The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 36

Maahir had secretly tried a lot to meet Bulbul earlier but Bela did not allow and when she left for Dubai, no one allowed him to meet her as Bela had strict instructions regarding that and when he went to Bulbul's school, there also the principal didn't allow him to meet Bulbul since Bela had requested her not to allow anyone other than her and Madhu to come to school to meet Bulbul. As Maahir knew that Bela had gone to Dubai for some days and Madhu used to come to take Bulbul from school, next day, he came to school at the closing time and waited outside to meet Bulbul and after some time, Madhu too came there with the identity card to take Bulbul home. On seeing Maahir, Madhu said, "Maahir tu yaha kya kar raha hai beta? Tujhe pata hai na Bela nehi chahti hai ke tu Bulbul se miley aur pata nehi Bulbul bhi tujhe dekh kar kaise react karegi. Please tu abhi chala ja yaha se." Maahir replied, "Please saasumom aapko to pata hai na ke mujhe Bulbul se baat karni hai, aapki beti mujhe milne nehi deti hai usse. I know meri galti hai aur main apni galti sudhaarna chahta hu. Please mujhe ek baar milne dijiye!" She, too was very angry at Maahir for behaving in such a way with Bulbul and so she said, "Tujhe kya lagta hai ke isse sab kuch pehle ke tarah thik ho jaayega? Jab Bela aur tu dono alag huye the, maine tujhe galat nehi samjha, lekin is baar baat meri naatin ki hai, tune uska dil dukhaya hai. Main bhi nehi chahti thi ke tu aur Bulbul miley par jab se doctor ne ye kaha hai ke tum dono ko milna chahiye taaki Bulbul ke dil mein jo hai vo bahaar aa jaaye... bas main isi vajah se maan gayi." Maahir held Madhu's hand and said, "Mere paas na apne defence mein kehne ke liye kuch nehi hai aur main chahe kuch bhi bolu, kuch bhi kaafi nehi hoga isliye main aisi koi koshish karna hi nehi chahta hu." Madhu freed her hand and said, "Dekh puttar, zindagi na do naao par sawaar hokar nehi chalti hai, ya to Anu ya phir Bela aur Bulbul, tujhe kisi ek ko chunna parega aur mujhe ye samajhme nehi aata hai ke isme chunna kya hai, tu Anu se pyar nehi karta hai ye tu bhi jaanta hai to phir itna confusion kyu hai? Dosti apni jagah par hai aur family apni jagah aur Anu teri family nehi hai par agar phir bhi tu usko hi chunna chahta hai to meri bachchiyo ko baksh de." Madhu herself did not know how much angry she was with Maahir till the moment she vented it out. Maahir did not know what to say as he really had nothing to explain and at that moment, the school gate opened and the students were starting to leave. Madhu went inside and brought Bulbul outside the gate. Bulbul was a bit happy but the moment, she saw Maahir standing outside, her happiness vanished from her face and on seeing him, she remembered the incident of the night when Bela left Maahir's home with her due to Maahir's cruel behaviour. She stood still and looked at him as if she was seeing a stranger. Maahir walked two steps towards Bulbul and said, "Hi Bulbul!" Bulbul didn't reply but just kept on staring at Maahir with almost no expression on her face. On seeing Bulbul not expressing anything, Maahir took another step forward and asked, "Baby kaisi ho aap? Maine suna aapki tabiyat kharaab thi..." Bulbul still looked at Maahir with same expressionless face which deeply hurt Maahir and so he said, "I know baby aap mujhse naraaz hai aur main aapki maafi ke laayak bhi nehi hu... but...""Naani!!", Bulbul interrupted Maahir and instead of looking at him, she looked at Madhu and said, "Naani mujhe bhukh lagi hai, jaldi ghar chalo!" Saying Bulbul started walking holding Madhu's hand, actually pulling her away from there. Maahir tried to stop Bulbul but Madhu raised her hand and blinked her eyes looking at Maahir assuring him that she will handle the things herself and he did not have to worry about that. Although Madhu too wanted the confrontation between Maahir and Bulbul but she was also worried about Bulbul and so she did not think the school to be the ideal place for that and so she left from there with Bulbul. At home, while Bulbul was having food, Madhu was sitting beside her and looking at her. Although, Bulbul was having her food, she also noticed that Madhu was staring at her and after noticing that for some time, Bulbul said, "Naani mujhe pata hai ke aap meri taraf aise kyu dekh rahi ho? I know that look!" Madhu asked, "Kya matlab? Main kya teri taraf aise hi nehi dekh sakti?" Bulbul put a spoonful of food inside her mouth and replied, "Nehi of course dekh sakti ho par is specific look ka meaning mujhe pata hai." Madhu nodded her head and asked, "Achcha? Aur vo kya hai?" Bulbul became quiet for sometime as she did not know how to reply exactly but in a low tone, she said, "Mujhe kisise nehi milna hai aur kisise baat bhi nehi karni hai." Madhu understood that by 'kisise' she implied Maahir and Madhu said, "Ek baat bata tu hi to Canada se yaha aayi thi na usse milne ab tu hi nakhre kar rahi hai. Maanti hu main ke tere daddy ne bohot galat kiya hai, usko aisa nehi karna chahiye tha lekin ab vo maafi maang raha hai na. Main nehi kehti hu ke tu jaakar maaf kar de usko, bilkul mat karna. But Maahir ne jo kiya hai usko uski punishment milni chahiye, tu jaakar lad usse, fight kar, uspar chilla, ghar ka samaan tod, saare tod de, tu to aise hi karti hai hamesha, Canada mein bhi karti thi jab Bela teri baat nehi maanti thi to Maahir ko itna special treatment dene ki kya zarurat hai." Bulbul was not liking anything what Madhu was saying to her and was gradually becoming very impatient and so when Madhu stopped, she asked, "Mamma kab aayegi?" Madhu replied, "Abhi abhi to gayi hai, kaam khatam hoga tabhi to aayegi na. Main tujhe kya bol rahi hu vo sun aur samajhne ki koshish kar pehle." Bulbul replied, "Mujhe nehi sunna hai kuch bhi, mujhe bas mamma chahiye, mamma ko jaldi bolo waapas aane ke liye." Saying she ran away from there without even listening to Madhu and completing her food. Till now whenever, Madhu tried to explain something to Bulbul, she used to listen earlier but that time seeing her running away like that made Madhu think how much Bulbul was hurt and how much she was affected that she didn't even listen to Madhu. With that development, Madhu decided that she had to deal with Bulbul in some other way even if that required treachery but she would make Maahir and Bulbul meet.