Shakhi TS Oui, Chef
Part Three | B |
On one fine night after work hours everyone left save for Shaurya. It was around ten forty-five and he was busy checking with the stock list. Once done, he stretched his tired limbs and walked inside the chef locker room to collect his belongings.
Once Shaurya reached the down floor, he checked himself out to the receptionist records and walked towards the parking lot. Just as he was walking, he heard screams making him pause on his track.
Shaurya's heart stopped beating for a second when he saw Anokhi trying to get herself out of the grip of a man who's shouting hysterically. He immediately run towards them and held the hysterical man from behind.
"Shaurya!" Anokhi exclaimed; her face tear filled.
"Chodo mujhe!" Karthick screamed as he tried to break from Shaurya's grip but couldn't.
Anokhi was too taken aback to see Shaurya in front of her but composed herself quickly and picked the injection from the floor which Karthick pushed out of her hands.
Just when Anokhi was about to leave from parking lot, her brother came all a sudden and demanded money so that he can buy substance for him. She denied and he became hysterical and started screaming and shaking her. She tried to inject him but couldn't.
"Anokhi! Mujhe kaho ki mujhe chod dhe!" Karthick screamed.
Now that Shaurya's holding Karthick, Anokhi quickly injected the dose to Karthick who's yelling started to fade slowly as he fell unconscious in Shaurya's arms. By then Shaurya realized that the person isn't a stranger misbehaving with Anokhi but someone she knows.
Anokhi cried seeing her brother unconscious in Shaurya's arm. She let out her tears and sobs not bothering about Shaurya's presence. She's tired of seeing her brother this way. Her legs gave away and she collapsed on the ground as she cried.
Shaurya's heart tugged on seeing Anokhi cry. He adjusted the guy in his arms and dragged the guy to his car. He placed the guy in the back seat before rushing to Anokhi's side and knelt down beside her.
"Anokhi"
That was all Shaurya said and Anokhi threw herself in his embrace. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and tried to comfort her as he sat down beside her.
"Sshh, calm down. Kuch nahi hua" Shaurya repeatedly whispered in her ears as he tried to calm her down.
Shaurya caressed Anokhi's locks comfortingly as he felt her cry against him, her whole form shaking. He realized she needed to cry her heart out and just stayed silent, comforting her with his presence. His heart clenched when he heard her hiccupping through her tears.
Once Shaurya felt Anokhi's tears died down, he broke their hug and cupped her face. Her eyes were red and swollen. Tears were still making their way out of her eyes. He wiped her tears with his thumb as they stared into each other's eyes.
"Shaurya" Anokhi managed to say in her cracked tone as she tried to swallow down her tears.
"I'm here, right with you" Shaurya assured, his thumb caressing her cheek to let her know that he's here in person.
Anokhi took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. She placed her hand on top of Shaurya's that's resting on her cheek and gently removed his hand from her face.
"I'm okay" Anokhi said as she wiped her tears and Shaurya moved back from her.
A pregnant silence dominated the air around them as they sat next to each other on the ground until Anokhi broke it.
"This is my brother, Karthick"
Shaurya looked at Anokhi in shock. He didn't expect the guy to be her brother.
"He's a substance addict. He may look normal but we can never predict how he would react. We try to restrict him within our house but sometimes if he feels too restricted in life then, we would let him leave the house. We took him to doctor but he refused take treatment in rehabilitation centre. He threatened us that he would commit suicide. He's getting violent very often that we keep him lock inside his room. My father and I, we are living everyday by hearing his scream and tears."
Shaurya listened patiently, his hand reaching out for Anokhi's. She held his hand tightly.
"He wasn't always like this. Four years before I was working at Bangalore. My brother and mother wanted to come surprise me. They decided to come by road. Their car got into an accident. In that accident... accident... my brother was severely injured but he survived... but... but my mother..."
Anokhi heaved a deep sigh as she wiped her tears.
"Post this accident, my brother's trauma changed him completely. My father and I, we were mourning my mother's death. Even after my brother was alright, the loss of my mother made us suffer. He started drinking first. My father scolded him. Karthick bhaiya said he'll stop drinking. Before we could realize what's happening with him, he was completely addicted. From then to now, this is how we are struggling. It hurts to see my brother in this state but I don't know how long we will keep him like this!"
Shaurya wrapped his arm around Anokhi's shoulder and brought her to rest herself against him. She rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He caressed her arm softly while she closed her eyes and listened to his thumping heartbeat.
"Do you trust me, Anokhi?" Shaurya asked in a soft voice.
Anokhi looked at Shaurya as she half-broke the hug,
"I may look happy, bounce here and then spreading my smiles but I have my own pain, own scars. I never told anything about my family to you it's because I really liked you. I wanted to be a happy figure in your eyes. But in your presence, I didn't find the need to hide my true self. I don't care if I'm imperfect. I don't care if I'm broken because I feel secure in your embrace, Shaurya. Your presence soothes me that I choose to be vulnerable around you. Then how will I not trust you?"
Shaurya was overwhelmed with Anokhi's words. He didn't realize he held such a hold over her. He cupped her face with his hand and gently wiped her tears as they stared into each other's life.
"Then, will you trust me with your brother?" Shaurya asked softly.
Anokhi took a second to think but seeing the depths of Shaurya's eyes, she nodded her head affirmatively.
"Mujhe yeh kaafi hai" Shaurya said leaving her face and took her both hands in his, "Will you send your brother with me?"
Anokhi frowned.
"Woh..."
"Yaar, you trust me, right?"
"Haan...par Papa?"
"I'll talk to him" Shaurya assured Anokhi and stood up followed by her.
Leaving her two-wheeler in the parking lot, they reached Anokhi's home in his car. They helped Karthick inside. Krishnan was awake, waiting for his kids. Anokhi introduced Shaurya to her father who then sat down to speak about Karthick.
"Uncle, I'll get to the main matter. My friend Neil Khana runs a rehabilitation centre in Naldehra. I firmly believe and know that he can cure Karthick. If you trust me, I can take Karthick to Neil. I know Karthick is suffering and along with him you and Anokhi are suffering as well. I know Anokhi for months. I work along with her and I know that she trusts me. I also know that I didn't offer any chances or instances for you to trust me but I want to help you all with Karthick because I have been in the same position as yours"
Anokhi looked at Shaurya in confusion. What does he mean by him being in the same position as theirs? Shaurya spared a glance at Anokhi before fixing his gaze at Krishnan.
"My parents were in love and got married while they were still in college. They had me immediately. With my mother's quest for her career and their indifferences, they got divorced when I was ten. My father's name is Shaan Sabharwal. Court ordered a joint custody and I get to stay half and half with my parents"
Shaurya cleared his voice,
"Maa stayed with her father-my grandfather Kashyap while Papa was all alone. Divorce, loss in business and career, his mother's loss all a sudden, everything broke his spirits. He turned to alcohol. Whenever I stayed with him, I witnessed whatever he went through. At that age I don't know how to handle him..."
Shaurya heaved a sigh before averting his gaze and continuing,
"Maa came to know about his alcoholic nature and took it to court. She didn't know what made him change and didn't spare her time to listen to Appa. So, my sole custody went to Maa and she didn't let me meet him until I was 18. When I found him, he was in a very bad shape of health. He left alcohol but was traumatized. His friend was looking after him. I took care of him as much as I could. And then I moved away for studies. My father's friend told me that my father got better but again fell into addiction."
Shaurya fixed his gaze at Krishnan as he spoke,
"I met Neil by chance, strike a friendship with him. After that Neil took my father with him a year ago. Now he's at Neil's centre. He's doing good. My father lost most of his life because of this addiction. I don't want Karthick to share similar fate. Let me help him uncle. Please"
Krishnan heaved a deep sigh before he nodded at Shaurya. He was still a bit hesitant to hand over his responsibilities of his son to Shaurya but he knew he had to. Anokhi didn't know about anything about what Shaurya went through. She just knew her parents were divorced. She didn't even imagine that he must have been going through such stuffs.
That night when Shaurya was about to leave, Anokhi enveloped him in her embrace.
"Thank you so much for doing this" Anokhi said when she broke the hug.
Shaurya's lips curled into a smile as he said,
"Who will help my girlfriend's brother than me?"
While Anokhi blinked at Shaurya, he just smiled and left. The next day he came early with an ambulance. They injected a sleeping dose for Karthick and sent him in ambulance to Naldehra with Shaurya and Krishnan following behind in the car. They denied Anokhi to tag along.
They reached Naldehra rehab centre of Neil and admitted Karthick. Krishnan looked around while Shaurya met with his dad. He even introduced his father to Krishnan who got hope seeing Shaan doing well.
Six months later Shaurya and Anokhi celebrated Aastha's birthday in Shaurya's house. Anokhi took it upon herself to bake the cake and Shaurya helped her with the icing. After caking cutting the first thing Aastha asked for is,
"When have you both decided to get married?"
Shaurya and Anokhi fell silent. Before Aastha could question them, she got an important call and excused themselves. They both moved towards the balcony in the upper room once they realized Aastha is speaking to her best friend and that it would take her at least an hour to hang up.
Anokhi noticed Shaurya standing silently as they both stood leaning against the railings and looking ahead.
"Shaurya" Anokhi called him.
"Hmmm" Shaurya faced Anokhi.
"Aap aese chup kyun ho?"
"Anokhi tujhse ek baath puchun?" Shaurya asked as he turned fully facing her.
"Puchiye na" Anokhi said turning fully to face him as well.
"What do you think about Maa's words?" Shaurya asked softly.
"About what? Our marriage?" Anokhi asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Hmmm. Days are passing just like that and she keeps on asking us. What shall we do? What ca-" Shaurya went on rambling.
"Shadhi ke liye Dhulan toh sath mahine se intezaar kar rahi hai. Yeh Dhula toh kuch keh nahi raha hai" Anokhi chuckled.
Shaurya blinked twice as he took his time to process Anokhi's words.
"Anokhi?" Shaurya asked with a confused smile with his head tilt slightly gesturally asking if whatever he heard was right.
"Haareeyy, iss se straight koi kuch ke saktha hai hai? Stamp paper pe likh ke dena hoga kya? Cheh! Aap toh waste nikhle. Kab-"
Now Anokhi's voice got muffled as Shaurya pulled her into his embrace shutting her down.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you" Shaurya kept on whispering against her ear as he rocked Anokhi along with her, their lips adorned with nothing but smile.
"I love you, Shaurya. I don't know when, how and all that but I want to be with you life long to figure out all these answers" Anokhi confessed as she broke the hug, "May I?"
"Do you even have to ask?! I need you all my life. To make me feel complete" Shaurya hugged Anokhi and kissed her head, "I love you"
Shaurya and Anokhi didn't know how their life changed in a moment. Everything post their confession moved quickly. They announced their decision to his mother and her father who were overjoyed. They were engaged shortly and married within a year at a resort at Naldehra so that his father and her brother can also be part of their marriage.
Karthick became better after two years of treatment and returned home. Meeting each other after years at Shaurya and Anokhi's wedding stirred old memories in Shaan and Aastha. She came to know about what he went through Neil whom she searched and found after her son's wedding.
Shaan and Aastha share a friendship post everything. Karthick was a changed man and he focussed on his career. Krishnan was happy and content to see his children doing well. And, Shaurya and Anokhi, they birthed a daughter and then a son whom they named Swara and Ansh respectively. Together they weaved magic in their lives and lived contently with their family.
THE END.
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Hope you all enjoyed reading the story. Those who enjoy my writings, I have opened a new book called Bewitched. It has Tanglish dialogues but I have given English subtitles so that everyone of you can read. Do read the prologue. If you find it interesting then do give it a try.
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Bewitched - Prologue
Sivaangi gasped softly, her eyes widened in appreciation as she looked at the mannequin draped in an elegant piece of clothing. This has got to be one of the finest dresses she has come across in recent times! And to think she found this in a town! She frowned when she saw someone stepping in from behind the mannequin, her eyes taking in the male footwear and then eying up.
To say she was bewitched would be an understatement as her eyes looked up to meet the man dressed in a dark blue lungi and an orange shirt; a measuring tape wounded around his neck, his trimmed-beard, a sharp handsome face and his eyes, oh his warm brown eyes! He was tall and fit, she noted, and he looked dashing despite his humble clothing.
His forehead was adorned with a frown but Sivaangi couldn't care much for she was lost in the man in front of her, too distracted to make sense of the situation.
"Yaaru neenga? Inga yenna panringa?" His voice was warm, sending shivers down her spine as Sivaangi met with his brown orbs.
(Who are you? What are you doing here?)
"A-aad-aadhu va-" Sivaangi stammered trying to get a grip of herself.
(Th-tha-that-)
God! She was embarrassed! And he is looking right at her, expecting an answer.
Before Sivaangi could open her mouth and ridicule herself, they heard a woman calling him from outside,
"Ashwin-nu! Irukiya pa?"
(Are you there?)
His eyes flickered outside before looking right back at her as he yelled, "Idho, varen Maa"(Coming) Giving her a pointed look, he stepped outside while she stood rooted, her eyes following him as her lips tasted his name,
"Ashwin"
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You can find Bewitched book in my profile.
Thank you for reading,
Nan ~