Chapter 17

Chapter17 – The Past

“To aur kya karte hum. Itni salo ki mehnat par pani firne dete. Humne itne saal Rishab ka saath diya taki uska paisa property sab hamare paas rahe aur achanak se tum aakar chin lo yeh hume bardaast nahin tha. Basus ne uski maa ke saath jo kuch bhi kiya, hamari behen ke saath jo kuch bhi kiya sab kuch bhul kar who tumhe le aya is ghar main. Apne aasu apni maa ke aasu sab kuch bhul gaya who. Isliye kiya humne yeh sab. Par ab nahin jab hum Rishab ko batayenge ki tum hum pe inzalim laga rahi hoon tab kya hoga, jab hum use batayenge ki tum basu bari main apne aashiq ke saath kya kya kar rahin hoon, tab”

“Bas Maasi. Jaiye jaiye na abhi chal kar bataye Mr bajaj aapki baat ka vishwas karenge kyun nahin karenge, par Rishab nahin karenge. Hamare rishte main aur kuch ho na ho vishwas aur respect jaroor hain jo main tutne nahin dungi. Dusri baat who meri baat shayad na mane ki aapne yeh sab kuch kiya hain par aapki baat to manege na” and with that Prerna played the whole recording of their talk. “To ab main aapko do option deti hoon ya to chup chap apna samaan bandhiye aur Tanvi ko lekar wapis London jaiye. Festival pe kukki aur Mr bajaj ko zaroor call kijiyega. Aur ya to jail me. I think you have made your decision. Aapki flight details Mr mehra bhej denge aapko”

Maasi left from there fuming but still the words of maasi regarding Rishab mother wouldn’t leave her. There was only one person she could think about asking. Moloy basu was getting better and he could talk small bits here and there. He blessed her and put his hand on her head.

“Mujhe aapse kuch puchna hain kaka Babu. Kya hua tha aapke aur Mr bajaj ke beech main, aisa kya hua tha unki maa ke saath. Main jaanti hoon aap jyada bol nahin sakte phir bhi agar aap kuch mujhe bata sake.” He signalled towards a pen and scribbled a name – “Kalyani Bajaj Mukherjee”.

Mohini Basu was hearing all this from outside and couldn’t believe her ears. Bajaj was Kalyani son. Mohini felt his legs are not there anymore. Wow that Bajaj is Kalyani son. This would be so amazing to humiliate him. The great Mr Bajaj is the son of a convicted murderer.Now I will meet him.

“Sir,Mrs Mohini Basu aayi hain aapse milne?”

“What?Aane dijiye unhe.”

“Hello Mr Bajaj or should I say Rishab Bajaj Mukherjee.”

“I guess congratulations. Mr Moloy Basu theek ho gaye kyunki unke alawa yeh baat koi nahin janta tha main kaun hoon”

“Good aur ab mai tumhari izzat utarongi. Puri duniya ke samne bataongi ki tumhari maa kaun thi. Ek convicted murderer jisne apne hi pati ka khoon kar diya tha. Socho kya kahenge log inke bare main”

“Kuch nahin Mere liye yeh sirf ek stupid si gossip hogi you will actually help me with some good hype. Or I would just play the sympathy card jaise aap log play karte hain har bar. Duniya ki aadat hain ugate sooraj ko salam karne ki aur ise bhi log meri next success ko yaad karke bhul jayenge.”

“I must say kafi kuch sikh gaye ho tum”

“Jab teacher aap jaise hoon to kaise nahin sikhunga, logo ko fayda kaise uthaya jata hain, unki majboori ka fayda kaise uthaya jata hain”

“Really Rishab really you want to ride the high horse on this one. Maine sirf situation ko apne according use kiya. Aur agar maine aise kiya bhi maine apne bacho ke liye kiya apne parivaar ke liye kiya. Waise I should be happy ki tum bilkul hamari tarah ban gaye. Kya fark hain jo maine kiya aur jo tumne kiya usme. "

"Mujhe apne aap se compare karke mujhe gali mat dijiye."

"Tumne bhi to wahi kiya na Prerna ke saath, tumhari maa ko jail se chodane ke badle main maine unke samne ek deal rakhi aur Tumne Anurag ko bachane ke liye Prerna ke samne tumne. Kya difference hain”

“Get out!! I said Get out right now. Out”

“chilayo mat and you are finished.”

Prerna came home that day late from Sharma Niwas and Kukki was already asleep. She found Mr Bajaj drunk. She quietly moved Kukki to her room and closed the doors. She had seen Mr Bajaj drink but he was very drunk today.

“MrBajaj kuch hua hain kyaa? Why are you drinking so much. Kukki dekh leti aapko.”

He was holding the ring and caressing it. She wanted to ask if there was some problem in the office but even when Anurag had taken over the house, he was not like that. He doesn’t do this for work issues.Then what might have happenend.

“Please leave me alone for some time.”

But Prerna didn’t Budge “I said leave me alone for some time. Please”and broke the glass that he was holding.

In complete anger Prerna left from there. She went to her room, changed and make sure Kukki was asleep. She called mr Merha to ask if something happened in office and he said that Mohini Basu came but he didn’t know what they talked. Sleep completely left Prerna after this and with much more anger then before she came downstairs and saw he was more drunk than ever.

“Alright that’s enough. Bas. Chup chap upar chaliye. Chodiye isse. Mr Bajaj please. Aapki tabiyat kharab ho jayegi. Mr Bajaj please"

"Aapko ek baar main kahi hui baat samajh kyun nahin aati hain. Please leave me alone"

"Aapko kasam hain meri agar aapne ek aur sip liya usme se. Chodiye chodiye ise Chaliye chaliye yahan se.” She brought him to their bedroom with much difficulty and he was completely out in 5 mins.

In the morning, Rishab woke up with a very bad headache as soon as he woke up and remembered what had happened last night. Just then Prerna came in with some medicine and coffee and gave it to him. He took without speaking anything and just as she was about to leave asked“Kukki?”

“School gayi. Kuch dekha nahin usne. Par agli bar mujhe apni beti ke samne tamasha nahin chahiye”

Rishab was moving towards the washroom when she asked again – “Kaki ma kyun aayi thi aapke office main?”

“Don’t worry main basus ko kuch nahin karonga aapko promise kiya hain. Aur aapki beti ke samne bhi aaj ke baad koi tamasha nahin hoga.”

“Mujhe aapki fikar hain. Itne dino maine aapko aise kabhi nahin dekha no matter kitni badi problem hoon.”

“koi zaroorat nain hain mujhe apna dhyan rakhne ki aadat hain Hamesha khud rakhta aaya hoon aage bhi rakh lunga.”

“Aapko hogi aadat mujhe mere apno ka khayal rakhne ki aadat hain, so please make sure this doesn’t happen again” and she left the room

Rishab left the office after sometime. While Kukki was in school Prerna started searching about the name she found. Kalyani Mukherjee one of the first female journalist who was married to the editor and owner of Prabhat naya Savera. It was the main competitor of Basu Publications. She had one son by the name of Rishab. Then there was nothing just a news that 10 year old boy was found near his fathers body soaked in bath tub. His mother was prosecuted for murdering her own husband and was sent to jail where she commited suicide after 2 years. Then there was nothing about Prabhat Naya Savera or where the family went nothing nothing at all.

“In sab main Kakki maa aur kaka babu kaha hain aur Mr bajaj unse itni nafrat kyun karte hain.”

Prerna’s mind was going through so many things that she wanted to ask Rishab but somehow Rishab was always late from office and some days he didn’t even come home. It was almost 4 weeks since they had moved into this house and Mr Bajaj was most of the time at the office.Whenever he did come he felt distant. He still took care of everyone and everything and he was still the loving self with Kukki. He never tried to be too forward with her but she always felt a warmth in his presence which was missing. Kukki showered her with all the love but they sometimes now didn't include her in things that they did before.

Mr bajaj knew that he had to let Prerna go and what he had promised to kukki but he kept making excuses to himself, let kukki get better,let the whole fiasco of cases die down and then he will. How was he supposed to let her go. It was getting more difficult for him as now Prerna was getting more and more open towards him. He tried not to talk much to her but she would keep chattering regarding her checkup,regarding what Kukki did new almost as if she wanted to include him and that is why he had started staying in office more and more.

“MrMehra Mr bajaj ko phone dijye abhi.”

“Mam ap to jaanti hain itni problems ke baad sab kuch sort hua hain. Ek bahut bada takeover hain mam isliye bas sir.”

“Kukki chalo. Papa ke paas office”

Prerna reached office and found them in a meeting. She waited and when she couldn’t wait for any longer, she went straight into conferenceroom.

“Gentleman I think it is time for lunch. Please.” They all left – “aap khud cabin main chalenge ya main Kukki ko yahan bulao.”

Kukki and Mr bajaj were estatic to see each other and she started feeding to her father and he fed her but unlike last time they didn’tinclude prerna in this and Prerna had that pang of hurt in her heart.They were about to leave when Mr bajaj said

“Office mat aayega. Main ghar aa jaongo. I Promise."

"Main nahin aati par Kukki miss karti hain aapko aur m...Itne saal apne wait kiya uske bolne ka ab jab woh bol sakti hain to usse dur kyun rehte hain aap. Agar meri wajah se hain to please"

"Nahin aisa kuch nahin hain. Aapki appointment hai kal ki doctor ki"

"Mujhe yaad hain. Aap aayenge?"

“hmm”and he left and Prerna was speechless

Chapter 18 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5160456?pn=21&pc=153253013