Part 5- The dilemma and the signal
Raghu got out of the building. He was walking so fast that Avay had to almost run to catch him.
Avay: Wait, where are you going??
Raghu: Antara's home, where else?? We can reach her within 45 minutes if I drive fast . It's not far from here.
Avay: Before you start your madness again, I DEMAND to know what is going on!!!
Raghu: Avay, ...look...it's very weird for you and even for me, trust me!!! I tried to tell you about this for GOD knows how many times but I stopped myself because it's ...
Avay: Complicated I know, but now you have no other choice left but telling me. Spit it out!!
Raghu hesitated. He is my best friend. He has been supporting me in everything. He is always beside me. Whatever happened with me since my childhood, he never left me alone. Even today, without knowing anything, he has been helping me this evening. I have to tell him. Let him call me mad but I have to. I can't bear this burden of secret anymore.
Raghu: Can you remember when it was my 18th birthday, I blacked out in my birthday party??
Avay: Yes!! You were tired. You were practicing for your cricket match the whole day, for that reason!!! Why are you asking me??
Raghu: That was not the reason Avay!!! I blacked out for some other reason. I saw something!!! I saw ...look it will sound creepy.
Avay: Man, you are scaring me!! Tell me what you saw!!
Raghu: I saw MYSELF just in front of me and...he was I mean...I was a grown up man in my...you can call it VISION ...and I was with... a girl. I was ...I mean he was hugging the girl.
Avay: Holy ...OMG!! Where did u see it?? In the party??
Raghu: No, I came inside my room in between the party to take my phone and I looked down from my window. Then I saw these two in our lawn. The girl saw me...I mean him and she ran to him and hugged him. After watching that, I sort of felt sick and I blacked out.
Avay: Have you seen this kind of creepy nightmare again??
Raghu: Avay, Avay...that's the problem. It never stopped. I have been watching this sort of things almost everyday. And the scary thing is day by day, it's increasing.
Avay: Man, is it that same dream??
Raghu: Nooo. It's different each time. And different places.
Avay: So, ...the girl whom we are searching...is the girl from the dream??
Raghu nodded his head in Yes.
Avay: My God!! So, what is your plan??
Raghu: My plan is to ask her face to face if she also hallucinates about me...
Avay: Wait...hallucinating?? But you told me that you see her in dream.
Raghu: YES!! THAT'S THE PROBLEM!! I used to see her in dream but TODAY I saw her when I am awake. I was watching her and myself right in front of me. I was frequently hallucinating for the first time in my life and that also in the day when I was about to meet her in this show. I saw her dance on the show and I saw MYSELF DANCING with her.
Avay: But that dancer versity boy was dancing with her...Ok. Now what will you ask her??
Raghu: I will ask her that if I am the only one or she also watches me.
Avay: So, why are you running?? We have her phone number and address. We can call her any time. We can go to her house anytime. Why are you hell bound on reaching her TONIGHT itself??
Raghu: Did not you listen to that girl?? SHE IS GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW.
Avay got confused. He came near Raghu, looked in his eyes and asked- So, what's the problem?? You are gonna ask her a question. Only a question. There is no connection between your question and her marriage. It's her personal life. She is in a very important stage in her life. And after marriage, she is not gonna escape. We can ask her anytime. You got that?? So, please calm down. She lives in this city only, Raghuveer!!!
Raghu: But you do not understand. I WANT TO GO TO HER NOW. I want peace.I want to know that if she also...
Avay: What if she never had such dream. What if she gets emotional disturbance after listening to you. She is getting married and it's a very important phase of her life. Listen to me. We will go to her home. I will come with you. You are not alone in this. But not NOW. We will go tomorrow.
Raghu: But tomorrow is her...
Avay: I know. But ... wait ...a ..minute!!! What is the reason that you are hell bound to go to her any how before her wedding?? What is the matter about BEFORE HER MARRIAGE?? Haan? Her answer to your question is not gonna change if she is married, right??
Raghu got confused. Avay is absolutely right. Why am I becoming such a lunatic Pain-in-your-ass and throwing tantrum like a teenager boy to get to her?? I can call her right now or I can meet her tomorrow in her wedding. Of course!!! But why was my mind telling me that-GO TO HER AND TELL YOUR SECRET, BEFORE SHE BECOMES SOMEONE ELSE FROM HER PRESENT STATE. BEFORE SHE GETS MARRIED. There is no problem whether she is married or not right?? Her answer won't be changed on the basis of her marital status. The dreams are just dreams. May be it is important for me, but she has a different life. Why am I forcing my own problem on her?? It's not ME. I am not like this. But why still my heart is telling me to reach her immediately?? May be my sanity is playing trick with me. What was my intention any way?? To reach her to ask question or ...or...to stop her wedding?? God dammit why am I so worried about her wedding??
Avay: Because my friend, your sub conscious mind don't want her to get married. Your mind wants her to see these dreams too and your mind is hoping that if she is also in the same league then may be she will change her decision about her life partner after watching her dream boy right in front of her eyes as you. For that reason may be... You want to reach her before her wedding.
Raghu: Absolutely NOT!!! I just want to talk to her once, then she is in her way and I am mine. I don't care even if she is having the same dreams about ...me. I don't care at all. I just don't want to be alone who is having this creepy nightmare session. And...WAIT!!! How did you know what I was thinking??
Avay: Because you were not thinking, you were saying it outloud.
Raghu: WHAT?? Man, I must say...
Avay: That you are going mad?? Yes, you are. Reason number 1. You are chasing a girl whom you saw in dreams and hallucinations. Number 2. It's 11.45 pm and we are planning to get crash a house. Number 3. If the girl didn't have such dream, then there is 100% chance that we will be kicked on our ass my her parents and it's not good for...u...know.. ur image. Number 4. There is a strong possibility that the guests those must be staying in her house for wedding can misunderstand us and HER if they listen to your conversation. That will doom the girl's image and it won't be good for her wedding if the groom party comes to know about this. So, think about your plan again, Mister!! I am always with you whatever you will do; now the decision is up to you.
Raghu thought about it. Avay is right and may be it's completely ridiculous to go a bride's home at midnight to ask-Hey did you have any such dream where we are romancing in different places?? It will utterly disturb her. Let the meeting be tomorrow. There will be so many guests in her house tomorrow and I along with Avay can easily enter in the house as guest. OK. Decided.
Raghu: We will go there tomorrow.
Avay: Thank God!! I got back my brother who is un-creepy.
Raghu: Shut up!!!(smiled)
They got in to their car to go their home.
Singhaniya House:
Raghu and Avay entered in to their house which is nothing less than a palace. The flower garden, the green lawn, the fountain and a bridge connecting the outer city with this house was architected in sheer brilliant way. Raghu and Avay were passing the main hall when they heard a voice- Aa gaye?? I thought Raghuveer is planning to spend night in office and Avay, your college is taking classes in night session kya??
Raghu: Dadi, why the hell are you still awake??
Dadi: Because buddhi ho gayi hu na?? Jab tak mere do (put her hands on one cheek of both of them ) Rajkumar ko dekh nahi leti, I feel so sad. Pata nahi kab upar se bulawa aa jaye..
Raghu and Avay(together): Dadi, please stop it.
Raghu: Abhi to apki jawani chal rahi hai!!! To phir why do u say such things??
Avay: Dadi, please don't say that. I don't want to lose my most favourite girl friend.
Dadi: Chup besharam!!! Chal dinner karti hu ek saath.
They sat for dinner. Raghu and Avay was weirdly silent and Dadi noticed that.
Dadi: What happened?? Koi mar gaya kya??
Raghu: Uff Dadi NO!! We are just so tired. Ok I am done.
Avay: I am done too.
Dadi: Raghuveer, I want to talk to you about something.
Raghu: If it's about a photo of a girl, then NO!!
Dadi: Nahi re baba!!! I got your dad's phone call, he has been trying your cell since the evening but you were not picking up the phone so he called me. He wants to talk to you.
Raghu's smile disappeared and suddenly a cold environment appeared. Avay stood beside Raghu.
Raghu: As I remember, I have talked to him about the presentation already and he approved my plan. So what does want to say me??
Dadi: Raghuveer, a father doesn't need a reason to talk to his son.
Raghu: Dadi, I am feeling very tired so I am going to sleep.
Dadi: RAGHUVEER!!! Just listen to your father Dammit!!! He asked me to give him a message when you are home and I did that. So go to your room and open your laptop, he wants to video chat.
Raghu: What?? Why?? Is the Europe deal cancelled?? OMG!!! I personally checked everything in the quotation and...
Dadi: the deal is fine. Your secretary told me this evening. You just talk to him. Listen to me in this matter for a change.
Raghu: ummm...ok. But don't blame me if any fight happens. You know right??
Dadi nodded and left.
Avay: Just calm down, take deep breath and talk to him. Don't worry about tomorrow. Ok??
Raghu: Ok. Good night.
Raghu's Room:
(I had to use a lot of imagination here because the room is very important in this story. There are so many things that are going to happen here.)
Raghu entered in to his huge bedroom. He passed his bed which was situated in the right side of wall with four royal bed stands of aesthetic design. The bed had a dressing table in one side and a reading table in the other. There was a good amount of space in front of the bed and after that space there was a couch with a lot of pillows where Raghu sometimes sleeps. It's strange that sometimes he doesn't feel like sleeping in his royal bed. He feels so comfortable in couch.
Raghu went into his washroom, freshened up, came out and sat with his laptop. He took a deep breath and gave a message to his father that he is available now. After 5 minutes, he found his father on the screen of his computer.
Prakash Chandra Singhaniya: Hello son!!
Raghu: Hi!! How is your Europe trip going??
P.C.S: It's fine. They approved your plan. So congras!!
Raghu: Thanks!!
There was an awkward silence between them for 30 seconds as if both were hunting words to say each other.
P.C.S: so...I want a favor from you!!!
Raghu: What is it??
P.C.S: One of my very old friend called me this evening.
Raghu: So??
P.C.S: His daughter's wedding is gonna happen tomorrow and he invited my whole family there. I told him that I am in Europe and without asking you, I promised him that you, Avay and your dadi are coming...
Raghu: (Sirf yahi baaki tha, Gosh)I can't go there. Tomorrow, I have other plans.
P.C.S: But I talked to your secretary. He said that your meeting with Patel's will be complete within afternoon, so I guess you can go there in the evening.
Raghu: No. I told you na, I have other works to do.
P.C.S(Slowly getting angry): I knew it. I always knew that you will refuse. You are very determined to shove every idea of mine and make me upset. May be you don't know but let me say you that, he was one of my best friends. He stood by my side when I was nothing. His daughter's wedding is a big thing and it's unfortunate that I am not in India now. So, I am asking you. He will be very happy.
Raghu: If I don't go there, the wedding won't be postponed right??
P.C.S: But you live in a society and there are some manners here.
Raghu: I will make sure that Dadi will go there, but I am really sorry. I am not shoving your wish without any reason. It's true that I am busy tomorrow night.
P.C.S: ok. Then let me call my friend and say sorry that my arrogant son is not coming. Your dadi got a wedding card and she may have put it on your reading table. There is a phone number. Tell me that number. It's my friend's wife's number. I have to say her sorry too.
Raghu got up from his place, found the card and went back in front of his laptop.
Raghu: It's 9984...Wait...I think I can go too.
P.C.S: WHAT?? But you had some work right??
Raghu: Yes,...but I think I can do that later.
P.C.S: Ok, then. See ya. And ...(he hesitated a bit but said it) Thank you son!!!
Raghu: welcome.
Raghu closed his laptop and looked at the card. When he opened the card to get the number, his eyes automatically went on groom and bride's name and ...the bride's name was ANTARA SHARMA!!!!
God, you must be kidding me!!! Now I have an invitation card too to reach her?? Why are you directing me to her?? I was going to do a stupidity by going to her home at midnight but you made me stop by Avay and calmed me down and then when I was worried that how I would go to a begani shaadi; you sent a card to me?? Thank you!!!
He lied on his bed and took his phone. Though he had made his mind to talk to her tomorrow, but still his other side of mind couldn't stop himself. He made a call ...TO HER...
Precap:
Raghu: What is it?? Doctor, don't hide anything. Tell me.
Doctor: Well, a lot blood has been lost and it affected her optical nerve system. When the accident happened, a minor stroke happened too. So...
Raghu: So???
Doctor: She might lose her eye sight.
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