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😉Phew...finally....😊😊Hope you all like it.
This one goes out to you specially May, for keeping the forum alive and encouraging everyone. Thank you.👏👏👏
Please let me know the answer to the question at the very end.....😉 Thank you for all your support and happy reading!
Part VI
The flight from Kolkatta to Delhi was largely uneventful, except for Bijoya,Prateeksha, Aziz and Radha's anxiety as first-time fliers. This gave Milind -Radha and Aziz –Devika an excuse to hold hands and no one could be happier. It fell upon Araina to take charge of her mother and Prateeksha was left by herself . Being alone, she had ample opportunity to fret over what was to come so when they finally landed in Delhi, her nerves were stretched to breaking point. Fortunately, Araina and Aziz were doing a great job of talking non-stop and no one noticed Prateeksha's silence.
Her fortitude was tested severely though when she saw Shashank and Sonia standing in the arrival lounge. He was wearing one of his gray business suits with a red tie and Prateeksha almost tripped over her feet when she saw him….
"Arrey arrey Kajol Di, zara sambhal kar…." Aziz quickly grabbed her arm and prevented her from falling down. She felt mortified at the attention this garnered her from everyone…everyone except Shashank, that is. He proceeded to ignore her royally and reserved all his attention for Bijoya. Both he and Sonia welcomed her with open arms and Sonia said,
"Aap hamare paas aayeen, iski hum sab ko bahut khushi hai….ab hum aapko kahin aur nahin jaane denge….ab aap hamare saath hi rahiye……aapka ehsaan to hum saari zindagi nahin chuka sakte, aapne humen hamari beti jo di ……"
Bijoya was overwhelmed at this love and simply smiled at her. "Mere bachchon ki zindagiyan isi shehar se judi hui hain to main kahin aur rah kar kya karoongi….Deba ne apna ghar kar liya hai …bas uski shaadi hote hi uske paas rahoongi. Aapke prem bhare nimantral ke liye bahut bahut dhanyavad."
"To abhi to aap hamare saath chal rahin hain na….."
"Aur kya Mama. Abhi to hum sab ek saath rahenge …..meri dono Mummy's….." Araina joined in and said with a laugh., but Milind and Devika elected to visit Mantriji first and Aziz and Radha decided to accompany them. Once they had claimed their luggage, they trudged out of the airport to Shashank's car. Bijoya and Sonia sat in the back and Prateeksha, mustering all her courage, made to open the front passenger door, when "Araina, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai, please tum mere saath aage baith sakti ho?" she heard Shashank say. Araina looked at him and then at Prateeksha but she had already moved back to sit next to her mother. Araina made a face at Shashank and flopped down in the front seat, next to him. He showed no reaction and coollly reversed the car out of the parking space.
Prateeksha was heart-broken at the coldness from him, yet in her heart, could not blame him. He had not said a word to her beyond a perfunctory "hello" and appeared to take no notice of her during their ride home. Sitting in the front, Araina started fiddling with the radio dial on his car….
"Koi theek thak channel bhi aata hai tumhari is khatara mein ya wohi punk rock sunte rehte ho…."
Skimming channels, she suddenly stopped at one ….
Baatein dilo ki, dekho jo baaki, aankhein tujhe samjhaye.
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na
At this both Prateeksha and Shashank involuntarily and simultaneously looked in to the rear-view mirror and their eyes met before he realized his mistake and jerked his head away to look out of the window.
Milke bhi, hum na mile, tum se na jaane kyun. meelon ke, hai faasle, tum se na jaane kyun. anjaane, hai silsile, tum se na jaane kyun. sapne hai, palkon tale, tum se na jaane kyun.ooo ooo..
Kaise bataayein, kyun tujhko chahe, yaara bataa na paaye.
Baatein dilo ki, dekho jo baaki, aankhein tujhe samjhaye.
Tu jaane naa..aaa... tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane naaaa...
Kaise bataayein, kyun tujhko chahe, yaara bataa na paaye.
The song continued until suddenly Shashank changed the channel, saying…"Mujhe mausam ka haal jaan na hai aur news sun ni hai…"prompting Araina to burst into gales of laughter. "Tum aur mausam ka haal…..wow Shashank tumne to aaj apne aap ko hi beat kar diya…you have never told a better joke….ha ha ha"
Thankfully, by then they were turning into the Rai's driveway and there was little chance for Araina to tease Shashank further. After everyone got out and the luggage was carried by the servants inside the house, he started to get back into his car.
"Arrey Shashank tum kahan jaa rahe ho? Andar nahin aana". Sonia asked.
"Nahin Aunty, abhi to mujhe jaana hoga, mere UK embassy mein visa interview hai do baje aur uske baad mujhe apni zameen ki sale ke liye property agent se milna hai"
Prateeksha listened to all this with a sinking heart.
"Magar mein sham ki chai tak wapas aa jaonga…."
"OK beta, all the best for the interview" and with a wave he was gone.
Araina walked to where Prateeksha was standing, watching him leave and gently squeezed her hand and ushered her into the house. The rest of the day was spent by the two sisters in catching up with Khala and Maushi Maa and listening to the interesting manner in which Sonia and Bijoya communicated.
Seeing Prateeksha's downcast eyes and defeated air for most of the day, Araina finally confronted her. "Kajol Di, aap itna pareshan kyun ho rahin hai….thoda bahut Shashank ka gussa to jayaz hai na? Ussey thoda to time dijeye….woh to aap se final goodbye kar ke aaya tha…jab maine ussey phone par bataya tha ki aap bhi mere saath aaj yahan aa rahin hai tab bhi wo kaafi naraaz sound kar raha tha….lekin fiqar not…I have full faith in your love…aap jab usko apni dik ki baat batayengi, he will come around…"
"Wo to tab hoga na agar wo mujhse baat bhi karen….meri taraf dekhe bhi….unhon ne to puri tarah se aankhen pher li hain…."
"To phir aap kuch kariye ke wo aapko dekhe, aap se baat kare….."
"Kya karoon, zabardasti haath pakad kar kamre mein le jaaon?" she burst out.
"Haan, aisa bhi kar sakti hain…isme harj hi kya hai?"
At Prateeksha's scandalized expression, Araina finally relented and laughed out saying,
"Achcha baba, main hi kuch karti hoon. Chai ke baad aap aisa kariyega….sir dard ke bahane se aap mere kamre mein upar chali jaayega aur main Shashank ko wahan bhej doongi…"
"Tum mere liye aisa karogi?" Prateeksha asked wistfully.
"Bilkul…..sounds like a plan to me"
Shashank returned in the evening bearing the good news of his visa approval….everyone congratulated him,….. everyone but Prateeksha who turned away to overcome a sudden urge to weep. In any case, Shashank was doing his best to stay away so there was little danger of him seeing the effect this news had on her.
After tea, they all sat around in the drawing room chatting and after a while, Prateeksha and Araina exchanged glances and Prateeksha got to leave, saying she had developed a headache and wanted to rest a while. Bijoya offered to go with her to rub some balm but Araina interjected…"Nahin Maa, maine Di ko dava lene ko kah diya hai, aap hamare paas baitheye"
Some minutes later she whispered in Shashank's ear,
"Jao upar mere kamre me jao, Di ne tumhen bulaya hai…"
"Mujhe nahin jaana….mujhe ussey koi baat nahin karni….."
"Shashank, tum kitne budhdhu ho…itne dinon se tum unke peeche the, ab jab wo tumhen bula rahi hai to tum aana kaani kar rahe ho…." Saying this she virtually forced him to get up and leave.
"Kaho, kya kehna tha jo tumne mujhe yahaan bulaya? Kya baat hai?", he said, his tone short and manner mildly abrasive.
Prateeksha could barely speak, so great was her nervousness, now that the moment was actually upon her. She tried to calm her breathing and turned around to face him. She found him looking at her with a slightly exasperated look ….she bent her head down again and in a barely audible voice said, "I love you…….. and I am sorry"
For a moment there was complete silence in the room, then, …"And…?".
"Aur main apni baaki zindagi aap ke saath bitana chahti hoon, agar aap mujhe maanf kar saken to…." She continued, her voice no longer so faint and her manner bit less tentative. Prateeksha's face started to reflect some of the hope and love in her heart and she smiled at him.
But there was no answering smile, instead, he took long steps towards her, grabbed her by her arm and pushing her against the nearest wall brought his face close to hers and spat out, "Bas, yahi kehna tha….to yeh bhi sun lo…mujhe koi farak nahi padta hai….tumne kya socha..? Tum chote se do teen lafz keh dogi aur sab kuch theek ho jayega…. Itne din mujhe naach nachaati rahin….Tum samajhti kya ho apne aap ko….?"
The two stared each other for long heart-stopping moments and then Shashank turned away to go stand across the room, but not before Prateeksha had seen a certain something in his eyes that gave her the strength to do what she did next.
She walked up slowly to stand in front of him and with sure hands, brought her fingers on his face, pushed his hair back from his forehead, moving down with a light touch and finally ended by cupping his cheek in her palm.
"Zyada kuch nahin samajhti hoon apne aap ko…..bas ek seedhi saadhi si ladki hoon jis par Bhagwan ekdum se itne meherbaan ho gaye ki unhone aap ko meri zindagi mein bhej diya….mere astitva ko poora karne ke liye…mere jeevan ko mukammal karne ke liye….bahut samay pehle maine kisise suna tha…"kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahan nahin milta" lekin aaj aap ko paa kar mujhe mil gaya hai….mera mukammal jahan…."
"Maine unginat baar aapka dil toda hai, aapko dukh diya hai aur shayad meri saza to yahi honi chaahiye ki aap mujhe kabhi ek nazar bhi na dekhen, lekin main jaanti hoon ki hum donon hi dil ke aage majboor hai….hamara dil ka rishta hai jo door reh kar bhi nahin tootta….hum apne chehre ko lakh chupale, hamari aankhen jhoot nahin bolti….hamari aankhen sab dil ka haal bayaan kar deti hain…..bas ab aur nahin jee sakti main aapke baghair…."
By the time she finished speaking, tears were flowing down both their faces. One set of eyes asked for forgiveness and promised a lifetime of love, the other set accepted and Shashank moved forward to envelope her into his arms. She curled her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly....
Finally, he drew back a bit and taking her face in his hands, made her look into his eyes. Prateeksha could no more stop herself from imperceptibly nodding and closing her eyes at the question she saw on his face, than she could stop breathing. Getting all the answer he needed, Shashank brought his lips down to rest on hers lightly and lovingly for a few short moments, as if to seal their future together. Unable to bear her racing heart, Prateeksha drew back for a second and then buried her face in his chest.
The absolute happiness that was threatening to burst their hearts found an outlet in a laugh that started as a slow rumble deep down and quickly turned into a full-throated guffaw for Shashank and fit of giggles for Prateeksha. They moved away only to hug once more, till the mirth died down and Shashank, with his chin resting on Prateeksha's head said quietly,
"Achcha hua tumne mujhe yahan bula liya….varna…."
"Varna kya….?"
"Main to apni kaali diary nikalne hi wala tha…."
Prateeksha was overjoyed to see her old Shashank Sir return with his inimitable style of speaking and laughing..."Kaali diary? Kaunsi kaali diary?"
"Arrey wahi jisme main apni girlfriends ke addresses aur phone numbers rakhta hoon….main soch hi raha tha ki Swati ko phone karoon ki Smita ko…." He teased with a deadpan expression.
But instead of pulling away from him at this, Prateeksha continued to hold him tight and just smiled. Shashank was a little disconcerted at this lack of reaction and asked, "Kya hua, tumne kuch kaha nahin?"…he pretended to think for a moment and then continued…"Oh mein to bhool hi gaya tha, tumhe to koi farak nahin padta…."
Prateeksha jerked away from him at this and moved to clamp her hand on his mouth, " Aapko shayad andaza bhi nahin kitna farak padta tha aur hai…" Suddenly her eyes were brimming with tears again and she moved to turn her back. Shashank took a moment to register the vehemence in her voice. Very soon, she felt his loving arms encircle her from behind and he brought his face close to her ear and whispered, "Sorry , please ro mat…I can't bear to see you cry….I am a stupid idiot for bringing this up, please sorry?"
She turned her face to give him a watery smile and taking a deep breath, moved her head back to rest on his shoulder. "To iska matlab main yeh samjhon ki tum mujhse waqayi pyaar karti ho….?" Instinctively, Prateeksha understood the need in his question, the need for reassurance, for repeated avowal….she remembered how much strength she got everytime he professed his love for her. Slowly she turned around in his arms, looked into his eyes and very deliberately enunciated,
"Yeh dil hai aapka, mera jeevan hai aapka aur meri har saans hai aapki….mere liye pyaar ka matlab hai aap,……. mere Shashank, ……….sirf aur sirf aapki hoon main…..chaahe door rahoon ya paas, aap, aapka ehsaas hamesha mere dil mein rehata hain….to haan , main waqayi aapse pyaar karti hoon, bahut pyaar karti hoon. I love you."
This was so far beyond his wildest imagination that Shashank could do nothing but pull her into another hug, her unreserved avowal dissipating all the heaviness around his heart that had been his companion these few days. Prateeksha knew that she had a lot to explain and clarify and Shashank realized he had a lot of decisions to take about his future, but for now it was enough that they were together and committed to spending the rest of their lives alongside each other. They stayed thus for few precious moments, savouring the sweetness of their union, each silently, in their hearts, vowing to keep the other very happy. Then reality intruded and they realized they had to share this news with family and friends who were waiting downstairs.
To be continued…….or not?
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