A Late Night Affair : ViBha OS ( Written for Vibha Dare OS contest )
Tears streamed down her eyes against her wishes as she waved Jiya nd Rehan goodbye for a month long summer camp. they would be all by their own so far away,her mother's heart squeezed in painfully...but they really never got chance to be in nature,always confined in four walls,suffocated by overprotective parental love...all those campings,trekking,swimming would do good for them. optimism kicked in as she blew kisses to her sweethearts for the last time while the door shut close,the bus blew horn and the engine started with a jerk.10 feet away, Ketan and Riddhima were mouthing last minute advices to their six years old daughter who was clearly giddy with excitement .to be all alone by herself for the first time,that was definitely a happening!
Vikram was also standing nearby talking to Mahesh while gliding fingers through his hair absentmindedly.he looked different...much older,she wondered why. was that because of the unbecoming color of his shirt or that his hair...OMG!! Hair!! His hair! How did it happen! Sobha gasped and eyed all around to distract herself.She turned her head to catch the eye of sharika who was sobbing her eyes out on the shoulder of abhay.Alok,her son had gone too. As she watched the scene,something felt not right, inside her head...what was it?? Wasnt Abhay...what...dead?? She tried to reign her confused brain when a mascular arm surrounded her cozily as a whisper,long familiar, a voice..." lets go home,love.shall we?",came in form of a smiling Samarth Sachdev,one eyebrow raised in question...right hand extended towards her.
"NO".shobha screamed and bolted upright,eyes snapped open at the same time.She clutched her heart which was thudding like a running steam engine and her neck,forehead felt cold and clammy with perspiration.It all felt so real.That same nightmare had visited her again.would they never let her be at peace with the present? Would they never set her free? Frowning deeply, shobha got up and walked to the nightstand to pour herself a glass of cold water and clear her mind. Did she need counseling?
"Same dream once again. Is it?"shobha startled and few errant drops splashed into the rich persian rug beneath her feet. " Good God! Shobha! Your face needs water spray,my carpet does not.u look...nightmarish!!"shobha shook her head amused and unknowingly left a sigh of relief as looked into the eyes of her husband. mock anger hooded with sly merriment danced into them.
She downed a glass of water in one breath and sat down to her side of the bed.Feeling his questioning glance still upon her,she nodded quietly. A shiver run down her spine as she recalled that appalling dream...after so many replays she seemed to remember every tiny details of it and yet each time it showed something different...just like the daily soaps' plot-- all same thing again and again with an added twist every time.
"where are u lost now?" Vikram snapped fingers in front of her eyes and smiled.she could not smile back; the images hung thick in her head,so vivid,so startingly alive.he took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose shaking his head. "shobha,shobha,shobha...listen!!'', he continued in a soft melodious tone pulling her into his arms staring deeply into her melting dark chocolate orbs,"it was just a dream,ok?"
"oh,but it was horrible,terrible," shobha complained trying to block out the disturbing images. "what? Terrible? Or do mean terrific?','vikram laughingly teased as he played with a long wavy lock with his index finger."it was so strange but looked so real. Ketan and riddhima were together,married and even had a daughter.sharika was with Abhay,he was very much alive.Samarth was still my husband and we were seeing off our children to their summer camp. Ur hair...". Vikram stiffened and pulled shobha away at arms length eyeing her intently,"what about my hair?"
" you would be too depressed to hear about it." she pouted and let her fingers touch those those very much still existing silky strains.exhaustion overwhelmed her and yawning she slumped into his shoulder,shifting her weight onto him.It felt so secure,so right and cozy...his breath fanning her hairs,his warmth seeping into her,his arms keeping her safe and the strong thudding of his heart lulling her to sleep.
" The story has too many loopholes to be real...so many flaws in plotline and yet realistic? You must be watching too many hindi serials,haa?". Shobha jerked her head in surprise when vikram started talking all of a sudden.she was almost asleep! " riddhima is still married to that poor excuse of her husband.sharika,oh well,that wonderful talented ex-girlfriend of mine has ultimately achieved her dreamlife and must be enjoying everymoment of her life partying in... ...jail",vikram's playful voice hardened during the last part and he gripped shova's hand with unintended force. "yes, u r right, too many holes for a convincing story",shobha burst into a dazzling smile intending to veer his mind away from the unpleasant direction it was taking. And this time too it succeeded. Vikram's eyes softened immediately and he stared dreamily, bathing in the sunshine her smile poured out.He knew this old trick of hers, she had used it many times before yet gave in like always.
"And we attended Avni's civil marriage with her divorce lawyer Ketan Mehta last month,if u care to remember", he continued in a light jocular spirit while settling his head down comfortably in Shobha's lap. He sprawled his feet unceremoniously upon orderly arrayed pillows,set one of them flying accidentally." who would have thought these two were seeing each other in secret all the while.i somehow guessed after a while but that is beside the point", vikram added quickly not letting shobha fuss over the truant pillow. Shobha caught his mischief and smiled inwardly.she tenderly guided vikram's head to an adjacent pillow and prepared to go to bed herself once again.
this time it would be a pleasant sleep she was sure. vikram snuggled her from behind burying his face into her lavender scented hair,she felt his beard tickling his neck deliberately and tried to sniffle the giggle threatening to burst out any moment. The children were sleeping in the next room. What if they woke up from the noise! "take a deep breathe in,think something happy and close your eyes." vikram murmered against her ear,"Think of me...u will have a fantastic sleep. ok?". Shobha patted his intertwined arm and whispered goodnight. Just was she about to close her eyes,vikram jerked up," hey wait. Tell me what happened to my hair??"
Author's note : picture courtesy Tanya and Ekpaheli. I added pictures to show the looks of the protagonists I imagined for the story. I have written an os after pretty long time...it it might not be upto the expectation. I would be delighted if u add constructive criticism and appreciation in your comments. plz do not forget to press the like button.They mean happiness and inspiration.
Thank you May and Diana for pushing me to write something well, a bit out of syllabus for vibha. u know what I mean !š
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
