"Bela, zara idhar aana."
"Ji, Sonia aunty."
"Aaj koi siyappa na karna. Jo bhi hai, baad mein kahi- suni ho sakti hai, lekin sabke saamne tamasha nahi hona chahiye. Aur tune sab dekh liya hai na? Sagai ke din ki tarah is baar koi mushkil to nahi hone wali hai na?"
"Ji, Sonia aunty. Hamne music system check karwa liya tha jab sab tayyar ho rahe the. Bijli aur lights bhi check ho gaya hai. Starters aur welcome drinks ab shuru hi hota hoga. Sab theek hai."
"Tu jaanti hai mera kya matlab tha. Mujhe bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai na?"
"Main koi galti nahi karungi, Aunty ji. Aap aaraam se sangeet enjoy kariye." Bela embarass hote hue bolti hai.
"Yaad rakhna, tumhara janglipana baahar nahi aana chahiye. Agar tumhe nahi aata hai to Shaivi ko dekh ke seekho." Sonia chali jaati hai aur Dadi Bela ke paas jaati hai.
"Puttar, Sonia ke baat ka bura mat manna. Ghar ki badi bahu hai, pure ghar- baar ka, parivar ke maan- izzat ka bohot khayal rakhti hai taaki ham mein se kisi pe bhi koi kabhi ungli nahi utha sake. In sab mamlon mein thodi sakht hai."
"Koi baat nahi, Dadi, ham samajhte hain. Apne parivar ki chinta sab ko hoti hai. Koi nahi chahega ki unke parivar ka mazak bane. Ham aam, sadharan se ghar se aate hain. Hamein pata hai izzat kitne mayne rakhti hai." Kaise na jaanenge ham, 15 saal pehle jo hua, uske baad hamein pata chal gaya maan- sammaan ki kya ahmiyat hai. Ameer log paise wale hote hain jiski wajah se unhe apne aap bohot izzat aur sammaan milta hai. Lekin ham jaise aam logon ke liye paisa ho- na ho, izzat hi sab hai. Samaajh mein auda ho, ek sthaan ho, yahi zaroori hamare liye. Hamne Papa ko apne aankhon ke saamne toot-te hue dekha hai, bikharte hue dekha hai. Hamse zyada behtar kaun samjhega is baat ko.
"Lagta hai tumne apne jeevan mein kaafi kuchh saha hai."
"Bura daur to sabke zindagi mein aata hai, Dadi. Ham koi alag nahi hain."
"Mushkilein aayingi, lekin pyaar aur pyaar karne wale ka saath himmat deta hai unse guzarne ka aur unpar vijay paane ka."
"Lekin jab wahi pyaar dhokha de? Jisse ham jitna zyada pyaar karte hain wahi sabse pehle dhokha deta hai. Kisi pe bharosa nahi kar sakte hain."
"Kabhi kabhi hamse cheezon ko samajhne mein galti ho jaati hai. Kai baar cheezon ko ham jitna jaante hain wo usse bohot bada hota hai, ham jitna samajhte hain usse zyada gehra hota hai. Insaan ke har kadam ke pichhe koi na koi wajah hoti hai jise ham samajh nahi paate hain aur koi galti kar baithte hain. Phir yahi zindagi bhar hamein satati hai. Achha to yahi hoga na ki use bhool ke aage badhein? Ek dhokhe ki wajah se pyaar ko kyun badnaam karna? Ek insaan ne dhokha diya, lekin koi to hoga tumhe sambhalne ke liye jab tum us dhokhe ki dard se guzar rahi thi. Pyaar to bohot pavitr ahsaas hai. Tum yeh jaanti hogi. Tum apne Papa se pyaar karti ho na. Wo bhi tumse pyaar karte hain. Rab pe bharosa rakho, wo achhe insaanon ke saath kabhi bura nahi karta hai."
"Aapki baat sunke ek alag sa sunkoon milta hai, Dadi. Hamari Nani aisi hi hua karti thi. Ab nahi rahin wo."
"Main hoon tere liye, puttar. Jab bhi zaroorat pade ya yaad aaye, aa jana mujhse milne. Main na to teri Dadi se kam hoon, aur na tu bhi mere liye meri Aarohi se kam hai."
"Shukriya, Dadi. Achha, isse pehle ki ham ro pade, ham jaake Aarohi ko dekhke aate hain. Aap use dekhenge to uski nazar utaarne se apne aap ko rok nahi payenge."
"Achha, jao."
Bela Aarohi ke kamre mein jaati hai aur wahan teeno bhaiyon ko dekhti hai.
"Hamari Aaru kitni sundar lag rahi hai." Ansh bolta hai.
"Bhai, nazar lag jaayegi!" Aarohi bolti hai.
"Nahi lagegi," Veer kehta hai. "Bandariya ko kaun nazar lagata hai?"
"Tujhe to lag hi nahi sakti hai, tu ekdam bhikhari lag raha hai."
"Hai na?" Shaivi bolti hai kamre mein aate hue. "Matlab, phate- cheete kapde pehne hue, baal tak nahi jhaada isne."
"Hey! Mujhe laga ham friends hain ab."
"Haan to? Dosti ke naate mera farz banta hai ki main tumhe bezzati se bachaun."
"Clearly tumhe fashion samajh nahi aata hai. Yeh phate nahi hain, yeh aise hi hain, aur mehenge bhi hain. Aur mere baal, maine inhe aise style kiya hai."
"Bhagwaan jaane aaj kal 'fashion' kahan jaa raha hai." Shaivi air- quotes karte hue bolti hai. "Chalo sahi hai, kam se kam bhikhariyon ko bura nahi lagega apne haalat par."
"Inka friendship hua hai?" Kunal Ansh se sarcastically puchhta hai.
"Veer to yahi keh raha hai. Shaivi bhi abhi yahi boli."
"Bas!" Aarohi zor se bolti hai taaki Veer aur Shaivi apne behes ke upar uski aawaz sun sake. "Aaj meri sangeet hai, centre of attention mujhe hona chahiye lekin spotlight tum dono le rahe ho."
"Iklauti behen hai hamari, har wakt spotlight tujhpar hi hoti hai." Kunal kehta hai.
"Aur aaj bhi hoga. Ab tum dono ladna band karo, bechari Bela Di ko dara diya. Bela Di, andar aaiye na."
"Main dekhne aayi thi tum tayyar hui ki nahi. Kuchh der mein neeche jaana hai."
"I'm ready, Bela Di."
"Hindi mein bolo, ise samajh nahi aayega." Kunal playfully taunt karta hai.
"Hamein Angrezi samajh aati hai. Ham bhale hi aapke tarah hi-fi school mein nahi padhe hain lekin ham bhi English medium school mein padhe hain. Bas aapki tarah apni paidaishi dikhane ke liye apni maatr- bhasha nahi bhool gaye hain. Aur agar aapko aisa hamare 'ham' ka istamal karne se lagta hai to ham aapko bata dete hain ki 'ham' kehna ek tarah se apne- aap ko sammaan dena hai. 'Ham' kehne ka arth hai ki ham dusron ki aur apne aap ki bhi izzat karte hain. 'Ham' kehne se ham gawar nahi ho jayenge. Aap UP mein pair to rakh ke dekhiye, wahan ham kehna nawabon ki boli maani jaati hai. So, stop taunting me, Mr. Mehrotra, because I can not only understand, but also speak English. Hamein aapki kahi har shabd ka matlab bhale hi na pata ho, lekin ham jitna jaante hain utna kaafi hai. Akhir ham professor ki beti hain."
"Damn, Bela!" Ansh, Veer aur Aarohi Bela se impress ho jaate hain. Kunal aur Shaivi bhi shock ho jaate hain. "Yeh kahan se aaya? Tum to chhupi rustam nikli."
Bela ke chehre par muskaan aa jaati hai sabko usse impressed dekhkar. "Shukriya, Ansh."
"Kya shukriya? Har wakt tum mother India kyun ban jaati ho? Aur mujhe jitni tumhare 'ham' bolne se problem nahi hai usse zyada to tumhe mere English bolne se hai. Tumhara bas chale to tum mujhe desh drohi declare kar do. Tum aise mahaul mein badi hui jahan Hindi zyada boli jaati hai. Main usi tarah city mein bada hua jahan aise hi baat hota hai. Maine hamesha yahi dekha hai aur aise hi jeeta aaya hoon. Aur tum ho kaun, kya samajhti ho apne aap ko jo hamesha mujhe tokte rehti ho?"
"Ham aapko kuchh nahi bolte agar aap wo nahi bolte jo aapne bola. Aapne waisa kyun bola? Aapne hi hamara muh khulwaya hai. Aur yun to aap boliye mat. Koi mauka nahi chhodte hamein hamari boli ke liye taane maarne se."
"Uffo! Pehle Veer aur Shaivi aur ab aap dono. Meri sangeet ki kisi ko padi hi nahi hai."
"Arrey haan! Aarohi, ham tumhe hi dekhne aaye the ki tum tayyar hui ki nahi. Ham tumhe bulane aayenge thodi der mein. Kunal, aapki bhi sangeet hai aaj, aap tayyar kyun nahi hue hain?"
"What do you mean? Mere baal to theek hain."
"Baal? Aapne pehna kya hai? Aap sochiye Maan ko kaisa lagega agar unke hone wale pati har din pehenne wale kadpon mein sangeet mein aaye? Unki thodi to izzat ka sochiye."
"Haan, Kunal, thoda to Maan ka maan rakh." Ansh, Veer aur Aarohi hasne lagte hain.
"No one has to worry about that." Maan yeh kehke apni arrival announce karti hai. "Mera aur Kunal ka rishta koi mazak nahi hai that you guys will always make jokes about it. So Bela, keep out, samjhi? Oh wait, tum to English samajh nahi payi hogi. Door raho. Jahan kaam karti ho wahan apne liye trouble mat create karo warna low rating dena hoga company ko tumhare baare mein. Right Kunal?"
"Relax, Maan. It was just harmless fun. No need to get so defensive."
"Aur wo baat maine bola tha, Bela ne nahi. Agli baar, dekh lena kisne kya kaha, don't just go at people, warna embarassment tumhe hi hoga."
"Excuse me," Kunal side se ja raha hota hai aur Maan uske pichhe jaati hai."
"Achha, ab sab koi bahar niklo, chalo." Bela sabko kamre se bahar nikal deti hai.
"Kunal!" Maan kehti hai. "Kunal, batao main kaisi lag rahi hoon?"
"Achhi lag rahi ho, Maan. Main jaake change karke aata hoon."
"Dekh to lete ek baar," Maan Kunal ke pichhe se kehti hai lekin uska pichhe nahi jaati hai. Maan puchhe mudti hai aur Anshuman ko dekhti hai. "Ansh, tum-"
"Anshuman."
"Tum baar baar mera mazak mat udaya karo. Mera aur Kunal ka rishta koi mazak nahi hai."
"Pehle tum yeh to dekh lo Kunal ke liye is rishta ka kya mayina hai." Ansh over sweet, taunting smile deta hai. "Relax, Maan, why are you getting so worked up? Tumhara bhi sangeet hai, enjoy karo." Ansh side- step karke chale jaata hai.
"Ugh!" Maan gussa karti hai.
---☆---
Adhij sangeet chhodkar kahin ja raha hai, pichhe jaate hain ham uske. Bela Adhij ke pichhe jaati hai lekin jab wo galiyaare se mudti hai to use wahan koi nahi dikhta hai. Achanak use koi ek andhere kamre mein kheechta hai aur darwaza band kar deta hai.
"Hmm, lagta hai aaj tumhari baari hai. Pata nahi in wedding planners ka kya hai, dusron ki wedding todwane ke pichhe padi hain. Pehle Shaivi, ab tum. Baith jao, Bela, khadi kyun ho?" Adhij Bela ko dhakelta hai aur wo ladkhadakar kursi par baith jaati hai. "Tum meri shaadi todwane chali ho, lekin theek se planning to kar liya karo, Bela Di. Aur tumne mujhe samajh kya rakha hai, tumhari bhasha mein kehte hain na, baklol, ki main apni har planning Mehrotra Mansion mein hi karunga?"
"Shayad tum ho baklol, is liye ham tumhe do baar pakad chuke hain. Ham abhi nahi jaante hain ki tumhara saath kaun de raha hai, lekin ham jald hi pata laga lenge. Aur baaki sab ko bhi bata denge. Wo bhi saboot ke saath."
"Hmm, good luck on that. Tum mere partner se milne ke liye itni hi utaawli ho rahi ho to kyun na main hi tumhe unse milwa doon? Partner, aapse koi milne aaya hai. Jise batana hai batao, waise bhi koi tumhe believe nahi karne wala hai, not a word, because it's ghar ka damaad versus ek low class wedding planner. Bela Di, meet my partner in crime, meri Didi se milo."
Kya? Maan hai Adhij ki saathi? Wo bhi Kunal ko dhokha de rahi hai? Yeh kya jhol hai? Mujhe laga Maan sach mein Kunal ko pasand karti hai, lekin wo bhi Kunal aur baaki sab ke aanhon mein dhool jhok rahi hai.
"Kya hua, kuchh kahogi nahi?"
Thodi der baad, Bela kehti hai, "Maan bhi Kunal se paison ke liye shaadi kar rahi hai na?"
"Tumhe abhi tak pata chal hi gaya hoga ki ham Randhawas kitne powerful hain, business ki duniya mein bhi aur aur is ghar mein bhi. Dad aur mere hone wale Sasur ji ki dosti bohot pehle ki hai. Main kuchh bhi kar sakta hoon. Aur tum? Tum kuchh nahi kar sakti ho. To tumhare liye behtar yahi hoga ki apni shaatir taang beech mein mat adao."
"Ham tumhe Aarohi ki zindagi barbaad nahi karne denge."
"Aap to badi ziddi ho, yaar. Achha, wo sab chhodo, yeh batao ghar mein kaun kaun hai?" Bela chup rehti. "Arrey, batao na." Bela phir bhi kuchh nahi kehti hai. "Nahi batana hai? Koi nahi, main batata hoon. Tumhare ghar mein sirf tumhare Papa hain, hai na? Jo, agar mere sources sahi hain, to wo kuchh samay pehle hospitalized the, right? Aur suna hai jald hi tumhari shaadi hone wali hai. Rishi Sharma, Kunal ke company mein kaam karta hai. Agar use company se nikaal diya jaaye to? Ya tumhari shaadi uske saath toot jaaye jaise tum meri todna chahti ho, phir?"
"Mere Papa ya Rishi aur uske pariwaar ko kuchh mat karna."
"Nahi? Aisa hone ke liye tumhe mere liye kuchh karna hoga."
"Kya?"
"Arrey, Bela Di, yeh koi tareeka hua baat karne ka usse jo ya to tumhare Papa ke medical help ko financially assist kar sakta hai ya unko kisi bhi tarah ka medical help milne se rok sakta hai. First time tha is liye maaf karta hoon, agli baar, thoda soch kar apna muh kholna. Now, all you have to do is keep your mouth shut about everything you know about me and my plan. Kisi ko kuchh nahi batana hai aur tumhare Papa kuchh mahinon mein ekdam theek ho jayenge."
"Theek hai, ham kisi ko kuchh nahi batayenge, lekin mere Papa ya Rishi aur uske pariwaar ko kuchh nahi hona chahiye. Hamein tumhare paison ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Apne Papa ka ilaaj ham khud karwayenge apne kamaye paison se."
"Theek hai, as you wish. Par apna promise yaad rakhna." Adhij Bela ko jaane deta hai.
"Adhij! Tumne itna bada risk kyun liya? What if she-"
"Relax, Didi, I have a plan."
"What plan? Aur mujhe kyun nahi pata hai iske baare mein? Aur Bela ke baare mein information kab nikalwaye?"
"Information to bohot pehle hi nikalwa liya maine. Pata hai Didi, Bela ne saare unoccupied rooms mein camaras lagwaya hai?"
"What? What are we doing here then? Adhij!"
"Didi, maine cameras hack karwa liya hai. Ab Bela ke paas koi footage nahi hoga, except abhi jo hua."
"Aur ham yeh footage use kyun de rahe hain? I know tum Aarohi se shaadi nahi karna chahte ho lekin-"
"Yeh footage Bela ke paas hoga, lekin wo us footage ko use nahi kar payegi."
"Pata nahi kya plan hai tumhare paas, but remember ki yeh bohot bada risk liya hai tumne. Mujhe bata nahi sakte the? Dicuss kar lete mere saath."
"Usi tarah jaise aapne mujhe sab bataya hai. Mujhe to yeh bhi nahi pata ham jo bhi kar rahe hain wo kyun kar rahe hain."
"Tum jaante ho kyun."
"Bullshit. Wo meri wajah hai aapko help karne ki, lekin I know this is not your reason. There's a bigger picture. Kya hai actual reason?"
"Wo important nahi hai. Tum apne family ka saath de rahe ho, that's where your loyalties are. Baad mein tumhe apne aap sab pata chal jayega."