SidNaaz Diaries

The Infamous Ointment Scene

The house seemed strangely calm. Peaceful, even. Devoid of all the chaos and commotion that had inhabited these walls just mere hours ago. Now, it appeared serene. The habitants of the house chit-chatting amongst themselves over the ever-depleted tea. For someone fussing over lack of food supplies every waking hour, they sure spent an awful amount of their time feeding themselves. Mysterious, really.

While the evening hour passed, a few housemates carried out animated discussions about their everyday lives outside this loony house that they had come to call home. Albeit, a temporary home.

"Tujhe kya lagta hai, Sidharth?" A male voice inquired from the tall, raven-haired man who sat beside them. Apparently listening, and yet not registering a single word that was being spoken. "Kya lagna hai, kuch nahi lagta," Sidharth uninterestedly said, unaware of what the discussion was about. Tonight, Sidharth Shukla was a distracted spectator.

Lately, his eyes and thoughts were more often than not preoccupied with a tiny-looking young woman, who with her bubbly bearing and her carefree spirit had singlehandedly turned his listless life around. But today, he had all the more reason to let his mind wander in her direction.

Following the trampling she had unfortunately been a part of during a task, she had been slightly injured. And yet she stood on the opposite side of the living-room unfazed. That was Shehnaaz Kaur Gill. Calm in the face of adversity and composed after being struck by a storm. She led her life selflessly, worrying herself sick over others, but not sparing a second to sympathise with herself. But then in a fantastic twist of fate, she had found someone in this unusual house who silently watched over her, fretted about her more than he let on.

Perched upon the kitchen chair, Sidharth closely watched Shehnaaz, as she pretended to be interested in whatever world-changing discussion she had been having with Arti. Looking at her, the guilt overpowered him, forcing him to keep his distance. She had been hurt on his watch and it was as much his fault as it was Asim's. He should have protected her. He should have kept his cool. He was there, he was right there! And yet he wasn't there for her. His conscience ate him up inside. If only he could take her away, he thought to himself.

"Itna asaan nahi hota yeh sab. Aur tu yeh samajh sakti hai, Sana," Arti emphasised, while Sana nodded her head absentmindedly. She had completely lost track of what Arti had been rambling about several minutes ago. But being the patient person that she was, she let her go on and on...and on. When after the troublesome day she had, all Shehnaaz wanted to do was lay in her bed, hold Sidharth close to her, and lull herself to sleep listening to the soft thudding of his heartbeat. A sound that had become her symphony. But unfortunately for her, Sidharth seemed engrossed tonight. If only he would come and take her away, she hoped to herself.

With that thought ricocheting through her head, she inadvertently glanced in his direction, only to find him staring back at her. Sidharth. She inaudibly sighed. His name quietly escaping her mouth as if he was prayer she had made. In that brief moment of tranquility, their eyes met, their intense gazes held in place. No words were spoken and yet a lot had been said. She looked at him in earnest, while he looked at her ridden with remorse. Without her saying what she had wanted him to do, he had understood her perfectly. Without him asking her to accept him, she had nodded imperceptibly. That was the secret to their special bond. Words oftentimes refused to be their friends, became their enemies even. But they let their gestures do all the talking. Their feelings were so loud, they rarely ever required voice to make a sound.

With their eyes never leaving each other's, Sidharth abandoned the seat he had been sitting on, making his way towards Shehnaaz. That look of hers was all the encouragement he needed. He had every intention of holding her hand and taking her away. Exactly as he wanted to. Exactly as she wanted him to.

Sana looked at him as he strode closer to where she stood, his walk authoritative, his face determined. "Sweetheart, tere ko kaha tha na rest karne ko. Sunti nahi hai tu bilkul. Chal andar mere saath," Sid took Sana's hand in his, whisking her away with a right that only he possessed, while Arti's sentence left hanging in mid-air seeing a sight she had never thought she would see.

Shehnaaz dazedly walked beside Sidharth, as he firmly held onto her hand and led her inside their shared bedroom. "Haq rakh mujh pe," she had once said. Not knowing then that he would someday do as he she had asked him to.

"Ab chup chaap beth idhar. Main aata hun," he instructed her in his no-nonsense tone while his kind eyes belied his authority.

With a smile lingering on her face, Sana teased him. "Chup chaap se bethna hi zaroori hai? Baat shaat karne mein koi dikkat hai?"

Sidharth's lips upturned in a display of annoyance, when he felt anything but annoyed. He wanted to squeeze her in his arms and protect that smile of hers forever. But that would hamper his rigid image, so he let his expressions do the work. Another annoyed expression was thrown her way.

"Tu na mooh baad mein fula lena, abhi ja aur jaldi waapis aa," Shehnaaz reminded him. Sidharth rolled his eyes at her one last time before making his way to the luggage area. This was her Sidharth. Little was said and yet everything was felt.

Barely a few minutes had passed when Sidharth entered the room again, carrying a little tube in his hand. "Dard kahan horaha hai batao, main laga deta hoon," he softly ventured as he sat down on their bed.

Shehnaaz, who was wearing a stupid smile on her face awaiting his return, immediately sobered up. Where her concern for herself ended, was where his concern for her began. She hurt and he ached. He frequently amazed her. Amazed her with all the love and care he harboured in that heart of his, despite putting on a show of being incapable when it came to loving. But it was him who loved with all his heart. The heart that had become hers.

"Tu lait ja, baby," he spoke again, bringing her out of her reverie.

She silently complied. It wasn't like Shehnaaz to turn silent, but it was one of those times when Sidharth rendered her speechless.

He opened the ointment tube and raised his eyebrows in an inquisitive manner, asking her where to apply it. She compliantly motioned towards her left feet, as she had twisted it when the mayhem took place. Taking out a little bit of the white substance on his fingers, he applied it on her soft skin. Rubbing it on her ankle, as he gently massaged her feet in the process.

Shehnaaz looked at him quietly, a wave of peace taking over her. A feeling of content settled over her heart. After everything she had been through in life, her God had presented her with Sidharth. He was, she admitted to herself, all her prayers come to life.

"Sidharth, tu itna acha kyun hai?" Shehnaaz whispered, unable to stop herself. Sidharth looked up in response, his heart in his eyes. "Kyunke tu sab se achi hai," he mumbled in a low murmur. Nobody else heard his words, but Shehnaaz did. And that was all that mattered to him. And to her. Them. They were all that mattered.

THE END.