Chapter 7
He gives a slight chuckle as he relishes on the discovery of his identity. Bani stares at him in silent awe for a long moment before dumbly asking…
Bani: You remember?
Jai: Yes, I remember….
Bani: …. You remember?
Jai: Yes Bani, I remember. …. I remember some things.
Bani: You remember exactly what now?
Jai: I remember who I am…. I know I'm Jai Walia… I'm thirty-five…. I work here in this firm. I have a high paying job as a lawyer…. My last case involved a lawsuit between two brothers—The receptionist's name is Bernali, who by the way always behaves like this….
Bani follows Jai's indication over to Bernali and finally realizes the shocked, petrified look building on the receptionist's face. Jai notices this as well….
Jai: (adding) And I believe she thinks you're insane and is about to call security any second now…..
Bani, alarmed, turns to face Bernali and to her horror, sees the woman reaching for the phone next to her. Jai also watches this with a level of interest….
Bani: Wait, please---don't! Don't call security!
Bernali: (even more shocked) How do you know that I'm about to call security?!
Bani: I'm not crazy! Really, I'm not! I—I just tend to talk to nothing in particular! Believe me, it's a normal thing for me to do! But I'm not crazy! I assure you, Bernali!
Bernali: (demanding, scared) How do you know my name?! I never told you my name!
Bani: I—I—Random guess? (meekly)
Bernali gives her a fleeting look before hurriedly punching in numbers. Hastily Bani cuts the call by placing her hand over the receiver and indulges herself into a tug-a-war over the phone as Bernali struggles to get the phone out of her hands. Bani is squashed up against the counter of the desk while fighting to take the phone away from the receptionist. People around begin to focus on the scene before.
Bernali: Let go!
Bani: No, not until you hear me out Bernali!
Bernali: I don't know you! How do you know my name?! Who were you talking to?! –You're crazy! I don't want you near me!
Bani: No, I'm not crazy! If you would just let me explain!
Bernali: Explain what?! That you were talking to the thin air for a reason?! That you are stalking me?! –Is that how you know my name?
Jai: …. Huh, I also forgot to mention that Bernali is terribly overdramatic…
He mumbles to Bani gravely. Bani darts a glare in his direction.
Bani: And you couldn't tell me this before so I wouldn't have to make a fool out of myself?! (screams)
Feeling the sudden pull coming from Bernali's side stop unexpectedly switches Bani's attention onto her and she miserably realizes that she has only made things worse.
Bernali: SECURITY!
Bani: Nooo! Wait, okay, I wasn't talking to an imaginary friend! I was talking to a real person---err, well not real, but a person! But you can't see him! Because---well, I don't know really—but I think he's a ghost!
Bernali: (disbelief) A ghost?!
Bani: Yes a ghost! And not any ordinary person—but ….. the Jai Walia who works here. (whispers for only her to hear)
Bernali's eyes widen out of shock and she completely drops the phone from her hands. She instantly flies up from her chair and points directly to a startled looking Bani.
Bernali: Security!!!! Security!!!
Bani: Wait—
Jai: Bani, run….
Bani: But—(helpless)
Jai: Run!
Without wasting another second, Bani gathers her belongings and runs just in time as the security guards begin to make their presence. She makes her way down the hall and to the revolving doors, in the meanwhile, looking over her shoulder to see the guards gaining on her tail. That's when she sees Jai still remaining in his previous spot—which sidetracks her and she is just about to stop until she slams into something hard and before she realizes it—she falls to the floor from faint…..
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Bani feels a terrible throb in her head and groans as she lightly reaches to touch it with her hand. She gently runs her fingers across her forehead and that is when she feels a rather large, fresh bump on her head. Her eyes slowly flutter open only to be greeted by the sight of Jai, staring down at her from his bent form. She is mesmerized by him for a moment, taking in his appealing features and awing in how heavenly he seems with the golden glow that casts off of him…. She blinks dazedly at him and questions sweetly…
Bani: Jai…. Am I in heaven?
Her heartstrings flutter as she sees a handsome grin adorn his lips. He chuckles softly at what she says.
Jai: No, sweetheart…. You aren't.
Bani: ….. Then where am I?
Jai: Well currently you are laying flat down on the grounds of the Singhania's & Partner's firm…
That is when she notices the red carpeting beneath her. She continues to stare at him, dazzled and confused.
Bani: …. What am I doing on the ground?
His grin grows wider from the naivety in her voice.
Jai: You had a pretty nasty run into the glass doors…. You weren't looking when you were trying to run away from the guards….
Bani: Is that why I have a big, ugly bump on my head? …. (continuing to ask him in her sweet, innocent coated voice)
Jai: … It's—It's not as bad as you are making it seem…. It looks alright… (saying with uncertainty in his tone)
Bani: Jai… (begins in saying)
Jai: (cutting her off) Ssshhh….. Don't say anything sweetheart. Here comes someone now….
Bani watches from the corner of her eye as an approaching form joins her and Jai by lowering down onto the ground beside her as well. She turns to her and finds a petite, pretty girl staring at her with concern. In her hand she holds an icepack and subtly places it onto Bani's head. Bani shudders from the cool contact with her skull. She throws Jai a questioning glance who understands and immediately fills her in….
Jai: Anamika Pandit…. She's my personal assistant… She was down here when you ran into the doors….
Anamika catches the look of confusion on Bani's face and smiles in order to ward it off….
Anamika: Hello…. I'm Anamika…. How are you feeling?
Bani: (hoarse) Just dandy…..
Anamika: You had a pretty nasty run in with the doors…. And you have a pretty awful bump on your head… Would you like for me to ice it for you or help you get up so you can do so yourself?
Bani: Helping me up would be great….
Anamika helps lift Bani up from the ground and kindly leads her over to a chair nearby. Bani presses the bag of ice against her bump and again glowers at Jai, who tries to contain his smile—but to no success. Without any words he understood she was upset with him for lying about the bump. She also notices that she had been tricked by his glow as it was only coming from the sunrays from the windows….
Bani: How long have I been unconscious?
Anamika: Only for two minutes….
Bani: How come I was still on the floor?
Anamika: Well, I tried to move you—but wasn't able to do it on my own…. And everyone else is… well…. a little too distracted right now to even worry for you.
Anamika gestures behind her and Bani follows her gaze over to the front desk where Bernali is seated in her chair with a paper bag over her mouth, breathing in and out heavily from it, with tears streaming down her face. People cluster around her as she explains to them of what happened in between breaths.
Jai: Aw, God bless her soul. She hasn't changed a bit since I have been gone.
Anamika: (apologetic) She is a little bit of a drama queen. She takes things very seriously. I am sorry that you had to suffer one of her over reactions….
Bani: Yeah… so am I.
They are silent for a moment where Bani uses the time to continue icing down her bump and Anamika tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and turns to directly face her.
Anamika: …. I hear that you are here regarding some… personal matter? –With Jai Sir?
Bani: (startled) …. Oh… Er, yes… Yes I am.
Anamika: … I am his personal assistant, so if there is anything you are here for…. ?
Bani casts a side glance over to Jai who prods her on with a nod.
Bani: Well. … I was actually hoping to….
Anamika: (finishing for her) meet Mr. Walia? …. —I am sorry to say, but he is unreachable at the moment. He hasn't been active in quite a while here at the firm.
Bani: Well… That is exactly what I came here to know…. Is why he is inactive? Is there any reason?
Hesitation forms on Anamika's face and she is quite for a moment in which both Jai and Bani share a discreet look—both wondering what the cause is.
Anamika: I am afraid I am unable to release this information to you…. It is a very personal matter you see. But as it is—I know very little about the topic.
Bani becomes downcast on hearing this after having all the hype of excitement build into her a second ago….
Bani: Oh….
Anamika: (hastily) But….
Bani: But? There's a but?
Anamika: …. If you really wish to know…. I can't tell you… But I know someone else who can.
Jai straightens up from his posture on hearing this and Bani asks excitedly without wasting any other valuable time….
Bani: Who?
Anamika: He also works here in the firm. His name is Tarun Sablok. He is Mr. Walia's closest friend and partner. He is the person you should go for information. I am certain he would know.
Bani: Can I meet him now?
Anamika: …. He…. He isn't here at the moment. He took a one week leave. But we expect to see him back with us in two working days….
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Jai: Of course, Tarun! Why didn't I think of him before?
He questions himself as he and Bani loiter by the sidewalk, waiting for a rickshaw to pull over.
Bani: It's a little sad don't you think? That you weren't able to remember your best friend?
Jai: Well did I say I remember everything? –I only remember a few things about me… Everything else is a fog…. But if I were to see anything else familiar—I am sure I will be able to remember the rest.
Bani nods her head curtly and they continue to wait quietly. She raises her hand to signal for a rickshaw to pull, but sighs agitatedly as someone else steps into the vehicle. Jai examines her grouchily pressing the icepack against her bump and pacing back and forth with her eyes scanning the roads.
Jai: If I was not mistaken… I would assume that you are mad with me?
She stops her pacing and turns on her heels to face him.
Bani: Mad at you? Why Jai, I could never be mad at you…. (sarcasm dripping from her tone)
Jai: (raising a brow, dryly) Well thank you for that reassuring answer…. Is it because I lied to you about your bump? Because if it makes you feel any better, it is really big and nasty….
Bani: (stomping on her foot) No, that doesn't make me feel any better, you pig! God, I am mad because while I was running to save my life—you were hanging back, enjoying the whole scene!
Jai: Well looky here, don't we have a little Bernali in the making…. Don't you think you are acting a tad overdramatic? You weren't trying to save your life… Those guards weren't set out to kill you. Maybe grab you and throw you out—but not kill. That isn't in their profession. And I wasn't "hanging back" as you put it, "enjoying the scene"…. What use would it have made if I ran with you? No one can even see me…. I didn't need to worry.
She backs down from her heated stand and realizes how she hadn't thought that through. It really wouldn't have made sense for Jai to run with her….
Jai: Besides, isn't the important thing here that I have retrieved a little of my memory?
Bani: (solemnly) … I guess….
Jai: And that once we get a hang on Tarun—we'll be able to find out what happened with me?
Bani: Yeah….
Jai: And that I got to see you running like the place was on fire only to slam right into the glass doors?
Bani angrily throws her pack of ice at him and fumes as he laughs while it passes through him….
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Right before leaving to go home to her apartment, Bani quickly made a stop to the hospital to check whether she could have a concussion or not. To her request, Sonali examined her and guaranteed that she was perfectly fine and only suggested that she keep icing down the red, purple bump. Once she arrived back to the apartment, Jai wondered about and Bani answered the phone that had just began ringing obnoxiously since she entered through the door. She took the cordless phone along with her to the kitchen as she wanted to pour herself a cup of hot coffee…
Bani: Hello?
"Bani, this is your sister speaking," she hears Pia abruptly replying. Bani restrains groaning from misery and unwillingly carries the conversation by asking…
Bani: Oh, hello Pia. How are you?
Pia: No need to act so formal with me, Bani. I know you could care less. (coolly)
Bani: It's not that I don't care… I do. (defensive)
Pia: Sure, of course you do. (breezily overlooking it) Now I won't beat around the bush here. I'll just go straight to the point. I am calling about Pushkar.
The groan escapes from Bani's lips and she clunks her coffee mug onto the kitchen countertop.
Bani: (pleadingly) Pia, please—
Pia: No, no, hear me out first. I know about your little lunch date today with Pushkar and all I can say is that I'm glad you took my advice and went out with him. Really Bani, I believe this man is just right for you in so many ways.
No kidding, even Bani believed that until that idea flew right out of the window.
Bani: (exasperated) Really, do I have no privacy when it comes to you? How on Earth did you hear about my lunch with Pushkar?
Pia: Oh don't behave so overdramatically…. I am not prying into your life. As it is, there is nothing in your life worth prying for. Your boyfriend called Jeet and told him.
Bani: (hastily) He is not my boyfriend.
Pia: (disappointed) Bani, do you mean that nothing happened between the two of you?
Bani begins in pouring herself her coffee into the mug and stirs a couple of teaspoons of sugar into it while answering her…
Bani: To describe it briefly—then yes. Nothing happened. It was just an innocent lunch.
Pia: Innocent lunch? Honey, I wouldn't call eating a meal at a high standard restaurant and given flowers an innocent lunch…. There is an intention behind all of this.
Bani: Flowers?---How much did Pushkar tell Jiju?
Pia: (brushing her off) That is besides the point…. The point is Bani is that Pushkar is very interested in you and I had assumed the two of you would have hit it off at your lunch date.
Bani: Well, nothing was hit—I assure you.
Pia: Bani, I thought you liked him…
Bani: Pia—
Pia: Bani—this really isn't fair of you to do. You haven't given the poor guy a chance. He is trying really hard, believe me. He wants things to go far with you.
Bani: (startled, stunned) …. He does?
Pia: Yes, he is very serious about pursuing a relationship with you. At least, this is what I hear from your Jiju.
Bani: But Pia—I'm not so ready to be in a relationship with him…. I don't even think I want to be in one with him. …. He isn't really who I am looking for.
Pia: Darling, at your age—you should not be complaining about quality. You should be happy with what you have—and you are lucky to have such a handsome man like Pushkar to be interested in you.
Bani frowns hard on what her sister says. Really, at times Pia would make her feel like she is ninety and that her life is at the brink of being over.
Pia: Give him another chance. He really likes you. Now be a doll and call him. He has been waiting for you to call him since. And say yes to his dinner invitation. I want you to give this opportunity to have a wonderful man like Pushkar in your life a fair shot.
Bani: Dinner invitation? What Dinner invitation?
Pia: Oh, did that just slip out? Well now the cat is out of the bag. He plans to take you out to dinner tomorrow night if you are free. But you will be free so it will be fine for him.
Bani: (demanding) How do you know I will be free?
Pia: You will be, because like I said… You will give this a fair shot with Pushkar. Now hurry up, don't waste time. Call him right now.
Bani: Pia, really, this is rid—
And that is when it came to her…. When Jai's words came back to haunt her…. about her current life… It was boring and lacked excitement… She also failed to have a normal social life… instead she chose to work and only work. It was after all, everything to her. But she hated hearing those words coming from his mouth…. hated having him think of her as boring. She could be exciting…. Couldn't she? She could be wild and fun. She could do something else other than her work. She could, she knew she could. For some reason Bani found herself wanting to prove Jai wrong and show him a side to her that he may have suspected never exist in her…. She wants him to see her in a new way, in a better way. She didn't want to be seen as just plain, simple Bani who happens to be a doctor. No, she wants to be something much more….
With this set determination, Bani retraced her thoughts and considered the proposition of meeting Pushkar again. She will show Jai that she can carry a social life—that she isn't a boring anti-social loner who drowns herself into the work of her profession that he makes her out to be. Yes, she will show him….
Bani: Actually Pia—I think will listen to your advice. I think I will call him.
Pia: You will?
Bani: Yes, I will. You are right… I should give him a fair shot. And maybe like you say…. He can be everything that I am looking for.
Pia: …. Am I speaking to my sister here? I am sure I was just a minute ago….
Bani: Piaa….
Pia: What? Don't blame me. I am just a little stunned. You never cave in so fast… Actually, you never cave into anything that I say at all! So sue me for being surprised.
Bani: I am going to hang up now. I will call you later after I finish speaking to Pushkar.
Pia: (exicted) Oh Bani, this is just perfect! I know that he is just the—
Bani hastily cut off on her sister, not wishing to her anymore of her words of "wisdom." She has already had enough to suffer many lifetimes to come. Hesitantly she plays around with the phone in her hand, wondering if this is what she really wants to do. She looks out from the kitchen only to find herself seeing Jai standing out on the balcony, overlooking the entire city. The sight of him reestablishing her new confidence, Bani begins in punching down a set of numbers and waits patiently as the line begins to ring. A few moments later she hears a husky, "Hello?" and slowly replies, "Hello, Pushkar… It's me…. Bani." ……
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