Restart - It's A Pause Not A Full Stop!! ✅

Part 1: The Shelter!!

Habits die hard, so I nodded my head yet again to a stranger whom I don't even know by name, no questions asked and no doubts raised about her authenticity.

The creases of the tension on her forehead reduced drastically with just me nodding.

"Okay, come with me", I said

I started walking and she started following me with her big blue trolley bag. I opened the trunk of my car while she waited for me to do so. She was about to lift the bag.

"Wait, I'll do it", I said showing her my palm. She took a step back and I picked up the trolley bag and placed it into my car trunk. I opened the other side of the front door and she nodded her head and occupied the seat. Soon, I started driving the car home.

She looked out of the window in silence as I drove. Probably she was still experiencing a tsunami of emotions within.

I hit the brake infront of my house, got down from the car while the engine was still on and opened the gate. I then parked the car securely inside.

"We've reached!", I said to her.

She nodded and got down the car. I opened the car trunk and pulled out her bag and kept it down. She held the handle and waited for me to give instructions. I closed the truck and found my neighbour who was staring me from the other side of the fence. She gave me an artificial smile as usual while running her x-ray scanner eyes on the lady with me. I smiled back and made my way to the main door of the house. The lady followed me silently.

Running my hands into my pocket, I pulled out the keys and unlocked the door. I stepped in and took few steps but didn't hear anything from behind. When I looked back, I saw her still standing outside. Her hands which grabbed the bag's handle were fidgeting due to nervousness and her eyes glued to the floor.

"I am sorry. I understood your concern. I stay alone in this house. I trust myself but I can't tell you to trust me as a stranger. Because it's left upto you if you want to trust me or not.", I said looking at her.

She nodded her head from left to right while she looked at me and walked inside the house with her bag.

"Come", I said as I made my way towards the other room.

"You can stay in this room for as long as you wish.", I said to her pointing my hand at the room.

While she looked around the room, I turned to leave.

"Thank you.", she said. The second short sentence I heard from her mouth after the first, 'I need shelter'. I tuned my head and nodded it again.

"I am making some tea for myself. Would you like to have some?", I asked her and she nodded yes.

"The dinning hall is towards the right, come out after 5 minutes.", I said to her and she nodded again. I smiled thinking probably the nodding of head is contagious.

I walked into the kitchen and kept the tea decoction to boil, crushed some ginger and dropped it in along with 2 cardamom pods. The aroma from the boiling decoction was filled around the entire kitchen. I poured some milk into it and simmered it for few seconds until I poured it into the cup using a strainer.

She could be hungry, I thought. so I kept few pieces of rusk into the little saucer and went to the dinning room with the tray. She was already seated on the chair. I placed a tray on the table.

"I got some rusk as well. You may have it along with the tea.", I said picking up my tea cup.

She nodded her head and picked up her cup and sipped the tea from the cup. She glanced at me biting her lips. Probably she didn't like the tea, I thought.

"You didn't like the tea, right?" I asked her.

"It's one of the best I've ever had.", She said.

"Oh! Thank you.", I said with a smile.

"Thank you for everything, Sir.", She said.

"Sidharth. You can call me Sidharth", I said

"But Sir..", she said.

"Don't fall into formality. Sidharth is just fine.", I said.

"Sana Bh..", she bit her lips and paused abruptly.

"It's okay. Sana is just fine for my knowledge.", I said to her, having noticed how painfully it was for her to give out her second name.

"When people don't let their house on rent without an identity card or deposit money, how could you allow me to stay in your house even without asking me my name?", She asked me.

"Perhaps, because I don't fear of losing anything in my life at this stage.", I said with a smile.

She smiled and looked at the big photo frame on the wall.

"That's me and my son, Shreyas, when he was 12 year old.", I said looking at the picture.

"Hmmm.. you said you stay alone. Where is your son and your wife?", She asked.

I smiled as I didn't know who should I refer to as my wife? The one who gave birth to Shreyas or the who gave me the divorce. Both are non-existent in my life.

"I was a single parent until the little birdie I fed grew strong wings to fly out of the nest.", I said.

She fell quiet and lost in her thoughts. Looks like I reminded her of something which made her feel sad.

I noticed that her saucer which had rusk in it was now empty. She must have been very hungry. My heart wrenched thinking about her condition though I still didn't know the story behind her being homeless.

"Sana, what would you prefer to have for dinner?", I asked.

"Huh? I.. I am sorry! Your hospitality towards a stranger like me, makes me feel mortified. But I mustn't forget that beggars are not choosers.", She said.

"Nobody chooses to be a beggar. They are forced into it. Why do we have to think of money everytime? I am standing at that stage where money doesn't matter anymore. For that matter, I don't even know what do I want? I was always controlled by someone or the other in my life so much so that I feel like a robot now.", I smiled.

"And I always kept the control of my life to myself until I realised I lost everything. Rebels choose their own death.", She said in a depressed tone.

"Don't mind me asking but how old are you Sana?", I asked.

"24", She said.

"You are exactly half my age but you sound double depressing then me.", I said.

"Do I? I do!! But I wasn't. I am sorry.", She said.

"Would you like to help me in cooking dinner?", I asked.

"Sure! But I can only cook vegetarian.", She said.

"Even more better because I only eat vegetarian.", I said.

I didn't expect but she giggled at that sentence and I found myself smiling looking at her do so.

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To be continued.. ❤️❤️