His eyes widened as she balanced her frame on her toes, leaning over the railing. Muttering some incoherent words, she inclined further and further, oblivious of the bone breaks she was inviting from the fourth floor.
"Guddan??!!" He exclaimed, unable to soak in her idiocy.
"Aaahh!!!" She jumped out of her skin with his voice and lost her iota of balance, squeezing her eyes shut to give into the doom that awaited her.
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.
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He wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her away while she stood like a rock. A few seconds passed by when she, finally gaining her lost breath, squinted her eyes at him.
"Dimag kharaab hai kya aap..."
"Dimaag kharaab hai kya tum..." The duo exclaimed in unison, their words dying midway.
"Dimaag bech aayi ho kya kahi pe? Abhi bhagwaan ko pyaari ho jati tum."
"Dimaag humara nehi aapka kharaab hai! Aise kaun chillata hai?! Hum na jaante hai, aap hume maarne ka intezaam kar rahe hai! Ya toh hume heart attack de kar maarna hai ya hume terrace se niche gira kar ya hume bhukhe..."
"Main gira raha tha tumhe terrace se?!"
"Haan toh aapki wajah se hi toh girne wale the. Aise bhayanak tareeke se chillaayenge toh darenge nehi kya?! Abhi girne wale the hum!"
"I didn't shout, you yourself invite mishaps. Waise kyun jhuk rahi thi neeche, gir jati toh?"
"Ek second, kya ha? Hum nehi girte! Woh toh aapne bhooton ki tarah chillaya, isliye achanak se dar gaye. Warna balance karna toh koi Guddan se seekhe! Sab humare paas aate the balance sikhne ke liye!"
"There is everything but balance in your idiotic movements."
"Kya bewakoofi? Phone gir gaya hai humara, wahi dekhne ki koshish kar rahe the ki kaha giri hai. Ek toh neeche kuch dikh nehi raha tha upar se humara naya phone tha, humne khud paise bacha ke khareeda tha."
"For a phone you could have.." He sighed unbelievably. It's my fault that I expected common sense from her.
"Ab kya hai?" He asked in irritation, as she grasped his wrist.
"Baat abhi tak khatam nehi huyi hai humari. Kismat mein bahot takat hoti hai, par itna bhi nehi ki do dilon mein dooriyaan laa dein, kyunki dooriyan toh bas shareer ke hote hai, dilon ke nehi. Dil ka rishta khud mein hi sabse anokha hota hain, toh phir is rishtey ko nehi manayenge kya?"
"Hum jaante hai aapne bhi vrat rakha hai, ab is vrat ko kholna bhi toh hoga na? Kya? Hum jhalle zaroor hai, par samajh aata hai hume... Ab aap soch rahe honge ki Antara ji aapka vrat kaise kholengi, haina? Hum haina, hum aapko Antara ji ki taraf se khila dete hain."
"Guddan..."
"Aap chup rahiye ek dam aur humari baat suniye. Hum yaha Antara ji ki jagah lene nehi aaye hain, hum toh bas unki ek khwaahish puri kar rahe hain. Antara ji ko kya man nehi karta hoga aapke saath karvachauth manane ka, ab woh toh aa nehi sakti, isliye unhone hume bheja hain. Aur kya haan, aapne abhi tak Antara ji ke saath humari baat nehi karwaya, hume bhi toh dosti karna hain unse. Aap akele hi aise kaise Antara ji ke saath wakt bitayenge?.... Aap karaayenge na unse humari baat?"
The honey-like innocence her demand was dripping with, managed to sweeten his heart. He was in absolute awe over the rarest purity she could have in her words. He looked at her doe eyes, nodding, to which those pools lit up in a selfless joy.
"Thank you so much! Aapko pata hai, aapki Antara ji na bari pyaari hai. Humari toh unse baat bhi nehi huyi aur hume abhi se achha lag raha hai...... Toh Antara ji, hum aapki taraf se khila de uncle ko khana? Aapko koi takleef toh nehi hai na?" She asked, smiling at the moon.
"Dekha, Antara ji ne bhi haan keh diya. Ab jab Antara ji chahti hai, toh phir toh aap kuch nehi keh sakte."
Flashing her smile, she lifted up the sieve and watched the moon through it, followed by her husband. Performing the rituals, she forwarded him a glassful of water, to which he shook his head in denial.
"Antara ji pila rahi hai aapko, pee lijiye warna unhe bura lagega." Despite the insistence, his lips were pursed.
Uncle is no less than a stubborn school kid!
"Antara ji, dekhiye na, Uncle yeh pani nehi pee rahe. Ab aap hi kuch samjhaiye inhe, itna Akdu koi hota hain? Inke is akad ke liye hi hum inhe Uncle bulate hain, sahi bulate haina? Dekha, Antara ji bhi has rahi hai, ab unse behtar kaun jaanta hoga aapke zid ko! Humari baat maniye, aur jaldi se pani pee lijiye, warna agar Antara ji gussa ho gayi na, phir toh unhe manate manate hi aapke sare meetings delay ho jayenge............... In sabse aap Antara ji ko aur takleef pahucha rahe hain.."
Her last sentence struck a nerve in him. He was yet again into the path of denial, his heart reluctant to accept. The memories floated in front of him, his throat clenching in suffocation. He had resolved to try, but the exhaustion was crushing him, he wasn't strong enough.
You aren't the one you show yourself as, Uncle. You are a pure soul, withered by absence of light.
She took his fingers into her slender ones, clasping them tightly. Looking into his orbs, she tried to soothe him with her assuring eyes. Her soft eyes, playing magic.
"Aapke in jazbaaton se aapko khud hi ladna hoga. Aapko hi inmein base gum se ubhar kar khushiyaan dhundni hogi. Hum bas manzil dikha sakte hain."
A weary sigh escaped him and he parted his lips, gulping down the water from her hands.
"Very good!" Guddan said, smiling over the fruition of her efforts.
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"Portrait ke ilawa aur kuch dekha tumne?" Akshat asked, tensed. She should not know what he has kept away from the world, all these years.
"Nehi toh, humne toh sirf woh portrait dekha. Waise tareef toh nehi karna chahte, par bol hi dete hain, aap bahot achhe paintings karte hain....... Par kuch aur tha kya waha pe?"
"Jitna pucha jaye utna hi jawab diya karo, zyada jaan ne ki zarurat nehi hain." He replied back, turning for the door.
I am sorry Uncle for I have lied to you. I have seen them, but you would certainly not like me invading your private space. I cannot even imagine the pain you are living every day, losing your love and...
The mere thought of how Destiny had toyed with their lives, deserting them, stung her eyes with tears. _____________________________
"Guddan ko kya huya Lalla?" Dadi asked, anxious as Guddan fell into the arms of her husband, unconscious.
"Pata nehi Maa, abhi tak toh thik thi." Akshat replied, meanwhile patting her cheeks. Taking her into his arms, he went for his room and placed her on the bed.
"Thak gayi hogi meri bachhi, aaj kitna kuch karna para use. Upar se sara din bhukhi pyasi thi." Dadi said, placing a hand on her forehead.
"Kya matlab hai aapka?" He asked, clueless.
"Tu kya bol raha hai, tune vrat nehi khola Guddan ka?"
"Main Guddan ka vrat kyun kholunga?"
"Kyunki tu uska pati hai! Restaurant mein itni der tak kya kiya tune? Tujhe itna bhi nehi pata ki teri biwi ne tere liye vrat rakha hai?! Bechari sara din bhukhi pyasi thi aur tu hai ki..."
"Guddan ne vrat rakha hai yeh mujhe kaise pata hoga?"
"Is ghar mein rehta haina tu? Kal raat Gudiya ko maine sargi ke rasam ke liye bulaya aur tujhe kuch nehi pata?!"
"Aapki Gudiya ki galati hai ismein! Maine kitni baar pucha ki aapne kyun bulaya tha, par aapki Gudiya ko itni neend aa rahi thi ki nehi pata bol ke so gayi!"
"Meri Gudiya ko kuch mat bol tu! Ek toh galati karta hain aur upar se meri Gudiya jaisi bachhi par ilzaam laga raha hain! Pata hain aaj sari taiyaariyaan usne hi ki thi, kitni mehnat ki hain meri bachhi ne. Jaanti hu, aaj ke din tujhe bahot takleef hoti hain, par apni parivaar ke bare mein bhi kuch soch le kabhi. Phone kyun nehi utha raha tha tu?"
"Woh mera phone silent mode pe tha."
"Toh tu bhi ab silent ho ja aur Guddan uth te hi usko kuch khila dena. Mujhe kuch aur nehi sunna bas! Itni kam umar mein kitni koshish kar rahi hai woh sari zimmedaariyan nibhane ki, mere kehne par usne vrat bhi rakha. Mana bhi toh kar sakti thi na woh, par usne apni patni hone ki zimmedaari nibhaya. Usko apni patni nehi maan sakta toh kam se kam uski koshishon ka maan rakh. Main khana bhejti hu, Guddan ko khila dena." Dadi left the room, cracks arising on her expectations. One had himself dipped in the shadows of past while the other was solely shouldering responsibilities, was there any possible future?
His gaze lingered on her sleeping face, surprised by her nature. A girl who willingly trapped herself in an unwanted relationship, for her sister. Her young wings, which were meant to claim the sky of freedom, has been clipped with responsibilities, yet she didn't shy away from carrying them out. She had millions of excuses to leave, yet she opted for the one reason to hold on. Hearing the whispering expectations of his family, she gladly slaughtered her desires. She prioritised his distresses over hers, despite him touching the scar which draws a narrow line of similarities between them. Those lips of hers had quivered in pain while informing him about the loss of her mother. He, though unintentionally, had refreshed the scar which never heals, the scar which bleeds with the slightest word. Who could relate it better? She had fasted for him, but chose to prioritise his fast for Antara. Her innocence laden voice when she bonded with his Antara, could warm heart of stones with colours. After years, peace of her essence had knocked at his heart, the peace his soul had yearned for. Purity of her efforts. She leaves behind a mark into the hearts, she herself oblivious of it.
"Usko apni patni nehi maan sakta toh kam se kam uski koshishon ka maan rakh."
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"Tumne vrat rakha hai yeh batana chahiye tha mujhe." Akshat said, placing another cushion at her back to support her frame.
"Humne kehne ki koshish ki thi, par aapne hi dhyaan nehi diya!" She replied, shifting her gaze towards her newly made friend's picture. Pursing her lips into a grumpy pout, she knitted her brows together.
Antara ji, tell this thick headed husband of yours to feed me something! Just a morsel from his hands and then bye bye! The rest I can gobble down on my own.
"Kya? Iska hi toh intezaar kar rahi thi." Akshat said, forwarding her a spoonful of food.
"Aapko kaise pata?"
"Tumhe yeh khana hai ya nehi?"
"Haan khana hain na!" She shrieked, nodding her head.
"Toh phir khao, warna main jaa raha hu." Before he could move the spoon away, she closed her lips around the spoon.
"Abb jaiiyee aapko ja..ha jana hain!" She spoke, munching on her food blissfully, as if she starved for years.
She has electric problems in her brain or the electricity goes on a holiday sometimes? A girl, childish yet mature!