Kartik arrived at Goenka mansion to find silence all around. He looked around wanting to catch glimpse of Kairav, or any one. Frowning, he entered his room to find a gift placed on the bed. A card above it instructed him to open the package, and get ready before coming down. 

This time as he came out, darkness covered the hall. It was while he was on stairs, a spotlight fell over him. Another beam of light fell on his family members.

Everyone (smiling)- Thank you!/Congrats!

Kartik (surprised)- Ye sab...

Keerti (walks forward with smiling Kairav)- Surprise ho gaya na? Humein jaise hi pata chala ki ye case clear ho gaya hai, sab tujhse baat karna chahte the lekin fir Kairav ne kaha kyonki ye itna khushi ka mauka hai, kyon na hum sab tujhe surprise dein.

Kairav- Papa, aapko ye surprise kaisa laga?

Kartik (looking around)- Bahut achchha par is sabki ki kya zaroorat thi?

Manish- Zaroorat thi, beta. Jaise hi ye khabar saamne aayi ki Mr Chauhan is sabke asli mastermind the logon ka nazariya badal gaya. Par beta, tumne akele ye sab kyon kiya kisi ko bata hi dete, jab uske gundon ne tumhe peeta to kaleja munh mein aa gaya tha mera...

Swarna- Haan Kartik, hum sab bhi bahut ghabra gaye the lekin aakhir mein ye sab tumhara plan nikla.

Akhilesh- Bilkul bhabhi, ab bas dheere-dheere sab thik hone lagega.

Surekha- Thik to tab hoga na Akhilesh, jab hamara us ladki se hi rishta na rahe.

Akilesh- Surekha, abhi to ye baat mat karo.

Manish- Sahi keh rahe ho donon, par abhi humein sirf celebrate karna chahiye ki is case ki sachchai saamne aa gayi.

Naksh- Sabse achchha to ye hua ki ab reporters aap logon ko tang nahi karenge.

Dadi (joins her palms, looks up)- In reporters ke chakkar mein to hum mandir tak nahi jaa pate the. 

Kartik- Ab vo aapko pareshan nahi karenge dadi, aur agar kuchh kehte bhi hain to hum unhein behichak jawab de payenge.

Dadi- Kittu beta, tumne aaj bahut bahaduri dikhayi par tumhein ye sab pata kaise chala.

Kartik narrated how he became suspicious about the doctor and visited the hospital. How by a great chance, he came to know the truth and when he discussed the same with the lawyer she advised they incite Mr Chauhan into confessing the truth.

Surekha- Main to yahi kahoongi, tum sahi-salamat vapas aa gaye bahut badi baat hai varna Mr Chauhan jaise logon ka koi bharosa nahi hota.

Kartik- Haan chachi, par aisa koi khatra nahi tha. Police aur media wale sab wahin paas mein hi the.

Kairav- Papa aap sachmuch bahut brave ho, par jab maine aapko maar khate dekha mujhe bilkul achcha nahi laga. (Akshu gurgles, he turns to her) Aur Akshu ko bhi bahut bura laga.

Kartik (smiles)- Lekin ab to vo ho gaya, aage se papa dhyan rakhenge, okay? To abhi aap donon sad mat ho?

Kairav- Thik hai, par aapko dance karna padega.

Gayu- Dance to hum sabhi ko karna chahiye, itne khushi ka mauka jo hai ye?

Dadi- Haan, haan, hum kahan mana kar rahe hain, sangeet shuru karo.

Goenka family broke a leg, followed by a scrumptious meal including everyone's favourites. Upon returning to his room Kartik was exhausted. He placed Akshu on the crib and, laid on the bed his feet still touching the floor. Closing his eyes, he rested.

Naira (voice chimed in near his ears)- Congratulations! 

Kartik (opens eyes, turns to face her)- Thank you, agar tumne mujhse nahi kaha hota to shayad main kabhi us doctor ke baare mein aur pata karne ki koshish hi nahi karta.

Naira (smiles as Kartik sits up)- Maine to sirf kaha tha, asli kaam to tumne kiya vo bhi akele bina kisi ki madad ke.

Kartik (shakes his head)- Bina tumhare kahan kuchh hoon main? Mujhe maloom hai tumne poore waqt madad ki meri warna shayad mujhe kabhi pata nahi chalta ki doctor aur Mr Chauan mile hue hain.

Naira- Par tum ab bhi khush nahi ho?

Kartik (smiles)- Khushi ka to pata nahi hai, par jab tak tumhari yaadein mere saath hain meri zindagi aise hi itmeenan se kat jaayegi.

Naira (shakes her head)- Ye udaasi nahi hai. (focuses on Kartik's eyes) Tum Sirat ko lekar pareshan ho na? To fir usse baat kyon nahi karte?

Kartik (sighs)- Baat karne ko kuchh hai hi nahi Naira, maine papa se kaha tha main Sirat ki help sirf is case ke khatam hone tak karunga. Main unse aur jhagda nahi karna chahta.

Naira- Aur tum Sirat ko bhi nahi jaane dena chahte?

Kartik (remembers overhearing Sirat talking about leaving, shakes his head)- Maine ranveer aur Amma se uska dhyan rakhne ka wada kiya hai, agar vo aise itne akele hokar jayegi to mujhe lagega maine apni zimmedari nahi nibhayi. Aur fir hum dost hain, uske jaane par dukh to hoga na?

Naira- Apnon ke jaane ka to hamesha hi dukh hota hai, Kartik.

Kartik- Par iska matlab mein use rok to nahi sakta?

Naira- Dil se rokna chaho, to koi na koi bahana mil hi jata hai. Rokne wale ko bhi aur rukne wale ko bhi.

Kartik (extends his hand)- Fir tum kyon chali gayi? Kya poore dil se nahi roka maine tumhe? Ya fir Sirat ne Ranveer ko nahi roka? Maine Amma ki parwah nahi ki?

Naira (looks up at the ceiling)- Jab bulawa wahan se aata hai na Kartik, aap kitna hi kisi ko rokna chahen koi kitna hi rukna chahe jana hi padta hai. Aur pata nahi kab humein hamesha ke liye jana pad jaaye, uske baad to hamesha dukh rahega na ki jab hamare paas mauka tha tab humne kuchh nahi kaha. (reachs out to almost take his hand) Abhi tum mujhe wapas nahi laa sakte, use jaane se rok sakte ho.

Kartik (exhales breathily, shakes his head)- Pata nahi, Naira. Pata nahi.

Naira (moves her hand to hang in air above his eyes)- Aanhein bharna band karo, aur apne aap se sawal karo tum kya chahte ho? Sirat akele reh legi kya?

Kartik closed his eyes to go through various moments when he promised to look after Sirat, starting from holika dahan. The ending memories included her fainting due to fever on the day she was trying to go away, also her meltdowns while talking with him after that. How much her carelessness with herself, bothered him refreshed. Finally, time till nationals.

Kartik (opens his eyes)- Sirat nahi jaa sakti. Pata nahi travelling mein kitna waqt jaayega aur fir coaching, itna time waste karna afford nahi kar sakti vo.

He murmured to no one but himself, this time sorely alone except for Akshu in the crib.

*** 

Next morning, Sirat exited the bedroom to catch the sound of knock and doorbell simultaneously at the main door. She opened it to find Kartik, standing with a white carboard box in his hands. 

Sirat (worried)- Sorry, bahut der se khade the aap? Bas mhari cheezen idhar-udhar padi thi vahi samet rahi thi.

Kartik (following her inside)- Jaane ki taiyari kar rahi ho?

Sirat (nods smiling)- Bas ek baar sunwayi khatam ho jaye, fir aapko aur pareshan na karungi main.

Kartik- Aur yahan se kahan jaogi?

Sirat (pauses on the way to sofa, continues)- Bhale mhare ko abhi maloom na ho, waqt thokar maar-maar kar sahi jagah pahuncha hi dega manne.

Kartik (as both of them sit down)- Aur agar tumhari manzil yahin ho to?

Sirat- Ke matlab?

Kartik- Matlab ye ki (extends the box).

Sirat (confused, opens it, turns teary eyed)- Ye...

Kartik (nods)- Haan tumhare gloves hain, tumne to inhein fenk hi diya tha. Bhool hi gayi thi apne pehle pyar ko. Tumhein dhondhne se pehle apni car mein rakh liye the maine, ye sochkar agar rok nahi paya to yahi de doonga par... Khair, tabse meri hi gaadi mein pade hue hain ye. Ab main to boxer nahi hoon, ye mere kisi kaam ke nahi hain. Par golveseshwar tumhare bahut kaam ke hain.

Sirat (teary eyed)- Mhara bhi ab inse koi  kaam na bacha hai. (keeps it aside, on table) Ke karungi inka jab bxoing hi na karni to?

Kartik (frowns)- Sirat, itne waqt maine boxing ke baare mein tumse koi baat nahi ki kyonki tum case ko lekar pareshan thi par ab... Nationals mein zyada waqt nahi bacha hai, aur tum hamare state ki represenative ho. Kya ho gaya?

Sirat (pants)- Pata na Kartik, bas mhari saari ichchha khatam ho gayi hai ab boxing karane ki. Main kahin jaoongi aur kuchh doosra kaam pakad loongi.

Kartik (holds her hand)- Sirat, shant ho jao. Aaram se baat karte hain, boxing tumhara sapna hai. Tumhara matlab kya hai tum kuchh aur karne lagogi. (tightens grip while turning to her hands) Ye haath kisi bhi aisi-vaisi cheez ke liye nahi hain.

Sirat (turns to them)- Ke mil gaya boxing karke mhare ko? Manne nantional champion banna tha ke apni mauri ne wapas unke ghar sar unchan kar ke le jan sakoon. Aur Ranveer ne mhare ko jo sapna dikhaya tha vo poora kar sakoon, ab jab vo donon hi na hai to kiske liye is sapne ne peechhe bhagoon mein.

Kartik- Tumhe kya lagta hai Sirat? Unhein achchha lagega, agar tum aise apne sapne chhod dogi? Ranveer aur Amma yahi chanhegnge ki unke jaane ke baad bhi tum thik raho, khush raho, apne sapne poore karo.

Sirat (tears rolls down her cheeks)- Mhare se na hogi boxing Kartik.

Kartik- Apni mauri ki aakhiri ichchha jaankar bhi nahi? Tumne box ko dhyan se nahi dekha. 

Sirat (spots glove key chain)- Ye?

Kartik (takes it out, places it out on her hand)- Amma ki aakhiri ichchha thi tum apne sapne poore karo.

Sirat (watches the keychain on her open palm)- Mauri ki ichchha thi.

Kartik- I am sure Ranveer ki bhi, tumhein aisa bikhra hua to nahi dekhna chahte honge vo. Main nahi dekhna chahta, aur fir jab hum dost bane the tab bhi tumne wada kiya tha national champion banne ka. Itne saare logon ko nirash kar chali jaogi, Sirat?

Sirat (closes key chain in a fist, looks up, shakes her head)- Na. Sirat Marykom Shikhawat apne wadon se na mukarti. Aur fir mauri ki ichchhaa thi mhare ko nationals champion banta dekhna. Apni mauri ne aur nirash na kar sakti main.

Kartik (smiles)- To fir to tumhein yahin rehna chahiye, tumhari boxing team yahin hai, coaches-facility sab yahin hai.

Sirat (frowns)- Par Kartik vo sab to aap-

Kartik (nods)- Haan as long as tum Udaipur girls boxing team ka face rahogi, hum tumhein sponsor karte rahenge. In fact, tum jab tak chaho tumhari practice ka poora cost mein dekh loonga.

Sirat- Aapke papa-

Kartik (shakes his head)- Unke baare mein sochna tumhara kaam nahi hai, tumhein bas ye tay karna hai tum paractice kab shuru kar rahi ho?

Sirat- Aap bahut achchhe ho Kartik, aapne mhare liya jitna kiya hai na. Jeevan bhar aapki chakri kar bhi na chuka sakoongi. Pehle jab mhare paas mauri ke alawa koi na tha, fir Ranveer aur mhare liye, fir Chauhan sa ke khilaf aur ab...

Kartik- Sirat. Dosti mein aisa hi hota hai aur tumne bhi to kitna kuchh kiya hai mere liye, mere bete ke liye. Tum zindagi bhar meri dost raho baaki hisaab-kitaab sab barabar rahega.

Sirat (nods)- Main aapse wada karti hoon, jee tod mehnat karungi, aur is baar na ye champisonship main hi jeetoongi.

Kartik- All the best. Main hamesha tumhare saath hoon.

Sirat (frowns)- Achchha, aap aaj bhi itni jadli aa gaye... Aapne nashta kiya hai? (eyes his silence) ...Mhare ko na pehle samajh jana chahiye tha, ab thik hoon main aapko bhage-bhage aane ki zaroorat na thi, kaun sa main abhi bus pakad ke gayab ho jaa rahi thi. Aap betho, main bas abhi nashta layi. 

Kartik- Bilkul, uske baad tumhein club jana hai, aur mujhe office.

***  

Precap

At first, surprise was pleasant it turned into horror as he excused himself to attend the call.

Sirat (panting)- Kartik? (coughs)