Chapter 14
Finally the Big day arrived. 14 February, the day which was treated the most important day for every couple or the persons who were madly in love, as per some persons it was the day where couple express their love to each other and tell them how important they are to each other. This day is one of the important days in those lives who are love with someone for others it's just another day.
So celebrate this day of love and make this day memorable for their partners, everyone were set, rite from buying the most expensive gifts like diamond ring to necklaces to arranging candle light dinner at the best restaurant or party at sea side and buying each other many other stuffs. Due to which on valentine day eve, many of the hotels were arranging romantic dinner and parties for their customers. No doubt love was in the air, but in the midst of this lovey-dovey atmosphere there were people who were focused strictly on their work or rather they were forced to work.
The whole Mumbai CID team along with the Canadian police officers was set to accomplish this mission which was stated few weeks back. The investigation of a murder mystery which led them from Mumbai to Canada was on its final stage, after investigating the murders and on the basis of certain evidences and conclusions they all came to final step of it. After they knew about the Event and the suspect's arranged place which was Victoria harbor, they were ready to put those criminals behind the jail bars and to get the things perfect, Sachin arranged an early meeting to discuss the plan once again as he didn't want any last interruptions.
As decided Team "A" comprising of Acp, Sachin and Daya, Team "B" consisting of Abhijeet and Rajeev and Team "C" comprising Freddy and Vivek. Sachin and Acp were looking the map and were busy discussing, while Abhijeet, Rajeev and Daya were busy checking their ammunition, Freddy and Vivek were having a look at their communication tools, to check whether they work properly or not. After verifying the things and assuring that they are in proper condition they all packed it and kept it ready. Acp and Sachin were still busy discussing certain details, so Acp asked others to take rest for the time being as they were having much spare time, since it was only 10 at morning.
Daya, Abhijeet, freddy and Vivek moved towards cafeteria outside Bureau since they had to skip their breakfast due to the early meetings. They entered a café and ordered some refreshments, as they continued to wait for their order, Freddy started telling them how he was missing Manisha's food to which Vivek taunted that he will tell Manisha about it and will tell her that Freddy only missed her food and not her. Noticing Vivek's mischief Freddy quickly corrected himself that he missed Manisha too, which made everyone laugh, they continued laughing on freddy's jokes till their order gets placed.
Naina's home
From the start of day Naina's excitement was at its peak, needless to say it was all due to the entry pass to a bollywood function, she was crazy with the thought of meeting the celebrities, her happiness has no bound. So from the early hour she was too occupied with the event thoughts, she was busy searching her closet to get the perfect dress and matching accessories with it. Tarika who was busy watching her friends attempts to look best was smiling broadly while little sanaya kept wondering what's went wrong with her mother. Naina pulled out around bundles of clothes from her closet and was busy showing Tarika asking her opinion about those. She took one knee length chocolate brown strap dress and held her in front of her as she looked herself in the mirror.
Naina: what do you think about this? ( Naina asked Tarika while looking at the mirror)
Tarika: pretty good..
Naina: naaa ( Naina said in disappointment) I think I slightly look fat in these (she said sadly. She threw the dress on the bed and pulled out another, golden one strapless dress which was slight longer than previous one) too flashy..(she commented annoyingly as she threw that dress again on the bed and pulled another black tube dress ) too bold (she threw this one too. She looked around disappointedly as she didn't find anything to wear; she pouted) damn, I can't believe I don't have anything to wear..(she sighed as she sat on the bean bag)
Tarika glanced at the huge stock of clothes which were scattered all around the bed and smiled meaningfully before turning back to Naina.
Tarika: are you sure Naina that you don't have anything to wear (Tarika said while pointing to the clothes)
Naina: (whinned) Tarikaaa..help me.(she pleaded)
Tarika: got it..( Tarika took a look around the clothes as she searched for something good, finally she found something nice, she pulled out one outfit. It was a black colored anarkali suit with golden embroidery on its chest region and with some embroidery on its wrist region, Naina looked at it thinking about it)
Naina: hmm..well..
Tarika: it's perfect Naina ( Tarika answered before Naina could reject it. She turned to sanaya to ask her opinion about it) kyu sanaya..kaise hain yeh dress?
Sanaya: ahuh..ahuh (sanaya nodded childishly)
Naina: hmm..okay done ( Naina chirped. She took that dress and kept it in a hand bag, she also packed the necessary jewelries she would be wearing with that dress, after packing all the necessary things which she would be need to dress up in a bag, Naina turned to Tarika)
Naina: let's go..
Tarika: kaha? Abhi time hain na, event toh 4 ko hain, we still have many hours left.
Naina: I know..but darling, hume aapke dress selection bhi toh karna hain..
Tarika: mera kya..main..(but before Tarika could complete her sentence Naina interrupted)
Naina: nothing, hum tere apartment jaa rhea hain, waha ek achi dress select karnege and aur waha se Cruise Valencia..
Tarika: but na..
Naina: kuch nhi..chalo..
( and Naina headed towards Sanaya's room to get her dress for the event. Meanwhile Tarika and Sanaya headed towards the hallway. After gathering all the necessary things they all headed towards Tarika's apartment)
Café
The cid officers were almost done with their breakfast and were waiting for their coffee, when abhijeet's cell buzzed, he excused himself and left to attend the call,It was a call from one of his friends after attending the call, ABhijeet was about to move back to their seat when something caught his eye, opposite to the café was city park. The park was decorated for the eve of Valentine, the entrance of the park had a huge banner wishing the people "Happy Valentine!" also the entrance gate was decorated with heart shaped balloons and red roses, they were also colorful ribbons attached to the railings of the gates. On the trees, pair of heart shaped balloons was attached and below it there were some posters some nice love quotes written, the bushes had some colorful lights encircling them, there were also some group of musicians which were practicing for their show which was scheduled for that night. After watching this a smile crept on Abhijeet's face as he remembered the previous year Valentine day which he spent with her, dinner at sea-side cliff under the moon light accompanied with a dance. That was indeed one of the best days of their life; he could remember each and every detail of that day, after all that was their "First Valentine Day" which they celebrated with each other and probably their last one. .
Abhijeet was about to turn to return to his seat since the surroundings were making him remember about her, when he noticed one of the poster, it said,
"Always tell someone how you feel about them, because opportunities are lost in the blink of an eye, but regret…It can last for a lifetime!"
Abhijeet smiled wryly as he read that sentence, that sentence left a deep impact on him, for the first time he realized that he was so damn wrong,about Everything! Rite from understanding her to understanding the bits of their relationship. He hated himself for casually treating their relationship, for taking it so light heartedly, he felt guilty at heart, as he cursed himself for not letting her know what he actually thought about her, about what he felt about her and that he LOVED her!
He knew that these things hardly matter now, since she has already left. He remembered Salunkhe Sir's words which he said to Abhijeet, when Abhijeet failed to propose her on her birthday due to his shyness and fear. Though Tarika knew about Abhijeet's this plan but when he failed to convey his feelings Tarika kept numb and waited for him to say it. When salunkhe came to knew about this he only said,
"Just because you know that She would wait for you forever doesn't mean you can let her wait that long.''
He finally realized the truth behind salunkhe's advice to him but now it hardly matters, after all Life don't blessed you with similar opportunities, once they are gone they are Gone, you can never achieved them once they are left.
Abhijeet averted his gaze from the poster; he was having a hard time in controlling his emotions, the tears which were building in his eyes due to anger and guiltiness were on the verge of broking up. He was holding his emotions from the day she left, he never thought she would leave such impact on him, he realized her importance only after she was left, he held the corner of the table to prevent himself from falling down, his mental burden was making him impossible to stand, he quickly seated on a nearby chair. As he sat there for some more time without bothering about his team. Daya who was waiting for Abhijeet with the rest, got worried for him after he didn't return, Daya got up and decided to have a look around café to search him. He found him quickly, he was seating near one of the tables which was close to the window one, he went there and placed a hand on Abhijeet's shoulder and called out his name but Abhijeet didn't responded so he called out again this time loudly the effect was soon, Abhijeet turned and found Daya looking at him worriedly, daya recognized from his face that he was disturbed with her thoughts once again, he was about to ask him about it when Daya's cell buzzed, it was a call from ACp, asking them to return to bureau. Abhijeet noticed that it was a call from Acp so he quickly composed himself and was about to move towards their table when Daya interrupted.
"Are you okay ABhijeet?"
"of course I'm." Abhijeet replied, though Daya knew that he was laying but still he decided not to stretch the conversation further.
"Daya, chalo jaldi, warna Ravan phir se bahdak jayega.." Abhijeet tried to lighten the mood but he failed. Noticing daya's grim face, Abhijeet left from there as he didn't wanted to answer any of Daya's questions. Daya knew that Abhijeet was still thinking about her, he just secretly hoped that someday they both cross their paths and fix the things between them, once again falling in love with each other.
Tarika's Apartment.
After a quick drive of about 30 mins they reached Tarika's apartment. Since from the last few days Tarika was staying with naina, Tarika's flat was messy, so she decided to fix it before going to the event. It as a quick work, with the help of Naina, Tarika quickly cleared the mess. After cleaning the room, both were left with hungry stomachs so Naina quickly placed an order for pizza, till the order arrival naina decided to utilize the time for the dress selection, she and Tarika moved towards he bedroom to decide her outfit. Naina opened Tarika's closet as she began exploring thru her dresses, Tarika didn't mind it, since Naina was her close friend, Tarika always found Tasha in Naina, like Tasha even Naina was enthusiastic, free and caring except Naina was less trouble maker when compared to Tasha. Tarika smiled to herself as she witnessed Naina talking endlessly about the event, when Naina suddenly stopped when she found a box kept neatly in the closet, the box was covered in a chocolate brown wrapping paper but it was open, Naina pulled out the box, she turned towards Tarika to ask about the box.
Naina: Tarika, what's this? ( Naina asked her while holding that box)
As Tarika looked at the box, her smile disappeared; her face grew pale as she recognized the box and its contents.
Naina: kya hain issmain?
Tarika: wo..(when Tarika was about to answer, she was interrupted by sanaya's scream)
"MMMOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM" Sanaya screamed from another room. Naina who heard this quickly decided to check on her but before leaving she handed that box to Tarika. After naina left, Tarika glanced at the box, she sat on the bed as she opened the box carefully and slowly, after lifting the upper cover she placed it aside. She looked at the box contents; her hand unknowingly grabbed the soft satin cloth in it, she rubbed her hand affectionately from that cloth, a smile broke on her face as she remembered that day. When she was busy admiring the cloth, some shining thing in that box caught her eye. She pulled out the shiny thing, it was a single silver chain with a pendant attached to its end, and the pendant was an oval shaped, with diamonds studded around its edge and with a blue aqua colored gem at its center. She moved her hand from that pendant.
" ye..yeh tumhare liye (he said nervously as he handed her that box which had that pendant) I know it's not that good. But I thought that it would look good on you.." he smiled after noticing her happy face.
Tarika frowned slightly as a thought passed her mind.
"Why she was still thinking about him? Does that mean she was regretting her decision to leave him? May be she was. She was still unsure about it or maybe she was confused about it. Her mind were playing games with her, one mind wanted her to forgot all the past and once again start a new phase with him while other was resisting her from doing so, she was still unable to forgot those days of her life, devyana's death and many more..
She was too confused to think, she didn't knew how could she be so dumb? She failed to understand what she really wants. Was it true that Love makes one lose the ability to think practically? Nobody answered that.
From the last six months she was suffering deep in the heart, pretending that everything is well, but soon things changed when she noticed him. Once again she felt the things which she was pretending to deny, her feelings which she enclosed in one part of her heart gushed out after seeing him, does it mean she never forgot him and still loves him? Though she knew the answer, she never accepted it..
Tarika could have stayed in her trance forever but was snapped out of it when Naina whacked her shoulder after Tarika failed to answer her the fifth time.
"Tarika..what's wrong? I have been calling you from the last ten minutes but you."
"Sorry Naina ( Tarika quickly apologized) what you were saying?"
"Leave it, btw did you selected your outfit?"
"Actually.." but before Tarika could answer, Naina noticed the box which Tarika was holding, in that box, a blue aqua colored chiffon sari was kept,naina exclaimed as she looked at it.
"Tarika, this is beautiful.. Why don't you wear this? This one would be perfect"
"Naina, this.."
"Com'on Tarika, this one's is really nice and trust me you would look really good it it.."
Tarika couldn't deny it, she agreed. The door on the bell rang, Naina quickly turned towards it, it was there food delivery, naina quickly paid and started arranging their food on the table.
"Tarika, jaldi aao..khana ready hain. Sanaya come quickly.. Tarika jaldi aao..hume parlor bhi jana hain.."
"haan..aarahi huin" Tarika replied back, she placed that sari box aside as she made her way towards the hallway.
Victoria Harbor
Cruise Valencia
As it was only few hours left for the event commencement the crew and the event organizers were indulged in their last minute preparations, rite from checking the security to arrangement of each and every necessary detail on the cruise. The deck was covered with red carpet and to each side there were flowers bouquets kept, there were also some security systems installed near the entry of the cruise. The cruise held a big banner mentioning about the event. Near the entrance a big poster of film was kept, near the poster another board mentioning the celebrity names which were attending the event was kept. The organizing staff was scanning the whole area and was rechecking their arrangements.
Just few meters away from the cruise there were some cars Parked with some group of people monitoring each and every detail of the happenings which were taking place on that harbor.