CHAPTER 20: Apology
(Day of Tia’s last rites)
Abir was walking in the corridor in the police station…. He was heading back home…. He was tired as the entire day had been passed in finding further clues for the case and there was hardly any time for taking a break…. Ranveer had left earlier stating he had some urgent work so it was upon Abir to wrap up the rest of the work…. Also he did not get any chance to talk to Mishti and apologize…. Whenever he tried to talk to her someone or the other would come and he would get involved in work…. He had lost hope for the day as he walked towards the exit…. He was passing by when he saw the door of Mishti’s cabin was open…. He thought to check once and peeped inside…. He stood there silently as he witnessed the scene in front of him….
Mishti had rested her head on one of the files and was sleeping peacefully…. The pen she was using was still in her hand…. Papers and files all scattered on her desk…. Abir was mesmerized seeing her…. The innocence on her face made his lips form a smile…. He remembered their college days seeing her…. Whenever they studied together for exams Mishti would fall asleep with all her notes and books around…. She could never control her sleep…. Whenever sleep hit her she would forget everything else in the world…. Some things had still not changed he wondered…. His Mishti was still there locked inside her…. Abir saw that her hair strands were disturbing her sleep and a frown formed on her face…. He chuckled seeing her getting irritated….
He quietly walked towards her not wishing to disturb her….
He knew if she woke up, his innocent Mishti would again be lost behind this new Mishti and he definitely did not wish that to happen….
He kneeled down near her chair and carefully observed her features…. She still looked as beautiful as ever…. He put forward his hand to touch her face…. He stopped midway debating whether to move ahead or not…. Did he have the right to touch her after all these years and more because of the recent behavior he had towards her…. His mind ordered him to move back and his heart pleaded him to move ahead…. Abir’s heart won and he moved his hand towards her face…. He slowly tucked her hair strands behind her ear…. His fingers touched her soft skin and he felt his heartbeats increase…. A shiver ran through his entire body…. Years down the lane and her touch still made him go crazy…. Now he understood how much he had craved to do this…. He wished if time could stop at this moment and he could live it forever….
Sensing someone’s touch Mishti woke up and looked to her side…. His face was close to hers….
Their eyes met and they forgot everything around them…. They could see their lost love in each other’s eyes…. There was longing in their eyes as if this is what they always wished for…. How much they had missed this closeness…. Abir did not move from his position and looked deep into her eyes…. They could feel each other’s breathing…. All there time spent together played in front of them….
Mishti however remembered Abir’s recent behavior with her and she pushed him back…. The sudden push made Abir stumble and he held the desk to balance himself…. A tear escaped from Mishti’s eye but she wiped it away…. Abir noticed this and it pierced his heart to see her like this….
Mishti: Sir, you here, did you have any work for me?
Hearing her cold tone Abir felt like someone had stabbed his heart with a sharp knife…. How much had he hurt her…. how much had she changed…. Had everything between them changed forever….
Abir: Mishti, please….
Mishti: Sir, if you don’t have any work then I think I should leave, it is already late.
Mishti stood up from her place and placed the papers and files together…. She then picked her belongings…. She was about to go when Abir held her hand…. His grip was tight and she tried hard to free herself…. Even with all her strength she couldn’t do it…. She was a brave and strong police officer for the world but when it came to Abir she was weak and vulnerable…. No matter how much she tried, his presence would break all her facades and she could never hide her emotions…. He had known her long enough that he could sense everything about her…. Mishti stopped trying and stood still…. Abir smiled seeing her stop trying….
Abir: I am sorry Mishti…. Please don’t be an angry chorni now….
The words escaped his mouth and both of them were surprised…. Mishti could not believe that he had called her angry chorni after years…. Also he apologized to her…. She turned to look at him…. Abir was surprised as to why he called her angry chorni…. The name flooded their minds with memories…. Memories from the past that they had buried deep inside their hearts…. Abir loosened his grip on her hand and turned the other side….
Abir: I just want to say sorry for my behavior the other day. I was too harsh and hurt you a lot. I am really sorry.
Mishti smiled seeing him…. This was his habit…. He could never apologize by facing the person…. Mishti loved how cutely he would turn the other side and then recite all his apologies…. This was one habit that she had tried hard to change in him but never could…. In fact with time she fell in love with this habit…. Seeing Mishti not saying anything Abir turned back…. They looked at each other….
Mishti: It is okay.
Abir looked at her surprised…. Was this really his Mishti…. The Mishti, who would not forgive him easily even for the silliest mistakes, had forgiven him without saying anything…. No blames…. No harsh words…. After his behavior he definitely deserved them….
Abir: You forgave me?
Mishti: Yes, I did.
Abir: Really, I mean….
Mishti: Leave it Abir; I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
There were few moments of silence before Abir spoke….
Abir: So….
Mishti: So….
Abir: So…. I mean…. That…. It is….
Mishti: Sorry but I am not understanding anything.
Abir: Can we be friends again?
Mishti looked at him shocked…. He apologizing was something she could understand but this, asking to be friends again was unexpected…. She was looking at him not knowing what to say….
Abir: I know we have been through a lot in our life and I know many things have been messed up between us. But I also feel that it is time that we move on and leave our past behind. Let us start fresh, so Mishti, will you be my friend?
He forwarded his hand and smiled at her…. Mishti too smiled and shook hands with him….
Mishti: Sure. Friends.
They smiled at each other….
Was this the beginning of their second chance with each other….
Abir: It is late, I think we should leave. If you don’t mind, may I drop you?
Mishti just nodded with a smile and they walked out of the cabin….
*****
It was a hectic day for Shivaay…. The morning had been spent performing Tia’s last rites…. Followed by a press conference…. Then meeting some relatives and business personals…. All in all Shivaay was hell tired meeting so many people and answering so many questions…. Many of which he did not have answers to…. He thought to take a shower to relax his mind…. He was about to enter the washroom when one of his staff came there informing him that someone had come to meet him….
Shivaay was highly irritated by this but still walked towards the living room…. He was walking down the steps when he heard the familiar voice…. He looked up from his phone and was surprised to see Anika there…. She was talking to Dadi…. He could see her smile as she talked…. Shivaay stood there for a moment as he observed her…. She was behaving so differently…. In the office she was so rude and cold…. Stopping himself from thinking anything further he walked towards them…. Dadi and Anika looked at him….
Dadi: Billu, see Anika has come to meet you.
Shivaay could see Anika trying to control her laughter at his nickname…. Out of every name in the world, why did his Dadi choose to call him that…. Even in his thoughts he could not call himself that…. It was Om, Ru and Prinku, then why did he have to be that…. Sometimes being Dadi’s favorite was not the best thing….
Shivaay: Dadi, how many times I have told you not to call me that in front of others.
Dadi: Billu, I keep forgetting it. Leave all that you both talk, I’ll go to my room, I am tired.
Saying so Dadi smiled at Anika and walked towards her room….
As soon as Dadi went from there Anika looked at Shivaay…. He was clearly irritated that his Dadi was calling him by his nickname…. Anika pressed her lips and tried hard to suppress her laughter…. Shivaay looked at her…. No longer able to control herself Anika burst into fits of laughter…. Shivaay was shocked by her sudden out-burst and kept staring at her as if she had landed from some other planet…. Sensing Shivaay’s gaze on her for a long time Anika controlled herself and put on a straight face….
Anika: I am really sorry for this but seriously I did not know India’s famous businessman Shivaay Singh Oberoi can have such a cute nickname, Billu. It is so cute. By the way, it suits you because of your kanji eyes.
Shivaay: No one is asking you for your opinions here and don’t you dare call my eyes that….
Anika: What, kanji?
Shivaay: Yes that.
Anika: And why do you think that I’ll listen to you?
Shivaay: Don’t you have any other work than arguing with me, did you come here for this?
Anika: Oh that, see I forgot about that. Tomorrow I cannot come to your office as I have some important work. I thought to inform you beforehand.
Shivaay: And may I know what important work you have?
Anika: It is personal. I’ll see you day after tomorrow then.
Shivaay: What about the case then?
Anika: Don’t worry about that, Prachi will be there, she’ll look after everything.
Shivaay: Okay, if the work is happening without any obstacle, I have no problem.
Anika: Okay then, bye.
Shivaay: Yeah.
Shivaay turned around and started walking towards the staircase….
Anika looked at him clearly irritated by his never ending attitude…. What is so wrong with this man…. Why can’t he just be polite…. Did not even say a bye…. Is it too much to expect some courtesy from him…. Anika made some faces and turned to go out….
Shivaay reached the staircase and turned back…. He could see her retreating figure leaving the main entrance of the mansion….
Shivaay: Bye. See you day after tomorrow.
He looked at her for a few moments still she disappeared from his sight…. He did not how but he knew he was going to miss her tomorrow….
*****
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