MehRya SS: His Last Valentine...Epilogue page 35 04/03/18..... - Page 27

Epilogue

364 days later...

6...3...4...3...5...

Shaurya keyed in his access code and immediately the ear-piercing alarm shut off. Angrily he brought his mobile back up to his ear, to speak once again to the beleaguered operator waiting on the other end. The man confirmed that the system had disarmed.

"Like I said," Shaurya complained, "there is nothing wrong with my access code nor with my memory. There is no way that I could have made a mistake."

"Ji Sir," the call-center worker conceded, knowing he would accomplish nothing in proving that the error had been made using the restaurant owner's code. "I will make sure another technician is dispatched to White Chili's first thing tomorrow morning to address the problem."

"Your most senior technician, or Jack Thompson himself. I've just about had enough of this company's ineptitude! And I want someone here at first light. Tomorrow will be one of our busiest days, and I want the problem resolved before we open to the public."

"Of course, Sir."

"Thik Hai," Shaurya responded, sighing heavily as he waited for a new service ticket number to be generated. In the back of his mind he knew this issue wasn't the young man's fault, but this was the third false alarm call out in the last six days. Whereas he had berated Vicky for being irresponsible and not setting the alarm properly the last two times, tonight verified that there was clearly a serious defect in the restaurant's security system that the initial technician had failed to address. After he received his case number, he hung up the phone and turned his attention to the police officers who had also responded to the intruder alarm. Shaurya folded his hands, in apology, as he assured the senior officer that their presence wasn't necessary, and that after a quick check to confirm that all the doors and were secured he too would be leaving.

He entered the darkness of the building and guided by the moonlight filtering through the glass front, readily made his way through the shadows to the back of the restaurant, where he determined that the secondary exits remained secured. Satisfied, he returned to main dining room just in time for the alarm on his watch to beep on the hour.

12:00 AM: Another Valentine's Day had come.

The realization brought Shaurya to a stand-still as he contemplated that a year had passed already. A full three hundred sixty-five days, and he felt no better off than he had been before. "That's not true, and you know it Shaurya Khanna, at she least she stays in contact... we communicate which is more important than being together apparently."

As if to prove the words he had spoken out aloud, alone in the night, his phone sounded an incoming message...

~~~~~~~

One Year ago...

Her eyes bright in expectation of his reaction, Mehek watched Shaurya pull out the gift card. His slight start let her know that he had instantly recognized the handwriting, and then frowning, he actually got down to reading the message the slip held.

"My first non-family Valentine's Day gift," Mehek said as his eyes narrowed during the reading. "I suppose, this means that I'm not a Valentine's Day virgin anymore," she added with a chuckle.

Shaurya wasn't amused... far from it, actually; which was completely ludicrous. He put down the card lest he give in the very real temptation of crumpling it his hand. Considering the giver, most likely she would take exception to that.

He finally met her eyes. "No, Mehek Sharma; I must disagree. For two very real reasons, this does not meet the criteria of a real valentine's day gift. First being the spirit behind the gifting of those roses: the ill intent..."

"Ill intent Shaurya? That's a bit much," she teased.

He ignored her and continued. "And secondly most women consider their Devars family, and you are no different," he finished succinctly. He left a third reason unspoken: that there is no way that his little brother was going to lay claim to something that was not meant for him. He stared at the woman he loved mulishly.

"Shaurya. It was a rather sweet gesture meant to help, and a not at all the vindictive move that you are suggesting."

"I know," he relented. "My brother is far more insightful than I ever imagined."

Mehek picked up the card and smiled softly. "He is, and he was completely on the mark" she insisted.

I asked the florist to take the most beautiful roses to create this arrangement for you, Bhabhi.

Bhaiya will freak out, but the more he barks the closer he gets to his true feelings. He will be rabid thinking he has competition. I am sure today will be the day that hard shell around his heart cracks. Wishing you the Valentine's Day you deserve, Bhabhi,

Love Vicky

"I was so hopeful after I got them. Right up until..." she quit speaking and forced the smile back on her face. "Anyway, since I technically share no relation with Vicky, that makes my roses the real deal."

"Are he and Nehal really serious?"

She didn't even bother ask how he knew about that but was glad that the couple's connection was out in the open. "I hope they are."

"So, either way Vicky could classify as your brother-in-law, ergo not a true Valentine."

She stared at him as if trying to understand him. "Does it matter that much, Shaurie?"

He cupped her cheek. "Haan Mehek, it does. Although I cannot fathom that there are so many stupid men in the world for seven years to have gone by and not one man..."

"Who says one hasn't? Perhaps I have just been more discerning."

"Or avoiding the day as I have?"

"Liar. I won't believe that there haven't been other girls... other women who have made an impression, Shaurya, not after all this time."

Incredibly he felt his cheeks warm. No secrets she had requested; which meant he would tell her whatever she wanted to know, the PG13 version of anything, at least.

"I won't deny that there have been others, but there was never anyone on that day; I made certain of that. For some reason I couldn't go through Valentine's day with anyone else. If I couldn't have you, I didn't want anyone."

"Perhaps you should have, it may have been better to have some happy memory associated with the day."

"Like you did, Mehek?"

"I didn't say they were exactly happy. There was never anyone else," she admitted.

He reached into his pocket to pull out a well folded piece of paper. "But you had this, didn't you, to reflect on every year... and to give you hope."

Even though she had fully intended for him to see the piece of paper eventually, Mehek suddenly turned shy.

Shaurya turned the paper over and smirked at her concise resignation note. "I noticed something straight away: two pens were used. Your resignation and this one word here, next to your original answer, were written with the same pen. I deduced that this was written last night too...Hamesha. Are you my forever Valentine, Mehek?"

"My intention was to finally give that to you last night. I was determined to play my final hand, and then deal with the fall out. And then later on, when everything went awry, I just wanted to make sure that you did know." She got teary-eyed remembering. "I didn't think I would survive the night, I thought my life was over, and I hoped that you would find it eventually and would have understood how much..."

"Nahi, Mehek, nothing would have happened to you. I would have given my life before I let..."

"Don't" she said tremulously as she covered his mouth with her hand. "Don't even think such Shaurie."

He nodded and uncovered his mouth, kissing her fingers before taking her hand down. Only because of the tears pooling in her eyes, he held up the paper to distract her.

"How long did it take you to answer?"

"Your question? That same day, Shaurie."

"Aacha." He went quiet for a minute and then abruptly changed the subject. "Are you really the only person of our generation who doesn't use Facebook, Mehek Sharma?"

" Of course I'm on ...Nahi, Shaurya Khanna, that honor for avoiding social media goes to you, or so I thought. Was I wrong?"

It dawned on him immediately what she was relaying. "I don't use my real name online..."

"Neither do I," Mehek finished. "You looked for me," she stated.

"Not for any reason that could be considered good," he admitted as he thought back to every insult, every cruelty he wanted to levy on her at the time. "You would probably have hated me after all had we connected back then. Actually, I wouldn't blame you if you decide in a few days that you actually do now as well."

"You sound as if you are writing us off already, Shaurya."

"After what I've done..."

"Under a complete misconception."

"Nahi, it was still unacceptable."

She surprised him by agreeing with him.

"Yes, it was. Would you have gone through with it Shaurya? Would you have actually married her?"

"I don't know. Perhaps I would have if our parents had insisted. To be honest I hadn't really thought beyond the proposal."

"Beyond hurting me, you mean," Mehek said. "Because that was all that mattered."

"Beyond betraying the love I've held hidden in my heart for years and making a complete ass of myself, no I didn't think," Shaurya muttered. "Considering your reaction to what I've done, how can I not expect to think that you won't walk away? In fact, I wouldn't even blame you if you did."

"Hamesha, Shaurya," Mehek hit back. "It's not a word I use lightly...but you're not wrong either. I really thought things would be clearer today, yet I admit to being even more confused than before. Marriage is not a game you know, not to me anyway. I understand your pain made you act out the way you did, but I have to tell you, your about-face today upset me just as much. At the conference, it was far too easy for you to speak so reverently on the same topic you made such a mockery of yesterday. It made me feel as if I didn't know you at all. And If I don't know you how can there be anything between us? No matter how much I try to reason it out, the man you are today bears little resemblance to the boy I fell for. And, I'm scared that he won't measure up to the memory."

The air between them hung heavy with her confession. Of course, it had been unrealistic to think that they could put matters behind them this first day, but neither had Shaurya expected for this much wariness on her part to remain, considering all that had been done to them.

"But that's my head talking. My heart, on the other hand, wants to jump at the chance to be everything to you just so I can hold you close and never let you go...that I need to forgive you since none of it was your fault...my heart is telling me that you will make everything better if I allow you the opportunity, but I...I just don't think..."

"Then don't think about it Mehek," Shaurya said as he took a seat on the edge of her bed and tried to answer her fears with a kiss: long and slow, warm and thorough. It was far better than what she could have expected years ago, when his hormones were uncontrollably ablaze for her, but exactly what the woman she had become deserved. His demonstration would surely give her some indication of his love, and the assurance she needed at that moment.

~~~~~~~

Or so he had thought.

Twelve months later, when he knew better, he had regretted that one move more than anything. The kiss, meant to succor her had in fact terrified her, to the point that she had left. Just for a while, she had told him, until she could come to an answer that she could live with, leaving him with an online relationship to sustain the two of them. In truth it hadn't been a completely bad thing, he had gotten to know her more over the last nine months, when there was nothing but words between them. He couldn't deny that a part of him even thought that the enforced state of limbo was no more than he deserved. However, it still didn't remove the sting that she had chosen to go away, almost as soon as her arm had healed. An advanced pastry course had been the justification, one he couldn't oppose, as it would help with her career aspirations, so how could he of all people object. Hell, he had even funded it, although he had sworn her family to secrecy over that little fact. Even though he had paved the way for her departure, her willingness to walk away from him scared him to death. Her decision to stay away for a few more months after the course had finished: worse. "And now it's Valentine's Day, again," he muttered miserably . And all he had to show was this message instead of the woman he loved more than life and missed more and more every day. He clicked on the link embedded in her message to see what she had in store for him.

Nahi Jeena Tere Baaju, Nahi Jeena, Nahi Jeena (x4)

Main Tainu Samjhawan Ki
Na Tere Bina Lagda Jee
Main Tainu Samjhawan Ki
Na Tere Bina Lagda Jee
Tu Ki Jaane Pyaar Mera
Main Karoon Intezaar Tera
Tu Dil Tuiyon Jaan Meri
Main Tainu Samjhawan Ki
Na Tere Bina Lagda Jee
Tu Ki Jaane Pyaar Mera
Main Karoon Intezaar Tera
Tu Dil Tuiyon Jaan Meri
Main Tainu Samjhawan Ki
Na Tere Bina Lagda Jee

Mere Dil Ne Chun Laiya Ne
Tere Dil Diyaan Raahaan
Tu Jo Mere Naal Ture Taan
Turpe Meriyaan Saaha
Jeena Mera... Hoye... Hun Hai Tera... Ki Main Karaan
Tu Kar Aitbaar Mera
Main Karoon Intezaar Tera
Tu Dil Tuiyon Jaan Meri
Main Tainu Samjhawan Ki
Na Tere Bina Lagda Jee


Ve Changa Nahion Keetaan Beeba (x2)
Dil Mera Tod Ke
Ve Bada Pachhtaiyaan Akhaan (x2)
Naal Tere Jod Ke...


Tainu Chadd Ke Kitthe Jawaan
Tu Mera Parchhanva
Tere Mukhde Vich Hi Main Taan
Rab Nu Apne Pawaan
Meri Dua... Haaye... Sajda Tera Kardi Sadaa
Tu Sun Iqraar Mera
Main Karoon Intezaar Tera
Tu Dil Tuiyon Jaan Meri

Main Tainu Samjhawan Ki
Na Tere Bina Lagda Jee

The video montage ended with a Valentine's day greeting, that only rubbed salt in the wounds of their prolonged separation. Dammit, Mehek," Shaurya groused. He exited the app, determining it was best not to answer her in the mood he was in. He was almost at the door when another message came through.

"Ping...

... Wait, tell me: was it that bad of song choice or is it with me you are generally unhappy with Shaurie?

Shaurya read and then re-read the message in shock.

Rather than the doorknob, he instead reached for the closest light switch. When he did, the voice he had yearned for the past eight months reached his ears. "Wait...don't, at least not the main lighting. It will ruin the moment." He then listened in disbelief as she stumbled around to achieve the goal she had in mind. She walked into something in the process judging by one particularly foul complaint that shocked him to hear, but finally sorted out what she wanted "Okay, here we go," he heard, just before the restaurant was illuminated with what had to be several hundred fairy lights: Vicky's idea to compliment the over-the-top silk floral chandelier arrangements suspended from the ceiling for the day of love this year. He found her immediately, dressed almost as casually as he, in a pair of yoga pants and a scoop necked kurta. Her hair, he noticed, was down, and tousled in a most appealing fashion...just the way he loved it.

"Well that goes to show that even the best made plans can go to pot real fast. After my flight from Bangalore got delayed I thought actually getting you back here without suspecting anything would be the bigger issue, never considering that you might be actually unhappy to see me."

"Mehek: tum?"

He began walking towards her, but in the end, only had half the distance to cover, when she rushed to him and leapt into his arms and began raining kisses on his cheeks.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Shaurya," she whispered in his ear, before leaning away and staring up at him. "Are you truly as upset with me as you sounded just now?"

"And if I am?"

"Then I guess I will have to test the theory that a kiss is the best medicine... and make everything better," she added boldly. She frowned when his hands left her waist and reached to remove her arms from around his neck. "I love you Shaurya, so get over yourself and welcome me home properly," she demanded. "If not, I won't let you in on the surprise in store for you."

He hesitated for a moment before giving in to his desire to hold her close to him. "You're not leaving again, Mehek. I won't let you go again," he muttered in a voice full of raw emotion.

"I won't. I'm back where I need to be, where I want to be, Shaurie. I can't explain how much I missed you."

"We chatted every day, just like you wanted," he countered.

"I know, and in the end, it wasn't enough. I was as tortured as you. I had to come back home to you. Thank God your mother is a hopeless romantic."

"What?"

She smiled at him. "One kiss for one secret?"

**********

Later that day...

Appearing well pleased with herself and the results of her planning, Karuna got up from her seat, hinting for her husband to follow her lead. "Since Shaurya is short of time today, perhaps we should give the children a few minutes alone to talk before he has to go to the restaurant?"

The Sharmas immediately agreed to Karuna's request and invited their guests into the house proper, presumably to start the planning the upcoming wedding, now that Mehek had made clear, her agreement to the match.

Much to her chagrin, she hadn't stopped blushing ever since stating her wish to marry, which she knew was both unbelievable and a great source of hilarity to her would-be-husband. She turned an even deeper shade of red when he came over to sit beside her and and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Blushes Mehek? From the woman who dared to break into a business in the middle of the night chasing after kisses...nahi, I'm not buying this shy act at all Mehek Sharma, not when I know better."

"I'll have you know, I did not break and enter. I used your code which frankly was way too easy to guess. And I did not show up just for kisses," she vehemently whispered.

"Aacha?"

"Well it wasn't the only reason," she snapped back. "Anyway, I don't recall you complaining once you got started, Mr. Khanna."

The titter of joyful laughter, that Shaurya instantly recognized as his mother's filtered from the next room.

"You've undoubtedly made my Maa's Valentine's Day this year, Mehek. I only wonder if she truly understands the willful bahu she has chosen."

Mehek ignored his taunting, instead focusing on what Shaurya had first mentioned. "And what of her son? How has Valentine's Day been for him thus far?"

"Memorable' albeit a sleepless one. I can't remember ever being so restless in my life, and all because one determined female who refused for her Valentine's Day to be anything other than what she wanted it to be. One would think that a pending marriage proposal would be enough for her, but no, not Mehek Sharma," he teased.

"Oh, do you regret me surprising you then? Do you regret me coming to you even before my family? Do you regret the chance to kiss me again, Shaurie?"

"Well if you want to be technical, I think it was you who was after and instigated the kissing, Miss Sharma."

"And if I hadn't you wouldn't be sitting here looking so satisfied. Okay maybe you would be, since everything is settled, but you know very well, Shaurya that there is no way you will have the chance for any more kisses anytime soon. Not now that our families are involved. This morning at White Chilis was your best opportunity."

"So, says the silly chef who quit her job there, and eliminated any chance of her desires being fulfilled anytime in the near future. Luckily, for you Mehek, I am a very resourceful man, so you needn't fear missing out on what you crave so much. We will be together in so many events in the lead up to the wedding, but if you really are anxious, I will even kiss you here and now, Jaan." He laughed out loud at her horrified expression before reaching into his jacket pocket, withdrawing a piece of paper and a pen. "So, Miss Mehek Sharma, since this is a day for agreements, if you could sign and date this contract that I took the opportunity to work on after I dropped you home earlier..."

"Shaurie, what is this,""she asked, puzzled by the official looking document. She quickly scanned what he had prepared, and her confusion soon gave way to peals of laughter. "A Valentine's Day contract? Is this how grown-ups do Valentine's Day, Shaurie?"

"A contract confirming your agreement to be my valentine for this lifetime and everyone thereafter," he stated. "If you note this clause, this will guarantee that the sentiment is reciprocated for the aforementioned period."

"A lifetime?"

"And everyone thereafter," he reiterated. "I will never love anyone more than I do you Mehek: you're the missing part of my heart and my soul. There will never be room for anyone-else but you my true valentine... my first and my last valentine."

"Do you really mean that, Shaurie?"

"You know I do, Mehek."

"So, what happens once this is signed, Shaurya?"

"The story ends I suppose."

"As in: and they lived Happily Ever After?"

"Not at all," Shaurya said as he looked over her shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. "As in: he leaned in and kissed her gently to seal the deal that had been in the making ever since they were young, and vowed to make every day Valentine's day for her."

"Oh, I think I like this story," she said. Taking his pen, she signed the paper with a flourish before meeting him half-way to begin their story at last. "Happy Valentine's Day Shaurie," she whispered just before their lips met.

The End.