13
"Passe une bonne nuit. Je pars." Shahwar slid her small bag on her shoulder as she sent her final goodbye to the chef before she walked out of the cafe.
(Have a good night. I'm heading out.)
The car was already waiting for her as always, it never left throughout the time she'd be at work.
She got inside and smiled at the driver who never really spoke much except for passing short nods at her in acknowledgment of her presence.
It had been almost a month since she'd been hired at the cafe and coming to work six and seven days on alternate weeks.
She wholeheartedly enjoyed working there.
Rehaan had been continuing with his life the same way as it was, going to work and coming back in the night for dinner when the two of them would see each other for lesser than an hour and go to sleep later with their backs towards each other.
Shahwar's shift usually was from ten o clock in the morning till seven o clock in the evening.
The only times she'd be late would be whenever it was too crowded and she'd get off around nine in the night.
She occasionally made breakfast at her place which Rehaan didn't seemed to notice according to her and always ate in silence before he left for work.
Her stepmother hadn't called after the two times from the first week of her marriage.
She did feel like the loss was unbearable at times but there wasn't anything she could do.
If things had to be fixed then she wanted her father to try from his end.
She'd given up on a lot to do what he had wanted her to without causing him any trouble.
The car reached the house in fifteen minutes, she got out and went inside.
Isabel came to greet her as usual and then she added something unusual to her statement.
She said there was a female guest at the house who had been waiting for her and Rehaan.
Shahwar hadn't been expecting anyone, nor Rehaan had mentioned any guest to her.
She thought the guest would be in the fancy parlor for guests of the house but she was told that the guest was in their lounging area. She went towards the lounge and saw the familiar face who stood up from the sofa and plunged over her with a hug.
"Hey bhabhi!" It was Iraj. Rehaan's sister. "I thought of surprising you two." She broke the hug and looked at Shahwar biting her lip. "I hope you're not mad that I came without telling you guys."
"Of course not." Shahwar smiled. Why would she be upset at his sister?
"Let's see what my villainous brother has to say about it now." She sighed as if she knew what he'd say.
"Come. I wanted to spend some time with you." She held Shahwar's hand and took her to sit on the sofa.
Shahwar didn't even know what to say. "I hope you're not very tired after the flight?"
"Oh I'm just fine." Iraj smiled. "Uh, I think you just came from somewhere, you look a bit tired."
"Oh uhm no I'm fine." She was tired, but she didn't want to make Iraj feel uncomfortable.
"Bhabhi. Now I'm actually feeling uncomfortable, you can just first go and change at least." Iraj looked down at the table feeling ashamed of herself.
"If you're so uncomfortable then why did you show up here uninformed." Rehaan stood opposite to them entering the lounge.
Shahwar gaped at him with widened eyes at his words.
"Hello to you mister badtameez." Iraj snapped at him.
"Right back at you badlehaaz." He stepped forward towards them.
"Shahwar, go and change. It's almost dinner time." His eyes gestured her to move out of there and leave the siblings alone. She passed a small smile at Iraj and then left feeling weird now. But she was a little relieved to get out of her clothes and put on her comfy shorts.
Downstairs in the living room Rehaan was being held for an inquiry rather than his sister who had appeared into the house all of a sudden.
"I found out that Dur e Shahwar bhabhi was hospitalized, after the party at the Moret-sur-Loing country house." Iraj gave him a disappointed look.
Rehaan exhaled. "Yeah, well you spy too much on me." He shook his head, "You really need to stop doing that Iraj." He knew that someone from the house help must've told his family about it.
"It was right after two days of your wedding Rehaan bhai! How could you keep this from us? Mom was the one who wanted to come here but I stopped her knowing that bhabhi would feel more conscious about her presence." She looked at him with disbelief.
"I can take care of my wife, I don't think I am answerable to anyone about the privacy of my marriage Iraj." He knew she was right but he didn't want to admit it.
"I do respect the privacy. We all do. Mom, baba and I. You know it. We just don't want her to feel like she's an unimportant person in our family who can suffer and no one will come to check up on her." She folded her hands on her chest.
"We're doing just fine. Both of us." He replied curtly.
"I know my brother. I know he'd never do anything irresponsible. You've never been like that ever bhai. Which is why we're so content on how you're going ahead with your relationship. And I'm sorry but we were just concerned." Her voice seemed to sound down now.
Rehaan patted her head and she immediately hugged him. "You didn't even send us any pictures of the two of you all this time." She complained pulling away.
"Let's go for dinner." He started walking towards the dining area near the kitchen.
Shahwar joined them at the table ten minutes later and started eating out of starvation from the tiring day.
"So bhabhi where did you guys go for honeymoon?" The food from Shahwar's mouth that was filled from both sides of her cheeks froze in its entirety and she looked at Rehaan with her big eyes.
"We are still in our honeymoon phase Iraj." Rehaan avoided his wife's adorable face and continued eating.
"Uh, it's been a month so I thought—" Iraj was cut off.
"A month isn't enough for the two of us, it was barely even measurable. You're being such an intrusion to our nights now." He gave a heart throbbing smile to Shahwar and she just sat widening her eyes without swallowing her food. Iraj cleared her throat a little and looked away.
"Oh uhm, well, I just will be around for a few days maybe." Iraj started to explain. Shahwar finally gulped her food down.
"That's fine, I'd just say that don't go around the house at different times, especially the nights and early mornings, we're not used to having someone here other than the two of us, I don't want to make things awkward for you during a newly wedded couple's action hours.
" Shahwar was about spit her food out at her husband's description but her subconscious mind knew that it would be the most embarrassing moment to let it happen and she just swallowed having a hard time breathing.
"Um, don't worry. I'll be in my room." Iraj managed to say and then just stayed quiet not wanting to hear more from her brother.
Shahwar's face was more of a reflection of the vegetable called tomato at the moment. Whilst Rehaan was comfortably finishing his food unbothered.
"Sweetheart, are you done with your food or do you want me to help you?" His voice had been too intensely soft that she'd never heard him use before.
Shahwar had no words to speak. What the heck was happening right now?
"Help?" She said but her heart trembled.
"I'd rather not demonstrate in front of my sister." She was going to choke now. She knew it. Her husband had lost his mind.
Iraj wanted to hide her face. "I'm going to one of the spare rooms, on the ground floor. I'm done with my dinner." She stood up but before she could walk Rehaan also set his fork on the plate and got up.
"I'm going for a shower. Come upstairs as soon as possible sweetheart." He left before Iraj and Shahwar could even get back to function properly.
"Bhabhi, please don't feel uneasy because of me, I'll barely be visible." She hurried off and Shahwar sat glued on her chair.
Her husband hadn't really been kidnapped and was being replaced by an imposter right?
??