Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Welcome Back

Straight into the 8th hour she starred at the television screen without interacting or speaking to anyone. What is she hoping? Hoping to see Karan Khanna smiling for one last time happily waving to the crowd with Radhika on his side. She would find his hand braced around his again to be wife’s waist. The shutter speed will flash the lights on Radhika’s enlightened relished smile disturbing her to look straight to the shutterbugs. What she feels right now? Shattered or elated to know that God is kind. With Probodh still fighting to find a way to breath and flicker his eyes to see his wife, his daughter; and Radhika his loving wife is reuniting with her ex husband, whom she never wanted to be a part of her daughter's marriage and whom she left alone to be trashed by the groom’s relatives. Does she even have a spine?

“What Yaar behen?” Sherry shook her into the real world. “Now I have to climb to the balcony to reach you? And what are you planning? To order 100 pieces of these fake goods sold fooling the customers in the name of fake steel utensils? You never encouraged all these shit.” she sat exhausted and disappointed. “Oh God!!” she ran to the door that was being banged insanely by the person behind it. With Sherry’s intervention Tripura realised that it is near to dawn and the television is full of utter non sense in the name of  Tele Shopping.

“Tirupu.” Rushed in Vaijayanti. “Why are you behaving like a retard?” she sat by her bereaved daughter. “What is the matter?” Affectionately she asked.

“Nothing!!” stepping near the television and resting her hip against the coffee table she changed the news channel. “No where nowhere NOWHERE!!!” Tripura threw the remote on the ground. Certainly it kissed its premature death. “I will go mad.”

“Beta something is hidden from me.” Dr. Nagarajan’s mother held her within her loving embrace. “Share with me.” Vaijayanti stroked her daughter's hairs lovingly.

“Behen!” scolded Sherry, “If you are not going to tell her I will. Speak up!”

The anguish of being left alone by her just found love took all over. Her head thumped against the skull badly. It may get a haemorrhaged anytime. She started loosing breathes from the torment of her self starvation and sobbing and then a voice stirred the silence of the room. “Tirupu...”

“My ear drum will burst Amma.” She pushed her into her mother’s embrace to get rid of the hallucination. “Stop it!!!!!!” She screamed to the top pitch of her voice as again the room got stirred with the voice calling.. “Tanpura... Look up..”

“STOP IT..” Tripura pulled her out of Vaijayanti’s arms and looked to the direction from where the sound echoed.

And not in Television screen he stands there in blood and flesh beaming a stunning smile to her. With no more shyness and hesitation he opened up his arms. The Karan Khanna waited for his queen to dissolve into his embrace like no one ever did.

“Behave Mr.Khanna!!” she uttered pointing her finger towards him. “Behave.”

“Dekha what I said to you?” Karan turns to Vishal, “I said you that except her all the ladies die to get dissolve in me. Okay leave it.” He again turned to Tripura, “Amma...” shooting a beautiful smile he walked towards Vaijayanti. “Stop it Mr. Khanna.”

“Okay!! Sherry....”

“Can you just keep your mouth shut and hands at its place!!” The doctor gritted the words. Kohl got deflected around her beautiful face making her look exhausted and surrendered to the extreme emotional turmoils. “Why you are here?” she demanded an answer.

“Tipsy!!!” Sherry squeezed Tripura’s hand making her gasp and a sheer intolerance quaked her.

“Shut up!!” Tripura shouted. “I am talking with him so no one should stop me from doing so.” She warned in a stern voice.

“Okay.” Karan Khanna leans against the wall behind and asked his counterpart and requested Tipsy’s family to give them a little but much needed space to sort out the matter that endangers every possible beauty of their relationship. Tripura’s mother looked at her raging daughter and her irregular breathes. The heartbeats thumping against her chest could be heard clearly to Sherry, who stands just by the doctor.

“Perry Amma. Come I will brief you and then Karan will do the needful.” Sherry headed towards Vaijyanti.

“If he has to say anything he has to say in front of all. No one is leaving.” Tripura shouted.

“Tan...” Karan sealed his mouth after Tipsy screamed at him for taking her name incorrectly. “Okay. Dr. Nagrajan, if you remember the contract that you cannot disclose any of my details publicly so in regards to the same I need privacy. So please co operate.” He tried to get the situation normal.

“I have....” Tipsy paused remembering that she has resigned from the job, though it was not accepted but, is still unknown to her mother. “Okay.” She agreed.

Closing the door behind him Karan give no time to Tipsy to react and locked her in the deepest embrace. She could hear his heart beating fast against his rib cage. Slowly her hands involuntarily moved against his back. She submerged herself in the pool of emotions he echoed throughout. The silence in the room dome them away from the distractions. There was no hurry in them, the two hearts conversed quietly the unsaid virtues of love making those reach the place intended. How long they stood absorbed in each other remained unknown. Even they didn't spoil the moment trying to have an account of it.

Cupping her face after coming apart from each other by a distance less than half a feet Karan wiped out her tears carefully. She was gasping and having trouble to breathe normal. “Tanpura stop it!” he scolded lovingly. “I am not here to see you like this I am here to get my answer. And before you answer you have two choices either to agree or to disagree and I have one solution only. If you agree I will marry you Dr Tripura Sundari Nagarajan. If you disagree then....” His twinkling eyes and a faint smile trying to invite a grin made her mad again...

“Then what you will leave me alone?” pushing the mighty man away troubling him to stand as he tumbled she shouted.

“Are you an assli doctor?” he smirked.

“What did you say? I studied for 8 years..” Tripura answered back.

“I doubt!” Karan moved to her, making her step behind. Anticipating the end, he kept on the drill. Hypnotized by his intent eyes she obeyed his unsaid orders and a soft hit against the cane seating rocking chair Tanpura toppled on it. Attempting some blank threats she warned him not to near her. But Karan didn't stop. Leaning over he caged her amongst his hands. “If you disagree then I will marry Tanpura Nagarajan, else Tripura Sundari Nagrajan. Trust me darling sets of cards with your two names will be delivered day after tomorrow. And in 8 years  you failed to designate yourself with patience! How do you go through history of your patients? It is boring!” Karan rocked the chair front to pull her closer. “I love you Tipsy. Be mine. Accept me, the all of me. Marry me.” Holding the chair still in his hands preventing the rocking motions of it he knelt in front with his head hung to his lady love, whom he love with all his heart.

Shoving her hand through his dark and thick hair Tripura moved close to him. Captured in the innate emotions, she kissed his forehead making him look up. Karan’s eyes got caught in her eyes intensely. “I love you Karan. I want to share your life with me. I want to be yours only yours but...” she searched for phrases that could bring together the unwanted words scattered all over inside her head.

“But what Tanpura?” being impatient Karan wanted the silence to get dissolved into her words. He hated the silence. “Tell me...” waiting for the answer for less than a second he jerked Tripura again demanding an answer. 

Looking up with teary eyes Tripura voiced the worry under her trembling lips, “What about Radhika and Trisha?”