Part 3
Sourav brought his jeep to a stop in front of Kalyani's home.
"Kalyani tumhe jo bhi chahiye le lena aur haan Malhar ke liye bhi change karne ek do set kapde rakh lena bag me..Mai apne liye kuch le aata hun.."
"Haan.. Lekin pehle aap andhar toh aiye, chai peeke phir jaana.."
They both got down and saw the man sitting on the front steps. Looking at each other briefly, they walked towards him.
The tall man with slightly greying hair stood up.
"Kalyani…!!! Kahan gayi thi beta? phone bhi nahi uta rahi thi.."
"Hello Sarthak uncle..", Sourav shook hands with him.
Sarthak looked at Sourav, "Sourav tum Kalyani ke saat? Sab teekh hai?"
"Kaka.. Aap yahan? Ghar pe sab teekh hai...?" Kalyani asked him back.
He turned his head back towards her, "Mai dekhne aaya ki tum teekh ho ya nahi.. Malhar bhi kaam se bahar hai.."
"Mai bilkul teekh hun Kaka.."
"Toh phir apna phone kyun nahi uta rahi thi? Pata hai Atul bhi bohot pareshan ho gaya.. Usne bhi mujhe phone kiya tha.. Kal raat se tumhara phone try kar rahen hai hum, lekin tumne utaya nahi.."
"Sorry Kaka, woh mai kal shaam ko hospital jaane ke hadbadi me apna phone ghar pe hi bhool gayi.."
"Hospital? Kalyani kya hua hai? Tumhari tabiyat kharab hai kya? Ya phir koi aur pareshani..? Mujhe bula liya hota... Mai le jaata tumhe doctor ke paas.."
"Mujhe kuch nahi hua hai Kaka..", she held the older man's hand, "Malhar hospital me hai.."
"Malhar..!! Kya hua hai Malhar ko? woh teekh toh hai na?"
"Kaka aap pehle andhar chaliye, mai hum sab ke liye chai banati hun aur Sourav aapko sab batayenge..", she walked ahead and opened the door.
While making the tea, she called her father and told him everything.
"Mai abhi wahan aa raha hun… Malhar ko milne.. Teekh ho jayega woh.. Kuch nahi hoga use..", Atul's voice conveyed his distress.
"Papa..!! Papa..!! Meri baat suniye. Malhar jaldi teekh ho jayenge.. Abhi aap mat aaiye. Ek baar woh ghar wapas aa jaaye tab aake mil lijiye…"
"Aur tab tak..? Nahi..!! Nahi..!! Mujhe chain nahi hoga.. Mai shaam tak wahan pohonch jaunga.. Tum hospital ka address bhej do mujhe.."
"Papa.. Please..!! Meri baat maan lijiye.. Aap stress mat lijiye.. Iss wakt agar aap bimar pad gaye na toh mai kisko dekhungi..Akele mai donon ko nahi sambhal sakti.. Isliye aap ghar pe hi rahiye. Malhar ko hosh aate hi mai aapse baat karwati hun…"
Atul calmed down a bit, "Teekh hai.. Tum bhi khayal rakhna.. Aur phone apne paas rakhna.."
Kalyani set the tray of tea on the centre table and saw Sarthak wiping his eyes.
Sarthak looked down, meddling with his fingers, "Pata nahi bhagwaan aur kitni pareeksha lenge mere bachon ka.. Sab meri galti hai.. Mai zindagi bhar kuch nahi kar saka.. Kuch nahi kar saka.. Isi wajah se ye saza mil rahi hai mujhe.. Ek beta toh pehle hi…", he choked before continuing, "aur ab dusre bete ki bhi ye haalat.."
Sourav gave a gentle squeeze to his shoulder, "Sarthak uncle, Malhar ko hosh aa jayega.. Aap bhi hamare saat chaliye use milne.."
He turned to Kalyani and asked them to be ready with all that they needed and he would pick them up in another hour.
Kalyani kept the essentials she would need in a small bag and then went to Malhar's room.
In the few months that they had been here, this was the first time she was stepping into the room.
The room was clean and smelled fresh as he had paid their Bai in advance for the time he wouldn't be here.
Kalyani opened his cupboard. His clothes were neatly folded, a few of them were on hangers. She ran her fingers on the clothes and picked one t-shirt out, hugging it close to her chest.
Looking at the time, she hurriedly packed some soft and comfortable t-shirts, track pants and under garments. While doing so she felt as though she was invading his privacy.
Aisa kyun soch rahi hun.. Ye pehla step hai hamare beech ki dooriyon ko mitane ka..
She zipped up the bag and was about to close the wardrobe back when her eyes fell on a photo frame and a gift box below it.
Picking up the photo frame, she saw a little boy with his parents. She recognised Malhar's dad from the photo she had seen at Sarthak Kaka's study room. She thought to herself that it might be his mother beside and the little boy would be him.
Aww kitne cute hai.. She playfully tapped on his picture and looked at his dimpled smile, a smile that brightened his face and reached his eyes.
She had never in these 6 months seen him smiling that way.
Or had she?? Yes of course..!! That afternoon when she had gone to meet her father…!!
Kalyani hadn't met her dad for two whole weeks. She'd been really busy at work, having to work weekends too. She'd just been calling him up to ask about his health.
She was glad that Raghav was there to take care of her dad and he wasn't left alone at home after her marriage.
That Saturday, though she had been working, she had finished her work a by early afternoon and had taken a cab to meet her dad.
After an exhausting two and half hour drive she entered her home. She tiptoed inside wanting to give her dad a surprise.
She could hear the laughter of men and at the same time the aroma from the kitchen also hit her nostrils.
If Raghav was inside the kitchen, who else was here..!!
Her dad sounded so happy, cheery and childish.
"Are mera turn tha, tumne apna sikka kyun hilaya uski jagah se.."
"Baba.. Aapka dhyan game pe nahi hai.. kitchen me se jo khushbu aa rahi hai usime hai.. Ye mera hi turn tha.."
Kalyani peeped into the room and saw Malhar and her father playing a game of chess. She quickly pulled herself back before they saw her.
"Acha.. Acha..!! Ye chodo aur chalo jaake dekhte hain ye Raghav itna der kyun laga raha hai.."
"Koi zaroorat nahi hai…khana bante hi woh hume awaaz dega.. Tab tak aap thoda aaram kar lijiye, mai ye chess board hata deta hun.."
Kalyani stood like a statue, seeing her father and Malhar behaving as though they were long lost friends.
Atul rested his head on the pillows and Malhar massaged his feet.
"Khana tayyar hai Bhaiya..", Raghav called out
She silenced Raghav who had come out to set the dining table and seen her, with a finger to her lips and quietly hidden herself behind the store room door from where she could see and hear them chattering and having an early dinner.
"Batao.. Chandi mata kaisi hai..?", Atul asked and Kalyani immediately understood he was asking about her.
"Baba.. Aapki beti hai woh.. Aise nahi bolte.. Waise bhi bechari bohot thaki hui lag rahi thi.. IT ka kaam hi aisa hai…"
"Itni thaki lag rahi thi toh tum thoda use bhi aisa ek massage kyun nahi de dete..kitna aaram mila.. Ek kaam karo.. Tel leke uske sar pe champi kar do.. Garam matha thoda thanda hoga..aur shayad uski akal kaam karne lagegi.... apne pati ko thoda bhaav dene lagegi..thoda pyaar karegi.. ", he twisted his lips and winked at him.
Kalyani couldn't believe her ears !! Her father was teasing Malhar..!!
Malhar's ears turned red, "Baba aap kaise baatein kar rahe hain.. Kalyani mujhe apna pati toh kya dost bhi nahi maanti…aur aap ye baat jaante hain.. Mai apne aapko uspar kabhi nahi thop sakta..."
"Uske dimaag me gobar jo bhara hua hai.. "
"Baba.."
"Kya Baba..?? Isiliye toh heere ko pehchan nahi paa rahi hai.. Man toh karta hai uske khopdi ko hila hila kar…."
"Please Baba… Aap Kalyani ko majboor nahi karenge…waise bhi use ye shaadi majboori me apne marzi ke khilaaf karni padi.. Mai kabhi nahi chahunga ki woh mujhe apnane keliye majboor ho jaye.."
"Malhar.. Tum kya keh rahe ho.. Zindagi aise ek chat ke neeche ajnabee bankar nahi kaati jaati… Use mai samjhaunga toh woh dekh payegi ki uska gussa kitna bekaar hai.. woh kaise insaan ko tukra rahi hai.. Apne ache kismat ko tukra rahi hai…Are pata toh chale use ki agar mai dundkar bhi le aata na toh itna acha pati uske liye nahi la paata.. Damaad nahi beta mila hai mujhe…"
"Nahi Baba.. Agar aap sach me mujhe beta maante hain toh aap Kalyani se iss baare me baat nahi karenge.. Use majboor nahi karenge…"
"Tum bhi us din shaadi karne nahi aaye the.. Lekin tumne use apne zindagi me shaamil kiya hai na Malhar… use patni maante ho na..?"
Malhar didn't answer and just stared at his hands.
"Nazren mat churao…Mai jaanta hun…Mujhe dekhkar batao.. Kya tum Kalyani ke saat jeena nahi chahte..?"
When Malhar had looked up and spoken, Kalyani could feel the emotions laced in his voice.
"Mai kya chahta hun uski koi parwah nahi hai mujhe..Kalyani jo chahti hai wahi mayne rakhte hain… Uske bhi koi sapne rahe honge.. Mai nahi chahta ki woh mere saat ek samjhaute ki zindagi jeeye.."
"Kya matlab?"
"Aap apne beti ko samajhiye…Uske sapnon ka rajkumar mai nahi hun.. Jab use uske man pasand ka insaan mil jayega na, toh mai unke jeevan ka kaanta nahi banunga…"
"Kash.. Kash.. Meri bachi…"
"Bas Baba.. Ab ye topic aur nahi baat karenge hum.."
Kalyani hadn't been able to stand there further. She had quietly signalled Raghav, slipped out of the back door and jumped from the compound wall without opening the gate. Hailing a taxi, she had left for home, her mind replaying what she'd seen and heard.
"Kalyani.. Chalo beta, Sourav aa gaya hai.."
"Haan Kaka, bas paanch minute.."
She quickly kept back the photo frame. She wanted to open the box but it would take time so, she opened the card which was stuck on top of it.
It read, "Happy Birthday Kalyani..!! Tumhari pehli birthday hai iss ghar me.. Pata hai tumhe shayad kabhi ye gift de nahi paunga, phir bhi tumhare iss special din pe khali haat toh nahi aa sakta… Mai chahta hun ki tumhe har khushi mile.. Happy Birthday..!!"
All three arrived at the hospital and met the doctor who said, Malhar had woken up once but was still weak and was on IVs.
They had shifted him to a private room and the three of them were sitting on chairs when Malhar slowly opened his eyes.
"Malhar..", Sarthak went to his bedside and brushed his hair.
"Ka.. Ka.."
Malhar saw Sourav on the other side and then his eyes fell on Kalyani who was standing at the foot end.
Was she really here? Or was it his imagination..?
He still felt drowsy and knew that his sedation had not worn off fully.
May be he was hallucinating...!!
She moved towards his bed side and his eyes followed her movements. She took his hand in hers and brushed his knuckles with her soft fingers.
Malhar was sure that he was dreaming and his eyes drooped once more.
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