It's 10pm by the time Shyam and Madhav reach the RK Mansion. They walk inside after parking the car in the garage.
The whole house is quiet and with the dimmed lights, a shadow of a woman seated on the sofa is visible. Madhav switches on the lights and the living room becomes bright.
Shyam's mother, Yashodha Mehta, who was seated on the sofa springs off the sofa and starts to rub her eyes with the corners of her palm. She was wearing a long pink nightgown that covers her well-manicured toes. Even despite being in her late forties she still looked young and charming as she was when she fell in love with RK.
She was almost twenty when she met RK, the father of two little children.
She was twenty years younger to him. Their age difference never was the barrier to their fervent passion and their starry-eyed romance. While she remained the craze to any man's eyes her only craze was RK. She never regretted the herculean age difference, she learnt to love the RK who was developing thin strands of shiny grey hair on his head and the folded and wrinkled skin that started to appear on his face.
Yashodha, on the other hand was brimming with youthfulness and celestial beauty. She had radiant black hair that went well with her deep black eyes and her fair flawless skin.
Everyone had accepted her as a member of the family, even Devakshi, RK and Rukmini's eldest daughter. However Madhav did not. RK's betrayal to Rukmini was unforgivable, and further he could not digest the fact of seeing another woman in his mother's position and that too someone who snatched the life of his beloved mother.
"Boys, why are you'll late?" she asks as she ties her loose hair. "Shyam, you were supposed to be at home by seven. Where were you roaming around? Don't you have the basic common sense to inform us if you were getting late? Your father brought you a phone just for this one reason, and you do everything from clicking silly pictures and uploading them on Facebook and everywhere but you can't spare a cent to inform us that you'll be late! Very matured! Grow up for heaven's sake! You aren't ten!"
Shyam nods.
"Don't stand here like a lamp post, go and get Papa from his room. He hasn't had dinner yet!"
Shyam nods again and runs up the stairs. Yashodha walks towards Madhav. Her voice softened with concern as she holds his arm, her eyes flooded with worry, "Where were you last night, Madhav? Do you know how panicked all of us were? Do you know how worried your father and I were? How could you ignore all those phone calls and messages? I'm so glad Lord Krishna didn't let anything bad happen to you."
"Stop lying! I know you would have been the first person to rejoice after hearing bad news about me," Madhav bluntly replies and pulls off his arm free from her grip. "I'm sorry to disappoint you Ms. Mehta, but I'm fine. I don't need the prayers of such strangers like you."
"Why do you hate me so much son? After all I am your mother-
"Step. Mother!" Madhav angrily corrects her. His eyes were red with rage and his eyebrows knotted with fury. Yashodha pursed her lips, and smiles trying her best to keep the tears away. She has heard him say this a million times to her, and every time he says it gives her the pain of having her heart crushed into several pieces.
"For God's sake stop calling me your son. Neither are you my mother nor am I your son! My mother is dead, thanks to you! I don't have a family! The reason I'm still living in this hell hole is for the legal right I have on my share of the property and for Shyam."
He walks upstairs passing RK and Shyam as he pulls his phone out and starts to dial a number.
"At least sit down for dinner, I've made your favourite dishes!" Yashodha exclaims as she sees him walk into his room.
* * * * *
Shree stretches her legs on the couch in her living room. The TV was on and her favourite show: Ishqbaaaz was running.
She wearing her favourite white and ratty old Winnie the Pooh tee-shirt that revealed much of her dark pink coloured bra with a pair of denim shorts. Rishabh is a software engineer recruited at a renowned international enterprise.
Shree and Rishabh met during an inter-college talent competition hosted by Shree's college. She was in the organizing committee and he was a contestant. The small conversation that started off with a hand shake and a formal exchange of pleasantries stretched and grew into love as the years moved on.
Rishabh became a skilled software engineer while Shree graduate with an MBA from the local university.
As the show takes a short commercial break she picks up her Nokia 2000. Shree smiles as she reads the text message she received. It was from her lover, Rishabh Kundra.
Jaan, do you love me?
OFC. I love you.
I love you too.
I love you more! <3
I love you more too!
I love you even more!
I love you even more too!
Shree giggles to herself upon reading his reply that had a 'too' attached to the message she sent.
Hun, stop copying me!
Hun, stop copying me too! :P
"Duffer!" she smiles and as she starts to type her reply her phone starts to ring. She bites her lips as the name 'Pokerfaced Madhav Sir' flashes on the screen. She sits up and adjusts her tee-shirt and her voice before answering the call.
"Are you asleep Ms. Prasad?" he asks eagerly.
"Uhm...Not yet sir!" she replies nervously. "I was watching TV."
"Fuck! You should be in bed right now, Ms. Prasad!" he reprimands strongly. "Off it and go to bed right now!"
"But sir Shivaay is going to propose to-"
"I don't care Ms. Prasad!" he says annoyed. "Switch it off and go back to bed. I don't want you yawning tomorrow."
"Okay I offed the TV!" Shree said as she muted the TV's volume.
"You muted the TV's volume right?" he asks.
"Fish!" Shree whispers astounded and checks the corners of the sofa and the coffee table for any sorts of minute monitoring cameras. "Are you spying on me, sir?"
"I don't need to spy on you, Ms. Prasad!" he sighs. "Do you think spying on you is the only job I have?"
"Then how did you-"
"Seventh sense, Ms. Prasad!" he says chidingly. "Go to sleep once your show is over and you better not yawn in front of me tomorrow morning!"
She nods.
"I hope you have the files gave you last week. I want them on my table tomorrow. Make sure you get the contact numbers of all the newly selected models for Demure. I want the list by Friday."
"Also don't forget to show up in a sari. Green one to be specific."
"But I don't like that-"
"No buts and bolts, Ms. Prasad. Remember this is the only way you can make up for damaging my car. Either show up in sari for the entire week or settle the money for damaging my car."
"Okay sir." She agrees rolling her eyes irritated.
"Better!" he says happily. "Tomorrow. Sari. Final!"
She hums her consent.
"Goodnight Ms. Prasad."
"Goodnight sir!"
She waits till he disconnects the line and sighs as she sinks into the sofa. She
Jaan? Where are you?
Are you angry Jaan?
Baby?
Talk to me!
Hey! I was talking to my boss.
What did he say?
Nothing. Just reminded me of some important things to be done.
Speaking of important things to be done.... don't forget our ice cream date ;)
I won't ;)
See you tomorrow sweetie:)
Bye<3
To be continued
Glossary
Jaan- Sweetheart
Express all your views and thoughts about this chapter through your comments. Also let me know the about following:
-How was this chapter?
-What was your favourite part of this chapter?
-What are your thoughts about Yashodha & RK?
-How do you think Yashodha is responsible for the death of Madhav's mother?
-How do you think Madhav's mother would have died?
-What do you think of Rishabh and Shree's love?
Also check out the new celebrity I casted for Shree's lover: RISHABH KUNDRA in the CAST Chapter