Sparsh (An SS)--- Part XIV (Pg 130) - Page 53

Originally posted by: smiley20

awesome waiting for nxt part

Thank you.😊

Originally posted by: smileymj10

Am glad I followed my instinct, not to read this part when I'm not paying full attention.. I just did it, though it's hard..

Oh another gosh Indu Ghosh!!!
I love you for almost killing me!!! I was half dead now, coming from a heart attack because of that wonderful story you've written!!!
What a twist!!! So much tensions and excitement..

I so loved how the truth comes out to Yash and Mishti...
The girl he's marrying, who is she??
Will Mishti dares to go home to see Yash???

Eeekk, can't wait for the next...

@Smiley: Thanks my friend. Your affection-filled comments always bring a smile to my face. 🤗Well...now comes the fun part. Mishti can't stay hidden any more but she needs to do exactly that...so let's see how she takes this up.😃

Know, therefore, that from the greater silence, I shall return...

Forget not that I shall come back to you...

A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind.

Khalil Gibran

Part IX

As Vinni chalked out the nitty-gritties with them, with Neema giving them the details, Mishti sat in a painful daze…"Yashji, I found you once….and lost you twice." Just then her phone vibrated. She excused herself and walked to the far window.

"Aarti beta…Yash Scindia is sitting in the Living room."

Mishti stumbled a step back in shock, but soon controlled herself and glanced at the people behind, only to find Neema look at her with worry and raising an eyebrow in question. Mishti shook her head, giving a tremulous smile, and after signaling to her stepped out into the hallway even as babuji's voice full of concern came over.

"Aarti?...Aarti! Are you alright?"

"I am fine, babuji. But how….how did he know? I mean I met him just yesterday….And if it was my name, he would have asked me yesterday itself. Then how…(desperation evident in her voice)…."

"He is Palak's father, beta. He told me he got our address from Guptaji."

"Palak's father? Our Palak's father? (She put a shaking palm on her forehead and leaned against the wall.) Oh dear! But…even then…how…oho, I know…Palak was talking to her papa when I went to pick up Ansh last evening. He must have heard me. (Sighing she closed her eyes in resignation.) Alright babuji….this cannot be avoided. Providence is again playing games with me. Well…I can't fight destiny but I can make him stay away…I have to….for his own good (and yours and Ansh's…she thought to herself). Please give him the phone…and remember, we stick with our story. He must never know. I'll come home and explain to you."

"Right….You OK beta?"

"I am fine, babuji…don't worry…Your Mishti is strong…."

"As strong as that stubborn man I love," she murmured to herself as she heard babuji slowly wheel himself out of the room. Knowing him she should have realized how stubborn her Yashji could be with anything concerning her. God may have granted them only a few weeks of togetherness, yet they turned out to be the sum of existence of many a lifetimes; if they felt themselves strangely bound in each other's presence, then in solitude they discovered the real power of the other's companionship. It was a power, a feeling that she could never explain to Di even. And now, she didn't know whether to go over and shake Yashji for being so stubbornly persistent or hug him to herself for not giving up on her. A few lonely tears escaped her eyes as she waited to hear his voice…the voice that had been her strength, her will to go on, her motivation to shoulder bravely the responsibilities that Di had entrusted her with when she gave her own life for her. She would never betray Di's faith. Yashji's family would never accept her with babuji and Ansh, and she would rather die than make him choose between her and his family. After all who knew better than her what it feels to lose a family…and she had faced that loss twice in her life!! She will have to ensure that he never looks back again and goes on with his life. In any case he did approve of the girl, maybe liked her even…"I wonder how she looks like?" She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear the soft murmurs, followed by sounds of soft shuffling, and then he spoke.

"Hello!!" She jumped out of her reverie on hearing his deep voice.

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

Yash had hardly slept the previous night, and whatever little sleep he had were filled with images of her beautiful face….sometime at the back seat of the car, sometimes running through the fields toward the car, among the flowers, and once even in the glass room. His hand stopped the motion of running the comb through his hair….Closing his eyes, he clearly saw her in that room…her room…looking serene and belonged. "Darn it Yash! Stop! Don't raise your hopes. You may be completely wrong." He admonished himself for indulging in wishful thinking and left the room. Prateek was still asleep, and turning toward ma/bauji's room he found them coming out all dressed to go out.

"Good morning bauji…ma!! Are you going out somewhere?"

"Yes, Yash…Your ma and I have to meet someone. It's important….By the way, I hope you saw the photograph…(and on seeing him shake his head)…hmm, so…you didn't. I am serious, Yash…I need your answer before Saturday. If you have no one to present us with, we shall say Yes to Mr Joshi's proposal for his daughter Mansi."

"Yash beta…I have met Mansi. She is really very nice. I would love to have her as my elder bahu and take over the household duties. Please think about her….for me…hmm!!"

Yash groaned inwardly and followed them out. After seeing them of, he got into his car and drove to her place, picking a bunch of red roses on the way. He glanced at the flowers. Red roses…

"Red again, Mishti?"

"Hmm…yes." (She was busy arranging the small bouquet in the bedside table vase…a daily routine as soon as she came in.)

"But why red?"

"Why? Because they make this all-white, dull room brighter. I don't like you being surrounded with whiteness."

"But I am surrounded by blackness, Mishti?(smiling)….Aha, got you!!...Mishti!...(silence)…Mishti?"

(No answer.)

"Mishti? I was kidding. Please say something…..please."

"Don't you ever say something so horrible….even as a joke, otherwise I shall…I shall…go away."

"No…no…I won't. I am so sorry."

He groped for the flowers, picked one red rose, and gave it to her, making her smile…..a routine that remained till the day they separated: she would get the roses, he would wait for her to arrange them, and then he would pick one to give her…and then wait to feel her smile. He would never know that Mishti took those roses home and kept them in the wooden jewellery box Di and jiju had gifted her on her birthday…and that the box was the only thing she had asked to be got from home apart from Di and jiju's wedding photograph that hung in her room when Commissioner Roy had asked what she needed to be taken with her.

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

The door was opened by a woman who, after asking him his name and why he was there, had requested him to wait in the Living room, saying Aarti ma'am was not home but she would inform Mr Dubey. He kept the roses on a side table and looked around. It was a warm, cozy room with bare essentials: bright yellow curtains, an old sofa with slightly fading maroon sofa cover, a chest against the side wall on which stood a small TV, and a four-seater dining table on which was a fruit bowl and a narrow-necked crystal flower vase holding a single red rose. He was about to walk toward it when he felt a tug. Looking down he saw a little boy clad in Disney pajamas, hair tousled, and eyes still groggy with sleep look up to him.

"Good morning uncle! You are Palak's papa…isn't it? I saw you one day in school."

"Good morning young man….and you must be…"

"Ansh…Ansh Dubey."

"Nice to meet you Ansh Dubey. You are a good friend to Palak. She has told me a lot about you…..even about how you saved her tiffin from….from…."

"Shivam…(his face lighting up with a big toothy grin as he remembered the incident)."

"Ah…yes…Shivam. That was very brave of you. "

"Umm…girls need to be saved….except my mumma…she is the bravest. Uncle do you know karate? Will you teach me? Then I can beat all the bad people….just like Jacky Chan."

"Jacky Chan?"

"The actor….Ansh and I are big fans of Jacky Chan…right Ansh?"

Yash turned toward the voice. Mr Satyendra Dubey had joined them. Ansh ran up to his dadu and gave a high-five.

"Good morning, Mr Scindia. At last we meet (extending his hand)."

"Good morning, Sir!!! My apologies for coming in unannounced like this." (Yash was totally unprepared to see the old man in a wheel chair…..How does she manage? This must be so hard on her.)

"It's OK son…I understand your concern and the need to know about us. One second please….Ansh, go and get freshened up. Supriyadi will make breakfast for you. Mumma has gone for a meeting."

"OK dadu!! Bye Uncle…."

Halfway to the room, he turned back, "You will teach me, won't you?"

"Of course, I will Ansh."

Ansh ran back and gave him a quick tight hug before dashing away to his room. Yash turned to the older gentleman.

"He is a nice, happy little boy."

"Yes…he is. Aarti is a good mother…and a very good bahu (this looking at Yash's eyes). How did you get our address?"

"Palak is my daughter, Sir…Her nanaji gave me the address. I wish Mi…I mean Aartiji had let me know about your coming to Bhopal. I would have helped you in settling down. You know I tried looking for you…later…But the police were just not forthcoming, and then I was told that you wanted to stay undetected. Given what you and Aartiji had gone through, I had to respect your decision. Err…Sir…if you don't mind, can I ask you something about the incident of that day six years ago?"

"I am sorry, Mr Scindia…I still find it difficult to talk about it. Please wait for a few minutes. Have some tea. I'll call Aarti to let her know."

Mr Dubey returned after a few minutes, apologizing softly for making him wait and extended the phone to him.

"Aarti wants to speak with you."

Yash nodded, taking the phone, his hand suddenly clammy and his heart warm with a sudden rush of blood.

"Hello, Yash Scindia here!!"

Silence….He waited, and then he heard it…that soft intake of breath…before her voice came through.

"Mr Scindia…Mrs Aarti Dubey here. Good morning!! I am sorry you had to go to all that trouble to locate us. I realize you need some answers. Can we meet?"

"Of course….I'll come over to the VM offices whenever you say."

"No, not here….There's a cafe…Cafe Trincas…about a kilometer down the road from our office. I'll meet you there in an hour. That is if it is not too much trouble to you."

"Not at all…I'll be there."

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

Yash took Mr Dubey's leave and drove to the cafe. Parking the car he got out and began his wait. About half-an-hour later, he saw an auto stop. She got out…looking beautiful in a red-and-white Anarkali suit and flowing hair. After paying the fare she was about to turn toward the door of the cafe, when she saw him walking toward her. Before he could say anything, she folded her hands in Namaste, gave him a half smile, and nodded toward the cafe. He quietly opened the door for her…She walked hurriedly past him but her treacherous hair flew across his face. He closed his eyes in bliss and then followed her. The waiter approached them as they settled. Yash got a call and got up mouthing a "sorry…important." He stood facing her a few meters away, talking. Mishti waited a few minutes, and seeing the waiter getting restless looked up at Yash. At his silent "coffee" she gave quick instructions to the waiter for tea and black coffee with two cubes of sugar. She straightened herself as he came and sat down, eying her quizzically. And then, taking a deep breath she spoke.

"Mr Scindia you must…."

"Yash."

"What?"

"Yash…the name is Yash. There are too many Mr Scindias in the family…and since you will be dealing with us on a regular basis so might as well call us by our names….Hmmm!! Also, Yash is a very good name…someone once told me so…long back….almost six years back. What? Why are you looking at me like that?" (God she has beautiful eyes!)

Mishti was indeed looking at him as if he had grown horns in the last six years. Here she was…nervous to the last bone, sitting across him after six lifetimes, and trying to word sentences that would ward him away…while he…he sat there coolly throwing most flirtatiously outrageous lines at her. She narrowed her eyes, suddenly feeling an annoyance creep up, and crossed her hands on her lap and spoke in her most serious tone.

"Look Sir! We are here because…."

"Don't call me that…"

"Alright….Yashji….OK? Will you listen to me now?"

He leaned back in his seat with a slightly amused curve of his lip, noticing how cute she looked in anger with her upturned nose turning red.

"Yashji, the police advised us to leave town immediately after…after…Aman and Mishti were killed….I was…"

"STOP IT!!! Don't say that."

Mishti was taken aback with the sudden anger. He leaned forward, hands on the table.

"You know very well, nothing of that sort happened. Yes…a very grave tragedy occurred…you lost half your family at the hands of that bas***rd, but Mishti didn't die that day…. In fact she is here…now…sitting right in front of me, isn't she? Isn't she, Mishti?"

Mishti was too shocked to react.

To be continued...

INDUUU...OMG this was again a more than fantastic update. I seriously wanna give you the biggest and tightest hug this world has got to offer. I really don't know how you do it but you never fail to make your updates better and better each time. I always have super high expectations reading your updates and you always deliver better than my expectations. I loved the way you delicately laid down arti's and yash's emotions throughout this part and in the last paragraph, I could feel every ounce of Yash's anger that I was baffled and stunned (I was putting myself in Mishti's shoes the whole time). You were THAT amazing in writing this part that I could easily slip into each character's shoes.

awesome update

Oh my gosh Indu this is too good. I was waiting for this to happen and you did not disappoint at all.🤗 Fantastic update. Loved it

Originally posted by: InduG64

At his silent "coffee" she gave quick instructions to the waiter for tea and black coffee with two cubes of sugar. She straightened herself as he came and sat down, eying her quizzically. And then, taking a deep breath she spoke.

Indu...Indu...Indu!! What can I say...you rendered me speechless yet again! I swear, if only you're in front of my eyes...I would've just hugged and kissed you (*in friendly manner of course...am still straight BTW 😉*). What a marvellous and stupendous piece of art you've crafted, sweetheart! Its beautiful!

Awesome...Awesome...Awesome👏... Indu Di... u r simply perfect in letting out those minutest details.