Shehnaaz opened the tap and flashed some cold water on her face, keeping her eyes wide open. Indeed, it was a hectic day for her. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a while. 

"Come on, the tea is ready ".

With two cups of tea, Manav came to the room and placed one on the table. 

"Waah!! What a tasty tea!! "

He enjoyed his tea while closing his eyes. 

Shehnaaz turned to him and smiled.  He was a great support for her for the last two years. On that day, two years ago , when his proposal came for her, she had no idea that he would be such a good friend for her lifetime. Shehnaaz walked towards him and sat on the chair next to him, taking her tea in her hands. 

" So, how was your meeting with Ahujas?"

Manav asked, sipping his tea. 

 Shehnaaz took a sign and bit her lower lip.

" Went well. "

" Mr. Ahuja is a cunning man. So you guys should have an eye on him. Don't agree with whatever he says "

" We know Manav, but we are not left with an option."

Silence spread through the room for the next few minutes as they completed their tea. Shehnaaz took both the cups and moved to the kitchen, while Manav just ran his hands over the books in Lokesh's shelf. 

Shehnaaz rubbed her wet hands on the towel near the wash basin and returned to the living room. 

" Wo log kab tak wapas aayenge?"

While turning the pages of the book in his hand, Manav replied:

" 9 tak aayenge, yahi bola dha papa ne"

" Prakash uncle ok hai na ab?"

Shehnaaz asked as she opened her laptop and sat in front of him. She rushed through the files and notes something down. 

Closing the book in his hand, Manav leaned backwards in the chair to get a cosy position. Shehnaaz still had her eyes on her laptop which made him chuckle. 

" Yeah, he is okay. Kal doctor ke pas gaya dha. He told him not to take too much stress."

" Unko itna stress kyun hai?"

Shehnaaz asked, narrowing her eyes. Because as far as she knew, both father and son were calm people and always preferred peace in their lives. The rush of this city has never affected them. 

" Pata nahi yaar.. wo to ab mujhe lagta hei Lokesh uncle se puchna chahiye. Unhe pata hoga kuch. "

" Tu bait mein fresh hoke aati hu"

Saying that Shehnaaz left the room. Manav remained in his thoughts. He knew the reason, but he didn't know how to solve it.

…..

Lokesh and Janaki were back around 10 at midnight after the wedding anniversary party of their friend. Two years haven’t made much change in their appearances but they weren't happy as before. Prakash and Manav left as soon as they came. Doctor has told Prakash to take proper sleep. 

“ Shehnaaz, aa jao beta dosa ready hei. Khaali pett se mat sona”

Janaki went directly to the kitchen after the party. She knew what this day was for her. She must be shattered. Janaki took a plate filled with dosa and chutney and placed it on the dining table. Lokesh sat on the chair near the table and looked at Janaki in confusion.

“ Tujhe kya lagta hai? Kya mein usse puchu uss baare mein?”

“Kiss baare mein papa?”

They turned towards Shehnaaz immediately with a face like they were caught red handed. Shehnaaz looked at both of their faces. Janaki instantly nodded no to Lokesh.

“What are you guys hiding from me?? Haa? Jaldy boldo.”

Lokesh cleared his throat as he felt hesitant to speak. Correcting his specs he spoke.

“ Wo beta, aaj party mein Prakash bhi dha na tho”

“Haa tho?”

Shehnaaz took a morsel of dosa in her mouth and waited for him to speak further.

“Tho usne wo.. Tere aur Manav ka riste ke baare mein pucha.”

Shehnaaz’s face turned emotionless all of a sudden. Without taking eyes from her plate she continued to speak.

“Tho kya bola aapne?”

Lokesh felt pain to talk further seeing his daughter’s face. He didn't know how to continue this conversation. Even though Shehnaaz and Sidharth had never spoken about their relationship to them, they knew very clearly what they meant for each other.

" Kuch nahi bas yeh bola ki sochte hei ab uski shaadi ka time nahi hua hai"

He didn’t speak further, but Shehnaaz continued.

“ Papa, mujhe aap dono, iss shehar, meri zindagi yeh sab Sidharth ne dilayi hei. Aur aaj wo mujhe ek zimmedari sopke gaya hei. To take care of The Creators along with Martin. Mujhe yeh uske liye karna hai. I’m sure he will come back one day and I should hand it over to him the way it was. Tab tak mujhe aur kuch nhi sochna hai”

Even though she wanted to leave the table immediately, she stayed there till complete her food. She didn't want to hurt them because she had never spoken about her relationship with Sidharth to them. So, bringing up a marriage proposal for their child was never to be blamed for. 

As soon as Shehnaaz left the room, Janaki sat next to Lokesh and rested her head on his shoulder gloomy. 

" Wo humein un dono ke baare mein kyu nahi bata rahi hai Lokesh?"

" Wo kya bolegi Jaan?kaise bolegi? We have no idea where he is? Pehle tho humne bhi soch liya ldha ki wo as usual traveling pe Gaye hai. But .."

Lokesh caressed Janaki's hand wounded around his biceps. There was nothing to speak further. They were missing their children, their old days.

..

Resting her back on the side of the bed, she swiped her memories in the gallery. His duchenne smile was everyone's favorite. He won their hearts through that. He was always mastered to hide his sadness behind that. The last selfie with him, which she forced him to take with her, had an irritated face on it.  He never liked selfies. She smiled at that thought.

"Why did you leave Sidharth?"

This was an unanswered question she would ask in her mind everyday. She still remember the day when the advocate came to meet her in the Creators. 

..

Martin had turned slightly tense as there was no news of Sidharth in the past fourteen days. Even though he would tell Shehnaaz that it is his regular escape plan, this had never happened after Shehnaaz came into his life. Martin was immersed in his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door. There stood a man in formal black suits with a small bag in his hand. 

" Hello, Mr. Martin, right?"

"Yes"

Martin didn't get who he was. He learned forward as the man came as the man approached him.

" I am advocate Narayan Murthy. Can I take it?"

He pointed towards the chair in front of Martin. Martin, who was completely stuck nodded in return. He felt uneasy in the presence of that man.

" Martin, can you please Shehnaaz also? Because I need to discuss something important with you both?"

Martin immediately dialed Shehnaaz and she reached there in no time.

Martin and Shehnaaz held their breath as if the world was about to collapse. On one hand there was no sign of Sidharth and here an advocate has come. 

" This is from Sidharth. He has legally transferred 30% of the share of the Creators to Shehnaaz. Now it will be 40% for Martin as earlier, 30% for Sidharth and 30% for Shehnaaz. If Sidharth won't come back in 10 years his shares will be equally divided and will be given to you both."

Martin stood up from his seat furiously while Shehnaaz sat there dumb stuck.

" What the hell are you talking about? Where is he? 10 years?? What bullshit is going on?"

" Mr. Martin, this is what Sidharth asked me to deliver to you both. These are the documents."

Narayan Murthy forwarded the files to Martin.

" Aur… aur Sidharth? "

Her feeble sound dragged the attention in the room and it turned silent.

" Can you please tell me where is Sidharth? Mujhe usse milna hai. 2 weeks ho chuka hai I can't take it anymore. Yeh sab mujhe nhi Jaan na. Kaha hai wo?" 

Narayan Murthy couldn't meet his eyes with her. They were burning like hell.

" Sorry Shahnaaz, I don't know where he is. He came to me 2 weeks ago and asked me to deliver this on this day."

Shehnaaz turned to Martin. She was on the verge of crying. She was losing everything she had. The numbers on the paper never matter to her. She wanted her Sidharth.

" Martin, tune bola dha na wo wapas aayenge. Ab yeh kya hai? Mujhe bas Mera Sidharth chahiye"

Martin left a sign and looked at Narayan Murthy.

" Is there any message or anything else? "

"No"

As Narayan Murthy left, Martin came in front of Shehnaaz who was sobbing. He held her hands tightly.

" Sana, don't worry. I promise, I will bring him in front of you"

… 

It has been 2 years since the promise was made. But they couldn't figure out anything.Shehnaaz caressed the photo in her phone. Suddenly her phone rang. An unknown number. Her heart started to beat fast. Who was it?

===================================