-SS- O Saathi Re INTERVAL part-pg 36 - Page 28

Part VIII- INTERVAL

She is an excellent mood..she never got around to telling Him her news..but she is hopeful now more than ever..he shall support her..he comes out of the bathroom while she is busy cleaning the room..

He: Tho aaj kya plan hai tumhara?

She: (taking the towel from him and putting it away): Main aaj JJ jaanewaali thee..ek professor se milne..

He: (starts to look for his papers, wallet..): Oh okay..kab tak aaogee??

She: Shaam tak..woh main aapse kuch kehna chahtee thee..actually mere paas ek khabar hai..

He: (turns to her..while knotting his tie..smiles): Acha..kaisi khabhar?

She: (suddenly shy): Woh main..

He: (walks towards her and tucks her hair behind her ear): Woh kya?

She: Woh..main..hum..mujhe..

He: (runs his fingers on her hair..holds her close): Hmm..batao na..

She: Jee..aapko dair ho rahee hai.. (makes way for the door..he holds her back)

He: Mujhe kya??

She: Woh..

He: Come on..tell me..(holding her face)

She: Mujhe..aapse..(smiles and holds his shoulders)..bahut ..

His phone rings..she lets go..he moves away..picks it up..she steps into the bathroom..

He: hello..

Investor stooge: Aaj 12 baje ka meeting 11:30 kar sakte hai?

He: (irritated): Why?

Stooge: Mujhe kuch kaam hai..

He: Mujhe bhi hai..

Stooge: So what do you propose?

He: Meeting cancel kar deejiye..

Stooge: Nahin tho hum Akshay Sir ke saath kar sakte hai..woh aapki wife ko bhi leke aane waale the..

He: KYA?

Stooge: Jee hamari baat huyee thee kal..

He: So why don't you call him? Phone unhe kar leejiye and arrange the meeting with them..thank you!

And hangs up..she comes out of the bathroom..hugs him from behind..he shuts his eyes in exasperation..

She: THo..mujhe..aapse..(smiles all over..)

He: (holds her hands ..moves them away from him..and without turning to her..in a straight voice): Are you going to say it today???

She lets go..moves back a step..knows he speaks in English to her..when he wants to be aloof..wants her to stay away..has never happened in their bedroom..until now..she is suddenly confused..a fear grips her..she holds her throat to calm herself..she looks at his back..

She: Main samjhi nahin..

He: (shuts his eyes): Main shaam ko dair se aaoongaa..

She: Khana khaake aayenge?

He: Shaayad!

She turns to the cupboard..opens it..feels his shirt sleeve hanging on the hanger..He pockets his wallet..suddenly her picture from the wallet threatens to fall off..he catches it in time..fingers it..both of their backs towards each other..

She: (hand over his shirt sleeve..inside the cupboard..staring into it): Phone tho karenge na?

He: (finger over her picture..inside the wallet..staring away): Agar time mila..

She: (bites her lip..quivers..tears threaten to flow): Please!

He: (presses his lips..clenches his jaw..tears that threaten to flow..): Shall try..

The English again..suddenly she is hurt beyond words..anger has begin to set into her..lets go of his shirt..and walks out of the room..he pockets his wallet..flings his briefcase..unknots his tie..enters the bathroom..

They see each other again at the breakfast table..she stays in the kitchen assisting Harilal..daadee calls her out..she has no choice but to come to the table..she sits next to Aada..he comes down the stairs..takes his seat..and watches her instruct Harilal to serve him..He eats..

Sunil: aaj main ek bada announcement karna chahta hoon..

Akshay: Dad! I think we should first discuss it with them..

Sunil: Arrey mujhe apne bete aur bahu ke saath kya discuss karna?

He looks up..she glances at him..he glances at her..she looks away..he stares into his plate..

Sunil: bahoo tum kal se office join karne waali ho..

Suddenly the silence at the table is deafening..it seems like this news is received with a bouquet of emotions..happiness..trepidation..shock..anger..surprise..mock..none expressed..except when..

He: (stands up): I am late..

She: Aada..main office nahin jaana chahtee..

He: (straight faced): Why not? I think its perfect..

Akshay: I agree..

She: Mujhe koyee dilchaspee nahin hai..

Sunil: Tum jaanti nahin bahu..lekin hamein tumharee zaroorat hai..

He: There you go..so its settled..kal se..(looks at his watch): Sorry guys..I have to rush..(leaves without even so much as a glance towards her)

Madhavi takes Sunil aside..

Akshay: (smiles and holds her): No rush..thoda time lo..soch lo..investors roz tumhaare liye poochte hai..Chotey ki tho mazaak bhi udaate hai..(grins and tells her): ab tum aa jaogee..kapde ke mill ke project mein haath bategaa.. aur bhi kaamiyabee guaranteed..!!!..(and then softly with a huge grin): by the way Khusboo already tumse bahut jaltee hai..

Khusboo punches him..and smiles at her: Take your time..congratulations!

She smiles at them..turns to Sunil..

She: Mujhe thoda vaqt chahiye Aada..

She tries calling him the whole day..He refuses to pick up her call..She does not relent..until He switches it off..Late afternoon..after tears are spent..her phone rings..she hopes its him..

She: Hello..

Nat: hello..main hoon Natasha..

She: Oh! Kaise hain aap? USA se wapas aa gaye?

Nat: Haan..teen hafte ho gaye hain..kal jab tumhare pati se mili keh bhi rahee thee ke hum sab bahar chalte hai khanne..uss idiot ne tumhe bataya nahin?..

She: (surprised..but covers it): Who inhe..inko aaj kal office mein bahut kaam rehtaa hai..bahut busy hai

Nat: Haan haan..bataya usne ki kapde ka jo project hain..usse nahin ho raha..aur woh doosra company mein interview kar raha hai..tum ne Uncle ko bataya hai kya?

She: (extremely confused): Jee..Jee nahin..

Nat: Haan batana bhi mat..woh kaafi upset ho jaayennge..

She: Lekin agar bataya nahin..tho bhi Aada ko buraa lagegaa..

Nat: Haan woh tho hai..isiliye main soch rahee thee ki tum uss idiot ko thoda samjhao..

She: Aap ho kahan? Kya main aapse mil saktee hoon?

Nat: haan..aajao..

Her hands shiver while she takes the address of the caf down..she suddenly is angry..hurt..but one thing she is not is confused..everything begins to make sense to her..and she walks out of the house..with hope in her heart..

Later in the evening..He drives while she is seated next to him..this is the first time he is driving with her seated next to him..they stare at the road..

He: Tum Natasha se milne kyun gayee thee??

She: Jee..woh meri bhi dost hai..unhone phone kiya..tho main chali gayee..mujhe pata nahin tha ki unse milne mein pabandee hai..

He: I didn't mean that..

She: Aap kripaya hindi mein baat karein..ya shayad aap nahin chahte ki main koyee baat karoon..

He: KYa matlab?..kya kehna chahtee ho tum..

She: Aapko kya lagta hai? Aada khush honge yeh sunkar ki aap kissi aur company mein naukree karne waale hai..

He turns into the building..they enter the lift in silence..and are just about to enter the house..

He: Tumhare Aada ko meri koyee zaroorat nahi hai..

They walk into the house..no one seems to be around..they walk up the stairs..she follows him into the room..he is about to enter the bathroom..

She: Aap ko ho kya gaya hai??.. (walks towards him)

He: Kyun? Kya hua..kuch bhi tho nahin.. (steps away from her and walks towards the cupboard and is about to open it):

She: Jee.. dekhiye..maine Akshay bhaiya se keh diya hai ki main naukree nahin karna chahtee..

He: (holds the door and snickers): Kya..thats fantastic..tho tum ghar pe baithke..kya karne waali ho??

She: Jee..

He: (bangs the door shut..loud enough for the mirror over it to shake a little): Haan..batao na..

She: Aap kehna kya chahte hai..aap khulke kyun nahin kehte...??

He: (stares at her reflection on the mirror in front of him and sarcastically): Kyun?..tumhe tho sab kuch aata hai..tum samajh kyun nahin letee??

She: Aap mere saath aisa vyavhaar karne ki koyee zaroorat nahin hai..main aisi zindagee nahin jeena chahte jahan hum dono ke beech kissi bhi baat ko leke dooriyaan badhe..

He: Dooriyan???!!!..ab tak hum door huwe kahan hai??

She: Kya aap chahte hain..ki main chalee jaoon?

He: Tum kyun jaaogee??..yahan sab ko tumharee zaroorat hain..jaana tho mujhe chahiye..

She: (stares at him back): Kya main kuch bhi nahin..

He: (looks away..holds the cupboard knob): Come on..its just training..thode din ke liye hi tho baat hai..

She: (stares hard at his back..trying to stop her tears): Aap sirf training ki baat kar rahe ho na..?

He: (silent)..

She walks towards him..he steps away..she stops..she turns her back towards him..he does not realize until he sees her back in the mirror..he can hear her soft words..

She: agar aap chale gaye..tho main yahan kya karoongee..ho sakke tho.. aap vapas aane se pehle dhulwaadi hoke aayiye..

He: (places his hand on the mirror on her reflection..tears collect at the corner of his eyes..he bends his head down..to himself he mutters): Yeh main kya kar raha hoon..??

He turns..she has left..

--

Aaa chal din ko roke
dhup ke peeche daude
chaanv chhue na
o saathi re

--

Review Mandatory

Don't worry..this is not the end..interval hai..samosa vamosa khaa lo..thoda pepsi..limca pee lo..sab karte vaqt comment maaro..shall be back with the rest of the story soon..where??when??..if you want to know..PM me..silent readers, this is your chance..PM to find out when and where this and other Shanak stories shall continue including Katra Season 2.

Originally posted by: jparker

saaaz... lovely... heartbreaking... wrenching update...

Yet breathtakingly beautiful... each emotion showing the feelings of each. His ego taking another brunt, while hers in a shock.. tumult and pain... of rejection of fear..

Sigh how much pain can love bring with it...

IMO please continue here. And I consider this as a fitting interval. I am game for more and very eager to know the rest of this beautifull story.

continue here soon...

Originally posted by: RB81

yippeee!!!!!!!!!!saaaz u r here..
*off to read*

Originally posted by: shiksha_03

awesome update pls continue soon