Love was troublesome. And in this moment, the significance of these mere three words hit her hard. A million emotions weighed her heart down, each feeling a bit heavier than the other.
Closing her eyes and hiding her face in her palms, Preeti groaned. It was all because of Kusum!
Withdrawing her face away, she slid her chair back and moving to the window, peeked from in b/w the blinds. There he was. She could barely make out the top of his spiky head, what with him being surrounded by paps from all sides.
Paparazzi were like extraterrestrial beings! How in the heavens had the news reached their ears that the instant she had stepped inside their office, the lot of them had materialized out of thin air, and surrounded them.
Definitely pretty.That woman. KT’s wife…no ex-wife. Wait, were they even divorced?
Exasperated, she sighed and stepped out of the cabin to get a clear look. He looked troubled, suffocating almost. His smile was bright but his eyes dead. What a shock it would’ve been for him to see his past show up so abruptly? And before he could even assess the situation, reporters were at his neck, throwing questions left,right and center each one sharp as a dagger, making him wince and flinch at every turn.
She could not bear to see that. Him suffering . When she was there. Not a chance. Straightening her back and squaring her shoulders, she walked towards the crowd, where her employees were trying to pry the media off KT.
Clearing her throat, she let out a breath and next followed a loud blast of voice that lay to silence even the sound of air.
“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?”
The cameras turned to face her, finally giving the man some space to breathe. She had learned a thing or two from her experience with people, and authority worked the best.
“Make way!” She spoke out loud in tone that meant business as the reporters parted to give her space.
With KT now in clear view, his pleading eyes asking for help, Preeti nodded and walked towards him, stopping in the middle only to glare at a defiant cameraman still shooting her, who instantly lowered it. With Preeti standing tall in front of him, KT instantly felt relaxed, protected even.
“I request all of you to leave the premises this instant.You can ask for appointment if you want an interview”
“But ma’am—
“Or I can just call the police for trespassing on our premises”, With her hands folded against her chest, she gave off an aura that overpowered the excited crowd, and turning on their backs, they started to filter out of the door.
It was only when quiet descended, did Preeti loosen her stance.
“Preeti ji-
She instantly turned around, her concerned eyes meeting his troubled still relaxed ones. “Are you OK, KT ji?”
He nodded and tried to speak but no voice came out. Seeing that woman after all those years when his wounds had just started healing, had been a brutal blow.
At that moment, Preeti turned to Sheena. “Sheena, make sure that ma’am is comfortable. And if she ‘d like to discuss anything, she can make an appointment”
Sheena’s eyes widened. “But ma’am ye KT sir ki—
Preeti cut her off, “This is office, Sheena”.
As Sheena nodded, Preeti softly smiled at KT and taking two steps in his direction forwarded her hand. “Chalein?” In that moment, she didn’t care about the questioning glances. It could wait.
With a relieved smile breaking across his face, KT nodded fervently and grabbed her hand, the warmth of it instantly melting the ice freezing his nerves.
It wasn’t easy being this bold for her. But she knew that he appreciated it. That he needed it.
Entering inside the cabin, him following after her, she turned the two chairs towards each other and motioned him to sit down.
“Preeti ji-I—vo-
“Baithiye KT ji”.
Complying, he sat down while she sat on the opposite one,facing him. “Paani?”
“Ji..” KT trailed and as Preeti tried to forward her hand, it didn’t budge and found another hand firmly clasping hers.
“KT ji…mera haath?” She signaled towards their hands as he quickly pulled his back.
“Sorry, Preeti ji. Mera dhyaan nhi tha”.
Smiling, she picked up the glass and gave it to him as he started drinking it down.
“We decided right? No sorry, No thank you”.
“Ji, Preeti Ji, main bas…” KT stopped unsure of what to say,how to name those myriad of emotions weighing him down.
Preeti leaned forward, her palms seeking his empty hands,pausing midway, hovering unsurely before finally clamping down on his palm,gently enveloping his fingers.
That warmth broke the trance of nightmares plaguing him and he looked at his hands, not so empty anymore. And then looked into her eyes,filled to the brim with endless care and something else, something he could not name, something he knew not of, something that was inviting him.
KT’s constant, peering, questioning gaze alerted Preeti as she blinked and averted her eyes away.
“R-Relax KT ji. Aap please pareshan mat hoiye”, She spoke.
His fingers tightened around hers, his jaw tightening. “Kese na hou Preeti ji. Today when I saw her, my ears started ringing with the words she had said all those years back, the words that had scarred. Images, so vivid flashed in front of my eyes as if it was yesterday when I had harbored dreams of a happy family….
KT stood up, clutching his chest uneasily.
“….Dreams that crumbled like a house of cards, and pricked like glass shards”.
Suddenly, he turned on his heels and catching hold of Preeti’s hand, placed it right on his chest. “It is hurting here. Can you feel it, Preeti ji?” KT spoke hoarsely, his eyes gaining a red hue, “It is the sound of my heart breaking all over ag—
“Aisa kuch nhi hoga, KT ji!” Came Preeti’s pat reply, his heart still beating under her palm.
She gulped, “I can hear it. I can feel the beats that missed their steps, tumbled down extra hard but then got up again”
He saw it in her eyes again. That pain, as if it was her own.
“I-I can feel the cracks, but your heart still stands tall,doing best what it does- beat for others”, She gulped again, her throat choking a little, “I c-can feel the scars but they are a sign of battles won. They are the proof that you are healing”.
And his right hand was on her face, his thumb catching the tear about to fall down. And for that second, everything ceased to exist. And then, Preeti jumped back, hurriedly wiping the strays tears off her face,clasping her fingers tightly, fingers that could still feel the erratic drumming of his heartbeats.
"Aap ghar jaiye KT ji, I’m sure you’ll feel better… aaj office main sambhal lungi!” With that said, she hurried out of the cabin.
Her cabin!
Curious, his eyes followed after her retreating form, as far as possible. It was weird. He looked at the tear drop, now but a wet feel against his thumb.
“Dard mujhe hua, dukhi vo hui.
Aansu unke bahe, aur sukoon mujhe mila”
KT clutched his chest, puzzled. What was this strange, unnerving yet calming feeling?
How was it? Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.😁
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KeeRti OS/TS/SS Compilations
Fanfiction"Your lips quiver when you lie", he pointed smiling. Appalled on being read like a book, she instantly closed her eyes as laughter bubbled out of his throat. "Too late! I read it all". And her muscles twisted. Her breath hitched as he leaned close...
