The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 29

After everyone left, Maahir and Ranjit were sitting outside of Bela's cabin face to face on a chair. Both were just sitting but were not talking to each other but were playing that silent ego card continuously through eyes. After waiting for sometime, he could not wait any longer and asked, "Aapne kuch khaaya hai waha par?" Ranjit just gave him a look but did not reply and seeing that Maahir said, "Dekhiye sasurji main samajh raha hu ke aapko apni beti ki fikar hai par is tarah se khaana nehi khaayenge to aap bimaar par jaayenge aur bimaar hokar to aap apni beti ka khayaal nehi rakh sakte hai na, isiliye puch raha tha aur chahe aapko kitna bhi gussa aaye par yaha aapki zimmedaari bhi mere upar hi hai. Abhi aap bimaar vimaar par gaye to aapki biwi aur meri biwi dono mujhe nehi chodengi." Ranjit could not bear that and without looking at him replied, "Will you just shut up Maahir?" Maahir stared at Ranjit for some time and then left from there. After some time, he returned with a packet of food and forwarded it to Ranjit and said, "Lijiye khaana kha lijiye varna tabiyat kharaab ho jaani hai." Ranjit replied, "Mujhe nehi khaana!" He sat beside Ranjit and replied, "Aap ke na khaane se Bela jaldi hosh mein nehi aa jaayegi, kha lijiye please, mere liye na sahi apni beti ke liye kha lijiye. Agar aap thik rahenge tabhi to aap apni beti ka khayaal rakh sakenge na." Ranjit looked at Maahir and replied, "Main itna kamzor insaan nehi hu, ek din nehi khaaunga to mujhe kuch nehi hoga aur tumhaara laaya hua khaana khaane se to na khaana achcha hai." Maahir decided not to plead anymore and then sat on the opposite chair and found Ranjit was sitting sadly twisting his own fingers with narrowed brows. In his mind, Ranjit was feeling extremely guilty for choosing Reyhaan for Bela and the consequences of his choice, shattered her into pieces from inside but he was too strong to express that his guilt has taken over him. Observing Ranjit for a long time, Maahir said, "Mujhe pata hai aap khaana kyu nehi khaana chahte hai. Vo vajah ye nehi hai ke khaana main lekar aaya hu, aap abhi guilt mein hai par don't worry Bela aapko kabhi bhi judge nehi karegi because she knows how much you love her aur aap usko takleef dene ke baare mein sapne mein bhi nehi soch sakte hai. Aapne to bas ek achcha life partner dhundhne ki koshish ki thi uske liye aur ye koi crime to hai nehi. Kabhi kabhi hum apne bachcho ke achche ke liye galat decisions bhi le lete hai, it's ok. I can understand! Main ye bhi samajh sakta hu ke aap mujhe pasand kyu nehi karte hai, kyuki aap Bela se itna pyar karte hai ke aapke liye ye tolerate karna bohot mushkil hai ke Bela aap jitna pyar bhi kisi aur se kar sakti hai. Aap hamesha uske hero bane rehna chahte hai, meri trespassing aap se bardaasht nehi hui. Tab mujhe ye baat samajhme nehi aayi par ab aati hai. 10-15 saal baad agar meri Bulbul bhi kisi ladke ko le aayegi na mere saamne to main pehle kudi ko kamre mein bandh karunga aur phir us ladke ki haddiya todunga, main sach mein aisa hi karunga." Ranjit looked at him and seeing that look Maahir replied, "Don't worry this is a father to father talk, mujhe aapke liye adarsh jamai banne ka koi shaukh nehi hai aur naahi main aapko apna dushman samajhta hu. Thora sa khaana kha lijiye please puri raat hume yaha jaagna parega. Bhukhe pet bhajan nehi hota hai aur agar aap bimaar pare to mere liye do do patients ki dekh bhaal karna thora zyaada hi mushkil ho jaayega so... be practical!" Ranjit didn't have the mindset to have food when his daughter was lying in that condition but he thought about it and realized that in order to take care of Bela, he had to be perfectly alright and so he had to had the food. Next morning, Maahir woke up outside Bela's cabin and then he went inside her cabin to see her and found Ranjit fell asleep holding Bela's hand while sitting on the stool beside her bed. Last night, Maahir decided to stay outside and sent Ranjit inside and almost the whole night, he was awake looking after both of them. When he was checking on both of them, he found Bela's fingers moving and so he immediately called the doctor. On hearing Maahir screaming, Ranjit woke up and asked, "Kya hua?" Maahir replied, "Bela ne ungli hilaayi hai, maine doctor ko bulaaya hai." Ranjit looked at Bela's hand and found them moving and so he held her hand and asked her to wake up. The doctor came and asked them to leave as they would be taking her for some testing. After Bela was taken away for the tests, Madhu, Suhaani and Pratham came to meet her. Madhu asked, "Kaisi hai meri bachchi?" Maahir replied, "Bela ko thora thora hosh aana shuru hua hai to doctors usko tests ke liye lekar gaye hai, mujhe lagta hai sab thik ho jaayega. Bulbul kaisi hai?" Madhu replied, "Arey kal to kitni mehnat se khaana khilaaya usko par na pura time ek hi rat lagaaye huye thi, mamma ke paas jaana hai, so bhi nehi rahi thi vo to bohot mushkil se usko sulaaya hai to abhi bhi so rahi hai isliye jagaya nehi varna daud padhti mere saath." Maahir replied, "Nehi nehi bohot achcha kiya aapne." Pratham informed Maahir that the police had called him and informed that charge sheet had been filed against Reyhaan but before taking him to the court, they wanted to take Bela's statement if she remembered anything but since she was sick, Pratham asked them to wait till she was fit enough to give statement, as if she was not physically fit and mentally sound, her statement would not be accepted as a valid one. All were waiting in a tensed manner while Bela was being examined. After almost an hour, the doctor came and informed that Bela was out of danger and all her reports were fine and she would be gaining consciousness any time but they had to wait outside, until she was awake and then only she would be allowed to meet her visitors. Hearing this all were relieved and Madhu said, "Matarani ki kripa meri bachchi sahi salaamat hai." Maahir replied, "Usko to thik hona hi tha saasumom." Madhu then opened a bag which she brought with her along with her purse and took out a tiffin box and said, "Main tere liye khaana lekar aayi hu, tune to raat ko zarur kuch nehi khaaya hoga." Maahir replied, "Arey nehi maine khaaya tha kal canteen mein...""Chup reh!", Madhu scolded him and continued, "Zyaada na zabaan chalaane ki zarurat nehi hai mere saamne. Shakal par likha hai tere ke tune kal raat ko kuch nehi khaaya hai aur betaji beti se meri chahe kitna bhi jhagra karlo pyar to abhi bhi bohot karte ho usse, vo aisi haalat mein hai aur tu khaana khaayega ye to khud matarani aakar bhi bolegi tab bhi main nehi maanungi." Maahir smiled and replied, "Aap na meri ma ka dusra janam hai. Meri ma ko bhagwaan ne cheen liya par aap jaisi saas de di." But Maahir didn't want to have food before seeing Bela fit and fine before him and Madhu forcibly made him and said, "Kha le puttar! Ghar mein jaakar khayaal to tune hi rakhna hai meri beti ka aur apni beti ka bhi." Ranjit was sitting just opposite of Maahir and Madhu and was watching the over dramatic scene of son-in-law and mother-in-law, which according to him was extremely disgusting but he was surprised on knowing that Maahir did not have anything. While he was eating, his eyes fall on Ranjit and he started coughing as soon as he saw how Ranjit was staring at him and so in order to avoid that look, he asked Madhu, "Saasumom, sasurji ke liye kuch nehi laayi?" Madhu looked at Ranjit angrily with the corner of her eyes and replied, "Koi zarurat nehi hai, ek time nehi khaayenge to dimaag mein ye jo charbi jami hui hai na thori kam ho jaayegi. Vaise bhi mujhe pata hai tune koi na koi jugaad karke khaana khila hi diya hoga kal raat inko." Ranjit was stunned when Madhu hit the bull's eye and on loosing the capacity of holding his anger on his wife for ignoring him and he asked, "Iski bari fikar hai tumko, sab pata hai na tumhe uske baare mein?" Madhu looked at him and replied, "Ha bilkul pata hai kyuki ye mera jamai hai." Maahir thought of not interfering between his parents in law concentrated on finishing the food. After some time, the nurse informed that Bela had gained consciousness and now they could meet her. At first, Madhu went to meet her and before she could go, Maahir warned her not to disclose anything about what was going to happen with her as he did not want her to get any kind of shock at that moment. Madhu agreed and then entered into the cabin to meet Bela. On the other side, Bela was already very confused from the moment, she saw her surroundings and was wondering what place was that and the moment, she saw Madhu, she wanted to het up but could not due to weakness and Madhu immediately held her as Bela get back holding her head and then asked, "Mamma... kya hua... hai? Ye kaunsi... jagah hai?" Madhu replied, "Kuch nehi puttar, ye hospital hai, vo kya hai na tune kuch zyaada pee liya tha kal aur phir behosh ho gayi thi to hum yaha lekar aaye tujhe." Bela didn't have the strength or the mindset to say anything else and so she didn't argue on that and also she believed that story due to her headache. After having some medicines, when her headache seemed to be somewhat less, Ranjit came to meet Bela and asked, "Kaisa hai mera bachcha?" Bela replied, "I'm alright papa! But maine itna kab peeya mujhe kuch yaad nehi aa raha hai..." Ranjit held her hand and then replied, "No baby! Doctor ne tumhe stress lene se manaa kiya hai, tum in sabke baare mein bilkul bhi nehi sochogi. Tum thik ho yehi sabse badi baat hai. Just take rest now!" Although, Bela was sick, but still her eyes were searching for that one person whom she wanted to see right at that moment but Maahir was standing behind everyone else, since he didn't want to ruin this moment for Bela and her parents but Madhu could read her daughter's eyes and replied, "Tu jisey dhundh rahi hai vo yahi hai aur kal raat se vo yahi par hai, tera aur tere papa ka achche se dhyaan rakkha hai usne." Bela was not surprised when she heard that Ranjit was there with her and said, "Papa behosh hi to ho gayi thi aapko kya zarurat thi yaha rehne ki aur..." She looked at everyone and then asked Madhu, "Sab yaha hai to Bulbul kiske paas hai?" Madhu replied, "Bulbul Sarna House mein hai, bachchi na kal raat se pareshaan thi to maine aaj subhe usko uthaaya nehi. Tujhse milne ke liye paagal hui ja rahi thi vo." Although, not wanting to give in to their egos, but from the core of their heart both Maahir and Bela desperately wanted to meet each other and when he decided to meet Bela, the doctor called him from behind and said, "Uh... Mr. Sehgal, mujhe aapse kuch zaruri baat karni hai." Maahir complied and followed the doctor.