The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 7

[Flashback]

Bela was standing inside the kitchen and looking at everything that was placed there and she was looking at them so horrified as if those were not cooking items but nuclear bombs. She almost screamed,"Maaahiiir!!! Maaahiiir!!" When Maahir didn't reply back, Bela angrily screamed at him,"Mr. Sehgal!! Kaha mar gaye ho?" Maahir almost came running to her hearing her scream and asked,"Kya hua? Kya hua Mrs. Sehgal? Itni zor se kyu chillayi?" Bela replied,"Itni der se bula rahi hu tumko, kaha the? Kisi aur larki se baat kar rahe the? Main keh rahi hu tumko Mr. Husband, agar kisi aur larki ke saath tumne baat to kya kisi aur ko aakh utha kar dekhne ki bhi koshish ki na to yaad rakhna. Maine dekha hai colony ki saari larkiya tumpar line maarti hai. Tum sirf mere private property ho aur isme trespassing main bilkul bhi bardaasht nehi karungi." Maahir gave a smile to her and then got cozy with her. He wrapped his arms around Bela's waist and said,"Kya baat hai aaj apne pati par bara pyar aa raha hai? Arey colony choro is duniya ki saari larkiya tumhaare saamne kuch bhi nehi hai. Agar bande ki itni khubsurat biwi ho to uski nazar to aayine ke taraf apni shakal par bhi nehi jaayegi." Bela removed his arms and said,"Tum kaunsi sadi hui pictures se aisi cheezi line lekar aate ho? Bohot puraani ho gayi hai." Maahir pulled Bela's cheeks and said,"Its never late to love!! Achcha ye batao kyu bula rahi thi?" Bela replied,"Mujhe paneer ke paraathe banaane hai aur yaha kitchen mein itna saara samaan dekh kar mujhe na itni ghabraahat ho rahi hai. Khaana banaane ke liye itna samaan lagta hai? Mamma sahi kehti thi ke mujhe na khaana banana seekh lena chahiye tha kamsekam saare instruments ki jaankaari to ho jaati." Maahir laughed and said,"Tumhe khaana banaane ki kya zarurat hai main hu na? Main paneer ke paraathe bana deta hu tumhaare liye." Bela nodded her head and replied,"No!! Mujhe pata hai tumhe paneer ke paraathe bohot pasand hai isliye main tumhaare liye banana chahti hu. Vaise bhi hamesha to tum hi khaana banaate ho na aaj main bana lungi to kya ho jaayega? Ghar mein to mamma khaana banaati hai aksar aur mujhe dekho mujhe to kuch nehi aata. Jab kabhi tum bahaar jaate ho tab mujhe bahaar se khaana order karna parta hai. I feel so bad ke kaam to main bhi karti hu par tum to ghar aur bahaar dono ki responsibility lete ho aur dekho main kitni useless hu." Bela felt very sad and seeing that Maahir felt pity for her and said,"Aww!! Aap useless nehi ho Mrs. Sehgal aap to mujhse pyar kartti ho na to jab aap itna important kaam karti ho to phir aap useless kaise hui? Maine to tumse pehle hi kaha tha shaadi ke baad saare kaam main kar lunga you just have to love me that's all. Vaise tumhe agar seekhna hai to main tumhe paneer ke paraathe banana seekha dunga. Achcha abhi main tumhe sab dheere dheere samjhaata hu." He showed her all the cutleries that are required for cooking and then showed all the spices and ingredients required and where everything are kept. As Bela was a fast learner, she quickly learnt everything and easily made the paratha for Maahir. After finishing cooking, Bela served him and asked,"Kha kar dekho kaisa bana hai?" Maahir tasted it and licked his finger and said,"Bohot achchi bani hai." He kissed Bela's hand and then pulled her towards him and said,"Pata hai tumhaari sabse achchi baat kya hai? Tum rich aur spoilt ho, tumhe kabhi kitchen mein kadam tak rakhne ki zarurat nehi pari par phir bhi tumne aaj mere liye mere favourate paraathe banaaye koi aur ameerzaadi hoti na to ye sab vo kabhi nehi karti." Bela made a fake angry face and replied,"Koi aur kyu karegi?? Koi aur biwi thore hi hai tumhaari? Biwi to main hu to main hi karungi na. Maine tumhaare liye hi to ghar mein naukrani tak nehi rakkhi agar usne tumhe nazar lagaane ki koshish ki to? Dekho main tumhaare baare mein kitna sochti hu." Maahir agreed and tried to kiss her but she covered his mouth and replied,"Paraathe kha kar abhi pet bharo, abhi kiss viss nehi milega." Maahir made a pout and tried kissing her but she ran away so that Maahir could not get hold of her.

[Flashback ends]

"Mamma!! Mamma!!", Bulbul shook Bela's arms which broke her chain of thoughts and brought her back to the present and she found that she was standing in her kitchen but the difference was that Maahir was not with him and instead of him, Bulbul was there. She found Bulbul staring at her and asked,"Kya hua?" Bulbul replied,"Mujhe kya pata? Main to kabse aapko bula rahi hu par aap to kahi aur hi khoyi thi. Aap kya soch rahi thi?" Bela started making the batter and said to Bulbul, "Pata hai jab beti bari ho jaati hai na to vo mamma ki best friend ban jaati hai aur ek dusre ke saath apne secrets share karti hai so main bhi tumko na abhi ek secret bataaungi aur tum ye kisiko nehi batana. Promise?" Bulbul accepted and then Bela said to her,"Pata hai paneer ke paraathe mujhe tumhaare daddy ne banana seekhaya tha, mujhe to roti tak gol banani nehi aati thi." Bulbul asked,"Haww!! Ghar mein daddy khaana banaate the? Bichaare mere daddy!! Mamma vaise mujhe aap apni love story kyu nehi bataati ho? Mujhe janna tha na?" Bela put her hand on her waist and replied,"Bulbul 8 saal ki ho na vohi raho zyaada na apne umar se bara banne ki koi zarurat nehi hai. Bachcho ko aisi baate nehi jaanni chahiye." Bulbul made a face and replied,"Abhi aapne kaha ke main aapki best friend hu aur abhi aap topic change kar rahi ho. Aapke jagah par mere daddy hote na to vo mujhe zarur bataate." Bela was confused and asked,"Tumko kaise pata ke vo tumhe bataate?" Bulbul immediately became cautious and replied,"Mujhe sab pata hai, agar vo aapke liye khaana bana sakte hai to matlab vo bohot achche hai. Dikhne mein hi kitne cute se hai, mujhe to lagta hai unko to jhagra bhi karna nehi aata hoga. Aap dono ki jab fight hoti thi Iam sure aap hi winner rahi hongi." Bela gave a mocking smile and replied,"Mere saath fight karne ke liye bhi talent chahiye. Tumhaare daddy ko gussa to aata tha agar main kisi dusre larke se baat karti thi, tab vo itni cute tareeke se pout karte the na ke kya batau... I used to fall more and more in love with him." Bulbul had a smile on her face when she heard that Bela still loved Maahir and Bela at her last statement suddenly became conscious and then scolded Bulbul,"Bohot badmaashi karne lagi ho aajkal Bulbul mujhe sab samajhme aa raha hai." Bulbul made a face and replied,"Bol to aap hi rahi ho maine aapse kuch pucha thore hi tha." Bela made a face to Bulbul and while grating the paneer and mixing it with the batter said,"Tumse to baat karna hi bekaar hai Bulbul." After some more time, she cooked the first paratha after 8 years and then served the same to Bulbul and replied,"Abhi taste karke batao kaisa hua?" Bulbul was about to touch that but Bela then realized that it was too hot and so she at first tore a piece and then blowed to make it cool and then fed the same to Bulbul and Bulbul praised that a lot and said,"Kisne kaha aapko nehi aata? Aapne to kitna tasty banaya hai." Bulbul took her plate and then came to the dining hall and sat on her chair to have her food. After some time, Bela returned with another paratha in a plate and then put it in front of Bulbul and that that would be the last one she would get. After that she asked the servants to call everyone for dinner and when they came out Madhu saw the paraathe and asked Bulbul,"Puttar teri ma tujhe paraathe khaane de rahi hai raat ko? Ye kamaal kaise ho gaya?" Bela replied,"Aaj Bulbul ko maths mein full marks aaye hai so isi khushi mein paneer ke paraatho ki demand ki to maine bana diye." Ranjit was shocked on hearing that and asked,"Itne saare servants ke rehte huye, tumne khaana banaya beta?" Bela replied,"Ek din banaane mein kya ho jaata hai papa? Bulbul ki demand thi isiliye aur Delhi mein main khaana banaati to thi." Ranjit started having his food and replied,"Tab ki baat aur thi aur bachcho ki har maang puri karna koi zaruri baat to hai nehi." Bela looked at Bulbul and found that she was gradually getting angry and she felt very sad thinking that her father was speaking all those things for her daughter. Bela, in a disturbed tone said,"Kyu papa usdin jab aapne Reyhaan ko breakfast par invite kiya tha to vo raayta aapne mujhse banwaaya tha aur Reyhaan to vaise hamaara kuch lagta bhi nehi hai aur ye to phir meri beti hai aapko problem kya ho rahi hai? Meri bachchi mujhse aakar zidd karti hai aur karegi kyu nehi ye uska haq hai. Vo jo kuch bhi maang rahi hai apni ma se maang rahi hai aur papa aapne meri aajtak aisi koi zidd hai jo puri nehi ki? Jo aapne mere liye kiya hai main bhi vo Bulbul ke liye karne ki koshish kar rahi hu." She then looked at Bulbul and found her not eating her food and so she said,"Bulbul beta tumne kyu khaana bandh kiya? Mamma ne itni mehnat se tumhaare liye banaya hai na to tum jaldi pura finish karo aur phir sone jaao, kal school bhi hai." Bulbul, in her mind, said to herself,"Ekdin is mamma ke papa ko na aisa lesson dungi ke zindagi bhar yaad rakkhenge." She then resumed her eating and made a face to Ranjit.