Shlok was lost into Aastha. Though her hair was not tied properly, they seemed perfectly fine. Though her eyes looked so tired without sleep, their redness made them seem more expressive. Shlok looked at her dry yet rosy lips and felt a thirst to take them in his mouth and suck them at once. Her curves stealing all his attention... His heart was beating, not for him but for Aastha... What was happening? He had never felt anything like this before. He had seen Aastha for a number of times, but never did he feel like he was feeling now. She seemed so beautiful! Nothing was perfect, yet everything was! Shlok kept looking into those beautiful eyes... Those eyes that had a thousand words hidden in them, those trapped feelings which were struggling to come out. Shlok wanted to know about every secret behind those simple yet mysterious eyes. Shlok was brought back to the moment by a couple of tears that made their was from Aastha's eyes to his hand. Shlok looked at those teary eyes. His hand instantly rose to wipe those tears off Aastha's cheeks. But before his hand reached her face, he felt a firm grip around his palm as Aastha held it in hers.
"Thank God you are alright, Shlok! You have no idea how worried I was when I read about your accident in the newspaper... I missed you so much... I felt as if I was left alone... You don't know Shlok... You don't know how things have turned up... Everything has become so complicated... I am not able to understand anything..." Aastha just couldn't hold back her words. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. She wanted to tell everything to Shlok at once. "Shlok, I was scared..I just wished you were..." and Aastha was interrupted by someone.
"Aastha beta" said a gentle yet firm voice. Aastha turned to see Niranjan standing at the door. Aastha had always been scared of Niranjan for some reason. He had never said or done anything scary, atleast not in front of Aastha, yet there was something about him that made Aastha be scared. Aastha instantly stood up seeing Niranjan, but she was still holding Shlok's hand. "It is not even two days since the accident, and Shlok is still recovering. I don't think it's a good idea to start telling him your problems right away" Niranjan spoke with the same sweet smile as always but his tone always seemed strange to Aastha, as if something was hidden behind that smile of his.
Aastha didn't know what to say. She was at a loss of words. She saw Niranjan's smile vanish as he stared at Shlok's hand in Aastha's. Aastha quickly left Shlok's hand. Clearing her throat, Aastha managed to speak, "Sorry uncle... I was just... I am sorry" She looked at Shlok once, and then left the room.
Aastha was walking slowly through the corridor thinking how silly she was inside the room. "I shouldn't have troubled Shlok like that... He is already not well..." Aastha felt guilty. Just then she heard a very familiar voice.
"Niranjan ji!!" a person came calling out for Niranjan. Aastha saw Niranjan smile seeing the person. They both hugged each other. "I had gone to the temple... I prayed for Shlok's well being. He will be fine soon, don't you worry..." saying so, the person patted gently on Niranjan's shoulder. "Where is Shlok? Let me meet him first!" said the person rushing inside Shlok's room.
Aastha was stunned at her place seeing all this. She quickly went and stood near the door to see the person and Niranjan talking to Shlok. Shlok too was glad to see the person. "How are you beta?" he asked Shlok as he applied the holy teeka on Shlok's forehead. He began chatting with Shlok and Niranjan.
Aastha's eyes watered seeing this. She couldn't believe her eyes. Tears filled her eyes as she called out to him... "Baba!" Aastha's happiness flowed through her tears. Niranjan, Shlok and Avdhoot turned towards the voice to see Aastha. Avdhoot was surprised to see her here.
"You are the girl from Mumbai, right?" asked Avdhoot looking at her. "Oh, I forgot your name... Umm..." he said trying to recollect. "Yes! Aastha! Right?" Aastha just came and hugged him. Avdhoot felt that very awkward. He didn't hug her back. Aastha moved back realising it. Avdhoot didn't remember she was his daughter since his memory loss. "How are you?" he asked. "Is that devil still troubling you? Cruel he is!" Before Aastha could say anything, Avdhoot continued, "But don't worry, now that you are here, you will be absolutely fine... These people are very nice. Niranjan ji and Anjali ji are so kind, you know? And Shlok, Varad and Sojal take so much care of me" Aastha felt so blessed to listen to this. She felt blessed to have met such lovely people to take care of her Baba.
"Come all of you, I have prepared tea for everyone" said Anjali coming to call them. Everyone left the room, leaving Shlok to take rest. Two nurses were there with Shlok in shifts to take care of him. Aastha went to the kitchen to help Anjali with serving. Anjali introduced Varad's wife, Sojal, to Aastha. Anjali, Aastha and Sojal served tea and snacks to everyone. Everyone sat in the drawing room having tea. As Anjali was about to take the first sip, she suddenly said, "Oh, I forgot to give tea to Shlok! Wait, I will come in a moment..."
Anjali was about to get up, when Aastha said, "Aunty, I will give tea to Shlok, don't worry..." Aastha quickly poured tea in a cup for Shlok and taking her cup of tea as well, she said, "I will have tea there with Shlok..." Everyone smiled except Niranjan. Aastha noticed that. "Don't worry uncle, I won't disturb Shlok... I promise!" she said. Niranjan nodded, he had no other choice.
Aastha entered Shlok's room with two cups of tea and a lovely smile. Shlok smiled seeing Aastha as he tried to sit up. But Shlok fell back feeling weak. Aastha quickly kept the cups on the table. She went to Shlok to support him to sit up. Shlok felt a tingling sensation when Aastha put her arms arround him, one over his back and the other across his chest. Shlok closed his eyes for a moment feeling the fragrance of her perfume enter his lungs. Aastha's gentle touch felt heavenly. But the nurse's touch made Shlok open his eyes. "Uff... Why does this lady have to hold me!" he thought, "I wish Aastha had four arms..."
Shlok sat up leaning back on the back rest with the help of Aastha and the nurse. Aastha handed a cup of tea to Shlok and took one for herself. She realised that she didn't offer tea to the nurse. "You have this" she said handing her cup to the nurse. The nurse denied but Aastha didn't listen. "You are such a sweet young lady!" said the nurse smiling at Aastha.
"Your tea?" asked Shlok.
Aastha smiled at Shlok's question. She sat beside the bed and said, "I don't want anything, Shlok! I am so happy today that I don't need anything else..." Shlok sipped his tea listening to Aastha. He was lost into the movements of her lips as she spoke. He was hardly listening to what Aastha was saying. "Shlok?" said Aastha shaking him. Shlok came back to his senses. "Thank you so much Shlok! You came to my help as if God had sent you for me. Thank you for taking care of Baba. Why didn't you tell me that Baba was staying here with you all?"
"I always told you that your Baba is fine. Wasn't that enough?" asked Shlok. Aastha just smiled agreeing with Shlok. They enjoyed chatting after a long time.
*****
Ajinkya received a call from the police station to inform that they traced Aastha's phone number to know that the last position of Aastha's phone was near the railway station before it was switched off.
"What?!" exclaimed Ajinkya. "Aastha was at the railway station?!" Aditi's eyes widened listening to this. She looked at Karan, worrying about what was going to happen next.
Ajinkya, Karan and Aditi, along with the police hurried to the railway station. Aditi was praying that Ajinkya shouldn't find out anything more about Aastha. Karan looked at a worried Aditi. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "I understand, Aditi... But you can't show yourself worried... Don't forget, we need to be careful... We need to beware of Ajinkya kaka... Try to be as normal as possible, okay?" Aditi nodded knowing that Karan said the right thing.
The police and Ajinkya Kaka began enquiring about Aastha on the railway station. Aditi's heart beats rose by the minute. She was afraid Ajinkya would know about Aastha.
*****
Aastha decided to take leave of the Agnihotri's for now. She had to go home. She had to go meet Nalini and her mother-in-law to know more about who was visiting her home all these years. She avoided telling about it to anyone else. She herself wanted to confirm it first. Varad offered to drop Aastha home. Aastha couldn't deny.
Aastha got down from the car. "Thank you Varad Dada!" she said.
"No problem Aastha, take care of yourself. And we will be waiting for you at lunch, okay? I will come to pick you up by 12:30. Be at home at that time, because your new number is not yet activated, so I won't be able to call you... "
Aastha nodded. She turned to leave but remembered something. Turning towards Varad, Aastha said, "Dada, cigarette smoking is injurious to health!" she gave a teasing smile.
Varad was confused. "Yeah, but why are you suddenly telling that to me?" he asked.
"I know you smoke" replied Aastha. "Not good, Dada... You should quit smoking..."
"What?" exclaimed Varad, "Who told you that I smoke? I have never held a cigar in my hand till now, and I never will"
Aastha smiled half-heartedly. "Then those cigarette butts?" wondered Aastha. "Oh God! That means that was someone else!"
*****
The police questioned the Station Master as Ajinkya watched on in anticipation. He was shocked to know that Aastha had enquired about the train to Pune the day she ran away. He was enraged knowing this. Aditi and Karan were scared now.
Clenching his jaws in anger, Ajinkya said, "I am coming for you, Aastha! No one can save you from me!"
Aditi and Karan exchanged glances. Aditi quickly went into a corner to call Aastha and make her aware of the coming danger. But she Aastha's old number didn't exist and the new number wasn't activated yet. Aditi remembered this. She became restless now. "Oh God! How will I tell Aastha now... I need to inform her immediately!"
Aditi heard Ajinkya telling everyone that he would leave for Pune immediately. "What now?!" thought Aditi. "Shlok! Yes, I will tell Shlok!" Aditi dialled Shlok's number at once. But as Shlok's phone was damaged completely in the accident, his number wasn't working. Aditi's eyes almost watered as she tried again and again but in vain.
"Whom are you trying to call so desperately?" Aditi heard Ajinkya's voice from behind. Her eyes widened as she gasped in fear. She gulped down her saliva and turned to face Ajinkya. She saw Karan gesturing her from behind Ajinkya to be calm. She handled the situation well saying, "Kaka, I was calling my colleague to tell her that I won't be able to go to office today..."
Ajinkya stared at Aditi narrowing his eyes as he didn't find her reply very convincing. He then said, "Okay... Then tell her that you won't come to office for another 2-3 days... Because you are coming with me to Pune!"
Aditi was shocked to hear this. "But uncle I can't come to..."
"Is there anything more important to you than finding your best friend? I don't think so..." said Ajinkya without letting Aditi say anything. "And yes, don't forget to inform your family about this..." he added and left to make arrangements for going to Pune. Aditi stood still at her place.
"Oh God, please save Aastha somehow..." prayed Aditi as she stared at Ajinkya's back as he walked away.
*****
Edited by ..optimist.. - 9 years ago
CID
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
