As Dipika stepped into the office with her laptop a strange sensation ran through her spine…. 😊
She slowly let her eyes roam the office and stopped at the reception table… Smiling she thought back of the day she had come to Special Squad…. Planned just for few days…. But it had stretched to months… She had not known it then when she had come to this office…. To stream line this disorganized organization…. She smiled again thinking how well both the opposite words sounded together…😊
She had also not anticipated then that this place, the environment, the people would change her life totally…. Her life definitely had taken a 360 degree turn for the good…. Nothing was like when she had come to this office two and half years ago…. Nor she…. Nor the team…. Nor the special person who had invaded her life without her knowledge and had now rooted so deep down in her heart that any sort of damage either to the relation or the person would definitely give her unbearable pain…. ❤️
She blushed her cheeks coloring slightly…. 😳 Oh… Dear… Just the thought of him made her feel so good, sooo feminine…. She sighed again…. 😍 Oh Dear….. No…. Dipika Gosh…. Attention…. She straightened full height shaking her head as if trying to shake the cobwebs clouding her mind…. Get a grip girl…. This is office…. And you have to maintain your dignity as with the position you still hold in this office as its Acting Head…. You have to get back to your old self!
But again she sighed….. 😳 Coming back to her present self she knocked her brain as if that would put some sense in it, that it was going to be tough, very tough being strict with these people she had become so close with…. Especially again Aryan…. As the memories of past two days floated in her mind, she involuntarily shivered as her body remembered his touch…. His k…. She blushed! ☺️
Taking a deep breath she straightened again and smiling walked into the office….
Madhu the receptionist working on her system looked up as Dipika neared the table….
Madhu: (Smiling) Good morning mam!
Dipika: (Smiling) Good Morning Madhu!
Indicating her to follow her Dipika made way to her cabin…. Madhu took her writing pad and pen and hurried behind her….
Dipika: Case ka call kab aaya tha?❓
Madhu: (Walking besides her) Jab call aaya immediately maine Aryan sir ko phone kar diya tha madam!
Dipika: (Walking into the cabin) Good… Shotgun aur Zubin ke equipments crime scene bhejh di naa?
Madhu: (Nodding) Yes mam…. Oliver ko bhejha hai… He just called few minutes back…. He has reached there…. Usne kaha ki baaki sab bhi abhi wahan aaye hain!
Dipika: Good… Ek minute!
Saying she kept her laptop on her table and went over to the idols to offer her praying…. Surpirsed to see small flowers placed there she turned to Madhu and asked…
Dipika: Madhu! Ye phool??!? Phool kisne lagayein hain?😳
Madhu: (Giving a knowing smile) Vo madam… Aryan sir ne kaha tha!
Dipika: (Surprised) Aryan ne!!??😳
Madhu: Ji…. Unhone phone karke kaha tha ki aaj office seedha nahi aa rahe, to mujhe phool rakhne ko kaha tha!
Dipika looked at Madhu and gave a small nod… Turning back to the idol she let the blush cover her cheeks…. He was so thoughtful and knew what impressed her so well…. This definitely was a good start for her day in office…. Looking at the idols she offered all the prayers she knew in this world for giving her an opportunity to know a person like Aryan…. And not only know him but to understand him as well….⭐️
Dipika: (Coming back to the table) Pichle dinon me case ka koi phone aaya Madhu?
Madhu: Sirf ek case aaya tha… Lekin jaise instructions the use jurisdiction ke local police ko hand over kar diya gaya hai!
Dipika: (Plugging in her laptop) Good… Is baare me ek report banana… Ki kab phone aaya, kisne attend ki, kya details mile the….
Madhu: (Interjecting) Maine hi call attend ki thi madam…. (Making a note in her writing pad) Main aaj hi uski report banakar aapko deti hoon!
Dipika: (Looking up after logging in) Good… Lagta hai do dinon se Special Squad me kaam hi nahi tha!
Madhu: (Smiling😊) Exactly madam… Jab Special Squad chutti par hoti hai to cases aate hi nahi hain….. Aur aaj dekhiye when you all were reporting back ek case aa gaya!
Dipika: (Chuckling😆) Phir to lagta hai Special Squad ko hamesha ke liye chutti de deni chahiye, crime hi nahi honge…
As Madhu too joined in her laughter Dipika looked at her watch and said….
Dipika: (Looking at her watch) Hmm… Humare team ne wahan investigation shuru kar di hogi…. Madhu Vishaka se kehena ki autopsy ki saari taiyaariyaan karein…. Aur pichle cases ke reports Neha se….
She stopped mid sentence smiling realizing Neha wasn't there.….
Madhu: (Surprised) Neha!?!? Lekin mam Neha madam to….
Dipika: (Leaning against the table smiling) I know…. (Looking around the office) This office has got so used to this team… Inke bina is office ko imagine karna hi bahut mushkil hai! 👍🏼
Madhu: Sahi kaha madam…. Aap sab ke bina to office office hi nahi lag raha tha…. Aryan sir ke orders, Ajay sir ke jokes, Boxer sir aur Neha madam ki chit chat…. Office bilkul suna tha!
Dipika: (Nodding) Hmm… Yahan to sab, office ke professional relationships se zyada personal bonding rakhte hain ek doosre se! Isliye unhe professionally miss karne se zyada hum unhe personally miss karte hain!
Madhu: (Smiling) Isiliye Ajay sir aur Neha madam ki shaadi bahut hi shaandaar thi! Itni badi celebration yahan kabhi nahi hui hai!👏
Dipika: (Nodding) Good for us… Ek tarah ki pshycho therapy bhi ho gayi… Warna life monotonous ho jaata! (As Madhu nodded) Ab tumhe jaake kaam karna chahiye….
As Madhu nodded her response and turned around to go she stopped in her tracks… She looked behind at Dipika who was lost in her thoughts….🤔
Debating on whether to tell or not and siding with her first argument she turned around and started….
Madhu: Mam!!!
Dipika: (Looked at her thoughtfully) Kya hua Madhu? Abhi tak nahi gayi?❓
Madhu: Nahi vo madam… Bas kuch kehena chahathi thi…
Dipika: Sure… Kaho naa!
Madhu: Madam…. Aapki dance bahut achchi thi… Subah shaadi par bhi aur…. (After a slight pause) Reception par bhi!😊
At the mention of the marriage dances Dipika smiled and this time she couldn't suppress the blush which clearly lighted her face….
Dipika: (Softly) Thank you Madhu!😳
Madhu: Aap aur sir saath bahut achche lag rahe the… Made for each other!
Madhu stopped saying anything further as Dipika looked at her surprised eyebrows raised… But in response she just gave her a feeble shy smile….
Relieved that she had not spoken anything out of line Madhu asked again…
Madhu: Mam… Maine vo sahi kaha tha naa?
Dipika: (Puzzled) Kya kaha tha tumne?❓
Madhu: Vo… Hrrmm… Ki aap aur sir made for each other…
Dipika: (Smiling) Well it is early to say that…😳
Madhu: (Hastily) Main aapke personal matter pe interrupt karna nahi chahathi thi… Lekin maine jab se Special Squad join ki hai, sir ko dekha hai…. Maine hi nahi… Yahan sab chahathe ki sir apne life me settle ho jayein… Senior staffs se suna hai ki ab tak jitne bhi chiefs Special Squad me aaye hain unme se sir best hain…. He has always been considerate towards us…. Isliye bas…
Dipika: (Interjecting) I understand Madhu… Tum sab Aryan ki bahut phikar karte ho…. Aur aaj ya kal ye baat tum sabko janani hi hai… Isliye chupane waali ab koi baat nahi hai.… Isliye tum jo janana chahathi ho bina sawaal ke main uska jawaab de deti hoon…. Aur jawaab hai… Haan!
Madhu: (Excited😛) Mam! I… OH! That is so wonderful… Yakeen nahi hota sir ne finally ek decision le li hai!
Dipika: (Patting her cheek) Yes… (Thinking of his proposal) Usne finally ek decision le li hai!
Madhu: Thank you so much mam…. I am so happy…. Everyone will be so happy! (Pausing) I can tell everyone, can't I?
Dipika: Er… Um… (Considering her request) Well…. (Shrugging her shoulders) Feel free!
Jumping excited with the news Madhu gave a brief hug to Dipika and hurried off from the cabin…. Dipika looked surprised at the girl go… She was so excited…. But she knew… She understood… It was all for Aryan… They had seen Aryan live and lose a life…. They might just be his staffs…. But they definitely cared enough to want him be happy and settled in his life!
Smiling Dipika turned to go to her chair when her eyes fell on the empty shelf besides Aryan's table…. She knew he took the photographs with him during weekends or when on leave…. But the empty shelf didn't erase the images of the photographs from her mind…. Going over to the shelf she looked at the empty spot and wondered whether she was worth filling it….❓
He would never be able to forget the life he lived with Niharika…. It would be there with him more than a memory…. But it gave her solace thinking she was there to share it with him from now on…. His pains, strains, happiness, joy…. Anything she was going to be there for him!❤️
She smoothed her hand over the empty shelf and involuntarily, suddenly felt reassured… Something told her that the parted soul was happy that Aryan had moved on and was also happy that she, Dipika was the reason for it!😊
She was jolted out of her thoughts by the buzz of her cell phone…. Fiddling in her coat pocket she fished out her cell phone and answered it….
Dipika: Hello!
Aryan: Hello! Dipika!
Dipika: Haan Aryan!
Aryan: (Coming out of the old building) In office?❓
Dipika: (Going back to her place) Haan!
One of the police man gave him an umberella since it had started to rain in the ever hot always Mumbai…. Phone on one hand and umberella in the other Aryan watched as the body was been loaded into the Special Squad ambulance….
Aryan: Fine! Humne yahan initial investigation kar li hai! Body ko office shift kar rahe hain!
Dipika: Okay….
Aryan: Hume yahan thodi aur investigation karni hai…. We will be coming a little late!
Dipika: Phir to jab tak tum log wapas aaoge I should have the autopsy done!
Aryan: Yes that would be better…..
Dipika: Okay then…. By…
Aryan: Ek minute… Ek minute… Itni jaldi kya hai?❓
Dipika: (Wondering about his query) Kya? Tumhe aur kuch kehena tha?❓
Aryan: (Softly) Nahi…. Lekin maine socha tha tumhe kuch kehena hoga!😳
Dipika: (Thinking🤔) Nahi to…. Mujhe kuch nahi kehena!
Aryan: (Dejection clearly sensed in his voice) Aure you don't want to say anything?
Dipika: Aryan! Kuch kehena hai to autopsy ke baad ki keh sakoongi naa.... You are the one at the....
Aryan: (Going back into the building) Oh.... Main case ke baare me baat nahi kar raha tha!
Dipika: (Clearly stumped) Oh! Then?❓
Aryan: You really don't know or are just pretending?!? ❓
Dipika: (Something striking her) Pretend? But why should I pretend?
Aryan: Phir.... Bolo naa jo bolna chahathi ho! 😳
Dipika: (Smiled understanding) Umm…. Hum….. Mujhe such me pata nahi tum kya keh rahe ho?❓
Aryan: (Watching Boxer talking to a man said a little disappointed) Tumhe such me kuch nahi kehena?❓
Dipika: (Stiffling a laughter😃) Aryan! You are just too much…. Crime scene pe ho aur aas paas….
Aryan: (Smiling understanding she had known all along) Aas paas koi nahi hai! And they know better than to disturb Aryan Khanna over the phone! Aur ab to….
Dipika: (Blushing😳) Ab to?❓
Aryan: Ab to unhe zyada pata hai ki phone par koun ho sakta hai! 😉
Dipika: (Amused😲) Aryan!
Aryan: So…. Say it!
Dipika: Aryan mujhe kaam hai! 😳
Aryan: I know… So say it fast! Warna main keh doonga!
Dipika: (Rolling her eyes) Aryan Khanna!
Aryan: Dipika Gosh!
Dipika: Oh My! Mera naam liya?😲
Aryan: (Thinking🤔) Yes so?
Dipika: Koi sunega to kya sochega Aryan.... Ki tum Special Squad ke acting head ke saath flirt kar rahe ho!
Aryan: (Smiling) Why? Special Squad's Acting head isn't a girl? She doesn't have a heart is it?
Dipika: (Instantly) She doesn't!
Aryan: (Surprised) She doesn't!?😳
Dipika: (Understanding his surprise) No… She doesn't! Not anymore!
Aryan: (Nodded involuntarily understanding her meaning this time) Well… Then it was there before?❓
Dipika: Haan tha….
Aryan: Ab kahan gaya?❓
Dipika: Bina mere baat mane kaheen chala gaya!
Aryan: Oh I see! Phir dhoondti kyun nahi?❓
Dipika: Dhoondha!
Aryan: Mila!?❓
Dipika: (The heat of blush pulsing up her ears☺️) Haan…
Aryan: (Smiling at her one word answers) Wapas li?❓
Dipika: Nahi….
Aryan: Kyun nahi?❓
There was a prolonged silence at the other end and Aryan waited…. He knew she was there thinking about an apt answer to shut him off…. But he was not going to let go so easily….
Aryan: (Repeating his earlier question) Maine poocha kyun nahi li wapas?❓
Dipika: Aryan!😳
Aryan: Mujhe to jawaab chahiye bas!
Dipika: (Sweetly frustrated) Lekin….😕😳
Aryan: Kyun nahi wapas li?❓
Dipika: (Finally giving in because she knew he was not to let go so easily) Kyunki mera dil waheen gaya hai jahan main chahathi thi!
Aryan: Aur tum kya chahathi ho?❓
Dipika: (Stunned at how she was going to answer this😲) Ar….
Aryan: (A little more stern and soft at the same time) Tum kya chahathi ho Dipika?❓
Shaking her head unvbelievingly that he, Aryan of all people was talking to her like that from a crime scene!
Dipika: Aryan… You really do know where you are right?❓
Aryan: Of course…. Juhu pe…. Ek crime scene pe…. Boxer right in front of me talking to a man….. Shotgun inside searching for evidences…. Zubin packing his camera…. And me…. You know what I am doing! Lekin tumhe ye bhi pata hoga ki mujhe ab bahut kaam hai, and unless you give me a straight proper answer…. I am not going to keep the phone! Aur jahan tak main tumhe jaanta hoon tum call bina mere permission ke cut nahi karogi! 😉
Dipika: (Blushing to the roots of her hair) Oh Aryan!
Aryan: (Imitating her) Oh Dipika! (Back to his teasing tone😃) So…. Tum batane waali ho ya witness ko interrogate karte waqt bhi tumse hi sawaal poochta rahoon!
Dipika: Mujhe ek witness ki tarah hi to interrogate kar rahe ho!
Aryan: (Nodding involuntarily) Hmm… Maybe not witness…. Lekin ajeeb hai... Yahan khud victim culprit ko interrogate kar raha hai! For the crime of love! ❤️ (Sensing her blush at the other end) To mere sawaal ka jawaab?❓
Dipika: (Taking a deep breath) Tum!⭐️
By the time the short word left her mouth Dipika's heart started hammering against her heart so loudly she was afraid he could have heard it over the phone….
And hearing that one word brought a largeeee smile on his face as he said….
Aryan: Finally!😛😃
Dipika: You really are smart Mr. Aryan Khanna!
Aryan: Of course….. Hoon… Nahi to Special Squad ka chief nahi hota!
Dipika: (Instantly) Aur Dipika Gosh aapko choose nahi karti!
Aryan: (Surprised) Ah! Haii….😳
Dipika: (Biting her tongue surprised herself how spontaneous she had been) Achcha ab to phone rakho aur kaam karo…. It really is getting late!
Aryan: (Smiling) Fine…. Main jo chahatha tha vo mil gaya, isliye ab tum jo kuch bhi kahogi main manoonga….
Dipika: (Smiling a little) Bye Aryan!😊
Aryan: Bye! 😊
Saying Aryan cut the call…. He looked at the phone for long, the smile pasted on his face…. He really wondered how much he had changed….. Speaking to her he wanted to continue speaking…. He had really no heart to keep the phone even though he was aware where he was and what he had to do!
Aryan: I love you Dipika!❤️
Saying he composed himself and put the phone in his pocket…. Looking up he saw Boxer was noting something down in his notepad….. Just then Boxer looked up and indicated him to come over!
Well… Here goes! Pulling himself together, trying his level best to block her out of his mind just for a while, which was out of question he soon realised, walked over to Boxer! ⭐️
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