Pehele hi sorry bol deti hoon...kya pata, aage aap sab bore ho jaye!! 🤡
Continued...
"Suhana ji, do minute shant rahiye jara" Pitashree said sternly.
Tension engulfed in the surrounding. Matashree was sitting on the stairs outside the main door holding her face in her palms. I was hiding behind my rooms window biting on my thumb nail as I didn't had courage to go Infront...Anubhav and Pitashree were busy playing chess in our lawn, forgetting everything. Matashree had brought two glasses of chill Roohafza but the two heads didn't spare a glance at it since past half an hour......It was more than seven months since the DIG had arrived. He had been working day and night without a single break. becoming a DIG is not that easy. But on this day, he breathed a sigh of relief as he was used to enough and took time for himself.
"Check mate!" pitashree exclaimed with a smirk. Anubhav groaned covering his face. I pouted sadly and matashree went inside to change the drinks.
"Hahaha! phirse haar gaye!" Pitashree said laughing at Anubhav.
"Bujurgo ka samman karte hain hum...apka apmaan na ho isiliye man na hote hue bhi harna pada hume" Anubhav shrugged off grumpily.
"Bujurg...aur hum! bahane banao bass, aur aata hi kya hain!" Pitashree taunted him.
"Bahot kuch aata hain hume...aise hi thodi DIG bane hain!" Anubhav said proudly.
"Tumhare selection ke waqt zaroor nashe kiye honge chayankartaone, tabhi tumhe chuna! bada aaya DIG wala, huh!" Pitashree taunted, hurting his ego.
"Humari kabiliyat pe shak hain apko!? Agli baar jab bhi khelenge, harayenge aapko. ye Anubhav Singh ki jaban hain!" Anubhav said with determination.
"Iss janam main toh nahi aane wala woh din, bhool jao" Pitashree said ruffling his hairs, praising his own self.... Of course, Pitashree was a state level champion in his time. Defeating them is not easy. So, I never poked my nose into his business. And about Anubhav, he took his feel by losing every other time......Bichare!!
"Chaliye bass bhi kijiye abb" matashree said cutting their argument, handing them glass of chill refreshing Roohafza.
"Bass! ek aap hi hain jo fhikr karti hain humari!" Anubhav stated emotionally, taking his glass while pitashree rolled his eyes.
"Hum bhi karte hain, bass apko parwa nahi hain" "Abb tak baat bhi nahi ki hain humse...arey baat toh chodo, ekbaar humari or dekhle toh 1inch height kam ho jaye iss lambu ki" I said sadly wiping my fake unrolled tears.
"Sahab" a constable approached Anubhav. "Aapko bade sahab ne turant headquarters bulaya hain" he said.
"Arey, aise kaise bulaya hain! aaj toh leave hain na Anu tumhari!" Matashree said, turning on her mother mode.
"Hain toh sahi! par jab kartavya pukare, usse thukra toh nahi sakte na!" Anubhav said with a smile getting up from his chair. The couple smiled at him proudly. "Chalte hain" he turned to go.
"Hey kanhaiya, bass ekbaar Anubhav hume mudke dekhle, bass ek baar, please!" I squirmed my eyes pleading Kanha, looking at his departing figure.
"Palat!"
"Palat!"
"Palat!"
"Palat!"
"dyat teriki!!...naseeb hi kharab hain humara!" I grumbled tapping my feet as he again went without glancing me.
"Waise manna padega! ignore accha karlete hain aap DIG sahab. Par hum bhi Haseena Malik hain, itni asani se apka picha nahi chodne wale hum!" I said flipping my ponytail in attitude which smacked me back on the other cheek. "Ouch!"
Days were rapidly turning into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. Everything was going smoothly. Anubhav's name was part of every interaction. He had gained all that he lived for. My journey from an intern to a permanent employee at an event management company was stressful but manageable. I suddenly got caught up in my busy life. Leaving my innocence behind. Time changed; I changed, but one thing was constant. My love and his ignorance.
He would use to constantly go on some mission with his staff. Sometimes for one month, sometimes for two or sometimes for 4-5 months. But this time, he was taking a bit more time to complete it. It's been almost 1 year but neither phone nor letter of his came to his home. There was no news of him.
*Ting tong*
"Haseena....dekho toh kaun hain" Matashree shouted from kitchen.
"Ji" I opened the door only to welcome the unexpected and unwanted guest. Sushma aunty and her so called son, Samarth.
"Namaste beta" Sushma aunty greeted me with a crocodile smile. I greeted her back.
"Andar nahi bulaogi?" she sheepishly said.
"Ji...aaiye na" I let them in. "Matashree...Sushma aunty aur Samarth aaye hain" I shouted.
"Namaste bhai sahab" she greeted my father who was trying to ignore her being engrossed in his newspaper.
"Namaste" he glanced her for a while and again busied himself.
"Namaste, baithiye na" matashree said coming from the kitchen with two glasses of water. "Kahiye, kaise aana hua" she asked.
Sushma aunty and Samarth shared a look.
"Main aapki beti ka haath mangne aayi hoon apne bete, Samarth ke liye"
Sushma aunty's statement shooked me to the core. My parents shared a tensed look.
"Ye kya kehe rahi hain aap Sushma ji" Matashree said.
"Ji sahi kehe rahe hain.... Samarth ko Haseena pasand hain, toh bass...chale aaye haath mangne" she said nonchalantly, laughing at her own statement. "boliye manjoor hain aap donoko" she added folding her legs.
"Aapke bete ko pasand hain...par humari beti ko nahi!!" Pitashree said controlling his rising anger.
"Toh kya hua...abhi pasand nahi hain, shaadi ke baad ho jayega...Itni badi baat nahi hain" she spit out her dirty statement.
"Apni beti ki poori jindagi ka faisla ek pal main kaise kar sakte hain hum" Pitashree said, fisting the newspaper angrily in his fist.
"Ji bilkul, samjhte hain hum.... par kya kare, mere Samarth ko apki Haseena kuch jyada hi bha gayi hain...abb Haseena jaisi khubsoorat ladki agar kisi ghar ki bahu banegi toh jahir si baat hain uss ghar ki shan toh badh ni hain, isiliye ye mauka nahi choda humne" she laughed shamelessly.
Matashree and I shared a look. she gestured to stay calm.
"Dekiye hume ye rishta manjoor nahi hain" Pitashree declared.
"Ek baar phir shoch lijiye bhai sahab, acchi khasi sthayi sarkari naukri hain...aur kya hi chahiye?" she sassy mouthed. while her dear son was ogling over me all the time, with his lust filled eyes.
"Kahana humne, manjoor nahi hain hume. Ja sakti hain aap" Pitashree said with a strain face.
"Dekhiye, kisi aise insan ke picche ghumna vyarth hain toh apko ek dafa dekhe bhi nahi, isse accha toh uske saath raho jo apko pasand kare. Kyun Haseena!" she taunted making me clench my fist. "Suhana behen, tum hi batao ab"
"Dekhiye Sushma ji, Yash sahi kehe rahe hain...hum apni beti ki zindagi ka itna bada faisla yun ek pal main nahi le sakte hain! aap samjhiye baat ko" Matashree said, calmly.
"Phir ek baar soch lijiye...nahi toh phir----
----Agar aap nahi chahati ki humare ghar main apka apmaan ho, toh krupya chali jaiye yaha se" Pitashree said cutting her words, fumbling in anger.
"Yash shant ho jaiye!" Matashree said to him, sensing the Tention in the environment.
"Apmaan toh aap phir bhi kar hi rahe hain bhai sahab!" Sushma aunty demurred.
"Humne kaha na Sushma ji...manjoor nahi hain hume, aap dono please jaiye yaha se" Matashree said.
"Chodo na mummy, lagta hain inlogo ne Anubhav ko apna jamai maan hi liya hain!" Samarth jumped in with a smirk.
"Hmm...lagta toh yahi hain! akhir bada afsar jo ban gaya hain woh, kyu bhai sahab?" she laughed. "Khair...bambai ke log hain aap, naye khayal, naye vichar hain aap logoke. Tabhi toh apni beti ko kisise bhi pyaar karne keliye prerit karte hain aap, huh!!" she added. Pitashree stood up, his anger was on its peak.
"Humari beti keliye kya sahi hain kya galat ye aap hume na sikhayein toh behetar hoga. Humare nijee mamle main dakhal deneki zaroorat nahi hain aapko...nikliye yahan se!" He said fumbling with anger.
"Dekhiye Sushma ji, humare ghar main aakar aap hamse humari beti ka haat jabardasti mang rahi hain...aur na bolne par humse jaban bhi lada rahi hain....ye sahi nahi hain, aap please jaiye yahase apne bete ko lekar" Matashree coldly said.
"Hum jante hain ye galat hain behen ji, par mujhe fikra hai haseena ki...beti jaisi hain mere liye...iska bhala toh main bhi chahati hoon........ Isiliye isse baar baar samjhaya ki Anubhav se door rahe, nahi hain woh accha humari haseena ke liye" she said. Lies were dripping from her face. come on! everyone there knew the fact that how much she despised Anubhav.
"Chodo na Mummy, inhe khood apne beti ki parwa nahi hain...tum kyu parwa kar rahi ho phir...chalo yahase" Samarth said and stood up. "apne ek acche rishte ko thukraya hain kaka, pachtaenge aap...chalte hain" he stated with a smirk and head towards the exit with his mother but not before eyeing me lustfully.
"Kitne vaahiyaat log hote hain" Pitashree angrily slammed the newspaper on the floor and went to his room.
I stood there calmly. Having no idea about what to react.
"Kamre me jao beta, aur jyada mat socho....kuch nahi hua hain" Matashree said with a smile, kissing my forehead and went behind her husband.
I was sitting on the swing in our yard under the moonlight, recollecting the incidence. suddenly I felt a bent on the other side, I turned, and found Matashree sitting beside me. I smiled at her. It was our gossip point. We used to gossip there on every single incidence happened. It was our daily night routine before bad.
"Kya soch rahi ho?" she asked.
"Jo hua uske bare main" I replied.
"dyat! pagal ladki...aisi baton ko lekar itna sochta hain koi!...ab tumhari shaadi ki umar ho gayi hain toh ye sab hona normal hain" she said with a smile.
pin drop silence engulfed for a moment.
"Matashree" she hummed. "Humari wajah se aap donoko bahot kuch sunna padta hain na!" I said lowering my gaze.
"Aur aisa sawal kyun aaya tumhare man main?" she asked, brushing my hair strands behind my ears.
"Anubhav se pyaar kar baithe hum...hum toh ye bhi nahi jante ki kya mehasoos karte hain woh humare bare main...phir bhi pyaar kar baithe hum...upar se ye baat poori society main najane kaise phail gayi...har baar koi aapko iss bare main puch ta hain toh aap haskar baat khatam kar deti hain, par nahi pasand hain ye hume...har koi aate jate chedta reheta hain, taane deta reheta hain hume ki pagal ho gaye hain hum Anubhav ke liye" I tear dropped from my eyes.
"Par pagal toh tum ho Anu ke liye!" she said. I turned my face to the other side making her giggle. she made me turn again towards her. "Kya baat hain?" she asked, all the while, her face didn't leaved the smile.
"Hum koi galati kar rahe hain kya?" I collapsed, keeping my head on her lap.
"Sshhh!! agar pyaar saccha ho toh ye sawal nahi aana chahiye man main" she said caressing my hairs. "Agar Anubhav tumhare liye sahi nahi hota toh hum tumhe pehele hi rok chuke hote" she added.
"Par humari wajah se koi apko aur pitashree ko kuch bole hume manjoor nahi hain...Aur ham bass aas lagaye baithe hain Anubhav se...Agar unhe humse kabhi pyaar hua hi nahi toh?" I cried.
"Jo aasani se mile.....woh pyaar kaisa!" she said. I looked up at her.
"Pata hain, jab tumhare Pitashree humara haath mangne aaye the na...tab unke pass koi job nahi thi. Humara tay hua tha ki career set hone ke baad hi shaadi ke bare main sochenge. Par pata nahi kahase tumhare Nanu ko humare rishte ki bhanak lag gayi...bahot strict the woh, hume hostel se ghar leke aaye. Bahot mara hume. Aur agle hi din Yash aaye the ghar, Pitaji se humara haath mangne. Jab Pitaji ne unhe poocha ki kya kaam karte ho, kitna kama lete ho, tab unke pass koi jawab nahi tha. kya karte bichare...dar gaye the bahot, ki kahi hume kho na de. pitaji ne unhe sirf ek mahine ki maholat di thi acchi kamai wala kaam dhoondne ke liye jo itne kaam samay main hona sambhav nahi tha, par Yash ne woh challenge manjoor kiya...aur doosri taraf Pitaji ne humara rishta bhi tay kardiya unke kisi dost ke bete ke saath----
---Phir kya hua" I curiously asked straightening myself.
"Phir kya, din raat mehenat karke tumhare pitashree ne ek mahine main kaam dhond hi liya...aur apna wada poora kiya...phir aa gaye hume lene, aur pitaji bhi maan gaye humari shaadi ke liye" she cheerfully said.
"Arey!! aise kaise itni jaldi maan gaye...aur apki uss admi se shaadi tay hui thi uska kya hua?" I asked.
"Paisa sab kuch badal deta hain beta....woh bass ek mamuli clerk tha kisi company main...Par humare Yash! software engineer with a great package, phir pitaji bhi kaise mana karte!" she said, and our laughter echoed in the environment.
"Kya filmy love story hain aap donoki" I said side hugging her.
"Agar Tumhare naseeb main Anubhav ka saath likha hain, toh woh tumhe zaroor milega...bass himmat rakhna" she said smilingly. "Par jabardasti apekshaye na rakhna mere bacche se, samjhi" she warned....yup! her baccha, her Anu!....sage maa bete se kam nahi the dono.
"jao abb sone goodnight" she kissed my forehead. "goodnight"
***************************************
next morning...
Me and my parents were at Anubhav's home. Few moments ago, Pitashree got a call from Dadu that Devki maa was feeling anxious since morning. She was crying continuously because of some uneasy and unusual feelings. Dadu thought she might share her feelings with matashree, but her anxiety had overpowered her.
"Pata nahi kya ho raha hain...bahot dino se baichaini si ho rahi hain aur aaj subhe se toh ek pal chain se betha nahi ja raha!...mera baccha thik to hoga na!" she said in between her sobs.
"Devki ji, kuch nahi hua hain humare Anu ko...aap khamakha pareshan ho rahi hain" Matashree pacified her but deep inside, she was tensed too.
"Devki bete Anubhav singh ki maa hain tu...itni si baat se kon pareshan hota hain bhala" Dadu said cheering her up.
"Nahi papaji, jaroor kuch hua hain, nahi toh aisi baichaini kabhi nahi hui hain mujhe" she said. matashree passed her a glass of water but she denied.
"Devki ji, aap jyada soch rahi hain...kya pata apko aram ki zaroorat ho, thoda aram kar lijiye" Pitashree advised.
I was all standing still. praying my Kanha to keep everything peaceful.
"Pata nahi kaha hain mera Anu...na koi khat na koi phone call...ek saal ho gaya hain mission par gaye hue...itna wakt toh kabhi nahi laga usse...kahi kuch----
Her words were cut off by a loud siren which caught our attention. We ran out following Devaki Maa. A jeep was parked right in front of the gate. Two officers came out of it and Anubhav came out from behind them. Seeing his smiling face brought peace to all of us. I got my peace! Devaki Maa ran and hugged her son tightly, crying in his arms.
"Kaha tha tu?" She asked while crying.
"Bass maa, thik hain hum, dekhiye kuch bhi toh nahi hua hain hume" he said with a smile, consoling her while rubbing her back.
"Kya thik ho gaya hain! halat dekhi hain apni!...najane kitni chote khake aaya hoga" she said cupping his face lovingly. But seemed, he was not able to meet his gaze with hers...still smiling wholeheartedly.
"Kya hua Anu?...tu idher udher kyu dekhraha hain?" she asked.
"Maa yahi sare sawal karengi kya! poore ek saal baad ghar aaye hain hum, aur aap hain ki hume uska anand bhi nahi lene de rahi!" he complained with a frown.
"haan haan, chal andar, nautanki!" she slapped him lightly. "Tum dono bhi andar aa jao beta" the officers shared a look and nodded.
We all head inside the house. but while going I noticed, Anubhav had tightly clutched Devki maa's hand!
"Maa hume aap pehele humare kamre tak chod dijiye, hum fresh hoke aate hain" in happiness of son's arrival, she didn't get his words properly but acted as he said and guided him upstairs, but we all shared a strange look. I looked towards the officers only to notice their pale faces.
As soon as he went inside locking the door, dadu strictly asked, "Anubhav ko kya hua hain?"
Pin drop silence engulfed in the surrounding.
"Hum phirse pooch rahe hain, Anubhav ko kya hua hain?" he repeated angrily.
"Sir dekhiye ye baat aap bhi jante hain ki national security ke liye ek IB agent ko apni pehechan chupani padti hain.....Anubhav ne bhi wahi kiya, sabse apni pehechan chupai....Anubhav IB main dakhil tha...aajtak jitne bhi missions usne kiye woh sare IB ke through the...Anubhav ka har ek mission safal raha, yeh wala mission bhi usne apni kabiliyat aur apne desh prem se safal kar hi diya...Lekin mission ke waqt usse Radiation room main torture kiya gaya tha....jiski wajah se----
----kya?"
"Radiation Retinopathy.......Anubhav apni eyesight kho chuka hain......"
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~aapki LEKHIKA😌