mhrw
PETRICHOR TO HIS HEART – PART 3
“Farhad, be ready by 8 in the morning… we have to get this one at any cost,” he told Farhad as they entered the hall.
“haan Anna, Goswami is a tough guy… he makes us wait till the last moment,” Farhad replied recalling the strange old man with even strange business tactics.
“Anna, the machines are set in the spare room on the upper floor,” Harish told him joining them on the entrance.
“Achha… did you make Amma’s appointment?” searching for something in his phone he asked him another hand.
“Sorry, Anna…” Harish turned pale knowing very well his anna was going to be furious finding the appointment was not made.
“why, what happened?” he asked calmly surprising both men.
“Anna, I was here all day and could not make it to the counter in time… but I’ll make it tomorrow,” Harish explained dreading the wrath of his anger.
“ok… Amma ko kuchh saans phhol raha hai aaj kal to ek do din me check up jaroori hai.” he muttered still not paying them any heed.
“bilkul Anna.” Harish replied relieved. “anything else Anna…” he asked him.
“No…you can go to your quarters.” he looked up keeping away his phone. “and Farhad..”
“haan Anna…
“aaj Pallavi ghar nahi aaya?” he crossed him.
“Nahi Anna, she wanted to be at their place for tonight.” Farhad tried to sound genuine.
“‘tanu appudu akkade untundi,kada. kaaadante cheppu?” he muttered irritably. (“she was there all this time, wasn’t she?”)
“kuchh kaha Anna?” Farhad asked him.
“Nahi… ye Saree ka Dukan, khud vaha jake Mujhe instructions de Raha ki kya Kahan rakha hai karke…” showing him the mobile screen Raghav scoffed.
Nodding his head Farhad stifled his smile knowing his smile could cost him anything.
“do you need anything Anna or I’ll retire to my room…” Farhad enquired adding quickly. “10:30 ho rahe hain Anna aur bhookh bhi lag rahi hai.”
“Nahi mujhe kuchh nahi chahiye, aur ye cook log chuuti pe kyu hai aaj,” seeing the next message from her he nearly lost his temper.
“chhuti pe hai? Anna mai to kuchh order kar leta hu, Mīru ēmi tiṇṭāru?’ (what would you like”)? he asked him.
“ajeeb pagal hai ye Pallavi, khud bhi gayab aur apne chamcho ko bhi le gayi… miku kavalsindi edainia tepinchukondi. (Order whatever you wish).” with that he turned to the stairs angry enough to rip someone apart.
“These two…I always knew you were the one, Vahini !, able to tame him” Farhad smiled at him and turned back to get some rest.
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“ab tumko smile karne ko kaun bola…” he told her photograph in their room as he walked to the wall adjacent to their bed.
he wished to see her, taunting him, making rogue comments or sometimes chiding him in her native tongue…God, he was missing her.
Grabbing a cotton t-shirt and trouser he thought to go for a run cause sleep would be tough without her in the same room…just the feeling of finally having someone who would be his companion, friend and sometimes an opponent made him content with life, his mother had forgiven him but she still was not convinced of the way he ran his business and Pallavi was accepting him the way he was.
He smiled at their own childish ways of interactions, it has been nearly two months since she was ALWAYS there to accompany him After a tough, rough and sometimes big day.
He walked to stand near the wall and stared at her smiling face – A beautiful shot from one of their wedding ceremonies, where she was looking at something, her one hand under her chin showing off the intricate mehndi in her palm and bangles clad arm and her eyes glittering with mischief and happiness.
She wanted a photograph where they were together but he had managed to get this one on the wall, her smile was something he wanted to remember on her face after everything she had gone through.
His stomach rumbled and he cursed Farhad for the delay he was causing in the dinner order.
Thinking to give him a call he walked to the balcony and fresh air touched him, he sighed taking a relaxed breath and leaned on the rails.
“kuchh khaya?” her text blinked on his screen.
“tumko koi kaam nahi hai, jab udhar gaya hi hai to yaha ka kyu puchh raha.” he sent the voice note.
“arey, they are my Aai baba and my family… I thought I could go there anytime I wanted.” her text followed by an eye-rolling smiley hit his screen.
“arey haan, kyu nahi bilkul jao… ek kaam karo ek do mahine udhar hi raho.” he recorded and wondered wasn’t with her family then why she was talking with him.
“i told you in the evening…” her next text got him irritated.
“Ōh, mīru cēsāru.” he muttered to himself. “(oh yeah, you did).
“don’t mutter in Telugu..” she knew him very well and she knew his every reaction.
He smiled at the text.
“to aaj kya karne gaya hai vaha? Tum Poora din to vahi tha…” he recorded and just before he was to hit send Farhad’s call came asking him to come downstairs for the dinner.
Telling her that he was off to dinner he walked downstairs and a thought ran his mind… she didn’t ask him how did the auction go, actually she didn’t even call him.
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“arey tum sab to idhar hi hai, kya hua Anna ka yaad aa gaya…” he mocked them as usual.
His senior cook who was there didn’t say a thing and kept arranging the table.
“arey kuchh bolo…
“Please bring the bowl of phirni,” it was her voice and carrying a bowl in her hands she made her way to the table and smiled at his surprised face.
She was here all the time. He felt happiness surging through his veins. He didn’t know the time she became his but now he could not imagine his life without her.
“bas Anna, aap log jao ab..I’ll manage,” she told the senior cook and he smiled and told her a GOODNIGHT.
Not a single time they have wished him a good day or any day and here he was wishing him a good night like she was her closest buddy, he stared at the exchange and the cook left the scene just before Raghav told him anything.
“ab tumhara Good night ho gaya ho to mujhe khana milega?” he scowled at the cook who was leaving the table but stopped.
“aap jao Anna.” Pallavi smiled at the elderly man and turned to him. “have a seat, Anna.”
“so everyone was playing all along, I see people are forgetting Raghav Rao,” he spoke aloud so the head cook hears but he could not see the smile on the head cook’s face.
“and where is Farhad, he has gone to pick som… Ek minute, so he was also playing. Nēnu mīku pāṭhaṁ nērputānu.
“now would you sit please.” she pushed him in the chair and kept the plate of his favourites in front of him.
“he was just doing what I requested him…” she smiled at him as she sat beside him and now he noticed the new saree, a little kohl in her eyes and some glistening on her lips.
“so how did the auction go?” she asked him filling his glass of water.
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He heard some shuffling behind him and without making any noise she slipped her arms around him.
“what took you so long?” he asked her touching her arms encircled around him.
“Nothing,” she said sheepishly.
“don’t tell me you went to give food to those two morons… Kal dekhta hai mai dono ko.” he muttered.
“so I think someone is happy today?” he asked her caressing her arms.
“you know the answer..” she mumbled on his back barely reaching his shoulder.
“to Saree ka Dukan ko Bhi surprise dene aata hai.” he mocked her lovingly.
“learning from the best.” she smiled and kissed his back unaware of the fact that such a small action was powerful enough to unleash raw emotions.
He took a moment to recover and then pulled her in front of him and locked his arms on her front.
“were you going to miss me at all, or you were going to enjoy the lone room all for yourself.” she joked as he nuzzled her nape.
“you might have better guesses,” he whispered and she knew he was not going to admit his feelings. Her Ghamandi Rao.
“What is this new smell, haan?” he asked her inhaling her hairs.
“what is with you, always smelling my hairs?” she asked turning to his arms.
“i don’t know, I love smelling them but what happened to strawberry?” he asked pulling her close.
“Bajar me strawberries khatam ho gayi thi, Ghamndi Rao.” she taunted giving him his share from the morning.
“achha..aisa kya, lagta hai tumko ab mujhse dar nahi lagta..? he cornered her to the table.
“ha ha ha, Tumse aur dar..kyu bhai?” she rolled her eyes to create the drama.
“achha, Mi bharta miku teliyadu, just wait and watch.” he smirked at her and curled his fingers in her hands. (You do not know your husband).
“kya kaha abhi…” she asked the meaning.
“kuchh nahi, I am just in the mood to get to know what is this smell in your hairs.” he pulled her hairs and she looked up at him with her big eyes showing a slight amount of surprise.
“dont unleash the man you don’t want to see, at least not today, wifey …” he stared into her eyes and she recalled the terrific man from the start of their relationship.
She recalled the man and with came the memory of rumours about …
“dimag par jyada jor mat daalo .”he whispered and whether his voice had turned dark or she was imagining she shivered.
“par vo jo TV pe news… vo photo..” she stammered afraid about his reaction.
she didn’t ask him, she didn’t even remember the things busy in her new life and his new side but now she wanted to know.
“tumko kya lagta hai…” his grip turned lose on her.
“There are two Raghav Rao, one that used to trouble me a lot and would go to any extent but then there is this another one who makes me empowered and vulnerable at the same time,” she told him the truth.
“but the first Raghav never hurt you in any way and he was still helping you every time you were in need.” his voice was hopeful and he wanted her to find the answer herself.
“But why would some girl want to create a scene on her own expanse?” she asked more to herself.
“i never forced anyone…ardham ainda,” he declared freeing her.
“achha…” she took a moment to process the words but it hurt her, she knew very well it was childish but it hurt her.
“i have an important meeting tomorrow, you better not leave the house before I leave.’ he told her and though he sounded normal she knew something was disturbed in the room.
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Hey everyone, I am overwhelmed with the response and the feedback. Raghav and Pallavi have taken my story wall into a storm…touchwood.
they are so beautiful together and the screen is on fire whenever they are there.
And to everyone who is reading, liking and loving my amateur tale based on them. Thank you so much for all the love.
Will be waiting for your response and feedback.
Stay safe and stay healthy.
With love Morusya.
NOTE – a special thanks to Maha for helping out with some Telugu words. It means a lot dear♥♥