Shehnaaz kept standing there and now tears were flowing from her eyes. Sidharth forgot about Rupanshi completely and stood up in shock, "Shehnaaz..."
"Sidharth, aisa kyu....?" Shehnaaz couldn't complete and started crying hysterically.
"Shehnaaz, listen to me. What you heard was not what you are thinking." Sidharth tried to explain as he does not want to be the person who would give wound to her heart. He fears becoming the reason of her mistrust and pain.
Shehnaaz came near him and hugged him. "I tried par sab galat ho gaya. Ab kya karu mein?" Shehnaaz asked Sidharth.
Sidharth knew that he should confess right now or she will loose trust in him and will leave him. He cannot afford to loose a person dear to him again. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Shehnaaz said something shocking him out of his wits. "Sidharth, aaj guard kaka ka birthday hai aur maine unhe surprise dene ke liye unki wife aur bete-beti ko yahan bulaya tha. Yahan sabhi ek dusre ko birthdays pe surprise dete hai. Par guard kaka ko nahi. Isliye maine socha aaj unka birthday celebration yahi karenge. Par uss cake wale ne end moment pe mana kar dia. Ab kya hoga?"
"Hein? Kya bol rahi hai tu. Tu cake nahi aaya isliye ro rahi hai?" Sidharth asked to confirm his doubt.
"Haan toh. Maine unki family ko toh bula lia par cake hi nahi aaya. Meri bezzati hogi vo toh alag unka dil kitna dukhega." Shehnaaz said wiping her face but again started sobbing.
"Par tujhe itna paseena kyu aa raha hai?" Shehnaaz asked Sidharth who was rubbing his sweaty face.
"Ku..kuch nahi." Sidharth stammered.
"Tu theek hai na?" Shehnaaz asked him as he was sweating in an air-conditioned room.
"Haan...mein theek hun. Tu chinta mat kar. Rahi baat cake ki mein le aata hun kahi aur se. Aur kuch snacks bhi le aaunga." Sidharth said ignoring her questions.
Listening to him, Shehnaaz hugged him and gave him kisses all over his face. One kiss was very close to his lips. They both looked at each other but Shehnaaz ignoring the awkwardness kept showering him with kisses. She has decided to go with the flow. She knew there is something within her for him, so instead of ignoring she decided to accept whatever it is. But this can't happen in one day. She will take it slow but won't step back.
Sidharth left after giving her a forehead kiss. On his way to the bakery, he tried calling Rupanshi but she wasn't picking up the calls. So he called Bindu Ji and told her to come with Rupanshi the next day for the session.
That evening they all celebrated the birthday of their own guard kaka. His family was also called to be a part of the celebration. Shehnaaz's respect for Sidharth increased when guard kaka's wife, whom they called kaki with respect told her that their children's education is financed by Sidharth.
When they reached home, Shehnaaz hugged him tightly. But this time she was falling more deeply for him. She knew, she very well knew where her feelings were going. Still she decided to go on. She was determined not to let her fear overpower her feelings for this man who has left no stone unturned to treat her.
☆
Next day, Sidharth was sitting in his cabin fidgeting his fingers. He was restless. Just then, Bindu Ji entered with Rupanshi. Rupanshi's eyes were red and it seemed that she cried a lot. Looking at him and remembering their last day's conversation, her eyes filled up again. Sidharth felt bad for her.
"Bindu Ji, aap please bahar wait kare. Mein inse baat karke aapko bulata hun." Sidharth said pointing towards Rupanshi. Sensing the situation, she left giving a slight pat on Rupanshi's back.
"Come Rupanshi. Please sit." Sidharth stammered. It was for the first time in his professional career that he was stammering in front of his patient out of nervousness.
She didn't looked at him and sat crumpling the end of her dupatta.
Sidharth after composing himself spoke, "See Rupanshi. Kal jo bhi baat hui humare beech mai vo aapko hurt karne ke intention se nahi nahi thi. I just didn't wanted you to be badly hurt in future so I decided to break your imaginary bubble. I am sorry but I don't love you and before you speak your assumptions let me tell you it has nothing to do with your colour. For God's sake, just don't link anything and everything that happens with you to your colour."
Rupanshi looked at him and hesitantly asked, "Parr aap toh humesha mein jo bhi dish ya sweets bana ke laati thi vo le lete the. Smile karke thank you bhi bolte the. Mujhe laga ki..."
"Rupanshi, aap efforts laga kar kuch bana kar laati thi toh agar mein mana kar dun toh rude lagta aur aap hurt hoti. Phir bhi maine kayi baar aapko roka hai baad mai ki aap pareshaan na hoye mere liye kuch bhi laane ke liye. Still you didn't stop, that was your call. And just think rationally ki smile karke thank you bolna as you said ki mein aapko bolta tha, toh kya vo yeh batata hai ki saamne wala aapko pyaar karta hai? Agar lagta hai na toh please stop watching those shitty movies and shows jo aisi chize dikhaate hai." Sidharth sighed. He was frustrated by her childishness but knew she was a pure-hearted girl who meant no harm. He then continued to talk with her asking her to think about her parents and herself.
"Samajh gayi. Shaayad mere samajhne mai hi koi galti hui hogi. Par please aap mujhe hate nahi karna. Mera koi bhi galat iraada nahi tha." Rupanshi requested.
"Never Rupanshi. I won't hate you. I understand that they were your feelings which you shared with me and it had no malice in it. If you ever feel bad, lonely or want to share something you can come here. Talk to me. Hmm. Never harm yourself. You don't know I was damn scared yesterday after you left." He calmed her.
She stood up and left the room but was brought back by her mother.
"Koi pareshaani hai kya doctor sahab?" Bindu Ji asked.
"Aap chinta na kare. Thi pehle pareshaani par ab theek hai. Aur aap dekhiye aapki beti kitni strong banti jaa rahi hai. Iss baar inhone khud ko hurt nahi kia. Haan dukhi hui thi, shaayad kuch din aur rahe. Par yeh sab normal hai, insaan hai na toh emotions toh honge hi." Sidharth assured Bindu Ji.
They took his leave and Bindu went out to fetch a cab while she was sitting inside the hospital. When her mother signed her to come, she stood up but her kurti stuck at the corner of the bench and the stitches loosened at some places. A little portion was torn which made her back visible. She gasped in horror and tried to hide it with her dupatta in vain as the dupatta was kind of transparent. She tried to fix it when suddenly a man came behind her and said, "Relax, you walk in front of me and I'll cover your back."
Rupanshi at first was shocked by a stranger standing so close to her but realized that he has no bad intention. She spoke meekly, "Ji thank you. Baahar tak hi jaana hai bass. Cab aa gayi hai."
The man smiled looking at her innocence and said, "No issues. Chaliye." He took her till her cab hiding her back and greeted her mother. Bindu Ji was grateful to the man who saved her daughter from embarrassment and like any other Bhartiya Maa invited him at her home to thank him.
Just when he was about to leave after their not-so-little conversation, Bindu Ji asked his name.
The man replied, "Sanjay."
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NOTE : - Namaste everyone. Hope you enjoyed reading the chapter. Also, tell me areas of improvement in my writing.
♧♤Many were there with me when I started writing but I am grateful to those who stayed. Thank you for your constant support. Also, I welcome the new readers and hope you would stay.♤♧
Did you felt (in the last chapter) that Shehnaaz heard Sidharth's and Rupanshi's conversation and mistook it?
Do you think Rupanshi will turn into a negative character, who would still try her chance upon Sidharth?
Who is Sanjay?
{Published on : Monday, 10 April 2023}
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Keep Sidharth and his family in your prayers.
Your writer,
Sudhanya