Author's Pov
Tara was labelling the medicines in the laboratory. Dr. Nidhi Raichand entered the lab at the same time.
"Good morning Mam..."
"Good morning Tara...can you give me some arnica 30.."
"Sure mam...here..."
Tara gave the medicine to Nidhi. She smiled.
"Thanks....come to the meeting room...our Nawab Saab is coming..He wants to meet our intern"
"Yes mam.. I'm coming"
Nidhi left the laboratory.
Tara didn't like it when Nidhi said "Our Nawab Saab"
"Why our Nawab? We have no Nawabs in dehradun...We are independent people...why they likes to stay under someone? And why this Nawab is after our city? He should go to any other places...not here... I'm not liking this"
She whispered all these while tagging the boxes.
"You should say these things in front of Nawab Saab"
Tara startled after hearing Dharmesh's voice.
"Got scared? You thought Dr. Kulkarni came..you won't believe but everyone is looking so alarmed today...infact I heard rumour that Nawab Saab is extremely powerful...Even the ministers of our city are spending nights in terror...He is very ruthless and I also heard....."
"I don't want to hear anything Dharmesh...I don't like these type of people"
Tara said in a bit irritation.
"I know you must be thinking about Ibrahim sir...."
As soon as Dharmesh said that, the medicine box fell from Tara's hand and all the medicines got spread on the floor.
"What you have done Tara! This is too much loss...Dr. Kulkarni will charge you for this..."
Dharmesh looked at Tara and got shocked.
"Hey, are you fine? Why are you shivering? It's okay...I will talk to Dr. Kulkarni... Don't feel nervous..."
Tara immediately ran towards the basin. She started to throw cold water on her face. That one name is enough to shook her inside in tremendous fear. Her whole face is throbbing hard. She splashed back to back water on her face.
I'm fine..he..is..not..here.. I'm fine...
She uttered in her mind back to back to gain strength.
Dharmesh stood behind her and placed his hand on her back. Tara immediately moved back.
"I'm okay... I'm fine.."
She said while lowering her eyes.
"What the hell??? Who have done this?"
Dr. Kulkarni entered the lab. He stared at the liquids which are all over the floor.
"Who did this? You two?"
He asked being angry.
"No sir...it's me...the medicines slipped from my hands...and..."
"How careless you are!! With this carelessness you will achieve nothing...now who will pay for this loss? You will not get your fellowship this month..not even next month...careless people like you should get punished...from today you won't work in the laboratory...you will clean patient's room....you don't deserve to be in here"
Tears gathered into Tara's eyes and fell into her cheeks but she failed to utter a word. Her introvert nature always makes her silent. She failed to show her helplessness outside. She should say sorry and tell Dr. Kulkarni that she won't be able to pay the rent if he abandoned her fellowship for two months but she stayed silent in fear.
She has always considered herself as a liability to others. She has never thought that she is also an important person. She could ask for her rights. But her childhood in slum and also those hostel days made her to feel like an inferior person. She always considered that she never deserves a priority. She is just a tertiary option in this world.
Only her di has treated her with care. She missed her so much but at the same time she knows how much it will be a danger to contact her. She stays in the same city where the devil lives. In the last phone call Pari told her that he is taking the throne. From that moment they have stopped contacting each other.
"Are you even listening? Now listen to me..you won't attend the meeting...I don't want any bad impression in front of Nawab Saab...now leave.."
Dr. Kulkarni showed her the way out. Tara left the lab slowly. She wiped her tears after coming out. How she will pay the rent now? She bites her lip to suppress her sob.
Suddenly she found three cars entering through the gate of their hospital.
The Nawab is coming.
She instantly walked through the balcony. She can't stay. Dr. Kulkarni has told her to leave. She locked herself in the bathroom. She will come out after the meeting.
............
She came out after an hour. Probably the meeting is over now. She reached in the conference hall to collect some files. She was shocked to see the gathering of the doctors and interns. Everyone is looking so tensed.
"Have I done any mistake? Why Nawab Saab fired me suddenly? The water slipped from my hand by mistake...I didn't do it deliberately..."
Dr. Kulkarni said.
Tara's eyes got widened.
"I'm also thinking the same..and why Nawab Saab has attended the meeting online? Why didn't come by himself?"
Dr. Nidhi said.
"It's better that he didn't come...he is so scary..have you seen his eyes? I heard our rail minister pissed on his pant in the last meeting"
Dr. Sharma said.
"That could be a rumour Dr. Sharma..but I can't deny that he is really intimidating"
Dr. Nidhi said.
"And very sexy too...."
One of the girl interns, named Tamara said. Dr. Nidhi instantly glared at her.
"I'm sorry mam... actually he is very handsome"
"You are standing in front of your seniors..."
Dr. Kulkarni scolded Tamara.
"Sorry Sir..."
Tamara apologised.
"What should I do now? He just fired me"
Dr. Kulkarni was looking so helpless.
"Don't worry Dr. Kulkarni...I will go and meet him...I will talk to him..."
Dr. Nidhi said.
"Mam, can I come with you?"
Tamara said eagerly.
"No..."
Suddenly Nidhi's eyes fell on Tara.
"Tara, you will come with me..."
Tara's eyes got widened. She looked at Dr. Kulkarni in fear.
"What she will do there? Nawab Saab will get angry because this girl is too clumsy....she has broken the medicine box today...."
Dr. Kulkarni said.
"I'm sure she hasn't done it deliberately Dr. Kulkarni...it was a mistake...Only she can come with me because she is very polite and calm..."
Dr. Nidhi said with a soft smile.
"Mam...I....I....."
"You are coming..no more arguments...let me take the appointment first"
Nidhi left the hall.
.........................
"I don't know why his men didn't let me enter...I also told him that I know his assistant....still they didn't allow me.."
Dharmesh said.
"Can you talk something else?"
Tara said.
"Yeah sure....I forget that you have a allergy with Nawab Saab"
Dharmesh said playfully. Tara didn't join on his joke.
Dharmesh finally reached his home. Tara has to walk more to reach her apartment. She started to walk silently. Her mood is not well today. Dr. Kulkarni's words are still echoing in her ears.
She isn't a clumsy girl. She can perform her duty very well. That time she got scared that's why the medicines slipped from her hand.
She looked at the monestary in front. She decided to go inside and pray. At least her mind will be calm.
She removed her shoes and entered. She closed her eyes and smelled the pure air of monestary. It always gives her peace. Her tensions reduced a lot after entering this place. The Lama's are ringing the bell. Now the prayer will start. She smiled after seeing those orphan Lama kids.
She stood behind them and closed her eyes. They started to recite together. Tara didn't understand their language but she felt peace.
She opened her eyes and looked at the Buddha. She joined her hands and prayed.
The prayer got over after 30 mins. The Lama kids knows her very well. They started to pull her hands. She started talking to them while sitting in a corner. They understand Hindi.
A Lama kid came running towards her and gave her a white rose. She smiled broadly.
"You are an angel"
The boy said. Tara chuckled and kissed his cheek.
Another Lama kid gave her a white Lilly.
"You are special..."
Tara smiled in confusion. Another Lama boy gave her a bunch of red spider lily.
"You came from heaven..."
Tara was really shocked till this moment.
Another Lama kid gave her blue orchids.
"You are an overload of cuteness..."
Tara stood up in shock.
"Where did you get all these flowers? Did you buy it? You can't waste money like this...okay... don't do it.."
She said those kids. These flowers didn't grow here.
"We didn't buy it... Someone gave us these flowers and told us to give an angel..we thought to give this to you"
Tara smiled softly and pat their heads.
"Don't take flowers from strangers...if he really wants to give flowers then tell him to give flowers to lord Buddha..."
She pats their head again before coming out of the monestary. Suddenly something popped in her mind. What about those lines? From where the kids learnt those sentences. They are too small to say such things by their own. She decided to ask them next day.
She reached her apartment and at the same time her phone vibrated. She picked up the call. It's Dr. Nidhi.
"Yes mam..."
"Tara, we got an appointment tomorrow evening...get ready by 6..see you..bye"
Tara kept her phone on the table. She is again feeling not well. Her stomach is clenching with an unknown fear. But she has no option left here. She will also talk to Nidhi about her fellowship. May be she could convince Dr. Kulkarni.
......,......................
Next evening they headed towards the Nawab Palace. Tara kept looking at the Palace in extreme shock. Her mouth widened after seeing this luxury. Nidhi was also awestruck.
"I didn't know that he is that much rich"
Dr. Nidhi said.
They entered through the gate. Nidhi showed them the appointment stamp. They let them go in after verifying the stamp. Tara almost got attached to Nidhi's frame after seeing this place. She could even got lost here. That much big it is.
"I heard that he has spent 60 crores for this palace..."
Tara looked at Nidhi unbelievably.
"I will also ask for a fund...He can sponser our hospital..we are in too much debt"
They entered the mansion and they both realised that inside is more lavish. The fragrance made her dizzy a bit. She doesn't know why but she is continuously feeling like to run out of this place.
"I'm not feeling..well..mam"
She whispered.
"Don't do this Tara..we are here for a purpose... don't behave like this"
Nidhi scolds her.
Tara's eyes fell on the entrance and she find them closing the large doors.
"Why they are locking the door? Mam... I'm feeling not right...."
She cried this time silently. Nidhi got really irritated.
"Are you abnormal? Who behaves like that? You are literally disrespecting Nawab Saab...have you lost your mind?"
She whisper yelled.
Tara cried more in silence. How can she make her understand that she is getting chills through her bones. It's feeling like someone is suffocating her.
"Listen... I'm right here okay..."
Nidhi finally softened her voice after seeing her traumatic state.
She must have faced something in past. Nidhi thought.
"Mam....I..want..to..go..home...I.. don't like...this...place.."
"It's okay...We will go home soon"
"Nawab Saab has called you inside.."
A servant appeared. Even the servants are wearing expensive traditional kurta.
"Okay..."
"Only you mam...She can wait here"
The servant said to Nidhi.
Tara looked at Nidhi in bit relaxed way. She doesn't wants to meet this Nawab at all. It's better that they called Nidhi, not her.
"Okay..sit here...I will just be back"
Nidhi followed the servant.
Tara didn't sit. She stood like that alarmed and cautious. Every second appeared like an eternity for her. She wants to run from this place as early as possible.
Suddenly her eyes fell on a flower vase. Her eyes got widened when she noticed white roses, white lillies, red spider lilies and blue orchids.
These are the same combinations of flowers she received from those kids. She walked towards the vase. The vase is extremely beautiful. She got busy in looking at the design. She touched the engraving of the vase. Suddenly she frowned after seeing something written on the vase. She bent to read it. It's written in Urdu. She can't read Urdu. She has seen the same letters in every decorations of this hall. What is it? She got curious.
She looked at the ceiling. She can see the same thing written on the ceiling.
"Mam, water..."
She got startled. She grabbed the glass and drank the water. She was actually thirsty.
"Thanks....umm..can you tell me what is written all over this place? I'm just curious...."
She asked the Lady. The woman smiled.
"Mam, i also don't know...it's Persi..Our Nawab Saab is from Persian ancestry..."
"Oh..."
Tara nodded her head.
"Then what is he doing here?"
She immediately regretted for her own question. But the woman smiled softly.
"He is here for his wife...I think he has written her name all over this place"
The woman left after that.
Tara looked all over the place in shock and surprise. She admired this thing. A man is in so much love with his wife that he has engraved her name all over his palace. This is romantic.
She walked near the sofa but suddenly her legs trembled. She felt dizzy all of a sudden. The woman came from somewhere and held her by her side.
"Are you fine madam?"
"I... I'm..."
Tara felt her vision is getting hazy.
The woman is taking her somewhere. She looked with her hazy vision. A huge room with a dim light on. The fragrance is enchanting.
"Mam..sit here..."
The woman make her sit on the king sized bed. The bed is so soft.
"I..want...to...go..home..."
She whispered by holding her head. She couldn't maintain her balance and fell on the bed by closing her eyes. She is feeling too sleepy.
"You are in home mam"
She heard the woman saying before losing her consciousness.
The woman turned her face and immediately she bent her head.
"Nawab Saab...."
"You may leave Sarah..."
The woman again nodded her head and walked out of the room.
His eyes fell on the bed.
He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled her presence.
"2 years....2 million years for me..."
He whispered on his thick voice. He walked towards the bed. His inside is swirling with so many emotions.
He sat near her legs and the first thing he did was to bury his head on her legs.
Nawab Ibrahim Sheikh Pataudi buried his face on a very ordinary 20 year old girls legs.
This is an extraordinary passion.
A passion that is now ready to consume an innocent soul with its melting lava.
She slept without knowing her destiny!