Chapter 13
Hello friends
Thank you so much for your love and. Here is the next chapter......
Anokhi looked around the park and smiled brightly. For the upteemth time she was thanking Kanchan didi for suggesting her to go out. She was feeling a lot better now. Much to her surprise this park was really very beautiful and quite noise free , which was a huge relief for her.
" These big cities are always so noisy, but don't know why people are so cold here. " Anokhi said to herself and again started writing. Writing her thoughts, stories gives her a lot of piece.
" Excuse me, if you don't mind may I sit here?" Someone asked her.
Aastha looked around the park with a sad smile. This was the same park they used to visit when Shaurya was younger and they were together.
She looked and saw Anokhi, who was sitting on a bench. With a lot of hesitation she walked towards her.
Anokhi looked up and smiled slightly " aap? Oh yes please. Please sit, no problem at all. " Don't know why but she feels very good in the presence of this unknown woman.
" Thank you. Actually I was alone and saw you are also.....so I decided to give you some company. Last time we couldn't met properly. I am Aastha. "
" Hello. I am sorry for the last time and I am Anokhi. "
" I know who you are. " Aastha replied.
" Oh, you do. Umm.....you know Mr Sabharwal right? I saw you with him and I am sorry for his behaviour. "
" No, please don't apologise for anything. We...... well, we are sort of old acquaintances. I know his father......"
" Oh, so you must be papaji's friend?"
Aastha smiled lightly and nodded.
" If you are his friend, then you must be very special. After all he is a very amazing person. " Anokhi smiled.
" Yes.....I heard that you are a very bright girl and loves reading-writing?"
" Yes, I do love reading. Writing is just a hobby, nothing much. " Anokhi said shyly ." Really then tell me more about your reading preferences."
" Ofcourse mam. I love Premchand and Rabindranath Tagore's works. And........"
Anokhi entered the house with a bright smile. Today she felt very content, talking with Aastha aunty proved to be a very good experience for her. Now, they were meeting for almost five days and in this time they got to know each other. Although she don't know much about her, but she could tell that they will be good friends.
" Arre wah. Looks like you are very happy today, Anokhi. " Gayatri asked.
" Looks like Shaurya bhaiya gave her a gift or something like that. " Kanchan teased.
Anokhi shook her head at this. Mr Sabharwal and gifts . Ofcourse, when hell would freeze.
" Nothing like that. It's just, because of my friend I told you. And she is an amazing company, a very inspiring woman. "
" By the way, what is her name?" Gayatri asked.
" Aastha. Her name is Aastha Sabharwal. Do you know her?"
Gayatri and Kanchan looked at each other with concerned looks.
" Ummm..... did she say something about us?" Gayatri asked.
" Nothing much. Just said, that she and papaji are old acquaintances. Is something that....."
" Anokhi beta, please give tea to your bade papa in our room. " Devi said coming there.
Anokhi nodded and went away.
Devi turned towards Gayatri and Kanchan.
" What do you think you were doing? Tumhari bewakoofi ki wajah se......look I don't want any talks about that woman in our house. And I don't want Anokhi to know anything related to her. I am warning you one last time. " Devi said in a deadly calm voice.
Devi Sabharwal was one of the best players of the game of chess. But playing on board was a child's play for her. For her, she plays with lives. This was her game, she write rules and she win. But ofcourse, if there is someone who could challenge her, it would be Aastha Kashyap Sabharwal. Only that woman had guts to stand up against her. But ofcourse, Devi Sabharwal was not born yesterday, she know when to do what.
Anokhi entered her father in law's room with a big smile . Since, her childhood she never got much love from her father, for him his daughters were a burden. But, here she got to know what it feel like to have a father. She found her father in her father in law.
" Papa ji, your dinner is here. " She announced.
" Yes, I was just waiting for you. By the way where is that assistant of yours..... Arjun?" Shaan asked.
" Oh, he has a lot of work to do. Projects and then upcoming literature festival. " Anokhi replied and then continued " by the way, do you know I met........"
" Anokhi. " Shaurya said and came there " hello dad, Anokhi please come with me, do you know where is my file I brought last week?"
Anokhi looked at Shaan with a apologetic look who gave her a knowing smile. She then walked away with Shaurya.
Anokhi opened the cupboard and handed him the file, she couldn't understand what is happening to her husband. He used to be so organized and never misplaced things but nowadays he is asking her for every single thing.
" Aapne hi yaha rakhi thi. Kese bhool gaye?" Anokhi asked.
" Oh, I ..... maybe I forgot. Thank you for your help. " Shaurya replied. " By the way I have something for you. "
" No, Mr Sabharwal there is no need....."
" I insist. Please. "
Saying so he handed her the newest edition of universe encyclopaedia.
" Wow, this is amazing. " Anokhi exclaimed " thank you, thank you so much" she continued saying and hugged him tightly. Shaurya was taken aback by her gesture , but slowly returned it and hugged her hesitantly patting her back lightly.
Anokhi realised what she just did, and pulled away " umm.... sorry and thank you. " She whispered looking at the ground totally embarrassed by her stupidity and ran away.
Anokhi slapped her forehead and thought hey mata rani, yeh kya kiya maine. Now, what will Mr Hitler think about me. Pagal hoon main. Although she was embarrassed with her actions. But, she couldn't agree more that in his arms she felt safest. Something that she never felt. It felt like she belonged there.
But what could she do, he won't accept a small town, middle class girl like her.
Shaurya looked at her retreating form and slapped his forehead. He was truly behaving like a dunderhead in front of her. Such an idiot.
" Shaurya beta, I want to talk something important with you. " Devi said.
" Yes, badi ma please come. " Shaurya said and sat beside Devi on the couch.
" Beta, I don't know how to say this but......"
Shaurya clenched his fingers in rage. Today his anger had reached it's limit , but no more. Today, he won't Stop at any cost. He started walking towards his father's room and walked inside.
" Why dad? Tell me why?" He asked.
" Shaurya what happened, why are you....."
" Don't pretend to be dumb dad. You know what I am talking about. I asked you one thing. I don't want that woman anywhere near any of us. Especially Anokhi. But you, what did you do. Gave her free pass to mess with my wife and poision her head. "
" Shaurya that woman is your mother. "
" She is not my mother. She is no one for me. I want her inauspicious sight away from my family. And that woman is meeting my Anokhi to poision her mind. Dad, I could do anything and you know that would be very bad then...."
" Shaurya stop it. Don't behave like a insolent teenager and think like a adult you claim yourself to be. " Shaan scolded him.
" Dad, If that woman would come here, then I won't live here. " Shaurya announced and walked out.
Anokhi looked at the time on the grandfather's clock and wringed her fingers in concern.
It's half past midnight and still her husband was nowhere to be seen. And it was heavily raining outside too.
She looked out of the balcony and saw him coming inside and sitting on a bench in the garden.
" Mr Hitler bhi ajeeb hai, itni baarish mein bahar baithe hai. Iss time pe?" She muttered and ran outside towards him.
" Mr Sabharwal ?" Shaurya looked up and saw his wife coming towards him with a concerned look.
" Please let's go inside, it's raining too heavily. " Anokhi said.
" Anokhi please you may go. I want to be alone. " Shaurya said.
" Mr Sabharwal...."
" Just go away. " He shouted. " You are like everyone. "
" Just go. " He whispered sitting down.
Anokhi kneeled in front of him and caressed his face softly, wiping away the traces of tears she could see.
" It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything. I won't pester. " She said softly with a gentle smile.
Shaurya looked at her for a moment and then hugged her tightly like his life depends on her.
" Please stay. Don't go. " He whispered burying his face in the crook of her neck.
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