Her fingers drummed a rapid staccato on the table surface, a nervous rhythm that betrayed the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind. She blows her cheeks out with a heavy breath meant to steady her as it has been almost midnight still there is no news of Anuj's arrival. When she reaches his cabin only to be greet with vacant space abandoned of specific human presence.
' Anuj theek to hai ne ? ', Anupamaa asked herself as she battled against the relentless waves of anxious energy coursing through her body. The tuck of the clock echoed in her ears, each passing second a reminder of time slipping away and there is no news of Anuj, fueling her anxiousness.
She traced invisible patterns on the tablecloth, a nervous tic that betrayed her anxious anticipation. Getting up from her place she shuffled through her tote bag to get grip over her buttoned phone and dial number without giving second thought for disturbing someone at this late as her priorities are clear for now, Anuj.
" Devika tume Anuj ke baare mein kuch pata che ? ", Anupamaa spoke so quickly it became hard to tell what she was saying to the sane person then what do you expect from the sleepy Devika who mumbled something in drowsy tone somewhere irking her.
" Anujjjj ... ? Kya bol rahi hain yaar Anu ? ", Devika asked her bestie being drowsy still being sleepy while not understanding what has been spoken from another end and more over who called people at past midnight ?!
" Devika, aaj Anuj ke maa-baba ki barsi thi to jahir si baat hain ki vo Ghar to jayenge nahi na ?! To tujhe pata hain kya vo kaha gaye honge ? ", Anupama taking deep breath to calming her tone and questioned in soft and more clear voice.
" Vaise to Anuj usually apne penthouse jata hain magar yaha par apne purane Ghar gaya honga ... Jaha vo apne mumma-papa ke saath rahta tha before that mishap. " Devika completed as her voice had dropped an octave and was gritty as her chest felt hollow for her best friend.
Gathering herself, anupamaa asked devika for the address of his old residence which was enough for Devika to jerked up and her eyes widen in realisation why Anupamaa demanded the address and restricted her.
Devika : Anu nai, agar tu yeh soch rahi hain ki tu Anuj ko console karengi, uska dard batengi to tu galat track par hain. Jis soft-spoken gentleman Anuj ko tu janti hain yeh vo nahi hain, he is too dangerous to be approached right now. Tune office ka mahol dekha aaj, bohot dense and thick tha, right ?!
Devika asked only to receive silence from other side and continue few moments, " Dekh Anu, I know ki tujhe Anuj ki fikar ho rahi hain and you just want ki vo theek ho but tu bhi situation ki thickness ko samajh yaar, jis tarah tera past trauma raha hain usi tarah uska past bhi kisi nightmare se kam nahi raha hain. "
" Agar vo dard batenge nahi to unhe vo dard andar se khokhla kar denga Devika, jine ki vajah chhin lenga ... ", Anupama whispered in desperate tone, trying to convince her bestie to share the address as she just wanna check him, even if it meant by from faraway.
Devika : Mana dard batne se kam ho jata hain Anu magar kuch ateet ke panne chhune se hi ruh kamp uthti hain to unhe palatne ka sawal hi nahi uthata.
Anupama : Mujhe unke ateet mein nahi jhakna hain Devika aur naahi hi kuch karna hain. Bas unhe ek baar dekhna hain, dur se hi sahi, apne liye ... tu samajh ne !!!
Anupama scream of rage devolved into a cry and unknown to herself, her eyes rimmed with tears feeling unknown emotions erupting inside her gut. She felt need to see him, might because of the image of her shayar Kapadia doesn't settle down to her cause she cares for him after all he is her business partners.
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Thump Thump Thump
The echo of the force meeting the bag and it's brutal empact boomed in whole gym room followed by another in specific interval, following a rhythm. The force was increasing with each passing second, to exhaust himself and keeping his mind away from the very thought.
Always groomed to perfection, looking like a model in those perfect Armani blazer which compliments him is toppled on the floor carelessly, with his tie loosely hanging on around his neck and shirt was untucked from with crumbles with sleeves rolled up giving glimpses of his veiny arms sweat glistening.
Top few buttons open which giving image of his barrel chest shinning with sweat even in the silver light entering from the glass walls. The usually styled hairs are dishevelled mess, all curly being damp taking it's natural form.
The constant beep from his smart watch, alerting him about his body needing rest but he continues ignoring the beeping in background. The sharp pain shooting up on his knuckles as blood dripped down staining the white boxing band but he careless and continued to drop his series of punches, remembering the last conversation between his mother and the reason which angered him more ...
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" Mum...ma I need you ... ", A faint chocking voice comes from other end followed by hard sobs that person began to choke over his own tears. Hot tears trickled down her face as she heard her son's gasped between cries, barely able to catch the breath needed for the next. Her chest felt hollow, nausea churned her stomach.
" Anuj ?! Baby ... ", A mother couldn't control the whimper hearing her baby crying from another end just to be with her. It has been 15 months him being away from them so that he could get over the pain yet somewhere she knows why he has been this miserable.
It was hard to control her own choke but she somehow asked him, only to receive another session of his sobbing hard while trying to collect his voice to spoke out, but always ended up with choking over his own voice. She looked towards her husband helplessly while crying silently whose eyes turned shimmering due to pool of tears. Rolling his tongue, he dialled his manager to book next available flight while clutching his wife palm in death grip who also shattered hearing the miserable cry from their boy.
Anuj : Kyunnnnn ??? Mumma main kyun nahi ... I know ki ... ga...lat hain, I shouldn't int...erfere in her life. she is ... happy with ...out know...ing my exi...stence and I am also try....ing mumma par main... kyunnnnn nahi ? Am I that bad ?? Batao na mummaaa ...
Her baby's desperate voice comes from other end while she couldn't help except crying in her husband's arms praying for Kanha ji to show mercy over her poor baby. His father pulled out the phone from her grip while rapping her in his arms and spoke, trying to calm his champ somehow controlling his own tears ...
" Buddy pahle aap rona band kariye ! You are good boy of your mumma, right ?! " " Main nahi hun papa ... I didn't listen to her. She ... Mumma ne kaha tha ki don't interfere in her life and here I am stalk....ing her like a cree...p ... I am not good boy papa ... " Anuj gasped between the hard sobs which was screaming his misery.
Snatching phone and composing herself just for her baby, his mumma spoke, " No ! Mera baby to humesha se good boy raha hain. He listens to his mumma right baby ?! Now go pulled out your favourite dupatta of mumma's ... ", And she could hear the shuffling sound from another side before meeting with the silence.
" Now rapped around yourself like you used to ... ", She instructed and heard the deep breaths with silent gasped along with some shuffling. She heard his whisper from another end which causes her to smile even her nose turned red and runy, " Mujhe apki godi mein sona mumma ... "
" Aaj aise hi so jao, kal mumma apne haathon se apne baby ko khana bhi khilayegi aur apni godi mein bhi sulayengi ... Okay ... ", She assured her baby only to hear faint hmm from other end followed by good night. She sung lullaby which helps Anuj to falls sleep while waiting for next day to sleep in his mumma's lap which come and he kept waiting for his parents arrival but instead of them, the news come which turned his life upside down ...
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" Kyunnnnn ? ", Muttering furiously under his breath he plant another punch and heard the clinking of chains along with the tearing of bag. His face turned crimson veins pulsating with pent-up fury as he clenched his fist with intensity of his rage. The air crackled with tension as his jaw tightened, muscles twitching with suppressed urge to lash out, his eyes blazing with fiery indignation.
Loud, enraged breaths spiraled from his nasals echoing in the vacant house which used to be his happy place is now vacant and it's silence eating him from inside.
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So the second part of A Journey ends here, how do you feel about this part ?
Pardon any mistakes and thank you for giving your valuable time to read this, I hope you like it
Do votes and comments, will love to read your response !
- Chanchu ✨❣️