"Her heart was a compass, and she trusted it would guide her to someone who spoke its language."
X—X—X
SHEHNAAZ
Life has never been good to me until now. Sometimes, I wonder what I have done to deserve THE FAMILY.
MY FAMILY, My-Inlaws.
They are the light in my darkness, and I mean it.
They make me feel loved. I never got this kind of love, appreciation, and affection in my life.
Now I know how it feels to get care without any monetary terms. I always hired a person who took care of me and my basic needs, but all that care was for money.
And now I am getting all the love that I ever wanted.
I can proudly say, I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE THEM.
“Shehnaaz, why are you not eating properly? You haven’t finished one Paratha till now.” My Maa can never be satisfied with how much I eat.
“Didi, Main toh kehti ho kyu na hum Shehnaaz ka blood test karwaye? She ate so little and is not gaining weight.” My Chachi is as sweet as my Maa. I am going all aww on their care for me, but my mood turns sour hearing him.
“Whose blood test are you talking about, Chachi?” Sidharth asked, taking a seat beside me at the dining table.
“Shehnaaz’s.” As soon as Chachi took my name, he swiftly turned toward me.
“What happened to her?” I saw some tension on his face, maybe worried, but he turned to his usual self in a second.
I turned to Chachi, “Chachi, I am fine. I am on a diet for my next project, that's why I am particular about my diet.” I kissed her palm to erase her worries, making her smile, and she caressed my hair with affection.
“You are already so thin then, why are you dieting?” Dadi grumbles, making me giggle. They are all so protective of me as if I were a glass doll.
“Thin? Are you joking, Dadi? She is double your size.” My jealous husband spoke only to get scolded by Papa. Very good. He deserves that. He always pokes his nose into my business.
“By the way, what is your next project, Shehnaaz?” Maa asks. She is always curious to know about my future projects. And why not? They are my fans.
I had one bite of my paratha and sat straight to give them the shock of the day. “It is a big brand’s music video that is a romantic song.”
This song is going to be my first. Till now, I have acted only in dramas, but this is a new field for me to explore, and I am very excited about it.
“Oh wow!” My favorite Varun, my dearest Devar Ji, squeals and hugs me as he is sitting on my left, while Sidharth is sitting on my right. “That means I will see you on the screen romancing a new hero. I am so excited.” I think he is more excited than me.
“I am also excited….” Dadi also said excitedly, making me giggle, seeing her happiness. “When and where will you go to shoot this?”
Here comes another shock, “Kashmir.”
“Woh…” I got another hug from my baby Devar, making me lean back on Sidharth’s chest. This small touch is enough for the goosebumps to erupt. He held my waist to prevent me from falling.
I am feeling hot….. Oh god!
“The dream destination, dream heroine….” Varun continues dreamily going gaga over me. “Who is the hero?”
I sat back, removing Sidharth’s hand from my waist, and licked my lip sheepishly. “That is a secret for you.”
“Bhabhi!....” He cries like a kid and pokes me to tell. “Please bata do na….”
“Nope!” I love his curiosity.
This time, Dadi asks, interrupting us. “When do you have to go for this MV shoot?”
“MV?” My jerk husband asks. Doesn’t he know this little thing? How come he belongs to Gen Z culture?
“Music Video…. Khoteya.” Dadi mocks him while rolling her eyes cutely. “Itna bhi nahi pata hai tujhe, Gulu.” Trust me, whenever she calls him Gulu, I feel that she is referring to my baby rather than my husband.
Seriously, from which angle he looks Gulu?
“Itni sundar biwi se nazare hate toh hi in cheezo par dhyan de…” I thought that Varun was my partner and was on my side. But this traitor always teases us, making us embarrassed in front of everyone.
I planned to give him a special invite for my next show premiere, but now, it is canceled.
“Haha….” Sidharth laughs sarcastically and continues, “Don’t you want to go to school? Should I come with you to bring your TC?” Aww… poor Varun. Sidharth held his collar, making him sacred. I tried to separate them, but my husband is a JERK. He is bullying him. “And, TC means termination certificate.”
“Sidharth….leave him…” I try to separate them. Varun is passing me innocent looks that I can’t ignore.
Varun chose the best option, “Bade Papa….”
“Sidharth,” Papa calls his name strictly, and the next second, Sidharth is sitting in his seat properly.
“Papa, he started it.” As usual, my cribbing husband said.
“Shehnaaz, you leave them. Tell me, when do you have to go for this shoot?” Chachi asks, bringing me back to the topic.
“Next week, probably.” Everyone nods in understanding, and I continue nervously. “I think it will take 4-5 days.”
This is the first time after my marriage that I am going for an outdoor shoot for 5 days. I am nervous, but I also know that they accept me and my career. They are very supportive. No matter how long shifts I have or how many night shifts I have, they never ask questions except, “Are you tired? Have you eaten?”
I come out of my thoughts, hearing Maa, “Anjali, hum na Shehnaaz ke liye sukha nashta bana dete hai taki yeah le jaa sake.”
See?
My Maa even started planning for my trip.
“Maa, there is no need for that.” I tried to deny that, but I know that she won’t hear anything from me on this topic. “Why are you troubling yourself?”
“I am not asking your permission, Mrs. Shehnaaz Sidharth Shukla.” My Maa turned herself into a strict Mother-In-Law, and I have to agree with her. I even promised her to finish every snack that she would pack for me.
That would be a challenging task for me.
“Sidharth, can I come with you to Kashmir?” Dadi asks hesitantly.
Uff… since when did she start taking my permission to come with me?
“Of course, Dadi.” I am happy that I will miss my family a little less because Dadi is accompanying me. “I will tell Kavya to make arrangements for you as well.”
“I want to come with you too…” Varun requests like a baby, showing me those innocent eyes of his.
“Then, your TC final?” Sidharth mocks him again.
“Bhabhi…”
“I promise I will take you with me for the shoot whenever you have an off.” I cocoon him like a baby, making him understand.
“Fine, but you have to come with me to school this Sunday for my basketball tournament.” I forgot that the business runs in his blood. He always makes such deals whenever anyone denies him for anything.
“Why do you think that she will do that?” Sidharth asks annoyingly. Why does he get annoyed whenever Varun wants to take me to his school?
Maybe he fears that I would tell everyone who I am to the Shuklas? But I won’t do that until we both are sure of our relationship and feelings.
“Because she is my sweet Bhabhi who loves me a lot,” Varun replies, kissing my cheeks and making me giggle. “Right, Bhabhi?”
“You are always right, my sweetu Devar.”
“Anjali, why am I getting suspicious?” Chachu asks with his eyes lingering on Varun, as if scanning him.
“You are getting suspicious, but I am a hundred percent sure that he boasted of knowing the famous Shehnaaz Gill.” Chachi Ji answers while pulling Varun’s ear. Why does everyone try to bully my little devar? He is the sweetest person. “And, to make an impression on the other students, he is taking her to his school.”
Somewhere, I knew that, but I didn't mind. Everyone shows interest in me or makes connections with me to take advantage of my stardom, but the difference is in their pure intentions.
“Opportunist! Bast@rd!” Sidharth cursed, and the fight started again.
“Badi Maa, Bhaiya is using bad words for me.”
Before Maa could scold him, he apologized like an obedient son. “Sorry, Mom.”
“Shehnaaz beta, when will Simran realize her love for Rahul?” Papa asks this question for the hundredth time. Simran is my name in my current running show, and he is curious to know about the same.
“No matter how sweetly you ask from me, I won’t tell you anything.” I love it when they show interest in my work. No one can tell that they are very new to this field. From the time I came here, they have been trying to gel with my field and truly love it.
I must tell you a secret: they all watch my shows together except my husband, who shows no interest in me or my work.
“You are very bad.” Uff… these cribbing Shuklas are such a terrible thing to watch.
“Aww…. don’t make that face.” I look at Chacha Ji and Papa. Both are curious to know about the upcoming track. I am telling you, Shuklas have zero patience. I can’t see them with those cute pouts, so, decided to give them a hint about today’s episode. “Maybe in today’s episode, they will come closer.”
That’s it, I can’t disclose anything other than that, and the smile on their faces is priceless.
This is how our dining table looks whenever we have meals together. Happy and peaceful.
When everyone was busy with each other, Sidharth leaned and whispered in my ear. “Come to the room. I have to talk about something urgent.” He went from there, making me nervous.
What is the reason that he called me to the room like that?
I entered the room, and he was sitting on the bed, looking anxious. I am not feeling good seeing his expression.
Something is going to change.
“I have been gathering courage since last night to tell you this…” He started and stood in front of me. His eyes looked deep into mine, “Last night, I went to Rashmi’s wedding.”
“Rashmi?” Ok, Shehnaaz, keep your calm. Don’t let misunderstanding overpower you. Clear your doubt first, “Your ex-girlfriend?”
He nodded, and suddenly, anger swooped over me. I yelled, trying to keep my voice low, “Words, Mr. Shukla.”
He sensed my anger and rubbed my arms to make me calm. But his answer is not what I am expecting. “Ye…. Yes!” He shutters, in contrast to his character, and continues, “Woh…”
I cut his words in the middle as the rage is taking out the worst of me. “So, that was all a lie.” He got confused, but I know what I am saying. “You still have feelings for her.” He shook his head frantically, but he is trying to fool me, right now. “All that lecture about MOVED ON was just a show.”
I moved back a little, not wanting to stay near him. I felt like he betrayed me. “Shehnaaz, hear me….”
“No, you hear me first, Mr. Shukla.” I am not going to hear him anymore. “Last night, seeing your behavior, I had hoped that…” I sniffed. I don’t know when or why I am crying. “That may be… we can also have something.” How foolish of me! “But, now, it is clear that I dreamt about living in delusion.”
“Shehnaaz, I was clear from the start that we can’t have that husband-wife relationship.” He said the same words that he said to me on our wedding night. But, my bad luck, I forgot that.
To be continued…