The Airport …………..A girl clad in simple salvaar kameez walked through the exit , carrying luggage as an Innova stopped beside her ………her eyes were devoid of happiness , a kind of steely resolve playing in her face ……….she was very beautiful even without any jewelry or makeup , her jet black hair flying behind her …….an old man got out from the driver's seat n smiled at the girl…………..the girl smiled back warmly but her eyes shoed displeasure as she eyed the car …………………'Ur mother send it, beta' said the old man as he tried to get her luggage to the car …………….she declined politely 'no, ramu chacha, I will manage……….u look really weak, chacha………….what were u doing all these 3 years? Only driving n no eating?'……………….ramu chacha smiled innocently at her ………………

                                                                             she put all her luggage inside the car n climbed to the front seat ………………'no , beta, sit at the back ……………if ur father sees …..'the old man said, suddenly tensed……………… the girl closed her eyes in effort to control herself n said 'no need to worry chacha , u drive…………..or else I will drive…………'ramu got inside the car quickly n drove them out of the airport ……………….. 'how r u beta?' he asked affectionately …………..'fine' she said curtly ……….'how's mother?' she asked ……………'alive' replied ramu………….the girl looked out of the window , her eyes painful n yet strong ……………… she longed to see her mother …………….it was only bec her mother lived in that house that she was back ……………..she never used any of defense minister's money for her education……………it came from her grand father's account ……………she had finished her law degree n was looking forward to take her mother with her forever to Bombay , where her friends had promised to help her find a place to stay n start practice ………………

                                                 At the road side there was a small dabha n she said to ramu ………..'pls stop here chachu ……………I want to buy something for u …………….. who knows when I will get another chance ……..' …………the old man stammered …..'no need beti………..i am fine………' …'do as u r told' the girl ordered……………as the old man parked the car near the dabha , a sleek Benz parked near them …………the girl got out of the car n went to the counter ………………a young man in casuals got out of the benz n walked to the nearby chair ordering for corn ……………. He looked around , his eyes lingering for a split sec on the beautiful girl near the counter n came to rest on some boys who were eyeing the girl with dirty intentions……………………. 

                                                      The girl after getting two plates of roti n daal started walking towards her car, ramu waiting for her , when one of the boys wolf whistled at her saying 'hey gorgeous , come here ………..we r hungry …………….. quench our thirst first n then attend to that old piece of crap……..' the other boys howled in laughter ……………. The man who came in the benz looked on as the girl , trembling from head to foot , closed her eyes for a sec n then continued towards her car ……………. The man sat up straight , ignoring his corn ………………he had thought at first that the girl was trembling from fear ……….. but no…………….he saw her eyes as she opened them…………….it was red, n she was trembling from pure white hot anger ………………..the boys got up n began following her , forming a circle around her ……………..saying lewd comments about her cheeks n lips ……………………..

                                                         the old man came forward saying 'get inside the car beti , quickly , hey u rascals go away ………….!'……….. the boys roared in maniac laughter n one of them attempted to touch the girl's hand …………………the reaction was spontaneous ………. The girl slapped him hard across his face , one of the plates crashing to the ground ……………….. the boys were taken aback  ………….the girl marched towards the car , her face wearing a nauseated n disgusted look at them…………………..the young man who got slapped roared in anger n ran behind her …………… the man from the Benz stood up abruptly …………………. But before the boy could even touch the girl a feeble hand blocked him ……………..it was the old driver , ramu…………….'get inside the car, beti…….'he panted at the girl, trying to keep the boy at a distance…………….the girl placed the other plate on the bonnet n turned to find the boy hitting the poor old man, her face shocked n concerned……………. She looked around n found a piece of log while the rest of the men started encouraging the other one as he started beating the old man , shouting obscenities at her ……………….

                                                        The Benz man started walking towards the other men, as the girl , her eyes scornful as she looked around at the many men who just stood watching the old man getting humiliated n beaten up by those rascals ………………. mocking them for their incapacity , she whirled the log around , hitting the men , trying to free poor ramu chacha from their clutches …………………..the men left the old man n rounded on her ………………..the benz man expected her to panic n shout for help but he was surprised to find that she had no fear in her eyes………….instead she had contempt n disgust n anger in her eyes, as she swayed the log at their face, stepping infront of the old man ……………………… one of the  young men pulled out a knife , leering at her as he said ' u could service me n my friends for just once baby, n we will think of sparing ur life , what say?'…………… 'You …' the girl shouted pointing the log at his face ………………the benz man stepped in between them , facing the young men ……………………..the girl was surprised…………….'take him n go, madam…………I'll deal with them……………'he said , tilting his head to her side…………..

                                                  the boys roared with laughter ……………'look …..look……… some item she is ………….now many r trying to be the hero n have her ….ok ok baby, we will help u get ur old man to ur house ……………just let us stay at urs too for a night or days  n nights …………….we promise that we will be better than this dummy' the main guy who had a knife in his hand said , leering ……………..as the other men laughed at the benz man………….. the locals n many other men started vacating the place , fearful ………………….. the girl helped ramu to the front seat of the car , with him feebly protesting that he would drive , but she hushed him with a look………….while the benz man stepped forward abruptly catching hold of the leering guy's hand n twisting it , turning him around n having him locked in his right hand , taking his knife ……………………. The other men stepped back automatically as their leader struggled in the benz man's grip………………the banz man placed the knife directly over the hollow of his neck , as he whispered in his ear , so that only him n his colleagues could hear , pressing down the tip of the knife to draw blood'if u want to die with ur own silly knife , I could do the world that favor , now, here ………………………or if u want to live a little more long , I suggest u apologize to the old man n that girl , now , here……………………… the decision is urs …………………what say?' the man gulped , frantically nodded , terrified as a searing pain shot through his neck ………………..which was nothing compared to the chill which ran down his spine at the benz man's words …………………………

                                                       the other guys were not sure what to do? To run away or to stay put, they couldn't move out of fear ………………..something about the benz man's voice told them that he meant what he said …………………. The girl looked up , fiercely hushing the driver to stay put at the front seat , to see that the leader of the gang was now struggling in that benz man's grip n all his cronies looked fearful …………………… 'what do u mean by nodding ur head , dog? That u r ready to die or u will apologize?' said the benz man , his tone playful n mocking ………………. The gang leader struggled to get words from his mouth as the knife was hurting him badly ……………….' We       we''ll………….. apologize , sir ……..' he stammered , his face contorted in pain…………….. ' that's better' the Benz man said cheerfully , releasing him …………………..

                                                       the gang leader coughed , massaging his neck as he fought hard to stand n breathe ………………. He clutched his hand around the wound over his neck as he stammered, echoed by his cronies ……..'we……….. r ………..sorry , madam …………..n sorry…kaakka…..' …………….the girl glared at them, contempt etched in her face…………….she didn't notice that the man was bleeding ………………..'see so simple' the benz man patted him on his shoulder , almost pushing him roughly to his cronies …………….. he threw the knife at him , who retrieved it from the ground, fumbling , as they scurried out of the place…………….. 'hai, need any more help to get ur driver to hospital?' he asked pleasantly to the girl, walking towards her car ………………' no thanks .' she said curtly ………..'but thanks for showing those rascals off………' her tone was unfriendly n yet thankful………………

                                                        he looked at her , amused ……he has seen so many women in his life ...young girls - fearful , greedy , selfish ,cunning ...she didn't fit in any of the category he had ever met ...there was a grace in her …a kind of dignity he immediately felt respect for …..'why mam, I could help u ….he is not in a state to drive ………..i could drop u wherever u want to go…' 'I know driving , thanks for ur concern…………..but no thanks , sir ' the girl said firmly , trying not to sound impolite …………'ok , as u wish ……………..' he said smiling warmly as he held the door open for her ……ramu , taking each breathe painfully said 'thank u beta , may god bless u ………thank u for saving me n my malkin'………….'oh, nothing chacha , u be fine soon……..take rest …….'the benz man said , his voice warm n full of concern…….she looked at him in eye n he could see her eyes soften a bit ………………she saw genuine warmth n concern in his eyes , which she wasn't accustomed to find in various men's eyes she has ever met ……………… n she felt guilty for not properly thanking him……………she smiled warmly back……………'thanks again sir' ………….'no problem mam,………………he said closing the door shut as she got inside the car …………….'Chandu …..my name is Chandu ……………' he added folding his arms in namasthe …………….. 'Pratigya' she replied , smiling n folding her hands ……………………

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