Shakhi SS Marriage Of Convenience

Chapter Twenty Three

As far as she could remember, for most part of her life, Astha Sabharwal has longed for one thing – her son. She has spent years longing for her son's love, to hear him call her mother again, to touch him, hug him, cry in his embrace and be his mother again.

As Astha looked up, she couldn't believe her own ears and eyes. Did she just heard Shaurya call her as mother? Her tear-filled eyes stared at Shaurya who was on his knees in front of her, tears in eyes and his hands holding hers.

Earlier that day when Astha was making chai for Shaan who came to visit her, she received a call about the news of her parents' accident. Astha was shocked by the accident news but when she heard her mother's death, she broke down scaring Shaan who rushed to kitchen on hearing her cry.

Astha was broken by her mother's death. Throughout the way from Kapurthala to Ludhiana, she cried for her mother and prayed for her father, hoping that he makes it. It doesn't matter that her parents are old, loosing a parent is traumatic.

Astha still remember the day her brother died. The devastated state of her parents still fresh in her memory. That is the day she decided to work again and support her parents who have lost their son by taking her brother's place.

Astha sacrificed her own life to take care of her parents to whom she owed her life. She gave up on her husband, her son and a life of luxury to support her old parents. Funny how fate played in her life. Astha had to give up Shaurya for her parents and the moment she lost her parents, Shaurya's right in front of her.

A sob broke out of Astha as she flung her arms around Shaurya and cried, her body rocking with her sobs. Shaurya couldn't fight his tears and let them down. He wanted to comfort her but what could he say to comfort someone who has lost both her parents?

"Shaurya...Shaurya...Maa...Bauji..." Astha cried as she cried in Shaurya's shoulders.

Shaurya wrapped his arms around Astha as he let her cry. Although her sobs affected him, he knows its better if she let it out than keeping it inside her. He caressed her hair, trying to comfort her in silence.

Shaurya gulped down his tears as he heard Astha taking her parents name, crying over their loss. Shaan was by Astha's side and he placed his hand on her shoulders, comforting her with his words.

But Astha was not in a state to listen. Her senses were overpowered with her parents' loss. The realization that she now has lost both her parents and an orphan now was too much for her.

Shaurya got alarmed when he felt Astha's voice slowly fading. Before he could act, she fainted on his arms out of exhaustion. Everyone got tensed as they saw Astha's state. Shaurya made Astha sit on the chair as he stood up, shouting for doctor when Alok left and bring one.

The doctor asked them to bring Astha to the nearby room. On the other hand, a nurse approached Tej and gave him details about the procedures to get the remains of Ramnath and Nirmala.

Shaurya, without a second thought, carried Astha in his arms and followed the doctor. A tensed Anokhi, Devi and Gayatri followed him. When Shaan was about to follow them, Tej stopped him and conveyed whatever the nurse told him.

Shaan heaved a worried sigh as he felt his head spinning for a moment. At one side Astha's parents are dead and on another, Astha has fainted. He rubbed his forehead in frustration, trying to compose himself. Only if he is composed, he can comfort his wife.

Shaurya got Astha inside an empty room and placed her on the bed. A doctor and two nurses checked on Astha. One of the nurses asked him to stay outside and he walked out seeing his mother's tear-stained face.

When he came out, Devi and Gayatri asked about Astha to which he just said that they are checking her and walked to Anokhi who stood at the other corner, leaning herself against the wall as she cried softly.

Shaurya placed his hand on Anokhi's shoulder, gaining her attention. Anokhi, on seeing Shaurya, side hugged him as she rested her head against his broad chest while Shaurya wrapped his one arm around her waist while the other rested on her head, hugging her to him.

Shaurya felt Anokhi crying against him. He closed his eyes trying to compose himself before caressing her hair gently and kissed her hair, trying to comfort her. He looked down and grabbed her chin and made her look up at him.

Anokhi lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at Shaurya staring down at her. Their eyes were red but Anokhi's eyes were puffed up due to constant crying. Shaurya grabbed Anokhi's cheek and wiped her tears with his thumb as he stared into her eyes. He nodded his head in a no, asking her not to cry.

Anokhi gulped down her tears as she took a sharp intake of breath before looking up at Shaurya. Tears slipped out of her eyes despite her best efforts. Shaurya cupped Anokhi's face using both his hands and wiped her tears before pulling her into a hug.

"Astha maa will be fine, right?" Anokhi composed herself and asked after a moment of silence.

"She'll be" Shaurya said as he heaved a sigh in frustration "Anokhi, please don't cry. I can't see you like this"

"It hurts" Anokhi cried as she held onto Shaurya "To realize that they are no more..."

Shaurya swallowed his tears as he tightened his grip on Anokhi.

"I know" Shaurya said as he took a sharp intake of breath and added "But you saw Maa's condition right. You have to be strong for her, Anokhi. We have to be strong for her"

"Hmmm" Anokhi hummed against Shaurya as she composed herself and broke out of the hug.

Shaurya grabbed Anokhi's hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of her palm, assuring that he's by her side. They walked towards Devi and Gayatri who were standing out of Astha's room. Shaurya stood by Devi while Gayatri was at Anokhi's right as none said a word and waited for the doctor to come out.

The nurse told Shaan that they can get Astha's parents remains the next morning after post mortem and so, Shaan signed whatever needed to be signed as he and his brothers walked to where Astha is.

That was when the doctor walked out. They all circled the doctor and asked about Astha's state. The doctor said that Astha's very weak, her bp got low and she fainted out of exhaustion. He added that she needs proper rest, at least a proper night of sleep to get better.

When Shaan explained Astha's situation, the doctor decided to keep Astha on sleep till the next morning as she needs to rest to recover. Shaan agreed and the doctor advised no one to disturb Astha before going in to give a sleeping dosage for Astha so that she can rest.

It was around 10 at night. Shaan asked the Sabharwals to go back to Chandigarh and come back to Kapurthala the next day for the funeral and Shaurya and Anokhi to head to Kapurthala while he would spend the night at hospital.

The Sabharwals agreed. Devi was worried about Shaurya but Tej convinced her to come along to Chandigarh. Soon they left and it was just the three of them. They had a lite dinner at hospital canteen as Shaan had to take his medicine. When Shaan asked Shaurya to leave, he denied to leave for Kapurthala and told Shaan that he and Anokhi would be with him.

Shaan heaved a tired sigh as he agreed and sat down on the chair. He clearly looked tired. Anokhi noticed this and asked Shaan to take rest. When he denied, Shaurya sent him forcefully inside Astha's room.

One caretaker can stay with Astha's room and there was an extra bed for them. So, Shaan went in to look after Astha while Shaurya and Anokhi settled themselves on the chair outside Astha's room.

They both leaned back on their chair and Anokhi rested her head against Shaurya's arm as she closed her eyes. Shaurya looked down at Anokhi, making sure that she's comfortable before closing his own tired eyes.

~ * ~

The next day turned out to be an emotionally overwhelming one. It started with Astha waking up and crying for her dead parents. It was difficult for Shaan to manage Astha but he somehow managed to calm her down.

When Shaurya saw his mother that morning, Astha looked defeated. Her face was dull and she was silent, refusing to talk to anyone. Anokhi was by Astha's side, trying her level best to manage Astha.

Shaan and Shaurya completed the formalities for receiving the remains of Astha's parents which was sent to Kapurthala in an ambulance. They four followed the ambulance in Shaan's car.

Shaurya has asked Malkan to bring their clothes and take his car back to Kapurthala. When they reached Astha's place, the Sabharwals and the Bhallas were already there. Astha's mother's sister and her family, her father's side family were also there.

The funeral started right away and as Astha's parents didn't had any son, Shaurya was asked to perform the last rites. Anokhi was by Astha's side through-out the whole time as Astha cried.

When everything got over and people left by evening save for Shaan, Shaurya, Anokhi, the Bhallas and Astha's aunt who decided to stay with Astha for few days. Astha's aunt was handling Astha, making her eat while Anokhi was with her mother.

Shaan and Shaurya got things ready for the puja that has to take place the next day. While Shaan went to Astha, Shaurya settled down next to Ramesh, who built conversations with him.

Anokhi watched her father talking to Shaurya from the corner of hers. She rolled her eyes as her father tried to take father-in-law role of Shaurya. After dinner, as there were only two rooms in the house, Shaurya and Anokhi decided to stay at a hotel before Ramesh and Rama insisted them to stay at their house.

"Hareyy Damadji, voh bhi aap ke hi ghar hai" Ramesh said "Chaliyeh, humhare sath rahiyeh"

Shaurya looked at Anokhi who shrugged before nodding her head in yes and so, Shaurya and Anokhi decided to spend the night at the Bhallas. Anokhi went inside Astha's room to inform her while Shaurya wasn't sure of how to face his mother so he waited outside with his dad.

When Anokhi stepped inside her house, it felt strange. She has spent her whole life living in this very house before she ran away from her forced marriage. The last time she was here, it was during her and Shaurya's wedding days.

Never once in the last few months Anokhi came back to her house. She still hasn't forgot what her father and brother did to her. Forcing her to marry Monty was something she would never forgive them for.

When Ramesh forced Anokhi to get married to Shaurya, she hated her father at that time. But she agreed for the marriage as it involved both the family's reputation, especially Shaurya's.

Anokhi didn't want Shaurya to get punished. His only fault was that he saved Anokhi that night. His case was taken into education council as media was involved and media projected as if Shaurya's taking advantage of his naïve student.

So, Anokhi agreed for marriage and the Sabharwals informed the media that Shaurya and Anokhi were engaged long ago and will be married soon which resulted in the education council dropping Shaurya's case. Anokhi got to study further so at that time she didn't think much and decided to clear their name with marriage.

Anokhi pushed those thoughts at the back of her head as she came out from her room after keeping their things inside. She sat down on the couch in the living room beside Shaurya who was looking around her house. This was the first time Shaurya's here.

Anokhi's grandmother was fast asleep and Raja now works at New Delhi. That leaves Ramesh, Shaurya and Anokhi in the living room. Ramesh was conversing with Shaurya about tomorrow's puja while Anokhi rested herself against the couch.

Rama came out of Anokhi's room after cleaning it up and asked Shaurya and Anokhi to rest. After greeting her parents, both walked inside her room. Both of them were very tired and sleepy, given they didn't have a proper one in last two days.

Anokhi handed Shaurya's night wear to him who thanked her and went to take a bath while she changed her dress and laid down on the bed after dimming the light in her room. Her body ached as tiredness grew with each passing moment but Anokhi couldn't sleep.

The time Anokhi spent with Ramnath and Nirmala resurfaced in Anokhi's mind, her eyes tearing up. She had her emotions under control the whole day but she found it difficult not to think about them.

Anokhi heard the bathroom door opening and quickly cleared her tears. Shaurya wiped his hands with the towel before putting the wet towel on the laundry basket. He put his mobile on charger and slipped next to Anokhi. He groaned when his back hit the bed. He was weary and in a desperate need of sleep.

Out of habit, Anokhi moved closer to Shaurya and placed her head on his arm as she put her hand on him while Shaurya pulled Anokhi closer to him. It didn't take him long to realize she was crying.

Shaurya heaved a sigh before caressing Anokhi's hair. Within minutes Anokhi relaxed under Shaurya's touch and wounded her legs with Shaurya's as she buried her face into Shaurya's chest.

Shaurya was tired and sleepy but he didn't want to sleep when Anokhi's crying. She was there for him whenever he was emotionally down; her words lifted his spirits. Now he wanted to be the one to take care of her.

But Shaurya is someone who is not good with words. He couldn't comfort Anokhi with words. So, he comforted her with his actions in the best way he could. Shaurya stopped caressing Anokhi's hair only after he's sure that she has slept. Soon tiredness overtook him as he slipped into deep sleep.

~ * ~

Hey guys, hope you all are doing good. I think by now you guys know that SAAKK is going off air. Falak Naaz confirmed it... I don't know what to say. This show has given me so much. I don't want SAAKK to go off air. I really hope that Star Plus listen to us. Do join in the twitter trend. Let us do our bit. As always, please do watch SAAKK on Star Plus at 7 pm. Tomorrow's a big day (TRP day).

Thank you.

Nan ~