CHAPTER 20 - BACK TO LUDHIANA
Guys again a bit filmy in this and next chapter2...but please bear with me
They all drove back to Ludhiana....their last journey seemed ages ago....Angad, sitting in the front passenger seat with Garry kept stealing glances at Sahiba. ..sitting in the last row of the SUV....he just had to assure himself that she was fine......he would miss her he realised.....and he rarely missed anyone...
It was nightfall by the time they reached Ludhiana....so they dropped the Mongas home before proceeding to Brar mansion....
Santosh ran out to hug Sahiba.....kissed her on the forehead and took her in....she turned back to look at him, waved him goodbye and gave him a smile before going in....
At brar mansion everyone was waiting for Angad....Manveer gave him a tight hug as soon as he got down and started crying...."I am fine mom, don't worry" he said hugging her....next Daarji and bebe and the rest of the family.....once they had fed him....coddled him...everyone settled down and asked him what had happened...and hundred other questions.....which he answered patiently....telling them all about how Sahiba got him out of the car, got his Inhaler for him....their journey to the cabin...her cleaning his wound...mggiee and everything....
They all went silent....listening to the horrifying time they had had and how Sahiba had been so resilient in face of adversity....
"You know Angad ...the fact that you were missing was all over the news....the newschannels were giving all details about how you and Sa..."
"I think Angad is too tierd and needs his rest" inder gave hansraj a look....he felt Angad need not know all those details right now.....
Finally in his bed, after Manveer had hovered over him for an hour....Angad gave way to his thoughts....they went back to the cabin and the time that he had spent with Sahiba....he wanted to check how she is..maybe he could message her....they were friends now anyway he thought....he was reaching for his phone when he realised that they both had lost their phones in the crash....he would buy a new phone tomorrow....maybe he could buy one for Sahiba also....
Sahiba also had a very emotional welcome. Param...who never cried...hugged her tightly and cried...."awwww....you love me so much my giant" She said ruffling his hair....
"No, I am crying because I have to give up your room now....I was ready to move all my stuff there....but here u are" he joked wiping his tears....Taaiji was also very emotional as she hugged her. They all felt it was best to sheild Sahiba from all the nonsense that was going on on the news channels as it would anyway die down soon....
Sahiba's thoughts turned to Angad as she slept in her room...how was he...how was his hand...did he take his pain killer....maybe she could call him tomorrow and ask...they were after all friends now...caught under the burden of responsibilities very early on in life. .she had had no time for friends.....later they were all married or had moved away....so it was quiet a novel thing to have a friend again she thought...as she drifted off to sleep...
NEXT DAY MID MORNING
Everyone was mostly through with breakfast and had gone about their day when Angad came out of his room....he had got up really late today....and everyone had let him sleep too....he finished his breakfast and was going to get ready for office...
"Angad take a break...you have been through so much and your stitches are still raw" Manveer stopped him...
Ever the workoholic "No ma, I am perfectly fine....I have missed office for so many days....I will go mad sitting at home.....let me go" Saying that he went to his room to get ready...
After a while Jasleen's phone rang, a friend of hers called her asking her to watch the news....Jasleen quickly opened the television to a local news channel ..and....
The news channels were running Angad's rescue story and had somehow got hold of a pic wherein Angad and Sahiba were sleeping together under the blankets when they were found....there was all kind of speculation ongoing about them...how they would have survived the night and what not....
Everyone was scandalized....Jasleen quickly called Garry and informed him to watch the news....
"Shut the television....I don't want Angad to see all this and get stressed" said Daarji but before Jasleen could switch it off...Angad snatched the remote from her hand and increased the volume....with every second Angad's temper rose...they were talking such nonsense about Sahiba....he felt like smashing the television.....
"All this is crap....believe me....the only thing we were doing was sharing the blankets to keep ourselves warm...nothing else" he desperately told his family...hoping they did not believe the nonsense....
"We believe you Angad....we know you and we know Sahiba too..." said Daarji and everyone nodded their heads....
"I want to go meet her....I hope she is fine..."
"Do you think that's a good idea...." asked Jasleen
"I don't care....I need to Meet her and tell her not to take this crap seriously....ma can I borrow your phone..." he took Manveer's phone and headed towards his car...before anyone could stop him...
GARRY'S OFFICE
Garry put on the news with Seerat and they were scandalized....what nonsense were the channels reporting..."Oh my god....Garry we need to go to my home....right now" Seerat said ...extremely upset about what the channels were implying...Ludhiana was a small city, on top of that Shimlapuri was a locality full of small minded people....she could not imagine what Sahiba must be going through....
Garry got a call from Angad on his way...he was also headed to meet Sahiba....Garry and Seerat reached first and rushed in..."Mummy...where is Sahiba"
"Kya Hua puttar....tu enni ghabraiyi hui kyun hai"
Seerat put on the news and showed her....Santosh was dumbfounded...."babaji..."
"Where is Sahiba"
"She left for her shop....we did not see all this news ...otherwise would not have let her go"
"Don't worry....we will go meet her there and get her home....it's best she does not go out for few days"
Garry called Angad and informed him that Sahiba was at her shop...Angad headed for her shop....for some reason...he felt this pressing need to be with her...as if something bad would happen if he was not around her...he turned the car towards her shop....
SAHIBA"S SHOP
Sahiba had come to her shop after so many days...it felt really good....but people around her were behaving very weirdly...on her way here or even outside her shop....they were giving her odd looks and whispering something.....weird.....kulche had not come today and she had a lot of work piled up...she forgot all about people and got busy.....
Business was slow...she had no customer that day...she had to do some pottery work and had a store cum workroom at the back of her store so might as well finish that she thought. She went through the door into her storeroom to finish her work...and soon got engrossed in it...
As she was working...she felt a shadow fall over her....who could it be, turned and was shocked to see Amrinder....he was very sleezy and always made her feel uncomfortable...
"What are you doing here....why did you come inside...do you want something....go out and I will meet you there" She said....getting uncomfortable with him in her store room...
He would not budge and kept staring at her....he was obsessed with her...had always been...wanted to marry her but she had always maintained her distance with him....she quickly washed her hands, got her dupatta and was heading towards the door when he held her arm and pulled her back...
"What are you doing! How dare you hold my hand"
"Don't act so innocent....you know I like you Sahiba. I even sent a marraige proposals through my parents....but you...you rejected saying you don't want to get married....wherein the truth was that you wanted to marry a rich guy"
"What are you talking about....leave my hand..." She tried to get her hand free but he was a tall strong punjabi boy and just would not let go...
"What did you think....you thought you would trap a rich guy with your antics...but no...he just used you right and threw you away otherwise you would have been engaged by now. You know men like him never marry women like you....they just use them....whereas I truly love you Sahiba....I still want you...." he sounded very angry....
"I don't know what you are taking about" She managed to get her hand free...and went towards the door...only to notice that it was locked from inside...."What...." She went to open it...only to be stopped by Amrinder...he held her and pushed her back in the room...
"You know...I was being gentle with you till now....humoring you...because I knew I was going to marry you ultimately...you are mine....you know that right..."
Sahiba broke him half way through...."You are mad...I will never ever marry you..." Getting very scared now...
"Don't worry...after today...you will have no option but to marry me" he said menacingly....advancing towards her...
Angad got out of his car...he was at her shop but she did not seem to be there.....he looked around but could not find her...maybe she left he thought...he should goto her home and check...just as he was about to leave he heard something....a crash...the noise was coming through a door at the back of the shop....maybe she was there...the urgency to meet her suddenly felt very intense....he was getting a very bad intuition...as if he had to be near her right now...he went to the door and tried to open it...but it was locked from inside...just as he was about to knock...he heard muffled scream....Sahiba...."Sahiba" he screamed.....he somehow knew she was inside....He started banging on the door but no one would open it....he got a very desperate feeling....he knew she was in there ......he could hear some shuffling and occasional screams.....he put all his weight and tried to kick the door open.....eventually the door broke and he rushed in....he adjusted to the dim lighting and tried to look for her.....when he suddenly saw them....his blood turned to ice....and then raw anger took him over....
He roaded in anger and pulled the guy away from Sahiba, throwing him away from her....his gaze fell on her..she was bleeding near her mouth, had a wound on her head, bleeding, her clothes were torn and had ugly scratch marks on her arm. He went to her...
"Sahiba" She recoiled from him....her eyes glazed with fear.....his heart tore...."it's me...Angad...Sahiba...it's Angad...you are safe now"
She took few seconds to process and realised it was him..and started crying...he quickly removed his blazer and covered her....that's when he heard a movement behind him and remembered about the guy.....raw anger overtook him again....he went and started beating him up....how dare he do this....how dare he....Angad was blinded by rage....he kept on hitting the guy....when Garry and Seerat rushed in....
They noticed Angad thrashing a guy and Sahiba's condition and put two and two together...Seerat rushed to Sahiba while Garry tried to stop Angad.
"Angad stop....you will kill him otherwise.....stop" he pulled back Angad...."Listen stop...we need to take care of Sahiba first....stop"
Listening Sahiba's name he stopped and looked at her.....she was sobbing, squeezing herself into Seerat's arms.. this little pause was enough for Amrinder to get up and run away.....Angad wanted to run after him but Garry stopped him..."we need to focus on Sahiba" he reminded Angad....
Angad rushed to Sahiba...he knelt down..""Sahiba" he reached towards her....but she recoiled from his touch....pushing herself away towards Seerat....Angad thought his heart may bleed....seeing her like this....he was going to kill that man...
"Who was he" he asked quietly
"His name is amrinder, he has always been obsessed with Sahiba...but we never thought he would goto this extent" Seerat told them
Sahiba had told him about this guy in the log hut...
"We need to take her to a doctor and then to the police station"
"NO" said Sahiba....scared..."I don't want to go anywhere" She started crying.....
"its ok....shhhh...you are fine now" seerat pacified Sahiba, tears flowing down her own eyes...she could not imagine what Sahiba was going through.....the thought of it was only so scary...
"Let's take her home for now..." said Seerat...she helped Sahiba up and they took her home in Angad's car ...
"Sahiba...yeh kya hua" Santosh asked...shocked looking at Sahiba's condition...."meri bacchi"
Sahiba hugged Santosh and cried....Angad had never seen her cry before, not like this....sobbing uncontrollably .....she was always brave one......always full of life....seeing her like this made him want to punchild something!
Seerat took Sahiba inside to change and updated Santosh....Santosh & Taaiji stayed with Sahiba while Seerat came out...
"How is she...is she OK....did that guy...." Angad could not complete the sentence...even the thought of that man hurting her that way was unbearable...
"She is better now...you reached in time....otherwise I can't imagine what would have happened" She said to Angad's relief....
"Thank you Angad" Seerat said....with tears in her eyes..
"No....dont say that...."
Garry hugged her....
"We need to report that guy" said Garry...
"Let papaji and mummyji think this over....this is a small society....I don't know how this will reflect on Sahiba..."
"What are you talking Seerat....this is such regressive thinking" Garry Scolded her
"Yes...but let my parents think this over and it has to be Sahiba's decision"
"There is no need to report him...I will take care of him" said Angad menacingly.....he could be ruthless when he wanted to...Garry was not happy imagining what Angad could do...
"We will see all that later...for now looks like your stitches have opened, you are bleeding....let's go and get them done."
"I am not going anywhere"
"Listen...I know you are worried about Sahiba...but you need to take care of yourself if you want to take care of her....otherwise sick yourself, you will be no use to her....come" Garry convinced Angad to get his stitches looked at by the doctor and took him to a clinic
As Seerat and Santosh were trying to make Sahiba eat something....they heard a lot of commotion in their courtyard....Papa and Param had still not come back....who could it be....and were shocked to see a lot of their neighbours, accompanied by Amrinder and his mom...
"What is the meaning of this and how dare you come to our house" asked an enraged Seerat
"What do you mean how dare he....I should be asking questions here not other way round" said his mother....backed by all the neighbors...
"What are you talking about" asked Santosh
"I am talking about your daughter Sahiba....we all saw on the news channels what all she did. Jealous with her sister's riches, wanting to trap a guy as rich as her sister's husband...."
"How dare you" asked Seerat
"Of course we dare, and when that did not work and the guy did not marry her....she tried to trap my son....knowing how much he loves her.....she called him to her store and when she was caught....she got him beaten up....what kind of a girl is she"
"Sahiba is not like that and she did not do any such thing" screamed Seerat
But Amrinder's mom had a very good hold over the neighborhood....they all believed what she said...and with what came over the newschannels for the last few days...everyone was against Sahiba...they were of the view that Sahiba should not be allowed to stay in the colony as she would otherwise be a bad influence on their kids...
"You all know how this boy is and you know how my Sahiba is....how can you talk like this"
But the neighbors were creating a lot of ruckus...when Amrinder intervened
"Sahiba does not have to leave the neighborhood....you know my love for Sahiba is true....that's why despite her behaviour....I am willing to marry her"
"Noooo" there was a whisper...Sahiba had come out to see what was all the noise about and had been silently listening....
"Noooo" Scared..
Seerat noticed her and rushed to her...."No you don't have to marry him"
"Why not....despite her actions....my son is willing to forgive all of it and give her respect by marrying her....what more do you want...why cant she marry him" asked Amrinder's mom aggressively....
"Because.....She is already engaged to Marry me, Angad Singh Brar".....Angad said from the doorway...leaving everyone shocked...
Amrinder got scared looking at him....the neighbors also had not expected this...hearing this they did not know what to say....including Amrinder's mom...
"Now....we all are very busy with our engagement preparations...hence all of you leave....now" said Angad...
Scared of him....all the neighbors left..
When Angad and Garry had come back from the clinic....they stopped at the doorway to see the monga neighbors creating a ruckus and talking nonsense about Sahiba....Angad had noticed Amrinder and wanted to kill him when Garry stopped him....the entire neighborhood was here....when Angad heard about Amrinder's marraige proposals for Sahiba...heard her fear.....he saw Red...even the remotest possibility of that man going near Sahiba or getting married to her made him want to kill that man....he said the only thing that came to his mind to make everyone shut up.....
"Beta...what have you done...what did you say" Taaiji asked him after everyone left....
"Ya Angad...what was that" Garry asked him...angrily...."You can't just say something like this.."
Angad looked at Sahiba...and caught her eye..she looked scared and worried....questioning him...."I did not say it just like that...I think it's the only and best solution...." her eyes widened....she was shocked.....she turned and went inside her room...
"What are you saying" Santosh asked him
"Auntyji....I am saying that I want to marry Sahiba....I know this is not how you would have planned things for Sahiba....but I think this is for the best....I will inform my family and ask them to formally come and meet you tomorrow" he said folding his hands....
"I would like to speak to her once if it's ok" he said
"No Angad, Sahiba is in no condition to speak to anyone for now" inserted Seerat firmly....though she was impressed with Angad's commitment towards saving Sahiba's reputation....she did not want him to manipulate her currently in her emotional state....
It was agreed that Seerat would stay back with Sahiba tonight, Santosh would inform Ajit about Angad's proposal and Angad would come formally tomorrow with his family to do the formality....
On the way to Brar mansion Garry looked at Angad...he had wanted the two to hook up...but not like this...."Angad are you sure..."
"Yes Garry, I am very sure" and he was....now that he had said it...the thought of marrying Sahiba had cemented itself in his heart
"But...you never wanted to marry right"
"Yes....but am sure"
Garry was very nervous....he was wondering how the family would react to this news....it was evening and everyone was assembled in the hall...seeing blood on Angad's shirt Manveer got tensed but he assured her it was fine...his stitches had come undone and he had got it done up again...
"How is Sahiba" asked Bebe, worried at the news Channel issue...they had no clue about what happened at her shop and it was decided by Angad to inform them as less as possible about it....he did not want anyone questioning Sahiba about it and make her relive the ugly moments...
"I want to say something to everyone" Angad said after his mom settled down...
"Daarji, Bebe, Mumma and Papa....I...I want to get married...." They were shocked....this was the last thing they expected to hear....
"I want to get married to Sahiba and want your blessings for our marriage"
No one knew how to respond for few seconds....Angad had been so determined not to marry....that even though this was the sensible thing to do in the circumstances.....they had not expected it to happen.....
Manveer suddenly got up and walked off.....Angad got worried...he was about to go after her when Bebe stopped him...."Wait...let me talk to her" she said...
Bebe followed Manveer into the paath room....where manveer was bent in prayer....she waited for her to get up and asked her...."kya hua puttar"
Manveer had tears running down her eyes...."Bebe...I have been wanting this for so long....have been praying for it for years....and Shaiba....I have liked her since beginning....maybe this was not the perfect way to get her married to Angad.....but I am glad that it's happening....I think she was always meant to be for him....you remember what that peer baba had said....and she has exactly been that way for Angad....he himself walked up and told us he wants to marry her....I just had to thank babaji...hence came here" She said laughing and crying at the same time...
Bebe hugged her....her eyes wet too...."come let's go out...Angad is waiting for our answer"
Angad was getting tensed...he thought everyone likes Sahiba a lot...he had not expected his mom to get upset and just as he was about to go after her ... she came back....
"Mamma...I " before he could say anything....she came and gave him a tight hug... to his relief...8
Daarji and Bebe spoke to each other and then Daarji said .... "Angad...we are really happy that you chose someone as special as Sahiba to be your wife...we will go tomorrow to Monga house to ask for her hand formally"
Angad was overjoyed....the hall erupted in congratulations....he took everyone's blessings....including his Dad's....
"Is this what you want...you don't have to do this you know" Inder said
"I Want to papa" Angad said
Inder could see the sincerity in his eyes....happy for his son...Inder gave him a hug too...
That night Angad reflected on his decision.....he could not let people slander Sahiba's name...and after what happened today...he realised that he needed her to be safe...could not bear for her to get hurt in anyway...so it was best if they got married....they had become friends and he really liked her....he was sure they could find some common ground to make the marraige work.....happy with his thoughts....he drifted off to sleep...
NEXT DAY AFTERNOON
Lunch was through and the Brar elders were getting ready to goto Monga house and speak to Ajith and Santosh for Sahiba's hand.
Angad was also all ready to join them...wearing his best blazer and pants....as he was coming out to the hall, Pam met him...and handed him two new latest expensive phones..
"Sir...this one is yours...your number had been restored and this one is for Sahiba mam, her number has been restored too"
Angad took the phones...he had taken the liberty to order a phone for her...she was going to be his wife soon, the word wife in relatio to Shaiba gave him extreme pleasure, he was now entitled to give her gifts.....so had ordered one of the most expensive phones for her....
As he came in the hall everyone was ready...
"Look who is all decked up" hansraj teased him....
Angad smiled....
Just then Seerat walked in....she looked sad and tierd....
"Hey Seerat...why did you come here...we were all coming to Monga house right now...you will have to go back again.....quickly get ready and come...we need to leave" said Angad
"There is no need to go anywhere Angad" said Seerat dejectedly...
Angad's heart started sinking...looking at Seerat's body language....
"Why is there no need .....where is Sahiba" he asked suddenly
"She left"
"What! What do you mean by she left....where did she go?" He asked shocked
Seerat handed him a letter....it was from Sahiba
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