Revenge of Love

The Rose (2)

Later

On the dinner table   

Sanjay smiled: the food is so delicious, aunty Eliana

Eliana frowned: I know (then she smiled at Viola) you will share Hira’s room, she prepared the bed for you (then she frowned) Sanjay, you will share Jude’s room

Pedro frowned: we are Late for the private lesson, Ma

Eliana smiled: okay, good luck, focus please, this year you won’t fail any exam because I can’t afford an additional year of college and more private lessons

Mario frowned: Ma, if Hira returned sooner than us, call us and we will come

 (and he looked at Sanjay with a frown )

Eliana: don’t worry Mario, she said she have a revision lecture for the next week exam, and (then she frowned) and I told her to stay with Mateo tonight and study there, so she won’t come tonight

Sanjay’s eyes widened: Mateo?!!!

 Both the twins smiled a gloating smile to Sanjay and walked out and Sanjay clenched his hands to be able to hold the pain in his heart and not scream; Viola looked at him sadly then smiled awkwardly

Viola: so how is Mateo’s wife, Isabella?

Sanjay smiled widely and looked at Viola and Viola winked to him

Eliana smiled: she is pregnant with a girl this time, they will call her “ Hira”

Viola: oh that is so sweet; Ma, I was thinking! Sanjay studied international Law Just like Pedro and Mario, and he graduated the second on his class, he can study for the twins instead of these expensive lessons they take, he is really smart

Sanjay smiled: of course, I ...

Eliana frowned: no we don’t want anything from Sanjay, thank you

Sanjay’s smile vanished and nodded, Eliana looked at Sanjay with a frown then smiled to Viola

Eliana: I Prepared tea in the balcony; would you like to drink tea in the balcony with me, Viola? Jude? Tea with milk, Mia?!!

Viola: no (then she faked a yawn) I am so sleepy and so is Jude and Mia

Jude and Mia looked at Viola who faked another yawn

Viola: but Sanjay will love to drink tea with you, Ma

And she pushed Sanjay forward, Sanjay’s eyes widened then he smiled awkwardly

Sanjay: I would love to, aunty

Eliana rolled her eyes: fine come

And she took Sanjay’s hand to the Balcony and closed the door behind her, then she sat and Sanjay sat opposite to her and she held the teapot and filled her cup

Eliana: how do you like your tea?

Sanjay smiled: with Mint, thank you

Eliana frowned: Mint?!!! I think I have some dried Mint in the kitchen, give me a minute

Sanjay: it’s okay, you don’t need to, I can drink it like that

Eliana frowned: its fine, I already accepted you in my house, bringing the mint from the kitchen is not the worst thing that happened today

And she walked out of the balcony and Sanjay nodded to himself

Sanjay: well, I do deserve this

After couple of minutes Eliana came with a bag of dried mint, took couple of leaves and crushed them in his cup then filled it with tea and gave it to him, he put a cube of sugar in it, stirred the tea then took the cup

Sanjay: thank you aunty

Eliana nodded and looked at the View and took a sip of tea, Sanjay took a sip of tea

Eliana: what do you want, Sanjay?

Sanjay: excuse me!

Eliana looked at him and frowned: I am asking what do you want from us? After all what you did to Hira and to Mario and Pedro, you are coming here and demanding our hospitality like nothing happened

Sanjay put the cup the tea and looked down and Eliana looked at him with a deeper frown

Eliana: but things happened Sanjay, 6 years ago you hurt Hira and her brothers, and it took Hira great amount of time to forget the Pain you caused her and move on, and now you are coming back to her life to wake her pain again (then she leaned forward) is that what you want?

Sanjay’s eyes widened: no, I love Hira aunty, I would never want... (then he sighed and looked down) but I did, I hurt her, I was cruel and unfair to you and Pedro and Mario and ....her (then he looked at Eliana) I am so sorry ... (then he frowned and looked down) I know my sorrow and regret won’t change what I did but...

Eliana smiled: thank you, your apology is accepted

Sanjay looked at her in disbelief and she smiled faintly took a sip from her cup of tea

Eliana: at least from my side, I can’t speak for Hira, what you did to her was....

Sanjay: I know (then he looked down) I know, It’s unforgivable even to me

And He covered his face and sighed and Eliana looked at him sadly

Sanjay: all my life people tell me I am smart, but when it came to Hira I was so stupid, I thought I needed to know her to love her although I loved her the moment I felt her kindness and her heart, but in that dreadful day I forgot that and believed the cheque in her bag and Jude’s words and judged her and decided she is like my father betrayed me although I knew in my heart...(then his frown vanished and his eyes lost) it can’t be

Eliana: your heart is right, Sanjay, it can’t be, Adarsh can’t ever hurt Radha and Alejandro

Sanjay looked at her with widened eyes as Eliana leaned forward and shook her head

Eliana: I don’t care of what you saw or what Hira and Jagdev say; it can’t be, I know Adarsh, he has a pure heart and Radha was for him like Viola is for you, maybe even closer

Sanjay looked down with a faint frown then Eliana sighed and said

Eliana: anyway, like I told you it’s up to Hira (then she frowned) but wait, aren’t you with Nelly, did you break up with her?

Sanjay: we were never together in the first place, maybe when I was 13 but the past 17 years I didn’t for once gave her any hope that I can love her (then he swallowed) and I think I defiantly made that clear when I ran away from the wedding

Eliana’s eyes widened: what?!!

Sanjay: my mother, Nelly and her father invited people and planned the marriage without my consent, they were trying to force me on Marrying her but I ran away; I feel sorry for Nelly I do but I would have been miserable if I married her and I would have made her miserable as well

Eliana: right? so you understand and forgive me for leaving your father and running away with my love

Sanjay nodded: of course, it was for the best

Eliana smiled: you really mean it? (then her smile vanished and frowned) wait a minute, of course you will say that, you are not my son, if I didn’t ran away, your father would have not married Marie and brought you to the world

Sanjay smiled: exactly, I am that “best”

Eliana chuckled then she stood and he stood as well

Eliana: I believe you love Hira and regret what you did with her but that doesn’t mean I will help you, and if she choose to not wanting you in her life, I will do that, I am sorry

And she got out of the balcony and Sanjay sat back and took a sip of tea, only to find Mia sneaking in  the balcony and closing the door then she took the seat in front of him

Mia smiled: I will help you get aunty Hira back, uncle

Sanjay’s eyes: what?!!

Mia: I heard you and Grandma Eliana, I didn’t mean to hear you but I did and I can help you, I know everything on aunty Hira, even her hopes and dreams, and I know that she loves you but angry from you

Sanjay smiled: Mia, sweetheart, you are so young to speak about that

Mia: I am 12, uncle, I understand everything and I know what you did with aunty Hira and I know why you did it, you were taking revenge of your love, your love to aunty Viola and to Hira’s heart that betrayed

Sanjay’s eyes widened: how do you know that? And how on earth were you able to reach such a theory in your age?!!!

Mia smiled: that is my secret, now what I want in exchange of helping you is a mobile phone, Papa doesn’t want to buy me a mobile so convince him or buy me one

Sanjay frowned: you are really Jude’s daughter, fine; now how will you help me?

Mia: really? You agreed (then she chuckled and clapped) okay tell me what you want to know and I will answer

Sanjay: is there someone else in her heart?

Mia frowned: never, she doesn’t accept, she loves you only

Sanjay smiled widely: are you sure?

Mia: yes, do you want to know her secret?

Sanjay frowned: her secret?!!

Mia: Hira is not in a lecture or anything, she is now in the casino, she works there as a dancer

Sanjay: a Dancer?!!

Mia nodded: she is telling everyone that uncle Jagdev paying for her college but the truth is that she refuses his money, because she doesn’t want to feel cared for again and she is working to pay for the college, but under a stage name, her name there is Rosa; which means “Rose”, her dance is at 9, which is after (and she counted on her fingers) 2 hours I think (then she smiled) I don’t remember the name of the casino, but I might do, after we decide which mobile you can afford?

Sanjay frowned: now you are daughter of Helen

After an hour and 50 minutes

In the Casino

Hira entered the dressing room running, where some dancers in matching dresses sitting in front of the mirror, as a heavily  pregnant woman applying makeup and putting flowers over their heads

Hira: Isabella, help me, my performance is at 9, I am so Late

The pregnant woman looked at Hira as she running and hiding behind the dressing screen, and nodded then  rushed and opened the wardrobe and put a red dress on the dressing screen

Hira: thank you (and she pulled the dress)

Isabella: Mr. Nicolas was swearing and screaming your name for half an hour, he is in a bad mood and fired two dancers today

Hira: I hope I won’t be the third

Isabella: don’t worry, you are not a backup dancer like them, you are Rosa the star of this place, he won’t afford to lose you but you also should have a great explanation for why you are late

Hira: I had an exam and lectures, I wasn’t going to attend the lecture but aunty Eliana, she kept questioning me for half an hour why I wasn’t going to attend it, I told her you and Mateo need me for preparing little Hira’s room but she didn’t believe me and refused, so I thought I won’t come so I attended the lecture, but then out of sudden she called me and told me to go study in your house and stay the night there, thank god she did, so I excused myself from the lecture and came

And she got out from behind the screen and sat in front of a mirror and applied Makeup as Isabella brushed her hair and put a flower on it

Hira: bring me my jewelry

A thin bold man entered the dressing room and screamed angrily as Isabella opened a box of jewelry

The Man: WHERE IS ROSA?

Hira: I am here, Nicolas, I am almost ready 

Nicolas: you should be ready now

Hira nodded and put on red earrings then looked in the box and picked up some neck chains, and was about to wear one but Nicolas held for her another

Nicolas strictly: wear that, Rosa; customers love this sort of things

Hira’s eyes widened seeing it’s the sliver neck chain with the red rose, the one she took from Sanjay’s neck

Hira: I don’t like this neck chain

Nicolas: your name is Rosa, this Casino name is “ the red rose”; wear it, Rosa; that is an order

And he walked out and Hira sighed and Isabella looked at her confused

Isabella: why don’t you want to wear that Neck chain Hira?

Hira: it just...I bought this neck chain with the promise that it will bring me love when I wear it but I didn’t wear it, someone else did, and I was the love this neck chain brought to him, I loved him too, so much but he hurt me badly and that is why I don’t want to wear this

Isabella chuckled: don’t tell me you are scared it will bring you love? Do you really believe in such superstitions?

Hira: I didn’t at first but now I don’t know what to believe

Isabella: it’s just a neck chain, Rosa; wear it and don’t worry it won’t bring you any love, it will just help you not to get fired before paying your last semester and becoming a doctor

Hira smiled: you are right, this is ridiculous

(and her smile shivered as she looked at the neck chain for a moment then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and wore it and the moment she wore it, her smile vanished and pressed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart bounding fiercely in her chest, reminding her of its owner  )

Meanwhile

Sanjay entered the Casino, sat on the nearest tables to the stage and the waiter came towards him with faint smile and Menu

The waiter smiled: senor!!

Sanjay (in English): is there a dancer with the name “Rosa” dances here?

The waiter (in English): Rosa the lead flamenco dancer, yes sir, her dance will be in minutes, what would you like to drink?

Sanjay: tea with Mint

The waiter looked at him surprised then nodded his head and walked away and Sanjay held his breath but couldn’t hold his smile as the light dimmed and the curtains of the stage opened

The music started and everyone clapped for the dancers except of Sanjay who froze from the happiness the moment his eyes saw his Hira and he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, because her smile took it away.

She is more beautiful than he remembers , although she is just the same except that, her hair is shorter, brighter and barely touching her bare shoulders

His heart bounded fiercely in his chest when she moved with the guitar’s melody, her moves was like floating, so light, so beautiful, everyone was happy and smiling, except of Sanjay because he sensed the emotion in them, it was ...

Sanjay whispered: ...pain

The music stopped and everyone clapped and Hira smiled widely to the crowd then took the rose off her hair and threw it on one of the near table and the spot light came on Sanjay’s table the moment the rose fell on it

Hira smiled widely looking at the lucky customer receiving the rose, but her smile vanished when her eyes met the blue eyes