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All through the next 2 months, everything in life seemed so dim, Bani went to Office in a mechanical fashion, completed her work and came back to the Outhouse and shut herself out from the rest of the World. Bani never stepped inside the Walia Mansion again…no amount of persuasion and pleading by Pia, Rano and even Aditya would make Bani speak up and they finally left her on her own. In Office, Bani tried her best to avoid meeting or even seeing Jai, which was made easier by the fact that Jai was almost, always traveling or was busy with Roshni in the evenings. With Pia leaving for Delhi for a Modeling Assignment and Rano gone to Pune to complete her exams, the prospect of returning to the empty Outhouse was too depressing to contemplate, so Bani took to leaving the Office as late as possible and walking around the Beach near to the Walia Mansion, always looked by the protective Tony from the Terrace of the House. Bani aimlessly threw pebbles and sea-shells into the Sea, ignoring the salty winds which always left her face sticky and irritated. These daily walks were, as far as Bani could tell, the only constants left in her life. Whenever she was confronted by Aditya, Saahil, Anu or Dadi, they were always giving her weary, what-has-gone-wrong? Looks. At Office, the staff almost never noticed the overtly quiet and mousy Bani, which was a blessing in disguise for her and strangely, Jai never made any attempt to speak to her or contact her. As Bani made her way slowly back to the Outhouse, after one of her many late evening walks, she remembered the last time she and Jai had a conversation.
After the ghastly truth which came out and destroyed Bani's peace of mind forever, she had gone running into the Outhouse and locked herself in…Jai had been stunned for a while and then followed her to the Outhouse, but no amount of pleading or banging on the door would have any affect on Bani. "Bani, please open the Door…Let me speak to you once…Let me explain Bani…Please, for God sake…." And then suddenly, a deep fear had seized Jai's heart and he had pleaded to Bani, "Bani, please kuch mat karna….I am sorry for what happened Bani…I should have never brought this up…Bani, just open the Door once, let me atleast see you once."
Bani had opened the Door…Two days later…and had gone straight to meet Jai, who had been in his Study, looking somnolent and worn-out. "Bani?" Jai almost jumped from his chair as he saw her standing near the Door, her eyes puffed-up and inflamed, her whole face distended because of the relentless crying, her hair limply tied up in a careless knot…."Mr. Walia…2 months to go and I will be free of the Contract. Mujhe sirf aap se ek request hai, in do mahino mein, ho sake toh, mujh se milne ki, mujh se baat karne ki, ya mere saamne bhi aane ki koshish mat kariyega…I will leave Mumbai in two month and we can forget that we ever met." Jai had stood stunned on the spot, staring at Bani, who spoke unemotionally, but the pain in her eyes could be felt by Jai and he crumbled at that very moment. "Theek hai…Agar tum yeh chahti ho, toh yahi hi sahi…Main tumse bahut si baatein karna chahta tha…Magar…Shayad uske liye bahut der ho chuki hai…You will not hear from me any more…Meri taraf se tum is contract se aazad ho, you can leave anytime you wish."
Bani had continued looking at Jai for some moment and then remembering how her Father had called up Bani on the phone and told her about Kiran's death…Froze Bani's heart to the core and she walked away, from Walia Mansion and from Jai's life.
Whenever Jai and Bani met in the Office Corridor or in the Boardroom, they both stopped. But, apart from an initial brief flicker of recognition, they both looked right through one another, as though they had never spoken to one another before, as though they were complete strangers.
Today was the last day of Bani's Contract Period with Walia Industries. As she wrapped off all her work and had handed over the keys and relevant papers to her successor, Bani decided to go and bid goodbye to Aditya and Pushkar. As Bani walked slowly across the unusually deserted Corridor, she saw Jai walking from the opposite direction, his head bent down in concentration, as if he was working something in his head, both his hands tucked in the pockets of his Blazer, his tall, broad persona suddenly crowding the narrow Corridor.
"Hi", Jai looked up startled as he saw Bani standing in front of him, looking more like a school girl in her Navy Blue and White Uniform. "I…I haven't seen you in a while." Bani muttered in what she thought was a formal tone.
Lie. Bani saw Jai all the time. She saw him perched on the hand rest of the Chair in the Boardroom, while addressing his Team, she saw him taking his Coffee from the Cafeteria in a lost manner, as the rest of the Office (Especially the females) stared at him, she saw the back of his head almost every time, she went past his Cabin, as usual buried in his Laptop. But it was true; she hadn't seen him up close in a while. He looked tired, she realized, and his skin was pale and withdrawn, as if suddenly he had aged. There were tiny lines at the corner of his Eyes, and the straight, unsmiling slant of his mouth. For an instant as the Sun shifted from the large Bay window at the end of the Corridor, he was illuminated brightly, oddly pared down to the bare essentials; he could be divided into shadow and light.
'Fine…I…I have been busy with my work…How have you been?" Jai stammered on his words, surprising himself. Bani looked into Jail's eyes and said, "Fine." "Yes, me too." Jai said and then after an awkward pause continued, "So…I just wanted to say sorry again. I know things must have looked really awful, but…"
Bani cut straight in and said in a clipped, cold tone, "It's not how it looked,"…"Its how it felt." The edge to her voice made Jai flinch. Jai almost opened his mouth to say something, but refrained after seeing the look in Bani's eyes. "So, see you then, in tomorrow's Board Meeting." Jai said officially and started to walk again, but was interrupted by Bani's impassive voice, "Today is my last day with Walia Industries. My contract expires today. I have submitted my resignation to Aditya Sir a month ago. So, we won't be seeing each other tomorrow and for the rest of our lives."
As Bani walked away, leaving Jai stranded in the deserted Corridor, looking adrift and stumped and then his eyes moistened…"Its better that she doesn't know the whole truth…It will only give her more pain. She will forget all about us in a few days, maybe weeks or months…" Jai wondered how will be ever recover from the pain that now lingered in his Heart.
"For the last time Bani…What happened? Why are you leaving Mumbai? Won't you even tell me? What sort of friend am I supposed to be? What is up between you and Jai Sir? Bani? Are you even listening?" Pushkar looked at Bani partly in frustration and partly in concern, as he helped her organize her Luggage. Bani quietly packed off her limited belongings in the room, carefully arranging them in the Bubble wrap, apparently concentrating on the work in hand and trying to ignore Pushkar, who looked exasperated with Bani's stubbornness, which totally belied her gentle nature. "Pushkar, did you check the timing of the Train, its always late…" Pushkar shrugged his head in disbelief and not left with any energy to argue with her, said in a weary tone, "It leaves at 7:30 sharp, I called up the Railway Reservations…I will drop you to the Station…That is, ofcourse, if you have no issues." Bani felt a stab of pain at the sarcasm in Pushkar's voice, but she knew that it was expected, since he felt betrayed and hurt because of Bani's refusal to tell him what was going on in her Life, especially what was going on in her Life in connection with Jai Sir. Pushkar could not but help notice how Jai and Bani were avoiding one another everywhere…In the Office, At Walia Mansion, on the phone…Pushkar, in the World couldn't fathom what had so happened between Jai Sir and Bani, that had completely changed both of them.
Past Scene between Pushkar and Roshni
One evening while coming back from work, he had bumped into Roshni. Roshni Chopra, Jai Sir's ex-flame, the woman everyone had assumed to take on the mantle of Mrs. Walia…But something had occurred that had caused an abdrupt breaking of relations and she was not be seen again and now she had reappeared! "Pushkar…Is that you? Oh my, you have grown up, haven't you?" Pushkar looked startled as he tried to remember who the Middle-aged, yet ravishing woman standing infront of him was! "You don't remember me, right?" Roshni flashed her brilliant smile, dazzling Pushkar and in an instant, he remembered seeing the stunning vision coming in and out of Walia House a few years back…"She was younger then, ofcourse…But by jove, what a looker, age has certainly not dimmed her beauty!" Straightening himself out, he bowed slightly and smiling in his boyish, charming manner, greeted Roshni, "How can I ever forget you Mam? Roshni Chopra, 2nd Runner up in the 1997 Ms. India Contest, a successful Ramp and Print Model and featured thrice in the Femina List of India's most beautiful women." Roshni gawked at Pushkar, stunned and then threw her head back and laughed unabashedly and gaily, her voice resonating in the Foyer of the Walia Hotel!
"Young man, you surely know how to turn on a women…Pity, you are so young." Roshni walked along with Pushkar, her shapely hands linked in Pushkar's hands and there was hardly any passerby who did not give them a second look…They did make an Odd couple…Pushkar looked more like a cute High-school by and Roshni like a Diva! "Well…Please don't judge me by my age, I can appreciate a good thing when I see one." Roshni turned to see Pushkar and smiled slowly, she was surely enjoying Pushkar's flirtatiousness and chivalry, especially, since she had nothing but to confront a stone-cold Jai every time she met him…It was as if she was talking to a Wall! Pushkar was a welcome relief, he was charming and witty and most importantly, showered undiluted attention on Roshni, which was surely not coming from Jai!
Pushkar and Roshni sat opposite one another in a corner seat, in the plush Coffee Shop of the Oberoi's on Nariman Point! "What a breathtaking view! Its wonderful to be back in Mumbai after such a long time…Do you know, Jai and I used to date here frequently, when we were going around." Pushkar glanced across from the Menu Card and looked at Roshni who was fiddling with the stem of a Rose and gazing at the Ocean! "Please don't mind my saying this, Ms. Chopra. But Jai Sir and you would have made a lovely couple." Pushkar instantly regretted saying so and wondered if Roshni would go and report about his short date with his Boss's ex! Roshni once again reverted her eyes to Pushkar, they were shining with mischief and she spoke in her tinkling voice, "Why thank you Pushkar! Yes, the tabloids used to splash our pictures all over, when our news as a couple got out…Jai hated it." Pushkar wondered at the bitterness in Roshni's voice as she said the last line. Somehow, Roshni looked suddenly mellowed and depressed and told Pushkar that she wants to talk about everything under the Sun except Jai Walia!
Pushkar didn't know how time flew by, as they talked with one another, Roshni telling him about her life in New York as a High-profile owner of a Modelling Agency and Pushkar telling her about his work in Jai's Company. "Its really sad you know…My friend Bani is leaving Mumbai. She was doing so well and looked so happy…wonder what went wrong!" Roshni placed her third glass of Lime Cordial on the Table and asked curiously, "What name did you just say? Bani?" Pushkar nodded his head and repeated, "Yah…She also works for Walia Group, infact in the same team as I am…under Jai Sir. She had come to Mumbai a few months back, we are very good friends! Infact, she stays in the Walia Mansion Outhouse."
Roshni suddenly looked confused and then with a look of comprehension, gathered herself and asked softly, "Where does she belong to? This Bani." "Bani is from Mount Abu, her Father expired recently and that is why she had to come to Mumbai. Her family was known to Jai Sir, it seems." Roshni now looked almost pale and stammered on, "I think I met this girl at Jai's place…What did you say her name was?" Pushkar who looked a little perplexed at Roshni's curiosity for Bani answered back, "Bani…Bani Dixit." It was almost as if Roshni got a physical jolt and she immediately got up from her seat. "I have to leave…It was nice meeting your Pushkar. Thanks for asking me out. See you then." Even before Pushkar could react, Roshni had vanished from the Coffee Shop, leaving Pushkar totally bewildered and baffled.
Back to the Present
"So is it time yet?" Pushkar looked at his Watch and nodded affirmatively, "Lets leave now…I have a meeting to catch up in the evening, the traffic will be pretty heavy." Bani replied back, "Why are you bothering Pushkar? I can take a Taxi and go! You have already helped me a lot with the tickets and all." Pushkar made a face at Bani and said sternly, "Enough now. I am anyway very upset with you and now don't say things to get me even more mad. Lets go." Bani just bowed her head down and followed Pushkar who put her luggage in the backside of his Car. "Hop in deserter." Bani grinned at Pushkar, he somehow had this amazing ability to make her smile even in her darkest moments.
Just then a Chevrolet Optra drew up near the Outhouse and as Pushkar and Bani looked on, Roshni came out, looking as gorgeous as ever, dressed in Beige Trousers and a Black satin shirt, her Sun glasses perched trendily on the brown, ever-shining crowing glory on her head! "Hi There! Pushkar, you never called me after our date! Was I that boring?" As Roshni flashed her pearly whites, Pushkar cringed with embarrassment wondering what Bani would be thinking. Bani merely coughed and politely yet distantly greeted Roshni and got into Pushkar's Car. "So where are you two upto? I thought you were supposed to be in some high-profile meeting today in your Office?" Pushkar smiled and replied, "Remember, I had mentioned my friend Bani. She is leaving Mumbai today, I am going to drop her to the Station, I will hopefully make it back on time." Roshni looked thoughtful for a moment and then said in a casual tone, "Well, I have to go the same way, my Driver can drop Bani to the Station, you can go to your Office. Jai will be furious if you are late." Pushkar looked awkward, as Bani came out of the Car and said in her soft tone, "Pushkar, please don't bother…I will manage, honestly. You should be in the Office right now. Please go, I will take a Taxi." Roshni cut short Bani and smilingly said, "No need for that honey. I told you my Driver will drop you. You shoot off Pushkar!"
Pushkar gave a look at Bani who nodded her head and he suddenly hugged her with warmth. "Hey Mousy, I will miss you yaar. Now who will make the best Adrak ki Chai, I ever had, for me? Who will pull me up for wearing Jeans to the Office? Who will give me those rolling eyes looks for flirting around?" Bani felt her eyes moistening as Pushkar said softly, "You have to go back, isn't it?" Bani just nodded her head in the affirmative, because she was too choked to answer and without another word, she got in the back of Roshni's Car.
Roshni's Driver transferred the luggage from Pushkar's Car to the other one and Pushkar bid goobye to Bani and Roshni and zoomed away! As Roshni got inside the Car and sat alongside Bani, she told the Driver, "Mukesh, Mumbai Central please." Bani looked awkward sitting with a virtual stranger, she had only met Roshni once before and that too in a very awkward setting, but she had heard a lot about her! "So, you are going back to Mount Abu? Why? Didn't you like Mumbai?" Bani looked at Roshni and politely answered back, "No…I….I just miss my hometown…Mumbai is very alien for me…I don't think I can ever fit in." Roshni smiled slowly to herself and after a period of silence said rather softly, "Even your voice resembles your Mothers."
Bani was completely startled as she jerked towards Roshni and asked in a quivering voice, "You knew my Mother?" Roshni kept quiet for sometime and then somehow her face hardened, "Yes, we met her once, for the first and last time...Jai and I." Bani suddenly collapsed back on to the seat and remembered the fatal night when Jai's confession had collapsed her whole world and she lapsed into a painful silence. "Is this the reason you are leaving Mumbai?" Roshni asked in a queer voice as Bani answered back softly, "Mr. Walia told me about the…accident…You were with him too, isn't it?" Roshni felt a pang of sadness as she looked at the frail and delicate creature sitting besides her and she placed her hand on Bani's shoulder with tenderness and said, "Yes, I was there too…..How can I ever forget that night? It changed my life for ever…Jai and I broke up…we had a huge argument while driving back from the Airport and then suddenly, from nowhere, this lady comes in front of Jai's Car…and it was too late to swerve or do anything…."
Bani felt hot tears flooding her eyes as she clutched herself tightly while Roshni continued, "Jai wasn't drunk Bani…nor was he driving rashly, he never drives rashly…that accident could never have been avoided…We immediately called for Medical Attention and did everything we could to try and revive her…but it was too late, she collapsed after fighting with life for a few hours. I guess, It was only destiny that Jai became the cause of your Mother's death, though in no way was he the reason for it."
Bani broke down crying completely as Roshni held her gently and let her cry as much as she wanted. "Is it so difficult to forgive someone for a mistake that was genuine and completely unintentional?" Bani wiped her tears with the palm of her hand and said in a heavy voice, "No…I don't hold him responsible for my Mother's death…I was very shaken when he told me this and hated him at that moment…But not afterwards…I realized it was an accident."
Roshni asked kindly, "Then why are you leaving Bani…" Bani kept quiet for sometime and said timorously, "Its too overwhelming for me…I can't get over the fact that my Mother died in an accident, caused however unintentionally, by the man whom I love." There was a hushed silence in the Car as Bani drew a breath, realizing what she has just said. "Then it should be Jai who should leave you Bani and not the other way round…You should be getting the punishment for the Crimes done by your Parents, not him."
Bani looked up at Roshni mystified as Roshni continued in the same intense tone, "Do you really want to know how your Mother died? Here read this." Roshni took out what seemed like an old letter from her Handbag and thrusted it into Bani's hand. Bani asked, now almost shivering, "What…What is this?" Roshni answered in the same dark and impassive voice, "Kiran's letter, before her death…I was with her in her last moments…She must have gathered all her will power to write this, because she was not even in the state to talk properly." Bani mechanically reverted her attention to the letter, where she immediately felt transported to her Mother, as she recognized her hazy style of writing;
"When all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one. And so I leave this world, where the heart must either break or turn to lead. My husband feels no love for me, our Marriage is only in name…He lives with us only because of the children, my place in is his life is that of the Mother of his children, not that of a Wife. He loves someone else…but he is compelled to live with me. Hence, I am taking my life, to free my husband of the shackles of our Marriage, so that he can be free to lead his own life. I hold nobody responsible for my death. Please forgive me, my dear children, I couldn't fulfill my duties as a Mother…But I couldn't carry on anymore. May God bless you and may your life be a happy and complete one. Kiran S Dixit."
Bani sat in a stone like silence, clutching the letter in her hand. It seemed as if she was surrounded in darkness and there was no ray of light for her to hold on to. "Bani…Bani…Are you ok?" Roshni placed her hand on Bani's shoulder and gently shaked her out of her dazed state. "Why…Why did she do this? Why did Papa hide this truth from me all the while? He knew this, didn't he?" As Bani kept blabbering incoherently, shaking all the while as Roshni tried to console her, Bani looked thunderstruck for a moment and then in an urgent and desperate tone said, "Jai…Jai doesn't know about this…He thinks he is responsible for my Mother's death…He was wronged Roshni…I have to tell him…Please take the Car back…I have to…."
Roshni kept staring at Bani without saying a word and as Bani looked at Roshni, there was complete silence between them and then in a confounded voice, Bani said, "He knew it….Isn't it? Jai knew the whole truth…He tried to tell me….Oh God…What did I do? Roshni…He kept quiet for my sake…He didn't want me to know how my Mother had died…He didn't want me to know that my Mother had died of a broken Heart…That my Father betrayed her…Jai wanted to protect me from my past…and I….Roshni…." Bani racked all over with sobs as an emotional Roshni held he and Bani hugged her tightly, crying all the while, crying her Heart out. "Yes, Jai knew it all, the letter was handed by your Mother to both Jai and me…and the only reason why he didn't let me hand over the Letter to the Police was because of You." Bani was completely tear-strained now and looked at Roshni astounded, "Me?" Roshni spoke gravely, "Kiran had a Handbag with her at the time of the Accident…Jai checked it out to find out if she had any contacts…and he saw a Photograph, it was framed and gift wrapped, Jai opened it…The picture had your Father, Mother, both your sisters and of course You…In the backside of the Picture was scribbled, "For our darling daughter Bani, on her 16th Birthday." Bani sat stunned, trying to absorb all that she was hearing. "Your Father came to the Hospital later and as I was about to hand over Kiran's note to the Police, Jai stopped me…He gave me no reason, except that, he knows your Family and is responsible for them…and if anything happens to your Father, you three would be Orphaned and deserted."
Bani looked out of the Car Window, she could see the sign of Mumbai Central from the distance, as they neared to the Station. Bani sat numbed as Roshni continued, "Jai took the blame of the Accident on himself and had to face a Court Case to acquit himself later on. I could never know why he didn't hand over the Letter to the Police, why he felt responsible for a Family whom he had never met before, why he chose to spoil his name and reputation to save a Man who had actually been responsible for his wife's death. All he told me was that he has a favour to repay back to someone who helped him in his hour of need."
Roshni paused and then drawing a deep breath said, "I came to know of this 7 years later…When I saw you that night at Jai's home…You have a striking resemblance to your Mother, Bani…Those eyes could never be mistaken…I asked Jai about you straight out and he told me the whole story and in his own way, threatened me to keep quiet about it. He didn't want to hurt your or cause you any emotional damage by telling you the truth about your Father's past and your Mother's death and how they had in some way, ended up causing a catastrophe for Jai." The tears begin to flow once again as Bani remembered her meeting with Jai at her Mount Abu House, 7 years back and how he had spread warmth and light on her lonely and dreary Birthday…How he had given her a House, Job and Security when she came to Mumbai…How he never made Bani feel that she was living under his patronage, How he had protected and cosseted her from the harshness of the Metropolis…How he had filled her Life with a Love she had only dreamt of….How he had taken her pain upon him, so that she wouldn't be left injured…Bani wondered what she had done to deserve this amount of Love.
"Tumhara Station aa gaya Bani…Ab bhi jaana chahti ho?" Roshni looked at Bani, who was sitting impassively, lost in her own World, staring outside the Car. "I know that I can never have Jai back…Maybe I think I don't even want him back…What am I supposed to do with a Man who has given his Heart and Soul to someone else? I just wish Jai…and you happiness…Together or Alone, this is your choice. Bye Bani."
As the Driver took out Bani's luggage from the Car, she lugged it along and walked in a stupor, towards the Station.
Bani checked her Ticket with a dazed indifference and boarded the Mumbai-Jaipur Expres, shoving her luggage underneath her Seat and occupied the Window Berth. Somehow, amongst the mille of the sounds and crowd of the Station, she felt completely abandoned and isolated, as if she were in a deserted Island, far away from the rest of the Humanity. "What do I even tell him? Where do I even start? Why did you do this Papa? Why did you do this Ma?" As the questions formed like a wave in Bani's head, her eyes glistned with tears as she thought, "Why did you do this Jai? For me? I don't deserve this much love …You wronged yourself so that I would never come to know about my Past. You took the blame of my Parent's mistakes on you, so that I won't have to suffer…I don't deserve you…I brought bad luck for you…I can't face you Jai…I can't…" Bani closed her eyes tightly and burying her face inside the palm of her Hands, sobbed her Heart out, making the onlookers and her co-travelers stare at her.
Bani did not remember the rest of her Train Journey, all she knew was that she only thought about Jai, Jai and Jai…His smile, his frown, his deep voice, his rare moments of laughter, his Eyes which seemed to bore into the onlookers very Soul itself, his manner of being engrossed in his work and being oblivious to the whole World, his Annoyance, his flying temper, his kindheartedness, his compassion, his thoughtfulness…..Jai was a whole World in his own….he was Bani's World. Bani thought that she would never be able to face Jai, not after what she had made him go through for the last 2 months, not after knowing that it was he who was wronged, not after knowing that someone could love her to this extent…As Bani despairingly set out of the Train as it stopped at the Mount Abu Station, for the first time in her Life, regretted being Nishikant and Kiran Dixit's daughter. Bani looked at the Sky, it was dark and clouded…maybe it was going to rain…Bani remembered Jai's Butler, Tony's comment to her, the first day she had stepped into Walia Mansion, "Jab bin mausam barsaat hone waali ho toh samjho kuch aacha hone waala hai…" Bani looked despondently at the Sky and thought that nothing worse can happen in her Life and certainly all the good that was to happen had been left behind in Mumbai.
Bani caught an Autorikshaw and directed it towards her House…Bani's Heart sank as she thought about going back to the same House where she had first met Jai…the same House which had gave her 7 years of memories…The same House where she had first experienced Love…The same House where Bani was going to spend the rest of her Life…ALONE.
"Yahin rok dijiye Bhaiyya….Kitna hua….Yeh lijiye…Nahin, change rakhlo." The Rikshaw Driver helped her carry her Luggage to the Main Gate and Bani carried on from there herself. As she neared the Cottage, her face clouded with a deep longing and sadness as she remembered her childhood, the time spent with her Parents and Sisters, all her growing years…and how could she forget, the dark, stormy night, where she had met the 'Ajnabi'…She had referred to Jai as the Stranger for all these years, in her daily journals, in her conversations with herself, in her endless dreams.
Bani spent the rest of the day cleaning the House which was in a bad condition considering it had been unattended for the last 8 odd months or so…It was also a way to spend her day…Else, Bani felt she would go mad with the constant thoughts that filtered her mind. She had to go for an Interview tomorrow and not having left with any energy to cook Dinner, made some Tea for herself and decided to take an Early Nap. Just then the Lights went off and as Bani looked out of the Window, she realized it was a Blackout…Mount Abu had them at frequent Intervals, especially when it rained. "Oh God…Now the Power wont' be back for God knows how long." Bani threw a cushion on the Couch and flinging her Duppata on the Chair, lied down on the Couch, her thought once again reverting to Jai. Bani did not know how she drifted off to sleep…Maybe the constant sleeplessness of the last two days spent in the Train were causing her to be so drowsy…She felt as if she heard a knock on the Door, but the fatigue was too strong for her to react…The knocking continued….First slow and gentle, then faster and stronger…Bani woke up with a jerk and looked anxious. As she regained her full senses, she realized that someone was knocking at the Front Door relentlessly….Not banging really, but continuous knocking, with great impatience. Fear struck Bani, as she realized that the House was plunged in Darkness save for a lone Candle on the Mantelpiece…Bani stood wondering what could she do…Ask who it was…Just open the Door, call up someone in the Neighborhood…The phone was dead as usual. Gathering courage, Bani went near the Glass and Wooden paneled door and she could see the outline of a heavy built man, dressed in what looked like a Trench coat standing in the Portico, with his front towards the Lawns. Bani was taken aback for a moment and as she could barely see anything in the Darkness and was sure that the person outside won't be able to hear anything because of the thundering…She gathered courage and carrying the Candle from the Mantelpiece opened the Door gently and slowly and looked at the visage of the man, who was now standing facing the Portico, with his back to Bani, smoke bellowing out from his Mouth.
"Please smoke mat kijiye…Mujhe.." As Bani spoke gently and softly, shivering a bit with the gusts of wind blowing from outside, the man cut her in and said, in a deep, masculine and very familiar voice, "Dhuen se allergy hai…Jaanta hoon. Sorry, I was just finishing it off." As a stunned Bani looked on, Jai turned to face her throwing the burnt end of his Cigarette onto the Lawn outside. Bani stood motionless as Jai kept staring at her, without any expression. "Jai…" Bani could barely get his name out from her throat as she kept looking at Jai, the Candle now blown out because of the wind. Jai came near to Bani, throwing off his Coat on the Floor of the Portico, looked straight into Bani's eyes…."I didn't let you spend your 16th Birthday alone…How could I let you spend your 23rd Birthday alone, then." As Bani stood stunned and dazed, Jai held Bani gently by her shoulders and planting a tender kiss on her Lips, whispered, "Happy Birthday Princess."
Bani broke down crying, partly in happiness, partly out of a broken heart that she had been suffering, "I didn't even remember it was my Birthday…We met the same day, 7 years back…It was raining…and there was a Blackout…" Jai lifted Bani in his arms and carried her inside, shutting the Door with his Legs said, "That my dear is called Destiny, unless you accuse me of making rain and creating a blackout on your Birthday. But seriously Bani…You should eat less…I can barely lift you!" As Bani, hit Jai playfully on his chest, in between her sobs, he put her on the Couch and bending on her, whispered into her ears, "I told you before and I am telling you again…No one walks away from Jai Walia…No one at all…Least of all you, Mademoiselle." Bani smiled through her tears and as Jai kept holding her, she tried to get some words out, but they seemed stuck in her throat, "Jai…I…I don't even know where to start from…" "Shhhh" Jai put his index finger on Bani's lips and nodded his head, "If all I had to do was to make you sorry, Bani, I wouldn't have come here…You don't need to say anything…"
Bani looked at Jai with a passion she had never thought herself capable of. For a moment, Jai and Bani kept gazing at one another in the same position, and then her hands slid from his shoulders to cup the back of his head, her fingers tangling his hair, and she pulled Jai towards him….
It must have been close to midnight, and Bani pealed another Orange pod and popped it into Jai's mouth, as he lay with his head on Bani's lap, as she sat against the Couch. "Last time, we had a stale Ladoo, this time we are having a borrowed Orange…Bani, I will make it for you next year, we will have the best bash in town for your Birthday…After all you will be Mrs. Jai Walia by then." Bani blushed deeply and thanked God for the darkness in the room and then in an officious tone said, "I didn't realize that you had proposed marriage…Did I agree to your proposal?" Jai smirked and chuckled and retorted back, "So you want a formal proposal…Fine you will get one…This is your Birthday Gift. Get up…Come on Get up!" Bani hastened as Jai stood up and straightened his clothes and then much to Bani's amazement and shyness, he stood in front of her, with the showdown of the lone Candle throwing out the pale light….
Jai bended on his knees, as Bani gasped, and placing his one hand on his knee, he held Bani's left hand in his right one and said in a solemn tone;
Bani, I don't have a lot to give you
What's in my heart is all that I can really give you
Loyalty, Understanding, Togetherness, Trust and Undying Love
Some wonderful years of living and loving one another, a family which will be our own, a part of each day spent laughing and crying together, discovering one another day by day, moment by moment, belonging to one another, mind, body and soul, sharing our worries, doubling our happiness, in smiles as in tears…
And all the strength you need
To make it through all your troubled times
I give all of myself to you
Only you…
I love you Bani.😳
As Bani looked on, a gentle smile enlightening her face as a lone tear drop rolled down from her eye onto Jai's hand…he looked up and smiling lovingly at Bani, took out a beautiful Solitaire Ring from the pocket of his Shirt and slid it smoothly into Bani's Left Hand finger. "It's a perfect fit." Jai smiled at Bani, who was still staring at Jai, now the tears flowing unabashedly and Jai looking back at her winked and said, "Oh, btw…All that I just said was copied & mugged from your sister Rano's notebook, which I chanced upon in the Outhouse…I think it was part of a love letter to Saahil….Hey don't hit me Bani…I can't write this stuff…Bani…That hurts…Ouch….Hey, the last line was all mine…Stop throwing those Orange peels on me….."
Author's Note :
Oh My God! Its like finishing a Marathon Race for the Olympics…and hopefully not coming last! I can't begin to tell how much I have enjoyed writing Ajnabi…It was like a journey for myself, along with the Jai and Bani I had in mind! The idea popped up just one fine day, when we were discussing how different things would have been if Jai and Bani had met someplace else…and that very night, I sat on my Computer and begin typing a story….a sort of Fairy Tale…Where a poor, young and lonely girl is stuck alone in a rainy and dark night and then her Prince Charming comes to her rescue….The story would have ended there, cause the first installment of Ajnabi was written as a Short-Story and I wasn't planning to continue it. But my friends and the members here were too generous with their compliments and encouraged (some of them threatened too) to write further and complete the circle…So, I tried my hand in it…It took quite some time and have vowed never to venture into FF again! Its definitely more relaxing to read them than to sit and break your back in front of the Computer! No but jokes apart, I had a great time, not only writing the story, but reading your comments, each one of yours…Can't thank you guys enough for following the story and encouraging me to write more and more!
My apolgoies for the inconsistency in the story and for the innumerous spelling and typos that would have littered the FF!😳 Also, I am terrible at describing Clothes and Romantic Scenes...hence, you will find them ommitted from my story...I can be quite a prude at times (Not in real life, trust me😉😆)
My heartfelt and sincere thanks to the KS Forum for being the ultimate melting pot for our Creativity, our hidden Talents and most of all, for helping us forge those unique friendships!😃
And last of all, thank you Sandip, Ekta and Jai and Bani for providing all of us kindered souls with days, weeks and months of discussion, debating and most importantly neverending Fun!😃
Lots of Love,
MT❤️
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
