Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 22- Of Talks And Understandings

CHAPTER 22

OF TALKS AND UNDERSTANDINGS

Karan grabbed the weights, checking them before keeping them back on the stand. The door opened. He glanced behind himself, finding Monami walking in. Her head was bowed blow and her messily tied hair let loose a few locks that framed her face. She wordlessly sat down on the tire, her fingers fidgeting with her boots.

"Good morning", he said.

She nodded absentmindedly. "M-Morning."

He eyed her. "Kya hua, Rani Sahiba? Bahut khoyi hui lag rahi hain aap."

Her gaze lifted. She shook her head. "K-Kuchh n-nahi."

He suppressed a sigh. He quietly checked the rest of the equipment. He glanced at her periodically, finding her staring at her boots idly. What was she thinking?

'Monu kabhi kabhi nightmares ke baad aise thoughts mein rehti hai where she's playing the nightmare over and over in her head.'

'Siddharth ne kaha tha Monami ko nightmares aate hain. Parso raat yeh ro bhi rahi thi. Aur aaj, khoyi khoyi bhi lag rahi hai. Kal raat bhi ise nightmare aaya kya?' He glanced at her. 'Aisa kya dekhti hai yeh raat mein ki agle din tak bhi ise itna affect karta hai?'

He checked the last machine. He glanced at his watch. There was still some time left. He sat down next to her. She glanced up at him, tilting her head. "K-Kya hua? Aap... th-thoda p-pareshaan l-lag r-rahe hain."

He shook his head. "Main pareshaan nahi hoon."

"Th-Thake hue ho? M-Mission ke ch-chakkar mein aap l-late s-soye h-hoge, na? P-Post m-mission work a-and all."

He shrugged, nodding. "Maybe. Par commandos ko kam neend par function karna aata hai. Tum logon ko bhi training di jaayegi."

"K-Kaise?"

"Usually, hum koi task assign karte hain. Say, jungle mein koi mock mission. Cadets ko raat bhar jage rehna hota hai aur mission ko execute karna hota hai. Ek se zyaada baar hota hai, par thoda spaced out hota hai, toh dheere dheere dikkat nahi lagti raat bhar jaagkar kaam karne mein."

She nodded. Her head dropped again as she idly played with her boots.

"Monami... main tumse ek baat puchh sakta hoon?" She nodded, humming absentmindedly. "Tumhe yaad hai party waale din, jab tum drunk thi, tab kya hua tha?"

Her fingers froze. She looked up, gazing at him through her eyelashes. "H-Haan. I'm... I'm s-sorry."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry kis liye?"

"M-Main dr-drunk thi toh b-behave k-kaise karna hai, woh bh-bhool gayi. And aa-aapko m-mujhe u-uthaakar lekar jaana p-padha. Sorry", she squeaked nervously.

He shook his head. "Monami, main bilkul gussa nahi hoon. Hota toh tumpar abhi tak nikaal chuka hota." He paused. "Tumhe yaad hai maine tumse kuchh kaha tha?"

'Jis din aankhein uthaakar, nazre milaakar, apna jazbaa dikha diya, na, achhe achhon ki aankhein neeche ho jaayengi.'

'Ek din log tumhe salute karenge aur dushman tumhaare aage apni aankhein jhukaayenge. Yeh mera vaada hai tumse. Main tumhe utna confident banaunga, utna kaabil banaunga. I promise.'

Monami jerked her head down in a nod. "P-Par aa-aapko k-kuchh karne ki z-zaroorat n-nahi hai. M-Main aa-aapse k-kuchh ex-expect n-nahi k-kar r-rahi hoon." She shook her head slightly. "M-Mujhpar t-time waste m-mat k-kijiye. I d-don't des-deserve it."