The Burnt – Chapter 1

He was drinking and lost in his thoughts when Savitri Devi entered the room of her grandson. She gave the look to one of the most simplistic rooms. The owner of one of the top companies of the country and well expanded globally had this simplicity in his personal space. The room had a simple bed, the dresser almost empty. The closets  were filled with clothes and shoes, the study with books, files and Monitors. The one wall in the room had a giant wall clock and the other had her huge portrait. The curtains and lights were automatically exclusive due to overflowing affluence but other than that the room looked empty.

Maan was lost looking out the window and his eyes were fixed on the long running land between which the Manor was built. The huge surrounding land possessed by him caused no other building to be seen. The lamp post all through the land, made the patter of darkness and glitter on the grass. After observing the empty land for long, he took a sip and moved his focus to the sky. The sky here was much clear and he could see the stars.

“Trying to find her in the sky” his Dadima’s word broke his trance as he kept his glass on the side table

“Only in the sky?” he asked and laughed. 

She came and caressed his cheeks “She is gone. It’s been years and no trace. Now move on son, move on. Aisee jindagi to sazaa”

“Yeh sazza toh bohut kam hai Dadima. She is gone but she is somewhere. Kahin toh hogee”

“We have searched in all ways son, Geet Handa, Geet Khurana, Geetanjali, but no clue of where she could be. I hope nothing uneventful happened”

“No Dadima, it can’t. I will die if that’s true. I am still alive is the proof she is there, somewhere

Jenny opened the door for Mishty, handed her the keys “How has the little one been”

“Ohh running and jumping around. Took him for the ride”

“Good. Thanks Jenny” “Mummaa” came her son running and wrapped himself to her

Jenny laughed and shook her head “Good Night, Mishty” “Good Night Jenny. Thanks” “Bye” “bye”

Mishty carefully placed her shoes in the shoe rack, freshened up while her little monkey went on with his day’s stories and showed her his deformed drawings.

Mishty preferred her off office hours and holidays to just be with her son so there would be no helper around when it came hours to spend time with her little one. She had to work hard to give him the lavish life and be with him to give him all motherly love. She knew she could not give him the affluence and lavishness as much as he deserves but then she will try her best to give him as much as she could. 

She warmed the food for herself and helped her little one finish his. Told him bedtime story till he was asleep, holding her hand tight. She tucked him and kissed him on the forehead and left for her room.

She went to her room, settled on the bed and took out the photo frame from her side drawer, which always stayed locked with keys in her purse. She slowly dropped her mask of a hard working professional woman and became the old time simple girl that she originally is.

She kept looking at his handsome picture in the frame and caressed it with her hand. She could leisurely admire him in the frame. At least he will not come out from the frame and shout at her for admiring him. The frame cannot love her back but then does that matter, he anyways never loved her. At least the frame does not shout at her from admiring him. But the only thought of her coming face to face with him scared her to make her shiver. Her world will shatter if they come face to face. He will never forgive her. Out of fear she rushed to her son, Adhvay’s room and switched on the lights. He was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the storms of fear running inside his mother’s heart. She neared him, kissed again on his forehead, switched off the lights and left.

She sighed, she should not worry, she has convinced Chetan for now to hand the Geetanjali Dreams to Merul. She has to be ready for plan B. But she knew very well, no plan B will work. Once she faces him, none of her plans will work.

“Geet… Geet” he called as he entered his Mansion in the morning

“Geeeet!!!” He raised his voice this time and he maniacally looked around. But she was nowhere. This never happens, she comes down at his one call, doormat that she is.

“What the hell, Geet- Geet, damn women come here” But she was nowhere.

“Geet- Geet – Geet” Maan woke up all sweaty when the AC was running at very low temperature. He switched on the light and found he was in a different place but she was still nowhere. As much as he could keep calling her, she was gone and never returned on his call. His eye went to the wall clock, it was only 3 am in the morning. He deeply breathed, still one  more hour left for tortuous sleep time. He will then get set and immerse himself in work and get away from his pain for at least till he is awake and immersed in his work.

At ‘Ad With Us’ everyone was on active mode. Today they will go for the first round of pitching for Geetanjali Dreams.

Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Sales and creative teams to be on top list. Mishty has somehow convinced Chetan that Merul can accompany his team and she will guide Merul in preparation.

Chetan has asked her “Why are you avoiding to participate in such a huge bid. Nothing personal, right?”

“Nothing personal at all. I can’t get my focus out  from current projects.”

“Okay, because if it’s anything personal, I am not listening. We had decided we will not let personal issues come in the way of our projects. This is big one Mishty”

“I understand, I will be helping Merul, sincerely” She had assured

“Fine for now. But if in later stage you are really needed to win this project, you have to pitch in”

“Okay” Mishty had said but dreaded that scenario

The team returned in the evening all happy. Chetan came to give her the good news

“Mishty, you are brilliant. Your specific ideas did magic and we are among ten pitchers selected for the second round, out of twenty eight pitchers. They were damn impressed”

“You should thank Merul first” Mishty was trying to be least connected and so was directing all applaud to Merul 

“ I already thanked her but she herself is so much in awe of what you suggested. Your suggestions did magic. But someone in their higher marketing management did mention your missing Mishty. You may be expected going further”

“Who knows, if Merul keeps doing great, they may not need me”

“We will try to not involve you but if needed you have to pitch in. This is way bigger project than any we have till now. So we cannot compromise”

“Okay” she has to agree

“What team they came with”

“It was first round, so only marketing team”

He was not there – she thought in mind..

It was Saturday and Misty’s exclusive time for her son. She had to do some shopping for Advay and  herself. Also there was a Kids Fun Play Zone in the Mall, so she decided to take him there. Too many people, kids playing around, would help her distract from the old thoughts that have started troubling her. Luckily Jenny too agreed to accompany her. Jenny would earn some extra for the weekend and she had nothing to do, so it materialized for both. Other than working for Misty, they had formed a friendly rapport as well. Misty tried her best to treat people exactly opposite of how she had been treated before marriage by her own family and after by her husband.

“Maan, you promised me, you will give me a normal, non workaholic Maan on Saturday and Sunday”

“Dadima, what are you up to now”

“I am bored. I am missing Meera so much, She took me for shopping regularly”

“No, not at all. Malls are so full of people, I am not going. I can send you to India”

“I am not going to India. You are coming to the mall with me. We already are on way, just take a turn and we will be there in ten minutes”

“Dadima…”

“Maan…”  “hmmmm..” he sighed. “You get stubborn like a child”

“Once you have your child, I will leave my stubbornness”  He shook his head, gave up and turned towards the mall.

Advay had been bored while Misty was selecting the clothes, so Jenny took him for an ice cream 

“Maan, bring me an ice cream”  “Really Dadima, why do you come to the mall when you always get tired here” he taunted but left.

Advay was jumping with ice cream in his hand while Maan was busy in his cell while going to the ice cream stall.

“Advay, do not run” called out Jenny and Advay ran faster in playful mode and he hit a man and his ice cream dropped

“What the…” Maan said looking down but stopped seeing a kid around 4 years old, looking down at the ice cream on the floor. He looked at Maan, his eyes filled, tears threatening to fall anytime. Maan was not a kid person at all but this boy’s shivering lips, ready to cry, reminded him of someone installed deep inside his heart.

“Okay Okay… don’t cry kid. I will get you another one” Jenny reached by then

“What happened dear” she asked Advay 

“Iee Cleam” he showed the ground as tears already slid down his cheeks

“Come I will get you another one” Jenny held his hand

“Ma’am, it was my mistake, I will get it, please.”

They reached the ice cream corner

“Which flavor?” he asked Jenny for the small kid

“Dark chocolate for him.” answered Jenny

“Ohh really boy, that’s my favorite too” 

“Give the big box of Dark Chocolate for the boy and a medium cup of Strawberry Vanilla”

“That’s for my granny” he looked at the boy and smiled

“Such a big box, not needed sir” said Jenny  “needed” jumped Advay “

“See”  Maan gave a winning smile. Jenny laughed and they all left the ice cream center for their respective destination.

“Here you go Dadima” 

She took the ice cream from him  “you made your pants eat the ice cream” she laughed as she teased him.

“No, I met my childhood once again” “Your childhood?”

“Ohh, same boy we saw in park that day”

“You have some sole connection with that boy, I am telling you”

“Dadima please. But to give your mind some gossip, his favorite ice cream flavor is dark Chocolate”

“Really, they laughed off”

Misty came out from her shopping and was shocked to see Advay with a big box of ice cream

“Why did you get him the whole box Jenny” Jenny explained her the whole scenario

“But still you could have declined the offer of the whole box.”

“No, I didn’t expect him to bye at all. But he insisted and this man had such authority, it was difficult to deny what he asked”

“Authority, not to be denied?” repeated Misty, getting scared. 

“Was he handsome?” “Extremely. Are you looking to make him Advay’s father? If so, he completely fits the criteria”

“Jenny No” Misty got scared and held Advay tight

“I am sorry Misty, just teasing you” Misty knew the man must definitely be someone else but since the day she has heard of his arrival a certain fear has always encapsulated her.

“Jenny just one request, no man near Advay and taking favor from anyone with regards to Advay is a big No.”

Jenny pressed her palm “I will take care going forward” Misty was not scared of him finding her. She knew very well she meant nothing to him. She looked at Advay and fear engulfed her.

She smiled to herself reminding herself how she meant nothing “Nasur hai meri zindagi ka yeh ladki.Why don’t you just disappear from my life one day. How thankful I will be to God for that day” he had blurted that day like always, held her arm harshly and threw her out of his way, to luckily fall on the sofa. Many times she has also fallen on ground, he didn’t care to look back.

She pulled Advay close to her and made him sit on her lap, holding him tight “Jenny when with Advay, don’t let any stranger talk to him, no contact with any stranger at all regarding Advay.”

“Okay Misty, rest assured”

Saturday evening for some reason the little boys cute face filled with tears were not getting off his eyes

“Sole connection” he laughed as he recalled Dadima’s words. A kind of peace he felt after so many years. “So many years” he sighed “almost five years now”

Misty has been disturbed all the while “I am overthinking. It’s a world filled with men. It could be any man in this world, why do I imagine that it could be him.” 

After ending all the night’s chores and making Advay sleep, she laid on her bed.

She did not have the guts to look at his pic today. She did not need his pic anyways to remember him. Like she never needed his pic in childhood to fall in love with him. Surrendering herself to him in her own heart. 

She had loved him since childhood, not even knowing what he was, how he was, just loved him because she was his. She had been told she was his and thus had woven her all dreams around him. 

There were not many pleasant memories of togetherness anyways to cherish. Her one sided immense love lost the war to his immense hatred for her. But can his one year of hatred wash away the love that she has deep within for him since her childhood. No. But then today one thing that she most dreaded was to come face to face with him. In their relationship, there is just one mistake that she has made but that mistake was huge and unforgivable. He will kill her alive from his angry fire spitting eyes, there and then, if he comes to know this one truth.