FF 13: Milind & Prachi’s Love Pg. 17

Scene: Prachi and Neev in her old bedroom.

Standing staring at the starry night and the full moon, lost in her thoughts, Prachi felt the breeze, akin to a a lover's touch, lightly caressing her face and flowing through her loose hair.

Neev, having ambled the way over from the hall to Prachi's old bedroom called out in an emotion-filled voice that ended on a gruff, whispered note, "Prachi."

Prachi, more than having heard Neev's voice, felt his presence, and without turning toward him, continued to observe the moon, "Kabhi mujhe lagta tha ki halaat ne meri kismat tai kardi hai. Lekin ab mujhe ehsaas hota hai ke meri kismat sitaron me likhi ja chuki thi..."

Neev stood behind her, close, yet at a distance, without touching her, "Shayad. Lekin ab hum apni khud kismat bana sakte hai, Prachi. Hum phir..."

"Nahi," Prachi cut in. Then, repeated again, more softly, "Nahi, Neev."

After a heartbeat of silence, Neev pressed, "Lekin sab kuch pehle jaisa ho sakta hai..."

"Nahi, Neev, nahi," Prachi whirled around and said, facing him, "Ab pehle jaisa kucch nahi ho sakta."

Neev, she wanted to cry. Pehle jaisa kucch nahi ho sakta. Mai pehli wali Prachi nahi hoon, tumhari Prach nahi hoon.

Her mind still reeling from the realization, she felt bare to her soul, bereft of any guard, and her dark eyes spoke of such naked anguish that Neev felt shaken to his core, making him take a step back, grasping Prachi's wrist as she left her standing place to bypass him to make haste to the door.

"Prachi, tum mujhe pehle bhi beech raaste chod kar chali gayi thi. Us waqt maine tumhe jaane diya tha. Woh meri bhool thi. Lekin aaj mujhe aisa kyun lag raha hai ke woh din, woh waqt phir dohra raha hai?"

Prachi stands with her back straight, unmoving, her eyes downcast and her expression inscrutable from the angle. Walking to her front, Neev lifts his forefinger under her chin, willing her to meet his gaze, and he felt her meet his gaze. He saw love in her eyes, and just as his heart was about to burst with untold joy, he saw that love was not... Abruptly, he dropped his finger and turned, facing the doorway, feeling an emptiness, a cold surety penetrate into and steal over his heart, as he asked, "Tum Milind se pyar kar ti ho." Though he had meant to phrase the words as a question, it had come out as a statement. He still wanted her to deny his words, tell him that he was mistaken, but no such denial came forth from a voice behind his back... And he knew.

"Haan," said Prachi after a long silence, but the one word was filled with such longing and feeling that Neev wanted to howl from the pain he felt wrench his gut.

"Kya Milind ye baat jaanta hai?" asked Neev when he thought he could ask the question without letting any of his tumultous emotions seep into it.

"Pata nahi." Walking back to the open window, gazing unseeingly outside, Prachi said, "Lekin mujhe farq nahi pad ta. Main unki khushi mai khush hoon."

"Aur agar Milind ki khushi tumse door ho?"

"To bhi. Pyar haq ke barre me nahi hota hai, Neev."

"Lekin saath ke barre me to hota hai?"

"Nahi. Saath to tumhara mera bhi tha, Neev."

After a tense, pensive silence, Neev wondered out loud, "Aur hamara pyar ka kya?" Neev hadn't even realized he had said his thoughts out loud until he heard Prachi's voice.

Resigned to the moment and the pain she heard in his voice, Prachi drew back her shoulders, faced him squarely and began.

"Neev, mere dil me tumhare liye hamesha jaga rahe gi, ek dost ki, ek pehle pyar ki. Lekin jo pyar maine Milind se kiya hai..."

"Woh badh kar hai," Neev finished for her, bitterness edging his tone.

Surprised, Prachi said gently, "Badh kar nahi, Neev. Alag hai. Jo pyar maine tumse kiya, woh ek ladki ne ek ladke se kiya tha. Aur jo pyar me Milind se karti hoon woh pyar ek aurat apne suhag se karti hain. Tum mere us guzre hue kal ki un haseen lamho ki yaad ho jisse mai kabhi bhool nahi sakti. Aur hamesha rahoge. Lekin mera sindoor ye mangulsutra gaavah hain ke mere aaj aur aane wale kal par sirf Milind ka naam hai."

Jerking her to him, painfully grasping both her upper arms, Neev said on a stab of anger, "Lekin ye shaadi, ye sindoor, ye mangulsutra jhoot hai, Prachi. Iski bunyad fareb aur nafrat par rakhi gayee hai. Ayesha ne tumse badla lene ke liye har hadh par kardi aur tumne har dard ki hadh par kar ke Ayesha ki naseeb mai apne hisse ki bhi khusiyaan likh di. Sachai to yeh hai ki Ayesha ne mujhse shaadi nahi aur Milind ne tumse shaadi nahi sauda dard aur aasoon ka kiya tha. Sachai to yeh hai ke tumne mujhse vaada kiya tha kayamat tak ka, Prachi."

"Neev," Prachi shouted as her palm connected with his cheeks. Prachi felt ashamed immediately for her rash action and turned her back to him once again.

"Ye thapad sachai nahi badal sakta," Neev said so softly that she might not have heard him if he had not been standing so close to her.

Fingering the magalsutra, Prachi said, "Ye sirf kali motiyon ka chota-mota dhaga nahi hai. Ye us ka saboot hai ke Milind aur mai saat junmo ke us utoot bandhan me bangaye hai jisse nahi bhagwan ki marzi nahi shaitaan ki arzi tod sakti hai. Maine Milind se kisi shart per pyar nahi kiya. Tum, Neev, asli mohabbat ke maine samajh hi nahi paye ho agar tumhe lagta hai ke bunyad ek rishto ko banati hai ya yaadein. Meri shaadi Milind se kisi bhi wajah se hui ho, lekin sachaai ye hai aaj woh mera sindoor hi nahi, mere dil, aatma aur wajood ka hissa hai kayamat tak. Kayamat tak, Neev."

Somehow, Prachi gathered her strength and fortitude, turned her face one last time, imploring him to understand but he was gone. She sighed.

In the corridor, Neev leaned his back into the wall, ran his hands over his face, Kayamat se pehle kayamat agayee, Prachi. His head bowed, as if a man beaten, he moved down the steps, into the big drawing room, walked out to the parked car and drove to a bar. Aaj me bahut piyunga, Prachi, tak ke hosh me nahi rahoon. Hosh me aake mai tumhe phir nahi khona chahta. He ordered drinks from the bartender and knew he had begun his road to hell and perdition. Somehow, despite feeling quite empty, he felt the purpose and the journey worth the trouble.

Scene: Milind and Ayesha on the open roof of the house.

"Milind, mai tere paas agyee hai. Tune mujhe challenge kiya tha na, Milind, aur me haar gayee. Tu jeet gaya, tera pyar jeet gaya," Ayesha said as she pressed herself to his back as he lay gazing outside the same moon that Prachi had been staring at in another corner of the house. His hands were on the railing, and he felt his knuckles tighten over the railing as he felt Ayesha circling his waist to moving over his chest.

Turning towards her slowly, Milind saw tears staining her cheeks and love shining brightly in her eyes. He studied her lovely features and waited. He waited, waited to feel triumphant, waited for the love that he had felt for her to flow through him, but he couldn't feel it. He knew. He realized then that he could not bring back the same feelings that had once haunted his days and night, the thoughts of Ayesha only bringing a wierd calm that had eluded him since he had seen her on her wedding night to be commenced with Neev. "Chali ja," Milind said softly.

"'Chali ja?'" repeated Ayesha dumbly, not understanding. Suddenly struck, she said with contriteness, "Milind, tu abhi mujhse naraaz hai na. Haan, mujhe pata hai. Maine tujhe dukh diya hai. Mujhe maaf karde, Milind. Mai Neev ke saath nahi hoon. Mai usse talaaq de rahi hoon. Tu...tu hus raha hai, Milind?"

He chuckled then, but his laughter did not reach his eyes, "Tujhe maaf to mai kab ka kar chooka hoon, Ayesha."

"Tou phir kya, Milind? Tu aisa kyun dikh raha hai?"

"Ayesha, mai samajh ta tha ki tu mujhe sab se zyada samaj ti hai, lekin nahi. Prachi..."

"'Prachi?' Tu us ka naam kyu le raha hai, Milind. Tera usse kya waasta?"

"Waasta hai, Ayesha. Teri behen se janam janam ka waasta hai."

"To talaaq dede, Milind. Hum azaad ho jayenge."

"Tu jaanti hai, Ayesha, tere mu se ye sunne ke liye maine kitna intezaar kiya. Har mod par mujhe umeed thi ke ab tu bas keh degi aur mere paas wapaas ajayegee, ke teri nafrat mere pyar se badi nahi. Lekin mai galaat tha."

Ayesha wanted to interrupt his tirade, but something in Milind's intensely burning gaze at a distant space and voice warned her not to. So, she listened, impatiently.

"Ayesha, tunne pyar kar na nahi seekha. Aaj bhi tu nahi samaj ti. Tunne har mod per mujhse door jana chaha, mere pyar ko tukhraya. Aur Prachi, jis se mai badla lena chahta tha, jiska maine jeena haraam karna chaha tha, usne mere har zulm, her galti ko nazar-andaaz aur maaf kiya. Tu her mod me sab se nafrat karti gayee aur Prachi har mod me sab se pyar. Yahaan tak ke jab mera accident hua, to usne apni parvah na karke mujhe sambhala. Aur tune kya kiya, Ayesha? Jo jagah mai tujhe apni zindagi mai dena chah ta apni patni banakar, tune use tukhraya. Mere pyar me thooka. Tu nahi hari, Ayesha. Mai har gaya. Prachi jeet gayee."

"Ye to kya bukk raha hai, Milind?"

"Bukk nahi raha, Ayesha. Sach keh raha hoon jiska ehsaas mujhe itne der baad hua. Mai Prachi se pyar karta hoon."

"Tu pagal hogaya hai, Milind. Prachi Neev se..."

Cutting her off, Milind said, "Jaanta hoon. Lekin mai Prachi se pyar karta hoon."

"Ye nahi ho sakta, Milind. Tu mera hai," Ayesha said desparately as she wound her arms around his neck and leaned seductively into him. Disgusted, Milind just shrugged her arms off and said, "Nahi, Ayesha, mai Prachi ka hoon."

"Milind, tu mujhe chod ke nahi ja sakta hai. Mai tujhe jaane nahi doongi." She grabbed his hand from behind, unwilling to let him go. Giving her a scathing glare and a hard shake, Milind just roughly took her hand off of him as if disposing off a pesky bug.

"Tu mujhe rok nahi sakti, Ayesha. Mai Prachi ko aaj apne pyar ke barre me bataoonga. Agar woh nahi mani, to mai usse talaaq bhi de doonga takke woh apni nayee dunya basale, chahe mujhe dekh ke woh nazara kitna dard hi kyu na ho. Lekin mai tere paas kabhi nahi aaonga, Ayesha. Tu meri koi nahi aur mai tera koi nahi." He walked off.

"Nahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii," shouted Ayesha to the sky, crumbling to the hard concrete floor of the roof in a pitiful state of tears and unadultered hatred for Prachi. Milind mera hai, sirf mera. Prachi ka nahi. Her sobs wracked her whole body, and she wept in a way she had not done since she had avowed revenge on the Shah family. She remembered of a time when Milind had asked her to promise that she would wait. She remembered of a time when he had kissed away her tears. Drowning in memories and overwhelming grief, she lay her head on the ground and cried anew. Bhagwan nahi hai, she thought as she felt her heart clench in untold anguish for she could not believe God would do her this injustice.

As Milind walked to find Prachi in the house, he felt trepidation. Milind, who was well known as fearless, felt anxious, and he wanted to laugh except he couldn't well believe this was bloody happening to him. He wanted to tell Prachi that he loved her, but he had his own doubts about whether she would believe him. Or even if she would have him. Neev. The name brought him up short. Kya mai...? At every turn of their marriage, he had make Prachi weep silent tears after him, had treated her shabbily. But today, he wanted to love her, to promise her eternity. Prachi had touched his heart in a way Ayesha never had, and he would never have discovered that he had been missing a piece of his heart that Prachi had made whole by her selflessness had Prachi not coaxed him out of his rage, his hatred and made him see the beauty of unselfish, unconditional love.

Scene: Prachi and Milind in her bedroom.

Bloody lunacy. Woh kahan hai? "Prachi," Milind called out, his mind working furiously with speed as he tried to search for...until he observed from the open doorway in the hall Prachi bathed in moonlight from the window of the bedroom. "Prachi," Milind whispered, but the words sounded as much a prayer as they belied his need.

Prachi turned. And the effect couldn't have been more real or heartstopping if he had been hit by a ton of bricks. She looked ...etheral, and suddenly, suddenly, he knew what it was like to hold the most precious possession in the palm of your hand and be afraid, very afraid that you'll lose the one person in the world who mattered beyond all reason, beyond all sanity. He had by no means rehearsed what he was going to say to Prachi. Certainly, he had wanted to give her a choice concerning the marriage and let her choose her freedom or him as he had earlier told Ayesha. But all stray thoughts flew from his mind as he beheld Prachi.

A strange moment held sway. Neither of them spoke words. They didn't need to. Their eyes communicated, the decor of the bedroom, the world, fading away until all that remained in that moment for them was each other.

Prachi blinked, the first to look away, and said, "Aap yahaan...?" And she realized, felt immediately how idiotic a question she was asking. Woh mere pati hain. Woh yaheen aur kahaan... "Raat ho chuki hai. Main aapka nightdress lati hoon," she said as she bypassed him to go to the dresser, but he held her wrist. Prachi was afraid to turn around, afraid to not turn around, and the decision was taken away from her hands as she felt his hand tugging her wrist to pull her into him.

She felt her heart skip a beat and then two. "Woh sub intezaar karsakta hai, Prachi."

She felt her heart start pounding in an uneven rythm. Awaaz kya untak...?

"Prachi, tum jaanti ho kya hota hai jub saas rookti hai?" the words from Milind interrupted her train of thought. She shook her head dumbly and realized that he could not see her expression from behind. She felt the power of sheer masculinity in him, and she blushed. She felt his breath tickle her as he drew near and lightly, ever-so-softly brushed his lips over the back of her ear. She shivered, felt gooseflesh on her hands. Vulnerable, her heart full with unshared love, she knew she was lost in the moment. He was assaulting her senses, wreacking havoc in the pit of her stomach, and she knew she could not stop him, would not stop him. She was his. Woh mujhse pyar karein ya na karein, main unse pyar karti hoon. Aur woh kafi hai. Aaj abhi ye waqt kafi hai. She closed her eyes, and let the wall of his chest comfort her, his warmth envelop her, feeling like a thousand buttlerflies were fluttering and surging in her stomach anew. But she did not want to think. Main aaj tumhari hona chahti hoon, Milind, her tarah se, her heart decided for her mind. She felt the strength in his hands, the unsteady breaths filling the lungs in his chest as he lifted her in his arms, her feet dangling as she raised her eyes to watch him carry her. Prachi knew she was in a dreamlike fog. And she knew Milind's reversal in conduct had caused it. For months, Milind had been distant and wary from her, though his taunts had grown infrequent over time, his expression tender at times and so in contrast with his nature that she knew his feelings had changed, though she still did not know what they were. And she knew that he was vulnerable in this moment too. He had stirred all her senses, and she felt suspended in time as she felt his gaze roving over her face, his eyes intensely passionate and asking a question. Prachi? She knew what he was asking. Haan, Prachi said with humble shyness in her eyes as he gently lay her on the bed. No words. Only this moment. Only each other.

Scene: Ayesha and Neev in the bar of a club.

Elsewhere, Ayesha, spent with tears on the roof, decided that she could not cry, would not cry anymore. She would find Neev. She had to find Neev. It had been Neev who told to let go of her vengeance and tell Milind that she still loved him, to let the ghosts of the past lie dormant and accept that love was bigger than all of her plans of revenge. And she had. Bitterly, she thought, Lekin mujhe phir bhi kya mila? Kucch nahi. Us Prachi ne aakhir Milind ko mujhse cheen hi liya. Lekin main aisa nahi hone doongi. Mai abhi hari nahi hoon. Mai nahi har sakti.

Wiping the tears that had once again fallen unbidden on her cheeks, she went downstairs and felt the warm air greet her outside the mansion. She went to the watchman to ask him where Neev is. But the watchman said that he did not know. Neev kahan hosakta hain? Suddenly, she thought, Kahi woh wahan...? Nahi, nahi. Lekin... With determination renewed, she asked the watchman to ask the driver to pull out the car.

Once in the car, she gave directions to the driver to the bar that she had once seen Neev in when he had been drunk after the release of the false pregnancy rumor of Prachi that had circulated the Shah house. In the dim bar, with some people dancing madly in a corner of the club, her eyes tried to adjust to the lights. And as her eyes surveyed the crowd at the bar, her eyes suddenly stopped at him. "Neev!" shouted Ayesha as she reached him. Pulling his head up from the bar table, his eyes unfocused, he saw Ayesha through a haze. "Ayesha, tum?" He groaned. "Tum mere sapne me bhi mera peecha kyun nahi chod ti. Nahi...zaroor ye nightmare hai."

"Sharab...?!" with anger flashing in her eyes.

"Nahi, juice," cut in Neev with a boyish smile.

On a frustrated sigh and a well-placed glare, "Neev, apne joke band ker aur chal mere saath."

"Mai yaheen theek hoon," as he shrugged off her touch on his sleeve.

"Neev," she said as she pulled him, "tum bohut pee chuke ho. Chalo mere saath."

"Agar mujhe tum dikh rahi ho, tou maine bohut kum pee hai. Aur us galti ko sudhar na hai."

"Shut up, Neev. Tum jaante bhi ho Milind aur Prachi..."

"Jaanta hoon," Neev cut in bitterly on a note of hollow laughter. "Aur us galti ka shreya sirf aur sirf tumhe jaata hai. Tumne mujhe Prachi se alag kiya, khud ko Milind se alag kiya...aur dekho...aaj hum dono akele hain," said Neev in between gulping drinks. Seeing the driver enter the bar, Ayesha went to him and asked him to help Neev up.

"Aur tum kaun ho kabab me hadi..." said Neev to the driver trying to place his hand on the weak uniformed shoulders for support.

"Sir, aap..." the driver began.

"Theek hai, theek hai, chalta hoon," cut in Neev as his steps faltered. "Sorry...sorry, thodi pee li hai. But I'm fine. Kya khayal hai, Ayesha madam, my wife?"

"Ghar chalo, Neev," said Ayesha disgustedly, "Mujhe tum se baat karni hai."

"Of course, after you," said Neev bowing, forcing unwittingly to have the driver uncomfortably lean with him because of Neev's mocking gesture, "Ladies first."

Ayesha wanted to slap him, but she could feel Neev's pain as if it were her own because she had just experienced the same rejection that she now surmised had been received by him from Prachi. When Neev had told her to forget her plans of revenge and divorce him, she had never imagined the day would come when she would want to do that or agree to do that. But she had. Today. Finally. But today, Milind had... He had crushed her, their dreams of a future. And she could feel tears gathering in her eyes again. So, she looked away from Neev and concentrated on her thoughts of finding a way to make Milind relent. He would see reason. She was sure. All she had to do was make him realize that he loved her, not Prachi. Prachi might be his wife, but she, Ayesha, was his one and only true love. With that confidence-inspiring thought, she followed the driver lending his shoulders for Neev to lean on and make it into the car as she heard the strains of a familiar tune and Neev's off-key singing, "Pyar pyar na raha, dost dost na raha..."

Scene: Neev and Ayesha at the Shah mansion.

Neev stumbled over the steps of the Shah mansion as the driver sidestepped with him to ensure that Neev does not fall headlong into the marble floor. "Yaheen theek hai," Ayesha gave the directive to the driver, who dismissed, disappeared into the chilly night air. Offering her own shoulders for support to her husband, Ayesha walked with him in tow with the purpose of making it to the grand staircase of the house leading to their masterbedroom upstairs.

"Waah, meri kya patni hai. Mera kitna khayal karti hai," mocked Neev. "Jee chahta hai ke main tumhe pyar karoon," leaning into kiss the side of her face but kissing air. His vision blurring to include multiple Ayeshas and then two, he laughed. "Kayamat agayee, Ayesha. Tum do-do dikh rahi ho. Zaroor mai jahanoom pouhuch gaya. Do-do Ayesha kayamat ki nishani hi hosakti hai."

"Bakwas band karo, Neev, aur dekh kar chalo... Sambhlo... Nahi...yahaan...haan."

Neev righted himself only to accidently bump into the side railing of the grand staircase again. Neev laughed, "Haan...ye sab bakwas hai, Ayesha. Ye zindagi bhi. Pyar bhi."

"Meri mano, Ayesha, kabhi pyar mat karna. Kabhi nahi." Neev pointed to the beating heart within the protective wall of his chest, and with feeling said, "Yahaan...yahaan dard hota hai." Then realizing who he was talking to, he said, "Ye mai kisse keh raha hoon. Tum bhi to Milind se pyar karti ho."

Missing a step, Neev put his other foot forward, leading Ayesha to muffle a groan for fear that they would wake the whole house up. "Hum ek jaise hain. Hum dono ka mohabbat se dard ka rishta hai. Tum roti ho jab yaadein sataati hain, aur main peeta hoon jab bhool jaane ka dil chahta hai."

Ayesha blew a long-suffering sigh as they finally reached their bedroom, and Neev dropped on the bed as a deadweight. But he was not done. "Ayesha, mai tumse nafrat ab nahi kar sakta. Prachi se bhi nahi. Ab mujhe kucch ehsaas nahi hota. Nahi... Ye jhoot hai...mujhe ehsaas hota hai...marne ka...marke jeeena ka."

"Tum zinda ho ya marre hue, mujhe farq nahi padta. Hum kal subah baat karenge. Tum so jao. Aur mujhe bhi sone do."

Neev propped himself on his elbow to watch her with eyes hazed and bloodshot with too much drink and restless nights of sleep. "Ayesha, Prachi bekasoor thi...hai." Then, hesitating, he released the newly acquired information learned hours ago in a long breath, "Tum ye baat nahi jaanti ho lekin Alaap ne sirf tumhari Maa ko neecha dikhane ke liye us din sharyantra raccha tha jiski yaad tumhe chod ti nahi. Prachi ka usme koi haath nahi tha. Yahaan tak ke Prachi ne mujhe bhi jaane diya apne aap ko laalchi bata ker."

With eyes suddenly flashing with anger of remembered humiliation on that day on behalf of her mother and feeling a stab of impatience at her husband's tale-spinning, Ayesha posited with narrowed eyes, "Tum peete ho, Neev, tou kahaniyaan acchi banane lagte ho."

"Ayesha, ye kahani nahi."

"Haan," said Ayesha derisively, "aur zaroor us Prachi ne tujhe ye kahani ro-dho kar muft me sunayee hogi."

"Nahi, Milind ne..." cut in Neev only to be interrupted by Ayesha.

"Ek hi baat hai," quickly recut in Ayesha in an agonized denial. "Woh samaj ta hai ke woh ab us Prachi se pyar karta hai. Uski jaal me phas gaya hai. Us ki har baat par yakeen bhi shayaad karta hai..." pain gathering in her heart. Turning to him, her voice low-pitched but unmistakable in its veiled ire, "Aur ye kahani tu mujhe sunakar uski begunahi nahi sabit kar raha, Neev, bul ke uski chaal-baazi. Mai sabko samajh ti hoon, tekko, us Prachi ko aur Milind ko bhi."

"Ayesha, Ayesha, yahi tou baat hai," said Neev, shaking his head, "Hum dono ne usse galat samjha aur isi galti ko sudharne ke liye mai uske paas gaya tha.

"Tum jaanti nahi Prachi ne..." he said, his head hitting the pillow the exact moment of his starting phrase.

"Ye jhoot hai!" shouted Ayesha. "Tu bhi jaanta hai aur mai bhi ke hum dono ne faisla liya tha unke paas janne ka takke ye kissa khatam kardein badle aur nafrat ka. Lekin..." trailed off Ayesha, recalling how cruelly Milind had shaken her off him on the roof. He had not just shaken her physically... He had toppled her dreams.

"Hum dono ne decide to kiya tha, lekin, mai Prachi ke paas jaane wala nahi tha. Mai tumse divorce zaroor chahta tha, Ayesha, lekin Prachi ke paas wapas jaane ke liye nahi. Tum se door jaane ke liye. Lekin jab Milind ne kuch ghante pehle woh sachaee batayee jisse hum dono anjaan the, mujhse rahaa nahi gaya. Aur mai Prachi ke paas gaya tha...usse mafi maangne ke liye aur uska saath maangne ke liye."

"Tou tu bhi chhat per gaya tha Milind se milne. Mujhe laga tha ki tu bas Prachi se mil ne gaya hoga...tab hi Devdas ki aulad banke us club mein gaya tha. Milind..."

"Haan...mai Milind se milne gaya tha... Lekin uske wajah se club nahi gaya tha, Ayesha. Prachi ne... Woh badal gaya hai, Ayesha. Aur Prachi uske wajah se."

"Haan," in an acidic tone, Ayesha confessed, "Woh sala badal gaya hai. Mujhe...mujhse keh raha tha ki woh..."

"Prachi se pyaar karta hai," finished Neev for her, feeling the familiar stab of pain pierce his heart. "Haan...mujhe lagne laga tha ki Milind shayad Prachi se pyar karta hai...lekin yakeen nahi tha. Kaheen mujhe lagta tha ke chahi Prachi ne raasta manzil tak pohunch ne ke liye kyu na badal liya ho, lekin uski aakhri manzil mai hoon. Lekin mai galat tha. Milind uski aakhri manzil hai, Ayesha. Aur shayad tumhe bhi aaj pata chala hai ke Prachi uski."

"Nahi, aisa kabhi nahi hosakta, Neev," said Ayesha fiercely just as she observed her husband's even breathing and lidded eyes. He was asleep. Not minding in the least, Ayesha plopped down on the bed gracefully and dropped her head down onto the pillow beside Neev. Neev, tum mera saath do, na do, lekin Milind aur Prachi saath nahi hosakte, thought Ayesha. Had a stranger been observing Ayesha, the stranger would have been awed at how the shaft of moonlight made her appear a vision of loveliness. But it was a false painting for inside Ayesha's heart a cold ugliness tightened. Kabhi nahi, avowed Ayesha silently, sleep finally overtaking her, softening her features but not her intentions.

Scene: Prachi and Milind in her bedroom. (The morning after...)

Without opening her eyelids, Prachi stretched her arms and stifled a yawn coming on. Not quite awake and believing that she had a wonderful dream about Milind, she pulled the blanket up to her chin and turned the other side to lay her head in her palm. But... Suddenly uncomfortable, feeling the rays of the sun glaring unforgivingly from the open bedroom window with the curtains drawn, she slowly opened her eyes only to blink again as her eyes hurt from taking in all the natural bright light surrounding the room. Turning to the other side, she saw Milind's sleeping form and the sweet memories of yesterday assailed her. Feeling her face flush as she came to the realization that what occured in the night was not a dream, she pulled the blanket away from her, feeling a bit tender. Blushing, she crossed the room to the dresser to retrieve her towel and then walked to the bathroom. Peeking in to see Milind still lying asleep and snoring, Prachi softly whispered to his lying form from afar, "Tum yuhi sote raho. Tub tum apna gussa nahi kar sakte ho. Sote we kitne acche lagte ho. Lagta hi nahi ke tumhe gussa bhi aata hai." Milind did not even stir at her whispered words, and Prachi covered her mouth with two of her fingers to hide her shy, blushing smile. She closed the door and emerged after twenty minutes.

Refreshened from the shower, she toweled her wet hair in front of the mirror when she spied Milind's sleeping form and mishchief took root in her mind. Shrugging her shoulders with the idea of turning the delicious thought into reality, she walked over to Milind's side of the bed. Her footsteps muffled by the carpet, she hunched down and blew into his ear. Tossing in his sleep, Milind turned only to feel the cool air disturb him once again with Prachi blowing her breath. "Abbe kaun hai?" grumbled a sleepy Milind as he turned again, and Prachi covered her mouth to halt the forthcoming giggle from bursting forth. Since that little stunt failed to wake him up, she slightly shook her her mound of wet hair in his face to splatter him with watter droplets, some catching on the bedsheet. "Abbe," said a visibly irked Milind as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. Seeing him awake, though groggy from sleep, Prachi tried to get away, but Milind grabbed her hand. "Subah, subah shararat acchi nahi hoti, Prachi," said Milind in a slow-spreading, lazy, indulgent grin.

"Accha?" she said with twinkling eyes, bringing her face inches from his, "Aur der tak sona acchi bat hoti hai?"

Prachi felt drawn into the magic moment, the spell of locked gazes and unvoiced promises when she felt an insistent knocking on the door interrupt the beauty of the second. "Beta, Prachiii?" said the voice outside the door.

Ye to maa ki awaz hai. As she turned to go, Milind pulled her back and she fell to the bed in a sitting position, "Milind, mujhe jaana hai." He started tracing his fingers over the side of her face to her lips.

"Ye kya kar rahe ho, Milind. Maa bula rahi hai."

On a sigh, he said, "Tou maa se kaho intezaar kare. Mai apni biwi ke saath busy hoon," looking deeply into her eyes and bringing his lips closer, closer, closer...

"Milind," said Prachi on a breathless note, trying hard to break his hold on her wrist as her mother's voice called again, "Prachiii?"

"Maine ye haath chodne ke liye nahi pakda hai." Brushing a wet lock of her hair behind her ear with his other hand, he whispered in her ear, "I...love...you, Prachi."

Feeling the frenzied pace of her heart quicken even more and near-to-bursting, she released her hand from his grasp but did not make a move to get away. Prachi had wished for some time now that Milind would feel differently about her, but even she had not hoped for his love, though she had wanted it in the deepest recesses of her heart and consciousness, even when she had not realized that her affections were engaged with him irrevocably. But his words made her complete in a way she had never thought possible. In the silence, their eyes stayed glued to each other, lighted with the wonder of newly discovered love.

"Tumhe kucch nahi kehna?" asked Milind after a pregnant silence.

"Oh, haan. Mujhe..." whispered Prachi, continuing, "pyar...hai..."

His eyes clouded with passion. Forcing Milind into lying onto the bed again, but following his movement with hers, Prachi persisted, "...Maa se."

"Kya?" asked a dazed Milind as Prachi jumped quickly from the bed to remove her presence and open the latched door.

"Beta, Prachi, itni der se..."

"Woh Maa, mai nahaa rahi ti," said Prachi, taking her mother away, but not before she looked behind her.

Milind lazed in the bed, his arms crisscrossed above his head, his eyes promising sweet retribution.

As Prachi kept walking away, her gaze unwavering, Milind never waved his own eyes from her face. Milind had never truly seen Prachi in a teasing mood, at least not with him. But he liked this teasing Prachi, and surely, he would have an opportunity to tease her as well, soon, very soon. Intezaar, bus, thoda intezaar. Satisfied with that devilish thought, he let her go with her mother, closing his eyes, not making any move to stop her and not giving away any of his plans behind shuttered eyes.

Hiding a smile, Prachi turned somberly to her mother, walking by her side. Her mother was telling her something about servants and breakfast being prepared, but all she heard was Milind's confession echoing in her mind. I...love...you, Prachi.

"Maa, woh..."

With a quizzing eye, her mother turned towards her in the middle of the long hall. And Prachi stumbled over her words, "Woh..Maa...woh...ye haina...ke...mujhe jaana...Maa, mai kucch bhool ayee kamre me."

Gently taking Prachi's hands in her own, her mother said, "Prachi, agar koi baat hai..."

A guilty expression formed on Prachi's face and she cast her eyes down, leading her mother to surmise on her own the reason for the subterfuge, and said, "Beta, tum kamre me jao. Mai sambhal loongi. Phir Milind ke saath aa jaana."

Scene: Premlata in the hall outside of Prachi's bedroom.

Having long left Prachi's hands to turn to the front, Premlata hid a smile belying a woman's secrets and a mother's instincts. Climbing downstairs, she remembered how Inder had kept her from sometimes attending her mother-in-law's requests early in the morning with... Shaking her head, Premlata realized that some things never changed with passing...such as a husband and wife's morning session of stolen moments. Rubbing the moisture at the remembered memory and gladness that her daughter had found true happiness in her marriage, she rubbed them from her face, slightly shook her head in understanding, and kept smiling, Pagal ladki...theek se jhoot bhi nahi bol ne aata.

Scene: Prachi and Milind in the bedroom.

"Milind," called Prachi as she entered from the door, and heard the door close behind her and jumped with a start to see Milind standing, looming over her with arms crossed and a wolfish grin.

"Milind, tumne mujhe darra hi diya."

"Lekin pehle se kafi kum darti ho..." he said, drawing out his hands to enclose Prachi's neck in his arms, "warna tum kucch kehne se pehle kucch der pehle bhag nahi jati."

Pretending innocence, "Prachi said, "Accha ji?"

"'Accha ji'" repeated Milind in classic-mock-style after Prachi, pulling his hands from over her neck to shoulders, lower and then under her arms, without warning, beginning his attack, tickling her mercilessly.

"Nahi, nahi, chodo Milind...Accha, accha, theek hai...I...Milind, therro na...keh to rahi hoon," said a laughing-and-giggling Prachi.

"Accha theek hai, bolo. Lekin agar galat jawab hua to," Milind said, drawing his hands out into the shape of ready-tickle-claws for Prachi to inspect.

"I love you," stated Prachi, "Kyun, theek hai na jawab?"

With emotions and his very own soul shining in the gaze, a usually self-possessed Milind smarting from being at a loss for words, pulled her tightly into his awaiting arms and tucked her head into the nook of his chest. He had loved few people in the world...his father, his sister, had even once believed himself to have loved Ayesha, but today...and now...now...Prachi. Prachi, his wife, his salvation, the soothing balm to his weary soul. They did not broach the topic about Neev or Ayesha because words were not needed between them about their past when their present was witness to the meeting of their hearts. Prachi was his. And Milind was hers. It was as simple and plain as that, at least to them. Milind bent his head down to brush a featherlight kiss on her forehead. And while they were at that, Milind thought they could have breakfast a little later than usual. After all, he had to attend to dessert first.

Scene: Prachi and Milind in the hall, emerged from their bedroom. And Premlata arriving in the hall.

"Milind, kyunki mai ek acchi patni banna chahti hoon, woh '1970's heroine' type, toh maine soch liya hai. Jab aap itni zid kar rahe hain ke mai aapki kamiyaa bataoon...tak ke aap sudhar sake...toh...theek hai. Suniye...Ek, do, teen, char..." Prachi lifted her finger to the side of her face in mock contemplation of deep thought, and counting off on fingers, continued, "panch, che, saath, aath, nou, dus...Milind...mere paas itni ungliyaan hi nahi ke sab aap ki kharab baatein ginwa sakoon."

"Prachi," warned Milind, his eyes dancing.

"Maine kucch galat kaha?" Prachi eyed him innocently. Really, it was no effort to tease her husband at all and fast-becoming a pass time because her heart filled to the brim knowing that she could remove the perpetually-apprearing scowl on her husband's face.

"Nahi..." drawled Milind slowly, as he tried to pull Prachi closer with his hand, his other hand moving to lightly pinch her upper arm. "Kucch tumne kaha?"

Prachi looked at him accusingly as she rubbed the spot, tried to return in kind and escape his teasing touch as they ambled together side by side, their shoulders rubbing, both carefree and grinning and laughing in turns, their voices coming out into the hall as hushed whispers and giggles to Premlata's ears.

"Acchua hua tum dono aage. Mai tumhe hi bulane hi jaa rahi thi. Sab ne naashta karliya. Ab tum dono ki bari...chalo...chalo bhi," said Premlata to the surprised faces as she stood in the hall, having made her way towards towards the couple, a bit tired from climbing the grand staircase but gladness rising in her heart at seeing their happiness.

Prachi and Milind shared flushed looks, both feeling shy at Premlata's knowing gaze after realizing that Premlata had taken in the scene of her daughter and son-in-law involved in good-natured ribbing. About to follow Premlata towards the main hallway, they stopped in their stride when Premlata prodded Prachi's hand. Premlata noticed...and remarked, "Prachi, ye kya? Tum ne sindoor nahi lagaya...? Beta, iske bina suhagan ki maang suni hoti hai."

Touching unconsciously the middle of her forehead and coming up with nil on her fingers, a chagrined and flustered Prachi murmured, "Oh, lagta hai bhool gayee." Then to them, she said, "Abhi aayee." Prachi excused herself from two of her favorite persons to hurry towards her bedroom. She would never have forgotten to put vermilion if Milind had not kept her busy with his wickedly sensual smiles, whispered excuses, and teasing, the memories of this morning making her blush from head to toe.

Milind watched her retreating back, contemplating following Prachi and helping her with the deed, almost striding towards that purpose when Premlata called his name, "Milind, chalein?" And Milind had only a second to ponder before Premlata grabbed his ear and pulled slightly, leading him to sigh with a wistful, "Ji...ji." Premlata had never chided Milind, but in these months, Milind had become more of a son to her than Alaap had ever been, bringing out her nurturing instincts. She would gladly have him attend to her daughter, but he had to eat breakfast first.

Scene: Prachi and Ayesha in the hall.

As Prachi was coming out of her bedroom door, having put the vermilion in her partitioned hair, and smiling with remembrance at how Milind had scared her witless when he had touched her and held her for the first time on their wedding night. Of course, then, she had been utterly frightened and confused, not knowing what to make of his mood until she had fallen in his arms just as he had unlatched the door for the benefit of providing a show to others.

Woolgathering, she abruptly came to a standstill across from Ayesha, who with a deceptively casual pose was leaning against the wall, her mouth tilted in a mimic of a smile that did not reach her eyes. Ayesha watched Prachi make her entrance with scarcely disguised loathing. As Prachi ignored her to turn into the main hallway, Ayesha blocked her way. As Prachi tried to sidestep her, Ayesha followed her movement to keep her from making her exit. On a sigh, Prachi said, "Ayesha, mujhe jaana hai breakfast ke liye. Please...please, Ayesha mera raasta chodo."

"Nahi, Prachi, ab mai is raste se nahi hatoongi. Tum hato mere raaste se." Underneath the seemingly innocuous exchange lied the reference to a man, a hint that Prachi did not miss.

"Ayesha, mai hamesha tumhare raaste se hat ti hi ayee hoon aur khushi-khushi. Lekin aaj nahi. Isbar tumhe hat na padega," so saying, Prachi brushed past Ayesha's shoulder as she moved towards the main hallway, nearing the grand staircase. Prachi, six or even five months ago, would never have even thought to commit the action.

Ayesha realized that she was not dealing now with Prachi Shah but Mrs. Prachi Mishra.

Silently fuming at Prachi's audacity, Ayesha pondered, Ab bheegi billi ko ladna bhi aagaya. Pehle to bohut natak karti thi, lekin ab naqaab bhi utar gaya. Titlting her face with a humorless half-smile, an almost impressed Ayesha thought, Accha hai. Ab khel me aslee mazaa ayega, Mrs. Prachi Mishra. Kyunki tum Mrs. Mishra zyada din tak nahi rahogi. Satisfied in the extreme with the notion, Ayesha made her way to her own bedroom. After all, she still had to deal with Neev who was probably yet engaged in sleeping off the effects of too much alcohol. And Ayesha would gain much pleasure from disturbing the cad's sleep; Neev had always had an uncanny manner of knowing exactly what to do to irritate her. But today, Ayesha thought with a little amusement, was as good a day as any to return the favor. His sleep could wait until night, but she would not.

Scene: Ayesha and Neev in the bedroom.

As Ayesha entered her room to automatically turn towards the northeast of the big room, she spied the bed. She observed the mussed sheets but failed to see the sleeping body she had expected. Turning her face upwards in uncertainty, she saw Neev leaning his head on a horizontally stretched left arm, looking out through the closed glass window down below. "Tu jaaga hua hai? Aur yahaan mai to kucch aur hi soch rahi thi. Mujhe to laga tha ke tu ab tak so raha hai. Teri luck acchi hai warna mai teri waat lagane wali thi."

Without bothering to turn around to look at his wife, he said, "Ayesha, mujhe talaaq kab de rahi ho?"

"Talaaq? Tujhe abhi talaaq chahiye? Ye jaante hue ke tu Prachi ko hamesha ke liye khodega agar tunne kucch jaldi nahi kiya? Yahi to mokha hai, Neev. Hum un dono ko dikha sakte hain ke hume koi farq nahi padta. Hum unhe wapas paa sakte hain. Aur tu kucch aur hi yahaan soch raha hai... Mental hogaya hai?"

Neev almost smiled hearing Ayesha's thoughts. If nothing else, he had learned that Ayesha was predictable in a crisis, her mind mulling over immediate thoughts of revenge, attack and plotting. But then he sobered. He knew Ayesha would never condone the half-baked humor at her expense.

"Mai usse kho chuka hu, Ayesha. Ab kucch bakhi nahi raha. Ek umeed thi, ab woh bhi nahi rahi," said Neev gravely, turning towards her, weariness clearly written in his eyes.

"Tu itne jaldi har kaise maan sakta hai, Neev? Pyar kiya tha ya mazaakh?"

"Maine to pyar kiya tha, Ayesha, lekin zindagi ne mere saath mazaakh. Waise bhi ab is sab baat ka koi faida nahi. Mai jaana chahta hoon."

"Tu kahan jayega, Neev? Tera baap to jail me hai Inder ke murder case me, aur teri maa yahaan khud reh rahi hai, wobhi jabse tera ghar ko bechke karzdaro ka paisa chutta karne ke liye."

"Pata nahi kahaan jaoonga..." Releasing a heartfelt sigh, he noted, "Lekin mai sukoon ki saas lena chahta hoon; ek nayee shuruaat karna chahta hoon aur shayad ye yahaan mumkin nahi."

Ayesha did not know what to say for the first time since had met Neev. She and Neev had never really gotten along all that well in this marriage, and even before their marriage. But they had been forced to live under one roof and face each other in the confines of their bedroom morning and night... And despite frequently seething in anger at each other's verbal assaults and antics, an easy familiarity had developed between them in all these months. Their taunts had stopped carrying the earlier sting that infuriated, lessening the effect to only a dull ache in their hearts. And their other biting comments to each other had even less effect. Their dialogue had broadened to include things besides taunting, which in itself had become a routine ritual in the travesty of their marital relationship. She might not have truly liked Neev previously, but she had stopped disliking him at some unfathomable point. She did not know what lay between them, not quite friendship, but something like that.

But interrupting her thoughts, Neev said, "Ayesha, hum miya biwi ka rishta to qayam nahi kar sake, lekin hum dost banne ki koshish to kar sakte hain," a question in his eyes.

Eyes flashing with anger at the personal opinion that Neev had guessed her thoughts, she raised her chin and retorted with unfelt heat, "Ay, mujhe kisi dost ki zaroorat nahi hai."

"Shayad," conceded Neev, "lekin mujhe hai."

She almost gave into the moment, to let herself have the luxury of a friend. She imagined it would be nice to give comfort and be comforted in return. But rather than give into the weakness, she forced out of her mouth, "Nahi. Tujhe dost ki zaroorat hogi lekin mujhe nahi hai. Tu samjha na? Tujhe divorce chahiye, miljayega. Mai tujhe papers bhej doongi, bus apna address de dena jab koi thikana miljaye. Jahan jaana hai, jaaa. Lekin koi rishta mat jodh ne ki koshish kar."

Her eyes shining with controlled moisture that she would not let fall, Neev walked away, halted in midstep, knowing that Ayesha was behind him. Not retracing his steps backwards to offer comfort that he could see would not be accepted, he settled for something else, the truth, as it were, "Ayesha, mai ek baat kehna chahta hoon. Kabhi phir mokha mile ya nahi," trailing off, letting her draw her own conclusions.

Sensing that she would not stop him, he continued, "Jinko hum pyar karte hain, agar hum unki khushi dekhe tou...hamara gham kum to nahi hota, lekin ek ehsaas hota hai ke shayad kismat ko yahi manzoor hai. Shayad hamare liye kismat ko kucch aur manzoor hai." Then stopping, slightly hesitating, he said, "Tum boori nahi ho, Ayesha, lekin tumhara chuna raasta galat hai. Ispe chal kar tum sirf apne aap ko dard pohchaogi." And then smiling a sad smile, Neev persisted, "Aur phir tum meri baat mano ya nahi, tumhe bhi under se pata hai ke Milind aur Prachi ne ek dusre ke under apna ghar dhoond liya hai."

"Ab tu philosophy bhi jhhad ne laga hai?" asked Ayesha with raised eyebrows, turning towards him, though she faced his back, seeing that he was in the space of the doorway, almost out the door.

"Nahin, Ayesha, bas kucch baatein samajhne-bhoojne laga hoon. Tum jaanti ho, Ayesha... Prachi mujhse hamesha kaha karti thi ke mai kabhi bhi serious nahi rehta aur der tak to bilkul nahi. Lekin aaj dekho, me serious bhi hoon aur samajdaari ki baatein bhi karne laga hoon. Hai na?"

Edging towards the bed, Ayesha listened to his words, "Ayesha, kabhi agar meri zaroorat ho tou mujhe yaad karna. Aaj nahi, kabhi aur tumhe dost chahiye ho."

Neev stepped out of the door, and she knew without a doubt that Neev would leave soon, if not today itself. He had not yet packed his suitcase, but he would. She knew.

Dropping her right hand to the bed for support, she sat, overwhelmed and cried, a luxury that she had not dared give in, not within his earshot. She did not understand why he loved Prachi, or for that matter, why Milind did. And certainly, she could not deny any longer that Milind loved Prachi because Neev's words had stripped her of the illusion that she had created for herself in the short span of yesterday and today.

Since the time she had been old enough to understand her surroundings, she, unlike Prachi, had found herself fighting to survive. From an early age, she had been bereft of the support of her father's income and fate's hands had dealt her a mother whose world was alien to her, her mother immeasurably lost somewhere in a suspended reality of her own making. As a girl, she had been confused, lonely, sometimes frightened of hunger, and had found in Milind a ready friend, though his temper volatile. Milind's father had not discouraged the friendship, perhaps realizing that Milind and Ayesha were drawn together in shared battle against the world, the two of them companionable lost, lonely souls. All her life, she had heart taunts, "Teri maa to pagal hai," and, sometimes, or, "Tu to us pagal ki beti hai, na?" Their laughter and little cruelties had hurt her, but she had put on a brave front, feeling encouraged and protected by Milind's presence in her life.

She had not minded the stain of being known as a bas***d child in the local community, but she had minded much that her biological father had brought her mother to the point of madness where Ayesha could only see glimpses of how her mother had once been. Sometimes, when she had closed her eyes in those days, she could well imagine her mother vibrant, full of potential, confident and attractive. But then she would see how her mother was, and she would feel a bit dead inside. She had been robbed of a childhood. Now, her half-sister had stripped her of Milind's love.

She might have given up her revenge had Milind professed his undying love to her yesterday. She had been willing to have his love heal her old wounds festering with poison. But to hear from Milind that he loved Prachi had been the ultimate ignominy, an irony of fate, when she had ceded defeat to Milind's love. She had lost her love once to Prachi through Milind's marriage, but she would not give up Milind. Ayesha had not gotten in the habit of a winning streak in the game of well-wrecked vengeance only to lose at the most important juncture of her life. She would have Milind back, she silently vowed to herself.

Scene: Niharika In the guestroom at the Shah house, pacing.

Niharika fumed in her room. "Ye Neev ek number ka beqakoof hai. Mujhe to kabhi-kabhi shak hota hai ke ye mera beta hai yaa kisi aur ka. Pranay to jail me sad hi raha hai aur ab ye Neev hamme sadak per lana ke liye soch raha hai." She harrumphed in agitation, further recalling how she had coveted the Shah properties and business, wanting the immense wealth to fall in the Shergill family's lap, but instead, her own son was speaking to her that he had determined they should vacate the Shah mansion and find other premises. Ab mujhe hi kucch karna padega. Niharika smiled then, her pulse returning to a state of normalcy, a smile of smugness belonging on a pirate's face rather than her own, her face showing in evil contours in the sun's rays of the room.

Scene: Niharika and Purvi In Niharika's room.

She called Purvi in her room and explained to her spoiled and somewhat witless daughter her plan. "Wow, Mom, kya deemag paya hai aapna."

"Haan-haan, woh sab theek hai. Lekin tum samajh gayee ho na?" Purvi nodded her head in understanding and hugged her mother in her daughterly exuberance. And Niharka smiled. Really, she had to ensure her own and her children's future, feeling a speck of motherly affection for her daughter, patting her back awkwardly.

Scene: Neev, Niharika, Purvi in Niharika's room. (The doctor too makes a short appearance.)

"Bhaiya, bhaiya, dekho Mom ko kya hua hai!" shouted Purvi like a banshee. Shaken by his sister's voice outside his bedroom in the hall, Neev ran to his mother's room, only to finding her unmoving on the floor. "Purvi, abhi doctor ko phone karo." Neev had curled his arms around his mother, trying to move her to the bed. His mother moaned, stirring, her eyes blinking uncertainly.

"Beta, Neev, ye kya?" her voice croaked.

"Mom, bas kucch nahi. Aap bas ye pani pijiye." Her mother sipped slowly the glass of water that he handed from her side table and then pressed her palm to the glass to indicate that she was done. Neev put the glass of water down on the side stand and asked her if she felt she could shift a bit. With an assent in the form of a nod from her, he used his own body to leverage her onto the bed, albeit with her modest cooperation, within seven minutes, against the headboard of the bed.

"Neev, beta, tum fikr mat karo. Lagta hai ke bas mujhe mamooli sa koi chakar aa gaya." Neev could see how much it had cost her mother to just speak the words, her struggle with the words visible in the stressed lines of her face and throaty voice.

"Maa, aap lett jaiye, please. Aap kucch mat boliye, Mom. Doctor aate hi honge." Neev did not know how long he stayed by his mother's bedside, worried. It could have thirty minutes or forty-five, but it seemed an inordinate amount of time to him tantamount to eternity, as he lay in wait for the doctor's appearance. And when Purvi finally came into the room with the doctor behind her, Neev felt his shoulders sag with a bit of relief, though a concerned frown still remained on his face. When Dr. Singh had examined his mother, he injected his mother with a sleep-inducing drug. And he motioned for Neev to follow him to the corridor, Neev having already gestured for Purvi to stay, and then proceeded to see the doctor outside the door, the breakfast he had eaten in the morning beginning to churn in his stomach in nervous anticipation of bad news.

"Mr. Shergill, aap ki maa ko lagta hai kafi stress aur tension hai jin ke wajah se aaj woh behosh hogayee. Ye stress unki seheth ke liye bohut bura hai aur kaafi hanikarak bhi sabit ho sagta hai agar unhe relax karne ka mokha nahi diya gayaa. I hope aap samajh rahe honge jo mai keh na chah raha hoon. I must recommend that aap patient ko jitna pareshaaniyon se door rakh sakte hai, utna rakhe. Baaki tou...mai aapko kucch tension ki davaa likh kar de raha hoon." Neev shook hands with the doctor, thanking him. And as he saw the doctor disappear from his vision down the hall, he felt a sense of guilt overcome him. He should have known not to bother his mother with the plan of moving from the Shah house. His mother had not been quite as right in the mind ever since his father had been arrested on charges of involvement in Inder Shah's murder case.

Muttering a silent oath, he sighed, recounting how he had seen the blood drain from his mother's face when he had found her early this morning to inform her of his impending plans to rent a modest dwelling until he could find an affordable flat for them to live in. His mother had been shocked and distressed, her eyebrows furrowing in consternation. Though he had also wanted to tell her about his plans of divorcing Ayesha, he had refrained from doing so, not wanting to upset her further. Now, he knew he had been right, his mother too fragile for news of further disruption in their lives such as her son's imminent divorce. He was going to revise his plan of moving from the Shah residence to another place. Neev could not risk his mother's health on account of his selfish purpose of starting afresh. Bhagwan aakhir chahte kya hain aap? he thought with some discomfiture. Now, he knew had to find Ayesha and inform her of his change in plans when he had made clear that he would be out the door and her life soon. And he was going to have to ask her to please pretend to act in the capacity of his loving wife until he felt his mother had recovered enough from her ill health to bear the ill news.

Scene: Prachi, Soumya, and Premlata at the breakfast table. (Other family members had already concluded breakfast early in the morning.)

Prachi shyly smiled as she walked the hall downstairs, her eyes searching for the sight of her husband on the breakfast table. Soumya was eyeing her curiously, and her mother and Soumya exchanged a glance. Prachi, however, missed the moment of soundless communication as she sat down in her chair, her eyes still looking for Milind.

"Didi, aap jiju ko dhood rahi hain? Woh tou abhi-abhi nikle thodi der pehle. Unka koi office se important phone call aaya tha. Unhone lekin kaha ke woh aapko phone zaroor karenge."

"Accha," murmured Prachi, trying not to feel disappointed, her eyes resting now on the three-quarters finished breakfast which she supposed belonged to Milind, Aisi unhe kaun si call aagayee jiski wajah se unhone breakfast bhi complete nahi kiya? Prachi shook her head, as if to clear it, then blushed at the memories of the morning, choosing to comment on another subject rather than indulge in her thoughts of her husband, "Tumhe Soumya college nahi jaana hai aaj? Tum gayee nahi ab tak…"

"Didi, aaj late classes hai…isliye." Prachi nodded her head, her mother serving her food. Well, nothing to do but wait...

Scene: Mr. Panday and Milind in his spacious office cabin.

"Mr. Panday, aap ko paise kis liye diye jaate hain?" asked an irate Milind, not waiting for an answer, "Tak ke aap apna kaam theek se karein. Tou ye main kya sun raha hoon ke jo plot mai khareed ne wala tha woh kisi aur ne khareed liya?"

"Pata nahi, sir," mumbled a humbled employee.

"Tou pata lagaye, Mr. Panday."

Sensing that he was dismissed from his boss's office, the employee muttered, "Yes, sir." And left the room, trying to find a way to rectify his error by finding out what was going on with that parcel of land that Mr. Mishra had wanted to buy for his hotel project.

Scene: Milind calling Prachi, only to receive a surprise from an unexpected visitor.

But Milind in the office room was far from satisfied by his given rebuke, frustrated by the incompetence of his employees and slammed the desk file, plopping down on his leather chair. He rubbed his temples on the side, feeling the beginnings of a headache. He looked at his watch, and swore mutely. He had told Soumya to tell Prachi that he would call her, and he suspected that Prachi had expected his call first thing as he reached the office. But his watch read 12:15 in the afternoon, not having realized soon enough that the pressures of office work would keep him so busy that he would not have an opportunity to look out for the time. He also realized simultaneously that Prachi could not have reached him by other means even if she had tried because he had switched his mobile off and given explicit instructions to his secretary long ago that he was never to be disturbed when in meetings or finishing pending formalities of office work. He swore again, this time a few choice words slipping from his mouth. And turned his mobile on, hearing a "clink." Then he selected Prachi's name from the fed names and numbers in the mobile and waited for her to pick up. He did not have to wait long: 30 seconds give or take.

"Prachi?"

"Aap? Aapko pata hai mai itni der se aapke phone ka intezaar kar rahi hoon. Aap ne naashta bhi pura nahi kiya. Aap jaante hai mujhe kitni fikr ho rahi thi? Aakhir kaam aisa kaun sa aagaya tha? Aur aap saraa din kya…"

Smiling hearing the concern in her voice, he turned the chair to the wall of the opposite side and said, "Arre, tu mujhe bhi bol ne degi ya bolti chali jayegee. To 'aap' ke sawaloen ka jawaab hai 'kaam, kaam aur kaam,' phir meetings, aur ab ek plot ki deal jo mere haath se nikal gayee hai jiske barre me mujhe Mr. Mishra ne inform kiya tha aaj subah aur Mr. Panday ko maloom hi nahi tha. Kher, ye sab chod…"

"Jayee, mai aap se baat nahi karti," said Prachi as she had caught his imitation of her words 'aap' in his initial opening of his explanation as she absorbed the rest of what he had said.

"Aisa zulm mat karna warna ye tera pati hai na badda halla macha dega office me. Sarre log aise hi darr te hai mere saamne aur tera pati kahin sab ko yahan heart attack bhi nahi dede aur bhi khadoos ban kar."

Prachi's laughter rung in the phone, sounding like welcome music to his ears, bringing a reluctant grin of his own.

Prachi, on the other end of the phone, could well imagine the effect that he would have on his employees if in temper, laughing again at the conjured image.

"Accha, sun, mai tujhe lunch ke liye aadhe ghante mai pick up karne aata hoon."

"Iski koi zaroorat nahi," said Prachi firmly.

With confusion in his face, and before he had a chance to ask why, he felt his office door swing open with a distinctly female voice asserting, "Kyunki mai yahaan hoon lunch ke saath." He had been just about to yell at whoever had dared to disturb him in his office when hearing seeing Prachi in flesh melted whatever thought he had had on his brain. He thought the effect that his wife had on him could not be good for his peace of mind or sanity. But he felt stupidly, insanely contented and did not care that he was wearing a silly grin, and all because of his wife, who had brought him lunch to share and her own company. He realized that if fate had decided death in his cards at that very moment, he would utter nary a protest so elated was he at having found with Prachi a soul-searing love. But no, he realized that he had much to live for. Lunch, for starters. He was famished, and knowing Prachi, he knew she had not eaten any food except for breakfast. Meri biwi… He liked the sound of that very much. Yes, indeed…

Scene: Prachi and Milind in the office with the lunch she had brought.

Prachi's eyes clouded for a split second, not only from the natural sunlight surrounding the room, her vision adjusting to the room's interior, but with her own doubt. She would have been likewise affected by Milind's dominating presence in the room, even sitting in the chair as he was, had she not felt suddenly shy about barging in his office unannounced by a secretary.

But when her eyes cleared and she saw in Milind's eyes what she had wanted to see but feared she had only dreamt, her heart lurched in her throat and then rested in its former position.

As if drawn by an invisible string, Prachi walked the distance to his desk and then around the furniture to tug at him from his office chair, "Chaliye…hum yahan bait te hain. Maine aap ke liye khud lunch apne haathon se banaya hai aur woh bhi aapke manpasand khane ka."

"Prachi, tu bilkul time waste nahi karti na…" said a delighted Milind as he let her drag him to the office loveseat sofa in the corner of the office.

"Bade keh gayeein hain. Acche kaam me deri nahi karni chahiye," said Prachi smiling and then laughing at his face. His nose was already twitching in anticipation of the food, and his stomach growled loudly enough for her to hear. When she saw his expression sour at her budding smile, she sobered and hid a smile behind a cough, instead concentrating on opening the tin tiffin she had brought with her. She molded her hands to the food and then decided to feed him the first bite from her own hands.

"Iski khusbu se hi meri raal tapak rahi hai. Jaldi laa aur de…" His mouth open, he took the first bite in his mouth from her hands and then forced himself to chew and swallow. Pleased to see his flushed face beam at her, she turned to take the other bite in her own mouth when she felt Milind's hands grasp her wrist and then eat that bite too, his eyes never leaving her face. Pink stained her cheeks and she cast her eyes down, feeling her hands tingle where his mouth had deliberately touched her hand. But after a moment, when she proceeded to take another bite, the same thing happened again. Again. And again. And again. And again. She now was positively suspicious. Was this not a luncheon for the both of them? Then, why was Milind eating her portions as well? She leaned back in the sofa, sliding to her further right, and then immediately dipped her hand into the spinach curry with the roti in her hand, intending to eat the next bite.

"Prachi, ruko," she heard. But before Milind could prevent the morsel of food from entering her mouth, she placed the food in her mouth, feeling immediately her taste buds revolting. She felt her eyes water at the flavor. No salt and an assortment of other spices, maybe even accidental turmeric powder. She examined the other part of the opened tiffin before her and saw that only some of the rotis she had made were the round shape, others oval and other yet not even remotely discernible in shape. Tears started to form in the back of her eyes.

"Aap…aap ye khana kaise khaa sakte hain. Ye to bohut badmazaa hai…" she sniffled delicately.

"Prachi…" whispered gruffly Milind in a gentle voice as he gathered her close in his arms, smoothing his hand over her hair. Her tears blemished the lapel of his coat and the front of his parched white shirt within, but his concern was for Prachi alone, not his business suit.

"Mujhse zyada koi kharab biwi ho hi nahi sakti. Maine…" blubbered Prachi, and Milind pulled her from his arms and put a shushing finger to her lips.

"Aisa kabhi sochna bhi tu mat. Tujhse acchi biwi to hi nahi sakti. Agar tu nahi hoti, tou mere kapda, mera suit, meri tie, aur mera taulya kaun bahar nikal kar rakta? Kaun hai is duniya mai jo mere itne se bhi gussa ko itna jaldi thanda kardeta hai? Kaun hai jo sab se pyar karta hai, apne badoen se, chotoen se? Aur jisse maine shaadi ki hai aur pyar karta hoon, woh to kabhi kharab ho hi nahi sakti. Aur koi keh ke to dekhe, panga lelega Milind Mishra se." Prachi smiled through her tears, feeling foolish for having cried. But she had felt so dejected moments ago at having realized that the great effort she had went through on his account in the kitchen had all been for naught and gone to waste. She felt buoyed by the love in his voice, and Milind must have realized that too because he pulled her tightly to him once again. No words needed between them in those moments. They stayed in the embrace for a few minutes before Milind drew her back, placing a strong finger under her chin and charcoal eyes meeting her dark questioning ones, before he remarked, his eyes dancing with humor, "Lekin ab jab tujhe pata chal hi gaya hai ke tera khaana hai Masha-Allah tou kya hum pet-pooja karne kahin aur chalein?"

Prachi playfully hit him on his chest, and he assumed a wounded expression, rubbing the left side of his chest as he stood up and helped her too stand up. She burst out laughing at the scene before her and noted, "Aap kabhi acting mat karne jayeega. Bilkul hi acche actor nahi hai aap."

"Accha?" said Milind, his mouth shaped in a mock 'aa,' before he pondered with a wicked smile, "Lekin thodi der pehle to shayad Filmfare Award mil hi jaata kyunki khaana me kitne pyar se kharaha tha." Milind moved out of her reach before she could make his chest a target, and she stuck out her tongue. Milind's opened palm almost caught her tongue before she zipped her lips in a broadening smile, her eyes bright with the infectious humor of Milind's lighter nature unveiling before her eyes. He grinned, offering her his arm, "Chalein?" Prachi looked back once more at the tiffin with its unsavory contents, a long-forgotten memory of Neev helping her cook coming back to her. She shook her head at the memory, and then with a rueful smile at her culinary skill, said, "Chaliye."

She determined that she would learn cookery with her mother's help in the evenings from the moment onwards until she could learn to cook passably. She would surprise her husband with, of course, good cooking rather than bad, the second time around. She hid a womanly smile. She had already won her husband's heart. And she might as well make his stomach her next on her to-do-list.

Scene: Niharika in her room at the Shah mansion.

Niharika smirked in the privacy of her room at how well she had playacted in front of her son. Purvi had earlier congratulated Niharika on her well-contrived plan, and Niharika had not wanted to listen to Purvi chatter on and on incessantly. So, she had shooed her daughter away from her space, insisting that she had a headache. But the truth was that after listening to Purvi's nonsense, Niharika imagined any sane person would contract a headache. She sighed, resting her head luxuriously on the bed.

Scene: Ayesha and Neev in the bedroom.

"Kya! Tu yahaan reh raha hai… To woh sab tu kya kar raha tha subah aur raat mein, bakwaas?" asked Ayesha when she recovered from her shock at Neev's pronouncement. Neev rolled his eyes at Ayesha's instantaneous astonishment and then her subsequent mirth, feeling impatient at the behavior of his wife, though he had vowed to handle well the absurdity of the circumstances he presently found himself in. Kabhi socha bhi nahi ta ke mai Ayesha se kahoonga woh meri biwi ban ke rahe.

After her amusement had subsided at Neev's explanation of his mother's weak health and hence his change in mind, her mind started rolling around the possibilities of this to plans of her own, and simply said, "Okay, done. Mai teri acchi biwi banne ka natak karoongi sassu ma ke saamne. Aakhir tujhe mujhe bhi pata hai kucch aisa natak hum kisi aur ke saamne bhi karne ki koshish kar chuke hain." Having obtained her assent, Neev could not think of one reason to remain in the room longer than necessary and excused himself, leaving Ayesha alone with her thoughts.

The truth was that Ayesha did not mind the change in his plans nor did she consider it any inconvenience, though she had doubts about her conniving mother-in-law's state of weak health. However, if the truth had to be told, Ayesha had never been more relieved to find out anything more in her life than discovering before her eyes Neev asserting that he would be staying. In some ways, she had come to take comfort in Neev's presence in her disorderly life, though she would never admit it, even to herself. Milind...

Scene: Prachi and Milind in a restaurant within a hotel.

As Prachi entered the posh restaurant within the body of the hotel, she could not help but admire its sophisticated architectural interior with the high ceilings covered with intricately designed squares covering every inch, bronze bas-reliefs covering the middle of the walls and lush pink-maroon Turkish carpet flooring beneath her feet. Before they were seated in the restaurant, she found Milind whisper in the ear of the standing maitre d' at the podium who nodded and then proceeded to have a waiter direct them to an intimate area since the hotel was busy in the hustle-bustle of catering to the needs of customers filled with business associates, couples, and families.

Milind took a seat right across from the table where a lone rose proudly rested in the fluted glass vase. Prachi was surprised that Milind had brought her to his hotel's restaurant when she had expected a simple lunch at a caf. "Milind, hum yahan kyu aaye hain? Mujhe tou laga tha ke hum kisi caf ya kucch aisi jagah lunch karenge." Milind smiled at the waiter who finished taking his order after Prachi had given hers from the menu.

"Zarazal iski do wajah hain. Ek to mai tumhe yahaan lanaa chahta tha accha khana khilane ke liye aur dusra is liye kyunki tumse mai ek baat pooch na chahta hoon."

"Haan, Milind, poocho." Prachi, though had forty-five minutes earlier shared in the fun mood of Milind, she suspected that Milind was now serious and sobered. She felt much the same, the giddiness of early morning and afternoon having vanished. Milind handed her the rose from the table and she stated shyly, the voice escaping her lips firm and honeyed, and her mouth curving upwards, "Thank you. Tou ab batiyee…"

"Prachi, mai jaanta hoon ke tumhare paas bohut acche ideas hain aur mai soch raha tha ke agar tum chaho, tou hamare naye hotel ki restaurant ka project ka interior tum sambhalo kyunki us hotel ki grand opening hum jaldi karne wala hain. "

The thought that Milind would be willing to delegate a part of the project's responsibility on her shoulders made her heart feel full. But still, she was unsure how to react. She wanted to ensure he was comfortable with the offer he had, so-to-speak, laid on the table. "Milind, kya aap ko lagta hai ke mai itni badi zimmidari sambhal paoongi? I mean…"

Milind leaned in, his hand covering her hers lying atop the table, "Mai jaanta nahi, Prachi; mujhe pura yakeen hai." She could not believe how quickly and easily the reserve between them had disappeared after yesterday night, as if the distance had never been any but in their minds, their hearts already having gauged and the closed the emotional fissure long before they had closed their physical gap. As they both ate the lunch whilst discussing the particulars of the hotel's restaurant project he had entrusted Prachi with, the topic also inevitably turned to more personal matters.

Milind discussed with Prachi his childhood from his mud-playing days to the betting game of sticks the boys in the slums were well-acquainted with. Though Milind had not anticipated the direction of the topic, his tongue slipped the word Ayesha into the conversation when referencing who his friends of the time were. Realizing the slip of his tongue, he measured Prachi's reaction. But Prachi realized that though they understood each other on a profound emotional level, unvoiced words lay between about their past. And while their future is what mattered to her, Prachi also wanted to understand Milind's past, the past that had shaped him irreversibly into the present man. So, she closed her other hand on his, her fingers curling around his, the gesture encouraging him to not halt his flow of words. He nodded and continued, realizing that he needed to say the words as much as Prachi needed to hear them.

He told her about his boyhood, how he had been bullied in his younger days until he had grown stronger, taller than most of the boys in the community, growing muscles and feeding on his anger at being a motherless boy, having teachers in school who never thought he would amount to much, and observing hoodlums wreck havoc through self-respecting people in the slums. Though he had felt a keen attachment to Sukriti, he had still felt something missing in his life, the boys his age only the kinds of chums he could get rough or dirty with as boys his age are wont to do, none the type he could share confusion and ache at his circumstances in silence with.

When Ayesha had moved in his neighborhood, he had seen other children pick on her until he decided to champion her, their friendship taking off at that point. Though Ayesha had a mother, she for all purposes and intents, could have been motherless, Ayesha the caretaker of her mother rather than the other way around. Though they never talked about her mother or his, the shared loss joined them together in a bond, their sense of unfairness at the world acute even despite their tender age. Though most of the children were afraid of him and his temper, only Ayesha had been bold enough to cross him even in his foul mood, his admiration of her growing root in his heart. The trend of shared friendship and against-all-odds-of-the-world-survivor-attitude had continued to their adolescence and subsequent adulthood. Ayesha's mother had warned him against closeness with his daughter, but he had not listened.

"Pata nahi, Prachi, mujhe us waqt aisa lagta tha ki mujhe Ayesha sa hi ek jeevan-saathi chahiye, jo mujhe mere muh per gaali bhi de aur mujhse takrane se bhi nahi hatte. Babuji hamesha mujhe keh te the ke main kucch nahi jantaa siwaye gundagardi aur awaragardi ke ilava. Us waqt mere paas sirf mera gussa tha mera haathyar. Aur shayad isliye Babuji ko lagta nahi tha ke mai kucch kar paoonga aur kisi layekh banoonga. Ye hamesha baat mere bheje me rehti thi. Isliye jab Ayesha ne Neev se shaadi ki tou mujhe laga ke Babuji ki baat sach ho gayee hai, ke Ayesha ne mujhe tukhra diya kyunki mai uske layekh sabit nahi ho saka. Lekin jab pata chala ke usne nafrat ki aag me jalne ke liye kiya hai shaadi…tou mujhe gussa aaya aur dard bhi hua. Lekin ye dard sacchi mohabbat ka nahi…tukhra dene ka tha…ye baat mai samajh nahi paa raha tha kyunki mai Ayesha ko jhukana chahta tha. Lekin phir tum mere dil me apni jagah dheere-dheere banati gayee apni siye hue hotho se aur apne pyar se. Tab maine jaana… Mujhe tab sahi manoo me jakke ehsaas hua ke tum mera pyaar ho, saccha pyar. Ayesha ke liye maine kabhi ye nahi mehsoos kiya jo mai tumhare liye karta hoon, kabhi nahi, Prachi," the words tumbling from his mouth, his eyes returning from a faraway place.

Prachi nodded, "Mai samajh ti hoon, Milind. Shayad jitna tum samajh rahe ho, usse zyada. Mai Neev ko bachpan se jaanti thi, woh hi mujhe hasata, rulata, phir hasata. Maine hamari dosti ko hamesha chah ha. Waqt ne hamara saath nahi diya…lekin mujhe koi shikayat nahi hai, Milind. Kyunki mere liye guzra hua kal meri yaad hai aur tum mere aaj. Mai tumse aur sirf tum se pyar karti hoon, Milind. Aur mai chahti hoon ke jo khushi hamme ek dusre se milli hai, waise hi khushi Ayesha aur Neev ke naseeb me bhi aaye." Milind nodded at her words, wondering how anyone could have such a big heart as Prachi. People like Prachi were a rarity in the world, and therefore, a treasure.

Through their verbal exchange of previously unsaid words, Prachi and Milind felt the burden in their hearts, that they themselves were unaware of carrying, mechanically lightened. They could kid with each other, but at the moments that mattered, they could also realize the needs of each other in silence and in words. They had fulfilled the latter at the luncheon, their eyes basking in each other's love and regard.

As the lunch progressed, Milind revealed about his childhood pranks and had her laughing in turn, "Ek din kya hua tha ek maine Champak ke kameez mai chipkili chod di, aur woh gadha aisa, aisa doda, ke pocho hi mat. Lag raha tha ke woh race ke maidaan me hissa le raha hai."

In return, Prachi spoke about how her mother had once asked her to prepare food and instead her father had been faced with a hotel bill, courtesy of Neev. Prachi also found herself opening to Milind about her father's death and her loneliness at having lost him to death's viselike grip in a manner that had left her feeling lost and bereft of the rock in her family. Trying not to let tears seep into her eyes at the memories of her father helping her ride her first bicycle, her father's kind eyes searching for her in the game of hide-and-seek, and her father kissing her skinned knees as she fell from the swing, she blinked rapidly, her eyes lowering to her plate of half-finished food. Milind bent over from his vantage at the table, the piece of furniture between already forgotten, and said, "Mai tumhara saath kabhi nahi choodoonga." Her gaze met his, and the promise, so solemnly given, made her heart weep silent tears of joy even as the tears fell down her cheeks in rivulets.

To lighten the mood, Milind said, "Ye ladkiyaan bhi hamesha roti rehti hain, kabhi khushi me, gham me, kharab khana banane par, ikrar per, inkar per, milne per, bichad ne par… Uff… Prachi, tu mere bheje ka dahi kardegi, tou tu kahe agar, tou mai har jagah tissue box leke ghoom ne ke liye tayaar hoon."

Grateful for the distraction, she smiled at him, the world around them fading, their eyes communicating in that strange way that only lovers could. Kya waaqi tum mere saath nibhaoen ge, Milind?

Milind's eyes promised, Hamesha, Prachi. Hamesha. With a fantastical stroke of providence, their marriage had tied them in a holy union, from all appearances doomed and ill-fated except, for unbeknownst to their own selves, their hearts had recognized in each other the soul of the beloved even if their eyes and intellect had not at the time. Milind's eyes changed to almost black a little later, heat emerging in his eyes, but society's strict rules about propriety prevented him from taking any action. Prachi blushed, not mistaking his changed mood, her eyes shying away from his. The atmosphere in the intimate corner became charged with their shared heat, memories of their lovemaking. But in the moment also stood the shared and implicit promise of morning caresses, sunset walks on the beaches, and moonlit meeting of lips under clear, star-studded skies.

Scene: Ayesha and Niharika in Niharika's room.

Ayesha stepped into her mother-in-law's room at the Shah house, felt her mother-in-law cringe at seeing her, though she pretended otherwise. Ayesha was onto her mother-in-law's vices, which was why she did not spend her time dawdling in the room or circling around the issue which had brought her to Niharika. Rather than assume tact, she asked her dear mother-in-law straight out why she was pretending weakness in and of her health. Outraged at Ayesha's suggestion, and scared at thinking of her treachery as having been found out by Ayesha, Niharika had shouted, "Get out!"

But Ayesha had remained unaffected and instead sat down beside Niharika. When Niharika calculated that Ayesha would not be swayed by her acting skills, Niharika confessed to lying to her son because she did not want to pack her bags and move elsewhere when the comforts of Shah house called to her. Ayesha nodded her head, enjoying Niharika's tensed posture and loss of equanimity, but said, "Fikr mat kijiye meri poojya sasoo maa, mai to bas pata lagane ayee thi…jo maine kar liya. Mai Neev ko kucch bhi nahi bataoongi. Aap bilkul befikr rahein." Niharika's shoulders relaxed, and she thanked Ayesha with counterfeit charm that did not go unnoticed by Ayesha. Ayesha just raised her eyebrows in skepticism but did not respond to her mother-in-law's display of gratitude.

Chudail, fumed Niharika but instead of voicing the words aloud, instead pretended to fall asleep in a few moments, waiting for Ayesha to leave her room. Pata nahi kyu mera jeena haram karne per tulli hui hai.

Ayesha bore no love for her mother-in-law, having wondered how Neev could have been borne by her many times after finding out for herself what a bitch Niharika was, since her son shared neither his morality and mindset, nor his personal convictions with this poor excuse of a mother. But she was not about to expose Niharika's duplicity. Really, she had it to her mother-in-law to be able to concoct the scheme of having her daughter hire and bribe a doctor into playing the actor and as her accomplice in enacting the farce of poor health.

Even if she had wanted to expose Niharika, which she did not, she well remembered the lesson she had learned from Prachi's grievous error some months ago. When Prachi had uncovered Pranay as having had a hand in her father Inder Shah's murder and then shared the information with the assembled family members in the big hall, Neev had been furious and hurled angry accusations at the husband-wife pair of Milind-Prachi.

Neev was blind to the failings of his parents, especially their covetous, avaricious and capricious natures. So, instead of hearing a word Prachi had to say with an open mind or examine her evidence that day in the hall, he had accused of her lying. Going further, he had insinuated that she was heaping the murder charge as calumny upon Shergill family because she was jealous of his marriage with Ayesha and wanted to hurt him because she was a money-hungry, selfish woman. Milind had shouted at Neev to stop in mid-sentence and realize that he was talking about his wife, but Neev had instead smirked with a humorless smile. And told him to go to hell.

She had never seen Neev that angry before or since that day. Seeing Milind's protective hand fall on Prachi's back, she had seen Neev become even more infuriated and state that Prachi was a back-stabbing, mask-wearing, pretentious socialite. Ayesha would have gloated in the moment except she had herself been extremely shocked at Neev's turnabout.

Neev had not remained in the hall and watched how the hurt had flown from Prachi's eyes in soundless tears down her face or how she had almost run from the hall in broken sobs. But even Ayesha, who considered herself rather heartless and ruthless, had stood there in stunned silence, feeling slightly sorry for Prachi, for having to hear those words from Neev though well-deserved they might be. But the small fragment of pity had been immediately quashed when she had seen Milind follow Prachi from the hall in concerned, purposeful strides, not even once turning to steal a glance at Ayesha.

So, no, she would not tell Neev. Besides, there was no chance in hell he would believe her even if she did. And even if he would have, she would not have told him. His father was already in jail; she figured having his devious mother around was better than having no parent at all. She could easily relate to that heartache and would not wish it upon her worst enemy, and Neev was no enemy just as easily Prachi was no friend.

She left the room of her dear mother-in-law who she knew was just feigning sleep. Chaalbaaz, smiled Ayesha.

Scene: Prachi in the car with her driver.

Milind had walked her to her car after they had returned to the office in his car. The driver, seeing Prachi arriving, had gotten in the car, turning on the ignition. Now, Prachi sat in the car lost in her thoughts. When she had been in eighth standard, she recalled participating in an English poetry contest, her father helping her pen beautiful poetry. She still remembered the first stanza of the poem, though then, of course, the words had not seemed particularly meaningful to her. But today, they struck a poignant chord.

Prachi had always thought her father loved her mother but not as he should; he had not been in love with her, though she knew her mother had always loved him. But she wondered now if he had only fallen in love once, that with Amrita, Ayesha's mother.

Navigating through the landscape of life,

We fall in love inevitably, irrevocably,

The moment eyes of two meet and souls meld,

The strangers stand no chance with destiny,

The heart hears the heartbeat of the beloved,

And an unfamiliar dance of love begins,

And their faces beam like blooming flowers,

The skies smiling upon the pair,

Always knowing that which they did not

She could not recall other stanzas of the poem or other lines, although she remembered the poem concluded on a sad note. She emerged from her thoughts, noting the jerk experienced by the car when the driver suddenly pressed his foot on the break of the vehicle. She saw that the traffic was jammed ahead, and she would have to wait a while to get home, caught at a red traffic light and perhaps an accident on the road.

On a release of a sigh, her eyes skimmed to her left side of the window where she, to her shock, saw a carefree Soumya with a stranger holding hands, giggling and laughing. The stranger wearing a hat and sunglasses pulled Soumya to him and then turned so that Prachi only had a view of his back, his head bending to…to, oh, dear Lord, kiss her sister. Ye Soumya kya kar rahi hai yahaan? Isne to kaha tha ke isse late classesattend karna hai aur Mummy ne bataya ta mujhe ke ye ek dost se bhi milne jayegee. An uneasiness crept in the marrow of her bones, leaving Prachi feeling alarmed and more than a little disturbed. Her car weaved in and out of traffic as the streets cleared from the congestion and commotion. But Prachi paid no heed, her mind on her mother's request.

Just a few days ago, her mother had been discussing finding a suitable groom for Soumya, and Prachi had promised soon, very soon. But how could she fulfill the promise when… Prachi fretted. But when she neared her home, she forced herself to focus on the more positive aspect of her unexpected discovery, leading her to smile. What if Soumya had fallen in love with whomever that Prachi had seen outside the movie theater? Hardly a crime. And since her requirement and her mother's she knew merely comprised of a boy with a good temperament and education belonging to a family of good background, she could easily envision Soumya having found a way to ease their problem of groom-hunting on her behalf. Feeling her spine relax at the positive direction of her thoughts, she realized she would enjoy learning from Soumya her special friend's name. Okay, maybe, grilling was the more appropriate word. And she would do that, to be sure. But in the meantime, before Soumya arrived from the movie theater, she could try to find out from her mother if Soumya had told her anything of significance in that regard recently. Mai Milind se bhi is ke barre me baat karoongi aur dekhoongi woh kya kehte hain…

Scene: Prachi and Neev at the steps of the entrance to Shah mansion.

Mulling over how she would approach her mother without giving away what she had witnessed today outside the cinema hall, Prachi climbed up the stairs of the entrance to the Shah mansion, the driver having already left to park the car, when she felt herself collide with an individual. She felt her mobile drop from her hands with a resounding hurtle onto the ground. But she did not have time to contemplate that she was about to meet the same fate… In the impact of the accidental crash of two bodies, she felt herself lose her balance and tip over, the tip on her shoe's heel in a similar pose to that of a ballerina minus grace or finesse, when a strong arm snaked around her waist, preventing her from falling to the ground and meeting her cell phone's kismet. Having closed her eyes within seconds of the bumping and near-falling posture, her eyes slowly opened to find herself looking into the stunned eyes of Neev.

His shock fed into her own, but she quickly recovered, pushing against his chest, and trying to recover her composure and her mobile from the ground. "I'm sorry, Neev, mai dekh ke bilkul bhi nahi chal rahi thi. Galti meri thi."

"No, it's okay. Mujhe bhi dheyaan dena chahiye tha," said an off-the-balance Neev, who had been about to head out for a meeting with a business associate for a late afternoon luncheon, and at present observing Prachi walk up the stairs a bit awkwardly, her ankle probably aching a bit on account of having been slightly twisted from the unnatural angle her leg had been a few moments ago from the near-fall.

He stood there for a few moments, paralyzed by the memory of their confrontation yesterday night and the memories of their childhood familiarity and affection.

"Pr…" began Neev, about to offer her his help, when he saw that Prachi had already reached the door and was going in, not having even heard him. With a shrug, he kept ambling, and asked the driver to take out the car.

Scene: Neev and his driver in the car.

As he folded himself into the car in the backseat, he rested his cranium against the headrest, his mind on Prachi, though he ought to have been thinking about his 3:15 appointment with Mr. Rahul Khanna. He needed capital for starting a business, and he had found in Mr. Khanna a potential investor. If he could convince the investor of the soundness of his business plan, he could start on setting up his garment factory and secure the money to then pay off his father's debts and salvage their original Shergill family business. But instead of the thoughts that should have arrested him, an unbidden memory came bursting forth…

FLASHBACK of 11 months ago… (Scene: Neev and Prachi in the cafeteria.)

"Kya, Prachi, tum bhi na itna na bolti ho…" said Neev with his boyish charm, grinning and annoying in his smugness.

"Lekin maine tou…" started Prachi, protest forming on her lips.

"Yahi tou, dekho, abhi phir shuru hogayee…bolti hi rehti ho, subah bolti ho, shaam bolti ho, raat bolti ho," cut in Neev with speed, and then added for good measure, "Tumhare Papa bhi tang aagayee hain."

At Prachi's face of irritation, Neev pointed at his wrist watch, "Dekho kitna time ho raha hai… Kitni kharab baat hai. Sad, very sad. Tumhe zarra bhi khayal nahi hai ke mujhe apne doston se milne jaana hai." He shook his head dramatically, even though he well knew that Prachi had warned him about the passing time and reminded him of his promise to meet up with his friends at least five times in the last hour.

"Neev, tum bhi naa," said Prachi, "Ek din yaad rakho, mai tumhe bolne ka kucch mokha nahi doongi."

"Kyun? Mere paas zubaan nahi rahegi?" asked Neev smirking.

"Nahi," said a self-assured Prachi, an enigmatic and beguiling smile on her face. Itni khoobsurat muskurahat sirf ek aasman ki pari ki ho sakti hai ya kisi afsara ki, he thought ruefully and then shook his head at the ludicrous thought, thinking that the only thought that was ridiculous was the one spoken by Prachi.

Scene: Neev and his driver in the car (continued).

Emerging from his recollection, Neev felt sad. Kabhi socha nahi tha Prachi ke tumhari kahi baat ek din sacch hojayegee. Tum mere paas hokar bhi kitni door ho. Aaj tumhari duniya hai mujhse aur mere pyar se alag. Kaise ek pal me, ek faisle se zindagi badal jaati hai. But regardless of the past, he was determined to start with tabula rasa. He had to try to forget Prachi and begin living his own life. Difficult. Not impossible. Or so he prayed as he gazed from his vantage in the back at the windshield proclaiming the seemingly endless stretches of lonely roads ahead.

Background Music & Lyrics:

Tere bina zindagi se koyi, shikwa, to nahi,

shikwa nahi, shikwa nahi, shikwa nahi

Tere bina zindagi bhi lekin, zindagi, to nahi,