CHAPTER - 8
Akash and Ananya both were staring at each other without blinking.After 9 long years,Ananya was seeing Akash standing right in front of her eyes.It appeared as if those 9 years were like 9 decades to her and the more she was seeing him,her heart was not content.Sometime,it appeared to her as if it was an illusion.Due to extreme happiness of seeing her lifeline in front of her,her eyes could not control her tears and it flowed down.Akash was confused as to why she was weeping.He thought that she might have hurt,but only Ananya knew how she was feeling right at that moment.For her,it appeared as if the time had stopped for her and somewhere inside her heart,she prayed that time would stop here forever.Both would have remained in that position forever,but someone at that moment,called Ananya from upstairs.That one call,smashed the dreamland of her and she returned to her senses.The moment,her senses returned,she looked into Akash's face and her eyes remained widened on seeing him.Together many memories,started flashing in front of her eyes,the memories,from which she had ran away for so long.She immediately freed herself from Akash's grip and started taking deep breath intuiting something very dangerous.She,at the next moment,ran away from him.She ran as fast as she could and entered inside Natasha's bedroom.On entering inside her room,Ananya closed the door of her bedroom and started taking deep breaths.Natasha was getting ready but on seeing Ananya's condition,got scared.She walked to her and asked,"Kya hua Anu??Tu aise haaf kyu rahi hai??Tabiyat thik nehi lag rahi hai kya teri?"Ananya nodded her head but still Natasha was not convinced and she held her hand and said,"Nehi tu mujhse zarur kuch chupa rahi hai.Tu yaha aa,chal yaha beth."Natasha pulled Ananya and made her sit in the bed and said,"Ab bol kya baat hai.Mujhse jhut mat bolna."But Ananya was not in the condition to speak and was sitting like a statue,with widely opening her eyes.Natasha asked her several times but failed so she decided to call Rohit upstairs.She called him and asked him to come urgently to their room.Rohit wasted no time and within 5 minutes reached into their room.On reaching there,he found Ananya sitting like that and Natasha was continuously trying to comfort her.Rohit asked,"Kya hua Natasha,itni jaldi mein mujhe kyu bulaaya?"Natasha,in a tensed voice replied,"Dekho na Rohit Anu ko pata nehi kya ho gaya hai aur vo tabse aise bethi hai.Kuch pucho to jawaab hi nehi de rahi hai.Please tum hi baat karo na."Rohit sat beside Ananya and put his hand on her shoulder and asked,"Annie kya hua??Bol mujhe??"Ananya was still sitting with that posture.He shook her hard and Ananya came back to reality.She was trembling with an unknown fear.He asked,"Annie kya hua??Aisi haalat kyu bana kar rakkhi hai apni?"Ananya took deep breaths and looked here and there and said,"V-v-v-vo...vo...yaha aa gaya hai...vo yaha hai...vo...vo..."Natasha confusingly asked,"Kaun yaha hai...Kaun yaha aa gaya hai???Tu kiski baat kar rahi hai?"Ananya grabbed Natasha's hand tightly and replied,"Ak-Ak-...Akash...Akash...yaha hai Natasha.Vo yaha aa gaya hai.Maine abhi abhi usko yaha dekha hai."That news fall like a thunder on both Natasha and Rohit's head especially Natasha.She was shocked on hearing that.She asked,"Kaisi baate kar rahi hai???Akash jiju???Vo yaha kaise aa sakte hai???"Ananya shook his head hard and replied,"Nehi!!!Vo Akash hi tha.Main apne Akash ko pehchaanne mein kabhi galti nehi kar sakti."Natasha still denied the fact and said,"Par aisa kaise ho sakta hai???Jiju yaha kaise aa sakte hai???Rohit tum kuch bolte kyu nehi ho??"Rohit after hearing to what Ananya had said,was sitting quietly.He asked,"Are you sure Ananya ke vo Akash hi tha?"Ananya nodded her head and replied,"Ha vo Akash hi tha.Main seeriyo se neeche geerne hi waali thi ke Akash ne mujhe pakra aur mujhe geerne se bachaaya.Vo mera Akash hi tha."Natasha gave a now - what' look to Rohit.She said,"Main nehi maanti ke jiju yaha aaye hai.Saradin jiju ke baare mein hi to sochti rehti hai,to..."Ananya,on this became very angry and asked,"Tujhe kya lagta hai ke main tujhse jhut bol rahi hu?Main apne Akash ko nehi pehchaanti??"Before Natasha could say anything,Rohit,in a very cold tone replied,"Annie jhut nehi bol rahi hai Natasha.Akash iswaqt US mein hai."Both the ladies looked at Rohit with a jerk.Natasha asked,"Ye kya bol rahe ho Rohit??"Rohit looked at Natasha and said,"Ha Natasha Akash yahi hai and in fact bachche bhi usse mil chuke hai."It was again Natasha and Ananya's turn to be shocked.She widely looked at him and asked,"Ye sab kya bakwaas hai Rohit???Bachche...I mean Paakhi...How could that be?"He,in short described how the kids met Akash and how Paakhi reacted on seeing him.After revealing the truth,Rohit continued,"I know..mujhe ye tumse chupaana chahiye tha,par Paakhi ne mujhse kaha ke main tumhe Akash ke yaha hone ke baare mein kuch nehi batau.She is too scared to loose you.Usko ye dar tha ke kahi uske baare mein pata chalte hi,tum usey dhundhne na nikal jaao aur tum uske saath chali na jaao."Ananya covered her face and said,"Oh God!!Ab main kya karungi???Agar yaha Paakhi ne usey phir se dekha to vo phir se tamasha karegi."Ananya's whole body was getting cold due to all those tensions.She said,"Achchi bhali to thi main yaha.Ab phir se..."She impatiently nodded her head and said,"Abhi mujhe phir se vo sab nehi jhelna hai,jo main ek baar jhel chuki hu.Main apni beti ke saath ek sukoon ki zindagi bitaana chahti hu,bas mujhe aur kuch nehi chahiye.Akash bhi nehi!!!"Natasha and Rohit didn't have any words to cool her down.They understood that whatever she was saying was not true and she desperately wanted to be with Akash,but that was her tension and fear which had taken over her mind.Natasha tried to console Ananya but Rohit signalled her and raised his hand a bit telling her not to say anything to Ananya right at that moment and to allow her nerves to be in her control and also to let her cool down.
While they were sitting in their room,Paakhi came to Natasha's room to complain to Ananya against Aditya for spoiling her hair.On seeing Ananya in that condition,Paakhi was a bit worried and also confused.She looked towards both Natasha and Rohit and asked,"Natasha mom!!Dad!!What happened to mom??Isn't she well?"She came to her and held Ananya's hand and asked,"Mom are you sick???Aapki tabiyat kharaab hai??"Rohit smiled and replied,"Nehi beta,actually tumhaari mom to din bhar bas bhaagti rehti hai na to thori thakaan ho gayi thi,thats it."Paakhi said,"Mom neeche chalo na,waha shaadi honewaali hai na."Ananya slightly smiled and replied,"Baby shaadi hone mein thori der hai na,to tum sab neeche jaao,main thori der baad aaungi.Thik hai??Aur tum teeno shaitaani mat karna."Paakhi nodded her head and said to Rohit,"Dad aap chalo hamaare saath."Rohit said,"Ha tum jaao,main abhi aata hu."She nodded her head and complained to Natasha,"Mom dekho na us Ad ke bachche ne mere baal kharaab kar diye.He spoiled my hair!!"Natasha pulled Paakhi's chin and said,"Ha to mom abhi phir se thik kar degi."Saying Natasha again tied Paakhi's hair and she happily left from there.Rohit got up from the bed and said,"Jabtak tujhe thik nehi lagta tu neeche mat aana Annie,tabtak main ye check karta hu ke Akash kiski side se hai,larkiwaalo key a larkewaalo ke."Natasha agreed to him and said,"Aur ye bhi dhyaan rakhna ke bachche...khaaskar Paakhi Akash ke saamne na aaye.Usey apne aakho se dur mat hone dena."He nodded his head and left from there.Ananya held Natasha's hand and said,"Ab kya hoga Natasha mujhe bohot ghabraahat ho rahi hai.Pata nehi agar bua ya papa ne usey yaha dekh liya to kya karenge aur upar se Paakhi...vo ek baar ek tamasha kar chuki hai.I just hope ke kamsekam aaj vo yaha Akash ko phir se na dekhe."Natasha said,"Dekh Anu jo hona hai vo hokar hi rahega.Akash jiju Paakhi ke asli dad hai,ye baat usko maanni hogi.Ye teri zindagi ka sabse bara sach hai aur sach zindagi bhar nehi chupaaya ja sakta hai.Agar is baar tum sabka ek hona likha hai to duniya ki koi taaqat isko nehi rok sakti."Ananya sadly smiled and replied,"Dar to isi baat ka hi hai Natasha ke us ek sach ke liye mujhe koi bohot bari keemat na chukaani par jaaye."Natasha put her hand on Ananya's shoulder to console her.
From the beginning,Panchi was very excited to meet Mahima's fiance.So,she straight away went towards the groom and asked,"Who's Mahima aunty's uncle?"She asked the question by making such a cute posture that all of his friends just couldn't stop but adore her.They greeted her by pulling her cheeks on which she became very angry.Karan too greeted her by patting on her cheek.Panchi,angrily complained to Karan,"Don't you pull my cheeks!!See they have become red now!!"She looked angrily towards everyone.Karan asked others not to irritate her and said,"Iam sorry and Iam apologizing on everyone's behalf.By the way whats your name?"Panchi replied,"Its ok!Iam Panchi Mafatlal.Are you my Mahima aunty's new uncle???"On hearing her again everyone laughed again.Karan found her so adorable that he took her in her arms and made her sit on his lap and said,"Yes Iam your Mahima aunty's new uncle.So you are an Indian too!!We are also from India!!"Panchi replied,"My mom and dad are also from India,but me and my di have never seen India.India bohot bara hai kya?"He replied,"Ha bohot!!"She asked,"US se bhi bara??"He said,"Nehi US se thora chota."She nodded her head and replied,"Waha ice-cream milta hai?I love ice-cream!!"He chuckled on seeing her innocence and said,"Ha milta hai.Jab tum India jaaogi na to mujhe bolna main tumhaare liye dher saari ice-cream lekar aaunga."When Karan and Panchi were having a conversation,Paakhi came and interrupted in the middle and said to her,"You know mom is searching you aur tu yaha bethi hai."Panchi came down of Karan's lap and said,"Di di dekho ye Mahima aunty ke new uncle hai aur unhone kaha ke jab main India jaaungi na to vo mujhe dher saari ice-cream khilaayenge."Just at that moment,Rahul reached there with a glass of drink in his hand.On seeing Panchi,he immediately recognized her to be that girl in the pizza parlour who was seeking help for her sister.He said,"Hey!!!Ye to vohi larki hai jo usdin apni behen ke liye madat maang rahi thi."Panchi turned towards him and he asked,"Tumhaari di ki bohot tabiyat kharaab thi na ab vo kaisi hai?"Panchi looked at her and asked,"Uswaqt aap bhi the waha?"Rahul replied,"Yes!!I was there."She pointed at Paakhi and said,"Ye hai meri di."Paakhi who was looking only here and there looked at Rahul on hearing her name.Rahul asked,"How are you?"Paakhi sweetly smiled and replied,"Iam fine!!"Panchi introduced Paakhi to Karan's friends and they greeted her.Just then to Paakhi's utmost disgust Akash appeared in the scene.On seeing him,Paakhi's heart skipped a bit.She never thought that Akash would come there also.Paakhi's heart was again filled up with the fear of loosing her mother and her anger and hatred increased more and more for him.On seeing her,Akash too was shocked.He came towards them and in a very amused tone,he said,"Hi girls!!How are you??"On seeing him,Panchi excitedly yelled,"Akash da-"Just at that nick of time,Paakhi closed Panchi's mouth and angrily grinned,"Panchi!!!Shut up!!"He gave a weired look to Panchi and Paakhi.Paakhi was about to yell,but she controlled herself thinking about the crowd and Ananya being there.She thought that if she would react there,Ananya would come to know about everything.She opted to remain quiet.Akash bowed down a bit and asked,"Usdin tumhe kya hua tha jo tum mujhpar itna chilaayi?"She didn't reply but grinned angrily.At that moment,Rohit saw them and to his most expected fear,he found the kids with Akash.Rohit immediately walked towards them just in order to avoid any unexpected chaos.He stood beside Panchi and Paakhi and said,"Tum dono yaha ho aur main tum dono ko kabse dhundh raha hu."Akash looked at Rohit and asked,"Ye dono aapke bachche hai?"He smiled and nodded his head.Akash said,"Usdin aapki beti ki haalat bohot kharaab ho gayo thi,to main usey hospital le gaya..."Rohit pretended to be shocked and asked,"Oh that was you!!Thank you so much for saving my kid's life."He gave his hand to Akash and said,"Hello!!Iam Rohit Mafatlal."Akash shook his hands with him and said,"Hi!!Akash Saluja!!"Akash smiled and said,"Aapki betiya bohot pyari hai."Rohit looked at the kids and said,"Jaao,mom ke paas dono.Mom is searching for you."Paakhi again gave an angry look to Akash and then left from there with Panchi.Rohit said,"Mujhe pata chala usdin Paakhi ne aapke saath bohot misbehave kiya hai.Iam really very sorry for that.Pata nehi kabhi kabhi usko itna gussa kyu aa jaata hai.Iam really ashamed of her behaviour."Akash replied,"Oh not a big deal!!Aisa hota hai kabhi kabhi bachcho ke saath."Rohit asked,"Aap groom ki taraf se hai?"Akash smiled and replied,"Ji ha vo kya hai na Karan mera college friend hai."Rohit said,"Oh!!Ok!!So enjoy!!"They again shook hands and Rohit left from there.While leaving,Rohit smiled and said,in his mind,"Vo meri nehi tumhaari beti hai Akash aur tumne apni hi beti ki jaan bachaayi hai."He again gave a smile of content.
Rohit was going to Ananya and Natasha when Paakhi blocked his way and said,"See dad see!!I told you,he came after mom.Please aap unko yaha se bhaga do na taaki mom unhe na dekh paaye."Rohit gave a sigh and kneeled in front of her.He held her hands and replied,"Mom tumhaare dad se already mil chuki hai."Out of shock,she screamed,"What??"He said,"Yes,he already met him aur tumhaare dad ne bhi unhe dekha hai."On hearing this,Paakhi became very restless and replied,"Dad ab kya hoga???Ab to mom Akash Saluja ke saath chali jaayegi.Vo mujhe chor kar chali jaayegi,hai na??Dad do something na.Kuch karo na dad varna mom mujhe chorkar chali jaayegi.Please dad!!"Rohit tried to cool her and said,"Nehi!!Mom kahi nehi jaayegi.In fact!!Jabse unhone dad ko dekha hai na,vo neeche hi nehi aayi.Vo kahi nehi jaayegi tumhe chor kar.Just calm down!!"Paakhi angrily said,"Agar Akash Saluja ne mujhse meri mom ko cheenne ki koshish bhi ki na to main unko police mein de dungi aur ha maine aapko bohot baar bola hai ke aap mere dad ho,Akash Saluja nehi,isliye aap baar baar unhe mere dad mat kaho.I hate him.I just hate Akash Saluja."Rohit smiled and said,"Ok ok nehi kahunga.Ab chalo!!"They both left from there.
At the time of the marriage,Mahima was brought downstairs for the rituals.Since Panchi was very small so on her insistence,Rohit had to pick her up in his arms so that she could see everything.On seeing that,Paakhi was a bit jealous.So she came to Ananya and said,"Mom pick me up!!"She asked,"Kya???"Paakhi again repeated,"Mujhe goadi mein uthaao!!"Ananya said,"Abhi!!!Par abhi kaise utha sakti hu??Abhi shaadi hone waali hai."Paakhi said,"Nehi vo dekho,dad ne Panchi ko uthaaya hai mujhe bhi uthna hai aur dekhna hai.Main aapke paas nehi aati par dad ek saath hum dono ko nehi utha sakte hai na."Ananya smiled and asked,"Oh to Panchi dad ke goadi mein hai to isliye tumhe bhi uthna hai?"Paakhi replied,"Nehi aisi baat nehi hai,par,mujhe uthna hai."Ananya could easily feel the jealousy inside Paakhi.Many a times,Ananya could feel this jealousy due to the fact that Rohit not being her real father and that was a certain point of time,where though Paakhi hated Akash from the core of her heart,but missed him very badly for not being with them,with her.She said,"Achcha thik hai chalo."Ananya walked towards the mandap and then picked Paakhi up in her arms and asked,"Ab khush??"Paakhi happily replied,"Very!!"While they were standing on one side,they didn't notice that a pair of eyes were constantly staring at Ananya.Though Akash was attending his friend's wedding but all his attention was towards Ananya.Rahul,who was watching the marriage rituals said to Akash,"Aakhirkaar bichaara Karan ka singlehood end ho hi gaya!!"But Akash didn't reply.He knocked Akash to call him.Akash behaved as if waking up from his dream and asked,"Hmm kya hua?"Rahul asked,"Tu kaha khoya hua tha?"Akash again looked at Ananya and said,"Main usko dekh raha tha."He pointed towards her.When Rahul looked at that direction,his breath caught inside his throat and his eyes were widened.He could not believe that Ananya herself was standing right before his eyes.He was so shocked that he could not react for a few seconds.At first he thought that he was dreaming,but at the next moment,Akash's voice brought him into the earth.Akash continued,"Pata hai aaj ye seeriyo se geerne waali thi aur maine isko sambhaala.Pata nehi jabse maine usey dekha hai ek ajeeb si bechaini ho rahi hai.Uski ye jo aakhe hai na,ye mujhe baar baar yaad aa rahi hai.They are haunting me Rahul!!Tujhe pata hai,vo mujhe dekh kar rone bhi lagi thi,pata nehi kyu."Rahul didn't answer him but he knew what storm was arising inside him on seeing Ananya in front of him.Rahul thought that he had to know the truth at any cost.After the marriage rituals were completed Rahul decided to confront Ananya.
CHAPTER - 9 , 10
Edited by -Paulomi- - 10 years ago
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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