Part 8B
"Jab tum gayi tab pehli bar woh mehsoos hua jo 26 saalon me nahi hua tha!"
"Kya?" she whispered.
"Besabri!" he said, inhaling the jasmine scent of her hair.
"Hmm. Par ab toh besabri nahi ho rahi hai ne?"
"Kisne kaha?"
"Ab kis baat ki.. besabri? Phir se milna ho hi gaya."
He gently caressed her hair as he recited a soulful shayari.
"Jab door the unse tab
Milne ko besabar the.
Jab woh milne aaye tab
Unki qurbat me rehne ko besabar huye.
Ab unki qurbat haasil huyi hai toh
Unke aks banne ko besabar hain.
Lagta hai yeh besabri ka aalam
Yoon hi barqaraar rahega,
Jab tak fanaah na ho jaye sabhi faaslein
Tab tak humara dil besabr rahega!"
........................................
Anupama remained silent for a few moments.
"Ab tum kahogi ki maine poochh kar galti kar di!"
"Nahi.. Main toh soch rahi thi ki main apna Urdu Hindi sabdkos Amdavad me hi bhool gayi!"
"Main hoon na! Kya samajh me nahi aaya?"
"Woh.. Qurbat?"
"Kisi ke nazdeek ya.. aas pass hone ko uski qurbat me hona kehte hai."
"Aur woh.. aks?"
"Uska matlab hota hai parchhaai."
"Hmm.."
"Sorry Annuu! Yeh shayari shayad.. thodi zyada hi ho gayi tumhare liye. Main sirf shabdon ke bare me nahi keh raha hoon main.. unke peechhe.. chhupe arth ke bare me keh raha hoon."
He broke the embrace and shifted uncomfortably.
"Sorry.. Main tumhe awkward feel karva raha hoon, I realize that. Par.. aaj jab tumne mujhe ummeed di tab.. na jaane yeh khwahishein kaise uske saath chali aayi!?"
He ran his fingers through his hair while turning away from her.
"Woh hi khwahishein is.. shayari me zaahir ho gayi. Main.. rok nahi paya! I'm extremely sorry!"
"Main samajhti hoon Annuujj.."
He nodded.
"Umm.. Hum.. tumhare hisab se aage chalenge, Anu. Jab comfortable hogi tab jayenge. Aur.. Tum jitni comfortable hogi utni hi aage jayenge. Tum.. Tum is shayari ko bhool jao!"
He was pleasantly surprised when she placed her head on his shoulder.
"Na toh main sayari ko bhool sakti hoon na hi Sayar Kapadia ko! Maine aapse aaj hi kaha ne.. aap apne man ki baat mujhse keh sakte hain aur aapne keh di!"
"Ha par.. yeh nahi kehna chahiye tha.. mujhe."
"Kyun nahi? Ab main aapke prem se anjaan nahi hoon. Main aapki besabri ko samajhti hoon! Aapne jitna sabar kiya hai utna sabar koi nahi kar sakta! Main us baat ke liye aapki bahot ijjat karti hoon! Aapne kabhi jor jabardasti nahi ki, na college me na ab. Hamesa apni maryada me rahe hain."
"Zor zabardasti zidd me hoti hai, pyaar me nahi!"
"Main bas.. yeh hi kehna chahti hoon ki main.. dheere dheere aage badh rahi hoon. Ho sakta hai aapko.. thoda aur intejaar karna pade par.."
"Main kar lunga! Itna kiya hai thoda aur sahi. You take your time, Anu! Apne hisab se chalo! Jaldbazi achchhi nahi hoti!"
"Theek hai. Dhyan rakhungi."
She closed her eyes, savouring the beauty of the moment and the gift of his proximity.
"Qurbat.. sabd bahot pyara hai! Aur uska matlab bhi.."
"Waaqai.", he smiled.
"Man toh.. nahi kar raha hai jane ka par.."
"Man toh mera bhi nahi kar raha hai!"
"Aap apna dhyan rakhna. Khane me jyada der mat karna. Kal pura din bujy hain ne isiliye aaj time pe so jana. Main khane ke bad aapko phone kar dungi."
"Theek hai. Tum bhi dhyan rakhna. Rona mat.. Phone pe toh bilkul bhi nahi!"
"Aap bhi mat rona!"
"Theek hai. Thank you Annuu! Mere bare me tumne itna socha aur Samar ke plan me shamil hokar mujhe yahan bulaya. Aur.."
"Aapke bare me nahi humare bare me sochkar aapko bulaya! Bulaya kya dauda diya! Hotel me hi.. ruk jati thodi der toh.. aapko taqleeph nahi hoti."
"Abhi bhi nahi hui! Par Samar ko ho rahi hogi. Bechare ko gadi se nikal diya maine! Use bula leta hoon."
She nodded while letting go of his arm.
........................................
Samar hesitated when Anuj asked him to sit beside Anupama.
"Main chalata hoon na. Aap baithiye.."
"Nahi, tu baith. Main drive karta hoon."
"Toh mummy aap aage chali jaiye."
"Nahi. Aage bags rakhe huye hain. Unhe waheen rehne de. Tere friend ka ghar pass me hi hai na?"
"Ha. Aap.. humare saath chaliye na Anuj."
"Main kaise?"
"Maine kuch socha hai."
"Jara bhi nahi ha, Samar! Bahu thai gyu/ Bahut ho gaya!"
"Anu, use mat daanto! Aur mazaak me bhi marna toh bilkul bhi nahi!"
He turned around and patted Samar's shoulder.
"Yeh bachcha bahot pyara, bahot caring aur sensitive hai! Humare bare me kitna sochta hai!"
Samar had tears of joy when Anuj patted his cheek.
"Thank you so much, kiddo! Tune bahot kuch kiya hai humare liye! I appreciate that. Par is waqt mera tumhare saath jana sahi nahi hoga. Main tumlogo ko uski society ke bahar drop kar dunga."
"Ha. Itni mehengi gadi wahan gayi toh adosi padosi sab bahar aa jayenge!"
"Bahar aa jaye wahan tak bhi theek hai. Meri photo do din pehle newspapers me chhapi thi. Yeh sadak khali thi par wahan society me kisi ne mujhe pehchan liya aur humare photos le liye toh? Pehle bhi humare photos viral ho chuke hain. Unnecessary attention nahi chahiye mujhe na apne liye na Anu ke liye ."
"Aur Pinakin ke ghar wale kya sochenge? Baatein banengi. Pehle hi der ho gayi hai."
"Main samajh gaya. Sorry!"
"It's okay. Humein jitna time mil gaya saath me.. kafi hai. Ab mujhe bata kis taraf jana hai?"
Anupama felt a lump in her throat as Anuj started the engine.
"Samar ko samjha diya, Anuj se keh diya ki nahi roungi par.. Phir se aisa kyun lag raha hai? Anupama! Aaj yeh haal hai, kal Amdavad kaise jayegi tu?"
She touched her locket.
"Kanhaji dhyan rakhjo! Anuj ke saamne ya unlogo ke saamne rona nahi hai mujhe!"
She got down from the car and allowed Samar to hand her the bags.
"Bye Anuj. Drive safely. Aap pahuchkar mujhe ya mummy ko text kar dijiyega."
"Sure! Bye."
He waved at Anupama.
"Aav jo!", her voice sounded more like a whisper.
She followed Samar as the car left.
"Besabri.." she said to herself while dragging herself alongwith the bags.
"Pata nahi subha kab hogi! Subha hote hi Anuj ke pass bhaag jaun aisa lag raha hai par.. woh bhi nahi kar sakti! Anuj se hi seekhna padega ki santi se intejaar kaise karte hain!"
"Mummy, aap theek hai na?"
"Samar! Beta aisa mat poochh! Main theek nahi hoon! Maro man tyaaj chhe!"
"Nahi woh.. sorry! Aaiye.."
He opened the creaking iron gate as the hosts came outside to recieve them.
She faked a smile and greeted everyone politely.
Thoughts of him, them were constantly running through her mind as she sat down to have tea.
Samar's phone beeped while they were in the middle of a conversation.
"Samar dekh ne A.. woh.. Sweety ka.. message hoga sayad.. Usko.. bataya tha maine ki hum pahuchkar message karenge."
"Ha mummy. Sweety ka hi hai.", Samar played along.
"Woh theek hai ne?"
"Ha. Gajar ka halwa khane baith rahi hai.."
Anupama smiled genuinely this time thinking of her beloved foodie.
"Saras! Use bata dena ki.. hum bhi theek hai."
"Bhaley.."
She excused herself shortly and when she went to freshen up, her reflection in the mirror reminded her of her pre confession practice session.
"Anupama!" she closed her eyes and chided herself for behaving like a lovesick lover.
"I love you sweetheart!" his voice reverberated in her head.
"Kanhaji!", she blinked back tears.
"Aise pariksa mat lijiye! Pleej.."
She changed her clothes and quickly walked out without looking at her reflection.
..............................................
Hope you liked this small part. Sorry couldn't write much after the heart wrenching episode. Will make part 9 a long MaAn centric part to make up for this one.
P.S. Shayari by yours truly
Cheers,
Noorie
Part 9 on pg 27
Edited by Noorie17 - 3 years ago
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