This content was originally posted by: rose.lavenderWonderful opening chapter Vinnie.👏
Guess you'll keep me glued to your FF once again.I am so looking forward to the next one!Keep it up friend!👍🏼
Chapter 2.
"Mamaji are you busy?" Amrita asked as she stuck her head into Vickram office. Vickram looked up at some of the estimates he was looking at . "Not too busy for you!" He smiled, "what can I do for you?" He asked her.
"A cup of coffee would be nice!" she said.
"Done!" He said as he called his secretary and ordered the drinks.
Amrita came into the office and sat.
"So how was the honeymoon...that nephew of mine treating you well?...Where is he by the way? I did not see him since your return."
"Oh he is in his office ...it was great! Thank you for sending us!" she glowed.
"Oh it was nothing...it took him long enough to get the brains to ask you to marry him. I just wish you two be happy!" He said genuinely. Ever since those two were teenagers, they were together. Vickram could have bet all his earnings they would end up married. Only problem was Aditya, or Adi was to stubborn to realize that and it took her almost marrying someone else fo him to wake up and stop taking her for granted...
Now they were married. At least they got the happiness they deserved he thought.
"we are happy all thanks to you...I know you had a lot to do in convincing him." She said knowingly.
Vickram laughed. Noncommittally...
"Anyways...I have a proposal for you!!!" She smiled
"Oh..." Vickram looked at her suspiciously, as his secretary came in with the coffees.
"Yep...you know that group that I go to ...The cooking thing."
"Yeah..." he said. By the way she was fidgeting on the chair and the expression on her face Vickram knew exactly where she was coming from.
"Amrita ...no..." He said shaking his head. This was just one in the long line of women she kept trying desperately to fix him up with.
"Mamaji...at least look at her...she is beautiful, she is 30 and single very sweet natured very helpful, she would be perfect for you. She's an instructor at the university. Just a darling." She gushed.
"Amrita. No." He said. "Come on I told you stop trying to fix me up. I am fine as I am.OK. Now drop it." He said seriously.
"No . I will not drop it." She reached over the desk and held his hand. "Mamaji I know what happened in Mawhari all those years ago left you feeling guilty bu..." She stopped when he clenched his hands into fist and moved it, he was staring out the window.
"I am sorry. I am sorry I brought it up. But Mamaji it's been a long time. Reva has moved on, she has moved on, but you remained Stuck. I know you feel guilty...but you should forgive yourself now. You do so much to help others. And I know you keep saying you are fine. But I know you...I know you are loney, you just put up a front that you're happy and you're not" She said tearfully.
"Amrita please...I don't talk about it, you know this. But since you brought it up..let me tell you something...She was only one person I loved...and I loved her so much that I sent her to hell right in front of my eyes and I couldn't stop it. I am going to live the rest of my life with that on my conscious. What you call moving on I call hell.
"Mama..."
"Amrita, dear I know you mean well but please I am asking you don't do this. Don't ask any more of me. I am only here to see that my family is taken care of and happy. I know mother won't be able to take another shock. So please leave well enough alone." He said.
Amrita looked at Vickram her heart breaking for him. If anyone deserved happiness, it was this man. She knew they day he lost Sugni he was living the life of a zombie. Only the near death of his mother pulled him out of his depression and because he did not want to put his mother through any more he pretended all was well in his life.
But she saw him, always alone. He would stay in his apartment all by himself basically spending bear minimum time with any one. His social life was no existent.
He would go out of his way to help others but would take nothing for himself. She wished there was a way to get him to forgive himself and move on. They may have moved from Mawhari back to the city all those years ago...but she knew he left his life and heart behind.
Taking a breath she dried her eyes. "Ok...forgive me...for digging all this up." She said.
"It's ok..."
"At least look at the picture?" She said as he looked at her in exasperation.
"Ok O I'll drop it. God I see where Adi gets his stubbornness from!" She said
"Amrita?" Vickram said looking at her
"Yes.."
"You may be family...but that won't stop me from firing you if you don't get back to work!" he said.
"Haha you won't" She said getting up, she moved over to his desk and gave him a hug. "I love you Mamaji"
"I love you to...no
back to work..."
"Yes sir." She left.
Vickram drove around down town aimlessly just trying to clear his head. After his talk with Amrita he began to feel claustrophobic and he knew he had to get out of there.
He knew Amrita meant well, but everyone knew better than to bring up Mawhari in front of him. He never talked about it.
After knowing he could not save her from her self-destructive path, and knowing he could not bear watching her do it Vickram insisted that they come back to the city. He explained to Reva that the marriage was over and it was in her best interest if she left after signing the papers which she did.
His mother after pleading with him not to blame himself and telling him that Sugni made her choice, and that he should not feel guilty over something that happens all the time here. Nothing was working until she collapsed of a heart attack. Forcing Vickram out of his path to curl up and die.
For his mother's heath sake he did his duty, but made it clear he did not want to hear about Mawhari again. She agreed. And they came to a compromise he pretended he was alright and she pretended to believe him.
Everyone understood him except Amrita who insisted that he needed to find a companion; it was like she was on a personal mission to find him one. He kept blowing her off but she was nothing if not persistent and would come up every so often with some "prize catch "she was sure he would like. She was yet to be successful.
He knew that although she knew the story, since she was not witness to it she wouldn't understand, as her eyes were still filled with the naivety of young romance. Hopefully he made her understand today and she would put an end to her silly quest to find him a mate. He highly doubted it though.
The ringing of the phone interrupted his thoughts.
"Hello maa..." he answered.
"Vickram beta...I forgot to pick up my prescription, can you get it for me please?" She asked
"Sure maa...anything else.."
"No no all is fine...beta next door the guy sells some very soft cakes ...maybe...:
"Maa! You know you can't..."
"Oh come on Vickram a piece of cake won't kill me...besides...I am old enough to eat what I please Mr." She scolded.
Vickram chuckled.
"Ok Ok...fine I'll get it for you..." He said as he hanged up.
Yes Vickram everything was fine. He sighed as he stopped in front the drug store and went in.
A few minutes after armed with his purchases, Vickram was making his way back to his car when he noticed a little girl standing on the side walk obviously very upset. She could not be more than five or six. Vickram looked around but could not see any one around with this little girl.
She was wearing a school uniform, and had a school bag on her back, he wondered if she was lost.
"Hello?" He said.
She looked up at him, and Vickram was suddenly reminded again of another pair of brown eyes. Shaking his head to get her out of his head, he focused on the matter at hand.
"can I help you?" he asked
She stared at him not saying anything.
"Are you here with some one?" he asked. She shook her head.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I was following the doggie and I got lost..." She sobbed.
"Ohh...um...I see." Vickram said Kneeling down so that he was eye level with her he said. "You are far away from school little girl. What's your name?" he asked. It was after four and school was over two hours now.
"Sh-Sh-Shanti..."
"Shanti...pretty name...Ok Shanti... Where do you live?" he asked.
"Reed street..." she said..."but it's far..." She said
Reed street...that was about fifteen minutes from here
"Ok Shanti...I am sure your parents must be worried...do you have a number I can call for you?"
"On my bag...! He said pointing to her back pack..."
Noting the two numbers on their Vickram called the cell number but was met with a busy signal... no doubt this childs parents must be frantic. Seeing the land line number he tried that hoping against hope some one answered.
He breath a sigh of relief when a woman answered on the second ring
"hello?"
"Yes Hi..um do you know a little girl by the name of Shanti?" he asked
"Ohh thank God! ...Is she alright ...is she with you..." The person said frantically.
"Yes yes she is fine...she got lost..."
"OK where are you I'll come get her..."
"That's ok Ma'am I can drop her off if you give me the address" he said.
"Oh so kind of you sir... ok I am on Reed Road ..Bellaview apartments, number 5 is my apartment number!" She said.
"Ok I got it...I'll be there in a few minutes." He said.
"Oh thank you so much you have no idea how worried we were."
"I understand ma'am" He said .
"Ok Shanti. I am going to take you home...You'll be fine...come with me." He said as he opened the passenger door and sat her inside buckling her belt.
"Thank you..." She said.
Vickram sat in the car as he pulled off. He looked at her, she looked scared and lost.
"You know your mummy is very worried about you." He said.
"I am sorry." She said in a small voice.
"Its ok we all get lost sometimes...but you know you should not wander of by your self any more ok?" He said.
"I won't." She said sadly.
Trying to cheer he up Vickram said...
"That must be quite a puppy for you to follow him...what kind of dog was it...?" heasked
"A white one,very small and hh had a black spot on his side..." She became more animated the more she talked about the dog, and Vickram could not help smile as he knew she was feeling better.
Pretty soon they got to the apartment building and Vickram Knocked on the door. A young woman answered the door with curly brown hair and a soft round face. ...
"Shanti...Oh My God...You had us worried to death!" She said as she hugged her.
She turned to Vickram..."Thank you so much for returning her..."
"It is ok..."he said "Apparently she was following a dog..and made a wrong turn and got lost...I just happened to find her."
"Well thank god you did...oh how rude of me I did not introduce myself I am Rita...come in come in...have a drink...coffee, tea, juice..." She offered
" I am Vickram...it's ok I understand with all the confusion... that is not necessary...really...I'll be going now" he said as he turned to the child who was standing quietly . "You remember what I said about wandering right?" he smiled. She nodded and smiled back
"Oh but you can't leave yet ...you haven't met her..."
"Shannu!" said a voice from behind them.
"Mummy!" Shanti said as she ran forward to greet the person.
"OH You scared me...don't you ever do this again...are you ok?...I been looking all over for you...!'
Vickram froze as he heard a voice that had been haunting his dreams for the past six years. No it couldn't be.
It felt as though time had stopped as he slowly turned only to find the owner of the voice blocked by the little girl she was hugging, apparently she was on her knees. Feeling like he was walking to his execution Vickram walked toward her as he saw her brown hair, the unmistakable voice...
"Su-Sugni?" He said
She looked up in shock as she stared at him, her face mirroring his own expression.
"Vickram?"
This content was originally posted by: JulieDIt is always so nice to read about Amrita. That is the only character who I think remained consistant for the longest.
Thank God Adi is married and I dont need to despise him here 👍🏼Just over six years they were apart? Wow!Sugni a mommy. So she did do bedni stuff with that thakur. I dont know why I imagined nothing would have happened.Great chapter Vinnie. Looking forward to the next soon.
comment:
p_commentcount