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PART 12:
RECAP: 'SHABD! SHABD! I AM HERE DARLING!"
Shabd and Mahi turned back and saw a tall young woman in a skirt and sleeveless top standing at the bottom of the steps.
"Suhani?" Shabd was shocked, "what are you doing here?"
"Shabd!" She ran towards him, "I need to talk to you….now….please."
Mahi stepped away on seeing Suhani cling to Shabd, "Shabd….main….andar wait karti hoon," she took the steps to the lobby of the office building.
"Mahi!" Shabd looked back, "wahin wait karo…..main abhi aaya," he turned back to Suhani, "haan….kya baat hai? Jaldi kaho!"
"Shabd?" Suhani was shocked to see the cold response from Shabd. The man, who in the past, wagged his tail like a puppy on seeing Suhani was giving her a cold shoulder and that too for a wisp of a 'ganwaar' like girl?
"Yeh ladki kaun hai?" Suhani asked enviously.
"Meri dost hai," he replied curtly, "bolo….kya baat hai? I don't have much time Suhani."
"I don't believe that you have started making friends with such middle class people? Kya ho gaya hai tumhare taste ko?" Suhani was horrified.
"I have developed more discerning TASTES now," he said sarcastically.
"Shabd baby….yeh kaisi bhaiki bhaiki baatein kar rahe ho meri jaan," Suhani caressed his face seductively, "I need to talk to you sweetheart."
Shabd heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes, "Ok….come inside…..yahan bahar tamasha mat karo."
They walked into the lobby where Mahi was anxiously waiting for them.
"Mahi….yahan wait karo…..main zara Suhani se kuch baat karke aata hoon," Shabd took Suhani to a conference room near the lobby.
Mahi sat down on a sofa, a little disheartened to see Suhani with Shabd, "yeh tho shayad wo hi ladki hai jisne Shabd ko dhokha diya tha…..wo yahan kya kar rahi hai? Kahin…wo phir se Shabd ki zindagi mein? Lekin mujhey kya lena dena Shabd ki zindagi se?" she got up and paced up and down in the lobby. She rolled her dupatta on her finger and felt her heart pounding in her chest, "Shabd agar wapas Suhani ke saath chale gaye tho….tho wo unka dil phir thod degi….main nahin chaahti koi unka dil phir thode…..hey vaahe guru….Shabd ki raksha karna," she prayed silently.
Shabd came out with a sullen look, "Mahi….bolo tum kyun aayi ho yahan?" he stood with his arms folded.
A nervous Mahi, hesitated to say what she had come for, "wo…wo Shabd….wo wo.."
"Mahi! Aao idhar baitho," he put his hands on her shoulders and helped her relax on the couch, "haan ab bolo….yahan Mumbai sirf wo wo karne tho aayi nahin hogi…..ya kahin mujhse shaadi karne tho nahin aayi ho?" he asked mischievously.
Mahi was stunned, "haan…kuch aisa hi karne aayi hoon," she spoke hesitantly.
Shabd could not believe his ears, but purposely hid his joy, "main tho mazaak kar raha tha Mahi."
"Actually….sach much ki shaadi nahin karni aapko….bas naatak karna hai," she said innocently.
"Matlab?" he was a little disappointed
She told him about Jeet- Soni and her precarious situation, "Soni ki zidd hai ki wo Jeet se tab tak shaadi nahin karegi jab tak main aap se shaadi nahin karti."
Shabd pondered on her problem for a few minutes, scratched his chin and wrinkled his forehead thoughtfully, "waise ek baat poonchu Mahi?"
"Haan…poonchiye," she stuttered nervously.
"Tumhare gharwaale sab aadhe pagal hain kya?" he asked seriously, "itni ajeeb-o-gareeb shart rakhi hai?"
Mahi's jaw dropped to her knees and then smiled shyly, "kuch kuch hain tho……aadhe kya….poore pagal hain hum log," she chuckled.
"Mujhey bhi kuch aisa hi darr tha," he chuckled back, "Tho yeh shaadi ka naatak kaise karenge? Aakhir mandap hoga…pandit hoga….sab log honge….tho yeh naatak kaise karenge hum dono?" he asked.
"Wo aap mujhpar chhod deejiye…..main panditji ko pataa loongi," Mahi said confidently.
"Pataa logi? Matlab? Agar unhone mantra padhne shuru kar deeye….aur …..aur kahin sach much saat phere ho gaye tho?" he had a horrified expression on his face.
"Nahin honge Shabd….pehle panditji Soni aur Jeet ki shaadi karenge kyunki wo badhi behen hai…..phir jaise hi hamari karni shuru karenge…..aap mandap se uth jaana……aur kehna…MAIN YEH SHAADI NAHIN KAROONGA! Aur mandap chhod kar chale jaana," she suggested.
'Hmmm…idea burra nahin hai…..lekin ek baat batao….kahin tumhare ghar waale mujh se naaraaz ho gaye tho? Kahin mujhey wahin maar waar diya tho? Mujhey tum Punjab waalon se darr lagta hai," he shivered.
"Nahin ….wo main sambhaal loongi….main bhi keh doongi ki mujhey aap pasand nahin hain….phir koi kuch nahin kahega….aur tab tak Soni ki shaadi tho ho chuki hogi na? Tho saanp bhi mar jaayega aur laathi bhi nahin tootegi," she said firmly.
"Lekin agar mujhey laathi chaahiye ho tho?" he asked mischievously and came closer.
"Matlab?" she was surprised and stepped away from his face, "laathi ka kya karenge aap?"
"Chalo aisa karte hain….I have another idea…..in fact a more fool proof idea…..is idea se kai log khush ho jaayenge," Shabd grinned.
"Ek aur idea? Haan boliye?" she asked
"Suhani!" Shabd snapped his fingers, "wo Suhani ko tho jaanti ho na tum?"
"Haan," she said softly and lowered her eyes, "wo aapki…aapki," she paused.
"Haan…meri…meri wo hai," he smiled gently, "she is back in my life…..usney uss actor se shaadi nahin ki….usey chhod kar phir mere paas aa gayi hai…..tum tho jaanti ho ki main usey kitna chaahta tha…..haina?" he waited to see the expression on her face.
To his delight, he saw Mahi turn pale and looked away, almost a little tearful at the prospect of Shabd going back to Suhani, "haan…aap tho deewane the uske," she added softly.
"Tho main soch raha hoon ki Suhani ko bhi apne saath le chalte hain…..aur phir mandap mein wo mere saath baith jaayegi….sab sochenge ki tum ho….aur koi panga bhi nahin hoga mandap mein…..kyun kya khayal hai?" Shabd asked.
Mahi's color had completely drained from her face, but she was ready to do anything for her sister's happiness, "haan…yeh bhi bura idea nahin hai."
"Great! Aaj main bahut khush hoon…..ab wo din door nahin jab meri shaadi meri man pasand ladki se ho jaayegi…I am the luckiest man in the world!" he beamed with joy.
"Wo tho aap hain," she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and looked away. Shabd noticed the pain in Mahi's eyes but did not say anything. He was pleasantly surprised to see that when Mahi had told him about Jeet and Soni, she did not seem heart broken or that upset about Jeet betraying her love, but since he had mentioned Suhani's name, Mahi had seemed more disturbed.
"Mahi…main abhi aaya," he excused himself and went back to the conference room.
Mahi sat on the couch and sobbed silently, "main kyun ro rahi hoon? Aakhir Shabd se mera kya rishta? Suhani aur Shabd ki shaadi se muhjey kyun dukh ho raha hai? Jeet aur Soni ke liye kitni khush hoon main…..aur Shabd ke liye….kya main unhey sach much chaahne lagi hoon? Kyun aisa lagta hai ki Shabd par pehla adhikaar Suhani ka nahin balki mera hai?"
"Shabd ….where were you? Who the hell is that girl? Kya lagti hai wo tumhari? Why did you leave me all alone for such a long time? After all I have come back to you…..I want you back in my life….aur tumhein meri bilkul kadar bhi nahin?" Suhani snapped at him as soon as he walked back.
"Suhani darling…..shanti…shanti….I am so happy that you are back…..khushi se pagal ho raha hoon main…..bas Mahi se ek plan discuss kar raha tha…actually she needs some help from me….and I have a brilliant idea….with this idea we both can get married on the 30th of this month….kyun?" Shabd asked.
"Married? Really? That soon?" Suhani was in seventh heaven, "lekin darling itni jaldi hotels ki booking kaise milengi? Aur phir press and TV covereage? How will we manage that?" Suhani asked.
"Is plan ke according…no hotels…no press…no TV….we will get married in Bhatinda!" he stated.
"Bhatinda?" she was mortified, "why Bhatinda? What is so special about Bhatinda?" she was annoyed.
"Shaadi karni hai ya nahin?" he asked sternly.
Suhani was a little taken aback, "Oh..Ok…whatever you want Shabd," she brushed his shirt with her hands, "after all how does it matter….lekin Aaj Tak channel ko khabar zaroor kar dena….they would love to cover our wedding whether it is in Mumbai….Bhatinda …..or Timbaktoo!"
"Wo tumhara kaam hai darling…be my guest….jitni press coverage chaahiye…..bula lo….I have no problem….so get ready…we have to leave for Bhatinda soon," Shabd ordered.
"Soon? Abhi tho time hai Shabd….30th se 1-2 din pehle chale jaayenge," she suggested.
"Shaadi karni hai ya nahin?" he asked firmly.
"Haan…haan….jaisa tum chaaho darling….let's start packing…..main abhi jaati hoon apne ghar…..kaun si flight se jaana hai?" she asked.
"Flight nahin…..train se jaayenge," he said.
'Train? Are you crazy? I have never traveled in a train…..they are so disgusting!" she made a face.
"So are you," he muttered under his breath and then forced a smile, "Suhani darling…..shaadi karni hai ya nahin?"
"Ok..Ok…train station par milte hain," she was a little frightened by Shabd's demeanor but that was her only recourse if she had to trap him again. The actor she had run away with had dumped her for another rich actress. She had later found out that the actor was bankrupt and would have been a useless husband anyways. It is then she had set out on her quest for Shabd once again and had finally managed to find him today.
After Suhani left, Shabd started dancing with joy. He did a little bhangra dance on his own and hummed, "mauja hi mauja!"
"Mahi!" he walked out, "chalo…Bhatinda chalte hain….Suhani bhi humein station par milegi….let's go!"
…to be contd….
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