Songs for the chapter : Changes by Cam.
Pehli Baar by Ajay Gogavale.
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Sometimes life takes a kind of unexpected turn, that we don't get the time to question why, how or what, like why was his Dadi is always adamant about her decisions, he knew the reason why his brother and dadi were doing this, but why did they think it is okay to play with his emotions like that? His dadi had told him about her childhood friend and the promise they made to each other, but the thing he doesn't understand is how? How was he supposed to forget everything that had happened to him? How was he supposed to think about his future without drowning in the guilt about his past?
From past hours his life has been nothing but an unexpected journey. He met this woman again, the woman who was supposed to stay in his memories, a sweet little memory, but here he is sharing a ride with her and truck load of unexpected feelings.
Here's that word again.
Unexpected.
His life has always been unexpected, the unexpected divorce of his parents, the unexpected second marriage of his father, the unexpected betrayal from the person he loved with his whole heart. He did not know what is there more unexpected things that is stored in his future, he just hopes it doesn't break what was left of him.
Meanwhile Shehnaaz was in her deep thoughts, she was feeling something, the feeling doesn't have a name yet. It's was like something is stuck in her throat, she is feeling nervous fluttering in her stomach.
Acidity.
She doesn't think so. She took a quick look at the brooding man beside her who was holding a now sleeping Dubboo in his lap. He is so beautiful, he doesn't talk much but his presence is dominating, he has been nice to her, she knew he is a kind enough man to help her. He was patience also, not even once did he complained about anything, he wasn't even annoyed when she stopped at the foster care, instead he helped her with the boxes. She smiled at the thought when he was being dragged by that little girl, Suddenly she laughs when she remembers how he fell down from the tree.
"What??" Sidharth asked raising his eyebrows at her sudden laugh. "woh I just remember how you fell from the tree" she explained and he blushed. It seems like the confident businessman can't stop blushing around her.
"haan toh!! Mein gir gaya aur tum has rahi ho" He pouted at her without even realizing he was doing it, she smiles and says "But you were looking so cute while you were helping that kid, mujhe tumahre gaalo ko pinch karne ka mann kiya". She blushed when she realized what she said and he looked at her with gaping mouth with images of her touching his cheeks or any part of his body for that matter, he felt his body burn up at the thoughts. He squirms in his seat and clears his throat, banishing those images from his mind.
Shehnaaz parks the pickup in front of a white and grey two storey house, they both got out and she trotted towards the front door with a reluctant Sidharth right behind her, she unlocks the door with her keys and they both enter the house.
They walked towards the voices coming from family room, "Dadi" Sidharth called as they both stood at the entrance of the room and he saw his dadi and brother sitting there with a man and a woman, he didn't recognize.
Hearing his grandson's voice, Geeta Raizaada looked up and her old heart swayed at the sight, Sidharth and Shehnaaz standing together.
All of them stopped talking, when she stood up as Sidharth took steps towards his grandma, but his grandma pushed passed him and walked straight to a clueless Shehnaaz, her eyes widen when she felt herself get embraced by old but strong arms, Shehnaaz looked at his brother but he just smiled at the scene.
"Shehnaaz, you look just like my Kavya" at the name of her dear grandmother Shehnaaz heart squeezed painful, and she embraces the woman tightly when she realizes she is the same woman she has heard stories about from her own grandmother in her childhood and whose picture was hung on the wall of their living room.
Her grandma's best friend.
Suddenly Shehnaaz cries as she remembers all those precious moment of her childhood that wasn't scared with hate, pain and horror, she remembers the only good thing about her childhood was her Dadi and her mother, they gave her strength, if it wasn't for them she would have lost herself a long time ago.
Meanwhile Sidharth who was standing still looking at the scene being unfolded in front of him, felt a stark hot pain in his soul, he felt like a knife sliced his heart in two at the cries of the girl who was nothing but kind, compassionate and a beautiful human. The first time he saw her she was trying to save a creature whose existence doesn't make any difference to anyone, but she saved it risking her own self. Today also the way she showered love on this stray in his arms and to all those kids, he knew she was selfless. Although he hated half of the human population, but he knew she was different.
But he did not understand why did he have this sudden urge to climb mountains or cross oceans or save puppies or climbing trees, just to make her happy again?
"Arey girlfriend!! Bohot ho gaya yeh rona dhona, arey mujhe toh milne do the infamous Shehnaaz Sahni se" Kushal teased as both crying women unwrapped themselves from each other while chuckling lightly.
"Hi I am Kushal, Naam toh suna hoga" Kushal cheekily introduced himself while offering a hand to shake while shehnaaz giggles at his behavior and shakes his hand "Hi I am Shehnaaz"
Sidharth furrows his brow at the scene.
Sidharth clears his throat loudly to grab their attention, but they were busy gushing over Shehnaaz. He again clears his throat loudly when suddenly Krish says "Arey uncle itni hi khrash hai toh dawai lo na"
Suddenly they all looked at Sidharth who was sarcastically smiling at Krish. "Arey bhaiya yeh kya halat banayi hai?" Kushal said laughing at his brother's disheveled look, folded sleeves, dust on his cloths from climbing the tree, a dark patch on his vest where Dubboo peed, and unkempt hair with twigs and leaves stuck on them.
Kushal laughed loudly at his brother while wondering what the hell happened with him on his journey, well only if he knew. "aap kya London se yahan dodte huye aye ho" He could not stop laughing at his brother, he has never seen his brother like this ever, Sidharth lowered his eyes at his little brother and the looked at dadi.
"Meri baat chodo, but first tell me what are you guys doing here? You guys just left without telling anyone." Sidharth scolded loudly, Kushal and dadi looked at him sheepishly, but Sidharth wasn't done scolding. He rolled his eyes at the duo and berated them "you guys should have informed someone, this is very irresponsible"
"Dadi aap toh badi hai na? aisey bachon jaise, just because I said no to your decision, aap ghar chodkar kahin bhi chaldogay?" He kept on scolding them like he's a khadoos teacher and they are his naughty pupils.
"Arey bas, tum toh shuru hi ho gaye ho, asisay kon baat karta hai apni dadi se?" Suddenly Shehnaaz stood in front of Sidharth shielding them from him.
"Listen yo-" before Sidharth can say anything Shehnaaz interrupted him "listen lusten gaya tel laynai, arey toh kaya hogya, dadi ka mann tha itne saal baad apni dost ke ghar ko dekhne ka toh wo aa gayin, She is not a little girl, she doesn't need your permission to travel anywhere." Shehnaaz ranted while all the people in the room looked at them amused.
Sidharth was speechless, he rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. Dadi and Kushal stared at Sidharth with gaping mouth, they could not believe the big bad CEO has nothing to say in front of this pint size woman.
Dadi smiled at this "Acha ab gussa mat kar, My family used to live her when I was a kid, yeh meri bachpan ki saheli ka ghar hai, and they are her grandchilds." Dadi introduced Arjun
"Hi, I am Arjun and this my wife Anita and son Krish." Sidharth took his hand for a handshake and introduces himself. "aur jis tarah se tum dono ne entry mari hai, I think you already know Shehnaaz" Anita said raising a brow at the pair.
"Woh inki gadi kharab ho gayi thi, so I gave him the lift, mujhe toh yahan ake pata chala that he was looking for you guys and that you guys are here" Shehnaaz explained then Dadi said "Acha chalo, look at you Sidharth, you both should go and freshen up" Sidharth gave a look to his dadi but did not say anything and walked behind Arjun who offered to show him the way to guestroom.
Sidharth looked around the room, there was a modern king sized bed, a dressing table and a coffee table in front of a medium sized deck. Then he realizes that he was still caring that husky pup, who was sleeping peacefully in his arms, he places him on one of the cushioned chair.
"You stay here buddy, I'll be back." saying that he goes into the bathroom to freshen up.
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Siddhartha was standing in front of the window when he heard the door open, he turn around to face the person who has all the answers to his questions.
"Beta, why are you standing there? Come down for dinner." Dadi said while entering the room given to him. He did not said anything for a long time, just turned around again towards the window, looking at the far away mountains.
"Dadi why are we here? "Sidharth asked, determination dripping from every word of his question. He is serious now, and determine to get some answers.
Dadi sighed and walked towards his grandson. She also knew now she can't dodge his questions any more.
"Do you remember about the story I told you? About the promise I gave to my friend?" Dadi asked standing beside him.
"Yeah.. I remember" Sidharth said "I remember it all. You were going to get married to dadu and you were scared because dadu's business was in London and you had to go with him. But you were afraid" he smiled softly and looked at his grandmother, he took her hand and made her sit on the sofa chair while crouching down. "And not because it was a new journey for you or you have to leave your home and family, your whole life, but because you didn't know if you can ever meet your best friend again, so you both promised each other to never lose contact, to never lose the connection" he looked at his dadi sadly because he can't understand what his dadi had felt that time or now for that matter but all he wants to do is to erase all her pains, of losing her best friend.
"But we did lose connection" dadi said smiling ruefully at her sweet boy, "then six years ago I met her again, aur uski halat dekh Kar mera dil beth gaya, she was married to a very rich man, she had two sons, their wives and kids, she looked happy, but in reality she wasn't, itna sab hone ke bawajud wo kush nahi thi, but then I saw her" Dadi stood up and waked towards the window, Sidharth followed her as she looked down and smiled at something, Sidharth looked down too to see what was she smiling at and saw the most beautiful thing.
Shehnaaz.
He felt his heartbeat increase as she laughs and smiles at something. He felt his stomach dip as he saw her pushing her hair behind her ear. He felt a shiver run down his body as she closes her eyes as the cold wind make her skin flush crimson. He felt his body become hot as he saw the silhouette of her enticing body in porch light. He felt himself smiling as she holds a baby goat, and shower kisses all over its face.
"She was the only one who made Kavya happy, She was only 21 years old at that time. She was like a ray of sunshine. College se aatte hi apni pyari pyari batton se uska mann kush Kar diya. I don't know but I felt like I have to preserve my friendship, I didn't want this connection to break again. She knew about you, at that time you had just started working with your grandpa. We both promised each other that I would marry you to her youngest granddaughter." Dadi revealed while observing Sidharth who was looking at Shehnaaz with soft eyes and a mild smile, who was down at the backyard with others.
"And that girl is Shehnaaz" dadi said smiling at his besotted grandson.
After realizing what Dadi said Sidharth stilled, he looked at his dadi wide eyed with gaping mouth. I mean it's not like he didn't knew about the promise, but never in a million years he had ever thought that the girl would be Shehnaaz, the girl who was a month ago was just a beautiful stranger, few hours ago an unknown companion to pass a journey, then become someone who is important for her dadi and now?
Marriage?
"Dadi, you know that's not possible, I still-" Sidharth stopped as he looked at her sullen and sad face. He sighed and tried again "I'm not the same person I was five years ago, I can't forget what happened, nether I can forgive. I'm still in love with her, dadi"
"Shehnaaz is not only a beautiful girl, but she also have a beautiful heart, when most of people don't even care about a fellow human, she helps and saves those animals, who can't even speak for help. I saw her today with those kids, do you really want me to ruin her life like that? Marrying her when I know I can't love her the way she deserves?" Sidharth asked
"but you can care for her, respect her and protect her" Dadi said, before he could say anything she continues "I'm not telling you to get married right away. I'm not even saying you have to marry her. I won't force you mere bache but I just want you to try, I have to try one last time to preserve my best friends last promise"
Sidharth didn't know what to say, visions of past starts playing in his mind, the promises, the relations, the betrayal. Everything.
"Just give me one week" Dadi pleaded.
"I-" before Sidharth could say anything he thought about all the things he did today, all the things our of his character. For the first time instead of leading a meeting, instead of brooding in past, instead of ordering around his office; he met a crazy girl, who told stories about her family, who loves saving animals, who can't help but care for others even if she's hurting, he met a girl with soulful eyes showcasing a kind heart. And for the first time in five years he felt free,
He felt happy.
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