HOPES LIGHT * NEW FF UPDATED Check PAGE 34 - Page 9

Originally posted by: sara1993

Well, another great chapter Vinnie, i absolutely enjoyed it. It is nice to see Sugni smiling and having fun and yes i agree with Dhanuma, there is definitely more to Vikram and Sugni's acquaintance than what meets the eye😉. Great job👏 and i am looking forward for chapter 12.

Originally posted by: Ruchi98

Awesome chapter! Good that sugni is smiling and is happy. And also another suspense. Whom did dhanuma call? Can't wait for the next chapter

Originally posted by: ronshaan

wow the game chapter

1st the chess then the video game

i like it ..

vikram bad boy no cheating

HAHAHAHAHA good going

keep it up

CHAPTER 12

"UP to date that has to be the weirdest client request we ever received…" Vickram said as they walked through the front door the next evening.

"Wow…his wife sure had a fascination with Wigs…" Sugni laughed listening to his story .

"Good evening!" A voice from the hallway drew their attention. There stood a tall lady, with a familiar round face. She looked at the pair unsmiling her eyes moving from Vickram to Sugni. Sugni suddenly felt like the dirt on the carpet the way that short glance cut her.

"Hey Kuhu…" Vickram Smiled widely as he moved forward to hug her…."This is a surprise when did you get here?"

"Ohh about lunch time!" She said

"Lunch time? And you did'nt call me…why?"

"Nothing I was just catching up with Dhanuma and lost track of time!" She smiled/

"Hmmm." Vickram said.

"Who is this?" Kuhu asked. Gesturing to Sugni who was still standing at the door way.

"OHh ..sorry sorry sorry…Kuhu this is Sugni..Sugni this is my baby Sister …Kuhu!" He smiled proudly.

"Hello!" Sugni smiled, which was wiped off by the cold stare she received. "Excuse me…" she said softly leaving them to go up to her room. She had a growing feeling Kuhu did not like her much.

"She seems quite familiar with this place." She herd her say

"Yes…she is staying here" Vickram said

"Oh…how long?"

"Oh she's been here about a month."

"A month? And you never mentioned her!"

"I'm sorry I forgot to write it in my weekly report, sue me!" He said sarcastically…"Come on.." he said their voices fading as they walked into the living room.

Dinner was a pretty akward affair . They all sat in silence for a while eating. Sugni doing her best to ignor the stares she felt Kuhu directing her way. A few minutes into the meal she suddenly piped up…

"So Sugni…is it?" Sugni looked at her. "Vickram tells me you are also working at the company, you enjoying it?"

"Yes..it's very nice" She said honestly

"I am sure….so what made you choose to settle here?" She asked, some how Sugni had a feeling she was not talking about Mawhari.

"I…am..ummm" She looked at Vickram who was also watching his sister.

"She wanted a change of atmosphere." He said politely.."What better place than here." He said.

"But it must have been tough…you know coming to a strange place , totally different from…I am sorry where did you say you were from?"

"Bundel" She answered

"Wow..that's a far away place…you just left it all to come half way across the country? What did your family have to say about that?..hmmm"

"Sugni has no family." Vickram chipped in…"And can you give the court room a rest please….Forgive her Sugni you know like Amrita…My sister likes to bring her work home with her…she is always in a lawyer mode! Unless she is cross examining some one…she dose not feel good" He chuckled .

"I admit I am intrigued by this…I am just trying to make conversation Vickram…and I am sure Sugni dose not mind…do you Sugni?" She shook her head. She did not know how to respond to that…no one but Vickram and Amrita know about her, not even Dhanuma. But it would be wired if she could not answer such simple questions, except for her these questions were not simple. However this was Vickram's sister she could not be rude to her.

"So Sugni…what did you do in Bundel?" she asked. Sugni dropped her spoon. OH God …what was she supposed to say now?

"Enough!" Vickram said..glaring at his sister…"Stop it …' he said….

Kuhu opened her mouth to respond but stopped when Sugni got up…

"Ex…excuse me.." She looked at Vickram who nodded as she got up and left the table.

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Vickram watched as Sugni went upstairs trying to control his irritation. His suspicion that this was not just a casual visit was just confirmed.

"Huh what's with her?" Kuhu asked. Vickram looked at her shook his head and got up with out answering her question.

"Vickram…." She said a few minutes after as she followed him to the garden. "Seriously what's going on here? Who is this girl?"

Letting out a sigh, he knew she would not give up and it would be in every ones best intrest if she knew. "I met her when I was returning home last month from visiting you…she was hiding in the back of my jeep…scared and…" He began….

A while after his sister was looking at him with the familiar expression of shock and horror on her face…but unlike him she was a bit more skeptical about the events…maybe it was the lawyer in her …

"Vickram she should be in a shelter…where she could get the help she needs.'

"She is getting the help…Amrita is working with her" he replied.

"Yes I understand that…and it's great you gave her a job but don't you think you went overboard a little bit." Vickram looked at her in disbelief.

"Look I know her story was a horrible one…but this won't be the first time that some one thinks that they can get away with taking advantage of your kindness."

"What? Are you saying she is lying?"

"No…I believe she was in trouble when you found her and you helped her by pulling her out of a jam she got herself in. It would not take her long to figure out she could get a free ride here if her story was sad enough, right. I mean girls like that figure out pretty quickly what works and what doesn't . She needed an out ..you gave it to her. She came here and saw an opportunity all she need to do was convince you she really had no where else to turn..and of course Vickram being Vickram can't just stand by and watch some one in trouble without helping."

"Wow…incredible….I have no idea what is more insulting…the fact that my sister thinks I have no brain in my head to know when I am being played or your belief that I am some sort of door mat that welcomes every person with a sob story!' He said

"You're misunderstanding me! …All I am saying is be a little practical here…you've done a lot to help her...I think it's time to let her go out on her own." She said

"Enough! " Vickram said in a raised voice stopping her. " Look I don't go into your house and tell you what you can and can't do …and do not appreciate you coming her to tell me who I should and should'nt help.. and how I should do it. Stay out of it. Please.! " he said making it clear the topic was closed. She knew better than to push it so she stayed quite.

Raising both hands in defeat she s aid…"Ok..Ok …I'll leave it" They sat in tense silence for a few moments each with their own thoughts. Kuhu was looking at her brother. She loved him , and she knew he loved her but they usually saw things differently. Although they would not think twice before helping each other they also disagreed on a lot of things.

She knew it was not easy for him since Reva died …her death changed him…he looked the same and acted the same when he was around people, but there was a constant sadness in his eyes he tried to hide. She knew he was lonely even if he never said it and if given a chance he would spend the rest of his days pining over Reva. As a couple Kuhu always admired them, they were always so happy and contented with each other truly two parts of a whole…she was perfect for him…they were perfect for each other. But her untimely death literally stopped his world as he was now existing in it…but stopped living in it three years ago.

She never said it before …but maybe it was time for him to start moving on…

"You remember Rita?" She asked casually.

"Hmm Who?" he asked

"Rita…She went to collage with you…majored in fine arts…big curly hair…"

"Ohh yeah..she went away ..I think ..got married or something?" he said.

"Yes she did..but she came back..and I met her at the court house a few weeks back…she was starting her own business…well we got to talking, her husband died not to long after her marriage in."

"Oh so sad." He said

"Yes…but she is here now fresh new start and all that…I invited her to dinner next week you should come meet her…I am sure you two would like to catch up…and I am sure she could use some business advice. She was asking about you" She said.

"Really?..hmmm I' m sure she'll do fine. But I'll pass on dinner…I mean given the situation I can't just leave here right now." He said

"Oh come on I am sure she'll be fine for one night. Besides Dhanuma is here …she won't let anything happen! I think you should meet her…you two have a lot in common!" She smiled convincingly.

"Oh Lord…subtility was never your thing.." he laughed getting up.."Look you have a long drive a head of you tommorw … go get some rest…good night!" He said walking inside leaving his sister staring after him.

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Sugni was sitting at her bedroom window looking out the window. Thinking how embrassed she was by these simple questions…it was on of the reasons she did not socialse much in the office…how could she answer these questions…even thinking about it made her feel as though the walls were closing in. Thankfully Vickram was there…she wondered what he told her. A knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts. She opened it in shock to find Kuhu standing there.

"Hello" Sugni said timidly.

"Can I come in?" Kuhu asked . She waited as Sugni got out of the way and walked in.

"So umm I guess I owe you an apology for making you uncomfortable downstairs…" She said

That was a surprise to Sugni.."No no it's ok" She said.

"NO..Vickram told me what happened…I'am sorry" She said softly looking at Sugni sincerely

"Oh" Sugni said not sure how to respond to that. She guessed he had to tell her something.

"It's good that you are getting the help ..and now you a job that I hope you will use to leave that life behind."

Sugni Nodded.

"IN fact the faster you started over some place new the better it would be right?" KUhu asked looking at her intently

"HUH?" Sugni was not sure what she meant.

"I mean how long can you stay here, under some one elses roof? I am sure you would want a place of your own…an apartment maybe…somewhere to call your own and not a permenat guest? I am sure if you asked him he could find you a reasonable place around.?"

Ohh …so this was it…Kuhu did not want her livng here Vickram never said anything….but maybe he felt this way. It was true …she was living her as basically a free loader.

"I never thought…"Sugni Began

"I am sure …I mean why would you…this is a great place you landed up in…" Sugni said nothing, "But now that you are thinking…I am sure you'll find a place soon." Kuhu Said…"Oh well it is late…You take care of yourself right….good night" She said making it clear that she expected Sugni to leave and soon.

After she left Sugni lied down on her bed silent tears flowing from her eyes. Maybe she was wrong, but she had began to think of this place as her home. She was comfortable here, safe. But Kuhu was right…she was taking undue advantage of Vickram… after all she had no right to be livng here like she had been for over a month now. It was time to start seeing about herself on her own. Vickram did all he should do for her…it was her time to do something on her own. Wiping her eyes she strengthen her mind to do just that as she closed her eyes. She tried hard to ignore that scared feeling she was getting when she thought of going out on her own.