The Call
Another normal day wherein the officer reached home after a tiring day. What was not so normal was that her newly wed husband had been sent off to another corner of the country for a case. As she freshened up, her best friend called her up.
Shree: hi! Ri!
Riya: hello! Bolo! What's up?
Shree: kuch khaas nahi, ceiling hai, lekin uski bhi papdi nikal rahi hai, damn! I need to get my house repainted. Par ye duty ke chakkar mein ghar par hota hi nahi hun, toh kaise karwaunga? Kabhi- kabhi itni irritation hoti haina ki puch mat...(suddenly) are nahi! Main bhi kya? Jis dulhan ki mehndi ka rang bhi na utra ho aur uska pati ghar mein na ho toh irritation ka level hi alag hota hai?? Nahi? Waise main soch raha tha...
Riya was all the time rolling her eyes her from across the phone: Shree!
Shree: ha bolna
Riya(factually): Ladki main hu! Drama mujhe karna chahiye! Bina saamne waali ki baat sune bak-bak mujhe karna chahiye! Samjhe ya Samjhau?
Shree: oho...ab tu Arjun sir ka dialogue bhi use karne lagi...bichare Arjun sir! Soch rahe honge ki pyaar aur shaadi toh theek hai, par ab ghar, khaana, peena, bed, kamra sab share karna padega lekin tu toh dialogue bhi share karne lag gayi. Aur hasne lagta hai
Riya: Shree aaj tera iraada mere haath ki maar khaane ka hai kya?
Shree: are nahi re, aaj meri aur Chotu ki party hai, woh mujhe (happily) Pav Bhaaji khilaane waala hai!!!
Riya: ye acha hai tum dono ka, mujhe bhul gaye?
Shree: are yaar, aisa thodi hai? Bas teri shaadi ho gayi na toh main 24/7 toh tujhe nahi pakka sakta, aur tujhe sir ke saath share karna padega na toh maine aur Chotu ne decide kiya ki hum isi baat ke maatam mein aaj celeberation karenge
Riya: maatam mein celeberation karenge? Waah!
Shree hasta hai: waise ye toh bata ki tere pujya pati dev ki koi khabar aayi?
Riya: are kaha yaar? Call karne se dar lagta hai, toh message karke chodti hun,(annoyed) par dopaher se koi reply nahi aaya
Shree: hmm...tu chinta mat kar re, Rathore sir bhi haina unke saath
Riya: ha mujhe pata hai, aur it's not just like chinta par
Shree(teasing): par? Par kya?
Riya(sadly): mujhe unki yaad aa rahi hai yaar aur kya?
Shree: Ri, woh Arjun sir hai like The ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte, ye aise chote mote case solve karna toh unke baay haath ka khel hai, jaldi aa jaayenge
Riya smile karti hai: hmm, acha chal kal baat karenge mujhe ghar ka kaam nipatna hai
Shree: seedhe seedhe bolna safayi karni hai
Riya: ha toh tu samaj gaya na...ab rakh!
Shree haste hue phone kat deta hai. Riya apne kaam mein lag jaati hai. Woh pure ghar ki safayi kar deti hai. Simultaneously ek light dinner banakar kha bhi leti hai. Tabhi achanak uska phone bajta hai.
Riya ki dhadkan tez ho jaati hai mv "kahi Arjun toh nahi?
Woh almost bhagkar phone uthane jaati hai aur uska andaaza sahi nikalta hai. Woh khush hokar call pick karti hai.
Riya: Arjun!!!!
Arjun uski khushi mehsoos karke muskurata hai: kaisi ho?
Riya: bahot buri
Arjun(worried): kyun? Kya ho gaya?
Riya: kya hua? Aapko kitne messages kiye maine, ek ka bhi reply nahi kiya aapne, aur phone bhi ab kar rahe hai, ab jaakar yaad aayi aapko meri?
Arjun: are shona break toh lagao! Kaam mein tha isliye nahi baat kar paaya
Riya: acha? Ek message karne mein aapka kitna time waste hota hai ACP saahab?
Arjun: Riyu, field par tha
Riya: acha toh waise boliye na, mujhe kaise pata chalega?
Arjun: chalo woh sab chodo, din kaisa tha tumhara?
Riya: bahot thak gayi, aap aur Rathore sir nahi hote ho toh bilcul kaam nahi hota
Arjun(confused): fir bhi thak gayi?
Riya(innocently): ha! Hum sab baithe-baithe masti kar rahe the
Arjun: ye acha hai tum logon ka, yaha humari band baji hui hai aur tum log aish kar rahe ho
Riya(surprised): aap gussa nahi ho?
Arjun: nahi toh, main Rathore thodi hu
Riya: acha ji? Aapko zara yaad dila du main dono mein se zyaada khadoos aap ho
Arjun: acha toh phir mujhse shaadi kyun ki?
Riya: kya karti? Pyaar ho gaya toh karni padi
Arjun: oho aisa hai
Riya: ha toh? Warna mujhe kya? Mujhe shaadi-waadi mein koi interest nahi hai
Arjun: toh phir pyaar kyun kiya?
Riya: ab ho gaya na
Arjun: uhu...mujhe toh jawaab chahiye
Riya haar jaati hai: Arjun!
Arjun: bolo jaan...
Achanak woh cough karta hai, uski saansein thodi tez ho jaati hai aur Riya ghabra jaati hai
Riya: Arjun kya hua? Aap theek toh hai
Arjun(control karke): ha...ha main theek hun, woh...main...khaana kha raha tha toh..(cough) isliye
Riya: oho Arjun aap bhi na! aap kha lijiye hum baad mein baat karenge
Arjun thoda hyper ho jaata hai: are nahi!! Ruko!!!
Riya: kya?
Arjun: baat karo na mujhse
Riya smile karti hai: Arjun main yahi toh hun, aap kha lijiye pehle, hum baad mein...
Arjun(stubbornly): nahi! Baad mein nahi!! Abhi!!! Warna...warna main khaunga hi nahi
Riya: Arjun ye kaisi zid hai?
Arjun: jo bhi ho!
Riya ko ajeeb lagta hai: Arjun sab theek haina?
Arjun: ha Riyu, sab theek hai subah bhi tumse theek se baat nahi hui, tumhari awaaz sune bagair acha nahi lagta
Riya disbelief mein sar hilati hai: kya karu main aapka mujhe samaj mein nahi aata
Arjun hasta hai: are bachpan mein mummy-papa mera kuch nahi kar sake, toh ab itne saal baad tum kya kar logi?
Riya(annoyed): wahi toh samaj mein nahi aa raha!!!!!
Arjun: ab usmein main kuch nahi kar sakta, tumhari problem hai
Riya betrayed feel deti hai: matlab aap...aap meri madad nahi karoge?
Arjun: Riyu tumhara ye emotional blackmail na tum apne paas hi rakho!
Riya: acha theek hai, (excitedly) woh sab chodiye! Aapke case ka kya hua? Mujrim ke baare mein kuch pata chala?
Arjun hesitate karta hai: ha...
Riya(happily): matlab aap waapis aa rahe hai right?
Arjun: ha main jald hi waapis aaunga...tumhare paas
Riya ekdum khush ho jaati hai: kab aa rahe hai aap?
Arjun: kal subah
Riya excitement ke maare cheekhti hai: REAALY?!?!? Aap Sach Keh Rahe Hai?
Arjun smile karta hai: ha Riyu
Riya: hey bhagwan aapka laakh-laakh shukar hai! Aapko pata hai main aapko kitna miss kar rahi thi? Aapke bina dil hi nahi lagta tha, aap bas jaldi jaldi waapis aayiye, mujhse toh wait hi nahi ho raha!!! Oh god! Ye raat kab khatam hogi? Subah kab hogi?
Arjun: dono apne samay par ho jaayenge
Riya: kya Arjun? Main itna uchal rahi hun aur aap itna pheeka jawab de rahe ho? (sadly) aapko meri yaad nahi aayi?
Arjun: aisa kabhi ho sakta hai kya? Main toh apni aakhri saans mein bhi tumhe hi yaad karunga
Riya smile karti hai: bas-bas abhi, zyaada emotional mat hoyiye, ye mera kaam hai.
Arjun: toh tum hi bolo, kya kahu? Kya sunna chahti ho?
Riya (sochte hue): ummm...
Arjun: Riya!
Riya: hmm?
Arjun: aaj hi bolna hai...isi janam mein
Riya: are soch rahi huna...rukiye! Umm...thodi shayari ho jaaye?
Arjun(shocked): shayari?!?! Main?
Riya: ha...choti si...do line bhi chalegi
Arjun(sochte hue) : okay...umm...wafa ki hai tumse, logon se bewafa hokar. Jaana hai tumhe, duniya se anjaan hokar. Saath tumhare rahenge, saanson se bhi ruswaa hokar.
Riya blush karti hai: goodness Arjun! That was so sweet!
Arjun: your welcome
Riya: I Love You
Arjun: I Love you too Riya...so much! Man toh karta hai ki kabhi bhi tumhara chehra mere nazro ke saamne se na hate, bas din bhar tumhari awaaz sunta rahu
Riya: kya baat hai? Kuch zyaada hi pyaar umad raha hai aaj?
Arjun: umadta toh humesha hai bas aaj majburi hai
Riya(confused): matlab?
Arjun cover karta hai: matlab ye ki naraaz biwi ko manana haina
Riya smile karti hai: main naraaz nahi hun aapse Arjun, ache se jaanti hun ki aapki duty aapke liye kya maayne rakhti hai aur ye bhi jaanti hun ki aap mujhse bahot pyaar karte hai aur kabhi bhi mera dil nahi dukhayenge
Arjun ka dil bhar jaata hai, usse aur control nahi hota: acha...woh Sameer bula raha hai, rakhta hun
Riya: hmm...aur main aapka kal besabri se intezaar karungi
Arjun: good night Riya! your smile always brings me light
Riya(blushing): good night!
Next day-
Riya bahot khush hai. Woh jaldi uthkar ready hoti hai. Arjun ghar aanewaala hai is soch se woh uchal rahi hai. Woh wardrobe ke saamne khade hokar confuse ho jaati hai. Bahot mehnat karne ke baad ek red and white floral saari choose karti hai. Use pehan kar mirror ke saamne jaati hai.
Riya ek-ek karke shringar karti hai. Pehle chudiyaan, chota sa pendant, long earrings, paayal... aankhon mein kaajal lagakar woh maathe par bindi lagati hai. Sindoor se uski maang sajti hai. Riya baal khule rakhkar mirror mein dekthi hai. Uski mehndi abhi tak utri nahi isliye woh almost dulhan ki tarah hi lag rahi hai.
Uski nazar unki shaadi ki frame par padti hai. Riya apni wedding ring ko kiss karke Arjun ki raah dekhti hai. Woh baar-baar ghadi check karti hai, aur utni hi baar darwaaze ki taraf mudkar dekhti hai. Usse sabar nahi ho raha hai. Bas Arjun ke aate hi uski baahon mein jaane ka man kar raha hai. Par woh kambakht aa hi nahi raha. Finally! Bell bajti hai.
Riya enthusiastically darwaaza kholti hai: Arju...! (Aur ruk jaati hai) are Rathore sir aap? (embarrassed) aayiye na
Riya ko saja hua dekhkar Rathore ke dil ka bojh badh jaata hai: nahi Riya...tum baahar aao
Rathore ki haalat bahot buri lag rahi thi. Riya tensed hoti hai.
Riya: kya hua sir? Aap...
Rathore(sternly): Riya please! (control karke) I'm sorry...tum...tum please baahar aao
Riya: Arjun kaha hai sir?
Rathore: Riya sawaal mat karo! Just do as I say!!
Riya ab bina sawaal kiye obey karti hai. Woh veranda ke baahar aati hai tab use dikhayi deta hai... Lawn mein...coffin mein...Arjun ki body hai.
Riya bas ek tak use dekh rahi hai. Na kuch bolti hai, na kuch karti hai.
Rathore uske paas khada hokar kehta hai: hum field par the, mujrim toh pakda gaya par ek admi zinda tha, usne marte waqt Arjun par goli chala di...(cracked) it was fatal, blood bahot tezi se beh raha tha. Hum use hospital le jaa rahe the par hum dono jaante the ki...(holding back a sob) he wanted to talk to you...par usne tumhe kuch bataya nahi...maine usse pucha bhi lekin usne kaha ki woh aakhri...aakhri baar tumse khushi se baat karna chahta tha...tumhari...tumhari awaaz mein tumhari...muskaan ko mehsoos karna chahta tha
Riya ke man mein Arjun ki baatein repeat hoti hai
"baat karo na mujhse
"nahi! Baad mein nahi!! Abhi!!!
"Kya sunna chahti ho?
"aaj hi bolna hai...isi janam mein
"umadta toh humesha hai bas aaj majburi hai
"your smile always brings me light
Tears start streaming down her eyes. Her legs suddenly give away as she falls on her husband's body and starts crying uncontrollably...
The End
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