Part 52
True and unconditional friendship is not a blessing everyone has. There are some who label relentless chitter chatter as friendship. There are others who click away on cameras hoping a large group photo in unconventional poses would prevent people from calling them loners. Yet, there are a few lucky souls who understand that friendship finds its roots in quality rather than quantity of the people we choose to share our lives with. The chatter and the pictures are but a part of the larger bond friends share.
A part of Khanak felt disappointed that her parents prioritized her marriage over her career. Although she had been raised with traditional values she had led an almost liberal life. She had made decisions independently, travelled alone, studied well and dressed as she wished. This sudden wish of her parents to see her married came across as a harsh reality.
"Don't be paranoid Khanak. They aren't being conservative, they're just looking out for you. In an ideal situation you will get married and settle down. You're not averse to the idea of marriage and you haven't clearly ever told them ke you'll only think about marriage after a certain age. Tou obviously as parents they are just looking out for your interest. They aren't saying ke kal tumhari shaadi hai!" Sameer reasoned.
Khanak sighed.
"You're right. I'm just freaking out because I've never thought about marriage seriously so far."
"Exactly!"
"But…now that I've completed my post-grad I want to work. I want to be on my own and see what I can do for myself. A few years ago I might not have thought so but ab I want to be independent"
"You are independent Khanak. Don't be obstinate! Join the business with uncle. You know the place and the workings…choose your department and tell him. I'm sure he'll be supportive."
"See that's the problem. I want to see where I can go on my own. Without Ada's help. Without people treating me as if I own the place-"
"What's wrong with being familiar with your workplace Khanak?" Sameer interrupted her rant.
"Sameer mere liye kaam karna isn't just to earn money or learn business so that I can relieve Ada in the future or to prove that I'm a dutiful daughter. Haan theek hai all these things mean something to me but primarily these roles are fit for Harsh…"
"I don't think that's why you want to work but phir bhi can you please simplify it for me because all this makes no sense." Sameer spoke sincerely.
He knew something was bothering Khanak and it frustrated him that she wasn't sharing her problems with him.
"Sam…." Khanak spoke reluctantly, as if telling him would finalize everything.
"It's me Khanak….kya masla hai batao tou."
"Shaantanu."
Sameer sighed. To say he had thought so would not have been wrong but to say he hoped this would not be the problem was more accurate. He didn't know whether he disliked Shaantanu more or felt annoyed at Khanak for letting him have such an impact in her life. The latter would be more true I'm guessing, since no friend wants to know their best friend is compromising their life for someone who hasn't treated them fairly.
Yes, that is precisely what Sameer though. Shaantanu Khandelwal was considered to be a go-getter. He could be ambitious when he wanted to and be just as easy-going and nonchalant if he pleased. The party pages of Mumbai's magazines would label him as a socialite while the business news would call him a workaholic determined to make a mark in the Khandelwal empire. An independent, charming and well-to-do guy raised in a liberal environment would not be easily coerced into an arranged marriage, one would assume.
If it was the fact that Khanak was raised in London that fancied him, Sameer thought it was disrespectful. If it was her surname or family connections, Sameer doubted Shaantanu's intention.
But how could he be so suspicious and unappreciative of a man his best friend felt attracted to? Khanak was smart, mature and logical in her decisions. Even if she had initially agreed to see Shaantanu as a sign of respect to her parents, her growing fondness of Shaan had forced Sameer to reconsider. Maybe Khanak's genuinely pleasant personality had ignited some leftover humanity in the man. Maybe it was the perfect case of East-Meets-West in an ironic way?
Over the months Khanak's talk of Shaantanu had made Sameer realize that she admired him. It could be that she saw within him a man he himself had failed to see. Perhaps even a man Shaantanu had not noticed, because his terse language yet growing friendship with Khanak could only mean one thing. The two lovebirds were unaware!
And so Sameer stood at a crossroad- to help his friend realize and attain her love who may not be good enough for her, or to divert her completely and be sure she doesn't suffer a heartbreak?
"What about him Khanak?" Sameer asked gently.
"Sam…I don't know."
"You do Khanak. Just let it out…and if you don't I'll tell you."
"Sam, Shaantanu was the first prospective groom that I met. Tumhein pata hai how important marriage is for me and that he was the opposite of everything that I had wanted in a husband. When he came to London and we spent time he felt nearer to my expectations than i had earlier though but then he became distant again. We fought, we made up, we decided marriage wasn't for us. But then hum friends ban gaye Sam," Khanak spoke in a single breath and then stopped.
Sameer waited for her to speak again but when she didn't he spoke up.
"Friends hone mein kya problem hai? Why does it bother you?"
"Yahi tou baat hai Sam, it doesn't bother me. I like being friends with him. He feels like family now, like an integral part of my life." Khanak spoke slowly.
"Tu ne mujhe uss idiot se replace karne ki koshish bhi kin a Sunshine tou choroun ga nai mein!" Sameer feigned anger to lighten the mood.
Khanak gave a short laugh.
"Kisse nai choro ge?"
"Shaantanu ko for eyeing my place and tujhe for being stupid enough to give it to him!"
Khanak laughed and they both fell silence for a few seconds.
"You can say it Khanak.." Sameer urged her.
"That would make it all a reality. I want it to be wrong. I want someone to say ke my mind is only making excuses.."
"The more you deny it the longer the feeling will linger. Accept it Khanak, your equation with Shaantanu is keeping you from moving on."
"Hmm.." Khanak quietly agreed.
"Do you want him to keep you from moving on?"
"Nai. That's what I thought aaj. I have studied from prestigious universities, have won academic laurels, have travelled the world…tou then why am I letting one person, who I didn't even know existed until a year ago, be such an important part of my life?"
"Correct me if I am wrong. You want a career to be independent and generally to be your own person?" asked Sameer.
"Precisely, and that's why I don't want to work in Ada's company, at least initially, because I don't want to start ahead. I want to start as any normal person with my education and little experience would."
"Theek hai, ye problem mein solve kar sakta houn. Coming on to the second issue: Shaadi karni hai ke nai?"
"Abhi nai."
"Kabhi karni hai?"
"Haan, of course Sam!"
"Kab karni hai?"
"Jab koi acha banda miley jo meri personality ko restrict na karey."
"Shaantanu se karni hai?"
Silence.
"Khanak, Shaantanu se shaadi karni hai?" Sameer asked seriously.
"Pata nai."
"Pata lagana hai?"
And that's what she loved about Sameer. That's what we all love about true friendships. No matter how idiotic one feels about oneself, our best friend would still be serious about helping us through the tiniest of problems.
"Haan," she confessed.
*****
Meanwhile in India, the Khandelwal house was preparing for the wedding of their eldest son, Akshay Khandelwal. The wedding invitations had been sent and the whole household was excited to welcome the new daughter-in-law. With business friendship turning into a family relationship, Madhvi had expressed her desire for Natasha Agarwal, the younger sister of her future daughter-in-law, to work with the Khandelwal group. Like Khanak, Natasha also wished to work in a corporation but away from the eyes of her father. She went on and on about how great Sunil Uncle was and how anyone working with him was fortunate. Thus, when Madhvi excitedly said how amazing it would be if she worked on a project with the Khandelwals and Natasha's eyes had nearly popped out of their sockets, Sunil hesitantly proclaimed it was indeed "a great idea."
Just then Shaantanu came down from his bedroom to sit with the family while they had tea. Hari Laal asked him if he wanted some but he declined saying "Mein chai nai peeta Hari Laal. Tumhein pata hona chahiye."
"Woh aap ne peeni shuru ki thi jab chote sahib aye thay tou meine socha--"
"What? Ye Chote sahib kon hein ab?"Shaan asked, puzzled.
"Chittresh ki baat kar raha hai," Sunil chipped in.
"Oh! Haan woh Khanak banati thi na sham ko tou sab ke saath pi leta tha. But thank you inspector jee, meine chai nai peeni," Shaan told off Hari Laal and sat down of the sofa opposite his mom.
"Uncle was telling me that you got a project to handle on your own Shaan…so tumhare itne irritable mood ki waja kya ho sakti hai?" asked Natasha.
"Kuch nai Natty I've just been going over a lot of files tou mera dimagh ghoom raha hai abhi," he replied.
"Tumhein akele itna stress lene ki zaroorat nai hai Shaan-- " Sunil spoke up but was interrupted.
"Nai dad. I don't want help. I can handle it bas I need to go over all the initial paperwork that had been done before I was incharge.
"Well, the delay in you being incharge was because you didn't prioritize the project when I sent it to you initially all those months ago."
"Sunil tab aap ne hi mere betay mein J-bomb giraya tha," Madhvi interrupted, covertly referring to the trip to London to meet the Jadeja's and potentially marry their daughter.
"Can everyone please relax? The project will be fine. I'll have a team of experts with me anyway so there is nothing to worry about," Shaan said conclusively, trying to avoid this debate from surfacing in front of Natasha who was unaware about his equation with Khanak.
"Shaan you're really stressed out," Madhvi gave her verdict, "Sunil, kaisa rahe ga if Natasha works with Shaan on this project?"
"Oh yeah! Aunty that's a fab idea," Nathasha hugged Madhvi, "Is that possible uncle?"
Not wanting to say yes but caught between a rock and a hard place, Shaan's irritated expression gave Sunil the answer.
"Actually beta meine Shaan ko kaha tha that he'll handle this on his own," Sunil said solemnly.
Shaan heaved a sigh of relief.
"Oh that's okay Uncle, of course head tou Shaan hi karey ga but if I get to be on his team tou I'll kill two birds with one stone. Aap ke saath bhi kaam kar sakti houn aur Shaan ke saath bhi," Natasha smiled.
"Sure. Why not beta?" Sunil returned her smile and looked over to his right, "Shaan?"
"Yup. Sounds like a good idea!"
*****
After a little effort Sameer had convinced Khanak to work with his father's company. That way she'd be working at a prestigious firm, getting good experience and exposure as well as be comfortable in her workplace. All that and all because of her own self.
Sameer had reasoned that Khanak had already interned with his firm a couple of times. Both times she had received remarkable recommendations and had gotten great feedback. If she sent her CV, they would give her a job if they had one to give. With Khanak's qualification, why wouldn't they give her a job?
"This feels more like a picnic than a job Sam!" Khanak squealed as they entered the apartment to break the news to her parents.
"Picnic, seriously? I'm taking a huge risk by venturing into a new market and hiring a fresh graduate as my right-hand man and you think this is a fieldtrip?" Sameer retorted.
"Right-hand woman!" she corrected him, "But still, I'll be with you yaar. This is as good as it gets. In a way it's even better than working with Ada!"
"Excuse me?"
In their excitement, the duo had not noticed Alpana and Chittresh were seated in the living room. They had been talking at full volume on their way to Chittresh's study room where they thought he would be.
"Namaste Uncle. Namaste Aunty," Sameer greeted them.
Khanak followed.
"What's better than working with your own company?" Chittresh asked his daughter.
All of a sudden the air seemed heavier and all eyes seemed to be focused on Khanak. For the first time she contemplated whether it would hurt, and not just disappoint, her father that she wanted to work outside the family business. She just couldn't bring herself to answer him.
One Ms. Burthal has confessed, Mr. Burthal kab karey ga? 😉
Hindi TV Shows
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Cricket
