Abhijit supported flimsy Tarika by holding her left wrist with his left hand and his right hand around her back. Tarika's head kept swaying lightly due to pain. So she rested her head on his shoulder. They both came out of the house in which Tarika was kept captive. At the same time Abhijit got a call.
Abhijit: Haan Rajat.
Rajat: Sir hum log police van mein criminals ko leke jarahein hain. Aap Qualis leke Tarika ji ko ghar chod dijiye aur unka acha sa khayal rakiye.
Fredy who was over hearing this conversation sitting beside Rajat shouted over Rajat's phone purposefully.
Fredy: Arrey Rajat sir Abhijit sir ye baath bathaney ka koi zarurath nahi hai. Abhijit Tarika ji ka khayal bahuth achi tarah sey rakengey. Zarurath sey bhi zayaada.
Fredy and Rajat shared a laugh. Abhijit heard it and smiled.
Athough Tarika didn't over hear the conversation seeing Abhijit smile, a weak smile crept on her face too.
Rajat( smiling): Kyun sir?
Abhijit( Smiling): Haan haan. Tik hai Rajat hum ghadi lekey jarahey hain. Ok good night. Take care. Thank you.
Tarika: Kya hua? Any problem?
Abhijit: Kuch nahi. Unhoney humey Quallis mein janey ko kaha.
Tarika: Oh.
Abhijit: Tho chalo hospital chalthey hain.
Tarika: Nahi Abhijit. Please ab hum ghar chalthey hain. Mujhe mere ghar chod dow please.
Abhijit: Magar tumhey chot lagi hai. Uska ilaj karvana hai.
Tarika: I am too tired Abhijit. Ghar jana hai.
Abhijit: Are you sure?
Tarika: Hmm.
Abhijit: Ok.
Abhijit opened the front passenger door for Tarika. He helped her to sit inside. Then he sat in the driver seat. He then went close to Tarika's face. He could feel her holding her breath. His cheeks were just a very few inches away from her lips. He turned his face to look at her and this time both their lips were so close for the first time. There was tension built up between them.
Then he pulled her seat belt down and locked it. Then he settled on his place to realize that he himself was holding the breath all these time. Abhijit looked at Tarika. They both smiled at each other. He then pulled out of the place which made their relation strong.
Tarika slowly with her weak hands pulled the glass down and rested her head near it. The night breeze gushed inside. She closed her eyes and sighed out heavily. The cool breeze swished gently through her curls. Along with it the coolness cleared stress lines on her forehead. She felt light and secured. The buoyancy of the breeze was healing her slowly but was definitely making difference in her health. She felt calm as the sea after storm.
Abhijit saw her head rested on the side and eyes closed. For him she looked serene and pure. He felt like witnessing a flower bloom, spreading its fragrance in the night. Tarika was regaining her color. He smiled softly for the first time the whole day. He recollected the whole day's happenings and work out done.
Abhijit( thinking ): I just wish, just wish that I could go back in time and fix all this from happening to her. She shouldn't have gone through this. I know exactly how it feels to be get kidnapped, tortured and be threatened. But I am trained for it. But Tarika isn't. She so delicate and vulnerable. She is totally innocent in identifying criminals hidden behind those masks. Damn, I should have punched bang on, on his nose for doing this to her. I surely would have done it if Rajat wouldn't have stopped me. I hope for his good I don't see him again. Otherwise I will surely knock out his head from his body. He did all this for popularity. I jst couldn't believe. How people get so, so low. That bloody…
Abhijit in his thoughts held the wheel while driving so tightly that his hand knuckles became red. After some time he parked his car outside Tarika's home. He looked at Tarika to find her still sleeping. So he bent over her keeping in mind not to disturb her and removed the seat belt without much sound. He then got down and opened other door. As he touched Tarika's hand she opened her eyes in a sudden shot filled with shock. Abhijit who didn't expect this jumped back a little.
Abhijit( keeping a hand over hers and another on her shoulder): Kuch nahi hua hai. Mein huin tumharey saath. Relax Tarika. Tumhara ghar agaya hai. Chalo andhar chalthey hain.
Tarika looked here and there then into his steady brown eyes. It gave her assurance and strength. It was like Abhijit was transmitting his strength to her. There was an invisible power flowing between each other that healed each other's heart. It reached out to each other's heart and consoled it "That everything is fine. And I am there for you. Always"
Tarika: Hnn.
Abhijit again helped her to get down and supported her so that she could walk steadily. Abhijit rang the calling bell. Maid opened the door.
Maid( happy ): Mam saab aap agayi. Apki bahuth fikar ho rahi thi. Aap tik tho hain naa. App ko kuch nah hua naa.
Tarika smiled at her maid's concerned burst out.
Abhijit: Wo wo….. Ek minute. Aap please apney mem saab ko andhar aaney dhegi.
Maid( slapping her fore head): Haan. Chaliye madam.
Maid supported Tarika and both walked inside. Tarika sat on the sofa totally worn off. Abhijit just stood outside shocked written over his face looking at the floor.
Maid: Pani?
Tarika nodded her head in yes. Maid left to get water. Abhijit entered, his face mixed with anger, shock and concern. Each emotion over powering the other one and trying to find an outlet to express. Abhijit was about to talk when maid entered. Maid gave water to both Abhijit and Tarika. After that she left for kitchen.
Abhijit(pointing to the path just crossed by her): Ye kya hai Tarika?
Tarika( weak tone): Kuch nahi. Bas wo... pair par….
Abhijit( hard tone): Kuch nahi ! (soft tone) Ye kuch nahi hai Tarika. For god sake Tarika tumharey pairon sey khoon nikal rahaa hai.
The path from entrance door to sofa was covered with footprints covered with slight blood. Due to long hours of standing on the ice her skin in the foot got worn out. Abhijit barged inside the kitchen were maid was fixing dinner for her mistress.
Abhijit: Tum apna ghar ja sakthi ho. Kal subah jaldi aajana.
Maid: Magar….
Abhijit(interrupting): Magar wagar kuch nahi. Mein yahaan ka kahyal raklunga. Bahuth dher hogayi hai tum ghar ja sakthi ho. Mein tumharey madam sey baat karlunga.
Maid tried to talk but words died out in her throat itself after seeing Abhijit's fuming face mixed with concern.
Outside:
Tarika: Hello !
Tarika: Haan Salunkhe saab. Mein tik huin.
Tarika: Ji. I will take care of myself.
Tarika: Good night.
Maid left by the back door as it was short cut to her house. After some time Abhijit came to hall. He had a bowl of cotton and another bowl of water. But has he came out to find Tarika sleeping on the sofa itself. She laid her head on the hand rest, stretching her leg out and dozed off, drained of energy completely.
Her face was covered with some dust and hair was totally messy and tangle flowing carelessly over her face and down the hand rest. Her dress was covered with mud and had cuts in some area. Her hands and legs were red due to the rope tied tightly around her hands and legs. He came near and smiled down at her sleeping face. This face for him glowed even in this messy state. For him she was pretty in every little angle.
Abhijit placed the bowls on the centre table. He then slowly cleaned her legs with wet cotton balls. Tarika pulled her leg towards her due to pain involuntarily in sleep. Her brows twitched in pain.
Abhijit( automatically, absent mindedly and hurt): Sorry Tarika.
Abhijit then realized that she was still sleeping, beat his fore head lightly and smiled at himself.
Abhijit slowly and gently caught hold of her leg and cleaned it gently as possible. He then applied an antiseptic cream over the cuts caused due to standing on the ice for long hours. Tarika moaned in her sleep in pain. Abhijit blew air softly to reduce the pain while applying the ointment.
Although he was aiding to Tarika's wounds but indirectly it was healing his mental wounds caused due to her sudden kidnapping.
He then cleaned the bruise marks caused due to ropes with cold water. He slowly removed the curls which were on her face behind her ear. He went inside her bed room. He came out with a blanket and hair brush. He laid the blanket on the table. He took the brush and went behind her. He slowly compiled all the hairs and brushed it twice and made a messy pony tail as much possible.
He then came around and looked down at his sleeping beauty proudly for his handy work done. He then took the blanket and covered her from foot to shoulders. He was adjusting around her shoulder when Tarika stirred in sleep. Abhijit froze so that he won't wake her up. Tarika pulled out her hand from inside the bed sheet. She then hugged her bed sheet along with Abhijit's right hand. In the process Abhijit was pulled towards her. He managed from falling over by stopping himself by placing other hand on the sofa back behind her.
Abhijit: OMG!…. That was close.
Hahaaa he didn't know what was coming next. Fate most of the time has other plans. Lets see if his fate favored him or not.
He then regained his posture and tried to remove his hand when Tarika moaned a little and place his hand under her head as a pillow. In this pull Abhijit had to kneel on the floor in order to make her comfortable.
Abhijit: Ye kya kardiya tum ney Tarika? Hmm…. Ab kya karun. Tarika ko jagaoon?
Abhijit 1: Nahi yaar. Dheko kitna peacefully sow rahi hai. Disturb karney ka man he nahi kartha.
Abhijit: Haan yaar. Isn't she so so cute? My sweet Angel.
Abhjit 1: Bas bas…. Hein…. Agey key barey mein socho…So what now?
Abhijit: Patha nahi.
At the same time Abhjit felt his mobile vibrate in his pant pocket. He took it out of his right pocket with left hand. Call was from Daya.
Abhijit: Hmm. Ab kya karein. I can't take the call. She will wake up.
Abhijit 1: Ek kaam karo. Call disconnect karo aur message karo ussey ki tum tik ho aur kal milengey kehkey.
Abhijit: Nice idea.
Abhjit implemented the idea. He got the reply back stating " Good Night, Sweet Dreams and Take care Abhi ".
Abhijit: Good night. Iss halath mein good night.
Abhijit 1: Arrey natak math karo Abhijit. Don't lie to me that you hate this situation.
Abhijit : Heehee…..You are so right. Ek taraf I am happy to be with her. Entangled with her like this. Agar jeevan bhar aesa ho jaye tho bas… Mere life mein tho bumper lottery lag jayegi yaar.
Both Abhijit 1 and Abhijit : Hmmmm…
Abhjit rested his head on his left hand and looked at Tarika. As the clock ticked the stand (hand) tumbled down with his head and he too dozed off in deep slumber near Tarika's mid riff till the dawn wishing it half mindedly not to happen.
Who can stop the time? But we can definitely cherish the present.
Both Abhijit and Tarika breathed peacefully and in unison.
Healing together in love.
A/N : After a long time another silly romance from me. Hope the story was satisfactory to some extent guys. I know its not very romantic like some of them right here. But its what i could do after long time. Please review truly. :)