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Heres the next part
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Her explanation may sound muddled, but I imagined her thoughts would be quite confused, worried... 😕
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Chapter 17 - Dil Ke Armaan Aansoon mein behgaye
"Shukriya Preet, m-"
"Hum dost hain. Aur dosti mein: no sorry, no thank you. Bas Robbie khush rahe. Mein sirf yehi chahta hoon. Ab'woh aanehiwale hain."
Her heart began to thunder as Robbie entered, handsome as ever, but with a heaviness in his walk. He strode towards Preet, who shielded Kasturi from his view.
"Kya hua Preet? Yahaan kyun bolaya?"
"Do pyar karne wale ko milaane ke," answered Preet, stepping to the side to expose Kasturi.
"Kasturi?" He turned away, but she moved into his path.
"Sir, meri baat toh soon liijye." Tears were collecting in her eyes. He couldn't refuse her.
"Kaho." His tone was abrupt, as he tried to control his turbulent emotions.
She took a deep breath and launched into her tale, before her courage withered.
"Meine Raunak ko pehli baar kaam pe dekha ta. Mein meri office mein thi, budget likh rahi thi, aur Raunak aaya tha, insurance kareedne. Phir hum agli baar ek restaurant me mile the, ek dost ki janam din par. Shuru mein, Raunak bahut acchha tha. Hamesha meri rahi lehta tha, mera khayal rakhta tha, meri pasand poochta tha. Woh pehli baar jab woh naaraz hogaya tha'
They were sitting on a bench, sharing McDonalds chips and a bottle of Pepsi. Kasturi didn't actually like them , but hadn't wanted to offend him. She offered a sip of Pepsi to Raunak who shook his head.
"Kasturi, mujhse shaadi karogi?"
Kasturi spluttered and tried to regain her composure.
"Yeh'achanak'mein"
Raunak's expression faltered and his eyes took on a steely glint. "Kyun?"
"Bas yeh, sirf teen mayne ke baat. Humne abhi tak ek doosre ko poori tara se jaana nahi hain. Jaise, mujhe McDonalds pasand nahi hain, aur mein pepsi nahi peethi. Par aap'"
"Toh tum mana kar rahi ho kyun ki meine galat khaana choona?"
"Nahi, nahi." She hesitated. She herself didn't know why it bothered her so much. She just knew that the proposals she had dreamt of were not like this. It didn't feel right. How could she promise herself to a man who, yes she liked, but who she hardly knew and definitely didn't lohve. The doubts of his past behavior crept into her mind. Like, a few weeks ago, when he had boasted to his friend how she didn't work and simply looked after the house all day. She should have confronted his lie that moment. And when' She picked up her handbag and stood up.
"Rukhja, Kasturi." When she didn't stop, he clamped her arm and pulled her towards him. Shocked at his aggressive tone of voice, she tried to wrench herself free...
"Aap yehi soch rahe hoge, ke phir maine usse shaadi kyun kiya' Mein kudh nahi jaanta. Shayad, mujhe sahaara chahiye tha. Aur bata nahi, kahi mein saari zindagi akeli hi rehjaaoo. Woh most waqt mere saath bahut achha tha, mera ek akela dost tha. Mere shaadi bilkool ek sapna ki tarah tha. Mera shaadi ka jorah, itna khoobsurat, shhadi ke rasme sab acchhe the. Aur isne mere marzi ki khilaaf bhi kuch nahi kiya, humne suhaag raat nahi manaiyi."
"Phir sab theek that, kuch dino ke liye. Par phir woh possessive hone laga. Mazaak mein nahi tha, woh sachmuch bahut naaraz hojaate the jab mein kisi se milti thi, jab bhi mein gahr se bahar jaati thi."
"Aur phir'mujhe maarne laga. Mujhe samaj mein nhai aaya, mein kya karoon. Meri parivaar toh nahi tha. Aur jo dost tha, use milti nahi thi. Sab mujhe bhoola chuke te. Mein har waqt dhar mein rehti thi. Aur phir'mera sabar tootgaya." She narrated how he had imprisoned her, beaten her repeatedly' Shaking, she described how she had defended herself with the bottle and'presented with an opportunity to escape, taken it and left him.
"Jab mein jaagi, mein sarak par thi, curled over my bag; suraj dhoobraha tha. Mein bus station chali gayi aur Mumbai ki ticket kareeda.Woh raat, mein bench par sohgayi. Agle din, ghar dhoondha. Ganeshji ne meri prathna soonli. Ek aurat ne reham kaa kar, meri madat ki. Meine ek chotta sa ghar dhoondha. Aur agle diwas, nokre ki talaash. Aur phir sir, mein aapse mili. Mein jaangayi ke sacha pyaar kya hota hain, mein maangayi ke tum hi mere sahi jeevan saathi ho. Jo mera khayal rakhta hain, jo sirf mujhe pyaar karta tha, mein jaisi thi, waisi. Mein yeh sab se anjaan thi."
"Mein jaanti hoon, ke meine tumse sach chupaake, bahut galat kiya. Par mein dargayi thi. Meine socha tha ke mein ek nayi zindagi shuru karoongi, jahaan mein sirf Kasturi Chawla hogi. Mein Kasturi Singhania aur woh naam se joori hui sab bhuri yaadein, sab dard, sab aansoon peeche chorna chahti thi. Aur mein tumko knone se darti thi. Mein darti thi, ke sach jaane ke baat tumhe bahut duk hoga, ke shayad tum mujhe nahi apnaaonge. Aap ke saath, mein phir se jeene lagi. Mein phir se akeli hone se darti thi. Aur meri jaisi aurat ki keemat bhi kya hain? Kuch nahi..."
Her eyes had been fixed on the floor throughout her story. Only now did she risk looking up at him. His sorrow shocked her. His face was a myriad of emotions: raging disgust at the way she'd been treated, regret at having doubted her, overwhelming love for her, realization that they could not stay apart. He embraced her, words failing him, shaking as he tried to control the torrent of emotions inside him.
"I love you Kasturi. I love you so much. Mein tumhe bahut chaahta hoon."
"Mein tumse bahut pyaar karte hain, Robbie sir. Mein tumhare bina nahi jeesakti. Nahi jeesakti'"
Edited by missindia26 - 16 years ago