Chapter 2

Mana

@cynicalities

Ke Raaste Abhi Badal Se Jayenge

Chapter 2: Back Home Safe

When the doctors finally let Minnie go from the hospital, they had to make her promise to be on complete bed rest for a week. Knowing Minnie's restlessness, Hanuman was sure that it would never last more than 2-3 days, but it was worth a try.

They still hadn't talked about him signing as her father on the form. Since it had her mother's signature as well, Hanuman guessed she knew Babita was okay with it. At least for the sake of Minnie's treatment. Now all that was left for him to do was maintain his distance from the duo.

...

"Yeh kya kar rahe hai aap? Button firse nikal gaya aapke uniform ka? Layiye main laga deti hu."
"Aap rehne do, main kar lunga. It's okay."
"Are par kyu? Main kar deti hu na, 5 minute ka toh kaam hai bas."
"Nahi, jee, aap rehne do. Aise cheezon ki aadat mat dalwayo aap mujhe. Baad me aap toh chale jayoge, par yo aadaton ki wajah se Hanuman Singh ko problem ho jayegi."
"Aisa kyu keh rahe hai aap? Aadat dalwa rahi hu matlab? Choti si toh baat hai, ek button toh hai."
"Wahi main bhi bol raha hu. Ib yo ek button toh hai, laga lunga main. Aap ke aane se pehle main ya Lala hi karte the na ye sab. Toh kar lunga main. Thank you, jee, but I'll manage."
"Aree-"

...

"Hanumanji, kuch chahiye tha aapko?"
"Nahi, main bas Minnie ki tabiyat kaisi hai woh puchne aya tha? Thik hai woh? Sab achha hai na?"
"Haan, thik hai woh. Aap aise sidhiyon pe kyu khade hai, upar aake mil lijiye na usse."
"Nahi, rehne do, woh aaram kar rahi hogi. It's okay."
"Aaram hi kar rahi hai itne time se. Woh doctor ne complete bed rest lene kaha hai na, to ab kuch karne bhi nahi deti main usko. Toh bichari bore ho gayi hai bistar pe lete lete. Aap jaake baat karlo usse, mood thik ho jayega uska. Chaliye."
"Are nahi woh-"

He walked into the room behind Babita anyway. Because try as he might, he couldn't stop missing the girl. He was used to her coming straight to him after something happened, when she had anything at all to share. He was used to her laughing and being cheerful all around the house. He had promised to keep his distance, but he was only human. He missed them.

"Minnie, dekh, tere Hanuman uncle aaye hai tujhse milne."
"Yaar Babes, mujhe nahi baat karni kisise."
"Minnie, tu abhi bhi pehle ka gussa leke baithi hai? Aise thodi na chalega, bas bhi kar ab."
"Rehne do jee, main toh pehle hi keh raha tha. Aaram karne do usse. Nahi baat karni toh kyu aap jabardasti kar-"

He sneezed. Sniffled a little. Huh, may be he had a cold on it's way.

"Aapko toh jukaam hai. Rukiye aap, main kaadha bana deti hu aapke liye."
"Are, nahi, uski koi jarurat na hai. Aap fikar mat kijiye."
"Aise kaise fikar mat kijiye? Maine toh aapko pehle bhi kaha tha na, aapki fikar ab hum dono nahi karenge toh aur kon karega-"
"Lala."
"Kya?"
"Lala. Woh hai na. Itne saal tak wo hi karta tha fikar meri. Ib bhi kar lega. Aap tension na lo."
"Aap aise kyu keh rahe hai? Uss din bhi aap aadat todne ki baatein kar rahe the, meri haat ki chai, khana sab band kar diya aapne. Ab yeh aise bol rahe hai aap. Kya ho gaya aapko?"
"Kuch na hua hai manne. Bas aise achanak se realise hua hai ki aap logon ki jo yeh aadat ho gayi hai mujhe, baad me takleef hone se achha abhi yo aadat tod deni chahiye na."
"Aisa kya hoga gaya hai lekin achanak. Jab se aapki Minnie se baat hui thi uss din tab se aise baatein kar rahe hai aap. Usne kuch kaha aapko? Minnie, tune hi kuch kaha na tere Hanuman uncle ko? Gusse me aake, bina soche kuch bhi bol deti hai tu. Thoda to samajhdari se kaam liya kar na-"
"Usko kyu daant rahe ho aap, uski koi galti na hai is sab me, usne kuch na bola mujhe."
"Aap toh rehne do, Hanumanji. Har bar ye galti karti hai toh aap bachhi hai bolke usse maaf kar dete hai. Iss bar bhi maine laakh mana karne ke baad bhi meri bina maane yeh ghar chhodne ki zid pakad ke baithi rahi."
"Babes, tu mujhpe chilla kyu rahi hai. Jab tujhe samjhega na ki main right decision le rahi thi, tab repent karegi tu. Yaar, tere liye hi toh kar rahi thi na main. Tu samajhti hi nahi hai baat ko."
"Minnie, tu agar baat kya hai woh mujhe batayegi nahi toh kaise samjhungi main."
"Main nahi bata sakti yaar tujhe."
"Toh main kaise vishwas kar lu ki tera decision right tha. Bachhi hai tu, itni badi nahi hui ki ab yeh sab decisions mujhse bina puche le sake."
"Babes, tujhe nahi pata yaar kuch bhi-"
"Toh bata mujhe!"
"Pyaar karte hai woh tujhse!"

Oh no. This was happening now? Why did it have to happen while he was standing right there? He would have very much preferred if this whole situation had happened while he was away and someone just told him the result of the conversation. At least that way, he wouldn't have to listen to the daughter-mother agreeing to leave his life forever.

"Kya?"
"Hanuman uncle. Pyaar karte hai tujhse. Isliye main keh rahi thi ki hum ye ghat chhod ke chale jaate hai. Iss love shuv ki wajah se firse tujhe hurt hote nahi dekhna chahti main."

This seemd to have calmed Babita. May be because now she finally knew what was troubling her daughter so much.

"Toh ye sab karne se pehle ek baar mujhse baat tak nahi ki tune? Mujhse puch nahi sakti thi ki Babes ye aisi situation hai, tera kya decision hai iss baare mein?"
"Aise kaise puchti yaar, Babes. Tujhe kuch pata nahi tha Hanuman uncle ke baare mein. Or main bata deti to tu or hurt ho jaati, ki jis aadmi pe tune itna trust kiya woh aise..."
"Pata tha mujhe, Minnie! Sab pata tha. Unhone kuch kaha nahi magar mujhe samajh raha tha. Ek baar mujhse baat kar leti toh ye sab taal sakte the. Par nahi. Tujhe toh bina kuch soche, bina kuch samjhe, bas apni man ki hi karni thi."
"Are daughter ki mother, aap toh firse usko daantne lag gayi. Uski ke galti hai isme? Aap ke liye hi toh kar rahi thi na woh bhi?"

Babita's confession that she knew everything had shocked Minnie. She had refused to believe that when he told her in the hospital. Really, even Hanuman hadn't known the extent of what she knew, what she thought. He was assuming she just thought he liked her, had a crush on her. Now by the own confession, she apparently knew everything.

Minnie unsuccessfully tried to wipe her face, her eyes. Tried to pretend she wasn't crying, wasn't hurt.

"Babes, agar tujhe sab pata tha toh tune ghar chhodne ka decision kyu nahi liya? Kyu reh rahe hai hum abhi bhi yaha? Yaar, Hanuman uncle ne sab barbad kar diya, tu dekh rahi hai na. Ab kya jawaab denge hum uss Khatri ko jab woh pure mohalle ke saamne baatein karega? Kuch bol bhi nahi sakti main ab usko! Yaar ye love me sirf pain hota hai. Sab kharab kar deta hai yeh. Tune suffer kiya hai na ek baar, fir kyu issi zid pe adi hai tu? Kyu yahi rehna hai tujhe?"
"Mujhe yeh bata, yaha se jaane ki jarurat kya hai? Tujhe yehi darr tha na, ki main firse hurt ho jaati jab mujhe Hanumanji ke baare mein pata chalta? Dekh. Sab pata hai mujhe. Par hurt nahi hui main bilkul. Toh kis baat ka darr hai ab hume? Tere Hanuman uncle ko hume hurt karna hota toh wo pehle bhi kar sakte the, Minnie. Par unka aisa koi intention nahi hai yeh toh tu bhi jaanti hai. Aur waise bhi, humare saath jo hua, usme pyaar ki kya galti?"

Minnie still didn't look convinced.

"Tune apne mummy papa ka rishta bikharte hue apni aankhon se dekha hai, tera iss rishte se vishwas udd gaya hai, maanti hu main. Lekin sab rishte ek jaise toh nahi hote na. Pyaar sirf hurt karta hai, ya dukh deta hai, aisa kaise soch liya tune? Lekin, iss baare mein tujhse kya shikayat karu main bhi. Meri hi galti thi. Pata nahi tere papaji ke baare mein kya kya manghadan kahaaniyan suna di maine tujhe."
"Kahaniya?"
"Ha, kahaniya."

Babita sat down on the bed near Minnie, who immediately curled up against her mother. Both were hurt and angry with each other, but at the end of the day, they had always drawn comfort from each other's presence.

"Tujhe pata hai Minnie? Har ladki jab shaadi karke apne sasural jaati hai na, tab dher saare sapne leke jaati hai. Apne naye zindagi ke liye, naye ghar ke liye, apne pari ke liye. Sochti hai ki uska or uske pati ka pyaar uske sab sapne pure kar dega. Ek khush zindagi hogi, hasi-mazak hoga, roothna-manana hoga, shikayate hongi. Aise hi sab sapne leke main bhi ayi thi, jab pehli baar apne sasural me kadam rakha tha."

This was a very vulnerable moment, and a very private one at that. Hanuman shouldn't be here, he should leave. But his feet refused to move, stayed glued to where he stood. Babita didn't ask him to leave either.

"Kul milake, in satra saalon me maine bas kuch mahine hi guzare honge tere papaji ke saath. Mere sapno ko kabhi pura hone ka mauka mila hi nahi. Tu choti thi na, tab mujhe apne papaji ke baare mein dher saare sawal puchti thi. Or tujhe khush karne ke liye main apne unhi sapno ko kahaaniya banake tujhe suna deti thi."

Babita pulled Minnie closer to her and continued.

"Tu yeh jo sochti hai na, ki teri Babes iss love shuv ke chakkar me hurt hui hai, main tere papaji se bohot pyaar karti thi isliye mujhe itna sab sehna pada, yeh sab unhi kahaaniyon ke wajah se toh hai."
"Par baat toh wohi hai na, Babes. End me tu hurt toh hui. Wo bhi pyaar ki wajah se."
"Pyaar ki wajah se kaha? Sach kahu toh tere papaji aur mere beech kabhi pyaar tha hi nahi. The toh bas mere sapne, mere bhram. Tujhe main mere or Ashok Khurana ke 'pyaar' ki kahaaniya sunati rahi, or phir sab hone ke baad tujhe lagta raha ki teri Babes issi pyaar ke wajah se hurt hui hai. Jab ki baat toh yeh hai ki koi pyaar na hone ki wajah se hurt hui main. Bas ek naam ke rishte ko pyaar samajh baithi. Sochti rahi ki pati ke liye sacrifice karna hi pyaar hai. Pati jo kahe wohi sach, pati jo kare wohi pyaar. Lekin uss rishte me agar sachme pyaar hota, toh shayad hamare saath jo hua woh kabhi na hota."

Tears were streaming down Babita's face as well. Should he stay? Should he leave? Hanuman still didn't know.

"Maine uss din tujhe bataya tha na? True love kya hota hai? Yaad hai?"
"Haan. Tune bola tha ki true love woh hota hai jisme koi expectations nahi hota, jo ekdum pure hota hai, bohot bade bade aur complicated words use kiye the tune."
"Complicated kaha, Minnie. Ulta true love to sabse simple, sabse innocent hota hai. Maine kaha tha na tujhe, niswarth, bina kisi laalach ke, jaha ekdusre ki khushi me hi dono ki khushi hoti hai."

The conversation had now taken a completely different turn, and he had no idea where this was going.

"Abhi Beeji or Dadu ko dekh le. Itni pareshaniyan aayi, itne problems aaye, phir bhi dono saath me hai. Teri Lovely bua or Sukhiji? Sukhiji ko itne saalon me kya kuch nahi sunna pada, lekin Lovely bua ka saath dene ke liye unhone sab sunn liya. Or Lovely ne khud aa kar Ashok Khurana ke company ke shares humse kharid liye, taaki Sukhiji ka apna hissa ho, taaki unhe aur sunna na pade. Aur jaise tune kiya. Sahi kiya ya galat, yeh toh baad ki baat hai, lekin tune yeh sab teri Babes ko protect karne ke intention se hi kiya na. Aur jaise tere Hanuman uncle kar rahe hai."

Hanuman's gaze immediately lifted off the ground and met Babita's.

"Tujhe khush karne ke liye hi toh kar rahe hai na woh bhi sab. Tere admission ke liye college ke principal se ladh aye. Tu ghar se bhaagkar uss karate tournament mein participate karne chali gayi, or phir bhi unhone waha aakar tujhe support kiya. Tere sapne pure ho sake isliye tere liye woh camera le aaye. College ki das baatein tu unhe nahi suna deti tabtak tujhe khana hazam nahi hota, lekin teri baatein sune bina unka din bhi kaha dhalta hai. Phir bhi aaj tu hurt na ho isliye khud takleef uthane tayar ho gaye. Tere kehne pe humse rishte todne nikal pade. Kyu? Kyunki woh apni Veer Balika se itna pyaar jo karte hai."

Oh. This is where it was going. Yet another moment where he should say something. But what? What could he possibly say after Babita had so beautifully put in words what he had never been able to. What was left to say? He just wiped off a tear that had escaped his eye and didn't say anything.

There was a moment, when he looked at Minnie, when he thought she almost looked sorry about what had happened, like she believed Babita about how she wasn't his to be hurt this time. For a split second, he dared to hope that may be things would go back to how they were before. But the moment went away as quickly as it came, and once again he was uncertain about where he stood.

"Hanuman uncle, I'm sorry. Matlab, main abhi bhi aap se gussa hu. Lekin Babes ke bolne se mujhe aise lag raha hai ki maine kuch jyada hi violently react kiya, aapse bohot rudely baat ki. Uske liye I'm very sorry."
"Are, ke baat kar rahi hai, chhori, rulayegi ke manne? Main toh pehle se keh raha hu, teri koi galti na hai isme. Ib yo situation hi itni vichitra hai, itni ajeeb si hai. Usme tu bhi ke kare."
"Phir bhi. Agar maine kuch jyada hi galat kar diya ho toh I'm really very sorry."

She broke down halfway through the sentence, and raised her hands to her ears.
Hanuman rushed to her side, to pull her hands away from her ears, to say "Kaan na pakad tu, koi galti na hai teri." and cried right along with her.

May be he should leave now. Leave Babita to talk to her daughter. Of course there would be some things they still needed to clear, some things that needed to be talked about without him being around. He didn't want to impose. He had made a promise that he would keep his distance, and even though Minnie had relented a little, it didn't seem that she had freed him from the promise yet. But still. This was progress. May be things could go back to how they were before. May be he could still redeem himself. He let himself smile a little.

...

Read Chapter 1 here.

Read Chapter 3 here.