The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 33

[ 2 Days Later ]

Kuhu and Rohit went to Maahir's apartment to meet him and to put some sense in him. After ringing the bell, while they were waiting for him to open the door, both of them were shocked when they found Anu opening the door. A surprised Kuhu asked, "Anu??? Tum yaha kya kar rahi ho?" Anu replied, "Main to Maahir se milne aayi thi. Please andar aao na tum dono." Kuhu and Rohit entered inside and Kuhu started searching for Maahir without paying any heed to Anu. Maahir had gone to the washroom for sometime and by that time, Anu arranged breakfast in the table. Anu's behavior of a typical wife in absence of Bela trying to take her place was irritating Kuhu more and especially her happiness was acting on Kuhu's nerve. Kuhu was in a total attacking mode and had planned of a showdown with Maahir but the moment Maahir came out of the washroom and became face to face with Kuhu, all her anger melted seeing Maahir's face. Maahir appeared to have not slept for a few days, had dark circles under his eyes and his eyes were also swollen and also he seemed to have not had proper food. Kuhu walked up to Maahir and asked, "Maahir ye kya haalat bana kar rakkha hua hai tumne?" Anu replied, "Dekho na Kuhu, Bulbul ke jaane ke baad se Maahir ne to jaise apne aap ke taraf dekhna tak bandh kar diya hai. Na thik se khaata hai aur naahi thik se sota hai. Apna khayaal bilkul bhi nehi rakhta hai, isiliye to main yaha aayi hu." Kuhu looked at Anu and then asked, "Anu tumne to suicide attempt kiya tha? Tumhe to abhi ghar par araam karna chahiye tha to tum itni jaldi kaise thik ho gayi? Asal mein suicide kiya bhi tha ya phir that was a drama?" Anu and Kuhu were very close friends and so Anu was shocked when Kuhu asked those questions to her and she was a bit angry and so she too asked, "What do you mean? Kehna kya chahti ho tum?" Kuhu came to Anu and replied, "You know it very well exactly what I meant Anu! Tumhe kya lagta hai ke tumhaari ye saari harkate kisiko samajhme nehi aati hai? Tumhe kya lagta hai ke is tarah se blackmail karke tum Maahir ko haasil kar logi? Mujhe to lagta tha ke pyar andha hota hai, sab bewakuf bhi ban jaate hai ye pehli baar dekh rahi hu. Khair! Main yaha par Maahir se milne aayi hu, mujhe tumse koi baat hi nehi karni hai." She looked at Maahir and said, "Main yaha tumse baat karke, tumhe samjhaane aayi thi lekin tumhaari haalat dekh kar to aisa lag raha hai ke usse pehle hume tumhe apne saath apne ghar lekar jaana parega kyuki main to tumhe is condition mein akele nehi chod sakti hu." Kuhu had grabbed his hand while talking to Maahir and hearing that Maahir released his hand from her hand and said, "Mujhe kahi nehi jaana hai Kuhu aur mujhe is baare mein koi baat bhi nehi karni hai. Please tu ja yaha se!" Saying he was about to leave from there but Kuhu stopped him again from the back and said, "Trust me main khud keh kar aayi hu Bela se ke tujhe divorce de de tu isi laayak hai! Tune Bulbul ki custody drop kar di par kya usse teri saari responsibilities khatam ho jaati hai? Main tujhe ye bataana nehi chahti thi aur Bela ne bhi sabko manaa kiya hai ye bataane se lekin aaj main tujhe bataaungi. Tujhe pata bhi hai jabse Bulbul yaha se gayi hai, usne ek lafz nehi bola hai apne muh se. Tere vajah se us bachchi ko itna sadma pohcha hai ke vo bichaari hospital pohoch gayi thi aur doctor ne ye bhi kaha hai ke usko psychologist ke ilaaj ki sakt zarurat hai varna vo hamesha ke liye sadme mein chali jaayegi. Are you happy now?" Maahir was shocked on hearing about Bulbul's condition. He knew that Bulbul would be hurt but he also knew that whatever he had done, he did that for Bulbul's well being but he could never imagine that Bulbul would be affected in such a way. He almost yelled, "What??? Bulbul... Kya bol rahi hai tu?" Rohit replied, "Ya Maahir, vo behosh ho gayi thi do din pehle isliye usko hospital mein admit karna para tha. Jabse yaha se gayi hai, usne ek shabd apne muh se nehi nikaala. Aise na chupchap gumsum hokar bethi rehti hai, hum milne gaye the usse, par usne is tarah se hamaari taraf dekha na jaise pehchaanti hi nehi hai. Bela ke saath bhi yehi kar rahi hai." Maahir was horrified thinking about Bulbul's condition and said, "Mujhe nehi pata tha ke aisa kuch ho jaayega, I never imagined that aur... Bela... uspar to pata nehi kya beet rahi hogi. Uski duniya to Bulbul se shuru hokar usipar khatam ho jaati hai. Nehi... I have to meet Bulbul, mujhe usse milne jaana hai..." Rohit stopped Maahir and said, "Hosh mein aao Maahir! Bulbul thik hai, she's just shocked and I'm sure vo zarur thik ho jaayegi. Lekin tum abhi usse nehi miloge kyuki hume exactly ye nehi pata hai ke Bulbul ki mental condition kya hai, aise mein agar tum waha jaaoge aur usse miloge to ho sakta hai Bulbul par ye negative affect kare, we don't know anything. Pehle dekhte hai psychologist kya bolti hai phir aagey ka soch lenge aur abhi iswaqt Bela bhi bohot gusse mein hai, abhi waha jaana thik nehi hai Maahir aur usse bhi pehle I think we need to talk first aur ye yaha beth kar to bilkul bhi nehi hoga. " Saying Rohit got up to leave to pack Maahir's luggage but Anu stopped him and said, "Maahir ko tum log kahi bhi nehi lekar jaaoge, mujhe achchi tarah se pata hai ke tum dono chahte hi nehi ho ke Maahir aur meri shaadi ho aur isliye tum log usko le ja kar uska brain wash karaana chahte ho. I won't allow that! Maahir ko main apne saath lekar jaaungi apne ghar!" Before Rohit or Maahir could react, Kuhu gave a tight slap on Anu's face and then said, "Who exactly do you think you are to stop us? Biwi ho uski? Nehi na! Then just back off! Itna sab kuch ho gaya phir bhi tumhe sirf apni hi pari hai. Look at your selfishness Anu!" She then looked at Rohit and asked him to go to Maahir's room and pack his bags. Rohit, Anu and Maahir were extremely shocked on seeing what Kuhu had just done and Anu was too shocked to react for some time as she never expected Kuhu to react like that. But after a minute, Anu regained her composure and asked, "How dare you slap me Kuhu? Tum samajhti kya ho khudko?" Kuhu bluntly replied, "Ye thappad mujhe bohot pehle maar dena chahiye tha lekin better late than never. Pehle mujhe lagta tha ke tum Maahir ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti ho but you know what, tumhe Maahir se koi matlab nehi hai, tum bas usko haasil karna chahti ho, MRS MAAHIR SEHGAL ka tag haasil karna chahti ho. Tum puri tarah se paagal ho chuki ho Anu aur us chakkar mein tumhe ye dikh hi nehi raha hai ke tum ek ghar tod rahi ho, ek bachchi se uska baap cheen rahi ho." Anu angrily replied, "Ha sab meri galti hai, sabko Bela aur Bulbul ki pari hai mere baare mein to koi sochta hi nehi hai. Meri kya galti hai ke maine Maahir se pyar kiya, meri kya galti hai ke main uske saath rehna chahti hu. Maahir to mujhse shaadi bhi karna chahta tha lekin us Bulbul ke aane se usne apna faisla badal diya. Maine hamesha usse pyar kiya, itne saalo se main usika wait kar rahi thi. Sab apne khushiyo ke baare mein sochte hai, to agar maine apni khushi ke baare mein socha to kya gunaah kar liya? I can understand Maahir can't live without Bulbul aur isliye main tayyar bhi ho gayi thi Bulbul ko accept karne ke liye phir agar usne khud hi Bulbul ki custody drop kar di to isme meri kya galti hai?" Kuhu laughed, she laughed hard for some time and then replied, "Pehle mujhe na tum par taras aata tha ab hasi aati hai. O meri tyaag ki devi! Bulbul kiske saath rahegi ye decide karne ka haq to Maahir ko bhi nehi hai to tum kaun hoti ho? Vo bachchi bina ma ki nehi hai. Mujhe to lagta hai ke tumne suicide ka bhi ye drama kiya tha taaki tum is tarah se Bulbul ko apne raaste se hata sako kyuki tumhe achchi tarah se pata tha ke Bela ye kabhi allow nehi karegi aur tumhaare bina kuch kare hi tumhaare raaste ka sabse important kaanta hat jaayega. Tumhe to ye tak ehsaas nehi hai ke apne baare mein sochte sochte tum usiko sabse zyaada dukh de rahi ho jisse tum pyar karne ka daava karti ho. Pehle main bhi tumhe support karti thi kyuki mujhe nehi pata tha ke Maahir aur Bela ki ek bachchi hai jo yaha aa jaayegi aur Bela bhi kabhi waapas aayegi ye bhi nehi socha tha. Agar Maahir aur Bela ek dusre ko apni khushi se divorce dete to mujhe koi problem nehi thi, par Maahir Bela ko tumhaare vajah se divorce de raha hai apni khushi se nehi. Haalat dekho uski!" Anu turned her face against Kuhu and said, "Mujhe kuch bhi nehi sunna hai, Maahir yaha se kahi nehi jaayega bas!" By that time, Rohit came out with Maahir's luggage in his hand and then said to Kuhu, "Kuhu chalo!" Kuhu too didn't waste time in talking with Anu and was about to leave grabbing Maahir's arm without even letting him talk when Anu stopped their way and asked, "Maine kya kaha tumne suna nehi?" She then went to Maahir and in a desperate tone, said, "Maahir tumne mujhse shaadi karne ka waada kiya hai na, phir tum aise kaise ja sakte ho? Meri baat suno, tum mere saath mere ghar chalo, main tumhara bohot achche se khayaal rakkhungi, dekhna tumhe kabhi Bela ki yaad bhi nehi aayegi." Maahir was in a shock after hearing about Bulbul and so he did not reply Anu and so Kuhu pushed Anu away from Maahir and said, "Let me give you a reality check now Anu! Tum jo ye biwi jaisa haq jata rahi ho na kabhi socha hai ke agar Bela ne divorce dene se manaa kar diya to kya karogi? Tumne ye jo itna saara plan karke rakkha hua hai na sab khatam ho jaayega. Ye tumhaari so called khushiya hai na sab Bela ke ek signature par depend karta hai. In short, tum uske bheekh ki mohtaaj ho. Tumhaare paas jaise Maahir ko apne taraf karne ke liye emotional blackmail ka hathyaar hai Bela ke paas legal hathyaar hai. Vo agar chahe to kuch bhi kar sakti hai aur tumne to uski dukhti rag par haath daala hai Anu, you should not have pulled Bulbul inside this mess. Tumhe pata hai ek sher ghayaal hone ke baad khunkhaar banta hai aur sherni khunkhaar tab banti hai jab koi uske bachche ka shikaar karta hai aur intentionally ho ya unintentionally, tumne Bulbul ko nuksaan pohchaaya hai aur aise mein Bela kuch bhi kar sakti hai.... Literally kuch bhi kar sakti hai." Anu raised her finger on Kuhu's face and said, "Main kisiko bhi apni zindagi phir se barbaad karne nehi dungi aur naahi apni khushiya cheenne dungi." Kuhu sarcastically smiled and replied, "Kisi aur ko aisa karne ki koi zarurat hi nehi hai kyuki tum already vo khud apne haatho se kar hi chuki ho." Kuhu then pulled Maahir by his arm and stepped out of Maahir's house followed by Rohit and Anu. Maahir did not protest as he was not in the condition to think of anything except the mess that had been created in his life and so when Kuhu opened the back door of the car, he silently climbed in. While Anu was standing helplessly and watching them leave, before climbing into the car, Kuhu said to Anu, "Aur ek aakhri baat Anu, agar maan lo ke tumhaari aur Maahir ki shaadi ho bhi gayi na, to ek baat meri achchi tarah se gaath baandh lo, bhale hi tum duniya ke liye Mrs. Maahir Sehgal ban jaaogi lekin Maahir ki Mrs. Sehgal zindagi bhar sirf Bela hi rahegi, vo jagah tum kabhi nehi le paaogi. Vo physically tumhaare paas rahega lekin uski aatma aur uska dil Bela ke paas, ek laash ke siva tumhe aur kuch haasil nehi hoga." Saying she climbed inside the car and Rohit drove off leaving an agitated and a loosing Anu behind.