***Please remember that this is a fictional story and has nothing to do with real life characters***
Sidharth pushed his bag pack on the rack and occupied a seat at the front of the bus. The bus slowly started moving. It was going to be quiet a long journey of 14 hours. He leaned and rested his head on the window pane and blankly stared outside.
Flashback:
"Yeah!! I am so excited", she hugged him.
"This is so uncomfortable sweetheart! There is hardly any leg space to sit comfortably here. We could have gone by our car.", Sidharth complained.
"Sid, don't be spoil sport. Come let's occupy the first seat, there would be enough leg space for you. It's quiet a long journey and only you know driving. It would be tiring for you. Plus, if you drive you hands and attention will be busy only driving. I want both of them for me.", she said as they occupied the first seat.
"Wow!! My wife is too smart. So does it mean we can start our honeymoon even before we reach the destination?", Sidharth put his hands around her waist and pulls her closer.
"Yeah, soft honeymoon. There are people around. So, don't behave like shameless." , she speaks in low tone.
"Soft? Shameless? Those are new words in my dictionary. Could you please elaborate on that, just for my future reference!"
"Soft means holding hands, playing with hands, romantic talks, etc. Everything else is shameless!", She describes.
"Sweetheart, what's the logic behind having 'etc' and then saying everything else is shameless? You are contradicting your own statement. I might say smooching comes under etc and you may say it's shameless."
"Okay, Mr. Sidharth Logical Srivastava, let's make it simpler to you. Remove 'etc' from my definition.", she says.
"Then I was better off driving my car. Even better I will go to sleep now!", Sidharth declares.
She smacks him.
"Ouchhh!! That's shameless!! Remember it doesn't come under soft romance category! Shameless lady, I am your husband.", Sidharth complains.
"Sidhaaarth", she cried with a cute pout and hugs him from the side. He smiles and kisses her head. They both hug each other with one hand from behind, while the other is entwined.
Flashback ends
The driver hits the break at the bus stand. Sidharth's eyes were shut though he was awake.
.
.
.
The coolie places the two big trolley bags on the top of the bus. Shehnaaz gave him the money. She held Aadya's hand and went to the bus door. She lifted up Aadya and climbed the steps.
She looked at the ticket, 'seat number 2 and 3.' That was the front seat. She looked at the man sitting on seat number 1, who was resting his head on the window pane with his eyes shut, unshaven beard and moustache, messy hair, the clothes were dirty and he looked huge like a sleeping beast. She went to the conductor.
Shehnaaz: Excuse me conductor, I have a reservation, seat no. 2 aur 3. Can I get my seats changed please? You can give any two seaters on the left or even a three seater with a lady co-passenger will do.
Conductor: (looks at the seats) What happened ma'am. Did he misbehave with you? If so then I will throw him out of the bus right away.
Shehnaaz: No, that's not the matter. I just want to change my seat. Would you be able to change?
Conductor: Sorry madam, the bus is full. Everyone has done a reservation. If he tries to misbehave, then I will take care of him. Don't stress too much. If the seats get vacant during the journey, I'll get you shifted. The bus is anyways about to leave now.
Shehnaaz helplessly goes back to the seat. She pushes her big backpack on the luggage rack. She looks at the seats and thinks how to sit.
Flashback:
Little Shehnaaz squeaks "Amma, I want the window seat!"
Harpreet: Betu, that seat belongs to the uncle.
Shehnaaz: But I want to see outside, I want to say bye bye to people walking on road.
Harpreet: You do that everytime we go out, so it's fine if you don't say bye once.
Shehnaaz: I want, I want, I want!! (Jumps in her mom's lap)
Man: It's okay, give her to me, I'll hold her, she can see outside and wave.
Harpreet: No, she will simply trouble you.
Man: What's the trouble in that? Give her.
Harpreet: Okay! Bebu, if you trouble or scream now, Amma will never talk to you. You have to be quiet, okay?
Shehnaaz: (nods) God promise, I won't trouble uncle. I will sit quietly and wave bye.
Harpreet passes Shehnaaz onto the man's lap. Shehnaaz grinned from one ear to another as she looked outside and waved to people walking on the road.
Man: How old is she?
Harpreet: She will be 4 in another 4 months.
Man: Okay, very nice. She is very cute and bubbly. (He pinches her cheeks softly).
Woman on the other side of the seat talks to Harpreet about her niece who was also 4 year old and told her stories about her naughtiness. The Man looks at them and slowly slips his hand inside Shehnaaz's frock. He starts rubbing her genital over her underwear. Shehnaaz jerks, he stops and after a moment the man continues the torture.
Shehnaaz was very uncomfortable as he settled her over his hardened genital. She thinks of screaming and telling her mother but then remembered her promise. She glares at him with a irritated and helpless face but the man doesn't stop. The moment he tries slipping his hands in her undies, she jumps and goes to her mother's lap.
Harpreet: What happened Bebu?
The man was sweating as he got scared that she would narrate his ill deeds to her mother but he was relieved when she nods nothing. Rest of the journey, Shehnaaz didn't utter a single word. She was shaken and her little heart and mind was horrified with the incident which remained forever. She never again insisted her mom to use window seat.
Flashback ends.
"All settle down, we are leaving", Conductor says loudly.
Shehnaaz looks at Aadya who looked at the man at window seat with a disgusting face.
Sidharth opened his eyes and looked at Aadya. A soft smile left his lips. He was shocked himself since he had forgotten smile since a long time. Last he smiled was 3 years 3 months 2 days ago.
Aadya: Mumma, I don't want to sit next to him. You know right that I hate boys?
Sidharth's smile disappeared and he frowned whereas Shehnaaz's lip curled into a smile. Sidharth looked at Shehnaaz smiling and smirked.
No wonder that child is rude because the mother instead of imparting value to respect others is smiling at her rudeness. I guess that's the disadvantage of marrying and becoming a parent at such a young age. The mother herself looks like a college girl.
Shehnaaz: I know sweetheart. I hate them too. (winks) No worries my cutie pie, you can sit towards the aisle and I'll sit in the middle. (They both fist bump)
I don't trust any man but I will make sure that I protect you at any cost. I won't let anything bad happen to you my sweetheart even if I have to go through any torture myself.
Shehnaaz and Aadya settle down on their seat and the bus starts moving.
Sidharth: Excuse me! Is this how you teach your child ethics? She just insulted me and you are supporting her bad manner?
Shehnaaz: You are not excused Mister!! Have you seen yourself in the mirror? Your face looks like a jungle of hair. I wonder how many lice must be residing in it. When did you bathe last? Cause you stink like a street dog! With this kind of appearance, any normal child will behave like this.
Sidharth: Disgusting! I was talking about manners and you went on to shame me on my appearance.
Shehnaaz: What manners are you talking about? We all learnt in our childhood that Honesty is the best policy. She is just being the best by speaking honestly. I can't tell her to praise your appearance when I myself feel that you look like a ghost who escaped from a horror movie shoot!
Sidharth: Huh? I look like a ghost? You look like an uncultured and uncivilized animal escaped from the zoo.
Shehnaaz: Hello Uncle! Be in your limits! What is troubling you so much, huh?
Sidharth: (What the hell!! Uncle??) I am in my limits itself. I think you should just learn how to talk to others. Arrogant soul. You are setting a bad example to your child. I feel pity for your husband.
Shehnaaz wanted to answer him back but she kept quiet when he spoke of husband. Aadya pulled her sleeves and Shehnaaz leaned close to her to lend her ear.
Aadya: Mumma, you gave up? That boy is scary, you got scared as well?
Shehnaaz: No baby, I am not scared, neither should you be. You are my bravest daughter! (Hugs her and kisses her cheeks)
Sidharth looks at them through the corner of his eyes.
After a long long time, I got involved in a silly fight. But I thought she would continue, why did she fall silent all of a sudden? Did I go overboard and hurt her sentiments in anyway? She may be arrogant but she loves her daughter a lot. I don't know why but I feel I know her or have seen her before.
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Sorry for my bad editing skills. 😞
To be continued.. ❤️❤️