Chapter 72
Reflections
Sleep was never an easy guest at Oberoi mansion and today they had more than usual pairs of eyes awake and minds working overtime. The fox had been called out and she had donned on the garb of a lioness. No doubt she had a trick or two hidden up her sleeves. Not everyone thought about the impending perils tonite. The house stood divided, the seniors for the first time ever had donned their robes of seniority and were thinking of ways to protect the legacy which was handed over to them by their Father but nurtured by the eldest grandson. The illustrious grandson, who visibly looked tired of his journey today, and felt deceived and consumed by internal conflicts metaphorically and literally. The Juniors were neck deep in their self-created pools of misery, confused about their priorities and sensibilities.
The one and only Shivay Singh Oberoi who single-handedly had brought the Oberoi Industries to its current glory fumbled so miserably. Known for his exceptional ability to judge the character of a person misjudged not one but three women close to him. First one, who had brought him into this world, nurtured him and provided for him in every which way without as much as seeking an acknowledgment from him. If this was not selfless then what was? He assumed that woman to be selfish because she did not prevent his thrust into this obnoxious and brutal world of earning livelihood far too early than was stipulated. The second one, who had hopped into his world out of nowhere and wrought mayhem on his senses. Without effort or carefully crafted appearance, without the higher class faade of poise and serenity, unarmed with any of the usual spears of flattery or flashy womanly charm she seduced her way through his mind into the heart that he had sealed and locked with vehemence. Fighting against the society and for the society if this did not prove character beyond question then what did? He assumed that, woman who guarded the dignity of another with her own life to be undignified. Then the third one, the one against whom his locked heart kept warning him and he kept shutting it up, throwing logic after logic, reasons after reasons at it but it all stood defeated today.
The woman who he had thought to be an epitome of grace and dignity brought disgrace to his own home in an undignified way. The home where his badi ma had endured years of infidelity without giving up hope, the home where his own mother had endured years of apathy to keep it consolidated and strong, the home where his own grandmother had endured years of loneliness, not only hers but of her daughters in law's too. These women together had held the sanctity of this home with faith in him. One slack judgment violated the sacred refuge that the entire Oberoi clan had from the harsh gusts of the world. A place where none of his bade papa's conquests had ever dared to set their foot in, stood maligned today. His chosen one chose to bring in her profanity to sully the hallowed space. If this was not treachery then what was? If he washed the whole house in his own blood that would not suffice to clear this blot ever, for this home was not mere bricks and concrete it was hope, joy, sadness, bliss, anger, and above all blessings consolidated into a structure.
The signs were always there he never cared to read them, Dushyant hovered close whenever Tia was around. He had protested his absorption into Oberoi Inficom, after all, he was the one responsible to bring Ktech to its current glory along with Tia. He knew things about Tia that were extremely personal, from her blood group to her favorite perfume. On Tia's birthday, Shivay had instructed Sanvi to order a Chanel Gabrielle for her but she came back saying favorite of Tia was True Rose Jo Malone an absolutely unfamiliar choice. When he had asked how she knew about it, she had said Dushyant told her. He also told that she always carried a small bottle in her purse. He could not believe that he overlooked this, but it looked so logical at that time. Now though he could not recall if Tia had ever groomed herself in his presence. The familiarity was never there and he never noticed it or he did notice it but ignored it.
He went ahead and suspected his bade papa of having an amorous relationship with none other but Anika. He actually said it to him though in not as many words. The thought was now compounding his guilt manifold. In his attempt to write of Anika he had tried desperately to assign her labels that were below his stature but in the end, it was he who was stuck with one. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair. He felt his heart sinking once again and he reached for his pill box for a tablet of his prescribed anti anxiety medication.
"Aap itni dawa mat khaya kariye.
"Don't eat those medicines. They will harm you in the long run"
She had mumbled into his shoulders very softly so that he would not hear the concern in her tone when he had hugged her the day she was leaving for Delhi. He licked his dried lips and took a deep breath before putting the box away. He knew he could be weaned off this medicine long back but the comfort it provided was addictive. To soothe his nerves he looked for water but seeing the jug empty he came down to get some water. Noticing a slight movement from the corner of his eyes he turned and saw Gauri dozing off supported by the pillar, next to the diya.
"Does she sleep here! Wondering if he brought her to this state, this was getting bleaker by the moment. Did he turn to some vicious monster without realizing? The girl was scared of him he could see it and still he never cared to remedy it. She was even younger than Prinku. He cleared his throat to make some noise but she did not as much as stir. He tried knocking at the pillar that she rested her back on still she remained asleep. Unsure of his next step, he decided to call Om. Lights in his room were on, meant he too was awake. He knocked at his door and Om opened it in a fleeting second.
"Shivay tu theek hai?
"Are you all right SHivay?"
Om was worried for this brute of man when his little dove was sleeping outside the temple. Even he did not realize when he had become more like his bade papa.
"Gauri slept on the floor outside the temple. Shivay's tone was unusually soft as if he was trying not to wake up Gauri who was sleeping a floor down. Om came down with him and smiled on seeing Gauri's drooping head. He sat down next to her and gently patted on her shoulder. This was probably one of those nights when Gauri had traveled back to her past. The minute her body and mind connected to Om's touch she opened her eyes wide open. Fear and panic dripping from them, Om instantly knew she was not with him, the stressful evening had taken its toll on her. To curb her startled shriek he clasped her mouth with his palm and jerked her out of her sleep ridden amnesia. Shivay was seeing Gauri like that for the first time plagued with one of her stupors. Om was trying to reassure her of her surrounding but it did not seem to work. She shook and trembled, pushed at Om to get out of his grip. Shivay recalled Prinku when she used to be like that, scared like a little rabbit of bade papa's raging temper. Instinctively Shivay removed Om's hand from her mouth and she let out a scream. The sound of her scream broke her fit. She herself clutched her mouth to stifle her own voice.
"It's Ok! It's me, Shivay.
He gently removed her hand from her mouth and cupped her small face in his palms.
"Tumhe kuch nahi hoga, main hoon Na. Tum apne ghar mein ho phir dar kaisa?
"Nothing is going to happen to you. I am here. You are in your own home, what is this fear for?"
The reassurance in his tone was so overpowering that it allayed her fears. Om poured some water in her mouth which she gratefully gulped.
"Get up, go to your room. This is not a place to sleep He pulled her up to stand, his hold on her was more commanding than supportive.
Trying to recall why she was here, she frowned and Shivay could see her innocence and the reason why Om was so smitten by her. She scratched her head as if scratching the grey matter itself, then clapping she said with excitement.
"Diya! choti maji ne kaha tha diya nahi bujhna hai. Hum ghee dalne aaye they to yahi baith gaye.
"Diya! choti ma had said that this Diya should not go off so I had come to put some ghee in it. I just sat down here and dozed off"
She scrutinized the diya and on seeing it still burning strong and bright she smiled just as brightly.
"All yours bro. He chuckled and left her to Om. There was a slight skip in his steps. This was something so special about Shivay, his very existence revolved around his brothers, sister, and family. A smile on their face could rid him of years of melancholy. When he reached the landing he looked back at the couple and saw Gauri filling in the deepak once again as Om waited for her patiently. He pledged in that moment that Gauri would get her due in this house. This would be as much her house as Om's.
...
Edited by samiksha1993 - 7 years ago
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