BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

NOTHING ELSE!

Anubhav rolls his eyes and takes a file to check it.

Neil again speaks in a taunting tone, "Aur haan bhai sahab, ghar se tiffin aaya hain. Toh dhyaan se lunch kar lena. Warna aapki bhaukali behna humara gala pakdegi ki humne aapko lunch kyun nahi karaya!"

After some time, Anubhav and Neil are sitting to have their lunch. Anubhav is thinking about something severe. Neil notices him very worried.

Neil asks Anubhav in concern, "Kya baat hain, Anu? Bahut pareshaan nazar aa rahe hain aap. kuch problem hain kya?"

"Haan, hain kuch pareshaani."

"Kya?"

"Neil, ek kaam kijiye. Biswa ke saath humare kuch aur aadmiyon ko kehkar Haseena je ghar ke paas pehra dene ko kahiye. Parantu savadhani se. Kisi ko pata nahi chalna chahiye ki woh log kisi par drishti rakh rahe hain. Aur kehna ki agar koi bhi sandhigd vyakti ya cheez Haseena ji ke ghar ke aas paas dikha toh usi kshan hume bataye. Ek kshan ke liye bhi wanha se hile nahi. Har kshan Haseena ji, unki Ammi aur unke ghar mein jo koi bhi ho unn par nazar rakhkar unki suraksha kare" Anubhav says in a very determined voice.

"What?" Neil's eyes become widened in shock. He adds, "Anu, what are you saying, man?"

"Humne woh hi kaha jo aapne suna" Anubhav answers sternly.

Neil rolls his eyes and says, "Don't you think ki aap kuch jyada fikr kar rahe hain, Miss Malik ki. I mean, thik hain ki unhone Maa ki jaan bachaai hain, humara bhi farz banta hain unke liye kuch karna aur we should be grateful to her but yeh security... Aapko kisi aur ki itni fikr karte hue nahi dekha humne kabhi. Aakhir aapke dil mein chal kya raha hain?" Neil raises his eyebrows while saying the last sentence.

Anubhav glares at him and says in rude tone, "Aapke deemag mein aise ulti seedhi baatein hi aati hain naa... Kuch dhang ka toh soch nahi sakte aap!"

He takes a deep breath and calms himself down. He goes to the window and says in a very soft tone while looking outside, "Neil, aap jaante hain ki humare jeevan mein keval chaar hi log hain jinse hum bahut adhik prem karte hain. Maa, behna, chutki, aur aap! Agar aap mein se kisi ko bhi kuch bhi ho jaaye toh hum nahi sahan kar paayenge."

He becomes emotional, "Neil, Haseena ji humari Maa ki jaan bachakar humare upar bahut bada upakaar kiya hain. Agar Maa kuch ho jaata toh hum marr jaate. Aapko pata hain, chikitsak ne uss din kaha tha ki Maa ko chikitsalaya laane mein aur thodi der ho jaati toh kuch bhi ho sakta tha. Unhone keval Maa ko nahi apitu hume aur humare pariwaar ko bhi bachaya hain. Haseena ji ka hum par jo rin (karz) hain, woh hum kabhi chuka nahi paayenge. Parantu apne taraf se unke liye kuch prayatna toh kar sakte hain naa... Hum bas woh hi kar rahe hain. Aur humse jitna ban paayega utna karenge. Kyun ki yeh humara Haseena ji ke prati kartavya hain. Bas, yeh hi baat hain. Aur kuch nahi!"

The silence gets a place in between them. After a good time of silence, Neil finally speaks, "Hum aapki baat samajh rahe hain. Thik hain. Hum Biswa aur humare kuch aur bharosemand aadmiyon ko Miss Malik ghar par nigrani ke liye bhejh dete hain." 

Anubhav nods. Again after a short break of quietness, Neil says softly, "Ab aise hi khade rahenge kya? Hume bhook lag rahi hain."

Anubhav looks at him and sits on his chair as he knows his best friend can't eat without him. They finish their lunch and again start their work. But Anubhav's mind is filled with the thoughts of Haseena.