Part 2
The gentle rays of the sun lightened the streets with a strange orange glow. Dust swirled around, as Vashma opened the door. She carefully dropped the letter in front of Baig Manzil and quickly sneaked back into the house.
Abrar, who was returning from an early morning errand, found the letter lying on the threshold of the house. He picked it up and went in, curious.
"Kya hua Bhaijaan?" She asked him, flapping her innocent eyelashes quickly.
"Arey kisi Anwar Miyanjaan ka khat hai. Marhoom Chacha Inayat Ali ke chote ladke, woh Lahore aaye hue hain aur Abba se milna chah rahe hain."
"Acchi baat hai phir, aaj unhe dawat ke liye yahin bula lete hain aaj raat?"
Mrs. Baig suggested and Vashma sent her some silent flying kisses from her heart. The plan was set and rolling.
Evening
The vibrance of the house and the splendour around spoke volumes of the extravagant affair. No stone was left to be unturned in the hope of impressing Farooq and his parents. As children ran helter skelter, completing the chaotic situation, Vashma was pressing her chunni to control the nervousness. Had Amrit handled the situation from her end?
Abrar, after inviting the Sahnis, was about to leave the house when Amrit stopped him. "Abrar Bhai..jaan... aapko Amritsar se kuch chahiye tha?" She asked him nervously. Abrar was confused and taken aback. Why the question out of the blue?
"Woh kya hai na, Uday Veerji kisi kaam se Amritsar gaye hue hain, toh Maine aise hi pooch liya..." she said, smiling forcefully. "Nahi shukriya," he politely said and left.
Amrit heaved a sigh of relief and ran back inside, to get ready for the D Day.
...
"Yeh Farooq aayega bhi aaj ke nahi?" Uday asked for the tenth time in a row.
"Arey aa jaayenge..." Randheer said calmly. It was funny, yet Uday felt all consumed by nervousness. "Aagaye!" He screeched and sprang in action.
He emptied the box of nails on the road and it was exactly one minute after which the tyres of Farooq's car were flattened and bit the dust.
They got out of the car, and Uday recognized Farooq from the distance. Randheer, seated on his infamous tangaa, pulled on the reigns and kick started the action of the day.
"Arey bhaijaan, yeh toh bohot hi bura hua." He told Farooq's Abba, Dr. Siddiqui. "Aapko kahin pohochne ki jaldi toh nahi?" He asked.
"Kya kahein miyaan, jaldi toh hai." He replied, worried.
"Toh chadh jaayein phir, humaare taange pe. Arey aap nahi toh aapke ladke ko toh bhej dijiye, aap aa jayiyega pahiya banwakar?"
He turned around and signalled Uday, who was already seated in the horse cart.
Randheer raised up his chin and prompted him to speak. "Haan ji, ji, bohot bura hua..." he blabbered in nervousness.
Randheer coughed and smiled. "Arey takkaluf ki toh koi baat hi nahi. Yeh jo baithe hain peeche, woh Anwar Khan hai aur Baig Manzil jaa rahe hain, aap bhi aa jayiye, ab iss waqt kahan aapko kahan koi sawari milegi?"
"Accha? Baig Manzil toh humein bhi jaana hai!" He exclaimed in relief.
"Arey kya baat hai kya baat hai, Ram milaaye jodi!" Uday exclaimed in pseudo excitement.
Randheer coughed again and said, "Haan ji haan, Rahim, Rahim ke dua hai sab."
Farooq looked around. It was indeed getting late and he had little option. He climbed atop the tanga and set out for Baig Manzil.
"Haa toh Anwar miyan, aap kya keh rahe the?"
"Keh toh hum yeh rahe the, ki bhalai ka toh zamaana hi nahi raha. Fareb, chori dakaiti, aur ab toh inn aashiqon ka bhi alag hi mijaaz hogaya hai! Maine suna tha, ki abhi yahin par, humaari pichli waali galli mein koi sona munda ek changi kudi se pya... mohabbat, mohabbat karta tha, aur ab uss kudi ka jo hai, nikaah tay hogaya. Phir kya hona tha, uss kudi ke aashiq ne, khoon karva diya uss ladke ka!"
He stressed explicitly on the word khoon.
They noticed farooq shifting in his seat and carried on.
"Batao ab! Seedha khoon?" Randheer asked back.
"Nahi ji nahi, pehle toh gunde bhijwakar, uss ladke ki khoob pitaayi ki" he said, crushing his teeth while uttering. Only if words could kill!
Farooq was rudely reminded of the Saray incident the previous night.
"Phir jab woh besharam aadmi nikaah karne jaa pohocha, toh phir chaara hi kya tha? Maarna pada!"
"Sahi baat hai bhaijaan. Agar mujhe zara sa bhi shaq ho na ki meri hone waali Begum ka koi aashiq ho sakta hai, main toh uske paas bhi na jaun." Randheer added.
"Aur aajkal toh suna hai, yeh aashiq haseenaon ki tasveer bhi lekar ghoomte hain, apni jeb mein."
Farooq had genuine doubts now if the thing Abrar picked up, was Vashma's picture which had slipped out of the attacker's pocket. He removed his handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Randheer stopped the cart and allowed them to descend.
"Arey arey aap kahan andar ghuse jaa rahein hain?"
Farooq asked Randheer as they were about to enter the makaan. "Baig sahab ne gareebon mein bhi khairaaat baati hai kya?"
"Oy sunn, tune gareeb kisko bola? Yaar hai mera. Mujhe taange mein bithakar kya laaya, isko taangewaala na samjh. Hum saath thehre hue hain Saray mein."
Uday patted Randheer's back as he looked back at him in surprise.
"Muaaaf karna bhaijaan, galti hogayi!"
Uday adjusted his beard and after a thumbs up from Randheer, they walked in, quite confidently. They had to avoid the Sahnis and especially Lalaji. Randheer too double checked his monkey cap.
They both started finding the ladies to see if Vashma and Amrit were ready with the next part.
Amrit saw Randheer standing at a distance, in the crowd, looking little lost.
She grabbed a plate of juice and food and walked in his direction.
"Suniye ji," she said coyly. He turned around to find her standing. Her dress was absolutely gorgeous and he loved her earrings.
He raised up his eyebrows in awe and she laughed at the act. "Aaj kitanon ko maarne ka plan hai?" He gently whispered in her ear and she couldn't control her smile.
"Aap filhaal aapke plan par zor dijiye," she replied.
"Aap taiyyar?"
She nodded in response and left.
Meanwhile, Vashma caught Uday's constant gaze on her. She signalled him and appreciated his look by a thumbs up.
Amrit picked up the glass of water, added a few drops of red color in it and with Vashma in tow, they went to greet Farooq.
Vashma handed it over to him and smiled coyly. As he peeped into the bronze glass, his hair stood up on their end. "Khooon!" He yelled out in despair.
Taking advantage of the confusion, they quickly swapped the glass with normal water. Abrar rushed to the spot and needless to say, everything was okay.
Randheer advised Farooq to wash his face, maybe he was tired and was seeing things.
Abrar agreed and was about to escort him, when Uday forcibly hugged him, showing unintended extra pleasure on seeing his brother, aka Anwar's brother after ages. Signaling Randheer to take over Farooq, he kept the Baigs busy for sometime.
It was time for the final blow.
As Farooq washed his face, Uday emerged from behind him. Farooq saw his shadow moving slowly towards him. He dodged at the end moment and Uday ended up hitting the pot. Farooq caught his hands and twirled it behind his back in a quick move. He pushed him and ripped his beard apart.
"Tumhein kya laga tha? Main bewakoof hoon? Baar baar pitata rahoonga? Aur yeh aashiq waali nautanki na kisi aur ke saamne jaakar karna. Meri taqdeer mein jo hai, woh main paakar rahoonga."
He was about to grab Uday's collar when Randheer stepped in between.
"Farooq sahab, taqdeer toh aapki bohot hi acchi hai, par ek galti hogayi aapse."
Both of them looked at him, surprised.
"Aapne Baig Sahab ko yeh nahi bataya, ki aapki toh ek Begum pehle se hai. Ab sochiye, yeh baat bhari Mehfil mein bahar aagayi, toh aapki kitni badnaami hogi. Toh behtar yahi hoga ki aap yahan se jitni jaldi ho sake utne jaldi waapis chale jaayein."
Farooq wanted to punch him in the face but he felt outnumbered and defeated.
"Aur haan agar yeh kaafi nahi hai, toh aapki begum aapke gharelu zulm se parda uthaane ko taiyyar hai, bulaayein hum unko?"
Farooq left the place without a word.
And now when on one hand, the Baigs were deeply hurt over the sudden cancellation of the alliance with no reason disclosed, the foursome were celebrating the moment of victory in their hideout.
"Woh jo aapne aakhir mein bola, woh kahan se aaya?" Uday asked Randheer.
"Arey aaj jab main uski gaadi ke number ka pata karne gaya tha, tab main mila uski Begum se. Unke haaton mein jo nishaan the, isse asaani se pata chal gaya ki woh bohot hi ghatiya aadmi tha."
Amrit looked at him with eyes full of love while Vashma and Uday felt deeply grateful.
"Shukriya Randheer sahab, aaj jo aapne kiya hai..." Uday said.
Randheer grabbed his folded hands and pulled him into a hug. Vashma and Amrit too joined their palms together and cried.
"Par ek baat bataayiye, aapne taanga chalaana kahan se seekha? Aap pehle chala chuke hain?"
Amrit and Vashma smiled at Randheer who was blushing at their gesture.
"Woh main kisi aur din bataunga."
......
Ended up writing so much, and this became an Udheer OS of sorts, hope no one minds 🤣
Mahi.
Edited by Mannmohanaa - 3 years ago
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