Raat Akeli Hai

𝐈𝐈. indifference & hate

❝
Bhare se sheher mein
Woh bheed sa mil gaya
❞

anupamaa :

I would lie if I said the moment paused, or his voice haunted me, or that his existence made me feel anything extraordinary.

I drew in a deep breath, as I watched him finally stand up.
Almost recomposing himself to face me.
Why, I wondered.

I noticed the changes in him.
His prized moustache gone, the spectacles.
Years ago, when I was his wife, I would often wish he got rid of his moustache. He looked way more charming without it.

And well, now when he did, I did not care.
Devika had called me up and informed me he would show up, so I was mentally ready.

"Aap NOC ke papers pe sign karwane aaye hai na?", I asked finally as he snapped out of his daze.
He looked at me, a little stumped, a little startled.
Maybe he expected a different reaction.

"Ha.. Bapuji ne—"
"De dijiye. Mai sign kar deti hu.", I said immediately, trying to cut short our conversation as much as possible.
For moments he paused, he somehow could not accept my indifference.
Still self obsessed, he was.

He nodded in silence and opened the bag he was carrying. He pulled out the legal papers and placed it on the table.
I walked down to the table.
He placed a pen beside the paper, I picked it up.

"Yahan sign kar do.", He said, trying to sound emotionless.
I could hear his voice tremble a little.
I signed the designated place.
He was demolishing the Shah House and building a tower there.
I would have asked him not to, but I don't have a right over that house anymore, I had been ousted.
So I would rather have no opinions.

I sighed the papers and stepped away.

"Thank you.", He said strictly looking down.
I nodded and walked past him.
My mind was still messed up with.. well, Anuj.
I could not bother my life about Mister Shah anymore.

Anyways our relationship had ended, now almost a decade had passed.

•

vanraj :

Indifference was probably worse than hate.

She left so casually, like I was just a nobody.
I picked the papers and put them back in the bag. I somehow felt a strange emotional upheavel.
Why did I care so much?
Why me?

She looked like she didn't even know me.

I turned to look at her once.
She was at the kitchen, settling things.
It was time for the restaurant to shut.
I was the last customer.

I clenched my jaws and picked up my bag to leave.
Just then the door of the restaurant opened and a girl walked in.
Almost twelve years old.

She looked anguished.
I paused.

"Aapki himmat kaise Hui mere Pops ki zindagi mein wapas aane ki?!", The child shouted.
Anupamaa immediately rushed out, looking emotional.

Pops?
"Woh aapse move on kar chuke hai! Woh Shru se shaadi kar rahe hai!", The child added.

Move on.. shaadi?