The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 84

“Hello!” Nishant said, his voice trembling as he tried to control the growing anxiety in him.

“Your work is done,” he heard Siddha Singh Rajput say.

The phone almost fell from his hand as he heard Siddha.

“She has agreed?” Nishant asked not able believe it.

“Yes, she has. She will start working with us by the next 15 days.”

As he heard him, Nishant collapsed against the chair suddenly feeling something more than relief. He closed his eyes breathing hard as his heart galloped with the new found energy.

“Thank you, Siddha Bhaiya,” he said with a smile, getting up from the chair.

“I have some other news for you.”

“News?”

“She is coming back to Delhi.”

All of a sudden everything around Nishant went blank and then rushed against him with great force. His veins started to throb with pulsating force as the words registered in him.

“Best of luck,” Siddha said and disconnected the call.

Nishant trembled inside as the words kept on ringing in his ears. He slowly staggered back and collapsed on the sofa.

She is coming back?

Relief mixed with excitement mixed with a feeling of uneasiness settled inside him. Nishant breathed hard trying to take in as much air as he could trying to appease the feeling but couldn’t. The beats of his heart drummed against his chest with renewed energy as the wait begun.

15 days passed in a flash as Aparna packed in a frenzied pace. Excited as hell, Prakriti was more playful than usual making the packing seem like a fiasco. By the time she finished everything only a day was left for them to leave.

As Prakriti went off to sleep that night, Aparna sat down near the window and looked out. She was again going back to the same city. Would it be different? Would she see him again?

The questions kept swirling in her mind and finally when she couldn’t find any answer, she gave up. Getting up, she went and laid herself down next to her daughter. Pulling her small and warm body towards her, Aparna closed her eyes and went off to sleep.

***********************

Nishant sat down on the sofa with the 3^rd drink. He had just come back from the office after a long and exhausting day at work. Although his day had been packed with meetings still his mind had been occupied with the dates of the calendar flashing like a shining signage. He shook his head as it again started happening. Finishing the drink in one go, he got up and walked to the bar. Picking up the bottle, he came and settled himself on the sofa again.

One more night and she would be back in Delhi.

Shaking his head, he tried to drive the thought out his head but nothing really happened. Irritated with himself, he poured another drink and again finished it off in one gulp. 

One after another, he kept on drinking till the bottle was completely finished. As the alcohol slowly drugged him, Nishant slipped rested his head on the hand rest of the sofa and closed his eyes. The glass fell away from his hand and hit the carpet but did not break.

His soul was hit but he was not broken.

He could not, till she was there inside him.

Dhruv put his key in the hole and twisted it to open the door. The muted lights indicated that Nishant was home. As he kept the papers and bag on the dining table, he turned towards the sofa and stopped.

An empty bottle was lying on the table while Nishant was sleeping fully dressed on the sofa with his face buried in his arms.

Dhruv sighed and switched off the light in the room and went inside his bedroom. No point disturbing him right now.

*********************

Prakriti ran towards Madhu the moment she saw her standing near the car. Harish smiled as he walked side by side to Aparna who also smiled seeing her dear friend after such a long time. Suddenly her eyes narrowed and the smiled vanished as she saw a familiar car standing a little further away.

Even though she couldn’t see who was inside but she didn’t need to second guess who it was. 

Siraj started the car just as he saw all of them getting inside the car. As per Bhaijaan, he needed to follow them till their house.

**********************

Aparna looked twice in the rear view mirror and noticed the car still following them. Something inside her just calmed down the same instant. She slanted a look at the back seat where her daughter was animatedly talking with Madhu. She looked out of the window and tried not to remember her last stint with this city. All of sudden she wanted to wipe the slate clean but just wanted one name to remain on the slate.

Nishant!

Nishant walked inside his cabin and kept his laptop on the table. Pressing the back of his neck, he stretched trying to ease the aching muscles. His head hurt from the hangover but still, he doggedly compelled his mind to concentrate on work. But among all of this, his heart happily kept on skipping beats.

Has she reached?

Why hasn’t Siraj called?

Shaking his head, he was about to go back to the work in hand when his phone rang and his heart thudded hard against his chest as he looked at the caller ID.

“Bhaijaan, they have reached,” he heard Siraj say the moment he answered the call.

Everything changed around him the moment he heard him. She is here. She is in the same city.

Every sense of his erupted with excitement and he stood up from the chair not able to sit anymore.

What should he do?

Should he steal a glance of her?

But how?

He was pacing up and down the room thinking all of this when Naresh Naik walked in. Seeing his son’s excited demeanour, he smiled. After a long time, he had seen a nervous and exhilarated smile on Nishant’s face. He went and slowly stood behind him, and whispered.

“Go to her.”

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