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After Reshma read the greeting, all 3 were looking at each other puzzled… They don’t know who has sent it, as the greeting had no signature. Santosh started the conversation, “Who has sent this? Is it for any of us? Or was mistakenly placed here?”
Reshma told “I don’t think so… As they have placed it on our car, it must be for one of us!!”
Pranav told looking at Santosh, “Then it must be for Santosh only, because this is your car…”
Santosh replied back with frustration, “If it my car, then is there any compulsion, that greeting and bouquet should be for me only? Why can’t it be for you or Reshma?”
Both now turned their attention to Reshma, “She told I don’t know anything about this… It must not be for me… “
Pranav now told “Okay we shall stop this fight now. Just throw away those greeting and bouquet and get the car out of parking quick…”
Santosh threw away that bouquet and greeting in a dustbin and all got inside the car…
While travelling back to their respective homes, Santosh was silent and Reshma was busy in her mobile. Pranav asked Santosh, “Hey you told me that you will fetch some information about Pratikshana? What happened?”
Santosh said “Nothing much da, so only didn’t tell you… She doesn’t come out of her home expect for office during weekdays. In weekends, she goes to couple of ashram and an NGO for helping them. My school friend is living in the same apartment of Pratiksha. Got these information from her”.
Reshma with a naughty smile on her face asked Pranav “As you saw the love greeting you started to think of Pratiksha!! Lover boy…” Pranav replied back “I should think of her only… If I don’t think about her only it’s a problem.” Santosh and Reshma couldn’t tease him anymore..!!
That night, Pranav was thinking about how to get more information about Pratiksha…
Suddenly, he got a new idea and called Santosh, “Hey I have a new idea Santosh!!! I am sure that we will get some information from this…”
Santosh replied “What is that super-duper idea? May I know?” hesitantly.
Pranav didn’t notice his hesitant voice as his mind of full of thoughts. So he replied back “Why don’t we go and ask the ashram people where she spent her childhood?
First I thought of going to Chennai branch only, but I felt it would be even more useful if we go there to Cuddalore ashram and enquire about her.”
He told this with lots of hope in his heart!!!
Santosh also liked this idea very much and they both decided to go to the ashram, the upcoming weekend, as both had hectic work during their week days.
But they didn’t knew that both weekdays and weekends has lots of shocking incidents, for them in near future…..
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That week, Pranav was very busy with his upcoming project. Pratiksha was part of this project too. He didn’t think about Pratiksha also very much, as he was fully engrossed in his new project… He asked Arun, to arrange an initial meeting for all those involved in the project, on Wednesday morning.
Tuesday night when Pratiksha reached her house, she was very tired and finished her dinner soon and went to sleep. She was thinking of tomorrow’s meeting in office, and slept soon. In middle of night, at around 3.00 AM, Pratiksha woke up by a breaking sound, in her home.
She rushed from her bedroom to her living room, where she saw 2 masked men break her balcony’s door to enter her home. She didn’t know what to do, for a moment, but as they came inside her home, she rushed to her bedroom and locked it from inside.
She was very scared as the burglars started to bang her bedroom door. But she stood behind that door, and took her mobile, and called the apartment’s security guard!!
She told him what has happened and asked him to come fast to her flat. She also called her neighborhood aunty Shanthi, the only person she talks in this apartment, that too rarely!
Shanthi also told that she will call the police and try to open her front door, with her husband’s help. Still the burglars were banging her door, and that too faster than before…!! Pratiksha’s hands were shivering in fear, and she was praying to god continuously.
Suddenly Pratiksha heard other breaking sound in her main door and running sound of burglars. She realized that the burglars started to run away, as they too have heard other people entering the home.
Pratiksha slowly opened her bedroom door, and as she found no one went near her main door and opened it. Outside, Shanthiaunty’s family, security guard, and few other people were standing….
She rushed towards the balcony then, and understood that burglars have escaped through balcony only!!!
All started to ask questions, and Pratiksha told what happened. Shanthi aunty told “Thank god… they didn’t take anything from home, as yours is a 1BHK, they tried to open that bedroom as all valuables will be in that room only.”
Meanwhile, two men in police uniform came there and started to enquire about that incident. Pratiksha explained them, and answered their questions. The 2 police men went around her home for any clue….By now it was 4.00 o clock, and everyone started to their home.
The security guard and Shanthi aunty alone stayed back. Pratiksha was in a state of shock, and felt very bad for herself, as she didn’t have anyone for her. The police men told that they will come back after sometime with the inspector and left.
Pratiksha sat on the chair, in despair. She didn’t know what to do, and thanked the security guard and Shanthi aunty for their timely help.
Security replied “It’s my duty madam”. Shanthi aunty also told “Don’t worry, everything will be alright soon!! Nothing happened to you na, that’s important….” Hearing this, Pratiksha broke into tears. She felt very insecure, and hugged Shanthi aunty, and started to cry badly. Shanthi aunty patted her back, and told “Why are you crying now? Here after I will stay with you in night time, don’t worry. If you are feeling lonely you can always come to my home.”
Pratiksha wiped her tears, and told “Thank you aunty, thank you so much” and hugged her again. After some time, inspector came and started his usual enquiry, after that asked her to come to the police station and give a compliant.
Pratiksha said “Ok sir” and he left. Pratiksha stayed with Shanthi aunty till dawn and came back to her home and got ready to office. She went to police station with Shanthiaunty’s husband.
First she thought of calling Nikil, but dropped that thought, as he would get tensed now. In police station, they made her to wait for a long time, after she gave the complaint she rushed to office.
When she entered the conference room, the meeting was half-over already. Pranav started to stare at her angrily, and asked “Is this the time you come to meeting? Why are you so late today?”
Pratiksha told what all happened in her home, and Pranav asked her to join the meeting, and continued his presentation. After the meeting was over, Pranav asked Pratiksha alone to stay in the room. Pratiksha with a puzzled look, wondered why he asked her alone to stay back.
Pranav told “Why are staying alone in flat? Why don’t you join any PG or girls hostel? Because what happened yesterday night, may continue to happen, as you are alone!!”
Pratiksha started to say something, but Pranav interrupted her and told “I told this as a suggestion only. I would have told this to anyone in this office, who are in your situation.
So please don’t start saying, ‘Who are you to give me advice? I don’t need any of your suggestion! I know how to take care of me!! Please stop interfering in my personal life…. ‘And so on. Ok?”
Pratiksha was angry when he started, but eventually laughed at last, because those words were only running her mind, and Pranav also imitated her while saying those words. So, Pratiksha with a smile on her face told “I can’t move out of that flat, as I have an agreement for 9 more months. And my neighbor Shanthi aunty will stay with me in night time here afterwards. Shall I leave now?” Pranav nodded and Pratiksha left the room.
Pranav was very happy started shouting “Yes!! Yes!!Yahoooooooooo” and jumped in the room.
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