Chupanke Ki Saaza
-PART
10-
The
Hunt
"Bani
kahan hai?" Rano asked, as Jai appeared in the hotel caf, where they were all
having breakfast the next day morning.
"Sleeping,"
he replied, picking up a toast and carefully spreading butter on it. Rano
waited for a further explanation, and received nothing but silence in return.
"Ready?"
Ranveer asked after a few minutes. "The Malhotra's pre-poned the meeting to 9."
Jai
nodded and stood up. Together the brothers left the hall, leaving a frustrated
Rano.
"Yeh
dono samaj the kyun nahi?" she muttered, while Lakshmi wondered what the matter
was. "They love each other, and both pretend the other doesn't exist."
"Jai aur Bani?" Lakshmi
clarified. "What
did they do now?"
Without
haste, Rano recounted all of the previous nights events.
"Well,
we know he brought her back," Lakshmi said as Rano finished.
"But
they obviously didn't make up," Rano said. "I am sure they had a fight about
it."
Rano
let out a sigh, as Lakshmi said, "Lets go see Bani. Maybe she will tell us what
happened."
"Doubt
it," Rano said. "They both are very careful around us." But she got up all the
same and followed Lakshmi to Bani's room.
It
took them almost ten minutes of constant knocking to wake Bani, who appeared at
the door grumbling.
"Can't
people even sleep around here?" she asked, as she slumped back into bed, while
Rano and Lakshmi sat down beside her.
"Bani,
its 9," Lakshmi informed.
"Great,"
she replied. "What do you want me to do?"
"Why
are you here Bani?" Rano asked.
Realization
dawned on Bani as she sat up with a jerk. "Crap! – My meeting!" She scrambled
to get out of bed, but stopped midway and settled back, with a frustrated
expression.
"Kya
hua?" Lakshmi asked.
"There
is no point," Bani said. "Even if I manage to get down there in ten minutes,
Jai will ignore me as usual and it will be beyond awkward with Harsh."
Rano
pretended to act ignorant. "Why would Jai ignore you?"
Bani
stared at her incredously. "Where have you been for the past year and half?
When me and Jai have a fight, we ignore each other. And then both of us realize
how stupid we are and make up a day later by –"
She
stopped and turned a delicate shade of pink. She and Jai always made up their
fights by having a romantic evening either in a yatcht, farmhouse or hotel.
Lakshmi
giggled. "So we all know what Jai and Bani will be upto tonight then!"
However,
Bani's face fell. As much as she wanted it otherwise, she couldn't make herself
believe that Jai will ever make up
with her.
Rano
was quick to catch Bani's expression and decided at once that things were
getting out of hand. She resolved to take matters into her own hands.
*
* *
"Hell
no," Jai said to a smiling Rano. "I am not
doing that!"
"Jai,"
Rano said. "Kya apni bhabhi ke liye, tum yeh bhi nahi kar sakthe?"
"Bhabhi
my foot," Jai replied.
"Jai!"
Ranveer said in a warning tone. "Don't irritate her."
"Thanks
baby," Rano said, with a wink to her husband. "Tumhara bhai tumse kitna behtar
hai Jai. Phat se maan gaya."
"Kyunki
woh unfortunately tumse shaadi ki
hai," Jai stated. "but I have no such binding contract with you."
"of
course you do," she said. "Whats the problem anyway?"
"First
of all, I don't play childish games
like a scavenger hunt because its stupid and I don't have the time for it," Jai
explained. "And even if I agreed to play, there is no way in hell that I am on
Bani's team."
Rano
sighed. "Bani mein kya problem hai?"
"No
Rano," Jai said. "Im not having this discussion with you."
"Haan
Rano," Bani said. She just walked in with Lakshmi and heard Jai's denial. It
was not unexpected, but it was a blow nevertheless. "I am not playing with him."
"Suck
it up then," Rano said, her tone past pleasant and on the verge of anger. "Both of your are playing and will be on
the same team."
"Says
who?" Jai objected.
"Says
me," she answered. "And I am pregnant, so you are going to have to listen to
me."
Jai
stared open mouthed as Rano left. "Just great…" he muttered to himself.
It
was the evening after the big meeting with Malhotras, in which Jai manged to
get the deal signed, a feat he intended on celebrating, for it was the best
contract he ever made. However, just as he was going to announce a big party,
his favourite and only bhabhi, Rano, announced that she wanted to take part in
the hotel's annual scavenger hunt, for she desperately
wanted the prize offered to the winners. She further added that the only way to
win was for all of them to participate, increasing the chances of wininning and
thus, the prize, which would undoubtedly will be given to Rano regardless of
who won it.
While
everyone agreed for the pointless plan, as Rano could get whatever she wanted
these days, no matter how ridiculous it was, given her condition, Jai put his
foot down. He not only felt childish to participate in this event, but didn't
want to spend time with Bani, whom he was ignoring from that morning. Their
little confrontation the night before was not a pleasant experience and he was
confident that his wife would not want to see his face after that. He saved her
the trouble and pretended that the hatred was both ways – a habit for him now.
However, he was direly wrong, for not only did Bani want to spend time with
him, but was looking for ways to corner him alone.
Rano
returned with the list of items they were to gather by the end of the night.
She gave both Jai and Bani a stern look, before turning away and wishing everyone
luck.
Jai
and Bani departed in silence.
"Its
this way," Bani said, after fifteen minutes of quiet. Jai stopped and looked at
her with raised eyebrows. Bani clarified. "The first on the list is a war
painting, which is on the fifth floor."
Jai
let out a sigh. "And what makes you think that I am actually following this
list?"
"Don't
you want to win?"
"If
you haven't realized," Jai said coldly.
"I am not interested. Main room mein jaa raha hoon, tum yeh scavenger
hunt khud khelna!"
Bani's
face fell. She was looking forward to spend time with him. True, they are not
in talking terms, but she needed his presence. As much as she thought she hated
him, she craved for his attention and his ignorance was not something she was
taking nicely - especially after their
fight the night before. "Teek hai," she said, desperately, when Jai continued
to walk, ignoring her. "Maat khelna. Waise bhi tum haarne wale ho."
Jai
stopped and turned around. "What?"
"Haan,"
Bani said. "tum aise games mein haarthe ho. So, it's a good thing that you are
not playing. Warna Rano ke samna, hamara naak kataoge!"
Jai's
jaw dropped. "I ashame you? You always win because me."
"Stop
dreaming!"
"I
am not!" Jai said, defensively. "You are the one who sucks!"
"Acha?"
Bani said, trying not to smile. "Why don't you prove it then?!"
"Fine,"
Jai said, walking back to where Bani was standing. "I will." He took the list
of the things they have to find, and tore the page in two, giving one half
back. "Lets see who can find their half of things first. Deal?"
Bani
smiled. "Yes."
And
with that they parted ways.
Dekhna, Bani thought
to herself. When Jai loses, I will also
pretend to lose. And then both of us will laugh on what a stupid idea this
whole thing was… just like old times!
*
* *
"God,"
Bani said to herself. "This game is so tedious. Who the hell invented it?"
As
she continued to walk, counting the number of things she still had to find, she
bumped into a strong pair of shoulders and stumbled back.
"I
am so sorr-" she began to apologize, but realized that it was Harsh. She stopped,
and didn't know what to say.
"Hi,"
Harsh after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Hi,"
Bani said, trying to keep her voice pleasant. She was still mad at his
behaviour from last night.
Harsh
cleared his throat, to help with his nervousness. Truth was Jai had very camly
threatened him not to come infront of his wife ever again. And having a lot of
experience in the business world, he was not dumb, to understand that Jai meant
things he said. "Ermm… how are you?"
"Fine,"
Bani replied, but didn't continue the conversation.
Harsh
sighed. "Look Bani… I am very sorry for what happened last night. I had no idea
you were Jai's wife. Main toh aise hi… anyway, forget it. Can you please
forgive me?"
Bani
was taken back. The stubborn and obsessive Harsh apologizing to her? "Umm…
yeah, that's okay. Joh hua, so hua."
"Thank
you," he said, grateful. "Waise how long were you guys married? I never even
heard the news!"
"Just
a year ago…"
"Oh!"
Harsh said. "Yeah, I was in London for the last three years. Otherwise, who
would miss Jai Walia's wedding?"
"It
wasn't that big," Bani said, not comfortable with this topic, for it was very
closely related to Pia.
"So,
how did you guys meet?" Harsh asked.
Now
Bani didn't even know how to answer without bringing up her sister. "It was
arranged…" she mumbled.
"Seriously?!" he exclaimed. "No way!"
Bani
raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Why? Are arranged marriages not permitted
anymore?"
But
Harsh didn't seem to hear her. "No! That can't be right… Jai cannot love you soo much if this
marriage was arranged!"
This
stumped Bani. "Huh?" If she believed anything since she moved back into the
Walia Mansion, it was that Jai stopped loving her. Yes, she was to be blamed
for this change, but that didn't mean she was hurt. It was selfish, but she
wanted him to care for her.
Harsh,
however, looked at Bani, properly for the first time. Though her beauty still
took his breath away, he saw her eyes for what they were – it looked like she
was in distress. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Bani
nodded automatically. She was more than used to these questions.
"No
seriously," Harsh said. "Is everything okay between you and Jai?"
"Of
course," Bani lied easily. But it was obvious that he didn't buy that excuse.
So Bani decided to put some truth. "Its just…he is mad at me," she said. It was
a fact that was bugging her since morning but that wasn't the only thing on her
mind.
But
Harsh didn't seem to believe that either. "Jai can never be mad at you."
Bani
looked at the floor. "I am sure you are mistaken," she said quietly. "Because
he is now… he won't even look at me!"
"No
I am not mistaken," Harsh said confidently. "Men aren't that difficult to
understand Bani. You just need to see past their words and look at their
actions."
Bani
looked up at the serious expression on Harsh's face. "I understand Jai more
than anyone."
He
simply replied, "Then you should know that he would go to any lengths for
you…".
Bani
shrugged. Truth was, she felt she didn't know anything about Jai these days.
The way he taunted her, sometimes ignored her like today – it was like he was a
whole new person.
"Anyway,"
she said, changing the topic. "how come you are here?"
"Nothing,"
Harsh said. "I am totally bored. How about you?"
Bani
groaned. "Some scavenger hunt that I am being forced to play!"
"Seriously?"
Harsh said, excited. "You are actually participating?"
"Yeah…
but I can't even find half the things on the list."
Harsh
smiled. "Let me help you."
"How?"
Harsh
refrained from rolling his eyes. "I own this hotel and I came up with the
game."
Bani's
face spread into a smile. "That. Is. So. Awesome!!" But a thought crossed her
mind. "But that wouldn't be cheating… right?"
"I
wouldn't tell anyone," he promised. "either way, consider it as part of my
apology!"
*
* *
"Urghh!"
Jai grumbled to himself. "Just one more thing and I will win this stupid game
and prove to Bani that I am better than her!"
It
was almost an hour since Jai challenged Bani and he was almost close to
finishing his list of things he had to find. The last item on the list was a antique
chain, which was rumoured to have belonged to a queen almost a thousand years
ago. While Jai tried everything – starting from research on the internet to
bribing the staff of the hotel – he couldn't located where this priceless thing
was in the hotel.
"If
it is so priceless," Jai thought. "Why does no one know about it?"
As
he continued to walk aimlessly through the halls, hoping to find the item, he
walked in on a similing Bani, who was talking to Harsh. Jai's eyes narrowed as
he watched the duo continue to chat.
Just
then Harsh caught his eye. Jai raised his eyebrows questioningly. He thought he
was very obvious when he told Harsh never to talk to Bani again.
"Jai,"
Harsh said. "I was just apologizing to Bani for last night."
Jai
nodded, but his stern expression didn't change.
"Anyway,"
Harsh said, understanding Jai's unsaid dismissal. "I have to run. Take care
Bani – err, Mrs. Walia."
Bani
gave a puzzled expression as Harsh hurried out of sight. "What happened to
him?" she wondered out loud. "He was talking fine till now."
Jai
decided that his threat to Harsh should be kept a secret. He just shrugged his
shoulders in response.
"Anyway,"
Bani said. "Did you finish? Did you find everything?"
Jai
sighed. "One thing left. So, since you probably didn't even find half the
items, lets call it quits. I won."
Bani
raised her eyebrows. "What one thing are you missing?"
"Some
antique chain…" Jai replied. "But who cares?! You lost Bani Dixit!"
Bani
laughed at this. "Says who? I finished everything AND I found one extra thing!"
"What?"
Jai said, surprised. He grabbed her list and sure enough, every single item was
checked off, with the location of each scribbed messily beside it. "Fine," he
said, determined. "I can go find my last item in less than five minutes!"
"Too
bad!" Bani said, with a smug expression. She owed Harsh so much. He practically recounted the entire hunt to her. "I found your last item. SO, I win either
way!"
"you know where the chain is?" Jai asked,
not believeing his ears. There was no way, Bani could have found it, when he
wasted almost thirty minutes over it.
Bani
nodded her head, with a wide smile on her face. "Yup! Third floor, first frame
on the right!"
Jai
groaned. "That was the only floor I didn't bother to check!!"
"So
one thing is cleared," Bani said, as Jai cursed his luck.
"What?"
"That
no matter what you say, in end, you always have to come back to me!"
"But
you don't want me to come back," Jai said quietly. "right?"
Bani
didn't know what to say. Was it really her who was pushing him away? Didn't he
hate her just as much? Wasn't he the one who thought of divorce?
"Well,"
Jai said, interpreting her silence to be a yes. "You know what this means,
right? We won! Rano can get her prize now."
Bani
nodded and followed him to Rano's room.
*
* *
"We
are done," Jai announced as he walked into Rano and Ranveer's room.
"Huh?"
Rano said.
"The
scavenger hunt," Jai reminded. "me and Bani finished. So you can get your lame
prize."
Realization
dawned to Rano. "Oh really? Great!" Truth was, no one was participating in the
scavenger hunt except for Jai and Bani. While Lakshmi and Tarun disappeared on
a long drive, Ranveer and Rano retired to their room, where they were busy
trying to come up with a name for their child. But Rano could hardly explain
this to Jai, who would burst worse than a volcano.
"That's
it?" Jai asked. "How about a thank you?"
Rano
eyed Bani, who appeared to be lost in thought. "Kya hua Bani?" she asked,
ignoring Jai.
Bani
jerked out of her thoughts. "Nothing… just tired." And with that she left the
room.
Rano
turned to Jai with a glare. "What did you say?"
"Don't
look at me like that! I didn't do anything!"
"Then
why did she just leave like that?"
Jai
rolled his eyes. "Rano!" he exclaimed. "Anything that happens to Bani is not my fault!"
"Yes
it is," Rano said. "Now go find out what happened," she ordered.
Jai
grudgingly got up and left.
*
* *
What is wrong
with me?
Bani pondered as she randomly flipped through channels on the TV. Why do I care so much if Jai is mad at me? I
should be glad that this marriage is easier to break than I imagined. And even if it isn't, I cannot stay with a
man who killed me sister… right? Her resolve, which stayed firm for the
past month was beginning shake.
"I
didn't know you watched fear factor," Jai said, watching Bani's blank face.
"Huh?"
Bani said, blinking out of her thoughts.
Jai
just shook his head. No point talking to a lost person. He sat down beside her
and grabbed the remote.
"I
was watching that!" Bani exclaimed, trying to get the remote back.
"Too
bad," Jai said calmly. "I get to watch now!"
"But
– but-" Bani spluttered.
Jai
ignored her and started to watch a game of football.
"By
the way," Jai said. "Rano wants to know if you are okay. So do me a favour and
tell her, I got nothing to do with
your mood swings."
"So,
you don't even want to know why I am in a crappy mood?" Bani asked, watching
Jai's relaxed expression.
"no,"
he answered. "because I thought we decided that we don't care for each other
anymore. Hence the divorce, remember?"
"So,
if I get killed by a car tomorrow," Bani clarified. "you wouldn't care?"
"Well,
I am not inhuman," Jai said, but didn't bother to explain the rest.
Bani
sighed. "Look," she said. "Can't we just be friends?"
Jai
turned to see Bani's expression. "I thought you hated the sight of me?"
"And
you, the sight of me," Bani answered. "But the longer we keep fighting, the
harder its going to be to live together."
"So,
what do you want me to do?"
"No
more fighting," Bani said, trying to explain what exactly about him that bugged
her. "Or ignoring… or taunting. Or any of your sarcasm… just be neutral…
yourself, okay?"
"Okay…"
"Thank
you." And with that Bani got up and went to bed, leaving a smiling Jai. Guess she still can't live without you Jai,
he thought to himself. Congrats!
