"Maa, papa!" Sanyukta mumbled under her breath, she was too shocked to saw them as well as happy too.
"Maa, papa aap dono!" She said happily and hugged her mom.
"Maa aap kaise ho, papa aap?" She asked with a smile.
"Jaisa tune rakha hain hume!" Kishor ji murmured near Sanyukta which was inaudible for others but Sanyukta's smile got vanished to listening this, she looked at her papa surprisingly.
"Aare mummy papa, aap dono achanak?" Randhir asked and about to touch their feet but stopped by Kishor ji.
"Nehi nehi beta, tum humare damad ho, tumhari jagah humare pau mein nehi hain." Kishor ji said in an ubar sweet voice thus Randhir smiled a little.
"Ji aap log aachanak?" Randhir asked steeling a glance of Sanyukta.
"Haan beta, beti ka baap hu issi liye aana hi pada!" Kishor ji said thus fastened his heartbeats.
"Kahi Sanyukta ne aapne parents ko sab kuch bata toh nehi diya!" He gulped hard.
"Sanyukta ne jo kiya usske liye hum tumse maafi mangna chahate thay beta, please hume maaf kar do." Kishor ji joining his hand thus Randhir got shocked.
"Aare yeh aap keya kar rahe hain papa?" He asked holding Kishor's hand.
"Aur aap mujhse maafi kyu mang rahe hain?" Randhir asked confusingly.
"Beta humne news mein dekha sab kuch, ke kaise wo press aur media wale tumhara aur samdhi ji ka insult kar rahe thay, unnke ware mein galat baatein kar rahe thay, aur yeh sab kuch Sanyukta ki wajase. Please usse maaf kar do bete, main promise karta hu usski wajase tum sabko phir koi taqlif nehi hogi." Kishor ji pleaded with a moist eyes when Sanyukta stood there numb. She can't even imagine that her parents came here to accused her.
"Nehi papa iss mein Sanyukta ki koi galti nehi hain, jo kuch vi huya accidentally huya, aap log please tension mat lijiye." Randhir replied hesitatingly.
"Haan Kishor bhai sahab, Sanyukta ne hi toh situation ko samvala hain, warna pata nehi keya hota! Waise Sanyukta ne aaj se college join kar liya hain, maine bataya na aap logo ko." Renuka said with a smile.
"Waise shaadi ke baad ladki ki dhyan sirf aapne pati aur ghar sansar mein hona chahiye. Harsh bhai sahab ne tujhe padne ki izazat de diya hain isski yeh matlab nehi ke tu aapna saara time kitabo mein hi barbaad kare!" Anju said sternly thus Sanyukta looked down.
"Nehi Anju ji, Sanyukta toh sabka kitna dhyan rakhti hain, mujhe toh ek vi kaam nehi karne deti. Sanyukta jau bhai sahab aur Anju ji ko aapne room mein le jau." Renuka smiled at her thus she nodded.
"Nehi bhabhi ji hum toh bass samdhi ji aur damad ji se maafi mangne aaye thay, aab chalenge. Hum itne vi gaye gujre nehi jo beti se aakele mein baat karke aapka apmaan karenge. Sanyukta aab humari beti nehi aapki bahu hain, uss par aab humari koi haq nehi." Kishor ji said straight thus broke Sanyukta's heart in thousand pieces.
As if girls are only an object but not a living being which their parents are immolate to another person and forget so easily! Sanyukta think and gulped her pain down.
"Aachha toh hum chalte hain." Kishor ji said.
"Ji driver aap dono ko chhod aayega." Randhir said.
"Nehi beta usski jarurat nehi, khush rahena." Kishor ji said and this time Randhir touched their feet.
"Jeete raho beta." Anju blessed him. Sanyukta also touched their feet.
"Sabka dhyan rakhna, yeead rakhna sabki khushi mein hi tumhari khushi hain." Anju said slowly.
"Aab tum iss gharki izzat ho, iss baat ka dhyan rakhna." Kishor ji said coldly and they left when Sanyukta went to the room quickly.
* * * * * * * * *
Sanyukta was sitting on the balcony attached to their room and was crying silently. She was hurt by her parents behavior. Can't she get a loving gaze from her parents? Can't she expect their love, their care for own the way she get in past? What's her fault which made her guilty in front of them? She was crying when she felt someone's presence there, she turned her face and saw Randhir stood there.
"Yeha kyu aaye ho, mera tamasha dekhne?" She get up from the couch.
"Sanyukta....wo....main....wo..." He was stammering.
"Yeah phir mere maa-papa mere against chale gaye uss baat ki khushi manane aaye ho?" She hissed in anger.
"Nehi Sanyukta main toh bass..."
"Bahut khush ho na ke mere aapne hi mere khilaf ho gaye hain! Mere parents mujhe aaise treat karte hain jaise ki main koi criminal hu." She said in between her tears.
"Aaisa image bana diya hain tumne mara unnke samne ke aab wo log mujhe aapne pyar ki kabil hi nehi samajhte. Maa ne kaha tha ke pati bhagbhan hota hain, par unhen keya pata ke mera pati toh janwar hain janwar. Main toh unnse aapna dard vi baat nehi payi. Kyu kiya aaisa Randhir haan, kyu kiya?" She asked holding his collar and broke into tears again when Randhir hugged her impulsively.
"I'm sorry Sanyukta." He started caressing her back.
"I'm really very sorry. Maine galti ki, aapni zindegi ki sabse badi galti." She struggled to get out of his hold but he hugged her even more tighter.
"Nehi karna chahiye tha aaisa, tumhe chot nehi pahuchana chahiye tha, dard nehi dena chahiye tha, chhuna nehi chahiye tha tumhe Sanyukta. Mujhse galti ho geyi bahut badi galti, please mujhe maaf kar do!" His voice was broke when she was crying uncontrollably.
"Last night I was not in my sense, gusse se pagal ho geya tha, janwar ban geya tha! Tumne sahi kaha, main insaan nehi janwar hu janwar!" His eyes got moist also.
"Randhiiirrr!" She stammered and slowly responded the hug, their hug deepened.
"I'm responsible for all this, please forgive me." He was stroking her hairs when she crying continuously.
But that was their moment. The storm which broke them apart suddenly brought them together. The cool air soothed them and they stood like that for god knows how long but suddenly she jolted out of the hug and turned her face, when Randhir wiped his face and went out from there. From the first time he do his duty as a husband, to wiped his wife's tears and tried to heal her wounds. That wounds which were given by him only.
* * * * * * * * *
Sanyukta sat down on the couch holding her head. Past one hour was the most magical hour of her lifetime. Where she got soothed by the same person who was the reason behind her every grief. Her so called husband. She was surprised by his gesture, how can a person was the reason of her wounds and healing both! She was assaulted by her husband last night and she also soothed by him sometimes before.
"Who was the real him, whom I saw last night or which I felt in last one hour?" Her mind asked unknowingly.
There was a wife who found solace in her husband's embrace but there was a woman too who has been humiliated by the same person. Her inner mind was in a grave turmoil and she lost in her thoughts.
Randhir came out from their room, from the very first time he felt so much calm and peace too. He was confused by his own feelings now. He was a mission of quenching all her happiness, he used to love to saw her moist eyes but what happened to him suddenly thus her tears pained him the most! He soothed her but for his surprise he got the peace of mind which he never get during torturing her bit by bit. Randhir came down and saw Rehan and Mishti were fighting.
"Mom issne meri drawing kharab kar diya main isse nehi chhodunga!" He run behind Mishti when she hide behind Anjali.
"Mishti tumne bhaiya ki drawing kharab kyu kiya?" Ragini scolded her.
"Aare Ragini calm down, galti se ho geyi hogi." Anjali said and looked at Rehan.
"Beta ussne jaan bujh kar nehi kiya hoga, galti se ho geya hoga, chhoti behen hain tumhari maaf kar do." Anjali smiled at her son.
"But kaal mein school mein keya dikhayunga teacher ko? Teacher mujhe punish karenge aur puri class mujh par hasegi. Sab iss chuiya ki wajase, main isska choti kaat dunga!" Rehan said angrily thus Mishti started crying.
"Aare beta rote nehi." Anjali said taking Mishti on her lap.
"Dekha darra diya na behen ko, chachi ne keya sikhaya hain ke ladke kisiko darate nehi aur aap toh big boy ho na sabko protect karne wale, phir!" Anjali said thus Rehan started thinking.
"Okay thik hain, but mom what about my drawing?" Rehan cringed.
"Don't worry champ, I'll help you." Randhir said suddenly.
"Chachu aap, but aapko drawing aata hain?" Rehan asked confusingly.
"Why not, yeh toh champion tha na drawing mein!" Parth said teasingly.
"Solly bhaiya." Rehan is about to go when Mishti said with her cute accent.
"Main vi aapko drawing mein help karungi aur chocolates vi share karungi." She said forwarding a chocolate to him.
"Champ Mishti sorry bol rahi hain, aab toh maaf kar do!" Randhir said thus he nodded.
"Okay okay, roo mat maaf kiya, teri choti nehi katunga." Rehan said thus Mishti wiped her tears and smiled when Rehan take the chocolate and kissed on her chubby cheeks.
"Beta badla lene se kabhi dil ko shanti nehi milti, maaf karne se milti hain. Kisiko rulane ke wajaye usski aasu pochne mein jo khushi hain wo kisi aur cheeze mein nehi hain." Renuka said that to both kids when Randhir was surprised by his mom's words. His mom said those things which he actually felt right now.
Randhir was lost in his mom's words, he was so confused about his own feelings now when Renuka called everyone for dinner.
"Aare Randhir, Sanyukta aab kaisi hain?" Parth asked sitting beside him.
"Kyu Sanyukta ko keya huya?" Renuka asked surprisingly.
"Wo badi mom Sanyukta ko aachanak chakkar aah geya tha college mein." Parth replied.
"Keya, tum logo ne pehele kyu nehi bataya?" Renuka asked worriedly when Randhir kept mum.
"Toh phir Sanyukta ka dinner usske room mein bhej deti hu, usse niche aane ki jarurat nehi." Renuka said and served a plate for Sanyukta and send it at the room.
"Aare badi mom chill, don't panic, keya pata kahi wo wali baat ho!" Parth said playfully thus Randhir looked at him.
"Wo wali baat matlab?" He asked curiously.
"Matlab tu papa-sapa, main chacha-sacha!" Parth grinned at him when Randhir's face get all red.
"Shut up Parth!" Randhir said became embarrassed when everyone chuckled.
"Kyu keya huya?" Parth asked naughtily when Randhir get up.
"Main aabhi aaya." Randhir said and all most run away from there.
"Keya Parth, bechara sharam se bhaag hi geya!" Anjali chuckled.
"Aare bhabhi waise vi usski sirf body yehi tha but mind room mein chhod ke aaya tha na." Parth said in a teasing way thus everyone laughed.
"Yeh Parth mujhse ekdin jarur pitega, idiot kahika!" He groaned in mind and went to their room but saw the maid was coming back with the dinner in her hand.
"Aare keya huya, Sanyukta ne dinner nehi kiya?" He asked curiously.
"Ji wo maine knock kiya lekin bahurani ne jawab nehi diya!" The maid replied.
Randhir thought a second then said, "Okay, lau mujhe do."
Randhir said and take the plate then entered at their room. He saw the bed was empty. He checked the washroom but that was empty too.
"Sanyukta kaha geyi?" Some confused lines appeared on his face. He then went to the balcony and saw her sleeping soundly in her sitting position.
"Sanyukta?" He called her hesitantly but don't get any answer.
"Keya puri raat bhuki rahegi! I'm sure lunch vi kiya nehi hoga ussne!" He thought and shook her hand slowly.
"Sanyukta get up and take your dinner." He called her again.
"Umm sone do na!" She blubbering in her slumber.
Randhir then sat beside her and patted her cheek, "Sanyukta?"
He called her once again and this time she kept her head on his shoulder. Randhir was hesitated for a moment but didn't move an inch.
"But isska keya karu?" He said looking at the plate. Suddenly an idea came in his mind. He tore a roti and dipped it in the curry then take that near her lips.
"Sanyukta yeh kha lo." He said and brushed the piece of roti on her lips and next she opened her mouth while sleeping and take the food and started chewing it when he smiled a little. But after sometimes Sanyukta stop chewing as she was in deep slumber.
"Sanyukta chew it." He said which was unheard by her.
"Keya karu?" He thought then caught her jaw slowly and shook it smoothly, as the result she started chewing again and he take a relief of sigh.
Randhir continue feeding her in same process without disturbing her sleep. He took the pieces of roti one after one then dipped them in the curry and brushed it over her lips and she opened her mouth and ate that. And when she stopped chewing he made her chew with his new new gestures and she ate unknowingly in between her sleep. He made her drank water and get up but stopped next. He looked at her sleepy figure once then pick her up in his arms and placed her on the bed. He looked at her sleepy face which is calm now and felt satisfied. Now he understand the meaning of his mom's words. He take the plate and came out from their room.
* * * * * * * * *
Randhir was walking through the corridor when he met with Parth.
"Hmm biwi ka seba!" Parth said mockingly eyed the plate.
"Don't you have any common sense Parth, sabke samne wo ghatiya joke karna jaruri tha?" Randhir asked angrily.
"Aab maine keya kiya?" Parth asked confusingly.
"Don't pretend, sabke samne wo papa wali baat bolne ki keya jarurat thi, nonsense!" Randhir said irritatingly.
"Aare iss mein nonsense wali keya baat hain, tum dono husband-wife ho, toh aaisa hona toh normal hain." Parth said teasingly.
"Ohh for god sake Parth we got married only 10 days before, how can be it's possible now?" Randhir groaned.
"Don't tell me that you guys don't do it before marriage!" Parth winked at him.
"What?" Randhir asked confusingly.
"Umm....ding-dong!" Parth smiled naughtily when Randhir smirked at him thus Parth got confused and next moment Randhir throw the curry which left in bowl on his shirt.
"Ohh shit, yeh keya kiya?" Parth asked shockingly.
"Aare chacha banne wala hain na, aabhi se practice kar le, kaal tera bhatiji yeah bhatija jab susu karega tab keya karega?" Randhir made an innocent face and about to go when Parth said.
"Teri biwi se hi wash karunga yeh shirt, dekh lena." Parth rolled his eyes thus Randhir laughed.
"As if main usse wash karne dunga, meri biwi hain washing machine nehi!" He winked at him and left immediately with a smile.
Randhir went back to their room after taking his dinner. He entered and saw Sanyukta was shivering in cold as the AC was on it's lowest. He take the duvet and covered her properly, just then his eyes fall on her bruised skin, he noticed those marks and felt guilty. He slowly touched her wounds when she winced in pain, he withdrew his hand immediately.
"Did she applied any medicine on it?" He thought.
"Of course not, mere saath game khel sakti hain, sabko slap kar sakti hain but aapna khyal nehi rakh sakti!" He murmured under his breath then bring the cream and applied on her wounds, she stirred in sleep thus he applied gently it.
"But beauty cream se keya hoga, she need proper care." He thought and went his side of the bed.
He arranged the pillow and made a wall in between them then lay down. He looked at her sleepy face once and switched off the light after murmuring a good night to her.
* * * * * * * * *
Dawn appeared, Sanyukta slowly open her eyes and found herself on the bed.
"Main toh balcony mein thi, yeha kaise aayi?" She was surprised but next she remembered their hug, their moments.
She turned to his side but found him sleeping soundly. She looked at his sleepy face once then get up from the bed and dashed to the washroom. She came out after taking bath and saw him still sleeping. Sanyukta started drying her hair with a towel when some water droplets fall on his face thus he blinked his eyes and looked at her and next moment he was lost in the most beautiful scenario in front of him.
Water droplets fall from her hairs when she was busy to wiping them. She combed her hairs after drying them and applied a pinch of vermilion on her parting when Randhir just gawking at her. Sanyukta noticed his gaze on her and looked at him curiously when he looked away. He get up from the bed and dashed to the washroom avoiding her curious gaze.
"Sanyukta aab kaise ho tum, Parth ne bataya ke tumhe chakkar aaya tha kaal?" Renuka asked her at the breakfast table.
"Main thik hu maa, wo garmi thi bahut, iss liye." She replied hesitantly.
"Ohh garmi....mujhe toh laga..." Before Parth could complete Randhir started coughing.
"Aare Sanyukta pani do Randhir ko." Renuka said thus she forwarded a glass of water to him.
"Beta tum thik ho?" Renuka asked thus he nodded then glared at Parth who grinned at him.
"Toh jiji hum kab jaa rahe hain?" Maya asked to Renuka.
"Aaj shaam ko hi, tickets aah gaye hain." Renuka replied thus Sanyukta looked at her confusingly.
"Maa aap log kahi jaa rahe ho?"
"Haan beta Rajasthan, hum sab jaa rahe hain." Renuka replied.
"Aachanak?" Sanyukta asked surprisingly.
"Haan, waha par humari haveli hain, main toh haar saal jati hu but Maya barsho se nehi geyi toh aabhi wo yeha hain toh socha ke ghum ke aau. Tum sab aapna aapna packing kar lena." Renuka said thus she nodded positively.
"But college ka keya hoga, aur exams vi toh jaldi hain but maa ko na kaise bolu?" She mumbled slowly.
"Maa aap log ghum ke aaiye, main aur Sanyukta nehi aah sakte, aabhi bahut important classes hain, college miss nehi kar sakte." Randhir said suddenly thus Sanyukta looked at him surprisingly.
"But beta Sanyukta ka toh waha jana jaruri hain, bahu hain wo iss ghar ki?" Renuka tried to convince him.
"Toh phir hum baad mein chale jayenge but aabhi nehi please." He replied.
"Haan haan, yeh bolna Sanyukta ke saath honeymoon par jane ka plan kar raha hain!" Parth murmured near his ear thus Randhir's eyes fall on Sanyukta who already looked at him curiously. Sanyukta was too shocked to listening him.
"Why he doing this, for me?" Her mind asked.
"No no, why he doing anything for me when he loves to create trouble for me! Wo toh khud nehi chahata tha ke main college jau toh phir mera help kyu karega?" Her inner mind groaned.
After breakfast Sanyukta went to their room. As soon as she entered her gaze fall on a medicine kept on the table. She take the tube and looked that confusingly.
"Aare yeh medicine yeha kisne rakha? Maine kisiko bola vi nehi ke I need this!" She said confusingly, just then Randhir entered at the room and their gaze meet.
"Tum aabhi tak ready nehi huyi, college ke liye late ho raha hain!" He said slowly.
"Yeh medicine yeha kisne rakha?" She asked straight.
"Wo-wo maine, thought you need it." He replied hesitantly.
"Why so much favor Randhir? Aachanak se itni help kyu kar rahe ho meri? Pehele maa ko convince kiya Rajasthan na jane ke liye, aur aabhi yeh medicine, keya koi new game plan kar rahe ho?" She asked in a sarcastic way which pained him.
"I know Sanyukta you are angry on me and I deserved your hatred too. I-I am sorry for what I did, if you want you can punish me but please don't punish yourself." He said and left the room immediately.
Sanyukta was surprised after listening him, she applied the medicine at her bruises then came down. Randhir was waiting for her, she opened the door of the car and sat beside him when he starts the car. The journey was silent, Randhir was steeling glances of her when she was looking outside only. Soon they reached at the college, Sanyukta was about to open the door but stopped.
"We have to go back home before lunch, maa ne aaj jaldi wapas aane ko kaha hain." She said not meeting their gaze.
"Okay, I'll be waiting for you here." He said thus she left.
* * * * * * * * *
After college Randhir was waiting for Sanyukta at the parking. He checked the time, it's 1.15 PM.
"Kaha rahe geyi?" He said and took out his cell but hesitated to call her.
"Aab keya driver ban gaye uss Sanyukta ka?" Randhir turned to heard this and saw Laila there.
"Just go from here Laila." Randhir said annoyingly.
"Dekho kaha lakar khada kar diya tumhari so called wife ne tumhe!" Laila mocked him.
"Laila isse pehele ke main bhul jau tum ek ladki ho just leave from here." He said coldly.
"Randhir why don't you understand that she doesn't match with your label, that bloody middle-class girl." She gritted her teeth.
"Don't a word against my wife Laila." He hissed in anger.
"Wife! you will be regretting for your decision Randhir." Laila said.
"If you don't leave right now then you will be definitely regretting for it!" He said in an icy cold voice. There was a raze in his voice thus she shivered and left immediately. Sanyukta came after sometimes.
"Sorry wo admin office mein thoda kaam tha." She said slowly.
"It's okay, come let's go." He said and opened the door for her when she was surprised by his gesture.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
So what are you think will Randhir able to gain Sanyukta's forgiveness?
Will Sanyukta able to forgive Randhir for his deed?
Keep commenting, sharing your views, keep voting.
Thank you.
Words : 3681
#Bandita 🌹🌹