Cruising alone

To go or not to go

Sanju and Faizi enter Karan's Room.

"Congratulations Janaab"
"Badhai ho sirji"
They both wished Karan.

Thank you. Karan hugged Faizi and smiled at Sanju.

Sanju said: "Deolali to hamesha aapka base raho hai, itne saare mission or itni saari posting ke baad aap har baar yahin aato hain. Ye to upar wale ne likho hi tha ki aap yahan ke karta dharta bano"

Faizi: "Aapke liye bohot khush hoon, janaab. Bhabhi ko bataya?"

Karan smiled. "Haan, bohot khush hain wo. ye jagah ghar to hai. Par tum dono ja rahe ho to thoda khali zaroor lagega."

Sanju: "Koi no sarji aaf phir kisi mission pe bula lena. Hum aa jayenge"

They all laughed.

Sanju noticed the cruise invite lying on the table. She picked it up. "Ye mil gaya aapko? Aap dono chal raho hain na?" She looked at both Faizi and Karan, who looked at each other.

Faizi: "Hum soch rahe the ki jaana theek hoga kya. Itna mehenga cruise hai. Sid ki posting abhi final nahi hui, baad mein favouritism na lage."

Sanju: "main aap dono ke bina nahi jaungi. Main kabhi aisi jagah nahi gayi aur wahan Sid ke ameer rishtedaar aur dost honge. Aap dono mana mat kariye na"

Karan: "Faizi sahi keh raha hai. Mera aur Faizi ka jaana sahi nahi hoga. Par tu ja naa, Monami hogi na wahan pe. Koel ko bhi bhej denge tere saath. Waise bhi aise jagah ka mahaul mujhse bardaasht nahi hota"

Sanju's phone rings.

It's Monami.

She picked up. Karan was curious to talk but could hear only Sanju's side of conversation:

"Haan Monami.

Hum theek hain, tu kaisi hai?

"Haan, sabko nyota mil gaya"

"Passport lene ke liye kisi ko bhej rahi ho, areey abhi ruko, ek baar dekho to kaun kaun jaane ke liye tayyar hota hai."

"Ye Faizi aur Karan sirji to mana kar rahein hain."

"Ab hum kya bolein kyun mana kar rahe hain. Tumhi baat kar lo."

Sanju put the phone on speaker.

Karan waited anxiously to hear Monami's voice after so many days.

"Faizi: Kaisi hain mohoterma?"

Monami: Faizi, aap or Koel aa rahe hain na.

Faizi: Monami Hum Soch rahe thi ki.... Key is Tarah Hamara wk paid trip pe Jana Sahi Nahi hoga. After all, we are Sid's seniors.

Monami: " And you are Sid's Friend as well. Koel is his colleague. And since posting will be decided by Batra Sir. So there is no conflict of interest.

Faizi: Monami... kehne wale to phir bhi kahenge na.

Monami: Oh Faizi. I think you should talk to Koel. I spoke to her and she is very fat, specially when this will almost be a honeymoon, given that Nikhil is in hostel now.

Faizi: parr..

Monami: And, above all, Sanju needs you there. She meeting at family for the first time. You all can be her support.

Faizi: hmm.. theek hai hum apne passport de denge...

Sanju: Yaaay (claps)... Karan sirji, aap to kuch boliye"

Karan was annoyed. Monami had shown no interest in speaking to him.

Karan (in an angry tone): " mujhe Kisi ko kuch nahin Bolna. Main decision Le Chuka hoon. And mujhe apne decisions kisi ko explain karne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Un logon ko to bilkul nahi jo log apne decisions mujhe batana zaroori nahi samajhte."

Monami couldn't reply for a few seconds,

Karan waited for Monami to respond but when she didn't reply he said

"Main nahi aa raha"

There was a few seconds of pin drop silence.

Monami broke the silence by saying : "Sanju ke liye bhi nahi?"

Her heart twisted as she said these words. In her heart she still hoped he would come to meet her. But that's not going to be. Karan had been clear from the day she had proposed him. But still every time they spoke, don't know why her heart still hoped he would be missing her, even if not as lovers, but he would want to see her. May be one last time. When she had left Parakram SAF, she didn't know if they will meet again but she had become excited about seeing and meeting Karan again. But why would he want to see her.

Monami dismissed her thoughts. Karan hadn't even bothered to reply to her question.

——-To be continued——-