SS: Reluctant Hearts, Last Part, PG-7 - Page 4

Hey guys…

I know I am late in posting, I am so sorry!!! Actually my computer broke down; I needed to do some formatting again!!! So that took time since I was very busy as my college started (I hate it), I have no breathing time. I will take some time to resume 'Ek boond Asamaan' I have to think about its future storyline and continue, I am a bit disoriented now so let's see, my brain is scattered and ideas haywire…but I promise to post soon…for the time being might just try a write a SS for RPR's 2^nd anniversary.

ENJOY!!!

(V)

"Angry..." Jai said playing with his satin tie, standing near the entrance of her cabin...bani's face was harsh; she scowled, throwing away the papers on the table...

"For last night...sorry...I didn't mean it...it just..." jai fumbled with his words when bani cut him short...

"Are you handling the new project??" bani asked pointblank...

"Which one??" jai asked trying to recollect...

"The one about building cottages near Panvel (a place in Navi Mumbai, far from Mumbai)..."

"Yes, paa asked me...I haven't started...I thought of starting today..." jai said not understanding...

"Where is uncle???" bani got up...

"He has already left for London..." jai informed her...

"Pushkar...????"

"He is assisting paa...so he also went along..."

"Adi sir..."

"Adi is on vacation..."

"God!!! Don't tell me you are the head now..."

"I agree you don't think highly of me...but unfortunately yes I am..."

"Jai can you get serious for once..." bani almost yelled at him...

"Stop shouting...until and unless you tell me what's the problem how do you think I will be able to understand...I can't crystal gaze..." jai said seeing her being so unreasonable ... bani calmed down...

"Sorry...it's about Basera..."

"What basera????" he gave her a quizzing look...

"The old-age home I go to..."

"Bani I don't think you are that old to go to an old age home...and just because I kissed you..." jai said arching his thick brows...

"JAAIIII!!!!!" bani gave him a murderous look...

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN!!!!" frightened by her outburst he simply pulled the chair, seating himself like a good boy...
******
"So...you mean to say...I should back out and become their Florence Nightingale..." jai said mockingly...

"It is their home jai... you can't break it..." bani howled...slamming her fist on the table...

"I don't run a charitable trust bani...I am a businessman..."

"A bad one at that..." bani crossed her arms against her chest, huffing...

"Bad or good...a businessman is a businessman...this is silly...I don't want to lose my crores...the only subject I ever had interest was maths...and I am good at it...at least..."

"Jai, try and be a bit human...where will they go...it is their home...you understand HOME..." bani tried to plead him...

"Ask them to come to my H-O-M-E and live...I am not doing any favors..."

"You are a monster!!!" bani accused him...

"Tell me something I don't know..."

"JAII!! I...I will talk to uncle..."

"You can...he has no say in this, the project is completely mine..."

"You SOB!!!!" bani muttered some inexplicable words under her breath...

"Thanks and mention not!!!!"

"Okay then...I will go ahead with my case against you...you leave me no other option..." bani said determined...

"Somewhat law I also know dear...you cannot go against the company in which you are working, I can file a case against you of cheating and disloyalty..."

"FINE I QUIT!!!!"

"Bani don't be ridiculous...you are leaving your high-profile job for a mere old-age home...don't be impulsive..." jai said exasperated...

"It may be a M-E-R-E old-age home for you...but I will keep the promise I made to them...those who trust me..."

"Bani have you gone crazy...what about this company, what about me!!! You are my best friend god damnit...everything will be upside down..."

"It's always about you isn't it... what will happen to your company, what will happen to you...have you ever thought of me...what I want, what I want to do, when you call up in the middle of the night to ask me which color tie matches with your shirt I should promptly tell you...when you want you tease me, make fun of me...when you want I have to be at your service...it's always YOUU!!!!!! WHERE AM I!!!! I am giving you a week notice, I will find a replacement...and I am GONEE!!! I really don't CARE JAI WALIA!!! I AM DONE FOR A LIFETIME!!!!!!" bani started at him breathless, her nostrils flaring over his face...she got up...and walked away...jai sat bewildered... ...

"Phew!! That was long..." he uttered to himself...

"And...Spooky..." jai flapped his eyelids...thinking of how pretty she looked with her face going red...

"Jai...control...she is not your type boy...." he breathed in some air...
******
Jai's morning couldn't have been brighter...looking at the row of girls sitting in the reception area of his office...he conveniently ignored the men and senile candidates...

"Suzi darling...such a wonderful sight this morning...what's the insider...??" jai said flashing his charming smile to the receptionist... Suzana melted in a second...

"Sir, interviews for the legal advisor post...bani maam has kept the resignation on your desk...she has been here since eight..." suzi said in a hushed voice...

"When does she sleep...Jeez!!!" jai exclaimed...

"Suzana...the interviews will start now, please tell Mr. Walia that he can join me IF his ogling session is over..." bani's voice boomed from behind...

"Hello fruitcake, seems like someone has got up from the wrong side of the bed!!!" jai whistled...

"Mr. Walia...you can join me with interviewing..." bani said stoically...

"Well, I trust my fruitcake; I know she will get the second best..." jai said seriously...

"Why second best, I will get the best..." bani said confidently...

"You can never get the best...because you are the best...Bani Dixit..." he said, his eyes glued to her face which changed from serious to subdued...

"Suzi, call the interviewees one by one..." saying bani left to her cabin...
******
Bani sat muddled up, after two days of rigorous interviews, she had decided upon two names, many were below her set standards, only Pia Mehra and Rahul Khanna seemed to be appropriate, but rahul was still inexperienced, while pia had worked with one of the leading corporate firms and had been her junior in law college... her intercom rang...

"Yes!!" bani said looking through the CV of both the shortlisted probable candidates...

"Paa is gravely upset!!!" it was jai...

"I have sent him an apology mail..."

"Bani, why are you behaving like a stubborn mule... don't we mean anything to you... okay not me at least paa and all our colleagues..." jai sounded desperate... he heard her sigh...

"You all are the most important people in my life jai...I know you know it...it's just that...sometimes we are so driven by our inner strength that we need to choose between two important things...I am helpless... you are right in your own place and I am right in mine...and it's impossible to judge two things which are right... "

"I am sorry..." she said, slumping in her chair...

"I think you were right I always thought about myself...you had become a habit of sorts... my first and last best friend... I didn't want to lose you...guess it's too late..." he said dejectedly...

"Jai we will always be best friends...I am sorry... I didn't mean all that I said...you can still call me in the middle of the night and ask me what gift you should buy for a new date..." bani chuckled...jai stayed mum for a second...

"Things have changed bani...you moved my cheese and I hate it!!!" jai sulked...

"I moved your cheese, but the quick you let go of the old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese..."

"If the new cheese is bad..."

"Then find another new cheese..."

"Baniii..."

"Okay, I guess I have found the new legal advisor cum personal assistant cum whatever...I think you will be pleased to meet him or her..."

"I don't think so..."

"Let's see..."
******

(VI)

Bani maintained her cool as she saw jai shamelessly flirting with Pia Mehra...it was her last day tomorrow...her case was ready, she would be filing it day after tomorrow...

"Excuse me..." bani said as she got up...her anger flared as neither of them paid any attention to her, immersed in their chit-chat... Pia was attractive and almost threw herself on jai when she first introduced them; jai had winked at her... pia had befriended almost everyone in the office and was an instant hit...she hardly cared, telling this to herself she went to the coffee machine, getting herself a cup, drinking it, feeling nice...but her jealous eyes couldn't help but stare at the cozy picture through the glass window...

"When will they work...God!!" she muttered disgustingly...

She reminded herself to gather her things... her heart broke to leave her cabin, the office... it was her life...maybe more than that...but she has to keep the promise she had made...at any price...
******
Bani frowned looking at the bunch of white lilies sitting on the edge of the glass top of her clustered table... a small smile formed on her lips as she held its base, bringing it to herself, softly caressing the petals, feeling its velvety texture under her fingers...there was no note...there was not need of it...she knew it was sent by jai...

"Happy Birthday Fruitcake!!!" jai sang entering her cabin with a dark chocolate cake, a lone candle erected in the middle, burning...bani started at him dumbfounded...today was her birthday....she certainly had forgotten it...

"Jaii...this..." bani stood up astounded...

"Don't tell me you forgot..." jai said placing the cake...

"I did forget..." bani confessed lamely...

"Bani...now cut the cake, I have controlled myself for the past half an hour to lick it off..." jai laughed...bani cut it, taking a piece she popped it in his mouth...

"Thank you jai...thank you so much..." bani said coming ahead hugging him...jai inhaled a deep breath, it felt so good to have her in his arms...

"You are welcome fruitcake..." bani left him, a bit over-whelmed that he remembered her birthday...

"There is a surprise...come..." jai took her out...all the staff members greeted her with a loud cheer...

"Now everybody Attention...since bani maam is releasing today, we...I mean jai and I have planned a farewell party for her... tonight at eight...in Taj...everyone's invited..." pia announced... bani's face shrouded with a scowl...

"Now bani maam will say something..." pia urged bani...who was in no mood to utter a word...but seeing all the eager faces of her colleagues she complied...

"Well...you all know I am not very good with speeches and all...well..." bani wetted her lips...

"For a person who spends almost 18 hours a day in a place it becomes hard to let go of it...this is almost my home, no it is my home...with great friends, great work...and above all great bonds that I will cherish forever. I feel as if I am connected to the walls of my cabin also..." bani chuckled...as everyone heard her spellbound...specially jai...

"Today, as I gathered my stuff...I realized that I might take back my things but a part of my heart will always remain here... roaming around as I always do, searching for something or the other..."

"Ohhh!!!This is hard...sometimes you need to choose...I always knew it...but I didn't know making a choice would become so difficult today...I will miss you all..." she chocked...

"That's it...well...yadav bhaiyya, please help me carry the law books, they are too heavy for me..." she ended with a sad smile as she addressed the peon who looked at her with adoration...

Everybody stood silent for a minute hearing her heartfelt rendition... a thunderous applause followed...

"We will miss you bani..." they shouted in unison... bani cheered up as everyone hugged her and wished her luck for the future...jai left anonymously... feeling a sharp tug at his heart... Was she really going...??? And why was he feeling so terrible...??? He questioned himself again... ... they will remain friends, he assured himself, but he knew things had changed... he himself had moved his cheese...
******
The party was in full swing...with everyone enjoying themselves to the hilt...bani sat sipping a glass full of champagne, which tasted bitter to her...her mind relaxed, null of thoughts...jai was dancing with pia...she viewed them, they made a good couple surely...

"Cheers to...LIFE bani...which is so damn unfair..." she said to herself... gulping another glass, swinging her head to the music...

"Waiterr...I want something strong...do you have something S-T-R-O-N-GGG" her voice slurred...

"Surely maam..." the waiter placed a few shots of vodka in front of her... she felt nice, her mind benumbed, all thoughts flew away, she felt like flying...light as a feather... as she kept drowning in the strong spirit... ...

"WHhooooo!!!!" jai got distracted by the cooing sound coming from a distance...to his horror he saw bani climbing on the table...and swaying her lithe figure... everyone's attention fixed on her...jai hurried to her, asking her to come down...

"JAiii..." bani said pointing a finger at him...

"Youuu...always told me to enjoy life...now that I am enjoying....youuuuu are stopping me...bloodyy...Hypocriteeee.... "bani said completely fuddled...

"Bani...get down..." jai hissed...

"NOOOOOOO JAIII... LETTT MEEEEE ENJJJOOYYYYY" she screamed...

"God bani!!!!" jai groaned, lifting her legs carrying her outside as she jabbered some out of tune song all the way...
******
"EEHHH JAAIIII...LEAVE ME...." bani said angrily, swinging her legs as jai carried her inside her house...

"Yoouu....rascallll..." she shouted as he placed her on the couch...

"Bani...cool..." jai tried to calm her down...but she was hysterical... bani held the collar of his shirt in a fist...

"Aayi...jai....why...You can dance with her ...I was enjoying myself...then why did you come...HAnnn...why!!!"

"Because you are a MANNN and I am a wwoman...Bloodyyy hypocriteee...." she snarled on his face...

"Jo bhi ladki dhikhegi uske peeche bhagega...DOGGG..."

"I HATE YOUUUU" she shook him...suddenly her voice mellowed...she fell back...leaning on the couch... looking at him sorely...

"Don't take women lightly jaiii...you should win her heart jai...her heart..." bani pointed to her heart...

"Aisehi nahin girte hain jai...par ek baar gir gaye na...jitna pyaar woh dete hain na jai...tum mard kabhi nahin de sakte kabhi...kabhi nahin..."

"Don't take everything lightly jaiii...don't..." her eyelids dropped...mumbling something she drifted off to sleep...

Jai sat down, looking at her... her face soft and innocent like a new born...Was she more than just a friend to him...??? LOVE???? Impossible he shrieked to himself...
******
Bani ran her fingers through her hair...trying to open her strained eyes... they brunt...her head throbbed with a severe ache...

"Good morning..." a bright voice greeted her...her eyes flared open to witness jai sitting on the chair, smiling at her extending a cup of coffee to her...

"Drink it you will feel better..." he said...bani mutely took it... taking a sip...

"What are you doing here...?" she asked, thinking of all worst possibilities...

"Well, last night...you..."

"OH my God...what happened...??" she almost jumped in her seat...

"Nothing bani...you just got drunk senseless, I brought you home...that's it..." jai said picking up the morning newspaper...

"Thanks...and sorry....I spoiled the fun..." bani mumbled...getting up...

"It's okay..." jai smiled...

"Can you give a few minutes, I will shower and then make breakfast..." bani said...

"Please do the honors... I am damn hungry..."
******

God bless

Dhani