The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 26

[The day of Pratham-Suhaani's reception]

For the past few days, Maahir and Bela didn't exchange any words except for formality. On the day of Pratham-Suhaani's reception, everyone got ready on time and then left for the party. On reaching the party, they went to meet Pratham and Suhaani and on seeing both of them behaving so awkwardly, Pratham understood that something might have happened between them. When Bela went to meet with other family, Pratham asked Maahir, "What happened between you two?" Maahir replied, "Kya hoga? Kuch nehi hua!" Pratham said, "Dekh bhai main wakil hu, shakal dekh kar samajh mein aa jaata hai ke kya hua hai. Saaf saaf bol kya hua." Maahir told him everything that happened between them and said, "8 saal baad usko gade murde ukhaarne ka yaad aaya? Ab tak kaha thi? Aaj usko aisa lag raha hai ke shaayad jo kuch bhi hua usme peeche koi vajah thi, tab uske dimaag mein ye nehi aaya jab chod kar gayi thi? Mujhe ab is baat mein bilkul koi interest nehi hai, kyuki meri zindagi to barbaad ho hi chuki hai, agar maine sach ko khodne ki bhi koshish ki to beetey huye 8 saal waapas to nehi aayenge." Pratham replied, "Dekh Maahir ye tu nehi tera gussa bol raha hai aur I can completely understand it! Tujhe pura haq hai gussa hone ka par tujhe kya lagta hai bhabhi khush thi Canada mein? Tujhe sach mein lagta hai aisa? Just because vo apne family ke saath thi iska matlab ye nehi hai ke vo khush thi. Kaunsi aurat khush hoti hai ke jab vo apne pyar ki nishaani ko, apne aulaad ko janam dene waali hoti hai, tab uska pati uske saath nehi hai. Tum dono mein se galti kisi ki bhi nehi thi, tumhaare haalaat burey the. Usko aaj 8 saal baad is baat ka pata chala hai to isme uski kya galti hai? Jab vo ladki gaayab ho gayi to usko tujhe dhundhna chahiye tha par tune aisa nehi kiya aur kyu nehi kiya main samajh sakta hu, uswaqt teri mental condition achchi nehi thi. Lekin jo tab nehi hua, zaruri nehi hai ke vo ab bhi na ho. Its better late than never!" "Hi Maahir!!" Maahir was surprised on listening to a very familiar voice and turned towards the direction and was horrified to see Anu standing behind. He was scared to hell on seeing her but hid his expressions and with an awkward smile replied, "Hi Anu! Kaisi ho tum? Aur Mr. Mittal kaise hai?" Anu smiled and replied, "Ha papa thik hai! Main unki treatment ko lekar thori busy thi, par tum to mujhe puri tarah se bhul hi chuke ho Maahir. Ek call ya ek message dena bhi tumne zaruri nehi samjha." Maahir was very embarrassed as it was true even after getting to know about Mr. Mittal's health, he never called Anu, as he was too busy with the recent developments of his life and didn't know what to say in reply. Pratham then introduced Anu to Suhaani and Anu again was about to concentrate on Maahir, but like always, Kuhu came to his rescue and she said, "Hey Anu! It's so good to see you! I'm sorry main tumse milne nehi aa saki." Kuhu actually used to keep in touch with Anu always and so Anu hugged Kuhu and replied, "No baby! Main jaanti hu abhi tumhaara first trimester chal raha hai na, you should be very careful!" Kuhu then purposefully dragged Anu from there and after Anu left, Maahir asked Pratham angrily, "Tune bataya nehi tune Anu ko bulaaya hai?" Pratham replied, "Main kya abhi guests ko bulaane se pehle teri permission lunga? Bhul mat hum sab college mein saath the, vo bhi meri dost hai aur teri shakal dekh kar pata chal raha hai ke tune beech mein Anu ke saath koi contact hi nehi rakkha but brother you have to face her. Tum usse bhaag sakte ho par usse chup nehi sakte ho. I understand teri life mein abhi bohot kuch chal raha hai. Par Anu ke saath shaadi ka decision tera tha, raayta tune hi failaaya hai, now you can't back off!! Isliye better usse saaf saaf baat kar le aur mujhe aisa lagta hai ke Bela ke baare mein usko pata nehi hai varna aise normally vo tujhse baat nehi karti. Kuch kaam aise hote hai life mein jo soch kar kabhi nehi ki ja sakti hai, kyuki sochne se vo kaam kabhi hote hi nehi hai aur naahi aise kaam karne ka koi sahi waqt ya muhurat hota hai. Tune agar zyaada socha to kabhi Anu se saaf saaf baat nehi kar paayega, main to kehta hu sahi mauka hai, sab set kar de, aisa chance bhi shaayad tujhe dobaara na miley." Just at that moment, Bela came to Maahir and asked, "Bulbul ko dekha kya tumne?" Maahir replied, "Nehi! Kyu?" On hearing that, Bela became more tensed and replied, "Ye larki bhi na! Pata to hai na kitni sharaarti hai! Abtak nazar rakh rahi thi, thori nazar hathte hi pata nehi kaha chali gayi, main starters ke waha bhi dekha, nehi thi vo." Now Maahir, too became tensed hearing that Bulbul was missing, but right at that moment, Bulbul came to Bela and Maahir and seeing her, Maahir asked, "Bulbul aap kaha chali gayi thi beta, mamma dhundh rahi thi na?" Bulbul replied, "Main washroom gayi thi." Bela held her arm and angrily asked, "To bolkar kyu nehi gayi?" "Bela!!!", Bela turned towards the direction of the voice and and found Anu and both of them were shocked to see each other, for the first time, after 8 long years. More than Bela, Anu was shocked to see her and she then foolishly looked at everyone and found all were standing making a guilt-stricken face and it took no time for Anu to understand that everyone knew about Bela's arrival at India and Anu said, "Sabko ye baat pata thi ke Bela yaha India aayi hai aur kisine mujhe ye baat bataani zaruri nehi samjhi and I suppose dono miya biwi apni beti ke saath ek hi chat ke neeche reh rahe hai." Both Bela and Maahir looked at each other without saying anything and seeing that Anu smiled sarcastically on finding her assumptions to be true. She nodded her head and said, "Mujhe dar lagta tha lekin maine ye nehi socha tha ke mera ye dar is tarah se sach ho jaayega. Main jaanti thi, beti ko yaha bheja hai to uske peeche uski ma bhi aayegi. Main hi bewakuf thi ke Bulbul ke aane ke baad bhi ye soch rahi thi ke sab kuch thik ho jaayega." Bela pulled Bulbul closer towards her and said, "I don't want to interfere aur main ye bhi nehi chahti hu ke Bulbul ke saamne aisi baate ho, so main usko lekar yaha se ja rahi hu." Saying Bela held Bulbul's hand and was about to leave when Anu said, "Achaanak tumhe apne pati ki yaad kaise aa gayi Bela? 8 saalo se kaha thi? Maahir ko maine sambhaala hai peechle 8 saalo se. Usko waapas se tum mujhse nehi cheen sakti ho. Beti ki agar itni hi parvaah hai to usko lekar yaha se chali kyu nehi jaati ho?" Bela turned and replied, "Main yaha sirf apni beti ke baap ke saath reh rahi hu jis tarah se vo apni beti ki ma ke saath reh raha hai and by the way, documents mein hi sahi lekin Maahir mera husband hai aur main hamaare aapas ki baato ko tumhaare saamne karna zaruri nehi samajhti hu. Mujhe tum dono ke beech mein aane ka koi shaukh nehi hai aur naahi main aana chahti hu. So please, spare me!!" Saying Bela was again about to leave when Maahir stopped her by holding her hand in front of Anu and said, "Ek minute!" Maahir looked at Anu and said, "Main tumhaara culprit hu Anu isliye jo kehna hai mujhe kaho, main apni beizzati she lunga aur main deserve bhi karta hu lekin Bela meri wife hai aur is baat ko hum deny nehi kar sakte hai aur mujhe ye bilkul bhi manzur nehi hai ke meri beti ke saamne koi uski ma ki beizzati kare. Public place mein kisiko bhi ye haq nehi hai ke vo meri wife ke saath is tarah se pesh aaye. I don't want any scene here! Tum mere saath chalo, we can talk! I can explain! Please!" Maahir pleaded Anu by almost joining his hands and then asked her to come with him somewhere else so that they could talk and she complied and they both left from there making Bela alone and somewhat jealous.