Story of the Decade | Chapter 13 by Bhavisweet03 | Pg 51 - Page 8

Originally posted by: Savera84

Thank you for your warm welcome to this story.

Now it is my turn to post the next chapter.

Presenting you Chapter 2 of yet to be named Story of the Decade.

Chapter 2:

Shyam gained consciousness couple of hours later. It was a deserted road, so, no one had seen him lying there unconscious. His head ached and when he put his hands on his head, he felt a big bump forming on his forehead. He suddenly remembered he was chasing Khushi and she pushed him hard and ran away.

“Khushi ran away!”

Where did she get that strength?

He had underestimated her strength. He had never thought it would be a challenge for him to physically restrain a skinny girl who was barely eating any food and getting regular beatings.

Not anymore! When he finds her – he will find her and he has to find her – he will lock her up in a room or chain her to the bed if needed. He can’t let his hard work go in vain. Shyam took a vow and left from there.

*****

When Khushi woke up next morning, she found herself covered with a comforter, on a nice bed with a soft mattress. She got disoriented for a second, then slowly remembered how Payal saved her from hitting a speeding car, how she took her to the hospital and how she asked her to spend the night in her house.

Khushi looked around and found a side table with a jug of water, a glass and a table lamp sitting on it. She turned the table lamp off, as morning sunlight penetrated through the wall to ceiling curtains hung in front the large sliding doors. A small sofa and a small coffee table occupied one side of the room. One wall had a big wardrobe. There was a corner table with a vase filled with fresh flowers. Khushi saw an internal door. Assuming it to be the bathroom, she hesitantly opened it. It was indeed a bathroom. She entered and locked the door behind her. She noticed fresh towels hanging on the towel racks and unopened packs of toiletries lying on the vanity unit. But she did not want to use any of them. She used her finger as a brush and finished brushing and used her fingers as a comb and fixed her hair.

Once freshened up, she returned to the room, sat on the bed and recounted yesterday’s events starting from her escape from Shyam’s house. When she had found the door ajar and no Shyam in the vicinity, she took off. She summoned all her strength to run away from him. She tried few times earlier, but he caught her and brought her back every single time and punished her.

How did she end up with this monster? Khushi thought about her dreams once she harboured about marriage and husband. She never had any fancy dreams. Just a simple and happy life. Is it a big thing to ask for? What she got was beyond her imagination. She realised his intentions as soon as she stepped in his house. By the time she understood he was a monster, he closed all her escape routes. Almost……

She didn’t want to think about that life anymore. She doesn’t know whether she is free from him or not. She has nowhere else to go. She lost her father before she got married and she can’t go back to that house. She will not be welcomed into that house again. She was a burden, which they gotten rid of very easily. She is all alone now. She has to do something for herself. Anything else is better than living as Shyam’s wife as Khushi Jha.

In her musings, she did not hear the faint knock on the door. The door was unlocked, but someone was knocking on it, nevertheless. Khushi got up and opened the door to find Payal on the other side with a cotton chudidar set in her hands.

Payal noticed the torn clothes last night. Looking at Khushi’s tired state, she did not ask Khushi to change into one of her nighties and let her sleep.

“Good morning.”, Payal greeted Khushi cheerfully.

“Good Morning.” Khushi said, forcing a small smile.

“What would you like to have Khushi? Tea or Coffee?” Payal asked.

“Tea.” Khushi said hesitantly.

“Great, I will ask HP Kaka to send your tea here. You can join us for breakfast after taking a shower.” Payal smiled fondly at her.

Looking at Khushi’s confused and still hesitant face, Payal changed her mind and told Khushi that she will send her breakfast to her room. She asked Khushi to take a shower and change into the dress she brought with her. She told Khushi that it is simple cotton dress which she has never worn. She went into the bathroom to check whether it was set properly or not. She softly told Khushi to use the toiletries and fresh towels. She assured her that she will talk to Khushi after they finish with breakfast and left.

*******

Arnav woke up late and was in a bad mood. He had hardly gotten any sleep last night and missed out on his jogging. He decided to use his office gym after finishing with the morning meeting. As soon as he freshened up, HP entered his room with black coffee. Arnav sat on the deck outside his room overlooking a big indoor swimming pool and finished his coffee, while going through news articles about yesterday’s launch and other business news items. Later he took a bath, dried his hair, dressed up in his usual three-piece black business suit. He wore a Navy-Blue shirt and a maroon tie to compliment the Black suit.

As soon as he appeared at the bottom of the steps, Payal and Akash both approached him with cheerful smiles. After greeting him, they both started talking about various news articles praising yesterday’s launch. The collection was the best and everyone was awestruck with the designs. They followed him from either side to the dining table and started serving him his usual breakfast. Arnav knew they were worried for him. But he doesn’t like people mothering him. He is not used to it. He is the protector. He looked at Payal and in a soft tone told her that he is fine and she should not worry about him.

How could she not? They all know how Arnav reacts to fire.

She had taken Akash to task last night for his carelessness about the arrangements. Akash had sworn that he wasn’t aware of that part of the show. He remembered subtly telling the stage manager about no fire or pyro techniques. They must have thought it is a new and popular item and a controlled flame of the fire-shot would not be an issue. He should have gone through the arrangements before giving a green signal. He accepted his fault, but Payal was not happy. She decided to oversee such events herself in the future.

She had first-hand experience of Arnav’s panic attacks. She had seen how Arnav reacted to the fire in the havan when she was getting married to Akash in a small temple ceremony. The wedding was not a grand affair, but the reception was. It was decided with her consent that they all will live in the same house. Since she entered this house, she was trying her best to help Arnav manage his panic attacks. His regular exercise is helping him a bit. But he bottled up everything in him and didn’t talk about the past. She would not rest until she finds a solution for his panic attacks. She had to do this for her Arnav Bhai who welcomed an orphan like her with open arms. Supported Akash’s love for her and encouraged Akash to marry her and treated her like a little sister.

“Bhai, sorry, I know how you feel about strangers. Khushi, the girl I saved from running into the path of a speeding vehicle, looks very troubled. She kept saying, ‘please don’t hit me, I won’t do it again". Payal said as they were finishing breakfast.

“I want to see whether I can help her in any way. I will join you guys after speaking to Khushi", Payal added hoping Arnav would understand.

Arnav remembered the petite woman withering in pain. She pleaded him the same last night when he came downstairs to get a glass of water. Arnav had always been wary of any new people living with them. Was Khushi really a victim or was she playing games with them, he wasn’t sure.

***************

Payal had already sent a tray with breakfast to Khushi. She finished her breakfast, she asked HP to bring two cups of tea to the guestroom while she herself started walking towards her destination.

When she reached the room, the door was open and she found Khushi sitting on the bed and staring into nothingness. Payal heart sank looking the young petite girl who looked not a day older than 20. The breakfast was left untouched on the coffee table. Payal made Khushi sat on the sofa and ordered her to eat breakfast and finish tea which was already set by HP.

While sipping her tea Payal noticed bruise marks at various stages of fading on Khushi’s hands. When Khushi noticed Payal’s gaze on her hands, she squirmed in her seat.

“Khushi” Payal called her softly.

“Who was it?” asked Payal.

Khushi understood the unreferenced name but kept quiet.

“Khushi, do you want to go home?”

………

“Do you have any other family where you can go?”

Khushi furiously moved her head in negative.

“You need to talk to me Khushi. Do you need help?”

“I…… I…….”

Khushi wasn’t sure, whether Payal was asking her to leave or merely asking her where she wants to go.

“Can I please stay here few more days”? Khushi asked mustering all her courage.

Payal knew it was out of the question. Arnav Bhai won’t like it and Akash won’t approve of it. But she didn’t have a heart to ask Khushi

to leave.

She finally took a deep breath told Khushi to stay in the outhouse along with HP Kaka and other domestic help. Khushi was happy with any arrangement as long as she didn’t need to go out. Payal was happy with any arrangement as long as Arnav doesn’t need to face Khushi.

Khushi folded her hands and thanked Payal. She added that she will help HPji in household chores. Payal got worried, but she has decided to tell HP kaka to make sure Khushi stays out of Arnav and Akash’s path.

Khushi straight away wanted to leave the guest room and move to outhouse. Payal thought she had to do something better, but decided to let the arrangements stay as they were for time being.

She called HP kaka and instructed him what to do. After Khushi left with HP, Payal went upstairs to get ready for office.

She didn’t know why, but her instincts were warning her that something big was going to happen.

Had she done the right thing?

-To be continued-

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