Beyond Love: The beginning

10. The Secret Tribe of Awadhi

"I was the centre of his world," Dhwani began apprehensively.

Her speech resonated crushing anguish that she had harbored for so many months.

"I was on top of the clouds because I considered myself the luckiest person on this earth. Vineet was everything a girl would want in her life partner. He was utterly kind, inhumanly compassionate, empathetic, and exceptionally understanding."

Dhwani curled her fists as immeasurable tension swamped her features.

Khushi too remembered Vineet jiju as the perfect husband for Dhwani. Furthermore, he had been like an older brother to Khushi and Meera. They had experienced the delight of tying the only rakhi to him.

After which, he was never seen again.

Until that horrendous day at the forest a few days back.

An untimely knock on the door threw both of them in surprise. Dhwani shook her head, trying to get a grip and rose from her chair.

"I will go check," she muttered as she trudged back inside the room to attend the door.

Khushi frowned in dismay.

Dhwani had just started to open up after months of rigid silence. The untoward interruption might throw her off track. Moreover, she couldn't think of anybody in the early hours of the morning. She poured some tea from the flask into her ceramic cup while she waited impatiently for Dhwani to return.

After a while, Dhwani sauntered to the balcony with a profoundly annoying personality.

"You?" Khushi gazed at Shaurya with turbulent black eyes.

He was dressed in a dark blue tee shirt and an unusually large pajama. His massive hairy hands were tucked forcefully in the pockets of his pajama as he strolled behind Dhwani.

"He was questioning me about the forest as well, so I invited him to join us."

Shaurya headed towards her amused.

Khushi certainly didn't like the idea.

"Why do you want to share a personal part of your life with a stranger?" she asked cuttingly, her fingers gripping the teacup a bit too tightly.

"Shaurya isn't a stranger Khushi," Dhwani defended and tossed him a grateful look.

He grinned to Khushi's utmost annoyance.

"He saved your life while you were trapped in that trench. He deserves to know a few things," Dhwani said bluntly, and signalled Shaurya to take a seat.

Khushi mentally appreciated the help from Shaurya on that fateful day. But his egoistic attitude and bothersome arrogance infuriated her immensely forbidding her to acknowledge his help.

Shaurya pulled out a chair beside Khushi.

"I was just starting," Dhwani said.

"I didn't mean to intrude," Shaurya spoke politely. "If you feel uncomfortable at any moment, you can ask me to walk out."

A pained smile curled over Dhwani's lips.

"No, it's fine, I really want to get this out of my system. The more the better. But," her eyes pinned to Shaurya's as she spoke firmly,

"I have a few questions of my own. I will expect you to answer truthfully."

"I will to the best of my ability," Shaurya affirmed.

Khushi stared from one to the other. There was definitely something else going on. They both certainly knew much more than she did.

"Vineet and I were married for a year," Dhwani started, "It was an arranged marriage but was indefinably perfect. We were extremely fond of travelling, and fascinated about visiting new places. In merely a year, we had trekked to various hilltops, camped amidst treacherous wildlife, and spent many nights gazing at the moonlight by the beach sides."