FF : Dil Ibaadat

Chapter - 18 | Caught Off Guard

"Mummy ji yeh leejiye... Taya ji ka khaana... Garam kar diya hai maine..."

"Haan laa de... main dekar aati hoon..."

Gayatri takes the plate and proceeds towards Shaan's room.

She goes up to the doorstep and knocks.

"Aa jaao Gayatri...", the reply came.

She entered the room and placed the dish on the table next to the bed.

Shaan, who was deep in thought and staring out the window, drew her attention.

"Bhaisahab..."

He turned to face her.

"Kya soch rhe hain ?..."

His lips automatically turned into a wide smile.

"Shaan bhaisahab ka chehra aaj kuch alag sa lag rha hain... unke chehre par ye muskaan, jo itne saal gaayab thi... to phir... aaj... aaj kya hua... "

Gayatri was taken aback.

The smile that had been missing for years, the glow that had faded from his face, had returned.

She was well aware that the sole reason behind this could only be Aastha Bhabhi, in whose memories he had been living for all these years.

She felt elated, wondering what if what she was thinking turns out to be true.

"Kya hua bhaisahab... batayiye...", 

 After a few seconds of silence, just one word came out of his lips.

"NOOR..."

"Aastha Bhabhi ???...", she exclaimed in amazement.

"Haan..."

"Tumhaari Aastha Bhabhi..."

"Kya hua Aastha Bhabhi ko ?... Main... mujhe kuch samajh nhi aa rha... Vo... vo aayi hain yaha ?... Batayiye na...", she was hoping for a positive response.

Shaan smiled and nodded in no.

"Noor nhi..."

"Uski chhaaya... uski beti aayi hain..."

Gayatri was baffled.

"Shaan bhaisahab... please saaf-saaf bataiye naa... unki beti ???... Aap kya kehna chaah rhe ho main kuch samajh nhi paa rhi..."

Shaan walked up to the bed and said, "Baitho..."

They both sat down, and Shaan began to speak, "Tumhe... tumhe iss saal ke humaare CET ke topper ke baare mein to pta hi hoga na... vo ek ladki thi... jo ki itne saalo mein kabhi nhi hua..."

"Jee bhaisab... mujhe yaad hai... Kitty aur Bebo ne bataya tha iss baare mein mujhe... An... A se kuch naam tha shayad..."

Shaan flashed a proud smile, "Anokhi Bhalla... meri Noor ki student..."

"Aastha Bhabhi ?... Vo... vo Aastha Bhabhi ki student hai... sach mein bhaisahab ?...", the news that the SIEST topper was Aastha's student caught her completely off guard; she didn't know what to say.

Shaan nodded in a yes.

"Ye to bohot khushi ki baat hain... Mujhe to yakeen hi nhi ho rha... Lekin bhaisahab aapko... aapko ye kaise pta ?... Aur aap tab kya keh rhe the Aastha Bhabhi ki beti ?..."

Shaan let out a chuckle.

"Tumhe pta hai Gayatri... main pehli baar jis din usse mila tha... usi din uski baaton se pta nhi kyu mujhe use dekhkar Aastha ki yaad aa rhi thi... mujhe... usme... usme noor ki chhaaya dikhaayi de rhi thi... aur dekho... ab pta chala ki vo... vo Aastha ki student hai... Vo Aastha ko apne maa samaan maanti hain..."