Chapter 8
1710 Words
Shilpa opened Rakhi and Raj’s wedding album.Shilpa smiled seeing the first few wedding photographs.
Rakhi and Raj got tensed as they could sense a storm arriving if Shilpa saw the photographs..
Rakhi called her,
“Shilpa…”
Shilpa looked at her.
“Yes Bhabhi(Sister in law)..”
Rakhi could do anything to divert Shilpa’s attention.For that she took a silly topic which is none other than cooking.Because she knew that it’s her cooking which can divert Shilpa’s attention.
Rakhi said,
“I want to try a new recipe today.I find it difficult.Can you please help me?”
Shilpa smiled.
“Why not?I am coming bhabhi(Sister in law)”.
Shilpa kept the album on the table and went near Rakhi.Rakhi and Raj were relieved as their wedding album could not disclose anything to Shilpa as they succeeded in stopping her on time.
Shilpa said,
“Let’s go to the kitchen bhabhi”.
Rakshi replied,
“Yes.Let us go to the kitchen now itself.I am really excited about this new recipe”.
Rakhi did not waste a single second to say ‘Yes’ as the more Shilpa stands there,the more it is a tension for them.
Bhavesh was writing something on the paper.
Shilpa asked him,
“What are you writing Bhavesh?”
Bhavesh smiled and replied,
“I was writing a song for your next music video”.
Shilpa was surprised as her dream was getting fulfilled.Because she always craved for Bhavesh's lyrics to be sung by her in a music platform.
She asked him in excitement.
“Really?”
Bhavesh replied with a smile,
“Of course yes Shilpa”.
“Oh Cutie pie!”
She pulled his cheeks and took off the paper from him.
Shilpa sang this song for her music video.Shilpa herself performed on the song she sang.
Bhavesh witnessed the shoot of the music video happily.
The music video became a huge hit and the video became viral getting lots of likes from the viewers on the Youtube channel.
Shilpa knew that if she and Bhavesh joined hands together, it would create magic in the field of music as it was a proved fact during their school days.
Shilpa held Bhavesh’s hands softtly.
“Since school days, our joint venture has always been successful.Your lyrics and my voice.Now also it happened”.
He smiled.
He said in an intense tone,
“That’s because our souls are connected to each other”.
Shilpa said from the bottom of her heart.
“Yes.We are soul mates”.
They shared a sweet romantic eye lock.
Shilpa was getting tired in her office.After office hours got over, she got out of the office.
She said to herself,
“I will have fresh juice for relaxation”.
Shilpa went to the fruits juice shop and started drinking juice.
A stylish girl came there to order something.
“One mixed fruits juice please”.
Accidently Shilpa turned that side and saw her receiving the juice.
Shilpa got shocked to see her face.
The girl drank juice.
Shilpa walked towards her.
Her lips shivered.Her heart started beating faster.
Shilpa could not help herself from asking her,
“You….?”
Suddenly the girl’s phone rang and she attended the call.
“Ya..I am coming”.
She went away before Shilpa could speak to her.
Just a glimpse of that girl snatched the peace of mind from Shilpa.She was becoming restless.
Shilpa was confused about what she witnessed.A lot of questions came into her mind.
“What should I do now?I can't understand what to do.Should I speak to Bhavesh about it or ?No…I should not talk to Bhavesh about it now”.
Shilpa went to Sankalp and Sonia’s house.
Sonia smiled at her.
“Hi Shilpa..what a pleasant surprise!”
Shilpa was not in a mood to have formal thoughts as the questions in her mind were disturbing her very badly.So she moved to the topic directly.
“I..I saw a girl in the juice shop.It was Gautami.She is alive”.
Sankalp and Sonia were stunned.
Sankalp asked her,
“What are you saying Shilpa?How is it possible?It’s impossible”.
Sonia could not keep quiet.
“And how come you know Gautami?You have not seen her.Right?”
Sankalp and Sonia questioned Shilpa as if they were not ready to believe what Shilpa told them about Gautami.
Shilpa replied,
“Though I have not seen her directly I have seen her painting made by Bhavesh”.
Sonia said,
“You have just seen the painting.A painting won’t be exactly like the original person.Right?So you may not be knowing her real face”.
But Shilpa was sure that it was Gautami as her face in the painting had registered in her mind very clearly.Also never to forget that the people look like real in Bhavesh’s paintings.All those who have seen Bhavesh’s paintings will agree that his paintings were like photographs.
“No Sonia.Bhavesh’s paintings look real.You know that.It was Gautami”.
But Sankalp and Sonia were not ready to accept what Shilpa told them about Gautami.
Sankalp said,
“Shilpa…we told you.Gautami died on the spot”.
Sonia agreed with him by saying “Yes”.
Shilpa was more confused listening to Sankalp and Sonia’s surety regarding Gautami’s matter.
Shilpa said,
“But then…that girl looked like Gautami.
Sonia said,
“We can agree that she looks exactly like Gautami.But just because she looks like Gautami she won’t be Gautami who passed away.Right?”
Sankalp said,
“You have mistaken her for Gautami”.
Finally the words of her trust worthy friends made Shilpa also feel that she was wrong in recognizing that person.
“May be.I over reacted”.
Sonia said,
“Exactly.You over reacted unnecessarily”.
Shilpa said,
“Ok..I have to leave now.I am getting late”.
Shilpa and Sankalp bid good-bye to Shilpa.
Shilpa left their house.
Sankalp sighed with relief.
“Somehow we managed the situation”.
Still Sonia was not able to breath with relief.
“Yes.But it was a narrow escape.If Shilpa sees her again, it will be a big problem.We should be more careful”.
Sankalp said,
“Ya…but it’s possible that Shilpa may see her again.But don't worry.Hopefully Shilpa will be sure that she was wrong in identifying the person as we made her understand that it can’t be Gautami”.
Sonia tried to make herself believe that everything will be fine.
“I hope that nothing goes wrong”.
After some days…
The office hours were giving head ache to Shilpa and her colleagues.
Shilpa’s colleagues needed some time to be taken out and relax for themselves in the hectic office hours.
“Our life is so hectic.Don’t we need some fun?”
Shilpa also agreed with them that they deserve leisure.
“You guys are right”.
They suggested a drive to the mall.
“Let us go to the mall and enjoy”.
Shilpa supported their idea.
“It is a cool idea”.
They went to the mall.They got into the theatre to watch a movie.
Shilpa saw a couple romancing in the theatre.The guy was holding the girl’s hand and caressing her face.The girl was blushing.
They were looking at each other deeply with romantic eyes.
Shilpa smiled.
“They came here not to watch the movie but to romance in AC.Funny”.
Suddenly Shilpa blinked her eyes as the girl’s face became visible to her.
She asked herself,
“Is it Gautami?”
Suddenly the lights were completely off as the movie started.Shilpa was restless as she was haunted by that face.
During the intermission Shilpa looked for that couple.But she could’nt find them.
“Guess they went out for buying snacks”.
Shilpa went out.
She saw the couple buying popcorn there.
They were feeding popcorn to each other romantically.
The girl told the boy with a romantic smile.
“You are so romantic Laksh”.
The boy looked at her deeply.
“You too are very romantic Gautami.Smooch..”.
He tried to kiss her.
She giggled and pushed him shyly.
Shilpa was shocked.
“It means that she is Gautami.I was right.And she is in love with this guy named Laksh.Then why did Sankalp and Sonia lie that Gautami is no more?Why did’nt Aryan bhai(Brother),Gopika didi(Sister) and Bhavesh say anything regarding it?Why did they hide the truth from me?If Gautami was alive, why did Bhavesh and Gautami get separated?What are they hiding from me?
Shilpa became upset as her head was filled up with lots of irritating yet logical doubts.
Bhavesh was in the workshop looking at Gautami’s painting.
“I am sorry Gautami.You never had any place in my heart.I was just pretending to love you.You were just a tool used to reach my goal.Now onwards you have no place in my work shop also.Because now onwards there is no need of you”.
Bhavesh burnt Gautami’s painting.
Sankalp Sonia were shocked to see Shilpa at their veranda.She was staring at them as if fire will come out of her eyes and burn them.
“Why did you both lie that Gautami died?”
Sankalp Sonia sweated as they realized that Shilpa has almost reached the truth.
But they tried their best to behave as if they were ignorant of this matter.
Sonia asked her,
“What nonsense are you saying Shilpa?”
Sankalp said in a stern voice,
“We told you that the girl whom you saw cannot be Gautami”.
Shilpa raised her voice forgetting for a moment that they they were her close friends.
“Don’t tell lies again.I saw her again and she is Gautami only”.
- Writer
