FF~:Human After All:~ Imp note Pg 150:) - Page 44

Part 10~ Hide and Seek

She read the note again slowly this time, read it again, and again and again...

She almost wished that she had prescribed Rat Poison.., But then you'd have been staring at a suicide note instead Khanak, and nursing your cold in a miserable Jail cell..

She banged her hand hard against her desk in frustration, hit a sharp edge and screamed out in pain.. Tears spontaneously started flowing from her eyes, tears of pain, of anguish and doubt. She didn't stop them, as she stared at the blood starting to seep out of cut in her hand. It had started to smart and throb. She looked at the wound fascinated, and then grabbed some tissue to blot the blood as it threatened to spill over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Khushboo lost her captive audience as Megha jumped off the table and ran to her father who swung her up in his arms and propped her on his shoulders, a ritual they had adopted lately since the accident. Akshay had made up his mind to spend some time with Megha before he went to work everyday, to make up for the precious time he had wasted so far, watching her grow from a new born to a beautiful child.

Shaan was feeling quite sprightly this morning. He had woken up at 0700 feeling refreshed and ready to face a new day. Showered and dressed himself in a record time of half an hour and even tried to dance a jig with Harilal, who thought that Shaan baba had either gone mad or was in Love..! He even tried to kiss Harilal, which he managed to dodge with success, and only Madhavi's scream brought him back to his senses.

Shaan nodded, heaving a sigh of relief..thankful that Khanak was as simple as they come.

His good mood was evident to Akshay too as they drove together to work. Shaan was humming along to some old Hindi numbers, seeming mast, lost in his own thoughts.

Shaan stopped humming and looked at his brother surprised.. Really?? You think so bro?

Indeed any girl who can win my brother's heart is very lucky, coz I can see it in your eyes that you'll leave no stone unturned to make her happy!..

I hope she realizes that SOOON!!! For my Sake bro! Shaan said laughing..

Shaan could hear the bitterness in his brother's voice and felt for him. He loved his brother dearly and had always wished him the best. He remembered that he too had been dazzled by Khushboo, and in fact had for sometime envied his brother for marrying her. Only later did he realize that her shiny exterior hid a pretty shallow interior, where there was no place for anyone besides her.

At work everyone was surprised to see him in a great mood, he smiled at everybody and thanked them individually for their good wishes. When Shiela, his secretary informed him about the boat load of pending work he had, he gave her a broad grin and told her to bring it on.

Shaan reassured himself that it was too early to expect something back from Khanak. It was early yet, and she had her work to attend to. Maybe after lunch would be a good time, he knew that she wouldn't be able to resist sending a nasty retort to his note, of that he was pretty certain.

As time passed Shaan grew restless, he found himself unable to concentrate on his work. He kept watching the clock and the door. Shiela kept walking in and out of his office informing him of his various meetings and appointments and he listened only with half an ear. Nothing came that day and also the next. On the third day, Shaan was in a frenzy..

He rushed out asking Shiela to delegate the work as she saw fit..., leaving her looking frustrated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She could forget about sleeping, for that seemed to his permanent haunt. Her restless mind had given him various disguises, and he seemed to make good use of them, appearing in her dreams in different avatars.

It had been more than 36 hrs since Khanak had slept (not counting a quick nap or nodding off during her meals,) and she was pretty confident that she was on the verge of proving Shaan wrong.

She entered the coffee shop adjacent to the hospital for the umpteenth time that day. She had been haunting it like Shaan had been haunting her, and the attendants there were getting pretty used to seeing her.

She walked to the closest table and sat down and held her head in her hands, closing her eyes for just a minute.

She jerked up when she heard someone place a freshly brewed cup of fragrant cappucino in front of her..

That someone took a seat in front of her, and gave her a wide smile. He looked like her nemesis..Shantanu Khandelwal! Was she dreaming with her eyes open??

Shaan's smile turned in to a look of concern as he saw her look at him as if she had seen a ghost! And she did not seem very pleased to see him!

He waved his hand in front of her face, and said..Hey!! I am Shaan! Shantanu Khandelwal!

Khanak decided that she wasn't hallucinating...