"Love Over Coffee"
It was 9pm on a Valentine day and he was stuck in the beauro with the other team mates for a high profile kidnapping case... This is quite common in their work.. that often things do not go the way they have planned and have to give it up….
Being the second in command of the team he had all the responsibilities in the absence of ACP sir..and that meant he had to cancel all his Valentine Day celebration plans with his wife...
He just called her up to inform about his present situation and to say sorry… Though she understood his position, as she was also stuck in that situation quite a few hours back… but he could sense that she was quite upset..
It was the same condition with the team... All of them had to cancel their plans and they were visibly dejected… but for all of them duty comes first rather than their plans for special day…
For a moment his thoughts rolled six years back… when this late hours of duty had been a blessing in disguise… as this was the same day he met his wife…
He thought for a moment about his wife and just thinking about her glowing face brought a broad smile on his face...
His reverie was broken when he heard someone calling him excitedly.. It was Tasha.. " Sir yeh dekhiye hume kya clue mila hai… isse elake ko dekhte hui lagta hai ki.. yeh sundar beach ke aspas hai.. aur yeh jaga sunsan bhi rehta hai.." she said pointing towards the video playing in the computer…
" Vey good job Tasha… deri kyu.. chalo fir raid marte hai… aur uss aurat ko churwate hai… per dhyaan se…" he said in his commanding voice.. and leave the beauro for their mission…
Within a hour the culprit was trapped and the victim was safely rescued… and all of them came back to the beauro with the kidnapper…
Within few minutes the culprit surrender all his deeds.. and was put behind the bars…
"uff.. It's been a long day today… sab ne aj bohot baria kaam kia.. chalo bye sabko… valentine day khatam hone me bas ther (1 & half) ghantei bache hai… wo bhi kharab mat karo… bhago saab… go and enjoy…" he said with friendly tone… and he himself sat back with the files…
"Sir.. ap nei jayenge… ajke din apke lia bhi toh special hai…" freedy asked him excitedly…
"naah freedy.. um log jao.. mei bas yehcase ki file ready karke nikalta hu… tumhe toh patai hai.. DCP ka refer kia hua case hai.. kal subha hotei a jayenge file mangne…"
"per ap akele…hum bhi ruk jate hai…" Tasha proposed…
"arrey koi jarurat nei hai… baskuch der mei chale jayenge hum.." he smiled and bid them good bye..
He came back with a cup of coffee.. and sat back on his chair.. with the files open… while enjoying the coffee.. his thoughts again poked him… and made him travel down the lane journey of the incident which eventually happened on a Valentine Day.. six years back…
The day was same… the long hectic one..with critical cases… but there was no bounding.. or someone who was waiting for him… so he was not sad to have lost the valentine's day…
He was the last man to leave the beauro.. after winding up everything and informing the guards to lock the beauro... he very well remember the time…it was around 11.30 pm in the night… When he reached the main gate of the office premises…
He saw a girl standing there alone.. whom he presumed was looking for a drop...and he was bit surprised to see her at that point of time and thought for a moment to stop... but he did not stop and moved a bit ahead on his bike..
But he don't know what crossed his mind… he took a U turn and came back to her... Probably it was her pretty face in the rear view mirror.. in the dim light of street bulb that made him come back..
She was a bit surprised or rather bit scared when his bike stopped in front of her… she didn't expect a stranger guy at this hour of night… when she have to reach her home alone..
"Hello.. I'm Abhijeet.. senior inspector Abhijeet Cid se.. May I help you.." he said flashing his I card..
"Hi.. I'm .. cid forensic expert…" she said smiling… and he was thinking.. that it was the smile to die for..!
"oho.. to app hi hai wo new doctor… Dr. Salukhe ka assistant…"
"haan.. mei hi hu…" she again smiled… and it doesn't remain unnoticed by him…
"App usually itni raat ko ghar jate hai… " he asked
"Arrey nehi… actually ek case ke reports ready karte karte late ho gayi.. kab itni der ho gaya patai nei chala… cab bhi book karna bhul gayi… so, just waiting for a cab or auto.. and also trying my luck for a lift…" she said casually…
"Your luck has smiled on you by sending me.." he said probably with the intention of flirting…"If you do not mind, mei apko drop kardu apke ghar tak…"
She was thinking what to say… and to help her taking decision.. he gave her the explanation… " dekhia Tarika ji.. ab itni raat ko toh cab milna mushkil hai… bohot samai rukna hoga… aur is waqt Taxi driver se mei jyada safer person hu apke lia… as you know my name and identity…"
She just smiled on hearing that and said.. "That is not a thing to worry for me.. mujhe Self Defence karni ati hai.."
"Okay that's great.. toh mei aur kya kahu? Mujhe chalna chaye ... All the best and Good Night.. "
He was just about to move when she said.. "I guess I shall come with you... You seem to be a nice person... Hope you don't mind me dropping till M.G Road…"
"I am indeed a nice person.." he said to himself...
"Oho.. that's perfectly fine… M.G road mere ghar ke raste mei hai.." he replied.. and their journey began..
On the way, they talked and talked and it felt to him.. as if they have known each other for ages... Half an hour later he dropped her nearby her home… and was about to move after all thank yous and good byes.. she said.. "Hey.. aj toh Valentine's Day hai naah? By the way.. Happy Valentine's Day to you! "
"Oh! Yeah.. Happy Valentine's Day to you Tarika ji..! " he said with a shy smile on his face… while she also gave him a sweet evergreen smile…
And this started another round of conversation…. he now actually realized.. how beautiful she was.. and just wished if she could be his…
" raat tak beauro me the ap… lagta hai sare plans cancel ho gaye apke.." she said.
"Nah! Aisa kuch nei.. actually I do not have a Valentine… so it does not matter… aur apka?"
"Well.. the same case as yours…" and they both laughed at this..
This statement of her made his mind screaming out of joy.. but he kept his poise and said.. "Hmm.. mujhe lagta hai ki Hume celebrate karna chaye… kya bolti hai app… nei toh mei chala jata hu apne bike leke… btaye? "
"apke dimag thik hai naah? Celebration wo vi iss waqt? 12:30 a.m. kaunsi dukan khuli rehegi abb?" she said..
"Arey rukia… its only 12.30 am… mei Mumbai ke har ekk jaga janta hu…. Aise bohot si café hai jo 24X7 open rehta hai... Wanna have a cup of coffee with me?" he proposed..
"I think it's exciting.. let's go…" she said…
His happiness knew no bounds on hearing that... he was in cloud nine at that moment… Probably by this time she might have thought that he was a trust worthy person… And had no false intentions...
He was overwhelmed by her beauty and her simplicity... while he was thanking in his mind..for being so late for the recent case to wend up…
When they reached to 24X7 Café..it was a sports café featuring chelse and Manchester football matches… it was already 1am... But from the crowd in the café it seemed that it's only 8pm in the night.. Such was the charisma and the popularity of that café...
It was her first time there.. and he could get that her from her eye expression.. that he took her to the right place...
It was a beautiful cafe.. and specially decorated for the V'day.. with red and white balloons.. and ribbons… and the soft classic hindi songs made the ambience of that place more beautiful…
"I wonder.." Abhijeet initiated while sipping coffee..
"kya bolo naah…" she asked casually..and they didn't notice when their convo changes from app to tum… and their convo went on…
"I wonder…agar mei tumhe lift nei dia hota toh… toh hum kavi milte.."
"Hmm milte.. obhio.. in the forensic lab koi case ke silsile me…"
"aur may be aise.. yaha watching a match.. tum chelse ko cheer karte hui..aur mei manue ko…" he said..
"Fir humlog argue karte…"
"Then I wud buy a drink for you… you know to make up…" both giggled…
"Fir mei kehti… hi I'm Tarika.."
"I would have said.. hey Tarika I'm Abhijeet .."
"So Abhijeet tum kya karte ho…"
"Abhi tak toh manue ko cheer kar raha tha.. ab soch raha hu ki chelse ko karu… aur tum.." he tried to flirt..
"Mei abhi bhi chelse ko karungi…" she said with a small giggle…
"Ok so, chelse ka fan hone ke elawa tum kaun ho…" he asked..
"umm.. mei Tarika Malhotra.. Forensic doctor hu… schooling and college delhi mei kia hai… mom dad wahi rehte hai… aur mei waha Mumbai me friend ke sath… aur tum.."
"Mei Abhijeet… log mujhe cid senior inspector Abhijeet ke naam se jante hai… aur team mates sharp shooter keh ke bulate hai.."
"hmm interesting…" both of them share a quality time…. Laughing.. giggling…
It was another two hours he spent with her… over a cup of coffee.. in the sports café.. cheering their teams.. and by that time they were already aware of each other likes and dislikes….
In his mind.. he was pondering over a feeling.. the feeling of liking someone truly…for quite some time now... The more he was shrugging it off.. the more it kept coming.. as if somebody had putted it in a circular disc..
Finally when they were about to leave at 3am… he mustered his courage and spoke to her… "Tarika ..tum mujhe pagal… ya fir nonsense kuch bhi samaj sakte hai… wo kya hai na.. I kinda started liking you… mujhe pata hai.. yeh sunne ke bad tum mujhe milna .. ya fir baat bhi nei karna chaogi.. aur tumhara jawab hameshe NO hi hoga… fir bhi.. mei tumhari jo koi bhi decision ho.. I would respect that…"
He don't know what gave him so much courage to speak that… and she was dumb for a moment with that surprise and perhaps shock as well...
After a moment of silence she said… "You are moving too fast Abhijeet.. hum hardly ek dusre ko jante hai… aur itni bari baat.. kuch ghanto ke meeting me..aise coffe pite pte nei ho sakte…"
"mei samajta hu Tarika… and woi mei bhi bol raha hu… take your time..aur agar tumhe lage ki I have that potential.. to be worthy you… hum age bhi mil sakte hai… taki tum mujhe jaan sako.. aur mujhe kuch nei janna hai.. itnai kafi hai…" he replied calmly… and she was getting more and more shocked hearing him..
"I need time…" she said.. with a sigh..
"All yours madam..." he answered.. and both headed for their journey back home…
Then he dropped her back home at about 4 am… and both exchanged their contact numbers..
He came back home.. but couldn't sleep at that night… as she and her thoughts were pondering in his mind all the time..
Next day he had to went to mission...for few days.. but being a guy.. he texted her and lastly tried to call her.. but all with no replies... he was dejected and thought it's the end of their story...
Since then two weeks went by… and she became a stranger… whom he has given the lift… and then forgot... though the fact was he could not forget her..
One fine day… Destiny took a twist and thay for the first time met each other in the Forensic Lab… Dr. salukhe introduced them.. and they met each other as if they were totally strangers… but Tarika couldn't ignore the questioning glance of Abhijeet that was full of hope…
On that Evening.. his phone beeped with a sms... surprisingly it was from Tarika- "Hi Abhjeet..Sorry could not answer your messages and calls… aj free ho… kyu na aj hum mile.. 6pm.. Sports cafe…
"Hey Tarika… Good to hear from you again… Sure..would pick you up from the main gate at 6pm…" he replied..
He was beaming with happiness.. and it has no limit.. and how on earth he would not be free… he was jumping with happiness.. and picked her up and went to Sports café...
That was the kick start of their relation.. initially as a friend.. meeting onwards they used to meet frequently.. talked.. smsed and sports café has became their favourite hang out destination...
That was a usual meeting of them..at their favourite hangout.. while cheering a football match of Chelse and manue…
Tarika said.. while sipping a cold coffee.. "Abhijeet.. wo.. mei bohot khush hoti hu jab tumhare sath rehti hut oh.. aur mujhe lagta hai.. tum youhi mujhe hamesha khush rakhoge… So my answer is YES! I am ready to be your life partner…"
He couldn't say anything… the happiness was far more to be described in words… e feel like jumping in the air… and announcing the good news to all the world….
He stood up and hugged more tightly… then he stood up to the chair.. and proposed her.. in front of all in the café… she was feeling shy and just nodded her in affirmation… while a scarlet pink colour was visible in her sweet cheeks… all of them cheered and clapped..and congratulate them… while the café owner gifted them with a free coffee combo…
That was the greatest day of their life and the happiness was in the air itself.. they got married soon and was happily married till date...
He came out of this sweet never ending trace.. with the sound of the wall clock… which was showing the time as 11 pm at night…
He quickly completed his work..and headed to his home.. there waiting for him his lovely wife Tarika..
On his way back home.. Abhijeet called up Tarika.."Hey my sweet heart.. jaldi se ready ho jao…. Mei 20 minutes me ghar pouch raha hu… hum Sports café ja rahe hai.. "
She almost screamed over the phone with happiness… and both of them again filled with enthusiasm…
While sipping over our favourite coffee at 24X7 café.. cheering for a football match… Abhijeet said.."Tarika ji.. Happy Valentine's Day!" She was all in smiles… and he too returned the same smile.. with the same flavour… and their Date went on…
" To Love someone is nothing.. to be loved by someone is something… but to be loved by the one you love is everything…"
Author's note: Guys, so this is a short love story... I hope it brought smiles on your face...
Yep I'm always late… even I'm late this time also… sorry…
Plz read and review… hope you all have enjoyed this Abhirika…
Bye.. Tkcr.. Love uall…
SS