Warm evening and we are here with the 15th episode of the story Disguised...
Click here to read 14th episode...
Episode15:
THUD...
THUD...
THUD...
Rapid banging on the door woke up the couple
from their deep sleep. Sukruthi responded to it, recovering from drowsiness.
“What’s it?”
Hearing her voice, the lady on the other side of
the door stood awed. She wasn’t expecting Sukruthi in that place. As if to
confirm, she asked in a low tone,
“Laila, is that you?!”
“Yeah. Give me ten minutes”
“Sure... Sure, take your time”
Sukruthi got up from the bed and started
searching her cloths. She noticed, Sandesh had woken up and was looking at her
deeply. Moving her eyes away, Sukruthi asked,
“What are you looking at?”
Sandesh smiled at her and responded to her
question in just one word, “Nothing” and continued to look at her. She remained
silent. After dressing up, she sat on the bed and asked him hesitatingly,
“Do you still want to free me from this place?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, things might be clear to you now. That
it was just a mere attraction. Nothing much”
Saying this, Sukruthi turned her face away from
Sandesh, afraid that he might read her thoughts.
“Yes. Many things are clear to me now”
He paused, got up from the bed, came close to
her and whispered in her ears,
“Now I know that you love me too”
Surprised Sukruthi turned to Sandesh. Her eyes
were filled with feelings she was struggling to express. Gaining control over
her emotions, she shook her head.
“No... I don’t... I don’t love you...”
“You can deny it. But, I’ve seen it in your
eyes”
She covered her face with her both hands and let
loose few drops of tears, shouting,
“I don’t love you”
“If you don’t love me, then why did you do it?
Why did you share that jewel you treasured all these years?”
“I thought I could change your thoughts after
this. And, I could free you from my thoughts”
“How many men had come to you with such
feelings? And, how many have you freed by giving yourself in?”
Sukruthi was silent.
“You did it because you care for me”
“Caring and loving is not the same thing”
“But, caring is a form of expressing love. And,
I know you love me with all your heart. I just know it. What I don’t know is
the reason you are hiding it from me”
Silence again.
“Say it. Just say it”
Sukruthi shout out, “Because I’m not worth your
love”
Letting out a deep breath, she continued,
“A person of your heart should not just accept
and suffer with a low life like me. You deserve a better life”
“Why are you jumping directly to the conclusion?
Who told you that I won’t be happy with you? I’m dying to live a single second
with you. Why can’t you see that?”
“I know how much you love me. I also know that
you will do anything to keep me happy”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid of this society. They surely won’t
accept me. And, when you choose to live with me, they might cast you out as
well”
“So what? Why should we even care?”
“We should care”
“Sukruthi, people talk. That’s what they do. If
you keep smiling, they will say you are a lunatic. If you remain serious, they
will label you as sadist. Why worry about others when we can live happily
forever? Our world is what we create. We have the power of choice to add others
in it. I can keep just you in my whole world”
He lifted her face slowly, held her hands and
continued,
“I can fight the whole world for you, Sukruthi.
Even when I know that I can’t fight them all, I would die trying. All I need is
you, by my side”
“Why do you love me so much?”
“Because, you are the one who showed me what
true love is. I’m just trying to save it for the rest of my life. So, will you
marry me?”
There was a long lasting silence. After
sometime, breaking the moment of silence, Sukruthi said,
“I will”
* * * *
Sandesh had managed to
accumulate ten lakh rupees in two days. He had taken out all his savings and
had borrowed some from his friends. He even had to sell his bike to adjust the
money. At the end of the day, he was all set to accomplish his goal; to free
Sukruthi. The very next day, Sukruthi had arranged a meeting with her employer
to talk about her freedom. Sandesh carried a bag full of money. They were
sitting in the office of the pub; Sandesh, Sukruthi, the manager and the
employer. Sandesh placed the bag in front of him and spoke,
“Here’s your money. Let
her go”
The employer leaned
forward, keeping his hands on the table, he expressed his curiosity,
“I’m curious. Is she
worth so much money? We will be dumping her in another five to six years. I
don’t see any profit in your investment”
“A person who plays with
others lives doesn’t understand it”
“Enlighten me! The
person who tries to free a girl from these places is either the one who wants
to open similar place keeping her experience in hand or a pimp who provides
others what they desire. Considering her age, only a fool can invest on her.
But, you don’t look like a fool. You neither look like a competitor. Who are
you?”
“It’s none of your
concern. We have done our end of the bargain. You do yours”
“Very well”
He took the money and
handed it to the manager, who scanned it carefully and nodded in agreement that
everything is in order. The employer then handed over the contract papers to
Sandesh.
“This is it?”
“Not quite. Wait for
sometime till we retrieve something of ours from her body”
It took time for Sandesh
to realise that he was talking about the GPS device.
“It was nice doing
business with you”, saying this, the employer got up, stretching his hand
forward for a shake. Sandesh stared at it. He didn’t want to do the manners. He
got up keeping the employer waiting. He then took the contract paper in his
hand, tore it in half and threw it to the dust bin.
* * * *
Sandesh was waiting outside
a small chamber where a minor surgery was being conducted to retrieve the
device from Sukruthi. After several minutes, Sukruthi came out with a mid-aged
man wearing white apron.
“Have a good day,
Laila”, said the doctor.
“Her name is, Sukruthi”
Sandesh responded firmly.
He held her by her
shoulder and walked her out protectively through the front door of the pub.
Sukruthi looked up at the clear sky and let out a deep sigh of relief. She then
turned to Sandesh,
“Now what?”
Sandesh smiled at her,
held her close and replied,
“Now we go home”
* * * *
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