Tu hi Meri Zindagi last part pg 45 - Page 10

Part Eight

Since being announced with a clean bill of health, Khanak began to feel restless.

" God has given me what I asked for. Shouldn't I be doing something more with my life?," she pondered.

She briefly mentioned it to her mother-in-law and Khushboo Bhabhi.

" You can join a kitty party. They have shopping trips and we go to the local charities and help them by arranging events sometimes," Madhvi suggested.

Khanak grimaced as she imagined herself being part of a kitty group.

" You can join a social awareness group. Vaise tum itni sweet ho," Khushboo declared.

Khanak silently thanked her and went on towards thinking again. Her mother-in-law and Bhabhi didn't like anything hands on or interactive. They had started to learn cooking traditional food by her influence. What could she do to make her life more fulfilling? Shantanu had his work and she could go back to Dhulwadi with him for the factory work, but what to do in the mean time?

After most of the preparations were completed for the evening meal she sat down in the den to make list. The chair had wheels on it, so she kept spinning around in it.

" I love art and I know lots about clothing," she pondered aloud.

She later added further education and introducing an art program at the school in Dhulwadi.

Now that she had a few things in mind, she needed to talk to Shantanu about these plans. After all Shantanu shared his plans with her. She hoped he would support her.

Shantanu arrived home by eight pm. After he freshened up, Khanak served him his dinner.

Everyone ate and talked about how all their days went, except for Khanak.

She was mulling over the list she had made and how to approach Shantanu about it. Shantanu noticed she had barely touched her plate.

She had seemed a bit distanced the past few days. He hoped she could share what was on her mind. Since the MMS issue, he worried at times that one day she would wake up and change her mind.

He nudged her slightly, and she realized her food was getting cold. She started to eat and smiled slightly at everyone else.

He waited around for her to get ready go upstairs. Harilal told Khanak he would finish cleaning up. Dharam stopped by to keep him company.

Khanak walked past him, as if she was in a trance.

" Khanak ruko," he said.

She did not seem to hear him as she went up the stairs.

He followed her upstairs.

She was pacing the room.

" Khanak kya hua? You were not eating properly, then you did not talk to me properly and now you are ignoring me," Shantanu stated.

She looked in his direction for a moment and then muttered something under her breath.

He cupped her chin with his hand.

" You know you can tell me anything," he whispered.

She bit her lip and stepped back.

" Give me one second," she said.

She went towards her side of the bed and pulled out a piece of paper and showed him the list.

" Bhagwan ne mujhe ek doorsa moka diya hai. I want to use it to do something more with my life," she stated. ( God has given me a second chance.)

Shantanu looked at the list and smiled.

" Khanak you didn't have to be this tensed for this. I would be happy if you are happy," he stated.

She smiled and this time it reached her eyes.

" Thank-you Shantanu! Main abhi paatshalla jaati hoon. Mujhe sub kuch review karna hai," Khanak stated.

He pulled her so she was leaning against the wall.

" Ek shart par tum yeh sub kuch kar sakti ho," Shantanu quipped.

She gave him a puzzled look.

" Tumari tutions main doonga," he said with glee. ( Your tutions, I will give them)

She giggled and surprised him by kissing his cheek.

Then she ran out of the room to go study in the paatshalla.

Khanak had just gotten registered at the local college for a few courses. If she handled these well, she could take more the next term. She decided to go into the bookstore while she waited for Shantanu to pick her up at 6pm. No one had dared to pick on her so far, especially when she started to play with her manglastura in the canteen. She could take them on herself if need be, but this was college, there were rules here. She did not want to disappoint her family and especially not Shantanu by picking fights.

She ended up with a pile of books, she was not sure which ones she really needed.

She heard her phone ringing. She placed her basket with her things down for a second so she could answer the call.

" Hello?," she said.

" Tumhe utna hi padega Khanak," a voice said on the other end,

She suddenly felt like electricity was going through her entire body.

Moments later she found herself lying on a bed, but it wasn't anywhere she recognized. She could feel the place moving, she got up and found herself in a train.

She appeared to be in the area alone.

She turned around started to get up. She was wearing her nightgown, not the clothes she wore to the college today.

"Kahan hoon main?," she thought to herself.

Then she spotted someone she did not expect and started to back up.