FF: Partial Amnesia Pt 31Pg145-6th Dec - Page 19

Part 6

7^th November 2011, 11:00

Predictably Shaan woke up with a splitting head ache the next day. He held his face for the longest time till he registered what time it was. It was 11 am. Shit! He had missed going over to Khanak checking if she was okay in bed. He had done that without fail since the time she had come back from the hospital. It used to make his day. He closed his eyes bitterly, the pain in his head increasing as he recalled what had happened the night before, before he had got drunk.

"Yea getting drunk will surely make bhabhi fall in love with you again" a sharp sarcastic and reproaching voice at the doorway made Shaan look up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing his head, still sitting in bed, fully dressed from the previous night and looking at Mitul beedily.

"Fulfilling my role as doctor!" Mitul said smoothly, walking over inside and making himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Khanak is in the guest room, she doesn't sleep here." Shaan said edgily, looking away and trying to spot some water on his side table. There was none. Ofcourse there wasn't! Khanak wasn't there to make sure he drank water as soon as he woke up, he realized.

"Yea I know I just met her." Mitul looked at Shaan closely, who noticed and avoided his eyes.

"How's she doing?!" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"Her eyes look puffy, pretty much like yours. It seemed as though she cried the night" He said quietly. Shaan felt his heart ache immediately. He opened his mouth again, which Shaan took to be the start of another lecture from Mitul and cut him off.

"Why are you here again" Shaan asked him irritably

Mitul laughed. "I told you I came to check on bhabhi God! I also ----came to drop off Tasha by the way!"

"Brilliant! " mocked Shaan getting out of bed. "All that I need!----- The presence of my ex-fianc in my house will SURELY help me reunite with my wife!" he said sarcastically, throwing the sheets away towards the other side of the bed.

"Thant's right buddy! Now get dressed and come down. We have a lawyer to tackle."

"WWHAT?!! Who called a lawyer?!" Shaan was completely blown off by the news.

"Don't ask me dude! Bhabhi is already getting ready to meet him. Shaan you know what to do right?" He looked at him seriously. Shaan said nothing.

"You go ahead. I'll join you after the shower" and he stormed off to the bathroom. But when Shaan came out ten minutes later, Mitul was still sitting on the sofa.

"I told you to go na!" Shaan said.

"Listen Shaan," Mitul said going up to him "The whole world wonders why I am so secure inspite of the past between you and Tasha. Really the whole world does! " Shaan looked at him sharply. "But you know WHY I am so secure about it all? Haven't you ever wondered why it doesn't bother me what you had with her? " he paused. "It's because I believe in the love you and bhabhi share.-----------and that's all I needed to believe---- I've seen it----I've felt it-----that's all that made me secure -------the fact that I was secure about yours and bhabhi's relationship and the bond you guys share----------you get my drift? " Shaan looked a bit perplexed. " If I-----out of all the people in the world have the strongest belief in your love----then I think it's high time that you have that belief too-------the belief that you two are MEANT to be together! You need to fight Shaan-----fight rather than drown yourself in alcohol every time bhabhi tells you she hates you. "

Shaan looked ashamed. "C'mon lets go" he slapped Mitul on the shoulder and the two went outside to join the family and the lawyer.

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7^th November 2011, 11:15

" Well as the circumstances suggest-----" Mr. Mihir carried on but was interrupted by Sunil.

" Mihir. Hindi please. Khanak has difficulty understanding English. "

"Haan toh main kah raha tha-----kay aap dono-----", he pointed to Shaan and Khanak, who were sitting at opposite sides of the room, Khanak's eyes fixed on the lawyer and Shaan's eyes fixed on her. "---talaak laina chahtay hain right?"

Shaan opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a glare by his father.

"Jee----" Khanak said softly. "Mujhay inn say alag hona hain. Mainay yay shadi majboori main kee thee----laikin main----ub in kay saath nahi rehna chahtee-----" She said this looking down. Shaan continued to stare at her, trying to make eye contact with her, hoping that his eyes would gather the lost love in Khanak's eyes if he did.

"Kanoonun----agar app apnay pati say alug hona chahtee hain-------" Mihir said pointing to Khanak " ------toh aap ko koi nahi roke sakta------" Shaan felt his heart pushed to the pit of his stomach but Sunil quitenened him with another hard stare, which no one seemed to notice except Shaan. "LAIKIN----- iss main ek masla hain----" Mihir continued.

"Kya masla hain Mihir" Sunil asked. "Khanak Shaan say alug hona chahtee hain. Iss main kya masla hosakta hain?" Shaan looked at his father in disbelief. What the heck was he saying?! Did he hit the bar the previous night too? He freaked out suddenly but remained quiet as mihir opened his mouth again.

"Masla yay hain Sunil sahib----kay aapkee bahu ka damaghee santulan theek nahi hain!" Shaan looked at Mihir in shock but Sunil looked composed. Khanak looked confused. She spoke up first and Shaan saw Sunil give Mihir a small nod of the head and realization dawned on him that this was all his father's doing. " MUTLUB yay kay appki bahu ka accident hua hain--------jiss ki wajah say who apni zindagee ka ek saal bhool chukee hain! Aisay haalat main talaak NAHI hosakti" he said crisply. Khanak opened her mouth in protest. "JUB TUK------" Mihir overrode her and spoke loudly "---innn ka dimagee santulan THEEK nahi hojata-----yay na sirf talaak lay sakti hain-------balkay Shaan kay saath EK hi ghar main rehna bhee zaroori hain! -------Dimaagi Santulan theek hojayay toh beshuk talaak lain!"

"Mera dimagee santulan THEEK hain!" Khanak said through gritted teeth.

Sunil spoke up. "Khanak beta" he said looking at her and Khanak immediately calmed down. She had begun to really like him. And when he said 'beta' she would be reminded of Suraj's father who she dearly missed. "Beta Mihir Mumbai kay janaay manaay lawyer hain. Agar wohh kah rahay hain toh theek hee hoga. Tumhara ilaaj toh yahan ho hee raha hain--------jub tumhari yaadasht wapis ajayay gee-----toh tum Shaan say alug hojana---------tumko koi nahi rokay ga-------yahan iss ghar main tumharay saath koi zabardasti nahi karay ga-------" he said calmly. Khanak looked at him and something told her to believe him.

"Well I guess that's settled then!" Shaan got up abruptly and put his hands in his pockets. His eyes met Khanak's for a split second before Khanak looked away angrily and Shaan bit back a smirk. "Thank you Mihir jee" he said before finally walking away. Khanak looked behind him with confused jumbled up feelings.

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7^th November 2011, 13:00

"Bai?" Khanak said as she entered her room. "she had not seen her mother all morning. Khushboo had come to give her medicines and had left in a hurry when she had seen Khanak in a miserable state, not wanting to explode and let her emotions lose as she was bound to. After that dadi had entered to give her breakfast but her mother had been missing. "Baii?" she called again. Her eyes fell at the spot where her mother's paiti lay. It was missing. Khanak panicked, then realized that her mother had left. For no paiti meant no mother. "Baiii!!" she yelled even more loudly, suddenly feeling scared. Shaan was in the hall talking on his cell phone when he heard Khanak yell. He rushed to her room and saw her sprawled in a corner, crying her eyes out. Seeing Shaan she immediately got up, went over to him anger etched all over her face, snatched the phone out of Shaan's hand and threw it across the room where it smashed into smithereens. Holding Shaan's collar and shaking it madly she said "MERI BAI KAHAN HAIN?!!BATAO! She let go of him, breathing heavily as Shaan looked all across the room, stunned in the moment.

"Tum nay-----TUM nay meri Bai ko wapis bhaija hain na!! TUMNAY NA?!! BOlO!!!" she screamed, going totally hysterical.

"Khanak!! Khanak!!! ' Shaan tried to grab her shoulders but she moved back. "Mainay----Mainay toh----"

"CHUP HO JAOOO!! CHUPPP!!" she screamed, her finger on her lips to demonstrate. "Yay sub--------yay sub----tumhara kiya hain na?! " She said menacingly. "Tum nay uss wakeel ko bulaya takay main yahan say na ja sakhooo--------tum nay mer Bai ko bhaij diya taakay main akeli hojaoo----------kun kar rahy ho tum yay?!! BATAOOO! " she yelled again.

"Khanak----" Shaan whispered, coming close getting hold of strands of Khanak's disheveled hair and attempting to push it back. Khanak pushed him back. "Tum mujahy iss ghar main kyun rakhna chahtay ho?!! " she said in a rush, sounding hysterical, her voice breaking. "KYa rishta hain humara!!? Na humaray rishtay ka koi NAAM hain--------na hi koi PEHHCHAAN!! Kyun tumm----------kyun tum mujhay iss ghar main rakhhay huay ho--------KYUN BHAGWAN BANNAY KI KOSHIH KAR RAHAY HO TUM!!BOLO KYUN!?! KYUN SHADI KI TUMNAY MUJH SAY?! Nahi chahiya mujhay tumharee madud!! " she pressed her hands together " Nahi chahiyay mujhay bhagwan!" she cried.

Shaan had had enough. He grabbed her by her arms and pinned her to the nearest wall. Khanak was too stunned to speak by his sudden movement. "Bhagwan bannay ki koshish nahi kar raha hoon main!!" he said through gritted teeth, breathing heavily, his mouth just an inch away from hers. "Main tumhara pati hoon! Tum meri zimmedari hon!"

"Kisnay sonpee apko yay zimmedari?! " Khanak finally spoke, challenging him, her arms beginning to smart with pain horribly where Shaan was holding her. Shaan brought his body closer to hers. Khanak felt a jolt in the pit of her stomach at his proximity. It shocked her that the closeness did not disgust her.

"Tumnay!" he breathed. "Mainay tum say shaadi nahi kee thee------TUM nay mujh say shadi kee thee----kyunkay tum meri jaan bachana chahti thee" he continued to speak clearly but menacingly, giving Khanak goosebumps. He let go of her arms and moved back staring at. She continued to look at him too, with a blank expression on her face.

And as Khanak registered the words that Shaan had spoken, clear flashbacks of him getting beaten up by sticks entered her mind. The pictures were so vivid, it could have happened yesterday and then she heard herself say "MAIN ISS kay saath lagun karna chati hoon-------meri DOH shartein hain--------doosree shurt waqt aanay par bataoo geee--------" She heard Shaan say, picturing him holding his stomach in pain, "Kya tum ----kya tum mujh say shaadi karna chahti ho?"

Khanak's eyes flashed to meet Shaan's who was still studying her expressions. She looked away instantly. Shaan decided to leave the room. Slamming the door behind him, he left Khanak alone with the shock of her new found memories.

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7^th November 2011, 14:00

Khanak read her mother's letter again and again.

Beta. Tum nay Shaantanu say shaadi iss liyay nahi ki thee kyunkay humay paisay chahiyay thay. Tum nay uss say shadi us ki jaan bachanay kay liyay ki thee. Apnay parivaar ki izzat bachanay kayliyay ki thee. Uss din mujhay sahi mano main pata chal gaya tha kay tum ko mainay sahi sanskar diyay hain.

Tum nay wohi kiya jo tumko karna chahiyay tha. Aur Shaantanu nay tum say lagun karkay wohi kiya jo ussay karan chahiya tha. Tumko Mumbai lana.

Iss say zyada main aur kuch nahi kahoo gee beta. Buss itna hee, kay Shaantanu tumhara pati hain.Mujhay yakeen hain beta kay tum meray diyay huay sanskar ka palan karo gee.

Tumharay Adak o meri zaroorat hain. Main wapis Dhulwadi ja rahi hoon. Laikin tumhara ghar ub Mumbai hee hain.

Tumharee Bai.

Khanak folded the letter and realized she had no tears in her eyes. She looked at her eyes in the mirror and all she saw was guilt in them.

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7^th November 2011, 23:30

If Mitul had thought that Shaan would not hit the bar after the lecture he gave him, he was wrong. Shaan had predictably made himself available there at 11:30 PM sharp, making his mind to drown himself in beer this time. As soon as he picked himself a glass and put ice in it he heard a voice that made his heart beat rise.

"Aaap Madira saivan kartay hain? " Khanak said and Shaan turned around, surprised. He registered the use of the "Aap". That, more than anything else, made him smile.

"Haan----kabhee kabhaar kar laita hoon" he said casually, sensing Khanak's discomfort and trying to make her feel at ease. He knew she was thinking about the encounter with him that afternoon.

Khanak looked surprised and asked innocently "Aapko madira saivan ka mutlub pata hain?"

Shaan grinned. Khanak counted two dimples, one on each cheek. She felt her stomach churn watching him smiling. His smile was infectious. She smiled too. Then suddenly looked down, wringing her hands, looking nervous and scared. Shaan studied her hand movements and knew she had come to apologise. She used to always wring her hands when she knew she was at fault. He realized that his Khanak was right there! Everything about her was the same! It made him adore her all over again.

"Haan pata hain-----pehlay nahi pata tha----phir kisi nay sikha diya----" he looked into her eyes, forcing her to look into them too. She did. She liked what she saw in them. But she couldn't waste time. She had to hurry up and do what she had wanted to.

"Wohhh main-----wohhh mainnn----mujahy humaree shadi-------" she mumbled broken sentences.

"Koi baat nahi Khanak-----" Shaan interrupted her, ecstatic at realizing what she was trying to say. She remembered. She remembered their wedding! She remembered that fateful day!

"Mujay maaf kar dijiyay----" Main kuch zyada hee bole gaee na?----" she said, her lips dropping, her innocent eyes looking at Shaan, who fought the urge to grab her and kiss her.

"Nahi Khanak! Tum zyada nahi bolee! " Shaan said straightening himself on the chair. " Actually tum nay theek hee kaha tha-----humaray rishtay ka koi naam nahi hain-----koi pehchaan nahi hain-----toh kyun na main-----hum-----isay ek naam dain day?" he offered. Khanak looked up at him with her big questioning eyes.

"Mutlub?" she asked.

"Mutlub yay kay----lets be friends-----errr mera mutlub hain-----kya hum dost ban saktay hain? : he asked genuinely. 'Hmmm?"

Khanak looked at him and saw him give her a small smile. Again she smiled back. It was the first time after days that she had felt so light hearted; almost like she was with a real friend. She nodded. Shaan's smile widened and Khanak noticed a perfect set of beautiful white teeth. He got off his chair. Khanak felt alarmed at his advance and moved back. He snorted.

"That's great!" he exclaimed. "Friends!" 'Finally' he said in his mind and laughed elatedly. "Jao jakay so jao!" he said to her coming close. She moved back a little, her heart beat rising at the proximity.

She turned to leave.

"Suno Khanak!" Shaan said and she turned immediately, almost as though she knew he'd call her back. "Kya main----kya tumko kal doctor kay paas-----main lay jaoo?" he asked hopefully. Since the past 10 days her mother had been accompanying her to Dr.Geeta and Dr. Mitul and Shaan would just get the verbal reports.

Khanak looked a bit scared and uncertain at first, then slowly smiled a little and nodded again. Shaan felt happy and turned away from her. "Ek shurt par----" she exclaimed loudly. "Aap madira saivan nahi karay-----" she said "Nahi karay gay na?" she questioned him. She didn't know why she was stopping him from drinking. All she knew that it was important that he didn't drink.

"Dosti kee hain----- nibhanee toh paray gee" he said keeping the glass back at the stand, and smiling at Khanak's back as he saw her climb up the stairs.