“Tariq bhai, Astrid,” Sanvika said the next day as they were prepping food for the restaurant before opening for the day. “I am thinking of hiring one more employee. For serving and counter.”
“Huh? What happened? You always said hiring one more employee for this tiny place is a waste of money.” Tariq asked surprised.
“Well, money is for spending and we are earning enough now. And if there is one more person I can take a break once in a while. And it is rude to ask Mr Flower to help out all the time.”
Astrid and Tariq were looking at her suspiciously though. “What?” She asked.
“Why do I feel this has something to do with Vivaan being here?” Astrid asked.
“What? No. I was thinking about this for a while.” She said appalled, trying to hide her embarrassed face. It did not help her that Vivaan came in through the open door just then.
“Good Mo
Sanvika was surprised as Vivaan stopped beside Miramar beach. It was decorated colourfully for the International Film Festival. And there was a free informal movie screening going on on the beach. A huge white screen was made on a platform. And through a projector, the movie was projected onto the screen. The movie had already started and the audience had taken seats in the chairs arranged on the sand in front of the screen. “ A Free date as you wanted,” Vivaan said. Sanvika turned to Vivaan and smiled, “Well, the movie better not be boring.” She teased. Vivaan led her to the chairs and they sat down. Since the movie had just started, they were able to follow the story. Sanvika had always liked movies, so she enjoyed the movie about forgotten Goan singers so much. The movie was filled with good music, drama and pain. By the time it ended, she had tears in her eyes. “I did not intend to make you cry on our first date,” Vivaan said as they walked back t
Sanvika’s hands still trembled when she tried to hand the phone over to the boy. “My mother wants to talk to you.” She said. The boy looked up at her. “I did take you for a daddy’s girl after seeing your car and clothes. Seems like you are a momma’s girl, huh?Can’t do anything alone…” There was sharp mockery in his voice. Sanvika frowned but extended the phone further. “Can’t you see that my arms are pre-occupied?” He asked. Sanvika turned the speakerphone on and held the phone to the boy. “Ma, he is on…” She said. “Hello,” Nirmala’s voice came through crisp clear.“Hm... Hey…” The boy said, doubtfully. “How may I address you, young man?” “Look, Ma’am, I have not got time for this shit… Your daughter hit me with a ca
The first thing Sanvika did was to call her mother. “He is a kid. He cannot press charges without his parents’ support.” Nirmala said. “But Ma, can we do something for him? Pay for his college…”“Sanvika, we already paid a ridiculous amount of money to his parents.”“Foster parents,” Sanvike corrected her mother. “Whatever. We are not paying more. And you know how much colleges cost. And the kid is not even going to go to college for the next two years.”“But, Ma…”“Sanvika… Nothing will happen to you. You don’t need to worry. Ma will make sure of that. Don’t you know me?” She knew her mother. She knew that her mother was ruthless when it comes to business and the safety of her family. “Did you tell Vivaan?” Nirmala went on to ask. &
Taylor dropped into the table at the diner. His right hand was still in a sling. Sanvika looked at him. There was rebellious courage on his face. “How did you manage to vandalise the car with your hand still like that?” Sanvika asked. She was trying to act superior like her mother would have done. She still felt incredibly sorry for Taylor and guilty. But she tried not to show it. “I had some help,” He said. “Sophie?”“I have other friends besides Sophie.”“Hm. But it is just a car. You achieved nothing by spray painting on my car. I can just re-paint it. Change the windshield.”“Yes. I figured that.” He said in mockery. “Even if I vandalise multiple times, you can just replace the glass, just re-paint it… Even get a new car. Since money is not an issue, right? Since you guys have got a hell lot of
When Sanvika came down the next morning, Tariq was talking to Yashwanth, the teenage worker. “What is he still doing here?” Sanvika asked Tariq,“He says he wants to work here,” Tariq said. “What do you say, San?”Sanvika took a look at Yashwanth. He somehow reminded her of Taylor, even if they looked nothing alike. “Are you sure?” She asked Yashwanth, “Shouldn't you be studying somewhere?”“I have not even passed 10th, madam.” He said.“San,” she corrected him.“Huh?”“Not madam, it’s San. If you want you can add ‘didi’ to it.” She said.“San didi, madam.” He said sheepishly. He looked so innocent and cute that Sanvika took a liking to him.“Good morning…” Vivaan greeted everyone as he came in through the door with small glass cups filled with coffee. &ldq
Vivaan’s lips crashed into her and his hands went under her T-shirt. Hungrily, he explored her soft skin, his hands travelling from waist to up… Until his fingers hit the fabric of her bra. He looked up for permission. But Sanvika looked nervous. “Vicky…?” he whispered. “It’s not even the first time. Why am I so nervous!” Vivaan chuckled, “I am nervous too…” he said. And he did look nervous. Sanvika softly touched his cheek. “You are?” She asked. “Yeah. It’s you.” Vivaan kissed her. Slowly first, then passionately. His hand pushed under her bra, feeling the most amazing curves of her. Sanvika shivered against him. “I can’t hold any longer…” Vivaan said moving back. He took off his shirt and began to unbuckle his jeans. But that is when his mobile started to ring. Vivaan looked super annoyed at the mobile ring. He took the mobile out of his pocket. He blinked at the screen. “Your dad is calling me.” He said, confused. “Dude, did he inst
That evening, Shardul found Vivaan sitting on the beach on a fallen coconut tree. He was looking broody. “Vivaan,” He called as he approached him.Vivaan turned around. “Hm…Shardul bhai,” Vivaan forced a smile.“Is something wrong?’ Shardul asked sitting beside Vivaan.“No. Why?” Vivaan lied.“You called me Shardul bhai.”“Hm?” Vivaan did not register it first as his mind was elsewhere.“You call me Mr Flower, right?”“Oh yeah. Mr Flower.” Vivaan said. He smiled and looked away to the sea. “That is a bit childish, right? I mean it’s weird for a grown man to call another man as Mr Flower.”Shardul chuckled. “I thought that all the time you had called me Mr Flower. But then… you always felt like a child. Always happy. Always radiating positivity and energy…” He
Sanvika stared at her bank balance on her laptop screen. It was not much. Barely enough to survive for a month. She had no idea what she is going to do. No entrupener in Goa knew. Some were already broke and in debt. And some closed up their shops.Sanvika looked back at Astrid and Tariq who were having a mild argument. Their arguments were getting more serious than playful these days. Sanvika knew that it is because this was not the right time to have a baby. Financially, and because of the condition out there. Astrid was more and more concerned about her delivery each day. She seemed to take out her frustration on Tariq.Shardul was helping out more in his sister’s restaurant than at San’s. Many of the workers who worked in Suchil and Aron’s restaurant left to go to their hometowns.Sanvika looked at young Yashwanth wiping tables. “Why are you doing that?” She asked, “There is nobody to come.”“Still, ther
It was a busy day in San’s restaurant. It’s been one year. The restaurant has been bursting with activity ever since they had changed the location and concept recently. “We obviously work well in a warm homely feel atmosphere,” Tariq commented while playing with his baby boy. “Right, Ocean?” He asked the baby. Tariq and Astrid had named their baby ‘Ocean’. It was such a beautiful name that denoted no religion or country of origin. Sanvika smiled taking a wine bottle from the shelf. She had decorated this new shop exactly the same as the Goa one. The concept was Goa. The food, the wine, even the clothes the staff wore, reminded everyone of the beaches and beautiful sceneries. “Hey, did you see that article in the newspaper about Shardul Bhai?” “Yes. Finally, his book is being bought by the people.” Shardul’s book on the heritage of Goan architecture had gained a lot of attention and became a best seller. Vivaan walked into the restaurant.
To: Nirmala.Singhania14@xmail.comFrom: viv.aan.o@xmail.comHi Ma,Since your phone is still off, I thought of sending an email instead. I told Vicky the truth. But shockingly she already knew about Taylor’s death. Yes, all our efforts to keep that fact from her were in vain. She knew about his death all this time. She left us because of the guilt she felt after knowing the truth.Vicky is still angry with you for my accident. But I think you two should sort that out. So please come back home.I was discharged yesterday and came back home. I am still supposed to take lots of rest, and Vicky and my mother would not let me do any office work. I cannot be sure when I can return to work. So please come back. We both cannot be gone at the same time from Singhania Industries Office.Regards,Vivaan To: Nirmala.Singhania14@xmail.comFrom: viv.aan.o@xmail.comHi Ma,It&rsquo
It was bedtime, and Sanvika began to get into the bystander’s bed. Vivaan was watching her. He did not really like lying to her about the whole memory loss thing. But he did not want her hating her mother either. He was not sure how she will react after she comes to know about Taylor. She may not be the same Sanvika anymore. She could decide to leave him and go back to Goa. This could be the last happy night they have.“Vicky,” He called.“Hm?” She asked.“Can’t we sleep on the same bed? I mean, we are married now, right?She looked at him. “Oh… you don’t remember. You have been sleeping away from me.”Vivaan knew that. But he stayed silent. Pretending he does not remember.“You want to sleep together?” Sanvika asked.Vivaan nodded. Sanvika got up from the bystander’s bed and came to bed with Vivaan. They lay down together.Sanvika felt strange
Sanvika adjusted the flowers on the table beside Vivaan’s bed. Vivaan had been shifted to a room. It has been three days since the accident and last day, Vivaan had woken up briefly. Just briefly. He did not say anything and went back to sleep.Vivaan‘s mother was at the hospital for a while and then she left him with Sanvika to go home. Astrid and Tariq had come to visit Vivaan earlier and left an hour before. Astrid was the one who brought flowers to be put in the room.Sanvika sat beside Vivaan after she arranged the flowers. One side of his head was shaved where they operated. That area was still bandaged. Sanvika fixed the remaining hair strands. Vivaan always had good hair. He took pride in his hair and always kept it in well-groomed condition. Sanvika thought that he may not be happy at the fact that one side of his head is now shaved. She moved her fingers through the front fringes.Vivaan stirred in his sleep. “Vivaan?” Sanvika c
Vivaan breathed heavily as pain rushed through his whole body. He was still held on to his seat with the seat belt inverted since the car had turned over. The car’s top hand dented, crashing into his head. He bled from the wound… He was losing consciousness as his own blood made a pool on the roof of the car and oozing out to the asphalt road.“Vicky…” he mumbled as he saw people gather around the car. “will be waiting for me. Need to get home.” The guys following him pushed through the crowd and went to the car. One of them took out his mobile and called for the ambulance, and another one called Nirmala at once. Vivaan could not stay awake anymore and fell unconscious.Sanvika was wondering why Vivaan was getting late when Mansi - Vivaan’s mother rushed into their room. “Sanvika… Sanvika… Vivaan.” She appeared very flustered. That is when Sanvika got a call from Nirmala. “V
Nirmala was about to go home for the day when Vivaan knocked and entered her cabin. She turned to him. “Oh, Vivaan. Is there any problem?” “No, auntie. Not official. I was hoping to talk to you about something personal.” “Of course,” Nirmala said. “And it is ‘Ma’ from now on, Son-in-law.” “Oh, right,” Vivaan said awkwardly, still not used to calling someone else ‘mother’. “Sit.” Vivaan sat down, and Nirmala sat down on her seat looking at her. “So what’s up?” Vivaan hesitated. He knew Nirmala would definitely be against telling Sanvika the truth about Taylor. He needed to argue with his mother-in-law now. And she was not just any mother-in-law. She was Nirmala Singhania. She could give a fright to anyone. But Vivaan decided to go directly to the subject. “Ma, I feel we should tell Sanvika about the boy’s death.” Nirmala’s expression changed. She blinked at Vivaan like she does not understand where this is coming from and this i
Vivaan’s hands traced a line horizontally across Sanvika’s stomach over her t-shirt. His finger gently lifted up the fabric and his hand was placed against the naked skin of her stomach. “What are you doing?” Sanvika asked, quivering against his touch.“You wanted me,” he said, taunting her, looking into her eyes with a naughty look.Sanvika squinted at him. “Still want me?” He asked as his finger slid into the edge of her shorts and pull the waistband’s elastic of it. Sanvika got flustered as Vivaan leave the waistband suddenly. It snapped back to Sanvika, painfully colliding with her skin like a rubber band. But the pain just gave her more arousal. She gulped.Vivaan slid his finger against the waistband again as his other hand strongly clutched her side. His eyes looked into her hungrily now as he moved his finger over her soft skin. “Tell me, Vicky… Or should I stop touching you?”
The staff at San’s Restaurant sat looking at the door on the opening day of the new restaurant. Not even a fly came in through the door. Astrid sighed loudly.“It’s okay. It’s just the first day,” Tariq said in general. “People will come eventually.” But when he turned around he saw that Sanvika looked pretty gloomy. She was not looking happy for a few days. She was easily irritable and rarely smiled.“Why don’t you go home, San?” He asked. “We will be here. We have more staff now. The boss need not be around all the time. Go home and relax.” He stopped talking as she shot him a stern look. She may be younger than him, but Sanvika always made sure to let him know who is the boss. That did not mean she was ever disrespectful to him. He was more or less treated like an older brother most of the time.“Oww,” Astrid said suddenly clutching her stomach.“What happen
Sanvika looked at Vivaan lying on the couch. She felt insulted. Awkward. Perplexed. But more than anything, hurt. This was her wedding night. She always had dreams about her wedding night with Vivaan and her imaginations did not go like this.Her eyes threatened to spill tears. So she cleared her throat and looked away.“Hm… You are kind of taking things too far, you know.” She said looking back at him. “I mean… It’s just me. We have slept on one bed even we were just friends. Then what is the big deal in sleeping on the same bed now?”Vivaan did not reply.Now tears really began to come. She wiped them away. “Vivaan…” she called.“I am sorry,” He whispered, not looking at her. “Give me some time. Some days… I will tell you everything.”“Everything? What everything?” She asked.“Just…. Things.”“Wha