“Kya? Itana saara ho gaya… and no
one even bothered to tell me anything??!!” Anjali exploded furiously. Shondeep gaped in shock.
“Wa… Wait…! I will call him…!” he
dialed Arnav’s number…
“No use, Shondeep… He has left
everything behind….!” Papaji said hopelessly.
“What?” Anjali turned to him…
“Where is he then?” she asked
raising her voice…! Nobody knew anything…!
“And Khushi?” She turned to
Mummiji…!
“Lucknow..!” Papaji said with a
catch in his throat. Anjali sat on the
chair all drained out…!
Anjali and Shondeep had returned
from their honeymoon …! Papaji had narrated them about Arnav and Khushi…!
“God!! Chote….!” Anjali cried on her
husband’s shoulder. Shondeep kept
patting her back. They could do
nothing…! Arnav had disappeared…!!
********* *********
******
It hit the headlines on Sunday
morning prominently in Kanpur Samachar and other National English news papers
that One hundred Acres of land was donated for establishment of a Technical
Institute on the outskirts of Kanpur in the Name of Late. Shri Shamsher Singh
Thakur…! A front page photograph of Shamsher Singh was the talk of the town in
Kanpur…!
“Hiii Ram… he is the one… he is the
one…!” Seema screamed hysterically…! Akhilesh dashed in…!
“He is the one Akhil…. I saw him…
The man from the portrait… he came alive…” Seema said excitedly. Akhilesh held her hand…!
“Stop…! What are you talking
about…?” he asked…
“That Man? That Sorry… Man.. I bumped into…. In the
market…I mean… That portrait of Dadaji… I mean…” She went on…!
“Seema…” He pressed her shoulders
and made her sit on the chair… she waved the news paper in front of his eyes…!
“See the photo… !” seems said in a
high pitch…
“I saw him in the market…! That day!
He bumped on me and said sorry….!” She said panting.
“Oh! God! Seema.. stop this…!” This
photo is of some Shamsher Singh Thakur… he died long back. They are starting a technological university
in his name..!” Akhilesh clarified.
“I know… but I saw him in the market…
I know… he must have come there to save me from some danger… I know… He always
does that… That portrait…. Saved me…!” she went on incoherently. Akhelesh shook his head hopelessly.
“Seema… stop it!” he pressed his
palm on her mouth. She still was trying
to tell him something…!
“He came alive to save me…!” she
kept on blurting the whole day frequently holding the news paper and seeing the
photo of Shamsher Singh Thakur…!
********* ******
******
“Aakash… !” Aakash felt a knot in
his chest.
“Yeah, Lavanya…!” he said swallowing
hard.
“Can you send his belongings to my
apartment in Delhi?” she asked sweetly.
Aakash was in dilemma…
“I mean… “ He started off weekly and then realizing…
“Whose belongings, Lavanya? Sham’s?”
he asked bitterly and he could feel her shock.
“No… no… That chapter is over..! I
moved on, Akash…!” Lavanya said sadly.
“I was talking about ASR, Aakash..!”
she said apprehensively.
“For that you have to talk to Khushi…!”
Aakash said sternly ready to disconnect.
“Oh!” she said disappointed…!
“How do you know about his
belongings, Lavanya…?” he asked curiously.
“Umm… I mean… he had called me….! I
mean… he needs his passport…!” she said not wanting to let any more information
slip out of her mouth.
“Oh!” Aakash comprehended for a
moment.
“I am sorry…. I don’t have it with
me. Please call Khushi…!” he said
fingers crossed. He must talk to Khushi
before she did..!
******** ******
“How could you do this to her?” Regi
was furious. He had flown to
Kanpur when Arnav had called him.
“I didn’t do anything … she did…!”
ASR accused her.
“Oh! Come on, ASR! I know you since
when!! Your rage can hurt anyone beyond repair…!” Regi said enraged. ASR didn’t react. It was indeed his fault.
“ASR… She is pregnant, Damn it! And
you left her all alone…!” Regi was controlling his urge to hit ASR.
“She is with her family… I am the
one who is all alone…!” he said bitterly and Regi exploded….
“Then who asked you to create this
drama…?” Regi couldn’t stop himself punching ASR right in his stomach…!!
“Ouchh..! Regi.. Stop it! I called
you here for a different reason…!” ASR sounded mournful… Regi listened with
bated breath….
“Promise me, you will be with her,
when the notice reaches her…!” ASR held out his hand. Regi forgot to breathe….
“No… ASR…. You can’t do this to her…!”
Regi urged with moist eyes…!
“You know, she loves you…!” Regi
literally begged…!
“This is not love, Regi… !” ASR said
bitterly.
“What is it? ASR? Enlighten me…!”
Regi said furiously. ASR swallowed nervously….
“She …. She doesn’t understand the
dynamics of business…!” ASR let out…
“You never let her understand, ASR!”
Regi accused.
“And she is carrying… ASR… don’t do
this…!” Regi went down on his knees begging…! ASR remained unmoved…!
“I need to move on….!” ASR said
gravely and Regi turned completely dejected…!
“I am not meant for all this, Regi!”
ASR said mournfully….
“I am a loner and will be forever…!”
ASR moved out turning Regi into a lifeless statue.
******** ******
*****
“Yeah… ok. Send everything…. Even
his clothes…!” Khushi spoke angrily when Aakash called her….!
“And please do it immediately….Aakash
Jijaji… that laad… I mean that great businessman must be running out of his
wardrobe…. Send all his belongings to her…!”
“And send mine… here…!” she nailed crucifying
their relationship…!
“Its.. all over…!” she cried her
heart out in her Amma’s arms…! She had lost everything… Elsa watched with moist
eyes… She must take control…. She must bring back Khushi in khushi’s character…!
“Khushi…!” she signaled Amma and
took charge. Bringing her out of the
house she walked with Khushi towards the old bridge…! Setting orange ball
reflected in Khushi’s eyes… they strode down the ghat and sat on the last rung…dipping
their feet in the orangy flowing water…! The Badi Haveli from the other end
loomed over, blocking the setting sun…! Darkness engulfed.
“We will go to the temple…!” Khushi
said wiping her cheeks. Elsa got up…
Khushi began climbing the ghat with efforts… Elsa supported….!
“You know…? Those dreams…! I.. I
thought… they… they defined our relationship….” Khushi stood holding Elsa’s
hand to catch up with her breath. Elsa
swallowed hard….
“But…. Those… those were only dreams
after all….! Not real… Only fantasy…. My mind was playing games with me…. !” A
fresh gush of tears flowed down her cheek.
“Reality is…. ASR is ASR… not Arnav
ji… Not for me… Khushi! He is for someone
else of his match… his status…!” Khushi sat on the stairs…losing her breath….
The silhouette of looming Badi Haveli illuminated with the lamps lit inside ….!
“Come on….Let’s go!” Elsa shivered
in an unknown fear…! This depression was not good for Khushi….and her baby…!
