"So aap jaoge andar?"..asks Shehnaaz hoping that it would be a "No"..
He stares at her for a good while..
"You don't want me to go.. right?!"
"Aisi baat nehi hai Sidharth.. aise hi baas...!"
"Baas...?"
"Chhoro na.. jaane do.. aap jo decision loge, definitely soch samajh k hi loge na!"... Her face falls down..
He brings her closer to his arms and nudges his head against hers..
"Kya hua baba? Kis baat ki darr hai aap ko?!"
Shehnaaz sighs..."Areh sach mein kuch nehi hain baby! Ok batao..sign kab karni hai?"
"Tomorrow..!"
"Last season mein aap winner rahe ho..abhi is season mein aap ka role thodi si different hai..what do you think..how will be the response?!"
"Depends...!"...he replies..
"Matlab..?"
"Matlab I will have to go with the flow and the script..this time kahi hadh tak it will be scripted for seniors..!"...he elaborates..
"Acchawww..! Babu yeh kapde and all achhe se pehen na! Role bada hai! So you need to carry yourself in that way too na!"
Sidharth smirks..
"Kya hua aap hans kyun rahe ho?!"..she frowns at him..
He cupps her chin and smashes kisses on her cheeks..."I will carry myself sophisticatedly...I promise!"
"Hmm..mujhe pata hain..I trust you!"...she smiles back at him, still indulged in an unknown trip of fear inside..
*******
2 weeks have passed. Today, Sidharth will be entering the house. His Mom and Shehnaaz are busy packing his bags..
"Mom where is Khushi?"
"Pata nehi baccha..probably in her room. Ja jaake baat karle usse...bichari 2 hafte se dhukhi baithi hai..!"
"Haan...I have observed that... bohot stubborn hai Mom.. merese baat bhi nehi kar rahi hai dhang se!"
"Terepe gayi hain!"...his Mom smirks..
"Hmm .. Shehnaaz..?"..he calls out for her..
"Haan..?" She comes up with a dull and gloomy face...
"Woh humne Khushi k leye kuch liya tha na kal..kaha hai baby?! I can't find it..!"
"Ruko...lati hoon.."..she gets a packet out from his cupboard and hands it over to him..
"Okay let me go and speak to her..you guys carry on.."...he walks out to knock at Khushi's door..
She opens it..
"Kya kar rahi thi baccha..? Studying?"...he walks into the room and initiates the conversation at once..
"Nehi...nothing much...aap batao..packing ho gaya aap ka?"
"Nehi.. abhi tak chal rahi hai.."..an awkward silence drops...
Sidharth then steps ahead to make her sit on her couch...
"Baccha..you did not interact with me in the last 2 weeks! Ek baat bata..Mama doesn't have rights on you or what?!"...he pulls up her chin..
Khushi's eyes get moistened..
"Aisi baat nehi hai Mama!"
"Toh kaisi baat hai?! Dekh beta...tu ruthi huyi thi..isiliye I didn't poke you! Kahi na kahi I felt that shayed chup rehke tu yeh proof karneki koshish kar rahi thi that I don't hold much rights on your life! Is it like that Khushi?!"..His eyes well up..he considers this girl as his first child...and she will always remain as such for a fact!
"Noo Mama...!! Don't say like this! Galti ho gayi hai merese! I am sorry! I love you more than my own Dad! And you know that!! Right?!"... Khushi can't hold on to her tears any longer and rushes into his arms..
"It's okay beta! Baas yeh yaad rakhna that my protectiveness is just my love and care for you! I know you are grown up and you have full rights to choose your partner! But baccha..this is not the right time! I hope you understand..!"...he kisses her forehead..
"Hmm...yeh sab chhoro...Chalo..I will help you with your packing as well..!"... Khushi pulls on his hand to trail him back to his room..
**********
They are all set to leave for the premiere now. However, Sidharth has asked Adith to drop Shehnaaz back home! She can't be seen in the premiere with him, as this will surely lead to some controversy! But this is breaking his heart and he knows for a fact that she is hurt on his decision as well!
"Ok baby...dhyaan rakhna apna aur zyada gussa maat karna...main chalti hoon.."..she gives him a hug, trying hard to not lose it, then gets up from the couch to grab her purse..
He keeps glaring at her as she walks around the room to look for her purse. After a while, he pulls her back on his lap. She looks down immediately, totally refraining herself from the eye contact..!
"Look at me..!"..he tries pulling up her chin..
She nods her head to refuse but he forces on her, making her give in finally. She looks at him with reddened eyes fully drained in tears..! That's the last thing he wants to see before he leaves! It's heart breaking for him..!
"What is bothering you baba?! Please tell me..!"... He wipes off her tears...
She keeps nodding her head and rubbing her fingers to still have control on her outburst..
"Maat kar Shehnaaz! Don't torture yourself...! Cry..if you feel like crying baba! Yeh maat kar..!"..he stops her from rubbing her fingers and makes her look at him again..
"Kya hua? Bolo...?! What is bothering?!"... He looks straight into her eyes...
"I love you Sidharth!"...and there she bursts and starts weeping audibly, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly against her chest!
He keeps rubbing her back, the way he always does to calm her down..
"Sshhh!! Baas! Baas! Arehh baba... I am coming back na?! It's just 2 weeks meri jaan!"
She keeps weeping, holding him tightly than ever...!
"Achhaaa achhhaa..Okay! Relax! Chal mere saath premiere mein.. I can't leave you like this... I know you are more upset because of that!"
"Nehi...! Maine nehi jana..!!"
"Awwww my baby! Mera bacchaaa!" .. he kisses her cheeks and pecks her lips..
"Abhi suno... I am all yours! I promise and I swear on you! No one can come in between... I will NOT allow! I swear! Have faith!"
"Pakka na?! It's a controversial show Sidharth! I will not be able to take anything such! you know it na?!"... She talks between her breaths..
"Haan ji baba! Mujhe pata hain na ki meri baby mujhse bohot pyaar karti hai! Maat roh na baby! And listen to me carefully, this time almost 50% stuffs will be scripted for me..because I am not entering there as a contestant but as a senior! I will be leading teams na! Toh phir kaisa darr?!"... He tries to make her understand and his words seem to have an affect on her finally and she is calming herself down now...
"I love you too! Just remember this because this is the biggest truth of my life after my existence!"..he brushes his lips against hers, stealing away her insecurities and filling the void with love and affection!
"Okay now tell me..do you want to join the premiere?"
"Nehi..bawal ho jayega! Aap jao..main ghar chali jaungi!"...her eyes well up again..
"Noo! No more tears...I need to see a happy face! Otherwise I will turn it down! I swear Shehnaaz! I can't see you like this!"
She understands the intensity and quickly responds according to the situation..
"I am fine..I swear! I love you! And I trust you!"...she smiles at him finally.
"Baas yehi sunna tha! I love you more!"...they share a tight hug and then she leaves with the hope that everything will just be fine!
Stay tuned for the next part 🙂
I will be regular from now on.. 😊
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