…Love Potion…
Shreya was in the bureau working on her file, when she got a call from her beloved friend Tarika… She smiled and attended the call…
Shreya (smiled): Haan, Tarika, bolo…
Tarika (Smiled): Hi, Shreya, yaar kabse apne yeh boring file work kar rhi hai tu… jaldi se aa na cafeteria mein main aur Purvi tera wait kar rhe hai.
Shreya looked at the clock and realised it was the time for a lunch break and she had already missed 10 minutes of it… She hit her own head and chuckled at herself…
Shreya (hurriedly): Bas do minute Tarika… I will be there…
She disconnected the call and kept the files in hurry… She almost jogged to the door, when she hit somebody and was about to fall, when he held her by her waist… She looked at him to realise that it was none other than KAVIN… He looked at her too… yet, a fake clearance of throat was enough for him to make her stand…
They looked at each other smiling awkwardly and then at the person… It was Daya, who had been observing them both for quite a long time… Shreya smiled at him too and he too reciprocated in the same manner… She moved her steps and did not forget to utter a THANK YOU to the senior, who saved her…
She reached the canteen, only to the find the gossip girls busy in their chirping while sitting on the chairs near the windowpane… She smiled at them and waved while she walked to them… They noticed her and waved back as she sat with them…
Shreya (while sitting): Sorry guys late ho gya… voh time ka pta hi nhi chala… toh…
Tarika (acting upset): Haan-haan, aaj kal madam toh apne kaam mein hi busy rehti hai… humara kahan khayal rhega…
Shreya (like a child): Sorry bola na…
The three chuckled at that and then thought to resume their gossips…
Purvi (anxiously): Waise Tarika, tu kya keh rhi thi, LOVE POTION?
Shreya was listening to them, while she ordered her coffee…
Tarika (smiled): Haan, voh maine suna hai, ki love potion real mein hota hai…
Shreya chuckled and her order also came… She sipped once from the cup while the other two looked at her…
Shreya (smiled mockingly): Maine toh aaj tak sirf Harry Potter mein hi yeh love potion and all suna hai… an I do not think ki yeh 1% bhi sach hai…
Tarika (a little surprise by her answer): Nhi Shreya, yeh seriously sach hai…
Shreya (chuckled): Toh tu de-de Abhijeet sir ko ek accha sa dose…
Purvi and Shreya chuckled and shared a high-five while the third in the group blushed… The lunchtime ended soon and so did the debate on this topic… Even after a lot of convincing approaches, Shreya did not believe if it really exsisted…
Evening came by and Shreya hurriedly went towards her car, when she saw a man, looking like a doctor entered the building with Dr. Salukhe… She smiled at Salukhe, as he approached her with his friend…
Shreya (smiled): Hello, Salukhe sir…. Kaise hai aap?
Salukhe (smiled): Shreya, main thik hoon, thank you… (Pointing to the officer): Inse milo… yeh hai Dr. Vijayanadan… mera college ka dost hai…
The two exchanged greeting with warm smiles… Shreya liked the way this doctor was communicating with… She was quite impressed by him…
Salukhe (smiled): Aaj yeh mujhe apna ek experiment dene wala hai… isi liye yaha aaya hai… main toh kehta hoon, tum bhi chalo Shreya, tumhe bhi mza ayega…
Shreya (softly): I am so sorry sir, voh mujhe jaldi jana haii aaj, actually mere Dadi-Dadi aaj aane wale hai aur maa- papa bhi nhi hai toh…
Salukhe (understanding): I understand Shreya, koi nhi baad mein dekh lena… Dadi-Dadi ko laana zyaada zaroori hai…
Shreya smiled and went from there after bidding them both a pleasant goobye… She went to her house and changed into clothes that are more comfortable before she drove to the airport… She waited for the flight to land and saw her grandparents coming out… She waved at them and they did not fail to notice their pretty granddaughter.. Shreya smiled and hugged them both… She was happy as her grandparents were with her and she does not have to live alone in the house…
As they walked back to the car, she saw a familiar face there… She smiled ear to ear as the person came to her…Her grandparents too noticed the sudden change in her and exchanged meaningful glances with a smile…
Shreya (smiled): Hello Daya sir, aap yaha?
Daya smiled and took blessings from her grandparents… Shreya smiled and was impressed by this gesture… Her grandparents gave the blessings of long living and always being happy… Then, he turned to her…
Daya (smiled): Hi Shreya, voh actually aaj Abhijeet apne mission se aa rha hai na… toh usi ko lene aaya tha…
Shreya (remembering): Are haan, main toh bhul hi gyi thi (looking here and there) Lekin voh hai kaha?
Daya (sighed helplessly): Voh Tarika bhi aayi thi, toh bhai sahab nikal gye uske saath.
Shreya chuckled at his expressions… He smiled at her and the grandparents too…
Daya (smiled): Ab… main chalta hoon Shreya… bye…
Dadi (stopping him): Are Daya, kaha ja rhe ho? Chalo humaare saath… Itne dino baad mile ho… akhiri baar toh voh Ahmedabad mein hi mile the jab tumne hume bachaya tha…
Daya (hesitantly): Are nhi Dadi ji… mujhe abhi ghar jaa kar khana bhi bnana hai mere liye..
Dada (smiled): Are koi baat nhi, aaj humaare saath hi dinner kar lo... (Eyeing on Shreya) Waise bhi Shreya bahut accha khana bnati hai…
Shreya looked at them with wide eyes… She turned to a red rose… She was feeling too much shyness to say anything but bent her head down... Daya noticed it well and smiled… Somehow, the old couple convinced him with the help of his beloved Shreya…
Here, the two doctors went to the forensic lab… Dr. Vijyanandan took out a small round bottle from his bag and carefully placed it on the stand, which stood on the table in the middle of the lab… Both looked at each other and smiled…
Salukhe (curiously): Yaar, Vijya… sach mein agar meri girlfriend yeh pee le toh mujhpar aur lattoo ho jayegi?
Vijyanandan (chuckled): Haan, bhai Salukhe… yeh mera sabse strong love potion hai… ek drop se hi aadmi ka sudh- budh kho sakta hai… aur agar kisi ne yeh bottle khali kar di tab toh bhagwaan hi malik hai samne wale ka…
Salukhe (smiled widely): Matlab main use yeh pile doon aur voh…
Vijyanandan (warning tone): Lekin yaad rakhna, ise peete hi sabse pehli shakal tumhaari hi dikhni chahiye… nhi toh...
Salukhe (scared tone): Meri wali kisi aur ki ho jayegi!
The other doctor smiled and nodded… Both had a conversation and left… The potion was left carelessly in the middle of the lab…
Next morning came… Tarika came early to the lab and kept her bag on her desk when she noticed the bottle… She got confused as it was not there when she left… At the sametime, Salukhe entered humming happily to himself… He saw Tarika there and came to her…
Salukhe (merrily): Good morning Tarika…
Tarika (smiled): Good morning sir… (glancing at the potion): Sir, ek baat poonchon?
Salukhe (happily): Haan-haan Tarika, jo puchna hai poochhon… aaj mera mood bahut accha hai…
Tarika (pointing at the bottle): Sir, yeh kya hai?
Salukhe (smiled): Tarika, kal yaad hai maine tumhe btaya tha ki mera dost aa rha hai… mujhe ek gift dega voh?
Tarika nodded when she remembered there last conversation the previous evening…
Salukhe (continued): Usi ne diya hai yeh mujhe…
Tarika (confused):Par yeh hai kya sir?
Salukhe (smiled): Yeh ek love potion hai… ise koi pee le aur jise pehle dekhe usi se pyaar karne lagta hai…
Tarika (surprised): Matlab love potion sach mein hota hai?
Salukhe (smiled): Haan Tarika, aur yeh specially maine usse mangwaya hai apni girlfriend ko dene ke liye… (confused) Lekin mujhe itne sab ka kaam nhi hai…
Tarika got curious and remembered the conversations of the girl group when they were in the cafeteria… she thought to prove it to Shreya…
Tarika (speaked): Sir, main le loon?
Salukhe (chuckled): Thik hai bhai… (naughtily): Tum bhi Abhijeet babu ko phasa hi lo…
Tarika blushed at his comment… He chuckled and went from there as he had some work after warning Tarika about giving only one drop or one spoon at the most… Tarika looked at the bottle with a mischeivous glint in her eyes… It had a meaningful sparkle… She took the bottle and decided to have some fun…