SaHil SS: Junoon... (part8 pg 15) *new* 28/9 - Page 10

Part 7

Aahil woke up to bright lights. Sunshine streamed in and filled every corner of his room. Reaching out for his usual grumpiness, he barked out for Lateef and got no reply. He continued barking from the bed like a grouchy child, but nobody came.

Where on earth did everyone go?

He sat up and held his spinning head. How much did I drink?

He looked around for evidence of the amount but found the room spotless and clean. Eyes adjusting, he spotted the cheery little table by his bedside, a steaming cup of coffee, some sandwiches and an offensive glass of kada.

His mind reeled with shock. What is the meaning of this? Mistaking it as Lateef's unwelcome idea, he got up angrily, preparing to shout him down. He marched down into the kitchen, his heart pumping with irrational fury.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted him.

Sanam was busy cooking, in the midst of steaming pots, hair tied up and looking adorably messy. It looked like a dream, Sanam, smiling and busy with a swirling of steam. He stood frozen and tried to coordinate his breathing.

If this is a dream, it's a cruel one... he decided.

And then the dream looked up at him. He stared at her wordlessly, afraid if he said something, she'd disappear into the steam.

But she didn't. She stared at him, her eyes brimming. She untied her dupatta from her waist and walked up to him. Stopping 2 feet away, she looked up into his wide eyes, full of questions.

"Aahil..."

Every step she took towards him, he reluctantly stepped back, not really sure of what to make of the situation.

"Aahil...? it's me.. Sanam " she spoke gingerly, looking at his wild and shocked eyes. "I know... everything... I remember..."

With those words, his eyes glazed brightly and his hands moved up to cup her face.

"Sanam...?"

His palm cupped her cheek as she leaned into it. His touch was light almost reverent, like touching a precious treasure. Her eyes glistened as she nodded to his calling.

With a ragged breath he moved to hold her, and she stepped back, thoroughly confusing him. With her tears, there burned a loving anger. Tears streamed out of Sanam's face and she pushed at his hands, his chest. Half hearted shoves that showed her frustration at the situation he had been in.

"Gave me up, did you!! Where was that promise you made, huh? "We'll be together forever", you said!" She smacked him on the chest hard repeatedly. "Were you really going to give me up to a total stranger?? How could you!?"

He held his hands out helplessly, facing her frustrated onslaught with a shared sadness.

"Sanam... stop this, please.."

"How could you!! How could have just let me go with him !"

"But you wanted to go with him, Sanam..." he answered softly, smoothing her hair off her face.

"You know how stubborn I am. You should have made me remember !!" she wept brokenly. "How painful it must have been for you to watch me go like that... Aahil!! I feel like I could hit you all day !"

She ranted and hit out at him, until he grabbed her hands and pulled her flush against him in a crushing embrace.

Her rambling silenced, she wept into his shirt, arms wound tight around him. He kissed her forehead feverishly , holding back his own tears.

"I'm sorry Aahil... "

"Hey!! I want to hear no sorries from you alright? You were the most mistreated here. I am sorry. So sorry that I couldn't protect you and Seher from that evil woman. When I got rid of her, it was already too late. I couldn't find Seher anywhere in Dubai and your phone was spotted at the border. All my searches hit a brick wall. I couldn't find Seher or you! You guys just vanished into thin air! "

"Seher was hit by a truck, according to the kidnappers. I went after her and in my search I had inadvertently taken her place. She had run away from them. Have you searched the hospitals around there?"

Aahil made a call immediately, and informed the inspector about Seher and asked him to enquire at all medical centres. He was promised swift information and hung up.

"Sanam...? You remember everything? How? "

"Actually, I went to the police station and asked for help in locating my family. The inspector recognized me instantly and he told me everything. I left Shaad immediately and came home. And found you drunk ... and chatty..."

Aahil held his head in embarrassment. "It wasn't a dream? God, I talked and talked. I must have bored you to death...drunken rambling is a first for me." he finished sheepishly.

"Actually , it was you who told me everything. Right from the moment we met. How we were married. Rehan. Your Ammi. Seher. Our marriage, how we fell in love. Nayi Sanam. Everything. Listening to you everything just came back..."

Aahil held her tight thanking his lucky stars. "I swear I'm not going to let you out of my sight..! Seriously Sanam..." Just like that he lifted her up and marched back into their room for some intense reunion kissing.

*~*

Lateef came out of his hiding place, wiping tears of happiness. "I'm so happy for Laad sahab. Things are finally looking bright again. And this smell..!! How I missed this aroma of Sanam's cooking... "

Aahil and Sanam packed their bags and left the house in great haste. Aahil was determined not to have anyone to present new problems to them. They drove up the highway to Pakistan, stopping by each hospital and convalescent home looking for Seher.

They were together, but things were so unsettled. Sanam was so grateful that Aahil was doing what she herself had wanted to do since her memories came back, to search for Seher.

~*~

They searched for 5 days straight, keeping tabs with the inspector. And at nights they lay in each others' arms, comforting each other. Now that they both knew the whole story, finding Seher was their biggest worry. Aahil held her tight as she fretted back and forth over whether Seher was alive or not.

Sanam felt it in her bones that Seher was alive, she couldn't explain it, she just knew. But where was she? Every minute delay a little more of her optimism dissipated. Aahil was moving the earth the best he could, calling favours and even going to the difficult places to look for Seher.

But he didn't find her in those places. Not in the morgues.

On the sixth day, the inspector rang with news. An unidentified patient was reported in by a private hospital. The police search had created a lot of interest in the local community and people were coming forward volunteering information about missing people they might have encountered. A hospital nurse came forward with information about a patient. She was in a coma for the last 3 months.

Sanam and Aahil rushed to the hospital. There she was, Seher. Sleeping. Such a dainty word for the condition the body goes into when the consciousness cannot take the pain of injuries. Sanam's heart beat frantically as she strained to see whether Seher was breathing on her own.

With trembling hands, she touched her twin's forehead.

"Seher...? Wake up Seher !! It's me..."

Seher remained in sleep, but the monitors started beeping irregularly. Everyone gathered by her bedside as Seher gripped her twin's hand. But her eyes didn't open.

"Seher !! It's me dear.. Come back !"

Sanam dissolved into heartbroken tears as she wept all of her misery on to her sister. She hugged her sister and pleaded for her to return. Aahil stood by and watched the wrenching scene, barely in control of his own emotions. He looked at Seher's face, and saw a lone tear coursing down her cheek.

***

"Seher ?? "

"Baby, wake up!"

Seher opened her eyes saw his beloved form. She gasped and flew into his arms.

"Rehan..!! You came back!! Oh, thank heavens! I was waiting and waiting !"

Rehan smiled and held her tight.

"I missed you so much, "he says." You're the one thing that was completely mine to keep..."

Seher shushed him, "Don't say that. I'm here now, sshh.." she chastised him with a frown. "Don't jinx this Rehan... don't say anything that will wake me from this dream..."

He chuckled, "So you DO realize this is a dream?"

"SSSHHH!! Chup!" she snuggled into his arms and kept her eyes shut. Ignorance is bliss.

"I love you Sunehri..." his use of her more familiar name brought her eyes up to his. His eyes reflected his understanding of her story, where she came from, what she'd lost, what she was before she became his. And he accepted it all.

"I love you too. Now Shush..." and she went back to hugging him tight. Tighter than ever, because something was bugging her. A distraction. She shoved her thoughts aside and buried herself in his scent.

"You feel it don't you?"

"Be quiet, Rehan."

"You have to go..."

"I don't have to go anywhere..."

"Sunehri..." he spoke mock sternly.

"But why?? Why can't you just let this be? I could live like this forever...!"

"You can't, my love..."

Sunehri lifted her arms and cupped his face in her hands. He touched his forehead to hers tenderly.

"At least for our little one..."

Sunehri's hands touched her abdomen protectively. Her baby.

"Don't make me choose Rehan... I want you both!"

"Seher...?" a disjointed voice calls out from somewhere far away.

Rehan looks up and smiles encouragingly. "See? Sanam has come... you won't be alone?"

Sunehri whacked him halfheartedly, "See? I told you to be quiet. Now I can't ignore it anymore. Please don't leave me Rehan!"

"I'm right here my love. Waiting for you. But it isn't your time yet. You have to go back, for our baby, for your sister, until your time comes. Be happy and keep him happy. " Rehan touched her womb reverently.

"Be happy Sunehri..."

"Rehan? ...REHAN !!" she grabbed at him urgently but found there was nothing to grab. Everything misted over around her and faded into an intense white blur.

"Seher...??" a louder voice called out to her, eager , happy and hopeful all at once.

A thousand volts of light surged into Seher's eyes as in opened for the first time in 3 months since the accident. Elated sounds filled her ears as Sanam and Aahil reacted to her return.

Sanam held her twin in her arms and cried and cried. " I thought I had lost you !! Shukr hai Allah ka !"

"What..." Seher said in a scratchy voice, "You think you got rid of me? You can't get rid of Don or Sunehri so easily !?" she said as her twin and Aahil cried and laughed in happiness.

Seher smiled a bittersweet smile and touched her abdomen. For you my love, I shall treasure this gift.

***

Two nights later, Aahil and Sanam brought Seher back to the mansion. Aahil had installed armed guards at the house so everyone felt a little more secure. But Aahil was also busy with some mysterious meetings, and Sanam didn't move from Seher's bedside. Truthfully, everyone felt nervousness of an impending showdown.

By lunchtime, there was a commotion at the main entrance. The "other" Sanam Khan had arrived and was screeching her head off for the benefit of an audience.

"My husband lives here!! I have a right to this house too !! HOW DARE YOU STOP ME FROM GOING IN?? WHO THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE !!!! "

There was a loud struggle as the guards physically removed her from the grounds. Things became a little ridiculous when she scratched the guards face and ran helter skelter into the house.

She ran into the house and shouted for Sanam to come out and face her.

"COME OUT SANAM!! You thought you could be rid of me did you!?? YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM !! I am going to make your life miserable if it's the last thing I do !! YOU HEAR ME ??!!! COME OUT HERE !!"

"There's no need to screech so loudly. I'm sure the whole neighbourhood heard you..." Sanam stood at the upper foyer looking down at the entrance. Nayi Sanam bristled at the authority in Sanam's face.

"Now explain yourself. What exactly do you want ?" Sanam spoke frostily.

Nayi Sanam's face crumpled into an ugly grimace. "How DARE you! This is my house too. Who are you to kick me out, huh?"

"You forget. Let me remind you. I am the Begum Sahiba of Bhopal. You have shamelessly flaunted yourself as the Begum, but legally the title is mine. SO, technically, you are trespassing in MY house. Not only that, you are a criminal. You hired men to kidnap me and kill my sister and me. So I have a strong obligation to call the police on you. Would you like to leave quietly and would you prefer to be bodily carried out by the guards to the police station?'

"Please ! I have just as much right as you! I am Aahil's wife too!! I was only fighting for my rights!!"

"Be quiet ! This annoying screeching doesn't make your claim the truth. I realize you need constant reminding for the truth to sink in that thick skull of yours. I am Aahil's first and only wife. You were manipulated by Begum Tanveer into marriage by falsehood. Your nikah is invalid. Now please leave, I'm not debating this with you."

As Sanam turned to leave, the guards moved to usher Nayi Sanam out. She struggled and scratched at the guards in a noisy scuffle, until a voice stopped them.

"Stop this !!"

Everyone was silenced. At the door, stood Aahil. Stern and unsmiling, he motioned for the guards to leave. Grateful, Nayi Sanam beamed at him, I knew you'd come, Aahil ji. I knew you'd come for me..."

Part 8