Jab Hum Mile- Shanak Fic 30 pg 48 - Page 30

Part Twenty- Six

The woman ended up being proven innocent. Shantanu had done some research and probing and discovered the poor woman had threatened sexual harassment charges instead her superiors turned the tables and framed her for embezzlement charges.

The case took about a week to clear up. Shantanu was praised by some collegues and the opposite lawyer was even impressed with how he cleared the woman's name. Some reporters came and asked some questions. Shantanu gave some objective answers and then asked to be left alone. The police cleared the way. Suddenly as he approached the car a man and woman approached him.

He still remembered his training and turned to face them.

"Hello I am guessing you two already know who I am, the question is what are you doing here and what you want from me?"

The woman spoke up first. She big fluffy hair and she looked like she was dressed for a costume party.

"Mera naam Naina hai. I am sure you see that I resemble someone you have heard of," she quipped.

"I am Boris," he quipped.

Shantanu was amused at these characters.

"So how can I help you two?," he asked.

" We are looking for the girl that is responsible for my uncle's death three years ago. We have been searching for her for awhile. Police is patrolling the area we saw her last. She used to frequent a women's shelter near Saint Mary's," Naina quipped.

Shanatanu stiffened. They had to be talking about Khanak. Did she know her life was in danger? Khushboo Bhabhi used to go there as well before they moved the shelter elsewhere.

" How can I be of any service?," he asked. He was determined to keep Khanak safe and know if she had tucked this information away when it had first started.

" You freed that woman. Also having more people help us look for her will be better. So by chance you do find out anything you can give us a call," Boris said.

They handed him a card.

" Chalo Boris," Naina said afterwards.

Shantanu waited for them to be long gone before he crumbled the card in his coat pocket and turned to hop in the car to leave. He called Khanak on the way.

"Khanak where are you now?," he asked.

"Shantanu how was the case? You seem tensed. I am in the park with Arushi," she stated.

"I want you to come home now. I have something important to discuss with you," he stated firmly.

"Theek hai hum aate hain," she assured him as she hung up the phone.

"What happened Chachi?"

"Kuch nahin beta. Chachu is missing us. Let's go see him," she stated.

She glanced around warily before she picked up the little girl and headed back to the car.

They reached home without incident. She handed over Arushi's care to Dadi and went up to see if Shantanu was home. She paced the room when suddenly appeared and pulled her back against the wall.

"Yeh aap kya kare hain? Aap itne pareshaan kyun hai? How was the case?," she inquired.

"Why did you hide this from me?," he asked.

The look in his eyes was far more intense she ever imagined. He was really concerned about her safety all of a sudden. The past few years had kept them both busy. After she finished her masters she was always helping with the care of Arushi. Sometimes she would return to find him engrossed in work or fast asleep. They tried to spend time with each other several times each month. She could not recall what she could have hidden from him unless it was the close call from almost three years ago.

Had those goons returned and tried to get her through him?

"Sk kya hua? Tell me exactly what happened," she urged.

His intense glare said everything and she knew she was in deep trouble.

His grip tightened on her arm.

" You didn't tell me they were looking for you. Munna Bhai's niece Naina and her partner Boris met me today. They want me to help them find the girl that killed her uncle," he hissed.

Her eyes widened.

"Aap ne un ko kya bola?"

He turned away from her swiftly.

His hands were clutched in a fist.

"Kya kehta, ki meri patni wohi ladki hai jine un ko talash hai?," he exclaimed. ( What would I tell them? That my wife is the girl they are after?)

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Shantanu toh hum kya karenge? I did not want to bother you. You had exams and everything going on then," she stammered.

He turned around and held her by her arms.

"Tumare bina yeh sub kuch kali hota," he declared. (All of this would be nothing without you)

He embraced her with all his might.

He pulled back and tried to wipe her tears as she wiped his.

"I won't be able to live without you Khanak," he stammered.

"Muhje kuch nahin hone wala Shantanu," she assured him.

"I have decided we'll go away for a little while. We'll go to Shimla for a long weekend. Hopefully things will calm down by the time we get back," he stated.

"Won't that be running away from our problems SK?," she inquired.

He shook his head.

" We shall cross that bridge when we get to it. For now you have to pack your things. We will leave early in the morning," he stated.

They took blessings and said their good-byes before leaving. Everyone thought they were going on vacation to celebrate Shantanu's win and rekindle their romance. However they were going because they needed to make a cold trail behind Khanak.

"Khanak I was the one who got you in this situation three years ago. I am sorry for being rash with you last night," Shantanu stated.

"Nahin Shantanu, it was my fault for not telling you earlier. Please forgive me," she said.

" Remember Khanak before we married we were friends. In friendship there is so sorry or thank-you. So let us figure things out and try to relax this weekend," he stated.

"Theek hai Shantanu. That sounds like a good plan," she stated.

The caretaker led them to their room. There was a fireplace. Shantanu noticed Khanak was cold and lighted the fire.

She smiled as he turned to look in her direction. He got up and walked towards her. She wrapped her arms around him.

"Just hold me for a little while Shantanu. I feel safe when I am with you," she declared.

He rubbed her back.

They pulled back and they shared an eye lock.