Chapter 14

next morning Kashish is with Maria sitting downstairs in the hall.........she is still so scared about the way the everything happened............when the inspector comes to ask some questions to her.........

Inspector: Mrs Garewal kya aapne un gundon ko dekha tha.........kaise dikh rahe the woh..........

Kashish: nahi.......woh logo ke chehre cover the mask me...........lekin jab ek ne mere muh pe haath rakha to maine uski aankhein dekhi thi..........

Inspector: Oh to aapne uski aankhein dekhi thi...kya aap pehchaan payengi agar aapne phir dekhi to...........

Kashish: nahi........main nahi kar paungi........kyunki uski aankhie me khuff tha ek darr tha..........mujse nahi hoga........

Inspector: Please Mrs Garewal...aapko yeh karna hoga warna hum nahin jaan payenge ki woh kaun hai...Please co-operate with us........

Kashish: maine aapse kaha na main kuch nahi janti.........maine nahi dekha use..........ple muje kuch nahi pata........

Inspector: par Mrs Garewal...

Jab achanak se darwaza khulta hai...Kashish upar dekhti hai tho saamne Sujal khada hota hai...Woh wahan se uthke Sujal ki taraf bhaagti hai aur usse galle lag ke rone lagti hai...Sujal usse sahara deta hai aur dheere se uske baalon ko sehlata hai...phir inspector ki taraf dekhta hai...

Sujal: Inspector filhaal meri patni kissi sawal ka jawab dene ki haalat me nahin hai...jab hongi to hum aapko bula lenge...now you may leave..

Inspector: ok Sir...Jaisa aap kahen......

Maria went to do her work ...........

Angad: Sujal.......tumhare liye achcha hoga agar aaj tum Kashish ke saath raho......main police station jake formalities karke aata hoon.........please take care of Kashish.........

Sujal: thik hai Angad...

Angad leaves with the police and Kashish slowly seperates herself from Sujal and looks at him...he held her around the shoulder and took her upstairs to thier room .............he made her sit down on the bed and sat infront of her...

Sujal: tum thik ho..........

Kashish: hmmm.....

Sujal: Kashish.........yeh sab karne ki kya zaroorat thi........agar unhe file chahiye thi to tum de deti.........tumhe us file ke liye khud ki jaan khatre me kyun daali.......agar tumhe kuch hojata to...............

Kashish: woh log sirf file nahi chura rahe the.......woh tumhara sapna churane ki koshish kar rahe the........mere hote yeh kaise ho sakta hai..........

Sujal: Kashish mera sabse bada sapna tum ho,tumhari khushi hai,tumhara saath hai...agar tumhe kuch hojata to main khud ko kabhi maaf nahin kar paata...

Kashish: janti hoon mere aisa karne se tumhe kitna bura laga,,,,,,,,,,lekin tumne kitne vishwas ke saath muje woh file di thi aur main yeh vishwas tutne nahi dena chahti thi kyunki main khud se jyada tumpe vishwas karti hoon aur main bhi yahi chahti hoon ki tum bhi..........

Sujal: main bhi kya Kashish?...yahin ki main bhi tum pe khud se zyada vishwaas karun?...tumhe kya lagga tumpe se mera vishwaas uth jayega agar woh file le jaate to.......Nahin Kashish,mera yakeen tum par se kabhi nahin uth sakta...main khud se zyada tumpe vishwaas karta hoon...aur aainda agar aisa kuch bhi hua to tum apni jaan ko khatre me nahin dalogi..

Kashish: main dubara bhi aisa hi karungi.......

Sujal: kyun Kashish?.......tum kyun khud ki jaan khatre me dalogi................

Kashish: pata nahi......

Sujal: par main nahin chahta ki tum aisa karo...kyunki main tumhe khona nahin chahta

she was lost in his words.......he was just sat there looking at her..when there was a knock at the door...he came to his senses .........he stands up and walk to the door and opens the door and it was maria standing there with breakfast tray.......

Maria: sorry to disturb you Sir.........mam ne kal raat se kuch nahin khaya hai aur unka breakfast karna bahot zaroori hai kyunki doctor ne medicine khane ke bad lene ko kaha hai.......

Sujal: Thanks...

He takes the tray from Maria and she leaves...He goes and sits infront of Kashish...

Sujal: Chalo Kashish kuch kha lo,phir tumhe dawai bhi leni hai...........

Kashish: muje bhukh nahi hai........mera mann nahi kar raha........

Sujal: Kashish tumne kal raat se kuch nahin khaya...aur haan agar tum muje khaane pe majboor karsakti ho to main bhi kar sakta hoon.........

Kashish just manage to pass a small smile...........

Kashish: mera khane ko dil nahi kar raha lekin tum keh rahe ho to main sirf yeh juice pi leti hoon............

he smiled back at her...

Sujal: ab chalo thora sa kha lo...meri khatir...........

Kashish: ple aaj mera mann nahi kar raha......

Sujal: achcha juice pee lo phir ............

Kashish almost finish her juice when she looked at her wedding pic broken on the dresser .........she puts the glass down and went to the dresser and picks up the picture and looks at the broken pieaces......her tears just dropped on the glass..........Sujal walks upto her...

Sujal: are isse to naye frame ki zaroorat hai..

Kashish wipes her tears and puts the frame back.........

Kashish: main Maria se keh dungi nayi lane ko........

Sujal: magar main chahta hoon ki tum frame pasand karo...ek kaam karte hai,chalo hum mall chalte hai,phir tum frame pasand karlena...........

Kashish: tum aur mall..........kuch ajeeb nahi......

Sujal: tum saath hogi to muje koi problem nahi..

Kashish: aur tumhara office..........

Sujal: Angad sambhal lega...office ke saath saath muje tumhe bhi to sambhalna haina..ek din na gaya to kya ho jayega.......................

Kashish laughs at him.......

Sujal: tum has kyun rahi ho............maine koi joke to nahi kaha......

Kashish: kuch nahi.........tum nahi samjoge.......main chalti hoon......

Sujal: ok...Jaldi karna...

She takes her clothes and goes to the washroom..

Sujal (to himself): chalo kamsekam meri wajah se tumhari muskaan to wapis aa gayi...

He just smiles and then gets ready....................after some time they both leave for the mall...........

now after 35 mins they both reached a huge mall and Sujal and Kashish came out from the car and entered the mall..........everyone at the mall just staring at them............Kashish looked at him in surprise way.........

Sujal: Woh pehli baar main personally mall me aaya hoon na,tabhi sab aise dekh rahe hain...

Kashish: ohh......samaj gayi..........

Sujal: to chale...

Kashish: hmm......

They both start walking...Kashish was just looking at the things in the shops when they walked past a magazine shop...She saw Sujal's photo on the front page of a magazine which made her smile...Then they reached a gift shop...

Sujal: Kashish yeh rahe sab frames ab tum batao tumhe kaunsa pasand hai............

Kashish just looks around and than looks at sujal with confuse look......

Kashish: pata nahi kaun si loon..i am confused........

He just smiles at her innocence...

Sujal: achcha chalo main tumhari madad karta hoon...

They begin to look at the frames and decide on one.They finalise on two frames...

Sujal: ab in dono me se tum ek pasand kar lo...........

Kashish: hmmm............yeh wali...........nahi nahi............woh wali............ek minute.........yeh wali.........final.......

Sujal: Thank god warna kya pata dono leke jaani parti............

Kashish: itni bhi confuss nahi hoon............ab chalke pay kar de........

Sujal: Haan chalo...

They both go to the counter and Sujal pays the bill....

Kashish: ab ghar chale...........

Sujal: Itni jaldi?...abhi to tumhare liye ek surprise hai..........

Kashish: surprise.........lekin muje surprise pasand nahi.........

Sujal: yeh waala zaroor pasand aayega....tum chalo to sahi..

She quietly follows him...after 5 minutes they reach an ice cream shop within the mall...He smiles at her...

Sujal: to kaisa lagga mera surprise..............

Kashish: ice creammmm............lekin tumhe kaise pata ki muje........

Sujal: tumhe yaad nahin jab hum dono pehli baar saath me nikle the Anurag uncle ki dawai lene,to woh aadmi aaya tha tumse puchne ke aaj ice cream nahin logi...to muje tabhi andaza hogaya tha ki tumhe shayad ice cream pasand hai.................

Kashish: oh woh..........woh bas aise hi........woh sab main kabhi nahi bhul sakti.........

Sujal: main bhi nahin bhool sakta...us din muje pata chala ki Shimla ke log tumse aur tum Shimla se kitna pyar karti ho

Kashish: jo bit gaya use piche chod dena chahiye kyunki jitni jaldi hum nayi yaadein banane lage utna achcha hai........

Sujal: tum yahan khush to hona...tumhe pata hai jab maine aur Angad ne hamari shaadi tai hone ke agle din tumhe market me dekha to muje bohat burra lag raha tha...main nahin chahta tha ki tum itni badi qurbani do....................muje pata hai Shimla tumhari zindagi ka eham hissa hai..................

Kashish: tumhi ne kaha tha na us din ki shaadi ke bad ladki ho waha rehna padta hai jaha uska pati........aur main apne pati ki ghar me bahot khush hoon.......

He just smiles at her...

Sujal: aur main apni taraf se puri koshish karunga ke main tumhe hamesha khush rakh sakun..

Kashish: to ab mere khayal se hume ice cream leke beth ke baatein karni chahiye.......

Sujal: haa par ice cream sirf tum logi kyunki muje ice cream pasand nahi...........

Kashish: ok.....(to the worker)..........anything with chocolate......

Worker: Ok mam...

He passes them the ice cream and Sujal picks it up after paying for it...They go and sit down on a table and he puts the ice cream infront of her and sits down opposite her...........she begins to eat and she was lost in her own world with ice cream.......she doesnt know that some is just starting at her.......Sujal was just lost in her innocence somewhere...He could see how much she was enjoying it and a smile appeared on his face...He notices she had some ice cream next to her lips...

Sujal: Kashish...

Kashish; hmmm........

Sujal: Woh tumhare....tumhare gaal par ice cream laggi hai

she wipes her cheek with tissue......

Kashish: ab thik hai........

Sujal: Nahin woh thoda sa right pe lagga hai

Kashish: kaha.......yaha.......

she again tries it.......

Sujal: Nahin thoda aur right..

Kashish: kya kabhi right aur left keh rahe ho..........

Sujal: Kashish tumhare honton ke paas lagga hai..

Kashish; oh......

she lowers her eyes and wipes off........He just looks at her and smiles

Kashish: ab thik hai.......

Sujal: haa ab bilkul thik hai...

when there was an old couple sitting there having their ice cream.......and they just saw Sujal and Kashish ..........

Uncle: dono saath me kitne achche lagte hai..........cute couple

aauntie: lagta hai hamari tarah love marrige hai inki bhi.......

Sujal and Kashish just look at each other and smile...Kashish looks at her ice cream which was done so she was trying to avoid this couple........

Kashish: chale.......

Sujal: Haan chalo...

They both get up and then leave the mall

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ab shaam ke che baje huye hote hai.........kashish apne room ki chat ke zule pe bethi magazine padh rahi hoti hai aur Sujal bedroom me writing table pe betha apne laptop pe apne Dream Project pe kaam kar raha hota hai............jab neeche Ria aur Sia aate hai aur Maria use Kashish se milne se rokti hai.........Woh wahan se chali jaati hain aur bolti hain woh kal aayengi...Kuch dair baad achanak se baarish shuru hojati hai jisse Kashish ke chehre pe ek muskaan aajati hai...Woh khadi hoke baarish ki har ek boond ko mehsoos karti hai...Binna yeh jaane ke koi uski masumiyath me khoya hua hai...Sujal usse bas dekhe hi ja raha tha khidki se.......... woh apne haath fela ke barish ka jee bhar ke pyaar se use apne gale laga rahi thi.........aaj uski muskaan kuch alag hi thi.......jab Sujal uske sir ki pati ko dekhta hai aur khada hoke darwaze ke pass jata hai............

Sujal: Kashish tumhare bandages gile ho rahe hai...andar aao........

Kashish: kyaaa......

Sujal: Kashish andar aao.........

Kashish: itne achche mausam me koi andar rehta hai..........

Sujal gusse me uske paas bahar aata hai...

Sujal: yeh tum kya kar rahi ho..........

Kashish: normal insaan ki tarah barish ko enjoy kar rahi hoon........

Sujal: normal log enjoy karte hai...bimaar log nahi...........

Kashish: main bimar nahi hoon.......muje kya hua hai.......

Sujal: Kashish!

Woh binna kuch kahe uska haath pakar ke usse andar le jaata hai...

Sujal: kya tha yeh sab haan...tumne dekha hai apne bandages ko sab geelay hogaye..........ab chup chap kapde badal ke aao taki main bandages change kar sakun......

Kashish just smiles at his reaticon.........

Kashish: tum woh pehle insaan honge jo muje is tarah se dant rahe ho..........woh bhi barish ki waje se..........

Sujal: pehla bhi aur aakhri bhi...Ab jao change karlo warna bimaar par jaogi

She gets up and takes her clothes and goes and changes and comes out .....

Kashish: ab thik hai.........

Sujal: haa ab thik hai...Bas tumhare bandages change karne hain...yahan bed pe betho...........

without saying anything she sits down.........she wanted him to change her bandages...........she wanted to be near him.......there was something about him that she cant refuse anything.........he brought the first aid box and stood infront of her...Slowly removing the bandage and trying not to cause her pain...When he finally removes her bandage and looks at her wound....He starts to apply medicine on it when she closes her eyes tightly...

Sujal: dard horaha hai........

Kashish: thoda sa

Sujal: Sorry...main araam se lagata hoon...

He starts 2 apply it even more softly,whilst blowing at it...

Kashish: tumse ek baat kahoon....

Sujal: haa kaho...........

Kashish: tum bahot achche ho..........lekin tum kyun khul ke nahi jite......

He just looks at her and smiles..

Sujal: maine apne business ke alawa kuch kiya hi nahin hai...mere paas khul ke jine ka waqt hi nahin milla kabhi aur ek aur baat...Zindagi jina kya hota hai woh muje aata hi nahin...par jab main tumhe har pal ko jite dekhta hoon to na jane muje aisa kyun lagta hai ki main bhi woh pal ji raha hoon...........

Kashish: lekin main chahti hoon ki jo pal main jee rahi hoon wahi pal ko tum mehsoos karo...............main chahti hoon ki tum apne liye jio...........tumhe bahot achcha lagega..........tum zindagi jine ke liye jite ho ek bar apni zindagi se pyaar karke dekho.........tumhe zindagi jine me maza aayega........kyunki zindagi aaj hai to kal nahi is liye jitna jii sako jii lena chahiye..........aur kabhi yeh nahi sochna chahiye ki kal kya hoga..........kyunki kal ke liye hum apna aaj ko nahi jane dena chahiye.......

Sujal: main koshish karunga...agar tum mera saath dogi to...

He starts to put the bandage on her

Kashish: saath dene ka vaada kiya hai........vaada tod nahi sakti.......

Sujal: janta hoon ki tum apne vaade nibhati ho...abse main puri koshish karunga tumhari tarah har pal ko jeene ki............

Kashish: bandages ho gayi..........woh neeche Maria mera intzaar kar rahe honge..........unke jane ka waqt ho gaya hai.......

Sujal just finishes fastening the bandage...

Sujal: haa ab hogaya..tum jaao lekin dhyan se ok

Kashish: ok.....

she goes to the door and turns around.......

Kashish: Sujal........tum bhi change kar lena warna sardi lag jayegi.........

She leaves from there and he goes and puts the first aid box away...He sits infront of the laptop when her words come to his mind...He just shuts the laptop and smiles...Then he gets his clothes and goes and gets changed...................

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Ab 8 baje Kashish table pe dinner laga rahi thi aur phir woh Sujal ko awaaz deti hai dinner ke liye aur woh neechay aata hai...Woh usse khaana serve karti hai aur phir uske paas baith thi hai...Jab achanak Sujal khansne (cough) lagta hai...

Kashish: kya hua.....tum thik to ho.............

Sujal: haa...Woh bas...thoda zyada thikha hai...zara paani ka glass dena

Kashish gives him water..........He drinks the whole glass in one go and relaxes..

Sujal: Thanks...

Kashish: tum chaho to main kuch aur bana sakti hoon........

Sujal: nahi uski koi zaroorat nahin...main thik hoon

They again start there dinner but after one bite he starts to cough again.........she gives him water and started to go to kitchen.......

Sujal: Kahan ja rahi ho?

Kashish: main bas ek minute me aayi........

Sujal: Par Kashish...

but she has already left by then,,,,,,,,,,,,,after a minute she comes with a bowl and gives it to him

Sujal: Yeh kya hai?

Kashish: dahi aur chinni hai.........

Sujal: Yeh kis liye?

Kashish: tumhe tiikha lag raha hai is liye.........ab iske saath khaoge to nahi lagega........

Sujal: par tumhara kahan hai............

Kashish: muje tikha khana bahot pasand hai aur aadat bhi hai......

Sujal: OK...main abhi taste karta hoon...

He eats a spoonful and just looks at her...

Kashish: aise kyun dekh rahe ho.........pasand nahi aaya........

Sujal: Kashish...kya muje khaane ke saath yeh har roz mil sakta hai............

Kashish: hmmm........haa......lekin uske liye tumhe khana waqt pe khana hoga.......aadhi raat ko nahi........

Sujal: Hmmmm ab iske liye sochna to parega...

she just smiles at him that he cant change at all........

Sujal: hamesha aise hi muskurati rehna...tum muskurate huye bohat achchi lagti ho...

Kashish: yeh main tumse bhi keh sakti hoon..........

This makes him smile too....Both just look at each other for a moment and then continue to eat................

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after dinner she came upstairs and he was busy working on laptop.......she looked at him and takes out her night clothes and went to washroom and got changed and comes back to room and sits on her side and takes out diary to write........when sujal looked at her but doesnt want to disturb her..........he got busy in his work.......she looks at him and starts to put down her feelings in words..........

Kashish (in her diary): is ek din me kitna kuch ho gaya mere saath..........maine kabhi sapne me bhi nahi socha woh kal raat ko hua.........khud ko kitna akeli mehsus karne lagi thi main......lekin jab maine darwaze pe Sujal ko dekha to pata nahi main khud ko rok nahi payi.......aur jis pal sujal ne muje sambhala woh pal main kabhi nahi bhul sakti........aur aaj ka din to kabhi bhi nahi kyunki aaj ke din ek nayi shuruaat huyi hai............jo lamhe maine sapne me dekhe the woh ab dheere dheere sach ho rahe hai.........Sujal ka mera khayal karna muje achcha lagta hai...........pata nahi lekin kuch ajeeb sa mehsus karti hoon jab woh pass hota hai............dil ki dhadkan tham jati hai.......bas ek aisa ehsaas jise main samaj ke nasamaj kar rahi hoon .......kyunki ab main aur mera dil dono jan gaye hai ki hum kisse pyaar karne lage hai..........

Kashish puts her diary in the drawer and about to go to sleep when he calls her name........

Sujal: Kashish...

Kashish: hmmmmm

Sujal: Tumne apni dawai nahin li.......

Kashish: woh main lene hi wali thi.........

he gets up and gets her medicine from dresser and gives it to her with glass of water...........

Sujal: Ab mere saamne dawai lo.........

she takes the medicine and gives empty glass to him........

Kashish: goodnight........aur jaldi sone ke koshish karna........

Sujal: tum aaraam karo,mein bhi thori der me so jaunga.............goodnight..........

he turned off the light on her side..........He went back to his laptop and started working again...It was about 11pm when he saw the time...He looked back at Kashish who was asleep...He closed the laptop and got changed and went to sleep closing the light on his side.............

it was middle of night around 2 AM.........when she was having a bad nighmare.............she just jerked out from her sleep and sat down ..........she was so scared and panicked........Sujal heard her and sat up switching the light..........and he places his hand on her shoulder

Sujal: Kashish kya hua tum itni dari huyi kyun ho............

Kashish: woh..........woh........muje........

tears running from her eyes........

Sujal: Kya baat hai Kashish?..kya hua tumhe...saaf saaf kaho koi bura sapna dekha............

Kashish: woh..........woh Sujal kal usne kaha tha ki woh wapas aayega.....woh muje nahi chodega......

Sujal: Kashish aisa kuch nahin hoga..main hoon na tumhare saath.........mere hote huye tumhe koi kuch nahin karsakta...main tumhare saath hoon...mujpe bharosa rakho,,,,,,,,,,

Kashish didnt say anything and just looks at him with tear running eyes........

He takes his hand towards her face and wipes away her tears...

Sujal: Tumhari aankhon me sirf sapne dekhna chahta hoon,yeh ansoon nahin kyunki tumhare aanshu se sabse zyada muje takleef hoti hai...

Kashish didnt say anything and just hugges him while still crying,,,,,,,,,,,,He consoles her while running his fingers in her hair...She felt so much better and then after sometime fell asleep in his arms...He tries to make her lie properly but she was holding onto him tight...He let her be and lied down putting a blanket over them and his arms around her...and he switches off the light............