Madness and Magic...❤️

13

Shehnaaz's dad stood at the door, his hand was still on the door knob of the door frame as he looked at Sidharth.He knew he had to behave politely with him, even though his instincts screamed otherwise.

"We are really sorry for the mess,actually a vase accidentally fell on the floor"Finally, unable to bear the suffocating silence any longer, Reema cleared her throat and said.Mr Saini's gaze darted at Shehnaaz.
He wanted to keep a cordial relationship with Sidharth but after listening to his statement he wasn't able to process anything. Shehnaaz looked down.

"Please get in,I will clear the mess" Reema added, Her father open the door fully and led Sidharth inside. "Is she her step mom,she looks really young to be her step mom, Laxmi masi toh nahin hai,but she looks too elite to be their househelp" Sidharth though.

"Come in,Mr Sharma," Mr Saini said, his voice was unstable with tension.

"Please, have a seat." He said politely though it was superficial.Sidharth entered cautiously, his eyes roamed around the room and finally landed on Shehnaaz. He then lowered himself onto the couch.

"Kya zarurat thi..nahin chaiye tha abhi koi support, I could have handled it" Shehnaaz thought as her main concern at that time was Laxmi, her relationship with her father had been always like this and she truly didn't bother about what he thought about her or her character.

Shehnaaz's dad took a deep breath,it seemed as if he was preparing himself for the conversation. He sat down opposite Sidharth.

"Shehnaaz, why you were at Mr Sharma's place last night?"Her dad's voice broke the silence,

Shehnaaz's heart raced as she searched for the right words, her mind raced with excuses,She glanced at Sidharth who looked super confident and was about to say something when Shehnaaz started.

"It's not what you think, Dad".Shehnaaz said, her eyes fell on Sidharth who looked unusually calm but her heart pounded loudly."Kya bolun.. kya bolun.. isko kya padi thi.... kyun aya hai!" she again contemplated, before her dad could ask any more questions, her step mom came with a broom to cleam the mess and the conversation stopped for a moment.

"Let me help you... you shouldn't bend down." Shehnaaz offered and stooped down to pick up some glass pieces.

"Do not touch the glass pieces Shehnaaz..hath Kat jaega" her father first said loudly then realized that Sidharth was also there so he quickly regulated his voice.

"Aap chod dijiye, I will do it." Reema too said Shehnaaz.

"Her stitches haven't healed completely" Shehnaaz said little harshly."Oh...step mom hi hai,but stitches kyun?" Sidharth wondered.

"Leave, let me do it" her father stood up and cleaned the glass pieces and Reema helped him.

"I am really sorry for this " Mr Saini came back and said. Shehnaaz and Reema were still standing, he gestured them both to sit dowm,and they did so.

"Mr. Sharma, I know you are a man of great respect," her father began, his tone seemed well measured.

"Shehnaaz is quite naive, still young, and does not fully aware of the complexities of right and wrong."
Even as he spoke,he struggled to express his thoughts clearly. Despite his inner fury, he remained composed, as he knew he was addressing the Managing Director of a multi-billion company. He knew he couldn't afford to be anything less than respectful.

"Oh... God...its so embarrassing......Dad...tell him...tell him like a Bollywood dad, tell him that- ab meri beti ki izzat aapke hath main hai, ab aapke sath raat bitane ke baad kaun apnaega isse... apko isko apnaa na hoga or whatever cliché crap they show in movies and meri zabatdast shaadi karwa do inse... main pehli baar mana karungi but dusri baar phat se mann jaungi... isko jyadab knight in shining armor banta tha na..ab bhugte" Shehnaaz mind wondered in the super stressed situation.