"Your book getting published."
Kimaya jumped up, all her sleep vanished within milliseconds.
"WHAT?!" She yelled.
I grinned at her. "Remember when I did a few book covers for a publishing company? The head agreed to help me out and speed up the process."
Kimaya stared at me, no words coming out. And then, she burst into tears and hugged me hard.
"Oh my God, mom, thank you so much. Thank you.. Thank you!"
I held her tight and told her that I'm glad she's happy. I finally calmed her down and told her to get ready fast, we had a few documents that needed Kimaya's presence.
I called up Nikhil in the meanwhile, and told him about our daughter's success. He was at first very angry, because I took this step without even telling him. But when he did calm down, he was proud of Kimaya too. But he was still against letting her take a course in journalism or something like that. I groaned, and told him to play up for now at least. I couldn't break Kimaya's heart by telling her that she continued writing, even when her father was against it. After a bit of argument, Nikhil finally gave in and agreed to act his part out.
***
The procedures went on for weeks. It was either copyright documents, or making changes here and there, or other miscellaneous procedures. Kimaya went through the endless work tirelessly; it was her dream coming true. The cover of the book was designed by her mother of course, and everyone was pleased with the final copy of the book.
By the time the procedures ended, it was already mid-November. The book was set to be published on the first of December, and Kimaya was overjoyed. She knew how much time all the procedures took - it was sometimes over a year. But thanks to her amazing mother, Kimaya's book was being published within five months. Mr. and Mrs. Verma organized a party to celebrate their daughter's success on the same day the book was being published; and Kimaya was extremely excited.
As November neared its end, Mrs. Verma took Kimaya shopping for the party, and they came off with a knee-length red dress with matching red heels. Kimaya already loved red, and the dress made her face glow.
On 30th November, Kimaya walked around the house anxiously, feeling too restless to sit down. She could hardly sleep that night. She was very apprehensive - would her book be liked by people? Would they find it stupid? What was going to happen?
Chapter 7
1st December
Kimaya woke up before the Sun dawned that day. She wasn't able to sleep. She got out of bed, and putting on a jacket, she went out to her room's balcony. It was something she did every time she couldn't sleep. She would just walk out, and gaze at the sky, staring at the stars and the moon, and letting the peace of the atmosphere take her over. She did just that, that night. The wind was chilled, and she loved the way it would strike her face. She stayed that way for a few minutes, and finally, a ray of silver light crept into the sky. It was finally dawn, and Kimaya stared up, watching as the Sun beautifully lit up the sky. Her book would go public at 10 AM that day. It was still around three and a half hours to go, and Kimaya was going a little mad with anxiety.
She stayed there for another half an hour or so, till it was all bright, and then went inside her room, to get ready. It was a Thursday, and Kimaya had to take a day off again, which she didn't really want to, since the study pressure was high at the time. But this was important for her; unless she wanted to go into something like engineering. Kimaya's father had asked her to take up a course which trained her for cracking the tough engineering entrance exams that India had, and Kimaya had been in great pressure, managing the time her to-be-published book demanded from her, and keeping up with studies for good results. She did not want to end up in some small engineering college if her father did not agree. If she was going to become an engineer, she wanted a degree from a good college.
Kimaya put on woollens - it was December and it was cold. She was thankful that the party was in a hall, so that the temperature could be managed, allowing her to wear her dress. The party was in the evening, and there was a lot of time for that. Once ready, Kimaya sat down on her table, staring at the copy of her novel that the publishing company had sent beforehand. The company had also forwarded her book to a few well-known reviewers, and their comments would be published along with the book, the part Kimaya's copy lacked.
Kimaya sat there, aimlessly. Before she knew it, she had leaned over on her table, and fallen asleep. Her mother's gentle shake woke her up.
"Damn!" said Kimaya. "Did I cross 10? Is my book published?!"
"No sweetie," said her mother, laughing. "It's just 9. Come down, have some breakfast. I know you've been worrying yourself sick over this."
"No, I don't want to eat, I have to---"
"Kimaya, are you coming, or am I going to have to drag you down the stairs?" said Mrs. Verma, cutting Kim off.
Kimaya sighed in defeat, and got up. She went down with her mother, and had some breakfast. She stared at the clock almost the whole time, afraid that it will be ten any moment, until a very frustrated Mrs. Verma removed the clock from the wall and put it away.
"MOM! Argh! I'll get my watch!"
"You will not, Kimaya. I'll tell you when it's ten minutes to 10 AM. Till then, sleep, walk, study, or do whatever you want. It's only 9:20 right now. You've got half an hour for yourself."
Kimaya groaned, and picked up a book to study. After a few minutes, Kimaya realized that she just couldn't study; so she decided to do what was bothering her the most at that moment. She decided to reread the book she had written. Although Kimaya knew this book by heart, she still liked to read it over and over again. Because it was her book; it was her dream. Kimaya lost herself in the story till her mother called her.
"Ten to 10, Kim! Come down!"
Kimaya let out a shriek, and sped down the stairs like a little kid running towards a bunch of chocolates. Her mother had placed the clock back, and Kimaya's eyes were simply glued to it. Astrid had come to her house to celebrate with her, but Kimaya could just not think of anything or anyone else. Her book was being published in both ebook and hard copy forms. They had sent her a code to access the online copy for free, and she could use it at 10. Kimaya's heart was beating fast as the clock ticked away. Half of it was because she was so excited, and half was because she was waiting for the reviews. What if they thought it's not that good? Of course, they'll probably publish only the best comments, but what if even the best reviews weren't so approving of her book?
And then, the clock struck ten, cutting through her thoughts. Kimaya screamed, and opened the website through her laptop, desperately searching for her book. And there it was, complete and perfect, just as Kimaya had been told. Kimaya hugged her mom, and then her dad, and then Astrid. Now that half of her tension was over, Kimaya began to relax. Her book was published successfully. Now, to see the reviews. Kimaya opened the ebook site, and typed in her code. It granted access immediately, and she sighed in relief. She slowly read through the reviews, and a satisfied smile finally spread across her face. The reviews were good - Kimaya had made it; she was finally successful. She lay back on the couch, relaxed and happy at last.
"I'm going to be the first one to buy your book," said Astrid.
"No Astrid, you know I'll gift it to you. You don't need to buy anything!"
"Oh, shut up," she murmured, and hit the "Buy" button before Kimaya could stop her. The transaction was successful. Kimaya suddenly had tears in her eyes. This had been her dream for years, and now, finally, it had come true. All the efforts Kimaya had put in for this book, they had not gone in vain. Astrid wiped away her best friend's tears, and smiled.
"Now, it's time to celebrate!"
"Hey!" Said Kim. "There's a lot of time left for the party."
"Who's talking about the party? You really thought I'm going to let you stay at home today? Wear something good fast, and let's get going!"
"Astrid! Alright, where are we going?"
"Anything you want. We can go shopping, o
r gaming, or eating, or whatever. But I'm not letting you stay at home."
Kimaya laughed, and nodded. She went up to change, and came back in casual, but good-looking clothes. They hit the malls first, did some gaming, and then had lunch. They soon came back, and Astrid set off to doll Kimaya up for the party. The party would include Kim's mother's posh friends and publishers too, so Astrid decided that Kimaya should look her best. Kimaya disagreed, though. But her pleas fell weak in front of the determination of Astrid, and an hour later, Kimaya was looking truly beautiful.
Her red dress had sequins on it, and the heels went perfectly with it. Astrid curled Kimaya's already curly hair, and made her put on gentle make up. A bit of light blush, eyeliner, and lip gloss, and Kimaya turned into a perfect doll. It was nothing screaming for attention, and yet, it made her look stunning.
"Astrid, do you really think this much was needed? I mean, I'm a writer, not a model or something," said Kimaya staring at her reflection in the mirror.
"Is it so bad to look amazing sometimes?"
"Astrid is right, Kim. You look beautiful. And you should. Today is your day," said Mrs. Verma, entering the room.
Kimaya smiled, and let the topic go. They had to leave for the party soon. The hall was a little far away, and with Bangalore's traffic, it would take up at least an hour.
***
When they reached the venue, Kimaya was quite surprised. It was not because all the decorations were in red, or because the party was bigger than she expected. It was because there were paintings all over the hall. Paintings which seemed to be right out of Kimaya's book. Her mother had carefully picked up important scenes from her book, and put them on canvas. They were beautiful. Some people started clapping when Kimaya stepped into the hall, and she couldn't help but blush. Kimaya couldn't help thinking that this was a bit too much for just a book getting published - but she felt happy about it too.
The party was amazing. People would ask about Kimaya's novel, but she would only tell the summary, and then ask them to read the book. Everyone close to Kimaya was present. Her family, her friends. There were others too, who Kimaya didn't know; like some people from publishing companies, and her parents' friends. Kimaya was pleased to meet new people, and Mrs. Verma found this strange. Kimaya used to be anti-social. Then what happened?
Soon, the party was over and the guests started leaving. Kimaya went with Tashanna, to leave her outside the hall. She was just retracing her steps to the hall, when she ran into a familiar face. Kimaya couldn't at first recall where she'd seen him; but recognition soon crossed her face. She greeted him, asking why he hadn't been to the party.
"Well, I was just crossing by. I wasn't invited."
"Oh," said Kim.
They talked for a few minutes and Kimaya told him what the party is about. The man congratulated her, and they had a little more casual talk. But suddenly, the man's face turned sober. The conversation turned serious. After ten minutes of talk, Kimaya nodded, and walked off with the man.
By the time people realized that Kim was missing, it was too late. No one knew where she had gone; and no one knew why.
The man led Kimaya to a quieter part of the city, a part which Kimaya had never seen before. It was dark and silent, and Kimaya suddenly felt a little scared. The man gave her a little pat to calm her down, and asked her to follow him. Kimaya moved forward, still a little afraid. They slowly went through what seemed like a never ending labyrinth to Kimaya, and ended up in a small house - no, it was just a little room.
Back home, Kimaya's parents were worried as hell - their daughter was nowhere to be seen. The last person who had seen her was Tashanna, when Kimaya had gone out of the hall with her. Mr. Verma called up everyone who Kimaya knew personally, but no one had seen her anywhere. When she didn't return within a few hours, police reports were filed and a search mission began. However, even the police couldn't understand what exactly had happened - Kimaya had no reason to run away, and it didn't seem like a kidnapping case either. And if Kimaya had gone with someone, or alone, on her own will, then she surely had her mobile phone with her. Then why didn't she try to call up anyone? Kimaya was not so irresponsible. No one was able to understand the reason behind Kimaya's sudden evanescence.
The man kept Kimaya in the little room for two days. He didn't want to risk it more than that; he knew search teams were out. He was glad that Kimaya knew him beforehand, or it would almost be impossible to keep her in, with her mouth shut.
He fed her well, and gave her a comfortable bed to sleep on. He also brought in a copy of her newly published book, and asked her to read it, just to pass time. Kimaya was also well-supplied with paper and ink, in case she wanted to write.
Kimaya's parents were now panicking. It had been two days, and Kimaya was nowhere to be seen. The police was not able to track down any leads, and no one seemed to have seen her, anywhere around the city. Mrs. Verma was in intense misery, and her tears just wouldn't stop. Tashanna couldn't help feeling that she was responsible for all this, because Kimaya had come out only because of her.
Kimaya's father took time off from his work, and desperately roamed around the city, trying to find someone who could tell him anything about his daughter. And Astrid, she was simply devastated. Kimaya was like a sister to her; and she didn't want all these things to happen to her. But nothing was working out. Kimaya seemed to have vanished into thin air.
In the little room, Kimaya would sometimes wonder what she was doing there. But she couldn't find her phone anywhere, and the door would always be locked. And by the time she could be completely in her senses, the pudgy man would return, and convince her to stay for some more time. In just a day, Kimaya's life seemed to have turned upside down.
***
3rd December, Saturday (evening)
"Kimaya?" Said the man, shaking Kimaya who had fallen asleep.
"Yes... What..?" Asked Kimaya, sleepily.
"It's time. Let's prep you up. I'll see you in ten minutes; you can freshen up if you wish to."
Kimaya slowly got out of bed, and entered the tiny washroom attached to the little room. She was done in around eight minutes, though she was still sleepy.
"Welcome, Ms. Kimaya Verma," said the man. "You have to do a very important job today. And then, you'll be free to go."
"Oh, good. What do I have to do? And did you take my phone? I can't seem to find it."
"Oh princess, why would I do that? It must be here somewhere. We'll look for it after you're done with what you have to do. If you are successful in your work, and you don't find your phone, I'll even buy you a new one. But you have to successfully complete your job."
"Alright, fair enough. So what exactly is my work?"
"Listen carefully," said the man, a small grin forming on his face.
They spent around forty five minutes, discussing everything, forming their plans. The man managed to convince Kimaya for doing his work, though she was reluctant at first.
Kimaya's parents put up an advertisement on the television and newspaper, after every other effort passed fruitlessly. And then, came help from an unexpected source - Vihaan Arora, Tashanna's brother who moved out after their parents' divorce. He rushed to Kimaya's house, and barged in, to find himself in a sad environment.
"Kimaya's missing?!" He asked.
"Yes, Vihaan," said Mrs. Verma in a destroyed tone.
"For how many days?"
"Two," replied Kim's father.
"Oh no," muttered Vihaan. "It's all because of me. I shouldn't have dragged her into this." He punched the wall next to him.
"Vihaan? What's wrong?" Asked Mrs. Verma, taking Vihaan's hand and making him sit down. Although no one was so happy with his decision to stay with his father, he was still like a son to Kimaya's mother, and she was concerned about his sudden reaction.
"Oh my God, what have I done..." he said in a low voice, covering his face with his hands.
"What did you do with my daughter?" Vihaan lowered his fa
ce, not knowing how to break to news to Mr. Verma.
"I told her about a secret I never should have. If only I'd kept it to myself... She would be safe right now."
"What do you mean?" Asked Tashanna, entering the house suddenly.
"Tasha!" Vihaan was seeing his sister after months
"Don't take my name - I hate you. And what's the secret?"
"Tashanna... No. I can't tell anyone else. I can't possibly trouble you all more than what you already are. How's mom?"
"Mom? What right do you have to ask about mom? You expect her to be fine after what dad did with her?"
"Tasha please! Dad did not do anything wrong! It is all because of me!"
"What did you do, force dad to have an affair?" Asked Tashanna, sarcasm clearly visible in her voice. Vihaan looked at her sister, as if he was seizing her up; like he was trying to figure out whether she could take what he was going to say. And finally, he decided to tell her the truth.
"Tasha... Dad did not have an affair at all."
"Wha.. What?" Gasped Tashanna.
"Dad was in danger. We do not know why, or by whom; but he had been receiving death threats since the start of the year."
Now, all eyes were set on Vihaan. No one could understand what exactly was happening.
"We tried a lot to figure out who was threatening us. But there was nothing to help us out, not a single clue."
"But what's that got to do with his affair? And why didn't you tell us about all this before?" Asked Tashanna.
"We didn't want to worry you," continued Vihaan. "We thought that we could tell you everything once we discovered a lead. But that never happened. When the danger increased, we realized that if we didn't find a solution fast, both you and mom would get into trouble too."
Vihaan took a deep breath. "It was my idea to separate our parents. I knew that due to the time dad spent on all this, mom was beginning to get suspicious. I decided to use that suspicion to our advantage. I told dad to pretend like he was having an affair, and when mom became very doubtful, I asked him to confess. We paid a woman to act like she was madly in love with dad. Everything went according to what I expected. Mom divorced dad, and we pushed you both away from us. I know you hate me Tashanna, but trust me - it was all just for you and mom. This divorce was due to me Tasha... So if you are still angry, then be angry with me. Forgive dad. You have no idea how devastated he was." Said Vihaan, sadly.