Against All Odds

Part 32

Sumedh's car entered from huge gate of their house as watchman saluted him. Sumedh felt the security tightened around main house. He entered in & saw Nilima who was silently crying. Devaki and Aarushi were consoling her. Bandana was calmly sitting there.

"Kya hua.? " He asked.

"Le gaye hai wo Rohit ko.. Arrest warrent tha unke pas. " Bandana answered.

"Don't worry vahini.. Hum usko leke aayenge.. " Sumedh said.

Bandana didn't answered.

"Aai.. Aap shant ho jaiye.. " Devaki said.

Sumedh , without saying anything to Nilima , went inside.

"Aarushi.. Jake dekho usko kuch chahiye kya. " Nilima said.

Aarushi stood up & went behind Sumedh.

*******

After dinner Sumedh was doing something on phone while lying on bed. Aarushi came in.

"Kaise hai sab ? " Sumedh asked.

"Thik hi hai.. " Aarushi answered.

She placed the bottle of water on a table near bed.

"Aur tum.  ? " He grabbed her wrist.

She felt weird as he was looking unaffected. She herself was very sad becoz of what happened with Rohit. She gave a confused look to him and tried to free herself from his grip. But he pulled her over himself.

"Tum thik ho na.? Nai.. Jyada man pe mat lagao yeh baate jo ho rahi hai.. " He caressed her hair as they switched their places and he came over her.

"Sumedh.. Ghar me sab bahot naraj hai.. " She said.

"Oh come on.. Yeh sab chalta rehta hai.. Aa jayega wo bahar.. " Sumedh said.

"Tum toh jara bhi affected nai lag rahe.. " Aarushi asked.

He looked in her eyes fr some time.

"Well.. Tumhari taraf dekh ke sab bhool gaya. " He said.

She rolled her eyes and let out a chuckle.

"I think tumhe jyada nai sochna chahaiye.. Apni karam se andar gaya hai wo.. Aa jayega..  " He said.

Suddenly something sparked in her mind & she decided not to protest.

'Iske sath acche se rehna padega mujhe.. ' She thought as he started kissing her neck. She closed her eyes , let out a moan and accepted him in her embrace.

*********

Next day Aarushi went downstairs just to find everyone silently doing their work. Bandana's eyes were looking red. Aarushi felt bad.

"Jaubai.. Main aapki help kar deti hoon..  " Aarushi took the plate of apples which Bandana were slicing.

"Bandana.. Baat karo kuch.. Shant mat baitho..  " Devaki said.

"Thik hoon main. " Bandana replied.

"Dikh raha hai. " Aarushi pointed towards her red eyes.

"Jaubai aap Amit bhauji se poochiye na.. Mujhe ek baar milna hai Rohit se... " Bandana said.

"Haan.. Main baat karungi.. " Devaki assured. "Par pata nai kaha gaye hai. "

"Aarushi.. Main list deti hoon.. Kitchen ka kuch saman lana hai.. Wo mangwa lo.. " Nilima came & ordered.

Aarushi was waiting fr such chance.

"Aai.. Aap kahe toh main khud leke aau.? Nai matlab haldi kumkum ki rasam ka bhi saman lana hai na.. Wo kisi naukar hath se kyu mangwaye.? " Aarushi innocently asked.

Nilima thought fr a while.

"Are.. Ab tum bahar jaogi matlab security ka jhanjhat.. Phir guards wagera.. Accha thik hai jao. " Nilima agreed.

Aarushi happily smiled.

******

"Siddharth.. Hame ab ek kadam aagey badh jana chahiye. " Amit said while playing with paperweight which was there.

They were seating in office of Adv Siddharth Suraj Nigam.

"Haan.. Par kya karenge.? " Siddharth asked.

"Abhi ke liye toh Rohit ki bail karwa dete hai.. " Amit said.

"Usse kya hoga.? " Siddharth asked.

"Listen.. Hum har taraf se sahi ja rahe hai.. Rohit ke bahar rehne se jaroor kuch na kuch dhoka hai baba ko.. Tabhi itna bada decision liya unhone. " Amit said.

"Ya phir Rohit ne aisa kuch kiya hai jiski wajah se Mr Narayan ne aisa decision liya.  " Siddharth said.

"Yeh bhi ho sakta hai.. Hone ko toh sab ho sakta hai. Par abhi.. Rohit ka bahar aana jaroori hai.. Listen.. Usko bahar nikalenge hum.. Toh pressurize kar sakte hai.. Batane ke liye agar usne kuch kiya hoga toh.  " Amit said.

"Thik hai.. Par hum direct aise against jake nai kar sakte.. Main kisi se bol ke Rohit ki bail karwata hoon. " Siddharth said.

Amit nodded.

*******

"I don't care.. Bas jo main chahti hoon wo ho jaye.. Bas.  " Bandana was talking on phone & was looking irritated.

Devaki came on door of Bandana's room and stopped as she heard.

"Nai.. Amit bhauji bhi nai.. Mujhe idhar kisi pe bharosa nai.. Sab apne game me lage hue hai.. Yeh family.. Yeh inka ek sath rehna sab jhoot hai.. Koi kisika nai hai idhar.. Maim kisipe bharosa nai kar sakti.. " Bandana said.

Devaki took some steps back & went from there. She entered in her room & sat down.

Her gaze went on a photo. That heart catching smile of Amit was oozing not only from his lips but also from his eyes. That happiness on his face made Devaki happy.

'Itna sab karte hai aap sab ke liye.. Phir bhi.. Kisika bharosa nai hai.. Agar aisa hi hai.. Toh aap bhi kyu aapna khoon jala rahe hai sab ke liye.. ' She thought.

Devaki stood up after some time with a firm decision. She decided to talk to Amit.

***********

Incidences from past flashed in front of Aarushi's eyes as her car moved from roads of Pune city. How she used to travell.. How she used to attend all the meetings and rallys of party. Now everything were just memories.

She remembered about her family.. Her mother ,  father , brother.. She started missing everyone. Her thoughts were disturbed by a sudden sound of horn.

"Kya hua ? " She asked.

"Samne wali gadi galat tarike se cross kar gayi hamari gadi ko. " Driver told.

That car stopped. Aarushi saw a lady coming out. After a second she recognised her. She was Sameeksha.

Sameeksha walked towards Aarushi's car.

"Sry.. Wo mere hi driver ki galati thi. " Sameeksha apologized.

"It's ok. " Aarushi said.

"Waise lagta hai bahot dino baad ghar se bahar nikli ho.. Kaisi ho Aarushi.  ? " Sameeksha taunted.

"Main bilkul thik hoon.. Tum batao.. Mera pati kaisa hai..? " Aarushi asked sarcastically.

Sameeksha's face became faded.

"Nice to meet u.. " Sameeksha said.

"Same here darling. " Aarushi smiled.

Sameeksha rolled her eyes & went. Aarushi was burning in anger.

'Main yeh sab bilkul bardasht nai karungi... Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye.. Tum sab logone bahot galat insan se panga le liya.. Sumedh.. Nai na tumhe aur tumhari yeh jhut muth wali family ko barbaad kiya toh tumhara naam nai lagaungi apne samne. ' Aarushi's eyes sparked.

That confident Aarushi ,  who was lost somewhere , was now back....