At the Brink of new year's eve!

Mitali Jain

Once again as I entered the huge building with glass walls and tiled floors minus my drenched self, I was greeted by Myra with her beautiful smile.

“Who would it be this time that is going to be an observer of your wrath.”

“Is Veer here?” I asked, while my fingers drummed on her table.

“I will check if the prince is here.”

“He loves to use his title everywhere doesn’t he?” I taunted. With each passing minute my temper was flaring at a different notch.

“You are free to go, 15 floor-“

“Towards my left… I know Myra, thanks once again.” And with that I almost sprinted towards the lift. As soon as the lift opened on the fifteenth floor I walked towards Veers cabin with those angry steps. From the corner of my eyes I saw my brother with his cell phone to his ears signing off a file that was in his secretary’s hand, giving me a look.

On the other hand, as I passed Jai’s cabin I saw his eyes going wide in shock and then turning into confusion as I walked right from his cabin towards the one right beside his, and banged the door open.

The three people who were seated there seemed a bit shocked by my arrival as Veer 

said, “This isn’t Jai’s cabin.”

“Gentlemen, I would like to have an audience with the prince…if you could excuse us.” And it seemed like a déjà vu as I opened the door and the two men walked out only to be replaced by my brother and Jai who said,

“What’s wrong Mitali?”

Ignoring the two, I walked toward the proud prince and narrowed my eyes at him.

“Where are they?” I asked, coming straight to the point.

“whom are you talking about?” Jai asked, while the prince took a deep breath and said, “I don’t know…I haven’t talked to them after the day before yesterday.”

“The same day they decided to pack every single thing, sell off everything that they have and go off to somewhere.” My voice increased a notch as my whole body was burning with range.

For a moment the room fell into a deep silence as I tried to take deep breaths. There were a few people in my life that I treasured the most and Shakti has always topped the list.

Two nights before when I haven't heard anything from her, I thought it might just be because of what happened that day in the café. Yesterday the whole day I was kept busy by the certain boyfriend of mine.

And hence when today morning I had walked up to the doors of Khayali Kithabh with dreams of having mouthwatering breakfast, only to get a surprise of my own, as the door stood locked with a sign of ‘on sale’ on it.

I took a deep breath and took a step closer to Veer and said, “I don’t know what equation you have with her, but I know for once that you know the things about that part of her life which I don’t… hence you are the only one who might know where and in what  condition Shakti would be.” My voice wavered a bit as I felt the tears brimming in my eyes.

“Veer, where is Shakti?” I heard Naveen asking.

“I don’t know, I had gone to meet her two days ago to explain myself, but she wouldn’t listen to me… I had to tell her things… Mitali I am sorry, I know it's because of me and I promise you she will contact you within a few days.”

A series of thoughts began to waver in my mind, some decent, some cruel. Shakti had already went through a lot, she only deserved the happiness she was getting while at the café.

My mind again and again went off to the moments she would greet her customers with that proud smile on her face, though Rey wasn’t that talkative, he would always support her, guide her. It was as if they had always lived each moment with a greed.

What for? That was again a deep question.

The tears now soon began to turn in sobs as I began to cry.

I never cried in front of anyone, I had always felt it to be the weakest moment of mine, I was always afraid to let it out to be seen by someone.

But at that moment, my fear for Shakti was greater than my vulnerability.

I wanted someone to see it, to console me, to assure me that Shakti was alright.

I had only one friend who was my own, I couldn’t let her disappear just like that.

And with that, I began to cry even more.

I felt the warm embrace of Jai’s as he wrapped his arms around me and whispered consoling words to me. From somewhere in the room I hear Naveen asking him to take me home, and with that Jai began to direct me.

Where I didn’t knew.

But it felt right, as if for now I was safe to cry for the safety of my friends while being hidden in the warm confines of his arms.

****

As the car came to a screeching halt, my eyes opened and it was then that I realized that I had fallen asleep. Rubbing away reminisce of the sleep, I sat up properly to be shocked at my surroundings.

“Why are we at your place?” I asked jai, who was already looking at me.

“Don’t worry, Naveen said your mom would over react if she comes to know that Shakti and Rey are missing, so I thought it was best to be here for some time, at least till you feel better.” I watched him remove his belt and getting out of the car and walking towards my side as he opened the door and said,

“ And, I think Vansh and Vanshika might have already overdone themselves to make sure you are comfortable… and no I didn’t say that you are not in a good mood or something, they are just excited that I AM BRINGING YOU HOME.”

The two of us laughed as I got down from the car as well and took hold of his hand. As we made our way to the entrance I couldn’t help but say ,"so this is how you will be introducing me as your girlfriend?”

“I wish I had a better way, but I guess it won’t be really needed.” He winked at my confused state as we made our way inside and he called out for everyone.

And it was as if I was in some kind of TV serial as everyone began to walk out of their rooms one by one, and in a slow motion like manner, their confused faces turned into a broad smile and then to delight, as they saw our hands that were held together.

It was then that I realized why Jai said we wouldn’t  have to really say anything. They were smart… smarter than anyone we would know.

It was Geeta aunty who first came ahead and wrapped me up in her warm embrace and said, “I am really happy for the two of you” as she broke the embrace and had a good look at me her eyebrows furrowed as she asked,

“Did this idiot do anything?”

“Maa, why do you always have to think that it was my mistake … there are many other people with whom she is as well associated with.”

But the mother of my boyfriend had other things in mind, she wiped away any kind of  tears that still lingered on my face and smiled at me and pulled me in a tight hug,

“When it seems that the world isn’t fair, think of the good times that would make you smile, and then walk ahead.”

I stared at her as she gave me a warm smile, mothers always had a few good things to provide comfort, I was always lucky to have my mother, and I was happy that Jai as well had the same security and surety that I had.

Our mothers were the biggest assurity that we had… but the thought again landed me to think about Shakti and Rey.

They didn’t have any mother of whom they would take about for hours and hours. How many things were there that I didn’t knew they might have been suffering for all this while?

“Mitali beta, won't you come meet dadi?”, I smiled at dadi and let go of Jai’s hand reluctantly and walked towards her. It was then that I noticed how different the house looked now, that it just had a minimal light, no frills or rich silk decorating the huge living room. The round sofa and the small table in the middle with the fresh lilies made it smell and look good.

Things in this house surely screamed money, but it as well had a warmth that felt as if I was home.

As I sat back with dadi and took out her yet another set of Amar chitra kathas I felt the sofa beside me sinking in as a pair of arms wrapped me into a hug.

“I didn’t know you would come home soon.” Vanshika squealed as the two of us moved about.

“And I didn’t know you were waiting for me to come.”

“Ohh, you wouldn’t know, there are so many things that you don’t know… right Jai Bhaiya?” Vansh looked at Jai who walked towards us his head shaking in negative as a big smile designed his perfect face.

“Dadi, Mitali I will go and get changed… dadi please no nonsense.” I looked at Dadi quite amused by the way her lips puckered as she said,

“Jai I am your dadi, you are not supposed to discipline me… and what nonsense could I even cook, Geeta your son is already showing his true colors.”

“dadi no…Mitali do not, I repeat, do not believe in anything that these ladies say.” His narrowed at everyone including Vansh who in a loud exasperated voice called out to him and said,

“I am not a lady.”

“Who knows, the way you are speaking right now I really doubt your sexuality.”

The way Vansh tried to put up a tantrum and how Jai ignored everyone’s laughter and walked upstairs, I looked at the back of yet another person in Jai.

“Mitali di, that brother of mine is so cruel, you won’t believe there was this one time we wanted to sleep beside dadi, but that was something always Bhai did hence when he saw us beside us… he made sure that we wouldn’t even sleep in our own bed, we had to sleep in mom and dad’s bed.” Vansh whispered in a low voice as the three of us leaned in.

And just like that, one story led to another. Some would make me laugh, sometimes it made me wonder how did Jai became so closed off after all those good childhood and teenager hood.

It was an hour later when his mom had asked us to gather for lunch that I walked up to his room to find it empty. And though I was shocked at the information, it only made me laugh.

‘Mitali, if that son of mine isn’t in his room, you can search for him in the third room towards the right from his. You will find him there.’

Taking up the bait, I walked towards the said room and opened the similar fashioned door . my eyes were met with a bit larger room than his whose walls were filled with racks that were packed with numerous books. It seemed so like those Disney movies that used to watch in my childhood.

As I walked inside my eyes fell on the person who was seated on the chair his head deep in the book that was rested on the table.

“I was informed that you would wear your sister’s outfit and wouldn’t agree to let them go and that make up was your favorite pastime, you liked it so much that your grandfather had always thought you would be a stylist.”

I almost let out a laugh as I walked towards him and weaved my fingers through his dark curls as he banged his head repeatedly on the desk.

“I guess it was the worst idea to let you go with my family. Please tell me that was all that they said.”

I felt a teasing smile appearing on my face as his face paled.

“No matter what, I am glad that I came here today… if I wouldn’t have, I would have never known that my boyfriend is as well such a bully brother and a cute little son.”

Jai kept on staring at me as he pulled me on his lap and said, “Really?”

I linked my hands around his neck while nodding my head. It was the first time that we were so close, though we had hugged each other, walked with our hands clasped together but not this close, where I could easily feel his erratic heart beat.

And I liked it, I liked to know how he felt with me being so close to him.

“Yes, and I also like the way your heart is beating right now.” For a moment there was this shocked expression that passed his face which quickly faded as he pulled me even closer and said,

“Even I love this.” I smiled at him and leaned down and nestled my head in the crook of his neck inhaling his scent.

It wasn’t the first time that I was doing this, but it made me giddy just the way it did the first time. I was sure I would never get hold of this feeling or used to it.

“Jai, please find Shakti and Rey for me. I have a feeling something bad is going to happen… something doesn’t feel right.”

I voiced out the very feeling that was eating me out all the while.

“I thought you were okay.” Jai said, as his hold on me tightened while his other hand patted my back in a comforting manner.

“I am fine, but I am scared, Shakti was never the girl to walk out without announcing. It never made me realize that there might be something so worrisome for her to avoid everything.”

Jai tried to let go of me, but I held onto him tightly, it was as if he was that pillar of comfort that prevented me to let out the tears that were stuck there. But rather than being bottled in, his comfort that he provided with an equal affectionate embrace made my fears and insecurities bare to him as tears spilled .

“I was such a careless friend, I never bothered to even know if she was okay, if there was something that made her arced or down…I didn’t even know if she had a mom or not.”

Jai held me, and let me cry for all the while that I wanted as he kept on patting my hair, my back and murmuring sweet nothings to me.

Though it seemed weird, but it felt right, all these years when my parents held me there was a different comfort that came from them… but this, this which Jai made me felt as if was the perfect one… the one which I had always wanted, unwittingly.

“You were being a friend Mitali, a friend is supposed to be there, yes you should have tried asking her certain things, but then again you let her be and decide when is the right time to let you know.” He let go off me and wiped my tears away, as he held my cheeks and said,

“And if you don’t know things until now… than may be the best time isn’t here yet.”

Jai kissed my forehead and made me stand up. Once he bookmarked his book, we walked downstairs towards the dining area which was already filled with laughter.

As we got settled and my eyes took in the jovial surrounding of mine, I felt myself smiling. I liked this. I liked the idea of being here.

We all laughed as Jai took hold of Vansh with his arm slung around his neck threading him to take his revenge. My eyes never left his movements. The way he smiled every time letting his head fall back, his Adam's apple the way it bobbled, his expressions that were so loud than the few words that he said… and it was as if a thunder had broken upon me that I realized that I cried in Jai’s presence.

Something that I had always felt weird and uncomfortable to do even in front of my parents, I did it with utter comfort and without any diffidence in his presence.

In Jai’s presence, I was a new person which I myself was yet to discover about.

A/N
That will be the last chapter for the second part of the story. Next week we'll have the new beginning.

Though what do you all think where might be shakti and Rey? Will Veer be able to find them...and what will this do to Jai and Mitali's relation?

Do write your views... And pll click on that star button to show your support!!

Happy reading!
Yadni Bagwe