Solace In Love ✅

Episode 9

He turns around and bangs the door.

Sidharth: What the hell!! Shehnaaz, open the door. Why did you close it?

Shehnaaz: You are a stranger and I can't trust any man. I am just doing this for my own safety.

Sidharth: What? I am ready to sleep outside the house in the veranda but not in this closed kitchen. Because there is hardly any ventilation here! Do you want to kill me and end up in jail? If not for yourself then think about Aadya, what will she do if you are sent to jail?

Shehnaaz was in dilemma. The whole incident of her father's murder, her mom going to jail and her being orphaned, ran in her mind. She opened the door.

Sidharth: Thank God you opened the door, I was already feeling suffocated inside.

He picks up the mat and goes near the main door to open it.
Hell, I was anyways going to end up on the street if she had not made the offer. Looks like street is the only option for me. Though she is right on her part that she should be thinking about her safety. Why the hell did I agree to this and why am I still doing it?

Shehnaaz: Stop! You may sleep inside and in the room itself. But be careful, don't you dare to move even an inch while you sleep. I am a karate black belt champion. (She lied)

He looks at her from top to bottom and smirks.
Yeh, Karate champion!! She thinks of herself as a stand-up comedian. No issues, she isn't getting the chance to try her skills on me anyways.

Sidharth: Yes, Ma'am. Thank you!

She sleeps on the bed besides Aadya and he sleeps on the mat just an arm distance from their bed as it was a small room.

After a long long time, today Sidharth slept immediately as soon as he lied down without any worries or haunting of the ghost from his past. He was snoring but Shehnaaz was wide awake even in dark. She couldn't sleep as she was for the first time having an unknown man sleeping in her room.

It was 5am in the morning that Shehnaaz finally slept being tired.  She panicked when she heard Aadya cry and sat up to fight any probable threat from Sidharth. But Sidharth was not there. She looked to her left and Aadya was sitting and crying alone. She had wetted her bed.

Shehnaaz picked her up and went outside. Sidharth walked out of the common toilet while the next person in the queue immediately rushed inside. He washed his hands and came near Shehnaaz.

Sidharth: Good morning Shehnaaz. I borrowed this small bucket from one person. Please use it now itself since we need to return it.

Shehnaaz: Ewwww... that's unhygienic!

Sidharth: You haven't seen the toilet yet. We don't have any other option. All this is nothing since I spent my day on streets up until yesterday. I would have gone to the market and bought a bucket but I don't have any money with me. I was wondering what do we do at 8 since we need to fill and stock the corporation water.

She gives him money to buy the bucket and some quick breakfast before they buy grocery to cook at home. He goes to market while Shehnaaz cleans Aadya and changes the bedsheet.

It was almost 9:15am and Sidharth doesn't return. Shehnaaz looked at the clock since the water would stop at 10am. She sat in the veranda thinking.

He left for market at 7:15am and it's been two hours he didn't return yet. Did he ran away?

May be, you tortured him so much that he ran away. You are such a big fool Shehnaaz. Why can't you trust people?

Wow!! Why can't I trust? Because he ran away. Every man ultimately cheats you. They aren't worth to be trusted.

A lady stops to introduce and talk to her.

Deepa: Hello ji. I am Deepa, your neighbour.

Shehnaaz: Hello. I am Shehnaaz.

Deepa: I saw your husband in the morning, he borrowed the bucket from my husband. That's how we came to know about you.

Shehnaaz passes a fake smile thinking that her so called husband has flew away.

Aadya: (shook her) Mumma, I am hungry!

Shehnaaz looks at her helplessly.

Deepa: Aww.. she is so cute. Wait baby, I'll get you something to eat.

Shehnaaz: No please. It's okay.

Deepa: I understand you have moved in yesterday night itself and you may have not been able to cook yet.

She goes to her house and grabs some food.

Deepa: Here take this and feed the little baby.

Flashback:

Shehnaaz ran in her neighbourhood asking for medicine. Aadya had sudden fever in the evening and the village where she stayed had only one pharmacy that closed at 8pm. She knocks at the neighbour's door. A lady opens it.

Shehnaaz: Hi, I stay 3 houses across yours. My 2 year old is sick, I need Crocin or any paracetamol.

The lady turns and looks at the man who was watching the television and he nods no.

Lady: We don't have any kids at home so we don't have any kid's medicine.

Shehnaaz: Okay!

Shehnaaz turns around to go and she hears a baby cry. She turned back and looked at the lady.

Shehnaaz: You lied?

Man: What are you doing still standing at the door, go and pick the baby. No need to give explanation to characterless ladies. Just shut the door.

The lady slammed door on her face. Not a single person in her neighbourhood, helped her. Finally, Shehnaaz gets an idea, she breaks the paracetamol tablet which she had got when she had fever. She mixes it with small amount of water and gives it to Aadya.

Flashback ends..

Deepa's husband: Bhabhiji (sister-in-law), please take. Don't feel shy or scared of Bhaisahab (brother). We also have kids at home. He won't say anything. Feed her first.

Shehnaaz took the food saying thank you and fed hungry Aadya.

If this people knew that I am a single mother, they wouldn't even talk to me. The same person calling me bhabhiji with respect would have scanned me from top to bottom as a sex object.

They are respecting me now because they think I am a married woman. I feel so good getting a good treatment from people. However, my heart aches at the society who ill treated me based on my marital status.

She looked up and found Sidharth standing in the queue with 3 buckets. It was 9:45am already. Her lips form a curve looking at him. He was her fake husband but she was getting real respect from people. The respect and normal treatment she craved for.

She looked at the muscular man lifting two heavy buckets with ease and walking towards her. She was gawking at him hopelessly.

Sidharth: Shehnaaz, I am sorry, the market opened at 9am hence I got delayed. Quickly take bath and wash Aadya as well and give the bucket so that I fill the water again.

She was back from the trance. She nodded and ran to the bathroom which was luckily unoccupied. She took quick bath and gave him the bucket and he filled the water and took bath himself and refilled it before the water stopped at 10:10am.

They sat together on the mat and ate the breakfast which he got for them from the hotel. Shehnaaz was less scared about him. She was infact liking the treatment which she got due to him. This made her secretly admire him.

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To be continued.. ❤️❤️