Part 50:
Continue from: Shopping Mall
Mayank and Nupur are stunned to see Sandhya in front of them. Nupur had heard about her going back to the US and hadn't given her much further thought. Good riddance, she had reflected. She now wonders what brought her back to India. As for Mayank, he remembers the rather ugly argument they had had and prays that she doesn't bring up any awkard subjects now. Sandhya however, gives them both a broad smile.
Sandhya: hie guys! Mujhe dekhke surprise ho gaye na?
Nupur: hie Sandhya! Mujhe toh laga tum US wapas chali gayi. Phir achanak –
Sandhya: han Mayank ne toh puri koshish ki thi mujhe bhagane ki par –
Mayank: uh Nupur, main ek minute me aata hu. Ek important phone karna hai.
Nupur: (angrily) kise phone karna hai? Arey Mayank ruko toh!
But Mayank has already gone upto the door, in no mood to endure a minute more of Sandhya. If she filled Nupur's ears with any rubbish, he would explain things to her later. And he trusted Nupur to believe in him and not any outsider.
Nupur: pata nahi ise kya ho gaya. Mayank bhi na by God!
Sandhya smiles at her again and Nupur begins to get a sickly sugary feeling.
Nupur: (to herself) yeh Mayank bhi iske saath akela chod gaya mujhe. Ab main isse kya baat karu. Pehle ki tarah Mayank puran shuru kar diya toh? Kahi yeh phir se college toh nahi join kar rahi na? Nahi nahi Nupur, shubh shubh soch! Actually soch hi mat, yaha se bhag!
Reprimanding herself inwardly, out loud she says –
Nupur: acha Sandhya, main chalti hu. Der ho rahi hai.
Sandhya: ek minute Nupur. Waise mera haq toh nahi hai, par tumse kuch baat karni thi. Mayank ke baare me.
Nupur: (thinks) hey bhagwan. Jis baat ka darr tha wohi hua!
She gives her a you-better-beware glance.
Nupur: haan bolo na. Kya baat karni thi?
Sandhya: Nupur..Nupur wo..
Nupur: haan haan abhi bhi mera naam wohi hai! Aage bolo na.
Sandhya: actually, tum dono ko saath dehkke mujhe ehsaas hua ke kuch log ek dusre ke liye hi bane hote hai. Chahe koi kuch bhi kar le.
Nupur: aisa kyun laga tumhe?
Sandhya: pata hai Nupur, maine Mayank ko pehle bhi kaha tha, ke uske khayalon me bhi sirf tumhare liye jagah hai, kisi aur ke liye nahi. Pyar toh shayad use tab bhi tha tumse, anjaan sa hi sahi.
Nupur is surprised.
Sandhya: main tumse pehle bhi baat karna chahti thi, par kabhi kar nahi paayi. Tumhe bhi toh main pasand nahi thi na?
Nupur fidgets and Sandhya hesitates a little.
College ke pehle din se main Mayank ko pasand karne lagi thi par wo - wo sirf tumhare baare me sochta tha. Aur ek limit ke baad, mujhse dekha nahi gaya.
Nupur: Sandhya, lekin main – mujhe pata nahi tha!
Sandhya: arey its not your fault. Tum bahut lucky ho Nupur, jo wo tumse pyar karta hai. Wo tumhe kabhi hurt nahi karega aur, na hi kisi aur ko karne dega. Mujhe bas kabhi kabhi afsos hota hai ke wo mera dost bhi nahi ban paaya.
Nupur: I am sorry, main Mayank se –
Sandhya: nahi please! Usse kuch mat kehna. Waise bhi mujhe dekh ke bhag gaya woh.
Nupur: nahi yar, wo phone karne gaya hai.
Sandhya: come on Nupur, use itna toh main bhi jaanti hi hu. Anyway, I have to go now.. bas tumhe yahi batana tha. Mayank ka pyar bahut precious hai, use kabhi khone mat dena.
Nupur nods lightly and watches Sandhya leave. She remembers the time when Mayank had come to visit her in the hospital. That one sight of him having forgiven her and smiling at her had seemed wonderful even back then.
"Mujhe tumhari kadar nahi hai, isliye toh tumhe khone ka darr lagta hai. Mujhe tumhari fikar bhi nahi hai, isliye bhagwan idhar udhar se tumhe girne se bachane mujhe bhej hi deta hai. Mujhe toh bas tumse pyar hai Nupur, bahut saara pyaar."
As she recalls his loving words, all the times she has spent with Mayank seem to flash by in front of her eyes. There were times when she took him for granted, fought with him over trivial issues. But if she tried to imagine him not being there for her, her world seemed to be one big void. Is it possible to fall more in love with someone suddenly, she wonders, and that too because of Sandhya - someone who had never been a prominent figure in her life? Except the times she tried to take Mayank away from me, Nupur decides. In those fleeting moments of emotion, she had been more insecure than jealous. What if Mayank left her? No, that will never happen, she reassures herself.
She looks outside the shop window, searching for Mayank. She can't see him around. She comes out of the shop and goes up to the escalator. She spots Uday and Vatsala having icecream. They wave at her but she is too preoccupied to wave back. Suddenly, she feels she can give anything to have Mayank take her in his arms once more, to hold her tight. At that moment, Nupur knows it for sure.
Cut to: Dia – At Home
Dia ia busy getting ready in her favourite red dress. Samrat had called her a while ago, saying he was coming to meet her at home. She cant contain her excitement.
Dia: lagta hai Sammy ko finally realize ho hi gaya hai ke main hi uski real soulmate hu, wo Morena ki Gunjan nahi. Der se hi sahi, Sammy ko is baat ka pata toh chala!
Cut to: Samrat – Outside Dia's home
For once he is exactly on time. After having talked with Benji, he cant stop himself from getting to the root of the problem and ending it for good. He is not gung ho about fighting with his old friend Dia – who he knew was devoted to him in many ways – but he couldn't let her affect the one relationship that meant the world to him. He couldn't let her affect his Gunjan. As he waits near his bike, he sees Dia come out of the house wearing a big smile. She walks up to him and gives him a bear hug. Samrat however pulls himself back and Dia tries not to notice his coldness.
Dia: hey Sammy! Yaha kyun khade ho? Andar chale?
She takes hold of his hand. Samrat wants to but doesn't jerk it off.
Samrat: nahi Dia, never mind. Aaj meri baat jagah se zyada important hai.
Dia blushes.
Dia: aisi kya baat hai Sammy jo tum akele me karna chahte ho?
Samrat has decided to use reverse psychology with her as he knows there is no other way to get around Dia.
Samrat: baat nahi Kandy, actually complaint hai.
Dia: complaint?
Samrat: haan. Tumhe mujhse shikayat nahi hai? Ke ajkal main tumhe time hi nahi de paata.
Dia: main tumhari best friend hu Sammy, I know tum apne basketball me busy rehte ho, aur –
Samrat: aur?
Dia: kuch nahi.
Samrat: aur Gunjan me, yahi kehna hai na?
Dia doesn't repond.
Samrat: don't worry Dia. Main jaan chuka hu ki Gunjan mere type ki nahi hai. I was so wrong. And such a fool!
Dia is enthralled and can almost jump with joy.
Dia: maine toh tumhe pehle bhi bolna chaha tha ki Gunjan jaisi ladki tumhari girlfriend ban hi nahi sakti, par tum apni Kandy ki maante hi kaha ho.
Samrat: par galti tumhari bhi toh hai na. Tumne mujhe andhere me kyun rakha? Kabhi kaha kyun nahi?
Dia: mujhe laga tum meri baat nahi maanoge. But maine koshish ki thi! Apne Sammy ko phaste hue kaise dekh sakti thi? Isliye maine Gunjan se kaha tha ke tum usse pyar nahi karte –
She stops mid sentence as she sees Samrat staring at her shocked.
Samrat: acha hua tumne khud hi bata diya, waise pata toh mujhe lag hi gaya tha.
Dia: mera wo matlab nahi tha.
Samrat: toh kya matlab tha Dia? Kyun tumne Gunjan ko jhuth kaha jab maine tumhe kaha tha ke main usse kitna pyar karta hu?
Dia: (quietly) aur itni der se jo tum jhuth bolo rahe the, uska kya?
Samrat: tumhara sach pata karne ke liye tumhari tarah manipulations kar raha tha Dia. Meri dost hokar tum aisa kar sakti ho, I really didn't expect it.
Dia is now frenzied as she can sense Samrat being really hurt and angry with her.
Dia: maine kuch galat nahi kiya Sammy! Tumhe dikh nahi raha hai par Gunjan bas tumhara fayda utha rahi hai!
Samrat: aur kitna bura karogi uske saath? Talent parade ki bet ke baare me bhi tumne use bataya tha na? Ab toh mujhe koi doubt nahi hai.
Dia: haan maine bataya tha! Aur jaan na chahte ho kyun? Kyunki mujhse tum dono ki dosti nahi dekhi jaati! Jabse Gunjan yaha aayi hai, tumhe uske alawa kuch nahi sujhta! Par dekh lena Sammy, ek din jab wo tumhe chod degi toh tum mere paas hi wapas aaoge.
Samrat: I really don't need your future predictions. Tum please mujhe aur Gunjan ko akela chod do. Mujhe laga tha tum meri dost ho. Lekin nahi, tumhe toh dosti nibhani bhi nahi aati.
Dia: to hell with you! Na mujhe tumhara lecture sun na hai na hi tumhari friendship me koi interest hai!
She turns and angrily walks inside her house. Samrat looks at her and feels bitter about the whole episode. But now he at least knows the reason behind Gunjan's aloofness. It wasn't that she didn't love her, she thought he didn't! He was sure he could now put things right. And very soon.
Cut to: Uday's car
They are returning from the whirlwind shopping and Vatsala is talking non stop. Mayank and Nupur are sitting together at the back – Nupur is in a quiet mood, very unlike her usual enthusiasm.
Mayank: oh madam, mujhe toh laga tha tumhe shopping bahut pasand hai. Utna main nahi thaka jitna tum thak gayi.
Nupur: tum thakte bhi kaise. Puri sham important phone me jo guzar di.
Mayank: (smiles) acha yeh baat hai. Actually Ma ko phone karna tha, unhe kuch chahiye tha mall se.
Nupur: aise achanak chale mat jaaya karo Mayank. Ek pal ke liye mujhe laga jaise tum –
Mayank moves closer to her.
Mayank: tumhe chodke chala gaya? Aisa kabhi nahi hoga Nupur. Chahe kuch bhi ho jaaye.
Nupur pushes him back, suddenly cheering up.
Nupur: acha? Lekin Sandhya toh mujhe kuch aur hi keh rahi thi.
Mayank tenses.
Mayank: kya kaha usne tumse? Dekho Nupur, uski baato ka yakeen mat karo.
Nupur: kyun na karu? Main karna chahti hu.
Mayank: Nupur, wo hoti kaun hai kuch bhi bolne wali. Mujhe us ladki pe bilkul bharosa nahi hai.
Nupur: mujhe utni buri bhi nahi lagi.
Mayank: han tumhe toh sab ache lagte hai. Puri duniya achi lagti hai. Sirf main bura lagta hu hai na?
Nupur: actually tum bhi utne bure nahi lagte.
Mayank makes a sullen expression.
Mayank: thank you! "Utna bura" nahi lagta. Kitna bura lagta hu phir?
Nupur glances at the front seat and sees Uday and Vatsala still lost in each other, oblivious to the world. She looks around and notices that they are almost home.
Mayank: ab chup kyun ho haan? Bolti band ho gayi? Wo kya kehti ho tum – hawaiyan ud gayi?
Nupur pulls him towards her and puts a finger on his lips.
Nupur: shhh Mayank! Kitna bolte ho tum.
Mayank is a bit taken aback by her sudden proximity and is about to say something when Nupur brings her face closer and closer to his. She sees him intensely look at her and drops her own gaze.
Nupur: (softly) tum mujhe bure nahi lagte Mayank, bahut zyada ache lagte ho. I.. I love you.. I really love you!
Mayank breaks into a big smile. He cups her face between his hands and leans in for a hug. But Uday chooses that precise moment to hit the brakes. There is a big clumsy halt and the hug is in for big time interruption. Perfect timing!
Uday: laut ke buddhu ghar ko aaye!
Mayank: pata hai tum buddhu hu, public declaration ki koi zarurat nahi hai.
Nupur giggles and gets down from the car.
Vatsala: bye Nupur! Thanks for coming.
Uday: han Nupur, main Mayank aur Vatsu ko drop kar aata hu. Tum andar jao, nahi toh Gunjan sochegi main tumhe bhi drop kar aaya. Hahaha!
Mayank imitates Uday's laughter, doubly exaggerated. Nupur cant help but giggle some more.
Nupur: thik hai Uday bhaiya. Bye Vatsala. Bye Mayank!
As Uday starts the car again, Mayank's eyes follow Nupur. Though irritated about the abrupt ending of their conversation, he is happy that Nupur had told him she loved him too. The joy he sensed when spending time with her, the feel of her touch on his hands, her energetic discussions about any topic under the sun – he hadn't been this happy in a long, long time. You are in love Mayank, he told himself. He never knew the feeling would be so very beautiful!
Cut to: Miss Aha – At Home
Her home is no less than a country fair this night. Relatives, friends, colleagues – everyone is busy preparing for the big wedding. Her Mom comes into the room.
Mom: beta tumhare college se kitne log aa rahe hai? Confirmation calls ki ya nahi tumare Dad ne?
Aha: pata nahi Ma, kiye honge. Mere bahut saare students aa rahe hai.. aur colleagues bhi. Wo log toh na jaane kabse tayyari kar rahe hai!
Mom: (smiles) woh toh karenge hi, after all shaadi kiski hai!
Later that Night
It's a dreamy night for everyone though the dreams are of different kinds. A quiet night breeze that was traveling through Mumbai smiled to himself when he read the following thoughts –
Mayank: jab Ma ko bataunga Nupur ke baare me toh wo mujhe khub chidaayegi. Par wo kitna sahi thi.. maine sapne me bhi nahi socha tha ki Nupur se pyar ho jayega. By God!
Nupur: yeh raat kab khatam hogi. Mayank ka bachha toh ghode bechke so gaya hoga, par mujhe toh neend hi nahi aa rahi!
Gunjan: kal party me Samrat bhi hoga.. I hope wo phir se wo saari baatein na dohraye. Pata nahi uska saamna kaise karungi.
Samrat: ab na koi uljhan hogi, na hi koi doori. Jaise ke maine socha tha chashmish, kal ki party tum kabhi nahi bhoologi. Tumhari life ke sabse haseen lamho ki shuruat bas hone hi wali hai.
Outside, the stars twinkle on. They seem to be promising a new day but like all other good things in life – after a little wait. 😊
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
