Chapter 11 > "It's all about love"
Present Day > Nagpur Railway Station - 10.45 am⭐️
The weather was gloomy...! It was a grey damp morning, with a dull sky full of tumultuous dark, ragged clouds threatening rain...! The wind was sighing and thrashing in the trees tops, and the boughs moaned...swinging back and forth...! The branches were swaying, as if they were dancing along with the fast waltz music of the wind...! No happy chirping could be heard...the birds had fled, in search of fairer climes...!
The Nagpur Railway Station was packed to the brim...! People of every age, squashed uncomfortably together...as they waited for the train to arrive...!
"Hell...was a crowded railway platform" Devyani thought...! If any more people joined them, she wasn't going to be able to breath...and if ever she found out who had just trodden on her foot, that person was going to be very sorry...!
With great difficulty, the four girls wandered aimlessly with their luggages...looking for platform No.8, when suddenly a tinny voice coming from the tannoy speaker halted their steps, and they raised their heads to try to make out of what it was saying...!
A hush fell over the assembled travellers for a moment...no one wanted to miss the announcement...!
"We regret to inform that the train from Platform No.8 will be delayed by approximately..."
The rest of the announcement was drowned in the groan that rose from the crowd...! People started to move en-masse, pushing their way towards the waiting room...looking for somewhere to shelter from the threatening rain...! A small overweight boy, holding a half eaten donut in one hand, with pastry cream overflowing the corners of his mouth and clutching a pastry box tightly to his chest...almost ran straight into Devyani...! Catching sight of Devyani furious expression...he backed off hastily, disappearing back into the crowd...! 😆
Alka, Anu and Peeya threaded their way through the over-crowded waiting room, followed by an enraged Devyani...who kept on cursing the people who kept on bumping into her...! It wasn't an easy task to find a free bench to sit on, and wait for the train...! Devyani continuous expression of annoyance and dissatisfaction, were only making the situation worse...and it worsen even more, when someone elbowed her on the way...! She was hit in the chest by the same boy who few minutes back, almost spoilt her dress with pastry cream...!
"Don't think that I'll let you go that easily...come here you chunky monkey", Devyani snapped after him...!
Shouting wasn't going to make the Railway Station any less crowded...! It made her feel slightly better...but, didn't do anything to improve her miserable condition...! Annoyed by the people and the train delayed...and the whole stupid situation...Devyani reached a decision...! She didn't have time to wait around for trains that turned up whenever they felt like it...and never mind the time-table...! She would certainly die or become mad if she stayed one more minute in that crowded place...! She would have to think of something to get out of this situation...! Well...she could do something...! It wasn't an easy a plan, as it had first seemed...convincing Anu to accompany her to the nearest shopping mall...! 😊
"Alka Di...please tell Anu to come with me...! We'll go to the nearest mall...it's just around the corner", Devyani pleaded before Alka...! "It won't feel nice to meet the Sareen's empty handed, after so many years...! We should gift them something...after all, they're being kind and hospitable enough to welcome us in their house", she continued...!
Anushka Shastri wasn't ready to yield to Devyani childish demand...and categorically refused to accompany her and also forbid her to leave the station...!
"Devyani...I have no intention of getting into yet another argument with you", Anu told her wearily...! "Just accept that I'm not going anywhere with you and neither are you...!"
"Why the hell not?" Devyani snapped with a vehement shake of her head...!
"One...I don't want to go...! Two...I don't think it's necessary to make unnecessary expenses...! Three...I don't want you to feel humiliated and embarrassed...! What do you think...Minty Aunty will be overwhelmed seeing your cheap and small gift...? Don't forget...the Sareen's are no more the Sareen's of 12 years ago...they are now, one of the wealthiest family of Delhi...and they belong to the highest society...!"
Anushka Shastri was a tough opponent...but, Devyani Shastri also was no less...! She wasn't ready to bow down her weapons and surrender so easily...! She need to use plan B to convince her stubborn sister...!
"Anushka...I don't know why Papa assigned you the post of 'Minister of Finance' of our family...! You're such a miser and a stingy person...! You have no heart...you're..."
"That's not true...! Anu Di is nothing of the kind...!" Peeya interposed defensively in between her two elder sisters...! "She is very smart and down to earth, she is the most sensible of the four of us...that's why Papa gave her the responsibly of our family...! By now...we would've completely got ruined and went bankrupt...and would've been begging for alms in the street...if Papa would've given you that responsibility..!" She declared...hugging Anu from behind around the waist and..."My Anu Di is the best...!" She continued, sticking her tongue out at Devyani...!😛
Devyani tried to take out her frustration on Peeya who was hiding behind Anu...!
"You..Anu Di 'ki chamchi'...always ready to defend her...! Let me get my hands on you...and, I'll show you what a nuclear bomb Devyani Shastri is, she will blow you off within one second...! Confronting Alka...once again, she started her theatrical drama...!
"Alka Di...I'm warning you, if I don't get out of this crowded and suffocating room...I'm either going to die from lack of air, and you'll have to carry my dead body to Delhi...or I'll kill someone, starting from that elephant boy who is gulping donuts after donuts like a horse..and then spend my whole life in prison...! In both cases...you're going to lose your sweet and innocent sister Devyani Shastri...!" She cut in thinly, both tone and lips compressed...!
Alka shook her head...giving Devyani an exasperated look..."You're such a drama queen, who tends to react to every situation in an overdramatic or exaggerated manner...and tries to be the center of attention...!"
Devyani raised a brow in disagreement..."I'm not a drama queen...!" She scowled...! "One, I don't give a damn what all of you think of me...Two, I'll go to the mall alone...Three, I'll show you...I don't need your help, I can pay for the gift with my own money...!" She said defensively...!
"There's no need to shout and be over-melodramatic...!" Alka eyes flashed a warning as she looked up at the younger girl...and then addressing Anu..."Anu...please go with her, or she'll create another scene...! I'll stay right here with Peeya and our luggages...but, make it as fast as possible, we don't want to miss the train...do we...?" She shot a silencing glare at Devyani who was already jubilating with excitement...!⭐️
Present Day > Nagpur Emporium Shopping Mall - 11.15 am...!⭐️
Anushka walked by Devyani side as they headed to the entrance of the mall which was only a 3 mins distance walk from the Railway Station...! A blast of cold air hit her face and she signed deeply as the electronic door slid open to allow them passage...! It was a three storied imposing and huge building...the roof was a glass dome to allow for light to travel...! The food court was on the ground floor...with large escalators in the middle, travelling up to the next floor where most of the boutiques and gift shops were...!
Just as she had expected, the mall was an over load to her senses...harsh, bright florescent lighting, loud noises and lots and lots of people...! So many different sorts of people wandering around...! Small children accompanied by their parents...people chatting in clumps and sat at tables...teenagers with backpacks huddled in groups laughing...! Tables and chairs...some were filled, others were empty...cleaners collecting empty trays and wiped down the tables, waiting for new customers...!
Devyani eyes lit up with a childlike wonderment...her large eyes completely in awe at all the sights and sounds surrounding her...! She turned in a slow circle as they walked further into the building...all excited, looking at everything...! Anu smirked slightly and just shook her head...'no matter how many times Devyani had been to a shopping mall, it's always seemed like her first time...!'
"So, where do we go first...?" Anu finally asked an over-excited Devyani...!
"We're heading upstairs...!" Devyani said, gesturing the moving stairwell just in front of them...and before Anu could object, she was eagerly dragging her behind...!😛
The two sisters swiftly darted in and out among gathering of pedestrians as they made their way along the corridor of shops...! The bickering and shops hopping continued for quite a while, which made Anu mind to spin as she tried to determine the best course of action of leaving the mall as soon as possible...!
Devyani was about to drag her off yet to another shop which happened to be a book store...but, Anu refused to move a further step...! "I'm not going anywhere...! You're a five year old trapped in an adult body, you know that...don't you...? You're behaving like someone who's visiting a mall for the first time...!" She taunted her...! "You seemed to have forgotten the whole reason we've come here in the first place...!" She paused to take a deep breath and continued.., "Fine...we're not going to buy anything, let's go back...Alka Di and Peeya are waiting for us...!" Anu said firmly...!
"You're such a bore...you never let me have any fun...!" Devyani pouted and made a sad face...!
"Alright, this is the last shop we're visiting...it's a book store, you can buy a cookery book for Minty Aunty...she loves cooking...!" Anu shrugged when she saw Devyani crestfallen face...!
Devyani didn't think that was the best idea of a gift...but, it was either the book or nothing...! My Lord Anushka Shastri had already given her verdict, and she was in no mood for further arguments...!😃
Inside the book store...a middle aged woman with thick glasses stood behind the counter, watching over the customers like a silent sentry...guarding the precious knowledge contained in those books...!
"Anu, why don't you...!" Devyani asked as polite as she could...but, stopped short when she saw Anu dark eyes blazed burning gold with anger...!
"What...?" Anu cast her a sharp look...! "Remember, we're here just to get one gift for Minty Aunty...and by one gift, I clearly meant one...!" She reminded her...!
Seemingly disappointed, Devyani cleared her throat..." Umm...Anu, look...the Home & Deco store is on the second floor...! Perhaps, you would like to go and check it out...? Yes...? You can buy something for our new house...! What about an Idol of Lord Shankar Ji...? We'll feel blessed if we enter our new habitation along with Shankar Ji benediction...! Don't you think so...?" She asked hesitantly...!
Anushka gave her a curious look...! "Are you trying to get rid of me...? I'm amazed...for the first time, Devyani Shastri has said something sensible...! You're right...I'll meet you at the cash register in 15 mins...! Be on time...!" She clearly warned her...!
Pheww...Devyani gave a sigh of relief seeing Anu heading to the second floor...! She wanted to buy something for Rajat also...! With Anu continuously checking on her...it would have been impossible...! 😆
The Home & Deco department was rather large...occupying the whole floor...! It wasn't exactly what Anu was used to...! Elevator music was playing softly over the speakers...! She felt like she has stepped inside the cavern of Ali Baba...! There were unlimited collections of high quality and exceptionally priced furnitures and home decor merchandises...!
Like a moth drawn to a flame, Anu made her way to the incense and candles section...! Jars upon jars of incense sticks of various fragrances beckoned her...as well as several large soothing scented candles...!
Anu continued her exploration of the store...searching for the section where figurines, bibelots, Divine and God idols were exposed...! She was so lost in the confines of her own mind...when she found herself running right into someone, making the person to utter an audible "Ooomph"...! She had bumped into a tall yet fit figure in front of her...causing both of them to land right on the ground, with Anu on top of him...! She didn't open her eyes just yet...she was too embarrassed...! She smelled the body cologne...wait..., she recognized that odour...! That smell was the same that has been torturing all her senses since yesterday...! Anu opened her eyes...starting with the left one slowly, and realized in a state of shock...she had bumped into her sexy stranger...!😉
Rajat and Anushka faces were like inches apart...! Anu could feel his warm breath reaching the surface of her skin...! Their face was so close, which made Rajat want to kiss her...! They kept on staring at each other's...Rajat admiring her face, specially her eyes...! His heart beat fast due to the closeness of Anu...! Her both hands were on Rajat chest and his were on her back..! They kept on locking eyes and began leaning closer and closer every second...their lips almost touching...!
"Mum...Dad, look...they are shooting a film here...!" The heroine has fallen on top of the hero...and now the heroine is going to kiss the hero for saving her from getting hurt...!" A chirpy young voice paused their action...!
Anu came out of her self-induced trance and lifted her head slightly...trying to determine her surroundings...!
A 5 years old kid accompanied by his parents was bouncing in place...clapping his hands out of excitement, and staring at the couple who was still lying on the floor...! After an awkward moment of silence...the boy parents shared a mischievous smile, and before making a quick exit...they winked and showed the thumps up to Anu and Rajat...!
Anu realized, flushing yet again, that she was still lying on top of her mysterious stranger...arms against arms, legs against legs, her head cradled against his neck and shoulder...and he was exuding a faint yet warm light, and that light was penetrating her body...! Those lean darkly beautiful features of his drew her in like a fire on a freezing day...! She didn't want to look at him...but, she couldn't help herself...! Coming to her senses, Anu quickly looked away and tried to stand up...! She got up...brushing off her top and a bit shocked...! She added up the distance between them...took a deep cleansing breath to keep her emotions in check...! Rajat frowned, he was so close on kissing her...but, failed...!😕
Anushka briefly took another glance at Rajat..! This man was just too handsome, too sexy and too damn hot for all the womenkind...! She was trying hard to focus...but, couldn't stop herself from checking him out for a second time...! Her eyes went to his torso and chest...the ocean blue shirt he was wearing was a little bit tight...which made his built figure show more, and saw a glimpse of his six-pack...! The man was built perfectly...! He was absolutely the real definition of sex appeal...!
Realizing where her mind was drifting away, Anushka looked shyly at the ground...! She was embarrassed that she had been lying on top of him, almost kissing him...in full view, in a public place...! What if Devyani would have come searching for her...? The thought itself gave her goosebumps...!
Seeing her flushed face...Rajat smirked in triumph...! He was about to say something...but, Anu cut him off...!
"My stuffs...!" She felt anger bubble inside her...! "Damn it...can't you watch where you're walking...!"
The whole contents of her shoulder bag were scattered haphazardly across the floor...! Rajat sharp eyes didn't miss any of the items...! In exception of a purse, a mobile phone, a Nivea fruity shine peace lips care and a moisturizing skin cream...any normal and sensible girl would carry in her handbag...there was also a 12 tubes oil colours painting set, painting brushes in different sizes, a sharp tool with a curved cutting edge and a small transparent zipped lock plastic bag...! 😲
"How dare you talk to me like that...?" With an angry yet sexy voice, Rajat answered back...! "Me..? Excuse me, if I'm wrong...but, you're the one who bumped into me...! Not the other way around...young lady...!" He corrected...!
"You must be hallucinating...it was you who bumped into me...! She scowled at him and her gaze hardened...! "You could at least have some morals and apologize...!"
"I guessed now I have my answers...!" Rajat paused shortly before continuing..."You've just too busy and crazy living in your own little world and daydreaming...that you forget to watch where you're walking...!" He retorted back...!
"Well...forgive me if I didn't feel like answering an accusing stranger, who won't shut up for God's sake...and admit his mistakes, and stop blaming others for it...!" Anu replied with a deadly glare...agreeing, he was just too damn rude, arrogant and hot...!
"You're just so..." Just as Rajat began to counterattack...a third voice chimed in...!
"Ah...looking at both of you, it sends a wave of joy to my heart...! You two remind me of my husband and I...!"
An old woman who looked to be in her early 70's gazed at Anu and Rajat with a big bright smile...!
"We were just like you...! Always disagreeing most of the time and fighting...! Not to mention, we frustrated the hell out of each other's...but, no matter what...we always end up supporting each other's...! You two are such a beautiful couple...!" She said emotionally...!
"What...?" Anu was flabbergasted...! "Was she blind...? How could she say that...? How could she think that this rude, arrogant, sexy stranger and she, could be a couple...? And a beautiful one for that matter...? Yeah right...!" She'll have a good laugh with her nieces or nephews remembering and narrating about it...few years from now...!
"We're n-ot...!" Rajat stuttered to explain that they obviously were not together...but, the old lady cut him off and continued...!
"Take good care of each other's and appreciate each and every single moment you spend together...! Don't wait till you lose each other's...then wished, you never took things for granted...!" She muttered...a pained look settled on her face...!
"My God...! She must have lost her husband and the love of her life...!" Anu supposed...from the way she talked and looked...! Anushka felt bad for her and could imagine, how that feels...she herself having lost her mother...!😭
"Why do people always have this misconception that we're a couple...? Is it written on our face that we're married...?" Anu questioned herself, as a frown wrinkled her brow...not realizing that she had voiced out her thought aloud...!
Rajat thought she was 'cute'...standing in the middle of the mall, talking to herself...trying to find out answers to her own questions...!
"It's obvious...for people to believe that we're a couple...!" Rajat replied, bringing Anu back to reality...! "The way you behave with me...everyone will think that we've been married for more than 10 years...!" He whispered seductively in her ear...!
"Very funny...! Ten years is a decade...I shall refuge to spend one day with you as your wife... even if you were the last man on earth...!" She retorted before walking away...and didn't bother to wait for him to say anything further, as she soon disappeared among rows and rows of shelves in the store...!
Anu frowned as she looked up at the shelf...! She tiptoed and stretched as high as she could...! Unfortunately, the top shelf had a few more inches over her...! She huffed in a frustrated manner...and every part of her looked ready to climb the shelf...! She looked around...assuring herself that nobody is looking at her, and she would just do that...when, from nowhere...she felt someone close behind her, so close...she could feel and smell him...! Her skin prickled, tiny hairs rising at the nape of her neck as she subdued a responsive shiver...! Her heart was racing...!
A voice from behind broke into the smouldering silence...! "I'll get it...! Seriously, you weren't really thinking of climbing the shelf...?" Rajat demanded and stretched his arm, grabbed one idol of Lord Shankar...the one Anu wanted...!
Anu forced a smile when he offered it to her...! "Could you please get this one also...?" She asked...pointing to an idol of Goddess Mata Rani...!
"Thanks...!" She said sarcastically, as she snatched it from him and walked away...!
Anushka flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder...! She sharply turned her head and looked up at Rajat...!
"What..?" She snapped at him...! "I did say thanks...do you want me to bow down at your feet also...?" She added...! "And please...stop following me...!"
Rajat frowned...slightly bothered with Anu reaction...! "Did I do something wrong...?" He asked...! "You looked mad...!"
Anushka was about to snap again...when Rajat stopped her...! "You don't have to be moody every time...you'll get wrinkles and grey hair before time...! I wasn't following you...I came to return this to you...!" 😛
Rajat was holding the zipped lock plastic bag...! Oh no...! Anu panicked...thinking that she had been caught for her crimes...! The changing colours of Anu face like a chameleon...didn't go unnoticed by Rajat...! He was even more curious to know what was in the plastic bag...that made her go completely numb...!
Anu did her utmost best to grab the bag which Rajat was enjoying dangling before her...but, she knew it was a lost cause...! Her opponent was taller and much more stronger than her in every sense...! She just stood there, transfixed and froze as ice...as she watched Rajat un-zipped the bag...and waited for the bomb to explode...!
Anushka closed shut her eyes tightly...on witnessing Rajat astounded expression...! She had stopped breathing. Her entire skin surface felt cold then hot...! Rajat was spell-bounded and even more surprised at what he saw...'a half-used pencil, a Nike wristband, a pair of shoelaces, a bubble gum wrapper, a used...but, clean Elastoplast band, a shirt button, a friendship band, a dried rose bud...and the most incredible and bizarre item was a milk teeth, wrapped carefully in a tissue paper...!😲
Rajat looked down at her from his imposing height...a mile-wide and self-satisfied smirk on his handsome face...!
"So, Miss Always Right...uff Miss High and Mighty, isn't so perfect after all...!" He teased...! "Who are you...? A witch...? A murderer...? Seeing the contents of this bag...anyone will come to the same conclusion...!" He drawled grimly, his lean, strong face hard...!
Anushka eyes were like angry lasers as they faced him...! "How dare you...who gave you the right to invade my privacy...and touched my personal stuffs...? You've got it right...I'm a murderer...! I trapped handsome guys...attacked them with the pepper spray, then stabbed them with the sharp knife like tool, paint their bodies with colours...and finally, I always keep a personal stuff that belong to my victims for my personal collections...the same you saw in the zipped lock plastic bag, before abandoning them in a deserted place to be the fiesta of the vultures...!" Anushka hurled at Rajat angrily...!
"Have you already forgotten...? I did told you...I come from a very powerful underworld family...my Dad is a very dangerous Mafia Don...!" She refreshed his memory...!
Rajat rested his stunned gaze on Anu..., "You're not serious...you're kidding...aren't you...?" Rajat asked in a questioning tone...! "You've just made up this story...right now...! Right...?
Rajat rumbling laughter only increased Anu anger...! She glared angrily at him, her cheeks flushing...looking at him menacingly..., "Does my face look like I'm joking...? And if you continue to follow or irritate me...you'll be the next victim of my list...!" She threatened...!
Rajat was amazed by her self-confidence...! He blinked, dumbfounded and flabbergasted by her outburst...!
"Really...! And what part of me you'll add to your list of trophies...? My eyes, my heart...? Rajat asked, winking at her naughtily...a big grin came across his face...!
"I knew it...and I'm not surprised...! You guys should stop fighting...! There's nothing worth arguing about it in the middle of a public place, while everyone's watching you...! That's just ridiculous and so immature...! Grow up...!" The voice said gruffly...!
Rajat and Anushka look at each other's with a shock expression on their face...! The intruder was non other than Sweety...the same red chilli Sweety, wearing a red hot sexy nighty...they met earlier...!
"Well..I just thought I'd give you two, a piece of advice...!" The woman snarled smugly...!
"Well don't...! It's non of your business...!" Anu snapped at her...exasperated, making her blood boil and see red...the way Sweety was eyeing Rajat and provocatively flirting with him...and that too in a public place...! 😡
Before Sweety could reciprocate...an aged man stepped in between them...!
"Sweety Darling...! You're here...and I was looking for you over there...", He stopped short on seeing Rajat...! "So, we meet again...young man, and without doubt this lovely young lady is Mrs Sareen...!" He said and smiled at Anu warmly...!
Anushka narrowed her eyes, as her lips pressed hard against each other...! She looked on her right, then on her left and again on her right, and finally once again at the heavily built overcoat clad figure...who had his right hand extended towards her and was looking straight at her...!
"Mrs Sareen...!" He addressed her...! "I met your husband Rajat Sareen in the ho-ho-tel thi-is-is mor-mor-morr...ni-ing..."
The rest of the words were a blur...! Anushka head swam...and it felt like the rest of the world was fading away...! The word SAREEN felt like a laser shock to her system...! Her whole body reacted with a zinging fizz that whizzed through her blood like a missile...!
Anu stood with her heart pounding like a piston in an engine long overdue for a service...! Her skin felt tingly all over...! She could even feel the backs of her knees fizzing like sherbet trickled into a glass of soda...! She felt giddy...! She had to hold on the edge of the shelf behind her with one of her hands to stop herself from tumbling to the floor in an ungainly heap...!
Anushka had heard the expression "time stood still" many times...! She had even used it on occasion...! She knew it wasn't logically possible...but, this time it really did stop...she felt it...! It was as if every clock of the world...every clock on every smartphone...every watch on every wrist shuddered and then stopped...!
Tick...Tock...Tick...Tock...Stop...! ⭐️
To be continued...!
Precap: Consciousness came slowly to Anushka...! The first thing she was aware of, was the feeling of warmth, followed by the comforting smell of...something...no, someone familiar...! It didn't feel like her bed though...and the lighting was wrong for her room...!😉
Edited by Waida1234 - 10 years ago
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
