So here goes Part VII....hope you like it and press the button if you do😉...I realize this is not what you guys were waiting for, so there is an outside chance that I would do a midweek update....all depends how the day goes at work😊 and if I am able to write in the evening. So you can pray my boss is nice to me this week😊😊😊
Jokes apart, I really appreciate all your support and look forward to your comments. Special shout out to all who make and manage the archive folder....makes it real easy for me to revise my memory about old PraSha scenes.
Part VII
"Aapki jeevan kahani to sach much adhbut hai….yaqeen nahin hota ke bhagwan apne hi bande ke itne imtihaan bhi le sakte hain….kitna dukh jhela hai aapne…aapka dard main samajh sakti hoon…….. apne bachchon se bichadne se bada dukh to shayad is duniya mein aur koi nahin…." Soniya commiserated, the pain in her voice very evident.
She, Araina and Bijoya were sitting in the living room, going over the happenings of the intervening years since Araina's adoption. Bijoya gave her an compassionate look and bent across to squeeze her hand…. "aapke dukh ke aage mera dukh to kuch bhi nahin…aur aap chinta mat kariye, Mishthi hamesha aapki beti thi aur rahegi….bas waqt waqt se agar humse milti rahe, to aapki badi meherbani hogi"
"Arrey, aap kaisi baat kar rahin hain Didi,…."
"Nahin, main aapse aapki doosri beti nahin cheen sakti…mere liye itna hi kaafi hai ke usne mujhe apni Maa keh diya….apne khoon ke rishte ko pahichaan liya….". She gave Araina a fond look then turned back towards Soniya… "Maa to asli mein aap hain jisne use bada kiya… usko paala posa….aapka haq is par mujhse kahin zyaada hai….."
At this, Araina got up to go and kneel between the two of them and taking both of their hands in hers said, "Aap dono hi meri liye Maa hain, ek Mama", she looked at Soniya, "aur doosri Maa" she turned to Bijoya. To lighten the mood, she continued, "ek shopping karane ke liye aur doosri mazedar khana banaane ke liye… ha ha…main bhi kitni lucky hoon"
Both the ladies smiled at her antics and exchanged an understanding look….it appeared that an arrangement had been arrived at between the two of them.
Soniya had always been very unsettled by her husband's decision to keep their daughter's life-story and adoption a secret, at all costs. But now, having found out the reason why she was given up for adoption, and having met the mother who had had to take that most devastating of decisions, her guilt had all but doubled. Which is why she was so glad that she had overcome her own fears of losing another daughter and sent Araina to Kolkatta to meet her birth mother. Of course, she was indebted to Shashank too, for having been instrumental in convincing Araina, but most of all, she was happy that she had, in her own small way, righted the wrongs perpetuated by her husband these many years.
Soniya had also been very troubled by the way Vikram's unconditional love had turned Araina into a spoilt, headstrong and supercilious young girl who had little sympathy for those less fortunate than her. But the events of the past few days had brought her a happy surprise and she had been very proud to see her daughter accept her natural family, including Aziz, with open heart and open arms.
"Mama,……aap ne suna maine kya kaha?.....Mama,….kahan kho gayeen aap….?"
Soniya came to the present with a start and stammered,…. " kuch…kuch nahin beta….bas yuhi"
Araina and Bijoya looked at her bemusedly and Araina repeated, "Aapne Papa se baat ki? Who kab aa rahen hai?"
"Haan beta, subah airport jaane se pehle unka phone aaya tha…..I have told him everything and he is very happy for you….. you know him….anything that makes you happy he is ….oh, mera matlab who yeh sab sun kar bahut khush huye…." She corrected herself when she looked at Bijoya and saw the incomprehension on her face.
"Tum to apne Papa ko jaanti hi ho, tumhari khushi ke liye wo kuch bhi karne to tayyar hai….aur wo agle kuch hafton mein yahan aane ki soch rahen hain….bas ek baar Shashank wahan pahunch kar kaam sambhal le, to wo itminaan se yahaan hum sab ke paas aa sakte hain. Arrey, that reminds me, zara apne Papa ko phone kar ke bata do ki uska visa approve ho gaya hai, taaki wo uski booking kara saken…ya roko, Shashank se hi kehti hoon ki wo khud phone karke bata de…..Shashank….beta Shashank."
This made Araina and Bijoya exchange knowing smiles ….. even though both of them had been fully engaged in conversation with Soniya, somewhere in the back of their minds, they had not failed to register that Shashank had still not come back. Taking this to be a positive sign, they were mentally crossing their fingers for a happy outcome.
"Kya hua, aap dono hans kyun rahe ho…..yeh Shashank kahaan chala gaya….yeh ladka bhi na…"
"Don't worry Mama, Shashank ko jahaan hona chahiye wo wahan hai , ussey wahin rehne dijeye…."
"Yeh kya paheliyan bujha rahi ho tum, ….Shashank kahan hai?"
As if on cue, Prateeksha and Shashank appeared together, hand in hand, at the top of the curving staircase.
He stopped there for a moment, striking a theatric pose with one arm outstretched and the other holding Prateeksha's hand firmly, then started to sing : "Bachna ai haseenon, lo main aa gaya…husn ka aashiq, husn ka ….lalala….lo mein aa gaya" and came rapidly down the stairs, Prateeksha following in his wake.
Reaching Soniya and Bijoya, he let go of her hand and instead put his arms around the two of them.
"To kaiseen hain duniya ki do sabse haseen Mummy's…aapne mujhe kaise yaad kiya…..bataye mein aap ki kya seva kar sakta hoon" There was no missing the sheer joy in his voice and his eyes.
Soniya smiled indulgently at him while Bijoya and Araina gazed at Prateeksha with a questioning look. Within seconds, they realized that all was well ……Prateeksha turned a pretty shade of pink and glanced down for a minute and then looked to her mother to convey her good news. No words were needed, the look itself was enough. Overjoyed, Bijoya turned her face back towards Shashank and said:
"Achcha beta, ab hum 'haseen' ho gaye……aur tum gayak ban gaye….main bhi to sunoon, aisa kya badal gaya is aadhe ghante mein….."
"Aap log pehle yahan baithiye….." he led them to the sofa and sat them down, then kneeled at Bijoya's feet, with his hands in her lap.
"Maanji, aaj meri saari zindagi badal gayee hai, aur uski wajah to aap jaanti hi hain…."Bijoya nodded and put her hand on his head, blessing him.
By this time Soniya had also caught on and she blurted out:
"To Prateeksha ne haan kar di….achcha, to isliye tum jhoote gaane gaate phir rahe ho"
"Jhoote kahan Aunty, is me koi shaq hai ki aap donon duniya ke most beautiful Mama's hain?" he got up to sit next to her. Soniya smiled and leaned into him for a brief moment.
Araina walked to Prateeksha and giving her a quick hug, said: "Chalo chalo, stop buttering up my Mama's, aur kaam ki baat karo"
"Ab baat kya karni hai, ab to kaam karna hai aur woh bhi bahut jaldi……"
"Kya matlab?" Four pairs of shocked eyes pinned on him….
"Arrey bhai, mera matlab hai ki ab jabki is Prateeksha Maate ne itni mushkil se haan kari hai to shubh karya mein deri kya? Good work in delay what?" he said, wagging his eyebrows comically.
"Maan dekho, mera mazaak uda rahen hain",Prateeksha complained, walking up to sit next to her mother.
"Nahin Maate, aap to mahaan hain, bhala main aapka mazaak kaise uda sakta hoon….main to bas yeh kehne ki koshish kar raha hoon, ki issey pehle ki aap apne kisi aur tyaag ke abhiyan par nikal pade, main apni shaadi karana chahta hoon….." Shashank continued, with his hands folded and head bowed. Everyone, including Prateeksha, burst out in laughter at this and Shashank looked up to smile benignly at all of them.
"Good, to phir yeh tai raha, hum log kal hi mandir mein jaa kar shaadi kar lete hain……" he proclaimed.
"Are you nuts? Itni jaldi…."Araina screeched. Shashank made a face at her, "You stay out of it, I don't like you…"
Before this could descend into a full-fledged fight between the two, Bijoya interrupted:
"Itni jaldi to kuch nahin ho sakta…..beta shaadi byaah aise thodi kiye jaate hain….bahut saari tyyaari karni hogi….Deba aur Shujoy se baat karni hogi….aakhir unki behan ka maamla hai, aur phir beta, tumhare ghar walon se bhi to poochna padega.", Bijoya said in a very serious, yet pleasant tone.
All of a sudden, all the hilarity went out of the room and Shashank got up and walked away from them. There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment and then he turned around to address Bijoya, :
"Maanji, mere gharwalon se kuch nahin poochna hai…..main apne Dad se sab rishtey tod chuka hoon….aur afsos ki baat yeh hai ki na chahte hue bhi Mom ko Dad ka saath dena pad raha hai…isliye unse aur Daadi se bhi milna mushkil hi hoga….."
"Aur Bua?" Prateeksha said in a subdued voice. Shashank turned sharply to look into her eyes…for a moment, both were lost in shared memories of a bitter-sweet evening ….all of a sudden, Shashank's faced was wreathed in smiles again and he exclaimed….
"Arrey haan, unkon main kaise bhool sakta hoon….Maanji aap unse baat kar sakti hain…..wo aapse milkar bahut khush hongi.
"Kaunsi Bua beta, main to unke baare mein kabhi kuch nahin suna?" Soniya asked in a confused tone.
Prateeksha and Shashank looked at each other once again and at his nod, she started to explain:
"Buaji Subhash Sir ki sagi bahen hai jinho ne apni family ki marzi ke khilaf, apne pasand se shaadi ki thi.... ghar se bhag kar, jiski wajah se kafi badnaami hui thi aur Sir ne unse saare rishty tod liye they…..ab unke pati guzar chuke hain aur wo akeli hi rehti hai ek chote se gaon main ….."
"…..Ji , unka naam bhi mere ghar mein nahin liya jaata, Dad ke dar se, lekin main Prateeksha ko unse milane le gaya tha pichli lohri ki raat……" Shashank continued, giving Soniya and Bijoya significant looks. "Prateeksha to nahin maani thi par Buaji ne hamen aashirwaad zaroor diya tha… aur ab jab sab theek ho raha hai, to I'm certain, wo hamari shaadi ko support karengi, balki she will want to be a part of it" he finished in an excited voice.
"To phir theek hai, tum mujhe aur Didi ko unke paas le chalo, hum unse saari baatein kar lenge", Soniya replied and smiled at Bijoya.
But Shashank's mind was working in another direction altogether….he was thinking how wonderful it would be to take Prateeksha back to the cliff and for them to re-witness the sunrise together …. this time it would portend a lifetime of happiness…maybe she would repeat all the sweet words of love that were still echoing in his mind….maybe he would be able to convince her to initiate a ki…..oh, the possibilities were endless……..
The four women in the room were watching, with varying degrees of alarm, the emotions flitting across Shashank's face and the increasingly devilish smile and gleam in his eyes….. So much so, that Prateeksha was forced to give him a strict, get-a-grip-on-yourself look that was thankfully successful in bringing him back to the earth with a thud.
Schooling his features to his best, politest expression, he walked over to Soniya and Bijoya and told them how hard it was to reach his Bua's house, how remote the road was and that it would be be best if Prateeksha and he went there and brought Bua back here to meet them. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Prateeksha was all for this idea and enthusiastically supported his exaggerations about the perils of the journey and the remoteness of the village.
"Haan Maa, aap aaj hi to itna lamba safar kar ke aayee hain, ab wahan kaise jayeega….hum log Buaji ko le aayenge…aap kahan pareshan hongi" Bijoya and Soniya looked at each other and burst out in laughter. "Tum donon hamen bewakoof samajhte ho….yeh kyun nahin kehte ki tumko akele ek doosre ke saath waqt bitana hai….mushkil raasta hai….gaon bahut door hai….." Soniya imitated.
Both Prateeksha and Shashank smiled sheepishly and had the grace to look down at their feet, at being caught thus. No one said anything for a moment and then Bijoya gave them permission to go fetch Buaji, but it came with a price.
"Ek shart par, Araina bhi tumhare saath jaayegi….."
"Haan, yeh idea achcha hai, main bhi to dekhoon raasta kitna mushkil hai…..aur phir itne saalon ke baad mujhe meri Di mili hai, ussey main akele kaise jaane doon? " Araina said eagerly, relishing the chance to tease Shashank and her sister. Those two had no choice but to agree to the condition and Araina pretended not to have heard Shashank's muttered "Tumko to main dekh loonga"
Bijoya stepped up close to Shashank and putting her hand on his arm, continued : "Mujhe tum par poora bharosa hai Beta, tum meri beti ka har haal mein khyaal rakhoge" No one could miss the warning in her gently spoken words, least of all a chastened Shashank who nodded his assent almost automatically. He looked at his would be ma-in-law with new found respect and was left in no doubt where Prateeksha got her strength of character from.
It was decided that they were to leave immediately, in order to be able to make it there by sundown. Prateeksha and Araina went up to pack their overnight bags and Shashank left to get his car ready for the journey.
To be continued……
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