*******
Bani entered the judges office, quiet with her eyes at the floor.. she looked up and the sight of Jai caught her eyes.. He too watched as she entered the office. The looked at each other for a moment and for a change he broke his gaze and looked at the floor, sad for what was going to happen that day.
Bani felt guilty inside, for giving Jai the impression that she should not be trusted. She wanted to yell out loudly what was in her mind.. her heart told her to do so.. but her mind stopped her for more reasons than one. Telling herself that everything would be gone if she did so…. Stopping herself once again, she walked quietly to the front of the office, where Tarun was searching through his files for his pen…
"Are Bani? Tum aa gayi? Aao, beth jao.. Waqt ho gaya, aur Judge Sahib aane wala hai..".. He looked at Bani, who had a bleak expression on her face.. She looked quite pale and lost in her own thoughts… "Bani?"
"Ji? Oh.. Sorry..Tarunji, aapke paas sare papers hain, na? I just want to make sure that we have everything we need to win this case… I need to win this case.. "
"Fikar mat karo Bani.. mere paas sabh kuch hai.. tum bas relax karo.. tumhare aur tumhare bacche ke liye itni pareshani aachi nahi hain. Jeetne ki zimmadari ab mujhpe hain." Tarun glanced at Jai, who was quietly watching them. Tarun's eyes showed a hint of sadness, and shame for the actions he was about to take. Jai looked at him and nodded reassuringly. Tarun worried about if Jai knew what he was getting himself into.
Proceedings for the divorce started, and ended fairly quickly. Bani and Jai remained silent through the whole process, while Tarun and Jai's lawyer worked on the proceedings.. Finally Jai spoke…
"Judge sahib.. Main ek baat keh sakta hoon? Mujhe kuch bhi nahin chahiye.. Jo bhi Bani maangegi.. usse dena. Mujhe koi bhi shikayat nahin hain..:"
"Mr. Walia, agar aap keh rahe hain to main court ke file pe yeh likh deta hoon, magar main advise karta hoon ke aap phirse aap ke decision ke bare me soch lijiye.."
Bani looked up surprised at his words. At that point she could not tell if she was feeling guilty for what she had done or if it was nausea. She took a deep breath and looked down, afraid to look at Jai and the pain in his eyes.
With tears in his eyes, Jai stood up and walked out of the courtroom in silence, while Tarun watched him walk out of the room quietly.
As the proceedings ended, Tarun gathered his papers, and noticed that Bani had already left.. he wondered where she could have gone in such a hurry.
*****************
Jai walked silently along the sea with his shoes clutched tightly in his hand. He kept thinking of what life would be like without Bani by his side..
"Mere saath yeh kyu ho rahaa hain. Maine bahut pachtaya, bahut sehliya. Ab mujhse aur nahin hota, Bhagwan!"
Jai sat down on the sand facing the water. Tears came down his face slowly, yet he knew that wiping them would be pointless.
****
Bani walked along the shore, with her feet slightly in the water. The cool water felt good, especially during those warm Mumbai summers. She looked towards the dry sand and saw a father throwing a ball around the beach with his children.
Bani thought to herself…"Kaash aisa parivaar mere paas bhi hota… Ab aise armaano ka kya faida hain. Ab mere zindagi mein sirf main aur mera baccha. Yeh sach hai ke main Mr. Walia se chaati hoon, par.. mujhe aur koi chhaara nahin tha. Maine pure Walia khandan ka dil todh diya, aur iske baad mujhpe bharosa nahin karenge"
Bani kept walking and did not notice that Jai was sitting on the beach. She walked closer to him, but was not watching what was around her.
Jai looked up and the glimmer from her churiyan caught his eyes. It took him a moment to notice that it was Bani. He watched her, wanting to call out to her.. but he refrained from doing so. He did not want to upset her.
His eyes caught on one of the children who was blindly running towards Bani, who seemed to be oblivious to her surroundings. The ball the child was playing with was also quickly heading in Bani's direction.
********
Please let me know if I should continue!!!
Index: (THANK YOU PREET!!!!)
Part- Page
1-1
2-2
3-3
4-3
5-5
6-6
7-7
8-8
9-9
10-9
11-10
12-11
13-12
14-13
15-13
16-14
17-15
18-16
19-17
20-18
21-19
22-20
23-21
24-21
25-22
26-23
27-24
28-25
29-26
30-27
31-28
32-29
33-30
34-31
35-32
36-33
37-34
38-36
39-37
40-39
41-40
42-42
43-43
44-45
45-46
46-47
47-48
48-50
49-51
50-53
51-55
52-57
53-59
54-61
55-62
56-63
57-65
58-67
59-68
60-70
Epilogue - 72
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
CID
