Saturday night
Shashi was sitting in her room.
"May I come in?" He asked.
Shashini nodded her head. Jayesh closed the room door and sat beside her.
"How are you Shashi?" He asked.
"Good." She replied.
"Then why can't you sleep in the night?" He asked.
"Are you spying on me?" She asked in annoyance.
"No, Alexander uncle was lamenting to me." Jayesh said.
"You're habituated to sleep in my embrace Shashi that's why you couldn't sleep properly now. "Jayesh said.
"It's nothing like that. I'm sleeping well" Shashi said.
"Yeah, you're sleeping but it's not a deep sleep. You won't wake up until your alarm wakes up everyone in the building. Now you're sleeping after 12.00am and waking up at 6.00am." He said.
"It's none of your business so don't question or care about it." Shashi said sternly.
"Even I couldn't sleep well, Shashi. It's been months since I slept well." He said and looked at her and she was already looking at him.
"I miss you badly." He said while looking into her eyes.
She averted her gaze.
Silence prevailed for sometime.
"Why are you sending those letters?" She asked about breaking the Silence.
"Because I want you to know how much I Love you." He said sincerely.
"Stop wasting your time." She said.
Suddenly he cupped her cheeks . Shashini was startled. He kissed her forehead and muttered Good night.
But Shashini was too stunned to react.
"Don't think about anything and sleep well." He said and moved out of the room.
Next day evening Jayesh went back to Chennai.
Once again the letters started to come with a bouquet.
As usual the letter starts with a sorry and ends with I love Shashi.
'Let's see this weekend what reason he will give.' Shashi thought.
Friday evening Jayesh came.
"Why are you here now?" Shashi asked, glaring at him.
"Actually... I.. haan.. last week I left my important project file here itself so I came for that file." Jayesh said and Shashi knows that he is bluffing.
She glared at him and went to her room.
Jayesh sighed.
"What happened to the young man?" Alexander teased.
"It's tiring uncle.. Monday to Thursday evening work then travel." Jayesh said and huffed.
Shashini, who didn't reach her room, heard his whining and felt pity for him.
"Then stay in Chennai itself." Alexander said.
Jayesh gave an 'Am I a joke to you.' look.
Time skips....
It was Saturday evening..
Shashini was sitting in the lawn while reading a file. Jayesh came and sat beside her. Even though knowing his presence she didn't turn towards his side but his intense look disturbed her. Shashini huffed and turned towards him.
"Pch.. What do you want now?" She asked and placed the file on the table.
"Your time." He said while shrugging his shoulders.
Shashini rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"See Jayesh... Trust is a base for any relationship. For me trust is a first and foremost thing. Without trust nothing will work out. But you broke that fucking trust which I had on you." She started to explain calmly but at the end her voice showed the intensity of her anger.
Jayesh didn't say anything. He remained silent.
"You broke all the promises you gave." Her voice explained her disappointment.
Before she could speak more Jayesh held her hands and said "Shashi.. now I'm not going to ask sorry nor explain myself. I asked for your time because I wanted to know about you. You have all our life to hate and scold me. I'm ready to apologise and wait until my last breath but now I want to know about you. About Deva Shashini. Jenith , Ashwin , your mom , dad and Uncle Alex told me how Shashi is but I wanted to know from you. "
His words were very sincere.
Shashi frowned.
'I know Shashi... I broke your trust and the promise I gave you. I know this is the only thought which is running in your mind. That's why you're residing it every time I come to apologise.' Jayesh thought.
His thoughts were broken when Shashi tried to pull her hand from his hold.
"What do you actually want to know?" She asked calmly.
"The real Shashi who loved Jaydan." He said.
Hearing Jaydan's name made Shashi shiver.
"Everyone told me how much you loved Jaydan but I want to hear it from you directly." He said.
"Why?" She asked.
"I failed to hear when you tried to unfold your past to me but please I want to hear it now." He said.
Shashi sighed because of his determination.
"As Everyone said I know Jaydan from my childhood. Jenith is my best friend and naughty like me but Jaydan was a sincere kid. Now and then he used to play with us. Maybe the distance I had with him made me fall for him.
When Jenith and Jaydan went to Australia for studies I missed them a lot. Now and then Jenith used to talk to me but I didn't get any chance to talk with Jaydan. Without my knowledge I started to like Jaydan because Linda ma always used to talk about him.
When Linda ma passed away I was broken. I couldn't tolerate the pain. That's when I started getting nightmares. Jaydan noticed my sufferings. He started to sleep on the couch so that he could console me whenever I had nightmares. Even though I was angry with him he was adamant and stayed with me.
Day's went just like that.. whenever we talk, it will end in an argument or a fight. But this happened only for the first two years after that I understood my love for him. I can't tolerate a woman beside him." She said
One day Shashi went to Jaydan's room and he was busy getting ready for the office.
"Let me help you." Shashi said moving towards him.
"Don't you have college today?" Jaydan asked.
"Saturday." She replied and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"I'll help you." She said and tried to get the tie from his hand.
"I'm getting late Shashi." He said and stood in front of the mirror.
"Please.. please I'll try." Shashi asked with puppy eyes.
Jaydan huffed and gave the tie to her but she couldn't tie properly.
"Give it to me." He said and tied it within 15 seconds.
"Wow.. can you teach me Jay?" She asked.
"Another time Shashi." He said and took his laptop.
"Please please please Jay." She asked.
He took another tie and taught her once slowly.
"Easy." She said with a smile.
"Ok... I'm getting late bye.." he rushed to his car.
When he came home around 5pm
All the servants were walking around the house with a tie in their neck.
"What's happening here?" Jaydan asked when he saw his father with a tie around his neck.
Alexander sighed and pointed his finger towards Shashi who was busy tying the tie around their dog's neck.
In the morning she practised tying the tie properly. She tried until she was satisfied with the outcome.
"Shashi, What are you doing?" Jaydan asked sternly.
"I learned to tie the tie perfectly and I can tie it within 20 secs." She said enthusiastically.
"For god sake you're 18 Shashi not 8 so behave." He scolded her.
"I may be 8 or 18. It's my wish to do what I want." She said sternly.
"You're..." before he could speak Alexander said Jaydan's name with a stress warning to not speak more.
Jaydan huffed and went to his room.
"So that's why you tied that tie within 10 seconds." Jayesh asked.
Shashi smiled and nodded her head.
Linda's relatives came to the mansion after knowing about Shashi and Jaydan's engagement.
"You can't let this girl marry Jaydan," A lady said.
"Why?" Alexander asked.
"She killed her parents and our Linda." Another lady said.
"Don't speak like this." Jenith said sternly.
Shashi was controlling her anger and her hand because they are Linda's relatives.
"Serve juice for everyone." Shashi ordered the maid.
"Hey, you girl. Who do you think you're? Who gave you permission to boss around?" A uncle asked.
"What's happening here?" A voice came from the entrance..
It was Jaydan.
Alexander was sitting on the couch along with the other relatives. Jenith and Shashi were standing behind the couch.
"How are you Jaydan?" The relatives greeted him.
He nodded his head in reply and moved towards Shashi.
He touched her forehead and cheeks with the back of his hand and asked "Sweety, still you have temperature, I asked you to take rest but why are you standing here?"
"Jaydan, don't care for that orphan. She is a sin." A lady said, making Jaydan clench his fist.
"Bring coffee for Jay." Shashi said to the maid.
"See.. again she is ordering the maid as if she owns this mansion." A lady scoffed.
Jaydan encircled his arms around her shoulders and said "She is my girl and she has all the rights to boss around. Don't forget that she was the lady of this mansion for years and soon to be Mrs. Jaydan."
The relatives gasped and said " We can't allow you to marry her."
"I didn't ask your opinion. I'm just informing." Jaydan said mockingly.
"Jay, they are Linda ma's relatives." Shashi said in a low tone.
"I can't let these people speak about my girl." Jaydan said and held her hands.
"Remember, she is my girl so better stay away from her." Jaydan warned the relatives and took Shashini to her room.
'That's why the word My girl was very special to her. She must have remembered this incident when I called her My girl and when I stood for her when those aunties spoke ill about her.' Jayesh thought.
Once Shashi and Jaydan went to the beach.
"Shashi..." Jaydan called and she was leaning on his shoulders.
"Mmm.." she replied.
"We need to buy an apartment for ourselves." He said.
"What ? We are not going to stay in our mansion after the wedding" She questioned.
"I just want alone time with you Shashi. Only us. We can spend the weekends in the apartment." He said.
"I didn't know that my Jay is romantic." She teased him.
He twisted her ears.
"Jay.. isshh...leave me." She shouted in pain.
"Nowadays you're talking too much." He said.
"Ok ok tell me the plan for the apartment." She asked excitedly.
"Just a three bedroom apartment is enough for us." He said.
"Three bedrooms?" She questioned.
"We need a spare bedroom if we invite dad , Jenith and Nancy." He said.
Shashini smiled and nodded her head.
"Do you have any guess where the apartment will be?" He asked.
"I'm damn sure the apartment will be near the beach. Sea facing balcony." She said.
"You know me well." He said with a smirk.
"Weekend is only for us. You and me without any disturbance." He said and side hugged her.
She wrapped her hands around his torso.
'Oh.. Jaydan also likes the Sea facing apartment.' Jayesh thought.
Few days before their engagement , Jaydan and Shashini went to purchase the ring and clothes
"Jay..." she called his name.
"Yeah Sweety." He asked while looking at the shirts.
"I want our wedding to be in three different traditions." Shashi said.
"Seriously?" He asked in amusement.
Shashi nodded her head.
"Elaborate." He asked.
"One, Christian white wedding.
Two, South Indian type of wedding
Three, North Indian type of wedding with Haldi.. mehandi function."
"Anything else." He asked.
"We should celebrate it like a festival." She said enthusiastically.
He chuckled seeing her childishness.
"Are you ok with that?" She asked slowly.
"Anything for you Sweety." He said and kissed her forehead.
"But Sweety the south Indian wedding chain will be heavy right?" He asked.
"Yeah, I have seen mumma wearing her golden chain with lots of beads." She said.
Jayesh smiled thinking about the day when they bought the nuptial chain and his smile faded when he remembered how she removed that chain with a heavy heart.
"He used to say some important tactics and techniques while discussing the deals and I used to write it down in the diary without missing a word." She said remembering those days.
"Sweety.. we're getting late. We have to go to the wedding, not the reception." Jaydan said while standing infront of Shashi's room.
"Two minutes Jay." She shouted.
Jaydan sat on the living room couch.
After ten minutes Shashi came down while adjusting her saree constantly.
Jaydan admired her.
"What kind of clothing is this? I'm not going to wear a saree for my wedding." Shashi said while checking herself continuously.
"What happened Shashi?" He asked.
"This saree is torturing me." Shashi sighed.
"Who asked you to wear saree? Wear something which is comfortable for you." He said.
"Seriously." She asked with a smile.
Jaydan nodded his head.
"Sweety, this is not our wedding. You can wear a salwar or anything else." Jaydan said while holding her hands.
She blushed when he mentioned about their wedding.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Damn sure." He said.
"You're the best." She said and ran towards her room.
"Shashi, can you share your nightmare?" Jayesh asked.
Shashini stiffened and shook her head in denial.
Jayesh held her hands and said "Please Shashi."
She took a deep breath and started to speak.
"That.. That night... I was in the car with Jay and Hasini. I was crying and asking them to open their eyes. But.. they they.." She started to gasp and tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Jayesh hugged her and rubbed her back.
"It's ok. It's ok.. " he said.
It took a few minutes for her to calm down.
Shashini moved back and wiped her tears.
"I'm going to my room." She moved without waiting for his reply.
Jayesh sighed.
"What happened Jayesh?" Alexander asked while sitting beside him.
"I have hurt her uncle so much." He said with a sigh.
"Why do you want to know about her past?" Alexander asked.
Jayesh explained an incident which happened two days before.
Rishi ( Nikitha's husband) came to visit Jayesh.
Jayesh told the truth about what happened in his life.
First Rishi scolded him but after that he gave hope that Shashi will forgive him for sure.
"Even I spoke mean words to Nikitha and pushed her away from me. I was forced to do that but no matter what we should always stay beside our loved ones." Rishi said.
"Nikitha was angry at me initially and not even interested to see my face but later she forgave me after hearing my point. Sit and talk with her and make her understand. Make sure to know about her past." Rishi said.
"Yeah, I know about her past." Jayesh said.
"Ask her Jayesh." Rishi said.
Jayesh nodded his head.
"I failed to ask about Nikitha's past and that past..." Rishi couldn't find the right word to explain.
"Thank you Rishi." Jayesh said.
"Shashi deserves someone better." Jayesh said.
Alexander huffed and said "Don't lose your hope."
Once again Jayesh went back to Chennai and Shashini started to get letters from him.
First she was annoyed by those letters but later she started to wait for his letters.
It was Friday again and this time she heard a familiar voice in the living room.
"Hasini...." Jayesh's mom rushed towards Shashi.
"Aunty." She was shocked.
Jayesh's mom hugged Shashi.
"I'm really sorry dear. " She said while crying.
"Aunty, please don't cry." Shashi said.
After greeting her mother-in-law Shashi went to her room.
While moving to the room she dashed on someone and it's none other than Jayesh.
She glared at him and he smiled sheepishly.
"What reason are you going to give this time?"
Shashi asked him.
"Mom wants to visit you, that's why I came with her. You know, She can't travel alone." Jayesh said making an innocent face.
Shashi gave an 'I know you' look and moved to her room.
Next day Shashi took Jayesh's mom to the tea estate.
"Are you happy Shashini?" Jayesh's mom asked.
Shashi passed a weak smile.
"I can understand your anger. Punish him as much as you want. Let him beg for your forgiveness but don't leave him. I know you still love him." She said.
Shashi gasped.
"How do you know?" Shashi asked.
"I too crossed your age Sweety." She said.
This week Jayesh could speak with Shashi as she was busy with his mother.
While leaving back to Chennai Shashini hugged her mother-in-law and said "Thank you so much aunty."
"Remember what I told you." She said.
Shashi smiled and nodded her head.
Jayesh stood in front of Shashi.
"What?" She asked.
Jayesh pecked Shashi's forehead and said "I love you. Take care."
Shashi was startled.
"I used to do this always while leaving. Every Time she'll be sleeping but today she is awake." Jayesh answered the unasked question as his mom was watching him.
Next Friday Shashini was eagerly waiting for Jayesh's arrival but he didn't come.
'Why should I wait for him? He is no one to me.' Shashi said to herself and slept.
It was monday again and Shashini didn't receive any letter from him.
'Did he forget to send the letter?'she thought.
'Shit, why should I expect his letter? Argh.. Shashini concentrate on your work.' She scolded herself.
Her heart yearned for his letter without her knowledge.
Time skips...
It's Friday evening Shashi was sitting in the living room but her thoughts were filled with Jayesh.
'Did he lose interest in me?'
'Did he stopped trying?'
Different kinds of thoughts were running in her mind.
'I don't want him. Why should I wait for him? Let him do what he wants.' Shashi thought.
She dozed off on the couch but the next day she woke up from her bed.
'He must have carried me to the room.' Shashi thought and smiled.
'Who gave the rights to him? He shouldn't have done that.' Her mind said.
After sometime she came to the living and saw Jayesh talking with Alexander.
She stood near the stairs watching him.
"Sweety, come here. Why are you standing there?" Alexander called her.
Shashi came out of trance and moved to the dining table.
After breakfast.
"What reason do you have now?" Shashi asked when she saw him in the living room.
"I missed you so much Shashi." He said with a smile.
She too smiled without her knowledge.
But unfortunately their moment was broken by the maid.
"Excuse me mam. What shall I cook for lunch?" The maid asked. Shashini moved to the kitchen.
Jayesh sighed.
Later in the evening.
"Shashi I want to talk with you." Jayesh said.
Shashini who was playing with Shishimaru sat on the bench.