Part Twenty Six B
Mumbai
6:00 PM
Khandelwal's Residence
It's quite unusual for Sunil Khandelwal to be home this early on the weekends as he is usually busy entertaining his financers or foreign investors at some of the finest Five Star Resorts or Hotels in Mumbai. An unusual free evening in for Sunil Khandelwal's would include him catching up on world affairs through CNN and BBC while he savors his favorite meal consisting of Fettuccini and White wine.
"Dad…you're home tonight?" Akshay questioned surprisingly as he found his never- home-on-the-weekends father reclining peacefully in front of the widescreen Toshiba that was tuned in for evening news bulletin from CNN.
"Haan…It's one those once-in-a-blue-moon weekends that I love so much…! Investors got caught in Singapore and so mujhay meri free weekend night mill gayi…" Sunil explained his reasoning for being home as he savored another bite from his plate.
"Oh that's great Dad! App ajj relax kar saktay hain araam se…" Akshay came in and sat on the opposite couch, he was dressed for his routine work out, probably on his way to gym, Sunil had guessed as he glanced up at his son.
"That's the plan…tum Gym jarahay ho…?"
"Jee…Khushboo and Mom are out for some Dinner party…aur Daadi is sleeping or praying, I think…maine soocha abhi chala jao so Khushboo doesn't complain later when she gets back home…" Akshay explains himself while tying his Adidas.
"Hmm…bewi ki data avoid karna seekh gaye ho…good going son!"
"Yeah Dad…it's been 2 years itna toh Khushboo ko samajh gaya hoon…" Askhay gets up nodding his head in agreement, but as he moves towards the door to head out from the lavish entertainment room the door bell goes off, startling him a little because he knew they were not expecting any company.
"Akshay kissi ko ghar bulaya hain kya?" Sunil asked curiously getting up from the couch right, following Akshay.
"No Dad…maine soocha app ne kissi ko invite kiya ho…"
"Nahi…I didn't…"
While Sunil and Akshay were trying to figure who it could be, Harilal had already opened the front doors to Additiya Mathur, who was looking professional and crisp in his very first expensive business attire. As Mr. Raichand's supervising Manager in Mumbai, he no longer resembled the plain and simple Adi Bahiyya from Manali's who took care of the clothing house in the town's local market. Additiya Mathur's arrival in Mumbai welcomed him to a brand new appointment and he was inaugurated in to an exclusive partnership for Raichand's expansive textile business. The four story luxurious store in central Mumbai was under his name and as an entrusted employer of ten years to Mr. Raichand he was honored with new responsibilities of an entrepreneur in the city that never slept. He felt accomplished but he was not proud or self absorbed.
"Sir, app yahaan behtay main Baray Bahiyya ko bulata hoon…" Harilal said politely after inviting Additiya in who resembled Akshay's age and judging by his appearance he looked like many of Akshay's high class friends who usually joined him for drinks and such on weekends.
Adi smiles and nods his head as Harilal disappears the next very second to get Akshay. Additiya wonders where the "Chotey Bahiyya" of the house is and what Chutki must be doing in this huge house that she now belongs to.
"Bahiyya app ke dost aye hain…" Harilal enters and informs Akshay and Sunil who looked a him with a confused expression.
"Mera Dost…?"
"Jee…neechay lounge mein hain…app kahay toh uper bheejo…"
"No, it's fine…main khud neechay ja raha tha…tum chalo main aata hoon…" Akshay informed Harilal and he left after vocalizing his compliance by a simple "Jee".
Akshay decides to check out the unexpected "friend" and Sunil follows his son as he wants to meet his son's unexpected company and maybe distract him a little so that Akshay can carry on with his work out routine for which he was all set for. They make their way down the stairs together and find a crisply dressed professional in the lounge, his back his facing them.
"Hi…"Akshay says moving towards the man, not sure who this unexpected friend is.
Additiya turns around with a warm smile and steps forward towards Akshay and Sunil, greeting them with folded hands. "Namaste…"
"Tum…yahaan…?" Sunil questioned Additiya's presence in his house in a dry, not-interested tone.
"Jee Uncle…sorry call nahi kar paaya aanay se pehlay…excitement kuch zaayada hi thi app se millnay ki…" Adi replies calmly as he fails to see the rage that is taking roots in Sunil Khandelwal's eyes.
"Additiya app yahaan kyun aaye hain…?" Akshay questions solemnly as he realizes the stern expression on his father's face which Additiya has failed to notice.
"Shaantanu aur Khanak se mill ne…main jaanta hoon iss rishtey per app khush nahi thay lakin I am sure abb tak meri Chutki ne app ka dil jeet liya hoga… Shaantanu ki zidd ke agay main toh khud haar gaya tha…"
"What!?...Yeh sub kya kahay ja rahay ho tum Additiya…" Sunil came forward with a confused look, not wanting to hear anymore of Adi's babbling and chirpy tone.
"I know Uncle app abhi bhi mujh se bahut naraaz hain…lakin ajj main app se maafi maang kar he rahoga…please puraani saari baatein bhula de aur aik aur maauqa de mujhe…Shaantanu aur Khanak ka rishta jin halaat mein hua voh alag zaroor thay lakin yeh sub maine apni khushi aur unki marzi se kiya tha…"Adi tries to explain but gets cut short by Akshay's interruption, while Sunil looks away with an expressionless face.
"Additiya yahi toh galat kiya app ne…sirf apni khushi aur meray jazbaat chotey bahi ki khushi…aik baar humari family ki values ko…humari izzat ya phir traditions ko aik baar bhi consider nahi kiya…" Akshay's dry tone, tells Adi that he will be siding with Sunil this time around, it was a matter of Khandelwal's reputation not some advantageous supplying contract from a small town like Manali for Khandelwal's exporting promotions.
"Main jaanta ho Akshay jaldbaazi huyi thi lakin app agar unhay uss waqt dekhtay…unkay beinteha pyaar ko toh shayad app bhi samajh jaatey…app ko unhonay bataya nahi kya yeh sub…? Kaise batate maine vaada jo liya tha kabhi peechnay na dekhne ka…mujhay apni zindagi se dur kardenay ka…"
"Listen Additiya…tum yahaan kyun aaye ho maine nahi jaanta…frankly, jaana bhi nahi chaata…aur yeh sub vaada aur sub kuch jo tum keh rahay uss kay baarey mein na Akshay jaanta hain aur na koi aur…mera beta Shaan and tumhari behn yahaan kabhi nahi aaye…! na iss ghar mein na iss sher mein…"Sunil declares sternly looking straight at Additiya who is shell-shocked at this news. His hands go numb just as his eyes swell up with flaming tears. His trust was breached, he felt betrayed.
"Lakin Shaantanu ne toh kaha tha voh…voh Khanak se pyaar karta hain…Shaadi karna chahta hain…kay voh sub kuch sambhaal le ga…app logoon ko raazi kar le ga…"
"Dad ki baat sunni nahi app ne Additiya…Shaantanu app ki behn se pyaar karta tha ya nahi…voh uss kay saath hain bhi ya nahi…? hum inn sub sawaloon ka koi jawaab nahi de saktay kyunki hum khud nahi jaantey…yeh sawaal jo humay maheeno se loog pooch rahay hain…Shaantanu Khandelwal kahaan hain? Kub vaapis aayega…? Aayega bhi ya nahi…hum kuch nahi jaatay…aur iss sub ka zimedaar app hain..sirf app…!" Akshay blasted Additiya as he was no longer able to hold his pent up feelings about this entire situation. His mind went back to the sleepless nights and days which left him frustrated and depressed at his younger's brother act of abandonment in Manali, he had left his family hanging, he didn't care for anything.
Additiya was left standing alone in the lounge after Sunil and Akshay walked off, indicating their condemnation and hatred towards his existence. He couldn't believe that Shaantanu had never informed his family about his whereabouts all this time. Was Khanak with him? Had he been honest in his intentions? Why did they not come to Mumbai like they said they would…at least that's what he had interpreted from what he had told him about starting over? What did he actually mean? Questions blurred Additiya's sense of judgment and he doubted everything that he had done upon Shaantanu's insistence.
As Adi makes his exit from the lounge, Daadi emerges from the corner of the dining room which was next to the open lounge. The heated exchange between her son, grand-son, and Khanak's brother's Additiya was a complete shocker as she had not expected her own flesh and blood to be so bitter to someone who had came to reconcile the differences and to make everything better. She needs to get a hold of Additiya sooner than later, she knew the truth about Shaantanu and Khanak and she would be more than happy to take him to them. Madhavi and Khushboo will also be updated about this recent change when they get back from their Dinner Party tonight. Additiya will now be joining them in their secret trip to Delhi. Daadi leaves the dining area with a thoughtful expression, she was in the middle of preparing items for Khanak's Sargi and this new development will not keep her from carrying out her traditional duties.
P.S: I know it's a ShaNakless part but i promise there is more to come...!
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