Thikaana

Thirty Seven

Sana had fell asleep soon after she had laid in the bed alone, hugging his pillow to her chest and sniffing in his scent. She had let out a few silent tears but she kept telling herself that he would be back before she knows. She had work the next morning which she was pretty grateful for.
She woke up around 6:30 the next morning and unconsciously snuggled deeper into his pillow. When the pillow's arms didn't tighten around her small form, she remembered that he was gone and here she was, in his house, his room, his bed. A small but genuine smile instantly came up and she turned hugging the pillow tighter. She laid down with her eyes closes, the pillow in her arms, and remembering everything that had happened till now & that had brought them here, to this point, where he knowingly wanted her to stay back in his house while he was away for work. Her cheeks tingled the slightest bit remembering the conviction & authority with which he had told her to be here when he comes back. Sana finally opened her eyes, lightly rubbing them with a frown. She just wanted to lie down in his bed for some more time and take in his feel but she had to get up. She extended her hand to grab her phone, and the moment it lit up, so did she. There was a text from him. She instantly sat up, leaning to the headboard and opened it.

Sidharth:
Reached safely Baby. Missing you. Take care. I'll be back before you know!

Sana smiled widely & instantly typed a reply back.

Sana:
Gooood. Jaldi jaldi ajao wapis mere paaaas. Aur wahan kisi gori ko dekhna bhi mat!!!

She read her text once more & let out a small laugh, putting the phone aside. Since there was a difference of five hours, she realized that it would be somewhere around 1 or 1;30 in the night there & he must be asleep. She wrapped her hair up and got out of the bed, prepping for the day.

Sana was immersed in work and designing new campaigns when she received a call. The moment she saw the name of the person, a smile came up on her face.

"Hellooo, Nameste. Kese hooo?" sSana's excited voice quipped.
"Hello Bache. Mai bilkul theek hoon, tu kesi hai?" His mother's gentle voice from the other end soothed her soul.
"Kaam pe hai?"
"Haan na, itna kaaam hai pata hai? Weekend k baad Mondays aise hi hotay hain. Saans lene ki fursat bhi nahi mili tab se. Aapki Sidharth se baat hui?" Sana ranted, with a pout on her lips.
His mother laughed. She was such a baby.
"Nahi nahi baba. He just told me when he reached. Uske baad sour aha hoga. Wo flights pe jaa k bas sota hai sara din" she laughed. Sana laughed too.
"Acha jab kaam se farigh ho jaye, tou ghar aa jana. Dpno mil k acha si biryani khaye ge aur maza karenge. Theek hai?" his mother spoke excitedly, instantly exciting Sana. She was so grateful for this woman. She truly believed she was her own personal angel. She smiled, agreeing instantly.
The rest of the day too passed by immersed in work. Sana just took a small break with two of her colleagues for a quick lunch. She kept checking her phone every now & then, but there was nothing. There was this constant small frown & a pout etched on her face but she knew he must be still asleep.  Around 4 in the afternoon, just when she was readying a draft on her laptop, her phone pinged and her eyes instantly snapped towards it. Finally.

Sidharth:
Good Morning Baby. Sorry, just woke up. Hahaha Kisi ko nahi dekhu gaa meri maa... Jab tak koi iss layak na lagay :)

Sana's eyes widened and she gasped. She knew he was messing around with her, but the audacity. She narrowed her eyes at the screen & furiously typed away

Sana:
Hawwwww. Kitne kameene ho aap. Mu torr dungi wahan aake agar zada faaltu giri ki tou. Jahaaz hi urao, khud mat uro zada hawaon mai. Chup kar k raho!!!!

Sidharth:
Okay. Now gimme a kiss!

Sana:
😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘Ye lo.

Sidharth:
Haha. My Baby. I'll see you soon. Chal kaam kar ab!

Sana finally giggled at their conversation. She could hear his authoritative sexy voice while demanding a kiss and those intense eyes that tingled her all over.
She was finally off from work & on her way to his mother's place, when she got a call from her own mother. Seeing her name, she let out a sigh. Only if things could be a little more normal & a lot less complicated, she would have lit up every time she saw her mother's name on the screen, but on the contrary, it was always a source of anxiety for her. A warning to prepare herself for an upcoming battle.
"Kesi ho Mamma?" Sana sighed.
"Theek hoon puttar mai tou, tu bata? Dimagh kuch thikaane pe aaya tera k nahi?" her mother spoke from the other end, igniting Sana.

"Hud hogayi hai Mamma. Like mujhe samajh nahi aa raha k aap aise kyun kar rahay ho. Jo kuch mai bol rahi hoon usko kya mazaak samajh rahay ho? Mai pagal ya koi 5 saal ki bachi lagti hoon aapko? K aise hi koi zidd kar rahi hoon, mazaak kar rahi hoon aur bas thore dino mai dimagh thikaane pe ajaye gaa mera. Matlab kya hai aap ka?" Sana's voice raised, as she held her forehead with her fingers, frustrated to no end.

"Samajhti tey tu nahi hai Sana? Tu ki chaandi hai? Tenue k gal da saaala to pata hai, fer kyun kardi payi ae sab kuj? Tere Papa, tere Dadi ji koi wi ae le nahi sakay gaa. Kinna maan aey unko tujh pe. Tu ye kar rahi hai? Akshay kitna sonna munda hai. Sari zindagi tere naal guzaari hai unhe, tu jaandi hai. Sab khush ne iss rishte toh, ye sab mat ar puttar" her mother sighed.
Sana's eyes welled up, and hot angry tears flowed down. If this was some other woman saying all of this to her, or pressurizing her this way, she would have taken it head-on and given a befitting reply, but this? It was her own mother. Her own mother, who was just trying to drown her in their own expectations & turning a complete blind eye to what her heart wanted. She angrily wiped her face & spoke
"Sab khush hain, par main? Meri khushi ka kya Mumma? Kya wo maayne nahi rakhti? Zindagi tou meri hai na? Aap itni si baat kyun nahi samajh sakte?" Sana spoke helplessly.

"Sana tu.."
"Nahi. Ab aap suno mujhe. Kya aap ne ki baat Papa se? Nahi na? Mumma aap ko ye sab mazaak lag raha hai kya? Ye mat bhoolo k mai jab zidd pe ati hoon phir mai kisi kin ahi sunti. Papa ko phone milaane mai mujhe 2  minute nahi lage ge. Aur agar aise din pe din guzaar k aap samajh rahay ho k mera faisla badal jayega tou bohat bari ghalat fehmi mai reh rahay ho" Sana shut the call before her mother could respond. She threw the phone in her lap & sighed, throwing her head back on the seat and closing her eyes. She didn't realize that she was just about to reach in another minute. She harshly wiped her face clean and tried to appear as normal as she could, but the excitement from earlier, had all gone down the drain & now even going inside and facing her seemed like a task.
"Aaja beta, kesi hai Sana?" his mother smiled warmly at her as soon as Meena opened the door. She smiled greeting Meena & then walking past her towards his mother. The moment she saw her, she wanted to cy her heart out & let it all out but she got a hold of herself & smiled widely at her walking towards her.
"Namaste. Kese ho?" Sana whispered, hugging her tightly. She hugged her back and spoke
"Ek dam theek. Aaja andar, beththe hain" she took her inside the lounge.
Sana's fallen face was visible & his mother thought it was to do with Sidharth being away. She quietly observed her as she laid her bag down keeping it aside and then took her slippers off, climbing up the sofa and folding her legs.
They caught up on each other's routine and some other general chit chat as Meena brought in the trolley with some snacks and Tea. As his mother was pouring some tea for her, Sana finally let it out.
"Har koi aap jesa kyun nahi ho sakta? Har koi aise sab baatein kyun nahi samajh sakta jese aap samajh jatay ho?" She looked at her sadly. His mother frowned handing her the cup.

"Sana? Kya hua beta? Tu aise kyun keh rahi hai? Kuch hua hai kya? Sidharth ne kuch.."
"Nahi nahi. Sidharth ne kuch nahi kaha. Wo tou hamesha samajhta hai mujhe. Par meri apni hi mumma nahi samajh sakti" she sighed, sipping on the tea .

"Abhi call aaya tha unka. Aapko pata hai? Kalb hi aaya tha. Jab hum Yahan they. She was just forcing me like always to come back and just carry on with the life that I've left there. Kalb hi unko bola k aisa kuch nahi ho raha aur wo papa ko khud samjha dein before things get ugly. Pata hai Sidharth bhi ghussa hogaya tha jab usko bataya mene, par shukar hai wo samajh gaya. Par aaj phir she called. Wo kyun itni si baat nahi samajh rahi k I'm not happy in that life, it's a life they are forcing me to choose, it is NOT my own choice." Her voice raised and cracked the slightest bit as she stared at his mother with those innocence filled eyes. Her heart broke for this little girl. 

"I'm so sorry bache, that you have to go through this. I wish you wouldn't have to. Agar tu kahay tou mai teri Mumma se baat kar k dekhu ?" she spoke softly caressing Sana's face.

"Aap ko pata hai aap kitni himmat aur samajh dete ho mujhe hamesha? It gives me so much strength. Wo abhi kuch nahi samjhe gi because she thinks mai yahan aake kisi chakar mai parh gayi hoon aur na samjhi kar rahi hoon. She is so blinded by Akshay and this rishta k wo nahi samjhe gi"

"Par Aunty, ye sab kitna ghalat hai na? Sidharth k liye bhi. Wo kitna patience dikha raha hai sirf mere liye. He's willing to give it time for my sake but I know k usko andar se ye baat har pal kha rahi hai. And I don't blame him. mai kya karu?" Sana's voice broke and her eyes welled up.
This was so hard. She didn't want to lose her family, she wanted them to understand her for once and support her, show faith in her but they were doing the exact opposite. And Sidharth? He was being so patient but she feared his anger and his patience running out. It was only so much he would take and endure, and that scared her senseless. The thought of him turning his face away from her yet again, it drove her insane.
His mother kept her cup on the table and moved closer to Sana, pulling her in her arms and softly rubbing her back.