Madam Sirr 2

Chapter 16

The Trials of Fire

A tall dark woman in a white sari and black blazer, her hair tied back in a bun entered a dimly lit shanty. Her figure was imposing compared to those in the room whose faces were overwritten with fear. She sat down on the chair, a tense silence enveloping the room, broken by the occasional drip of the rain against the brick roof.

"There's nothing to be afraid" the woman spoke at last. "I'm here for you. Tell me what the problem is?" The woman's voice was bold and direct, her tone both challenging and reassuring.

She waited in patience setting her gaze on each member that accompanied her in the room. Finally, an elderly woman came near her and sat down, her breathing ragged and hushed. She was sweating profusely through the loose folds of her saree. She kept looking around, her eyes darting to the corners encrusted in darkness as if she expected a sudden intrusion.

"Madam..." she began, her voice ragged. "My daughter...." she said pointing to a girl seated in a far corner, huddled in the comfort of the darkness. "She had an affair with a boy...and now he...he is blackmailing her." The mother broke down into a hysteria of crying, covering her mouth with the sleeve of her sari.

The woman leaned forward and consoled the woman. "Please....calm down first."

As the mother calmed down, the woman pressed for more details gently without provoking another untoward reaction. As the mother recalled the events, the woman had a sudden train of thought, a fog that washed over her mind, a blast from her own past.

She was sitting on a wooden bench with her boyfriend Ajay, the guy whom she thought had loved her. Weeks later, she found herself blackmailed by Ajay which had eventually destroyed her whole life. She clawed herself back to the present, listening to the story of the daughter, quite similar to hers. She felt the blood in hers boiling a dangerous red as she had her past birthed alive. As the mother finished, the woman was focused, her eyes set in a dark shade of black.

"Don't worry. I'll help your daughter" she said clutching the hands of the mother. She looked around the room once more, her gaze piercing into each, offering them the respite of her protection.

As she donned her shades and left the room, Shivani knew what she had to do. She had to meet Haseena Malik.

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Three days later, KS arrived at the MPT only to be bombed by the love, care and warmth of her team. She was showered in congratulatory praises and advices that almost overwhelmed her.

KS was never one to show her emotions but as her team landed on her, embracing her and offering her nothing but love, KS felt extremely lucky to be a part of this family. As she headed towards her cabin, her heart sank with the reprieve of her old team yet she knew that this team, though admittedly new was just as close to her as her old team. Inside her cabin, she was shocked to see her table covered with wooden baskets and boxes. She went and read the tags, squealing in delight.

"Aarey Santuuuu and Cheete, you both" she exclaimed as she checked the contents. There were baskets of fruits and essential oils. One box in particular caught KS's eye. It contained an adorable set of baby clothes which she held close to her heart, her mind wandering how it will look on her child.

She kept the gifts aside, the melancholy in her heart rising as she was reminded of SS and Cheetah. She missed them both extremely, their stupid and innocent dramas. KS laughed to herself as she sat down, her eyes bawling at the paperwork.

Meanwhile the team with orders from Puspha Ji made it their personal mission to make KS as comfortable as possible. It almost made KS angry to see her team rush towards her cabin at various intervals carrying glasses of milk, plates of almonds and various other snacks. Puspha Ji poked her head in, two to three times a day ensuring that her daughter in law was in perfect health. She massaged her head and shoulders releasing the tension in her.