BLANK::Kartik/Aman
Chapter VI: Jaan De Di Yeh Pyaar Ki Haadh Thi
Kartik doesn't remember how but he ends up on the train station he walked out of the place without much of thought he just needed to get away. 'Do they truly loved him?' His mind keeps throwing this question at him. 'Of course, the evidence is there,' his mind keeps debating and Kartik just want some peace. He is angry at Aman for not telling him about the family before and then he cannot wrap his mind around the fact they accept him, accept them and love them. Lost in his own thoughts Kartik keeps walking on the train station aimlessly.
"Bhaag raha hai?" A voice brings him out from his thoughts he turns to see that girl standing there, Aman's sister - Goggle. (Running away, are you?)
"Tum yahan kaise?" (How did you get here?)
"Pairon se chal kar ayi hon, godhay par nahi." (I walked, did not rode on a horse.)
"Godhay par?" He looks at her in confusion but something tells him, it will not be out of question when it comes to her. She quietly smiles at him as if she knows a secret that he doesn't and that is also not out of question. (On horse?)
"Tujhe kya laga aise chup chap ghar se chala jayega aur kisi ko khabar nahi hogi?" (What did you think that you will leave without telling anyone and no one will find out?)
"Tu aur kya karon, yaar. Nahi reh sakta wahan." (What else to do, yaar. I can't stay there.)
"Kyun? Hum kaatne ko dhoodte hain kya?" Kartik looks at her in surprise. (Why? We don't bite.)
"Aise mat dekh." (Don't look at me like this.)
"Sab log meri wajah se itne pareshaan ho rahe hain." (Everyone is worried because of me.)
"Haan toh honge hi na, family hi pareshaan hoti hai." She replies as if it is the most obvious fact in the world. (Of course, we will be worried. Family does worry about one and other.)
"Yaar, humesha se aise hi parivaar ka sapna dekha tha. Aise hi parivaar se jodne ki khawaish thi aur ab mila hai toh es tarhan." (I always dreamt of a family like this. I also wanted to be part of such a loving family and finally I have that but like this.)
"Kya howa?" He asks when Goggle doesn't reply and he can feel her staring at him even behind those big black glasses which brings up next question. (What happened?)
"Tum yeh cashma kyun lagaye rakhi ho?" (Why are you wearing these glasses?)
"Bachpan mein aik accident mein aik ankh chali gayi tabse pathar ki ankh laga ke ghum rahi hon. Aur tabse Rajni se Goggle ban gayi." With this she takes her glasses off and Kartik doesn't even bat an eye. (Had an accident when I was young and since then I have a glass eye. And since then I became Goggle from Rajni.)
"Mushkil nahi hota har waqt cashma lagaye rakhna?" (Does it not bother you to always wear glasses?)
"Meri mushkil chodh aur apni firkar kar." Kartik doesn't know what to say to her so he just looks away but Goggle holds his face in her hands making him look at her. (Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself.)
"Marr jayega tu uske bina agar gaya toh... aur woh bhi." Kartik is speechless, overwhelmed at the fact someone is worried about him so much, caring about him. (You will die without him and he without you.)
"Chal... ghar chal. Please." Something tells him Goggle, 'Rajni' his mind corrects him, doesn't say please often. Rajni holds his hand as they start to walk back to house. (Come on, let's go home. Please.)
"Kisi ko pata toh nahi ke main..." (If someone finds out...)
"Us waqt pata nahi tha ab bhi pata nah ichalega." Kartik is worried. (No one knows and no one will find out.)
"Don't worry, chill kar. Kuch nahi hoga." Rajni assures him and they make rest of their way in silence. Rajni cannot help but to believe that their Kartik is in there somewhere and their whole interaction is a proof of this even if Kartik doesn't know it. His heart knows them, recognises them and for now this is enough to move forward. She is glad it was her who spotted Kartik leaving while family was busy consoling Aman, Rajni noticed Kartik leaving so she quietly told Keshav to keep it quiet as she goes behind Kartik to bring him back. (Don't worry and chill. Nothing will happen.)
Meanwhile at home they managed to calm Aman down who ends up sleeping in his mother's arms as exhaustion hits him hard. Sunaina and Shankar are sitting by Aman's side and Sunaina keeps creasing his hair. Chaman comes in and tells them quietly that Kartik is not in his room and they go into panic mode but before it can escalate Keshav tells them that Goggle is gone after him when she saw him leaving.
"Hume usay akela nahi chodhna chahiye tha. Pata bhi hai uski kya halat hai, agar kuch hogaya toh." Sunaina's heart is sinking. (We should have not let him alone. We know what he is going through. What if something happens to him?)
"Arre bhabhi fikar mat karein, Goggle ka message agaya hai woh Kartik ko ghar lekar arahi hai." Champa comes in to inform them. (Don't worry, bhabhi. Goggle has messaged, she and Kartik are on their way to home.)
"Champa... tu zara kitchen dekh le, main Aman..." (Champa... can you handle kitchen, I am with Aman.)
"Arre kya bol rahi ho bhabhi, aap raho, Aman ke paas main sambhal leti hon." Champa assures Sunaina before walking away. (Don't worry, I'll take care of it, you stay with Aman.)
"Main bhi dekhta hon Goggle kahan tak puhunchi." Chaman also leaves leaving Sunaina and Shankar with Aman. Shankar looks at Aman's face tears dried on his cheeks, forehead filled with worry creases. Aman's pleading, helplessness still playing fresh in his memories. (I'll go and have a look where Goggle is.)
'Eski nazarein jab bhi mujhe dekhti hain toh unme itni begangi hoti hai ke main marr sa jata hon. En kuch dinon mein hazaar mautein mara honga sirf us begangi ki wajah se.' The pure pain and defeat in his voice, in his eyes left Shankar Tripathi feeling so helpless for the first time in his life. A sob chokes out of him at the memory and Sunaina looks at him in alarm. (Every time he looks at me like I am a stranger, it kills me a bit. In last few days I have died thousand times just because of that strangeness in his eyes for me.)
"Kya howa?" (What's wrong?)
"Sunaina... aise lag raha hai humne humare dono bacche khoh diye aaj." Unable to hold back another sob chokes out of him as he looks at Aman. (Sunaina, I feel as if we lost both of our sons today.)
"Himmat karein. Agar aap es tarhan toot jayeinge toh Aman aur Kartik ko kaise sambhaleinge?" (Be strong. If you will break down like this how will we manage Kartik and Aman?)
"Mujhse en dono ki halaat nahi dekhi jaa rahi. Aur Kartik... agar woh waapis na aya toh?" (I cannot bear to see them like this. And Kartik... what if he does not return?)
"Aise mat bolein, Goggle lekar aa rahi hai na. Bas dekhna sab theek hojayega." Sunaina is trying to put on a brave face, trying not to break down now when her family needs her the most. (Don't say that. Goggle is bringing Kartik home. Just watch, everything will be alright.)
"Humne bohut zayatiyaan ki hai na Kartik ke saath, Aman ke saath? Aise lag raha hai aaj usi ki saza mil rahi hain." The guilt is too much to bear. Yes, they absolutely adore Kartik, love him to bits but it took them time to accept him in the family and Shankar Tripathi cannot help but to blame himself. (We have wronged them both, it feels like punishment for our wrongdoings.)
"Aisa nahi hai, bas imtehaan ki ghadi hai. Dekhna sab jald hi theek hojayega." She hopes and prays for it. (It's not like this. These are testing times, everything will be alright.)
Kartik and Goggle meets with Chaman as they enter the house and Goggle just says they went out for a walk even though knowing well enough that was a lie. Champa tells Kartik to freshen up as food is almost ready.
"Aman... kahan hai?" A hint of smile appears on Chaman's face. (Where is... Aman?)
"Woh... bohut thak gaya tha toh bhaiya bhabhi ke kamre mein neeche hi soh gaya hai." Kartik feels guilt seeping in when he remembers he had literally threw Aman out of the room. (He was really tired so he is sleeping in his parents room.)
"Arre abhi khane ka waqt ho raha hai woh bhi uthne wala hoga." Chachi adds when she sees Kartik's fallen face, who nods in return before walking away. Once Kartik is out of sight Goggle tells her parents what happened and how she is hopeful about Kartik. (It's almost time for dinner he must be waking up soon.)
"Woh humara hi Kartik hai bas abhi uske mann mein sab tasveerein dhondli si hain." (He is our Kartik he just does not realise it yet.)
"Yeh toh bohut achi baat hai. Lekin..." (This is good news but...)
"Lekin kya, Papa?" (But what, Papa?)
"Agar Kartik ko kabhi kuch bhi yaad na aya toh phir?" The fear seeps in them as Chaman cannot help but to wonder what if. (What if Kartik's memories never return?)
Shankar watches this from distance eyes not leaving Kartik until he is out of sight. His heart warms when Kartik asks about Aman.
"Kartik ko yaad nahi hai toh kya howa? Hume toh sab yaad hai na? Humara pyaar aur humara saath... yeh sab toh nahi badlega. Kartik ko yeh sab hum deinge aur bohut deinge toh dekhna aik din... usay sab yaad aa jayega." Shankar addresses Chaman's what if trying to bring hope in others putting on a brave smile on his face. (So what if Kartik doesn't remember? We remember everything, right? Our love for him, nothing will change. We will give Kartik so much love and affection that one day... he will remember.)
"Main Aman ko uthata hon." With this he goes back into the room. Sunaina gently wakes up Aman when Shankar sits beside him. (I'll go wake up Aman.)
"Kartik." His first word even before his eyes open.
"Woh..." Shankar stops Sunaina from saying anything about Kartik's disappearance. (He...)
"Woh freshen up ho raha hai khaane ka waqt hogaya hai na. Chal tu bhi uth ja, fresh hoja. Waise bhi Kartik pooch raha tha tere baare mein." Hearing this Aman's whole face lights up. (He is gone to frehsen up it's time for dinner. Now you get up as well, go freshen up. Kartik was asking about you.)
"Sach mein?" His parents share a sad look. (Really?)
"Haan... chal uth fresh hoja phir khaane pe baiththe hain." (Yes... now get up and go freshen up.)
"Kartik... woh..."
"Champa ne keh diya hai woh araha hai, Chaman usay neech le ayega. Tu toh uth." His mother replies and Aman eagerly gets up and runs to freshen up leaving Sunaina and Shankar once again feeling helpless. (Champa has told Kartik about dinner he is coming down soon, Chaman has gone to get him. Now you get up.)
I hope you all enjoyed it. :)