Southern Avenue

Chapter #3

Chapter #3

"Bhow! Bhow!" The bark of Nikki again made Sharanya look at her with a smile on her face. As previously she had seen, Nikki was still in a hyperactive state, playful and happy. Sharanya didn't miss to notice that she was almost wet and was only towel dried after the bath which Ranvijay must have given her when he'd taken her along.

They had after all came back from a run, it had seemed.

She looked at the puppies and giggled when they tried to get her attention towards them, while Ranvijay quietly came into the room wearing a black Puma T-shirt and cotton track pants to his comfort.

"Miss Devyani," Ranvijay greeted her with a nod and a small polite smile, while she looked up and smiled back at him, letting Jimmy and Nikki bark at Ranvijay, as they wagged their tails, "Have these two been disturbing you?"

"Call me Sharanya, Mr Shekhawat. No, your pets are lovely." She answered sitting back on the couch, while the dogs jumped up on it as well, getting cosy beside her. She couldn't complain. The two puppies had been amazing to her for the little while she'd been there, and she liked them back similarly.

Ranvijay as well took a seat on the other side of the couch letting his pets take their own places, as they kept shuffling from one side to the other.

"You said you were here on business. Would you mind explaining?" He looked at her anticipating some answer.

He had to agree that she was an elegant looking lady, and her stature was symbolic of confidence. She had the no ounce of extra meat visible which was clad beautifully in her top and slacks. The most beautiful feature of hers was the expressive eyes which were perfectly lined with kohl and eyeliner in a minimalist way.

"Yes. Let me introduce myself. I'm Sharanya Devyani, 27-year-old and I'm an entrepreneur." She said, looking confident as she spoke about herself. It almost seemed like she was in an office meeting. Well, technically she was in a meeting, and yet she kept herself just as formal.

"Go on...Or do you want my introduction?" He furrowed his brows slightly and looked at her. He knew that there were people in the city who didn't know who he was, and it was blatantly obvious. People usually knew the seal of the company and not the face working for or behind it.

"To be honest, I just know your name."

Ranvijay laughed, "I'm the owner of this place and the President of Maha Shikshya group of industries. I'm thirty if you are curious about my age." He gave her a cheeky grin, a friendly one, and retreated back to his previous posture; curious about what she was about to say.

Sharanya took in a deep breath, "Thank you for telling. Was Shikshya Singh Shekhawat your grandmother?" She asked him, while his face reflected surprise as she spoke those words. It left him a little startled. He hadn't expected her to come talk about his grandmother.

Ranvijay was expecting it to be something related to work, or maybe some property that he owned.

"Yes, she indeed was my grandmother." Ranvijay nodded and looked at her, who smiled back a little and then looked down to take in another deep breath.

"Yes, so Mr Shekhawat--" She was interrupted in the middle, as he spoke in.

"Call me Ranvijay. I am not that old yet." He waved his hand for her to continue, as she brushed her hands through Jimmy's snowy white fur and continued, while Jimmy purred and cuddled more into her lap, although she was just another mere stranger. He had certainly warmed up to the certain stranger.

"Ranvijay. So, you grandmother was...someone I knew. Or should I say your grandparents? Raghuvir Singh Shekhawat was a very close person to me." She uttered and smiled fondly at their remembrance.

"Can you please explain? 'Cause I can't yet get why you are here for that fact." He cleared his throat and looked at her while she fiddled with her fingers on Jimmy's fur, seeming a little nervous.

"Nanaji and Naniji, as I call your grandparents, were my saviours. Years ago, when I was 12, my parents got divorced, and that practically led to to the streets by the time I was 14..." She paused, looked up and continued, "My father had kicked me and my mother out, and my mother had not been taken back in her own family." Sharanya sighed.

"Why was that?" Ranvijay frowned. Being born in Manchester and brought up there, he had no idea of the way life was there in the middle-class families of India than recently.

Though, he wasn't yet used to the happenings of the society India. There were times it seemed obnoxious. Then he remembered himself hearing stories that his parents and grandparents had told him of India, both good and bad.

"Because she was a divorcee." Sharanya shrugged.

Ranvijay frowned but didn't say anything.

"My mother started working, but she couldn't support me and my studies or anything... even proper clothes, and shelter for both of us, with what she earned. So, she left me in an orphanage."

Ranvijay's breath hitched a bit in his throat. Not that a stranger mattered to him, but that was inhuman to do. Who would leave their kids to strive alone on the roads, when she knew she had both her parents alive?

Damn! Forget kids! He couldn't even leave his pets!

"That's..." He trailed off.

"No need for the pity." Sharanya chuckled. It was already a little awkward telling her life's sob story to a total stranger, but somehow she didn't seem to mind much. "My mother did come to meet me at least. I've spent time with her, and now that she lives with me, I'm happy."

"Please continue." He nodded.

"Your grandparents were the ones who funded me, I used to live in this mansion, which practically has always been yours. From these streets of Southern Avenue, they put me here in this mansion." Sharanya smiled.

While he had no clue of such things ever happening, the story that had begun was yet to be completely told.

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Hello guys! 
An update earlier than expected, no? Let's hope you guys are still liking it although nothing much is up. The story has a soft pace and it will continue to have so. Thus I don't want to drag it for too long just in case one forgets what has been up in the meanwhile. 

In the backstage;
I'm a HUGE fan of the Storm and Silence series by Rob Their and my all time favourite book on Wattpad has been The Mischevious Mrs Maxfield by Ninya Tippett (it also has a Bonus Material called Brandon's Notebook as well as a spin-off called The Reluctant Romantics, which by the way, are both absolutely amazing!), so if you still haven't checked out these, you are missing out! DO read them, I'm sure you're gonna love the stuff! 

Love, 
Dee.