Posted:
Hi guys, I am starting a FF in this forum. I am posting the charecter sketch.. Please comment and let me know how u like it.. 😊
Khuwaishey (PART 1)
Characters:
Mahen Kapoor: Owner of Multi-million dollar Kapoor Industries. He is semi-retired and thus more of a figure-head now that his two sons are running the companies successfully. He is what people call "old money". An arrogant man yet his heart was always in the right place. Having led a very lavish and carefree life in his youth and considering his rich background he would have turned into a snob had it not been for the love of his life, Nikhila.
Nikhila Kapoor: Wife of Mahen Kapoor. She came from very humble beginnings. She was found abandoned in a park as baby and was brought up in an orphanage. She had led a hard life as a child and hence had learnt to appreciate even the very simple things in life. When She was a mere 18 year old girl, she fell in love with the son of the one of the richest men in Mumbai. When everyone around her felt that this love could end in nothing but heart break, fate turned around to give it fairy tale ending.
Shiv Kapoor: Eldest son of Mahen and Nikhila Kapoor. At 31, he is basically the functional head of Kapoor Industries. He is an excellent and sometimes ruthless business man. Socially speaking he has been leading quite a "colourful" life. Even Page-3 reporters have lost count of all his girl friends. Where Nikhila is shocked, furious and despairs at the way Shiv handles his social life, Mahen is merely amused by it.
Samar Kapoor: Younger son of Mahen and Nikhila Kapoor. He is 29 years old and is definitely following his elder brothers footsteps both in business as well as social life.
Palak Kapoor: Only daughter of Mahen and Nikhila Kapoor. At 17, she is the baby of the family and a mirror image of Nikhila. She is also what Mahen and Nikhila secretly like to call their "accidental surprise". Mahen often teases his wife that Palak is the result of Nikhila's ahem ahem ummm… ahem over excitement and impatience!! Well thank god for that, because Palak really is the light of the Kapoor family. Where every member of the Kapoor family feels that it is their personal job to keep Palak smiling always, it is in fact Palak who never failed to bring a smile to their faces even at their lowest lows.
Daadi: A very trendy and classy old woman (ummm.. Sorry… "A Woman of Maturity") She is very particular about her looks and keeps up with the latest fashions and her weekly Spa appointments. Though a member of many a charities she doesn't like to associate with the "middle or lower class". However, for all her vices she genuinely loves her son and it this love for Mahen that made her realise that Nikhila was or is the best thing that ever happened to her son. Though she outwardly disapproves of Nikhila's "middle class simple thinking", she has come to secretly love Nikhila for this very quality. She adores all her grandchildren but it is no secret that her life lies in Palak..
Maya Kapoor (Maya bua): Elder sister of Mahen Kapoor. She is a widow and lives with Mahen and Nikhila. She never warmed up to Nikhila due to her humble beginnings and feels that Nikhila is the biggest mistake of her brother's life. However she was smart enough to realise early on that Mahen would not tolerate anything against Nikhila so she makes sure she is never too vocal about her feelings atleast in front of Mahen, Shiv or Samar. She soesn't care much for the 3 children either but she realises that Shiv and Samar in future will hold her and her daughters purse strings. So, obviously being a smart woman, she would bend over backwards for the two boys. However, Palak is a different story. She considers Palak a threat or competition to her own daughter. But once again she keeps her thoughts to herself atleast in front of the men of the house.
Ipshita Kapoor: Daughter of Maya Kapoor. At 23, she has managed to become quite a devious and hard hearted girl.. She has inherited Maya's hatred for Nikhila and considers Palak a threat. She doesn't have much use for Shiv and Samar either but with a little help from her mother she has realised the importance of the "two bhaiyaas" in her life..
Gauri and Kaaya: You will learn about them in the FF 😉
PART 1
A car comes and stops in front of a huge mansion. A distinguished looking man gets down. He must be in his mid to late fifties but he doesn't look a day over 45. He walks inside the mansion that happens to be his home, The Kapoor House. The man is none other than the powerful owner of the Kapoor industries, Mahen Kapoor. He enters the house and with a slight nod to the servant standing by the door he proceeds up the stairs straight for his room.
He enters his room and puts down his bag on the bed. With his back facing the bedroom door he starts unbuttoning his suit jacket. That's when he hears the familiar tinkling noise of bangles. The slight noise brings a smile to his face. He has gotten used to this noise in the last 33 years but it still doesn't fail to bring a slight smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes.
Slowly a pair of arms come around his neck, as always but instead of helping him remove his jacket, they slowly start tracing patterns on his shirt front. His eyes close as he feels a pair of soft lips kiss the side of his neck gently slowly moving up towards. Suddenly sharp teeth gently tug at his ear lobe and he gasps in surprise. The soft smile on his face now turns in to a full fledged grin and the sparkle in his eyes turns into a naughty look. He suddenly traps one of the hands on his shirt and swings the woman behind him round to face him.
Looking into the laughing eyes of his wife Nikhila, he puts his arms round her waist and asks
Mahen: Hey there my little flirt. Kya baat hai Nikki, aaj bahut romantic mood me ho. Ghar pe hum akele hai kya?
Nikki: Yes.. Maa ek charity function me gayi hai raat ko khaana khaake lautengi. Maya didi aur Ipshita kissi party me gaye hai. Palak movie pe gayi hai apni saheliyo ke saath, do ghanto me laut aayegi. Aapke laadle abhi to office me hai, lekin aaj Friday night hai to raat ke 2:00 - 2:30 se pehle to aane se rahey aur who kaha gaye yeh kal Page 3 se pata chal hi taiga. (she starts to frown as she said the last part)
Mahen lightly kisses her forehead smoothing away the frown as he wispers: kyu itni chinta karti ho shiv aur samar ki. They are young, Nikki, abhi masti nahi karengey to kya humaari umer me karengey?? Khair who sub chodo,important baat yeh hai ki we have a full 2 hours to do some masti of our own.. (Saying so he starts to pull Nikki closer to him)
Nikki pushes him away and making a funny face helps him remove his jacket and walks away to hang it in the closet.
Nikki: Ager mainey nahi bataaya hota ki palak do ghanto me aajaayegi to aap ka interrogation shuru ho gaya hota lekin shiv aur samar kuch bhi karey aapko farak hi nahi padtaa.
Mahen: Arre baba, ab Palak ka zyada dhyaan rakhna padta hai na after all who mere 40th bday ki gift hai.
He chuckled at the scowl his wife gave him..
Mahen sat down at the bed chuckling softly. His gaze fell on he letters kept on the side table. He started to go through them when a letter addressed from Aashiyana orphanage caught his eye.
Mahen: Nikki, tumne aaj ki mail nahi dekhi? Tumhara letter hai Aashiyana se.
Nikki came and sat by Mahen taking the letter from him and started to read it.
After a few moments of silence she kept the letter down and looked at her husband.
Mahen: What is it?
Nikki: kuch nahi siref ek news letter hai.
After a couple of moments of silence in which Mahen went throught the rest of the mail.
Nikki: Mahen, mai Aashiyana jaana chaahti hu.
Mahen looked at his wife. He slowly moved her hair away from her face to behind one of her ears as he asked tenderly : Achanak Aashiyana kyu jaana chaahti hu.
Nikki smiled a bit sadly: Bahut si yaadey judi hai waha se ek baar jaake sub fir se dekhna chaahti hu. Waise bhi after all wo mera mayeka hai. (she made a joke out of it to lighten the mood)
Mahen: Theek hai kal Saturday hai, hum kal hi chaltey hai.
Nikki: Hum? Aap bhi chalengey? Aap rehney dijeye mai chali jaaongi
Mahen: Arre tumhara maayeka mera sasural hai, Apney sasural to mujhe jaana hi chaahiye (he said grinning at his wife). Than a bit seriously, infact bachoo ko bhi le chaltey hai. Mai Shiv aur Samar se baat karta hu.
Before Nikki could say anything, Mahen took his cell and walked in to the adjoining study to call his sons.
Nikki just shook her head in resignation and went down to make tea and some snacks for Mahen. Even though there was no dearth of servants in the house, she preferred making food personally. Having never had a family in her past she really treasured doing little things for her family personally now.
Mahen called Shiv knowing that both his sons would most probably be still together in the office.
CHANGE OF SCENE
We see an office and a guy working on his laptop. He had a look of intense concentration and was a bit irritated when his phone rang and swore. He was damn sure it was that airhead girl friend of his. God the woman had no sense he had told her before no calls while he is at work. He really needs to drop her now and anyway he has been with her for a bloody month now time for a change..
He picked up the phone and answered it a bit irritated without glancing away from his laptop
Shiv: Hello
Mahen: hey son. Busy?
Shiv's mood changed the instant he heard his dad's voice : Dad.
Mahen: yeah. Listen Nikki wants to go her orphanage yesterday and I think it might be a good idea for all of us to tag along
Shiv sat back in his chair and rubbed a tired hand thru his hair as he sighed : Why? Da..
Mahen interrupted him before Shiv could continue: Listen Shiv that orphanage is a reminder to Nikki that she didn't have a normal childhood. Her stay their was the direct result of her lack of family. That place will always be a sign of her lonely childhood so I want her to go there with her family this time. She lived there because she didn't have a family I don't want her to go there now without her family
Shiv: Ofcourse dad. You didn't have to explain that to me. I wasn't asking why we had to go, I was asking why does mom want to go there now suddenly
Mahen sighed : Don't know son. She said she wanted to see the place again
Shiv: Fine dad, me and Samar will be ready
Mahen: ok..
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NOTE
Hey guys,
I was reading a FF "destined together" in Kasam se forum and I would request you all to read it too. The fiction is revolving around a cancer patient and I don't want to give out the story here so please read it if you have a moment. I am not asking you to read it for the story (though the fiction itself is very well written) I am asking you to read it and if it touches you at all please find out if there is a cancer registry in your City/State/Country and get yourself registered there.
Thanks guys.
Ships
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Part 2
The next morning…..
Everyone was sitting round the breakfast table.
Nikhila had been really surprised when she had seen her two sons all ready and down for breakfast at 9:00am on a Saturday morning. She knew from experience that even though her sons were always on time on any working day, Saturday mornings they usually didn't even get out of bed before noon. Considering they usually didn't sleep till early hours of the morning that wasn't surprising, but today was definitely a surprise.
Nikki: Do you guys have a meeting to attend??
Samar: No mom, why?
Nikki: Itni subeh kaise uth gaye fir?
Shiv: We are coming with you and dad to Aashiyana
Nikki was shocked.. She leaned over to Mahen and whispered "How did you blackmail them into coming to a boring orphanage on a Saturday morning? Mr. Kapoor lagta hai aapke haath in dono ke khilaaf bahut zabardast proof laga hai, kyu??"
Mahen whispered back: Ofcourse jaan, dono murder karke bhaage hai aur mere paas video proof hai..
Nikki punched him in the shoulder jokingly at this.
Maya had been sitting quietly around the table and couldn't help but remark tauntingly: So bhaabhi aap aaj apney maayeke jaa rahi hai? (even though the words itself were innocent the tone was quite derogatory)
Mahen was seething at her tone and would have said something but Nikki stopped him by placing a hand on his arm.
Daadi had been quietly eating her break fast all along but at this remark from Maya she retorted back in the same tone: Maya beti, yeh to 33 saal me shayad pehli baar maayekey jaa rahi hai hai.. Tum to peechley 15 saaloo se mayeke me hi baithi ho, challo aaj tum ek din ke liye hi sahi, sauraal to ho aaoo??
Maya's face turned a deep shade of red at this insult from her own mother. She stomped her foot and got up to leave the table but her mother's retort stopped her once again.
Daadi: Kya hua? Naashta to khaa lo? Bhook nahi hai ya sasural jaane ki jaldi hai?
Daadi chuckled softly as her daughter left the room.. Her face than turned serious as she glanced at her daughter-in-law: Yeh har cheez chup chaap sunene ki jo middle class aadat hai wo chod do.. Its very irritating. Anyway, meri spa appt hai, mai jaa rahi hu shaam tuk lautoongi.
With that she turned to leave but she stopped once again to glance back at her daughter in law again.
Daadi: Nikki, you should come too. Bhagwaan ne tumhe koi hoor ki pari to banaya nahi hai lekin jaisa bhi chehra diya hai uska khayaal to rakho.
Nikki: Maa aaj mujhe aashram jaana hai mai agli baar chaloongi aapke saath.
Daadi: Whatever. Spa ki jagah ager tumhe kissi dhool mitti se bhare ashram me jaana hai to that's your look out.. Let me tell you though, roaming around in that ashram with all those filthy kids won't do any good to your skin.
She shuddered saying so and started to leave when her son stopped her
Mahen: oh come on mom, pehle hi meri Nikki ko dekhke meri dil ki dhadkan tez ho jaati hai, ab spa jaake aur khoobsurat lagne lagi to kahi mujhey heart attack naa ho jaaye. (he put an arm around Nikki while saying this to his mother)
Daadi just gave him an irritated glance and with a grudging "hmm" left the house..
Nikki (turned to her husband as soon as her mother in law left): Aap sudhrengey nahi, kya zarooret thii maa ko bina wajah gussa dilaane ki.. Khair ab mai fresh ho kar aati hu fir sub chaltey hai.. Tub tak aap apni laadli ko to uthaa dijeye abhi tuk so rahi hai, wo bhi chalegi ya nahi?
Mahen got up to go wake up his daughter.
****Change of Scene****
The kapoor clan had reached the orphanage…
They slowly walked toward the main office.. Mahen, Nikhila, Samar and Palak were walking a bit ahead but shiv was tagging along at a much slower pace talking on the cell about some work, when a ball came and hit him suddenly on the head and dropped at his feet.
Shiv: OUCH! What the hell? (he picked up the ball looking around for the idiot who had hit him)
A little girl of about 6-7 years came running upto him. The creamy baby soft skin of her face had traces of mud on it. Her silky black curls were all tangled and flying all over her face and she was huffing and puffing from the exertion of running around. She was wearing a short top and shorts. Her shorts were maybe a bit loose because she kept pulling the belt up with her tiny hands. When she saw Shiv holding her ball she put her tiny hands on her waist and glared up defiantly at the giant standing in front of her..
Girl: Give. Me. My. Ball. (she demanded focussing her glare at Shiv)
Shiv narrowed his eyes at the little minx and decided he didn't care much for her tone of voice.
Shiv: I will give it to you after you apologise for hitting me with it
Girl: ap.. apo.. loo.. (she looked up confused and tried to roll her tongue around this new word she had heard, she didn't understand it but still decided she wouldn't like doing it, anyway..) GIVE THE BALL..
Shiv was now seriously irritated with this child. God. The brat had absolutely no manners and who ever was responsible for taking care of her was definitely not doing a great job.
Shiv: No.. Say sorry first..
The girl narrowed her eyes and thought, well the giant first wanted lolo and now he wants her to say sowiee, hmmmm…. She suddenly kicked him hard on the knee and though the kick didn't really hurt shiv, it did take him by surprise making him drop the ball. The girl picked up the ball and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her
Shiv had had enough of that brat and there was no way he would let her get away for hiting him twice, he ran after her. All he wanted was for her to say sorry and ask for the ball nicely and he would have given it but the little minx….
Shiv was just focussing on running after the little girl and collided with another person. Even before he hit the person he was hit by the tantalising smell of jasmine. He instinctively put his arms around a the person to stop both from falling down and looked up to gaze into a pair kohl lined deep eyes. For a moment he was lost in those eyes. Before either of them could catch their breaths and move away, they felt a little warm body pushing them away by trying to wiggle in between them. Suddenly Shiv felt a tiny foot stomp hard at his foot.
Shiv moved away instinctively at this: OUCH.. (He looked down to see the little minx glaring up at him angrily with her feet apart and her hands at her hips. She stood protectively in front of the woman he had collided with)
Woman: Anu, why did you just stomp at this uncle? That wasn't nice, that was mean. (she kneeled in front of the little girl and looked into her eyes while talking to her)
Shiv saw the little minx named Anu face the woman and say in a teary voice: Gauri-di he was going to hit you?
Shiv exclaimed in outrage at this, God the brat was a fine actress!!! She HIT HIM twice (oh no make that thrice) and she was the one looking like she was about to cry!!!
Woman: Awww… no honey, that was an accident, he wasn't going to hurt me.
Anu: ac…ac… what is dent??
Woman laughed softly at the child: Accident (she said slowly now) that is, it was mistake.. he didn't really hit me..
Anu: No gauri di, he is a bad baaad man. He took my ball and said he will give it only after I "lolo" with him..
Gauri's body stiffened at this and her face went absolutely blank for a moment. She knew that an orphanage was like a honey pot to some perverts who wanted to take advantage of little girls. There were many times when they had caught a stranger trying to lure little girls with candy or toys. That is why she was extra careful with all her wards. Her insides froze with the knowledge that today her Anu may have come into harms way..
She slowly stood up and pulled Anu behind her protectively, her face registered disgust as she looked at the man in front of her.
When she had glanced at him for the first time running right in her direction, her senses had been stunned by his gorgeous looks. She had been so dazed by how handsome he looked that she hadn't even realised that he was coming straight at her and they were going to collide.
Now when she looked at him, he looked so repulsive that she felt like throwing up.
She met his eyes and whispered her voice laced with her feelings of disgust and repulsion: You sick bas***d..
Shiv had been in a daze the moment he had heard the woman's soft laughter. Her laugh was like a soft touch of a feather. His mind had stopped focussing on the conversation between the child and woman after that. His mind just kept replaying her laughter and his eyes were just mesmerized by her face.. However when she spoke to him he snapped back to reality. It wasn't her words but the disgust in her voice that left him gasping. Before he could say anything, she had called some guards and and told them to throw him out of the premises.
Gauri walked away with Anu as the guards took hold of Shiv. Gauri hated the fact that all she could do was get him thrown out of the orphanage and not really put away in a jail but she knew from experience that going to the police will just mean harassment for Anu and there wouldn't be any evidence to keep him in jail because nothing really happened.. Suddenly a thought chilled her blood.. NOTHING DID HAPPEN?? RIGHT??.. She stopped suddenly and turned Anu to face her and kneeling down in front of her she said very lovingly to the child.
Gauri: Anu beta, why don't you tell me what happened with the bad man from the start?
Anu was now distracted and was getting restless to get away and start playing with her ball again. She squirmed trying to get away while telling gauri all that happened
She told her how the ball had hit him and when she asked for it back he had said to "lolo" before he will give it back..
Gauri was confused at this.. That was strange, perverts lured kids first.. They didn't wait around for a ball to come and hit them and a child to come demanding for it before making a move. Suddenly a thought struck her.. She caught hold of the squirming child and asked her
Gauri: Anu, baby, did the man say "apologise before he will give the ball"
Anu: yes didi that's what he said now let me go ( and with that she freed herself from Gauri's arms to resume playing with her ball)
Gauri stood up at this with a look of shocked despair as she realised what she had done. "Oh No!!!"
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Part 3
Gauri starts to go outside to hopefully catch up with that guy and apologise but as she starts to leave, the matron comes there.
Matron: Gauri, Nikhila Kapoor is here. Come child, we need to talk to her.
Gauri is shocked at this and asks the matron: So soon, but I just sent the letter a few days back?
Matron: Yes. It seems she just got it yesterday and decided to come here right away. Anyway, Gauri it is good she is here early, isn't it? Come now child, lets not delay.
Gauri hesitates: I.. I am.. I am not ready yet.. This is too soon.. I didn't expect her to respond so fast. That too by coming straight here.
Matron: Oh Gauri! It isn't too soon, its too late.. Its 6 years too late. Ready or not we have to do this, you have to do this. Now its time child.. Come and have faith in God..
Gauri: what if she doesn't believe us? What if she doesn't want to do anything with all this? What if she rejects…
The matron interrupted Gauri before she could finish that thought: Gauri NO, don't say that. Don't even think that.. God didn't bring us this far along to only abandon us here. Have faith, my child.. Now come, we shouldn't keep them waiting any longer.
Gauri: them?? Did she bring someone with her.
Matron sighed: Yes her husband and her kids but right now she is waiting for us with only her husbands. We have to talk to both of them. Now come Gauri…
And with this we see Gauri and the matron walking away….
****Change of scene*****
In a room we see Mahen and Nikhila sitting a bit anxiously. Nikhila seems to be quite nervous, her fingers are anxiously fidgeting with a corner of her saari pallu
Mahen places a hand on her restless hands: Nikki relax…
Nikki: Mahen, I… I feel this is about …. this is about..... the baby….
Mahen sighs at this: If it is, we will find out. Come now Nikki, what ever it is we will deal with it. (He puts his arm around her) You are not alone this time, Nikki. I am here too.. He kisses the top of her head as he whispers into her hair. You faced it all alone the first time.. Never again..
We see Gauri and the matron come inside their room.
Matron looks at Nikhila: Mrs. Kapoor, this is Gauri.. She wrote the letter to you.
Both Nikhila and Mahen stand up and look at Gauri.. Slowly, haltingly Gauri starts speaking. Everyone is quiet. As she continues, there is shock in Mahen and Nikhila's faces while there are tears in Gauri and Matron's eyes. After a while gauri dtopd talking. Silent tears run down Gauri's and Matron's faces. As the shock begins to wear out and everything starts to sink in, even Mahen's eyes fill up and tears roll down slowly. Nikhila, however seems to have gone numb. Mahen glances at his wife and he can almost feel her pain. He wants to say something but his throat feels too clogged with tears. He reaches out for her with a hand but she doesn't react.
Mahen finally manages to speak but all that comes out is a whispered "nikki"
Nikhila finally reacts when she hears her husbands voice. A painful, almost animalistic cry breaks out from her. She looks at the matron and gauri accusingly and keeps repeating "How could you? You kept this from me? I should have known, I could have helped.. I had a right to know.. How could you do this to me, to her?" Slowly she raises her voice till she is yelling at them. She turns towards Mahen and grabs his collar as she says desperately "Why Mahen? why mahen? why did this happen to me? They waited sooo long mahen.. Too long… why didn't they say something before? Why are you telling me all this NOW?" She turns on gauri and holds her by the shoulder, shaking her violently as she asked "You knew.. You have known atleast for 6 years, you have known, why did you wait so long" At this gauri breaks down and falls at Nikhila's feet sobbing her heart out and in between the sobs she told Mahen and Nikhila the last and maybe the most devastating truth she had called them here to tell.
Nikhila is completely dazed by the last news and slowly she walks away from gauri and the room. Mahen too is in shock and it is a few minutes before he realises that his wife has left the room.
He runs outside to find his wife, followed by Gauri and the Matron..
****change of scene*****
Samar and palak talking as they make their way outside the aashram.
Palak: Sam bhai, what do you think mom and dad had to discuss that they sent us outside?
Samar: Who knows kiddo? Maybe something to with donation or something like that
Palak: hmmm…. Where is big bro?
Samar: He looks around.. Don't know.. He was talking on the phone while we were going to the office.. Kahi kissi kone me baith ke koi deal fix kar rahe honge!!
Palak: hmm… bhai, I am hungry.. challo lets go outside and eat ice-cream.. I saw an ice-cream waala outside the ashram..
Samar: No way!! Mom se maar khaani hai? U know she doesn't like us eating anyting from thele-waalas. Kahi beemaar pad gayi to??
Palak: Oh come on bhai.. I AM HUNGRY!!!
Samar: OKAY FINE STOP WHINING!!! God, moti, tera pet hai ya kuaa?? Saala kabhi bharta hi nahi?
Palak started hitting him when he called her moti…
Samar: MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI
Palak: Bhaiiiiiiiiiii, I will kill u!!!
Samar ran away from Palak still calling her "moti" and Palak ran after him threatening to kill him and throw his body into a naala..
This is how they made their way outside the aashram but both stopped when they saw a dishevelled Shiv pacing around muttering to himself angrily
Samar: hey bhai what happened to you?
Palak (giggled): yeah, bhai aap kahi pit ke aa rahe ho kya??
Shiv glared at Palak: Yeah pit ke aa raha hu, This 5-6 year old brat first hit me with a ball on the head than kicked me in the knee and stomped my foot and than just because I asked her to say sorry, she had me thrown out of the premises!!!
Both Samar and Palak burst out laughing at this!!!
Samar: Yo bhai!!! 6 year old did ALL THAT!!! Wow!! Your Ex-GF's would be so happy to hear that a little girl was able to what they have been dreaming of doing themselves..
Palak: yeah we should let bhai's Ex GF club know about this girl!! They will make her their president
Samar: he he he EX GF CLUB!!
Samar and Palak hi-fived each other as they continued making fun of Shiv who was glaring at them furiously now!!!
That's when they saw a dazed Nikhila come out of the aashram too.
They called out to her but she didn't seem to hear their voices.
Shiv than ran upto her but as soon as he touched her she dropped to the floor sobbing hysterically. Samar and Palak came running too when they saw that. All traces of laughter, teasing or mock anger were gone, to be replaced with worry for their mother.
They helped her up to a nearby bench still asking her "whats wrong?" and "where is dad?"
She didn't respond to their questions just continued crying. Soon they saw Mahen coming out too followed by two women. Instantly Shiv recognised the younger woman as the one who he had collided with and who had had him thrown out..
Mahen came and took his wife in his arms. He just held her murmuring comforting words to her even as he was unable to stop his own tears from flowing down unchecked…
The two women had stopped too seeing the whole family gathered around Nikhila.
Shiv then noticed the younger one slowly approach his mother. He noticed too that she was crying as well
Gauri kneeled down in front of Nikhila and Mahen and folded her hands in prayer position as she begged in front of them: I am sorry.. I know, I should have contacted you sooner. I didn't have the courage and I didn't know how you would react. Punish me, I will accept any punishment you give me but please please I beg you to save Anu.. Please don't punish her for my sins. Give that child a chance. Give my baby a chance.
Gauri broke down as she said the last sentence. It was her words "my baby" that finally snapped Nikhila from her consuming grief back to reality.
She placed a tired hand on Gauri's head as she silently forgave the sobbing girl at her feet and promised herself to do what should have been done a long time back…..
Nikhila stood up as she made a silent decision. She looked down at Gauri still sobbing at her feet and said to her in a clear voice: Bring her.. Its time for you and my grand child to come home…
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Part 4
At Nikki's words Shiv, Samar and Palak stood shocked!!! Gauri stood up smiling through her tears and went inside to bring Nikki's grandchild. Soon she came out carrying a sleeping child. If shiv had thought nothing more could have shocked him any further he was proved dead wrong when he saw that the child sleeping in Gauri's arms was none other than that little minx he had unfortunately encountered earlier today!!!!
Everyone made their way back to the Kapoor mansion. No one spoke a word. Nikki was caught between her grief and her constant need to stare at the sleeping child in gauri's arms. Mahen was worried about his wife and was already thinking of ways on how to make everything work out. Shiv Samar and Palak were just dealing with the shock Nikki's words had given them.. Gauri had finally gone numb. Her Anu was going to get her chance but at the same time did this mean that she would also now lose her!!!
Finally they all reached the house.
Shiv looked at Mahen: Dad, what? Who is…
Mahen interrupted his son and answered him and his other two kids too: Right now we all go to our rooms and rest. No questions and no explanations. In the evening everyone will gather around here in the living room and we will answer all your questions and some decisions will be made
With that everyone went to his or her room. Palak took Gauri and Anu to her room. Nikki wanted to go with them too but Mahen stopped her: Nikki, u need to rest now. I don't know what we will do but there is one thing I promise you, you will have a life time to spend with your grand daughter.
Later that evening….
Everyone gathered in the living room except Anu who was still sleeping in Palak's room.. Daadi, Maya and Ipshita also knew that there was a girl and a child in their house who was somehow related to Nikki and that is what this meeting was about..
Nikki sat on a couch with Mahen sitting beside her with his arm around her shoulders offering his silent support as she started talking.
Nikki talked in a low but clear voice. At times she hesitated but Mahen would just squeeze her shoulder giving her his comfort, as she would continue: "When I was 16 years old and was living in the orphanage, I was raped. As a result I had a baby girl nine months later. I was scared and didn't know what to do but at the time my care givers at the orphanage convinced me to give up the baby for adoption as that would be good for both of us. So they found a nice couple who couldn't have children and I gave up my baby girl to them.. Later when mahen and me got married, we looked for this child and found out that she was living a happy and contented life with her adoptive parents. We decided to leave things as they were for her and for her adoptive parent's happiness. Then recently I got a letter from Gauri, who was raised in Aashiyana and is now an employee there, requesting to meet me once. We went to see her today and what she told me today…. (at this point Nikki's voice clogged with tears making it difficult for her to speak so gauri continued with the rest of the story)
Gauri: I wanted to speak to Nikhila Ma'am about her daughter. I was raised in Aashiyana too and when I was about 17 years old we got a call from a hospital in Mt. Abu requesting a member of the orphanage to come there to visit a patient. Me and a matron went to Mount Abu to see this patient. The patient was none other than Nikhila Ma'am's daughter. She was married and 9 months pregnant, when she and her husband met with an accident, her husband died instantly and even though the doctors were keeping her alive there was no chance of her surviving after she had her baby. Both her and her husband were only children of their parents who had long since passed away so they didn't have any close family they knew off. However Nikhila ma'am's daughter knew that she was adopted and her parents had also told her that her mother was a good women who had given her up for the good of both of them. She also knew that her mother was raised in Aashiyana orphanage and that she too herself was born there and than later on adopted. So she decided that if her own daughter was to be an orphan than she should be raised there too where her grandmother was raised and her mother was born. Soon after the baby was born she gave the baby to us and died. We named the baby Anu and brought her to Aashiyana. Since than I have taken care of Anu. A year later, I looked up the orphanage records and realised that the wife of famous Mahen Kapoor was Anu's grand mother. Many times I thought of contacting Nikila ma'am but I was too scared of her reaction and a part of me had gotten too attached to Anu. She is all I had, I didn't want to lose her… I… I.. am sorry… I am so sorry… I was selfish… I am sooooo sorry….." and with that Gauri too broke down crying..
For a few minutes no one said anything. The silence was just broken by Nikki and Gauri's sobs. One was crying at the death of her daughter and the years she lost of her grand daughter's life and the other was crying over what her selfishness had taken away from Nikki and Anu..
It was Maya who finally broke the silence "What Nonsense!! How do we know this girl is telling us the truth? Even if she is, the child is bhaabhi's illegitimate grandchild……"
"MAAYAAA!!" Mahen thundered, interrupting his sister "Don't you dare say a word against Nikki or you will be out of this house so fast, you won't even know what hit you"
Maya quickly changed tracks, there was no way she could let another child come and live here and eventually have a share in the property and who knew, it seemed like this filthy middle class girl would come too with the brat!!! But she realised going after Nikhila won't be smart so she decided to attack Gauri instead..
Maaya: Sorry bhaiya, But but how do you know this girl (she pointed towards Gauri) is telling us the truth?? This could be her child and she is just pawning her off as bhaabhi's grandchild.. You don't know these middle class girls they will do anything for money and then she will get to stay here too in style!!!
Before anyone could say anything, it was Gauri who broke in desperately: No!! please believe me.. I don't want money.. I won't even stay here.. I will take care of Anu too, she doesn't have to stay here either.. I have taken a loan and can even pay for her medical bills but I… I can't give her a new life…. Only you can do that (she said looking at Nikki) please… don't turn your back on Anu.. Not now, when she needs you…. so….
Daadi interrupted Gauri at this point asking sharply: What medical bills?? What is wrong with the girl??
This time it was Mahen who answered with a sigh as it was clear that neither Gauri nor Nikki were in any state to speak anymore: One of Anu's kidney has failed and it seems like the other one won't last either. Right now since one kidney is still partially working she is living more or less a normal life but as soon as this one fails, and that can happen any day now, the child's survival itself will become an issue. They have tried to find her a new kidney but so far they haven't been successful. There is a chance, Nikki's kidney may match as she is Anu's grandmother..
Maya was finally relieved to hear this.. she thought to herself as long is the child is getting Nikki's kidney not kapoor property, who cares!!! However, outwardly she said: Well ofcourse bhaabhi will definitely try and help Anu (she said going over to Gauri) You can take the child back now and bhaabhi will come to the hospital some time next week for any tests etc required." She smiled, patting Gauri on the head showing fake affection and concern.
Mahen opened his mouth to really give it to Maaya this time when his mother's voice stopped him
Daadi said in a loud clear voice stressing each word: NO. GREAT-GRANDCHILD. OF. MINE. WILL. STAY. IN. AN. ORPHANAGE.
Maya: but Mom…. (she whined in her usual cribbing voice)
Daadi: ENOUGH MAAYA. YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID. ANY GRANDCHILD OF NIKKI'S IS MY GREAT GRANDCHILD TOO.. ANU WILL STAY RIGHT HERE.. (and then looking straight at her daughter as she knew exactly what her daughter feared). Anu will stay here with the same right as any other child of this house.. I hope you understand my meaning, Maaya (she drawled making it clear to Maaya in her own subtle way that Anu too would have a right over the Kapoor properties)
And than the old lady turned to a sobbing Gauri. She walked upto her and stood in front of her
Daadi: "What you have done, young lady, is unforgivable. You kept our child from us for years because of your selfishness. You kept quiet for 6 years and even now you broke your silence only because the child is so sick.. What you have done to my daughter-in-law is outrageous, but I can't even begin to describe the harm you caused the very child you claim to love!!! You call this LOVE?? Was it love that kept her in an orphanage in god knows what filthy poor conditions when she should have been living like a princess right here?? Was it love that made you deny the child the love entitled to her from her own family??"
(Gauri sank down to the floor as harsh sobs racked her trembling body but the old lady continued to verbally rip apart the girl who was now literally crying at her feet) "You didn't make a mistake by keeping the child away from us. You have committed a SIN… Do you hear me, you have committed a SIN!!!"
(No one came to Gauri's defence, not even Mahen or Nikhila as somewhere in their hearts they too agreed that Gauri's silence of 6 years was unforgivable.. But there was one person who could no longer see Gauri in such pain!! And finally something inside this person snapped and forced this person break his or her silence..) "You think you have been a mother to her, you aren't even fit to be called a monster…."
the old woman stopped her angry tirade when she suddenly felt a hand placed on her shoulder. She turned around, coming face to face with a very grim looking SHIV..
Note:
Ok guys now I know once again no Shiv and Gauri scenes but from the very next part you will have Shiv and Gauri scenes!!! Oh and don't forget you will also have Shiv standing up against Daadi for Gauri... So stay tuned!!!!! 😃
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Part 5
Shiv whispered softly: Daadi, Don't you think you are being harsh?
Daadi was outraged at Shiv's words: I am being HARSH? This woman is a monster..
Shiv interrupted her a bit irritated: Fine!! You are right!! She IS A monster. A monster who took in a strangers baby when she was 17!! SEVENTEEN DAADI!!! Palak is seventeen. She cared for that child. She loved that child. She must have stayed home changing diapers and feeding this baby when girls her age would have been out partying. When girls her age were shopping for latest fashion clothes, she must have been shopping for baby food and baby clothes and diapers. She is monster that's why she fell in love with the child she cared for.. She was scared to give her up because that child was her ONLY FAMILY!!!
Shiv than walked over to Gauri, kneeled down caught hold of her arm and then pulled her to her feet. Gauri stood up but she was still sobbing with her head bowed. He looked at her for a few moments and then he literally dragged her and made her stand in front of his mom.
Shiv: Mom, look at her and tell me you don't see a little bit of yourself in her? Mom, she was scared to lose her only family so she didn't come to you. Look into her eyes and then tell me that what she has done makes her a monster and I will personally throw her out of this house. Say it mom just look at her and say it..
"Di..didi.. Didi where are you?" A voice called out. They all looked up to see Anu standing at the top of the stairs. As soon as Anu saw Gauri crying, she got scared and she ran downstairs to Gauri. She hugged Gauri's legs and started crying too "ghar challo ghar challo…. This is a bad house…" Gauri kneeled down and took Anu in her arms and hugged her tight. "Naah Anu, naah shonaa, this is not a bad house… this is a good house baby" She rubbed Anu's back comforting the little child in her arms, holding her tight
Anu: No lets gooo…. I saw they were being mean to you… I saw.. Baad house… bad lady (she said pointing at daadi).. I wanna go didi…
Gauri: No baby, see I did bad stuff and so she was telling me not to do that. See, when you do bad stuff, I tell you not to do it, don't I??
Anu nodded her head at this: didi, say sowwieee then lady won't be mad at you..
Gauri started to cry at this.. Seeing this Anu ran upto daad and pulled at her Saari looking up at her to get her attention. When the old woman looked down at her she said.. "Sowwiiieee. My didi is not bad.. she is good.. she is sowiiee.."
Shiv looked at his mother and whispered: Mom, go tell this child that her didi is a monster.
Nikki looked at her son and then she looked at the heart breaking scene in front of her. She looked at Mahen and their eyes met. Mahen smiled at Nikki and nodded his head slightly in some kind of an approving gesture.
Nikki went up to where Gauri was standing and she hugged her. Than taking her face in her hands she slowly wiped her tears with her fingertips. When Anu saw this other woman being nice to her didi she left daadi and ran upto Nikki and Gauri. Nikki looked down at the child and smiled and Anu smiled back at Nikki as she held gauri's hand.
Nikki looked down at Anu and asked: You and didi want to come and see your new rooms.
Anu's eyes lit up. She caught hold of Gauri's hand and nodded her head vigorously. Nikki held Gauri's other hand and all three women walked up the stairs. Gauri in the middle with both Anu and Nikki on her either side holding her hands.
Daadi looked at this disapprovingly and without saying a word left the hall and went to her own room
Maaya was shocked at this and opened her mouth to protest but before she could utter a word Mahen stopped her saying aloud: Gauri will stay here as Anu's mother and as my daughter.. End of discussion..
Both Gauri and Nikki heard Mahen and Gauri glanced at Nikki dreading Nikki's reaction to mahen's announcement but Nikki just smiled at her and nodded her head slightly stating her approval of Mahen's decision.
**********Later that night*********
Mahen, Shiv, Samar, Palak and Nikhila gathered arount the dinner table..
Mahen: Maa, maaya or ipshita kaha hai?
Niki: Maaya or Ipshita to kissi party me gaye hai lekin maa kaafi naaraz hai, unhone khaana apne kamre me hi khaa liya aur ab lights off karke so gayi hai.
Mahen sighed at this: Don't worry.. Let her sleep maybe she will cool down by tomorrow.. I will talk to her than.
Mahen: where are Anu and Gauri?
Nikki: Anu to kub ka khaana khaake so gayi. She was very excited with her new room and then I gave her some of Palak's old toys and she played with them too so she was exhausted and Gauri…
Before Nikki could finish they saw Gauri coming down. Mahen smiled at her: come Gauri.. Come come.. Sit…
Gauri: No thanks sir. I should go back to Aashram
Mahen: Aashram?? Gauri you will stay here in this house…
Gauri: But sir I will have to go back tonight. All my clothes and Anu's clothes are at the Aashram.
Mahen: so bring them tomorrow.
Gauri: Sir if Anu is up she will insist on coming to Aashram too. She is quite attached to the Aashram and the kids there. When we brought her here today, she was sleeping and then in the excitement of the room and toys she forgot all about Aashram. Now if I go tomorrow she will want to come along too and it may be difficult to bring her here again. So I don't want to remind her.
Nikki: Lekin beta… itni raat ko… and what if Anu wakes up and asks for you
Gauri: Ma'am I will be back tomorrow early morning and Anu's is a very deep sleeper. She won't wake up now.
Mahen: Ok fine. If you are insisting so much..
Nikki protested at this: Mahen, itni raat ko akele…
Mahen: Nikki let her go. Shiv will take her so she won't be alone..
Gauri protested at this: No no sir, its okay , Siv sir ko takleef mut dijeye.. Mai challi jaaongi, mujhe adaat hai…
Mahen raised an eyebrow and interrupted gauri: Okay listen Gauri 3 THINGS
Number 1.. Tumhe aadat hogi lekin mujhe adaat nahi apni kissi beti ko raat ko akele baahar jaane ki ijazat dena.. Number 2.. Enough of the Sirs and Ma'ams.. Tum mujhe uncle aur Nikki ko aunty bulaa sakti ho.. Shiv ko jo chaahe bulaaoo but "Shiv Sir" bilkul nahi. You are not an employee of this family. You are now a member of this family Number 3.. Ab chup chaap baith ke khaana khaao fir shiv tumhe aashram le taiga..
At this they all sat down and started eating. First few minutes it was a bit awkward and tensed but soon with Palak and Sama's chatter the atmosphere lightened and every one joined in. Gauri was quiet though even when the others tried to include her in the conversation she gave shy answers that were barely audible. Coming from an orphanage she felt odd being part of this family now. She barely ate her food but since no one said anything she figured no one noticed. They all had noticed but they knew that Gauri was feeling a bit awkward and they didn't want to make her uneasy by saying anything. Soon dinner was over and Shiv and Gauri got ready to leave.
Shiv thought to himself and decided he will get something for gauri to eat on the way to Aashram. She was feeling awkward in front of the family but atleast she can eat something when she gets to the aashram.. He had just made this decision when Mahen called him over and took him aside to talk softly out of Gauri's hearing range
Mahen: Shiv, get Gauri something to eat on the way.. The girl hardly touched her food
Shiv smiled at father: Yes SIR…
Just then Nikki came over to them..
Nikki: Shiv, get Gauri something to eat on the way.. Us ladki ne theek se khaana nahi khaaya
This time both Mahen and Shiv smiled at Nikki and said together : Yes MA'AM
Shiv then went over to Gauri who was standing by the door waiting for him
Shiv: challen?
Gauri: ji
Soon they were sitting in the car. Shiv started the car and then looked over at gauri
Shiv: Belt..
Gauri: ji?
Shiv: seat belt pehen lo
Gauri: oh
For a few seconds she fumbled with the belt..
Shiv: you ok?
Gauri: Ji.. Bus ek minute, yeh.. (she continued fumbling with the belt)
Shiv waited for a couple more seconds watching Gauri fumbling with the belt and then with a sigh he leaned over to do it for her. As soon as Gauri felt Shiv getting close to her she pulled in her breath and sat back on the seat, stiff as a stone, trying to sit as back as she could to avoid touch.. Shiv felt her boy stiffening but he didn't comment on it and quietly did up the belt for her. After doing up the belt for her he straightened in his seat and started the car..
After driving for a couple of minutes he switched on the radio the fill the silence.. Soon the beats and the words of the song "Who let the dogs out…. Woof woof woof" filled the car. Gauri was startled at the sudden loud noise of the song. She didn't say anything but glanced at Shiv. Shiv saw her glance and for a moment they were both lost in each others eyes. Then without a word he changed the station and soon the soothing music and lyrics of the song "Mere pyaar ki umer hai itni sanam…." filled the car.
Gauri mumbled bairly audibly: Thank You
Shiv (didn't catch what he said): hmmm.. Kuch kaha?
Gauri: Ji.. Ji thank you (she repeated a bit louder but still in a soft voice)
Shiv: You are welcome.
Gauri: I.. I am sorry too..
Shiv confused this time: Sorry?? Kisliye?
Gauri: who aapko meri wajah se….
Shiv thought that there she goes again about him having to take the trouble for dropping her off : Its ok.. Suna nahi papa ne kaha na ki he can't allow you to travel alone..
Gauri: Nahi uskey liye nahi, who aaj subeh ke liye, meri wajah se aapko who un guards ne bahar nikaal diyaa tha, isliye…
Shiv smiled mischievously this time: Oh (he drawled) wo mujhe aashram se inhale waali baat yaad hai tumhe?? He glanced at her saying so
Gauri bit her lower lip a bit guiltily: and lookind down said softly: ji I…. I… I am sorry about that
Shiv almost gasped for breath when he saw Gauri biting her lip.. Oh he so wanted it to be him biting the luscious lip of hers. He was shocked at his thoughts and quickly averted his gaze away from gauri and concentrated back to his driving.
Shiv saw Pizza place on the way and stopped in front of there.. When Gauri saw him stopping there she looked at him a bit confused and asked
Gauri: Aap yaha kyu rukey?
Shiv: Kuch khaane ko lene?
Gauri: Khaana? Lekin hum abhi to khaana khaakey aayen hai.. (she asked surprised)
Shiv: Hum? Hum nahi, mai abhi khaana khaake aaya hu tum abhi khaane ko apni plate me ider se udher bus ghumaa ke aayi ho..
Gauri was taken a back by Shiv's reply and so stuttered: J..jj..ji na.. nahi nahi, mai.. Mainey kha.. Khaana khaaya thaa..
Shiv: hmmm…. Mainey dekhaa thaa.. Anyway, tumhe kaunsa pizza pasand hai
Gauri: Ji mujhey bhuk nahi..
Shiv: Theek hai ager raat me bhook lagey to khaa lena.. Abhi bus itna bataaoo Pizza kaunsaa lu??
Gauri: Ji, pata nahi mainey kabhi khaaya nahi
Shiv was shocked at this: Tumney kabhi pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri: Ji… nahi… Aap rehney dijeye mujhe bhook nahi hai.. Hum Aashram chaltey hai (she almost pleaded with him)
Shiv ignored her pleading and muttered to himself in shock: I don't believe this!!! (Being a guy who had always lived in the lap of luxury, a fact that there was someone who had never had a pizza was beyond his imagination… Then once again he looked at her) Kya tumne sach me kabhi Pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri shook her head in negative at this.. She lowered her eyes when she saw Shock in Shiv's eyes. She felt embarrassed thinking shiv must be thinking that she is such an ignorant fool so biting her lip she quickly added "lekin mujhey pata hai ki wo kaisaa dikhta hai.." hoping that she wouldn't appear that big a fool if she admitted to have atleast seen it..
Shiv: Ager dekhaa hai to kabhi khaay kyu nahi? (he asked confused)
Gauri: wo mahengaa hota hai (she whispered in a barely audible voice)
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Part 6
Shiv was shocked at this: Tumney kabhi pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri: Ji… nahi… Aap rehney dijeye mujhe bhook nahi hai.. Hum Aashram chaltey hai (she almost pleaded with him)
Shiv ignored her pleading and muttered to himself in shock: I don't believe this!!! (Being a guy who had always lived in the lap of luxury, a fact that there was someone who had never had a pizza was beyond his imagination… Then once again he looked at her) Kya tumne sach me kabhi Pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri shook her head in negative at this.. She lowered her eyes when she saw Shock in Shiv's eyes. She felt embarrassed thinking shiv must be thinking that she is such an ignorant fool so biting her lip she quickly added "lekin mujhey pata hai ki wo kaisaa dikhta hai.." hoping that she wouldn't appear that big a fool if she admitted to have atleast seen it..
Shiv: Ager dekhaa hai to kabhi khaay kyu nahi? (he asked confused)
Gauri: wo mahengaa hota hai (she whispered in a barely audible voice)
Shiv looked at her for a few more minutes completely taken a back by her response and then got out of the car closed his door walked around the front of of the car and then opening gauri's door said: challo
When Gauri didn't respond he took hold of her arm and pulled her out of the car. He then closed the passenger door and without saying a single word took hold of Gauri's hand and led her to the Pizza place.
They went inside and went to the counter to place their orders.
Shiv looked at Gauri and asked: Tum Non-veg ho ya Veg?
Gauri: Veg.. Lekin mere liye mat lijeye, mujhe bhook nahi..
Shiv ignored her and ordered a veg pizza.. He ordered a couple of milk shakes too
Shiv and Gauri took their seats waiting for their orders. After a couple of minutes of silence
Shiv: So you work at the orphanage?
Gauri: Ji
Shiv: What do you really do there?
Gauri: I take care of the children. We are all assigned a few children to take care of.
Shiv: So is Anu one of those children?
Gauri: yes. The only difference is that unofficially I have kind of adopted her. She is legally the ward of the orphanage and I am her care taker but the matron has allowed me to basically take over her full care. She stays with me and I am responsible for all her needs.
Shiv: Ok.. So your work at the orphanage, is it voluntary work or do you get paid for it?
Gauri: I get free accommodation in return for my services there
Shiv: Oh.. So do you work somewhere else too??
Before gauri could answer him a loud screechyyy voice interrupted them
"SHIVVVVVVV……."
They turned around to see a group of people heading towards them.. There were 4 girls and 2 guys.. The girls were all dressed in skimpy outfits and loud make-up.. They looked like over grown teenagers.. The guys looked quite well dressed and very obviously bored and irritated as hell..
Shiv swore under his breath when he saw the whole lot heading towards him
One of the girls came upto him and put her arm around his neck "Shivvyyy darling, where have u been?? I haven't seen you for ages"
Shiv removing her arm from around his neck "Hi Neena, I have been a bit busy lately"
Shiv's eyes narrowed when he saw that one of the girl's was Ipshita.
Shiv: Ipshita, tum yaha kya kar rahi ho, didn't you go to a party with Maya bua
Ipshita: uh.. yeah but we got bored so we came here to hang out and get a milkshake
One of the guys from the group: uh girls.. why don't you go ahead and place your orders..
The girls agreed and all of them moved away to the counter leaving the two guys alone with Shiv and gauri..
Shiv looked at his two long time friends: So baby sitting tonight, eh??
One of the guys scowled at Shiv: Yeah we are paying the price for our parent's mistakes
Shiv: Aaah…
The other guy who had been quiet uptill now looked at Gauri and extended his hand: Hi, I am Manthan and this is Lakshya.. (he introduced pointing towards the other guy).
Shiv interrupted: Oh sorry!! Gauri, Manthan and Lakshya are my close friends and also business associates. Manthan is Riya's brother and Lakshya is Anisha's brother..
He pointed towards two of the girls besides Nina and Ipshita.
Gauri smiled at the guys: Hi
Lakshya (frowned lightly while looking at Gauri): I have seen you before.. Do we know each other..
Manthan leaned a bit towards lakshya and whispered: Hell man, I can understand your desire to get better acquainted but atleast use a better pick up line!!
Gauri smiled lightly at Manthan as she had overheard his words while both Lakshya and Shiv scowled at Manthan…
Gauri: Actually we do know each other. I was working for one of the catering companies you had hired for a party of your last year..
Lakshya snapped his fingers at this: YES.. ofcourse, I remember you now.. You had made the best paneer tikkas I have ever had in my life!!
Both Shiv and Manthan were shocked at lakshya's words and said in unison: OH MY
GOD!! ITS YOU!! YOU ARE THE PANEER TIKKA LADY!!!
Gauri looked confused at the two of them
Shiv: Lakshya hasn't stopped raving about those Paneer tikkas he had at one of his parent's parties
Manthan: As a result he has dragged us to god knows how many restaurants to eat paneer tikkas in the hope of finding some place that made similar paneer tikkas
Lakshya: You know my family hired the company again so that we could get you as a chef for one of our dinners but you were no longer working there..
At Lakshay's words, Gauri's expression turned blank, a shutter seemed to come down over her eyes: Yes. I no longer work for them..
Shiv looked at Gauri and then changed the subject sensing Gauri was uneasy talking about her past employers for some reason: So you are a good cook, eh??
Gauri smiled: I am ok..
Lakshya broke in at this: Okay! My foot!! She is absolutely incredible Shiv..
Shiv: Really?? (he asked Gauri)
Gauri: No.. No.. I am not that good..
Manthan: Well Gauri there is only one way to find out.. You will have to cook for us one day.. So are you a chef? Where do you work now.
Gauri: I am not really a chef as in I didn't really go to some kind of a Chef school.. I don't really work anywhere, I some times cater for small parties or dinners independently.
Lakshya: Oh you should give me your contact info, we would love to have you cater for our parties again..
Manthan leaned over Lakshya again and whispered: Achaa tareekaa hai phone number maangene ka..
Once again all of them over heard Manthan's words and Gauri smiled a little where as Lakshya and Shiv were back to scowling at Manthan
Gauri: Actually, I don't really have the resources to be able to cater for one of your elaborate parties or dinners..
Manthan: No problem but atleast you can cook for us one day? Nothing elaborate, just a simple dinner will do as long as the menu has your paneer tikkas, lakhya can't stop raving about!!
Shiv: Yeah.. After being dragged to every single Indian restaurant and half the dhaabas in this city too we deserve to finally eat those paneer tikkas
Just then the girls came back.. Riya and Anisha (sisters of Manthan and Lakshya were just busy drinking their milk shakes and glaring at their respective brothers when they tried to get some sips from their shakes) However, Nina and Ipshita didn't look too happy as they had been observing the three guys chatting away with Gauri quite happily when they were waiting for their orders.
Just then a server came and delivered Shiv and Gauri's orders..
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Khuwaishey (PART 1)
Characters:
Mahen Kapoor: Owner of Multi-million dollar Kapoor Industries. He is semi-retired and thus more of a figure-head now that his two sons are running the companies successfully. He is what people call "old money". An arrogant man yet his heart was always in the right place. Having led a very lavish and carefree life in his youth and considering his rich background he would have turned into a snob had it not been for the love of his life, Nikhila.
Nikhila Kapoor: Wife of Mahen Kapoor. She came from very humble beginnings. She was found abandoned in a park as baby and was brought up in an orphanage. She had led a hard life as a child and hence had learnt to appreciate even the very simple things in life. When She was a mere 18 year old girl, she fell in love with the son of the one of the richest men in Mumbai. When everyone around her felt that this love could end in nothing but heart break, fate turned around to give it fairy tale ending.
Shiv Kapoor: Eldest son of Mahen and Nikhila Kapoor. At 31, he is basically the functional head of Kapoor Industries. He is an excellent and sometimes ruthless business man. Socially speaking he has been leading quite a "colourful" life. Even Page-3 reporters have lost count of all his girl friends. Where Nikhila is shocked, furious and despairs at the way Shiv handles his social life, Mahen is merely amused by it.
Samar Kapoor: Younger son of Mahen and Nikhila Kapoor. He is 29 years old and is definitely following his elder brothers footsteps both in business as well as social life.
Palak Kapoor: Only daughter of Mahen and Nikhila Kapoor. At 17, she is the baby of the family and a mirror image of Nikhila. She is also what Mahen and Nikhila secretly like to call their "accidental surprise". Mahen often teases his wife that Palak is the result of Nikhila's ahem ahem ummm… ahem over excitement and impatience!! Well thank god for that, because Palak really is the light of the Kapoor family. Where every member of the Kapoor family feels that it is their personal job to keep Palak smiling always, it is in fact Palak who never failed to bring a smile to their faces even at their lowest lows.
Daadi: A very trendy and classy old woman (ummm.. Sorry… "A Woman of Maturity") She is very particular about her looks and keeps up with the latest fashions and her weekly Spa appointments. Though a member of many a charities she doesn't like to associate with the "middle or lower class". However, for all her vices she genuinely loves her son and it this love for Mahen that made her realise that Nikhila was or is the best thing that ever happened to her son. Though she outwardly disapproves of Nikhila's "middle class simple thinking", she has come to secretly love Nikhila for this very quality. She adores all her grandchildren but it is no secret that her life lies in Palak..
Maya Kapoor (Maya bua): Elder sister of Mahen Kapoor. She is a widow and lives with Mahen and Nikhila. She never warmed up to Nikhila due to her humble beginnings and feels that Nikhila is the biggest mistake of her brother's life. However she was smart enough to realise early on that Mahen would not tolerate anything against Nikhila so she makes sure she is never too vocal about her feelings atleast in front of Mahen, Shiv or Samar. She soesn't care much for the 3 children either but she realises that Shiv and Samar in future will hold her and her daughters purse strings. So, obviously being a smart woman, she would bend over backwards for the two boys. However, Palak is a different story. She considers Palak a threat or competition to her own daughter. But once again she keeps her thoughts to herself atleast in front of the men of the house.
Ipshita Kapoor: Daughter of Maya Kapoor. At 23, she has managed to become quite a devious and hard hearted girl.. She has inherited Maya's hatred for Nikhila and considers Palak a threat. She doesn't have much use for Shiv and Samar either but with a little help from her mother she has realised the importance of the "two bhaiyaas" in her life..
Gauri and Kaaya: You will learn about them in the FF 😉
PART 1
A car comes and stops in front of a huge mansion. A distinguished looking man gets down. He must be in his mid to late fifties but he doesn't look a day over 45. He walks inside the mansion that happens to be his home, The Kapoor House. The man is none other than the powerful owner of the Kapoor industries, Mahen Kapoor. He enters the house and with a slight nod to the servant standing by the door he proceeds up the stairs straight for his room.
He enters his room and puts down his bag on the bed. With his back facing the bedroom door he starts unbuttoning his suit jacket. That's when he hears the familiar tinkling noise of bangles. The slight noise brings a smile to his face. He has gotten used to this noise in the last 33 years but it still doesn't fail to bring a slight smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes.
Slowly a pair of arms come around his neck, as always but instead of helping him remove his jacket, they slowly start tracing patterns on his shirt front. His eyes close as he feels a pair of soft lips kiss the side of his neck gently slowly moving up towards. Suddenly sharp teeth gently tug at his ear lobe and he gasps in surprise. The soft smile on his face now turns in to a full fledged grin and the sparkle in his eyes turns into a naughty look. He suddenly traps one of the hands on his shirt and swings the woman behind him round to face him.
Looking into the laughing eyes of his wife Nikhila, he puts his arms round her waist and asks
Mahen: Hey there my little flirt. Kya baat hai Nikki, aaj bahut romantic mood me ho. Ghar pe hum akele hai kya?
Nikki: Yes.. Maa ek charity function me gayi hai raat ko khaana khaake lautengi. Maya didi aur Ipshita kissi party me gaye hai. Palak movie pe gayi hai apni saheliyo ke saath, do ghanto me laut aayegi. Aapke laadle abhi to office me hai, lekin aaj Friday night hai to raat ke 2:00 - 2:30 se pehle to aane se rahey aur who kaha gaye yeh kal Page 3 se pata chal hi taiga. (she starts to frown as she said the last part)
Mahen lightly kisses her forehead smoothing away the frown as he wispers: kyu itni chinta karti ho shiv aur samar ki. They are young, Nikki, abhi masti nahi karengey to kya humaari umer me karengey?? Khair who sub chodo,important baat yeh hai ki we have a full 2 hours to do some masti of our own.. (Saying so he starts to pull Nikki closer to him)
Nikki pushes him away and making a funny face helps him remove his jacket and walks away to hang it in the closet.
Nikki: Ager mainey nahi bataaya hota ki palak do ghanto me aajaayegi to aap ka interrogation shuru ho gaya hota lekin shiv aur samar kuch bhi karey aapko farak hi nahi padtaa.
Mahen: Arre baba, ab Palak ka zyada dhyaan rakhna padta hai na after all who mere 40th bday ki gift hai.
He chuckled at the scowl his wife gave him..
Mahen sat down at the bed chuckling softly. His gaze fell on he letters kept on the side table. He started to go through them when a letter addressed from Aashiyana orphanage caught his eye.
Mahen: Nikki, tumne aaj ki mail nahi dekhi? Tumhara letter hai Aashiyana se.
Nikki came and sat by Mahen taking the letter from him and started to read it.
After a few moments of silence she kept the letter down and looked at her husband.
Mahen: What is it?
Nikki: kuch nahi siref ek news letter hai.
After a couple of moments of silence in which Mahen went throught the rest of the mail.
Nikki: Mahen, mai Aashiyana jaana chaahti hu.
Mahen looked at his wife. He slowly moved her hair away from her face to behind one of her ears as he asked tenderly : Achanak Aashiyana kyu jaana chaahti hu.
Nikki smiled a bit sadly: Bahut si yaadey judi hai waha se ek baar jaake sub fir se dekhna chaahti hu. Waise bhi after all wo mera mayeka hai. (she made a joke out of it to lighten the mood)
Mahen: Theek hai kal Saturday hai, hum kal hi chaltey hai.
Nikki: Hum? Aap bhi chalengey? Aap rehney dijeye mai chali jaaongi
Mahen: Arre tumhara maayeka mera sasural hai, Apney sasural to mujhe jaana hi chaahiye (he said grinning at his wife). Than a bit seriously, infact bachoo ko bhi le chaltey hai. Mai Shiv aur Samar se baat karta hu.
Before Nikki could say anything, Mahen took his cell and walked in to the adjoining study to call his sons.
Nikki just shook her head in resignation and went down to make tea and some snacks for Mahen. Even though there was no dearth of servants in the house, she preferred making food personally. Having never had a family in her past she really treasured doing little things for her family personally now.
Mahen called Shiv knowing that both his sons would most probably be still together in the office.
CHANGE OF SCENE
We see an office and a guy working on his laptop. He had a look of intense concentration and was a bit irritated when his phone rang and swore. He was damn sure it was that airhead girl friend of his. God the woman had no sense he had told her before no calls while he is at work. He really needs to drop her now and anyway he has been with her for a bloody month now time for a change..
He picked up the phone and answered it a bit irritated without glancing away from his laptop
Shiv: Hello
Mahen: hey son. Busy?
Shiv's mood changed the instant he heard his dad's voice : Dad.
Mahen: yeah. Listen Nikki wants to go her orphanage yesterday and I think it might be a good idea for all of us to tag along
Shiv sat back in his chair and rubbed a tired hand thru his hair as he sighed : Why? Da..
Mahen interrupted him before Shiv could continue: Listen Shiv that orphanage is a reminder to Nikki that she didn't have a normal childhood. Her stay their was the direct result of her lack of family. That place will always be a sign of her lonely childhood so I want her to go there with her family this time. She lived there because she didn't have a family I don't want her to go there now without her family
Shiv: Ofcourse dad. You didn't have to explain that to me. I wasn't asking why we had to go, I was asking why does mom want to go there now suddenly
Mahen sighed : Don't know son. She said she wanted to see the place again
Shiv: Fine dad, me and Samar will be ready
Mahen: ok..
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NOTE
Hey guys,
I was reading a FF "destined together" in Kasam se forum and I would request you all to read it too. The fiction is revolving around a cancer patient and I don't want to give out the story here so please read it if you have a moment. I am not asking you to read it for the story (though the fiction itself is very well written) I am asking you to read it and if it touches you at all please find out if there is a cancer registry in your City/State/Country and get yourself registered there.
Thanks guys.
Ships
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Part 2
The next morning…..
Everyone was sitting round the breakfast table.
Nikhila had been really surprised when she had seen her two sons all ready and down for breakfast at 9:00am on a Saturday morning. She knew from experience that even though her sons were always on time on any working day, Saturday mornings they usually didn't even get out of bed before noon. Considering they usually didn't sleep till early hours of the morning that wasn't surprising, but today was definitely a surprise.
Nikki: Do you guys have a meeting to attend??
Samar: No mom, why?
Nikki: Itni subeh kaise uth gaye fir?
Shiv: We are coming with you and dad to Aashiyana
Nikki was shocked.. She leaned over to Mahen and whispered "How did you blackmail them into coming to a boring orphanage on a Saturday morning? Mr. Kapoor lagta hai aapke haath in dono ke khilaaf bahut zabardast proof laga hai, kyu??"
Mahen whispered back: Ofcourse jaan, dono murder karke bhaage hai aur mere paas video proof hai..
Nikki punched him in the shoulder jokingly at this.
Maya had been sitting quietly around the table and couldn't help but remark tauntingly: So bhaabhi aap aaj apney maayeke jaa rahi hai? (even though the words itself were innocent the tone was quite derogatory)
Mahen was seething at her tone and would have said something but Nikki stopped him by placing a hand on his arm.
Daadi had been quietly eating her break fast all along but at this remark from Maya she retorted back in the same tone: Maya beti, yeh to 33 saal me shayad pehli baar maayekey jaa rahi hai hai.. Tum to peechley 15 saaloo se mayeke me hi baithi ho, challo aaj tum ek din ke liye hi sahi, sauraal to ho aaoo??
Maya's face turned a deep shade of red at this insult from her own mother. She stomped her foot and got up to leave the table but her mother's retort stopped her once again.
Daadi: Kya hua? Naashta to khaa lo? Bhook nahi hai ya sasural jaane ki jaldi hai?
Daadi chuckled softly as her daughter left the room.. Her face than turned serious as she glanced at her daughter-in-law: Yeh har cheez chup chaap sunene ki jo middle class aadat hai wo chod do.. Its very irritating. Anyway, meri spa appt hai, mai jaa rahi hu shaam tuk lautoongi.
With that she turned to leave but she stopped once again to glance back at her daughter in law again.
Daadi: Nikki, you should come too. Bhagwaan ne tumhe koi hoor ki pari to banaya nahi hai lekin jaisa bhi chehra diya hai uska khayaal to rakho.
Nikki: Maa aaj mujhe aashram jaana hai mai agli baar chaloongi aapke saath.
Daadi: Whatever. Spa ki jagah ager tumhe kissi dhool mitti se bhare ashram me jaana hai to that's your look out.. Let me tell you though, roaming around in that ashram with all those filthy kids won't do any good to your skin.
She shuddered saying so and started to leave when her son stopped her
Mahen: oh come on mom, pehle hi meri Nikki ko dekhke meri dil ki dhadkan tez ho jaati hai, ab spa jaake aur khoobsurat lagne lagi to kahi mujhey heart attack naa ho jaaye. (he put an arm around Nikki while saying this to his mother)
Daadi just gave him an irritated glance and with a grudging "hmm" left the house..
Nikki (turned to her husband as soon as her mother in law left): Aap sudhrengey nahi, kya zarooret thii maa ko bina wajah gussa dilaane ki.. Khair ab mai fresh ho kar aati hu fir sub chaltey hai.. Tub tak aap apni laadli ko to uthaa dijeye abhi tuk so rahi hai, wo bhi chalegi ya nahi?
Mahen got up to go wake up his daughter.
****Change of Scene****
The kapoor clan had reached the orphanage…
They slowly walked toward the main office.. Mahen, Nikhila, Samar and Palak were walking a bit ahead but shiv was tagging along at a much slower pace talking on the cell about some work, when a ball came and hit him suddenly on the head and dropped at his feet.
Shiv: OUCH! What the hell? (he picked up the ball looking around for the idiot who had hit him)
A little girl of about 6-7 years came running upto him. The creamy baby soft skin of her face had traces of mud on it. Her silky black curls were all tangled and flying all over her face and she was huffing and puffing from the exertion of running around. She was wearing a short top and shorts. Her shorts were maybe a bit loose because she kept pulling the belt up with her tiny hands. When she saw Shiv holding her ball she put her tiny hands on her waist and glared up defiantly at the giant standing in front of her..
Girl: Give. Me. My. Ball. (she demanded focussing her glare at Shiv)
Shiv narrowed his eyes at the little minx and decided he didn't care much for her tone of voice.
Shiv: I will give it to you after you apologise for hitting me with it
Girl: ap.. apo.. loo.. (she looked up confused and tried to roll her tongue around this new word she had heard, she didn't understand it but still decided she wouldn't like doing it, anyway..) GIVE THE BALL..
Shiv was now seriously irritated with this child. God. The brat had absolutely no manners and who ever was responsible for taking care of her was definitely not doing a great job.
Shiv: No.. Say sorry first..
The girl narrowed her eyes and thought, well the giant first wanted lolo and now he wants her to say sowiee, hmmmm…. She suddenly kicked him hard on the knee and though the kick didn't really hurt shiv, it did take him by surprise making him drop the ball. The girl picked up the ball and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her
Shiv had had enough of that brat and there was no way he would let her get away for hiting him twice, he ran after her. All he wanted was for her to say sorry and ask for the ball nicely and he would have given it but the little minx….
Shiv was just focussing on running after the little girl and collided with another person. Even before he hit the person he was hit by the tantalising smell of jasmine. He instinctively put his arms around a the person to stop both from falling down and looked up to gaze into a pair kohl lined deep eyes. For a moment he was lost in those eyes. Before either of them could catch their breaths and move away, they felt a little warm body pushing them away by trying to wiggle in between them. Suddenly Shiv felt a tiny foot stomp hard at his foot.
Shiv moved away instinctively at this: OUCH.. (He looked down to see the little minx glaring up at him angrily with her feet apart and her hands at her hips. She stood protectively in front of the woman he had collided with)
Woman: Anu, why did you just stomp at this uncle? That wasn't nice, that was mean. (she kneeled in front of the little girl and looked into her eyes while talking to her)
Shiv saw the little minx named Anu face the woman and say in a teary voice: Gauri-di he was going to hit you?
Shiv exclaimed in outrage at this, God the brat was a fine actress!!! She HIT HIM twice (oh no make that thrice) and she was the one looking like she was about to cry!!!
Woman: Awww… no honey, that was an accident, he wasn't going to hurt me.
Anu: ac…ac… what is dent??
Woman laughed softly at the child: Accident (she said slowly now) that is, it was mistake.. he didn't really hit me..
Anu: No gauri di, he is a bad baaad man. He took my ball and said he will give it only after I "lolo" with him..
Gauri's body stiffened at this and her face went absolutely blank for a moment. She knew that an orphanage was like a honey pot to some perverts who wanted to take advantage of little girls. There were many times when they had caught a stranger trying to lure little girls with candy or toys. That is why she was extra careful with all her wards. Her insides froze with the knowledge that today her Anu may have come into harms way..
She slowly stood up and pulled Anu behind her protectively, her face registered disgust as she looked at the man in front of her.
When she had glanced at him for the first time running right in her direction, her senses had been stunned by his gorgeous looks. She had been so dazed by how handsome he looked that she hadn't even realised that he was coming straight at her and they were going to collide.
Now when she looked at him, he looked so repulsive that she felt like throwing up.
She met his eyes and whispered her voice laced with her feelings of disgust and repulsion: You sick bas***d..
Shiv had been in a daze the moment he had heard the woman's soft laughter. Her laugh was like a soft touch of a feather. His mind had stopped focussing on the conversation between the child and woman after that. His mind just kept replaying her laughter and his eyes were just mesmerized by her face.. However when she spoke to him he snapped back to reality. It wasn't her words but the disgust in her voice that left him gasping. Before he could say anything, she had called some guards and and told them to throw him out of the premises.
Gauri walked away with Anu as the guards took hold of Shiv. Gauri hated the fact that all she could do was get him thrown out of the orphanage and not really put away in a jail but she knew from experience that going to the police will just mean harassment for Anu and there wouldn't be any evidence to keep him in jail because nothing really happened.. Suddenly a thought chilled her blood.. NOTHING DID HAPPEN?? RIGHT??.. She stopped suddenly and turned Anu to face her and kneeling down in front of her she said very lovingly to the child.
Gauri: Anu beta, why don't you tell me what happened with the bad man from the start?
Anu was now distracted and was getting restless to get away and start playing with her ball again. She squirmed trying to get away while telling gauri all that happened
She told her how the ball had hit him and when she asked for it back he had said to "lolo" before he will give it back..
Gauri was confused at this.. That was strange, perverts lured kids first.. They didn't wait around for a ball to come and hit them and a child to come demanding for it before making a move. Suddenly a thought struck her.. She caught hold of the squirming child and asked her
Gauri: Anu, baby, did the man say "apologise before he will give the ball"
Anu: yes didi that's what he said now let me go ( and with that she freed herself from Gauri's arms to resume playing with her ball)
Gauri stood up at this with a look of shocked despair as she realised what she had done. "Oh No!!!"
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Part 3
Gauri starts to go outside to hopefully catch up with that guy and apologise but as she starts to leave, the matron comes there.
Matron: Gauri, Nikhila Kapoor is here. Come child, we need to talk to her.
Gauri is shocked at this and asks the matron: So soon, but I just sent the letter a few days back?
Matron: Yes. It seems she just got it yesterday and decided to come here right away. Anyway, Gauri it is good she is here early, isn't it? Come now child, lets not delay.
Gauri hesitates: I.. I am.. I am not ready yet.. This is too soon.. I didn't expect her to respond so fast. That too by coming straight here.
Matron: Oh Gauri! It isn't too soon, its too late.. Its 6 years too late. Ready or not we have to do this, you have to do this. Now its time child.. Come and have faith in God..
Gauri: what if she doesn't believe us? What if she doesn't want to do anything with all this? What if she rejects…
The matron interrupted Gauri before she could finish that thought: Gauri NO, don't say that. Don't even think that.. God didn't bring us this far along to only abandon us here. Have faith, my child.. Now come, we shouldn't keep them waiting any longer.
Gauri: them?? Did she bring someone with her.
Matron sighed: Yes her husband and her kids but right now she is waiting for us with only her husbands. We have to talk to both of them. Now come Gauri…
And with this we see Gauri and the matron walking away….
****Change of scene*****
In a room we see Mahen and Nikhila sitting a bit anxiously. Nikhila seems to be quite nervous, her fingers are anxiously fidgeting with a corner of her saari pallu
Mahen places a hand on her restless hands: Nikki relax…
Nikki: Mahen, I… I feel this is about …. this is about..... the baby….
Mahen sighs at this: If it is, we will find out. Come now Nikki, what ever it is we will deal with it. (He puts his arm around her) You are not alone this time, Nikki. I am here too.. He kisses the top of her head as he whispers into her hair. You faced it all alone the first time.. Never again..
We see Gauri and the matron come inside their room.
Matron looks at Nikhila: Mrs. Kapoor, this is Gauri.. She wrote the letter to you.
Both Nikhila and Mahen stand up and look at Gauri.. Slowly, haltingly Gauri starts speaking. Everyone is quiet. As she continues, there is shock in Mahen and Nikhila's faces while there are tears in Gauri and Matron's eyes. After a while gauri dtopd talking. Silent tears run down Gauri's and Matron's faces. As the shock begins to wear out and everything starts to sink in, even Mahen's eyes fill up and tears roll down slowly. Nikhila, however seems to have gone numb. Mahen glances at his wife and he can almost feel her pain. He wants to say something but his throat feels too clogged with tears. He reaches out for her with a hand but she doesn't react.
Mahen finally manages to speak but all that comes out is a whispered "nikki"
Nikhila finally reacts when she hears her husbands voice. A painful, almost animalistic cry breaks out from her. She looks at the matron and gauri accusingly and keeps repeating "How could you? You kept this from me? I should have known, I could have helped.. I had a right to know.. How could you do this to me, to her?" Slowly she raises her voice till she is yelling at them. She turns towards Mahen and grabs his collar as she says desperately "Why Mahen? why mahen? why did this happen to me? They waited sooo long mahen.. Too long… why didn't they say something before? Why are you telling me all this NOW?" She turns on gauri and holds her by the shoulder, shaking her violently as she asked "You knew.. You have known atleast for 6 years, you have known, why did you wait so long" At this gauri breaks down and falls at Nikhila's feet sobbing her heart out and in between the sobs she told Mahen and Nikhila the last and maybe the most devastating truth she had called them here to tell.
Nikhila is completely dazed by the last news and slowly she walks away from gauri and the room. Mahen too is in shock and it is a few minutes before he realises that his wife has left the room.
He runs outside to find his wife, followed by Gauri and the Matron..
****change of scene*****
Samar and palak talking as they make their way outside the aashram.
Palak: Sam bhai, what do you think mom and dad had to discuss that they sent us outside?
Samar: Who knows kiddo? Maybe something to with donation or something like that
Palak: hmmm…. Where is big bro?
Samar: He looks around.. Don't know.. He was talking on the phone while we were going to the office.. Kahi kissi kone me baith ke koi deal fix kar rahe honge!!
Palak: hmm… bhai, I am hungry.. challo lets go outside and eat ice-cream.. I saw an ice-cream waala outside the ashram..
Samar: No way!! Mom se maar khaani hai? U know she doesn't like us eating anyting from thele-waalas. Kahi beemaar pad gayi to??
Palak: Oh come on bhai.. I AM HUNGRY!!!
Samar: OKAY FINE STOP WHINING!!! God, moti, tera pet hai ya kuaa?? Saala kabhi bharta hi nahi?
Palak started hitting him when he called her moti…
Samar: MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI MOTI
Palak: Bhaiiiiiiiiiii, I will kill u!!!
Samar ran away from Palak still calling her "moti" and Palak ran after him threatening to kill him and throw his body into a naala..
This is how they made their way outside the aashram but both stopped when they saw a dishevelled Shiv pacing around muttering to himself angrily
Samar: hey bhai what happened to you?
Palak (giggled): yeah, bhai aap kahi pit ke aa rahe ho kya??
Shiv glared at Palak: Yeah pit ke aa raha hu, This 5-6 year old brat first hit me with a ball on the head than kicked me in the knee and stomped my foot and than just because I asked her to say sorry, she had me thrown out of the premises!!!
Both Samar and Palak burst out laughing at this!!!
Samar: Yo bhai!!! 6 year old did ALL THAT!!! Wow!! Your Ex-GF's would be so happy to hear that a little girl was able to what they have been dreaming of doing themselves..
Palak: yeah we should let bhai's Ex GF club know about this girl!! They will make her their president
Samar: he he he EX GF CLUB!!
Samar and Palak hi-fived each other as they continued making fun of Shiv who was glaring at them furiously now!!!
That's when they saw a dazed Nikhila come out of the aashram too.
They called out to her but she didn't seem to hear their voices.
Shiv than ran upto her but as soon as he touched her she dropped to the floor sobbing hysterically. Samar and Palak came running too when they saw that. All traces of laughter, teasing or mock anger were gone, to be replaced with worry for their mother.
They helped her up to a nearby bench still asking her "whats wrong?" and "where is dad?"
She didn't respond to their questions just continued crying. Soon they saw Mahen coming out too followed by two women. Instantly Shiv recognised the younger woman as the one who he had collided with and who had had him thrown out..
Mahen came and took his wife in his arms. He just held her murmuring comforting words to her even as he was unable to stop his own tears from flowing down unchecked…
The two women had stopped too seeing the whole family gathered around Nikhila.
Shiv then noticed the younger one slowly approach his mother. He noticed too that she was crying as well
Gauri kneeled down in front of Nikhila and Mahen and folded her hands in prayer position as she begged in front of them: I am sorry.. I know, I should have contacted you sooner. I didn't have the courage and I didn't know how you would react. Punish me, I will accept any punishment you give me but please please I beg you to save Anu.. Please don't punish her for my sins. Give that child a chance. Give my baby a chance.
Gauri broke down as she said the last sentence. It was her words "my baby" that finally snapped Nikhila from her consuming grief back to reality.
She placed a tired hand on Gauri's head as she silently forgave the sobbing girl at her feet and promised herself to do what should have been done a long time back…..
Nikhila stood up as she made a silent decision. She looked down at Gauri still sobbing at her feet and said to her in a clear voice: Bring her.. Its time for you and my grand child to come home…
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Part 4
At Nikki's words Shiv, Samar and Palak stood shocked!!! Gauri stood up smiling through her tears and went inside to bring Nikki's grandchild. Soon she came out carrying a sleeping child. If shiv had thought nothing more could have shocked him any further he was proved dead wrong when he saw that the child sleeping in Gauri's arms was none other than that little minx he had unfortunately encountered earlier today!!!!
Everyone made their way back to the Kapoor mansion. No one spoke a word. Nikki was caught between her grief and her constant need to stare at the sleeping child in gauri's arms. Mahen was worried about his wife and was already thinking of ways on how to make everything work out. Shiv Samar and Palak were just dealing with the shock Nikki's words had given them.. Gauri had finally gone numb. Her Anu was going to get her chance but at the same time did this mean that she would also now lose her!!!
Finally they all reached the house.
Shiv looked at Mahen: Dad, what? Who is…
Mahen interrupted his son and answered him and his other two kids too: Right now we all go to our rooms and rest. No questions and no explanations. In the evening everyone will gather around here in the living room and we will answer all your questions and some decisions will be made
With that everyone went to his or her room. Palak took Gauri and Anu to her room. Nikki wanted to go with them too but Mahen stopped her: Nikki, u need to rest now. I don't know what we will do but there is one thing I promise you, you will have a life time to spend with your grand daughter.
Later that evening….
Everyone gathered in the living room except Anu who was still sleeping in Palak's room.. Daadi, Maya and Ipshita also knew that there was a girl and a child in their house who was somehow related to Nikki and that is what this meeting was about..
Nikki sat on a couch with Mahen sitting beside her with his arm around her shoulders offering his silent support as she started talking.
Nikki talked in a low but clear voice. At times she hesitated but Mahen would just squeeze her shoulder giving her his comfort, as she would continue: "When I was 16 years old and was living in the orphanage, I was raped. As a result I had a baby girl nine months later. I was scared and didn't know what to do but at the time my care givers at the orphanage convinced me to give up the baby for adoption as that would be good for both of us. So they found a nice couple who couldn't have children and I gave up my baby girl to them.. Later when mahen and me got married, we looked for this child and found out that she was living a happy and contented life with her adoptive parents. We decided to leave things as they were for her and for her adoptive parent's happiness. Then recently I got a letter from Gauri, who was raised in Aashiyana and is now an employee there, requesting to meet me once. We went to see her today and what she told me today…. (at this point Nikki's voice clogged with tears making it difficult for her to speak so gauri continued with the rest of the story)
Gauri: I wanted to speak to Nikhila Ma'am about her daughter. I was raised in Aashiyana too and when I was about 17 years old we got a call from a hospital in Mt. Abu requesting a member of the orphanage to come there to visit a patient. Me and a matron went to Mount Abu to see this patient. The patient was none other than Nikhila Ma'am's daughter. She was married and 9 months pregnant, when she and her husband met with an accident, her husband died instantly and even though the doctors were keeping her alive there was no chance of her surviving after she had her baby. Both her and her husband were only children of their parents who had long since passed away so they didn't have any close family they knew off. However Nikhila ma'am's daughter knew that she was adopted and her parents had also told her that her mother was a good women who had given her up for the good of both of them. She also knew that her mother was raised in Aashiyana orphanage and that she too herself was born there and than later on adopted. So she decided that if her own daughter was to be an orphan than she should be raised there too where her grandmother was raised and her mother was born. Soon after the baby was born she gave the baby to us and died. We named the baby Anu and brought her to Aashiyana. Since than I have taken care of Anu. A year later, I looked up the orphanage records and realised that the wife of famous Mahen Kapoor was Anu's grand mother. Many times I thought of contacting Nikila ma'am but I was too scared of her reaction and a part of me had gotten too attached to Anu. She is all I had, I didn't want to lose her… I… I.. am sorry… I am so sorry… I was selfish… I am sooooo sorry….." and with that Gauri too broke down crying..
For a few minutes no one said anything. The silence was just broken by Nikki and Gauri's sobs. One was crying at the death of her daughter and the years she lost of her grand daughter's life and the other was crying over what her selfishness had taken away from Nikki and Anu..
It was Maya who finally broke the silence "What Nonsense!! How do we know this girl is telling us the truth? Even if she is, the child is bhaabhi's illegitimate grandchild……"
"MAAYAAA!!" Mahen thundered, interrupting his sister "Don't you dare say a word against Nikki or you will be out of this house so fast, you won't even know what hit you"
Maya quickly changed tracks, there was no way she could let another child come and live here and eventually have a share in the property and who knew, it seemed like this filthy middle class girl would come too with the brat!!! But she realised going after Nikhila won't be smart so she decided to attack Gauri instead..
Maaya: Sorry bhaiya, But but how do you know this girl (she pointed towards Gauri) is telling us the truth?? This could be her child and she is just pawning her off as bhaabhi's grandchild.. You don't know these middle class girls they will do anything for money and then she will get to stay here too in style!!!
Before anyone could say anything, it was Gauri who broke in desperately: No!! please believe me.. I don't want money.. I won't even stay here.. I will take care of Anu too, she doesn't have to stay here either.. I have taken a loan and can even pay for her medical bills but I… I can't give her a new life…. Only you can do that (she said looking at Nikki) please… don't turn your back on Anu.. Not now, when she needs you…. so….
Daadi interrupted Gauri at this point asking sharply: What medical bills?? What is wrong with the girl??
This time it was Mahen who answered with a sigh as it was clear that neither Gauri nor Nikki were in any state to speak anymore: One of Anu's kidney has failed and it seems like the other one won't last either. Right now since one kidney is still partially working she is living more or less a normal life but as soon as this one fails, and that can happen any day now, the child's survival itself will become an issue. They have tried to find her a new kidney but so far they haven't been successful. There is a chance, Nikki's kidney may match as she is Anu's grandmother..
Maya was finally relieved to hear this.. she thought to herself as long is the child is getting Nikki's kidney not kapoor property, who cares!!! However, outwardly she said: Well ofcourse bhaabhi will definitely try and help Anu (she said going over to Gauri) You can take the child back now and bhaabhi will come to the hospital some time next week for any tests etc required." She smiled, patting Gauri on the head showing fake affection and concern.
Mahen opened his mouth to really give it to Maaya this time when his mother's voice stopped him
Daadi said in a loud clear voice stressing each word: NO. GREAT-GRANDCHILD. OF. MINE. WILL. STAY. IN. AN. ORPHANAGE.
Maya: but Mom…. (she whined in her usual cribbing voice)
Daadi: ENOUGH MAAYA. YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID. ANY GRANDCHILD OF NIKKI'S IS MY GREAT GRANDCHILD TOO.. ANU WILL STAY RIGHT HERE.. (and then looking straight at her daughter as she knew exactly what her daughter feared). Anu will stay here with the same right as any other child of this house.. I hope you understand my meaning, Maaya (she drawled making it clear to Maaya in her own subtle way that Anu too would have a right over the Kapoor properties)
And than the old lady turned to a sobbing Gauri. She walked upto her and stood in front of her
Daadi: "What you have done, young lady, is unforgivable. You kept our child from us for years because of your selfishness. You kept quiet for 6 years and even now you broke your silence only because the child is so sick.. What you have done to my daughter-in-law is outrageous, but I can't even begin to describe the harm you caused the very child you claim to love!!! You call this LOVE?? Was it love that kept her in an orphanage in god knows what filthy poor conditions when she should have been living like a princess right here?? Was it love that made you deny the child the love entitled to her from her own family??"
(Gauri sank down to the floor as harsh sobs racked her trembling body but the old lady continued to verbally rip apart the girl who was now literally crying at her feet) "You didn't make a mistake by keeping the child away from us. You have committed a SIN… Do you hear me, you have committed a SIN!!!"
(No one came to Gauri's defence, not even Mahen or Nikhila as somewhere in their hearts they too agreed that Gauri's silence of 6 years was unforgivable.. But there was one person who could no longer see Gauri in such pain!! And finally something inside this person snapped and forced this person break his or her silence..) "You think you have been a mother to her, you aren't even fit to be called a monster…."
the old woman stopped her angry tirade when she suddenly felt a hand placed on her shoulder. She turned around, coming face to face with a very grim looking SHIV..
Note:
Ok guys now I know once again no Shiv and Gauri scenes but from the very next part you will have Shiv and Gauri scenes!!! Oh and don't forget you will also have Shiv standing up against Daadi for Gauri... So stay tuned!!!!! 😃
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Part 5
Shiv whispered softly: Daadi, Don't you think you are being harsh?
Daadi was outraged at Shiv's words: I am being HARSH? This woman is a monster..
Shiv interrupted her a bit irritated: Fine!! You are right!! She IS A monster. A monster who took in a strangers baby when she was 17!! SEVENTEEN DAADI!!! Palak is seventeen. She cared for that child. She loved that child. She must have stayed home changing diapers and feeding this baby when girls her age would have been out partying. When girls her age were shopping for latest fashion clothes, she must have been shopping for baby food and baby clothes and diapers. She is monster that's why she fell in love with the child she cared for.. She was scared to give her up because that child was her ONLY FAMILY!!!
Shiv than walked over to Gauri, kneeled down caught hold of her arm and then pulled her to her feet. Gauri stood up but she was still sobbing with her head bowed. He looked at her for a few moments and then he literally dragged her and made her stand in front of his mom.
Shiv: Mom, look at her and tell me you don't see a little bit of yourself in her? Mom, she was scared to lose her only family so she didn't come to you. Look into her eyes and then tell me that what she has done makes her a monster and I will personally throw her out of this house. Say it mom just look at her and say it..
"Di..didi.. Didi where are you?" A voice called out. They all looked up to see Anu standing at the top of the stairs. As soon as Anu saw Gauri crying, she got scared and she ran downstairs to Gauri. She hugged Gauri's legs and started crying too "ghar challo ghar challo…. This is a bad house…" Gauri kneeled down and took Anu in her arms and hugged her tight. "Naah Anu, naah shonaa, this is not a bad house… this is a good house baby" She rubbed Anu's back comforting the little child in her arms, holding her tight
Anu: No lets gooo…. I saw they were being mean to you… I saw.. Baad house… bad lady (she said pointing at daadi).. I wanna go didi…
Gauri: No baby, see I did bad stuff and so she was telling me not to do that. See, when you do bad stuff, I tell you not to do it, don't I??
Anu nodded her head at this: didi, say sowwieee then lady won't be mad at you..
Gauri started to cry at this.. Seeing this Anu ran upto daad and pulled at her Saari looking up at her to get her attention. When the old woman looked down at her she said.. "Sowwiiieee. My didi is not bad.. she is good.. she is sowiiee.."
Shiv looked at his mother and whispered: Mom, go tell this child that her didi is a monster.
Nikki looked at her son and then she looked at the heart breaking scene in front of her. She looked at Mahen and their eyes met. Mahen smiled at Nikki and nodded his head slightly in some kind of an approving gesture.
Nikki went up to where Gauri was standing and she hugged her. Than taking her face in her hands she slowly wiped her tears with her fingertips. When Anu saw this other woman being nice to her didi she left daadi and ran upto Nikki and Gauri. Nikki looked down at the child and smiled and Anu smiled back at Nikki as she held gauri's hand.
Nikki looked down at Anu and asked: You and didi want to come and see your new rooms.
Anu's eyes lit up. She caught hold of Gauri's hand and nodded her head vigorously. Nikki held Gauri's other hand and all three women walked up the stairs. Gauri in the middle with both Anu and Nikki on her either side holding her hands.
Daadi looked at this disapprovingly and without saying a word left the hall and went to her own room
Maaya was shocked at this and opened her mouth to protest but before she could utter a word Mahen stopped her saying aloud: Gauri will stay here as Anu's mother and as my daughter.. End of discussion..
Both Gauri and Nikki heard Mahen and Gauri glanced at Nikki dreading Nikki's reaction to mahen's announcement but Nikki just smiled at her and nodded her head slightly stating her approval of Mahen's decision.
**********Later that night*********
Mahen, Shiv, Samar, Palak and Nikhila gathered arount the dinner table..
Mahen: Maa, maaya or ipshita kaha hai?
Niki: Maaya or Ipshita to kissi party me gaye hai lekin maa kaafi naaraz hai, unhone khaana apne kamre me hi khaa liya aur ab lights off karke so gayi hai.
Mahen sighed at this: Don't worry.. Let her sleep maybe she will cool down by tomorrow.. I will talk to her than.
Mahen: where are Anu and Gauri?
Nikki: Anu to kub ka khaana khaake so gayi. She was very excited with her new room and then I gave her some of Palak's old toys and she played with them too so she was exhausted and Gauri…
Before Nikki could finish they saw Gauri coming down. Mahen smiled at her: come Gauri.. Come come.. Sit…
Gauri: No thanks sir. I should go back to Aashram
Mahen: Aashram?? Gauri you will stay here in this house…
Gauri: But sir I will have to go back tonight. All my clothes and Anu's clothes are at the Aashram.
Mahen: so bring them tomorrow.
Gauri: Sir if Anu is up she will insist on coming to Aashram too. She is quite attached to the Aashram and the kids there. When we brought her here today, she was sleeping and then in the excitement of the room and toys she forgot all about Aashram. Now if I go tomorrow she will want to come along too and it may be difficult to bring her here again. So I don't want to remind her.
Nikki: Lekin beta… itni raat ko… and what if Anu wakes up and asks for you
Gauri: Ma'am I will be back tomorrow early morning and Anu's is a very deep sleeper. She won't wake up now.
Mahen: Ok fine. If you are insisting so much..
Nikki protested at this: Mahen, itni raat ko akele…
Mahen: Nikki let her go. Shiv will take her so she won't be alone..
Gauri protested at this: No no sir, its okay , Siv sir ko takleef mut dijeye.. Mai challi jaaongi, mujhe adaat hai…
Mahen raised an eyebrow and interrupted gauri: Okay listen Gauri 3 THINGS
Number 1.. Tumhe aadat hogi lekin mujhe adaat nahi apni kissi beti ko raat ko akele baahar jaane ki ijazat dena.. Number 2.. Enough of the Sirs and Ma'ams.. Tum mujhe uncle aur Nikki ko aunty bulaa sakti ho.. Shiv ko jo chaahe bulaaoo but "Shiv Sir" bilkul nahi. You are not an employee of this family. You are now a member of this family Number 3.. Ab chup chaap baith ke khaana khaao fir shiv tumhe aashram le taiga..
At this they all sat down and started eating. First few minutes it was a bit awkward and tensed but soon with Palak and Sama's chatter the atmosphere lightened and every one joined in. Gauri was quiet though even when the others tried to include her in the conversation she gave shy answers that were barely audible. Coming from an orphanage she felt odd being part of this family now. She barely ate her food but since no one said anything she figured no one noticed. They all had noticed but they knew that Gauri was feeling a bit awkward and they didn't want to make her uneasy by saying anything. Soon dinner was over and Shiv and Gauri got ready to leave.
Shiv thought to himself and decided he will get something for gauri to eat on the way to Aashram. She was feeling awkward in front of the family but atleast she can eat something when she gets to the aashram.. He had just made this decision when Mahen called him over and took him aside to talk softly out of Gauri's hearing range
Mahen: Shiv, get Gauri something to eat on the way.. The girl hardly touched her food
Shiv smiled at father: Yes SIR…
Just then Nikki came over to them..
Nikki: Shiv, get Gauri something to eat on the way.. Us ladki ne theek se khaana nahi khaaya
This time both Mahen and Shiv smiled at Nikki and said together : Yes MA'AM
Shiv then went over to Gauri who was standing by the door waiting for him
Shiv: challen?
Gauri: ji
Soon they were sitting in the car. Shiv started the car and then looked over at gauri
Shiv: Belt..
Gauri: ji?
Shiv: seat belt pehen lo
Gauri: oh
For a few seconds she fumbled with the belt..
Shiv: you ok?
Gauri: Ji.. Bus ek minute, yeh.. (she continued fumbling with the belt)
Shiv waited for a couple more seconds watching Gauri fumbling with the belt and then with a sigh he leaned over to do it for her. As soon as Gauri felt Shiv getting close to her she pulled in her breath and sat back on the seat, stiff as a stone, trying to sit as back as she could to avoid touch.. Shiv felt her boy stiffening but he didn't comment on it and quietly did up the belt for her. After doing up the belt for her he straightened in his seat and started the car..
After driving for a couple of minutes he switched on the radio the fill the silence.. Soon the beats and the words of the song "Who let the dogs out…. Woof woof woof" filled the car. Gauri was startled at the sudden loud noise of the song. She didn't say anything but glanced at Shiv. Shiv saw her glance and for a moment they were both lost in each others eyes. Then without a word he changed the station and soon the soothing music and lyrics of the song "Mere pyaar ki umer hai itni sanam…." filled the car.
Gauri mumbled bairly audibly: Thank You
Shiv (didn't catch what he said): hmmm.. Kuch kaha?
Gauri: Ji.. Ji thank you (she repeated a bit louder but still in a soft voice)
Shiv: You are welcome.
Gauri: I.. I am sorry too..
Shiv confused this time: Sorry?? Kisliye?
Gauri: who aapko meri wajah se….
Shiv thought that there she goes again about him having to take the trouble for dropping her off : Its ok.. Suna nahi papa ne kaha na ki he can't allow you to travel alone..
Gauri: Nahi uskey liye nahi, who aaj subeh ke liye, meri wajah se aapko who un guards ne bahar nikaal diyaa tha, isliye…
Shiv smiled mischievously this time: Oh (he drawled) wo mujhe aashram se inhale waali baat yaad hai tumhe?? He glanced at her saying so
Gauri bit her lower lip a bit guiltily: and lookind down said softly: ji I…. I… I am sorry about that
Shiv almost gasped for breath when he saw Gauri biting her lip.. Oh he so wanted it to be him biting the luscious lip of hers. He was shocked at his thoughts and quickly averted his gaze away from gauri and concentrated back to his driving.
Shiv saw Pizza place on the way and stopped in front of there.. When Gauri saw him stopping there she looked at him a bit confused and asked
Gauri: Aap yaha kyu rukey?
Shiv: Kuch khaane ko lene?
Gauri: Khaana? Lekin hum abhi to khaana khaakey aayen hai.. (she asked surprised)
Shiv: Hum? Hum nahi, mai abhi khaana khaake aaya hu tum abhi khaane ko apni plate me ider se udher bus ghumaa ke aayi ho..
Gauri was taken a back by Shiv's reply and so stuttered: J..jj..ji na.. nahi nahi, mai.. Mainey kha.. Khaana khaaya thaa..
Shiv: hmmm…. Mainey dekhaa thaa.. Anyway, tumhe kaunsa pizza pasand hai
Gauri: Ji mujhey bhuk nahi..
Shiv: Theek hai ager raat me bhook lagey to khaa lena.. Abhi bus itna bataaoo Pizza kaunsaa lu??
Gauri: Ji, pata nahi mainey kabhi khaaya nahi
Shiv was shocked at this: Tumney kabhi pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri: Ji… nahi… Aap rehney dijeye mujhe bhook nahi hai.. Hum Aashram chaltey hai (she almost pleaded with him)
Shiv ignored her pleading and muttered to himself in shock: I don't believe this!!! (Being a guy who had always lived in the lap of luxury, a fact that there was someone who had never had a pizza was beyond his imagination… Then once again he looked at her) Kya tumne sach me kabhi Pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri shook her head in negative at this.. She lowered her eyes when she saw Shock in Shiv's eyes. She felt embarrassed thinking shiv must be thinking that she is such an ignorant fool so biting her lip she quickly added "lekin mujhey pata hai ki wo kaisaa dikhta hai.." hoping that she wouldn't appear that big a fool if she admitted to have atleast seen it..
Shiv: Ager dekhaa hai to kabhi khaay kyu nahi? (he asked confused)
Gauri: wo mahengaa hota hai (she whispered in a barely audible voice)
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Part 6
Shiv was shocked at this: Tumney kabhi pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri: Ji… nahi… Aap rehney dijeye mujhe bhook nahi hai.. Hum Aashram chaltey hai (she almost pleaded with him)
Shiv ignored her pleading and muttered to himself in shock: I don't believe this!!! (Being a guy who had always lived in the lap of luxury, a fact that there was someone who had never had a pizza was beyond his imagination… Then once again he looked at her) Kya tumne sach me kabhi Pizza nahi khaaya??
Gauri shook her head in negative at this.. She lowered her eyes when she saw Shock in Shiv's eyes. She felt embarrassed thinking shiv must be thinking that she is such an ignorant fool so biting her lip she quickly added "lekin mujhey pata hai ki wo kaisaa dikhta hai.." hoping that she wouldn't appear that big a fool if she admitted to have atleast seen it..
Shiv: Ager dekhaa hai to kabhi khaay kyu nahi? (he asked confused)
Gauri: wo mahengaa hota hai (she whispered in a barely audible voice)
Shiv looked at her for a few more minutes completely taken a back by her response and then got out of the car closed his door walked around the front of of the car and then opening gauri's door said: challo
When Gauri didn't respond he took hold of her arm and pulled her out of the car. He then closed the passenger door and without saying a single word took hold of Gauri's hand and led her to the Pizza place.
They went inside and went to the counter to place their orders.
Shiv looked at Gauri and asked: Tum Non-veg ho ya Veg?
Gauri: Veg.. Lekin mere liye mat lijeye, mujhe bhook nahi..
Shiv ignored her and ordered a veg pizza.. He ordered a couple of milk shakes too
Shiv and Gauri took their seats waiting for their orders. After a couple of minutes of silence
Shiv: So you work at the orphanage?
Gauri: Ji
Shiv: What do you really do there?
Gauri: I take care of the children. We are all assigned a few children to take care of.
Shiv: So is Anu one of those children?
Gauri: yes. The only difference is that unofficially I have kind of adopted her. She is legally the ward of the orphanage and I am her care taker but the matron has allowed me to basically take over her full care. She stays with me and I am responsible for all her needs.
Shiv: Ok.. So your work at the orphanage, is it voluntary work or do you get paid for it?
Gauri: I get free accommodation in return for my services there
Shiv: Oh.. So do you work somewhere else too??
Before gauri could answer him a loud screechyyy voice interrupted them
"SHIVVVVVVV……."
They turned around to see a group of people heading towards them.. There were 4 girls and 2 guys.. The girls were all dressed in skimpy outfits and loud make-up.. They looked like over grown teenagers.. The guys looked quite well dressed and very obviously bored and irritated as hell..
Shiv swore under his breath when he saw the whole lot heading towards him
One of the girls came upto him and put her arm around his neck "Shivvyyy darling, where have u been?? I haven't seen you for ages"
Shiv removing her arm from around his neck "Hi Neena, I have been a bit busy lately"
Shiv's eyes narrowed when he saw that one of the girl's was Ipshita.
Shiv: Ipshita, tum yaha kya kar rahi ho, didn't you go to a party with Maya bua
Ipshita: uh.. yeah but we got bored so we came here to hang out and get a milkshake
One of the guys from the group: uh girls.. why don't you go ahead and place your orders..
The girls agreed and all of them moved away to the counter leaving the two guys alone with Shiv and gauri..
Shiv looked at his two long time friends: So baby sitting tonight, eh??
One of the guys scowled at Shiv: Yeah we are paying the price for our parent's mistakes
Shiv: Aaah…
The other guy who had been quiet uptill now looked at Gauri and extended his hand: Hi, I am Manthan and this is Lakshya.. (he introduced pointing towards the other guy).
Shiv interrupted: Oh sorry!! Gauri, Manthan and Lakshya are my close friends and also business associates. Manthan is Riya's brother and Lakshya is Anisha's brother..
He pointed towards two of the girls besides Nina and Ipshita.
Gauri smiled at the guys: Hi
Lakshya (frowned lightly while looking at Gauri): I have seen you before.. Do we know each other..
Manthan leaned a bit towards lakshya and whispered: Hell man, I can understand your desire to get better acquainted but atleast use a better pick up line!!
Gauri smiled lightly at Manthan as she had overheard his words while both Lakshya and Shiv scowled at Manthan…
Gauri: Actually we do know each other. I was working for one of the catering companies you had hired for a party of your last year..
Lakshya snapped his fingers at this: YES.. ofcourse, I remember you now.. You had made the best paneer tikkas I have ever had in my life!!
Both Shiv and Manthan were shocked at lakshya's words and said in unison: OH MY
GOD!! ITS YOU!! YOU ARE THE PANEER TIKKA LADY!!!
Gauri looked confused at the two of them
Shiv: Lakshya hasn't stopped raving about those Paneer tikkas he had at one of his parent's parties
Manthan: As a result he has dragged us to god knows how many restaurants to eat paneer tikkas in the hope of finding some place that made similar paneer tikkas
Lakshya: You know my family hired the company again so that we could get you as a chef for one of our dinners but you were no longer working there..
At Lakshay's words, Gauri's expression turned blank, a shutter seemed to come down over her eyes: Yes. I no longer work for them..
Shiv looked at Gauri and then changed the subject sensing Gauri was uneasy talking about her past employers for some reason: So you are a good cook, eh??
Gauri smiled: I am ok..
Lakshya broke in at this: Okay! My foot!! She is absolutely incredible Shiv..
Shiv: Really?? (he asked Gauri)
Gauri: No.. No.. I am not that good..
Manthan: Well Gauri there is only one way to find out.. You will have to cook for us one day.. So are you a chef? Where do you work now.
Gauri: I am not really a chef as in I didn't really go to some kind of a Chef school.. I don't really work anywhere, I some times cater for small parties or dinners independently.
Lakshya: Oh you should give me your contact info, we would love to have you cater for our parties again..
Manthan leaned over Lakshya again and whispered: Achaa tareekaa hai phone number maangene ka..
Once again all of them over heard Manthan's words and Gauri smiled a little where as Lakshya and Shiv were back to scowling at Manthan
Gauri: Actually, I don't really have the resources to be able to cater for one of your elaborate parties or dinners..
Manthan: No problem but atleast you can cook for us one day? Nothing elaborate, just a simple dinner will do as long as the menu has your paneer tikkas, lakhya can't stop raving about!!
Shiv: Yeah.. After being dragged to every single Indian restaurant and half the dhaabas in this city too we deserve to finally eat those paneer tikkas
Just then the girls came back.. Riya and Anisha (sisters of Manthan and Lakshya were just busy drinking their milk shakes and glaring at their respective brothers when they tried to get some sips from their shakes) However, Nina and Ipshita didn't look too happy as they had been observing the three guys chatting away with Gauri quite happily when they were waiting for their orders.
Just then a server came and delivered Shiv and Gauri's orders..
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