A Second Chance

Lights panned all over the stage as she walked up the stage. Dressed in a black off shoulder gown, with a thousand eyes focussed on her she moved closer to the mic. The slit on the side of her gown revealed her creamy leg with every step she took in her high heel, that enhanced her already tall looking height. The silver pearl hoops dangled against her cheek. Taking a deep breath she looked at the audience sitting infront of her all eagerly waiting for her to give the much awaited speech of the year. A smile broke on her lips how each one sitting out there had only come for her. It was the most memorable day of her life, something she had always dreamed off. Clearing her throat she took a hold onto the mic. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here tonight with me to be a part of my happiness. Welcome to Cafe Zindagi." She took a pause to look at the huge logo of her cafe turned restaurant flashing on the monitor and smiled proudly at her achievement.

"Isn't life just like a rollercoaster. So many ups and downs and loops and turns. You never know what's going to come next, surprises are always ready to knock on your door. Although life isn't always perfect, it isn't always easy and neither does it make sense all the time, but we tend to forget that's the beauty of life. Sometimes in life we go through situations that make us weak, they end up breaking us, one cannot avoid pain, but you can chose to overcome it. Never give up on yourself, never let anyone bring you down. Stop yourself from drowning in the pool of your tears for people who aren't worth your tears. Always remember you have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life. That's how I once upon a time no one became Mehak Sharma, a two michlen star chef. The founder and the owner of Cafe Zindagi. Have you lost the connection with life? No problem then you are at the right place, we will help you find  you, your connection. Cafe zindagi, diloun ki doori mitaye aur aap ko khud se milaye." She smiled through her tears, for the first time in a long while it were tears of happiness. She wiped her tears away as the audience broke into a spontaneous applause and her family sitting infront of her rose up from their seats cheering her loudly. "You have done it Mehak!! We are proud of you Mehakk!!" Her name echoed all around the hall.

"Mehak yaar look at this! My new invention, creamy chicken pancakes. Doesn't it look delicious? Ek baar yeh menu per a gaya na to is Cafe ki to nikal pare ghi. Sachi!" The door to the cabin flew open, a slim tall girl entered with a platter on her hand. "Mehak! Mehak?! Are you day dreaming again?"  She shook her head looking at a lost Mehak.  On the other hand the only thing that Mehak could hear was the echo of her name in her ears. "Mehak Sharma, a two Mishlen Star Chef...You have done it Mehak!! We are proud of you Mehakk!!" Her dream was infront of her eyes but there was someone who was helbent on ruining it. She could feel someone nudge her, shake her but she wasn't ready to open her eyes to reality. "Yeh aise nahi sunne ghi!" She facepalmed. "Aaaahh! Ouch!!" Mehak winced in pain as Vidhi touched her ears apologetically for pinching her arm. "Vidhi!! Tu meri dost hai yan dushman!"  Mehak rubbed her arm in pain. "Dost houn isliye keh rahi houn, please come out of your dream land. If you will keep day dreaming like this then we will end up losing the last few things that we are left with." Spoke Vidhi Patel, Mehak's one and only bestfriend. "Sapne dekhoun ghi to unko sach karne ka jabza aye gha na. This isn't just a dream Vidhi, yeh zaroorat hai meri." Mehak tried her best to fake a smile. "Mehak sapne dekhna aur unko sach karne ki chah rakhna bhi achi baat hoti hai. But my dear at this point of time we need to safe this cafe, ager yeh hee nahi raha to tumhare yeh sapna kabhi sach nahi ho paye gha." Said Vidhi as a matter of fact.

"Vidhi, I won't let anything happen to this cafe. I know how important this is for you, and you know it right I do not have anywhere else to go. This place has given me an identity of my own, something I had forgotten that even existed. Mera akela pan, meri mushkilein, mere dard, meri khushiyan, sab meine yahan guzarein hain." Mehak looked towards the otherside of the glass door. The cafe was empty but it was filled with dozen of memories. Memories of the days she had spent alone, searching for a ray of hope that would give her a reason to live again. "Do you really think I can't see it? I know you better than you know yourself Mehak. The more you try and hide it, the more it gets obvious. Kab tak youn uski yaadoun se bhaagti raho ghi?"  Vidhi squeezed Mehak's hand. "He is non-existent for me. Uski na mere dil mein jagha hai aur na hee meri yaadoun mein. Let's not talk about him. He is the past I had left behind along time ago, to never look back at him or the memories attactched to him."  Mehak looked away hiding the unshead tears away. " What about Shaarav. Tum uski yaadoun se to bhaag sakti ho lekin uske wujood ka hissa hamesha tumse jurra rahe gha. " Said Vidhi. A baffeled Mehak looked at Vidhi. "Congratulations you are pregnant." Echoed in her ears again and again. That one day had given her something so precious and had snatched her everything in blink of an eye. "What about Shaarav? Can we please keep Shaarav away from this. He does not have anything to do with my past. Shaarav mera aaj hai aur mera ane wala kal, mein us per apne past ko haavi kabhi nahi hone doun ghi." Mehak managed to complete her sentence.