Khanak too removed her palms from her moist face and moist eyes, and without talking to anybody, walked back to her room and locked it from inside.
Sunil, Madhavi and Akshay talked to the Sharmas for while and then retreated back to their own home. It was unanimously decided that Shantanu and Khanak cannot get married before October 2012.
Shantanu was terribly upset with no one listening to him…….. he went home and took a shower………after which he went to the office to take care of handover of the factory project that he was leaving……..he met Samir and told him about all that happened at Khanak's house.
"When did you decide about this Hyderabad thing?"
"Just yesterday……"
"But there are so many solutions to such problems in natal charts…… Can't they do some puja or something?" asked Samir.
"God knows," said Shaan in an exasperated tone, "Our elders are so stubborn…… they don't even want to listen."
"They are not against your marriage Shaan…………they are not your enemies……. Just that they are scared of your future and want to play safe."
Shaan frowned bringing his eyebrows together and ran a nervous hand in his hair, "I hope she is fine…………..I saw her so upset. She must be crying."
Samir didn't speak anything but gave a sad, sympathetic expression.
Shaan asked Samir to look into the files and write queries in a place…………and stood up taking out his phone, "I'll call her, you let me know if there are any doubts."
"Sure."
Shaan moved out of Samir's cabin, pressing keys of Khanak's number.
She answered after a few rings.
"Hello….." she spoke slowly with a choked throat.
"Khanak………….if problems could be solved by simple acts like crying……..then even I would have joined you."
"Hmm…………..but when there seems no hope…………crying can at least relieve the stress……."
"Even if it causes stress to others???"
She was quite for a few seconds……..and then cleared her throat, "Sorry…….. won't cry now."
"Thanks……………this is nothing sweetheart………….we have seen much more difficult times."
"Hmm………" she wanted him to hug her and say all this but unfortunately she was alone in her room. She picked up a small cushion and hugged it tightly and held the phone as if it was her life.
"Don't worry…………we'll do something."
"Hmm……….."
"Are you with me?"
She kept quite and bit her lip…..
"Khanak…….."
"Hmm…………"
"I just asked something."
"I was scared when panditji said all those things……"
"It is justified…………..still you will have to take a stand. I just want to know that whether you are with me in this or not."
"I don't know Shaan…………I really don't know……." Her tears flew down again.
He had expected this and did not hold her responsible for behaving like this…….. any girl would be worried if told such things about future.
"It's okay sweetheart………….obviously, you too believe in this………I should have expected that when Ma, papa and Jai believe so strongly. Anyways, this just increases my workload but doesn't deter me…………at all."
"I love you……"
"Why don't you stand with me?"
"I want to………..but I am so scared……….."
"Alright……..I'll try my best………….but my strength is halved when I have to convince 'you' too………"
"Shaan, I wouldn't have been worried, if you were here……..I would have spent each day with you and this one year would have passed quickly………but, now that you are going………….I don't know what I will do in this one year……."
He got irritated, "Still, you don't want to support me………….. you can stay away for damn good one year, but can't marry me and accompany me……."
She retorted back, "Even you are going away……….. you have the heart to leave me here and go for an year……………. even I could have asked you to stay here………. for me……….."
"Khanak………..I don't want to start a fresh round of fights with this……….so it's better that we don't talk more…….."
"Fine………..then disconnect the call……………even I am too upset to talk…………"
He disconnected and she was back to her crying mode……….hiding her face in her pillow and wetting it, trying to ask herself to be brave.
Shaan spent the day in the office…………finishing off the files………he didn't talk much to his dad and Akshay. He only talked to Samir and left with him.
At dining table…………Sunil, Madhavi and Akshay were about to finish their dinner when Shaan entered the house.
"Shaan, we had been waiting for you…………..where were you?" said Madhavi.
"Mom, I was with Samir." Said Shaan entering the dining space……..his face appeared dull and he looked distressed.
Madhavi felt bad for him. She got up and held his hand to make him sit at the chair. Taking a fine corelle plate, she laid it in front of him and served him dinner. He kept looking at the plate and did not move……..lost in his thoughts. Madhavi looked at Sunil and they exchanged a worried glance. She took a spoon and gave it in Shaan's hand, and spoke, "Shaan………..start……"
He raised his face to focus on Madhavi and said, "Mom, even 'you' believe in all this?"
"Yes Shaan…………and you know that. We do everything according to the favourable days and planetary positions…………. And even if it comes to taking a risk……………I cannot take a risk with your happiness and your life…………"
"So do you believe that this decision of yours is going to make us happy?" he spoke in a distressed tone.
"Maybe not…………but this is a temporary phase ………we need to consider the future in longer terms."
He left the spoon and held Madhavi's hand with his both hands, "Mom, please……… please……….for once can you not forget these horoscopes and what Panditji said?"
Sunil and Akshay looked helplessly.
Madhavi was teary eyed, "Shaan, I wish I could help you in this………..but my answer is 'No'……."
He got up and made a space by moving his chair backward and went up in frustration. Rest of the three people on the table could understand his anger but did not want to support him.
After an hour……..at around 10.30 pm………..
Shantanu came down……….and went directly to the main door.
Madhavi and Sunil had been sitting in the living room and talking. Madhavi noticed Shaan and gave a call, "Shaan……"
"Yeah…….." he turned back.
"Where are you going…………so late at night?"
"Ma's house……….."
"No point Shaan………….she is more religious………..more resolute……….and stricter than me regarding these things………"
"Still, I'll try………….I am more tenacious…………..more persistent……………and more stubborn than all of you together…………."
"She won't budge…….."
"I know…………but I will at least be relieved that I tried enough………"
Madhavi nodded and shrugged not understanding him……. he shrugged too in a silent reply and moved out.
Ma had done her last attempt to make Khanak eat something but she didn't succeed.
Khanak had been sitting in Jai's room as Jai wanted to talk to her. She had been alone in her room since morning and Jai knew how upset she was, so he simply sat with her and talked about so many different things, just to make her feel better.
The doorbell rang and Ma looked at the wall clock……………11.00 pm.
"Who could be, at this hour?" Jai wondered.
"Who else?" Ma shrugged, "than our very own 'restless Shaan'………"
Khanak felt her heart fluttered at the mere mention of his name…………she smiled at herself at feeling something like this even after years and years of knowing each other.
"Ma, shall I go and open?" she lifted herself.
"No, you sit here………"
Ma instructed her and left. She was right and when she opened the door, even she felt bad for him looking at his upset and distressed face.
She brought him in Jai's room after closing the door.
"Hey !! The way you went out in the morning, I felt you won't come back till October 2012." joked Jai.
"Very funny…………" Shaan spoke irritated at him and looked at Khanak, who looked as anguished as himself.
Jai chuckled looking at their faces.
"Cheer up guys………..this is a common problem……….Panditjis decide marriage dates in our country and most of times, it is somewhere after 6 months to 1 year…… sometimes 2 years also…………this is not a huge tragedy that happened with both of you."
"Haan Haan………..why will you bother? You are getting married in 2 months."
Jai laughed loudly, "Given a choice, I will anyday postpone my marriage to October 2012. But, no such luck."
"Bro, please understand……….he is going away in 15 days………..and then we won't even be able to meet ……" Khanak spoke.
Ma interrupted, "Shaan, will you have coffee??"
"I haven't eaten anything……."
"Oh !!! actually, that's very good………….even she hasn't…………….I tried so much. I hope she eats now………."
"Yeah…………….she will……….."
"Okay, I'm bringing it here…….." Ma said.
Khanak stood up too……….. to help Ma. And Shaan sat with Jai talking about his Hyderabad company and how he was compelled to take a decision of moving to Hyderabad. Jai understood their problem but still was wary of taking a step when horoscopes were involved and they were warned of dire consequences.
"Jai, you have already said that you are not with me…….." Shaan said in desperation.
"I think, for the first time in life…………"
"Yeah……….. I don't know how I will do it………."
"Shaan…………..have patience………..there is no need to take risks………"
"Risk….??" Shantanu twitched his lips.
Ma and Khanak laid the food on a small table in Jai's room and she gave a plate to Shantanu.
"Okay, so you people sit and talk………..I am going in my room."
"Ma," Shaan got up and held her hand, "sit with us………….I came to talk to you…."
"Shaan, we are not talking anymore in this regard. My decision is final." Said Ma firmly.
"Ma, at least we can talk out and find a mutually agreeable ground……"
Ma smiled, "there can not be a mutually agreeable ground……….either you marry or don't………….and all of us have decided that you don't…….for one year."
Shaan took a deep breath and left it…………..with an annoyed look on his face.
…………………………………………………………………………
Eleven days passed…………
Each day was as difficult as an year in itself. Shaan completed all formalities of handing over the project files to Akshay. Sunil had not been happy with this but didn't speak much as he knew that Shaan was going through distress at all levels…..
Shaan tried hard to convince each and every person especially the two mothers who absolutely refused to talk to him on this………..they were just not going to take any risk
On Shaan's insistence, Ma had gone to another Panditji who also predicted more or less, the same future, in case they married.
Samir, Jai and Akshay…………understood but did not have courage to counter-act their parents or the planets as such.
Shaan and Khanak met everyday……….fought most of the times…………patched up immediately………..knowing very well that there wasn't much time left to be spent together……..
Shaan started losing hope and it was hardly 4 more days that he had to leave for Hyderabad. He realized it more when he got the confirmed plane tickets in his hand.
As usual, at night, before going to sleep, he called her.
"I was waiting for your call…………why are you late today……."
"Yeah, I was talking to dadi……….she just came in the evening……."
"Oh !! how was her time in Pune?"
"Awesome…."
"Tell her that I'll come to meet her in a day or two…….."
"Yeah…….."
"Was she knowing ?"
"Nopes………….she knew nothing……….neither about my going to Hyderabad, nor about our wedding getting postponed."
"She must have felt very bad……"
"Yes, she was very upset that we didn't call and tell her…….."
"Hmm………."
"Khanak…………"
"Yeah……."
"I have tickets in my hand………."
She started getting goosebumps all over…… and she rubbed her arm with her free hand. For a few moments, she was speechless…….and avoided to cry…………avoided to imagine him going away…..
He continued, "I got them booked for both of us……."
"Both of us?" she was confused.
"Yeah………..at least in papers, you are going with me…………and I just didn't want to lose hope………."
"Hope??? What are you talking?? Just 4 days are left and you fly on the fourth day…….. you know very well that we can't get married in 4 days."
He clutched the tickets in his hand tightly, "I'm still holding on to it………"
She bit her lip and left it immediately, thinking of him.
"Khanak….."
"Yeah…."
"Shall I cancel it all?? I'll drop the offer and find something else in Delhi? I'll stay back….." he said almost deciding……he got up from his bed and marched around in his room in anxiety.
"No Shaan……….don't do that…..," she said strongly.
"I am thinking ten things at a time………..I am so confused………." He spoke in a frustrated tone.
"I understand………but, you know, once you go and join, it won't be that difficult…… the way you work, this year will pass fast……….you won't even get time to remember me……." Her throat choked again.
"Don't say like that…..."
"Sorry….."
" So are we back to square one?"
"No other option…….."
"With even 'you' standing against me?"
"Even if I supported you, what could have been done? We can't marry against our parent's wishes……"
"We can….."
"No……….they have been so good to us….."
"I don't know…………will you marry me, if nobody supports us?"
"Shaan, you are talking nonsense now……"
"I am not………..I'm just asking you………"
"No Shaan………"
"It just happened that our parents were not against our choice of partner………but now they are against circumstances………tell me, if you were really pregnant, even then would Ma have listened to that Pandit?"
"No……..definitely not…….."
"It is nothing but our own satisfaction and feel-good thing that we agree with what all these Pandit's say………"
"I know that………….but still it's scary…………."
"Why don't you understand that problems have already increased, peace has decreased, hurdles have already amplified……….getting married is nothing related to it………is the next year going to be better if we don't marry?"
"It's going to be the worst………."
"I can fight with anything Khanak……..if you are with me…………but I don't want to fight 'with you'…….."
"What do we do then?"
"You have two days to think………….we are getting married after 2 days……the day Rishabh and Sonya are getting married………."
"Shaan………" she was now biting her nails.
"Good night sweetheart………"
………………………………………………………………………..
Khanak slept but kept tossing and turning in bed……….she woke up by 4.00 am again….
'No, I can't go against Ma, papa and Jai………..they are not against Shaan or me……. They are concerned……….worried about us……….how can I ditch them?'
She got up and washed the sweat off her face and touched her dolphin pendant……..
'How mean of you Shaan………….how can you ask me to choose………. Between my family and you……..? I love all of you………..'
She was reminded of a convo where he had asked if she will support him, if their parents were against their marriage………..and she had said that she would be with him, will convince her parents that a girl has to go after getting married…….
'Oh God !! I don't want you to go Shaan………….I don't want to live without you even for a day……….how will this one year be?'
She panicked and tried to sleep again……..not getting any more sleep, she put earplugs and tried to listen to some music……….
After a few minutes, she switched her ipod off and picked up a book to read……..only to realize after almost 15 minutes that she didn't even understand a single word……
Frustrated she kept everything back, switched off lights and ducked inside the quilt.
Her heart beats defied her………..her reflexes didn't support her and she felt she could not breathe normally………..she got up once again………..and walked around her room….. rubbing her arms to get rid of the goosebumps. She switched the AC off and picked up her phone to call him.
He had been sleeping peacefully………either he didn't sleep……..if he did, it was usually calm….
He picked up the phone, knowing very well that she was the one calling him, at this odd hour, "Hey sweetheart," he spoke without even opening his eyes…….in a very sleepy tone.
"So mean of you," she whined, "you gave me a sleepless night……and there you sleep peacefully !!"
"Sorry……….I shouldn't have," he chuckled.
"Wow !! How relaxed you sound !! Of course…….after relieving all your tensions on me……..Humphhh !! Not done Shaan………..I'm so restless !!!"
He laughed and got up to sit on the bed, "what happened?"
"Were you serious when you said that we are getting married after 2 days?"
"Day after tomorrow……."
"Shaan, I can't betray Ma, papa and Jai."
"No-one is betraying anybody……….we'll tell them before-hand and get married. If they choose to bless us………..they can………..if they don't………..their wish." He shrugged.
She smiled, "and you are so confident that I will say 'yes'………."
"You WILL sweetheart…………….no-one says 'no' to me………" he spoke with a smug tone.
"Really!! Be ready for a shock of your life…….."
He chuckled, "Not your cup of tea………ha………let the shocks be reserved for our family."
"No Shaan………….we can't do this."
"We are doing this dear……….day after tomorrow………just after Rishabh and Sonya's wedding………"
"But Shaan……….." she was anxious again.
"I'll clarify all your doubts tomorrow……….now can I go back to sleeping?"
"How casual !!"
"I was not……………..am forced to……….take care."
He disconnected and she was back to biting her nails, her lip………marching around and panicking !!!
……………………………………………………………………………………………
The day when Rishabh and Sonya were getting married…………….
……………………………………..a day before Shaan was supposed to leave…………
Khanak was getting ready for Sonya and Rishabh's wedding………. She wore a mustard yellow chiffon saree with red border and fine delicate embellishments……..she wore fine delicate jewellery with it... looked at herself in the mirror and murmured, "Perfectt !!'
Ma entered her room………..watched her daughter, looking extremely pretty and reached out to hold her face, bending it to kiss her forehead.
"Wait a minute….." Ma went to her room and brought a pretty gold necklace with 'rajwaadi' carving……it was extremely pretty and ethnic……paired with a set of ear-rings.
"Wear this," she spoke and made Khanak wear the set……..which made the look complete……..an ethereal beauty complementing the another one,…..
Khanak felt as if she was carrying a heavy rock on her heart when Ma put a 'kaala tikka' behind her ear.
"You look amazingly beautiful, Khanak."
"Ma……." Khanak blushed and lowered her eyelids, not able to meet her eyes.
"You know………..as we are basically from U.P………..in our side, girls wear mustard saree with red border on the wedding day……….I feel as if you are the bride yourself….."
Khanak hugged Ma and held her tightly.
"Chalo, leave me……….whenever I think of your marriage, I feel emotional." Ma held tears in her own eyes, not letting them drop and spoke detaching her, "Khanak, is Shaan leaving for Hyderabad tomorrow?"
"Yes," Khanak nodded, wearing mustard and red bangles.
"Is he fine?"
"Hmm…….." she nodded in an answer.
"By the way………….Madhavi called………..it seems Shaan wants to meet all of us before we go for Rishabh's wedding………so we are first going to Khandelwal house…..
Jai has left with Ragini………you drive us with you."
"Yeah………….just a few more minutes………" Khanak applied minimal make-up and brushed her hair, letting them loose…………her heart beat once again out of sync with her own self !!
………………………………………………………………………………………….
It was around 6.30 pm…….
Everybody reached Khandelwal house and they were seated in the living room……they talked between rounds of coffee and snacks.
Khanak did not waste much time and headed upstairs before people notice her. Taking hesitant steps, she pushed the door to step inside his room…….he was about to come out and opened the door………and saw her there…….they met at the doorway and smiled.
"You look gorgeous….."
"Well……..You look handsome !!" she complimented him and he smiled at this rare gesture from her……she observed him head to toe…….he wore a crisp, spotless, white shirt and blue jeans……..his watch being the only accessory he ever carried…… and looked stunning, as always.
She smirked and pressed her lips.
"What makes you laugh?" he cornered her……..slowly pining her to the wall…….still maintaining a decent distance.
She held the first button of his shirt and the lapels without disturbing the creases……and slowly she whispered, "You in jeans and me in a simple saree………isn't it the way 'you' wanted to get married? You always have your way……"
He smiled………… a rare, really huge smile……..and spoke. "Does that mean, that you are saying yes to my nth proposal??"
"I have said 'yes' to all your proposals………"
"But this one was special and final……..I was scared………..you could have said 'no'….."
"I just thought, that if I don't support you now and stay aloof………..aren't we proving the horoscopes right? Irreconcilable differences will start right here…………so I wanted to stop this, here itself………"
He smiled more……..and observed her chin……..her hair……..her nose ……..and her deep, dark, smoking hot eyes…..
"Whattt??" she asked confused, not knowing what he thought.
"Haven't said 'I love you' in a long long time……"
"Well………..you can say it now………"
"I love you……."
"I know that………….I am such……….that everyone loves me……….."
He smirked……..and gave her a peck on forehead, "So, shall we go and drop the bomb?"
"Yeah, Let's go !!"
……………………………………………………………………
(I purposefully wrapped up the sad parts faster……otherwise would have taken 2 more updates for the above,…….)
Next update – Shanak wedding !!!
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
