'Beyond the Horizon': There's more to it...

Chapter - 8

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Shehnaaz sprinted towards the door as it was the fifth time that it had rang. She took some more time for herself, preparing herself to face her brother after the call was disconnected and hence the delay. She only unlocked the main first, keeping the safety door secured as is.

It was not Shahnawaz but one of the workers from their shop. Her dupatta instantly wrapped up covering her top. He had come to let her know that Shahnawaz will directly be home during the evening hours, about the shop closing time as their so-called collaborator, the loan shark, had come for a visit and might stay for the rest of the day. They obviously would not want to leave the shop to only the helpers and the lender's responsibility. It was a risk; the lender did not seem a righteous man. He wasn't helpful either, only dictating his wishes and wants whenever he would pay a visit. They had already lost their half of the business to this man, no more to take a risk for.

"To phone pe hi bata diya hota!" She checked with the guy.

Some of the staff members have been working for years for her family and the man who had come with the information was the oldest among them all, both at age and the period he had been with their business. She felt bad for him that he had to rush through in the summery afternoon just to inform that her brother's return will be prolonged.

Shahnawaz, like a responsible brother would always think about his sisters' safety first and hence he had sent the one he most trusted out of all in the staff. It was about visiting their home when his little sister was alone, and he would never compromise with the security for his family.

"Ji lagaya tha...shayad laga nahi kehkar khabar bhijwayi hai" He replied.

"Acha...Changa ji...Dhanwad" She replied thanking him, realizing that it was her on phone already speaking to someone and hence he would have not been able to connect.

They have been following their parents on what conduct do they follow while having a talk with the staff members. Her father would usually speak half-Punjabi as most of the workers belonged to the Punjab province (Pakistan) and had settled here in search of work. He was not well versed with the language but comfortable enough to have a conversation, so she followed the same accent. It was a day-to-day lingo for them at home as well with their hardcore Punjabi mother in the scene. Again, she had the ability to very well manage her accent as and when needed. This was because of her schooling and then visiting Mumbai every year for a month usually except for the last couple of years.

"Ikk minute...khana?" She asked before he could leave.

"Ji bahar hi kha lenge kaha hai" He reverted curt.

"Changa...maaf kijiye tuhannu taqleef hui..." She reverted, locking the door as he left for the shop back.

Checking around and about the house for left-out errands, finishing it all she walked back to her room. The episode was exhausting but in a most beautiful way, emotionally more. She was regretting to have dropped off this early when she would have just checked the door keeping the call on hold and could have continued the conversation later. If only she had an idea that it was not her brother awaiting at the entrance but someone else. Nevertheless, she was happy, ecstatic even. She got to talk to him, her Sidharth! Was it really happening? He had genuine feelings for her and himself confessed it, what more could she wish for. It was all like a dream for her. The most unexpected call the other day when she could only ask him if he would call back and then the present day when they actually spoke at length. Sharing their deep-seated desires, mostly him but they were all hers as well. Taking the cut-out from her cupboard she took a long loving look of the picture as she stole a quick soft kiss. It was certainly a picture but for her it was the form of him that she could touch and feel as if he were around, close-by to perceive his presence. Her own action of blowing the kiss, taking her to a different world, something that she had never experienced apart from the time when he would hold her hand casually creating a slight ripple inside, besides the stir she had felt when his hands were on her cheek during their last encounter.