Originally posted by: tulip
Story till now- rishabh meets meghna for a project , and both r disturbed due to something that has happened with them in the past.
PART 2.
Meghna is sitting depressed in her room. Her maasi says "Meghna, don't give up. You must fulfill Sameer's dream. Rishabh is just a business partner. Nothing else."
"Nahi maasi. I can't face him. I am discontinuing this project."
"Aur sameer ke khwab ka kya? Tumhara beta Udit jab tumhe poochega, ke uske pita ka sapna adhura kyun raha, to kya jawab dogi tum? Nahi Meghna. Tumhe yeh project karna hi hoga."
"Yes, I should think about Sameer and Udit, not Rishabh."
"Good. ok, now I am going out."
"Itni raat ko aap kahan ja rahi ho?"
"Mandir mein.."
"Is waqt?"
"I have to meet an old friend of mine..."
Meghna nods. When left alone in the house, she says to herself "Ab mujhe sirf Sameer ka project nahi karna hai, mujhe Rishabh se uski bewafai ka badla bhi lena hai. I'll seek revenge."
Rishabh and Gupta are sitting in the lawn. Rishabh is very worried. Gupta gets a call so he leaves Rishabh's house. Rishabh goes to his room and keeps thinking about this new problem. Cookie comes there and says "Dad, don't you want to have dinner?" Rishabh forcibly smiles and says "Where's your mother?" Cookie shrugs her shoulders and says "She never tells us before going anywhere."
Rishabh calls Prerna's mobile. Prerna is at Prem samadhi with anurag. She tells Rishabh where and with whom she is. Without asking anything, Rishabh disconnects the phone.
He gets a call. "Rishabh Bajaj speaking."
"Rishabh..main..meghna ki maasi bol rahi hu.."
"Maasi aap..?"
"Rishabh..mujhe meghna ne sub kuch bata diya hai. Dekho tum mujh se milne mandir aa jao. Abhi isi waqt."
She gives him address. Rishabh goes there. Maasi is waiting for him. Rishabh sees her...she is looking much older and frail now. and he notices that she isnt wearing sindoor or mangalsootra. He touches her feet. She gives him her blessings.
"Kaisi ho aap?"
"Main theek hu beta, tum kaise ho?"
"Theek hi hu. Sorry to know about maasa ji.when did he pass away?"
"5 yrs ago."
"How is ur son?"
"He is fine..settled in Canada with wife and kids. I am staying with Meghna these days..as she is alone here in Mumbai..tum batao..how many kids do you have..?"
Rishabh gets confused.."uumm..7 kids..i mean- 6..no..actually 7"
Finally Rishabh says "Maasi, don't worry. I'll quit her project."
But maasi says sternly "Tum aisa kuch nahi karoge. Why should you suffer losses by quitting mid-way? Apne biwi-bacchon ke baare mein socho tum."
"Lekin meghna-"
"Rishabh, Meghna ke liye ab tak jitni kurbaaniyan deni thi, de chuke ho tum. Ab aur nahi. Main to kehti hu, hum abhi meghna ko sab sach bata dete hai-"
Rishabh says adamantly "Nahi maasi. Use kuch batane ki jarurat nahi hai."
"Rishabh...whenever I think about the two of you, I feel sad..and guilty too"
Rishabh is growing more distressed and disturbed.
"Ab jo beet chuka hai, uske baare mein kyun baat kare hum? Jo hona tha, ho gaya. US WAQT mujhe jo bhi sahi laga tha, maine kiya tha. anyways, raat bohot ho gayi hai, meghna must be waiting for u.Aayiye aap ko ghar tak drop kar du"
"Arre nahi nahi. Car aur driver hai mere paas. "
But Rishabh follows her car till she reaches the house, and then he returns home. Prerna is still not home. He smiles to himself wryly. Then he remembers Meghna's pale but pretty face. He remembers that they are doing a project now, which is her late husband's dream.
He opens the project file and starts working. Sometime past midnight, he falls asleep.
Meghna, Rishabh and Karun meet again, this time in Rishabh's office. After Karun leaves, Meghna too is about to leave. Rishabh says "Megha.." Meghna turns around and says "Mrs Sameer Mehta. That's my name."
"Mrs Mehta..I just wanted to clarify...mujhe pata nahi tha ke yeh project aap ka hai. As you know, my manager Karun was handling it. "
"I know Ri..Mr Bajaj. Jo kuch bhi hua, main use bhool chuki hu. Let's just forget the past and be business partners now on."
"theek hai megh- Mrs Mehta. Thanks for agreeing to do this project with me."
Meghna stands looking sideways. For a moment, her eyes well up...and she feels that familiar emptiness within her. The helplessness associated with that one name- Rishabh.