The Latent Truth

Part 5: THE LATENT TRUTH

Part 5: THE LATENT TRUTH

he returned home....she was sitting at the entrance....
''tum yahan kyun baithi ho??'' he enquired with a concern in his voice....''tumhara wait kar rahi thi dost!'' she replied cutely!.....
''iska matlb main jab gaya tha tabse tum yahin baithi ho??''.....he mumbled...she nodded her head in a 'yes'....
''kyun??'' he gazed at her....
''tumhare bina achha nahi lag raha tha...toh fir maine socha ki yahin baithke tumhara wait karti hun!!''....she answered softly!....
he shook his head and sighed at her sweet childlike behaviour...
''ab andar chalein!! kaafi raat ho gayi hai..!''....she held his cuff and they went in...he laid her on the bed and was about to leave...bt she held his hand...
''kya hua?? kuch chahiye?'' he asked....
''mujhe akele sone mein dar lagta hai...'' she made a puppy face....
''toh?''.....he asked bluntly....
''mere paas so jaao..please!'' she pouted....he dawdled bt then hopped on the bed besides her....she smiled happily.....then she noticed that he wasn't closing his eyes bt jst staring at the ceiling......
''kya hua dost?? ninni nahi aa rahi??''.... she caressed his hand....
''tumhe kaise pta chala?'' he was surprised at her intellect....
''jab mujhe ninni nahi aati toh main bhi aise hi upar dekhti rehti hun''..... she smiled...
''phir tumhe neend kaise aati hai??'' he murmured....
''lori sunkar...meri maa mujhe lori sunati thi..par ek din woh bhagwan ji ke paas chali gayi..mujhe akela chhodkar!''...she was in tears by the moment....
he wrapped her in his arms to lessen her grief and sorrow...he himself was surprised about his unknown concern for her....she held him tightly....
''dost...ek baat bolu?''...she said wiping her tears and loosening herhold...
''hmm''.....he tucked her hair behind her ears..
''meri maa kehti thi ki jab woh chali jayegi bhagwan ji ke paas... toh woh bhagwan ji ko bolke mere liye ek angel ko bhej degi..aur bhagwan ji tumko bhej dia...dost tum hamesha mere saath rehna!''.....she interwined her fingers with his fingers....
''main hamesha tumhare saath rahunga....promise!''.....he placed her head on his chest softly.....
''achha ab main tumko lori sunati hun....dekhna tumhe jaldi jaldi ninni aa jayegi!!....she started patting his head softly like mothers pat their babies to make them sleep soundly!!...he was staring at her....she started singing the lullaby for him....
''chanda taare!! chhup jao saare..palkon ki dibiya mein nindiya aare!!...''aankhen dekhein sapna salona...nindiya se bhar jaaye akhiyon ka kona!!''
''tere naina sab se pyaare...palkon ki dibiya mein nindiya aa re!!...she kept on caressing his hair and soon he dozed off....she too hugged him and slept!!...

In the midnight...
he screamed loudly and woke up with a jerk...
her sleep was also broken due to the noise...he was sweating badly...she immidiately placed his head on her chest and hugged him tightly...
''dost..bura sapna dekha kya??'' she mumbled lovingly...
''huhhh huhhh..haan'' he was breathing heavily!!...she wiped his sweat with her sleeve...and caressed his face....

TBC