SAANCHI
✨

I could listen to the way he was breathing such was the silence that had embraced us at the moment. He was looking at me like he was in a state of trance. His eyes were still the most gorgeous pair of eyes I had ever seen in my life. Such innocence and purity yet that gaze which was enough to make your soul shudder.

Just when I was still admiring his eyes is when I felt a tight grip on my bare waist almost making me jump but the next second his other hand adjusted my shoulder pulling me closer to his face. I gasped at the brief gesture only for him to casually brush his hand from my left shoulder slightly to my neck.

I was loosing my breath. He was occupying me!!!

His fingers slowly touched my cheek and his index finger made its way to my chin. I parted my lips at his mere touch. He tilted his neck slightly observing my eyes...nose and finally gazing my lips. My heart was ready to launch outside.

His gaze moved back to my eyes and I noticed how his lips parted and before I knew he slightly moved a little closer and like a moth who was attracted to the flame of a burning candle...I didn't care and leaned further only for our hot breath to mix against each other.

Our foreheads rested against each other. Our noses touched. His alcoholic breath mixed with mine and within seconds I don't know how my both hands cupped his face. I could see the way his chest heaved.

My chest was also heaving...trying to gasp more air my lungs tried their level best to keep my breathing normal but who am I kidding. This man here was all driving me nuts. He was enough to drive me mad. His mere touch can make me insane. His drowsy eyes looked at me and my soft palms felt his bearded face. Thick lush beard hiding those pink luscious lips were making me breathless.

My fingers and palms grazed and ruffled through the thick beard trying to feel the skin beneath the beard and I suddenly feel yet another tight squeeze on the flesh of my waist making me gasp drawing a 'Huhhhh' from my mouth and he whispers something insane as our lips are not even a inch away from brushing each other...

'I love the way you make those sounds from your mouth baby!!! I miss you!!!' and I don't know why tears fill my eyes and I close my eyes trying to hide my tears which helplessly roll down my cheek and his left hand slowly wipes my cheeks as he continues...

'I hate to see you in tears baby!!! Dontttt! You know I love to see you smile...I...love your fragrance...Ahhhhh' saying he simply holds a bunch of my loosely falling hair down my shoulders smelling them but soon he says...

'I....like roses...but...you don't smell like your usual jasmine...I love to smell your jasmine fragrance.
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Sudha!!!' and the next second my eyes open wide and in one go I push him and stand up while he grabs me by my waist and pulls me back onto his lap and tries to pull me into his chest saying

'Dont leave me Sudha... I feel so lonely without you... where have you gone...you know it's so tough to not have you by my side... it is so difficult to convince our stubborn little Kayu that you are not here... ' he says breaking my heart into another million pieces.

'Nish...Nishch...ay...I...am not-' but he doesn't let me complete the statement and simply pulls me into a bone crushing hug squeezing me into him and I don't know what to do...

'It kills me to see our Kayu calling someone else as her mother!' he says and I can't stop my tears. It's when I feel a soft kiss on my shoulder blade. I want this yet when I know it's not mine I don't want this. It kills me to be his dummy for Sudeshna. No!!! I must stop him. But he starts to caress my hair and whisper...

'You know I don't like Saanchi being called as Kyra's mom. You are her mom but...but you know Sudha when I see Kyra on Saanchi's lap or when I see our daughter hugging Saanchi like she owns her is when I don't want to seperate them. They have a special bond Sudha and I don't know Sudha it scares me' his grip on my waist tightens as I feel his bearded face dig the space in between my neckline and shoulder. I feel him showering kisses on my neck leaving me breathless. I want push him away but he continues whispering...

'I know you can't stay here Sudha. You come to me and leave by the time I sober down. For the world it's alcohol but only I know it's my way of meeting you every night. Don't go Sudha. I don't mind drowning in alcohol but don't leave me. I need you. Kyra needs you. Kyra found her mumma in Saanchi but where will I find you...I need you baby...don't go...Every body is going away from me..just when I found my best friend back again...looks like she also has to leave...everyone leaves me alone...Not just Kyra even I need some love...I need l....ahhh..' his voice fades as he slowly incoherently continues to mumble something inaudible and then goes silent. I slowly try to move him out of my embrace and look at his face. He had passed out. I slowly make him lie down on the recliner and take a look at his tired face.

Those dark circles, that tired face, those ruffled hair, that thick beard...He looked like a weak man. I couldn't help but move my fingers through his hair and slowly massaged his head and temple and I could hear him groan and the next second he grabbed my left arm suddenly close to his chest.

I try to get rid of it but his grip is so tight that I try my level best to get rid of it but everytime I try to move a little he whispers...

'Dont leave me alone....' and my heart weakens. I can't leave him like this. I slowly continue to caress his hair I don't know for how long and I don't even realise when my eyes shut close.

✨

'Good morning Mummaaaa...Rise and Shine!!!' I hear Kyra's sweet voice and I smile as it's a such a sweet dream. Slowly I feel a kiss on my cheek and I cuddle my pillow a little more. I am addicted to this kid.

'Wakie wakie Mumma!!!' I hear as I feel her soft palms on my cheeks and I smile again but when even after a few more minutes I still feel her palms is when I slowly open my eyes to find Kyra sitting infront of me in a white frock holding her minion toy. She bends to my face and kisses my nose saying 'My Mumma beautifulest!!!' and I rub my eyes trying to correct her

'There is no beautifulest baby! It's only beautiful! Mumma is beauti-' freaking that's when I recall the last night's incidents how I was sitting on Nishchay's lap in his balcony, how he hugged me, how he kis-'

'Good morning Saanchi!!!' I hear a voice and I see Nishchay in the room with a breakfast tray and in one go I sit up straight trying to analyse where I was...

I look around...I look at my clothes which was still yesterday's saree and slowly I absorb the fact that I'm in the other bedroom of his house. It's probably a guest room.

'Here...your coffee!!!' he says and I try to sit straight but my left arm hurts a lot. I croak and whine when Nishchay passes me a cup of coffee and he passes Kyra a glass of milk. She makes a face but Nishchay glares at her and she pouts but slowly mouths the glass to slowly sip it. My mind is all over the place. Was I sleeping on his lap the entire night? He woke up first and if I'm in this room Nishchay probably carried me here..

Holy crap...how am I going to face him...but my thoughts were interrupted as he pushed a bowl full of corn flakes towards me.

'I can't...I didn't brush my teeth!!!' I try to refuse

To which he chuckles saying...
'Says the one who at times went to college without brushing!!! Who will say you are a doctor!!!' and my eyes widen but before I revolt Kyra beats me into it asking

'Mummma...you don't brush your teeth? You know Pa says if we don't brush our teeth germs will eat our teeth and we will also have to use toy teeth like Iyer Daadi (grandmother) does!!! Chiiii ' and my eyes widen as I say...

'Kyra!!! You don't speak about elders like that sweetheart. Bad manners!!!' and she pouts saying 'Sorry Mumma' and I smile while I see a thick white moustache of milk on her upper lip and I slowly pull her closer and wipe her mouth with my hands.

'Kyra had a mushie mushie!!!' I say and she giggles asking 'Just like Pa?' and I nod and she giggles more. I notice Nishchay's gaze on both of us. His smiling face was long gone and he looked lost. I looked elsewhere and took a sip of the coffee and I was impressed.

'Coffee is excellent!!!' I say and like he was out of trance he nods with a hesitant smile. Just that minute Nishchay's phone rings and he sees and mutters 'Mumma?' and I'm surprised.

He picks the phone call and walks towards the balcony. I feed Kyra a few slices of bread and suddenly Nishchay comes back saying

'Kayu...Gammy on the call...wanna talk?' he asks and the little bud jumps down as I shriek 'Kyra!!!' and in one go she runs to the living room with his mobile.

I simply sip the coffee and then I say
'Glad to know things are sorted between you and your parents...'

'Its Sudeshna's mom!!!' he says without any expression and I don't know what to say.

'I...I hope Kyra doesn't tell anything about me to-'

'I already told her and she is much more understanding. Infact she is coming this weekend. She will probably stay for a few days. Soon Kyra will forget you!!!' he says and the last line widens my eyes

'Forget me??? I don't have an issue with Kyra Nishchay...it's...you... who has-'

'Yes!!! I do have issues with it Saanchi. Look...Kyra is a kid...she asks for toys I get them all but she should also learn she can't get a few things... like...a mother!!! And...I think you must rather than for giving fake hopes to my daughter start living your life....'

And I don't know why I clench the coffee cup. He is right but the thought of being away from Kyra makes me upset...angry. But suddenly he says

'Your hand...I mean...looks like I was drunk and I held your hand a little tightly...I....am sorry for last night...I was a tad bit heavily drunk and I...' he tries to gather words when I say

'Its...it's ok!!! And thanks for carrying me to this room. Sorry for bothering you!!! I just came to give you food' I tried to explain to which he smiles saying

'And you landed on my lap!' and my eyes widen as I see a teasing smile on his lips.

Oh God!!! Is he planning to kill me? What's with that smile! Damn!!!

'You were the one who pulled me into your lap!' I say trying to prove my point and he rolls his eyes saying

'Yeah yeah!!! And like in those bollywood movies I must have kissed you under the moonlight...give me a break Dr Saanchi it was a Diwali night which means no moon so no romance...saaaad!!! Unfortunately no SRK Kajol moment...awwwww' he says and I throw a pillow at him to which he chuckles.

Only if he knew what he did last night. I try to take a bite of the bread when he stands up and wears his blazer saying

'Ok...I am getting back to work. Please take Kayu to Riya aunty. She already called me thrice from morning. Looks like I must start paying my boss for baby sitting my child!!!' he says and I chuckle saying

'Pacchi loves her!!!' to which he corrects his collar and says something insane

'Well that's because she doesn't have her own grandchild to play with...I have no hopes from Sachin but you definitely can...and looks like they have found you that Douchebag already!!! Nice!!! Go marry and make babies!!!' he says making me spit out the coffee

'Yyyyou are saying this??? That too about Jassi?' to which he doesn't even turn around and says

'Wellll...he seemed smitten by you...he is rich... succesfull...good looking for girls who can't see properly...you anyways have a 2.5 power so yeah you will definitely find him good looking and... he's experienced too ..you definitely need someone experienced after all you maybe a gynaecologist but you are in negative integers when it comes to sex!!!' he says and I frown.

'You are trying to say my sex life sucks???' I ask angrily to which he smirks saying

'Wellll not really! I rather comment on things that exist! Your sex life doesn't exist!!! And his probably never ended!!! So you know you both are perfect for each other. Filling up each other's gaps!!!' he says and this time I pick the alarm clock from the side table and throw at him only for him to catch it but next he runs from there...

'Come back here you stupid Mehra!!! I'm gonna kill you...I have had sex... loads and loads of sex!!!' I scream and when he doesn't stop I pick a pillow and run behind him to beat the shit out of him. He runs outside the room and I follow him and that's when I slip upon my saree fleets and just when I was about to fall I feel two hands on my waist and I'm pulled into a hard chest and I instantly know who it is...

'You ok??? Where did you donate your eyes???' he says but I'm still affected by his big hand touching my bare waist and that's when we hear a couple of voices...

'Nishchay??? Saanchi??? Mumma!!!'

And we turn around to see Kyra along with Riya Pacchi and a lady in her late 60's. I wonder who she was but that's when Nishchay's grip on my waist loosens and he says

'Mumma???' and I'm shocked.

They however look amused looking at us.
Damn it!!! I hate sarees!!!