Sai joshi X Vikram Shergill FF Gustakh ishq

chapter six

Sai checked herself looking at the mirror making sure that she looked presentable.
She had worn her black anarkali suit and tried to apply minimum makeup as possible. When she was sure she looked presentable and decent, she looked at her watch and found that she had still half an hour till the dinner time. She sat on one of the couch and started fidgeting her dupatta. When she had entered the palace, she had a simple plan of maintaining her own business and doing her work. She had to spoil everything in the first day of her job itself by bumping into the youngest prince of the place and then getting assigned herself to a patient who read too much between the lines. Sai was no stranger to people who knows to read between the lines, she had no doubt swadheenta was one of them. She only hoped that swadheenta was not too good in her job or doesn't trouble her and let sai mind her own business. She hoped the same from the other people of royal family that they would let her be and she really prayed that this dinner was only one time thing. She was unpleasant when she received the dinner invitation by the royal family stating it was a ritual for the guest to have dinner with them for one night. Not wanting to be unpolite she had accepted the dinner invitation and send her acceptance through the servant back. The dinner was supposed to be at eight and sai had a terrible time to pick one proper outfit for it and get herself dressed. She kept looking at the watch as her nervousness increased as the time passed. Finally when here was five minutes left, sai walked out of the guest house.

The shregill family met at the dinning table, greeted each other and took their places. Vikram's eyes were narrowed on the entrance of the dinning table hoping for her to come and really hoping his mother had not forgotten their ritual of inviting the guest for dinner for atleast one night. Swadheenta who sat middle of vikram and Adarsh noticed it but kept quiet biting back her teasing comments. Her mother in law had approached her the evening and revealed that she had invited sai for the dinner and sai had responded positively to the invitation too but she was not going to reveal it to vikram. She was enjoying seeing his restlessness. Sai's entrance took everyone's attention for a while and everyone greeted her warmly. After regular introduction custom, sai scanned the room searching for a deserted corner where she could sit and quietly eat her food but Vikram stood up suddenly and pulled out the chair next to him for her to sit. The family shrugged it off thinking that it was gentleman thing to do except swadheenta and Adarsh who exchanged looks.
" Thank you" sai mumbled and sat next to him managing to not show show her annoyance. The dinner was being served by the servants , sai noticed the various dishes she had never tried in her life being served to her and she had only taken the food which looked familiar to her.
" Can I help with something?" Vikram asks her looking at her confused expressions. She shakes her head and he doesn't insist much for her relief.
Sai observed with suprise and shock at the sight of people sitting together and eating their food with enjoyable expression. The warmth the sight radiated engulfs her too, and There were no taunts passed and the members actually looked happy to be here dinning with each other something chauvan family never looked. Sai thought bitterly about the family, they still could not leave her in peace. They Haunted her like nightmares everytime.
" Sai why don't you join us every night for the dinner since you stay alone in the guest house" swadheenta's voice broke sai out of her reverie. She looks fearful as she observes the family members looking thoughtful for a moment.
" No no it's okay. I have habit of having my food alone" sai blurts out trying to sound as polite as possible.
" But sai "
" Swadheenta, if she doesn't want to join us to dinner why are you forcing her to? Let her be, respect her consent and don't force her to do something she doesn't want to" Mrinalini devi says with finality leaving no room for argument. Swadheenta nods her head and realizing that she should not force sai like that. God what was she even thinking.
Sai sighs in relief hearing it and continues having her dinner. She acknowledges swadheenta's apologetic smile.
" And sai, if you ever feel alone and want to have dinner with us. You're more than welcome here beta" Mrinalini devi says gently.
" Ji sure" sai nods at her words with a small smile on her face. Sai finishes her food and was going to excuse herself when she notices everyone has also finished their dinner. Goodnights were exchanged and finally everyone parted their ways.
" Can I escort you to the guest house?" Vikram offers her while she was leaving to the guest house, " it's late night, I just thought if you're afraid of dark"
" No it's okay I will manage" sai answers to him, vikram nods sadly " I will ask other servants to drop you incase you're uncomfortable or something"
Sai shakes her head," I'm habituated to darkness... Means I am not afraid of it"
" Okay" vikram drawled, " then, goodnight"
" Goodnight to you too" sai says back politely and walks away.
Vikram waits still she disappeared from his sight and walks back towards his room. Later when He lays in his bed, he thinks of her. Sai had looked beautiful in her black anarkali suit, he did not compliment her sensing her uneasiness while she sat next to him. Sai kept shifting uncomfortably in the chair so he kept quiet and gave her space which he felt she needed. He liked how simply she had dressed up and still was confidence, she was not submissive and remembered how she did not let swadheenta bhabhi force her to have dinner with them daily, Sai had no artifice in her something he rarely finds, her eyes shone in honesty everytime she answered anything. He falls asleep thinking about her with a dreamy smile on his face.