~Trespassers Prohibited 2 ~ Update 13,14: page 134 - Page 94

"Shaan, are you kidding?? so early in the morning, you come with such lame jokes….."

Shaan and Khanak both looked at each other and then at Ma.

"Ma……I am not kidding…………..I came so late at night just to talk about this…… and we have decided that we are getting married in next 10 days !!"

"Decided??" Ma felt like laughing, "and……….who decided that?"

She turned to them.

"We decided………..Ma, we 'have' to get married within 10 days………..it's kinda 'urgent'….." Khanak spoke in a tone stressing on 'urgent', that made Shaan wanting to snigger loudly and he placed his hand on his forehead, looking away, hiding a broad smile…….coz he didn't need to speak anymore now…. She had done the damages…..

It was Ma's turn to open her mouth in shock, "Urgent ??!!"

She looked at Khanak with wide open eyes and then at Shaan who nodded in helplessness, shrugging his shoulders and looking everywhere except at Ma…… he wanted to speak but couldn't as he didn't know what to say to contradict Khanak.

He wanted to laugh but hid his smile unsuccessfully !!!

Ma was looking again at Khanak who nodded in a visible 'yes' when Ma stressed on 'urgent' too…..

"Khanak, I think we need to talk about this?"

"Yes, Ma…….even we wanted to talk about this……….."

Khanak knew that Ma had opened the door for Shaan, so obviously, she assumed that Shaan told Ma about his Hyderabad shifting and then asked her to marry him so soon…... not realizing one bit that Ma was thinking something else totally.

"When did you come to know of this Khanak?" Ma asked sternly.

Shaan felt best to interrupt now………he saw the discussion taking a drastic turn, "Ma, one second…."

"Wait Shaan !!" Ma silenced him, "Don't speak in between, I am talking to Khanak. So, Khanak, when did you come to know of it."

Khanak was clueless, she shrugged non-chalantly…..a most casual shrug……and replied carelessly, "Today itself Ma………"

"Good………but you didn't care to tell me !!" Ma spoke hurt.

"What could I tell you, Ma," Khanak spoke casually, "I was not sure myself…..but then Shaan called and when he heard me upset……he couldn't take it…..that is why Shaan came running at such odd hour……"

"Khanak, wait………I think there is some confusion," Shaan tried to speak, but this time he was silenced by Khanak herself, "It's okay Shaan, we don't need to hide anything from Ma………..she is very cool !!"

Ma touched her forehead with her palm, "I am cool…………but not 'that' cool Khanak…. Wait, I need to sit down."

She took few steps to settle at the couch and took deep breaths……Khanak was clueless as why she was behaving like that and Shaan used his eyes and brows to chide her….. she didn't understand and used her raised eyebrows to ask what he wanted to say. Shaan tried to whisper but was startled by Ma's flustered voice.

"Can you both come here?"

"Ma…...listen……."Shaan went and kneeled before her but Ma looked at his innocent face and touched his cheek.

"Beta, I don't know what to say….."

"Ma, let me speak …………I just want to……" Shaan again tried but Khanak came from behind to stop him, "It's okay Shaan…….Ma is obviously shocked. But such things are not that have to be kept hidden……..I mean not from family. She will support us if we tell her………..hai na, Ma?"

Ma took another deep breath, helplessness evident clearly on her face and nodded in a 'yes', though she was upset, "Of course !! I will support you as I don't see any other option……….but the only thing I would say is that I didn't expect this from both of you…………"

"I know Ma……….it feels bad………..I was upset too………but you know, the earlier you know, the easier it becomes to accept the facts……"

"But beta……….you knew you are getting married in 2 months……what was the hurry ?"

"There was nothing like hurry Ma………sometimes things happen UNPLANNED !!!"

"Khanak, can you please stop it……." Spoke Shaan visibly embarrassed, not knowing how would he get out of this…….what would he tell Ma to not think like 'what'…..

"It's okay Shaan," Khanak stopped him with an understanding tone, "Things like these so happen…."

"But Khanak…….Ma is …………" he gritted teeth frustrated at her.

"Shaaan…………cool it off…………I told you nah………..ma is pretty chilled out.

So Ma…………will you get us married in 10 days ??"

"Yeah," Ma nodded and sighed and got up.

"And you will also talk to Madhavi mom and his family………..I mean, you know how it is ?? They should not feel bad about all this…….."

Ma turned and said, "Don't worry Khanakdi…………….i'll handle everything."

"Wow!! You are Amazing !! world's best ma !!!" Khanak hugged her tightly and kissed her.

Ma hugged her back and said, "I'll handle………..Shaan, have coffee and go….."

He stood quietly, tongue in his cheek and looked embarrassed.

Ma left for her room to sleep…………even she knew that she won't be able to sleep now, till Khanak got married to Shaan, but still she didn't know what to talk to both of them so left for her room.

"Yeah……….." Khanak jumped victoriously, when Ma left………….and turned to him with a distinct sparkle in her eyes, "Congrats !!!"

He left a breath in exasperation and whispered, "To you too………"

"Not happy ?" she asked him.

"Very happy………….in fact………"

"See, I made everything so easy for us………….especially for you ………now Ma will talk to Madhavi mom and your family…….."

"Yeah, even I am thinking about that………….how will my family react……… how will I face them?"

"Face them?? Didn't you want to tell them yourself?"

"I wanted to sweetheart," he looked at her desperately, "But wanted to tell them about new job and Hyderabad shifting………not that I am going to become a dad……"

"What ??!!!!! Are you nuts ??" she was devastated.

"I am NOT but you definitely ARE !!"

"Hmm………….what do you mean??"

"What was the need to be so excited in front of Ma?" he gritted his teeth, angrily looking at her, frustrated palms forming fists and leaning towards her.

"Didn't you say that we should be getting married in 10 days?" she defended herself, scared now.

"Dumbo……….do you understand what Ma thought?"

"What ??"

"Gosh…………what will some one think………..get us married in 10 days…….it's KINDA URGENT !!!" he imitated her.

"Mmm………..don't scold me………..I meant Hyderabad shifting ……"

"That we know sweetie………" he smiled as if looking at a kid, completely frustrated, hopeless smile, "But Ma doesn't know……."

"You didn't tell her when you came?"

"No ………" he shrugged, "obviously not…………I came in a hurry to meet YOU……. and she just opened the door for me…….why will I stand here and talk to her?"

She giggled, "Oh My God !!! Ma thought that I am pregnant !!!"

"You made her think so," he sat devastated on the couch, "silly girl………"

She giggled more and more………….

He clenched his jaw in frustration, "Don't laugh………the day is too already too adventurous for me……..don't want anymore irritation."

"Gosh !! You reputation in my house is up for a toss……………again." she laughed.

"Wow !!" he stood up, "what is so exciting about it….."

"I just thought that what a comedy of errors……" she still laughed more but stopped when he came closer and held her wrist startling her.

His naughty eyes spoke more than she could understand.

"Shaan, I think you should go home now………" she blabbered out of nervousness.

He held the other wrist too and wringed them to twist behind her back.

"Shaan, will you have coffee?" she tried again……clearly nervous, but smiling and trying to free her hands at the same time. Her hands were tucked at her back and she looked at him helplessly………he smiled knowingly thinking of a definite punishment for her……

"Shaan, it is morning already……….go home……..or have tea………..coffee……….what are you thinking?" she fumbled with words.

"I think, already the reputation has gone in drains………….Ma thinks we did something that made us desperate to get married so soon……….she'll tell this to my family tomorrow………..so when everyone thinks like that about us………..why not make it a reality?" a husky voice spoke to her.

"You are teasing me? Right???"

"No sweetheart, you need to learn a lesson……"

"Shaan……..please………." her eyes played along with him and he came closer.

"What makes you such a chatterbox……….I kept stopping you and you…………"

"I am CRAZY !!" she completed for him.

"And you make me go crazy…………with everything you do…….." he spoke leaning forwards…….looking at her lips !!!

She trembled as he moved ahead………….not because of his closeness……… but because they were in living room and she knew that Ma was awake. She could come any moment…..

"Shaan, listen to me……..just one minute………." She struggled to free herself from his strong hold but he didn't do anything. He stood still as he was strong enough to hold her without flinching…….he had held both her wrists tucking her hands behind her back and smiled at her helpless and scared face.

"Bas? All your bravery and smartness is over….?? How scared, you look…..and btw,……you look so tempting…"

"Shaan, just leave me….." he whispered from between gritted teeth……with a smile on her face.

"No !! I'm sorry, but I can't….." he whispered too and bent his face over her……..he was just about to kiss her when she exclaimed, "Shaan……. Ma !!"

He left her hands and stood straight in a moment with a terrified expression on his face. He turned about and saw that there was nobody and she burst into a laughter pointing at his face while he clenched his jaw…..

She couldn't stop her laughter and he was embarrassed……..

He looked away to hide the smile with embarrassment off his face and when he turned to face her, she was still laughing………….for a moment, he felt lost in that beaming radiance taking away all his pain and worries. He would have wished eternity if granted here……

He kept looking at her……..amused, captivated and mesmerized……… and she kept laughing……. teasing him and when he still wasn't speaking anything, and was just looking at her…….…she felt bad and stopped laughing with a smile taking place of that laughter…..

He smiled too……..looking into her doe-eyes. She stepped ahead and curled her arms around his neck and gave him a feather soft peck on his chin, saying, "Sorry !! I was just having a little fun !!"

"Yeah, right !! I just saw that…………fun?? At my expense ??"

"What to do………….you are a constant source of surprise whenever I speak of Ma or Jai……."

"Khanak, Stop troubling me………what a devil you are?" he slipped his arms around her waist, placing his hands flat on her back, holding her like a precious sculpture, "You told Jai that I come here 'only' because of you………gave an impression to Ma that you are pregnant………. Don't you think you should be paying for all the damages done to my reputation?"

She smiled, "Shaan, don't 'you' think that you should be going home now?"

"No…………….I am not going……….." he declared.

"Why?"

He took two steps back to lean on the wall behind still holding her and brought her closer. She had her hands around his neck so she couldn't resist but slid unopposed…….. neither did she want to.

"Because, it's a beautiful night……" he spoke softly touching her nose with her own, "and I don't want it to end………"

"It is not night………..it is already early morning…….." she whispered, correcting him.

"Whatever, I'll go when people in your house wake up………"

"I don't think Ma would be able to sleep now….." she smiled pressing her lips.

"She won't come here either…………we have spoilt our reputation." He winked.

"I'll tell her the truth, first thing in the morning…………I AM NOT pregnant……."

"I will go after you do so……… I don't trust you………you will create some other misunderstanding………."

She smiled and tried to move away, only to realize that she was trapped…..

"Let me go…………someone will just step in………..it might look indecent…….."

"Kiss me and go…….."

"You are silly !!" she chided him, "We are in my living room….."

She tried to break free but failed, "Whaaattt !!!"

"Come for a long drive……."

"Really !!" her eyes sparkled, "Are you serious?"

She simply jumped at the idea.

"Of course I am………a long drive, early in the morning is extremely exciting….."

"I'll ask Ma?" she asked.

He nodded and gave a huge smile, smirking at her asking 'Ma'………who will obviously think that she went miles ahead without asking and now wants to ask about the long drive….

He released her and spoke, "Go !! Ask Ma and come back fast." She rushed inside while he fumbled with his pockets to find the car keys…..

She came back excited, "Ma said 'yes'………"

He sniggered again……..

"Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing," he tried hard to hide his smile.

"I am going to change the shorts and wear a jeans and then I'll ask you what makes you so happy !!" she spoke irritated and he simply nodded to agree.

"I'm outside, waiting in the car……." He rotated the keyring in his index finger and moved out.

In hardly 5 minutes, by the time, he started and reversed the car, she came almost sprinting to sit beside him.

"Hot !!"

"Shut up!!"

He shrugged and looked with 'what-did-I-do' expressions…….. Not getting a proper reply, he shrugged again and started the engine to take the car out of central Delhi.

"Where do we go?"

"Gurgaon Expressway………….best road to drive……….fast and safe…………long too………"

"Cool !! I love it….."

"I know that !!" he murmured.

The car moved towards outer areas of Delhi within a few minutes, as there was no traffic.

It was hardly 4.30 am and sun had not risen. The outside was dark and cool…….. the emptiness somehow gave the peace and balance to the otherwise crowded and busy Delhi roads.

She simply loved it.

"This is the first time, I am coming out on Delhi roads at an odd hour."

"Probably, the last too………."

"Hmm………?? Why ??"

"I am thinking that it wasn't a great decision…………no areas in Delhi are safe……… and it is still dark…….shouldn't have taken such a risk….."

"Relax Shaan…………I am not scared…………."

He turned to her amused, obviously impressed at her confidence on him.

"I'm flattered………"

"It's a fact………." She indulged him.

"Thanks……"

"For what ?"

"For your confidence on me…….."

"Oh hello !! I was talking about myself…………I know Karate………..can protect you too……….if you want………"

He laughed loudly………….unable to control, "Oh My God !! Why………..oh why do I expect normal answers from you…………you never fail to amuse me…….."

He was still laughing and laughing while driving.

It was her turn to observe him now…………again a beaming radiance………warming another heart !! he looked at her and shrugged, raising his brows, "What happened?"

She nodded, "Nothing………..okay, tell me…………"

"What?"

"Something was clearly amusing you……..at home……….what was that?"

He laughed loudly once again and this time, she felt hopeless……...

"Mmm……………so bad……….not fair………..tell me…….."

"You came out from Ma's rrom, so excited that Ma said 'yes'……….What will Ma say dumbo, other than a 'yes'……….did you ask her before you got yourself pregnant…"

"I am not pregnant………"

"Go and tell the world now………….I just decided that I am not going to contradict it in the morning"

"Nooo !!! You can't do that…….." she was shocked. She had been sitting turned completely towards him and now she raised her hands to aim for his neck, "I will kill you Shaan, if you do any nonsense like that……"

He sniggered teasing her, "You did enough nonsense………….now it's my turn. And you should learn to talk and behave………..you need a proper lesson."

"No Shaan, you can't do this………" her tone changed from challenging to pleading…… making him laugh again.

"I AM going to do that sweetheart !! Imagine……………what will Jai think……….your papa………...my mom………..my dad…………Akshay …………..Samir…………"

With every name he took, she nodded in desperation and finally hid her face in both her palms, "Nooo !!!!"

He laughed again and kept driving. They were out of Delhi now and were on Gurgaon expressway………….it was early morning and the dawn set in……….illuminating every thing in the early light and making it appear more beautiful.

"Hey !! remove those hands and see the beautiful airplanes taking off……….." he told her.

He took a turn towards Dwarka and stopped the car on a secluded road which was very near to the runway……….the runway was almost parallel to this road…………bounded by heavy fencing and shrubs………

She removed her hands and saw the view………….the huge airplanes taking a turn and speeding up at the runway, before they took off……….made a perfect picture in this early dawn……….the hugeness, the openness and the vast expanse mesmerized her. The timing was perfect too………..they were just the two of them on the whole road.

"Wow !!... Beautiful………."

"Isn't it……………..I knew that you would simply love this place………."

"I have fallen in love with it………." She spoke with a twinkle in her eyes.

Delhi Airport is a busy one and early morning is the time for most of the flights, so the planes kept coming in a row………..one after the other !!

They sat watching them and discussing the planes, airlines, their experiences of plane travel and their only plane journey together from Delhi to Mumbai……. when she was trying unsuccessfully to stay away from him……for nearly half an hour.

"You were teasing me, right?"

"About what?"

"That you won't contradict the blunder that I made in front of Ma….."

He smiled again……and swayed his jaw.

She made a desperate face, "You will not do this to me………."

"I won't………..don't worry….." he shrugged.

"I'll make up for the blunder here…….." she tilted her neck.

"Means?"

"Duffer…….."

"Oh no……….I am smart……….I was just shocked and didn't believe what I heard!!"

"The living room was dangerous……….this car is not….." she smiled coyly.

……………………………………………………………………..

The Khandelwals stationed themselves at the Sharma's residence……….on the insistence of Ma. She had called Madhavi saying she wanted to talk something important.

Shaan and Khanak became late with the long drive and by the time they reached back it was already eight o'clock.

None had imagined that Ma would be so restless that she would make a call early in the morning.

"Madhavi, I have called my Panditji too………….he is on his way."

"Panditji??"

Madhavi, Sunil and Akshay were surprised as were Jai and Mr. Sharma.

Shaan and Khanak were at the doors when they heard this………..and stopped in their tracks.

"Yeah, we need to get Shaan and Khanak be married as soon as possible."

"Ma, wait !! I want to say something." Shaan spoke, in between.

………………………………………………………………………..