Hamesha Wala Pyaar - Chapter 33
After dinner she loaded the dishwasher and got about cleaning the kitchen.
When she didn’t turn up, after calling her for the nth time a frustrated Sidharth got up and limped his way down.
Leaning at the entrance of the kitchen, he folded his hands and smiled at his little plum, who was rubbing furiously on the kitchen platform and muttering something.
Sidharth had always admired his mother while growing up.
She was a dignified lady.
She had taken care of the house, raised three kids and managed a bank job effortlessly post their father’s death.
She was a simple lady with a beautiful compassionate heart.
When he was young he had seen her always being helpful to the neighborhood aunties, carrying extra lunch for her colleague when she was pregnant, treating the house help like she was family.
Her zeal for life always left him spell bound.
She was his ultimate pedestal when he would look for a companion for himself, he had thought long back.
What he was seeing right now was a younger version of his mother.
Shehnaaz.
His Shehnaaz.
He looked at her with awe filled eyes.
Though she was naïve in many ways, but she was also a very responsible and dependable at the same time.
Just like his mother, the hardships Shehnaaz had faced at a very young age had matured her and made her the amazing person she was.
“Chal la khila de” she quipped standing in front of him snapping him out of his thoughts.
“Kya” he asked.
“Nahi maine socha tu khade khade khayali pulao paka raha hai,bann gaya hoga toh khila de” she chuckled while giving a last look at the kitchen, ensuring it was spic and span.
He rubbed the back of his neck smiling sheepishly at her anecdote.
“Tujhe thoda bhi sabar nahi hai na? main aa hi rahi thi. Tujhe kya zarurat thi niche utarne ki” she scolded.
“aye Hitler nani, mujhe pakk raha tha, and m fine right now, itna nahi dukh raha abhi” he grimaced.
“Isko pi lijiye jaldi jaldi” she handed him a glass of haldi doodh and went to switch off the lights.
He loved being pampered by her. Her gestures werent extravagant, just little things but it left him reeling for more.
He had tried imagining his life when they went back to Mumbai, but shuddered at the thought every single time.
“Thank u jaan.” He finished the glass of milk pronto and handed it to her as she came back.
“Very good boy, itna accha kaam karne ke liye aapko ek golden star milta hai” she pinned an imaginary star to his chest and giggled covering her mouth.
“you are my golden star baby. I love u so much” he pulled her back when she turned to put the glass on the kitchen counter and gently sucked her earlobe, making her squirm.
“Apni harkatein dekh le, fir tu kahega main tamatar bann jati hu” she ducked at his attempt of kissing her, and guffawed wiggling her thumb at him when he winced at the sudden shot of pain in his foot due to movement.
“Accha chalo ji, nini time” she cooed, hugging his arm.
She was being extra careful not to hurt him, but Sidharth was in a playful mood.
He yelped, feigning pain and scaring her. She crouched down near his foot, blowing away frantically at the wound when he burst out laughing.
Angered with him, she slapped his wound, making him yelp for real this time.
“aaaahhhhh gadhi.. akal hai kuch? Dukh raha hai mujhe” he shouted.
“aur kar natak fir. Mujhe dara ke chain milana tujhe?” she shot back glaring at him.
They walked upto his room.
Making him lie down comfortably with his wounded foot propped on two pillows and she turned to leave.
“Agar mujhe paani chahiye hoga toh?” he acted innocent.
“Bottle bhar ke rakhi hai puttu” she was rummaging thru the medicine box to find his painkiller.
“Agar mujhe toilet jana ho toh?” he asked again.
“Jaise aap abhi niche aaye na, waise hi uth ke toilet chale jana, lamba raasta nahi hai, yeh samne hi hai” she pointed at the door, rolling her eyes.
He was such a child sometimes.
She smirked, still trying to find the pills.
Sidharth looked coyly at his hand.
It held the silver strip of tablets she was searching for. He wanted to stall her from going back to her room.
“baby nahi mil rahi. Pata nahi kaha gayi, maine issi mein rakhi hui thi” she whined.
“Its ok baby, abhi itna dard nahi ho raha hai” he said and bit his lip. ‘Matlab ho raha hai, bohot dard ho raha hai..aaahhhh” he scowled closing his eyes to fake pain.
“Oh no baby, abhi toh Ramlal kaka bhi nahi, kaise laaye tablets” she pulled out all the drawers, checked under the bed, even tossed the pillows around to look for the silver strip of antibiotic.
He would be in immense pain if he didn’t take the meds.
“kya karen puttu? She looked at him haplessly.
“Tu ruk ja na pls. mat jaa mujhe chhod ke” his breath hitched as he uttered those words gauging her reaction.
“baby itthe hi haa main, kaha jaane lagi hu? But tere dawai…yaar.. pata nahi maine kaha rakh di” she looked around scratching her head thinking of all the probable places she might have forgotten them.
Uncertainly, he extended his hand to her and opened his palm, uncovering the silver step.
She gasped raising her eyebrows as her eyes shot daggers at him.
“Tu pagal toh nahi ho gaya?” she shouted.
“Haan ho toh gaya hu.. tere liye” he looked at her with puppy eyes, as his face slowly broke into a ear touching grin.
“Bohot bade wala shaitaan hai tu Sidharth” saying this she went an straddled him, cupping his cheeks.
“Tujhe maza aata hai na mujhe satane mein” her brows were furrowed with irritation.
He held her by her waist placed his head on her chest.
He just kept still for a few beats before he spoke hesitantly. She could feel his breath on her skin.
“I want you by my side. At all times. Tu mat jaa, pls. yahi soja, mere paas” with his head still moving with her breathing, he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her tight.
He felt her tenderly moving her fingers in his head.
Hugging him closer.
Her fragnrance filled him. “Tujhe yeh sab karne ki zarurat nahi hai kucchu. Tera pura hakk hai mujh pe. Tu bolke dekhta sirf ek baar, majaal hai ki main teri baat ko mod deti?” she asked trying to break the hug, but he tightened it even more, as if she might run away of he left her.
She pulled his head back with all her force and looked at him with a penetrating gaze.
“I love u Sidharth “Overthinker” Shukla. Tu bohot accha hai” she tilted his head closer pulling him in for a lingering kiss.
After Shehnaaz was done dressing his wound and giving him the meds, she promptly tugged at his arm curled under his head and cozied herself on his shoulder, wrapping her own arm around him and locking into him like a perfectly fit pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
It was only befitting, since even she knew she belonged to him.
She understood, her delay in trusting him, her inhibitions due to his past, were the main causes that made him dither.
But in her heart, she had already accepted him and given herself to him with mind body and soul.
It was about time he understood that.
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Thank you all for the birthday love. It really made my day. I guys are my extended family now and it felt great to be acknowledged and loved by so many of you.
Please keep up the love and support.
Many many thanks and abundant love
Sidnaazkidiwani