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March 2020

Pune

Indian Defence Station, Indian Air Force.

After coating themselves in the shades of different vibrant colours, it was now the time that belonged to the country and its countrymen. More than the people who compromise on something that should be theirs, other people and their lives held more authority on it. Indeed, a soldier first belongs to its nation, then its country people, then its family and lastly the remaining bit is of their own. Mitti he hai jisne unhe seencha hai, mitti hai hai jis'sey unka wajood hai aur ant mein mitti he hai, jisme woh sama jaayenge. This was the thing that was filled in the veins of these warriors and Monami was no different.

(Soil is the core element in their making, soil has nourished them and it is the very earth wherein they'll be summoned when they take their last breaths.)

Monami has always lived this feeling closely, she has got this selfless bravery in viraasat from her father and more than that man who was deployed on the field, she got her inner emotional stability from her mother, who despite of being always worried for the safety of her father never left hope. Juhi's prayers and self belief that was so deep rooted in her husband that she set an example of immense conviction and assurance in her daughter and Monami lived by the morals she attained.

(Legacy.)

Monami missed her family but now she missed a certain someone too, who was a part of her family now. Someone who had managed to create a luxurious space in her heart so comfortably that she was still in awe that he had managed to make her feel an unequivocal wistfulness for him. She felt that they have come closer than the last time, after Holi. Their normal calls were replaced by video calls now. The small one word humms were taken over by a few more words and she won't admit it loud, but she loved when he low-key flirted with her. She now looked forward to the time when they'll catch up with each other on video calls.

But wait a minute? Flirting? When did this happen? Well, this started after some 2-3 days after their Holi meet.

Flashback~

Karan and Monami were on a normal call when the former asked something that made her eyes a bit wide. "Officer sahiba, can I video call you?"

"Like right now?" Monami felt foolish as she finished speaking.

"Haan, like we can start with it abhi se." Karan's lips were twisted in a teasing smile on the other end and she could feel it.

(Yes) (Right from this moment.)

"Karan!" Karan closed his eyes for a brief moment at the way his name sounded like this, in her voice. His reverie was broken when Monami said, "Mera mat-matlab hai ekdum se kya hogaya?"

(I me-mean what happened suddenly?)

Karan chortled. "Arrey bhai, apni biwi se baat kar raha hoon, toh laazmi toh yahi hoga na ki uska khoobsoorat sa chehra dekh ke he karu. Moreover, all we have is this, at least at this moment."

(Hey, I'm talking to my wife and it'll be fair if I carry on this while gazing at her beautiful face.)

The flirt in her husband's voice was not meant to be missed and Monami definitely didn't and the proof was the faint red hue on her cheeks. Albeit sure, but even then with a bated breath she asked, "Karan, tum flirt kar rahe ho?"

(Karan, are you flirting with me?)

"Koi shaq hai tumhe?" Karan proudly accepted.

(You have any doubt?)

Monami was unable to discern how he could be so vocal about stuff like this? Didn't he feel any hesitation?

As if hearing her thoughts in the silence that prevailed after his acceptance, he said, "I don't know why I don't feel any other awkward feeling when it's you on the other end." He heard a deep exhale from the other side and so he said, "Now now, I won't let you divert from our topic. I'm calling you on Whats app."

But before she could say something about correcting her appearance and then switching the call, the call was hung up with his words, "Okay now I can't wait to see you."

Monami blinked at her phone screen and true to his words, Karan's call was there in an instant.

"Hey there! Again." A chuckling Karan appeared on screen, with his gray cap on his messy hair and wearing a classic black oversized t-shirt.

Monami shook her head at his goofiness, her lips reciprocating his smile and her eyes loved what they saw on screen. "Tum kuch bolne ka mauka kyu nahi dete ho?" Monami mumbled.

(Why don't you give me a chance to speak?)

"Accha madam, har baar aap he shabdon ke saath aankh micholi khel rahi hoti hain, iss baar maine sirf ek iccha ka jatayi, mai kasurvaar hogaya?" Karan dramatically narrowed his eyes.

(Really, madam; it is you who always plays hide and seek with words and just this one time I wished for something, I became the culprit?)

"Lekin mai mana kahan kar rahi thi? Sirf 2 he toh minute maang rahi thi na." Monami hurriedly defended herself.

(But when did I deny? All I was about to do was ask for 2 minutes.)

"And what would have changed?" Karan raised his brow and then continued, "You wanted that time to be more camera appreciative?"

Monami's mouth was left wide opened at his correct guess and she subtly nodded her head, averting her eyes from his.

"Offo, accha suno toh." Karan started when he saw she was still avoiding his gaze. "Monami, ab aise toh mat karo? Itni mushkil se apni biwi ka ongoing call kaat ke tumhara chehra aise baat karte huey dekh paa raha hoon, ab phir yeh toh mere saath naa insaafi hogi, Mrs. Shergill."

(Hey, please listen to me.) (Monami, please don't do like this na! As it is, after a lot of struggle and hanging the ongoing call of my wife, I was able to see your face while talking and now Mrs Shergill, this will be injustice with me.)

Monami bit her lips to control the excessive heat that was trying to escape her withhold to leisurely get transfixed on her cheeks, more than what was already obvious and after nictitating twice she slowly upped her lashes to fix her vision back on his face, only to see his eyes deeply fixated on her.

Karan was in awe of the blooming flower she becomes, in his propinquity. He never knew he could affect someone to this extent, but how could he refuse this thing, when his irises practically captured this scene, so frequently.

"Okay now listen to me and listen carefully, I understand that we did not get much time and hence getting conscious is normal, but till when will this all continue?" Karan breathed and looked at his wife, who was having all her attention at him, making him smile. He smiled before continuing, "Aur yaad hai tumhe, tumhi ne toh kaha tha ki jo waqt humara hai, woh humara he rahega. Phir? Jab waqt humara hai, toh hum kyu kisi aur cheez pe ussey zaya karein? Vaise bhi, humari life ka sabse bada villain yehi hai, kyu hum issey aur badhava dein? Karan's voice was underlined with humour at the end.

(And do you remember, it was you who said that the time that is ours, will be solely ours. Then; when this time is ours, why waste it on anything else? As it is, this is the biggest villain in our life, why give it more footage?)

"Karan, tumhe har baar kaise pata hota hai ki kab kis mauke pe kya baat karni hai?" Monami realised that her husband has a great way with his words and more than that, she realised the reasons why he is becoming so special to her, in such a limited time.

(Karan how do you always end up saying what is appropriate at the moment?)

Karan bowed like a royal person after removing his cap and said, "I'm honoured at your appreciation, officer sahiba!" He straightened up and adjusted his cap before saying, "Monami, I have always admired your raw self, without any pretentiousness and trust me when I say this that your appearance is the least bit of my concern. Moreover, you look like a sight to my eyes in your unit uniform." Karan passed her a comforting smile.

Monami couldn't help but downcast her eyes at his blatant and tender praise. Trust this guy to use all the names he have in his store for her, any and every time when they're talking.

"Monami, as much as I love red on you and your open hair, this navy blue Indian Defence Force logo on your jacket and your neatly kempt self is just increasing my pride." Karan said and to add more effects he, leaned his face on his palm of the hand and exhaled.

Monami shook her head for the umpteenth time on their call and before they could continue, someone knocked on their door and who knew that this would be the first time Monami would get to see a yet unseen layer of -Kaptaan sahab; jealousy.

Monami asked Karan to hold and she kept the phone on the shelf against the wall while she went to open the door, and in the meantime, Karan's eyes accessed all that was visible to his eyes. From the parts of her room to her dressed self, even the man who walked in.

Karan noticed that the man was quite good looking and that he was way too close to his wife. He even mentally chided himself on having such absurd thoughts but he couldn't help himself. Already they were in long distance matrimony and now to add on, there were such good looking men near her too. Well, he was not sure if it was just a man or men.

His eyes narrowed itself when he saw that the man pointed something and was about to use his hands to either wipe that or make it more clear to Monami, on her right shoulder when she did something that made him smile. She gently took a step back and nodded and the man dropped his hands back in the pocket before taking his leave. But when she went two steps ahead to lock the door, he frowned more on himself as to why he didn't noticed her shoulders.

As Monami walked back to her phone, she noticed that Karan was frowning at something so she scrunched her face too, before asking, "Kya hua Karan?"

(What happened, Karan?)

Karan came out of his trance and instead of replying, he asked, "Kon tha woh?"

(Who was he?)

Monami's frown deepened. "He was my teammate, a Para SF Commando, Major Avinash. Is something wro..."

Karan broke her in between, "Why was he standing so close to you?" The words left his lips before he could even think and now he closed his eyes muttering some silent curses to himself, for being so hasty.

Monami was confused at his non Karan like behaviour and then slowly realisation dawned upon her so she cautiously asked while squinting her eyes, "Karan, are you by any chance jealous?"

"Jealous? Me? Hah...Why would you say so? I'm not at all..." Karan struggled before affirming, "I'm jealous."

"But you need not to be." Monami said softly.

"How can I not? You don't know men, some does not even need a reason besides that you're a girl to be near you." Karan scoffed.

Monami chuckled. "Are you also one among them, then?"

Karan narrowed his eyes and blurted in a jiffy, "Obviously not and now, definitely not; especially when I have my girl with me."

Monami's heart skipped a beat at his confession, making her crimson and a faint heat crept up Karan's neck too.

Breaking the heated silence, Karan said, "Bas make sure that everyone knows that I'm your husband."

Monami didn't missed that he said to mention that he is her husband not that she is his wife, she could feel yet another guarded wall of her breaking, at his thinking.

"Okay, Mr. Shergill, I will." Monami chuckled and she hoped for a happy visage from him too, but nope, Karan was still frowning. "What is it?"

"I'm thinking how even after being on a call with you since so long, I wasn't able to notice that something on your shoulder which that man did." Karan successfully masked his whine under the pretence of his scowl.

"Karan!" Monami was somewhat bashful at his antics.

After sitting comfortably on the bed, against the headrest she continued with him for a bit more time, before noticing that it will be dinner time in a quarter of minutes, so she asked to continue the next day and he agreed, but not before convincing her to be in a screenshot just the way she was looking, as a memory of their firsts.

Present

Monami came out of her reverie hearing the emergency siren, brushing off all the thoughts including the crisis situation that could have been there. Just a flick of a second and her mood was instantly transformed from that of happiness to high on alert.

She quickly left her room and stepped out to see it was dark outside and seeing the time on her watch it was half an hour past her sleeping time.
An emergency situation in the middle of March was not often but then again, attacks or extremities never wait for a particular month or season. It just waits for the approval of psychotic cynicism. Because if not this, what could possibly be the reason for conspiring for deaths of innumerable people?

Monami ran towards the base planning and emergency room and on her way she was joined by a few fellow soldiers of hers too. They all sped up towards the room and when they went in, they were greeted by some of the soldiers already seated in and their Commanding Officer, Officer Rawal was pinning the charts on the boards.

Once all the soldiers were in the room, Officer Rawal gave them detailed information about the situation. The Eagles along with the IAF and Domestic plane pilots were supposed to bring back the trapped Indians in Afghanistan, which was being taken over. Although there weren't any casualties yet, but Indian high command didn't wanted to take any risk until there is a proper green flag. The Eagles were a part of this mission because, firstly it was the first responders team and secondly because of the high security and challenges, this mission included. Also, the more planes, the more will be the number of occupants that they will bring them.

There was one more obstacle that would delay their plans and that was the neighbouring country refusing the Indian Government to fly above their sky. But, it did not stop them.

The plan was made, Officer Monami Mahajan and Officer Shastri the Mig 23 flyers will take the lead and bring back the chief officers. Helicopter officer Madhvi Barot and Sanjay Garg will take control of two rescue helicopters having two Para SF commandos, including officer Avinash and then the IAF officers will take their flights from their base stations and Domestic pilots will be taking off from Mumbai and Delhi airports, having 3 defence officers in each.

The GOI has already declared the emergency on the Delhi and Mumbai Airports and Pune Airbase, hence the other flights were cancelled with immediate effect and with a difference of 45 minutes the departure and arrival will take place.

The officers knew that it would take almost two days in this entire hassle and hence they were asked to drop a text to the people back at their homes, informing about their absence.

When Monami dropped the text, she knew that everyone must be asleep and hence she was quite surprised when Vedant called her a minute after that, while she was wearing her uniform. "Di, I won't ask you anything, because i know that you won't be able to dig in much and since you are going, then the situation is definitely not good. But please, be back safe. And keep everyone safe."

Monami smiled at the understanding of her brother and she knew he was keeping himself strong for her sake. "Don't worry Ved this is not something very difficult, but yes, please pray for the safety of all the people and though I have dropped the text to you all but you make sure to talk them as soon as you can so that they can be assured. Okay now I have to leave and the phone will be off for a minimum of two days, so you know the rest, for any information you have the number of the office here." Monami hurried in her actions.

Soldiers, when on a mission hardly give any attention to the days it will take but the members back home, count every second with utmost insecurity and worry. Moreover, when the visuals on screen are horrifying enough to give chills in your spine; it tampers with the basic inhaling and exhaling as well.

Shergill's and Mahajan's were constantly keeping tabs via news and each other, the situation was not good but at least, since they all were together, it kind of gave them the strength. But Karan, he was away and all of them were worried for him and thus, they tried to be as calm as they could. They also made it a point to not overdo anything, since he needs to be worry free for his last match.

It was his last match of the schedule the next day when he saw the message of his wife.

"I'll be going on a mission; hence the phone will be unavailable for at least next two days. In any case, you have the number of the office here. Take Care."

"Karan, you have to give your best in the next game."

Karan knew, that this was the same message except for an additional sentence, that she sent him. This was the same copied text that everyone received. No matter how much he tried, his focus time and again got distracted by the minimal updates he was receiving. One day was passed somehow and he will have to wait for another day.

Faizi could only fathom a bit of what Karan was going through, it would be difficult for any partner. His teammates tried to be as supportive as they could, but even they knew that until given the clean chit in form of her call, his heart won't be at peace.

Though there was yet no proper information about his wife, he knew that she was safe because there wasn't any information about any casualty as well. Hence, it was keeping him borderline sane.

Karan was mindlessly scrolling the updates of different news channels on his phone after a forceful dinner, when Faizi entered the room and looking at his best friend, he took a deep breath. "Karan, aise toh tum khud ko bimaar kar doge. You have to be strong, for her." Once Faizi spoke the last line, he had Karan's attention on him and keeping a hand on the latter's shoulder, he said, "You'll fulfil what she asked you to and when she can be so brave, you can be too, at least for her. Remember the days, when Uncle ji used to be deployed and you used to say, that my father is my hero and nothing happens to heroes. Vaise he humari Bhabhi, Desh ki hero hai, unhe kuch nahi hoga. Aur kya pata, kal tumhari jeet aur unki safalta ki khushi, dono ki he news hume ikatthi mile?"

(You'll end up falling sick like this, Karan.) (Just like that, our sister in law is a hero of our country and nothing will happen to her. Moreover, who knows if we will be greeted by the news of your victory and her success, tomorrow?)

Karan took his time and agreed to his best friend, composing his erratic self a bit. "You are right and as it is, it is just a matter of 3 more days, until I'll be with her." Karan huffed out a breath and turned towards Faizi, "Thank you yaara!"

Faizi scoffed. "Apni pocket mein rakho yeh thank you aur chalte bano." He then continued, "Don't worry, she have all our prayers with her and also, talk to Ammi once, tomorrow. She was worried for you."

(Keep this in your pocket and get lost.)

A guilty countenance took place on his visage and he said, "I've troubled you all, isn't it?"

Faizi disagreed, shaking his head. "We get you, you are on your own here hence, it is normal. Ammi, is not troubled, she just cares for you."

Karan nodded and he knew what he had to do and with a newly filled determination, by his best friend, he was ready for his next step. "I'm fine now go and sleep as it is; we have a match to win tomorrow."

Faizi smiled and left after patting his shoulder.

Karan picked his phone and opened their picture, which was clicked in the temple and lightly caressing it, he quietly said, "I know you'll be back by tomorrow, Officer sahiba. Lekin dikkat yeh hai ki aaj ki raat kaatni, mushkil hai. Khair, I'll believe your words. Two days. Just be safe."

(But the problem is, this night, which won't pass without difficulties. Anyway...)

Turning off the lights and the phone, he waited for the dreamless sleep to consume him. The night was the same for so many people, who were dwelling into the abyss of what ifs, waiting for that ray of hope that will greet them in the morning to keep them going.

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3.6k+ words.

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