TEMPEST LOVE

Chapter Three

Vikram's shoot took place at the old fort and the crew of the film bustled around the place trying to locate the precise spot and angle of light. They had been working since morning and the day was drawing to an end, but they were not done with their work yet.

“Can we get it over fast Sen? I am getting a headache,” Vikram asked the director impatiently; the arc lights were too bright and his eyes felt the strain.

“Yes, yes Vikram, 15 more minutes and we are done.”

Vikram was in a foul mood the whole day. He knew the reason, but that did not stop him from feeling jealous and resentful. He felt like bashing the whole world. The director called him for shots and he shook himself out of the familiar despair he was getting into.

It took them one more hour to wind up the shoot and Vikram was relieved that the whole thing came to an end. His mobile buzzed,

“Hello mom.”

“Vicky, when are you coming back? Your team has reached India but you have not come back yet,” his mother asked anxiously.

“Mom, relax! I am shooting for a commercial here and leaving for Mumbai tomorrow,” he reassured her.

“Good, So from Mumbai when are you coming to visit us? Do you know it has been two months since I have seen you? Vicky, you should at least take Urvashi to Mumbai if not on your tour,” his mother chided him. It was a familiar bone of contention between him and his mother. He sighed.

“Mom, you know why she can't stay with me. It gets lonely for her in Mumbai. How many times do I have to explain to you?” Vikram was running out of patience now.

“Ok ok, no need to get irritated with me. Anyway, come home soon, after reaching Mumbai,” she advised before ending the call.

Sugandha Singh Shekhawat felt disturbed after talking to her son. She once again read the mail she received an hour ago. Then she shut down the desktop and leaned on the chair with closed eyes. The huge study table that occupied one end of the room overlooked the beautiful garden of NeelBharatgarh Palace and it was heavily influenced by the Persian style of gardens. The garden included pools, canals and fountains. During extreme summers, the garden was lit up at night and people from all over the world visited it. Only one wing of the palace was still occupied by the royal family. Rest of the palace was open to visitors and tourists during the season. Four members of the family stayed in the palace -- Sugandha, her husband Veer Singh Shekhawat, their daughter-in-law Urvashi and Veer Singh's widowed sister. Rest of the family was scattered across the world. Sugandha was anxious about her son and daughter-in-law not spending much time together. But Vikram and Urvashi seemed indifferent to their situation.

It had been three years since Sugandha had seen Vikram happy or cheerful, since that girl called Chaaya walked out on him, leaving him shattered and heartbroken. Sugandha would never forgive that chit of a girl who had the gall to romance her son and subsequently leave him in despair. Thankfully good sense prevailed over him and he married the beautiful and sophisticated Urvashi.

What worried Sugandha was the fact that Vikram never regained the zest for life even after his marriage. Chaaya destroyed a good part of him and he never went back to the old, charming Vikram even after his marriage. Sugandha hated the girl and if she happened to meet her now, she was sure she would destroy her.

But at the moment, her cause for worry was something else. There was a crunch on the cash inflow and she needed to review the palace estates to get an estimate. Her husband, a bitter and cynical man, was never interested in running the palace administration. He was more interesting in world cruises and playing Polo. She was the one who always took care of the matters of the palace. She dialed the number of her close confidante Dilsher and asked him to come over for discussion.

Chaaya had a long day at work. She finished the series of sketches for a set of super hero stories and she left them on her editor's desk. Her publisher and editor had already left for the day. The day was unusually warm for November in Galle and Chaaya took out the car from the parking lot to drive towards her apartment building. It was just a 10 minute drive.

Her home was a small flat with one bedroom and a drawing room in which one corner was converted into a kitchen. What Chaaya loved about the flat was the balcony which faced the busy road -- she could gaze on at the sea blending into the horizon, across the road and streets. The sea was visible from every corner of the city. She made green tea and settled herself in the balcony, soaking in the view. There was certain tranquillity to the moment. The adjacent apartment had Indians staying and their music system was playing popular Hindi songs. She could clearly hear the lyrics of the next song which caught her attention.

"Tu aata hai seene mein

Jab jab saansein bharti hoon

Tere dil ki galiyon se

Main har roz guzarti hoon…”

Chaaya closed her eyes and leaned back, listening to the melodious number, “Tere dil ki galiyon se…,” the words transporting her to the days when Vikram taught her Ball Room dance. She smiled at the memory. Vikram was too sophisticated for her and when he wanted to take her to the annual ball at a club where he was a member, she told him that she did not know Waltz or Ball Room dancing. She only knew Bollywood dancing. So he took her to his house one day and tried to teach her the Western forms of dance. But she was more interested in watching him dance, rather than learning. He played jazz in his music system and she could not understand it enough to enjoy it. When he gave up exasperatedly, she played a Bollywood song and danced whole heartedly to it. It was obvious she was in her element. He was quite fascinated by her fluid moves and watched her mesmerized as she let go of her restraint in gay abandon. When she stopped dancing, he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Hawaa ke jaise chalta hai tu

Main ret jaisi udti hoon

Kaun tujhe yun pyar karega

Jaise main karti hoon…”

Chaaya sighed. The words made her cry. “Kaun tujhe pyar karega jaise main karti hoon. ” She once told him that she loved him more than anyone else and he believed her…

The door-bell rang.

She expected Rohan, but she was stunned to see Vikram at her door step. She gaped at him.

“May I come in?” he asked

“How did you locate my address? Are you stalking me?” she asked with a mounting mix of excitement and dread.

“May be” he replied crossing the threshold she had created.

Chaaya shut the door loudly and stood watching his back with folded hands.

“Vikram what do you mean by ‘may be’? Are you really stalking me? Why?” she asked him trying to distract him from his survey of her flat.”

He turned back and said, “'I am leaving for India tomorrow.”

“Oh good!” she replied with deliberate casualness, while watching him with a scowl

“Are you going to stand there admiring me or offer me something to drink?” he asked her when she refused to budge from her position.

They stared at each other for some time and then Chaaya spoke, “You are married Vikram. What are you doing here?”

“So? I came to see my old friend. Didn't you mention it the last time I was here?” he replied with a question, even as he moved to the couch and sat down heavily.

Chaaya frowned. Was he drunk? What was he doing here? He was playing a cat and mouse game with her. She knew him too well not to realize that he was here with a purpose. She moved over to the kitchen to make black tea for him. He sauntered into the tiny kitchen, his presence making her nervous. He leaned on to the platform and watched her brewing the tea. Though she felt jittery inside, she maintained her poise outwardly.

“So you have decided to marry the professor,” he said with a laugh and continued, “What a change! Hope you won't walk out on him like you did with me. I don't think he would be able to stand it.”

So that was it. Chaaya looked up and studied his face. Though his words were harsh, she could see the hurt and restlessness in his eyes. They were so expressive.

“How did you find me?” she asked

He shrugged his shoulders and said, “I searched for you, but could not find you anywhere. It was as if you had vanished into thin air. Your sss account was deactivated; your phone was switched off.”

“Why did you want to search for me Vikram? We broke up,” she reminded him,

“I thought there would be some explanation to what you did. I wanted to know the reason.”

She offered him the mug of tea and he took it, not taking his eyes off her face. She picked her mug and moved over to the couch in the drawing room. The kitchen was too small for both of them. He was invading her space.

He followed her, but kept standing with his tea.

“I told you the reason when we broke up Vikram. There was nothing more and nothing less. And you are married now. So go back to your wife,” Chaaya replied, reiterating his marital status, more to herself than to him.

“Are you going to marry the nerd?” he asked with biting sarcasm.

Chaaya rolled her eyes at his attempt to insult Rohan. “Why do you want to know?”

“Curiosity, what else? I can't imagine someone like him spending his whole life with you,” he replied with an additional barb and prowled around the room, picking up the photo frame that had a picture of her grandparents and brother, studying it.

“If you are done with insulting me, why don't you leave?” Chaaya asked impatiently.

“Done?” He laughed out loudly, “Oh baby! I have not even started on the trip. By the time I am finished with you. ” Before he could complete the sentence, Chaaya banged the mug on the center table and stood up, “Finished with me??? What are you going to do Vikram? Kill me?” she asked angrily. “You know what? I don't think you ever got over the fact that it was I who dumped you and not the other way around. Isn't that true? And you know what? It is you who is not able to stand the fact that I left you. So don't make Rohan out to be a surly weakling. You are no better,” she said, her words coming out in a furious rush.

He put the mug down and strode furiously towards her. He threaded his fingers through her long tresses and pulled her head back. Chaaya had to crane her neck to look up at him, “Vikram you are hurting me.”

“You asked me why I was stalking. Well here is the answer -- I am going to make you pay for each sliver of pain that you caused me.” He pulled her head back further, making her squirm in pain, and lashed out, “After I am finished with you, you will not dare to think of moving on with another man.”

“What will you do Vikram? You think I am scared by your threats? Then you don't know me at all. Do not make me the punching bag for your frustration. You have forgotten one thing Vikram -- your wife. Maybe I should meet her,” Chaaya replied with apparent boldness, though she was a bundle of nerves inside. She tried to get out of his grip, but he maintained his hold, though loosening the grip a little. Their eyes bored into each other. His eyes glided over her nose and slid down to her lips. She could feel their pulses racing. And for a fleeting moment, the intervening years and bitterness were wiped away. It was just the two of them and they were once again under each other's spell.

But it did not last long. Vikram came to his senses and released his grip on her. He did not utter a word and left the apartment.

Chaaya followed him and closed the door. She sat down on the couch and hugged herself tightly. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths to calm herself down. She could feel his powerful presence long after he was gone. She sat in the same position staring into space.

The door-bell rang again and she closed her eyes. She did not think she could face him again. She would fall apart if he insisted on wanting to know her reason for leaving him. The ringing was becoming persistent. At last Chaaya got up to open the door, if nothing else than to just stop him from disturbing the whole building.

She went to the door brimming with anger.

But once again she was in for a shock.

It was not Vikram who was at the door.

What the hell was he doing here?