Sharon picked up the tray with three mugs and happily carried it outside, grinning from ear to ear. Today was going to be a special day. Very Special!
"Didn't you make us anything?" Vicky & Neha's 4 year old son Vihaan asked her pouting.
"We are not US Vihaan...it's you and me" Anjali warned him with attitude. She was Rey & Kria's daughter.
Sharon giggled at Vihaan's gobbly eyes going sad but still he smiled at her.
"She will be yours someday. Even your uncle and I used to be just like you both. When he comes back, later during the day, you can ask him for some tips." she winked at the little one who ran away happily.
She turned to face the two mothers sitting in front of her. Kria & Neha.
"You need to stop pampering Anjali. Just look at her behaviour. Sharon part 2!" Kria spoke dramatically and all three of them laughed.
"What's the situation?" Neha asked as her eyes fell on the TV news flashing un important stuff.
"No problems, no tension in The Valley. They should be staying back here for atleast a month." Kria mumbled.
"What about the Lieutenant General who..uhm..." Sharon fumbled for the right words.
"He passed away. Last evening. Name not yet revealed." Neha spoke and looked at the other two.
"They will be back soon" all three spoke together and looked at the wall clock. Two more hours.
Sharon busied herself by cleaning all of his trophies again that day while Kria and Neha relaxed with the kids. Every now and then Sharon would look at the door and at the clock and sigh. Time needed to move faster.
As she came and sat with the other two, they began talking. The same stuff they would whenever their spouses were away.
Sharon remembered when Swayam had come had told her about his decision to join the Army, right after his Junior College, she had been terrified. Infact, she'd gone berserk. She'd screamt and cried, behaving like he was going for some war already, and even threatened him that she would break up with him. Of course, she hadn't meant that.
He'd taken 5 years to muster up the courage to tell her he was in love with her, and Sharon had bluntly refused him. It was only in the later part of their second year in the junior college had she finally confessed that she loved him too.
So, when she talked about breaking up, he had laughed in her face and pulled her into a cute bear hug. She hated the fact that he knew she would never do that, and punched him on his arms while he refused to let her go, and eventually she had to hug him back.
That made her realise he would make sure he got what he wanted. Yes, he was that ambitious. And no matter what, he would join the army. But there was also another thing that she didn't know. He really would never go against her wishes, and he would enrol for the army only when she consented.
As a last resort she went and spoke to Reyaansh and Vicky but in vain. Apparently it turned out, even they were joining the army with Swayam. And to make it worse, Kria and Neha, their girlfriends had no issue with that. Infact, they were proud of them.
That made her sit and think back. How would it feel to have someone so close to you in the forces? She thought and thought and it made her realise that she would feel real proud. Besides Swayam, she herself was a part of this.
Eventually she agreed and that night they'd all celebrated like there was no tomorrow. And all three of them enrolled together. Since then their bond had grown stronger. Infact, Sharon found it funny how each of them had been promoted at the same time as well.
Currently all three of them were Lieutenant Generals. Sharon dreamily spoke his name "Lieutenant General Swayam Shekhawat" and blushed. Kria and Neha shook her up.
"Are you Day Dreaming Again?" Kria asked her.
Sharon looked down, embarrassed at being caught. She kept fidgeting with the wedding ring that rested on her finger. It was a Solitaire ring set in Platinum. Just like she'd warned him she'd wanted.
Being the last one's in the group to get married, they were both always had been the target of everyone's jokes. Obviously, they were in their late twenties and their friends had kids already! It bothered Swayam more than it bothered her. Infact she'd been the one who didn't wanto to marry at an early age. Only, she didn't specify what early age was according to her. Swayam had popped the question totally out of the blue. He had been totally freaked out about the whole thing. If it hadn't been for Reyaansh and Vicky bullying him by saying things like "she will go with someone else", everyone was sure he would take forever to ask her. Not that he was scared of her, but it was just that he never did things that she wasn't ready for.
It had been three months now. Three months since they'd been called for an emergency to the Kashmir Valley. And it had been three months to that Special news to.She'd thought of every possible way of telling him, but had failed. Eventually she took him out for dinner, blushed throughout and confused the poor guy. At the end, he sighed for the millionth time at her behaviour, and took the glass of water and drank a sip from it.
"I'm pregnant" she'd said randomly. He'd spat out the water and almost choked. She then got up hurriedly and rubbed her hand on his back. When she looked at him again, his eyes were moist and he had the biggest smile she'd ever seen on his face.
"Sharon, Thank you so much for this special news. I do not have words at all to say how I feel" he'd literally grabbed her and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.
Sharon touched her tummy lightly and smiled. Kria and Neha moved next to her and put her arms around her.
Her eyes fell on the wall clock again. It had been 3 hours now. 'why haven't they come back yet?' Reyaansh had given them the details of their train a few days back. Probably it was running late. She hoped it was, and that it wasn't a call of duty again. All her thoughts flew out of the window as soon as the doorbell rang.
She jumped up and ran towards it, ignoring the other two women screaming at her for running. She panted as she opened it and smiled widely at Reyaansh and Vicky. She pitied them, for they were still in their uniforms. Hadn't got the time to change, she assumed. Kria and Neha hugged their respective partners but the men didn't move. Infact, they kept looking away and blinked their eyes continuously as they were trying not to cry.
"why are you guys late?" she asked them
"uhm- the clearance from the airport took time" Reyaansh answered.
"clearance? Airport? Silly, you are way too tired, you don't even know what you are talking" she hit him lightly on his forehead. He didn't smile.
"Where is Swayam?" Sharon asked, completely unaware of the eerie silence. She smiled brightly at them.
"Rey, say na" That's what they all used to call Reyaansh. He didn't want to meet her gaze.
"Sharon, uhm, Swayam is no more" Vicky spoke finally, breaking down.
And then came the sound of a loud slap. The next moment Vicky held his cheek. His eyes were red. Sharon looked at him with fire in her eyes.
"just coz you guys target me for your pranks all the time, doesn't mean you guys can say something like this." Yes, Sharon was always a target for all their pranks.
"Sharon, it's not a prank" Rey tried to speak but Sharon slapped him as well. Kria and Neha worriedly moved to her side
"Enough guys, Now stop it already, alright?" She spoke with venom in her tone.
"and where the hell is Swayam? I am sure he is a part of this as well. Let him come in front of him. I will'." She was talking again when a voice in the background drew her attention. It was the Television which was still on, flashing something. She narrowed her eyes and the only thing she could see was a file photo of Swayam, in his army uniform.
"haal hi mein hume bataya gaya hain ki kal subah hui gayi shooting mein jo jawaan shaheed hue woh Mumbai ke rehnewale Lieutenant Captain Swayam Shekhawat Hain" the news reporter announced.
Sharon just turned towards the guys, without saying a word. They slowly moved away, only to reveal his body lying on a stretcher. Kria and Neha looked at the sight in front of them in a shock. But one thought about Sharon, and they moved towards her, and held her. It was her behavior that surprised everyone. She didn't cry. She just kept looking at the body in front of her, staring probably. Her whole being felt like a vacuum and her voice deceited her as it refused to come out. So did her expressions which were just plain blank.
"Sharon, Sharon.." she could hear her friend's voices calling her, but she just didn't say a word.
She staggered a little as she walked inside the house but then managed to hold her balance. It was as if her mind was sending shock waves to her. It was in concussion. She wanted to scream but she couldn't. She wanted to cry but her tear glands seemed to have dried up.
Her friends held her and tried to talk to her, but nothing came out of her mouth. Plain stupor, that's how she felt, if she even felt something.
It was an hour later and she was still in the same state. They were all standing somewhere, and she didn't know where. All she knew was that about a minute back, she'd bent down and kissed his forehead, and was being moved away from his corpse. A few minutes later, she could hear three gun shots, shot up in the air, in his honour. A few proceedings later, two soldiers had marched up to her and handed her a Tiranga(The Indian Flag). It covered her husband's body a few minutes back. Her brave husband! She just took it from them and stood there, still numb.
Kria and Neha kept reaching out to her only to be met by cold eyes.
It was late in the evening when she could hear Kria saying something to the rest of them.
"The doctor said she can slip into a coma, or even worse. She is in a state of shock. He was saying we need to make her cry, she needs to vent it all out, and we need to do it at any cost." Kria spoke rapidly after hanging up.
"do something Guys" Neha looked at all of them.
Rey nodded and suddenly something struck him. He quickly went and began finding something in his luggage. And then he found it. He came back running and handed it over to Sharon, who was now staring out of the window, into the space.
She saw a piece of paper being held out to her. She looked at Rey, and took it from him. As she began reading, she immediately recognized Swayam's handwriting on it. She imagined him writing that. He always used to write with a frown on his face and she found his expression absolutely adorable. He was the kind of guy who would prefer writing his wife small letters every now and then, even when he was at home. "They make memories" he would say. And how correct he had been. She preserved every note, every letter he had ever written her! This one, he'd written when he was away, and had forgotten to post it.
She read
"Sharon, my Siren,
You need to do something with that siren-like voice of yours when you are angry. Haha, I know that was rude, but the other day when you called me up and shouted at me, for God knows what, I actually thought I would go deaf by your screaming.
Now that you are smiling, let me get back to talking sense. I miss you, sweetheart, I really do. It's going to be almost three months now since I am here, and the situation seems to be getting into control. I hope I can get back to you soon. I swear, if you were here, I would probably cuddle you up in my arms and never let you go. I know you would hate me for doing that, but who cares, huh! Yeah Yeah I know I can get super cheesy at times! Ok, I correct myself, Most of the times. But when it's got to do, cheesy seems to be so in.
Why I write this? I have no clue. It's 2 in the morning and we had a day shift, so Rey and Vicky are snoring away. Well, not really. But anyway, I am bored. By the time you read this line you too will be bored. Ok fine I stop talking crap.
How have you been keeping? I hope you know that I have been keeping a track about you through Neha and Kria. Yes, I can get that possessive. So, I hope you and our little one are in the pink of health! This reminds me, the doctor had said no strenuous exercises from the third month onwards. This means, you do not get to dance. Ok, I will be a little lenient. A few aerobic stuff once a week is fine, but that has to be about it. And please, stop working around the house, you can get very stressed when it comes to keeping the house clean.
I know all this isn't easy for you, but hey, it's a phase of life, and a beautiful one, and I am sure you will manage just fine. Just remember, life moves on Sharon, and you will learn to accept the change that is to come in our life and will learn to move on as well. There are times like now, when I will be away from you, but just remember, my heart and soul will always be with you. So, I do not want you crying when you miss me. I have been saying this to you ever since I joined the army, and you need to listen to me, now. Life isn't easy for us, I know. And if at all you suffered because of this, I apologize. But you know that I wanted this so bad. Sharon, I have never been able to say all this to you in person, cause it makes me feel guilty about having to leave you alone like this. But remember, your happiness matters to me the most. And it would make me sad to know that you are sad, no matter where I am.
Phew, too much talking done. I will try catching up on some sleep now. Got a tuff day ahead, as usual.
Oh, and if I haven't mentioned it already I just need to say, I Love You, beautiful.
Your and Forever yours,
Swayam.
She hadn't realised that she had been reading it out aloud. Her friends fought back their tears as she read it. But her, her voice was just monotonous. It didn't shake, nor did she falter while reading. Her eyes didn't go moist either. All she did was kiss it and put it in the drawer where she had kept his other letters.
And then she moved towards the rehearsal hall, to dance. As she walked, she remembered all the dances she'd had with him. Their dance at the school prom, his dance for her when he'd first told her he loved her, their dance when like a typical filmy couple, they'd been stuck in the rains, their dance at their first date, the one at their wedding'. It was a pretty huge list.
Dance had been something which bound them. They danced when they were happy, they danced when they were sad, and they danced when they had no reason to, cause they didn't need any reason to dance. In fact, if there was something that Swayam would have done if he hadn't joined the Army, he would have become a choreographer.
She entered and played a random song on the playlist. The song itself gave her a few goose bumps.
(Speakers on, or Refresh if you have already kept them on)
kuchh kar guzarne ko khoon chala khoon chala
aankhon ke sheeshe mein utarne ko khoon chala
badan se tapak kar, zameen se lipatkar
galiyon se raston se ubharkar, umadkar
naye rang bhar ne ko khoon chala khoon chala
She slowly started moving her hands. Her eyes closed as she let her being get absorbed by the beautiful song, and she let herself free. Her feet tapped, but she realised she failed miserably. She couldn't dance, not when he was not with her.
khuli si chhot lekar, badhi si tees lekar ahista ahista
sawaalon ki ungli, jawaabon ki mutthi
sang lekar Khoon chala
kuchh kar guzarne ko khoon chala khoon chala
There from outside her friends looked at her helpless state and cried. Little Vihaan and Anjali who had been sleeping came there. They entered the rehearsal hall and encircled Sharon.
"Anjali, Why do you run away from me?" he asked her.
"Cause I am Anjali. Anjali Reyaansh Singhania. Get it?" she spoke with a sense of pride.
"But you will be mine someday, I promise you" he spoke and ran off from there dejected.
Anjali looked around guiltily and ran behind him. In all this they hadn't realised that their behaviour had affected someone.
kuchh kar guzarne ko khoon chala khoon chala
aankhon ke sheeshe mein utarne ko khoon chala
badan se tapak kar, zameen se lipatkar
galiyon se raston se ubharkar, umadkar
naye rang bhar ne ko khoon chala khoon chala..
Sharon sank on the floor. She danced a few steps. As she did so, something inside her stirred. She began whimpering, and slowly she began sobbing. She remembered every moment spent with him again, but this time it left a deeper impact on her mind. His smile, which never failed to brighten her day flashed before her eyes. She wrapped her hands around herself, as if pulling herself into a tight hug. And she lay down and she cried, cried louder with every passing second. She cried for him, and she cried for their togetherness, which had to end so soon. And she cried for the little one who would never know what a father's love would be. She hated herself now, For ever allowing him to join the army.
She hiccuped in between and took a few deep breathes but she felt that the silence around her was deadening. She shut her eyes, and placed her hands on her ears, to stop any sound from reaching her, but her mind kept screaming, and her heart kept calling out his name, it yearned for him, and every damn second, it reminded her that he was gone. Forever! That he would never be back.
Kria and Neha tried to go and console her but the guys stopped them.
"She needs to be alone" Rey said
"She will be fine: Vicky assured them.
All four of them reluctantly walked out from there.
A few days later'..
Sharon went and opened the drawer. She took out the letter and held it close to her heart. All these days, she dreaded reading the letter. She feared that once she would read it, this time while in her senses, she would not be able to read any more stuff from him. And how that feeling creeped her out.
Mustering courage she began reading it again, absorbing every word now...
A few lines struck her, she wondered if this could be any less situational.
"I know all this isn't easy for you' my heart and soul will always be with you.. , life moves on Sharon, and you will learn to accept the change that is to come in our life and will learn to move on as well..i will be away from you.. your happiness matters to me the most. And it would make me sad to know that you are sad, no matter where I am.
She read and she re read the letter till her vision went blur due to her tears. She passed a hand over her tummy.
"daddy loves you, honey" she spoke softly.
And then she decided, that she had to be happy for Swayam and for their symbol of love. Coz he wouldn't like to see her like that. Ofcourse she knew it was so much easier said and done. Especially, when every second, she just wished she could go back to the past and erase that fateful day. She got up from the chair and walked towards a new beginning, aware of the fact that her heart had lost its control already. And as she walked, trying to be as determined as she could be, she felt fresh tears running down her cheeks. But she would try'she surely would!
The End
So, how was it? Did it suck real bad? Or was it an okay-ish read? should I have not posted this?
Anyway, If you havent realised by now, I was watching Rang De Basanti the other day and bawling my eyes out when Madhavan's character dies. And that is when this idea came in my mind.
About the NOTE, here it is: I know its super early to ask, but can you guys be honest enough and tell me whom did you imagine as Sharon? I imagined both, in some parts Sneha, and in some Vrushika. I just wanted to know for the sake of it. It's your choice whether to say it or no. Maybe it would help me coz both have different mannerisms at times so I need to be clear with my imagination. Anyway, too much i talk 😆
So finally, like, comment and please review😃
*those reserving on first page, make sure you unres within 24 hours*
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
