Her toes scrunched in the beads of sand as she readjusted herself, crossing over each other, looking towards the water, the ocean blue waves crashing up to the rocks. The pointy edges of them stood out to her as she sat there looking on.
The sun was rising, just the peak of the dawn. The beach was empty as expected as most people chose to travel to other beaches around and near to Kolkata, while she love this beach as it is near and stranded most of the time on weekdays and rushed and crowded on Sundays due to its Mela, she loves this beach as the beauty of it increases the sun rays kisses the water while the pearls in the waters shine like diamonds on the sea. She grabbed a fistful of sand while it slithered through her fingers for their softness.
"Swara," She heard a voice from behind and smiled a simple smile "Why so formal? Nat, I have told you what like thousand times to call me Shona," She said and turned around and looked at him.
His blue eyes stared into her black, as she looked at him, his skin was white with sun-kissed, just as she remembered and his dark almost black hair stood the same also. "Shona," He called her this time and she smile at him.
"I thought you will be at the Garden along with Nancy, What are you doing here?" Shona asked him and he looked at her unsure of how to answer "I am here because I wanted to and if I stay with Nancy anymore I may freaking lose my control and kiss her senseless and scare her away from me," He said and she laughed loudly so much that tears were forming in her eyes while he pouted at her.
"That's sarcasm you are using and if you love her and are that desperate to kiss her then go ahead and do it, if she feels the same for you she will reciprocate if not you will have the print of five fingers on your cheek," She said smiling and he pouted at her.
"You are making fun of me," He said and she shook her head with a smile "No Nat, I am telling you that take a step and go and tell her what you are feeling, you can move on if she doesn't love you, it will pain you but at the same time it will give you the courage to do anything in your life and if she loves you then..." Swara said and he looked at her with wide eyes.
"You Are An Angel," Nat said and Swara looked at him with a smile before shaking her head in denial.
"I am not, I am just a human like you all," She replied with simplicity and this time he shook his head.
"You Are An Angel because you spread happiness and love to the people surrounding you while healing their wounds," Nat said and Shona turned stiff for a moment.
"Shona, you know you are an angel, you heal the wounds of the heart of the people that surround you " She heard the echo of his voice from the past and tears formed in her eyes.
"Shona, Are you ok?" She heard and shook herself out of the past and nodded her head in positive "I am fine Nat, go and think about how you will propose to Nancy first," Swara said and Nathaniel nodded his head and walked away while Swara stood there for few moments and walked back to home and slept for the night like she is doing from last four years with stress and fretful sleep.
Her room was modern yet classic & beautiful while she was sleeping on the bed with a huge red teddy bear in Thigh Shorts and T-Shirt looking beautiful, modern and sexy even in sleepy look and just then a lady in her 30's entered her room and smiled seeing her daughter.
"Shona baccha get up you're getting late for work baccha." Janki said and Swara snuggled more into her blanket which made Janki smile "Mumma please five minutes." Swara replied clutching the teddy bear tightly.
"Please, common baccha you're my Princess, you will listen to your Mumma," Janki said stroking Swara's hair affectionately which made Swara open her eyes and smile sleeping at her "Good morning Mumma." Swara replied hugging her Mom "Good morning baby," Janki replied kissing her forehead.
Swara came out of her closet in skin-tight jeans with ankle length top leaving her hair loose with no makeup looking simple yet beautiful and classic, took her Mobile & purse and came down to see her mother cooking while the remaining family was busy talking among themselves and having breakfast.
"Good Morning Dad, GrandMa & Ragini," Swara greeted them with a smile as others just moved to the hall as they finished their breakfast "Good morning." They replied in monotone.
Swara looked at her Mom who is working around the kitchen nonchalantly as it is routine for both of them to get ignored by others but for her, it is not and she cannot behave as if it doesn't affect her as past 25 years of her life, it is same.
"Shona, Baccha, come and have your breakfast, you are already getting late," Janki called out to her daughter knowing what she feels when her remaining family mainly her father ignores her "Coming, Mumma, " Swara replied, had her breakfast and moved out instructing her mother to have medicines on time like every day she does.
Swara entered inside with a smile inhaling the smell of different flowers wafting in the air while she wore an apron on her dress so that dirt can't come onto her dress while she tends to the flowers and moved to the left side of the shop where she can see Nataniel trying to talk to Nancy, who is one year younger than her, the teenage girl that works part-time as she loves gardening and an ambitious girl who wants to help her family which made her smile and she coughed lightly to gain their attention.
"Good Morning Swara Di," Nancy greeted her "Good morning Nancy." Swara greeted her back.
"How many bouquets got sold today?" Swara asked her while she went through the list of consignments they need to close today as they were huge orders coming in for the different flowers from the last two days.
"Di, demand is increasing rapidly and most of the orders are for Tulips I think this is valentine's season and Tulips represent purity, love and innocence," Nancy replied while Swara went stiff for a second before she recovered herself and nodded her head while her eyes turned misty remembering something from the past.
Why do you always bring me tulips whenever I ask for flowers?
Because Tulips are the symbol of purity, innocence and Love, which is you for the people around you and in you, She came out of a trance when Nancy shook her.
"Di, Are you ok?" Nancy asked and before Swara can answer her, they heard the doorbell ring and looked up to see a young man enter inside while speaking on phone.
"Mr Maheswari, we think you should recheck the deal quotation, " Mr Mittal, the CEO of Mittal Industry said trying not to meet his eyes and he narrowed his eyes at the bold man who dares to question his work and deal quotation he made personally while sipping his Black Coffee.
"Did you forget to whom you are speaking Mr Mittal? I am Laksh Maheswari, and no one dares to question me and my work, " He said and Mr Mittal gulped his saliva in fear.
"I... I agree with Mr Mittal. We cannot go with the deal, where you are the one who is bagging all the profits, leaving nothing to us. This is not reasonable at all, " Rajesh Shetty P.A of Mr Mittal spoke which made him see red.
"Are you questioning my capability, Mr Shetty? We work hard to get profits and I work extra smart to grab more profits, it doesn't mean you are not getting profits at all you planned to and you will get more than you expected but in the percentage, I offer you and even if you back off now you will lose because yours is already running in loss from last few years which made you come to me to bag a deal that will raise your company stakes," Laksh said smirking while typing something on his phone and they both gulped in fear seeing the man in front of them who is capable to destroy them ruthlessly by the mere snap of his fingers.
"This is not possible, to get profit, we have planned such a small percentage... this is not possible," Mr Mittal said stuttering in shock and surprise while Laksh smirked devilishly.
"Everything is possible for Laksh Maheswari, " Laksh said arrogantly with a ruthless smirk and glint in his eyes which made both Smith and Rajesh stare at him in shock.
"Mr Maheswari," "Mr Maheswari, " Laksh heard the voice of his P.A Sanya calling while barging into his office which made him annoyed and rage boiled in his blood.
"What is it Sanya, I don't have time for all these things and I have told you hundred times that before you enter, knock and then come inside if you heard me say so, just spit it out already why are you here?" Laksh shouted and all three of them flinched back from him in fear which made him internally smirk seeing that.
"I found the place where we can get the Tulips Mr Maheswari Sir, your Elder brother called me to inform you that address has been messaged to you, " Sanya said and he looked in thought for a few seconds before nodding his head and signed her to leave.
"Mr Mittal, sign the deal or lose it forever, it's the last chance you are going to have, you have time till midnight, " Laksh said and dismissed them carelessly.
Once they left, Laksh left the office through the second entrance knowing if he uses the first one he will get caught by his father and elder brother which he cannot afford right now as he has a date with his new girlfriend who is waiting at the cafe for him and on the way he needs to pick the flowers he needed as well.
Laksh stood in front of a shop Caranations Of Love" written boldly in cursive and modern letters, he was going inside when his phone rang and seeing the called id he smiled and moved inside while answering the call.
"Hello, Bhaiya, I have reached the shop, thank you for sending me the address, I was going mad in the search of Tulips," Laksh said "Lucky go and enjoy these remaining days as a college student as once your Semester exams are done you are going be at office full time," Yashwanth said.
"Yeah, as if I am not handling office right now," Laksh answered sarcastically which made Yash laugh while he pouted "Hold on for a moment Bhaiya, I am in the shop," Laksh said and entered inside and looked up to see only get mesmerized seeing Swara's beauty.
"How can we help you, Sir?" Nancy asked, " Can I have a bouquet of tulips please?" Laksh asked entering inside and and and and and and and and and and the shop interrupting their conversation.
"Yeah sure," Swara replied made her way towards flowers and brought them.
"You want to write something on this?" Swara questioned him "Sure write FROM MR. LAKSH Maheswari," Laksh replied.
"Here Mr Maheswari, thank you for visiting us. Please visit us again," Swara replied handing him the tulips.
"Di, I need to leave for rest of the day, as I have a date to attend," Nancy asked, "You can Nancy, I know the date is with Nataniel isn't it?" Swara asked smirking and Nancy blushed before running out while Swara's eyes turned teary and tears started flowing from her eyes freely reminiscing her past.