Hello Arakshians, back with a new long part…..pls excuse errors!
hope u like this part...pls read and comment...
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Chapter 16: A epic reunion and much more….
The beautiful pool had reminded them of those days and also the day when they had first come to this complex……It was just under construction and the most important factor that lured them to this particular complex and also made them zero down on this place was the huge swimming pool which was proposed in their brochure…..The gym was also an additional bonus point….
Swimming and working out together were always part of their dreams for the future life but unfortunately those dreams never came true……Everything was shattered and snatched away cruelly by fate!
Though distanced away, both hearts had gone back to the same thing and they let a deep sigh and turned to face each other…….
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Both of them could read it in each others face what their minds were replaying…they could sense that both of them were in the same plane….they were back to the same spot where they had left their friendship behind!
Just a smile and that would have broken the ice wall….but no….
None of them could bow down their heads or egos and let go of their stubbornness…..so they stood just looking at each other for a long moment…
Yes, it wasn't a glare or an angry stare but an emotionless glance at each other which was blank as a white paper as if the entire past relationship was erased away or washed away and their relationship was flat platonic and nothing more than professional!
Aisha remarked with a chuckle, "Men will be men Sakshi…..dekho na ek doosre ko ek smile dehte toh sab kuch normal ho jaatha aur humein kuch aur karne ki zaroorat hi nahi padthi..[pouting]…par nahi…humein kaam karwaane mein inne mazaa aatha hai na? Ego kabhi nahi chodenge…..ab toh humein kuch saazish racchni padegi….."
Sakshi smiled as she alternated her looks at her husband and his long lost buddy who were now looking at each other…..then looked back at her friend Aisha who was determined to bind the friends back in friendship…Yes she also wanted to see them back together….
Afterall, Arjun's smiles and his fun filled life was her dream…her vision….she would support Aisha in every way to make that a reality! And she knew Sameer's friendship could do magic to Arjun!
Aisha added with a naughty grin and wink at Sakshi, "and guess what saazish part 1 toh maine already plan kar diya hai…"
Sakshi looked at her enquiringly when Aisha replied, "Wait and watch! Intezaar ka phal humesha meeta hota hai Mrs Rawte!"
Sakshi smiled and thought to herself…."Only time will tell Mrs Rathod!"
She wasn't pessimistic but life had given her such bitter experiences that wishing something very simple and trivial has also become like a luxury for her….She was frightened to pin hopes on something or wishing for something and then end up disappointed upon not getting what she wished for….
So she always kept her balances neutral between optimism and pessimism…..A lesson of life which she learnt in the most harsh and difficult way! She couldn't undo that learning so easily!
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Back at the balcony……A ring of the landline number snapped them both….
Sameer was the first one to snap out and walk inside hearing the ring to pick the call…..Arjun turned back to the pool and saw the ladies walking back…..
He could see a pleasant smile adorning Sakshi's face…by default, a smile popped up in his lips as well….her smiles surely gave him reasons to smile or rather he didn't need a reason to smile when he saw her smile….perhaps her smile had become the reason for his smiles!….He couldn't deny it now!
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Arjun made Sakshi settle down in one of the rooms till dinner was served…..Annie sat beside her while Arjun walked to the dining table to get some water….
That's when a conversation from the kitchen caught his ears…..it was between Sameer and Aisha…
Sameer was lifting the lids of all the dishes and checking the menu cooked up for dinner…..and Aisha was warming the food which was cooked by their maid in the microwave…
He enquired,"Aisha, gobi aur aloo ke kuch nahi hai kya?"
Aisha raised her eye brows at his sudden interest in the dinner menu and looked at him after turning on the microwave, "kyun? Aapko kabse gobi aur aloo se pyar hua???"
Sameer muttered mindlessly, "mujhe nahi…Arjun ko bohat pasand hai na?"
Aisha couldn't help a smile hearing him say that and also addressing him as Arjun instead of Rawte…..
Sameer, the cop was quick to notice that sarcastic smile on Aisha;s face and tried to patch up, "mera matlab hai ke koyi dinner usske bina complete nahi hota right? You should know better jaan"
Aisha grinned at his efforts to patch up his slip but it was too late as she had already caught him off guard….she just remarked in a casual tone, "aap ne mujhe bathaaya kya ke Arjun sir ko aloo aur gobi pasand hai…..nahi na? then how will I know that jaan….ab toh maid bhi chali gayi….but phir bhi….if you insist, I will cook up something…."
Sameer shrugged in a slightly disappointed tone, "no….its ok"
He didn't wait for her reply but just took the plates and walked to the dining table to help her set the table….
Aisha smiled and kept glancing at his gestures…….she shook her head in amusement and turned back to the microwave sensing that the timer was off now….she opened it and took out the dish from it…..she opened the lid and grinned at the aloo gobi masala which she had specially prepared for the friends Sam and Arjun!
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A few moments before….Arjun heard Sameer saying "mujhe nahi…Arjun ko bohat pasand hai na?"
Hearing "Arjun" from Rathod felt like a dream come true for Arjun and he couldn't move away from that spot…..not that he wanted to hear the couple's conversation but he was eager to know what Sam was telling about him and the revelation only made him more happy…..Sam hadn't forgotten anything….his likes, dislikes were all known to him still!
He walked away quickly when he saw Sameer walking out with the plates…..
Arjun walked to the table and was filling a glass with water when Sameer approached the table and began to place the plates….
Arjun glanced to his side and now the formal look was slowly fading…he desperately wanted Sameer to look at him and also smile back…….
Just then, Aisha walked in with more than one dish in her hands and she was finding it difficult to balance…..Both Sameer and Arjun noticed it and rushed to help her……
They got both the dishes from her hands and Sameer spoke up, "Aisha, sambaalke….itna strain matth karo!
Arjun added to it,"isiliye main aane se manaa kar raha tha….ab dekho….you are stressing yourself!"
Aisha looked at both the men with a sweet smile and then replied, "aap dono bewajeh pareshan ho rahe ho…..I have both of you to help me…..then why would I stress myself?"
They looked at each other and sported a "phas gaye yaar" look and then turned to Aisha giving her a "At your command lady" look….
She grinned seeing their expressions and then led them to the table…..
She instructed them how to set the table……they nodded and obeyed her commands like good obedient students……
All three sported a satisfied happy look once it was all done…..
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It was dinner time……
Aisha excused herself, "why don't you start with the dinner Sameer? I am feeling a bit tired….kuch dher leitna chahthi hoom"
Sameer enquired in concern wrapping her in his arms, "doctor…."
Aisha knew where he was heading…so she snapped him and said, "I am fine Sameer….bas yeh sab khaana aur usske smell se pareshan hoom…..I want to be away from it for sometime…that's all….."
Sameer understood her problem and escorted her to the room…..Aisha asked him to go back and serve dinner to the others…..
Meanwhile, Sakshi preferred to have dinner in the room itself….So Annie took both their dinner plates to the room…..So that left just him and Arjun!
Arjun ensured that Sakshi was comfortable on the wheel chair and was eating her food properly….Annie and Sakshi insisted that Arjun went to the table and had dinner with Sameer…..So he came back and waited till Sameer came!
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They serve for themselves and start of a quiet dinner…..Sameer sees the aloo gobi dish and smiles at Aisha's naughty prank of keeping it a suspense….
Arjun doesn't fail to notice it and enquires without thinking, "kya hua Rathod?"
Sameer turned to him hearing his question and the smile was still intact on his face making Arjun also return a smile…..
Sameer looked at the dish once more which was purposefully kept to his side of the table from where Arjun couldn't reach……
He had to pass it to Arjun which he did realizing what his lovely wife wished for…..
If Aisha wants him and Arjun to become friends like in the past then be it…..her wish would be granted very soon…..Sameer thought to himself and picked the dish in his hands….
Holding it to Arjun's side, he voiced, "its Aisha's special dish! Pasand hai toh try karlo"
Arjun took it in his hands and looked at it….He couldn't control a sarcastic grin seeing the ever diplomatic stubborn Sam before him…..
He replied back taking a spoonful of it and serving on his plate, "oh so its Aisha's special dish, huh?…..aur mujhe laga ke mere liye special banaaya hai!"
Sarcasm was spilling in those words as well….Sameer glanced at Arjun…..and Arjun also looked back without giving up this time…..a naughty smile was inevitable on both their faces as they both realized their slips!…..that smile did do wonders to them….
It broke into a wider smile and then eventually a laughter realizing the funny irony that both were playing around with!
Then the dinner which continued was far away from silent…..Sameer kept filling Arjun's plate with the variety of dishes and rotis as and when he finished them…..
Their wives weren't oblivious to their laughs and fun time…..Afterall, they were the ones who wished to see and hear this….Sakshi's insistence on eating in the room was also part of the same plan just to give the friends some time and space to revive their friendship bond which lay hidden somewhere deep inside them! And their plan clicked!
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Arjun finally raised his hands fed up, "ab bas Rathod…aur nahi khaa saktha…..mujhe drive bhi karna hai….."
Sameer: itne saal khaana peena chodhke bas cutting chai pe jee raha tha na…..ab aur nahi…..samjhe ya samjhaavum?
Arjun looked at him hearing his dialog from Sameer…though Arjun smiled, he got a bit emotional and replied, "mujhe khaana khilaane waale dono hi mujhse dur chale gaye Sam! Phir kaise…"
Sameer couldn't bear that tone from him….The smiles, the laughs…everything ceased….time came to a halt as the grave realization of Roshni's death,Arjun and Sameer's split surfaced again….
Sameer got up and walked away into the balcony…..Arjun knew what was running in Sam's mind as he was also going through the same emotions…
He also washed his hands and followed Sameer…..
He saw Sam looking into the darkness……he could sense the unshed lone tear in Sam's eyes…..his eyes were no different….a tear blurred his eyes as well…
In a cracked up voice, he spoke up, "Sam…..tumhe hurt karne keliye nahi kaha tha"
Sameer turned around, "I know….[taking a deep breath] Maine hi tumhe bohat dard diya hai mere dhost!"
Arjun shook his head denying it but then Sameer had already took his first step towards him engulfing in a warm hug which was all that was needed to forget all the past hurt feelings and pains that both had bestowed on each other…..Everything vanished in a jiffy with that single hug!
No more words of explanation or justification were needed! Sam and Arjun had indeed taken a rebirth fading away all the past sorrows and the ever egoistic Rathod and Rawte disappeared for good….
Aisha and Sakshi had sensed the silence by then and Aisha wheeled Sakshi out of the room to witness the epic reunion of the friends……
They couldn't help shedding tears of joy seeing the sight before them….their mission was accomplished in all its glory!
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The drive back was soothing…Arjun felt relieved, relaxed, happy, content and what not!
Sakshi could sense the joy radiating from him and she was more than happy thinking about it…..One wish of hers had come true!
Arjun's joy became more evident when he himself switched on the music system and a soothing romantic song rolled out……Sakshi relished that cool drive and the song as she rested her head on the seat rest and closed her eyes in ecstacy!
Tu Hi Yeh Mujhko Bata De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
Apne Tu Dil Ka Pata De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
Meanwhile the happy content mind of Arjun was pondering on something else…..the doctor's visit came into his thoughts….
While Sakshi and Annie were sent for the tests, the doctor spoke to him in private about Sakshi's state….The doctor's advice lingered and echoed in his ears….
"Sakshi keliye best treatment aap hi hai Mr Arjun….I know Sakshi ke iss haal mein aap dono ke relationship ek point ke aage nahi jaa sakthe….but still…..[he stopped and added] I hope you understand what I mean……[Arjun nodded while the doctor continued] jo bhi karna hai bas aap ko hi karna hai….medicines, treatment, physiotherapy sab usske saat hi asar dikhaayega….
You need to give her a reason to come back to life…..you have to make her feel owned or rather wanted…..ab iss waqt usse jeene ki wajeh ya maqsad nahi dikhthi hai…. You need to give her that….…She feels like a burden to you and all around her…...you need to change that inferior attitude of hers….. Usske confidence aur motivation ko badhaana hai…."
As the doctor's words dawned upon him a fresh realization, his mind started planning what more he had to do to make Sakshi feel better…..what more can he do to make her feel loved and not like a burden to him!
Tu Hi Yeh Mujhko Bataa De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
Apne To Dil Ka Pata De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
Itna Bata Doon Tujhko
Chahat Pe Apni Mujhko
Yun To Nahin Ikhtiyaar
Phir Bhi Ye Socha Dil Ne
Ab Jo Laga Hoon Milne
Poochhun Tujhe Ek Baar Oho
Tu Hi Yeh Mujhko Bata De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
Apne Tu Dil Ka Pata De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
He suddenly turned to her side….her head rested on the seat and her eyes were closed…She looked so innocent and her face radiated a unique peace which comforted him as well…..."Sleeping beauty" his mind and lips muttered simultaneously making him smile!
A loose strand wavered on her eye lashes….he slowly glided his fingers across her cheeks up to her eye lids and pushed back the hair to her clip….
He pulled back his hand sensing her stir in the short nap but he was too late as she woke up and turned to his side….their eyes locked and a smile communicated it all silently….
Be it the effect of the doctor's words or the spur of the moment, he took her immobile hand in his and kissed it gently voicing…"so jaao….ghar abi dur hai!"
Aisi Kabhi Pehle
Hui Na Thin Khwaahishein
O Kisi Se Bhi Milne
Ki Na Ki Thin Koshishein
Uljhan Meri Sujha De
Chahun Main Ya Naa
Aankhon Aankhon Mein Jata De
Chahoon Main Ya Na
[To be continued]
So how was it?? pls do reply...
Anupamaa
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