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Hi everyone!
Ok, this is me again. This is the start of another FF from me and as much shocking it sounds, actually I don't have anything much to say! So read on!
Sacrifices
~Prologue~
Her laughter echoed in the world around her. The freshness of the air hit her delicate face as she breathed in the wonders of life. She clutched the arm of her husband and snuggled close to him. He in turn smiled back to her and pulled her closer. She tightened her grip on his arm. They walked lazily on the busiest of streets. While the people around them moved hurriedly, busy on their daily lives. But they were carefree.
He felt her pulling her coat around her more snugly and bend his head to question her. She nodded softly, beaming at him. They walked some more before standing in front of a coffee shop that was radiating warmth even in this cold weather. He pushed the door and held it open for her, she entered and looked back at him. He followed her closely and murmured a soft promise of never leaving her.
It took them a moment to adjust their eyesight to the orange glow of the cafe interior. The cafe was built of wooden panels and was decorated with lamps that were glowing orange. They got themselves seated on either side of a round table. She busied herself in the menu while he looked around the place, looking at the faces of the people around. He was stunned to see a familiar face among the crowd.
She was sitting with another girl and a man. She was laughing openly, making her wave of hair bounce with the movement of her muscles. She looked happy and content with life, the dimple in her face giving her an aura of a teenage girl.
Lavanya Kashyap. What was she doing here?
It was perhaps because of his strong gaze on her face that she turned her face and looked straight into his eyes. Her eyes narrowed in surprise and then she observed his wife's face. A warm smile glowed her whole face as she muttered something to her companions. He saw the other girl's posture freeze. Lavanya stood up and dragged her friend with her as she approached their table.
"Anjali Di!" she screamed as she gave a bone-crashing hug to his wife, who was still sitting holding the menu in her hand. She patted Lavanya's back awkwardly. "Lavanya, what are you doing here?"
"Di! I live in London, so I'd be here only nah? I should be the one to ask you the question, what are you doing here?" Lavanya asked as she laughed openly. "And how are you?" she threw the question to his direction. He nodded his head. Lavanya clasped the hand of her friend and said jovially, "Oh My God, I can't believe you are not saying Hi? You can't recognize her, right?"
Shyam Manohor Jha focused his gaze on the face of Lavanya's friend and he felt as if he's been clubbed. It was the same face that had evoked such strong negative emotions within him once that he'd gone to destroy all the lives around him. It was the same face that he 'fell in love with'. It was the same face that made him go wild in lust once upon a time. It was the same face that he'd once painted with tears.
Khushi Kumari Gupta.
Yet it was not the same face. Her pretty long thick hair was still tied in a tight braid. But instead of the side braid adorned with colourful pom-poms, it was a Lara Croft styled braid which made her face appear a bit harsh. Her eyes were bordered with dark kohl in thick lines. The signature dot on her forhead and the nose-pin was missing. So were the decorative dangling Jhumkas. She was biting her lips, openly stating where half of the pink lip gloss she's applied vanished. He saw her give him a look of deep loathing as she reluctantly nodded at gushing Anjali.
As much as he wanted, he couldn't take his eyes off her. He noticed how she was dressed in a pair of navy jeans and long olive buttoned up overcoat. He was surprised when he found that the madness inside him that woke up everytime he set his eyes on her was gone now. The slight frustration of not getting her that he'd been hiding inside him for all those years evaporated like ice in contact of fire. He suddenly felt like a free man, like a bird who'd just realized that he could fly. He was no longer affected by Khushi Kumari Gupta.
His concentration went back on the conversation that the Lavanya and Anjali were having while Khushi hung quietly in the background. "Di, obviously Khushi doesn't stay here. She just came to visit me and Nikhil in London. It's our ritual kind of thing. Twice a year I go to visit her and she comes to see me twice a year as well. Isn't it gorgeous? Oh hell, see I forgot to introduce my husband. Nick honey, please come here. Meet Anjali Di and Shyam Jijaaji, I told you about them."
The pleasantries were exchanged. Lavanya's complete lack of tact lead them to have their coffee session together. Lavanya and Anjali were completely at ease while Nikhil proved to be a charmer and joined it. Khushi kept her eyes fixed on her cup of tea, not looking up for a moment. He could she her heaving a sigh of relief when Nikhil mentioned that they had a dinner appointment to get ready for. They came out of the cafe together and when parting roads, Anjajli called out to Khushi, "Khushiji, you are happy, right?"
"Of course Anjali-ji, I'm happy." the answer came without any hesitation and for the first time a smile lit up her face. "I'm very happy." she repeated again. And then still smiling added, "As long as the innocent Princess is happy with her Prince who she thinks to be deity, do the normal people like me even have the right to be unhappy?"
She shook her head, smiling still as she looked at Anjali's confused face and his own guilt-stricken one, and she got in the car with the same smile lingering in her face.
...
Khushi was not entirely lying when she said that she was happy to Anjali. As she rubbed moisturizing lotion to her arms and feet as a pre-bed routine, she thought the way fate plays its game. In this whole wide world she had to run into the person she least wants to see? She was really uncomfortable at first but then she was surprised when she found out that she was not bitter, well maybe a little...
She was happy, extremely happy with the way her life was. She had a way of adjusting to life no matter what was thrown to her.In fact, she couldn't remember her life being so much calm and positive ever before. She was staying at Australia, with her parents and Buaji. She ran a restaurant which was gaining way too much popularity for a 3-year old one. She didn't know when her dreams started to revolve around it. Her day to day worries were consisted of the quality of the food served and the consumer reviews. Her new found ambition was to get Michelin Hats after the name of her restaurant.
She smiled as she remembered the decor of Spicy Bites and wondered whether Babuji was able to manage it properly. Her father helped her out with the restaurant, using his years of experience to run the sweet shop back in Lucknow. He still needed to use the walking stick but otherwise he was perfectly healthy again. He had been always the strength that she lacked in the initial days in abroad. Her mother and Bua managed a small grocery shop which also supplied the ingredients of her restaurant.
Khushi placed the bottle of the lotion back to the dresser and picked up the comb to brush her hair. She smiled a little as she heard Lavanya cooing to Nikhil in the living room. She had a best friend in Lavanya. Their friendship was incredibly sweet and it grew stronger and stronger with each passing year. She cherished her relationship with Lavanya, in fact she cherished Lavanya more than her sister, who once was the biggest part of her life.
Payal was happy in her own world. She was living a regal life as a Raizada daughter-in-law, spending her days in midst of wealth and glory. And when she came to visit Khushi and their parents for one/two weeks Khushi felt strangely detached with her. The warmth was missing. Their bond was no longer valid. It was as simple as this. And honestly it didn't bother her that much either.
She stood up to watch herself in the full length mirror and smiled. Yes, her days were full of brightness and happiness, there was no doubt to it.
It was the nights that reminded her what she really was, what her truth was. Because when she closed her eyes, a man wearing a blue sweater appeared in front of her, offering her a small container of food. She'd smile and would raise her hand to take it only to find him gone.
When she tried to give into sleep, she saw a man in olive falling down helpless due to low blood sugar and she reached for him because she knew terrible things would happen if she fails to catch him. But he would't be there anymore when she'd try to touch him.
And then when she'd get scared of the demons, a man in dark brown would fight away all of those horrible visions away from her, just as he once fought 4 men alone, nearly killing one just because he'd dared to touch her.
The real torture would begin then. She would feel the touch of the hand that hasn't yanked her to him in last 4 years. Her sense would be filled with the fragrance that she hasn't inhaled for so long. Her heart would ache to be in the arms of the only man that she loved, the same man who didn't love her enough to choose her over the world.
She'd take out the worn out photograph of the same man clad in suit. She'd kiss every inch of his emotionless face on the paper. She'd hug the image of him tight to her chest.
And then as if like miracle, calmness would engulf her. She'd find her heart and mind in peace. She'd send a small prayer to her Devi Maiya and fall into a peaceful slumber.
What she didn't know, the very man would be standing miles away from her at that moment, dressed impeccably. And he'd close his eyes and fold his hands, standing in a temple that consisted of people totally out of his league, praying to a Goddess that he didn't believe in, sending out a prayer for the girl whose happiness he sacrificed long ago.
"Keep her happy, bring peace to her life. Let her never face any kind of sufferings anymore, give her freedom, wipe my thoughts out of her mind."
The words were the same each day, every day. Then he'd give the idol a long hard glare and would walk away from the temple hurriedly, as if scared to be found here, putting on an aviator at the very last step he climbed.
...
So how was it? I hope you found the prologue interesting. Well, let me tell you something, this is actually a continuation of my OS: The Beginning and the first part would start from where The Beginning ended. I decided to write more on that because I received maximum number of PMs to continue that one and I personally thought there's scope for me to carry on that story. I'd be expecting your reviews...am feeling extremely lazy right now, so PMs would be sent later..đ
