•| Neither Abandon Nor Entertain
"If you do not want me as your companion for the rest of your life, that is your choice which I truly respect, Sanjana but please let me stand with you when I know you are feeling stuck, trapped, and alone. Let me stay for a while. Just a while, I promise!"
Sanjana drained the wine bottle before catching Monami's Chirkut - scratch that - he wasn't Monami's Chirkut. It had been quite a while since she had been exposed to the truth that Sid and Monami were nothing more than friends.
She still struggled to decide what she was supposed to feel. Was she supposed to be glad that she didn't become the reason for a relationship to break or was she supposed to feel betrayed that Sid knowingly put her through the stinging sham where she was made to take the guilt of someone's boyfriend's cheating!
"Tu nikal yaha se!" She barely had any strength left to get herself into an argument with him. She postponed breaking his leg, for the time being, quietly asking him to leave.
"Sanjana, please!"
"Maine kaha nikal yaha se warna pit ke jaayega. Pitna hai tujhe?"
"Usse tum better feel karogi? Toh I am ready. Come on!"
This guy got on her nerves like nobody else! His brain was sick, she was sure.
"Look at me," he lightly grabbed her arm as he turned her toward him, "cheeze andar rakhne karne se kya hoga? Sirf taqleef. Kise hogi? Sirf tumhe. And irrespective of what you think of me, I can't see you this way! Special Agent Sanjana Dubey is the strongest woman I have come across, but that doesn't mean she can't fall weak. Nikaal do. Whatever that has been bothering you. Nikaal do. Nikaal do aur mujhe de do. Koi bhi cheez, insaan ya khayal jo tumhe taqleef de... unhe main tumhare saath rehne nahi dunga. Apne saath le jaaunga."
Her saddened eyes looked into his as his gentle attempt of dressing the wounds he hadn't even seen stirred something in her heart.
Silai-bunai pe dhyan dijiye. Ab aapko saari zindagi yahi karna hai. Aurat ghar me hi shobha deti hai. Mardo ki barabari karne jaisi baatein apne dimag se nikaal dijiye.
Special Agent Sanjana Dubey is the strongest woman I have seen.
Abse humara aur humare parivaar ka dhyan rakhna hi aapki pehli aur akhiri zimedari hone chahiye.
Koi bhi cheez, insaan ya khayal jo tumhe taqleef de... unhe main tumhare saath rehne nahi dunga. Apne saath le jaaunga."
The striking contrast between the priorities of Kundan Ji and Sid left her wondering for a moment - if not engaged - who would she be truly inclined to?
KUNDAN JI - whose priority list held only him and his family!
Or
SID - whose priority list held only her! Only her!
Had she had the liberty - to be honest - she would have let her heart answer but no - she didn't have that liberty.
"Tu ja na yaha se," she yelled, slapping her palms on his chest to push him away.
He was quick to balance his unsteady steps. Thanks to his religious dedication toward whatever the academy was teaching him! He was right in front of her in one long stride. "Tum sach me chahti ho main chala jaau?"
"Haan. Nikal yaha se."
"Nah. Ye to tumhara dimag bol raha hai. Lekin tumhare dil ka kya... jo chahta hai main ruku?"
"Dekh tu apni bakwas na apne paas rakh warna -"
"Bakwas hi to hai na, Sanjana. Ye itni strong ladki jo sirf apni awaz se kisi ko bhi din me taare yaad dila sakti hai - wo kyun kisiko apni awaz dabane de rahi hai? Kyun apne aap ko ek aise rishtey me baandhe hue hai jo sirf uske pairo ki bediya nahi uske gale ka fanda ban chuka hai."
She clenched her hand in a fist as he revealed being aware of the issues she had been facing with Kundan Ji. She shut her eyes, biting back on her anger. "Tujhe ye sab kaise pata?"
"Usse kya farq padta hai! Jinki hume fiqr hoti hai unke baare me pata laga hi lete hai. Point wo nahi hai. Point ye hai - kyun kar rahi ho ye sab tolerate?"
"Tu nahi samjhega," she muttered, her bitter voice complimenting her anguish-filled gaze.
"To samjhao na. Samjhao mujhe. Main yahi to khada hoon."
"Tu nikal le yaha se iske pehle ke main teri itni haddiyan todu ke teri doctarni dost bhi nahi jod paayegi!"
"Agar meri haddiyan todke tumhare dil ka toota hua hissa jud sakta hai to I promise, bina kisi awaz ki apni har ek haddi tudwa lunga."
She sighed, failing to collect words at his comebacks that she could neither abandon nor entertain. Sid. Sid. Sid!
"Suno na," he urged, pointing toward the sky.
"Kya hai?" she bawled, not following the direction that he wanted her to.
Quickly stepping closer, he placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around. She stared at the shooting star.
"Make a wish," he mumbled in her ears.
And even though she didn't believe in that stupid thing he was wanting her to, for a change, she found her eyes closing and her heart quickly making a wish, not giving in to the constant refsual by her mind.
She looked back his face brightened with a sweet smile. "Kya maanga jo itna khush ho raha hai?" Her curiosity found her voice as she couldn't resist asking.
His lips stretched more as he adored his curious woman who looked pretty adorable to him in that moment. Wordlessly, he began to backtrack him from her. One after the other. His steps, slow and steady! His smile hadn't faltered even for a moment. Right as he turned around and was about to fade from her sight, he heard her.
"Sid," she rushed to him, stopping at a significant distance. "Kya maanga tune apne liye?"
"Tumhari har taqleef!"
Seher Hone Ko Hai
Anupamaa
