Reborn to love

Happy Birthday

Part 6

Naina had already untied her dupatta after the goons left as the veil was making her claustrophobic and she was already soaked in sweat. But now hearing Chachi call her, she wished she had maintained the incognito a while more sneak into the house. Responding to the repeated holler, Naina scampered to her.

"Naina, yahan kya kar rahi hai? Tera college toh bahut pehle khatam ho gaya hoga na. Fir ab tak bahar kya kar rahi thi? Aur tujhe itna paseena kyon aa raha hai? Aur yeh aise kapde pehenke kahan gayi thi?" Chachi fired her barrage of questions suspiciously.

Naina turned mute as she had never lied to Chachi and wasn't planning on starting now but she had no idea how to explain the situation, since she had done everything against Chachi's instructions but she couldn't give away her dear sister and put her on the spot coz all she did was make her feel special for once in her life.

"Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye, saanp sungh gaya kya? Aisi buth bankar kyon khadi hai? Jawab de". Chachi prodded.

When Naina continued to remain silent and since they were not far away from
home, to avoid the gawking passers by, "theek hai, tu ghar chal, fir leti hoon teri khabar", saying so Chachi tugged her along a little forcibly.

Since the rest of the residents of the Jeevan Jyoti chawl were watching, to avoid any gossip and raise suspicion, Bela plastered a smile and instead of pulling her along, she loosened her hold on Naina and pretended to only hold her hand. Once inside their house, she was about to shut the door when Preeti came barging in. Naina was all smiles and relieved that her saviour was here.

"Kya hua Mummy, abhi se darwaza kyon band kar rahi thi? Abhi toh raat hone mein waqt hai!"

Bela pulled her in and shut the door. The sisters huddled together as they were getting one of those rare angry vibes from their mother. "Bhagwan aaj tum donon se jhooth na bulvaye warna mujhse bura koi nahi hoga. Sach sach bata Naina, iss tarah ban sanwar ke kahan gayi thi? Aur mere mana karne ke bawajood tu itni taiyyar hokar bahar kaise gayi? Tujhe maine sakht hidayat di hai na ki ghar se kallege aur kallege se ghar!"

Bela marched angrily to Naina and held her hand and rattled her a bit. "Fir meri baat na manakar yeh kya kar rahi thi? Bol, jawab de, chup kyon hai?" Now Bela was really angry and Naina was almost quaking in her boots.

As always, the sisters had each other's backs, "Mummy, Naina ko kyon daant rahi ho! Usne toh mana kiya tha par aaj uska birthday tha toh maine hi zidd ki ki aaj isse acche se taiyyar karke thoda celebrate karne le jaungi. Issliye college ke baad hum chaat khane chale gaye aur mujhe Salon wapas jaana tha issliye hum saath nahi aaye. Par mujhe baad mein pataa chala ki rickshaw ki strike hai toh shayad paidal aane mein Naina ko der lag gayi hogi. Aap please isse much mat kahiye, sara idea sari galti meri thi."

Naina's eyes misted but Preeti looked at her and shook her head slightly that it was ok and since she was the culprit, she would incur her mother's wrath if need be.

Bela was exasperated but knew her daughters never lied to her, so she believed every word of what Preeti said but her anger wasn't gone, rather had taken the form of worry.

"Tum log samajhti kyon nahi ho? Main jo keh rahi hoon kar rahi hoon, tum donon ke bhale ke liye hai. Khaskar Naina ke liye. Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye beta, tujhe kitni baar samjhaya hai ki tujhe ekdum saadhaaran jeevan jeena hai. Kisiki nazar mein nahi aani chahiye. Apni ore kisika bhi dhyaan aakarshit nahi hone dena hai warna tu janti nahi ki kya ho sakta hai".

"Mummy, aaj toh aap baata hi do. Aap Naina ko aisa kyon kehti rehti ho. Humne aapse baar baar pucha par aapne har baar taal diya, aaj toh aapko batana hi hoga. Batao Mummy", Preeti persuaded her.