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Part30
A month later
7 days have already passed after Valentine's day. Jay was out of town for that week, so he came to Bani's place to know how she spent her time on that particular day. Actually while talking to her on phone he came to know that Pia-Pushkar and Rano-Saahil were going out with some friends to party and his little Bani was also a part of it. She was so excited about the whole event that made him make a mental note of the first thing he must do after coming back to Mumbai.
Bani was busy organising her books and notebooks spread everywhere. While doing the work she kept on narrating the story, how she enjoyed, how Saahil lied to Ranveer while getting out of the house, who made a fool of himself, who wore what, etc. etc. Jay listened to her every bit of information and then his eyes suddenly fell on a folder. He didn't bother to ask Bani and opened the folder while she continued to speak. He took out 4-5 Valentine's day card from it. On opening them he found each one competing with the other to be the best card for the occasion. Every card had different names of boys below 'from', some of them Jay knew by name and some by face. Everybody was either a classmate of Saahil or Bani. The one thing that was common in every card was the 'dear Bani' at the top of each card. Jay carefully read the contents of each card which implied many things. His face became red with anger and his fingers struggled to control themselves from tearing away the cards into the tiniest possible pieces. Jay looked up to question Bani who had finished her story by then.
Jay(seriously): "Bani in sab cards ka kya matlab hai?"
Bani looked at him and then at the cards and smiled. while going to the next room interconnected with her room, to fetch a notebook she casually replied.
Bani: "v-day special cards hai."
Jay(more seriously): "I can see that. but iska matlab samajhti ho tum?"
Bani(from the other room): "isme nahin samajh ne wali kya baat hai? they like me."
Jay sprang up from his seat and without any warning entered the room. Bani stood beside the wall turning her back towards him. He turned her around to face him, rested her back against the wall and held her shoulders tightly. He tried to speak but he couldn't. he was so angry that his mouth got stitched. Bani could see anger, pain and authority in his eyes. His red face reflected the inner turmoil of emotions in his heart.
Jay(in a low but angry voice): "so out of them whom did you choose?"
Bani: "no one. It's just that…….."
Jay: "it's just that…."
Bani: "it's just that….."
Jay(tightening his hold on her): "tell Bani tell me."
Bani: "mujhe kehne kahan de rahe ho tum?"
Jay: "main batata hoon. It's just that the kind of person you are you do not want to hurt anyone's feelings. That's why you kept their cards safely. But let me tell you this is just the beginning. Those who are a bit hopeful will approach you later on. Finally you might end up with someone. But what about the person who doesn't give you a card on the very day but dreams of you more than each of them could have done collectively? What about the person who cares for you the most? What about his life where you fit as his highest priority? What about his heart which aches on seeing all this happen in front of him and the lady who drives him crazy has no clue? She just watches all this as if someone is joking with her. Least does she care of the person who is questioning her right at this moment while his heart is beating mercilessly."
Bani(hesitantly): "Jay what do you mean?"
Jay: "nothing girl. Nothing girl. May be I was making a fool of myself but not anymore. Tumhe jo karna hai karo, tumhari zindagi hai……"
With that he left her hold and straightaway left for his house. Bani couldn't sleep that night. She kept on staring on the night lamp yet it couldn't make her fall asleep. Next day morning she went for jogging at her own schedule and met Aditya in the park. From him she came to know that Jay was again leaving the town that day for some work. She hurriedly went back to her house, had bath and without bothering to have her breakfast she left for Walia Mansion. When she went in, she saw only Jay having his breakfast as Krishna was sitting beside him. Jay was refusing to have any more food but Krishna insisted him to do so. On seeing Bani, Jay stopped eating and felt uncomfortable. He finished his breakfast as fast as he could and went upstairs to bring down his luggage. When he came downstairs, he saw Bani and his mother discussing the bad effects of doing so much journey without rest on Jay's health. Jay paused for a moment then keeping all his uneasiness at the sight of Bani at a side, he spoke.
Jay: "ma main chalta hoon."
Krishna: "haan par munna Bani ko tumse kuch baat karni thi."
Jay: "oh! Kya baat hai Bani?"
Bani: "Jay tumne kal toh nahi bataya ke tum phir bahar jaa rahe ho?"
Jay(composing himself): "kal ki baat mat karo. I was having a bad day and that is why maine shayad…… mujhe bhi nahi pata main kya bol raha tha. Tumhe aur kuch kehna hai ya fir main nikloon?"
Bani: "chalo hum airport jaate huye baat kar lenge."
Jay: "airport?"
Bani: "kyun main tumhe see off karne nahi aa sakti?"
Jay tried to protest but his mother assured Bani by saying for Jay "why not?" Jay couldn't argue but as he and Bani reached their cars Jay turned towards Bani.
Jay: "Bani please tum airport mat aao. I mean I want to be alone. Hope you don't mind it."
Bani: "ok if you insist. But pehle batao tum mere liye kya laoge?"
Jay: "matlab?"
Bani: "Jay tum bahar jaa rahe ho toh mere liye koi present nahi laoge?"
Jay: "is tarah toh chchote, bachche aur bhai-behen demand karte hain. Ya phir……."
Bani: "ya phir……?"
Jay: "ya phir girlfriends. aur tum in sab mein koi nahin ho."
Both of them became silent. Jay started his car and bid Bani goodbye. Bani saw the size of the car diminishing gradually and then it went out of her sight.
Jay was waiting at the airport. His flight was delayed by half an hour. Reclining on the chair, he closed his eyes and thought that it was a good decision that he stopped Bani from accompanying him to the airport. He knew that he was feeling uneasy in Bani's presence after what he had said to her last day. How could he act like an immature? What did he expect Bani to do? It was Bani's life and she had full right to take her own decisions. Even it was good that she was looking beyond Jay or may be she never looked at him like that. May be he misjudged her. How could he even think that she liked him? But if she didn't like him then why that also mattered to him? Above all why did he react that way? Was he jealous? Jealous but for what? Jay couldn't find an answer to any of his questions. He couldn't even understand why he asked his father last day after returning from Bani's house that he will be attending the seminar. Lost in his own world, Jay failed to feel the tap on his shoulder. The next time when someone tapped again, he turned back and saw Bani standing behind his chair. He felt excited on seeing her but at the very next moment he again felt uneasy. Bani came in front of Jay who stood up by then. Before he could say something, Bani placed her arms around his neck and kissed his cheeks.
Bani: "Jay don't worry. I am all yours. I will miss you. Come back soon." With that Bani left and Jay remained standing speechless.
After half an hour Jay was at Bani's house. Bani's mother doubted that something was going on between the two since last day but she didn't intend to get involved in their matter. Bani was busy reading a book when she heard a knock. She turned back to see Jay standing outside the room. She indicated him to enter the room because she was too surprised to speak. Jay entered the room and sat on a chair.
Bani(still surprised): "Jay is it you?"
Jay: "yes, if it was you at the airport."
Bani: "you came back so soon?"
Jay: "after what you said I couldn't go. Please tell me you were not lying or were you?"
Bani: "Jay I have realised what you were trying to say last day. It took me the whole night to realise that and for your kind information I said whatever I felt. If you think I was lying then I will be hurt more than you and if not then I will be happier more than you."
Jay(shyly): "that means….."
Bani(hesitantly): "that means……."
Jay(grinning): "that means….."
Bani(quickly to stop herself from blushing): "that means…… next time if you go out of town, then you have to bring a present for your girlfriend."
Both of them laughed…………….
4 years later
Jay and Bani were seeing each other for the past 4 years. She became an inseparable part of his life. Bani was already working for a leading paint company. Both of them enjoyed each other's company in their own ways and the most interesting part of it was that none of the families nor friends were aware of the affair. Their relationship was so natural and their attitude towards each other in other's presence was so calculated that no one ever made that doubt.
At times Jay used to feel insecure thinking of the fact that he was 34 and Bani 24, there was much of an age difference. Bani's age as well as her childish nature made her want many things from life but Jay had different ideas. It was not that they didn't gel well but somehow he was always afraid of losing her. She cared for him, he knew but he didn't know why he wanted to know if she really knows that she loves him or not. His thought used to get deepened thinking that he knew Bani never hurts anybody and couldn't even see her near and dear ones hurt. May be on realising Jay's feelings for her, for his sake only she decided to be with him and may be till date unknowingly she has been trying to keep him happy. These thoughts used to hurt him but the problem was that he couldn't speak regarding it with Bani either. That is the problem of any close relationship. If you doubt it, you break. If you question it, the relationship breaks. He was happy with his life and specially with Bani in it in both sad & happy moments but his possessiveness made him feel insecure at times.
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