EPISODE-25

 

 

"Naina... Keep out of it." Rajveer commanded her.

"Sorry Raj...but I don't think I can."

"Naina tum.... Neeti samjha ise."

She finally looked up from the map.

"Kya samjhaoon? I think woh bilkul theek keh rahi hai. It's a very dangerous mission aur mujhe bhi nahin lagta ki tumhein akele jaana chahiye."

"What??" Rajveer was taken aback on hearing this. Alekh looked at Neetika and Naina in disbelief and sank down in his chair.

"Neetu atleast you talk sense."Alekh said.

"Kyun kya galat kaha hai Neetika aur maine?"

"Listen Naina I really don't want to get into an argument with you....so atleast let US not discuss it."

"Alekh I don't care...bas Raj akela nahin jaayega."

"Alright...to according to you kaun jayega uske saath? I can't....mera yahan rehna zaroori hai to co-ordinate things aur..."

"I will go." Neetika interrupted.

 

"What? Neeti tum kahin nahin jaa rahi ho...Do you get it?"

"Kyun Raj...Tumhari tarah main bhi ek trained soldier hoon and I am not scared of problems or challenges."

"I know that but you are definitely not going and we are not discussing it beyond this."

"You are right Raj...we are not discussing it beyond this....because I am coming with you."

"Neetika..."

"Neeti Raj is right...Tumhe is condition mein nahin jaana chahiye."Naina stopped Rajveer in between.

"What condition?" Alekh asked getting up from his chair. He looked concerned and confused. Even Rajveer and Neetika were shocked.

"I am sorry..... but I heard you guys that night."Neetika and Rajveer looked at each other in disillusionment. Rajveer was now able to figure out the reason for the sudden change in Naina's behavior.

"Can any one tell me what's happening here? Neetu what is it all about?"Some unknown apprehensions were cropping inside Alekh...He was somewhat scared and he wanted to know what exactly was Naina talking about.

"Neetika speak up...what is it?"

"Neetika is pregnant." Rajveer answered for her.

"What?" Alekh was shocked to hear that. He could see tears in her eyes that she was trying trying to hide. He pulled her closer and hugged her.... A warm brotherly hug was something that Neetika really needed.She broke down into tears.All of them stood their quietly....without a word. It took some time for Neetika to get a grip over herself.Suddenly something flashed in Alekh's mind.

 

"Wait a minute. Naina what are you upto?"He gave her a hard stare.He looked somewhat infuriated at her. Naina lowered her eyes and tried to summon up the courage to speak. She could see Alekh getting angry and it was getting difficult for her to answer him.Alekh took a deep breath and tried to calm down.He went to Naina and kept his hands over her shoulder and softly said, "Naina please tell me you are not trying to say what I am thinking you are."

She looked at him and finally answered.

"I know you are not gonna agree with me on this ever but.....yes you are right."

"Have you lost it or what? Listen to me very carefully Naina tum...Raj maine kaha tha keep her out of this.....Delhi bhej do ise but ...."

"Alekh relax...What are you two talking about? Naina... what is it?"

Naina and Alekh kept staring at each other but none of them said anything.Finally Alekh turned to Rajveer who was still waiting for the answer.

"Raj...According to her you should not go alone. Main jaa nahin sakta kyunki mera yahan rehna zyada zaroori hai, Neetika isn't in a condition to go....to ab yahan bacha kaun?"

 

"Naina tell me you don't really mean that."Rajveer freaked out completely as he understood the situation.

"Raj I want to come with you."

"Naina don't even think about it."Neetika also agreed with Rajveer and Alekh.

"Neetika please..."

"JUST SHUT UP!!!You are not speaking even a single word after it...Do you understand that?"Rajveer shouted at her. "Bevkoofi ki bhi hadh hoti Naina....lekin tumne....I am not going on a picnic jahan tumhein apne saath le ke jaaon main."

Naina could not bear Rajveer shouting at her.Tears started flowing out of her eyes and she ran out of the room slamming the door behind.

"Raj...calm down. Main baat karta hoon usse."

"Nahin Alekh...not you."

"Realx Neetu...I'll handle her."

 

************

 

Alekh found Naina sitting all alone...she was weeping.Alekh sat next to her.As Naina looked up he saw her face drenched with tears.He took out her handkerchief and handed it to her.

"Thanks."

"It's Okay.Waise Naina Raj ne tumhein thoda daant diya to tumhari yeh haalat hai....tumhein seriously lagta hai ki tum sach mein saari problems face kar paaogi.Naina I don't mean to offend you but I really want to know."

"Aisa kuch nahin hai.... woh to bas...You shout at me and I can shout back at you with double volume but Raj...Tumhein pata hai aaj tak Raj ne kabhi bhi mujhse is tarah se baat nhin ki hai."

Alekh saw tears rolling down her cheeks again but this time a mysterious smile came on his face.

 

"Naina zid chod do."

"Certainly not."

"Naina atleast think about your parents. Navin ka pehle hi kuch pata nahin hai aur uske baad...God Forbid...But tumhein kuch ho gaya to. And then you are not even a trained soldier."

"Alekh life mein har cheez ki training lene ki zaroorat nahin hoti hai.Kuch cheezein life khud sikha deti hai."

Alekh, for a moment, was speechless.She had said a very big fact and that too so easily.For once he even felt like telling her "I am proud of you."But he can't....he couldn't have. He just kept staring at her.

"Naina I hope you realize ki agar tum Raj ke saath chali bhi gayi to you can turn out to be a big responsibility and may be a liability as well.I don't mean to offend you but let's be practical."

"Fine...let's be practical then. I agree ki I may prove to be a liability but yeh zaroori to nahin hai na.I may not be."

Both of them turned their faces.They knew there was no point explaining anything to the other.But after a pause Naina made one last attempt.

"Alekh why don't you understand...Bhaiyya ke baad main nahin chahti ki Raj ko bhi kuch ho jaaye.I don't know if I can do anything for him but....Ek se bhale Do...Right?Please Alekh Raj ko is waqt sirf tum convince kar sakte ho."

 

Naina turned to him and noticed his smile.It was the same mysterious smile on his face again.

"What makes you smile?"She was loosing her temper.

"Sirf ek advice hai tumhare liye mere paas."

"Kya?"

"Itna mat socho Raj ke baare mein.... warna tumhein usse pyaar ho jaayega."Saying this he left.

Naina, instead of getting mad at him for saying something like this, was quite surprised to find herself feeling embarrassed.