Chapter 6

Okay the last chapter is now being split into two parts : A and B, because I have so much to cover. Some of you will be very gratified is all I will say as you saw the writing on the wall...do enjoy it and let me know what you think:

Chapter #6A

"Are you okay Shaurie?"

 

She unmanned him in four words; leaving him incapable of speech and filling him with more emotion than he had felt in years. Even the hate he had harbored for her paled by comparison. He felt totally worthless in front of her goodness that he had summarily dismissed all those years ago.

 

"Shaurie?"

 

He took a seat in the chair beside her bed and took hold of her unencumbered hand in both of his. Gently bringing it up to his face, he lowered his head, so she wouldn't see the raw reaction he couldn't hide. His voice was more of a croak when he answered. "Haan, Mehek. I'm okay."

She let out a heartfelt sigh. "I wasn't sure whether you were or not. I woke up and I couldn't remember anything past Jaisan turning his gun on you, and me using the knife. After that everything is black. I needed to see you to be sure." She paused to catch her breath. "I was so frightened not knowing, Shaurie."

"No more than I have been for you, Mehek."

"I'm okay Shaurie. I think so anyway," she grimaced. "Actually, that's a lie. I've definitely been better."

Her attempt at humor fell flat for the despairing man beside her.

"You are okay, Mehek," he affirmed, as if to speak it would will it to existence. "You have to be. I-I don't know what I would do if you weren't Mehek." He raised his head, and she saw the tears that ran unabated from his eyes. "I couldn't imagine...Nahi, I refuse to even consider anything like that," he muttered. He sniffed. "You're okay, and that's all that matters now."

 

The corners of Mehek's mouth turned up to reveal a gentle smile. "I'm okay," she agreed softly just to appease him.

He sat there quietly, refusing to relinquish her hand for some time. "Mehek, I don't know what to say; if there is anything I can say, that won't be woefully inadequate." 

" Then don't. Let's just be grateful that the truth is out. That fact alone will make it easier for us to get on with our lives."

"Our lives? Do you mean together or separately?" 

He regretted the self-serving question almost as soon as it had slipped out, but now that it had found himself desperate for her answer.

"That's not an answer I can give you right now, Shaurie. I don't know if or when I will be able to."

"I'm sorry, I..."

She stopped his train of thought when she made a point of curling her fingers around his hand, instantly transforming the dominant grip into a softer mutual handhold. It pained her to see him like this, but she had been as honest as she could.

"I'm happy enough knowing that you are alright, Shaurie. Can you not be the same for now?"

 

That made it six times now, that she had called him Shaurie. It told him more that he could ever hope for and gave him something to hold fast to.  He leaned and kissed her fingertips, as he nodded to her his agreement.

"Haan Mehek, I can be happy with that... for now."

 

********

 

Forty-five minutes later, Shaurya followed the gurney bringing a more alert Mehek from the recovery room to the semi-private suite that she and Sara would share for the night. As he was about to surrender his spot to the group who had waited patiently for her, Mehek called him to her side. She reached for his hand. "You will come and say goodbye before you leave the hospital?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"I won't leave unless they kick me out, and even then, I will put up a fight," He responded softly. Turning from her side, he came face-to-face with Mehek's grandmother and Aunt Kanta. He stalled under their scrutiny, as the two women looked from him to their child and back. Shaurya folded his hands to the women, and then left the room.

 

It would be a long wait as what looked to be the entire Sharma clan were present, and insistent on spending as much time as they could with Mehek. Eventually though, all of them: oldest to youngest, managed to visit with her and be assured of her recovery. He used the time wondering how much a fuss he would actually have to put up to extend his stay tonight. Already the leniency shown to everyone had been far-reaching, that to request additional concessions, would most likely be problematic. And then there was the other consideration. He noticed Trey saying his goodbyes to his family and was envious of the advantage the man had over him. As Sara's husband it was perfectly reasonable for him to be allowed to stay with her. He on the other hand had no such claim: none that would not create undue speculation over his equation with Mehek. He had already done enough harm to her; there was no way he would risk sullying her reputation. However, the alternative was entirely unacceptable. And as much as he felt he did not deserve to let anywhere near her, there was no way that he could leave her alone tonight. His mother would have an answer to his problem, so he stood with the intention of going to her.

 

"Bhaiyaa, I'm getting ready to leave, but there's someone I'd like you to meet before I do."

"In a minute Vicky, I just need to speak to Maa."

"It's okay Jiju, I just wanted to meet you at last."

Shaurya stopped and stared at the female in question and then at his brother.  Although they were not touching, their proximity to each other spoke of an intimacy between the two, and Shaurya vaguely realized that she had been present all this time, and for the most part, at Vicky's side. He raised an eyebrow at his brother questioningly.

 "Ah, Bhai this is Nehal, we met at a party through mutual friends."

Shaurya really did not have time for this, and was about say just that, when the trendily dressed young woman spoke up.

"It was a hell of an introduction actually. I threw my drink in his face, as soon as learnt that he was the Shaurya Khanna's brother. It was the closest thing to revenge that I could have hoped for."

"Bhai, Nehal is Mehek's sister. It was she, who convinced Bhabhi to apply for the job with us," Vicky explained to his increasingly confused brother.

 

"It was a fair tradeoff, after she lectured me on how I shouldn't blame Vicky for your misdeeds, considering all I knew of you was hearsay; that I should give him a chance. I told her that in that case, she should do the same and seek some sort of closure for herself at last; and that working for you might offer the chance for her. It was the first time I think Mehek di has ever listened to me."

"I'm just glad that you listened to her," Vicky interjected, as he took hold of the young woman's hand. He was clearly smitten, and from Nehal's reaction, the feeling looked to be mutual. Vicky's attention went back to his brother. "I finally had a piece of the puzzle as to why you left us, bhai, and why you changed. I still couldn't understand it, as all I saw was how perfect she is for you Bhaiya. Now that everything is out in the open it's up to you to make things right." 

"You broke her heart, Jiju, but she has never stopped caring about you. She's never said it out loud, at least not to me, but I've never been more certain of a fact. One thing is for sure, she never really complained much when I started referring to you as my Jiju, despite never meeting you," Nehal added cheekily before turning serious again. "She's may fight it, but the love is still there. I just wanted to give you the inside track for a change." She released Vicky's hand, and turned her head when she was suddenly summoned. "I have to go. It was nice finally getting to meet you Shaurya Khanna. Hopefully I will be seeing you around." 

Behaving very un-Shaurya Khanna like, the man stepped to the young woman in front of him and hugged her. "I'm glad to have met you as well Nehal, but how about you lay off the formalities. I think Jiju is just fine."

 

********

When it was expected that the two women would stay awake the entire night, unsurprisingly, it was Sara who first drifted off to sleep first. After a while, when it was certain that his wife had succumbed to the rest her body needed, Trey stood up to close the privacy curtain between the two beds.

 

"I think we are going to have our hands full with her for the next seven months or so," Mehek mentioned.

Trey nodded. "Thank God I know I will be able to count on you as backup, Mehek," he answered, coming near to his friend. He leaned over to kiss her forehead. "You should probably try to get some rest yourself." He then nodded to Shaurya, who quietly observed the two, much as he had the time he had been with the group of friends. "Make her rest if you have to, Shaurya," Trey added as he drew the drape to give them some privacy.

 

"He's right, you probably should get some rest."

 

The hold she had on his hand tightened in protest, much as his had when Trey had kissed her forehead.

 

"You needn't stay if you are tired, Shaurie."

"Do you want me to leave, Mehek?"

"I'm sure you have a lot to do tomorrow...today actually."

"That's not what I asked, Mehek" Shaurya replied. "Do you want me to go?" By his way of thinking seven years had been a long enough estrangement, but if she truly wanted him gone...

"Nahi, not tonight anyway."

"Then it's settled then," Shaurya concluded. They stayed there, in silence for goodness knew how long; their entwined hands providing the comfort that either had yet dared to truly voice. Mehek's lids had just fluttered closed when, Shaurya's voice reached her. "I like your friends, Mehek...for the most part."

She smiled without opening her eyes.

"Just give Sara a kiss goodbye tomorrow, I'm sure Trey will get the message, Shaurie," she whispered back.

******

 

It was hand-in-hand that the man discovered the sleeping  pair when he checked on the two patients. He backed out of the room and thanked the attending doctor who had given him access to the pair. Before he left, the doctor gave him evidence bag holding the bullet that had been removed from Mehek's arm. The young woman's injury had been a tragic consequence, but the spent projectile would just bring unnecessary attention to things best left alone. He thanked the physician once more before taking the service elevator down to his next destination. It was well past time to bring the night's proceedings to an end.

 

By the time he reached, the injections that had been given to the men to mimic death, had worn off, giving the usually inert environment a more animated feel than normal. Two of the men had already lit into their leader' who they were blaming for the entire situation. Before Jaisan could get a word in edgewise, the newcomer added his two cents.

"If I hadn't work with you before, I would swear that you had never gone undercover before in your life Jaisan. This was supposed to be a simple straight forward exercise. Not the drama you created."

"I think our boy Jasian is in love, Jack."

"Shit, he lost the plot as soon as Mehek took down her hair. All the blood rushed from his head and rendered his brain useless."

"Haan, and then he spent the rest of the night thinking with his other head."

"Perhaps if the intel we had to work with was valid then maybe none of this would have happened. There was nothing in the pre-op details about an engagement in the making. We had to go in early. It would have defeated the entire purpose if he got engaged to that bitch, Jack. You know it just as well as I."

 

Jack Thompson: Bodyguard cum Security Specialist, who now headed this merry bunch of misfits as the need arose, conceded the point. This was nothing like he had assured his client would happen tonight. The criminal invasion yes, but at done at closing time where there would have been minimal effect. Ideally only the two main principals would have been present and, under the illusion of the danger the team would create, the  at odds pair would take the steps to overcome their differences. Still had it not happened as it had, the full truth would not have come out either.

"You're right, Jaison," the Englishman reasoned.

 

For once, his headstrong compatriot did not gloat in victory.

 

"Jack, how are they: Sara and Mehek," Jaisan queried instead.

"Sara, I expect will find it a little unpleasant sitting for the next few days, but she and her child are just fine."

"What?"

"Mehek inflicted the wound, with the same knife she came after you with. You scared her enough that she wanted her friend out of harm's way. She did what she thought necessary. Just as she did, when you dared to point your gun at the man she loves."

 

To Jack it had, at the time, seemed the perfect resolution to end the saga that had spiraled completely out of control. The full tale had been revealed, much to the misery of Shruti, who had to realize that there would be no proposal coming tonight or any other from the man who now looked upon her with such derision.

 

"And there you have gentlemen, the solution to our dilemma," Jaisan announced. "Answer the phone, he said out loud, "Let our eminent negotiator know that we are leaving the building." He got up from his chair. "Our best friends shall lead the way followed by the men. My fellows and I will keep our prize with us safe," he said suddenly pulling Mehek to her feet. "Now that we all have the answer as to who is the apple of Shaurya Khanna's eye, we need not fear any harm to come our way as ling as she is with us."  

 

Things had progressed as planned, after over the speakerphone, Jack relayed the code to let them know that the sharpshooter was in place to "eliminate" the threat the gang posed. It would have been an easy enough task had not Shaurya Khanna turned, and his training had Jaisan instinctively responding to the threat.

 

"You would have bled out in minutes if she had been a bit more accurate, Jaison. She had your femoral artery in her sights."

 

Jason nodded, well aware how close he had come to death himself.  Only by self-preservation had he managed a defensive stance that deflected the intended target, when he saw the blade. In doing so however, he had left Mehek unprotected, and had led to the 'kill shot' meant for him to strike Mehek instead. His 'death'  had come swiftly afterwards, and he lain in fear, not knowing what harm had befallen the chef.

 

"Multiple fractures of her upper arm, corrected by surgery, with a full recovery expected. It's a good thing we barred live ammo isn't it?"

"Say what you want, that plastic ammo still packs a punch."

The others agreed.

"What a bunch of candy-ass wankers. All of you were wearing Kevlar, and you are still bitching? Mehek Sharma took a direct hit and..."

Up on his feet now, Jaisan slapped his boss' shoulder. "See even you're sold now. She's one hell of a woman isn't she, he joked. "I promise not to tell your wife... for a price."

"How about we talk when I get back to the office in a few days," Jack said, immediately wary over his employee's sudden enthusiasm.

"C'mon Jack, a good handler would at least give me a chance to see her one last time...  to tell Mehek Sharma goodbye." He began removing the skillfully applied facial prosthetic makeup, that had altered his appearance just enough. "I really think she would like the real me."

Jack shook his head. "The only place you are going is to the airport, Jaison. And just to make the record clear in front of witnesses, under no circumstances are you even to think about contacting Mehek Sharma. She is taken. My client already considers her, her bahu. Now let's get the hell out of here. I have a meeting in a few hours, and then have to somehow get our mate released from police custody."

 

********

The vibrating of his mobile woke Shaurya up.  The chair beside Mehek's hospital bed had been the most awkward place to sleep, but the fact that they had remained connected throughout the night, made every kink and ounce of stiffness worth it in Shaurya's book. But the time had come where he had to leave. Gently, he slipped his hand out of Mehek's and stretched as much as he could. In the process he noticed on the bedside table, the small envelope that had come with Mehek's flowers.  One of the medical staff must have brought it after they had fallen asleep. As tempted as he was to finally discover who had sent her the flowers he resisted. He knew that he was treading on thin ice, and that last night had been a gift after the ordeal they had been through. With the new day, along with the sun, so would come some clear thinking. It already had for him. Barring the scheme that had kept them apart, he would have to deal with how his more recent behavior would affect them. He had much to make amends for. Which he would at the earliest opportunity. Now though, he had  responsibilities that came with being the man he had worked to be all these years.

 

"Leave Shaurie, it's okay."

"Do you read minds as well Mehek Sharma?"

"Nahi, but I felt your stir, and figured an alarm must have woken you. Come back as soon as you can... that is...if you want to."

"Let's make things clear. Nothing will stop me from coming back to you Mehek Sharma."

Chapter 6B

 

[NOCOPY]