The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 17

At night, as planned, Maahir, Kuhu and Rohit went to meet Pratham at the appointed restaurant and found him already waiting for them. Maahir, Kuhu, Anu and Pratham used to study in the same college before moving apart with different careers. While Maahir, Kuhu and Anu remained in Delhi, Pratham moved to Mumbai for pursuing his career in law. On seeing each other for such a long time, they at first greeted each other and then Kuhu introduced Rohit to Pratham. They grabbed their table and Maahir asked, "Mujhe Kuhu se pata chala ke tu shaadi kar raha hai aur hume bataane ki zarurat bhi nehi samjha?" Pratham held his ears and said, "Main manta hu ke mujhse galti ho gayi hai, vo to Kuhu se social networking site par mulaakaat ho gayi aur main to sabse milne bhi waala tha lekin time hi nehi mil raha hai yaar." Kuhu asked, "So who's that lucky girl? Aur love ya arranged?" Pratham smiled and replied, "Arranged hai yaar vo Mumbai mein rehti thi, ek function mein miley the, I liked her, so jis function mein miley unhike through rishta bhijwaya, then we met aur ab shaadi ho rahi hai. Tum log apni bataao." Kuhu replied, "Wll hum dono saath hai and we are happily expecting twins aur delivery ke baad shaadi." Pratham teased Kuhu, "Well kaafi fast forward ho tum dono and by the way congratulations!" He then looked at Maahir and asked, "To teri aur Anu ki kaisi chal rahi hai?" Maahir and Kuhu exchanged their looks and both of them together asked, "Hai??" Pratham replied, "Well purey college ko pata tha ke Anu loves you aur mujhe to laga ke abhi tak to tum dono ki shaadi bhi ho chuki hogi." Maahir made a face and replied, "Shaadi hui hai lekin Anu se nehi ek mahaan daayan ki aatma se jo na part time Dracula ka kaam bhi karti hai." Pratham squeezed his nose and asked, "What?" Kuhu replied, "Ignore him Pratham ye aisa hi hai, actually iski shaadi ko 10 saal ho chuke hai and it was a love marriage par ye dono abhi saath nehi hai and you know what iski ek pyaari si 8 saal ki bachchi hai Bulbul. Abhi situation bohot complicated hai aur isi silsilay mein hume tumhaari legal advice ki zarurat hai kyuki Maahir babu apni wife ko lawyer ki dhamki dekar aaye hai." Pratham, at first placed the order and then asked Maahir, "Detail mein bata to kya hua?" Kuhu didn't let Maahir speak as she knew he would place himself as the victim, so as a neutral viewer, she described everything to Pratham. After hearing everything, Pratham said, "Hmmm... I see! Vaise I must say puri ki puri filmy story hai tumhaari. But on a serious note, Maahir case to really complicated hai and Kuhu is right agar tum Bulbul ki custody chahte ho to ye milna mushkil hai kyuki first of all, Bulbul is a Canadian citizen by birth. Chalo maan lete hai ke tumhaare vajah se usko Indian citizenship mil bhi jaaye tab bhi custody milna bohot mushkil hai because of the reason behind your separation." Kuhu replied, "Yehi baat main isko samjhaati hu ke thande dimaag se kaam lo lekin ye meri baat sunta kaha hai." Pratham said, "Sirf yehi nehi Maahir is bina par divorce aur custody dono tumhaari wife ko mil jaayenge phir apni bachchi se hamesha ke liye haath dho bethoge." Maahir made a sad face and replied, "Socho har jagah par mera hi ghaata hai. Ek to us aurat mujhse meri beti ko dur rakkha aur aaj jab mujhe pata chala uske baare mein to main usko apne paas rakh bhi nehi sakta." Pratham asked, "What about your daughter? Apni beti ke baare mein to kuch bata?" Maahir had a big smile on his face and said, "Meri beti na meri jaan hai, itni pyaari hai na kya batau, bohot badmaash hai lekin na main usko kuch keh hi nehi paata aur main jaanta hu ke meri is aadat ka vo faayda bhi uthaati hai. Mere liye vo sabse larti hai, is duniya mein ma papa ke baad sirf Bulbul ne hi mujhse sachcha pyar kiya hai. Jab maine usko indirectly samjhaaya ke hum kyu alag huye she trusted me aur mujhse kaha ke vo jaanti hai meri koi fault nehi hai... she trusted me that easily, itne saalo mere saath nehi rehne ke baad bhi. After all khoon to khoon hota hai na. Usne sirf yaha aane ke liye kya kuch nehi kiya and main bas thankful is baat par hu ke meri bachchi na samjhdaari mein apni ma par bilkul nehi gayi hai. Bas vo ye kehti hai vo hum mein se kisi ek ke saath nehi balki hum dono ke saath rehna chahti hai aur hume milwaane ke liye vo kuch bhi kar sakti hai, lekin na to main aur naahi Bela mere saath rehna chahti hai." Pratham asked, "Kal jo hua uske baad Bulbul se mila?" Maahir nodded his head and said, "Bas phone par baat hui hai subhe aur milunga kaise vo aurat to dianosaur bani bethi hai aur apne ande ki pehredaari kar rahi hai." By that time, the food was served and then Rohit said, "Kya yaar sab apni apni problems lekar beth gaye arey dulhe raja hai bhai koi inke baare mein bhi to puch lo. Pratham tumne apni hone waali wife ki photo nehi dikhaayi?" Pratham took out his phone and showed them the picture and seeing that Maahir almost screamed, "What??? Ye teri honewaali biwi hai?" Pratham replied, "Ha lekin hua kya?" Maahir replied, "Arey ye Sunhaani hai Bela ki cousin vo sab usike ghar to reh rahe hai." Pratham was shocked on learning that and said, "Don't tell me tum dono ke baare mein to main sab jaanta hu. Teri kahaani sunne ke time mujhe lag hi raha tha as if I have heard the story somewhere lekin tum dono hi vo log honge I never thought about it but seriously teri beti na puri pataakha hai main jaanta hu." His eyes glittered brightly and then he took a bite and then said, "Is nayi discovery se tera kaam to aur asaan ho jaayega Maahir." He paused for a few seconds and said, "Tu fikar mat kar, sab mujhpar chor de, main sab sambhaal lunga." Maahir replied, "Mujhe bas Bulbul se matlab hai." Pratham replied, "Maine kaha na I'll handle!" They had the dinner and then they had some formal conversation and before leaving, when Maahir went to bring the car, Kuhu said to Pratham, "Pratham I'm telling you one thing, Maahir is behaving really very strange and immatured. Vo ye baat samajh hi nehi raha hai ke agar vo Bulbul ko cheenne ki koshish karega to vo apni Bulbul ko hi hamesha ke liye kho dega. Usko to bas jaise Bela se badla nikaalna hai, main usko samjha samjha kar pareshaan ho gayi hu. Ab na usey samjhaa kar koi faayda nehi hai, ab uska aur uski biwi dono ke akal ko thikaane lagaane ka time aa gaya hai. Pyar karte hai ek dusre se lekin ego itna hai ke iske aagey inko to inki bachchi tak nazar nehi aati. Now only you can do something and I know you're very smart isiliye jaan bujh kar maine legal suggestion lene ke liye kaha tha Maahir ko." Pratham patted Kuhu's cheeks and said, "Tu kal bhi mummy thi uski aur aaj bhi wahi hai, maine kaha na don't worry main to puri story sunkar hi samajh gaya tha ke mujhe exactly kya karna hai. Isko bohot shaukh hai na Bela ki neend haram karne ka, usko karne do aur Maahir ki neend haram karne ki zimmedaari meri. Aisa line par laaunga na usko dekhna iska dimaag hamesha ke liye thik ho jaayega." He gave a wicked smile and said, "Ready ho jaao tamasha dekhne ke liye!" By that time, Maahir brought the car and Kuhu and Rohit left from there with him.