Dinner at Shergils

Different yet same

Baby having soup at the dining table was very quiet. So was Karan. "You know what I said to her was for her own benefit. She needs to understand it." Karan tried to explain to Baby.
"Jaise mujhe bola waise usko bol sakte the na, yahan thodi teacher ho aap uske. Itna gussa kyon kiya. Mummy hoti to aapko daant padti." Baby was clearly unhappy.

Monami opened Karan's cupboard to find something she could change into. There were very few clothes so she picked up a long t-shirt. She changed into his T-shirt, kept her clothes to dry under the fan running at full speed.

She glanced around Karan's room which had very few things. A few picture of Karan and his brother. Some old superhero bobble heads, a picture of someone (probably Karan's father) receiving an army medal, A mouth organ which has caught dust inside the shelf.

There was no mirror and Monami was not surprised. As much as she had come to know Karan in last few days, he did have a heart which was soft and loving but it was reserved for those he liked and cared for. And she was not anywhere close to that circle. Earlier this evening she was hoping to be, but now she accepted she will always be his least favourite trainee.

She went downstairs and could hear Karan in the kitchen. Baby was in her bed. She called out for Monami as soon as she saw her. Monami went and sat beside baby on her bed. Baby was reading the book Monami had bought for her. They talked about the book. Baby noticed that Monami was quieter.
"You know that he is a very nice man" Baby said. Monami realised she was talking about Karan.
"Yes of course. He is the best trainer at the academy and your best chachu too. I know." Monami said, still sounding low.
Baby: "He likes you"
Monami: "I wish but May be I am not good enough for him to like me"
Baby: "if he didn't like you, he would never get you to this house. And he never lets anyone wear his clothes."
Monami smiled faintly. "I think you should sleep baby. You need rest"
Karan came in suddenly. "I am going upstairs for some work. Monami, I will keep your shoes under the fan too to dry them a bit. Hope that's ok.
Monami nodded an "okay"
When Karan left, Baby said, "See, he wouldn't take your shoes if he didn't like you."

Suddenly, the lights went off.  Baby was scared and requested Monami to get the candles from the table outside Kitchen. Monami stepped out and it was quiet dark. As she was about to reach the table, there was a flash of light and she collided into something solid. The next moment she was falling down, when a very strong arm grabbed her from behind her waist. Monami was breathing heavy with the sudden push, fall and pull when she noticed she was breathing very close to Karan. Karan held a lit candle in his left hand and was holding Monami tightly in his right arm. Monami had grabbed Karan's shirt to save herself from falling. Karan was looking intently at Monami. Her pristine face and wet hair were glowing beautifully in the candle light. But her eyes seemed wet and a bit dark with the dried and rubbed tear drops. She had cried, Karan could make it out. For a few seconds, Monami was lost in Karan's gaze.  she could feel Karan's touch at the meeting point of her waist and hips, through the thin t-shirt. As they realised, both of them immediately straightened up and avoided each other's eyes in the awkwardness of the moment. Monami offered to take candle for baby's room while Karan offered to light more candles in the dining area.

Baby was asleep soon after and Karan and Monami sat across the dinner table having soup and noodles in the candle light. Karan was very uncomfortable at the thought that Monami was upset and had cried. In the glow of the candle light her face reflected her childlike innocence but those gloomy eyes were bothering Karan immensely. She was so excited earlier in the evening.

"Tumhe noodles pasand hai na" asked Karan. Monami was surprised and just uttered a light "Yes". "The food is delicious, thank you"

Karan couldn't bear it anymore. He put his fork down and asked "Monami jo feel kar rahi ho, jo kehna chahti ho, wo bol do na". Monami just responded with a "kuch nahi". She had finished her food.

Karan took Monami by hand and brought her to the porch and asked her to sit at the end of the porch where the slight drizzle made the weather cool and very pleasant. He sat next to Monami and looked at her as if waiting to hear her.

"Tum pehle nahi ho jise aisa lagta hai ki main doosro ki help karne mein apna nuksaan kara leti hoon. Sid aur dad bhi yahi kehte hain. Dad to bohot gussa bhi hote hain. But ye Meri choice nahi hai Karan, Meri reality hai. That's who I am." Monami started to talk.

"We all have a choice Monami. Tumhari intention achchi thi, I know that. You are kind, tum dil se sochti ho. But farz karo uss din hum log academy se wahan na aa paate to kya hota? You could have been dead. Tum itna travel karti ho, airplane mein bhi hamesha bolte hain doosro ki help karne se Pehle apna mask pehne. Sirf dil ke kehne pe emotional decisions nahi le sakte" Karan said in a stern tone

"Thank you Karan for saving my life. But Maine help maangne ka try kiya tha - pehle tumse phir police se, but jab help nahi mila to main gauri ko khatre mein to nahi chhor sakti thi. Aur Tumne bhi to wahi kiya tha. Tum batao , jab tumhe pata chala ki main khatre mein hoon to tum kyon aaye. Jabki main tumhari marzi ke khilaaf wahan pe thi aur tum to Mujhe pasand bhi nahi karte."

"Tum meri cadet ho Monami, tumhari safety meri responsibility hai "

"Main uss waqt rules ke against academy se bahar thi. Wo civilian case tha. Tumhe koi idea nahi tha wahan kitne log hain, kitna ammunition hai. Phir bhi Tum, Faizi aur sanjana wahan aaye. Batra sir ke orders ke against jaa kar wahan aaye. Tum 10 reasons de sakte the wahan na aane ke par tum aaye Karan. You chose that one reason to come there despite all our differences."

"Monami main commando hoon. I am trained, that's my job. I know how to take calculated risks."

"And that's why I am here Karan. I want to be trained so that next time I am in a situation like this , you don't have to come for me and main khud akele kisi needy person ki help kar sakoon." Monami said firmly. "Karan you have many reasons for why I shouldn't be here in the academy - my privileges, my physical strength, my emotions etc etc- but kya Meri willingness & intent to be a commando not be that one reason for me to be here. You have been focusing on our differences but we are similar in this one objective and can't it be that one reason we work together."

Karan looked at Monami's face which was glowing with confidence, drive and passion as she spoke. She radiated in that dark night and Karan's felt a strange feeling in his chest. He had no clue what it meant .

The power came back and lights were on. Karan was still looking at Monami. They could be different in some ways and they could be same in some ways but Karan was sure Monami was different than any other person he had ever met.

___________To be continued__________