THE LOVE WE NEVER SOUGHT- Prologue Part 2

 

SAME DAY

 “Pankti uttho mujhe shop ke liye der ho rahi hai, jaldi se mera nashta tyaar kar do! Tum soi padi ho aur Maa wahan kitchen mai lagi hai, accha lagta hai kya? Kab samhjogi tum, ki shaadi ke baad ghar sambhalna bahu ka kaam hota hai naa ki saas ka?” A familiar grating male voice pierced through Pankti’s ears.

“Aur meri blue pant kahan hai? Pure din ghar mai rehti ho, pata nahi kya karti ho! Koi cheez time par nahi milti.” The voice now had a mix of complaint and irritation written all over it.

A restrained “Meow” jolted Pankti from her familiar dream just as she was about to respond. She opened her eyes and found her pet cat Furry on top of her, gently pawing her arm. This was the umpteenth time she had seen the same dream, so much so forth that the male voice in the dream had become a part of her life now.

‘Thank God! It was the same silly dream!’ Pankti murmured as she softly petted her cat and sat on her bed. Her clothes were all soaked up with sweat despite the air conditioner running in her bedroom. ‘Pata nahi kaise aur kuo jhelti hain typical housewives ye sab! Mere bus ki to nahi hai.’ She spoke to herself.

 “Yay! It’s a Sunday…” Pankti exclaimed loudly with a smile, raising her arms in the air with excitement as she entered the kitchen. It was time to relax after a gruelling week at work.

 ‘Meow’ Furry made a sound again as she came running after her in the kitchen.

“Haan haan…de rahi hun dudh tujhe bhi. Zara si der kya ho jaye tu bhi typical husbands ki tarah gussa hone lagti hai.” Pankti said as she opened the refrigerator to retrieve the milk pot out.

After rummaging through the utensils in the fridge, she looked around and found the milk pot on the kitchen slab right beside the burner.            

“Shit! Doodh to bahar hi reh gaya raat mai.” Pankti hit her forehead in frustration. When she opened the lid, she discovered that the milk had turned to curd overnight.

Pankti had planned to spend a relaxing morning with her favourite author Rachit’s latest novel, and a cup of cardamom tea by the window side, but all her plans have been dashed because of this minor lapse of mind. 

In an attempt to get a packet of milk delivered urgently, she called up the Society Kirana Store, but the store owner conveniently told her that he was unable to do so at the time citing rush hour.

10 minutes later, she came down fuming from her 17^th-floor rented flat of Stellar County Society in Greater Noida West. “Kya Sharmaji ek doodh ka packet nahi bhijwa sake aap!” Pankti said sarcastically as she picked up the milk packet and came to the counter to make the payment.

“Panktiji… aapko pata hai na aaj Sunday hai… aur Sunday ki subah sans lene ki fursat nahi hoti hai aur sare ladke deliveries mai engage hote hain. Aap kabhi kabhi aa jaya kariye khud bhi saaman lene. Wo kya hai na isi bahane aapse mulakaat bhi ho jaati hai.” He said with an ear-to-ear smile, showing off his yellow teeth as he returned her the balance change. Pankti couldn’t miss the lecherous look in his eyes which were scanning her ample bosom without a blink.

“Bastard!” Pankti mumbled as she came out of the store with the milk packet in hand.

As soon as she turned towards her tower, she felt a bit dizzy. Before she could comprehend what was happening to her, the ground beneath her feet trembled hard, making her lose her balance, resulting in crashing into a man.

THE LOVE WE NEVER SOUGHT- Prologue Part 1

 

SUNDAY 11 A.M…

“Tyagiji…flat to pasand aya mujhe par rent bahut zyada hai. Aap dekho kutch gunjaish ho.” Anirudh told the broker after taking a good long look at the one BHK society flat in Greater Noida West.

He was desperately seeking a rental apartment because his existing flat owner in Noida had served him two-months notice, as he intended to renovate it before moving in with his family. This was the third flat, Anirudh was visiting this week.

“Anirudhji aisi posh society mai isse kam mai apko flat pure Noida Extension mai nahi milega. Jo bhi best ho sakta tha maine kar diya hai.” Broker said as he lit a cigarette after offering one to Anirudh, who declined.

“To thik hai fir…hum chalte hain…Chalo Kabir!” Anirudh declared as he called up his eleven-years-old son who came running from the balcony. Together, they turned to exit the flat.

“Are rukiye to sahi Anirudhji…aap to ekdum se chal diye.” Broker called from behind.

“To aur kya karun Tyagiji…aap flat dilwane ke mood mai lag nahi rahe. Dedh mahina hone ko aya but aap mere budget mai ek property nahi dikha paye.” Anirudh turned to face the flat’s entrance and complained. He felt more anxious than annoyed but chose to act otherwise.

“Dekhiye Anirudhji ek to aapka budget kam hai us par aap thehre ek single parent. RWA wale aitraaz karte hain. Ab unko samjhana bhi to mera headache hai.” The broker tried to justify.

“Kya bachkani baat kar rahe hain Tyagiji…bachelors ko flat lene mai dikkat hoti hai suna tha par ye single parent ko bhi flat rent par lene mai problem hoti hai pehli baar sun raha hun.”

“Aap samajh nahi rahe Anirudhji…unke liye bachelors aur single parent ek jaise hain.”

“To iska matlab hai jo families yahan reh rahi hain unmai se kal ko kisi ka divorce ho jaye ya unmai se ek partner ki death ho jaye to RWA unko society se nikaal dega?” Anirudh was infuriated. He could never accept nonsensical argument.

The broker was now at a loss of words and was looking here and there.

“Chalo Kabir!” Anirudh took a deep breath, grabbed his son’s hand, walked towards the lift and pressed the down button. Worry lines were making inroads on his face.

“Mai batata hun Anirudhji aapko sham tak…” The broker’s voice trailed as the lift door closed on the 18^th floor.

 “Papa wo uncle hame flat kuo nahi de rahe. Mujhe to bahut pasand aya ye wala flat…kitna mast view tha balcony se! Aisa lag raha tha mano aasmaan mai udd raha hun mai bilkul birds ki tarah.” Kabir asked with all naivety. He had never visited a high rise before.

“Dekhte hain beta…uncle sham tak batayenge.” Anirudh spoke, combing Kabir’s unruly hair with his fingers.

As the lift door opened at the ground floor lobby, Kabir dashed out of the tower, his arms spread like a bird.

 Before Anirudh could warn him to be careful, the earth shook violently below them, causing Kabir to lose his balance. In his rush to save him, Anirudh collided with a woman who had also lost her balance because of the tremor.

THE LOVE WE NEVER SOUGHT- The Blurb reveal

 

                     

Sometimes love need a second chance

because it wasn’t fulfilled the first time around…

 

Anirudh, a devoted single father, is navigating the challenges of parenthood with his spirited young son, Kabir, when fate introduces him to Pankti, an enchanting woman with a whimsical spirit and a mischievous pet cat named Furry.

As their connection deepens and their romance blossoms, a shadow looms over their happiness: a relentless and dangerous killer determined to sabotage the love they never sought.

With passion intertwined with danger, this gripping tale explores the depths of love and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Will Anirudh and Pankti's love story defy all odds, or will the sinister forces working against them prevail? A riveting blend of thrill and romance, "The Love We Never Sought" will keep you on the edge of your seats until the very end.

 

OPPOSITES ATTRACT…

BUT LIKE MINDED LAST.