Chapter 47

OMKAR

✨

I was shocked at her confession. I slowly caressed her head while she whispered...

'I am nyctophobic as well as claustrophobic!!!' she confessed.

'I get scared of darkness and being in closed place...it chokes me...the reason why Karthik held me that evening and you...you acted like a jerk' she said while I raised my eyebrow however I quickly asked...

'But then that night you dragged me into the elevator without any fear!!! What was that???' I asked and she quickly pulled me more into the hug and said...

'Obviously that disgusting Manisha was trying to get closer to you! How dare I let her do that. I would have literally banged her head into the wall but then I'm not too violent!!' she said and I burst out laughing.

She quickly lifted her head up and looked at me asking...

'Why??? What is so funny???'

To which I pressed my lips tightly and said...

'Says the one who has kept kicking my crotch n+1 number of times!!!' and she gulped nervously while her eyes grew wide and I burst out laughing loudly.

'Look!!! That's self defence ok!!! I was been taught in school that...a man's main is there...so... attack the main!!!' she said so casually and I took a step back and asked...

'So why are you here???'

And then suddenly she jumps in fear and says ...

'Bec...bec... because ghosts don't have a weak point which I can attack but they can attack me!!! More over it is night! What of ghosts eat me!!!' and I rolled my eyes walking towards the door and said...

'Stop it Mukta...there is nothing called ghosts and even if there are humans are more selfish and dangerous!!! ' saying I walked to open the door...

'Dddddont... don't open it .. please' she practically begged me standing against the door while I rolled my eyes saying...

'Mukta I'm hungry yaar...I haven't eaten my dinner' and then suddenly her stomach growls too...

'See you are also hungry. Let me get some food'

'Nooooo'

'Muktaaaa... babygirl...look...you stay here...I'll just come...hmmm atleast let me get some instant food...how about maggii?' and that's when she remembers 'I had switched on the gas to make some Maggi too. Freakkkk!!!'

'The gas is switched on!???' I yelled.

'Mukta you are seriously crazy!!! Let me go and switch it off.'

'Bbbut gho...ghost!!!'

'Oh god pllllease...fine...you believe me right???' and she bobbed her head like a doll and I smiled.

'Then just hold my hand' I offered her my hand while she was thinking again.

'Muktaaaa I don't know about ghost but if you have left the gas on for this long then definitely we will die in a accident' I said and she finally agreed to come along. We went upstairs and noticed the gas was already switched off and maggi was lying in the pan.

But Mukta immediately said...

'See...see ..ghost switched off the gas...Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj' and she she started reciting hanuman chalisa...

'Muktaaaa stop!!! You may have switched off the gas in fear...stop overthinking' saying I served the maggi in a huge bowl while she clinged onto my bicep like a little girl. She wasn't even letting me pick the spoons. And she was pulling me into her. Finally we came back to my room and she quickly closed the door.

Within seconds she was sitting on the bed folding her legs eagerly. I smiled.

Indeed she was hungry.

I sat next to her and forwarded the maggi bowl and one fork which she let me pick with a lot of difficulty.

She quickly dived into the bowl and began eating like a hungry child. I smiled. After eating a few spoons she realised I wasn't eating and asked me to eat...while I told her there's no spoon or fork. She quickly offered me the fork and began eating maggi with her fingers. I giggled at the kid she was. Indeed I got to see a different Mukta tonight.

Then she said...

'Baba and I used to eat maggi with our fingers... like this...' saying she held a pinch of noodles and slowly began slurping them making a pout while the long noodles slowly made its way into her juicy mouth. I cleared my throat at once as I felt my soldier activating. This woman and her stupid actions are enough to turn me on. She was indeed a wild flower all ready to intoxicate me.

'Eat naaa' she said and I nodded and began eating. Soon we finished the big bowl of maggi. She burped this time and I smiled. After eating she was licking her fingers and I swallowed a lump stuck in my throat.

'Ahhhemmmm Mukta I think you must wash your hands' to which she said...

'Im...I'm good!!!' and I cringed. It suddenly felt like Pattu entered her body.

'You are good...I'm not... please...wash your hands baby girl' I said while she looked elsewhere pretending she didn't hear me and I held her shoulders asking...

'What is it???'

'What if ghost is in the washroom??? Hiding???' and I rolled my eyes and said...

'Look Mukta...there is no ghost ok...stop all this...fine...let me come with you' saying I walked her to the washroom and she washed her hands and mouth and within seconds came running into my arms. That's when I suddenly felt her body heat. She seemed to have temperature.

'Babygirl...you...you have fever?' I asked and she looked unaware. I quickly opened my drawer and pulled out a thermometer and checked to see she was hitting a 102.

'What the hell???' I screamed while she said calmly...

'Relax Om...it must be because of my fear. It...it happens to me' she said innocently and I quickly pulled out a paracetamol and made her have it. I made her lie down on the bed and tucked her with the thick quilt. I was walking away to close the balcony door which was letting in cool air and I was scared if it would harm her more while she held my hand and I was shocked.

'I said ..I would sleep with you tonight!!!' and my lips parted.

'Will you sleep along with me please...It takes me time to get off this fear. And whenever I'm with you...I feel safe' she said and my heart warmed up to her sweet words. Without a word I climbed onto the bed and rested my head against the headboard of the bed. She lied down. Suddenly there was pin drop silence in the room. My hand was still in hers. While suddenly she said...

'I was the brightest girl in my class and all the teachers loved me. But many students didn't like me. Santosh was one amongst them. He thought because I was a first ranker, he always came second. Same happened when I was in third standard. My school wanted to give me a prize on school day. The programme was in evening. I was also going to perform lavani on the night on a 'Dhagala lagli' song for my school function but Santosh locked me up in the classroom where I was dressing up. I kept knocking but because the classroom was in the corner no one heard me. I was short kid and even if I climbed the bench I couldn't reach the switch board. To add on I could hear wierd noises outside the door. I don't know for how long I kept crying and begging for help and then probably I fainted.

Post that incident I didn't go to school for 4 big months. Baba and Ayi would hug me into their chest and make me sleep. I was even scared to meet people. Then Baba admitted me to a different school and slowly it helped me feel better. New environment new friends. I recovered. However the fear still stays and triggers when I'm in dark or in a small space. Not always but I guess it got worse again after that...that' she struggled to complete the line when I added...

'When Harry and Kaya did that with you?' and she slightly smiled and nodded.

Oh baby!!! She's gone through so much. I didn't think much. I simply held her arm and pulled her against my body and made her lie on my chest. She tried to get off my hold while I whispered.

'Relax babygirl!!! It's just me... lie down...' I said moving my hand on her back in a circular motion trying to calm her down while slowly she buried her face into my bare chest and her cheek rested on my chest. I slowly began perming her silky smooth hair in my fingers...

MUKTA

✨

His heartbeats were like music to my ears. His broad chest somehow gave me a comforting feeling. I slowly moved my fingers on his tattoos trying to analyse them all while his fingers played with the strands of my hair. This somehow made me feel safe and a soothing sensation travelled across my body and I slowly traced his tattoos.

The one on his hip bone actually fascinated me the most. I slowly traced it with my index finger while he whispered...

'Those are swallows!!!' and I slowly lifted my head up slightly looking at his face while he smiled and pushed me again on his chest and continued...

'They mean a sailor without a destination. I ...I got them when Panchami cheated upon me!' he said at once and my eyes widened but I didn't dare to lift my head up. He continued...

'Panchami and I were childhood friends. She was much younger to me. She was of Rudra's age but she would come home. We would play together in our beach home. The same where first time you came and gave a tight slap on my cheek on Shivansh-Sanskriti's bachelor's party... remember?' he asked and I don't know why I had a smile on my lips. I tried to lift my head up again to see his face. He probably understood and held onto my waist firmly and turned around sideways while he held me close to his chest. I was too tiny infront of his huge frame but it's like I was made this way for him. I slowly felt his hand on the back of my head and he was cooing me in his chest while I looked at his shining eyes. The emergency lamp's light made his eyes shine a little differently and he whispered...

'Comfy now?' and I smiled and nodded. I slowly took his other hand in mine and made it rest on my stomach and he continued...

'We played together, grew up together. Then one day I saw her at a wedding after I came back from London completing my higher education and began working with dad at Nayak's. I took over the CEO's position then, I was a big news those days in Mangalore. My aim was to expand our ancestral business across entire South India. But I met her and trust me I fell hard for her' he confessed and I felt a painful tease in my chest.

'Intially it was her looks, then I fell for her nature, her practical perspective towards life which was exactly how I am. I thought she was the other portion of my soul. We would think alike, act alike. I wanted to marry her too. I had took a call. But my father who always fulfilled all my wishes denied this one. And I was shocked. I tried convincing him but he began terming Panchami as a con woman. But they say right you go blind in love. I was blind.

I was blind in her 24 months of relationship that I forgot my parents and their 26 years of love and everything they did for me. For her sake I left everything. My family. My home because she said she's pregnant. I was the happiest man Mukta. I always wanted to have daughters. We never had sisters na. We are three brothers. We craved for a sister's love. I always wanted daughters and finally when I thought my dream would come true my family blamed her to be cheating and lying and I left everything to be with her only for me to discover she lied. Because she didn't want to let go off me. Here my family was shattered and there my soul. I loved her with all that I had in me Mukta but she simply told me how she considered me over my brother'

And I was shocked. I cupped his face only to wipe tears falling of his eyes.

'Om ...' I softly caressed his cheek.

'She loved Rudra but because I was the CEO she chose me over him!!! From there...that moment I stopped trusting in women. I kept away from women as I thought they are all gold diggers. I'm sorry babygirl that night!! I didn't mean to....I know you Mukta..but my insecurities...I will forever be sorry for calling you that...but it's...it's my past which is so shady...I hope you....' and I wiped his flowing tears and said...

'I understand baby!!! I do' I said and he smiled lightly.

'Now her so called husband is bankrupt because I took over his company last month. All thanks to my talented wife. Remember the investors for whom we designed the green house project. Our organization and her husband's organization which was undergoing losses both were bidding for a deal. But because they already worked with us, saw the effective way we transformed our organization helped us gain trust with them. And they chose to work with us again with that her husband went to rags and now she came requesting if I could back off from the project. Omkar would happily do it but not O.K!!!

Because O.K is a demon!!! A heartless demon!!! So all she got from me was a cup of coffee and a 'Cant help' tag.' I kept looking at his face.

I don't know what not I imagined about them. I wanted to slap myself while he slowly cupped my cheeks looking into my eyes and hovering more upon me he whispered...

'I don't love her Mukta! I know you felt insecure today afternoon. Maybe you were hurt too but I just want to keep you safe from away from foxes like her. She is cunning and they say right a man keeps his most precious closest to his heart, safest somewhere. I didn't want that filth anywhere around you!!! Further it's upto you...you may trust me or...' and before he could complete that statement I raised my head and pressed my lips against his rough ones.

It felt like meeting my eternity.

He was my sanity! He was my forever!

My forever after!!!✨