PART 40 (2)
FLASHBACK XII
She stormed into his room in blazing anger. How dare he? Is this what he did for a living? She knew Pia harbored "fantasies" but was sure she wouldnt cross the limits drawn by Papa.
JW busy on a call, his eyes light up when he sees her, lips curve into a grin, notice her hair is untied, she is wearing a red sequinned sleeveless blouse coupled with blue jeans ;-)
Its a Sunday morning, she looks tired and weary, almost as if she had been crying, her eyes all swollen up, face scrubbed clean of make up, he was is sure she is lying about her age and she is actually 14!
B: Mr Walia I am deeply disappointed! (she doesnt bother to wait until he hangs up, just starts blasting him)
His expression changes from joy to one of confusion mixed with anger
JW: Hang on a second (he murmurs something into the phone)Ya, she looks like a raging shrew.... (guffaws) I dont think so......... ya If I survive this, then may be I'll see u tonite...........(listens and laughs again) Ya Bye.
Hangs up lazily......
JW: What happened Bani? (eyes smiling)
B: How could you Mr Walia? How could you do such a cheap thing?
His expression changes completely, now, his eyes like shards of glass, smile wiped away to be replaced by razor thin lips, not used to being accused like that
JW: What the hell did I do Banee?
B: Aapne Pia ke saath kal raat ko kya kiya?
JW: (roars) will u sit the hell down and tell me what I did?
She doesnt, stands there stoically....... eyes shut, trying not to tremble against the force of his anger.
JW I havent even MET Pia what the hell are you talking about
B: You havent met Pia but u tried................. u tried................... u tried...... u did... to take advantage of her (between sobs, covers her face in her palms and sobs)
He swiftly gets up from his chair to reveal his clothes fully, he is wearing blue jeans and a white all cotton, crushed kinda shirt, full sleeves, rolled up till the elbow, three buttons undone at the top, his Rolex gleaming when he pushed his chair back in digust to step away, throws his pen on his laptop keyboard, it lands with a clutter.
His cell phone rings he turns the power off and throws that back on the desk
Walks up to her
JW(menacingly) Do u know what u are accusing me of?
B: I know.......... I know...... (part of her sorry that she has to do it, torn between protectiveness twrd younger sister and attraction twrd him) I was wrong, I know, all rich men are lousy casanovas...... I shud have known (regrets her relationship with him........ suddenly) Pia is devastated...... aapki wajah se. How could you.
JW is in front of her, pushes her into the nearest swivel chair, holds the armrest on both sides, brings his face close by
JW: Dont u dare say anything until u tell me what happened. ALL OF IT (his eyess telling her "it wud take me less than a second to kill you!)
B: Pia kal raat ko apne friends ke saath yahan neeche, dance club Nocturne mein aayi thi, she said u tried to............ u tried to.. aap kaise kar sakthe the aise, aapne uske saath badtameezi ki.... (she sobs again face in her hands)
JW: WHAT!!!! BANI DIXIT!! Who the hell fed you THAT story?
B: Nobody FED me anything. PIA NE BOLA (screams at him)
He drags a kleenex box from the far end and shoves some in her hand, she throws it back at him, grans some from her pocket once used" and mops off her face for the umpteenth time. He gets some water, she refuses to drink
JW: I did not touch your sister!!
B: Par woh keh rahi hai ki woh aap hi the, aap hi ne usko molest kiya!!
The use of the word sends him aloft in anger again. He sucks his breath in vilonetly, curses explicitly, picks up the water, gulps it down slams the gass back on the table, jolting her body......
JW: Bani dont use words u will regret later
B: She wanted me to press charges (sobs again, accusingly)
JW curses aloud........ over and over again.......
JW: U do that and we'll see how far it goes!!
Silence!!
JW: I agree I went to Nocturne last nite, (She tries to interrupt face pale, it stuns her that it was indeed him)
B: To woh....
JW: Shut the hell up.......... will you?
BNo I wont
JW: I will have u thrown out of here for disrupting my work (angrily)
B: Just the way you got rid of Pia last nite
JW: Baneeeeeeeeeeeeee,(swears violently) I went there with my friends Mohan bhi tha, a couple of other guys, we ate, drank and were generally having a good time. SHE, IT WAS YOUR SISTER PIA WHO CAME ON TO ME STRONGLY, if THAT'S ur sister (roars again)
B: she did not!
JW: U can go to hell Bani and get out of here if u dont want to listen, go ahead press charges............ (he is no longer leaning on his desk, facing her, arms crossed in the front) (blunt and expressionless)
She is sitting there sobbing
JW: She introduced herself I cant remember the music was too loud, I told her who I was, thats it....... she was all over!!
B: U are lying.............
JW: Look here Bani she is your sister u may know her well. I am a man I can tell when a woman is giving a hint (deeply)
She spontaneously looks at his eyes..........wants to believe whats in there..... but cant becoz she thinks Pia wont lie abt such a thing
JW: With ur sister there was no hinting biz. She was screaming from rooftops. I think she was drunk, main kya koi bhi kal raat ko uske saath...........
B: Shut up. Aap keh bhi kaise sakte hain aisi baat?
JW: Kyon ki main uske itne kareeb tha ki mujhe uski khushboo aayee(bitingly) GOT IT? She was drunk AND she was looking for a good time!! (nasty, taunting)
B: No....... she wont, she wont, papa ko pata chal gaya to..... nahi aap galat hain
JW: she wanted to dance. I didnt.......... Mohan volunteered........... she went reluctantly, I was chatting with her other friends came to know ther are from a city college. She was giving me ****** looks from across the dance floor (runs his fingers thru his hair, tired? disillusioned and suddenly at a loss for words in trying to convince Bani)
Thats it.
B: Nahi usne kaha aapne usko apne kamre mein bulaya jan woh nahi gayi to aapne uske saath
JW: Ur sister is a bloody liar Bani!! She grabbed my arm and wanted me to take her shopping at the hotel's arcade. I refused. I had to take Mohan to the airport woh Jaipur ja raha tha aaj subah so I had to get some papers ready to take with him
She is just not listening, almost deaf to all/any explanations..........
Silence!!
B: I hate you for doing this to her, I hate you for doing this........ (she stops just when she is about to say "me")
JW: U are over reacting..........
B: Iam not!!
B: So u didnt touch her? (She wants to know desperately)
JW: I did not, she ASKED ME TO KISS HER AND I DID NOT!!! Satisfied? (in rage)
B shuts her eyes, not wanting to visulaize him kissing Pia. Gets up......... they both are standing facing each other less than a foot of distance separating them phyisically but suddenly hundreds of miles away emotionally
JW: That THOUGHT itself pains u doesnt it? (knowingly)
B: No it does not!! (firmly, calmly) not anymore Mr walia!! (rubbing her hand on her cheeks wiping the fresh set of tears) Mujhe pehle hi samajhna chahiye tha, mujhe yahan aana nahi tha, I shud have gone and got help, mujhe pata tha aap jhoot bolenge
JW: What the hell..........
B: She said, u put ur arms around her and tried to grab her, u told her she smelt good...... u told her....... u wanted to meet HER again (betrayed......... sobs coming back)
JW: Do u think I am that desperate to fling yself at every woman, every middle class type who is frsutrated and looking for a good time?
B's hand comes out in a swing and slaps him right across his cheek
B: Pia is middle class just like ME. She is NOT frustrated. She is my sister (sob) Her, Rano and Papa are all I have..... (Sobs again, shaking her index finger warningly on his face) Dont u dare. Aapki himmat kaise hui aisi baat kehne ki?
He locks his hand around her wrist in a steely grip........ jerks her.
JW: Bani Dixit, u pull that stunt one more time and I am going to slap u right back!! (words barely escaping his clenched teeth, his eyes on fire!!)
JW: I dont care for your sister, I dont care for the love u are displaying right now........... (lets go of her hand in disgust) She is messed up, tum usko kehna nahi chahti ho, usko theek nahi karna chahti ho, tum uspar vishwas karna chahti ho, tumko woh galat nahi lagti. I feel u never ever will feel or ack her mistakes.......... its systemic
B: I have been her mother since Mummy passed away, main teeno mein sabse badi hoon......... aapko mujhe sikhaane ki koi zaroorat nahi hai
Main wohi karoongi jo mujhe sahi lage. Main report karne waali hoon Mr Walia (angrily walking away, resolute)
JW: Be my guest Bani! and Oh BTW, Bani..... ask her to embellish it some more before u go to the police!! Might help u in getting more money out of me!! (blunt, acidic, disgusted)
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Udne Ki Aasha
