Part Sixteen: Vaada
A week Later…
Adi's decision of not supporting Shaantanu and Khanak's relationship had shattered him thoroughly. For the first time in his life he had to raise his voice on Khanak and then again on Shaantanu when he found them together with Madhavi, Khusboo, and Daadi in the Market. Khanak had gone to meet Madhavi with Shaantanu against Adi's will and the end result had been tragic. Later that same evening, Sunil found out about the entire situation and confronted Adi at his house, refusing to leave without an explanation from Khanak for destroying Khandelwal's peace of mind completely. He didn't blame Adi for anything this time as he didn't even care for his presence; all he cared and saw was Khanak's influence over Shaantanu who was willing to leave everything and everyone behind in his life for her sake.
Madhavi, Daadi, and Khusboo were supporting Shaantanu in his decision by accepting Khanak as the perfect choice for their family in just one meeting. Sunil felt betrayed by his own blood as he disagreed with the rest of the family. Akshay remained neutral, not sure how to handle the whole situation without going to the extreams. Sunil reasoned from his perspective by advocating the best for Shaantanu's professional future and the reputation of their family's name. He felt that any connection with Adittiya Mathur's small town approach and family would adversely affect his personal ego and pride, especially after hearing from Akshay about their company's loss due to sudden disappearance of one of the major vendors that left several foreign consignments in monopoly. Sunil regretted his anger over Adi and Mr.Raichand as he had rejected their extraordinary vending partnership without a reason earlier, but by now it was too late to do anything as for the first time in his career his business empire suffered from exponential losses and humiliation on a foreign level. Sunil Khandelwal was willing to accept his son's choice of career and his innovative ideals, but accepting Adittiya and Khanak Mathur was completely out of the question for him. Pride was his biggest enemy and he was letting it win…again
Mathur Household
"Bahiyaa!...bahiyaa darwaaza kohlne de…please…Shaantanu bahir kharay hain kub se…please bahiyaa.." She pleaded crying and trying to escape from Adi's grip who had tackled her from running towards the front door which Shaantanu was knocking on continuously.
"Shaantanu yahaan se chale jao…Khanak tumse nahi mill sakti…!" Adi yelled from inside, trying to resist Khanak in his tight grip.
"Bhaiyaa app humaray saath yeh sahi nahi kar rahay…! Please darwaaza kohlay…Khanak aur mera koi kasoor nahi hain iss sub mein…Dad aur app kay beech jo hua uss kay liye I am SORRY!..hum dono ko itni bari saaza mat de…" Shaantanu yelled from behind the door listening to Khanak's sobs with a heavy heart. He had not seen her ever since Adi found them at the Market from where he had dragged her home.
"Bahiyaa please…aik..aik baar..aik baar Shaantanu se mill ne de…Bahiyaa… main..vo...app..app ko Maa aur Papa ki kasam..mujhe jaane de..!" Khanak spoke up in a broken tone while suppressing her hiccups due to incessant crying. Her ultimatium softened Adi as he loosened his grip on her and she ran to the door, not caring for her scrunched up veil that was left behind on the floor for Adi to stare at. She presented herself in a disheveled look to Shaantanu as she unlocked the door and stood staring at him.
She looked weak and lost, her eyes were red and swollen and the salt from them had drained the crimson out from her cheeks. Her hair was all over the place and her pale lips whispered his name repeatedly.
He looked tired and frail as if he hadn't eaten anything in days. She knew for a fact that he hadn't for a week, there was no one to force feed him like Adi Bahiyaa had done for her. His messed up forehead fringe and the stubble were proof of his misery in the past one week.
"Khanak…?" he said extending his hand towards her but before he could make any physical contact with her, she crashed herself in to him. Broke down in his embrace; crying harder than before, clentching on to his t-shirt. He held her protectively in his embrace and tried to soothe some of her pain away. His heart ached terribly as moisture from her eyes seeped through hid t-shirt and made direct contact with his skin. He swallowed hard, balming himself for her condition.
Adi was watching their trembling embrace from a distance. He had picked up Khanak's veil in his hands and made his way over to them slowly. He wanted to place his sister's veil in safe hands. He wanted her to be protected, loved, and secured and despite all the difference he knew Shaantanu can provide her that.He knew he was right for her.
"Shaantanu…Khanak ko yahaan se le jaao…" Adi's voice jerked them both to reality but they both stood holding on to each other and stared at him blankly.
He extended Khanak's veil towards Shaantanu and placed it in his hands as if securing it for his own assurance. She watched her older brother give away her veil to Shaantanu, symbolizing that she belonged to him now. Shaantanu placed it around her quietly and then focused his attention back to Adi again, waiting for him to speak.
"Aaj kay baad yeh tumhari zimidaari hain…jao aur isse yahaan se le jaao…"
"Bahiyaa yeh app…"
"Aik minute Shaantanu…meri baat khatam nahi hui hain…" He stopped Shaantanu from interrupting and then turned towards Khanak.
"Yahaan se jaanay ke baad Chutki tum mujhay phone nahi karo gi…mujhse milne kay baarey mein sooch na bhi mat…Shaantanu kay saath apni zindagi mein khush raho gi…peechay mur kar aik baar bhi nahi dekho gi…aggar mazoor hain toh Shaantanu ke saath ja saakti ho…"
"Nahi Bahiyaa..app asiay kyun…Shaantanu app innhay kahay na…kyun yeh aisa keh rahay hain…?" Khanak looked confusingly at Adi then at Shaantanu, not beliving what Adi was trying to make her do.
"Haan Bahiyaa app aisa kyun keh rahay hain…Khanak app ke bagair…"
"Rehna hoga ussay meray bagair…aggar tumhare saath rehna hain toh rehna paray ga…Vaada kar Chutki! Iss vaaday ka bagair tum yahaan se nahi jaa sakti…"
Khanak stared at Adi as they all shared a pause, not knowing what to make out of this situation. Shaantanu was at a loss of words as he knew Adi was doing all this for Khanak He had already told him that as long as he remains involved in Khanak's life, Sunil will never accept his sister whole heartedly. Sunil's grudge against Adi will always stand in the way of Khanak's happiness. Adi couldn't bare his sister being given a hard time because of him. He figured Khanak would be better off in her new life if she cut off and left her relation with Adi behind. He needed to make this sacrifice for her and for himself. He could never see her in pain and anguish because of him. He knew their parents wouldn't and so how could he.
"Aap jaantey hain main Shaantanu se durr nahi reh sakti per app yeh bhi jaantey hain kay app se durr ho ke main khush nahi reh paao gi…iss shart ka koi matlab naho banta bahiyaa…mujhay iss tarah mat toray…mein zinda nahi reh paao gi…" She pleaded holding on to Adi's hands as she slipped down to the ground, near his feet.
"Bus yahi aik raasta hain Chutki…ajj main bhi tumhay main Maa aur Papa ki kasam de deta hoon…yeh vaada karlo aur Shaantanu kay saath chali jao…kuch din mein sub theek hojaye ga…bhool jao ge yeh sub…Main jaanta hoon Shaantanu ki Mom tumhay pehlay he pasand kar chuki hain…voh tumhara khayaal rakhay ge…phir kuch din mein Shaantanu ke Papa bhi shayad maan jaaye…"
Shaantanu lifted Khanak off the ground as Adi concluded his reasoning. She wiped her tears with her own hands and then took a moment to look at Adi's stern face that had no visible emotions for her to read. She nodded her head silently and then went inside to pack up her belongings. Her silence was her compliance to her brother. Shaantanu folded his hands apologetically in front of Adi Bahiyaa but he held him by the shoulders and hugged him warmly; entrusting him with the most precious being in his life. He didn't stay to see them off; he didn't want to as he knew he won't be able to. His escape was his shop and so he excused himself and left the house after taking one last long look at his Chutki from her bedroom door.
Within the next thirty minutes Khanak had packed up her necessities in a small suit case as Shaantanu watched her look around her own house like a stranger. She looked around so that she could remember what her home looked like as she abandoned it for God knows how long. The one thing that she had added to her suit case was picture of her and Adi off the living room wall; she needed to hold on to him in some way. There were no more tears in her eyes, just plain old sadness lurking deep in her soul; settling itself in slowly.
Shaantanu carried her suit case in his right hand as she held on to his left arm while watching him lock the door and placing the key under the front door mat just as Adi had instructed him to do so. They took the final steps down from the porch and looked back at the small house with a heavy heart before turning around and walking away from it like they had promised its owner.
P.S: Thank You all for COMMENTING...my updates have no real schedule so i hope you guys don't mind...as always READ, ENJOY, AND COMMENT.
-Imane
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