Episode 146- Continues from the last leg of the conversation between Shravan and choti Sumo.
" Waise ye sari baatein tu jake ander wali Suman ko Kyu nhi khta? Life kitni mast ho jayegi, soch!", Choti Sumo, or rather Shravan's inner conscious chided him, as he sat staring into space for some uncountable seconds.
Tum milo roz hi, magar, hai ye baat bhi,
Mere Hona, aahista aahista!
Mere Hona, aahista aahista!
In all honesty, Shravan was tired.
Tired of being a ploy of his own ego.
Tired of fighting the one relationship he had desperately seeked for all these years.
Tired of loving her from afar, and hating her close.
That one sentence from the younger Suman had forced him into a dreamland, where situations were not this grim, where life was easier.
Stumbling twice in his way, as the magnanimous amount of alcohol he had ingested started to show its effect, Shravan pushed open the door to his room, wanting to have one glimpse of her, of Suman.
Tum, mere ho rhe, ya hogye,
Ya hai fasla,
Puche dil toh kahu mai kya bhala!
Dil sawalo se hi na de rula!
Hota kya h aahista aahista!
Hona kya h aahista aahista!
He could deny it to the world but not himself, Suman did effect him. Her smile did lit up his skies, her laughter was his favorite sound in the world. Those moments when she playfully fought with him, or replied him with equal sarcasm, were the moments he lived for. He loved the way she would dance at the sight of Kulfi, he loved how her favorite drink in the world was Tom uncle's tea.
Walking in, his eyes devoured her sleeping form, her hairs hiding the view of her face, as she slept on her side, or rather, pretended to sleep. Shravan took slow steps to the bed, before falling down on it, wincing suddenly. While he rubbed his head that had striked the headboard by mistake, he missed her open eyes full of concern and her left hand that had almost raised to rub it out for him, but she had again gone back to pretending as soon as he had tried to turn back.
Doorie, ye kam hi na ho,
Mai neendo me bhi chal rha!
Hota hai kal bewafa, ye aata nhi chhal rha!
Shravan turned, only to remove the locks from her face, so that it comes into his full view. It didn't help him that her face had frowns. She didn't look like the girl he knew some days before. She seemed so distant, so different than her usual self this days.
Suman felt knots in her stomach when he touched her. His touch was so soft that it almost made the tears she was holding back, slip away. She felt loved in that one moment that she had full expectations would never come back. No one had handled her this softly, like he was doing, running the fingers over her forehead trying to ease out the wrinkles. Ironically, no one had ever handled her as roughly as he did in their waking hours.
" I am sorry Sumo!", She heard him mumble, as he leaned in to drop a kiss on her forehead. The tear that she was holding did slip away this time, down her cheek into the web of her neck. He was too drunk and lost to notice, though.
Lakh waade jahan k jhoote hai!
Log aadhe jahan k jhoote hai!
Mere hona aahista aahista!
" I hurt you everyday na Sumo, you know I die with that too. But I can't help it. I can't see anything when it comes to my ego", Shravan mumbled, simultaneously lying down properly and draping his right hand on her waist.
Suman stiffened, but didn't move. He was still mumbling, apologizing for things he had done over the last two weeks. He was asking forgiveness for ruining her dream of a perfect marriage.
" You were right Sumo. Bachpan aasan tha, hum do din gussa rhte the, aur fir baith k bari bari apni galtiyaan man lete the. Sorry bol dete the. Humare do din pure kyu nhi ho rhe Sumo?", He asked, his eyes dropping but Suman felt her breath hitch as she had his eureka moment. This was her chance into sorting their lives, this was her redemption.
" I wish I could tell you I love you Sumo, I really do", Shravan was not in his senses anymore as he snuggled closer to her, his long legs around hers, while he tightened his hold around her almost asleep.
" Sumo", all he could mumble was her name as he was lured into dreamless sleep. Dreamless because all his own dreams had been shattered too, with her.
Maine baat, ye tumse kahni hai,
Tera pyaar, khushi ki tehni hai!
Suman finally opened her eyes to look at his face, and then traced her finger over his sharp features. A closer look at him told her the despair in his heart too.
" I love you too Shravan, my chamish", she spoke into his ears, and found him smiling even in his sleep.
Both of them had a striking effect on each other, no matter what and how the circumstances were. No use denying the almost spiritual connection between them!
Mai shaam seher ab hasta hu,
Maine yaad, tumhari pahni hai!
Mere hona aahista aahista!
The morning sun saw the couple sleeping in each other's arms, nobody could tell which leg was whose in that tightly wrapped mess on the bed. It was Suman who stirred first, and after quite a few rough mornings, she woke up with a smile for a change.
Her eyes rested on his sleeping face, her hand playing with his soft hair. She rubbed his mane a little, while he moaned slightly before drifting into sleep again. Suman bit back a chuckle, before jumping on her feet to freshen up.
Quite a few hours later, when Shravan finally had the audacity to open his eyes and welcome the sharp pain in his head, he was up for a big shock, for beside him stood Suman, with a cup of his favorite black coffee and some aspirin. With wide child like eyes, he gulped down both, but what surprised him more was the playful smile dancing on her lips. It has been days he had seen her that smile, maybe the last was when he had appreciated her beauty in that peach lehnga she had bought for Preeti's wedding.
Hota kya h aahista aahista!
Hona kya h aahista aahista!
Suman saw the bewilderment passing his face, but said nothing as she sat down in front of him, holding her ears.
" Hamare do din khatam hue Shravan", she whispered as a sigh left her and him, even though the exact meaning of the sentence still hadn't striked him.
Tum, milo roz hi, magar, hai ye baat bhi,
Mere hona, aahista aahista!
Mere hona aahista aahista!
" I am sorry I didn't stand up with you when you needed me the most years ago.
I am sorry I abandoned you for ten years, didn't write a text or called you, even though I badly wanted to.
I am sorry I said it wasn't a big deal when you finally graced with your presence, It did.
I am sorry I asked you to leave, when I wanted you to stay.
I am sorry I didn't come to the coffee shop that day, but trust me I had my reasons.
I am sorry I avoided you during Pushkar's marriage.
I am sorry I said yes to Nanu's proposal of Aditya when I wanted to deny.
I am sorry I fought with you again that night when you came over to discuss our marriage.
I am sorry about taunting you all these days after our marriage.
I am sorry for everything that hurt you Shravan.
Please, forgive me? Forgive your Sumo?", Suman finished her monologue and it took him complete five minutes to realize what she was doing.
Tum, mere ho rhe, ya hogye,
Ya hai fasla,
Puche dil toh kahu mai kya bhala!
Dil sawalo se hi na de rula!
Some flashes from last night invaded his mind, and he mildly remembered himself apologizing to her too. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Suman saw the struggle, and laughed.
Some steps she might need to take alone, but she was sure he would follow suit.
" Hi, I am Suman Malhotra, will you be my best friend forever?", She extended her hand to him, that he shook in a trance, nodding his head.
Finally, a smile formed on his lips too.
" Sumo, my apologies-", he was cut off by her shake of head.
" Already done!", She stood up, and started to make the bed.
" Go freshen up, I will make some breakfast for you", she spoke when Shravan cut her off.
" Let's head out for breakfast?", He asked not sure but he was willing to take a leap of faith.
Suman gleefully chuckled, agreeing.
Sometimes it's friendship that is the anchor of the love two people share, and these two mad friends had found a way out for exploring that together, after ages.
Life was not going to be easier, but maybe a little more tolerable, together!
Hota kya h aahista aahista!
Hona kya hai aahista aahista!