Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 48- A Glimpse Into The Past

CHAPTER 48

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST

6th November 2021

Place- The Shergill House

Present Time

Karan watched his brother quietly. It was almost strange to see him pacing. It was a regular practice when he was younger, but when his legs were amputated, the habit had fallen away. It had been years since he had seen him pacing so restlessly.

"Bologe kuchh?" Karan asked. "Kya chal raha hai?"

Param looked up. His eyebrows furrowed, almost as if not being able to register his words. He finally nodded. "Haan. Haan, woh..."

Karan's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Kya hua, Bhaiya? Kya baat karni hai aapko?"

Param shook his head a little. "Tu... tujhe... tujhe bhi karni hai, na?" He asked, visibly trying to shake himself out. "Kya... Kya baat karni hai?"

He tilted his head. Was this a good time? He shook his head a little. He had postponed it enough. He opened his mouth, before closing it. How should he approach this? "Monami Mahajan", he blurted out finally.

His brother froze at the name. Karan looked at him carefully. What was he thinking? Param slowly turned his head towards him. "Kya?" He almost whispered.

"Monami Mahajan", he repeated. "Aap jaante ho, na?" His brother jerked his head down in a nod. "Meri cadet hai. Bhaiya... aap kaise jaante ho use?"

Param walked closer to him. He sat down next to him heavily. "Mujhe bhi tujhse isi baare mein baat karni thi", he said softly. He clutched his shoulders. "Main sab bataata hoon. Par pehle... mujhe yeh bata... woh kaisi hai? Aur... Aur Sid bhi hai kya? Uska... uska poora naam-"

"Siddharth Ganju hai", Karan completed. He nodded a little. "Haan. Woh bhi mera cadet hai."

Param exhaled slightly. He nodded, smiling a little. "Woh aur Monami dono ek doosre se zyaada door hi nahi rehte", he said quietly, mostly to himself. He chuckled slightly. His smile faded a little abruptly. He looked at his brother. "Tujhe kaise pata main unhe jaanta hoon?"

Karan eyed him slightly. "Unhone bataaya", he said. He tilted his head. "Bhaiya... kya hua tha? Kaise jaante ho aap unhe? Unhone kaha aap unhe chodkar chale gaye. I know... I know koi reason hoga. Aap aise hi unhe abandon karke nahi jaayenge. Maybe koi misunderstanding-"

"Woh sahi bol rahe hain", Param cut him off.

He stared at his older brother. "Kya?" He asked. He shook his head. "No. Aap... Aap aisa nahi kar sakte. It has to be a misunderstanding. Aap..." He paused, staring at his brother. He shook his head again. "I want to know everything, Bhaiya. Kya hua tha? Kaise hua tha? Everything."

Param's gaze wilted slightly. He nodded. "Okay."

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

7th May 2003

Place- Parakaram SAF, Delhi Headquarters

18 Years Ago

A 22 year old Param nervously smoothed out his uniform again. He took a deep breath.

"Relax", Jannat said. He looked at her. She was about a year senior to him, but the two had become friends quickly enough that they rarely acknowledged the gap. "Ma'am bahut achhe hain. Itna nervous mat ho. You are lucky. Tujhe Juhi ma'am ki team mein place kara hai aur Gunjan ma'am tere on field strategy instructor hain. You can't have a better arrangement."