👏....Just read both parts Manita and loved them😊....You included the elements we wanted in the show....Hope to see Shaan continue his paatshaala lessons and hope the fun & masti remains in their relationship....In your FF and for the show, fingers crossed😃.....
Part 3.
Khanak tried to turn left and then right slowly but was unable to move without disturbing Shantanu. Shaan was still sleeping and he held her in a way that she was enveloped all over.
She became increasingly restless.
It's 7.00 am, I should be up by now. She thought''I have to go down and do so much work'how do I move now?
Slowly she snuggled near him and kissed him on his neck. Shaan gave a smile and hugged her tighter.
"Do you ever really sleep? Or is it sufficient to act like doing it?" she was surprised to see him awake.
"I was sleeping till I felt you squirming. What is it?"
"Chaliye, Hatiye'..I need to go down."
"whyyyy?"he dragged the y in why.
"It's already 7.00, don't you want to get
ready?"
"No'..because I came late, so I'll go late"
"But still, I need to see the kitchen'..and also to get the tea and breakfast ready"
"Khanak, believe me'.we used to eat'.really'.. before you came into the picture, six months back."
He said in a way that it made her laugh.
"I know, but I love doing that work too." She said while getting up and adjusting her clothes.
"But, we have ample staff for that'.I'm sure no one is going to miss you if you don't go down so early in the morning for one day." He too got up and moved the curtains to allow morning sunlight.
She didn't reply, just went in front of the mirror and started making her hair.
"Can I ask something?" she asked.
"No."
"Why?" she said surprisingly.
"I'm not feeling like answering any questions."
"Please Shantanu" she turned to him with a pleading and innocent face.
"Yaar, I really don't know why do you take permissions at all, when you have to do what you have already decided." He made a helpless face, "Chalo poocho."
"Ok, I have 3 questions ' 1st - what did you wanted to talk yesterday morning?" she said slowly, adding carefully, "and 2nd - what made you ask the reason for my feelings for you, last night, when you know it very well. I'll ask the third question when I get an answer to the above two."
"Khanak, have you ever heard about Bournvita Super Quiz?"
"Kya?....what is that?"
"Don't bother'.actually I'm feeling like a contestant. 'If you answer 2 questions, you'll reach level 2''." He imitated her while trying to control his laughter.
"I know that you are trying to evade, by diverting my attention. But if you want me to sit here with you instead of going downstairs, you have to consider answering." She was very composed.
This made him a little serious.
"Alright, come here and sit with me'. .." he took her hand and made her sit on the couch, "See, the answer to both of your questions is the same'..,"he paused as if weighing the words, "I might not be able to explain everything, but I wanted to make sure whether you trusted me."
"Why do you have to keep repeating it again and again? I have always said that I trust you."
"I know'..I'm sorry but till yesterday even I was not sure of myself. How could I expect everyone else to be sure of me. So it's kind of re-assuring myself."
"Shantanu'..what is going on in your mind? tell me, what is it?"
"Like I said'I might not be able to explain everything''till yesterday, we were trying to figure out our feelings for each other''.but today, when we are together''''I want you to know that there are many more things beyond that''there are lots of things about me and my life that you do not know at all. The most important of which is that my life is a lot more complicated than you think."
She listened patiently.
He continued, "there will be many times when I might behave irrational or unreasonable, I might act childish and senseless at times'.but I promise, this will not be a regular thing and in those times you have to stand by me with your trust and understanding. Your confidence in me will convince me to move ahead. And I assure you that I will never let you down for that. Are you with me?"
Khanak was trying hard to understand the hidden message but was unable to.
Finally, without thinking much, she said, "Yes, I am." At least this was something she was sure about.
"Then, the first thing I am going to do is talk to dad about my project."
"Is there any problem with that? You got that contract on your own!"
"Of course, I did ! but now, I want to go ahead with it as my own venture without any support. I mean, I have the idea and the experience, and now the contract too. But, till here, it was dad's support and his infrastructure which brought the contract. For the first time, we are venturing into apparel market. And I want to move ahead with a new business with everything achieved on my own experience'.I want to have my own staff, my factory and finances'.everything that I do on my own credibility."
"I will not question you on why, but Shantanu'..dad and Akshay bha might see it the other way and feel bad about it."
"No, they won't. I know they love me too much to misunderstand me." He smiled.
"How do you want me to help you?" she pressed his hand lightly to extend her support.
"Just two things, first is to be with me when I go to talk to dad. And secondly, please handover your empire, I mean your kitchen, to Harilal. I want you to be with me mostly, as I will need you more often."
"But'..how can I'.?.......I don't know anything, I haven't studied much also'." She expressed self doubt but also realised that she loved him for telling her to be with him.
"Leave that to me'.." he winked.
They decided to talk to Sunil and Akshay in the office as Shaan thought that extra opinions from mom, Khushboo and dadi can be detrimental to the final decision.
Initially, it was difficult for Sunil to understand them, but Akshay saw the reason and explained to him, "Dad, please don't see it as a separation. Shaan is not going anywhere. Just take this as a business extension. Businessmen do that so often and their sons take care of completely different businesses'..the only difference here is that he is not even asking us to finance him."
"Yes dad," Shaan regained the confidence with two people on his side, "You made me go to US to study business'.I want to see how much I can use it to my best. Our family business is well set and taken care-of by you and bhaiya'..let me experiment with this and try to set up a system on my own."
"I am just worried beta, that's all," said Sunil, "don't get me wrong. I don't doubt you but all I think is that I worked so hard all these years to give you all a secured future. I never wanted you to see that struggle phase."
"But Ada'.this struggle phase is the one that makes us tough and strong enough to sail through the obstacles that life offers. I know you will be proud of Shantanu when you see him successful." It was Khanak's turn. And like always, she won him through her smiles and logic.
"Ok'.but, we are there to guide you at every stage."
"Thanks dad'..I'll need that." Shaan was relaxed.
Their first mission was accomplished. Shantanu decided to use his dad's office for the time being till he finalised the site of the factory for his new project.
Shaan offered to drop Khanak back home but she politely declined saying that she would go with the driver. She did not want to distract him and also wanted to go to the temple on her way home.
''''''''''''''''''''''.
She reached the Sidhi Vinayak temple before the aarti. This was among those few places in Mumbai that she had seen. She had come here a number of times with Dadi. She took the coconut, thali and flowers and stood in the queue.
The queue moved forward slowly'as she reached the main premises near the Idol, she tried to take out the change to be offered but realised that her purse was missing. She looked here and there to see whether she had dropped it. But it was not in sight. She quickly did the pooja and ran outside looking for the purse. As she traced her path in reverse, she even tried asking a few guards on the way but to no avail. She started panicking now'
Calm down Khanak. You are in the temple, nothing will go wrong. She consoled herself.
She moved outwards rushing in opposite direction to the crowd. But the crowd was growing dense as it was a Tuesday. She was pushed by twice'.but she couldn't stop. The guards stopped her from going in reverse direction as there was a separate gate for exit. She tried explaining them but they could not help her because they had to handle a large crowd. She again tried to move in the reverse, when a strong hand gripped her at her forearm and dragged her to one side.
"Are you crazy? Do you want to cause a stampede and die under that? Just see that'" the voice was firm but calm; He left her hand immediately while speaking and indicated in the direction from where he had pulled her.
The crowd had increased and there was a sudden rush in that area with around 15-20 boys pushing inside the gates.
"Do you realise how unsafe it is?" he had command in his tone, but there was no urgency or anger.
"I am sorry'I mean thank you'Actually I have lost my purse and I was trying to locate it."
"like this?" Gaurav was not sure whether he was more irritated now or concerned. He hauled her to one side before the crowd increased in that side too and then led her through a separate gate to outside.
Once they were out of the main premises, he said, "I am sorry if I was rude, but even if you dropped your purse in the temple, there are bleak chances that you will get it back again. So forget about it and go back home."
"Can't we look for it again, just once?" she tried to see some hope.
"No Chance'.Don't you see the crowd? We are lucky that we are out, without getting hurt."
She gave a desperate look and started thinking fast about what she should do next.
"Any problems? I think your cash was in your purse, do you want me to drop you somewhere?"
"No, actually I have a car'.but my cellphone was in the purse'.how do I call my driver now?" she started thinking aloud.
"You can use my phone to call your driver."offered Gaurav.
"I don't remember his number'.my husband had saved it in my phone and I used to simply go to letter D and locate it and call him"
Letter D'.how cute was that. He thought to himself and turned to the other side to hide his smile.
"Your husband saved it? You don't read the word 'driver''?" he asked, still smiling.
"I didn't know how to, initially'.but later my husband taught me'he is a very nice man," she started speaking proudly, thinking of Shaan.
"hello'.I am not standing here to listen to how great your husband is," he started saying but changed the course when he saw the little disappointment on her face, "I mean 'definitely, he must be a very nice person, after all he taught you to read, but Madam, I am a busy person too'can you please tell me how can I help you?"
He decided that he could not leave her like that'.she did not have her purse, cash, phone and clearly looked out of place in this over-smart city'.she was definitely a small towner'.new to the city. He wanted to make sure that she reached home safely.
"I think I'll try to locate my car nearby'" she wondered.
"Tell me which make it is'"
"Make?"
"Oh God'.tell me the colour and driver's name'" he was sure that she was one masterpiece that he had met in his entire lifetime.
"Black'..the driver is new, his name is Shravan."
"You wait here'.I'll try to see if I can get him. Don't go anywhere." He instructed her before leaving and rushed along the main road.
After around twenty five minutes, Gaurav returned. He was sweating and looked clearly exhausted'..
"I couldn't find him'..he must have parked it somewhere far away'.to avoid the rush."
Khanak had been waiting at the same place. She gave a vulnerable look.
"What next?" Gaurav really wanted to help her.
He thought it as a waste of time to ask her for her address and residential phone number.
"I'll call my husband and ask him the driver's number." Khanak suggested.
"What?" He was shocked and gave an exasperated look, "You remember his number? Then why did you send me to look for the driver?"
"It didn't strike me at that time. I remembered this just now. I am sorry," her genuineness showed on her face.
"And for almost half an hour I am asking the name of the driver of every black car !!"
Clearly disgusted, Gaurav sat down on a stair and gave her his phone. She dialled the number.
Shantanu picked up the phone and was very worried when she told him the whole incidence. He told her to wait there and he himself wanted to pick her up. But Khanak assured him that she was safe and she would reach home with the driver.
She took the driver's number and with sign language instructed Gaurav to write it, who did it obediently'..
Once the driver got the call, he brought the car in front where Khanak had told him.
Mercedes'!!! It was a day of multiple shocks for Gaurav. He had, in fact, seen this car, but had discarded the possibility of this car belonging to this simple looking stranger. Now he felt like hitting himself'Really, looks can be deceptive.
"Thank you so much," Khanak turned to him, before sitting inside the car.
"Your welcome. And please take care of yourself as it seems you are new to the city. Just a thought, if your husband's phone was switched off or you could not call him somehow, then what was your next best option ?"
" I know the area where we live, and I know my husband's office building too. I would have taken the auto and given him the money after reaching home."
"You are not as stupid as I thought."
She ignored his statement.
"Give me your number, my husband would like to call you to thank you."
"Your husband has my number'.remember you just called him using my phone. I would like to meet him someday as your marriage and story must be very interesting. No need to thank again. I did it out of humanity."
"But I could have been hurt or lost. It could have been a bad experience. It was just a co-incidence that I met a nice person like you."
"There is no such thing as a co-incidence and we all are a part of a bigger picture. We meet only those who we are destined to meet."
"True, I agree with you'.I'm Khanak'.aapse milker accha laga."
"I'm Gaurav'..mujhe bhi accha laga."
Gaurav turned around to go to his own car and smiled at this different, funny and strange experience, completely oblivious to the fact that She was Shantanu Khandelwal's wife.
comment:
p_commentcount