Rajat and Purvi head home but they maintain an awkward silence in the journey. Rajat has felt a strange emptiness in his life and home since they separated. He has hardly stayed in his house especially at night for he misses her presence the most when he is all alone. He coaxes his mind to be brave for her, he is happy that she is slowly coming back to normalcy. With great difficulty he has taught himself to accept her absence in life, though he still hasn't succeeded completely and he never will, he shivers to think how he will cope the next day after she leaves.
Purvi cannot feel less guilty with herself for how she has broken Rajat's spirit and will to live. All she wished was peace and happiness for him but all she could see was how hard he controlled his true emotions. She herself is battling her demons, she needs him, God how much she loves him! She cannot even fathom now that she has seen him, spent time with him, how difficult it will be to leave him and go back.
Rajat: Purvi, tumhari raat ki medicines hai ya samaan me hai tarika ke ghar pe?
Purvi: Oh no! who mere bag me hi hai..mere paas toh night clothes bhi nahi hai…
Rajat: Prescription hai? Toh jaate waqt pharmacy se lete hai..
They try several pharmacists but to their luck, donot find it. It's getting late, Rajat drops Purvi home, while he leaves to get her medicines. He asks her to order dinner from outside.
Purvi shuts the door and walks slowly inside the house she stayed for so long. She goes from room to room, touching furniture, getting memories mostly sad, of her pain and recovery. She enters her room; it's the same as she left. Rajat hasn't moved anything in the room it's as if he has never stepped inside. She opens Rajat's room and feels a strange emptiness, she cannot feel his presence in this room at all. She walks over to his desk and opens his diary. She flips through the pages to see that it's empty since long. She sighs, how he loved to write in his diary –small couplets, beautiful poems for her. She moves to the wall, the guitar is dusty and unused. It's as if he has stopped living, he is just existing.
She wipes her tears and enters the kitchen. Most utensils have hardly been used, the fridge is empty and groceries have not been refilled since long. She sits on the floor, crying softly. She receives a call from Rajat who informs her that he has got the medicines and milk and fruits but it will take him some time to get back.
Rajat: Purvi tumne khaana order kar liya?
Purvi: aap khaane ki chinta mat kijiye..bas jaldi aayiye..
She wipes her tears and enters the kitchen with a smile. 10 minutes later, Purvi is busy cooking with whatever little is there in house. She gets a strange satisfaction doing this and looks forward to see his reaction when he tastes the food. 30 mins later, she sets the food on the stove in the kitchen and moves to her room to freshen up.
Rajat is driving back home with her medicines and essential groceries. He parks his car and finds his steps getting heavy. He waits next to his car for few minutes, shuts his eyes and goes to the lift. He is still lost in thoughts and slams the door shut straight into his right hand. His fingers get stuck and start bleeding. He fights the pain and using his key enters the flat.
Purvi is combing her hair, when she hears the door open. She rushes outside to find him holding his hand in pain and red drops of blood trickling on the floor.
Purvi: Rajat, kya hua? Oh god..ruko first aid box laati hoon
She gets the first aid box, makes Rajat sit on the sofa and cleans and bandages his wounds. Rajat stares at her the whole time she is busy with his hands. Oh! How beautiful she looks, her long silky hair, her soft hands, her deep brown eyes. She looks up and he feels embarrassed.
Purvi: aap change kar lijiye. Main khaana lagati hoon..
Rajat steps into his room and immediately feels her presence. He realizes she has come to his room and touched his things. Meanwhile Purvi has set the dining table and is in the kitchen getting water. Rajat comes to the room and inhales the wonderful aroma of food.
Rajat: Purvi tumne khaana banaya?
Purvi: Haan…kyun? Roj toh aap bahar ka khaate ho..aaj ghar ka khaana khalo…
Rajat smiles at her. She serves him his most comforting food – DalKhichdi. He tries to eat the same but because of the bandage finds it difficult to hold the spoon. Purvi sees this and immediately comes next to him. She takes the plate and starts feeding him with her own hands. Rajat hesitates but she takes her hand closer to his mouth and he opens it. They both don't talk but maintain eye contact and Purvi feeds him his dinner like a mother feeding a kid.
After the dinner, she clears the kitchen and wishes him goodnight.
Rajat: Purvi…khaana bahut badhiya banaya tumne..thanks…
Purvi: Rajat aap thanks kyun keh rahe ho…
Rajat: (smiles) apni davai le lo…kal subah 6 ka alarm rakh lena..Gud night…aur..
Purvi: aur…aur kya Rajat..
Rajat: kuch chahiye toh mujhe bula lena..
Purvi goes to her room, shuts the door and cries. She is pained to see him in such a troubled state. He is intentionally maintaining a great distance between them. She has an overpowering desire now to hold him in her arms and cry her heart out. She wants to comfort him and promise that she will never go away again..
Rajat feels a great pain his head, he has hardly slept since many days and today the pain is unbearable both physically and emotionally. Her presence next to him is causing a great havoc in his heart. He is afraid that his emotions will pour out and it will be difficult for him to stop himself. He groans in pain and searches for the pain balm in the darkness and drops the medicine box with a clang.
Purvi rushes to his room hearing the sound. She switches the light on and sees Rajat on the floor searching through medicines.
Purvi: Kya hua rajat..Bahut dard ho raha hai…kya dhoondh rahe hai aap?
Rajat: Nahi kuch nahi..bas pain balm…he holds his head, its throbbing
Purvi: Rajat…aapke sar me dard hai? Main balm laga deti hoon..
Rajat protests, but Purvi gets the balm and applies it with her soft hands. Rajat relaxes as he feels the pain going away slowly with her soothing touch. His tears well up and it's increasingly difficult for him to control his emotions. Before it's late, he removes her hands from his head and walks out. Something snaps inside Purvi and she rushes behind him calling his name.
Purvi: Rajat…kya hua? Thod aur sar daba deti hoon…dard chala jayega…
Rajat: Purvi, please tum chali jaao..main theekh hoon…mujhe aise chod do..
Purvi: Rajat..aap aise kyun baat kar rahe hai? Mujhse kuch galti ho gayi kya?
Rajat: Galti tumse nahi mujhse ho jayegi…main apne aap ko rok nahi paaonga Purvi…please purvi chali jaao..saying this he breaks down….
The dam of emotions bursts open for both. In a flash Purvi rushes to him and gathers him in her arms.
Purvi (sobbing): Mat rokiye apne aap ko Rajat..mere liye..please..ek baar boliye…aapke dil me kya hai…main ghut ghut ke jee rahi hoon..I am sorry Rajat..maine aapka dil dukhaya..mujhe maaf kar dijiye…
Rajat (crying bitterly): Mat jaoo mujhe chodke Purvi..main jee nahi sakta…please mere paas aa jaoo…I love you Purvi…
Purvi: Main jaana nahi chahti Rajat…kya hum phirse saath reh sakte hai?
Rajat cups her face. They both look at each other, tears flowing down their faces…
….The night is quiet and dark outside; inside the room two people relish this silence. They are in each others arms, hands entwined, in a comforting hug, soothing each other emotionally by a touch, a caress or a kiss….
Rajat and Purvi finally express their sadness and emptiness without each other and decide to be together for ever and ever…their tears have stopped, they have managed to smile just as the day starts to break outside…the sun's first rays hit the earth, the sky color slowly changing from an inky blue to light blue, the stars still twinkle….
Purvi: Rajat, chalo thodi der so jaate hai…warna bimaar pad jaoge…
Rajat: Tum so jaoo…mujhe neend nahi aa rahi hai..
Purvi: Rajat, aapko dekhkar lagta hai aap kayi raato se theekh se nahi soye ho? Kya baat hai?
Rajat: main sota hoon toh tumhare sapne aate hai Purvi…jisme hum saath hai, hum khush hai…main sapne se bahar nahi aana chahta magar jab neend se uthta hoon, dekhta hoon tum mere paas nahi ho..main akela hoon..mujhse barsdasht nahi hota…aur aaj..tum mere paas ho, mere saath ho…yeh shayad sapna hi hai..agar aaj main soya aur uthne pe tum mere paas nahi ho toh main hamesha ke liye toot jaoonga Purvi..isliye main apni aankhen bandh nahi karna chahta..saying this he places a soft kiss on her lips,making sure she is still with him and he is not dreaming ….
Purvi's eyes well up with tears….she holds his face..
Purvi: Rajat main yahin hoon..aapke saath…
She takes him in a soft hug, caressing his hairs. He surrenders himself like a baby in mother's arms. Purvi smiles, his hold gets tight and he buries his face in her chest resting his cheek against her heartbeats…Purvi caresses his back with her other hand and slowly hums a song….
She feels Rajat crying, his tears touch her heart, her voice washes over him, cleansing him, comforting him, he feels at peace and slowly drifts into a beautiful dreamless sleep. Purvi feels his rhythmic breathing and slowly she falls asleep too for the first time without any disturbing images, any nightmares….
…The sunlight filters in the room more strongly, hitting his face. His eyes flinch but he wishes to sleep more feeling the body in his arms. He hugs Purvi more tightly, places a kiss on her shoulders and sleeps again. A low buzzing sound disturbs him, he tries to ignore it but the sound refuses to die. With his eyes closed, he straightens and searches on the bed to shut the noise, his other hand is still holding Purvi in a hug.
He grabs the buzzing mobile from the bedside table, takes the call still half asleep..
Rajat(sleepily): Hello..
Abhijit: Arre Rajat..kahan ho yaar..kitne phone kiye..tum theekh toh ho…Rajat…sun rahe ho?
Rajat(still sleepily): kaun bol raha hai?
Abhijit: Rajat…main Abhijit…kya hua tumhe?
Rajat (sleepy): Kaun Abhijit?
Abhijit (laughs): Sr Inspector Abhijit from CID, tumhara jijai…Saale sahib…aap uth gaye yaa ghar aakar utha do..
Rajat's eyes open wide now. He is embarrassed, he wakes up from his sleep immediately.
Rajat (embarrassed, stammering): Abhijit, ..mera matlab Sir..aap.. ..sorry main so raha tha…Good morning Sir
Abhijit: Sr Inspector Rajat, aapke ghar ki ghadi zara dekhiye..Good afternoon ho gaya hai..1:30 baj gaye hai ! lunch time ho gaya hai..
Rajat checks the time, he is astonished..he suddenly remembers Purvi had to catch flight back to Delhi..Oh NO!
Rajat: Sir..woh..flight…main Purvi ko uthata hoon..hum log bas nikal rahe hai..5 min
Abhijit: Arre…ruk jaoo..ruk jaoo..flight toh aadhe ghante pehle nikal gayi…hum log aapka intezaar kar rahe the samaan ke saath..mujhe toh laga kahin tum bhi Delhi toh nahi chale gaye….
Rajat: Sir..woh…sorry..(he cannot think of anything to say)..
Abhijit (smiling and giving a thumbs up to Tarika): Arre sorry kyun..ho jaata hai…waise ek baat boloon…zindagi Mubarak mere bhai…sach me…we are very happy for both of you…
Rajat (surprised): Sir…aapko kaise?...Thank you Sir…
Abhijit: Rajat…aaj poora din tum dono apni shakal mat dikhana hame..samjhe…..magar kal subah ka nashta hamare ghar pe..chalo phone rakho…apni zindagi jee lo mere bhai….
Rajat smiles and keeps the phone back. He is thankful for having a brother like friend…
He goes back to a sleeping Purvi, holds her left hand, kisses the engagement ring that's back now in its rightful place and blows over her forehead and eyes, before placing a kiss on her sugary lips. Purvi smiles, opens her eyes and says Good morning to her smiling prince..
YES ! YES ! They are together now…they deserve all the happiness after all that they have gone through. True, selfless love overcomes all obstacles in the end….wait! wait the story is not over…a last chapter of their true triumph in life and love await..we have experienced their pain, lets enjoy their happiness too
Dear Secret admirer, you are right – I write for my creative satisfaction and certainly this story will be the closest to my heart. To tell you the truth, I am in love with Rajat in this story…
Thank you all for your love and please await my next chapter….I have planned a super special Rajvi moment !