Chapter 11

(Jalal stopped the car, in front of Jo’s residence)..

Jalal: Here! Off you go, before I take you back..

Jo (chuckled, unbuckling her seatbelt): In your dreams..

Jalal rebuckled Jo’s seat back, “Don’t you dare be a tease..And tell Adi, next time he interrupts us being together..I’m gonna knock his tooth off”…

Jo laughed, “Cut him some slack..It was my sister on call..She is back home”..

Jalal: Shibani??

Jo gave a faint smile, “Yeah”..

Jalal: Should I say Hi to her??Its been ages..You wouldn't believe, I tried contacting her too, like a total lunatic..

Jo (taken aback): Really??

Jalal: Hmm..couple of years later, since when I had lost contact with you, I found she was enrolled in the same college as Adi..I tried reaching out, but Adi wouldn’t let me..It was then that I had an awful scruffle with him..

Jo (surprised): You fought with Adi..??

Jalal: Ofcourse..That man with his big mouth..He said you had nothing to do with me..I was so angry..I almost squeezed the life out of him..

Jo (trying to avert her sadness hearing that): No wonder, he hates you..

Jalal (made a big O with his mouth): Are you siding with him?

Jo (smiled): As if you would let me..

Jalal (smirked): Yeah! True..From this moment on, its only me, who’s side your gonna stay..Deal??

Jo nodded , "Deal"....unbuckling her seatbelt again..”I’ ll see you tomorrow..and we’ll talk after the bid..Hmm??”

Jalal nodded, “I cant wait”…

Jo exited the car, and looked back at Jalal, who was still looking at her expectantly..

Jo (squeezed her brows in a questioning gaze): What??

Jalal (pouted): Do you really…like reallllyyyy have to go in??..I can take you right back in a wink of an eye..

Jo chuckled, leaned back in through the window of the car, gesturing Jalal to come forward..She gave a mild peck at Jalal’s forehead, and said, “Good night..Drive safe”..

Jalal (sighing in defeat): Okay..You go in first, then..

Jo got into the gate of her apartment complex, waving Jalal a bye..and once she was off sight, jalal restarted his car to head back, reliving his evening with Jo, over and over again in his head..Smile not leaving his face even for once..

(Back at Jo’s place)

Before Jo could ring the bell, the door banged open and gleeful Shibani squeezed her in a bear hug…

Shibani: God! I would have died waiting for you...(Jo smiled faintly)..What took you so long…Ok, let it be..freshen up..and lets have our dinner..Adi is wailing in hunger..

Jo wanted to deny, telling that she has already eaten..but she didn’t, she nodded in a yes, and went ahead to freshen up..as to join the two for dinner..

Shibani felt the dullness..but didn’t say anything..

Shibani (to Adi): Jo looks dull? Would you know whats up??

Adi: Oh! She must be exhausted from the work..There is an important bid tomorrow..All the big tech firms would be eyeing for the client..Ofcourse COSMOS would be there too up against us..I’m pretty sure, she must be tired with proposals and stuff, you know..Nothing else..

Shibani (taken aback): So, you’re telling me..She is dealing with the proposals..Didn’t she join as an executive..

Adi (recalling Jo had refrained him from telling anything to Shibani): Oh! Yeah..She was recently promoted as an R&D associate of the COSMOS’s big-tech projects..

Shibani (panicked): So he found her..Is she working with him directly?? I knew this would happen sooner or later..There is noway she could have skipped his sight…and here I was thinking to convince her to get back with me, before he could notice…Has she said anything to you..

Adi: Relax Shibani..Jo need answers..How long can you keep her from truth..Its not good for her..Get real..Don’t be scared..Cant you see, she is adamant..even if he hadnt found her..I’m pretty sure Jo would have come forward..She came to see him..Tell her everything and breathe in ease for once..

Before Shibani could retaliate Jo came to the dining table to join the two for dinner..Both Shibani and Adi stopped abruptly seeing her..Jo sensed the tension, and gave a formal smile..

Jo: Whats up with you two??Why the air is so cold??

Shibani (fought to make way for a smile): Nothing..Come on..Lets eat..

Jo picked up the spoon but the thought of Jalal refused to leave her mind..Suddenly she kept the spoon down and looked at Adi who had settled next to Jo, opposite Shibani, trying to gather his attention back to food infront of him..

Jo: Adi??

Adi looked back at Jo, “Hmm?”

Jo: How would you feel if someone told you that my sister has nothing to do with you??

Adi looked in cofusion back at Jo,,finding hard to speak..Jo continued,

Jo: It would be heart wrenching, right??To tell someone that the woman you love has nothing to do with you..

Color slightly began to fade off Adi’s face, hearing that statement..Jo continued again,

Jo: Then why would you say that to Jalal??..I don’t recall telling you ever…thatI've nothing to do with him..

Before Adi could respond, Shibani interrupted him, addressing Jo.

Shibani: I asked him to..

Jo looked back at Shibani, and gave a faded pitying smile, “Ofcourse you did..Afterall that's the exact same thing you told me ..That the boy who kept haunting my dreams had nothing to do with me..”

Adi (cutting in): Jo, please try to understand..

But Shibani stopped him again, “Adi, this is nothing we two sisters cant sort of, you should head home”..

Jo (lost her temper): Don’t speak so casually, as if what has been ripping my heart apart for the past ten years, is something so insignificant and inconsequential to you..

Adi and Shibani, looked back at Jo dazed..Never in these long years had Jo been this loud, or even rude..

Adi looked back at Shibani, reluctant to leave, as if pleading with her to let him stay..There was no way he would leave Shibani to face her fears all by herself..alone..But Shibani maintained her stand, and looking back at Adi, softly said, “I’ll see you tomorrow”…Adi adamant, didn’t move..Shibani insisted again, “Please”…

Looking at the grief stricken faces of Shibani and Adi, and Adi’s resolve for Shibani..Jo’s anger subsided and gaze softened..She sadly averted her gaze to give space to the two of them..

Shibani rose up, held Adi’s hand as to take him to the door to leave…Adi followed without resistance..Mildly pushing him outside the door, she stepped back to shut the door..

Adi: Its gonna be okay..She loves you the most..She'll understand..

Shibani: Thats what scares me..Thats the reason I did and yet could again, hurt her the most…

Adi (held Shibani’s hand): Even if hell breaks loose..You better remember, that you’ll find me right next to you…always..

Shibani nodded in a yes, and shut the door..Worried Adi stood there for sometime, and then left with a heaviest heart and a burdensome gait..

P.S : II part to this chapter coming soon..

sm13082020-08-01 21:07:17