Prompt : Vashma Wakes Up from Coma and the follow up. ( Her hairs are long, grown in my book )
Uday's happiness knew no bounds as finally, after spending more than one month without her chirrup, this morning Vashma opened her eyes. Uday knew that he would never forget what he felt today morning. A strange feeling of well being as if instead of her, it's him who has come to life.
A feeling of contentment and joy as if something was slipping by but he pulled it up somehow. As if all this time he was drowning in an ocean of unknown depth but he got saved. As if... As if he was a dead man walking in crowd but saw Vashma smiling at him from a distance.
"Vashma...ye tu kya kar rhi hai. Oye mai aa raha tha na tujhe kya zaroorat thi khud se khade hone ki..mai de deta paani." Uday said in a single line, for he saw her standing up on her own to get the jug of water placed on the table. He is still gripped by fear of losing her, Vashma sensed and smiled. She stared at her husband with admiration, her dark orbs oozing with utmost pride and warmth for the man standing in front of her, who doesn't care about anything but her. She placed her hand on his and made him stop pouring the water.
"Idhar dekh..!" She made him turn to her and for a second, Uday lost himself. She was the only one he could comprehend.
Vashma was there in front of him, all conscious, lively, looking beautiful even in non make up look. His wife is standing and looking back at him in all her glory, her hands holding the dupatta at place, her long wavy hairs coming at front, her dark eyes which were devoid of kohl - everything was pitch perfect. His Vashma looked perfect.
He held her face in his hands, Uday said "Tujhe ese dekhne ke liye hi to jee raha tha mai. Tu thik ho jaye ye din raat mannat maangi hai maine, kitna tujhe uthane ke liye koshishe ki..par.."
"Mai janti hu Uday, sab janti hu. Behoshi me bhi sirf tera hosh tha mujhe. Lag rha tha ke koi dur se awaz de raha hai..pr utne hi paas hath thame bhi betha hai..." Vashma's eyes could not conceal more and she finally broke into a heavy sob, tears streamed down her cheeks only to get wiped away immediately by her dear companion.
"Oye ab rona nhi hai Vashma.. aur ab to Kabir bhi mil gaya hai. Ab sab kuch changaa ho jana hai, ab sab sahi hoga." Uday uttered with a jitter in his voice because he knew it ain't that easy. It has never been a cake walk for Vashma and him - be it about their love confession, be it the acceptance of their love by their families, be it their brutal breakup, be it the partition and it's short comings. It has never been.
"Par humne sab paar kar lia. Kabir mil gya Uday bas use apna banana hai." Vashma read his mind and covered his worn out hands with her but Uday's reaction was priceless.
His eyes were moist but filled with satisfaction. Before Uday could wipe the lone tear, Vashma reached out and asked him with a questioning nod.
"Oye..tujhe pata hai, mere dil me, mere dimag me kya chal raha tha.. mujhe har kisi ko samjhana pad rhaa tha batana pad raha tha. Par aaj tu - yaha. Sahi salaamat khadi hai or meri kahi unkahi har gal jaan li tune oye. Dedh mahine se apne aansu khud ponch ponch kar thak gya tha.. or aaj tu.." Uday began crying and Vashma hugged him tightly. He engulfed a small height Vashma against his comparitively big body frame. Uday felt peaceful as he ran his hand through her long hairs. In no time, Uday took her to the bed, by carrying Vashma in his arms.
"Oye beth idhar. Acha ye bata kuch khaegi ? Kya banau? Tere piche se kacchi pakki roti banana sikh hi gaya mai." He twitched his eyes in excitement and enthusiasm.
"Oye hoye hoye hoye hoye! To janab Uday Kishore Sahani me tabdili hui hai. Kaafi zimmedar hogye hain. Ghar ka kaam karne lage hain. Waah. Ye to sahi hogya. Ab saara kaam tujhse hi karanugi. Aur mai karungi aaram." She said in a news flash manner.
"Oye khabardaar, koi aaram nhi. Bister par pade pade thak nhi gyi tu..! Hain?" He joked but Vashma looked at him with frown. He jumped back and said "acha thik hai. Kar dunga. Par par.." he tried to form words in his defence when Vashma cracked up in a big laughter. She giggled like she used to, when they were kids. Her eyes got locked with Uday's as she found him sitting on floor near to her legs which were swinging against the bed.
"Tu ese hi khush reh par kabhi mujhe chhod kar mat jaio." Uday caressed her right side of the face with his hand and continued "Pata hai Vashma.. hum abtak jitni bhi baar alag huye - dil me ek tassali rehti thi, ek aas hoti thi ke tu thik hai, jaha bhi hai khush haal hai pr jab tu behosh thi, mere saare dar sach hote nazar aate the. Saari aas dhool me mil rhi thi. Itna bebas itna laachar kabhi maine mehsus hi nhi kiya kyuki itna bura kabhi nhi hua ki tu meri aankho ke aage hi ho par mai kuch thik nhi kar paa raha hu." His eyes screamed pain and pleasure as he voiced his insecurities in front of Vashma.
"Uday ek baat kahu - " she asked while leaning.
"Keh na."
"Tera picha maine kabhi nhi chodhna. To chup kar aur mere baalo ki choti kar." Vashma ordered him like a queen but Uday stood up and said
"Mai kyu karu. Khana bhi mai hi banau or tujhe tayar bhi mai hi karu. Ye kaha ki gal hui?"
"Oye jaada na bol. Mai puri tarah se thik nhi hui hu, dekh mujhe - abhi bhi kamzori hai." She said dramatically and as she eyed Uday for a while, both of them broke into a fit of laughter.
___________
"Thik hai? Khich to nhi rahe baal?" Uday asked Vashma while plating her long and beautiful hairs in a single braid.
Vashma who was not facing him, blushed harder at his question. It was first time when he was doing something like this, like plating her hairs and that now he was doing it, he was being so conscious. She could feel a slight tremble in his fingers as his digits comb through her hairs and pull them in the braid smoothly and efficiently. "Bata bhi?" Uday questioned again as she didn't answer. "Nhi bas aage ke do char baal khule chod dio, muh par aate hain to sunder lagte hain." She shrugged her shoulders in style, pretending to be unaffected under his touch.
Uday smiled and continued plating silently when Vashma asked "acha Uday mujhe Kabir ke baare me bata na. Teri usse is dauran kya kya baatein huyi? Tune use kya bataya!? Mujhe sab janna hai. Kyuki jab aaj shaam vo Amrit ke sath Yaha aaye to mai samajh saku ke uske dil me kya chal raha hai. Kya vo hume apnaega? Ya.."
"nahi apnaega..! Amrit, chachi ji sab use samjha rahe hain, par mujhe nhi lagta." Vashma's face fell at his words.
"Uday shayad ye tujhe lag raha hai kyuki vo baccha hai par dekh lena vo samjh jaega." Uday tied her hairs in the end and stood up from behind,all emotionless. Vashma looked at his empty eyes as he made himself comfortable beside her and got confused. To avoid this seemingly never ending tension she voiced "acha chhod or Mujhe bhi to bata itne dino me kya kya hua..!?"
Uday started telling how to overcome his own grief, he started coaching Kabir for hockey and they warmed up in no time. As soon as Bindu chachi got to know about the truth, she told him that Maanak is Kabir.
He also told Vashma that how two days back Kabir was showing tantrums because of his childishness.
"Oye tujhe pata hai.. usne saaf inkaar kardia apna naam badalne se, apni maa se ek minute bhi dur jaane se.. bhut hatt karta hai... Bilkul tujh par gaya hai Vashma." Uday's eyes welled up with happy but sad tears. He don't know what to feel and how to express his unsung fears and problems.
"Uday..!" Vashma placed her hand on his shoulder and he came out of his trance.
"Mai usse milungi or aaj hi sab thik kar dungi. Sab kuch. Tu chinta mat kar." She shot her widest of the smiles to him, though her insides were tearing apart. "Dekhna vo aaj hi hume maa baba keh kar pukarega."
"Oye tu sach keh rhi hai? Hain? Oye Sach me hamara Kabir hume maa baba kahega?" Uday held her by shoulders, his tear soaked face suddenly lit up with over the top excitement.
"Haa Uday. Bilkul kahega. Ab chal mujhe bhut saara aaram karne de."
"Tu thik to haina Vashma? Kamzori? Kamzori lag rhi h? Doctor ko bulau?" He asked frantically, his hands cupping Vashma's face as if she will vanish into thin air if he won't hold her.
"Sab thik hai. Sab kuch. Or ab bigdega bhi kya. Mai yaha hu. Tere paas. Teri baaho me. Aur yahi sach hai." She immediately leaped and snuggled in his embrace. Uday never felt better. He can't ever feel better than this. The feeling of having her in his arms, the slow desolution of silence by her quircky voice, the diminishning of grief by her wide smile - what more he could have asked for. "acha sun.." she said detaching herself from him physically. "Mujhe kabhi mauka nhi mila tujhse is baare me baat karne ka."
"konsi baat Vashma." Uday asked.
"Amrit ne bataya tha ki jab chaar saal hum dur rhe tune mujhe khat likhe the bahut saare..." Vashma spoke but she was cut by Uday "oye pure 1353 khat. Khair vo baat alag hai ki ab usme 40 aur bhad gaye hain.."
"40 aur? Vo kese bhala?" Vashma's eyes went wide at Uday's revealation. How on earth this man belong to her? How come he loves her so much? She's too lucky. Vashma thought when Uday started explaining "haa ab tu itne din chup thi, kuch nhi bol rhi thi to mainu ye akelapan khaye jaa raha tha Vashma. Khaye jaa raha tha. To socha tujhe khat likhta hu or baad me padha dunga."
"to laa, padha na!" she exclaimed in joy.
"Arre baad me padh lio waqt nikal kar. Vese bhi abhi Amru aati hi hogi Randheer sahab ke sath."
"To kya hogya Uday. Saare nhi padhungi to ek do to padh hi lungi. Aur ek baat, tere liye ya tere se judi kisi bhi chiz ke liye mujhe waqt nikalna nhi padta hai. Mera saara waqt tera hai Uday." She said, her eyes holding very strong emotions of affection and respect. Vashma couldn't dare to allow Uday to think low of himself by any means, by any chance. He's her priority.
"Acha laata hu." He pecked her forehead before opening his cupboard.
"Vashma, aaj ek aur din beet gaya. Tere bina." Vashma began reading soundly. "Oye man me padh." Uday bit his lower lip in embarrassment.
"Chup kar. Or tok mat."
"--Tere bina. Oye tu kaha hai? Hain? Kaha kho gyi hai? Tujhe yaad nhi aati meri? Do saal hogye desh azaad huye par mai to ab bhi teri mohobbat me qaid hu. Oye nhi aana vapis to mujhe nikal de is sab se bahar.
Thak gaya hu mai zinda laash ki tarah ghum kar, sadako pr tujhe dhundh dhundh kar --" Vashma sobbed as she read.
The line that divided a land into two pieces, did a lot damage to two loving hearts. It crushed hopes and dreams. She again sobbed at the thought of not meeting him again or what if she never had woken up. The thought freaked her out and she looked up at Uday.
He took away the letter from her hands and said "dhai saal pehle likha tha ye tujhe. Gussa aata tha khud ki kismat par is sab ke baad bhi dil me ummeed kabhi nhi tuti."
"Tujhe pata hai Uday tere or Kabir ki yaad mein maine bhi kothe par kayi chudhiya todi - roz ek ek tookda ek bakse me rakhti thi or din ginti thi. Par par soch Uday agar ab mai kabhi thik nhi hoti to--?"
"Oye chup kar. Bilkul chup. Tu thik hai. Rab ki Meher se sab thik hai or ab to Kabir bhi mil gya hai..." Uday smiled and turned to the door when he heard Amrit and Randheer calling him.
___________
Amrit and Randheer were accompanied by Bindu, Mohan and Maanak.
With a heavy heart Bindu decided to handover Maanak to Vashma though Mohan wasn't agreeing but chose to remain silent. He couldn't do anything.
"Aap idhar aao Maanak mere paas." Vashma called him politely towards her and He walked upto her and hugged her "coach memsahab aap thik ho gayi? Pata hai Coach sahab aur mai kitna pareshan ho gye the...!?"
"Arre baap re!! Mujhe nhi pata tha ke aap bhi bahut pareshan the, nhi to mai pehle hi thik ho jati." Vashma said while smiling.
"Par ab aap humse vaada kijiye ke mithai pyaar se chup chap hume dediya karengi." Vashma laughed as she recalled their incident of Kabir stealing sweets from her desk.
"Oh haan pakka..! Vaada. Par aap ek kaam karoge?"
"Kesa kaam?" Maanak asked innocently and Amrit said "aapko yaad hai Maanak maine aapko bataya tha ki coach sahab or Vashma ka bhi ek beta hai, bada pyaara bilkul aapke jesa."
"Haa. Par vo to aapse paas nhi haina." Maanak Turned to Vashma while Uday's face fell in dismay.
"Haa or isiliye kya aap Apne coach sahab ko papa or memsahab ko Maa kahenge? Sirf ek baar." Amrit said in an explanatory manner.
"Par hum kyu kahein?"
"In dono ko uski bahut yaad aati haina isliye. Ek baar keh dijiye."
"Haa beta kehdo na." Bindu said, her eyes holding her tears somehow.
"Thik hai." Maanak went upto the place where Uday was standing and said "hume upar godi lijiye." And Uday took him in his arms. "Papa..! Umm aage kya bolu? Haan! Papa hume hockey sikhana kabhi mat chhodna." Maanak fumbled to form sentence but finally said the best he could think.
Uday's tears streamed down his cheeks . He was overwhelmed, he didn't know how to react to this. After four long years he finally have his son in his embrace.
Uday handed over Kabir to Vashma. She hugged him closely as he called her "maa Aap apna khayal rakhna humesha."
Vashma couldn't gather herself and put up a strong face. All she could was gape at him for one last time. Uday and Vashma decided to not interfere in Maanak's life. After all he is a four year old kid who love Bindu and Mohan immensely. They can't suddenly appear in his life and claim him.
"Bahut ache Maanak. Ab aap ander jaake hockey se khel lo. Hume kuch kaam hai yaha." Randheer explained and took him to another room.
"Amrit..!" Vashma sobbed in her arms as her best friend comforted her.
"Mai samjh sakti hu Vashma. Aasan nhi hai. Ye raah jo aap dono ne chuni hai bilkul aasan nhi hai."
"Konsi raah Amrit?" Bindu asked all worried.
"Ji hum dono ne faisla kia hai ki Maanak ke sath koi jabardasti nhi hogi. Aur hum use aapse dur kar ke dard nhi dena chahte.. humse nhii ho paega." Uday folded his hands and suppressed his cries.
"Uday mai tumhara ehsaan mand hu.." Mohan managed to say. He didn't know how to comfort any of them present in the hall.
"Amrit mai kese --"
"Tu karlegi Vashma. Tere sath Uday Veerji hain. Aap dono is musibat se bhi paar nikal jaoge. Dekhna. Aur Maanak yhi to hai. Kabhi bhi mil lena..." Amrit tried to comfort but Vashma continued sobbing. "Ro mat Vashma.. nhi to mai bhi ro padungi. Bahut himmat juta ke tujhe samjha rhi hu. Mat ro..."
"Vashma mujhe maf kardo..!" Bindu hugged her as she cried with Vashma. "Mujhe maaf kardo ---"
____________
"Vashma chal roti khale..!" Uday said as it was 9 in the night and Vashma hasn't taken a good meal since two days. She hasn't recovered completely and her lack of diet can ruin it more.
"Uday tune kuch khaya?" She wiped her tears because she knows this behaviour won't take them anywhere. Specially Uday. He won't eat without her.
"Sath me khaenge. Chal." She added at his negative nod.
___________
Two weeks passed somehow. Bindu ansd Mohan decided to tell truth to Maanak after an year or so. So that he can understand the depth of the situation. Vashma and Uday decided to move To Bombay as his next match will take place in the same city.
And it's the best way to move on,, otherwise seeing Kabir daily like a stranger won't help them and their emotions.
They were packing when Vashma saw a medal in Uday's cupboard. She turned to him and asked "ye konsa medal hai?"
"Offo!! Mai kitna pagal hu." Uday walked to her.
"Ha vo to tu hai." Vashma laughed.
"Oye ye vo hi medal hai jo maine do mahine pehle jeeta tha. Humne jeeta tha. National game me. Maine tujhe phone karke btaya tha na ke hum jeet gye or mai tujhe medal dikhaunga." He recalled the day when Vashma got to know about Kabir.
"Haa. Mauka hi nhi laga Ia bare me bat karne ka.. kesa tha tera match?"
"Bhdia. Jab ye medal mere hath me aaya na Vashma sabse pehle ek hi khyal tha dimag me ki ghar jaate hi ye medal tujhe pehnana hai." His eyes moistened because he never got the chance.
"To pehna na. Dekh kya raha hai?" She said mischievously in order to cheer him up.
"To Vashma Baig, ye medal aapko dia jaata hai kyuki.." Uday proclaimed loudly and proudly.
"Aapne Uday Sahani ko sapne poore karne sikhaye. Uska sath dia. Uski himmat bani, uska aatmvishwas bani or aakhir me -"
"Khwaab ko Haqeeqat banaya. Humne! Uday or uski Vashma ne sath me khwab ko Haqeeqat banaya!" Vashma completed him and his sentence as he put the medal around her neck.
She hugged him and he kissed her head with brimming love.
"Oye ek gal kawa?" He asked while holding the medal between his fingers.
"Tu na aaj bahut khubsurat lag rhi hai. Salwaar kameez jach rahi hai." Uday smirked at her beauty. Her tresses looked inviting.
"To aapka kya khayal hai Uday Sahani ji?"
"Chal.. batata hu." He pulled by the medal and she walked willingly towards their room.
✨"Sapna to ab jaake poora hua hai, aur ab hum sach much sach me jee rahe hain jisme main teri hu, aur tu humesha humesha ke liye mera hai."✨
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A/N : I hope you got the idea of the climax of this one shot! 🙈
Well do review it!