Sach hote Khwaab

Sitam

I entered the house with Keerti, behind me. She was extremely anxious.
'Itna kyun ghabra rahi ho? Sab acha hi hoga!', I said, reassuring her.
'Pata nahi bhaiya', she said nervously. 'Yoon toh jo bhi ichha hoti hai, voh bina maange hi poori ho jaati hai. Aur aaj main yoon itni badi baat Mummy-Bauji se kehne jaa rahi hoon. Voh bhi aisi baat jise sunkar vo naraaz hi honge mujhpar, main jaanti hoon. Bohot darr lag raha hai bhaiya!'
'Tumhe pata hai mujhe bhi ek bohot ghabrahat hui thi, jab maine Bauji se kaha ki main apni zindagi mein kuch alag karna chaahta hoon. Unke karobaar ke alawa apni ek alag pehchaan banana chaahta hoon. Mujhe laga tha jaise main unhe niraash kar raha hoon. Lag raha tha jaise koi gunaah karne jaa raha hoon. Par dil mein kahin yakeen bhi tha ki agar unhe bura laga toh poori jad-o-jahad se unhe dubaara mana lunga, kyunki mera maqsad unhe dukh pohonchaana toh nahi hai. Haalaanki jab maine Mummyji-Bauji ke saamne ye baat rakhi thi tab vo toh jaise turant hi maan gaye the!
Tum bhi ye baat yaad rakho ki tum Mamaji-Mamiji ko dukh pahunchaane ke liye kuch nahi kar rahi ho. Apne liye baat karna, apne liye faisle lena har kisi ka haq hona chahiye hai Keerti', I explained to her softly. Though the magnitude of both these incidents was quite different but the thought, the feeling was similar and she needed to understand that.
Glumly she said, 'Aap ki baat aur hai bhaiya! –'
'Kaise aur hai?!', I asked with raised eyebrows, 'Kya mere Maa-Bauji mujhse jitna pyaar karte hain, tumhare Maa-Bauji tumse utna pyaar nahi karte!'
'Nahi aisi baat nahi hai!', she said promptly.
'Toh bas fir! Tum ache se samjhaaogi, toh vo zaroor maan jaayenge!', I said reassuring her.

She gave me a weak smile and we proceeded towards the guest room. She stood at the door and I waited behind her. Craning forward, I saw Mamaji and Mamiji engaged in some deep conversation. Keerti just stood like a statue at the door. I gestured her to go inside. She looked at me pleadingly. With a sigh, I gently pushed her inside. As she staggered in, Mamaji-Mamiji noticed her.
'Keerti? Kuch kaam hai puttar?', Mamaji asked her fondly.
'Uh nai Bauji kuch nahi. Main aati hoon', she turned around to leave. I looked at her firmly, cross-armed and shook my head.
Fidgeting with her fingers, she slowly towards them again.
'Uh... Mummyji ...Bauji. Mujhe aap dono se ek baat kehni thi...', she stammered.
'Ki hoya puttar? Ki gal hai?', Mamiji asked.

Meanwhile I turned to look outside and found Yash-Gautam coming down the stairs. They noted me standing there. I gestured them to be silent with a finger on my lips as they came up to me. I quickly filled them in with everything.
Gautam looked bewildered because he had no idea about any of this. Yash apologized to him and I asked both of them to have this discussion later.

Inside, Keerti had still not said a word.
'Bata bhi puttar! Ki hoya!' Mamiji asked apprehensively.
'Voh mujhe ...aa..ge BA ki padhaayi nahi karni...', she said.
'Kyun puttar?', Mamiji said worriedly, nearing her. 'Tera toh vadhiya se padhaayi-ich mann lagda hai, pher padhaayi kyun nahi karni?? Aise aadhe mein padhaayi nahi chhodni puttar!'
'Nahi nahi Mummyji! Mera matlab hai mujhe... mujhe doctor banna hai', she said taking in a deep breath.
Both of them looked at her gravely
After a moment's thought, Mamiji said, 'Keerti! Dekh hume pata hai tu aur Yash bohot kareeb hai. Tu bohot yaad karegi use par iska matlab yeh toh nahi –'
'Mummyji woh wajah nahi hai', she said wearily.
'Keerti beta dekh, ye hasi thitholi ki baat nahi hai. Ye achanak doctori ka bhoot kaise sawaar hua tujhpar. BA toh kitni achi degree hai –', she went on.
'Baat degree ki nahi hai Mummyji. Mujhe sirf padhaayi nahi karni. Doctor banna hai! Logon ka ilaaj karna hai! Apna ek naam banana hai, pehchaan banaani hai', she said, slowly picking up confidence.

'Par uski kya zaroorat hai? Saal do saal mein toh tumhaare vyaah ki umar ki ho jaayegi. Phir kya?'

'Par Doctory mera sapna hai, main poore dil se mehnat karna chaahti hoon, kaam karna chaahti hoon. Vyaah toh kuch saal baad bhi ho sakta hai na?', she asked nervously.
'Mujhe toh teri baatein palle nahi pad rahi! Aap hi samjhaaiye isse. Na jaane kisne kya keh diya ise!', Mamiji said with a huff.