*** CHAPTER 7 ***

“How have you been?”, the voice in his dreams booms again and Vidhaan looks everywhere trying to figure out where the owner of the voice is. Soon enough, as usual, a figure emerges out of the white light and smiles at him.

Voice: All okay?

Vidhaan: I’m nervous!

Voice: Don’t worry! They will believe that you are Shlok!

Vidhaan: Just like that? I highly doubt it.

Voice: Will you do something if I ask you to do so?

Vidhaan: If you haven’t realized then let me tell you I came here just because you asked me to do so!

Voice: (chuckles) Yeah! Right! You’re very obedient, I must say.

Vidhaan: So, what do you want me to do now?

Voice: No matter what happens, just don’t lose your calm, and for heaven’s sake please stop being so sweet!

Vidhaan: (narrows his eyes) I’m not sweet!

Voice: (amused) Yes, you are! Just be your calm self, minus your sweetness and plus some arrogance. I guess that would do.

Vidhaan: I don’t understand what you are trying to say.

Voice: Didn’t I tell you last time that I’ll always be there whenever you’ll need me. I guess you really need me now as you are going to the office for the first time tomorrow morning.

Vidhaan: So, you’re helping me out?

Voice: Is that even a question? And yes one more thing…

Vidhaan: What?

Voice: As the meeting starts and when everyone would be looking at you, just pick up the circular paper weight from the table and twirl it around there, and make sure to do this from right to left.

Vidhaan: (raises an eyebrow in confusion) And why should I do that?

Voice: Because you can pretend to be someone but habits are something you can never imitate.

Vidhaan: What does that mean?

Voice: Just do these two things and everyone will believe that you are Shlok!

Vidhaan: But…

Voice: (playfully) And don’t even try to refuse! Do you want to sleep peacefully in future or not? I’ll haunt you every night if you don’t do these things.

Vidhaan: (shocked) What?!

Voice: (chortles) Will see you soon!

Vidhaan: Wait…

But just like always shooting the last smile in Vidhaan’s direction, he disappears again, no matter how hard he tries to make him stop.

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Vidhaan opens his eyes and the light in the room makes him blink continuously to adjust his eyes to the brightness. It’s morning already. Unlike every time, when he wakes up from his dreams hyperventilating and sweating profusely, today he is confused. Should he do what his dream has asked him to? For last two weeks, everyone has been helping him out and preparing him for the meeting today. And by everyone, he means everyone, including Laksh. Though Laksh is still not very fond of him but he has been trying his best to be civil with him for Swara’s sake.

He’s confused with everything that’s happening in his life. Sometimes he wishes that he would just wake up someday and find out that everything that has been happening is nothing but a mere dream. But with every morning, he’s being pulled more and more deep inside. Every new day comes with a new challenge. He doesn’t know what to do. All he knows is he has to do something!

‘Dear Lord, please help me!’, he prays silently. He holds his face in both his palms and rubs it slowly, a futile attempt to calm down the racing thoughts in his head.

He gets up from the couch and as usual his eyes, on their own accord, make their way in Swara’s direction. Every night he goes to sleep on the couch as soon as she falls asleep and wakes up before she gets up. He couldn’t repeat his mistake from the first night. After all, he can’t give the same lame excuse everyday he gets up.

She’s been sleeping peacefully with a little frown on her face making her forehead scrunch a little. She might be having some sort of dream. Vidhaan couldn’t help but admit that she looks cute that way. The frequency of her panic attacks has reduced to a great extent in these last two weeks. Her skin looks less pale now and her lips are regaining their natural pink color slowly.

With the time they have been spending together, Vidhaan has come to feel protective of her. He smiles looking at her and she stirs a bit in her sleep. The movement makes the comforter slip from her upper body. Vidhaan scuffles towards her and draws the comforter up to cover her again. Swara feels the movement and flutters her eyelids before opening her eyes completely. She smiles seeing him near her and a small yawn escape her.

Swara: (smiles) Good morning!

Vidhaan: (smiles back) Good morning! But I think you should sleep a little more. It’s just 5:30 am now.

Swara: Then why are you up so early?

Vidhaan: I have a important meeting today and I have remained away from the office for quite sometimes, so, Papa has asked me to come early to discuss the details of the whole deal.

Swara: (feeling sleepy) Okay! Then I’ll take my good morning back. Good night!

Vidhaan: (chuckles) Good night! Now sleep some more. I’ll see you later.

Swara nods her head against the pillow and mumbles a small ‘all the best’ before drifting back to sleep. Vidhaan smiles seeing her and walks into the en-suite washroom to get ready for the big day.

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Annapurna paces across her room worriedly, glancing at the clock every next minute. Sujata keeps following every movement of hers sitting on the small couch placed in one corner of the room.

Sujata: Jiji, relax! I’m sure they’ll be fine.

Annapurna: But they should have returned by now! They were supposed to return by two in afternoon but now it’s 4:00 pm. Do you think there might be some problem?

Sujata: Jiji, I said they will be fine. All of them are together. Please sit down. Don’t exert yourself too much or it will cost you your health.

Annapurna: I…

Before she could complete Durga Prasad enters the room with Vidhaan, Laksh and Ram following right after him. Annapurna walks up to them with quick strides and Sujata too stands up from the couch making her way towards them.

Annapurna: How did it go?

Durga Prasad: Better than expected!

Annapurna smiles weakly and nods her head. So, this is it! Finally, someone has taken the place of her son. The thought itself makes something inside of her break. How she wishes she could give her own life to her son, to see him smiling up at her again!

Sujata senses the change in the environment of the room and turns towards Vidhaan and Laksh.

Sujata: Laksh. Vidhaan. I think you both must be tired, so get changed and I’ll get the snacks ready for you.

Both of them nod their heads making their way out to their respective rooms. The moment they leave the room, Annapurna collapses on the bed. Sujata and Durga Prasad immediately run to her side and Ram stands in front of her.

Annapurna: (with tears eyes) So, he will never come back, right?

Durga Prasad: (rubs her arm trying to comfort her) It’s okay. It’s okay.

He fails to say anything else for he doesn’t know himself how to calm down a distressed mother. He takes a deep breath and looks at Sujata and Ram for some help. They need to distract her or else she’ll fall ill at this rate. Sujata getting the hint nods her head slightly and speaks.

Sujata: So, they all believed that he’s Shlok?

Ram: At first they did not. They were not ready to believe everything we were saying, especially with Mr. Sen Gupta and his son throwing questions our way with every next statement.

Annapurna: What’s the problem of this father-son duo? Do they need to give their opinion every next moment?

Annapurna blurts our angrily, her grief getting momentarily taken over by the hatred she hosts for both the men.

Durga Prasad: It’s okay Annapurna! They were just trying to make sure that everything was fine. After all they are our partners.

Annapurna: No! I know them very well.. I’m sure they were trying to prove that he’s not Shlok but someone else.

Durga Prasad: But…

Ram: Bhaisa, I think Bhabhi sa is right. To me also, it seemed that they were trying to prove us wrong and that he’s not Shlok but someone else.

Sujata: So, how did they agree?

Ram: When we said that Shlok wanted a little break, Sahil said what’s the need of going to America for having a break. He could have stayed in India and look after the business in America later on. We were trying to form some sort of convincing explanation when Vidhaan leaned at the table, took the paper weight and twirled it from right to left just like Shlok used to do when he was sure that he’s got an upper hand.

Durga Prasad: He looked straight into Sahil’s eyes and said, ‘It’s my life Mr. Sen Gupta and it should be me who should decide where to go. I don’t see why it’s bothering you so much.’ That immediately shut everyone up and then no one dared to ask any other question.

Annapurna: But who told Vidhaan that Shlok had this habit of playing with the paper weight?

Durga Prasad: We don’t know. Maybe Laksh, before going to the office.

Ram: (nodded his head in agreement) I think so too.

Sujata: I’m glad everything went well. We just need to focus on Swara now.

Durga Prasad: There’s one more thing.

Annapurna: What?

Durga Prasad: Our new partner Mr. Khanna has thrown a party on the successful completion of the deal and for honoring our new partnership. He has invited all of us next week.

Ram: And he has especially invited Vidhaan and Swara. I mean Sanky and Swara.

Annapurna: Okay! I’ll see to it then.

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Vidhaan enters the room and finds Swara standing in front of the dressing mirror, struggling with something at her back. He clears his throat making his presence known and she smiles looking at him. He smiles back and turns around to ignore further eye contact, pretending to keep the files he’s carrying on the table.

Swara: How was the deal?

Vidhaan: (with his back towards her) It was good. Everything went well.

Swara: Um… Sanky! Can you please help me?

Vidhaan: (turns around) Um… Yes! Sure!

Swara turns around with her back facing towards him and pulls her hair from her back placing it on her right shoulder. Vidhaan’s breath gets stuck in his throat on the view of her bare back, the two ends of the dori of her blouse entangled together and hanging low. His mouth goes dry dreading what’s coming up next. He stumbles backwards and gets his back hit against the wall. He looks at her with wide eyes as she turns around with an innocent smile on her lips. He gulps audibly as his eyes met her doe like orbs and his hands tremble. For sure, he hasn’t expected to do this when he agreed to help them out.

Swara: Can you tie the dori of my blouse? I tried but looks like I have twisted the two ends together in multiple knots.

Vidhaan: (stuttering) I… I… Me… Let… me call… Maa or Ragini… Right!

He turns around hastily to leave but Swara’s voice makes him stop dead in his tracks.

Swara: But why are you calling them? You, too, can do this!

Vidhaan: (shocked) What? Me?

Swara: (nods her head like a child and smiles) Yes! Tsk, come on. I don’t have time. First I have taken a late bath and now you’re getting me even more late.

Vidhaan sticks back to the wall as if his life depends on it, trying to create as much space as possible in between them. Never in his life has he been so nervous. Heck! He wasn’t so nervous even when he had the first class of his teaching career. He looks everywhere but her, avoiding every possible eye contact. But her next words make his head shot back to her direction.

Swara: If you can’t come here, then I’m coming there!

Shit! What is this girl trying to do? Kill him? She is going to be the death of his saint self.

Never in his life has he touched any girl and now this girl is asking him to do something he couldn’t have expected ever. But before he could do anything, he finds her standing in front of him looking straight into his eyes as if daring him to move away. She steps closer and he could feel her invading his personal space.

Vidhaan: W-What are you doing Swara?

Swara: Why are you so nervous Sanky? I’m your wife!

‘No, you’re not’, his mind shouts back but he keeps his lips closed tightly forming a thin line. She smiles and he almost faints as she turns around pulling her hair back on her shoulder again. He could feel the warmth of her body seeping into his skin.

Swara: What are you doing? Do it fast!

Vidhaan: W-What was the need of this late bath?

Swara: Meri Marzi! I felt like having one. Why? Is there any problem?

Vidhaan: No. No!

Swara: Then tie the dori. I have to go and prepare snacks.

She stands with her back facing towards him and crosses her arms across her chest. Vidhaan lifts up his trembling hands holding the two ends slowly, making sure not to touch her even once. He detangles the two ends and ties the dori trying his best not to look at her.

Swara: Sanky, do you remember?

Vidhaan: Huh? What?

Swara: The first time we met and you saved me!

Vidhaan: Um… Y-Yes!

Swara: You know I was so desperate to thank you that I almost ate up Laksh’s head. Not literally! But yeah… I bugged him a lot.

Vidhaan: It’s okay! I did what I think I must have done.

Yes! That’s the safest thing to say right now. Vidhaan makes a mental note to himself to ask about their story from Laksh and Ragini to avoid any such situation in future.

He takes a deep sigh of relief as soon as it’s done and waits for Swara to move away. But seeing her making no efforts to move, he clears his throat.

Vidhaan: It’s done! You can go now.

Swara turns around beaming at him and he raises his eyebrow trying to figure out what’s going on in her mind.

Vidhaan: Why are you looking at me like that?

Swara: I wanted to ask you something.

Vidhaan: What?

Swara: What do you want as a gift?

Vidhaan: (confused) Gift?

Swara: Don’t tell me you forgot that it’s our marriage anniversary after two months and a half!

Vidhaan: Ani… Anniversary?

Swara steps closer and points her finger at him faking anger.

Swara: How dare you, Mr. Maheshwari? You forgot our first anniversary! I don’t believe this!

Vidhaan: I… I remember. Of course, I remember that it’s our… anniversary!

Swara: (smiles) Good! I knew it that you won’t forget.

And before he could move away she grabs both his arms, stands on her tippy toes and places her lips on his cheeks making everything in front of his eyes go black. Vidhaan’s heart skips a beat and he feels shiver run down right from his cheek to his feet.

Swara moves away and the next moment Vidhaan storms out of the room to wherever his feet could take him.

This shouldn’t have happened! Absolutely not! How could he let his guards down in front of a girl? How could he betray the trust everyone has put on him? How could he listen to his heart instead of his mind? How could he…

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