Chapter 8
At terence,
Suman & Shravan are laying under the sky looking at the stars. Suman is resting her head on Shravan's arm & he's hugging her. Kids enter & jumps into the them together. All laugh. Kids lay beside their mum-dad. Shravan smiles, Suman blinks.
At morning.
Kids are getting ready for school &Shravan for office. Suman is serving breakfast. Kids & Shravan leave.
Door bell rings. Suman opens the door, Shravan leans on her.
"My good bye kiss?"
"Yaha?", she blushes.
"Then lets go to bedroom"
"Shravan!!"
She turns red & blushes. She kisses on his cheek.
"Accha now my good luck kiss?"
"For what?"
"Arey office jaa raha hoon, luck toh chahiye naa?"
"accha luck chahiye toh ruko main aarti ki thaali le ati hoon"
She prepares to go but he hugs her from behind. He kisses on her cheek. She blushes & hugs him back.
"Now my good morning kiss?"
"Arey ye kya baat hui? Subha neend se jaagke hi toh diya tha"
"arey haan bhool gaya tha!", he tricks.
"Par main nehi bhoolti. Jaao ab. Bye", she pushes him.
He makes puppy face. She goes to him & kisses. He gets stunned & smiles. She closes the door & blushes.
Door bell rings again. It must be Shravan. She laughs but tries to make an annoyed face & opens the door.
"Mumma main apna notebook bhool gayi", Krish is standing at the door.
Suman looks at Shravan, he smirks. Suman goes inside & return with Krish's notebook. He kisses on his mom's cheek. She smiles.
After a while door bell rings while Suman is making kheer in the kitchen. Leela helps her. Suman goes & opens the door. Ramnath enters. She gets happy & touches his feet to take blessings but Ramnath moves back as always.
He looks around & sees their family pictures on the wall. There is a picture of ShraMan & their kids, Ramnath puts it down with an evil smile. Suman offers him tea & to sit. Ramnath takes out a cheque from his pocket. Signing it, he gives it to Suman.
"Zaheer si baat hai main yaha bethne nehi aya hoon. Come to the point. Here's a blank cheque. Jitna amount chahiye likhlo. Badle mein mere bete ke life se humesha ke liye nikal jaao. Golden opportunity hai, Suman. Grab it. Take this cheque & forget my son"
Saman takes a moment to understand what's going on. She still can't believe Shravan's dad is making a business deal of his own son's life. She sighs & refuses.
Ramnath smirks & goes near her.
"Baad mein mat kehna ke maine tumhe option nehi diya tha", he leaves leaving Suman clueless.
~~~
Shravan & Suman are decorating their kids' room as the next day is their birthday. Kids are sleeping at their mum-dad's room tonight.
Its 11pm.
Suman is lost in thought. Shravan notices. All work are done. Shravan goes near her & hugs her from behind.
"Kya baat hai. Khoye khoye kyun ho?", he asks.
"Shravan do you regret marrying me?", she asks.
"What?", he can't believe his ears.
"I mean. Humne achanak shaadi karli thi. Wobhi tab jab hum aise decision lene ke umar mein nehi the. Humare ghar wale humein aaj tak accept nehi kar paye. I mean..", she stops as Shravan is fuming.
"Shaadi ke 7 saal baad aaj achanak tum mujhse ye pooch rahe ho?", he fumes.
She is quiet.
"Let me guess. Kahi tumhe toh regret nehi ho raha?"
"No Shravan.."
"Aisa hi hai. Sumo, main tumhare saath bohot khush hoon. Tumne mujhe woh sari khushiyaan di hai jo har koi apne life se mangta hai. But I guess I couldn't...", he gets tear eyes.
Suman gets surprised to see him in tear. She goes near him but he moves back. She cups his face but he moves away. She strongly cups his face, kisses on his tears & pecks on his lips. It was sudden but he responds equally. They even don't know how much time have passed untill they found each other too close. He places his hand on her back to undid her dress but she stops him.
"Shravan, we're in kids' room", she hesitates.
"Accha then lets go to another room", he says taking her in arm.
She hides her face into his chest getting shy. He smiles.
~~~
Suman gets Shravan's call.
"Sumo, cake ka order diya tha naa tumne!?"
"Hmm"
"What happened? Pareshan kyun ho?"
"Nothing, Shravan. I'm going to the cake shop. You bring kids to home"
"Yeah okay. Accha listen, bohot din se ek baat kehna tha. Bhool gaya tha!"
"Kya?"
"That I love you.."
"Even I do!"
They end the call. Suman is still lost recalling Ramnath's words. She gets into her car & drives. After a while, she gets Shravan's call, she wants to stop the car & pick the call but car doesn't stop. The break is not working.
She picks up the call. Its Shravan.
"Sumo!! Where are you? ghar par hi hoon main, baccho ko pataa bhi nehi chal raha hai ke humne unke liye surprise plan kiya hai. Jaldi se aa jao. Main intezaar kar raha hoon tumhara"
"Shravan, listen to me. Promise me, agar mujhe kuch ho jaye to tum apna aur baccho ka khyaal rakhoge. Baccho ko meri kami mehsoos hone mat dena"
"Sumo, tum phir se.."
"No Shravan. Promise me", she manages to say between driving.
A car passes dangerously beside hers. Looks like its trying to push her car toward the river. She manages to balance.
"No Sumo! I won't promise. Tumhe hi apne baccho ko samhalna hai. Aur mujhe bhi. Ab ut patang baatein choro aur jaldi se ghar aa jao. Main intezar kar raha hoon"
"I love you Shravan", this is the last thing Shravan could hear before the call ends.
Shravan tries to call Suman but its unreachable. He gets tensed.
Someone opens the door of Suman's car while she's laying lifeless on the sit. The car got bumped with a tree badly. Blood coming from her head as she's badly injured. Someone smirks.
Financial markets and global economy
Ishaani
