By the time she woke up it was nearing evening… she had slept the entire afternoon trying to get rid of the headache… He had spent his afternoon watching her sleep, recalling the beautiful memories which they made together in last few days… Though they had some amazing moments together, she was still distant… he craved for the comfort they shared before she found out the truth… He had to do something before they left for Lucknow as many share holders of her time existed there… When she stirred awake, he pretended to look at his phone… It took her a moment to register where she was and what time of the day it was… she saw him sitting on the couch busy in his phone and sat up straight… “Abhi kaisa hai aapka sar dard??” He asked looking at her… “Pehle se behtar hai…” “Toh ra… humara matlab hai dinner ke liye niche chale…??” He said correcting himself… he hadn’t forgotten her laughing at his pure Hindi words… a smile unknowingly appearing on his face… “Ji… lekin aap kabse English words ka istemal karne lage??” she asked surprised… “Jabse aap ne kaha ke aapko humare aise baat karne par hasi aati hai…” he complained looking down… “Humne kaha…?? Lekin kab??” “Kal raat… Humne aapse kaha ke Kaksh mei chaliye toh aap zor zor se hasne lagi…” “Hum hasne lage??” she asked trying hard to control her laughter… “Haan… aur aapne kaha ke aapko hassi aati hai jab hum shudh Hindi mei baat karte hai…” she burst out laughing and he looked at her shocked… “Dekha… aapko abhi bhi hassi aa rahi hai…” he complained sadly… she tried to stop laughing, “ohoo..hoo… sorry sir… magar hume kabhi nahi laga tha ke hum aapse ye kabhi bhi keh payenge… lekin nashe mei bol diya…” and she started laughing again… Poor AS didn’t know what to do… She saw him getting sad and moved to the couch… “Maaf kijiye sir… hum aapka mazak nahi udha rahe… ab hum aapko kaise samjhaye…” she tried to think… “Haan… dekhiye… aap ek police officer hai… hatte kathe hai… aur aapki bhasha hindi ke professor jaisi… aapke image se mel nahi khati… Yeh sare society ne banaye hue stereotypes hai, jo ki galat hai… aur iska yeh matlab hargiz nahi ke aap khud mei change kare… Aapko kisike liye bhi change honeki zarurat nahi hai… Aap jaise hai bohot achche hai Sir…” “Aapko sach mei aisa lagta hai??” “Ji Sir…” “Hume badlav lane ki zarurat nahi??” “Ji Sir…” “Hum aapko aise hi pasand hai…??” “Ji Sir…” he smiled and she realised what she just said… “Hum fresh hokar aate hai…” she said and ran to the washroom…
“Haseena ji, bhale hi task pura ho gaya ho parantu hum abhi bhi under cover hai… Thoda savdhani se…” he said before leaving the room… she nodded and both left for the dining area… “Good Evening Sir… Good Evening Ma’am… This way please…” the manager greeted them and took them to a mildly lit area… The lights of the candle and the light fragrance had created a romantic environment… She looked around and found couples having dinner, enjoying their time together… She felt a bit awkward, but had to maintain the cover… AS waited for her to take her seat… He had noticed her awkwardness, so didn’t pull her chair out to add to it… he wanted to keep things comfortable for her… The waiter came with welcome drinks… “Shreeman… isme nasheele padarth toh nahi hai na??” he asked… “Ji nahi sir…” “Toh fir thik hai… rakh dijiye…” he said looking at her sheepishly… After the waiter left, she asked, “Humne aapko bohot pareshan kiya kal??” “Bohot nahi… haan lekin thoda sa…” “Waise pagalon ki tarah hasne aur aapki shirt lene ke aalawa aur bhi kuch kiya tha kya humne??” she asked sheepishly… “Haan…” “Ab aur kya kiya humne…??” she said hitting her forehead… “Aapne na… aapne…” “Bataiye na…” “Aapne hume Basanti bulaya…” she looked at him in shock and slowly started laughing… he too joined her… “Waise shukr hai Shreeman Viru padhare the… Gabbar ji aate toh aap humare haath kalam karva deti…” he said laughing causing her to laugh louder…
The waiter came and asked for their order… AS read out a few items from the menu, “Itna kafi hai… Thank you…” he said handing away the menu… “Aapne sab kuch humari pasand ka kyu order kiya hai sir??” “Shh… sir nahi…” he said gesturing towards all the people around… “Sorry… lekin aapne humare sawal ka jawab nahi diya… aapne apni pasand ka kuch kyu nahi order kiya??” “Aisi koi baat nahi hai… humne bas aise hi mangva liya…” he said… She gave him a questioning look… “Waise kabhi puchne ka mauka nahi mila… aapko kya pasand hai khane mei…” she asked genuinely wanting to know… A smile appeared on his face, his heart dancing… Finally, some ice was broken and the comfort was returning… They chatted about random things till they were done with their dinner…
“Thoda walk kare??” she said after they were done… “Zarur…” They moved towards the back garden… She was admiring the night sky… “Kya soch rahi hai aap??” “Yahi… raat kitni khoobsurat hoti hai na?? Waise kisine khoob kaha hai, raat choron ki hoti hai… Kambakht se jitni baar bhi milo dil chura leti hai…” “Waah… kisi aur ne kaha hai ya aapne??” he asked… “Hum likhte hai magar yeh humari nahi hai…” “Pata nahi kaise aap shayari likh leti hai… humse kabhi nahi ho payega…” “Kyu… pichle kuch dino se aapka mizaaz bhi shayarana ho toh gaya hai…” she teased him… He was left speechless… They had reached the sidewalk and he remembered the last time he came here she was drunk… He smiled and shook his head remembering all her cute antics… “Kya baat hai?? Aap has kyu rahe hai??” she asked… “Bas kuch yaad aa gaya…” “Kya??” “Shreeman Viru aur Basanti…” “Achanak kyu??” she asked trying to control her laughter… “Woh deewar nazar aa rahi aapko??” he asked pointing to the ledge few meters away… “Haan…” “Bas usi ke upar khade hokar shreeman viru ne is basanti se kaha tha in doggies ke samne mat Nachna…” both laughed and laughed till their eyes watered… “Bas… bas… hum aur nahi has sakte…” she said trying to calm her laughter… “Humari kal kya halat ho rahi hogi sochiye… hume samjh hi nahi aa raha tha ke hase ya aapko sambhale…” “Sorry… and Thank you… hume sambhalne ke liye…” “Iski zarurat nahi hai… hum aapko hamesha aise hi sambhalenge…” he said… Both lost in each other’s eyes, silently promising to be there for each other, always…
They were brought out of their reverie by the ringing of AS’s phone… “Hello…” “Anubhav we have a situation and we want you in Mumbai at the earliest…” “Kya hua sir…???” he asked worried… “Sab kuch batane ka samay nahi hai abhi… do ghante mei tumhari flight hai… Tumhe hotel desk se flight tickets mil jayenge… Early morning, I want you and HM in the conference room of IB HQ in Mumbai…” “Ok… Hum aa rahe hai…” and he ended the call… “Kya hua hai…??” “Hume abhi Mumbai ke liye nikalna hai… do ghante mei humari flight hai… baki baatein wahi chalke pata chalengi…” “Thik hai… chaliye…” Both rushed to the room, packed their luggage and in no time were at the reception desk… “We are checking out… Aapke pas humare liye flight tickets hone chahiye…” AS said to the same receptionist that welcomed them yesterday… She was delighted to see him again, but HM gave her an intimidating look which said, ‘That’s my man… Back off…’ The receptionist hurriedly handed over the flight tickets and bid them goodbye… Before they knew, they were already on their way to Mumbai…
