Rajgharana

Part 13

Ratan ne uske baal thapthapaye, "Shhh... kuch nahi bigda. Tum safe ho, bas yahi mere liye sabse zaroori tha."

Pallavi ne uski shirt pakad ko kass pakad liya, "Maine goli chala di hukumsa... Rahul par... mera dost... lekin usne aap pe vaar kiya tha...or main seh nahi paayi. Aapko kuch ho jaata toh main zinda nahi reh pati."

Ratan uska chehra apne dono haathon me leke kehta hai, "Tumne kuch galat nahi kiya, princess. Tumne mujhe bachaya. Jo kuch bhi hua, usme tumhari koi galti nahi thi. Tumne sirf mujhe bachane ke liye goli chalai thi."

Pallavi: "Sorry hukumsa, main ne aapko bhaut hurt kiya hai. Main ne khabhi aapko samjha hi nahi. Apne gusse me mujhe or kuch dikha hi nahi. Aage se main aapse khabhi dur nahi jaungi."

Ratan: "Main tumhe kahin jaane bhi nahi dunga. Tum meri zindagi ho, Pallavi. Maine jo bhi kiya, sirf tumhe paane ke liye kiya tha. Shayad tareeka galat tha, par pyar toh saccha tha."

Pallavi apna sir ratan ki chest se utha ke ek baar usse dhekti hai or phir vapas uske chest pe sir rakh ke kehti hai, "Main vapas esa khabhi nahi karungi, hukumsa."

Thodi der baad...

Pallavi: "Hukumsa, mujhe bhukh lagi hai."

Ratan: "Kya khana hai, bacche?"

Pallavi thoda soch kar kehti hai, "Mujhe aapke haathon ki bani Maggi khani hai."

Ratan thoda hansa, "Maggi? Tumhe kab se Maggie pasand aane lagi?"

Pallavi: "Aap banaoge kya?

Ratan: "hmm, Main banata hoon. Chalo."

Kitchen me dono jaate hain. Pallavi platform par baith jaati hai. Ratan gas chalu karta hai aur pani garam karta hai.

Pallavi: "Hukumsa, thodi zyada banayiye. Kam se kam 4 packet."

Ratan hairan hokar: "4 packet? Tum 3 din ka khana ek saath khana chahti ho kya?"

Pallavi: "Bas aap banaiye, sawal mat kariye."

Ratan muskara ke sir hilata hai. Tabhi Pallavi ki nazar kitchen ke kone me rakhe Ratan ke phone par padti hai jisme uska wallpaper dikhta hai - ek one-piece wali photo thi jo Nandini ne Ratan ko bheji thi.

Pallavi aankhon me hairani le aati hai: "Yeh photo... yeh aapke phone me kaise aayi?"

Ratan: "Vese hi jaise tum meri zindagi me aayi. Kab, kaise, kis mod pe, mujhe pata hi nahi chala."

Pallavi uska chehra dekh ke muskura deti hai aur sharam se aankhen chura leti hai.

Pallavi Aryan ko call karke usse bhi niche Maggi khane bula leta hai or usko apne sath Nandi ko bhi lane ko kehta hai.

Pallavi Abhay ko bhi bula leti hai.

Nandini, Aryan aur Abhay bhi neeche aa jaate hain. Sabhi milkar dining table par baithte hain.

Aryan: "Bhai sa ne Maggi banayi hai, isse bada shock kya hoga. Bhai, mujhe aapke haathon ka khana pehle kabhi nahi mila."

Nandini: "Mujhe toh lagta tha ki Ratan bhai sirf meeting aur firing hi karte hai. Maggi banana unke bas ka nahi."

Pallavi: "Are rajasthan ke hukumsa ko bhaut kuch banana aata hai."

Sabh hansi me tham jaate hain.

Abhay: "Bhabhisa, aap meri girlfriend ke baare me kuch pooch rahe the na?"

Pallavi aankh maar ke: "Haan, Abhay ji. Bataiye na, kaun hai voh lucky ladki?"

Abhay sharma ke: "Bhabhisa, voh... main... baad me bataunga."

Aryan: "Are bhai, aaj toh bata do. Hum sab family hi toh hai."

Nandini: "Haan haan, mujhe bhi jaana hai."

Pallavi: "Nandini!"

Abhay: "Are bhabhi Aryan ko bura lag jayega aap ese uske samne kese?"

Aryan: "bhabhi, yeh kya? Aap abhay ki side ho gaye?"

Pallavi: "Nahi toh, bilkul nahi. Main toh yeh keh rahi hu ki mujhe akele iss ghar me bore hota hai toh aap na mere liye ek acchi si devrani dhund layiye."

Sabhi log hans padte hai par nandini ko itna toh samaj aagaya hota hai ki Aryan ko Nandini pasand hai bas voh kehta nahi hai.

Ratan bas Pallavi ko dekhta hai - jo ab sach me uske ghar ki roshni ban chuki thi.

Maggie khane ke baad ratan pallavi ko apni godh me utha ke bedroom.

Room me ratan pallavi ko bed pe baitha ke usse blanket odha deta hai. Ratan khud Pallavi ke dusri side aake sota hai.

Pallavi ratan ke seene se lipat jaati hai jis se ratan ke face pe ek smile aajati hai Pallavi ki baacho wali harkat pe.

Pehli baar, Pallavi uske seene se lag ke soti hai - bina kisi dar, guilt, ya faasle ke.

Pehli baar, Ratan ke chehre pe ek aisi muskaan thi, jo sirf ek puri hui dua ke baad aati hai.

----------------------------------------------------------

Vote target- 20

To be continued........