What Ifs.

Part 5.

Abhi looked at him guiltily.
He stood in the dingy meeting room of the army jail where he was meeting his friend.

Raj returned his gaze, his eye blank.

Abhi : Raj...I..know..Its not...fair..but..

He looked at Raj again, hoping for encouragement to go on.
Raj continued to merely look at him, speaking nothing.

Finally, Abhimanyu spoke again.

Abhi : Ham...ham bas yahi...bargain kar paaye...we..
He stopped, unable to understand what to say next.

Taking a official looking document from the lawyer standing beside him, he extended it to his friend.

Raj stared at his extended hand for sometime, before slowly taking it and glancing at it.

Abhi kept staring at him, looking for his expressions while he perused the document, to gauge his feelings.

He was, however, disappointed, for no change came over his friend's face.

He was startled, when he heard Raj's voice. It was many days since he had heard it. It sounded strange now.

Raj : Thnks Chauhan Saab. Mujhe manzur hai....

But it was what he said next, that left Abhimanyu speechless.

Raj : I...will be..indebted to you...aapne mere liye jo bhi kiya..

A slight smile came to his face.
A smile which felt strange on his face now.

Abhi kept staring at him, wondering what exactly had happened with him, that he agreed so readily, to a fate that would have revolted him before.

Raj signed his name at the bottom of the document, looked up at his friend, smiled, nodded at his lawyer in gratitude, then turned and left back to his cell, without another word.

Abhi stood there wondering what in the world had made him happily sign his discharge papers and subsequent acquittal from the case, in return for his silence as to the reality of what Gehlot was, or why the Army couldn't bring him to book for such a long time.
It was an unfair deal, yet he took it without question.

.......

They all heard the news, though not believing at first.

He had been acquitted from the murder case, but hos honor was not returned to him. He had been dishonorably discharged from the army.

Huda (on call to Alekh) : Yaar Qaidi...baat kya hai? Agar sir murder case me innocent saabit ho gaye, to army se kyu....
He left the sentence incomplete, unable to speak it.

Alekh : Pata nai, bas itna samjh raha hai, k bohot bara jhol hai, jisme bali Rajveer sir si charhi hai.

.....

He was going to be released today.

They all tried to be there, however only Abhi, Huda and Alekh could make it.

He walked out, and his eye fell on the three standing there.
In uniform, as they had come directly from work.

The fact that he will never wear it again, caused his eyes to sting with unshedded tears, though he managed to somehow maintain his composure.

.....to be continued, if i do get a good response.