Petrichor to his heart chapter 9 (MHRW FF)

CHAPTER 9

He wanted to curse everyone on road for this massive jam but Farhad was right it was the peak time for school buses to return from schools and youngsters leaving for their sports or coaching.

They had been stuck here for some 20 minutes and there was still no clue when the vehicles ahead of them were clearing the road.

Focusing on Pallavi he closed his eyes and tried one more time to remember someone who had this kind of grudge on him and who would go to this extent to hurt him and his phone ringed.

“Haan, Swami… kuchh pata chala?” he didn’t open his phone and put the phone to his ears.

“Raghav Bhau, mai hu Nikhil… where is Di? You two had to come today for Aai and Baba’s anniversary.” He asked him.

“Cālā man̄cidi.” he muttered to himself. (Very good, only this one was needed.)

“actually, Nikhil… just today we had to sign a deal for our showroom in Kochi so right now we are leaving for Kochi but please convey my wishes to Uncle and Aunti… we will come to meet them the soonest.”

“But Bhau..Di..” Nikhil was a bit surprised but stopped himself.

“Nikhil… you know she could not miss something this important but right now we are checking in and it was a last-moment decision… she was about to inform you guys but I guess she forgot.” He lied again.

“What happened Anna?” Farhad asked him as he saw him pressing his temples.

“aaj kuchh function hai Pallavi ke Ghar, they wanted to know why Pallavi’s phone is unreachable.” he was frustrated by now.

“aur Farhad , jake dekh ye kya mamla hai?” cursing the traffic he opened his phone to type a few texts.

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It was already 6 in the evening and a few hours have already been passed since her disappearance.

As soon as the girl from the boutique opened her main door they hid behind the bushes to not give the impression of someone was there.

They were listening to everything with the ongoing call between Farhad and her phone.

“Amma, Abba… aap log Kaha ho?” she entered inside and so far it seemed there was nothing amiss but they were too early to make an assumption cause next came the shout and a sharp shrill

“Amma, what happened to you?”

Without wasting a moment their men hidden around the house entered along with them and as they made their way to the small dining area a woman was sitting like a statue and was staring out of the window.

“suno… tumhara jo bhi nam hai, lagta hai tumhara Amma shock me hai. Apna Amma ko pani pilao aur mera Admi dekhta hai kya gadbad hai.” Raghav’s patience was crumbling seeing the loops only getting tighter.

“alright, Abba kamre me honge… unhe puchho shayd unhe kuchh pata ho.” she told them as she tried to lift her mother from the chair.

“Farhad kamre me dekh aur ye wheel chair idhar la shayd ye Amma ko iska jaroorat hai…” he ordered Farhad and moved to another room.

“No, my Abba uses the wheelchair sometimes…and my name is Aiza.” the girl responded as she helped her mother to the nearby room.

“what do you mean?” Raghav asked her.

“Anna, her father is not here…I have searched all three rooms here.

“My Abba got handicapped a few years ago while he was saving someone.”

Farhad and Aiza said together their pieces of news.

“where can he go, he doesn’t leave the house alone.” Aiza was surprised.

A text message on his phone caught his attention –

tujhe shauq hai logo ko tadpa ke marne ka

par mujhe tujhe sari umar tadpate dekhna hai,

Bahut intezar kiya hai is din ka ,

ab bas thodi der me ye khel khatam.

Suddenly a photograph on the table resembled someone he used to know a few years ago and one by one things started clearing in front of him but he had no clue how the girl he knew was related to this house.

“tum Andar basement me kya kar raha tha jab main andar ayaa?” suddenly Raghav crossed him.

“sorry, but I am not entitled to tell you everything I do.” making her mother comfortable on the bed she retorted.

“Farhad… “Raghav eyed his left hand and in no moment she was dragged out of the room.

“your Amma is sick then your handicapped Abba has left the house, even you were working on something in the basement of your own shop and you don’t have any idea about someone getting kidnapped from your shop… it looks unbelievable, right Farhad?” he crossed his legs on the chair as he took a seat and eyed her.

“i don’t know anything about all this but what I was doing in the basement is none of your business.” she seemed touchy about whatever it was.

“tum aise nahi manega..theek hai. Farhad iska phone laptop sab us computer machine ko de.” referring to the guy who knew the software and worked for them he stood.

“aur isko le chal yaha se,” he turned to the exit and it horrified the girl.

“my Amma is sick and I can’t leave her alone.” she pleaded.

“ye sab pahle sochna tha, basement Spy!” he mocked her.

“mai apni Amma ko chhod ke kahi nahi jaungi and thats final.” her eyes turned amber in determination.

“Farhad ko bahut sara tarika aata hai , ab tum decide kar lo tumhe kaun sa suit karta hai.” saying this he left the hall and walked to their car.

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“i don’t believe you…” Pallavi was firm on her belief that Raghav could not be the reason for someone’s death.

“well, this is none of our concerns what you believe or not… you wanted to know the reason and I told you.” the young man who had entered this secluded place seemed nonchalant.

“But think once there might have been some misunderstanding… Raghav’s past has not been smooth and peaceful.” she tried again.

“that is why he doesn’t let people stay in peace but enough is enough,” the young man’s eyes burnt in anger.

“It might have been that she loved him but Raghav could not love him back.” she took the chance to make the man understand and even to her heart.

“When he was all alone she was there, she supported him all the while and when she confessed her love, he left without looking back… I lost my sister only because of Raghav Rao, now finish this and try to sleep, we are not going to leave you anytime soon.” he left the room and she sensed the brother still missed his sister.

She knew there was some big misunderstanding on their part, the  Raghav she knew, wanted to unite his family, and other than that he had no goals in his life but even after that he had a kind heart.

She was confused about who was right or who was wrong but she knew these men though were taking their vengeance they were dangerous.

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“When we have the information about their location and most importantly who they are then what are we waiting for?” Farhad was indeed surprised seeing Raghav lying down on his bed.

“as much I am understanding them, they are not going to harm Pallavi… I am their target and till that basement spy doesn’t say a thing I am sure they won’t know we are striking them soon.” Raghav was relaxed.

“but Anna, how did you know she was lying and they were involved in the kidnapping?” Farhad’s brain was struggling to add two and two.

“she is related to someone I knew a few years ago… when there was no one there was this girl who used to help me with food and sometimes money and in return, I used to do her small or big works since she was living away from her family in the college.”

“But Anna, how is Aiza involved in all of this…” the concern was visible in Farhad’s voice.

“That is a mystery to me, there were occasions when I felt Bushra was interested in me but at that time I didn’t want anything more than Amma and keerti and some 7 or 8 years ago I was not planning anything serious by any chance,” Raghav said as he confirmed every information about this old house near the forests of Hyderabad with his men on the phone screen.

“aur hum log wait isliye kar raha hai kyoki vaar tab karo jab dushman sabse jyada kamjor ho… ”  he took a glimplse of the wall clock clicking 12:45 AM. “bas thodi der aur Pallavi.”

“you didn’t call back or go back to see the person who helped you in tough times…” Farhad asked him.

“mai gaya tha, par tab tak bahut time ho chuka tha ,udhar koi nahi tha jo uske bare me batata…” his voice turned grim for a moment but in the next second he started discussing his plans with Farhad.

How he didn’t think a mere decision for someone’s well-being was going to cost him after these many years… he didn’t want to involve one of the few genuine persons he has met in his tough time to his already complicated life.

but it seemed they were already struggling in his complex loop of life.

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Hey everyone, the next chapter is updated. 

i hope you enjoyed it. writing some action is a real toll on someone who is a hopelessly romantic person but I have tried … the next chapter would be the end to this action-filled shot.

And I hope you guys like the romance through gestures and small observations.

again urging everyone to stay safe and follow the COVID guidelines, these are tough times but we will come out of it, Insha’Allah.

take care of yourself, i am praying for everyone’s well-being.

with love Morusya.