A/N

Hello everyone!

Seeing you all after a long time, so, without any bak-bak of mine, let’s start with the next chapter. I hope you all will like it…

*** CHAPTER 17 ***

“Swala (Swara) Mamma, why ale (are) we sitting hele (here)?”, little Chaitanya asks confusedly as Swara pushes him under the huge table of the study room sitting next to him. Immediately, she pushes her finger against his tiny lips motioning him to quiet down a bit and Chits tilts his head a little to his right trying to analyze with his four years old brain if his Badi Mamma has lost some screws of her head or something like that.

Swara: Shhh!!! We don’t want him to know that we are here, Champ!

Chits: Who?

Swara: Your Sanky Papa!

Chits: Why?

Swara: Because he is not answering my one simple question, so, we are spying on him.

Chits: (loudly) Like James Bond!!

Swara quiets him down immediately again, rolling her eyes. No doubt he is the son of Laksh and Ragini, inheriting each and every of their crazy traits.

Swara: Yes! Yes, like James Bond!

Chits: Then, what about the James Bond from TV?

Swara: Um… He is also James Bond!

Chits: How can we both bett… bettome (become) James Bond?

Swara: Then you are James Bond Junior!

Chits: Leally (Really)!!! Then whele (where) is my gun?

Ugh! What did he eat today? Where are all these questions coming from?! Swara could almost feel her head reeling because of the endless questions and that almost makes her think if it has been a good idea bringing him here on this supposedly ‘important mission’. But those innocent puppy dog eyes and curious expressions playing in those orbs make her realize why does she love this little guy so much. No matter what, he’s definitely her favorite guy!

Swara: Okay, Champ! Here’s the deal. You won’t say anything for now and then when I’ll go to the market I’ll get you a gun. Do we have a deal?

Chits: (excitedly) Deal!! Deal!! Deal!!

Swara: Geez! Okay. Now… Shhh!!!

She says keeping her finger on her lips and Chits trying to copy her keeps his finger on his lips whispering a little louder than expected.

Chits: SHHH!!!!!

And Swara rolls her eyes again.

This is hopeless!

And when the loud distorted whistle like sound stops from his lips, they feel the door to the study room open and in comes the familiar pair of shoes that Swara has seen Vidhaan, or her husband Sanky, wearing in the morning. Cowering back a little into the protective shelter of the table they make their best efforts not to let him see them.

Chits: Swala (Swara) Mumma… Sanky Papa!

Swara: (whispers) Shhh! I can see that. Do you want the gun or not?

Chaitanya nods his head excitedly with a huge grin on his lips.

Swara: Then keep quiet!

And that immediately shuts him up. Swara pops her head a little out from under the table to follow each and every of Vidhaan’s movement as he enters the room and makes his way straight to the book shelf on the right side looking at some files.

“Pen! Pen! Pen!”, Vidhaan chants as he fumbles through his coat and trouser pockets looking for a pen and sighs on finding none. As Swara notices him lifting his head she quivers back under the table. Throwing a quick glance around the room, Vidhaan finds the pen on the table and Swara’s breath hitches on realizing that the pair of shoes are now moving closer to her.

Shit!

Vidhaan stops once he reaches near the table, his feet hardly few inches away from Swara. She couldn’t even dare to look out once more as she knows how angry Shlok gets when someone interrupts his work and right now she’s doing the exact same thing.

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It was hardly after two months of their marriage. Shlok had been working really hard for his upcoming project and presentation that he was supposed to present in America in two months.

Swara sighed looking at the wall clock. It was late evening and Shlok hadn’t returned yet. She knew how hard he was working and she wanted to be a good wife trying to help him. As the clock struck eight, Shlok stormed inside the house making his way straight to the study room. She rushed into the kitchen to prepare a coffee just the way he liked to ease him a little.

Holding the coffee in her hands, the moment she knocked the door, Shlok’s booming voice made her flinch back.

Shlok: What do you want? I seriously told you that I don’t want anyone to disturb me, especially when I’m in the study room. Can’t you see I have a serious project coming up?

Swara: I… I… brought…

Shlok: What?

Swara: Coff… Coffee! I thought it might help you a little bit.

And that immediately shut him up. All she had been doing was looking after her husband. Momentary guilt flashed across his eyes and he took a deep breath.

Shlok: I’m… I’m sorry, Swara. I didn’t mean to shout at you. I just have a lot on my plate right now. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.

Swara nodded her head with a small smile placing the coffee on the table in front of him before making her way out of the room. Though he asked for her forgiveness, she instantly knew that study room was the place you were not supposed to mess with Shlok.

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Vidhaan picks up a pen from the pen stand kept on the table but in the process of doing so some pens slip from the table down to the floor next to Swara’s hand and she gasps retreating her hand back.

Talk about bad luck! Can things get any worse?

Vidhaan takes a deep breath before bending down to pick up the pens when his mobile phone rings. Leaving the pens, he turns around to attend to the call. Taking it as her cue, Swara signals Chits to move from under the table slowly because of all the things she knows, one thing that she’s pretty sure of is that staying down here isn’t safe anymore.

The moment she heads out on her knees and palms, very much like a toddler, she bumps into something strong and stumbles back. And there they are… Those shiny shoes again! Right in front of her eyes. When did he turn back?

Great! She should receive an international award for messing the things up!

“Swara!”, his somewhat shocked voice hits her ear drums and she sucks in a deep breath. Expecting an absolutely livid and almost ready to burst face, she lifts her head up being in the same position but all she comes across is a surprised face… Angry? Nah! That isn’t even the last thing he seems right now. The little smile playing on his lips makes her realize how amused he is because of the whole situation.

Swara: (stutters) Haan! Sanky… I… I was…

Vidhaan: (chuckles) First get up! Do you even realize how funny you are looking right now?

Swara immediately stands up brushing off the little specks of dust clinging to her knees and palms. Just at that moment Vidhaan notices two little scared eyes staring at him from behind Swara clutching her saree tightly in his tiny fists.

Vidhaan: (tilting his head a little) Champ!

Chits: Sanky Papa! I didn’t do anything. Plomise (promise)!

He says pinching his neck and Vidhaan smiles.

Vidhaan: I’m not saying anything to you, Champ. Just go. Your mom has been looking for you.

Nodding his head vigorously, Chaitanya runs out of the study room and Swara keeps looking here and there, anywhere but him, like a deer caught in the net as Vidhaan folds his arms across his chest.

Vidhaan: So?

Swara: Huh?

Vidhaan: (raises an eyebrow) What were you doing under the table?

Swara: Aaa…

Vidhaan: What… Aaa…

Swara: Um… I was looking for a… a pen!

Vidhaan: Oh! Pen… But aren’t pens supported to be on the table and not under the table?

Swara: (rolls her eyes) Ugh!

Vidhaan: (chuckles) I know you’re lying, Swara, so, it would be better if you tell me what exactly were you trying to do.

Swara: You’re not angry?

Vidhaan: (shrugs his shoulders) Why would I be angry? I’m more like surprised. Now, don’t change the topic and tell me.

Swara fiddles with her fingers nervously biting her inner cheek trying to look for an escape but seeing him towering over her like that it isn’t hard to realize that there’s no way out. And there’s no way he’s letting her go unless and until she tells him the exact reason why she’s here.

In last few weeks their relationship has altogether taken a different shade. It has been three weeks since she kissed him at the party. At first he has been reluctant and hesitant around her but in last one week she has seen him getting more comfortable. He has started talking to her freely and he doesn’t run away every time she tries to have a conversation with him. And she can’t let this one communication gap become a reason to destroy whatever they have developed ever since he has come back. The way she feels for him now is something she has never felt before.

The snap of Vidhaan’s fingers breaks Swara’s reverie and pulls her back to reality. She shakes her head to get the thoughts out of her mind and finds Vidhaan staring at him with his eyebrows raised as if waiting for her reply.

Swara: Aah! I… I was trying to… s-spy!

Vidhaan unfolds his arms and pushes his hands into his trouser pockets before leaning against the table and Swara steps a little back not able to comprehend his next move.

Vidhaan: Trying to spy… On?

Swara: Y… You!

Vidhaan: Me??? And why were you spying on me?

Swara: (gets irked) Then what should have I done? Our first anniversary is hardly a month away, Sanky! Hardly a month and I have been asking for so long that what do you want as a gift. But no! You don’t even bother to answer. So, I thought spying on you might give me some hint of what do you want.

And that immediately has Vidhaan’s back stiffen. How could he forget? It isn’t her fault either. For Swara, he is her husband and she is being nothing but a loving wife. And for her only, he has to try to be the one she wants him to be.

Vidhaan: I’m sorry, Swara. I really am. If… if you really want to give me something, then how about a book!

Swara: (furrows her eyebrows) Book? Since when did you start reading books?

Vidhaan: I… I have started it lately and I’m really enjoying it. So, I would be more than happy if you could give me a book.

Swara: (smiles widely) Really? Then I will give you a book. Which book will you like?

Shoot! Now what should he say? Mathematics?!! Because that’s exactly what he has been reading almost all the time before coming here.

Vidhaan: (coughs) You can get me whatever you like!

Swara: (smirks) How about romantic?

Vidhaan’s eyes immediately widen on hearing this. What has his life become? Even though he is a mathematics teacher, now he will get stuck with a freaking romantic novel. He would rather spend his entire life with Pythagoras’ ghost.

Vidhaan: How about a historical fiction?

Swara nods her head smiling at him and Vidhaan immediately sighs out of relief but his relief immediately gets brutally slaughtered by her next words.

“HISTORICAL PLUS ROMANTIC FICTION IT IS!!!”

Exclaiming loudly she storms out of the room leaving a gaping Vidhaan behind. Whom has he fallen in love with?

Now, all that’s left is for him to become a cheesy cliché romantic novel hero!

Great! Just great!

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It’s been almost two hours since Swara and Vidhaan have had the talk and ever since then he couldn’t take her out of his mind. Her face from that moment keeps flashing in front of his eyes again and again and he chuckles all to himself. Lost in his thoughts he keeps moving towards his room when accidently he bumps into someone.

“God, Bhai!”, Laksh’s shriek pulls him out of the trance and he finds his little brother and his biggest support standing in front of him clutching his head tightly with a pout on his lips.

Vidhaan: Sorry! Sorry! Sorry, Laksh! I didn’t see you coming. Are you hurt?

Laksh: Of course, I’m hurt. What have you been thinking about?

Vidhaan: Who, Swara! I mean… no… nothing. It’s nothing.

Laksh: (smiles) So, you’ve been thinking about Swara!

Vidhaan: What!! No. Not at all. I wasn’t thinking about her.

Laksh: Oh, come on! You think you can lie to me, Bhai? It’s written all over your face.

Vidhaan: (touches his cheek) What?

Laksh: That you have fallen in love with her!

Has he?

Yes! But he can’t accept it out loud!

Vidhaan: What the… No! What are you talking about?

Laksh: (sighs) Bhai, you know, right? You can tell me anything.

That makes Vidhaan feel guilty. Laksh has been his biggest support during the greatest turmoil of his life. If it hadn’t been him, he couldn’t even imagine what he would have done. And without even realizing, Vidhaan just nods his head.

Laksh: What? So, you’re agreeing with what I’m saying?

Vidhaan: (taking a deep breath) Yes, Laksh! And I know how wrong it is for me to think like that. Swara loves her husband. I don’t have any right to feel anything for her. It’s wrong. Utterly… terribly… wrong!

Laksh: Don’t be stupid, Bhai. It’s nothing wrong for you to feel like that. And yes, she’s in love but not with her husband but with this heart that’s owned by the most selfless soul I have ever met.

That’s exactly what Shlok has said in his dream!

Vidhaan: You really think so? Am I not deceiving her?

Laksh: You’re not deceiving her. Rather, I would say you’re protecting her. Yes, we can’t tell her the truth now but we will tell her one day. Don’t be so harsh on yourself and on her, Bhai. For once… just once let the things go the way they are. Leave everything to God. Everything will be fine. You got me, right?

Vidhaan nods his head and is about to say something when his mobile phone dings on receiving a message. Pulling the mobile out of his pocket he frowns on seeing a message from an unknown number. Hesitantly, he clicks on his screen to open the message but that only  shakes him to the core.

‘What are you doing? You should look after her. Your wife. Keep a close eye. She’s with you, right? BEWARE!’

Vidhaan: (shouts) What the hell?!

Laksh: What’s wrong?

Vidhaan immediately forwards his mobile phone towards him and Laksh scrunches his brows together in confusion. He tried calling back on the number but all he receives is a dead end on the other side.

Laksh: Don’t worry, Bhai. I think it’s some prank.

Vidhaan: I don’t think so, Laksh. Where is Swara?

Laksh: I saw her going out with Ragini. Maybe they went out to the market.

Vidhaan takes back his mobile phone to call Swara when Laksh’s mobile phone starts ringing and as soon as he sees the caller ID he immediately answers…

Laksh: Ragini?

“La… Laksh!”, Ragini’s hurried voice gets him all worried and Vidhaan immediately senses the tension.

Laksh: Ragini, what’s wrong?

Ragini: Laksh, Swara and I came to but some book and… and…

Laksh: And what, Ragini? Wait… Where is Swara?

Ragini: Laksh!

Laksh: Ragini I asked where is Swara!

“She’s missing”, Ragini says holding back a sob and everything comes to a halt for Vidhaan.

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