Chapter Two: The Midnight Whispers
Every bone in Shivaay's body screamed at him to question Anika and ask her if she was indeed involved with the doctor but he knew he had lost that right. He could do little but watch her fall hopelessly in love with someone who, unlike him, had the freedom to love her and treasure her for life.
And he would spend the rest of his miserable long life alone. He would have the woman, who, according to the rest of the world, was his wife but the woman who was his wife in heart would leave him and build a forever with someone else while he would burn in the fires of his own making
It was 3 am but sleep evaded him. The scene that he had witnessed that evening kept flashing in his mind. He remembered catching sight of Anika as she hailed the auto. He had asked the driver to stop by the side but before he could call out to her, he had watched a man, hold her by the waist and swing her bodily around. It didn't take a genius to guess that the guy in question was the infamous Dr Arhaan.
With heart burning he had watched him lower Anika to her feet, hold her by the shoulders while Anika's hands were splayed on his chest. He watched him tell her something. Something that made Anika laugh in a way she hadn't laughed in a long time.
His heart burned and eyes pricked. He was losing her and he couldn't do a damn thing. It didn't help that the doctor looked like a runaway model with a body that would make even Rudra envious.
Shivaay opened his eyes and looked at Anika. She was sleeping on the sofa cum bed. He couldn't see her face but he could picture her hair spread around the pillow, her face relaxed, her eye lashes fanning her cheeks. At first, he had insisted she take the bed, but Anika had refused. He had seen her sleep awkwardly on the couch. The very next day, he had ordered a sofa cum bed and even though everyone understood the reason behind it, no one dared to question him.
His thoughts were interrupted with the ring of a phone. The phone was Anika's. Shivaay checked the watch. It was 2.45 am. Who the hell was calling at this hour? He wondered. Walking over to her bed, he grabbed her phone before the ruckus woke her up and the name that flashed on her screen sent his BP shooting up
It said, "ARHAAN Calling"
He silenced the call and then raised his hand to throw the damn phone into the pool when he realized that it was Anika's phone and breaking it would give her another reason to hate him. She wouldn't even let him buy her a new phone and she would then roam around without a phone till she got her salary and he couldn't afford that.
Placing the phone next to her, he walked over to the bed and lay down. Right on a cue, the phone rang again and this time it was Anika who answered, her voice husky from sleep.
***
Anika had been fast asleep when the ringing of the phone woke her up. Grabbing the instrument, she checked the name even though she knew who it was
"Hello" she whispered
"Anika... I lost a patient. I need to talk ..."
"Where are you right now?" she asked now fully awake
"Somewhere outside the OM hoping you would come out... knowing you cannot."
"Arhaan hang in there.. I'm on my way" she told him getting up quickly and grabbing the needed clothes
"Just comb your hair and come. There are pedestrians here who might get scared and I can handle only one death at a time" He joked even though his voice cracked with emotion
"See you in five"
When she changed and brushed her hair, she saw that Shivaay was up and watching her with a strange expression on his face
"Anika you cannot leave the house at 3 am" he told her
"I know the time, Shivaay but Arhaan is depressed. He lost a patient and he needs me." She replied
"You can meet him tomorrow. He is a doctor, I'm sure he knows how to deal with this" he said agitatedly
"Not everyone is like you Mr Shivaay Singh Oberoi. You can show a demonstration of someones death to get your way but death affects us in strange ways. Not all of us can deal with it alone."
"Anika I know that no matter how many times I apologize, it will not be enough but that isn't the point. Its very late and your getting out of the house at this hour is risky."
"Then I will take the risk. If Arhaan needs me, I'm ready to take any risk because that's how much he means to me."
And with that she walked off leaving a very hurt Shivaay in her wake. Little did she know that her last sentence would haunt him for a very long time.
***
Shivaay went downstairs with the full intent to follow her but as he went in the living room he ran into Omkara and Rudra who had gone to get their water jug refilled.
"What are you doing fully dressed at this hour? And is that Anika I saw leaving the house?" Omkara asked staring at the door
"Ya. Her friend Arhaan called saying he lost a patient and she just---- went." He said bitterly. On the mention of the doctor's name, Rudra's ears perked up
"Arhaan lost a patient? He must be upset. Glad Anika didi went to him. I'll call him tomorrow." Said Rudra earning a sharp look from Shivaay.
However Om stood in front of his elder brother and held him by the shoulders
"Arhaan is a great guy, Shivaay. He will take good care of Anika. Shivaay, you made a decision that you want Tia. You cannot dictate where Anika goes and with whom. You get far too possessive about Anika and whether your marriage with Tia is a deal or not, she will never appreciate this concern over other woman"
Shivaay clutched his car keys in hand, refusing to listen to reason. Omkara understood his dilemma and with a sigh, walked out with him towards the parking lot, dragging a grumbling Rudra along.
***
Anika was rubbing her arms to ward off the chill as they stood by a cliff side. Arhaan had put his sports bike on the main stand and was sitting on the cradle. For a while Arhaan spoke about the case, venting out his emotions while Anika listened patiently. They then waited in companionable silence.
"You know Nidhi was on this case with me. I caught her crying after the patient died but when I tried to comfort her, she called me a pervert."
Anika gave him a quiet hug
"Did you flirt with someone else again?" she asked with a sigh without looking at him, her cheek on his arm
"No. My flirting days are over now. I have full plans for a happily ever after with Nidhi. But she treats me as if I'm from outer space. I would have said she treats me like someone with an illness but she treats people with illness with love and concern so---"
Anika gave a quiet chuckle.
Arhaan was quiet for a moment and she looked up to see him look pointedly in the rear view mirror of his bike
"Anika, if I'm not mistaken, that's the Oberoi car that is parked at a distance behind those trees. Looks like your husband followed you"
Anika turned around sharply not believing his words but the disbelief turned into anger as she saw the vehicle. She strode towards the car with angry strides with Arhaan following her close behind telling her to calm down
"What the hell do you think you are doing here?" she asked Shivaay angrily who ignored her and watched Arhaan who was greeted enthusiastically by both his brothers. She had to repeat her question again to have his attention
"Anika I was worried about you. You are my wife and going out at 3 am without security---"
"I'm sure kidnappers will not be interested in a mere employee of the Oberoi's. Because in the eyes of the world, Tia is Mrs. SSO so don't you dare try to follow me again." She said angrily
"I don't care what the world thinks. You are my wife in all the ways that matter and I will not be taking your security lightly." Said Shivaay equally angry while both his brothers looked on with their mouths wide open
Anika lost her calm totally and she lunged at him, fully intending to beat him up but Arhaan held her by the waist and lifted her up. She struggled in his arms, her hands and legs beating in the air but Arhaan dealt with her efforts easily.
"Leave her" Shivaay ordered sharply. He looked murderous but his anger wasn't directed at his wife. His eyes were trained on Arhaan's hand holding Anika's waist but Arhaan who was focussed on Anika, missed the glare and replied swiftly
"You have never been on the receiving end of her beating. I have been there when we were kids. She used to pack a hefty punch even then."
"I said leave her." Shivaay repeated but Arhaan paid no heed. Instead he spoke in soothing words to Anika
"Anika, he was just worried that you might get kidnapped. May be he wasn't thinking straight. This is hardly the right time to turn him into a punching bag."
Anika calmed down at his reasoning and stopped struggling. Only when Arhaan was sure she wouldn't beat Shivaay up, he let her go
"If I'm kidnapped, you don't have to worry. Arhaan will handle it." She told him confidently, wrapping her hands around Arhaan's arm
Shivaay gave the man in question a disgusted glare before he turned to look at Anika who in turn, glared at him. The tension between them was palpable
"Me?" said Arhaan casually breaking the silence "Sure, I have watched Dabangg. Twice."
Both Om and Rudra fought back a laugh but Shivaay looked more disgruntled than ever. It didn't help that Anika was holding on to the doctor for her very life.
"Let's leave" he said, opening the passenger side of the door and gesturing Anika to get in.
"There is no way I'm getting into that car with you. Arhaan will drop me home." Anika told him cuttingly. Both Omkara and Rudra looked at each other as they waited for an explosion
"Anika its cold and you haven't even brought a jacket. Just get in." said Shivaay, tapping his fingers impatiently on the top of the door
"Yea Anika, you should have grabbed a jacket." Arhaan agreed, looking at her bare arms making Anika look at him with barely concealed disbelief
"Next time you are depressed, try not sounding suicidal and I might just have the time to grab a jacket" she told Arhaan sarcastically who chuckled quietly
"Noted" said Arhaan with a grin but he took off his own leather jacket and helped Anika into it.
The thin fabric of his Tshirt did nothing to conceal the well-toned muscles and the tight six pack. His jeans hung low on his waist and his biceps rippled through the black Tee. Rudra, who was now super impressed with his biceps, started discussing the workout schedule with him while Om observed Shivaay. Shivaay was looking at Arhaan and Om could read the jealousy in his expression clearly.
"Rudra, its 4 am. Can we hold this discussion some other time?" Anika asked exasperatedly waving her watch in his face
"Yea Rudra its late. Get in Anika." Shivaay persisted. Anika opened her mouth to argue but this time it was Arhaan who spoke up.
"I will drop her to your place, Mr Oberoi, as I would have, anyway. I have never forced Anika into something she doesn't want and I'm not going to start now."
And with that Arhaan Mehra put his arm around Anika and led her to the waiting bike, without even waiting or caring about Shivaay Singh Oberoi's reply.
As Shivaay stood there, watching them, hands clenched into fists. He started to follow them but was stopped by Om's restraining arm on his shoulder
"Each one has that one person who is both their strength and weakness. For Arhaan it is Anika. And I have a feeling that even though this guy looks very good humoured, if someone tries to mess up with Anika, he will stir up a storm."
"What are you trying to say, Om?" Shivaay asked his eyes on Anika's retreating back
"He means, that Arhaan bhaiyaa and you have something in common" said Rudra snickering as Om gave him a hi Fi.
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Chapter Three: The Laughter Therapy
Indian Idol 15
