Everyone was sitting in the waiting lounge and doing their own work.
Faizi: Pata chala Monami ki problem ke baare mai?
Karan: Nahi yaar, usse kitni baar poocha but woh keh hi nahi rahi. Shayad koi personal problem hogi.
Faizi: Nahi Karan, yeh koi personal problem nahi hai
Karan: Tujhe kaise pata?
Faizi: Come on Karan, hum bhi ek special agent hai. Itna toh dekh ke bata hi sakte hai ki problem kuch aur hai
Karan: Toh woh mujhse share kyu nahi kar rahi?
Faizi: Kyunki shayad woh tumhare saath itni comfortable nahi hai
Karan: Arey but maine aisa kuch nahi kaha ya aisa kuch nahi kiya jisse usse uncomfortable feel ho
Faizi: Hum uski baat nahi kar rahe hai
Karan: Toh?
Faizi: I mean ki tum uske dost nahi ho. Academy mai tum uske trainer ho. Aur uske liye tumhara yeh hi real face hai, you know the 'Khadoos Shergill' ya 'Ulti Khopdi' type.
Karan glared at him and Faizi laughed at his friend's face.
Faizi: Aise ghooro mat. Yeh toh sach hai ki usne sirf tumhara trainer mode dekha hai friend mode nahi. Tumhe uska dost banna hoga.
Karan: Hmm
Their discussion came to a halt when the announcement for their flight was made.
Announcement: Good evening passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 89B to Goa. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you.
Param: I think chalna chaiye... We have senior citizens with us
Sooraj: Kaun senior citizens??
Deepak: Ha beta, yaha toh koi senior citizen dikh nahi raha... we're youngsters you know
Monami (sarcastically): Yeah we know...
Karan: I think aap sab (to the senior group of the family) ko jaana chahiye... regular boarding start ho gayi toh lambi line mai khada rehna padega
So all the 'senior citizens', Param, Barkha, Baby and Raj, Ayesha and Kiaan went for boarding the flight. And the rest of the gang was left behind. They were just waiting to board the aircraft asap as it was approximately 2 hours they were waiting at the lounge. But one thing that Karan noticed was that irritation and frustration did leave not Monami's face even for once.
After almost 30 minutes everyone boarded the aircraft and the seating arrangements were:
Mr. and Mrs. Kapoor
Mr. and Mrs. Oberoi
Juhi and Deepak
Raj and Ayesha
Rahul and Monami
Agastya and Aayan
Sooraj and Suhana
Riyaz and Naureen
Param and Barkha
Karan and Tanisha
Baby and Kiaan
And Faizi was sitting with a random fellow passenger.
(Airplane seats. Business class guys... Both families are super rich you know 😎)
Monami: All set bhai??
Rahul (nervously): Yes... I guess?
Monami: Arey?! Kya I guess haa?? You have to do it yaar bhai
Rahul: Ok
Monami: Good... ab mai jagah change kar rahi hu
Rahul (nervously): Hmm
Monami: All the best
Monami went to Tanisha and Karan's seat but only Tanisha was sitting there as Karan went to the loo.
Monami: Hi bhabhi!
Tanisha: Hi Monu
Monami: Sorry to bother you bhabhi but kya aap mere seat pe jaake baith sakte ho... actually mujhe kaam karna hai and udhar continuous disturbance ho raha hai
Tanisha: Yes sure tum yaha baitho... mai jaati hu
Monami: Thank you so much!!
Monami sat on Tanisha's seat and Tanisha went on the seat next to Rahul. Monami was just scrolling through her phone and Karan came back. He was surprised to see her as just before he went to the loo, his sister was sitting to the seat next to him. And now it is Monami.
Karan: Tum?? Tanu kidhar hai?
Monami pointed towards the seat where Tanisha and Rahul were sitting.
Karan: Tum dono ne seat exchange kyu ki??
Just before Monami could answer, the announcement for the flight take - off was made.
Announcement: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome onboard Flight 89B with service from Mumbai to Goa. We are currently third in line for take-off and are expected to be in the air in approximately seven minutes time. We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. We also ask that your seats and table trays are in the upright position for take-off. Please turn off all personal electronic devices, including laptops and cell phones. Smoking is prohibited for the duration of the flight. Thank you for choosing our Airlines. Enjoy your flight.
Monami: Baitho... batati hu
Karan sat down.
Monami: Woh maine tumhe bataya tha na ki Rahul bhai Tanu bhabhi ko...
Karan (disinterested): Ha... Pata hai... ek baar bata chuki ho
Monami (chuckling): Hehe... tumhe apni behen ki love story mai interest nahi hai??
Karan (rolling his eyes): Bilkul bhi nahi
Monami: Kyu?!
Karan: Tum mujhe ek baat batao ki kaunse bhai ko apni behen ki love story mai interst hota hai?
Monami: Hmm... baat toh tum sahi keh rahe ho waise
Karan: Tum batao tumhare bhaiyo ko tumhare love story mai interst hoga??
Here, Karan tried to know that how Monami's brothers would react if she got into a relationship in the future.
Monami: Ha mere bhaiyo ko bohot intrest hoga mere relationship mai... rather mere boyfriend se milne mai
Karan looked at her with a shocked + confused reaction
Monami: Ha, taaki woh usse mile aur uska band baja sake
Karan: Matlab?
Monami: Mere bhai mere "boyfriend" ki haddiyaan (bones) tod denge
Karan looked at her wide - eyed. Monami chuckled seeing his reaction. A small smile crept on Karan's face looking at Monami. Monami saw him looking at her with a smile and raised an eyebrow.
Karan: Finally tum hasi toh
Monami sighed at this sentence
Karan: Monami, hum dost hai right?
Monami: Nahi
Karan: Huh?
Monami: I mean tumne abhi tak mujhse friendship ke liye poocha nahi hai...
Karan: Ok... So, Dr. Monami Mahajan, will you be my friend??
He asked her in the most polite way, extending his hand for a handshake.
Monami: Yes Khadoos Shergill!!
She replied with a smile and accepting the handshake.
Karan: Abhi bhi Khadoos Shergill??
Monami: Tum zindagi bhar ke liye Khadoos Shergill hi rahoge
He chuckled.
Karan: Toh chalo ab batao ki problem kya hai?? Tum itni pareshaan kyu ho??
Monami decided to tell him that what was troubling her because of do baatain. Pehli, he would not leave her without knowing what was bothering her. Aur doosri, if she shares her problem with him she herself would feel light.
Monami: Okay... So tumne suna hoga na ki Raj bhaiyaa ne kaha ki 'Bua ji' aane wali hai
Karan: Hmm
Monami (sarcastically): Ha toh woh Bua ji ko mujhse kuch zyada hi pyaar hai
Karan: Matlab??
Monami: Ok... So tum jaante ho ki mere 4 bhai hai and I am the only sister to them. So bachpan se hi mujhe thoda zyada pyaar andattention diya hai, from everyone in the family including all my brothers. And mujhe humesha se mere saare brothers se zyada freedom diya hai, in all terms. But yeh baat Bua ji ko hazam nahi hoti. Woh abhi bhi orthodox thinking rakhti hai. She thinks that my family has spoilt me to no end. Unke hissab se mujhe doctor banana was a wrong decision. Unhe lagta hai ki ab tak I should have gotten married and have kids.
And you know what the worst part is?? Ki she has double standards!! Matlab akele mai she will criticize me to no end, but sab ke saamne she will pretend to be proud of me. I mean its irritating me to no end!!
But meri family aisa bilkul nahi sochti. Sabne mujhe humesha se support kiya hai. Bhale hi woh doctor banna ho ya Commando training lena. Tumhe toh pata hai ki Raj bhaiyaa navy officer aur Ayaan air force commander hai. Rahul bhai ke paas apna hi business empire hai aur Agastya abhi bohot chhota hai. Isiliye mujhe hi humara hospital handle karna hota hai. But yeh baat humare society mai sabko acchi nahi lagti ki ek ladki ki net worth uske family ke aadmiyon se zyada hai. And adding to this, mujhe khana banana nahi aata, ghar sambhalna nahi aata aur mai ek 'acchi bahu' nahi ban sakti!!
Karan: But isse kya farak padta hai?? I mean iss duniya mai tumhare jaisi bohot ladkiya hai jinke liye unka desh ya career hi priority hai. Like my sister, usse khana banana nahi aata aur ghar sambalna bhi nahi aata. But hume yeh koi kami nahi lagti. Aur nahi yeh tumhari kami hai.
Monami: Tumhari aur meri family ki thinking mai koi difference nahi hai. Tanu bhabhi aur meri upbringing similar hai. We are brought up by liberal parents. Aur shayad iss hi wajah se tumhare family ne mujhe koi taunt ya judgement pass nahi kiya.
Bhale hi koi mere muh pe nahi bolta but yeh baat zyada logo se hazam nahi hoti hai. Aur taunts ka toh mai kya hi batau tumhe. Whenever I am at a family gathering, I wake up to criticism every morning. But mai mere 'fans' ko kuch keh bhi nahi sakti, because my mother thinks ki hum sab ek family hai. Aur thode bohot bol bhi diya toh kya ho gaya??
Karan: Monami, I know tumhe kaisa feel hota hoga... Like you said that Tanisha and you are brought up by liberal parents thats why there is not much difference in your thinking. And similar taunts Tanu ko bhi milte hai. But she handles them a certain way.
Monami: Kaise??
Karan: See, ya toh tum unhe seedhe seedhe jawab de sakti ho ya tum unki baat bardast kar sakti ho
Monami: You know what?? You're sounding just like my mother!!
Karan: Monami, I'm not asking you to disrespect her. I'm asking you to protect your self - respect. There's a difference.
His words now meant sense to Monami. She understood what he was trying to convey. She understood that her mother was right. Juhi did not want to spoil their relationship with the family members and she was not completely wrong on her part. But what Karan said was also not wholly wrong.
Monami: Thanks :)
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Hey guys!!
So here is the next part of the story... I know it has been foreverrrrrr since I updated this fanfiction. But I have my studies that I choose to prioritize. So please bear with it.
Also please comment, vote and follow me <3
Much love
Tanvi :)