Whispered Promises [COMPLETED]

Shot 3

A couple of days later, Parth spotted Vani walking in the direction of the market, carrying a huge bundle.

"Vani," he called out and hurried towards her and she stopped on her tracks seeing him approaching her.

"Yes?" She asked in an attitude. She was still miffed with him for the way he shouted at her that day.

"I wanted to apologise, Vani," he said apologetically.

"For what?" Vani asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For shouting at you that day. I shouldn't have, I am sorry," he said earnestly.

"Hmmm. It's okay," Vani said magnanimously and Parth couldn't help but chuckle at the expression on her face. As if she was doing him a favour by accepting his apology.

"But what you did was not right, Vani," Parth added, making Vani frown.

"What?" Vani asked in confusion.

"It is very dangerous. You could choke on it, Vani. Have you ever wondered about that?" Parth asked seriously.

"I won't. I have been doing it for years," Vani argued.

"Okay. Maybe you won't. But what if some kids try to copy what you do? You shouldn't set bad examples for children." Parth said and Vani looked at him thoughtfully.

"I didn't think that way." Vani mumbled softly.

"It's okay. Try to refrain yourselves from doing such stunts again," Parth said and Vani nodded reluctantly.

"Are you going to the market?" Parth asked, looking at the bundle in her hand.

"Yes. I have to deliver the chunris," Vani said, raising the small bundle in her arms.

"Give me. I will carry it," Parth asked, trying to take the bundle from Vani.

"No need, Parth ji. I am not a damsel in distress. I am an independent woman and I don't like depending on others for any sort of work," Vani said, raising her chin defiantly and she looked darn cute like that.

"Consider this my way of apologising," Parth said with a charming smile.

"No. You already apologised and I accepted it. So that is over," Vani said stubbornly.

Parth sighed in defeat.

"Okay," Parth said, realising that she isn't going to change her decision.

"Give me your phone number, Parth ji," Vani asked, taking out her phone to save his contacts.

"Uh. I don't have a phone, Vani." Parth mumbled gently.

"Oh. You lost it?" Vani asked in a disappointed tone.

"Yeah. Kind of," Parth said vaguely, not letting the beans spill.

"Why don't you get a new one? Come with me to the market. There is a mobile phone shop there. You can buy a new one from there." Vani said excitedly.

"Uh no. It's okay Vani," Parth said with a hesitant smile.

"Are you short of cash, Parthji?" Vani asked softly and Parth's eyes widened in surprise.

How did she guess?

"It's okay. I understand. I bought this one by saving up for over a year." Vani said, waving her smart phone in front of her.

Parth felt guilty.

It's not that he didn't have money. He didn't have cash with him. If he used his debit cards, Kabir would trace him with that. He knows his brother well. And he is only earning meagre amounts through the art classes he takes here in the village. But he is quite happy with this life. The millions at his feet back in Mumbai didn't bring him any happiness. But the daily wages and the simple life here is giving him that.

Far far different from the luxurious life of a Malhotra. But far far peaceful compared to it.

****

"Parth ji. Here. Take this," Vani said, forwarding a base model phone towards him the next day when she met him.

"Vani? What's the need for this? You keep it with you itself. I don't want this." Parth said, shaking his head in denial.

Vani rolled her eyes.

"Living without a phone is impossible in this generation, Parthji. Whether you have enough food or water, a mobile phone is a necessity now." Vani said.

"I survived for the last couple of weeks without this mobile phone." Parth pointed out.

"Just take it. What if there is any emergency? How do you get in touch with your family?" Vani asked, with her hands on her hips.

Parth looked away, when he thought about his family.

He wondered how his mother and brothers were doing without him.

"There's no one I need to get in touch with, Vani," he said softly.

'Hey lord!! He is an orphan? How insensitive of me!' Vani thought to herself sympathetically.

"Uh sorry, Parthji" Vani mumbled softly.

"Thank you for offering, Vani," Parth said, feeling guilty for hiding his identity like this.

"What's that?" He asked, pointing at the parcel she had with her. It looked like a tiffin box inside the package.

"I made aloo paratta. I brought some for you," Vani said and opened the tiffin box and offered him some.

"Thank you, Vani. I was tired of eating from the dhaba everyday," Parth said with a relieved smile.

"You don't cook?" Vani asked curiously.

A lone man is supposed to learn cooking, right, she thought to herself.

"No," Parth said in a monosyllable.

He cooks only with his brothers. Never done it alone.

Parth tore a piece of the paratha and dipped it in the curry and took a bite.

As soon as the spices hit his taste buds, he coughed violently.

Vani patted his back as he coughed repeatedly.

"Here. Drink this," she kept the bottle of water near his lips and he gulped the water.

"What happened?" Vani asked. Her eyes had filled up seeing him like that after eating her food.

"The curry was very spicy, Vani. I can't handle too much chilli," Parth said apologetically.

"I am so sorry, Parthji," Vani said, as a teardrop rolled down her cheeks.

Parth gently wiped the tears.

He liked it that she was worried for him.

Somehow, it meant something to him. He didn't understand why!

"It's okay, Vani. You didn't know," Parth said softly.

They got lost, looking into each other's eyes. Parth felt like he could drown in her pretty hazel green eyes.

"Vani di,"

They snapped out of daze when they heard a kid calling out for Vani.

Vani's eyes widened in horror realising what she was doing.

She looked at Parth and panicked, and saw that he was also looking uncomfortable.

"I- I have to go," Vani said and hurriedly packed the tiffin box and ran away from there.

Her heart was beating like crazy.

"Hey lord. what was that? Why did I get lost in his eyes?" Vani mumbled to herself that night, as she laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Sleep far away.