.

‘Oh no!’ Adi and Raj screamed together in disappointment. Tanvi gave a tight-lipped smile, quickly held her luggage bag, and walked out of the apartment, leaving others disappointed. She took the lift to the tenth floor and unlocked the door with a key she produced from her handbag. She entered the dark living room and turned ON the lights. As the room shone, she threw a loving glance around it.

There’s no place like home.

She walked across the living room to the hallway with two doors on both sides. The first cased-opening on the right led to the kitchen and the next door to Ganga Tai’s bedroom. On the left side, the first door showed the way to Tanvi’s parents' bedroom, now occupied by Raj. The next door on the left was Tanvi’s room – the biggest one with a balcony and private washroom. Owning a 1200 Square-Feet apartment was quite a luxurious deal for anyone living in Mumbai. But for Tanvi, it was her parents’ blessing. She walked across the room to her parents’ photos on the wall adorned with sandalwood garland. She folded her hands and bowed her head, eyes closed.

‘I miss you both, maa and papa!’ she said, opening her moist eyes.

Then she tossed herself on the bed and smiled, thinking about the wedding ceremony. Raj could finally shift into her room.

Hiss hiss!

The whistling sound of the pressure cooker jolted her back from her thoughts. Faces of hungry Neha, Raj and Adi flashed before her eyes. She grinned and quickly showered. She wore a pink top and jeans. After a while, she reached Neha’s apartment. Adi and Raj were eating while Neha awaited Tanvi.

‘Finally, she is here!’ announced Neha, holding her stomach.

‘I hope we have food left for us,’ said Tanvi, looking at Raj and Adi, their mouths full of Biryani.

Raj gestured for Tanvi to sit, and Adi was too busy to look up from his plate.

Girls looked at each other and cracked up.

Following a hearty meal, they decided to relax in Tanvi’s home.

******

Neha tore the gift wrap and opened the box with a bottle of wine tucked inside. It was a premium blend of Strawberry Wine from Kingberry Winery in Mahabaleshwar.

Adi’s eyes lighted up as he held the bottle, ‘Let the celebrations begin.’

‘Wait! Don’t open this one. This is for you guys,’ clarified Raj.

‘Yeah, we have got an extra bottle for our celebration’, said Tanvi and went to her bedroom. Adi and Raj were lounging on the sofa. At the same time, Neha was busy browsing through Tanvi’s shopping. After a while, Tanvi reappeared with a wine bottle.

‘Here we go,’ she said, giving it to Neha.

‘Duh,’ said Neha sipping from her imaginary glass to remind Tanvi that she had forgotten to get wine glasses.

Tanvi sheepishly smiled and swiftly moved to the kitchen. A flash of light emerging from the living room partly illuminated the kitchen. It was a nicely done modular-design kitchen. Orange cabinets, quartz countertops, and granite backsplash made it look more spacious than it was. However, the window on the other side of the kitchen was locked. Thus, making it impossible for anyone to see the compact wooden pedestal table with two chairs placed beneath the window. Tanvi didn’t switch ON the lights as she was aware of her kitchen arrangements. Instead, she reached into a skirting drawer and removed four wine glasses. She rinsed them with water and placed them on a tray. She could hear chatter from the living room. Holding the tray, she swept a causal glance at her kitchen. Something caught her attention – a hand outstretched on the armrest of one of the beige-coloured chairs to go with the wooden pedestal table. She stared at it for a while, and then the tray in her hands crushed into smithereens. She shrugged violently to gather her voice which choked momentarily. Then came out a scream! Aaaaa! She stumbled backwards on the floor.

Neha, Raj, and Adi ran to her. Raj made Tanvi sit up.

‘It must be a lizard,’ grinned Neha. For Neha, it was an amusing moment, and Raj couldn’t agree more. They had seen her outburst at the sight of the lizard before. However, they rubbed Tanvi’s hands to comfort her as she was shivering furiously. Adi stared at the broken glasses. When Raj asked Tanvi to tell him what happened, all she could manage to do was to lift her hand in the direction of the chair. Raj and Neha followed their gaze to her hand’s path, and there it was - a lifeless arm, placed on the chair’s armrest, bruised wrist. That’s all they managed to see through the dark. Neha, who was sitting on her toes, lost her balance. She let out a slight scream, ‘Eeeek.’

Baffled, Adi ran to her aid.

‘Look there,’ Raj said to Adi.

‘Augh,’ Adi clung to Neha's arm.

Together they stood up, snugging each other for support. Then, silently they walked towards the chair – not to alarm the scary figure.

Suddenly the madness was all lost in the silence of the kitchen. They surrounded the table, revealing an old man lying unconscious on the chair. Neha switched ON the light to confirm what she had just seen.

Adi lifted a beer bottle on the table and said, ‘I guess he is drunk’. He grabbed the table and pulled it aside, allowing them to stand closer to the old guy.

Raj threw his hands up in the air and questioned, ‘But how did he get in?’

Realising their guesses would be as good as his, he cupped his hand around the old man’s jawline and shook him to come to his senses. On receiving no response, he grabbed him by his t-shirt’s collar and swayed him. The old man looked like someone in his fifties. He was tall but very lean. When Raj’s effort couldn’t wake him up, he threw him back on the chair like a lifeless doll. Neha grabbed the man’s hand and checked his pulse.

‘I think he is dead,’ said Neha.

Raj placed his index finger and middle finger on the old man’s wrist. He, too, couldn’t feel the pulse racing. Raj repeated the act one more time and finally said, ‘Neha is right. He is dead. But who is this man?’

Adi searched the old man’s clothes and declared, ‘No wallet! No mobile!’

‘Let me try one more test. Tanvi, give me an onion,’ said Neha.

Tanvi couldn’t utter a word. She kept staring at the dead body. Sweat droplets were visible on her whitewashed face like no blood was left within her. Her palms were cold as if she, too, was dead. Except her heart was thumping loudly.

Neha waited for her response, and then she ran around the kitchen, checking the possible cabinet for a knife and an onion. Adi and Raj assisted her by searching the cabinets, and they found it. Finally, she peeled the onion and cut it in half. She then swayed it around the old man’s nostrils. They waited patiently, expecting it to jolt the old man back to his senses.

‘Nah! Not working,’ said Raj.

‘I think we should call the police,’ suggested Adi.

‘And what do we tell them? We found this dead body waiting for us in our kitchen when we returned from our trip. And we don’t even know him,’ said Tanvi as if coming out of a hypnotic spell.

When Tanvi put the situation in words, Raj, Adi, and Neha speechlessly gaped at each other.

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