Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 72- The Aftermath

CHAPTER 72

THE AFTERMATH

"I am sorry", Faizi said softly. Koel looked at him wordlessly. "Jaise... Jaise humne tumse kal baat kari thi. Hume maaf kar do."

She took a deep breath, sighing. She turned to him, offering him a small smile. "Tum theek ho?"

He sighed. "Pata nahi." He rubbed his face. "Yeh nahi samajh aa raha ki ab Mridul ke baare mein sochte hain toh... Mridul ko dekhein ya Sayed ko."

"Woh Mridul nahi tha. Kabhi nahi tha. Jhooth tha woh sab", she said firmly. "He was always a spy, always Sayed, always a terrorist."

He closed his eyes, nodding. He grabbed her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers. "Sayed", he said softly. "That was who he was. Not my friend."

"That's right", she said gently. She glanced at the closed door, before crawling closer and settling on his lap. She leaned closer, kissing his lips. "You didn't do anything wrong. You did what was necessary. You know that, na?"

He gently kissed her lips, nodding. "Haan", he muttered softly, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "Thank you."

"Girlfriend ko bhi koi aise thank you kehta hai kya?" She muttered, resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled slightly, leaning down and kissing her head affectionately. "I love you."

"I love you too."

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

"Humaara mann kar raho hai hum use waapas zinda karke phirse maar daalein", Sanju growled. Sid swallowed, leaning back slightly as he watched her pace around angrily from her bed. "Hum uski khaal noch daalte."

Sid looked at the bedside table, hesitantly grabbing the bottle. She paused in her pacing, turning to look at him. He offered the bottle. "Paani peena hai?" He asked softly.

She snatched the bottle from his hand, gulping down a big swallow before sitting down next to him. "Hume toh uske baare mein soch sochkar gussa aa raho hogo. Jitna yaad karte hain utna zyaada gussa aato hai. Pata hai tujhe? Hume keh raho tha Abhi ki shaheedi ke baad ki use kitna dukh raho hogo, kitna sadma lago. Hume pehle pato hoto toh aisa haal karto ki sadma lagne ke liye bhi naa bachto. Badhi achhi maut milo hai use ki bas ek goli se mar gayo. Humaare haath aa jaato toh..."

He looked down at her hands, who squeezed the bottle tightly. He felt bad for the bottle. It was punished for no reason. Should he try to save it? He glanced up at her face. No. He wasn't ready to die. He hadn't even said goodbye to his Daddy ji and Monu. Tsk tsk. Not today.

"Kaa soch raho hai tu?"

"Uh... main bhi soch raha hoon ki agar Mridul zinda hota, toh tum uska kya haal karti?"

"Hum kaa haal karte? Agar woh zinda hoto, toh tu kuchh naa karto?"

He paused. "Main... Main tumhe paani deta." She tilted her head. "Uski aisi haalat karne ke baad, paani toh chahiye hi hoga, na? Toh... main woh kar dunga."

She stared at him, before shaking her head. She stood up, keeping the bottle down and Sid quickly took it, muttering a silent apology to it. "Tu bhi ek number ka boranta hai, Chirkut. Khayalon mein bhi sab hume hi karna padh raho hogo." She sighed. "Hum kahan the?"

"Mridul ki khaal nochne par."

"Haan. Toh hum uski..."

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

Param stared at the transparent sheet. What were those dots? Was it just meaningless scribbling? It was in Mridul's cupboard. Could it be a clue? A hint? A lead to what was coming?