This one is for you Nik! Happy birthday !!
It was a foggy winter night and he was on his way back home. Layers of mist forming on the windscreen were making it difficult for him to drive. To and fro motion of the wipers reminded him of someone. Every time his vision got hazy or he was unable to find a way ahead this person acted as his savior. A smile lingered about the corner of his lips.
A beep sound on his cell phone broke the reverie.
Home in? She had asked.
20 minutes... he replied.
Home !! The word sounded so alien a few months back. Ever since his mother had left them he had no home. There was no feeling of belongingness. He felt unwelcomed in his own house. An outsider! who can never be part of a perfect picture. He had lost all hopes and resigned to destiny that he can ever be home. Than came she... Their huge Mansion was no longer merely a piece of perfect architecture and designing rather it was full of warmth and giggles. She made it home.
After so long he felt something, a warmth, a heat rekindling within him.
What if this is another illusion? a thought crossed his mind.
Wasn't his childhood the same. Loving parents. A mother who always made him feel that her life revolves around him. A father who never forgot to look at his daily reports or talk to him about his sports activities no matter how tired he was. He felt important. Like he was their world. Than slowly their world fell apart. He fell apart.
A wave of sadness passed through him and his face became a reflection of weather outside. Gloomy.
Ho haqeeqat ya fareb-e-nazar ho,
Sochta hoon,
Ho hamesha ya chand roza ke liye ho!
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He found his father sitting in the hall having his cup of coffee. Study was no longer his favorite place in the house. More often he found him here. Sometimes patiently listening to her blabbering, sometimes struggling to explain her ghoda dhai ghar kyon chalta hai? But today he looked different. There was a frown on his face. He wondered why.
"Shravan", he called out.
"Ji ", he went towards him taking quick steps and stood beside him.
They no longer shared the same bond. He had forgiven him but the wounds were too deep for an overnight healing. Forgiveness is a virtue and he was still a learner.
"Tumse kuch baat karni hai. Fresh hokar study main aa jaana", he looked at him and said.
He nodded in approval.
Saying so the old man got up and went towards the study not forgetting to take his precious cup of coffee. I turn coffee into contracts ! said the mug. He couldn't help but chuckle.
Ho ye shokhiyan wo jo musalsal ke liye ho,
Sochta hoon,
Ho hamesha ya chand roza ke liye ho!
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This place reminded him of the day he had confessed his feelings to his father and what conspired thereafter still hurts him. He entered the study as soundlessly as possible. As a child he always feared coming here. His father disliked any disturbance when he was here. His eyes fell on the open window. The cold breeze coming from there had made the place colder than the rest of the house. He liked to keep it open and ended up catching cold during winters. Old habits die hardhe thought.
Sensing his presence in the room Senior Malhotra gestured him to sit on the chair next to him. Keeping the book on the side table he started.
"Shravan mujhey tumse Suman ke baare main kuch baat karni hai". He saw a discomfort on the face of his son but continued. "Jaanta hoon ke jo kuch bhi hua hai uske baad tumhaare aur Suman ke baarey mey main kuch kahoon ye tumhe pasand nahi ayega. Par ye zuroori hai. Tumhaare liye...aur hum sab ke liye bhi."
Shravan shifted in the chair and focused on his father. He couldn't help but feel anxious. This was the first time in four months that his father had raised the topic. It has to be something serious he thought.
"Aaj Preeta aayi thi office PCT ka payment leney. Usney Sharma Ji ko bataya ki pichley ek haftey se Suman PCT nahi gayi hai". He paused, "Unhe laga ki shayad uski tabiyat theek nahi hogi isliye unhone mujhsey poocha. Par aisa kuch nahi hai". He got up from his chair and continued "wo kaafi din se ghar se bahar hi nahi gayi hai".
Shravan looked at him in confusion than the realization dawned upon him. "She has stopped working", they said in unison.
Taking a deep breath he continued. "Shravan, hum dono jaantey hain uske is decision ke peechey kya wajah hai". He came back and sat next to him. "Bahut kuch kiya hai usne is ghar ke liye, tumhaare liye. Ye rishta uski taaqat hona chahiye kamzori nahi. Aur is cheez ka ehsaas usey ho, ye tumhari zimmedari hai."
As he nodded in agreement and he could see the frown on his father's face disappearing.
"Chalo ab jao bahut der ho gayi hai. Tumhaare bina wo khaana bhi nahi khaati", he said playfully.
Shravan got up and left the room hurriedly not before closing the open window.
As he started feeling the warmth around him Ramnath Malhotra leaned back in his chair content.
Ho naya andaaz par maslehat ke liye ho,
Sochta hoon,
Ho hamesha ya chand roza ke liye ho!
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He knew she loved him. She had not told him in words but she had shown him. The serenity of her face, the glint in her eyes spoke volumes.
The way she played with his hair every morning, her fingers making patterns as if writing a story,The way she slept holding his hand, never a nightmare disturbed her sleep.
Every meal he had made him feel it was cooked for him.
How she had tricked him and made him promise he will not touch the corrosive substance again,
How effortlessly she had made this place hers.
She had not let Preeti move a finger, Lalaji had gained a few kilos and her rendezvous with the Kamini Chachi's friends always left him amused.
But what surprised him the most was her bond with his father. Is it so simple to forgive someone and move ahead, he always wondered.
As he looks back these four months looks like a lifetime. He had always loved her. He had loved her with everything he had. Every emotion a human can feel he had felt for her.
Suman Tiwari has the power to make him and she is the one who can destroy him, he concluded.
Ho ulfat be-hisaab par har daur ke liye ho,
Sochta hoon,
Ho hamesha ya chand roza ke liye ho!
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Suman was busy arranging their wardrobe when she saw him their room. Closing it she moved towards him. Her face radiant.
"Chale?", she asked.
"Nai", he replied.
Noticing the change in her expressions and apprehensive of the questions that were on their way, ranging from the state of health to state of work he said prompyly, "Ramu Kaka ko bola hai wo thodi der khana yahin le aayengey".
She nodded in approval.
Sitting on the couch he said, "Tumhaare PCT ke khaane ko kya ho gaya hai Sumo?"
"Kyon", she questioned anxiously and sat beside him.
"pehley to sirf khaana late aa raha tha. Aaj kal to khaana bhi...chodo chalo...tumhe bura..." he said looking at her.
"No No. its okay Shravan. Ye Preeta bhi na. Ek hafte main ye haal hai ye sambhalegi PCT." She blabbered fuming.
"Wo kyon sambhalegi PCT", he asked. She tried getting up but couldn't. As he held her hand she turned to look at him. "I know tum ek hafte se PCT nahi gayi ho", he said looking deep into her eyes.
There was something in his voice which she couldn't locate. Hurt, guilt or disappointment.
Ho begharzi par na khud aitmadi ke badle ho,
Sochta hoon,
Ho hamesha ya chand roza ke liye ho!
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"Why did you do this ?" he asked still holding her hands. "Shravan main..." she started but was cut by him. "Tumhe lagta hai yahan kisi ko tumhaare kaam karney se problem hai," when he saw her nodding in negative he continued. "Phir. Tumhe lagta hai mujhey tumhaare kaam se problem hai," his voice deeper. "Nahi Shravan aisa..." "To phir tumhe aisa lagta hai I dont trust you enough."
"Shravan!!!" she said taking her hands out of his hold, "Kya boley ja rahe ho..." looking at him in disbelief.
"Theek ki to keh raha hoon. Bahut kuch kaha hai mainey tumse tumhaare kaam ko lekar. Warna kyon tum aisa kuch karogi. Jabki hum sab jaante hai kitni ahmiyat hai tumhaare kaam ki, PCT ki tumhaare liye." he said meaningfully.
"Mujhey laga ki kaam ki wajah se..." her face fell.
He shifted a little and came closer to her. Cupping her face looking into her eyes he said. "hamesha yaad rakhna...tum Sumo ho! Aur Sumo kuch bhi kar sakti hai". As her eyes welled up he took her into a comforting hug.
"Hamare rishtey se zyada ahmiyat kisi cheez ki nahi. Tumse zyada zaroori kuch bhi nahi", she had murmurred close to his heart.
As the words reached him he could feel the last piece of his heart fitting in like a solved puzzle.
Ho hamesha,
Har lamhe ke liye ho...
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Reviews and views are welcome! #muntazir!
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