FF-Benaam khwaayishein-FINAL CHAPTER-PAGE#78 - Page 9

Originally posted by: Vidishaa

Loved it Sai...please give the next chapter sooner

Originally posted by: parmarA

Sai,beautiful start of ff.

Thank you Alaka akka 😃

That was Ashutosh's dream.Ashutosh was remembering that fight.

Nidhi is far away from him.He always regret that why he didn't stopped her?

yes , he is regretting his decision to leave her

Rohan was destroyer of Nidhi's life.But she didn't go to Ashutosh.

I think they both destroyed each otrher's life ...I dont want blame rohan alone here!

So sad sorry but your wordings put it so beautifully dear.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much Alka akka...As I said to Anjani yes , begining is sad but situation will impove with each chapter till then please bear with me ...😃

Will wait for next chap

I will give you next hapter tomorrow ...😃

Originally posted by: saibanu

Originally posted by: saibanu

I am sorry for making you cry ...

But ALl I can say is , situation will improve and I will make you all smile too

Till then please bear with me ...😊

Originally posted by: Anjani9

OK...I have faith on you...😊

Originally posted by: Diksha_1991

Waiting

Hi Friends :)

Here you go...😊

Chapter 2

After making sure, Arush is asleep ...Nidhi got up from the side of his bed, covering him with a blanket, she checked for his temperature..."There is no fever" She sighed a breath of relief but still she made a mental note of taking him to a doctor very next day

Closing the door lightly behind her, she walked towards a small room which she call as study room, there is a small window overlooking streets and a chair placed next to it...daily, it is this time she finish unfinished work of her school, correcting answer sheets, their workbooks, preparing for next day class Or it could be reading one of the books she bought from second hand book shops...

Sometime when she is in no mood to do any of these things...she simply sit and listen to music ...mostly country singers, Damien rice , Theo, lykke li , staves, sarah jaffe, Papon but John lenon is her favorite...Magician of words, genius of man! Killed in hands of one psychopath-who had shot him at back of his head just to get famous...what a stupid reason to kill someone, back then she had thought!

But today, as she dragged her tried body to this study room and slumped on chair overlooking streets ...she felt, she is not up for any of this...her mind distracted and restless, her hand touching the flowers on the table, dried and ready to throw away...There are stacks of books-some are hers and some are Arush's drawing and story books... On the top of the rack, she saw her son's drawing sticked on top of the rack-A house near the beach and coconut tree in background.

She smiled touching it...Her innocent child, untouched by world's unfairness and she wished , the innocence remain in him even when he grow up and don't get corrupted in hands of this manipulative world...

Later as she slumped on the chair and looking outside, at the Night is in its full form, shops closed and roads deserted, all days hustle bustle stopped, the entire city covered with quietness... but she felt, a strange kind of chaos erupted in her mind after seeing him all these years...playing and replaying the conversation she had with him in her head, she wondered...Did he marry anyone at all? The thought unsettled her , no matter how much she try reason but her heart failed to picture him with another woman...The pearls he gifted ...the sweatshirt of his carrying his scent , the endless memories of their time which ended abruptly still remain with her, she felt it's her own ...!

She could not imagine him doing it for anyone other than her ...How selfish and how self-centered? Her conscious slapped her, there is redness in her eyes and her head is bowed down but her mind asking again and again ...does she regrets marrying Rohan? Yes sometime she admitted but her mind reasoned out how she can regret something which has given Arush to her...! There was a time when she really thought, she loved Rohan but the thought never got stronger, she believe it became weaker and weaker with each passing year and collapsed on the day she found about Rohan's infidelity

But now what is she and where is she? ...Almost divorced, single mother, juggling to balance her life being perfect mother and a good teacher to those children's who are at the bottom of social heap ... She is the one every night sit reading books which are irrelevant and listen to the music which is already played 100 times in her head ... There are no words to describe her but all there is strange mixture of complexities to explain her life...but she was a girl once with innocence which made her dream ...fall in love! She was barely 18 that time.

Sometime, when memories overwhelm her ...she do open the door of her past and think of her lost love ... Ashuthosh!

And wonder what if ...if...what if they had been together?! She can only think and in this tornado of thoughts ...A memory flickers , like fingers straightened out of tight fist...it unfold , forcibly though...but sometime still it come in full force!

Closing the book tight shut...pushing it below the pillow. She made space to sprawl on bed...Her room, her bed filled with books leaving a tiny space for her to sleep over...But she likes it this way ...to sleep in middle of innumerable books!

"You don't read but you eat books!" when her father was alive he used to say those words...His voice proud, brimming with happiness but later a worried expression used to float across his face , making him grumble "Don't read too much Nidhi, it complicates a person..., it's not good! Just like eating too much, it will leave you with serious indigestion, indigestion of words and nameless expressions"

But now, neither she has a father to concern over such things nor she care. She finds the world of books less harmful than world of people ...!

Yawning lazily, she tried to sleep...But Sleep deserted her , getting up with restless mind , bored out of her wits ...She walked towards window and outside ...she saw her nana sitting over the lawn sipping his evening tea and then she saw him ...Ashuthosh!

it must be month back may be when for the first time she had heard the name "Ashuthosh"... it's her nana, who mentioned the name..., they were in dining area with her nana mentioning this mystery man named Dr Ashuthosh, who got brains of Einstein and magic hands which can cure anyone "Oh a doctor" She had thought.

That day her nana was unstoppable, usually he who always avoid chatting with his obnoxious granddaughter but that day specifically he called her to tell her about this Mystery man who once was abandoned on streets and how he was rescued by him...and today how proud he is of his son "He is coming home, my son" he kept on mumbling.

Nidhi had thought, he must be something if he pleased this "you can't please me" Old man of her grandfather...but she had not voiced those words but instead she had said something which dissolved the light out of her nana's eyes and replaced with angry glare

"You have note even adopted him ...He can't be your son! Isn't it?" She had asked innocently...her intention was not to wild him up but it did exactly and she was sent back to her room along with her dinner and her nana kept rumbling "Badtameez ladki ,jaise bhap waise beti...Be thankful that I took you away from that place but you are not ...all you do is trouble me , just like your father did"

She had to shut her ears to stop hearing bad things about her dead father...

It's been fortnight since this incident happened and Ashuthosh came home from far way London...before he came , she had imagined him to be someone who is just like her nana bossy" " demanding" and bitter in words...But he was not , Nidhi remember seeing him for the first time.

He had worn black colored jumper over full sleeved white Shirt and charcoal black trousers and when he had caught her staring at him , he had waved at her and when they came face to face, he had taken her hands firmly "If I am not wrong, you must be Nidhi" he had smiled

But she had not smiled back; instead, she had stared at him dead in the eyes suddenly unsure of this mystery man ...!

Unsure of his extreme good looks and deadly smile which did strange things to her, which made her turn her head and just see him ...See him smile, hear him laugh!

His winter fire laugh smoked and burned through her ...!

"Stay away from him" her inside screamed whenever their path crossed but the more she tried to maintain a fine distance, she found herself with him and her nana made it clear that ashu will drop her to college and pick her once it finished and he will accompany her if she ever want to go out with her friends ..." You cannot go alone, Ashu will be with you" he had said leaving her fuming and angry...!

Like a dutiful son, Ashuthosh had followed her everywhere she went and sometime it irked her when some of her friends asked who this man because it always left her speechless as she does not know what she should tell "Her nana's adopted Son?..well he is not adopted, a cousin ? No...her mind had chucked the thought thinking that he is too good looking to be a cousin! In the end she had ended up telling ...A family friend came to spend his vacation in this boring Lucknow" and everyone had accepted it like that.

A head popped through the door...the thoughts broken and diffused, her head snapped up and she saw Ashuthosh in doorway.

Fidgeting and with an awkward silence...he walked up to her "Baba said, your vacation started" he started the conversation

She nodded her head, the memory of previous night ...the mean word "Ungrateful Orphan" Still fresh in her mind...

His lips thinned and pursed together and he asked "I saw that, you have not came out whole day..."

"I was busy" She replied

"I thought so..." he smiled but she didn't

"Do you want to come out" He asked

"Where?"

His eyes brightened "There is this shop, they prepare nice tea"

" I don't like tea"

" ok some coffee...I know one south Indian joint where they serve strong Coffee"

" I hate coffee..."

"Then how about samosa...I know..." his words cut short and she butted in" I am not hungry"

" Gol gappe...Do you like it?' he asked hopefully

"They are so unhygienic..." She replied screwing her face...He laughed at her expression and dragging chair and sitting there, looking around the mess of her room, untidy and things scattered over the table...

"Look , I am sorry...That was very mean of me to speak to you like that" He spoke at last , breaking the silence ..Spilling the words which he so wanted to tell...

She stared at him , her legs Dangling below the bed, she thought...She has not expected him to come and apologize to her, She was mean to him and he snapped back " Tit for Tat" She had thought...

"That's ok...I didn't mind" She replied after a while

"No, that's not ok...I should not had said that to you"

She shrugged her shoulder "I said its ok..." She replied

"But I want to apologize properly ...Make up for my words"

"That's not needed"

"You really don't want to come out for tea or something ...baba said, you must be bored ...he asked me to take you out"

" I don't like any of those things and I am not hungry..."

" and what you like?" he asked, he looked around helplessly and noticed stacks of books everywhere " Books ?" he asked.

" yes ..."

" Oh...' he said getting up from his chair and turning around abruptly " I can take you to Library , if you want ?" A hopeless attempt , he know but still when he said it , she just stared at him, gauging him...Pondering over his invitation and after brief pause, she nodded her head, a slight tilt to her head "Fine ..."She said

" Fine ...?" His face instantly breaking into bright smile

" yes ...Fine , let's go.."She said and he huffed out a laugh, a triumphant laugh "I will take my car out" he said

" No ."

" No?"

" No ,Lest walk" she said

" Ok..." he smiled but she did not

Ashuthosh turned down the knob and waited till last drop of shower wash over him...But the memory lingered in his head even after he stepped out of bathroom.

Drying his hair, he opened the wardrobe ...while searching for suitable clothes, he made a mental note of buying some magi for dinner and the very thought dragged him back to her...

It's as if, he doesn't need reason to remember her...She is everywhere he sees, she is everything he feel and he sensed after seeing her yesterday after all these years...He left with a longing which he cannot expressed.

It disturbed and irritated him no end...!

Pulling out his clothes from wardrobe and spilling out on his bed...he stared at it for a moment and then as if his freezed out mind started working, he decided to wear casuals for a change... jeans with collar neck shirt!

After wearing, as he was getting ready to go out, his phone rang, flashing Arman's name "what's up...?" ashu asked in fake excited voice...

"Ceiling ...!" Arman replied innocently

He snorted "Is that a joke? ..."

"No, that was my answer to your question!"

He sighed "Ok, you can keep your Pj's with you now tell me ...why you called?"

"That's rude...!"

"Is it ...?"

"Yes, of course ..." arman grumbled.

"ok , I am sorry ..." He said unapologetically

" Gosh! Someone is mad today ...I wonder why?" Arman poked

" better , you don't ask...!

" I am not asking , I am just wondering ..."

" Ok , whatever ...!" Ashu snapped

" Are you going to tell me what happened ..." Arman asked after a brief pause

" No..."

"fine , don't tell... I have sent the case paper to your email ID, just check it out ...You might find it useful for your tomorrow's lecture paper"

"Thanks Arman" he replied and closing the door shut...he walked towards his car.

"So you are not coming tomorrow..."

"No unless, there is an emergency"

"Ok..." Arman said and paused for a second and in the background...Ashu could hear someone talking and TV playing some old melodies "Ashu...are you there?" Arman asked.

Starting the engine of the car and connecting the headset to his mobile, Ashu replied "yes, I am here..."

"Ok, come over for dinner ...your bhabhi prepared Aloo bahigan and kheer, your favorite"

Ashu smiled "I wish I could come Arman but I am going out now, have to do some grocery shopping"

"dekha, if you had married ...you never had to worry about all these things"

"Huh...ok, now don't start again"

"You are nearly 40...are you planning to grow old alone"

"Matter of fact ...yes" Ashu replied

Arman grumbled "there are list of ladies lined up to go out with you...if you wish, I could share the names" he said just being hopeful

"Arman, I am not interested" Ashu huffed out

"But, I don't understand ...Why you don't want to marry!"

"Better you don't understand" he grumbled

"There should be some reason..."

"Of course there is"

"Then what is it..?"

"Persistent should have been your middle name..." He snapped back...

Understanding the fact that one cannot pursue this man for thing like marriage, Arman finally gave up "Fine ..." he grumbled

Stopping the car, waiting for signal light to go green, Ashu tried to change the topic "Kheer for what?" he asked

"Your nephew won in one of those Brainy quizzes..." Arman said referring to his 9 year old son.

Ashu smiled, pleased "Pass the phone to him..." He said staring the car, swimming through the sea of traffic ... he rode and in background he could hear shuffle of feet, a door getting opened and voice come over the phone "Chachu..."

" Aman ...Congratulations" he said crossing his car over the main road and entering side lane ...

"Thank you ...Are you coming home?'Aman asked

"No ...I wish , I could"

"Why not?"

"I am going out now ..."

"My bad..." Aman said in sad voice which melted Ashu "But, ask me ...what I can gift you for your victory"

He imagined the boy blush ... shy and polite 9 year old boy who is way too contrast to his elder sister Isha...

"I don't want anything ..." He said at last

"Common ..." ashu nudged further

The boy's voice bit hesitant at first then he said "if you can, can you ask papa to send me to swimming classes?"

"You want to learn swimming?"

"Yes ...but papa won't allow he think I will become dark, too much chlorine he says"

"I will talk to him ...you just get ready for swimming" ashu said smiling,.

"Thank you chachu..."Aman said and after few minutes talking Ashuthosh cut the call bidding him good bye...

Later, Stopping the car near super market, he walked through the roads with people, hands full of bags and their faces tired after standing endless minutes in bill counter...walking through small pavement filled with shops selling panipuri , sweet corns ...

A gust of cold wind rushed through him...hiking the collar of his black overcoat, putting his fists in pockets of his jeans ...he looked around , a wash of light , a child's smile , cotton candy ...and then he saw her Nidhi , In her loose full sleeved shirt , the strap of her tank top ..Peeping out, her wet hair swaying, sprawled over back...her two hands full of shopping bags ...juggling, struggling ...

She stopped for a moment; turned around and from behind ...a Little boy, Nose just like hers , smile just like hers ...and those eyes just like Nidhi's , A little version of his Nidhi-Hopped around her with a candy in one hand and a comic in another.

Ashuthosh smiled looking at them!

As if the longing he felt whole day snapped those restraints, like a blind man who walks based on instinct, his legs took him towards them...

"Nidhi..." He said and his heart leaped

Originally posted by: Vidishaa

too good