Madhav was peacefully reading in the dinning room when he heard the muffled calling from the other room.
About time, he mumbled.
Rajomma sprang up but he dismissed her.
Let me Ai.
You can't help her right now.
He gracefully picked up a bottle of water as he walked into the guestroom .
Radha...shhhh.... Am here...
I got this... Shhhh....
The voice acted like water on fire and the agitated and frightened girl sprang to his arms.
Madhav embraced her as her small frame disappeared in his tall structure.
She feels good to be hugged, he thought.
But Radha looked pale and shaken.
And Madhav hated it. Absolutely.
Seems I have unleashed too much for her to digest. Gotta be a bit more careful from the next time.
He noted mentally.
Radha looked feeble and Madhav decided to show some hero act.
He knew this woman was destined to become his wife. He always knew.
But he had to wait for her.
She had waited for lives.
Waiting for a few years was nothing.
But it was hard being Madhav.
Being a God was different, but being Madhav was impossible.
See. Listen. Feel. Smile.
And then do nothing till it was time.
It was painful.
He brushed aside his personal thoughts and in a swift motion he carried Radha in his strong arms and walked over to the bed.
Hush .... Hush ..... Come on now. Drink this. Drink some water.
Madhav helped her gulp down some water as he kept on rubbing her back to stabilize her.
Now tell me what happened.
Why were you screaming?
And what happened back at Basu's?
The doctor said you are traumatized.
What happened Radha?
Radha was afraid after recollecting the vision.
True.
But her sense was intact.
She narrowed her eyes and tried to focus on the dimly lit face of Madhav.
He looked totally unaware.
But her senses directed otherwise.
For some strange reason she felt Madhav was very much aware of everything she saw.
She cursed herself mentally.
Trickster, damn me..... shouldn't have cried out loud for him.
Shit.....
What do I say now?
Madhav himself was also going through his share of nervousness.
Reincarnation is not a myth.
But he had no intention of declaring out loud regarding Radha's or in that way anybody's past.
He preferred to leave people on their own and figure things out.
He always said his devotees certain things work out much better if left untouched.
But this girl was stubborn and he needed to give her some push which would help her to trust him.
But her ghoulish look made him rethink his act.
Was it too early!!!
Was it too rash!!!
Suddenly he was pulled back to reality by Radha's voice.
You are Madhav. Isn't it?
What's new in that Radha?
I mean are you THE MADHAV?
This time she sounded much less confident.
Depends on what's that THE stands for. If that's for being the famous/ infamous Madhav Chand RATHORE, well yeah I am THE MADHAV. But if you are pointing towards anything else, I have no clue girl.
Satisfied with his own answer Madhav gave her the most innocent smile and looked at her with a naive expression.
He was very intrigued to hear her reply. PANCHALI had been a lady known for her wits and logic. She had some real guts.
Even in ignorance Radha herself had a strong personality and apt mind. But this moment was important.
Her reaction was important.
Madhav had practically turned her world upside down by connecting her past to her present.
Her reaction at this moment was something he was looking forward to.
He needed her to act strong to test if she was ready to embrace bigger jolts.
He wanted her to be capable.
But was she ready?
Madhav kept looking as he waited for her answer.
Okay.... Let me be more clear. I guess I gotta refrain my question.
Radha shifted her weight and lightly pulled herself back as she rested on the pillows and looked straight, eye to eye.
What did you do to me in the elevator? Why did you touch me between my brows?
The prevailing moment was er... Kinda romantic. So I don't think that gesture really fit in there.
What was it?
Madhav was shocked.
Damn. This girl is much more witty.
She knows how to frame people.
Oh that!!!
Nothing.... I .... I just was trying to visualize how you will look with a beautiful bindi on your forehead.
So I kinda touched you between the brows and gave you an imaginary bindi.
And.... you looked beautiful....
To me, it was romantic.
Radha huffed mentally.
He always has a way to divert from the point. Gods.... How to make him confess that he knows what happened...
If he is my Madhav, he knows everything.... But what if I am mistaken!!!
Her brain worked in lightening speed as she tried to frame some reason to refute his statement...
Well..... Why do I find it so difficult to buy what you said Madhav?
This very morning you tried to be obscenely intimate and I practically walked out of the room.
Do I need to believe that the same guy would touch me on my forehead to give me an imaginary bindi when we were almost at the verge of kissing???
No.... No.....No.... No....
Cough it up...
What did you do?
Oye Madam. I am Madhav Chand Radhore. One of the finest brains in the country. How dumb do you think I am?
I wanna marry you, spend my life with you.....
You think I will do something like kissing you in an elevator and upsetting you?
Madam.... I have a class ...
The class of a Royal.
And I am in love with a Lady who is no less Royal.
You expect me to do something that stupid and let you blacklist me forever?
Huh!!!
Radha looked at Madhav wide eyed.
Was he seriously saying those things?
True.... This was not the first time he was proposing. But did really mean everything he said?
What was she missing?
Or was she just paranoid!!!
Suddenly she remembered something...
Okay. Even if I accept that everything you said is true, tell me something ...
The day I first met you, you said something very weird.
You said you won't let me climb the stairs of my apartment in that condition.
How did you know where I live?
We never met before.
And that day I smashed my chin because of you. You were there in The Cafe one moment and the next moment you kinda vanished right in front of my eyes.
What the hell was all that?
Unless you come clear Madhav Chand Rathore, I will assume you are meddling with my mind with those stupid hocus focus Rajomma talked about and this evening you did something with me so that I attack Kiriti Sen and lose the chance of getting a good job.
Do you think if I lose my job I will accept to marry you for money and ease?
Give me an answer if you really meant what you said regarding you and me and future....
Her nostrils were flared and Radha looked hyper excited....
Madhav chuckled mentally...
Not bad Radha...
At least I will need to say you something.....
Damn girl.... You have brains .....
You are as good as Basu or Kiriti.....
The name Basu itself gave a sense of discomfort to Madhav. That was another guy who needed big attention ... Just like Radha.....
But he too was a tough nut and Madhav needed to bring him on track...
Your frown and that delay tells me you are framing a convincing answer ... and Mr. Rathore... I am not interested to listen to some made up stuff right now.
Radha sounded angry.
Madhav sighed.
Wrong timing... damn.....
Radha.... I indeed mean what I said. And I will answer you point to point because I won't like you to believe that I have anything to do with whatever compelled you to ravage Kiriti that barbarically earlier.
Yes. I am guilty.
But for that accident at The Cafe.
I have been spying on you some weeks now because the moment I first saw you, I kinda lost my heart.
Radha raised an eyebrow but she chose to remain silent as Madhav continued lucidly with his story.
Call it a lie...
Call it a purpose...
But through ages he knew how to weave the fabrics of truth and lies to give humanity what they desired.
And this moment too, the trend continued....
I shifted to this City some four months back to expand our family business and soon after that while passing by The Cafe I saw you closing down the place one night. That very moment I was mesmerized by you and I tapped into a few reliable sources to draw information on you.
The Cafe day would have happened a couple of months earlier if not interrupted by the Estate Keeper incident. Like I said, I needed to be married by the time I took charge and my search on you intensified when I came back. It was no more about my heart alone. It was about getting married to a responsible and intelligent person too. And the more I leant about you, the more I fall for you.
And in that fit only I declared my winter marriage. I am sorry sweetheart, I should have proposed to you and seek your hand in marriage. But can't that be forgiven, please?
See.... By the time I knew it has to be you and only you, I kinda lost hell lot of time. So I decided I would use a bit of " hocus focus" to catch your attention and that's how I vanished right in front of your eyes....
I was not gone.
It's called pure hypnosis.
The guy you saw with me was Satish Kr. Jha, my friend cum CA and he is well aware of my not so amicable hobby and uncanny affinity towards magic.
Then why didn't I get a match for Frapuccino and Croissant?
That's because Satish order croissant and the Frapuccino was mine. And we paid separately....
Ah..... Makes sense...
Radha I was at Dr. Suraj's because I followed you.
And I offered help because I felt deadly guilty.
But the chance to bring you home was a golden one. And I grabbed it.
Since I knew from my research how much you were struggling to make ends meet, I recommended you to the Sens since you interned there ....
What !!!!
You knew I interned there?
I mean how?
I didn't even----
I know you were framed.
So does Basu.
That's why he has no issues taking you back.
And Kiriti was not lying either.
Someone framed you because Kiriti developed feelings for you.
And Radha, I am ready to offer you a start up if you want that the evening's incidence. Going back to the Sens will be easier for you, but, even a Start Up seems to be a great idea for someone as talented as you.
I am ready to do anything that makes you happy. But one thing babe, I have lots of things that I want to share with you, I have lots of moments to spend with you and come what may, I am not ready to lose you to Kiriti Sen or any other guy.
And I mean it.
Radha started feeling confused again.
So that Younger Sen actually liked her!!!
Was her vision true also?
Or she was just losing her mind?
Or Madhav was a first grade liar who was presenting her things the way she would accept it?
Radha was about to speak when they were interrupted as Kittu knocked at the open door,
Sahib, some Ankit Chowdhury is here to meet Radha Memsaab....
What do I say?
Even before she could refuse she heard Madhav saying,
Make him a cup of coffee.
Radha will be there....
And with that Madhav strode out, leaving her more confused than ever.