PART – X
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ow glad she felt to see the beaming faces of her friends who were standing together to welcome her. After all it has been one long month. Naina has fully recovered & finally got discharged from hospital. But this one-month has been really taxing since she had nothing to do there.Her friends were occupied with their routine classes & drills. It felt so good to be back.
She could see Brigadier Chandok come out.
"Welcome back Cadet Singh…. You look much better."
"Thank you sir & I m absolutely fine now"
"But before you meet your friends, there is another important thing that I want you do Cadet Singh"
"What is it Sir?" She was confused…..what was so important that she required to do before everything else.
"Follow me Cadet Singh" & she did what she was told to.
Brigadier Chandok led her to the wall of fame.
"Cadet Singh I know I took this photograph out of this wall but I want you to put it back here." He pointed towards the photograph that was brought by the order lee.
"You have brought Captain Navin Singh Ahluwalia his lost glory & pride, you deserve the honour…..Go ahead Cadet Singh…Do the honour"
This probably was the happiest moment of her life. She took that photograph & placed it on the wall…that too right at the center. This was, where she always believed, her Navin Bhaiyya belonged. He got what he deserved. She moved two steps backward. All the hands went up in a salute……a salute that every martyr deserves.
"KMA is proud of Captain Navin Singh Ahluwalia & Cadet Naina Singh Ahluwalia…probably two of the best cadets this academy ever have had" Brigadier Chandok made this announcement & left .
And then the entire corridor was filled with the sounds of claps & cheering for Naina. All her friends came to congratulate her. Her friends surrounded her. Every one of them had so much to tell her.But she could not hear them. Her eyes were fixed on her Bhaiyya's photograph…She was happy.She had to be after all this was the only thing she wanted… But there was something inside her……something dat didn't let her feel that happiness. May be it was the first time she has realized that her Bhaiyya was not with her…he's always been with her either physically or in her mind, as her mission. But today she had no mission & she didn't had her Bhaiyya around. She knew she has lost him …...forever.
But was it only that much……not really. She still couldn't accept that unexpected departure of Captain Rajveer. He has been her friend, philosopher & guide….& much more than that. She had shared her sorrows with him but today he wasn't with her to celebrate her victory. She was feeling choked inside….. She needed him to stand by her. She wanted him to hold her as he did when he told her about Navin's death. She was feeling lonely but she knew she cant help it….. She knew she has lost the two men she loved the most in her life.
She couldn't take it any more & without saying any thing rushed towards her room leaving everyone behind bewildered. She locked her room from inside. She wanted to be alone. She lied down on her bed & tears started flowing out & they won't stop. She took out a piece of paper from her pocket & read it may be for 1000th time. She had lost the count of number of times she had read dat since this was the only thing she used to do when she was in hospital. She read it one more time.
"Why Sir…… Why you had to go like this. Why you didn't meet me for one last time. How could you even think that this letter would suffice for your absence? Why do you always leave me when I need you the most? Why sir, why?"
Then there was a knock at the door.....
Ishaani
