Part 15
Jai bedroom
Abdul had dashed to his master's room on hearing the small pager beep unremittingly, that he always carried with him and was distressed upon seeing Jai lying down on the floor, breathing hard and shallow and face and body soaked in sweat. But he did not panic and call out for the entire world, instead he instantly rang up Shera, Jai's bodyguard and asked him to come to Jai's study as soon as possible and in between, he located the bottle of painkiller that Jai consumed and with great difficulty, made him have it alongside a glass of water.
Shera came inside Jai's study in no time and both of them help carry Jai to his bedroom and laid him down on his bed.
'Don't...tell...anyone...make...sure...especially...not...Massi...or Chote...okay?' slurred Jai, twisting in pain, but marvellously self-controlled yet.
'Ji Sahib...but when Doctor Sahib comes....' muttered Abdul, wiping Jai's face and trying to get him to drink some more water.
'No need...Shera...drive me down to Dr. Reddy's home...let me just recover a bit....we will take back entrance...no one should know...'
Both Abdul and Shera nodded their heads, worried as hell about Jai's condition, but so adeptly trained to follow his orders, that they simply agreed to everything he said, however preposterous or strange they might have sounded, given the circumstances.
Shera rushed down to get the Car and drive it to the back entrance, which could be approached via Jai's room and Abdul took out his small diary, in which he had listed all important numbers and quickly tracing down Dr. Karthik Reddy's number, placed a call to him from the phone in Jai's room.
A while later
Even though she was a quagmire of volatile emotions right now, Bani maintained a imperturbable and cool exterior, pretending as if nothing was wrong and in fact, seeming a bit too cheery and high-spirited than she did even in normal times. No one noticed the change in her, except for Pushkar, who was thankfully given a break by Massi, who dismissing all his concerns regarding 'Jai Sir and the important work he had handed over' dictated that he join everyone in the lawns for the Bonfire.
Abdul had managed to cover up Jai's absence during dinner by stating that he had to go for an important meeting, which convinced everyone suitably considering the nature of his job, even though Karuna's middle-daughter, Sanvika, could not help but comment innocently, 'I saw Potlu Mama go from the back side of the Farmhouse...Shera Uncle was holding him.'
Before anyone could ask any more questions, Abdul hastily murmured that Shera was in fact holding Jai’s files and papers and not holding him. It was only Bani who looked disbelievingly at Abdul and wondered where Jai could have gone at this hour of the day and that too by taking the back entrance. But she was not having any more of it...there was no way in hell that she was asking Jai, or showing any concern for him...her heart-break and tears had turned into a cold fury now...and she was going to get back at Jai for making her go through so much ache and humiliation.
It was not revenge in her mind...it was simply settling of scores, before the final good-bye.
Shashank came towards Bani, who had just finished making a call to Jigyasa and giving her a winning smile said, 'Nachiket was wondering if I would do a dance number for his Sangeet...I was planning to do a solo...but I guess it’s more fun when there are two. Isn't it?'
Bani gave him a look...she could spot a philander when she saw one. In the normal course, Bani would have politely but very firmly tackled a guy like Shashank, but she could not fail to see the advantage he could give her. And felt no remorse in using him to get her own way.
After all, everything WAS fair in love and war. And it was Jai, not her, who had taken her love, twisted it and dragged her into warzone.
Besides, Shashank did not at all seem to be the kind of guy who would take a girl's interest in him as anything remotely serious. And Bani wanted a stronger challenger than poor Pushkar, to get back at Jai.
Giving him a delightful smile, Bani replied back sweetly, 'I would love that, Mr. Gupta.'
'Shanshank...its Shanky for friends!' he came back, thrilled at her response to his approach.
'Okay...Shanky it is then!' she smiled and swept away, feeling a tad guilty for encouraging him, but not able to stop herself anymore.
Pushkar who had noticed the entire scene, walked up to her, when she was alone again and said, 'Er...what on earth was that?'
'What was what?'
'That....Okay...Shanky it is then!' said Pushkar, doing a bang-on imitation of Bani's voice.
She blushed a bit and said, 'He wanted to do a dance number with me for the Sangeet....I just agreed to it!'
'Oh! But did you notice how he was flirting with you? In fact, I don't want to snoop...but I heard him speaking to Nachiket Sir...they were talking about you...and this Shanky or Snaky or whatever was making all plans to 'Maro Line' on you!' said Pushkar, feeling very protective about Bani, whom he knew to be a rather simple-minded and straight type of girl.
'Maro Line? Pushkar!' laughed Bani, pulling his cheeks affectionately and added in a conspiratorial voice, 'Don't worry...he can maro as much line as he wants to...nothing will come off it! I...I just have something else in mind...and I need him for that...'
'You want to make Jai Sir jealous?' asked Pushkar, instantly evoking a gasp from Bani, as she turned beetroot.
'I knew it!' he exclaimed, without waiting for her response.
'Pushkar! NO!' she tried to defend herself but in vain.
'Oh! Yes...braving the downpour to attend his lecture at NLS...and I discovered your cachet of news articles and magazine cut-outs with Jai's Sir's interviews and pictures at home...and all this silent power play between the two of you since you came here...come on, Bani! Admit it!' teased Pushkar.
Bani kept quiet and after sometime said in a defeated voice, 'Okay...there was something. What don't even ask me! Because he has proved me wrong in everything that I thought about him...I know the easy thing will be to just let go and do my work and get away...which I will do...but I can't let him win this one case....at least, not without putting up an adequate fight.'
Pushkar simply stared at her and said, 'I can't understand a single word of what you are talking about...but whatever it is...let me tell you...that man likes you, Bani. Like seriously likes you...'
'He doesn't.' she answered simply, tearing up a bit and turning her face to the other side.
'Okay...I think you are the judge for that! But seriously....you think he would get jealous of someone like that Shanky? For goodness sake!'
Bani looked at him, eyeing Pushkar up and down and said good-humouredly, more in an attempt to get him off the subject, 'You were my original choice actually....'
'What? Are you crazy? He will get me locked up in his basement for the rest of my life, along with his 10001 legal files, never letting me see the light of the day!' cried out Pushkar in horror, at the thought of facing Jai's wrath in any manner.
Bani laughed and said, 'Yes...I thought so! That is why, Shanky! And now stop cross-questioning me and help us with the Bonfire!'
'But will you tell me what this is all about? Someday?'
'I promise. I will.' she convinced him, as they went about arranging mattress and pillows around the place where the Bonfire was to be lit.
Jai's car drove inside, a few minutes after the Bonfire Party had begun and it got interrupted just as suddenly, with Karuna and Nachiket rushing towards Jai's car, planning to drag him to the Party before he could make an excuse and get away.
Jai was feeling better now...his Doctor had given him a couple of shots and simply advised him some rest, telling him that his regular check-up was anyway due in a couple of days and that they would discuss everything regarding his health in detail then. As of now, he was alright...or just as alright as he could be, given the circumstances.
He looked a bit off-colour but fine, when he stepped out of the Car and started walking inside the house, only to be waylaid by both Karuna and Nachiket, who demanded that he join them for some time.
All Jai wanted to do was take some sleeping-pills and go off to sleep, but he realized that this time would never come again...indeed, it might very well be the last time, that he was with all the people who were part of his life...however annoying they might be...they were still his family. And besides, Nachiket was set to leave for Boston along with Purva just two days after his wedding...he couldn't imagine, if he would be able to see his younger brother again or not. Tears seemed to well up in his eyes as he looked at Nachiket, holding on to his arm and insisting him on joining them. How much they had fought and then made up all through those growing years! Despite his inherent selfish, self-seeking nature, Jai had taken on the role of both his mother and his father, when they had been orphaned...taking care of Nachiket like he was his son and not just his brother. Jai felt a lump in his throat as he allowed himself to be led to the Bonfire area by Karuna, who was talking nineteen to the dozen, making him remember all those Raksha Bandhan days, when he had, with regularity and punctuality received a Rakhi from her. She was just his cousin...that is how he had always seen her...but she had always seen him as her brother...as her own flesh and blood sibling.
He had always taken all his relationships for granted...like they would always remain part of his life, and appear and disappear whenever he would require...but now that his future seemed so bleak and hazy, he realized how treasured and valued all of them were.
Jai vowed to be at his very best for the next seven days...he wanted his brother's wedding to be a memorable occasion for everyone...so that when they remembered him, if they did, they would do so with something to smile about.
And for Bani too. If he had to make her unhappy for the rest of her life by telling her the truth about himself, he better make the next seven days of her life the ones she can always remember with a smile.
Bonfire
'Look, who is here!' proclaimed Nachiket, dragging an exhausted looking but smiling Jai towards the circle that everyone had formed!
'Potlu...we were set to play passing the Parcel!' announced Karuna and instantly fumbled with her words and muttered, 'I mean, Jai Bhai...Jai Bhai...' though it was too late and there were muffled titters already in the group.
Bani had cozied herself to Shashank and was trying ineffectively to match his flirting, which was increased in leaps and bounds, when Jai joined them. She realized how ludicrous she sounded giggling in a way that was most unusual to her, but she was filled with so much resentment and misery against Jai, that nothing else seemed to matter, but to hurt him back where it hurt him most.
'So what are we playing?' asked Jai, ignoring the slight throbbing of pain that was still felt by him and hoping that it wouldn't increase in anyway. At least not in front of everyone. He just wanted this wedding to go on without any problems.
'Passing the Parcel, Sir!' answered Pushkar, rewarding Jai with a toothy grin which was not returned, though Jai could not help but fight the urge to laugh a bit. Pushkar was extremely amusing and his dog-like devotion to Jai in just two days of getting to know him was very touching, in an odd way.
'Whatever! But don't expect me to dance or do anything stupid, okay? Who will play the music?'
Massi answered, 'I will do that!'
'No cheating, okay?' warned Jai, making everyone except Bani laugh.
A cushion was brought and handed over to Nachiket, who asked Massi to put on the music and started passing it around. The music played for about thirty seconds and came to rest with Saurabh.
'Pick up a chit...Pick up a chit!' everyone yelled, even Bani, who was trying her best to appear in a joyful mood and sniggering and snickering on every joke that Shashank said, much to Jai's hilarity, who could see through her charade in one go.
Not that it did not make him feel a bit prickly on seeing the good-looking and charming Shashank in her company...both of them looking so blissfully happy and with that joie de vivre that was typical to people of their age.
No ignore them. She is just trying to play you up by dallying with him. She cannot become interested in someone else...even if he is someone like Shashank in just a matter of a few hours.
Okay...so she was playing him up...but still, it wasn't easy to see them together! What if something came off this light flirtation? It was impossible for any man to not like Bani...she was a very, very likeable person.
And Shashank...well, he was everything that Jai was at his age! Good-looking, successful, charming and basically quite a catch! Additionally blessed with a mild temper unlike Jai and a smooth tongue unlike Jai's own bitter and sarcastic way of speech.
Saurabh picked up a chit and gave it to Pooja to read, who laughed and rubbing her hands gleefully, said to him, 'Okay...the chit says, act like any one person you know...'
'That's easy...'
Cutting him short, Pooja smiled wickedly and said, 'From your opposite gender!'
'What? But...Uh...Okay...I will imitate Jigyasa Mam, since she is not around! Jai Sir...do I have your permission?'
Jai smiled and said, 'You don't need my permission, Saurabh! I am not going to snoop to her! Please go ahead!'
Saurabh went on to do a killer imitation of Jigyasa giving them a dressing down in her high and mighty voice, additionally even borrowing glasses from Pushkar and peering at Bani, making all of them laugh, even her, though she did not approve him of making fun of her Boss.
The music started again and the parcel came to rest on Pushkar, who grinned and took the chit from Karuna and read it, with his smile disappearing.
'Hey...my chit is rigged! I can't do this!' he stuttered!
'What? What is it? Show us?' asked Nachiket, taking the chit and spluttering into laughter.
'What is it? What is it?' asked everyone.
'It says.....imitate the person whom you are most scared of!'
Jai lifted an eyebrow and looked at Pushkar, who let out a small giggle and said, 'I...Erm...I am scared of Bani..I will imitate her...'
'Nonsense! We all know whom you are most scared of! Come on now! Be a sport! Do a spot on imitation of Dada!' egged on Nachiket, much to Jai's amusement.
'Sir...do I have your...erm...permission?' mumbled Pushkar, getting a crooked smile from Jai, who said, 'If you get it right...you are doomed, if you don't get it right, you are still doomed! So you have nothing to lose! Go ahead!'
'Come on Sir, you are scaring him!' laughed Shashank, getting a cold stare from Jai, which was noticed by Bani, to her delight. So putting up with Shashank's incessant flirtations was actually yielding results!
Good! Suffer then, she mused, throwing an icy look at Jai, when he caught her eye.
Pushkar tried to imitate Jai, but it just proved to be a complete disaster, evoking much laughter from everyone, including Jai. Only Bani snootily ignored the proceedings and leaned towards Shashank as he whispered something into her ears and she burst out laughing, this time genuinely. Shashank was turning out to be a fun guy after all.
Jai's amusement at Bani's attempt seemed to backfire slowly on him and he felt bitter resentment creeping into his heart...more so when, Nachiket whispered into his ears, 'Shashank seemed to have hit the jack-pot, hai na, Dada? They do make a stunning couple, admittedly!'
The music started again and this time, the cushion came to rest with Shashank and everyone cheered, most of all Bani, who clapped the loudest and showered her brilliant smile on him.
Showing none of the reluctance displayed by either Saurabh or Pushkar, he opened the chit and raised his eyebrows, as he read it out, 'The chit says, I have to ask a girl I like a lot on a date! And she has to agree for it!'
Karuna, who had made up the chits looked bewildered and said, 'Hain! But I never made up such a chit!'
'I know didi! I just did!' remarked Shashank, giving a look at Bani, which made her blush, but then she looked at the thunderous expression on Jai's face and giggled and laughed, evoking much amusement from everyone.
'Come on...read the proper chit, yaar! Don't try to use this game to get a date...be a man and ask her out yourself!' challenged Nachiket to Shashank as they both laughed and did a high-five.
'Well, the chit says that I have to dedicate a song to anyone present in the group! That's easy enough...except that I can't sing!'
'Okay...then, let’s move on with the game!' announced Jai, feeling increasingly annoyed with Shashank and his over-the-top amours with Bani.
Looking surprised, Shashank said, 'I was just kidding, Sir! I will sing...' and then giving a sideways look at Bani, added, 'In fact, I have the right song for the occasion.'
Pretending to hold an imaginary mike in his hand, Shashank started crooning in a not very nice voice, but with a lot of enthusiasm,
'Main Shayar toh nahin...magar eh haseen...jab se dekha, maine tujhko, mujhko shaayari aa gayi.........main aashiq toh nahin, magar eh haseen....jab se dekha, maine tujhko, mujhko aashiqui aa gayi!'
A loud round of hoots went around, cheering Shashank, even as Jai continued to stare back at Bani, who was caught between feeling highly embarrassed and yet triumphant!
'You started the game and I will finish it, Mr. Jai Walia!' she thought to herself, as the game continue, with the cushion coming to Pooja, followed by Karuna, Tarun and finally Meera, who made a huge fuss and decided not to do what was written in the chit!
'Wow...only Potlu...I mean, Jai Bhai and Bani left in the game!' announced Karuna, making them both instantly uncomfortable.
'I don't feel like playing...I would like to forfeit.' said Bani, but Jai caught on to her and simply said, 'Scared?'
Bani stared back at him and questioned coldly, 'Of you?'
'Then play...' he challenged her back.
Without another word, Bani sat opposite to Jai and the music started. Jai stared at Bani, without paying any heed to what others would think, but Bani was already feeling guilty about her behaviour with Shashank and started to regret what she had initiated. She did not know Shashank...and she did not want him to start developing any sort of feelings for her...because then she would be doing exactly what she had accused Jai of doing with her.
They kept throwing the cushion to each other for some time, till Jai held it for a little longer in his hands and as it happened the music stopped.
'Bani won! Bani won!' everyone shouted in glee, clapping their hands, while Karuna moaned to her cousin, 'Potlu! Why did you hold on to the cushion for so long? You should have thrown it back...you would have won!'
Smiling slowly at Bani, who was looking elsewhere now, he spoke in a barely audible voice, 'Sometimes, there is greater joy in losing than winning, Dimpy!'
Bani heard his comment and looked back at him, as everyone started telling her to announce her punishment to Jai, since the last one to win was the one to decide on his or her choice of punishment!
'Come on Bani...give a suitable punishment to Dada! He always wins at this game...it’s the first time he has lost! Don't miss the opportunity.' teased Nachiket
Bani was quiet for some time and with a slow smile spreading on her lips, said, 'I don't like to waste opportunities...I prefer to save them for the future...'
'You seem to have too much confidence on future outcomes, Miss. Dixit.' he commented.
'You are right, I do.' she replied serenely.
'Okay then...' announced Jai to everyone in a cheerful voice, 'looks like Miss. Dixit has no suitable punishment for me right now...I will take it from her when she has thought up one.'
Everyone booed Bani in a jovial manner, urging her to give a punishment to Jai, but she simply looked at Jai and said, 'Are you giving your word?'
'Excuse me?'
'Are you giving your word that you will take a punishment from me for losing the game? Whenever I say?'
Looking at her for a couple of seconds, he shrugged his head and said, 'Alright. I will.'
It was close to midnight and Massi had already abandoned the game mid-way and left for her room, the rest of them also started yawning and going back inside, when Jai overheard, Shashank talking to Bani.
'Hey Bani...Nachiket is willing to lend me Jai Sir's bike...wanna go for a mid-night with me?'
Jai felt his blood boiling and he looked for Nachiket...the guts of him! In the normal course, Jai would have never minded Nachiket giving out his bike to his best friend...but now that he knew for what purpose that bike was being used, he felt like murdering not just Shashank for daring to take out Bani for a mid-night ride but also that idiot brother of his, for lending out his bike.
Bani saw that Jai was in the vicinity and giving a rather overtly-sweet smile to Shashank, said, 'Why not? I love nothing more than mid-night rides on bikes? In fact, why don't we go to the Delhi-Jaipur highway? There is ramshackle tea-shop which makes the best tea in the whole world.'
Shashank who hated tea, anyway nodded his head willingly and said, 'Okay, why not? Let me get the keys from Nachiket!'
A while later
Bani was waiting with bated breath, hoping that something would occur and that she wouldn't have to go with Shashank on the bike ride. This was already getting a bit too out of hand and she felt doubly self-conscious and guilt-ridden when she remembered Jai's Massi giving censorious looks at both her and Shashank's incessant flirtations throughout the game.
Shashank came looking apologetic and said to Bani, 'Hey, I am sorry yaar! Apparently, the bike has gone to the service centre...which is odd...because I thought I saw it in the afternoon...maybe; it was sent in the evening. Anyway, can't go on the Bike ride! I am so sorry!'
Bani felt elated at escaping but tried to look suitably mournful and said, 'Oh! What a disappointment! Never mind...maybe sometime else! Okay, then good-night!'
Shashank held back her arm and said playfully, 'I thought, we could take a walk around the Farmhouse...the night is so beautiful!'
Bani mumbled something incomprehensible and stating a splitting headache, managed to escape from Shashank. But not without wondering about Jai's bike. Service Centre, my foot, she whispered to herself, while going to her room.
She was about to enter her room, when she saw Jai standing in the shadow, near a huge brass urn that was kept in the corridor, which housed all the rooms on the left wing of the Farmhouse. For a moment, she was stumped by his sudden appearance, but pointedly ignoring him, she opened her door, when he spoke quietly, 'Shashank is a compulsive womanizer, Bani. I know him very well. I would advise you to stay away from him.'
Bani looked back at him like he was a rank stranger and asked him in a bewildered voice, 'I am sorry, are you speaking to me?'
Infuriated, but still maintaining his composure, Jai answered back coolly, 'Yes, I am talking to you.'
'I thought we had a pact to stay away from each other till the wedding was over?'
'You were the one who made the pact, not Me.' he came back smoothly.
'Well then, I suppose, I am hearing things!' retorted Bani, walking inside her room. Jai stopped the door with his left hand; not entering the room but not letting her close the door too.
'You are a nice girl...don't get involved with a Shashank kind of guy. Trust me, he just wants a casual time with you.' said Jai, sounding really serious.
Bani looked back at him and said, 'since you are forcing me to speak up, I would like to tell you just one thing. Shanky is a perfectly nice guy in my view. But if you chose to believe otherwise, that’s also alright! Since, I have already been accused of throwing myself on certain people, I suppose I don't have a particularly high-moral standing too...so two immoral people like Shanky and I would be fine with each other! You have no need to disturb your sleep worrying over whom I am going around with.'
'Shanky? Is that how you lovingly address him?' asked Jai sarcastically, mocking Shashank's name.
'It’s very difficult to feel offended of someone, who is himself addressed to as POTLU!' finished Bani, giving him a scathing look and banging the door shut on his face.
Jai should have felt outraged, but he burst out laughing loudly.
Jai and Nachiket
'Chote! Who told you to offer my bike to that friend of yours?' questioned Jai, looking coldly furious, befuddling Nachiket.
'But...you only told me that I can use anything I want here...'
'Yes...you can use it! Not your friends! Am I running a charity show?'
'But...Dada! Shanky is one of my best friends...and besides, he wanted to take Bani around...' muttered Nachiket, looking visibly confused by Jai's behaviour. His brother was a most generous man and never thought twice about lending any of his precious automobiles to either Nachiket or any of his friends.
'Yes, exactly! And I don't want you encouraging that skank!' burst out Jai, without thinking of the consequences of his words.
'Skank? Who? Shashank? But Dada! You like him! And what is wrong about Shanky taking Bani around? I think they look very cute together!'
'No, they don't! I mean, she looks cute and he looks like a jerk! Anyway, the point is, that I don't want your best friend to mess around with Bani...she is a nice girl. Not one of the types, whom he dates, sleeps with and dumps!'
Nachiket looked totally baffled by now, not understanding what on earth had come over his brother.
'But, she also likes him! Couldn't you see the chemistry between them?' asked Nachiket, infuriating Jai all the more.
'No! There is no chemistry, biology, geography or history between them! I am warning you Chote...don't try to play cupid for them!'
'What? Uh...okay...but I can't see how this even bothers you?' muttered Nachiket, giving a wary look at Jai, as if he could not understand what his brother was talking about.
'It doesn't bother me!' said Jai finally, realizing that he had said too much and then wondering if his brother was so dim that he couldn't make out anything by now! And then attributed it to his oncoming wedding, which had probably lowered his otherwise bright faculties.
'Well...what can I say? I won’t' encourage them...but if they are interested in each other, then I can't be blamed for that, can I?'
'You got Shashank here!' accused Jai.
'What? But, I took your permission!' responded Nachiket.
'Whatever! I don't care! But if that Skanky tries to mess around with that poor girl and breaks her heart...I swear...I will tell my client, Bacchu Yadav...who is due to release from Tihar anytime now, to hunt him down and chop him into several small pieces! Get that?'
Saying that Jai raged off, while Nachiket scratched his head, looking suitably puzzled as to why his brother was reacting so strongly to Shashank and Bani’s dalliance. Just as Jai disappeared from the view, he smiled to himself and tiptoed downstairs, instead of going back to his room.
'Finally...things are moving! Now let me find my partner in crime and update him of the latest happening!' he thought to himself!
Jai bedroom
Abdul had dashed to his master's room on hearing the small pager beep unremittingly, that he always carried with him and was distressed upon seeing Jai lying down on the floor, breathing hard and shallow and face and body soaked in sweat. But he did not panic and call out for the entire world, instead he instantly rang up Shera, Jai's bodyguard and asked him to come to Jai's study as soon as possible and in between, he located the bottle of painkiller that Jai consumed and with great difficulty, made him have it alongside a glass of water.
Shera came inside Jai's study in no time and both of them help carry Jai to his bedroom and laid him down on his bed.
'Don't...tell...anyone...make...sure...especially...not...Massi...or Chote...okay?' slurred Jai, twisting in pain, but marvellously self-controlled yet.
'Ji Sahib...but when Doctor Sahib comes....' muttered Abdul, wiping Jai's face and trying to get him to drink some more water.
'No need...Shera...drive me down to Dr. Reddy's home...let me just recover a bit....we will take back entrance...no one should know...'
Both Abdul and Shera nodded their heads, worried as hell about Jai's condition, but so adeptly trained to follow his orders, that they simply agreed to everything he said, however preposterous or strange they might have sounded, given the circumstances.
Shera rushed down to get the Car and drive it to the back entrance, which could be approached via Jai's room and Abdul took out his small diary, in which he had listed all important numbers and quickly tracing down Dr. Karthik Reddy's number, placed a call to him from the phone in Jai's room.
A while later
Even though she was a quagmire of volatile emotions right now, Bani maintained a imperturbable and cool exterior, pretending as if nothing was wrong and in fact, seeming a bit too cheery and high-spirited than she did even in normal times. No one noticed the change in her, except for Pushkar, who was thankfully given a break by Massi, who dismissing all his concerns regarding 'Jai Sir and the important work he had handed over' dictated that he join everyone in the lawns for the Bonfire.
Abdul had managed to cover up Jai's absence during dinner by stating that he had to go for an important meeting, which convinced everyone suitably considering the nature of his job, even though Karuna's middle-daughter, Sanvika, could not help but comment innocently, 'I saw Potlu Mama go from the back side of the Farmhouse...Shera Uncle was holding him.'
Before anyone could ask any more questions, Abdul hastily murmured that Shera was in fact holding Jai’s files and papers and not holding him. It was only Bani who looked disbelievingly at Abdul and wondered where Jai could have gone at this hour of the day and that too by taking the back entrance. But she was not having any more of it...there was no way in hell that she was asking Jai, or showing any concern for him...her heart-break and tears had turned into a cold fury now...and she was going to get back at Jai for making her go through so much ache and humiliation.
It was not revenge in her mind...it was simply settling of scores, before the final good-bye.
Shashank came towards Bani, who had just finished making a call to Jigyasa and giving her a winning smile said, 'Nachiket was wondering if I would do a dance number for his Sangeet...I was planning to do a solo...but I guess it’s more fun when there are two. Isn't it?'
Bani gave him a look...she could spot a philander when she saw one. In the normal course, Bani would have politely but very firmly tackled a guy like Shashank, but she could not fail to see the advantage he could give her. And felt no remorse in using him to get her own way.
After all, everything WAS fair in love and war. And it was Jai, not her, who had taken her love, twisted it and dragged her into warzone.
Besides, Shashank did not at all seem to be the kind of guy who would take a girl's interest in him as anything remotely serious. And Bani wanted a stronger challenger than poor Pushkar, to get back at Jai.
Giving him a delightful smile, Bani replied back sweetly, 'I would love that, Mr. Gupta.'
'Shanshank...its Shanky for friends!' he came back, thrilled at her response to his approach.
'Okay...Shanky it is then!' she smiled and swept away, feeling a tad guilty for encouraging him, but not able to stop herself anymore.
Pushkar who had noticed the entire scene, walked up to her, when she was alone again and said, 'Er...what on earth was that?'
'What was what?'
'That....Okay...Shanky it is then!' said Pushkar, doing a bang-on imitation of Bani's voice.
She blushed a bit and said, 'He wanted to do a dance number with me for the Sangeet....I just agreed to it!'
'Oh! But did you notice how he was flirting with you? In fact, I don't want to snoop...but I heard him speaking to Nachiket Sir...they were talking about you...and this Shanky or Snaky or whatever was making all plans to 'Maro Line' on you!' said Pushkar, feeling very protective about Bani, whom he knew to be a rather simple-minded and straight type of girl.
'Maro Line? Pushkar!' laughed Bani, pulling his cheeks affectionately and added in a conspiratorial voice, 'Don't worry...he can maro as much line as he wants to...nothing will come off it! I...I just have something else in mind...and I need him for that...'
'You want to make Jai Sir jealous?' asked Pushkar, instantly evoking a gasp from Bani, as she turned beetroot.
'I knew it!' he exclaimed, without waiting for her response.
'Pushkar! NO!' she tried to defend herself but in vain.
'Oh! Yes...braving the downpour to attend his lecture at NLS...and I discovered your cachet of news articles and magazine cut-outs with Jai's Sir's interviews and pictures at home...and all this silent power play between the two of you since you came here...come on, Bani! Admit it!' teased Pushkar.
Bani kept quiet and after sometime said in a defeated voice, 'Okay...there was something. What don't even ask me! Because he has proved me wrong in everything that I thought about him...I know the easy thing will be to just let go and do my work and get away...which I will do...but I can't let him win this one case....at least, not without putting up an adequate fight.'
Pushkar simply stared at her and said, 'I can't understand a single word of what you are talking about...but whatever it is...let me tell you...that man likes you, Bani. Like seriously likes you...'
'He doesn't.' she answered simply, tearing up a bit and turning her face to the other side.
'Okay...I think you are the judge for that! But seriously....you think he would get jealous of someone like that Shanky? For goodness sake!'
Bani looked at him, eyeing Pushkar up and down and said good-humouredly, more in an attempt to get him off the subject, 'You were my original choice actually....'
'What? Are you crazy? He will get me locked up in his basement for the rest of my life, along with his 10001 legal files, never letting me see the light of the day!' cried out Pushkar in horror, at the thought of facing Jai's wrath in any manner.
Bani laughed and said, 'Yes...I thought so! That is why, Shanky! And now stop cross-questioning me and help us with the Bonfire!'
'But will you tell me what this is all about? Someday?'
'I promise. I will.' she convinced him, as they went about arranging mattress and pillows around the place where the Bonfire was to be lit.
Jai's car drove inside, a few minutes after the Bonfire Party had begun and it got interrupted just as suddenly, with Karuna and Nachiket rushing towards Jai's car, planning to drag him to the Party before he could make an excuse and get away.
Jai was feeling better now...his Doctor had given him a couple of shots and simply advised him some rest, telling him that his regular check-up was anyway due in a couple of days and that they would discuss everything regarding his health in detail then. As of now, he was alright...or just as alright as he could be, given the circumstances.
He looked a bit off-colour but fine, when he stepped out of the Car and started walking inside the house, only to be waylaid by both Karuna and Nachiket, who demanded that he join them for some time.
All Jai wanted to do was take some sleeping-pills and go off to sleep, but he realized that this time would never come again...indeed, it might very well be the last time, that he was with all the people who were part of his life...however annoying they might be...they were still his family. And besides, Nachiket was set to leave for Boston along with Purva just two days after his wedding...he couldn't imagine, if he would be able to see his younger brother again or not. Tears seemed to well up in his eyes as he looked at Nachiket, holding on to his arm and insisting him on joining them. How much they had fought and then made up all through those growing years! Despite his inherent selfish, self-seeking nature, Jai had taken on the role of both his mother and his father, when they had been orphaned...taking care of Nachiket like he was his son and not just his brother. Jai felt a lump in his throat as he allowed himself to be led to the Bonfire area by Karuna, who was talking nineteen to the dozen, making him remember all those Raksha Bandhan days, when he had, with regularity and punctuality received a Rakhi from her. She was just his cousin...that is how he had always seen her...but she had always seen him as her brother...as her own flesh and blood sibling.
He had always taken all his relationships for granted...like they would always remain part of his life, and appear and disappear whenever he would require...but now that his future seemed so bleak and hazy, he realized how treasured and valued all of them were.
Jai vowed to be at his very best for the next seven days...he wanted his brother's wedding to be a memorable occasion for everyone...so that when they remembered him, if they did, they would do so with something to smile about.
And for Bani too. If he had to make her unhappy for the rest of her life by telling her the truth about himself, he better make the next seven days of her life the ones she can always remember with a smile.
Bonfire
'Look, who is here!' proclaimed Nachiket, dragging an exhausted looking but smiling Jai towards the circle that everyone had formed!
'Potlu...we were set to play passing the Parcel!' announced Karuna and instantly fumbled with her words and muttered, 'I mean, Jai Bhai...Jai Bhai...' though it was too late and there were muffled titters already in the group.
Bani had cozied herself to Shashank and was trying ineffectively to match his flirting, which was increased in leaps and bounds, when Jai joined them. She realized how ludicrous she sounded giggling in a way that was most unusual to her, but she was filled with so much resentment and misery against Jai, that nothing else seemed to matter, but to hurt him back where it hurt him most.
'So what are we playing?' asked Jai, ignoring the slight throbbing of pain that was still felt by him and hoping that it wouldn't increase in anyway. At least not in front of everyone. He just wanted this wedding to go on without any problems.
'Passing the Parcel, Sir!' answered Pushkar, rewarding Jai with a toothy grin which was not returned, though Jai could not help but fight the urge to laugh a bit. Pushkar was extremely amusing and his dog-like devotion to Jai in just two days of getting to know him was very touching, in an odd way.
'Whatever! But don't expect me to dance or do anything stupid, okay? Who will play the music?'
Massi answered, 'I will do that!'
'No cheating, okay?' warned Jai, making everyone except Bani laugh.
A cushion was brought and handed over to Nachiket, who asked Massi to put on the music and started passing it around. The music played for about thirty seconds and came to rest with Saurabh.
'Pick up a chit...Pick up a chit!' everyone yelled, even Bani, who was trying her best to appear in a joyful mood and sniggering and snickering on every joke that Shashank said, much to Jai's hilarity, who could see through her charade in one go.
Not that it did not make him feel a bit prickly on seeing the good-looking and charming Shashank in her company...both of them looking so blissfully happy and with that joie de vivre that was typical to people of their age.
No ignore them. She is just trying to play you up by dallying with him. She cannot become interested in someone else...even if he is someone like Shashank in just a matter of a few hours.
Okay...so she was playing him up...but still, it wasn't easy to see them together! What if something came off this light flirtation? It was impossible for any man to not like Bani...she was a very, very likeable person.
And Shashank...well, he was everything that Jai was at his age! Good-looking, successful, charming and basically quite a catch! Additionally blessed with a mild temper unlike Jai and a smooth tongue unlike Jai's own bitter and sarcastic way of speech.
Saurabh picked up a chit and gave it to Pooja to read, who laughed and rubbing her hands gleefully, said to him, 'Okay...the chit says, act like any one person you know...'
'That's easy...'
Cutting him short, Pooja smiled wickedly and said, 'From your opposite gender!'
'What? But...Uh...Okay...I will imitate Jigyasa Mam, since she is not around! Jai Sir...do I have your permission?'
Jai smiled and said, 'You don't need my permission, Saurabh! I am not going to snoop to her! Please go ahead!'
Saurabh went on to do a killer imitation of Jigyasa giving them a dressing down in her high and mighty voice, additionally even borrowing glasses from Pushkar and peering at Bani, making all of them laugh, even her, though she did not approve him of making fun of her Boss.
The music started again and the parcel came to rest on Pushkar, who grinned and took the chit from Karuna and read it, with his smile disappearing.
'Hey...my chit is rigged! I can't do this!' he stuttered!
'What? What is it? Show us?' asked Nachiket, taking the chit and spluttering into laughter.
'What is it? What is it?' asked everyone.
'It says.....imitate the person whom you are most scared of!'
Jai lifted an eyebrow and looked at Pushkar, who let out a small giggle and said, 'I...Erm...I am scared of Bani..I will imitate her...'
'Nonsense! We all know whom you are most scared of! Come on now! Be a sport! Do a spot on imitation of Dada!' egged on Nachiket, much to Jai's amusement.
'Sir...do I have your...erm...permission?' mumbled Pushkar, getting a crooked smile from Jai, who said, 'If you get it right...you are doomed, if you don't get it right, you are still doomed! So you have nothing to lose! Go ahead!'
'Come on Sir, you are scaring him!' laughed Shashank, getting a cold stare from Jai, which was noticed by Bani, to her delight. So putting up with Shashank's incessant flirtations was actually yielding results!
Good! Suffer then, she mused, throwing an icy look at Jai, when he caught her eye.
Pushkar tried to imitate Jai, but it just proved to be a complete disaster, evoking much laughter from everyone, including Jai. Only Bani snootily ignored the proceedings and leaned towards Shashank as he whispered something into her ears and she burst out laughing, this time genuinely. Shashank was turning out to be a fun guy after all.
Jai's amusement at Bani's attempt seemed to backfire slowly on him and he felt bitter resentment creeping into his heart...more so when, Nachiket whispered into his ears, 'Shashank seemed to have hit the jack-pot, hai na, Dada? They do make a stunning couple, admittedly!'
The music started again and this time, the cushion came to rest with Shashank and everyone cheered, most of all Bani, who clapped the loudest and showered her brilliant smile on him.
Showing none of the reluctance displayed by either Saurabh or Pushkar, he opened the chit and raised his eyebrows, as he read it out, 'The chit says, I have to ask a girl I like a lot on a date! And she has to agree for it!'
Karuna, who had made up the chits looked bewildered and said, 'Hain! But I never made up such a chit!'
'I know didi! I just did!' remarked Shashank, giving a look at Bani, which made her blush, but then she looked at the thunderous expression on Jai's face and giggled and laughed, evoking much amusement from everyone.
'Come on...read the proper chit, yaar! Don't try to use this game to get a date...be a man and ask her out yourself!' challenged Nachiket to Shashank as they both laughed and did a high-five.
'Well, the chit says that I have to dedicate a song to anyone present in the group! That's easy enough...except that I can't sing!'
'Okay...then, let’s move on with the game!' announced Jai, feeling increasingly annoyed with Shashank and his over-the-top amours with Bani.
Looking surprised, Shashank said, 'I was just kidding, Sir! I will sing...' and then giving a sideways look at Bani, added, 'In fact, I have the right song for the occasion.'
Pretending to hold an imaginary mike in his hand, Shashank started crooning in a not very nice voice, but with a lot of enthusiasm,
'Main Shayar toh nahin...magar eh haseen...jab se dekha, maine tujhko, mujhko shaayari aa gayi.........main aashiq toh nahin, magar eh haseen....jab se dekha, maine tujhko, mujhko aashiqui aa gayi!'
A loud round of hoots went around, cheering Shashank, even as Jai continued to stare back at Bani, who was caught between feeling highly embarrassed and yet triumphant!
'You started the game and I will finish it, Mr. Jai Walia!' she thought to herself, as the game continue, with the cushion coming to Pooja, followed by Karuna, Tarun and finally Meera, who made a huge fuss and decided not to do what was written in the chit!
'Wow...only Potlu...I mean, Jai Bhai and Bani left in the game!' announced Karuna, making them both instantly uncomfortable.
'I don't feel like playing...I would like to forfeit.' said Bani, but Jai caught on to her and simply said, 'Scared?'
Bani stared back at him and questioned coldly, 'Of you?'
'Then play...' he challenged her back.
Without another word, Bani sat opposite to Jai and the music started. Jai stared at Bani, without paying any heed to what others would think, but Bani was already feeling guilty about her behaviour with Shashank and started to regret what she had initiated. She did not know Shashank...and she did not want him to start developing any sort of feelings for her...because then she would be doing exactly what she had accused Jai of doing with her.
They kept throwing the cushion to each other for some time, till Jai held it for a little longer in his hands and as it happened the music stopped.
'Bani won! Bani won!' everyone shouted in glee, clapping their hands, while Karuna moaned to her cousin, 'Potlu! Why did you hold on to the cushion for so long? You should have thrown it back...you would have won!'
Smiling slowly at Bani, who was looking elsewhere now, he spoke in a barely audible voice, 'Sometimes, there is greater joy in losing than winning, Dimpy!'
Bani heard his comment and looked back at him, as everyone started telling her to announce her punishment to Jai, since the last one to win was the one to decide on his or her choice of punishment!
'Come on Bani...give a suitable punishment to Dada! He always wins at this game...it’s the first time he has lost! Don't miss the opportunity.' teased Nachiket
Bani was quiet for some time and with a slow smile spreading on her lips, said, 'I don't like to waste opportunities...I prefer to save them for the future...'
'You seem to have too much confidence on future outcomes, Miss. Dixit.' he commented.
'You are right, I do.' she replied serenely.
'Okay then...' announced Jai to everyone in a cheerful voice, 'looks like Miss. Dixit has no suitable punishment for me right now...I will take it from her when she has thought up one.'
Everyone booed Bani in a jovial manner, urging her to give a punishment to Jai, but she simply looked at Jai and said, 'Are you giving your word?'
'Excuse me?'
'Are you giving your word that you will take a punishment from me for losing the game? Whenever I say?'
Looking at her for a couple of seconds, he shrugged his head and said, 'Alright. I will.'
It was close to midnight and Massi had already abandoned the game mid-way and left for her room, the rest of them also started yawning and going back inside, when Jai overheard, Shashank talking to Bani.
'Hey Bani...Nachiket is willing to lend me Jai Sir's bike...wanna go for a mid-night with me?'
Jai felt his blood boiling and he looked for Nachiket...the guts of him! In the normal course, Jai would have never minded Nachiket giving out his bike to his best friend...but now that he knew for what purpose that bike was being used, he felt like murdering not just Shashank for daring to take out Bani for a mid-night ride but also that idiot brother of his, for lending out his bike.
Bani saw that Jai was in the vicinity and giving a rather overtly-sweet smile to Shashank, said, 'Why not? I love nothing more than mid-night rides on bikes? In fact, why don't we go to the Delhi-Jaipur highway? There is ramshackle tea-shop which makes the best tea in the whole world.'
Shashank who hated tea, anyway nodded his head willingly and said, 'Okay, why not? Let me get the keys from Nachiket!'
A while later
Bani was waiting with bated breath, hoping that something would occur and that she wouldn't have to go with Shashank on the bike ride. This was already getting a bit too out of hand and she felt doubly self-conscious and guilt-ridden when she remembered Jai's Massi giving censorious looks at both her and Shashank's incessant flirtations throughout the game.
Shashank came looking apologetic and said to Bani, 'Hey, I am sorry yaar! Apparently, the bike has gone to the service centre...which is odd...because I thought I saw it in the afternoon...maybe; it was sent in the evening. Anyway, can't go on the Bike ride! I am so sorry!'
Bani felt elated at escaping but tried to look suitably mournful and said, 'Oh! What a disappointment! Never mind...maybe sometime else! Okay, then good-night!'
Shashank held back her arm and said playfully, 'I thought, we could take a walk around the Farmhouse...the night is so beautiful!'
Bani mumbled something incomprehensible and stating a splitting headache, managed to escape from Shashank. But not without wondering about Jai's bike. Service Centre, my foot, she whispered to herself, while going to her room.
She was about to enter her room, when she saw Jai standing in the shadow, near a huge brass urn that was kept in the corridor, which housed all the rooms on the left wing of the Farmhouse. For a moment, she was stumped by his sudden appearance, but pointedly ignoring him, she opened her door, when he spoke quietly, 'Shashank is a compulsive womanizer, Bani. I know him very well. I would advise you to stay away from him.'
Bani looked back at him like he was a rank stranger and asked him in a bewildered voice, 'I am sorry, are you speaking to me?'
Infuriated, but still maintaining his composure, Jai answered back coolly, 'Yes, I am talking to you.'
'I thought we had a pact to stay away from each other till the wedding was over?'
'You were the one who made the pact, not Me.' he came back smoothly.
'Well then, I suppose, I am hearing things!' retorted Bani, walking inside her room. Jai stopped the door with his left hand; not entering the room but not letting her close the door too.
'You are a nice girl...don't get involved with a Shashank kind of guy. Trust me, he just wants a casual time with you.' said Jai, sounding really serious.
Bani looked back at him and said, 'since you are forcing me to speak up, I would like to tell you just one thing. Shanky is a perfectly nice guy in my view. But if you chose to believe otherwise, that’s also alright! Since, I have already been accused of throwing myself on certain people, I suppose I don't have a particularly high-moral standing too...so two immoral people like Shanky and I would be fine with each other! You have no need to disturb your sleep worrying over whom I am going around with.'
'Shanky? Is that how you lovingly address him?' asked Jai sarcastically, mocking Shashank's name.
'It’s very difficult to feel offended of someone, who is himself addressed to as POTLU!' finished Bani, giving him a scathing look and banging the door shut on his face.
Jai should have felt outraged, but he burst out laughing loudly.
Jai and Nachiket
'Chote! Who told you to offer my bike to that friend of yours?' questioned Jai, looking coldly furious, befuddling Nachiket.
'But...you only told me that I can use anything I want here...'
'Yes...you can use it! Not your friends! Am I running a charity show?'
'But...Dada! Shanky is one of my best friends...and besides, he wanted to take Bani around...' muttered Nachiket, looking visibly confused by Jai's behaviour. His brother was a most generous man and never thought twice about lending any of his precious automobiles to either Nachiket or any of his friends.
'Yes, exactly! And I don't want you encouraging that skank!' burst out Jai, without thinking of the consequences of his words.
'Skank? Who? Shashank? But Dada! You like him! And what is wrong about Shanky taking Bani around? I think they look very cute together!'
'No, they don't! I mean, she looks cute and he looks like a jerk! Anyway, the point is, that I don't want your best friend to mess around with Bani...she is a nice girl. Not one of the types, whom he dates, sleeps with and dumps!'
Nachiket looked totally baffled by now, not understanding what on earth had come over his brother.
'But, she also likes him! Couldn't you see the chemistry between them?' asked Nachiket, infuriating Jai all the more.
'No! There is no chemistry, biology, geography or history between them! I am warning you Chote...don't try to play cupid for them!'
'What? Uh...okay...but I can't see how this even bothers you?' muttered Nachiket, giving a wary look at Jai, as if he could not understand what his brother was talking about.
'It doesn't bother me!' said Jai finally, realizing that he had said too much and then wondering if his brother was so dim that he couldn't make out anything by now! And then attributed it to his oncoming wedding, which had probably lowered his otherwise bright faculties.
'Well...what can I say? I won’t' encourage them...but if they are interested in each other, then I can't be blamed for that, can I?'
'You got Shashank here!' accused Jai.
'What? But, I took your permission!' responded Nachiket.
'Whatever! I don't care! But if that Skanky tries to mess around with that poor girl and breaks her heart...I swear...I will tell my client, Bacchu Yadav...who is due to release from Tihar anytime now, to hunt him down and chop him into several small pieces! Get that?'
Saying that Jai raged off, while Nachiket scratched his head, looking suitably puzzled as to why his brother was reacting so strongly to Shashank and Bani’s dalliance. Just as Jai disappeared from the view, he smiled to himself and tiptoed downstairs, instead of going back to his room.
'Finally...things are moving! Now let me find my partner in crime and update him of the latest happening!' he thought to himself!
"If something
has to happen, the universe conspires to make it happen.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Part 16 (a)
A few months back
Ranveer and Nachiket
'Come on, Ranveer Bhaiyya! Spit it out! Who was that girl in Dada's mobile?' pestered Nachiket for the nth time, as they both met up at the Bangalore Cricket Club, where Ranveer had come to see his wife's cousin play a match. Nachiket was also a regular at the club and they both met up after a long time.
Ranveer sat helplessly, wondering whether to tell everything he knew to Nachiket or simply feign ignorance. In the end, he decided on telling everything to Nachiket...after all, Jai too was hiding things from him for the last few months, so why should he be the one with the onus of keeping secrets?
'I am presuming...by the description you have given...she is Bani Dixit.'
'Bani Dixit?' repeated Nachiket in a tone of wonder.
'Yes...the girl next door in Mukteshwar...where your brother had spent one year convalescing from his illness...4 years back.'
'Oh! Okay...so what was the deal between them?' asked Nachiket, full of inquisitiveness.
'That is the amusing part! There was nothing as far as I knew...I mean, she liked him a lot...and I am presuming, Jai likes her too...but there was nothing more than a platonic attachment. They were simply poles apart!'
'You just said, Dada likes her...not liked her! That means, he still...'
Ranveer shrugged his head and said, 'You know your brother! He can be remarkably pig-headed at times and the more you push him for something, the more he rebels against it! I asked him many times about her, but he simply brushed off my questions!'
'Is he in love with her?' asked Nachiket directly, making Ranveer laugh.
'How would I know, Chote? I mean, it’s not as if he told me anything...but he did change quite a bit after coming down from Mukteshwar...all that dating sprees of his...partying late nights...clubbing out...everything faded away.'
'Yes...I noticed that! And he called me up! After five long years of shutting me out of my life.'
Ranveer wondered if he should speak up or not and then decided why not.
'It was because of her, Chote!'
'What?'
'That was the only thing Jai told me...she had asked him to call you up and reconcile with you after leaving Mukteshwar...and he did that!'
'And you are saying, there was nothing between them?' asked Nachiket in amazement!
'I am just repeating what your brother keeps repeating like a parrot, whenever I question him regarding Bani.'
'My brother, who is the world's most unsentimental man carries the picture of a girl whom he knew four years back...now you tell me that the reason why he reconciled with me was because she had told him so...and he has completely changed his previous life...without any apparent reason...how can there be nothing between them? No man...least of all Jai Dada, can do all this, unless he was hopelessly in love with this girl-next-door of his!'
'What can I say, Chote? I told him several times to call her up...contact her...but...'
'Why? Did they have a fight? Or is it some other reason.'
Ranveer answered sombrely, 'That I am not at a liberty to discuss, Chote. And because I know the answer, even though, I don't agree to his reasoning, I think you should respect Jai's wishes and let it be. If he wanted to get in touch with her, he would have done that by now.'
Nachiket replied back slowly, 'Okay...I understand.' and after a period of silence, asked Ranveer, 'Bhaiyya, do you mind giving me the address of the cottage where Dada had stayed?'
'Chote!' warned Ranveer, adding, 'Don't even think of contacting Bani! Even I could have done that...but you know how Jai is! As it is, that you both have got back together after such a long time...don't do anything to spoil this! Please!'
'Bhaiyya, I agree...that I made a mess of things last time...but I have grown up...and I won't do anything to hurt Dada again! Just give me the address, please!'
'Will you contact Bani?'
'I just want to find out about her...nothing else!' and then added with a quick dose of imagination, 'She was the reason why Dada forgave me! It’s just natural curiosity on my part to know about her! But promise...I won't mess around!'
Ranveer gave a loud groan of frustration and handed out the address and contact number of the cottage in Mukteshwar, giving out warnings to Nachiket to not try and do anything that would anger Jai.
A few weeks later
Mukteshwar
Nachiket fell in love with the picturesque hill town, the moment his Car drove through the place. Was it any wonder, that this heavenly place had become the spot for his brother losing his heart to this mysterious girl-next-door of his?
He could see the Dixit Surname outside a quaint, mid-sized cottage, but it appeared to have been locked. Maybe she has gone out somewhere.
Nachiket met up with Girdhari, who assumed that he had come to rent the cottage. Unlike Jai, Nachiket was quite adept at smooth talk and could win people's confidence in no time with his amiable manner and friendly disposition. In no time, Girdhari was serving tea to Nachiket and they were both chatting up like long lost friends.
'You remember the person who had rented this cottage...I think it was almost four years back...a Lawyer?'
Girdhari took some time to think and then cried out, 'Yes...Yes...Vakil Sahib! Of course, I remember him! What a man! What a man! Used to scream on me at least a dozen times a day...but so generous...so good! He opened a savings account in my Bittu's name and put money in it...and told me that Bittu will get it when he turns 18! Who does that? Most generous...most generous! Bani betiya was right about him...he was truly one in a million!'
‘Bani…’
Girdhari then went on to recite the entire story of Jai and Bani’s unlikely and special friendship…at least, what he had seen. The dishes and dishes of hot and nourishing kichidi that she prepared for him, the funny board game they played for endless hours, the morning walks they both went to, the gifts that Jai had got for Bani and even that yellow sweater that she had made for Vakil Babu.
Though Girdhari recited them rather nonchalantly and in all innocence, Nachiket was left teary eyes and emotional on hearing about his brother and his girl-next-door’s special relationship. Now he was convinced more than ever, that they were simply meant to be and by design or by destiny, they had to get together, somehow!
Nachiket steered the conversation towards Bani’s whereabouts and spoke casually, ‘Yes...I had actually come to meet Bani. The house is locked! Has she gone out somewhere?'
Girdhari looked suprised and said, 'How do you know Bani betiya?'
'Er...it was regarding some...er money she was supposed to inherit...' mumbled Nachiket, wondering if Girdhari would catch his lie, but he didn't have to fear that.
'Oh! How nice that would be! Poor girl, suffering so much! Can't understand why God is so cruel to those who are so nice!'
'Why, what happened?' asked Nachiket, panicking a bit.
'Arre, kya batein, Sahib. Bani bitiya's father died a few weeks back...and that sister of her! Don't even ask me! Ram...Ram...Poor girl, left her all alone!'
'Oh! That's very sad...so where is she now? I need to find her!' urged Nachiket.
'She left with her family friends...what was here to live for? So they took her with them!'
'Who?'
'The Singh Family. Very nice people...their daughter and Bani bitya were best friends. And their son was a very nice lad too...they came to condole Dixitji's death and then they told Bani bitya to come with them.'
'Oh! Lord!' exclaimed Nachiket, severely thwarted at his quest for his brother's love story coming to such an end.
'Any idea where they have gone?' he asked, hoping for something.
Girdhari thought for a minute and said, 'I have her address written down...she had told me that if Vakil Babu ever calls up for her...I should give him her new address!'
Nachiket's face lit up with joy! So she did care for her brother...so much so, that even in the midst of so much emotional turmoil, she had not forgotten to hand over her new address for Jai, in case he ever called up! Had his brother tried to contact her? Nachiket had no way of knowing!
Girdhari got the chit from inside his house and handed it over to Nachiket, saying, 'Since you need to give her some money, I think you should have her address...here it is!'
Nachiket opened the chit and read it, exclaiming, 'UNBELEIVABLE!'
It was a Bangalore Address...the very city, where he lived!
A few weeks later
Nachiket and Pushkar
Pushkar sipped his lemonade and muttered, 'this has got to be the weirdest story I have heard so far!'
'I understand...any one in your place would have reacted just like you! But my question is, do you believe all that I told you?' asked Nachiket, crossing his fingers!
Armed with Bani's address in Bangalore, it was easy as a pie for him to reach out to her! But he could not risk that...he had no idea what had happened between his brother and this girl, whom he had just seen in a picture in his brother's IPHone. On what basis was he going to contact her? And say what? What if she had someone else in her life now? What if she got annoyed with him and reported everything to Jai? And what if his brother found out? That would be it for him!
But as they say, fortune favours the brave...and fortune did favour him! The family with whom this young lady was now living, had a certain young gentleman, named Pushkar Singh, whom Nachiket found out was a member of the Bangalore Cricket Club, where Nachiket went regularly to watch matches. It didn't take him long to spot Pushkar Singh and with a lot of trepidation, he seeked him out for a conversation, putting across the rather strange sounding story to him.
Pushkar placed his chin on his fingers and remarked, 'Frankly, I would have dismissed this thing as a mare's nest...hadn't I chanced upon something...which validates this extraordinary story!'
'What?'
'I had misplaced some important notes from my classes and I turned the entire house upside down, searching for them...and without really wanting to...ended up in Bani's room...and though I did not find my notes there...I found something else! Which has intrigued me ever since!'
'What? Dada's picture?' asked Nachiket
'Not just one picture, dude! Several! Cut-outs from magazines, newspapers and even the internet! And a selection of his interviews etc... I could not for the life of me imagine, what Bani was doing with Jai Walia's pictures and interviews!'
'Did you ask her?'
'No way! First, I would have to explain what I was doing in her room, searching for my notes...and secondly, she is really a most private sort of person...I think she would have been very uncomfortable, had I questioned her regarding this! So I just put it back where I found it and kept quiet!'
'But weren't you curious?'
'I was! Quite! More so, when I tried to cross-question my sister...who is Bani's best friend and even she was clueless! So I knew, something was up! Though I could not for the world connect Bani with Jai Walia!'
'Till I told you their story!'
'Yessssssssss....' mused Pushka with a smile, adding, 'it still sounds incredulous!'
'It doesn't, believe me! And if you want to see it proved...there is a great opportunity coming up!'
'What?'
'Dada...I mean, Jai Walia has a seminar scheduled at NLS...that is where you study, right? Yes...so he has a seminar coming up in a few weeks’ time...I know this, because he told me that he is coming down to Bangalore for it and also for meeting my would be in-laws...why don't you get Bani along?'
Pushkar seemed intrigued by the idea and said, 'What am I going to tell her?'
'If she still feels something for my brother...you wouldn't have to say anything...just mention his name in connection with the seminar and that will do the trick!'
'Done!' grinned Pushkar, shaking hands with his newly found friend.
'Thanks a bunch, Pushkar...I know I have asked too much of you...'
Cutting him short with a warm smile, Pushkar replied, 'Bani is like a sister to me...I do know that there is some acute sadness haunting her...I have no idea what it is...but if, as you say, it has to do, with someone she loves...then I would like to do whatever I can to bring back that happiness in her life!'
They both hugged and parted, promising to catch up and update each other on what happened after the Seminar.
A few days later
'Damn...she missed the seminar!' exclaimed Pushkar, when he met up with Nachiket at the Bangalore Cricket Club a day later.
'Bad luck!'
'Not really...she braved rains to attend a seminar on criminal law that had nothing to do with her...and the very mention of Mr. Jai Walia's name, seem to make her undergo a transformation...so we are in the correct path, matey!'
'Really? And I got to know very good news too!'
What's that?'
'Our wedding is being organized by none other than Jigyasa Bali's company!'
'That's where Bani works!'
'Yes! Exactly! And not just that...Bani and Purva, my fiancée are friends too...they are in the same Yoga Class...by the way, I forgot to mention...I happened to meet Bani a few days earlier!'
'Really! How did you find her?'
'Divine! Though a complete opposite to my brother...I can't imagine how they fell for each other!'
Pushkar laughed and said, 'So now, what's the plan?'
'Simple! I have to convince Jigyasa to send Bani to Delhi...for the wedding planning...'
'So they meet there...'
'Yes...though it might be hit and miss...Dada hardly comes to the Farmhouse...we will have to leave that on chance!'
'And what if they meet and nothing happens?'
'That is why you will also go to Delhi!'
'What? What will I do there?'
'Make some excuse...Field research...case study...anything! Do you have a place to stay in Delhi?'
'Em....My Bua lives there!'
'Perfect! Stay there...pretend to work...visit the Farmhouse and try to see what is happening between Dada and Bani!'
Pushkar looked cautious and muttered, 'This sounds risky...and we are just making too many assumptions...what if there is nothing between them anymore?'
'Then we will simply abandon our plan...and consider it our bad luck! But let us try at least...Please!'
'Uh...Okay...but Bani should not come to know that its Jai Walia's brother's wedding she is going to organize...she might back out! And have you told Purva about this?'
'Don't worry...I have ensured that Dada's name doesn't come up...though believe me, its not been easy...and Purva is still in the dark! She is such a tattle-tale...she will blurt out everything to Bani. I have added one more touch!'
'Now what?'
'I have convinced Purva's cousin, Meera to tag along...some competition always helps!'
'Lord! So I am the competetion for your brother and Meera is for Bani, right?' exclaimed Pushkar, in between laughing and looking suitably petrified.
'Something like that!' mused Nachiket.
Present Night
Nachiket met with his partner in crime, Pushkar, outside of the main house, near the Koi Fish Pond.
'Was it your brilliant idea to get that Shanky along?' asked Pushkar, taking a Mars Bar from his friend and munching on it, hiding beneath a silly looking Poncho.
'Hey! You were my original choice for making Dada jealous! Instead you got employed by him!' Nachiket defended himself.
'Do I look like someone who can make your brother jealous? Come on! And what was I supposed to say to him when he offered me a job? No? He would have ensured that I never get employed by anyone in this lifetime!'
'Hey, my Dada is not like that!' argued Nachiket, munching on the other half of the Mars Bar and added gleefully, 'Anyway, getting Shanky paid off! Dada just gave me an earful for trying to lend him his bike....so that he could take Bani out for a spin!'
'I am amazed at Bani behaving like this with that Shanky! Most peculiar of her! I am sure, Jai Sir and Bani had some sort of a showdown...I saw her looking like thunder coming out from his study today!'
'Oh! Wonder what is the problem between them? Has Bani told you something?'
'Not one word!' answered Pushkar sadly, looking at his diminishing Mars Bar.
'Purva's family is coming down to Delhi tomorrow for the wedding...they are staying at a relative's place...but Dada has invited them over for Dinner...Ranveer Bhaiyya will also come...I am sure when he sees Bani here...he will definitely have some sort of a talk with Dada...'
'So?'
'So what? We will have to snoop and listen to them!'
'Are you crazy? Your brother will hand me over to his “Boys” for dinner if I dare to do that!'
Nachiket laughed and said, 'Come on...I will have to be around my in-laws...only you can do this!'
'Seriously? How am I supposed to do this?'
'Simple! Enter his study when he is not around and hide somewhere! It’s a huge room...Dada always has his private conversations in his study...I am sure, Ranveer Bhaiyya and he will have a talk and there will be a mention of Bani...'
Looking horrified, Pushkar blurted out, 'Hide in his study? Have you gone bananas? If he finds out...'
'He won't! And don't you want this to work out for Bani also?'
'I am not sure. She looks terribly miffed by your beloved Jai Dada, ever since she has come here!'
'Oh, I am sure...it’s just a lover's quarrel. Come on, Pushkar!'
Pushkar gave up resignedly and muttered, 'I better call up my family and say goodbye...because if your brother finds me hiding in his study...'
'Stop dramatizing! Nothing will happen! I know a great place to hide...there is a huge Mahogany Cupboard in the corner...Dada hardly uses it...just keeps it there, cause it’s a family heirloom...you would easily fit in there...'
'Are you sure...'
'I am...I am...don't worry! Just make sure to slip into his study, without anyone seeing you! Okay?'
Pushkar merely nodded his head rather unenthusiastically, already dreading the plan that Nachiket had in place!
They both bid goodbye and retired for the night, and completely missed seeing the man standing in the shadows, who had come down to take a walk, because he was unable to sleep.
Jai had both a shocked and an amused expression on his face and a wicked smile came upon his lips as he breathed to himself, 'Oh...so this is what has been going on...wait till I teach these two idiots a lesson they won't forget in a hurry!'
As he walked back to his room, smiling to himself, peeved yet moved by all that Nachiket and Pushkar had attempted to do for him and Bani, he realized when he had first suspected that something was amiss.
Jai could never ever forget faces…he had the memory of an elephant…hence it had come as a surprise when he had seen Pushkar at his Farmhouse and had wondered how come he had never mentioned his friendship with Nachiket.
Because on his last visit to Bangalore, Jai had dropped Nachiket to the Cricket Club and had seen him shaking hands with a young boy, who seemed to be a good friend. It was Pushkar!
Also, when Nachiket had arrived at the Farmhouse, he had pretended to never have seen Pushkar before…Jai had been intrigued and had kept quiet, wondering what was going on.
And now he also knew who was this mysterious person who had enquired about Bani’s whereabouts before he did…as informed to him by the investigator he had hired. None other than, Chote, his brother!
‘Very touching, boys…Very touching. But you forgot, that I have served as Principal of the school where you are mere students!’ he murmured to himself, not able to stop himself from laughing despite his infuriation at their unsolicited intrusion in Bani and his life.
Part 16 (a)
A few months back
Ranveer and Nachiket
'Come on, Ranveer Bhaiyya! Spit it out! Who was that girl in Dada's mobile?' pestered Nachiket for the nth time, as they both met up at the Bangalore Cricket Club, where Ranveer had come to see his wife's cousin play a match. Nachiket was also a regular at the club and they both met up after a long time.
Ranveer sat helplessly, wondering whether to tell everything he knew to Nachiket or simply feign ignorance. In the end, he decided on telling everything to Nachiket...after all, Jai too was hiding things from him for the last few months, so why should he be the one with the onus of keeping secrets?
'I am presuming...by the description you have given...she is Bani Dixit.'
'Bani Dixit?' repeated Nachiket in a tone of wonder.
'Yes...the girl next door in Mukteshwar...where your brother had spent one year convalescing from his illness...4 years back.'
'Oh! Okay...so what was the deal between them?' asked Nachiket, full of inquisitiveness.
'That is the amusing part! There was nothing as far as I knew...I mean, she liked him a lot...and I am presuming, Jai likes her too...but there was nothing more than a platonic attachment. They were simply poles apart!'
'You just said, Dada likes her...not liked her! That means, he still...'
Ranveer shrugged his head and said, 'You know your brother! He can be remarkably pig-headed at times and the more you push him for something, the more he rebels against it! I asked him many times about her, but he simply brushed off my questions!'
'Is he in love with her?' asked Nachiket directly, making Ranveer laugh.
'How would I know, Chote? I mean, it’s not as if he told me anything...but he did change quite a bit after coming down from Mukteshwar...all that dating sprees of his...partying late nights...clubbing out...everything faded away.'
'Yes...I noticed that! And he called me up! After five long years of shutting me out of my life.'
Ranveer wondered if he should speak up or not and then decided why not.
'It was because of her, Chote!'
'What?'
'That was the only thing Jai told me...she had asked him to call you up and reconcile with you after leaving Mukteshwar...and he did that!'
'And you are saying, there was nothing between them?' asked Nachiket in amazement!
'I am just repeating what your brother keeps repeating like a parrot, whenever I question him regarding Bani.'
'My brother, who is the world's most unsentimental man carries the picture of a girl whom he knew four years back...now you tell me that the reason why he reconciled with me was because she had told him so...and he has completely changed his previous life...without any apparent reason...how can there be nothing between them? No man...least of all Jai Dada, can do all this, unless he was hopelessly in love with this girl-next-door of his!'
'What can I say, Chote? I told him several times to call her up...contact her...but...'
'Why? Did they have a fight? Or is it some other reason.'
Ranveer answered sombrely, 'That I am not at a liberty to discuss, Chote. And because I know the answer, even though, I don't agree to his reasoning, I think you should respect Jai's wishes and let it be. If he wanted to get in touch with her, he would have done that by now.'
Nachiket replied back slowly, 'Okay...I understand.' and after a period of silence, asked Ranveer, 'Bhaiyya, do you mind giving me the address of the cottage where Dada had stayed?'
'Chote!' warned Ranveer, adding, 'Don't even think of contacting Bani! Even I could have done that...but you know how Jai is! As it is, that you both have got back together after such a long time...don't do anything to spoil this! Please!'
'Bhaiyya, I agree...that I made a mess of things last time...but I have grown up...and I won't do anything to hurt Dada again! Just give me the address, please!'
'Will you contact Bani?'
'I just want to find out about her...nothing else!' and then added with a quick dose of imagination, 'She was the reason why Dada forgave me! It’s just natural curiosity on my part to know about her! But promise...I won't mess around!'
Ranveer gave a loud groan of frustration and handed out the address and contact number of the cottage in Mukteshwar, giving out warnings to Nachiket to not try and do anything that would anger Jai.
A few weeks later
Mukteshwar
Nachiket fell in love with the picturesque hill town, the moment his Car drove through the place. Was it any wonder, that this heavenly place had become the spot for his brother losing his heart to this mysterious girl-next-door of his?
He could see the Dixit Surname outside a quaint, mid-sized cottage, but it appeared to have been locked. Maybe she has gone out somewhere.
Nachiket met up with Girdhari, who assumed that he had come to rent the cottage. Unlike Jai, Nachiket was quite adept at smooth talk and could win people's confidence in no time with his amiable manner and friendly disposition. In no time, Girdhari was serving tea to Nachiket and they were both chatting up like long lost friends.
'You remember the person who had rented this cottage...I think it was almost four years back...a Lawyer?'
Girdhari took some time to think and then cried out, 'Yes...Yes...Vakil Sahib! Of course, I remember him! What a man! What a man! Used to scream on me at least a dozen times a day...but so generous...so good! He opened a savings account in my Bittu's name and put money in it...and told me that Bittu will get it when he turns 18! Who does that? Most generous...most generous! Bani betiya was right about him...he was truly one in a million!'
‘Bani…’
Girdhari then went on to recite the entire story of Jai and Bani’s unlikely and special friendship…at least, what he had seen. The dishes and dishes of hot and nourishing kichidi that she prepared for him, the funny board game they played for endless hours, the morning walks they both went to, the gifts that Jai had got for Bani and even that yellow sweater that she had made for Vakil Babu.
Though Girdhari recited them rather nonchalantly and in all innocence, Nachiket was left teary eyes and emotional on hearing about his brother and his girl-next-door’s special relationship. Now he was convinced more than ever, that they were simply meant to be and by design or by destiny, they had to get together, somehow!
Nachiket steered the conversation towards Bani’s whereabouts and spoke casually, ‘Yes...I had actually come to meet Bani. The house is locked! Has she gone out somewhere?'
Girdhari looked suprised and said, 'How do you know Bani betiya?'
'Er...it was regarding some...er money she was supposed to inherit...' mumbled Nachiket, wondering if Girdhari would catch his lie, but he didn't have to fear that.
'Oh! How nice that would be! Poor girl, suffering so much! Can't understand why God is so cruel to those who are so nice!'
'Why, what happened?' asked Nachiket, panicking a bit.
'Arre, kya batein, Sahib. Bani bitiya's father died a few weeks back...and that sister of her! Don't even ask me! Ram...Ram...Poor girl, left her all alone!'
'Oh! That's very sad...so where is she now? I need to find her!' urged Nachiket.
'She left with her family friends...what was here to live for? So they took her with them!'
'Who?'
'The Singh Family. Very nice people...their daughter and Bani bitya were best friends. And their son was a very nice lad too...they came to condole Dixitji's death and then they told Bani bitya to come with them.'
'Oh! Lord!' exclaimed Nachiket, severely thwarted at his quest for his brother's love story coming to such an end.
'Any idea where they have gone?' he asked, hoping for something.
Girdhari thought for a minute and said, 'I have her address written down...she had told me that if Vakil Babu ever calls up for her...I should give him her new address!'
Nachiket's face lit up with joy! So she did care for her brother...so much so, that even in the midst of so much emotional turmoil, she had not forgotten to hand over her new address for Jai, in case he ever called up! Had his brother tried to contact her? Nachiket had no way of knowing!
Girdhari got the chit from inside his house and handed it over to Nachiket, saying, 'Since you need to give her some money, I think you should have her address...here it is!'
Nachiket opened the chit and read it, exclaiming, 'UNBELEIVABLE!'
It was a Bangalore Address...the very city, where he lived!
A few weeks later
Nachiket and Pushkar
Pushkar sipped his lemonade and muttered, 'this has got to be the weirdest story I have heard so far!'
'I understand...any one in your place would have reacted just like you! But my question is, do you believe all that I told you?' asked Nachiket, crossing his fingers!
Armed with Bani's address in Bangalore, it was easy as a pie for him to reach out to her! But he could not risk that...he had no idea what had happened between his brother and this girl, whom he had just seen in a picture in his brother's IPHone. On what basis was he going to contact her? And say what? What if she had someone else in her life now? What if she got annoyed with him and reported everything to Jai? And what if his brother found out? That would be it for him!
But as they say, fortune favours the brave...and fortune did favour him! The family with whom this young lady was now living, had a certain young gentleman, named Pushkar Singh, whom Nachiket found out was a member of the Bangalore Cricket Club, where Nachiket went regularly to watch matches. It didn't take him long to spot Pushkar Singh and with a lot of trepidation, he seeked him out for a conversation, putting across the rather strange sounding story to him.
Pushkar placed his chin on his fingers and remarked, 'Frankly, I would have dismissed this thing as a mare's nest...hadn't I chanced upon something...which validates this extraordinary story!'
'What?'
'I had misplaced some important notes from my classes and I turned the entire house upside down, searching for them...and without really wanting to...ended up in Bani's room...and though I did not find my notes there...I found something else! Which has intrigued me ever since!'
'What? Dada's picture?' asked Nachiket
'Not just one picture, dude! Several! Cut-outs from magazines, newspapers and even the internet! And a selection of his interviews etc... I could not for the life of me imagine, what Bani was doing with Jai Walia's pictures and interviews!'
'Did you ask her?'
'No way! First, I would have to explain what I was doing in her room, searching for my notes...and secondly, she is really a most private sort of person...I think she would have been very uncomfortable, had I questioned her regarding this! So I just put it back where I found it and kept quiet!'
'But weren't you curious?'
'I was! Quite! More so, when I tried to cross-question my sister...who is Bani's best friend and even she was clueless! So I knew, something was up! Though I could not for the world connect Bani with Jai Walia!'
'Till I told you their story!'
'Yessssssssss....' mused Pushka with a smile, adding, 'it still sounds incredulous!'
'It doesn't, believe me! And if you want to see it proved...there is a great opportunity coming up!'
'What?'
'Dada...I mean, Jai Walia has a seminar scheduled at NLS...that is where you study, right? Yes...so he has a seminar coming up in a few weeks’ time...I know this, because he told me that he is coming down to Bangalore for it and also for meeting my would be in-laws...why don't you get Bani along?'
Pushkar seemed intrigued by the idea and said, 'What am I going to tell her?'
'If she still feels something for my brother...you wouldn't have to say anything...just mention his name in connection with the seminar and that will do the trick!'
'Done!' grinned Pushkar, shaking hands with his newly found friend.
'Thanks a bunch, Pushkar...I know I have asked too much of you...'
Cutting him short with a warm smile, Pushkar replied, 'Bani is like a sister to me...I do know that there is some acute sadness haunting her...I have no idea what it is...but if, as you say, it has to do, with someone she loves...then I would like to do whatever I can to bring back that happiness in her life!'
They both hugged and parted, promising to catch up and update each other on what happened after the Seminar.
A few days later
'Damn...she missed the seminar!' exclaimed Pushkar, when he met up with Nachiket at the Bangalore Cricket Club a day later.
'Bad luck!'
'Not really...she braved rains to attend a seminar on criminal law that had nothing to do with her...and the very mention of Mr. Jai Walia's name, seem to make her undergo a transformation...so we are in the correct path, matey!'
'Really? And I got to know very good news too!'
What's that?'
'Our wedding is being organized by none other than Jigyasa Bali's company!'
'That's where Bani works!'
'Yes! Exactly! And not just that...Bani and Purva, my fiancée are friends too...they are in the same Yoga Class...by the way, I forgot to mention...I happened to meet Bani a few days earlier!'
'Really! How did you find her?'
'Divine! Though a complete opposite to my brother...I can't imagine how they fell for each other!'
Pushkar laughed and said, 'So now, what's the plan?'
'Simple! I have to convince Jigyasa to send Bani to Delhi...for the wedding planning...'
'So they meet there...'
'Yes...though it might be hit and miss...Dada hardly comes to the Farmhouse...we will have to leave that on chance!'
'And what if they meet and nothing happens?'
'That is why you will also go to Delhi!'
'What? What will I do there?'
'Make some excuse...Field research...case study...anything! Do you have a place to stay in Delhi?'
'Em....My Bua lives there!'
'Perfect! Stay there...pretend to work...visit the Farmhouse and try to see what is happening between Dada and Bani!'
Pushkar looked cautious and muttered, 'This sounds risky...and we are just making too many assumptions...what if there is nothing between them anymore?'
'Then we will simply abandon our plan...and consider it our bad luck! But let us try at least...Please!'
'Uh...Okay...but Bani should not come to know that its Jai Walia's brother's wedding she is going to organize...she might back out! And have you told Purva about this?'
'Don't worry...I have ensured that Dada's name doesn't come up...though believe me, its not been easy...and Purva is still in the dark! She is such a tattle-tale...she will blurt out everything to Bani. I have added one more touch!'
'Now what?'
'I have convinced Purva's cousin, Meera to tag along...some competition always helps!'
'Lord! So I am the competetion for your brother and Meera is for Bani, right?' exclaimed Pushkar, in between laughing and looking suitably petrified.
'Something like that!' mused Nachiket.
Present Night
Nachiket met with his partner in crime, Pushkar, outside of the main house, near the Koi Fish Pond.
'Was it your brilliant idea to get that Shanky along?' asked Pushkar, taking a Mars Bar from his friend and munching on it, hiding beneath a silly looking Poncho.
'Hey! You were my original choice for making Dada jealous! Instead you got employed by him!' Nachiket defended himself.
'Do I look like someone who can make your brother jealous? Come on! And what was I supposed to say to him when he offered me a job? No? He would have ensured that I never get employed by anyone in this lifetime!'
'Hey, my Dada is not like that!' argued Nachiket, munching on the other half of the Mars Bar and added gleefully, 'Anyway, getting Shanky paid off! Dada just gave me an earful for trying to lend him his bike....so that he could take Bani out for a spin!'
'I am amazed at Bani behaving like this with that Shanky! Most peculiar of her! I am sure, Jai Sir and Bani had some sort of a showdown...I saw her looking like thunder coming out from his study today!'
'Oh! Wonder what is the problem between them? Has Bani told you something?'
'Not one word!' answered Pushkar sadly, looking at his diminishing Mars Bar.
'Purva's family is coming down to Delhi tomorrow for the wedding...they are staying at a relative's place...but Dada has invited them over for Dinner...Ranveer Bhaiyya will also come...I am sure when he sees Bani here...he will definitely have some sort of a talk with Dada...'
'So?'
'So what? We will have to snoop and listen to them!'
'Are you crazy? Your brother will hand me over to his “Boys” for dinner if I dare to do that!'
Nachiket laughed and said, 'Come on...I will have to be around my in-laws...only you can do this!'
'Seriously? How am I supposed to do this?'
'Simple! Enter his study when he is not around and hide somewhere! It’s a huge room...Dada always has his private conversations in his study...I am sure, Ranveer Bhaiyya and he will have a talk and there will be a mention of Bani...'
Looking horrified, Pushkar blurted out, 'Hide in his study? Have you gone bananas? If he finds out...'
'He won't! And don't you want this to work out for Bani also?'
'I am not sure. She looks terribly miffed by your beloved Jai Dada, ever since she has come here!'
'Oh, I am sure...it’s just a lover's quarrel. Come on, Pushkar!'
Pushkar gave up resignedly and muttered, 'I better call up my family and say goodbye...because if your brother finds me hiding in his study...'
'Stop dramatizing! Nothing will happen! I know a great place to hide...there is a huge Mahogany Cupboard in the corner...Dada hardly uses it...just keeps it there, cause it’s a family heirloom...you would easily fit in there...'
'Are you sure...'
'I am...I am...don't worry! Just make sure to slip into his study, without anyone seeing you! Okay?'
Pushkar merely nodded his head rather unenthusiastically, already dreading the plan that Nachiket had in place!
They both bid goodbye and retired for the night, and completely missed seeing the man standing in the shadows, who had come down to take a walk, because he was unable to sleep.
Jai had both a shocked and an amused expression on his face and a wicked smile came upon his lips as he breathed to himself, 'Oh...so this is what has been going on...wait till I teach these two idiots a lesson they won't forget in a hurry!'
As he walked back to his room, smiling to himself, peeved yet moved by all that Nachiket and Pushkar had attempted to do for him and Bani, he realized when he had first suspected that something was amiss.
Jai could never ever forget faces…he had the memory of an elephant…hence it had come as a surprise when he had seen Pushkar at his Farmhouse and had wondered how come he had never mentioned his friendship with Nachiket.
Because on his last visit to Bangalore, Jai had dropped Nachiket to the Cricket Club and had seen him shaking hands with a young boy, who seemed to be a good friend. It was Pushkar!
Also, when Nachiket had arrived at the Farmhouse, he had pretended to never have seen Pushkar before…Jai had been intrigued and had kept quiet, wondering what was going on.
And now he also knew who was this mysterious person who had enquired about Bani’s whereabouts before he did…as informed to him by the investigator he had hired. None other than, Chote, his brother!
‘Very touching, boys…Very touching. But you forgot, that I have served as Principal of the school where you are mere students!’ he murmured to himself, not able to stop himself from laughing despite his infuriation at their unsolicited intrusion in Bani and his life.
“A friend is someone
who knows all about you and still loves you.”
- Elbert Hubbard
Part 16 (b)
Dr. Karthik Reddy's Clinic
'Jai...I specifically told you to come with someone! How do you expect me to help you out in anyway if you simply refuse to listen to me?' sighed the middle-aged and mild-mannered, Oncologist.
Jai smiled and said, 'Dr. Reddy...there is a wedding happening in my family...the card I just handed over to you? It’s my brothers' wedding...and I don't want anything spoiling the occasion...everyone is so joyful...so excited...'
'Well, okay...so no one from your family. What about your friend? The one who was with you last time! Ranveer Shenoy, right?'
Jai shook his head slowly and said, 'Ranveer and Sneha...his wife have just had a baby...a couple of months back...I really don't want to involve my friend in this again, Dr. Reddy. Earlier...it was okay...but now he is a father...he has a family to look after! Besides, I am not a child to need a chaperone!'
'It’s not a question of chaperoning you, Jai...please try and understand. You need support at this time...emotional support...physical support! You say your brother is leaving for the States after the wedding...your relatives will go back to their hometown...you don't want your best friend around, because he has family committments. How on earth will you manage on your own?'
Jai was quiet and mumbled in a mock-cheerful voice, 'Maybe I will be lucky and die, this time, Dr. Reddy.'
'Come on, Jai! I don't expect this type of attitude from a man like you! You have done this before...you can do it again! Why are you so overpowered this time?'
'I don't want to go through all that, Dr. Reddy! I have had enough...I simply don't have it in me to bear everything again!' declared Jai in a fatigued voice.
'It won't be that bad, Jai...listen...no one could have predicted that the Cancer would metastasize again! It was just...bad luck...but it’s not terminal...'
'I have a 50% chance of dying and you say it’s not fatal?' argued Jai angrily.
'You have a 50% chance of surviving, Jai...why don't you see it like that?' countered Dr. Reddy with a smile.
'That period of my life was hell, Dr. Reddy. Pure hell. It would be easier for me to just pop in a few sleeping pills and get over with it...'
'JAI!' exclaimed Dr. Reddy in shock.
'But I won't do that...I am not a coward, if nothing else. And I am not a parasite either...I don't want anyone to stop living their lives, taking care of me. I will manage it on my own.'
The patient and his doctor were quiet for some time.
'Okay...if this is your wish, then so be it. We have to fix on the date of the Chemo Sessions, Jai...we need to start latest by 15th of next month.'
Jai was quiet for some time, computing something in his mind and then nodding his head, replied, 'Yes...that should be fine. I have applied for a long leave from work...15th should give me just enough time to wrap off some critical stuff...'
'What have you told your colleagues and your clients?' asked Dr. Reddy, adding, ‘just out of curiosity?’
'Nothing much...just that, I wanted a break...they are not in the habit of questioning me much.' laughed Jai.
'Okay...and what about post-surgery? It will be like before...undoubtedly longer...minimum one and a half year of recovery...'
Jai inhaled slowly and replied in an absent voice, 'I don't know...I will go someplace...'
'I have a place in mind' stated Jai suddenly, thinking about Mukteshwar. That was one place where no one would expect to find him. Perfect. Exactly what he needed.
'Okay...I am not very supportive of your plans, Jai...but I can only advise you...I can't force you to do what I want.' Said Dr. Reddy, shaking his head in frustration.
Jai grinned and remarked, 'Dr. Reddy, you seem awfully positive that I will make it through this time too!'
Dr. Reddy gave a look at his patient and replied stoically, 'you might have lost hope in yourself, Mr. Walia...I still have full confidence in my abilities as a doctor! Agreed, the Neoplasm is worse than last time...but it is NOT incurable. I am a man of science, not a sentimentalist. If there was no hope for you, I would have told you so, clearly.''
Suitably chastised, Jai kept quiet, while Dr. Reddy lined out the treatment schedule for Jai.
'We will have to start with a bone scan next week...followed by the corticosteroid therapy...which should go on for about a couple of days...and put you in preparations for the Chemo Sessions. My assistant will give you the dates for the CT Scans, Myelogram, MRI, PET and SPECT scans ect. Just give her the dates when you are available starting from next week.'
Jai nodded his head, giving a disinterested look at his case papers, while Dr. Reddy was enthusiastically reading them out, as if there was a race going to happen and Jai was his favourite Derby Horse, set to win the contest!
'You are in Stage IIC as of now. The size of the tumour is slightly less than 5 cm...Last time it was 3.5.'
'1.5 is a huge difference!' observed Jai, looking at the X-rays of his spine.
'It is not...and the good thing is that you are still in the 'safe zone'...the mean survival rate for you is hovering around 50%, which in medical terms is considered a good bet.'
'But I read on Google...'
'Oh! God! Google is to be blamed for a lot of misinformation!' sighed Dr. Reddy, adding, 'I will explain to you. If I had a doubt about some discrepancy in a legal statement...or wanted clarification on some legal matter? Who would be my better bet? Google or a Lawyer?'
Before Jai could answer, Dr. Reddy announced, 'obviously a lawyer! Because he is a trained professional and would know exactly what I was looking for...instead of Google! Similarly, I am the trained professional here...and I am assuring you...it’s not as bad as it looks!'
'Jai...my worry is not that you won't be able to make through it again or not...my worry is that you will give up before even trying. And in a battle like this...mental toughness and a positive attitude is everything! You could do it the last time, because you were so willing to put up a fight for your life! What is wrong now?'
'Nothing...' whispered Jai and added slowly, 'I just don't want anyone getting worried because of me...'
'Jai! Have you ever wondered about something? That the people in our lives might actually want to help us, out of their own free will and that too while we might see ourselves as imposing upon them...but they simply see it as their duty and their right to be there for the one's they love and care for?'
Hit by Dr. Reddy's soft-spoken but meaningful words, Jai could only stared back at him speechless.
'You are feeling guilty because you realize that this treatment is going to be protracted and painful and gruelling and emotionally and physically taxing...of course, for you...but also for the person involved in your care. I understand the guilt factor! But don't you realize that the people in your life might actually want to be with you at this moment, despite everything? You are simply making assumptions on their behalf, without giving them the right of making a choice!'
Jai kept quiet, as Dr. Reddy spoke in a comforting voice, 'There isn't much time left, Jai...we have to start the treatment in a month's time...and if you want to do this alone, then I can't do anything about it. It’s your choice at the end of the day! But believe me, it won't be easy. You are NOT as tough as you think you are! We all need emotional support in our lives, Jai. All of us. Fine, you don't want your friend to be involved...or your brother...or even your relatives! But there must be someone who cares enough for you? Who is willing to go through this process with you?'
Giving up against, Jai's dogged silence, Dr. Reddy spoke despairingly, 'Alright...so anyway, I have arranged for a couple of scans to be done today itself...and here are the case-papers...I have a copy with me...you also keep one. In case, you need to take a second opinion.'
'I have full faith in your, Dr. Reddy. I don't need a second opinion.'
'I am honoured. My only wish was that you had more faith in yourself and in the people who care for you and love you, Jai!' retorted Dr. Reddy with a smile and a supportive pat on Jais' shoulder.
Farmhouse
Jai had left for his meeting with Dr. Reddy early in the morning, stating that he had some urgent work to finish, before Purva and her family came down to Dinner at the Farmhouse. Besides, he couldn't wait to get back at those two dorks, his brother and his idiotic friend, Pushkar, for trying to mess around with him.
The Farmhouse was in a state of great frenzy, the preparations were at the last leg and the house wore an extremely festive and joyous look. Karuna's three kids were wreaking havoc in the house with Jai not around and in between Pooja, Saurabh and Bani, they managed to wrap up a lot of things, before everyone came in the evening. Jigyasa and the rest of the team from Bangalore were also expected by tomorrow morning, to coordinate the rest of the wedding preparations. Bani had temporarily forgotten all about her anguish regarding Jai and she valiantly tried to fend up Shashank, while wrapping off her work.
'Pooja...I have to meet Mr. Khurana at his office today...he is down with flu, hence he cannot come...and I need to get that menu thing confirmed before Jigyasa Mam comes...'
'Don't worry...you go, Saurabh and I will manage here!'
'Is it okay, if I go and meet Pia on my way back? I couldn't meet her properly the last time...they were in a hurry to go to Vaishno Devi...'
'Of course yaar! Take your time! Everything is on track.'
'Okay...er...have you seen Mr. Walia?' she asked, despite herself. It was such a hopeless thing...pretending not to care about Jai. She did. It was an unfortunate fact of her life...but a fact nevertheless.
'No! Abdul Chacha told me he left sometime very early in the morning...poor guy; don't you think he is looking a bit unwell for the last two days?'
'Maybe, he is just anxious about the wedding...let us ensure that everything goes smoothly...okay...Pooja, I am off. Call me up if anything comes up.'
A couple of hours later
Jai finished his check-up with Dr. Reddy and came back home, instead of going to office, as he had previously planned. He simply did not feel like facing a day at work and all he wanted to do was go home and try to get some sleep. Dr. Reddy had already started his medication and he was battling a severe bout of insomnia because of the medication, unable to sleep properly at night. Just a few days more and the wedding would be over...and then he could face whatever had to be faced. Till then, he had to be strong and not give away.
Ranveer had dropped in to see Jai and was busy chatting up with Nachiket, when they saw Jai coming in. Remembering the conversation he had overheard the night before, Jai tried his best to appear as normal as possible and give nothing away.
'Hey Ranveer! Glad you came!' smiled Jai, hugging his friend.
'Well, you have not been coming to work for the last two days and Sheryl told me that you are working from home...so I decided to just drop in! Our groom tells me that his bride and family are coming down to Delhi today. Is that so?'
Jai smiled and replied back, 'Yes! Nikhilji and Neerjaji are coming today with Purva...Jiggy and her team from Bangalore are coming tomorrow...'
'Wow...looks like a full-house! Just met Karuna! She hasn't changed one bit! And those three girls of hers? Adorable, aren't they?'
'Not really. One of them broke my Ming Vase!' said Jai dolefully, making Ranveer laugh.
'Have you met Massi?'
'She has gone to the Temple with Tarun and those two cousins of yours...Anu and Lakshmi, right?'
'Sneha and you are coming for the dinner tonight, aren't you? We can all catch up!'
'Riya's schedule is so bad; yaar...the kid just doesn't sleep at night! Poor Sneha looks like a wreck...not sure, if she can make it tonight! Though she is dying to attend the party...motherhood apparently is not as glorious as she had imagined it to be!'
Jai and Ranveer laughed and chatted for a while regarding some issue at work.
Meanwhile
'Pushkar! Hushhh...Pushkar!' called out Nachiket furtively.
'What?' asked Pushkar, looking suitably harassed! Jai had given him some rather tedious and boring work to finish and he was right in the middle of it.
'Ranveer Bhaiyya is here!'
'Who Ranveer Bhaiyya?'
'God, you are hopeless! Ranveer Bhaiyya! Jai Dada's best friend! Remember our plan?'
'You won't let me forget it even if I want to!' murmured Pushkar.
'They are sitting in the living hall as of now...but I am sure, they will go to Dada's study in a while. This is the correct time! Here...I got the keys from Abdul...don't ask me how! It was very tough! I will open the door for you...slip in and there would be a huge cupboard in the end of the room...get inside it!'
'How old is the cupboard?'
'What? How does that matter?'
'It might have lizards....and cockroaches...I am very scared of insects!'
'Oh! God! No, it doesn't have any such things...Dada is fanatic about cleanliness...he keeps getting his study fumigated from time to time...Go now...no time to lose!'
'Are you sure about this, Nachiket?' asked Pushkar, looking rather pale by now.
'Absolutely!'
'Then why don't you get inside the cupboard?'
'I will be missed here! And Purva and her family should be coming in anytime now! I have to be around! Go yaar! Come on! You promised!’ pleaded Nachiket.
Pushkar shook his head and got up reluctantly, mumbling, 'I should have guessed that your entire family has a loose screw the day I met you at the Cricket Club!'
Jai's Study
Nachiket opened the door of Jai's study and Pushkar shivered even before getting in, remembering the grilling he had got from Jai during his interview. He could not imagine what Jai would do to him, did he find out what he had been up to. Nachiket would be spared...he was his younger brother after all and getting married, but him? But before Pushkar could have a change of heart, Nachiket pushed him inside the room and took him towards a huge wooden cupboard that was kept at the far end of the room. It had a slide lock, which was easily opened and Pushkar felt a bit relieved to see that it not only had a lot of standing space but was quite clean and neat, with no cobwebs or any signs of lizards and roaches.
Giving one mournful look at his friend, he mumbled, 'Are you really sure about his, Nachiket?'
Feeling exasperated, Nachiket answered back, 'Just think! If we know what is causing a problem between Dada and Bani...we can solve it...and then they will get married! And imagine...you will technically become brother-in-law to none other than Jai Walia! Think of what it will do to your career as a lawyer!'
That did it for Pushkar and giving an enigmatic smile, he replied back, 'Wow...I never thought about it like that! Yes...Yes...I must get in quickly...but are you sure, Jai Sir and his friend will come to the study!'
'Of course...didn't we just hear Jai Dada tell Abdul to serve the tea and snacks in the study? Now hide, before anyone sees and don't fall asleep! Hear everything clearly! Okay?'
'Right! Hey, is there something to eat? While I am spying?'
Giving a loud sigh, Nachiket answered back, 'What do you want? Here...I have a Mars Bar with me...take it...and don't make chomping noises...my brother has the ears of a rabbit! All the best!' Saying that Nachiket locked the door again and quickly went out of the room, locking the door and handing the keys back to Abdul.
A while later
Jai and Ranveer walked towards the study, when Ranveer asked him, 'I actually came to see, Bani! I have been meaning to for the last few days...but somehow...with the kid and the work and of course, your disapproval. I couldn't! But today, I thought, I simply had to meet her!'
Jai smiled back at him and said, 'Why should I disapprove? You are more than welcome to see her! But I think she has gone out for some work.'
'So...what's been going on between the two of you?' asked Ranveer, when they reached the study and Pushkar's ears perked up to the conversation but his heartbeat also increased when he heard Jai's voice. He had to be very careful, else one slip and he would be caught.
Jai gave a sideways glance at the Cupboard and barely suppressed his mirth, looking back at Ranveer and answering in a slightly loud voice, to ensure that Pushkar heard them, 'A LOT!'
'Really? So did you speak to her? Did you tell her everything...'
All of a sudden, surprising the life out of Ranveer, Jai exclaimed in a loud voice, 'OH! GOSH! I completely forgot! Today is FUMIGATION DAY!'
'What day?' asked Ranveer in a flummoxed voice.
'Fumigation Day! My study was supposed to be fumigated today...too many insects crawling about...I have asked the Pest Control people to come and spray this study with the most lethal...most dangerous...most toxic chemicals they possess!’ announced Jai, in an abnormally cheerful voice, showing a strange enthusiasm for Pest-control of his study.
Ranveer stared back at Jai in complete stupefaction and mumbled, 'What on earth...'
Jai kept a finger on his lips and grinning back at his friend, whispered into his ears, ‘it’s an interesting story...just play along as of now!'
Ranveer looked even more bewildered but did not question Jai anymore!
'I want EVERYTHING in this study to be sprayed with insect repellents...especially that Mahogany Cupboard at the corner! It is particularly full of Creepy Crawlies...I will ask the Pest Control man to empty an entire container on that cupboard...WILL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING INSIDE THAT CUPBOARD DIES TODAY!'
Jai was now shaking with silent laughter, especially on seeing Ranveer's suitably befuddled expression and the sounds coming from the Cupboard...Pushkar had obviously heard Jai's plans for the day and was probably trying to get out.
Ranveer mumbled, 'Why is there sound coming from that Cupboard, Jai? I think someone is inside!'
'Oh! It’s nothing! I am telling you! Insects! And Roaches...Big ones...Don't worry...the Pest-control is here anytime...I will tell them to start with the Cupboard...spray a gallon of pesticide on that insect which is making so much noise!' answered back Jai, racking with laughter, not able to control it anymore, especially when he heard thudding noises coming from inside the cupboard.
Taking Ranveer out of the room, he locked the door and stood there!
'Will you tell me what on earth is going on? Jai! There is someone in that damn cupboard! Someone was banging on it from inside!'
Jai was still laughing, but replied back coolly, 'Yes, I know that! It’s Pushkar!'
'Pushkar? Who? That guy you have hired? Why on earth? And what is he doing inside your study? Locked in your cupboard?'
'I should be asking you this, question, Mr. Shenoy!’ quipped Jai.
'I don't understand!'
Jai had stopped laughing and giving a taciturn look at his friend, said to him, 'You told Chote regarding Bani?'
Ranveer was stumped and turned red in the face, as Jai recounted all that he had heard the night before.
When he was finished, all Ranveer could say was, 'Yaar...I am sorry. I really am....but Nachiket pestered the life out of me! I just gave in! He was really concerned for you...and besides, you are also hiding secrets from me!'
'What do you mean?' snapped Jai, looiking absolutely infuriated with his best friend, his brother and his silly paralegal by now.
'I was having a meeting with Adi yesterday...he mentioned that you are scheduled to go on a long leave...starting from next month. What is this about?'
Jai went red-faced...his life was full of insufferable fools who could not be trusted to keep a secret. He had no option but to tell Aditya about his medical leave, because he was the senior partner, but he had warned him not to say a single word regarding that to anyone, especially not Ranveer, till Jai had figured out what suitable excuse he was going to give for his long absence.
'What is going on in your life, Jai? Why are you taking this leave?' demanded Ranveer.
'You have no right to ask me questions...considering you blabbered about Bani to Chote!'
'I have every right to ask you questions and so does Chote! He is your brother and I am your best friend! Enough is enough now! Tell me truthfully, what is that you are hiding. Else...else...'
'Else, what?' questioned Jai with fire in his eyes.
Unfazed, Ranveer smiled at Jai and said, 'Else, I will wait for Bani to come back...and tell her how much you love her! How you have never stopped loving her and the only reason why you couldn't be with her was because...
Jai kept staring with cold fury at Ranveer, as his friend lowered his voice and spoke heartbreakingly, 'Because you can't have kids...and you don't want to sacrifice her dream of becoming a mother because of you.'
Jai was trembling from head to toe, waiting to leash out his fury on his friend, instead he broke down, supporting himself by leaning on the railings.
'Jai...for the last time...don't make this a reason to hold yourself back! For goodness sake! She loves you! And you love her too! You have already wasted four years of your life, simply assuming that becoming a mother would be more important for her than being with you...don't waste the rest of your life on such assumptions! At least...tell her...let her take the decision!'
Jai shook his head, drying his tears and spoke in a broken voice, 'Ranveer...it’s much more than that now...'
'What...What do you mean?' asked Ranveer in trepidation.
Jai stood in silence for some time and said, 'Come with me...'
They walked to Jai's room, where he took out a brown parcel from his side table and handed it over to Ranveer.
'What's this?' questioned Ranveer.
'Read it yourself. You are literate, aren't you?' snapped Jai, trapped between his anger and frustration at his situation.
Sometime later
Ranveer looked pale and staggered after having gone through the reports that Dr. Reddy had handed over to Jai.
'Now you see...what is really stopping me?' asked Jai, composed and grave, back to his rigidly controlled self.
'Oh...Lord...Jai! Since when? And why did you hide this from me?' questioned Ranveer, tearing up.
Placing a hand on Ranveer's shoulder, Jai said, 'It’s my bad luck that this had to happen to me twice...I don't want you to be dragged through this again, Ranveer...'
Ranveer objected vociferously, but Jai stopped him and spoke calmly, 'you have a daughter now, yaar...your wife and kid needs you more than ever...and you have already fulfilled your friendship by being with me for the first time...not again...please.'
'What sort of logic is that, Jai? Is it written somewhere that a friend should only help his best friend a certain number of times? What if I had been in your place?' questioned Ranveer, unable to stop his tears.
'You would have been very unfortunate, because unlike you, I am just too selfish...and I wouldn't have bothered to help you out even the first time, leave aside the second time!' quipped Jai, trying to humour and lighten the situation.
'Shut up, Jai! I don't understand why you have this burning need to portray yourself so negatively! You would have been around with me...the first, the second, the n number of times; I wanted you to be around...'
'Whatever...but see, I told you everything, didn't I? Now please, let me handle this on my own!' argued Jai.
'You have to handle this on your own Jai...that is your misfortune...but you don't have to be alone in doing so...that is your own choice to make.' expounded Ranveer.
'Ranveer...please yaar...' beseeched Jai.
'Okay...so you think that being a father, I should not concentrate only on my daughter as of now. Fine. Tell Chote then.'
'Are you crazy? He is going to be married in less than a week and he will be flying down to the States for the next 2 years! He will drop everything, if he gets even a hint!'
Ranveer glared back at his friend and said, 'Fine...tell Massi...and Karuna...they are your family! They will be around!'
'Massi is going to turn 70 in a few months and Dimpy? Poor thing...in between that husband and three kids...all she needs now is a cousin who will require 24 by 7 attention...that is if he survives this time!'
Ranveer gave a look at Jai and said, 'So you don't want me to help...you don't want your own brother to know...you feel your aunt is too old to be involved and you think that your cousin couldn't be less bothered! Wonderful! This is the opinion you hold of the people in your life!'
'Now, don't start talking like Dr. Reddy!' warned Jai, popping in an aspirin.
Before Ranveer could argue any further, Jai said to him, 'Okay now...we have discussed enough...lets go down...Purva's family should be here anytime...'
'Jai...'
'You asked me...I told you...now let me handle this in my own way. And don't worry...I just don't want you to be involved in my treatment process like last time...but I will still keep you updated...besides, I need you to fix that Mukteshwar Cottage for me...if I make it through the surgery...I will require a place to recover.'
Before leaving the room, Ranveer looked at his friend and whispered to himself, 'Only this time, there won't be a girl-next-door to help you recover, Jai.'
A While Later
Jai had actually asked Abdul to call up the Pest-control firm that they usually employed and tell them to come home. Nachiket looked confused and jittery when he saw that instead of holding a conversation in the study, Ranveer and Jai were actually downstairs.
'Dada! You are here? I thought you would be in your study!' exclaimed Nachiket, on seeing both of them standing outside Jai's room, instead of being in the study.
Jai whispered into a pensive and distraught looking Ranveer's ears, 'now stop making that mournful face...I am not dead yet. And let’s have some fun at the expense of two world-class fools!'
Ranveer looked at Jai and said, 'How can you joke around when something so serious is happening in your life, Jai?'
'Can we speak on this later, please? Cheer up now, for god sake!'
Cheer up? When my best friend is fighting for his life? And wants to do it all alone?' questioned Ranveer, both angry and emotional.
Giving a grunt of exasperation, Jai replied back tersely, 'Ranveer, please! If you really want to support me...keep this to yourself. We will talk about this after Chote's wedding! Come now!'
Ranveer followed Jai glumly downstairs, as Nachiket came rushing to his brother and stumbled on his words.
'Dada, what is Abdul saying? That the Pest-control people have come to fumigate your study?' asked Nachiket, looking completely flustered and worked-up!
Jai smiled broadly and said, 'Yes...they have! And I have told them to come with the strongest chemicals possible...leaves aside insects, not even a human being will escape alive from that room today!'
Nachiket gulped and started perspiring, wondering what to do now! Ranveer, despite his sombre mood, could not help but smile! Jai was always the one for a practical joke! Poor Chote and that hapless Pushkar!
'Abdul! What are you waiting for? Tell these guys to get started! Make sure, not a single corner is left out...and especially that Mahogany cupboard...spray it from top to bottom...every insect hiding inside should learn a lesson today!'
'Ji Sahabji' replied Abdul and ordered the Pest-control guys to go towards Jai's' study!
Nachiket literally passed out and yelled, 'Dada...stop them! Stop them! Please!'
Jai looked innocently back at Nachiket and said, 'What happened Chote?'
'I....Er...please stop them...'
'My question is why I should stop them?' asked Jai, still smiling as if he had no clue.
Ranveer had started smiling by now and Nachiket guessed that Jai knew and he mumbled sheepishly, 'Pushkar is inside!'
Jai's kept that fake smile and asked sweetly, 'And what is he doing inside?'
'Er....Ummm....hiding in your study.' Mumbled Nachiket, regretting his decision to snoop on his brother.
'And why is he hiding in my study?' asked Jai, still smiling but with an evil glint in his eyes.
Nachiket gave a look at his brother and then at Ranveer who gave an 'I told you so' expression and mumbled, 'Long story.'
'Fortunately, I have time today. Why don't we all go up to my study, where you can tell me this long story of yours?'
'But...But Pest Control...'
'Oh, don't worry! They are on stand-by! Once you recite your so-called 'long story', I will lock you up in the Mahogany Cupboard along with that other Creature which is inside and make sure that both of you are properly fumigated, decontaminated, deodorized and sterilized!'
'DADA!' yelled Nachiket in horror, as Jai caught his ear and dragged him towards the Study.
'Oh! Yes! Sterilized. Like I sterilized Nero and Augustus...we will obviously have to inform Purva and her family that you won't be able to function the way they expect you to after marriage...'
'Dada...please! You are embarrassing me!' cried out Nachiket, going red in the face in front of Jai's relentless bullying and acidic comments.
'Not yet, Chote...Not yet. You don't know what being embarrassed even means...I will show you in a while, though. You and that clown friend of yours!'
Jai opened the cupboard and there was Pushkar, slumped on the wooden board with his face completely covered in black-soot.
'Pushky! What the hell?' asked Nachiket in revulsion?
'I...I...Hello Sir!' he mumbled, looking particularly idiotic, with his black face and shining white teeth.
'Hello, my big foot! COME OUT!' bellowed Jai, making Pushkar jerk and jump out like a grasshopper!
Giving a look at both the of them, Jai spoke coldly, 'I heard you two girls gossiping at 2 in the morning...near the Fish Pond...and decided to teach you a lesson there and then. That black soot was kept there was Abdul, on my instructions...serves you well. It won't go away for at least a week! And you Chote, how dare you interfere in my life?'
Nachiket and Pushkar both looked mortified and speechless, as Jai thundered on them, giving an earful, laden with the choicest expletives to the boys, reducing Pushkar to tears...which just made him look funnier, because the black substance turned all runny and mucky, while Nachiket was rewarded with a punch on his face, which ended with him getting a purple colour patch, 3 days before his wedding and a few hours before his fiancée and his in-laws were to come.
- Elbert Hubbard
Part 16 (b)
Dr. Karthik Reddy's Clinic
'Jai...I specifically told you to come with someone! How do you expect me to help you out in anyway if you simply refuse to listen to me?' sighed the middle-aged and mild-mannered, Oncologist.
Jai smiled and said, 'Dr. Reddy...there is a wedding happening in my family...the card I just handed over to you? It’s my brothers' wedding...and I don't want anything spoiling the occasion...everyone is so joyful...so excited...'
'Well, okay...so no one from your family. What about your friend? The one who was with you last time! Ranveer Shenoy, right?'
Jai shook his head slowly and said, 'Ranveer and Sneha...his wife have just had a baby...a couple of months back...I really don't want to involve my friend in this again, Dr. Reddy. Earlier...it was okay...but now he is a father...he has a family to look after! Besides, I am not a child to need a chaperone!'
'It’s not a question of chaperoning you, Jai...please try and understand. You need support at this time...emotional support...physical support! You say your brother is leaving for the States after the wedding...your relatives will go back to their hometown...you don't want your best friend around, because he has family committments. How on earth will you manage on your own?'
Jai was quiet and mumbled in a mock-cheerful voice, 'Maybe I will be lucky and die, this time, Dr. Reddy.'
'Come on, Jai! I don't expect this type of attitude from a man like you! You have done this before...you can do it again! Why are you so overpowered this time?'
'I don't want to go through all that, Dr. Reddy! I have had enough...I simply don't have it in me to bear everything again!' declared Jai in a fatigued voice.
'It won't be that bad, Jai...listen...no one could have predicted that the Cancer would metastasize again! It was just...bad luck...but it’s not terminal...'
'I have a 50% chance of dying and you say it’s not fatal?' argued Jai angrily.
'You have a 50% chance of surviving, Jai...why don't you see it like that?' countered Dr. Reddy with a smile.
'That period of my life was hell, Dr. Reddy. Pure hell. It would be easier for me to just pop in a few sleeping pills and get over with it...'
'JAI!' exclaimed Dr. Reddy in shock.
'But I won't do that...I am not a coward, if nothing else. And I am not a parasite either...I don't want anyone to stop living their lives, taking care of me. I will manage it on my own.'
The patient and his doctor were quiet for some time.
'Okay...if this is your wish, then so be it. We have to fix on the date of the Chemo Sessions, Jai...we need to start latest by 15th of next month.'
Jai was quiet for some time, computing something in his mind and then nodding his head, replied, 'Yes...that should be fine. I have applied for a long leave from work...15th should give me just enough time to wrap off some critical stuff...'
'What have you told your colleagues and your clients?' asked Dr. Reddy, adding, ‘just out of curiosity?’
'Nothing much...just that, I wanted a break...they are not in the habit of questioning me much.' laughed Jai.
'Okay...and what about post-surgery? It will be like before...undoubtedly longer...minimum one and a half year of recovery...'
Jai inhaled slowly and replied in an absent voice, 'I don't know...I will go someplace...'
'I have a place in mind' stated Jai suddenly, thinking about Mukteshwar. That was one place where no one would expect to find him. Perfect. Exactly what he needed.
'Okay...I am not very supportive of your plans, Jai...but I can only advise you...I can't force you to do what I want.' Said Dr. Reddy, shaking his head in frustration.
Jai grinned and remarked, 'Dr. Reddy, you seem awfully positive that I will make it through this time too!'
Dr. Reddy gave a look at his patient and replied stoically, 'you might have lost hope in yourself, Mr. Walia...I still have full confidence in my abilities as a doctor! Agreed, the Neoplasm is worse than last time...but it is NOT incurable. I am a man of science, not a sentimentalist. If there was no hope for you, I would have told you so, clearly.''
Suitably chastised, Jai kept quiet, while Dr. Reddy lined out the treatment schedule for Jai.
'We will have to start with a bone scan next week...followed by the corticosteroid therapy...which should go on for about a couple of days...and put you in preparations for the Chemo Sessions. My assistant will give you the dates for the CT Scans, Myelogram, MRI, PET and SPECT scans ect. Just give her the dates when you are available starting from next week.'
Jai nodded his head, giving a disinterested look at his case papers, while Dr. Reddy was enthusiastically reading them out, as if there was a race going to happen and Jai was his favourite Derby Horse, set to win the contest!
'You are in Stage IIC as of now. The size of the tumour is slightly less than 5 cm...Last time it was 3.5.'
'1.5 is a huge difference!' observed Jai, looking at the X-rays of his spine.
'It is not...and the good thing is that you are still in the 'safe zone'...the mean survival rate for you is hovering around 50%, which in medical terms is considered a good bet.'
'But I read on Google...'
'Oh! God! Google is to be blamed for a lot of misinformation!' sighed Dr. Reddy, adding, 'I will explain to you. If I had a doubt about some discrepancy in a legal statement...or wanted clarification on some legal matter? Who would be my better bet? Google or a Lawyer?'
Before Jai could answer, Dr. Reddy announced, 'obviously a lawyer! Because he is a trained professional and would know exactly what I was looking for...instead of Google! Similarly, I am the trained professional here...and I am assuring you...it’s not as bad as it looks!'
'Jai...my worry is not that you won't be able to make through it again or not...my worry is that you will give up before even trying. And in a battle like this...mental toughness and a positive attitude is everything! You could do it the last time, because you were so willing to put up a fight for your life! What is wrong now?'
'Nothing...' whispered Jai and added slowly, 'I just don't want anyone getting worried because of me...'
'Jai! Have you ever wondered about something? That the people in our lives might actually want to help us, out of their own free will and that too while we might see ourselves as imposing upon them...but they simply see it as their duty and their right to be there for the one's they love and care for?'
Hit by Dr. Reddy's soft-spoken but meaningful words, Jai could only stared back at him speechless.
'You are feeling guilty because you realize that this treatment is going to be protracted and painful and gruelling and emotionally and physically taxing...of course, for you...but also for the person involved in your care. I understand the guilt factor! But don't you realize that the people in your life might actually want to be with you at this moment, despite everything? You are simply making assumptions on their behalf, without giving them the right of making a choice!'
Jai kept quiet, as Dr. Reddy spoke in a comforting voice, 'There isn't much time left, Jai...we have to start the treatment in a month's time...and if you want to do this alone, then I can't do anything about it. It’s your choice at the end of the day! But believe me, it won't be easy. You are NOT as tough as you think you are! We all need emotional support in our lives, Jai. All of us. Fine, you don't want your friend to be involved...or your brother...or even your relatives! But there must be someone who cares enough for you? Who is willing to go through this process with you?'
Giving up against, Jai's dogged silence, Dr. Reddy spoke despairingly, 'Alright...so anyway, I have arranged for a couple of scans to be done today itself...and here are the case-papers...I have a copy with me...you also keep one. In case, you need to take a second opinion.'
'I have full faith in your, Dr. Reddy. I don't need a second opinion.'
'I am honoured. My only wish was that you had more faith in yourself and in the people who care for you and love you, Jai!' retorted Dr. Reddy with a smile and a supportive pat on Jais' shoulder.
Farmhouse
Jai had left for his meeting with Dr. Reddy early in the morning, stating that he had some urgent work to finish, before Purva and her family came down to Dinner at the Farmhouse. Besides, he couldn't wait to get back at those two dorks, his brother and his idiotic friend, Pushkar, for trying to mess around with him.
The Farmhouse was in a state of great frenzy, the preparations were at the last leg and the house wore an extremely festive and joyous look. Karuna's three kids were wreaking havoc in the house with Jai not around and in between Pooja, Saurabh and Bani, they managed to wrap up a lot of things, before everyone came in the evening. Jigyasa and the rest of the team from Bangalore were also expected by tomorrow morning, to coordinate the rest of the wedding preparations. Bani had temporarily forgotten all about her anguish regarding Jai and she valiantly tried to fend up Shashank, while wrapping off her work.
'Pooja...I have to meet Mr. Khurana at his office today...he is down with flu, hence he cannot come...and I need to get that menu thing confirmed before Jigyasa Mam comes...'
'Don't worry...you go, Saurabh and I will manage here!'
'Is it okay, if I go and meet Pia on my way back? I couldn't meet her properly the last time...they were in a hurry to go to Vaishno Devi...'
'Of course yaar! Take your time! Everything is on track.'
'Okay...er...have you seen Mr. Walia?' she asked, despite herself. It was such a hopeless thing...pretending not to care about Jai. She did. It was an unfortunate fact of her life...but a fact nevertheless.
'No! Abdul Chacha told me he left sometime very early in the morning...poor guy; don't you think he is looking a bit unwell for the last two days?'
'Maybe, he is just anxious about the wedding...let us ensure that everything goes smoothly...okay...Pooja, I am off. Call me up if anything comes up.'
A couple of hours later
Jai finished his check-up with Dr. Reddy and came back home, instead of going to office, as he had previously planned. He simply did not feel like facing a day at work and all he wanted to do was go home and try to get some sleep. Dr. Reddy had already started his medication and he was battling a severe bout of insomnia because of the medication, unable to sleep properly at night. Just a few days more and the wedding would be over...and then he could face whatever had to be faced. Till then, he had to be strong and not give away.
Ranveer had dropped in to see Jai and was busy chatting up with Nachiket, when they saw Jai coming in. Remembering the conversation he had overheard the night before, Jai tried his best to appear as normal as possible and give nothing away.
'Hey Ranveer! Glad you came!' smiled Jai, hugging his friend.
'Well, you have not been coming to work for the last two days and Sheryl told me that you are working from home...so I decided to just drop in! Our groom tells me that his bride and family are coming down to Delhi today. Is that so?'
Jai smiled and replied back, 'Yes! Nikhilji and Neerjaji are coming today with Purva...Jiggy and her team from Bangalore are coming tomorrow...'
'Wow...looks like a full-house! Just met Karuna! She hasn't changed one bit! And those three girls of hers? Adorable, aren't they?'
'Not really. One of them broke my Ming Vase!' said Jai dolefully, making Ranveer laugh.
'Have you met Massi?'
'She has gone to the Temple with Tarun and those two cousins of yours...Anu and Lakshmi, right?'
'Sneha and you are coming for the dinner tonight, aren't you? We can all catch up!'
'Riya's schedule is so bad; yaar...the kid just doesn't sleep at night! Poor Sneha looks like a wreck...not sure, if she can make it tonight! Though she is dying to attend the party...motherhood apparently is not as glorious as she had imagined it to be!'
Jai and Ranveer laughed and chatted for a while regarding some issue at work.
Meanwhile
'Pushkar! Hushhh...Pushkar!' called out Nachiket furtively.
'What?' asked Pushkar, looking suitably harassed! Jai had given him some rather tedious and boring work to finish and he was right in the middle of it.
'Ranveer Bhaiyya is here!'
'Who Ranveer Bhaiyya?'
'God, you are hopeless! Ranveer Bhaiyya! Jai Dada's best friend! Remember our plan?'
'You won't let me forget it even if I want to!' murmured Pushkar.
'They are sitting in the living hall as of now...but I am sure, they will go to Dada's study in a while. This is the correct time! Here...I got the keys from Abdul...don't ask me how! It was very tough! I will open the door for you...slip in and there would be a huge cupboard in the end of the room...get inside it!'
'How old is the cupboard?'
'What? How does that matter?'
'It might have lizards....and cockroaches...I am very scared of insects!'
'Oh! God! No, it doesn't have any such things...Dada is fanatic about cleanliness...he keeps getting his study fumigated from time to time...Go now...no time to lose!'
'Are you sure about this, Nachiket?' asked Pushkar, looking rather pale by now.
'Absolutely!'
'Then why don't you get inside the cupboard?'
'I will be missed here! And Purva and her family should be coming in anytime now! I have to be around! Go yaar! Come on! You promised!’ pleaded Nachiket.
Pushkar shook his head and got up reluctantly, mumbling, 'I should have guessed that your entire family has a loose screw the day I met you at the Cricket Club!'
Jai's Study
Nachiket opened the door of Jai's study and Pushkar shivered even before getting in, remembering the grilling he had got from Jai during his interview. He could not imagine what Jai would do to him, did he find out what he had been up to. Nachiket would be spared...he was his younger brother after all and getting married, but him? But before Pushkar could have a change of heart, Nachiket pushed him inside the room and took him towards a huge wooden cupboard that was kept at the far end of the room. It had a slide lock, which was easily opened and Pushkar felt a bit relieved to see that it not only had a lot of standing space but was quite clean and neat, with no cobwebs or any signs of lizards and roaches.
Giving one mournful look at his friend, he mumbled, 'Are you really sure about his, Nachiket?'
Feeling exasperated, Nachiket answered back, 'Just think! If we know what is causing a problem between Dada and Bani...we can solve it...and then they will get married! And imagine...you will technically become brother-in-law to none other than Jai Walia! Think of what it will do to your career as a lawyer!'
That did it for Pushkar and giving an enigmatic smile, he replied back, 'Wow...I never thought about it like that! Yes...Yes...I must get in quickly...but are you sure, Jai Sir and his friend will come to the study!'
'Of course...didn't we just hear Jai Dada tell Abdul to serve the tea and snacks in the study? Now hide, before anyone sees and don't fall asleep! Hear everything clearly! Okay?'
'Right! Hey, is there something to eat? While I am spying?'
Giving a loud sigh, Nachiket answered back, 'What do you want? Here...I have a Mars Bar with me...take it...and don't make chomping noises...my brother has the ears of a rabbit! All the best!' Saying that Nachiket locked the door again and quickly went out of the room, locking the door and handing the keys back to Abdul.
A while later
Jai and Ranveer walked towards the study, when Ranveer asked him, 'I actually came to see, Bani! I have been meaning to for the last few days...but somehow...with the kid and the work and of course, your disapproval. I couldn't! But today, I thought, I simply had to meet her!'
Jai smiled back at him and said, 'Why should I disapprove? You are more than welcome to see her! But I think she has gone out for some work.'
'So...what's been going on between the two of you?' asked Ranveer, when they reached the study and Pushkar's ears perked up to the conversation but his heartbeat also increased when he heard Jai's voice. He had to be very careful, else one slip and he would be caught.
Jai gave a sideways glance at the Cupboard and barely suppressed his mirth, looking back at Ranveer and answering in a slightly loud voice, to ensure that Pushkar heard them, 'A LOT!'
'Really? So did you speak to her? Did you tell her everything...'
All of a sudden, surprising the life out of Ranveer, Jai exclaimed in a loud voice, 'OH! GOSH! I completely forgot! Today is FUMIGATION DAY!'
'What day?' asked Ranveer in a flummoxed voice.
'Fumigation Day! My study was supposed to be fumigated today...too many insects crawling about...I have asked the Pest Control people to come and spray this study with the most lethal...most dangerous...most toxic chemicals they possess!’ announced Jai, in an abnormally cheerful voice, showing a strange enthusiasm for Pest-control of his study.
Ranveer stared back at Jai in complete stupefaction and mumbled, 'What on earth...'
Jai kept a finger on his lips and grinning back at his friend, whispered into his ears, ‘it’s an interesting story...just play along as of now!'
Ranveer looked even more bewildered but did not question Jai anymore!
'I want EVERYTHING in this study to be sprayed with insect repellents...especially that Mahogany Cupboard at the corner! It is particularly full of Creepy Crawlies...I will ask the Pest Control man to empty an entire container on that cupboard...WILL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING INSIDE THAT CUPBOARD DIES TODAY!'
Jai was now shaking with silent laughter, especially on seeing Ranveer's suitably befuddled expression and the sounds coming from the Cupboard...Pushkar had obviously heard Jai's plans for the day and was probably trying to get out.
Ranveer mumbled, 'Why is there sound coming from that Cupboard, Jai? I think someone is inside!'
'Oh! It’s nothing! I am telling you! Insects! And Roaches...Big ones...Don't worry...the Pest-control is here anytime...I will tell them to start with the Cupboard...spray a gallon of pesticide on that insect which is making so much noise!' answered back Jai, racking with laughter, not able to control it anymore, especially when he heard thudding noises coming from inside the cupboard.
Taking Ranveer out of the room, he locked the door and stood there!
'Will you tell me what on earth is going on? Jai! There is someone in that damn cupboard! Someone was banging on it from inside!'
Jai was still laughing, but replied back coolly, 'Yes, I know that! It’s Pushkar!'
'Pushkar? Who? That guy you have hired? Why on earth? And what is he doing inside your study? Locked in your cupboard?'
'I should be asking you this, question, Mr. Shenoy!’ quipped Jai.
'I don't understand!'
Jai had stopped laughing and giving a taciturn look at his friend, said to him, 'You told Chote regarding Bani?'
Ranveer was stumped and turned red in the face, as Jai recounted all that he had heard the night before.
When he was finished, all Ranveer could say was, 'Yaar...I am sorry. I really am....but Nachiket pestered the life out of me! I just gave in! He was really concerned for you...and besides, you are also hiding secrets from me!'
'What do you mean?' snapped Jai, looiking absolutely infuriated with his best friend, his brother and his silly paralegal by now.
'I was having a meeting with Adi yesterday...he mentioned that you are scheduled to go on a long leave...starting from next month. What is this about?'
Jai went red-faced...his life was full of insufferable fools who could not be trusted to keep a secret. He had no option but to tell Aditya about his medical leave, because he was the senior partner, but he had warned him not to say a single word regarding that to anyone, especially not Ranveer, till Jai had figured out what suitable excuse he was going to give for his long absence.
'What is going on in your life, Jai? Why are you taking this leave?' demanded Ranveer.
'You have no right to ask me questions...considering you blabbered about Bani to Chote!'
'I have every right to ask you questions and so does Chote! He is your brother and I am your best friend! Enough is enough now! Tell me truthfully, what is that you are hiding. Else...else...'
'Else, what?' questioned Jai with fire in his eyes.
Unfazed, Ranveer smiled at Jai and said, 'Else, I will wait for Bani to come back...and tell her how much you love her! How you have never stopped loving her and the only reason why you couldn't be with her was because...
Jai kept staring with cold fury at Ranveer, as his friend lowered his voice and spoke heartbreakingly, 'Because you can't have kids...and you don't want to sacrifice her dream of becoming a mother because of you.'
Jai was trembling from head to toe, waiting to leash out his fury on his friend, instead he broke down, supporting himself by leaning on the railings.
'Jai...for the last time...don't make this a reason to hold yourself back! For goodness sake! She loves you! And you love her too! You have already wasted four years of your life, simply assuming that becoming a mother would be more important for her than being with you...don't waste the rest of your life on such assumptions! At least...tell her...let her take the decision!'
Jai shook his head, drying his tears and spoke in a broken voice, 'Ranveer...it’s much more than that now...'
'What...What do you mean?' asked Ranveer in trepidation.
Jai stood in silence for some time and said, 'Come with me...'
They walked to Jai's room, where he took out a brown parcel from his side table and handed it over to Ranveer.
'What's this?' questioned Ranveer.
'Read it yourself. You are literate, aren't you?' snapped Jai, trapped between his anger and frustration at his situation.
Sometime later
Ranveer looked pale and staggered after having gone through the reports that Dr. Reddy had handed over to Jai.
'Now you see...what is really stopping me?' asked Jai, composed and grave, back to his rigidly controlled self.
'Oh...Lord...Jai! Since when? And why did you hide this from me?' questioned Ranveer, tearing up.
Placing a hand on Ranveer's shoulder, Jai said, 'It’s my bad luck that this had to happen to me twice...I don't want you to be dragged through this again, Ranveer...'
Ranveer objected vociferously, but Jai stopped him and spoke calmly, 'you have a daughter now, yaar...your wife and kid needs you more than ever...and you have already fulfilled your friendship by being with me for the first time...not again...please.'
'What sort of logic is that, Jai? Is it written somewhere that a friend should only help his best friend a certain number of times? What if I had been in your place?' questioned Ranveer, unable to stop his tears.
'You would have been very unfortunate, because unlike you, I am just too selfish...and I wouldn't have bothered to help you out even the first time, leave aside the second time!' quipped Jai, trying to humour and lighten the situation.
'Shut up, Jai! I don't understand why you have this burning need to portray yourself so negatively! You would have been around with me...the first, the second, the n number of times; I wanted you to be around...'
'Whatever...but see, I told you everything, didn't I? Now please, let me handle this on my own!' argued Jai.
'You have to handle this on your own Jai...that is your misfortune...but you don't have to be alone in doing so...that is your own choice to make.' expounded Ranveer.
'Ranveer...please yaar...' beseeched Jai.
'Okay...so you think that being a father, I should not concentrate only on my daughter as of now. Fine. Tell Chote then.'
'Are you crazy? He is going to be married in less than a week and he will be flying down to the States for the next 2 years! He will drop everything, if he gets even a hint!'
Ranveer glared back at his friend and said, 'Fine...tell Massi...and Karuna...they are your family! They will be around!'
'Massi is going to turn 70 in a few months and Dimpy? Poor thing...in between that husband and three kids...all she needs now is a cousin who will require 24 by 7 attention...that is if he survives this time!'
Ranveer gave a look at Jai and said, 'So you don't want me to help...you don't want your own brother to know...you feel your aunt is too old to be involved and you think that your cousin couldn't be less bothered! Wonderful! This is the opinion you hold of the people in your life!'
'Now, don't start talking like Dr. Reddy!' warned Jai, popping in an aspirin.
Before Ranveer could argue any further, Jai said to him, 'Okay now...we have discussed enough...lets go down...Purva's family should be here anytime...'
'Jai...'
'You asked me...I told you...now let me handle this in my own way. And don't worry...I just don't want you to be involved in my treatment process like last time...but I will still keep you updated...besides, I need you to fix that Mukteshwar Cottage for me...if I make it through the surgery...I will require a place to recover.'
Before leaving the room, Ranveer looked at his friend and whispered to himself, 'Only this time, there won't be a girl-next-door to help you recover, Jai.'
A While Later
Jai had actually asked Abdul to call up the Pest-control firm that they usually employed and tell them to come home. Nachiket looked confused and jittery when he saw that instead of holding a conversation in the study, Ranveer and Jai were actually downstairs.
'Dada! You are here? I thought you would be in your study!' exclaimed Nachiket, on seeing both of them standing outside Jai's room, instead of being in the study.
Jai whispered into a pensive and distraught looking Ranveer's ears, 'now stop making that mournful face...I am not dead yet. And let’s have some fun at the expense of two world-class fools!'
Ranveer looked at Jai and said, 'How can you joke around when something so serious is happening in your life, Jai?'
'Can we speak on this later, please? Cheer up now, for god sake!'
Cheer up? When my best friend is fighting for his life? And wants to do it all alone?' questioned Ranveer, both angry and emotional.
Giving a grunt of exasperation, Jai replied back tersely, 'Ranveer, please! If you really want to support me...keep this to yourself. We will talk about this after Chote's wedding! Come now!'
Ranveer followed Jai glumly downstairs, as Nachiket came rushing to his brother and stumbled on his words.
'Dada, what is Abdul saying? That the Pest-control people have come to fumigate your study?' asked Nachiket, looking completely flustered and worked-up!
Jai smiled broadly and said, 'Yes...they have! And I have told them to come with the strongest chemicals possible...leaves aside insects, not even a human being will escape alive from that room today!'
Nachiket gulped and started perspiring, wondering what to do now! Ranveer, despite his sombre mood, could not help but smile! Jai was always the one for a practical joke! Poor Chote and that hapless Pushkar!
'Abdul! What are you waiting for? Tell these guys to get started! Make sure, not a single corner is left out...and especially that Mahogany cupboard...spray it from top to bottom...every insect hiding inside should learn a lesson today!'
'Ji Sahabji' replied Abdul and ordered the Pest-control guys to go towards Jai's' study!
Nachiket literally passed out and yelled, 'Dada...stop them! Stop them! Please!'
Jai looked innocently back at Nachiket and said, 'What happened Chote?'
'I....Er...please stop them...'
'My question is why I should stop them?' asked Jai, still smiling as if he had no clue.
Ranveer had started smiling by now and Nachiket guessed that Jai knew and he mumbled sheepishly, 'Pushkar is inside!'
Jai's kept that fake smile and asked sweetly, 'And what is he doing inside?'
'Er....Ummm....hiding in your study.' Mumbled Nachiket, regretting his decision to snoop on his brother.
'And why is he hiding in my study?' asked Jai, still smiling but with an evil glint in his eyes.
Nachiket gave a look at his brother and then at Ranveer who gave an 'I told you so' expression and mumbled, 'Long story.'
'Fortunately, I have time today. Why don't we all go up to my study, where you can tell me this long story of yours?'
'But...But Pest Control...'
'Oh, don't worry! They are on stand-by! Once you recite your so-called 'long story', I will lock you up in the Mahogany Cupboard along with that other Creature which is inside and make sure that both of you are properly fumigated, decontaminated, deodorized and sterilized!'
'DADA!' yelled Nachiket in horror, as Jai caught his ear and dragged him towards the Study.
'Oh! Yes! Sterilized. Like I sterilized Nero and Augustus...we will obviously have to inform Purva and her family that you won't be able to function the way they expect you to after marriage...'
'Dada...please! You are embarrassing me!' cried out Nachiket, going red in the face in front of Jai's relentless bullying and acidic comments.
'Not yet, Chote...Not yet. You don't know what being embarrassed even means...I will show you in a while, though. You and that clown friend of yours!'
Jai opened the cupboard and there was Pushkar, slumped on the wooden board with his face completely covered in black-soot.
'Pushky! What the hell?' asked Nachiket in revulsion?
'I...I...Hello Sir!' he mumbled, looking particularly idiotic, with his black face and shining white teeth.
'Hello, my big foot! COME OUT!' bellowed Jai, making Pushkar jerk and jump out like a grasshopper!
Giving a look at both the of them, Jai spoke coldly, 'I heard you two girls gossiping at 2 in the morning...near the Fish Pond...and decided to teach you a lesson there and then. That black soot was kept there was Abdul, on my instructions...serves you well. It won't go away for at least a week! And you Chote, how dare you interfere in my life?'
Nachiket and Pushkar both looked mortified and speechless, as Jai thundered on them, giving an earful, laden with the choicest expletives to the boys, reducing Pushkar to tears...which just made him look funnier, because the black substance turned all runny and mucky, while Nachiket was rewarded with a punch on his face, which ended with him getting a purple colour patch, 3 days before his wedding and a few hours before his fiancée and his in-laws were to come.
"Everyone
comes with baggage...you were the only one who loved me enough to help me
unpack it." - Anonymous
Part 16 (c)
Pia's Home
After wrapping off all her work, Bani had dropped in to see Pia at her in-laws place. The last time, she could barely spend any time with her, because Pia and her family were all set to leave for Vaishno Devi, but they had returned slightly earlier than planned and Pia had called up Bani, requesting her to come and meet her if she had any time.
'Didi...why did you have to get all this?' protested Pia, but with a smile, when she saw Bani gift her mother-in-law a basket of fruits and boxes of sweets, along with a dress for Pia, a watch for her husband, Ashwin and a small gift each for Pia's in-laws.
Bani smiled and said, 'If Ma and Papa would have been in my place, they would have done the same, Piu! It’s a tradition to not come empty handed at a daughter's married house.'
Pia gave a watery smile and holding her sister's hands, spoke in a small voice, 'no matter how many times, I apologize to you didi...I don't think, I will ever be truly remorseful enough.'
'Piu...don't...' remonstrated Bani.
'It’s true, Di. I don't think Papa would have ever forgiven me for what I did...it’s only you...but then you always had such a big heart...always forgiving...always loving without expecting anything back. I...I wonder, why I was so blind all these years...'
'Now don't rake up old issues...the past is past. I am so glad that you are happily married and have turned so responsible and so mature. Ashwinji is a wonderful man...and I just hope to see you both very happy and contented in your married life.'
Pia smiled, wiping her tears and asked her sister, 'And when can I see my didi, happily married to her wonderful man?'
Bani reddened a bit and replied, 'I don't want to get married, Pia. I am happy as I am. My work is going great...I love living in Bangalore...Rano and Pushkar are such great company...Chachaji and Chachiji treat me as their own daughter...what else would I want?'
'That is really where your happiness is, Di?' asked Pia, making Bani colour more deeply and she tried to change the topic.
'Do you know the wedding we are organizing right now? It’s going to be so great...the location is fantastic...and I even know the bride...'
Pia cut short Bani's speech and said, 'Di...I know that the wedding is taking place at Mr. Walia's Farmhouse...and it’s his brother getting married.'
Looking shocked out of her life, Bani could just about manage to ask, 'How on earth did you...'
Pia smiled and said, 'Just one minute.' And went to her cupboard, taking out a card from there.
It was Nachiket and Purva's wedding invite. And she could not fail to recognize Jai's spidery hand-writing on the cover, addressed to Pia and her husband.
Before a completely stunned Bani could ask any more questions, Pia said, 'Mr. Walia sent it across to me...infact, I got it only yesterday.'
'What? Jai sent it to you? But...How...You are both in touch?' Bani sounded completely incredulous and shocked.
'He came to see Ashwin and me...a couple of weeks back.'
'When did that happen? And how come you never told me?' asked Bani, completely zapped.
Pia grinned a bit and said, 'He asked me not to tell you anything...and I did keep quiet about it, the last time we met...but what the heck? Yes, we did meet a few weeks back.'
Taking some time to recover from the totally unexpected news, Bani could just about mumble, 'What did he come here for? And...why didn't he never mention...'
'He was searching for you, Di. He had called up Mukteshwar...and got to know from Girdhari Kaka, about Papa's death...and about what I had done...he was worried as hell about your whereabouts...'
Stunned at the piece of information received, all Bani could do was stare back at her sister. Jai had actually tried to find her? He had called up Mukteshwar? He knew about her father and sister? But why didn't he say anything the day Bani had accused him of not caring about her at all?
Pia continued, unmindful of the storm raging in Bani's heart, 'Girdhari Kaka misplaced your address...so Mr. Walia had no other way to trace you except hire an investigator...I am assuming he did...not that he ever told me how he got our address! But he did get worked up enough for you to go through all this effort and trace me out, so that he could find about you.'
Giving a look at Bani, Pia placed her hand on her sister's shoulder and said, 'It’s only when I assured him that you were fine and doing well in Bangalore, that he seemed to be a bit relieved...he even took your phone number in Bangalore...I wonder why he never called you up?'
Bani's eyes had filled with tears by now, she still could not understand anything clearly, but the mere fact that Jai had actually searched for her...so much, so that he had even traced down Pia to find out about her, shook Bani from the core of her heart. If this was not his way of showing that he cared for her, god knows what else was?
Pia looked at the emotional trauma on Bani's face and said tenderly, 'Di...I don't know what you two have going on between the both of you? Frankly, I never knew...except that you were obviously in love with him...ever since you first saw him in Mukteshwar...but it was only when I met Mr. Walia the other day at my home, that I realized, he has also been in love with you...from the very beginning.'
Bani was crying silently now, as Pia lifted her chin gently and spoke in a broken voice, 'If it wasn't love in his eyes for you that day...then I probably don't know how to define love.'
Farmhouse
Bani had been absolutely silent all through her ride back to the Farmhouse, even ignoring Pooja and Saurabh's incoming phone calls. She was lost in her own world, only thinking about what Pia had told her.
When she arrived at the Farmhouse, she was informed by Abdul that Jai had asked her to come to his study as soon as she came back. Not even thinking about anything, she went to his study and was jolted out of her trance like state, when she saw Ranveer in the room, along with Nachiket who had a swollen eye and Pushkar, who had a strange black coating on his face.
'Come in, Bani. You also need to know this.' announced Jai, when Bani had opened the door of his study.
Ranveer looked at Bani and broke into a warm smile, 'Bani? Hi! After such a long time! You look...you look lovely...so different!'
Bani smiled tentatively at Ranveer and spoke in a low voice, 'Hello Ranveerji...how are you?'
'I am fine! Great! And you? What a long time since we met? I can never forget your delicious tea and those amazing Palak Pakodas you had made for Jai and me back in Mukteshwar.'
Bani blushed a bit and smiled, giving a sideways look at Jai, who was waiting patiently for Ranveer and Bani to catch up, before telling her the reason why he had called her to his study.
'How is Snehaji?'
'Sneha is doing well. We had a baby a few months back. A daughter. Her name is Riya.'
Bani forgot all her reluctance and smiling warmly, exclaimed, 'Really? That is great news! Congratulations! Have you got her here?'
'No...she has a stomach infection...and she has been keeping Sneha awake for the last many nights...so the mother and daughter won't be coming today!' laughed Ranveer.
'Oh...well, it was really nice meeting you again, Ranveerji. Please pass on my regards to Snehaji also.'
Bani then looked at Jai and asked him in a rather polite and formal manner, 'Abdul Chacha told me that you wanted to see me?'
'Yes, I did!' said Jai and went on to tell her everything about Nachiket and Pushkar's disastrous plan and how they had found out about them.
Bani had turned brick-red by now and could only stare back at both Nachiket and Pushkar in shock and uttered finally, 'Nachiket...why? And Pushkar...I really did not expect you to do something like this.'
Looking mortified out of shame, especially because of the presence of both Ranveer and Jai, she said in a hurt voice, 'You realize what you have done? You have made me also look like part of this whole plan of yours...you have made me a culprit along with you.'
Both Pushkar and Nachiket looked taken aback and were about to defend her, before which, Jai instantly stopped Bani and said to her, 'One second, Bani! What makes you think that anyone feels that you too were involved in all this?'
Bani had teared up a bit by now and trying valiantly to hide her tears from him, she said, 'That is what it would seem like, won't it? That I put them up to do all this...to...to get closer to you...'
Sounding shocked, Jai blurted out, 'What? Are you crazy? You really think, I would feel like that? Come on, Bani! I didn't call you here to include you as part of this idiotic duo! I called you so that you should also know, how these two interfered in our lives!'
Bani kept quiet as Jai went on, addressing both the boys, in a severe voice, 'Firstly, Nachiket...you had no business meddling with my phone...and secondly, if you had questions regarding Bani's picture being in my phone...you should have simply asked me!'
Gathering some courage, Nachiket questioned him back, 'And would you have answered me?
'No.' snapped Jai, adding, 'That is not the point. You need not interfere in things that are none of your concern!'
'And you Pushkar...if you had seen my pictures in Bani's room...don't you think it would have been simpler to either ignore them or just ask your friend regarding them, instead of plotting all this nonsense?'
Pushkar withered under Jais' scorn and rage and simply kept quiet, giving a sorrowful look at Bani.
'Bani! Why are you quiet? Say something to them?' urged Jai.
'There is nothing to say. Everyone makes mistakes...it’s alright. What is more important is that now they are clear that there is nothing between you and me and they need not act like this ever again.' replied Bani quietly.
Looking hurt, but hiding his feelings, Jai said, 'Yes...there is nothing between us...is that clear to both of you? Now get out of my room and don't show me your faces for some time! GO!'
Nachiket and Pushkar scuttled off like errant rabbits, but not before Pushkar gave a dejected look at Bani and mumbled, 'I am sorry Bani...'
She gave him a quiet smile and said, 'It’s okay...'
'And I am sorry too...' muttered Nachiket.
'And it is okay for you too...' replied Bani with a smile.
As soon as the two had left, Bani addressed Ranveer, 'I should be going now...there is a lot of pending work to be done...and it was really nice meeting you again, Ranveerji. Please do give me a call whenever you and Snehaji are in Bangalore...I would love to meet up with your family.'
Ranveer looked at Bani and giving her a warm smile said, 'So, you will be going back to Bangalore?'
Blushing at bit at his implication, Bani replied back stoically, 'Yes.'
And then addressing Jai, without facing him, she said, 'Everything is right on schedule for the wedding, Mr. Walia. I will be handing over the charge to Jigyasa Mam from tomorrow...she will be coordinating the rest of the events.'
Without waiting to hear any response from Jai, she went out, closing the door from behind.
All Ranveer said to Jai before leaving the study was, 'Jai...god forbid, if you lose your battle against Cancer this time...I would attribute it to a great misfortune....but if you lose this girl again, there would be no one to blame but you.'
And saying that, Ranveer went out of the room, leaving Jai, lost and confused, trapped in his hopeless circumstances and his emotional complexities.
Abdul came to inform Jai that the Raheja's had arrived and Jai told them to get them seated while he came down. Walking back to his room, Jai made a decision....and though it was on the spur of the moment...somewhere, it was the only thing meant to do.
Next Day
The dinner had gone on exceptionally well, except that there was a lot of hilarity ensured by Nachiket's purple face, for which he could give no explanation. Bani and Purva met up and the bride could not help but gush on the fantastic arrangements that Bani and her team had made. Jai had been polite and attentive, though no one could fail to notice, least of all Bani, that his mind was clearly somewhere else. And much to Bani's acute embarrassment and wonder, he just kept looking at her throughout the dinner, as if he was expecting something very urgently to happen.
Today was the Cocktail Party thrown by the Groom's family, followed by the Sangeet tomorrow which would be jointly held by both the Walia's and the Raheja's at the Farmhouse. Bani had woken up very early in the morning to oversee the arrangements, besides Jigyasa and the rest of her gang from Bangalore was coming down by 10 am and Bani wanted everything in place, before handing over her responsibilities to Jigyasa for the final execution of the event.
'Bhaiyya...put that canopy over there too...no...no...Don’t cover the tree...it’s the highlight...and where is that electrician guy? He was supposed to put the lights by now! AMBIKA! No, baby...don't play with that...you might get hurt! And what are you doing up so early?' asked Bani, as Karuna's eldest daughter came prancing around the lawns, excited by the activity that had started so early on.
'Bani...Jigyasa Mam just called up...they have boarded the flight...I have told Saurabh to go and fetch them...and what about the rehearsal for the dance? Did you speak to Purva's Mam regarding it?'
Bani nodded her head and replied, 'Yes, I did, Pooja! But we will have to take Anu, Lakshmi and the girls to the place where they are staying...they can't come here...Massiji doesn't want the bride to come here before the Sangeet Function, tomorrow...'
'Oh! God!' remarked Pooja and they both shared a friendly laugh, while going through the list of things they were supposed to do.
Bani had just rushed inside to get a few things, when she almost bumped into Jai, who was in his sweat-pants and T-shirt, getting ready for his exercise.
She flushed and mumbled, 'I am sorry...I didn't see you...'
He too coloured a bit and answered, 'It’s okay...er...Bani...'
She seemed to be in a hurry, yet stopped and asked him politely, 'Yes?'
Looking hesitant, Jai nevertheless asked her, 'Um...did Abdul give you some papers yesterday?'
Blinking her eyes and then remembering something, she exclaimed, 'Yes...he handed over a brown packet! The final guest list, right? I did not find the time to read it at all yesterday night...the dinner ended so late...I will go through it in a while, Mr. Walia.'
And saying that she rushed back to do whatever she was doing, while Jai closed his eyes in exasperation. No wonder, she was looking so normal in the morning and hadn’t asked him anything. Suddenly losing the confidence he had gained yesterday, Jai wondered if he was acting in an emotional frenzy. There was still time in hand...he could simply take back his Case Papers from Bani's room and she would never be wise...and judging by her attitude, it seemed to him that she had completely given up on him and would probably not even bother to hear what he had been hiding from her till now.
The wedding would be over...and Bani would leave for Bangalore...and keep living her happy life...probably holding a lot of bitterness and pain against him...but nevertheless would be a free person. Free to lead a life that she deserved...free to meet someone again...free to fall in love again...free to live a normal life with a normal man.
Feeling utterly hassled by his conflicting emotions, Jai decided that if Bani did not get to read his Case Papers by the end of day today...he would take it as a sign that they were simply meant to go their different ways and it was probably for everyone's good that she never came to know about him.
He decided to wait till the evening and get the papers back, lest someone else see them.
Sometime Later
Jigyasa and her team had arrived from Bangalore and the Farmhouse literally seemed to be on fire. Bani looked thrilled to see the rest of her colleagues from Bangalore and was on top of the world, when Jigyasa oozed praise for Bani Pooja and Saurabh's efforts.
Jai and Jigyasa were catching up over tea, when he said, 'I have to say, Jigyasa...your team did a great job! Especially Bani...'
Jigyasa beamed and replied back, 'I am so glad! And even gladder that Bani and you managed to solve that small misunderstanding you had.'
Bani blushed and avoided looking back at Jai, who seemed unusually pensive and lost.
'Isn't it, Jai? Isn't she a great girl?' asked Jigyasa, making Jai smile faintly in Bani's direction and answer, 'Yes...she is.'
Flushing badly, Bani mumbled, 'Mam...you wanted to discuss about the clothes we are wearing...can we do it now? Pooja and I have to leave for Purva's place...we need to practice for the Sangeet Ceremony.'
'Yes...Yes...good you reminded me! Jai, let us catch up later! Maybe at the Cocktail itself...and don't look so worried! Everything would go fine!' assured Jigyasa, assuming that Jai's sombre mood was due to the tension regarding the wedding than anything else.
Jigyasa, Bani, Pooja and the rest of the girls from their team went inside to one of the room, where Jigyasa had moved in and she took out her luggage, handing out packets to everyone.
'Bani and Pooja...since you girls were here...you couldn't see your dresses till now! I just hope this fits you well...we simply used the measurements from the last wedding we did.'
The wedding planners always wore the same outfits and generally coordinated it with the theme of the wedding. The Sangeet was to be a traditional function and hence the dress was a fuchsia coloured lehenga and choli.
Pooja gushed at the outfit and remarked, 'This is the prettiest thing I have seen, Mam! Wow...this looks amazing!'
Jigyasa smiled and said, 'We had a very generous client, Pooja to sponsor all the outfits! I am glad you liked it!'
Bani looked a bit circumspectly at the dress....the lehenga skirt was in Organza and chiffon and was indeed pretty, but the choli looked a bit skimpy for Bani's tastes.
'Er...Mam...this choli has nothing in the back...just two strings!' she mentioned, as if she was the only one who had noticed it.
All the girls present giggled and Jigyasa replied back, 'It’s the latest in fashion, sweetie! Besides, why are you looking so worried? With your figure, you will carry it off easily! Anyway...enough wasting time. Let’s keep working...and I want all of you to be dressed up latest by 7 tomorrow...and be ready for the Sangeet! The clothes for the Wedding are also on their way and Bani, you don't have to look so hassled...you are all wearing a Sari on the Wedding! No backless Choli's!'
Bani smiled and nodded her head, giving doubtful looks at the Choli, especially when she realized that in her silliness to get back at Jai, she had agreed to do a dance number with Shashank. She could not imagine wearing such a dress and dancing with him...that too in front of Jai.
With the realization of what Pia had told her regarding Jai’s visit and deeply regretting all that she had said in outburst to him, Bani decided that his low mood was because of her and she had to act contrite and apologize to him. To hell with her so-called self-respect and ego! Anything that hurt Jai was not worth holding on to, in Bani’s mind.
Jai's Study
Knocking courteously on the door, she heard Jai calling out in a subdued voice, a complete departure from his usual roar, 'Come in.'
Bani opened the door and instantly evoked a start from Jai.
'She saw those papers...'was his first thought.
'Can I have a minute with you?'
Jai could not help but smile at her question and said, 'Yes, of course. Come in.'
Bani came in, turning pink in her cheeks already and before Jai could ask her anything, she blurted out, 'I am sorry.'
'Looking surprised, he got up from his chair and walking towards her said, 'For what?'
Lowering her eyes, she spoke in a soft voice, 'For all that I said that day...that...that you didn't care enough to find out about me...'
Jai kept silent, realizing with a twinge, that she had not seen his reports. But kept quiet and let her speak.
Tearing up, she looked at him and said, 'I met Pia...she told me that...that you had tried to find out about me....'
'People simply can't keep secrets, can they?' he quipped with a smile and coming near her, wiped the tears off her cheeks.
She went warm in her cheeks at his touch, but remained impassive.
‘Don’t, Bani. Please.’ He said in reference to her tears. It was simply put but somehow the feeling in his words made her even more emotional than before.
'Why didn't you tell me that you had tried to find out about me?' she asked him. Her question wasn’t demanding like before, simply a wonderment.
Jai smiled and said, 'If I had confessed to the fact that I had tried to find out about you, then all those things you said to me would have proved right.' And then giving her a grin, added, 'And you know me! How I hate to be proved wrong by anyone.'
Bani too smiled and gathering courage, said to him, in her tranquil manner, 'I just came to tell you that all that you said that day...I thought about it. And decided that you were right...I did not move on with my life...not in the way that one is supposed to.'
'I suppose I expected too much out of life...without having any basis for doing so.' Pausing for a moment, Bani looked up at him and said, 'I just came to say that I will go back to Bangalore in two days...and...and I have decided to start on a new note...emotionally speaking.'
Jai was quiet, letting Bani speak, though his heart was sinking at a rapid rate...when he had not wanted her to know anything, she had gone out hammers and tongs, trying to find out what he was hiding and now when he wanted her to know what it was that was ailing him, she had decided on giving up on him and move forward. The irony of the situation was such, that Jai didn't know whether to cry at his misfortune or laugh mockingly at his arrogance and attitude, which had got him to this situation.
Bani continued, heedless of what was raging in Jai's heart, 'I just wanted to tell you that if you ever come to Bangalore on work...or otherwise...I would...I would feel really nice if we could meet up...and hopefully remain…friednds…I mean, acquaintances for as long as possible.'
Jai was very quiet and Bani stopped speaking, wondering if he was even listening to her.
'Jai...are you okay?' she asked with concern, looking at the expression on his face.
He mumbled, 'Yes...Yes...I understand...And...and I am sorry too, Bani...for the way I behaved...and for all that I said to you...I don't know what had come over me...there is really no explanation...but I am deeply sorry for the way I have treated you.'
Bani had tears in her eyes but she still smiled and said to him, 'Are we fine, then?'
Jai valiantly tried to hold back his tears and giving her a grin, said, 'Yes, of course!'
And slanting forward, planted a gentle kiss on her cheeks, saying, 'I hope you always do well in life, Bani...and...if you are ever in Delhi...do give me a call. We will meet up...for old time sake.'
Bani was feeling very emotional and before she feared that her tears would overcome her, she looked at him and said, 'I think I should be going now. There is a lot of work pending...take care...bye. I just came today...becaue from tomorrow, there will be so much going on...I just...wanted to see you...and say sorry...and goodbye.'
Almost impulsively, Jai stopped her and said, 'What about your last wish? Don't you want your question to be answered?'
Giving a slow, sad smile, Bani replied, 'No...It’s alright. I realized that there was no point in asking for any wish, if that meant, pushing someone into a corner and forcing them to do something that they don't wish to...I know that you don't want to answer me, Jai...and the only reason why you will answer will be because you had promised me...'
Looking up at him, she said simply, ' you have already given me more than my fair share of wishes...I don't need your answer...you are released from your promise.'
A while later
Jai locked himself in his study for the next few hours, but decided that he had to take back his reports from Bani's room...the one he had handed over to Abdul to place it in her room, so that she might read them.
Life had given him a chance and he had squandered it...and now it seemed, that it was just too late.
He had to get that packet back from Bani's room...before she saw them and changed her mind. She looked at peace today...finally...and he genuinely believed that she wanted to move on. He didn’t' want to come in her way...certainly not as a liability that he was bound to become.
He called up Abdul on the Intercom, 'Abdul! Where are you? Listen...leave everything you are doing and get me that brown packet that I asked to keep in Bani Madam's room. Okay? If anyone asks, just tell that it came by mistake. Go, get it urgently and keep it in my study. I am going downstairs.'
'Ji Sahib' replied Abdul and went to fetch that packet from Bani's room.
Towards Evening
The Cocktail Party was in full swing and Jai seemed to be relaxed, once Abdul had told him that he had taken back the packet from Bani's room, where it was kept on the desk. Nachiket, despite his swollen face, could not help but seem to be in high spirits, conversing with Purva and her cousins, including Meera, who was looking rather striking in a black strapless number. Jai in the meanwhile was in conversation with Purva's father and one of her Uncle's, but his eyes kept wandering off in search of Bani.
He knew that she along with the other people from Jigyasa's team were busy in preparations for the remaining functions, but he could see Pooja, Saurabh and a couple of others too, coming in and out of the living room where the party was being held, but Bani was nowhere.
Jai could not escape the party as of now, so he had to stay put and simply wonder where she had disappeared.
Looking elegant and pretty in a peach and gold coloured Chiffon Sari, that had been a gift from Pia, she was occupying Karuna's three girls, since their parents were both in the party. It was close to ten and the girls were sleepy, so Bani said to them, 'Come...let me take you to your room and put you to sleep!'
'But Didi, we want to play with you!' they demanded.
Bani smiled and replied, 'We will play tomorrow! And you will also have to perform your dance that you prepared for your Chote Mamu's Sangeet, isn't it? You have to look fresh for that...now come, let me take you to your room.'
Leading them to their bedroom, which was next to her own room, Bani sat along with them, as they dozed off. Jigyasa was also in the party and Bani had some more work to wrap off along with the team from Bangalore, deciding on changing her clothes into something more comfortable, she went to her room and switched on the lights.
Her room was unusually littered today...with piles of clothes that belonged to some of her colleagues and other stuff. Tidying it up quickly, she was about to take out her ordinary clothes, when she noticed a brown parcel buried below the stuff.
'Oh! God! I completely forgot! The guest list! But how come it’s here? Abdul had informed me that he had taken the parcel back and given it to Mr. Walia!’ she thought to herself.
Sitting down on her bed, she opened the parcel and was instantly surprised, by the letter-head she saw.
'Rajiv Gandhi Insitute for Cancer Research.'
'What?' she remarked to herself, completely stunned and flicked through the papers! This was not the guest list; someone's medical records had come to her by mistake. But how could that happen?
She was about to keep the papers back in the parcel and ask Abdul about it, when she read the name of the person to whom the papers belonged.
Jai Walia.
And the doctor’s name was printed on the top right corner.
Dr. Karthik Reddy.
Bani remembered his name. Jai’s Oncologist.
30 Minutes Later
Bani sat stunned, holding the papers in her hand...she could not help but go through them when she had seen Jai's name, wondering at first how it had come to her possession and then with a sinking feeling, as she went through them.
ADULT MALE AGED 35
MODERATE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL
NO HISTORY OF SMOKING
FIT AND HEALTHY OTHERWISE
NO DRUGS
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
HISTORY OF.......
Intramedullary tumour
Severe back pain
Occasional nausea
Weight loss, unintentional but due to the pain after the tumour metastasized.
Loss of sensation in lower back and neck.
Frequent muscle contractions
Blood test results are as follows
GGT 356
ALT 191
BILIRUBIN 11
ALP 373
CALCIUM 2.68
AFP 2
CEA LESS THAN 3
HCG LESS THAN 2
PSA 1.0
Ultrasound showed increased size of tumour
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination - Positive
CT scan shows multiple small lesions in spinal cord
Ultrasound of testes NAD
Though many of the things written in it made no sense to Bani, since they were all complicated medical terms and jargons, she could clearly understand a few things.
One...that Jai had developed a tumour in his Spine again.
Second...that he was scheduled to start on his Chemo Therapy in less than a month.
Third...that he had an operation scheduled in the next three months. The same operation that he had before coming to Mukteshwar.
And fourth...that she finally understood what he had been holding back from her till now.
Trembling like an autumn leaf, from head to toe, unable to stop her tears, Bani could barely able to stand up still.
Downstairs Party
Not feeling in the mood for the party, Jai made an excuse of a headache and addressed Purva’s father, ‘Nikhilji…do you mind, if I excuse myself for now? I have not been keeping too well…and I think I just need some rest.’
‘Of course, Jai…please suit yourself! Don’t worry…we are all enjoying here…you take care. And anyway, you need to be fit and fine for the main functions coming up! Purva has been so excited about the Sangeet Ceremony!’
Jai gave a perfunctory smile and left for his room, bidding goodnight to everyone and brushing off concerns, especially from Nachiket and his Massi regarding his health. Ranveer, who was in the middle of a conversation with Aditya, came to Jai and whispered into his ears, ‘Jai! Are you alright? You look quite pale. Do you want me to drive you down to Dr. Reddy?’
Jai shook his head and said, ‘No…No…Ranveer, I am fine. Just tired…see, its almost 11…these guys will go on till 1 or 2 in the morning…I need to catch up on my sleep. Don’t worry…I am okay, as of now. You carry on…and don’t forget to get Sneha and Riya tomorrow for the Sangeet! Alright!’
Ranveer gave a smile at his friend and said, ‘Alright. Take care. And please don’t hesitate to inform anyone in the house if you don’t feel well at night…I know you…’
‘I will. I will. Stop fussing! ‘Complained Jai with a grin and left the party to go to his room.
Jai’s Bedroom
Jai was so depressed regarding Bani’s imminent departure that he did not even bother to remove his clothes before collapsing on the bed, his eyes misted and his heart so pained, that he could barely breathe. He felt so alienated...so alone...so helpless. All those things which he had never imagined that he would feel...to put it in one word, for the first time in his life, Jai felt, human.
Not the brilliant Lawyer who had never lost a single case in his professional life, nor the valiant patient who had fought and won against a terminal illness, nor the loner who professed to the whole world that he could live happily alone.
But simply a man in love. A man hopelessly in love with a woman who was slipping away from his life. This time, forver.
He kept lying where he was, thoughtlessly, when the heard a knock on his bedroom door. The same polite knock…which he recognized.
Shaken up from his reverie and thoroughly surprised at the mid-night intrusion, he wondered who could it be. No one came to his room, unless he called them on his own and at 12:30 in the night?
Rubbing his eyes, he walked up to the door and opened it, and it took him a couple of seconds to make out who it was that was standing in front of him, because of the darkness in the corridor and in his room.
‘Bani?’ he exclaimed, sounding disbelieving, like he was seeing a dream.
And despite his amazement at her unanticipated presence, he could not fail to notice how ethereal she looked in the sari she had worn today, her hair plaited loosely and brought to the front and her face…so beautiful despite the deep melancholy in her eyes.
‘What on earth?’ he exclaimed, pulling her inside, more out of habit, than anything else. The house was full of people and from the sounds coming from downstairs; it looked like the party was still on. Anyone could see them together and assume the worst.
Shutting the door, he asked her, in a worried voice, ‘What happened? Are you alright? Why do you look so…so…’ he could not find the word to describe the expression on her face.
She was crying, albeit inaudibly and looking up at him, handed over a brown parcel and said simply, ‘Abdul took the wrong papers from my room…here are the right ones.’
The colour vanished from Jai’s face as he took the brown parcel and opened it slightly, to see that indeed, his medical reports were inside it.
Abdul…the prize idiot, had got them confused with the other parcel which had the wedding related list…and in the frenzy of the party, even he had not bothered to double check it, back in his study, where Abdul had kept it.
Though Jai had wanted Bani to know about his illness, somehow he was completely unprepared when she actually got to know it. And simply had no idea on what to say to her.
‘Bani…I…’ he mumbled, powerlessly, as she broke down sobbing, falling on his chest, clinging on to him.
And this time, Jai neither protested, nor objected, nor did he stop her…or himself.
He simply held her in his arms and brought her as close as he could, near him, even as tears flowed from his eyes.
Part 16 (c)
Pia's Home
After wrapping off all her work, Bani had dropped in to see Pia at her in-laws place. The last time, she could barely spend any time with her, because Pia and her family were all set to leave for Vaishno Devi, but they had returned slightly earlier than planned and Pia had called up Bani, requesting her to come and meet her if she had any time.
'Didi...why did you have to get all this?' protested Pia, but with a smile, when she saw Bani gift her mother-in-law a basket of fruits and boxes of sweets, along with a dress for Pia, a watch for her husband, Ashwin and a small gift each for Pia's in-laws.
Bani smiled and said, 'If Ma and Papa would have been in my place, they would have done the same, Piu! It’s a tradition to not come empty handed at a daughter's married house.'
Pia gave a watery smile and holding her sister's hands, spoke in a small voice, 'no matter how many times, I apologize to you didi...I don't think, I will ever be truly remorseful enough.'
'Piu...don't...' remonstrated Bani.
'It’s true, Di. I don't think Papa would have ever forgiven me for what I did...it’s only you...but then you always had such a big heart...always forgiving...always loving without expecting anything back. I...I wonder, why I was so blind all these years...'
'Now don't rake up old issues...the past is past. I am so glad that you are happily married and have turned so responsible and so mature. Ashwinji is a wonderful man...and I just hope to see you both very happy and contented in your married life.'
Pia smiled, wiping her tears and asked her sister, 'And when can I see my didi, happily married to her wonderful man?'
Bani reddened a bit and replied, 'I don't want to get married, Pia. I am happy as I am. My work is going great...I love living in Bangalore...Rano and Pushkar are such great company...Chachaji and Chachiji treat me as their own daughter...what else would I want?'
'That is really where your happiness is, Di?' asked Pia, making Bani colour more deeply and she tried to change the topic.
'Do you know the wedding we are organizing right now? It’s going to be so great...the location is fantastic...and I even know the bride...'
Pia cut short Bani's speech and said, 'Di...I know that the wedding is taking place at Mr. Walia's Farmhouse...and it’s his brother getting married.'
Looking shocked out of her life, Bani could just about manage to ask, 'How on earth did you...'
Pia smiled and said, 'Just one minute.' And went to her cupboard, taking out a card from there.
It was Nachiket and Purva's wedding invite. And she could not fail to recognize Jai's spidery hand-writing on the cover, addressed to Pia and her husband.
Before a completely stunned Bani could ask any more questions, Pia said, 'Mr. Walia sent it across to me...infact, I got it only yesterday.'
'What? Jai sent it to you? But...How...You are both in touch?' Bani sounded completely incredulous and shocked.
'He came to see Ashwin and me...a couple of weeks back.'
'When did that happen? And how come you never told me?' asked Bani, completely zapped.
Pia grinned a bit and said, 'He asked me not to tell you anything...and I did keep quiet about it, the last time we met...but what the heck? Yes, we did meet a few weeks back.'
Taking some time to recover from the totally unexpected news, Bani could just about mumble, 'What did he come here for? And...why didn't he never mention...'
'He was searching for you, Di. He had called up Mukteshwar...and got to know from Girdhari Kaka, about Papa's death...and about what I had done...he was worried as hell about your whereabouts...'
Stunned at the piece of information received, all Bani could do was stare back at her sister. Jai had actually tried to find her? He had called up Mukteshwar? He knew about her father and sister? But why didn't he say anything the day Bani had accused him of not caring about her at all?
Pia continued, unmindful of the storm raging in Bani's heart, 'Girdhari Kaka misplaced your address...so Mr. Walia had no other way to trace you except hire an investigator...I am assuming he did...not that he ever told me how he got our address! But he did get worked up enough for you to go through all this effort and trace me out, so that he could find about you.'
Giving a look at Bani, Pia placed her hand on her sister's shoulder and said, 'It’s only when I assured him that you were fine and doing well in Bangalore, that he seemed to be a bit relieved...he even took your phone number in Bangalore...I wonder why he never called you up?'
Bani's eyes had filled with tears by now, she still could not understand anything clearly, but the mere fact that Jai had actually searched for her...so much, so that he had even traced down Pia to find out about her, shook Bani from the core of her heart. If this was not his way of showing that he cared for her, god knows what else was?
Pia looked at the emotional trauma on Bani's face and said tenderly, 'Di...I don't know what you two have going on between the both of you? Frankly, I never knew...except that you were obviously in love with him...ever since you first saw him in Mukteshwar...but it was only when I met Mr. Walia the other day at my home, that I realized, he has also been in love with you...from the very beginning.'
Bani was crying silently now, as Pia lifted her chin gently and spoke in a broken voice, 'If it wasn't love in his eyes for you that day...then I probably don't know how to define love.'
Farmhouse
Bani had been absolutely silent all through her ride back to the Farmhouse, even ignoring Pooja and Saurabh's incoming phone calls. She was lost in her own world, only thinking about what Pia had told her.
When she arrived at the Farmhouse, she was informed by Abdul that Jai had asked her to come to his study as soon as she came back. Not even thinking about anything, she went to his study and was jolted out of her trance like state, when she saw Ranveer in the room, along with Nachiket who had a swollen eye and Pushkar, who had a strange black coating on his face.
'Come in, Bani. You also need to know this.' announced Jai, when Bani had opened the door of his study.
Ranveer looked at Bani and broke into a warm smile, 'Bani? Hi! After such a long time! You look...you look lovely...so different!'
Bani smiled tentatively at Ranveer and spoke in a low voice, 'Hello Ranveerji...how are you?'
'I am fine! Great! And you? What a long time since we met? I can never forget your delicious tea and those amazing Palak Pakodas you had made for Jai and me back in Mukteshwar.'
Bani blushed a bit and smiled, giving a sideways look at Jai, who was waiting patiently for Ranveer and Bani to catch up, before telling her the reason why he had called her to his study.
'How is Snehaji?'
'Sneha is doing well. We had a baby a few months back. A daughter. Her name is Riya.'
Bani forgot all her reluctance and smiling warmly, exclaimed, 'Really? That is great news! Congratulations! Have you got her here?'
'No...she has a stomach infection...and she has been keeping Sneha awake for the last many nights...so the mother and daughter won't be coming today!' laughed Ranveer.
'Oh...well, it was really nice meeting you again, Ranveerji. Please pass on my regards to Snehaji also.'
Bani then looked at Jai and asked him in a rather polite and formal manner, 'Abdul Chacha told me that you wanted to see me?'
'Yes, I did!' said Jai and went on to tell her everything about Nachiket and Pushkar's disastrous plan and how they had found out about them.
Bani had turned brick-red by now and could only stare back at both Nachiket and Pushkar in shock and uttered finally, 'Nachiket...why? And Pushkar...I really did not expect you to do something like this.'
Looking mortified out of shame, especially because of the presence of both Ranveer and Jai, she said in a hurt voice, 'You realize what you have done? You have made me also look like part of this whole plan of yours...you have made me a culprit along with you.'
Both Pushkar and Nachiket looked taken aback and were about to defend her, before which, Jai instantly stopped Bani and said to her, 'One second, Bani! What makes you think that anyone feels that you too were involved in all this?'
Bani had teared up a bit by now and trying valiantly to hide her tears from him, she said, 'That is what it would seem like, won't it? That I put them up to do all this...to...to get closer to you...'
Sounding shocked, Jai blurted out, 'What? Are you crazy? You really think, I would feel like that? Come on, Bani! I didn't call you here to include you as part of this idiotic duo! I called you so that you should also know, how these two interfered in our lives!'
Bani kept quiet as Jai went on, addressing both the boys, in a severe voice, 'Firstly, Nachiket...you had no business meddling with my phone...and secondly, if you had questions regarding Bani's picture being in my phone...you should have simply asked me!'
Gathering some courage, Nachiket questioned him back, 'And would you have answered me?
'No.' snapped Jai, adding, 'That is not the point. You need not interfere in things that are none of your concern!'
'And you Pushkar...if you had seen my pictures in Bani's room...don't you think it would have been simpler to either ignore them or just ask your friend regarding them, instead of plotting all this nonsense?'
Pushkar withered under Jais' scorn and rage and simply kept quiet, giving a sorrowful look at Bani.
'Bani! Why are you quiet? Say something to them?' urged Jai.
'There is nothing to say. Everyone makes mistakes...it’s alright. What is more important is that now they are clear that there is nothing between you and me and they need not act like this ever again.' replied Bani quietly.
Looking hurt, but hiding his feelings, Jai said, 'Yes...there is nothing between us...is that clear to both of you? Now get out of my room and don't show me your faces for some time! GO!'
Nachiket and Pushkar scuttled off like errant rabbits, but not before Pushkar gave a dejected look at Bani and mumbled, 'I am sorry Bani...'
She gave him a quiet smile and said, 'It’s okay...'
'And I am sorry too...' muttered Nachiket.
'And it is okay for you too...' replied Bani with a smile.
As soon as the two had left, Bani addressed Ranveer, 'I should be going now...there is a lot of pending work to be done...and it was really nice meeting you again, Ranveerji. Please do give me a call whenever you and Snehaji are in Bangalore...I would love to meet up with your family.'
Ranveer looked at Bani and giving her a warm smile said, 'So, you will be going back to Bangalore?'
Blushing at bit at his implication, Bani replied back stoically, 'Yes.'
And then addressing Jai, without facing him, she said, 'Everything is right on schedule for the wedding, Mr. Walia. I will be handing over the charge to Jigyasa Mam from tomorrow...she will be coordinating the rest of the events.'
Without waiting to hear any response from Jai, she went out, closing the door from behind.
All Ranveer said to Jai before leaving the study was, 'Jai...god forbid, if you lose your battle against Cancer this time...I would attribute it to a great misfortune....but if you lose this girl again, there would be no one to blame but you.'
And saying that, Ranveer went out of the room, leaving Jai, lost and confused, trapped in his hopeless circumstances and his emotional complexities.
Abdul came to inform Jai that the Raheja's had arrived and Jai told them to get them seated while he came down. Walking back to his room, Jai made a decision....and though it was on the spur of the moment...somewhere, it was the only thing meant to do.
Next Day
The dinner had gone on exceptionally well, except that there was a lot of hilarity ensured by Nachiket's purple face, for which he could give no explanation. Bani and Purva met up and the bride could not help but gush on the fantastic arrangements that Bani and her team had made. Jai had been polite and attentive, though no one could fail to notice, least of all Bani, that his mind was clearly somewhere else. And much to Bani's acute embarrassment and wonder, he just kept looking at her throughout the dinner, as if he was expecting something very urgently to happen.
Today was the Cocktail Party thrown by the Groom's family, followed by the Sangeet tomorrow which would be jointly held by both the Walia's and the Raheja's at the Farmhouse. Bani had woken up very early in the morning to oversee the arrangements, besides Jigyasa and the rest of her gang from Bangalore was coming down by 10 am and Bani wanted everything in place, before handing over her responsibilities to Jigyasa for the final execution of the event.
'Bhaiyya...put that canopy over there too...no...no...Don’t cover the tree...it’s the highlight...and where is that electrician guy? He was supposed to put the lights by now! AMBIKA! No, baby...don't play with that...you might get hurt! And what are you doing up so early?' asked Bani, as Karuna's eldest daughter came prancing around the lawns, excited by the activity that had started so early on.
'Bani...Jigyasa Mam just called up...they have boarded the flight...I have told Saurabh to go and fetch them...and what about the rehearsal for the dance? Did you speak to Purva's Mam regarding it?'
Bani nodded her head and replied, 'Yes, I did, Pooja! But we will have to take Anu, Lakshmi and the girls to the place where they are staying...they can't come here...Massiji doesn't want the bride to come here before the Sangeet Function, tomorrow...'
'Oh! God!' remarked Pooja and they both shared a friendly laugh, while going through the list of things they were supposed to do.
Bani had just rushed inside to get a few things, when she almost bumped into Jai, who was in his sweat-pants and T-shirt, getting ready for his exercise.
She flushed and mumbled, 'I am sorry...I didn't see you...'
He too coloured a bit and answered, 'It’s okay...er...Bani...'
She seemed to be in a hurry, yet stopped and asked him politely, 'Yes?'
Looking hesitant, Jai nevertheless asked her, 'Um...did Abdul give you some papers yesterday?'
Blinking her eyes and then remembering something, she exclaimed, 'Yes...he handed over a brown packet! The final guest list, right? I did not find the time to read it at all yesterday night...the dinner ended so late...I will go through it in a while, Mr. Walia.'
And saying that she rushed back to do whatever she was doing, while Jai closed his eyes in exasperation. No wonder, she was looking so normal in the morning and hadn’t asked him anything. Suddenly losing the confidence he had gained yesterday, Jai wondered if he was acting in an emotional frenzy. There was still time in hand...he could simply take back his Case Papers from Bani's room and she would never be wise...and judging by her attitude, it seemed to him that she had completely given up on him and would probably not even bother to hear what he had been hiding from her till now.
The wedding would be over...and Bani would leave for Bangalore...and keep living her happy life...probably holding a lot of bitterness and pain against him...but nevertheless would be a free person. Free to lead a life that she deserved...free to meet someone again...free to fall in love again...free to live a normal life with a normal man.
Feeling utterly hassled by his conflicting emotions, Jai decided that if Bani did not get to read his Case Papers by the end of day today...he would take it as a sign that they were simply meant to go their different ways and it was probably for everyone's good that she never came to know about him.
He decided to wait till the evening and get the papers back, lest someone else see them.
Sometime Later
Jigyasa and her team had arrived from Bangalore and the Farmhouse literally seemed to be on fire. Bani looked thrilled to see the rest of her colleagues from Bangalore and was on top of the world, when Jigyasa oozed praise for Bani Pooja and Saurabh's efforts.
Jai and Jigyasa were catching up over tea, when he said, 'I have to say, Jigyasa...your team did a great job! Especially Bani...'
Jigyasa beamed and replied back, 'I am so glad! And even gladder that Bani and you managed to solve that small misunderstanding you had.'
Bani blushed and avoided looking back at Jai, who seemed unusually pensive and lost.
'Isn't it, Jai? Isn't she a great girl?' asked Jigyasa, making Jai smile faintly in Bani's direction and answer, 'Yes...she is.'
Flushing badly, Bani mumbled, 'Mam...you wanted to discuss about the clothes we are wearing...can we do it now? Pooja and I have to leave for Purva's place...we need to practice for the Sangeet Ceremony.'
'Yes...Yes...good you reminded me! Jai, let us catch up later! Maybe at the Cocktail itself...and don't look so worried! Everything would go fine!' assured Jigyasa, assuming that Jai's sombre mood was due to the tension regarding the wedding than anything else.
Jigyasa, Bani, Pooja and the rest of the girls from their team went inside to one of the room, where Jigyasa had moved in and she took out her luggage, handing out packets to everyone.
'Bani and Pooja...since you girls were here...you couldn't see your dresses till now! I just hope this fits you well...we simply used the measurements from the last wedding we did.'
The wedding planners always wore the same outfits and generally coordinated it with the theme of the wedding. The Sangeet was to be a traditional function and hence the dress was a fuchsia coloured lehenga and choli.
Pooja gushed at the outfit and remarked, 'This is the prettiest thing I have seen, Mam! Wow...this looks amazing!'
Jigyasa smiled and said, 'We had a very generous client, Pooja to sponsor all the outfits! I am glad you liked it!'
Bani looked a bit circumspectly at the dress....the lehenga skirt was in Organza and chiffon and was indeed pretty, but the choli looked a bit skimpy for Bani's tastes.
'Er...Mam...this choli has nothing in the back...just two strings!' she mentioned, as if she was the only one who had noticed it.
All the girls present giggled and Jigyasa replied back, 'It’s the latest in fashion, sweetie! Besides, why are you looking so worried? With your figure, you will carry it off easily! Anyway...enough wasting time. Let’s keep working...and I want all of you to be dressed up latest by 7 tomorrow...and be ready for the Sangeet! The clothes for the Wedding are also on their way and Bani, you don't have to look so hassled...you are all wearing a Sari on the Wedding! No backless Choli's!'
Bani smiled and nodded her head, giving doubtful looks at the Choli, especially when she realized that in her silliness to get back at Jai, she had agreed to do a dance number with Shashank. She could not imagine wearing such a dress and dancing with him...that too in front of Jai.
With the realization of what Pia had told her regarding Jai’s visit and deeply regretting all that she had said in outburst to him, Bani decided that his low mood was because of her and she had to act contrite and apologize to him. To hell with her so-called self-respect and ego! Anything that hurt Jai was not worth holding on to, in Bani’s mind.
Jai's Study
Knocking courteously on the door, she heard Jai calling out in a subdued voice, a complete departure from his usual roar, 'Come in.'
Bani opened the door and instantly evoked a start from Jai.
'She saw those papers...'was his first thought.
'Can I have a minute with you?'
Jai could not help but smile at her question and said, 'Yes, of course. Come in.'
Bani came in, turning pink in her cheeks already and before Jai could ask her anything, she blurted out, 'I am sorry.'
'Looking surprised, he got up from his chair and walking towards her said, 'For what?'
Lowering her eyes, she spoke in a soft voice, 'For all that I said that day...that...that you didn't care enough to find out about me...'
Jai kept silent, realizing with a twinge, that she had not seen his reports. But kept quiet and let her speak.
Tearing up, she looked at him and said, 'I met Pia...she told me that...that you had tried to find out about me....'
'People simply can't keep secrets, can they?' he quipped with a smile and coming near her, wiped the tears off her cheeks.
She went warm in her cheeks at his touch, but remained impassive.
‘Don’t, Bani. Please.’ He said in reference to her tears. It was simply put but somehow the feeling in his words made her even more emotional than before.
'Why didn't you tell me that you had tried to find out about me?' she asked him. Her question wasn’t demanding like before, simply a wonderment.
Jai smiled and said, 'If I had confessed to the fact that I had tried to find out about you, then all those things you said to me would have proved right.' And then giving her a grin, added, 'And you know me! How I hate to be proved wrong by anyone.'
Bani too smiled and gathering courage, said to him, in her tranquil manner, 'I just came to tell you that all that you said that day...I thought about it. And decided that you were right...I did not move on with my life...not in the way that one is supposed to.'
'I suppose I expected too much out of life...without having any basis for doing so.' Pausing for a moment, Bani looked up at him and said, 'I just came to say that I will go back to Bangalore in two days...and...and I have decided to start on a new note...emotionally speaking.'
Jai was quiet, letting Bani speak, though his heart was sinking at a rapid rate...when he had not wanted her to know anything, she had gone out hammers and tongs, trying to find out what he was hiding and now when he wanted her to know what it was that was ailing him, she had decided on giving up on him and move forward. The irony of the situation was such, that Jai didn't know whether to cry at his misfortune or laugh mockingly at his arrogance and attitude, which had got him to this situation.
Bani continued, heedless of what was raging in Jai's heart, 'I just wanted to tell you that if you ever come to Bangalore on work...or otherwise...I would...I would feel really nice if we could meet up...and hopefully remain…friednds…I mean, acquaintances for as long as possible.'
Jai was very quiet and Bani stopped speaking, wondering if he was even listening to her.
'Jai...are you okay?' she asked with concern, looking at the expression on his face.
He mumbled, 'Yes...Yes...I understand...And...and I am sorry too, Bani...for the way I behaved...and for all that I said to you...I don't know what had come over me...there is really no explanation...but I am deeply sorry for the way I have treated you.'
Bani had tears in her eyes but she still smiled and said to him, 'Are we fine, then?'
Jai valiantly tried to hold back his tears and giving her a grin, said, 'Yes, of course!'
And slanting forward, planted a gentle kiss on her cheeks, saying, 'I hope you always do well in life, Bani...and...if you are ever in Delhi...do give me a call. We will meet up...for old time sake.'
Bani was feeling very emotional and before she feared that her tears would overcome her, she looked at him and said, 'I think I should be going now. There is a lot of work pending...take care...bye. I just came today...becaue from tomorrow, there will be so much going on...I just...wanted to see you...and say sorry...and goodbye.'
Almost impulsively, Jai stopped her and said, 'What about your last wish? Don't you want your question to be answered?'
Giving a slow, sad smile, Bani replied, 'No...It’s alright. I realized that there was no point in asking for any wish, if that meant, pushing someone into a corner and forcing them to do something that they don't wish to...I know that you don't want to answer me, Jai...and the only reason why you will answer will be because you had promised me...'
Looking up at him, she said simply, ' you have already given me more than my fair share of wishes...I don't need your answer...you are released from your promise.'
A while later
Jai locked himself in his study for the next few hours, but decided that he had to take back his reports from Bani's room...the one he had handed over to Abdul to place it in her room, so that she might read them.
Life had given him a chance and he had squandered it...and now it seemed, that it was just too late.
He had to get that packet back from Bani's room...before she saw them and changed her mind. She looked at peace today...finally...and he genuinely believed that she wanted to move on. He didn’t' want to come in her way...certainly not as a liability that he was bound to become.
He called up Abdul on the Intercom, 'Abdul! Where are you? Listen...leave everything you are doing and get me that brown packet that I asked to keep in Bani Madam's room. Okay? If anyone asks, just tell that it came by mistake. Go, get it urgently and keep it in my study. I am going downstairs.'
'Ji Sahib' replied Abdul and went to fetch that packet from Bani's room.
Towards Evening
The Cocktail Party was in full swing and Jai seemed to be relaxed, once Abdul had told him that he had taken back the packet from Bani's room, where it was kept on the desk. Nachiket, despite his swollen face, could not help but seem to be in high spirits, conversing with Purva and her cousins, including Meera, who was looking rather striking in a black strapless number. Jai in the meanwhile was in conversation with Purva's father and one of her Uncle's, but his eyes kept wandering off in search of Bani.
He knew that she along with the other people from Jigyasa's team were busy in preparations for the remaining functions, but he could see Pooja, Saurabh and a couple of others too, coming in and out of the living room where the party was being held, but Bani was nowhere.
Jai could not escape the party as of now, so he had to stay put and simply wonder where she had disappeared.
Looking elegant and pretty in a peach and gold coloured Chiffon Sari, that had been a gift from Pia, she was occupying Karuna's three girls, since their parents were both in the party. It was close to ten and the girls were sleepy, so Bani said to them, 'Come...let me take you to your room and put you to sleep!'
'But Didi, we want to play with you!' they demanded.
Bani smiled and replied, 'We will play tomorrow! And you will also have to perform your dance that you prepared for your Chote Mamu's Sangeet, isn't it? You have to look fresh for that...now come, let me take you to your room.'
Leading them to their bedroom, which was next to her own room, Bani sat along with them, as they dozed off. Jigyasa was also in the party and Bani had some more work to wrap off along with the team from Bangalore, deciding on changing her clothes into something more comfortable, she went to her room and switched on the lights.
Her room was unusually littered today...with piles of clothes that belonged to some of her colleagues and other stuff. Tidying it up quickly, she was about to take out her ordinary clothes, when she noticed a brown parcel buried below the stuff.
'Oh! God! I completely forgot! The guest list! But how come it’s here? Abdul had informed me that he had taken the parcel back and given it to Mr. Walia!’ she thought to herself.
Sitting down on her bed, she opened the parcel and was instantly surprised, by the letter-head she saw.
'Rajiv Gandhi Insitute for Cancer Research.'
'What?' she remarked to herself, completely stunned and flicked through the papers! This was not the guest list; someone's medical records had come to her by mistake. But how could that happen?
She was about to keep the papers back in the parcel and ask Abdul about it, when she read the name of the person to whom the papers belonged.
Jai Walia.
And the doctor’s name was printed on the top right corner.
Dr. Karthik Reddy.
Bani remembered his name. Jai’s Oncologist.
30 Minutes Later
Bani sat stunned, holding the papers in her hand...she could not help but go through them when she had seen Jai's name, wondering at first how it had come to her possession and then with a sinking feeling, as she went through them.
ADULT MALE AGED 35
MODERATE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL
NO HISTORY OF SMOKING
FIT AND HEALTHY OTHERWISE
NO DRUGS
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
HISTORY OF.......
Intramedullary tumour
Severe back pain
Occasional nausea
Weight loss, unintentional but due to the pain after the tumour metastasized.
Loss of sensation in lower back and neck.
Frequent muscle contractions
Blood test results are as follows
GGT 356
ALT 191
BILIRUBIN 11
ALP 373
CALCIUM 2.68
AFP 2
CEA LESS THAN 3
HCG LESS THAN 2
PSA 1.0
Ultrasound showed increased size of tumour
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination - Positive
CT scan shows multiple small lesions in spinal cord
Ultrasound of testes NAD
Though many of the things written in it made no sense to Bani, since they were all complicated medical terms and jargons, she could clearly understand a few things.
One...that Jai had developed a tumour in his Spine again.
Second...that he was scheduled to start on his Chemo Therapy in less than a month.
Third...that he had an operation scheduled in the next three months. The same operation that he had before coming to Mukteshwar.
And fourth...that she finally understood what he had been holding back from her till now.
Trembling like an autumn leaf, from head to toe, unable to stop her tears, Bani could barely able to stand up still.
Downstairs Party
Not feeling in the mood for the party, Jai made an excuse of a headache and addressed Purva’s father, ‘Nikhilji…do you mind, if I excuse myself for now? I have not been keeping too well…and I think I just need some rest.’
‘Of course, Jai…please suit yourself! Don’t worry…we are all enjoying here…you take care. And anyway, you need to be fit and fine for the main functions coming up! Purva has been so excited about the Sangeet Ceremony!’
Jai gave a perfunctory smile and left for his room, bidding goodnight to everyone and brushing off concerns, especially from Nachiket and his Massi regarding his health. Ranveer, who was in the middle of a conversation with Aditya, came to Jai and whispered into his ears, ‘Jai! Are you alright? You look quite pale. Do you want me to drive you down to Dr. Reddy?’
Jai shook his head and said, ‘No…No…Ranveer, I am fine. Just tired…see, its almost 11…these guys will go on till 1 or 2 in the morning…I need to catch up on my sleep. Don’t worry…I am okay, as of now. You carry on…and don’t forget to get Sneha and Riya tomorrow for the Sangeet! Alright!’
Ranveer gave a smile at his friend and said, ‘Alright. Take care. And please don’t hesitate to inform anyone in the house if you don’t feel well at night…I know you…’
‘I will. I will. Stop fussing! ‘Complained Jai with a grin and left the party to go to his room.
Jai’s Bedroom
Jai was so depressed regarding Bani’s imminent departure that he did not even bother to remove his clothes before collapsing on the bed, his eyes misted and his heart so pained, that he could barely breathe. He felt so alienated...so alone...so helpless. All those things which he had never imagined that he would feel...to put it in one word, for the first time in his life, Jai felt, human.
Not the brilliant Lawyer who had never lost a single case in his professional life, nor the valiant patient who had fought and won against a terminal illness, nor the loner who professed to the whole world that he could live happily alone.
But simply a man in love. A man hopelessly in love with a woman who was slipping away from his life. This time, forver.
He kept lying where he was, thoughtlessly, when the heard a knock on his bedroom door. The same polite knock…which he recognized.
Shaken up from his reverie and thoroughly surprised at the mid-night intrusion, he wondered who could it be. No one came to his room, unless he called them on his own and at 12:30 in the night?
Rubbing his eyes, he walked up to the door and opened it, and it took him a couple of seconds to make out who it was that was standing in front of him, because of the darkness in the corridor and in his room.
‘Bani?’ he exclaimed, sounding disbelieving, like he was seeing a dream.
And despite his amazement at her unanticipated presence, he could not fail to notice how ethereal she looked in the sari she had worn today, her hair plaited loosely and brought to the front and her face…so beautiful despite the deep melancholy in her eyes.
‘What on earth?’ he exclaimed, pulling her inside, more out of habit, than anything else. The house was full of people and from the sounds coming from downstairs; it looked like the party was still on. Anyone could see them together and assume the worst.
Shutting the door, he asked her, in a worried voice, ‘What happened? Are you alright? Why do you look so…so…’ he could not find the word to describe the expression on her face.
She was crying, albeit inaudibly and looking up at him, handed over a brown parcel and said simply, ‘Abdul took the wrong papers from my room…here are the right ones.’
The colour vanished from Jai’s face as he took the brown parcel and opened it slightly, to see that indeed, his medical reports were inside it.
Abdul…the prize idiot, had got them confused with the other parcel which had the wedding related list…and in the frenzy of the party, even he had not bothered to double check it, back in his study, where Abdul had kept it.
Though Jai had wanted Bani to know about his illness, somehow he was completely unprepared when she actually got to know it. And simply had no idea on what to say to her.
‘Bani…I…’ he mumbled, powerlessly, as she broke down sobbing, falling on his chest, clinging on to him.
And this time, Jai neither protested, nor objected, nor did he stop her…or himself.
He simply held her in his arms and brought her as close as he could, near him, even as tears flowed from his eyes.
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