CHAPTER 21
"Sameer, aap aise achanak kahan jaa rahe hain?" Avantika asked worried. Except Rathore's elder brother and Avantika, everybody else decided to return home.
Shivam was arranging Rathore's discharge papers.
"Mujhe immediately ghar jaana hoga. Ek problem hain," Rathore said.
"Case se related?" Avantika asked.
"Nahin.. Tum fikar mat karo," he said.
45 minutes later:
"Shree, how is she?" Rathore asked Shree who was sitting beside Riya, who was now sleeping.
"So rahi hain sir. Lekin, she's not fine.." Shree said.
"Chotu, Rawte kahan hain?" Rathore asked.
"Terrace pe hain sir," Chotu replied.
"Tum dono yahin ruko Riya ke saath. Main usse milke aata hoon," Rathore said and left the room.
Rathore hurried upstairs. He was shocked when he heard from Shree about Riya and Roshni. He knew Arjun was suffering. He had no idea what he would say to him, but he couldn't leave Arjun alone like that.
He saw Arjun sitting on the stairs, his eyes red from all the pain that seared his heart and soul.
Rathore without saying a word sat down on the steps, a step below him.
"Tum theek ho?"
Arjun didn't answer.
"Main jaanta hoon ki ye tumhari personal baat hain, lekin tum aise chup nahin baith sakte ho Rawte. Tumhe kya lagta hain? Agar tum dono kuch nahin kahoge tho hamein kuch nahin pata chalega? Ye sab kaise hua Rawte? Riya aur Roshni…?"
Arjun was quiet even now.
Rathore sighed. His head was still hurting from the wound. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
"She wants her Taayi back Rathore," Arjun said slowly, his words filled with his pain.
Rathore opened his eyes and looked at Arjun.
"Main haar gaya Rathore. Uss din main Roshni nahin bacha paya. Aur aaj Riya ki ye haalat.."
"Rawte, tum khud ko doshi nahin tehra sakte ho. Jo kuch bhi hua.."
"Meri galti thi. Sirf meri," Arjun said as he shut his eyes.
Rathore got up and put a hand on Arjun's shoulder, "Tumhari galti nahin hain! Bilkul nahin!!! Aaj ya phir uss din, jo kuch bhi hua, kisi ki bhi galti nahin hain. Agar tum iss tarah himmat haar kar baithoge tho, Riya ka himmat kaun banega? Usse tumhari zaroorat hain Rawte. Isiliye khud ko samhalo."
Rathore's words hit him like a tight slap. What was he doing? Riya needed him..
"Sir! Riya ko hosh aa gaya hain!" Chotu said; he came looking for them.
Arjun was the first to react. He rushed to her; he had to talk to her!
A few minutes earlier:
Riya was devastated when the reality finally dawned upon her and she fainted in Arjun's arms. She gained consciousness a few minutes after she was shifted to the bedroom, but she didn't open her eyes. She couldn't and she didn't want to. Her Taayi and the days she spent with her flashed in front of her eyes. She wanted to leave this world and go to her Taayi. She didn't find a reason to exist in this world anymore. That was when she saw Arjun in front of her eyes. She remembered the first time she made him smile, because of her own stupidity. His smile.. how she wanted it to last forever! She wanted to him to be happy forever. She had promised herself that she would support him and help him start a new life… And now? She was torn between her love for her Taayi, the deep pain her death has caused and her love for Arjun. Arjun being her Taayi's husband made matters worse for her!
"Seriously Taayi, ye sacrifice for love waali baat na mujhe bahut stupid lagti hain. Apne pyaar se door rehkar koi khush reh sakta hain kya?" Riya started arguing with her sister, a few days before she was taken away from her, unaware of the impending separation. However, Roshni knew that something was up with Riya and her father's family. She wanted Riya to be happy even if they had to separate for that.
"Tum achanak se ye sab kyun keh rahin ho?" Roshni was a little surprised to see Riya talk about love and sacrifice.
"Kuch nahin Taayi. Aayi woh jo serial dekthi hain na usiki baat kar rahin hoon. Kitni stupid hain na.."
"Chutki.. tujhe samajh mein nahin aayega. Jab pyaar karogi tab samajh mein aayega.."
"Aur aap pyaar mein Doctorate karchuki hain, right?"
Roshni smiled and sat down beside Riya, "Ek baat puchun? Tum mujhse bahut pyaar karti ho?"
"Haan bilkul! Aap toh mere liye iss duniya ki sabse favorite person hain," Riya said taking Roshni's hand in hers.
"Agar mujhe khush dekhne ke liye kya tum khud ko dukh pahuncha sakti ho?"
Riya was a little confused. Roshni repeated her question, "Kar paaogi?"
"Aap ke liye main kuch bhi kar sakti hoon Taayi. Meri jaan bhi.."
Roshni immediately stopped Riya, "Na chutki! Bhagvan se prardhna karti hoon ki aisa kabhi na ho.." Roshni cupped Riya's face and said, "Dekha.. isse kehte hain pyaar. Ab samajh mein aaya tumhe, ye love and sacrifice kyun stupid nahin hoti hain? Pyaar ka matlab hota hain dena, sirf lena hi nahin. Hum jisse pyaar karte hain, unki khushiyon ke liye agar hamein apna dukh chupana bhi pade, tho woh khushi khushi karlenge."
"Taayi.. itni emotional kyun ho gayi? Mujhe samajh mein aagaya.. Aur ek baat Taayi, aapke aur aapke khushiyon ke liye main kuch bhi kar sakti hoon. Mera vaada hain aapse.." saying so Riya promised Roshni.
Present..
"Tumhara vaada nibhane ka waqt aagaya hain Chutki," Roshni said as she stroked Riya's forehead.
"Taayi.. aap? Mujhe aapke paas aana hain Taayi.. Main aapke bina.." Riya broke into tears.
Roshni shook her head. She looked angelic..
"Kitni khudgarz hoon na main..Jab tumhe meri zaroorat thi tab maine tumhara saath nahin diya. Lekin ab tumse tumhara vaada nibhane ke liye keh rahi hoon."
"Taayi aap ye sab kya keh rahi hain? Aap jaanti hain na, main aapke liye kuch bhi kar sakti hoon! Boliye kya karna hain mujhe.."
"Arjun.. uska khyaal rakhna Chutki.. Uska saath kabhi mat chodna. Maine Arjun ko poore do saal baad haste huye dekha.. Tumhari vajehse woh phirse hasne laga hain. Phirse khush hain. Woh khushi hamesha banaye rakhna.."
"Taayi lekin main.. aapke Arjun.." Riya couldn't understand anything. But it didn't matter to her. She was with her Taayi.
"Mera saath tho kab ka choot gaya hain.. Pata nahin kis janam ke papon ka phal mila hain mujhe.. Lekin Arjun..main usse phirse ek zinda laash ki tarah nahin dekh sakti hoon. Apne liye na sahin, apne pyaar ki khushi ke liye tho kar sakti ho..? Yahin hain tumhara vaada. Isse tumhe nibhana hi hoga.."
Riya stared at her sister, with tears in her eyes.
"Main nibhaungi Taayi.. Apke liye Arjun sir ke liye.." saying she put her hand in Roshni's, promising her. Roshni smiled and kissed Riya's forehead gently. She began to fade away.
"Taayi!" Riya tried to stop her, but she only ended up awake. She opened her eyes with a piercing scream, "Taayi!"
Shree was shocked, "Riya! Tum theek ho?"
Riya tried to decipher what had just happened. Was she hallucinating? Or was it really her Taayi..? Whatever it was all that mattered to her now was the promise she made to her Taayi..
Present moment:
Arjun saw Shree helping Riya sit up and drink some water. She took a sip and pushed the glass away. She turned to a side, trying to get down the bed. She wore her shoes and was about to get up when she saw Arjun standing at the door and her eyes welled up again. Rathore signaled Shree to come and they left Riya and Arjun alone.
Arjun walked into the room and closed the door behind him.
He took a deep breath and sat down in the chair beside the bed.
"Riya main.."
"Sorry sir. Main ne na jaane kya kya keh diya.." she couldn't even put her words together.
"Bas Riya. Ab aur aasu nahin," he said as he wiped her tears away, "Agar kisiko maafi maangna hain toh woh main hoon. I'm sorry Riya. I'm so sorry. Main Roshni ko bacha nahin paya. Aur uski sazaa mujhe.."
Riya shook her head and caught hold of his hand, the one he used to wipe her tears away.
"Maafi? Kis baat ki? Sazaa? Aur kitni..? Sazaa tho aapko mil gayi.. aur uss guna ke liye jo aapne kiya hi nahin. Agar kisiko sazaa milni hain tho usse, jo iss sabka kaaran hain!" Riya couldn't control her tears.
Arjun was moved when he realized that Riya wasn't blaming him. She understood him! He knew why.. It was her love and respect for him. Her anguish didn't overpower her love. He sat there speechless, looking at Riya.
He felt her pain; but at the same time he saw a new hope. He was wrong about her; he was wrong when he thought that Riya would forget her own words. He was wrong when he felt Riya would breakdown and lose hope. He was wrong when he thought that Riya would stop smiling. But now, he realized something.
Riya would be his strength, not his weakness. Riya would be his hope.
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her.
"Thank you Riya.. thank you so much.." he said, his eyes brimming with tears.
Riya said nothing, but hugged him back.
"Main aapka saath kabhi nahin chodungi sir.. Kabhi nahin. Iss sab ka saamna hum milke karenge. Uss Sikender ka saamna aap akele nahin krenge. Taayi ko insaaf milega. Aur woh unhe hum dilayenge!" she said to herself.
Somewhere amongst the clouds, God sat waiting for a particular soul to return from her final mission. At least, that is what she said to him: Her final wish, ek aakhri khwaayish..
A smile appeared on his lips as he saw her coming towards him.
"Lagta hain tumhari koshish rang laayi hain. Tumhare Arjun ko kisika saath mil hi gaya," he said as she approached him.
"Kisika nahin. Meri Chutki ka. Ab mujhe aur kuch nahin chahiye.. Main tayyar hoon jaane ke liye," she said asking God to prepare her for her final journey, "Shaayad agle janam mein mujhe Arjun ka saath mil jaaye. Lekin iss janam ke liye yahin kaafi hain."
"Bas itna hi? Tum apne gunegaar ko uske paapon ka saza milte huye nahin dekhna chahti ho?" God asked amused by her sudden request. It is not every day that he gives a lucky soul, a chance to fulfil his/her final wish. But Roshni had earned it.
"Saza? Kaisi saza? Main bas apne Arjun ko khush dekhna chahti hoon. Aur mujhe poora yakeen hain ki Chutki usse hamesha khush rakhegi," she paused for a moment, "Aur haan main jaanti hoon, aap Arjun ko itni jaldi aapke paas vapas nahin bulayenge. Aap bhi jaante hain kyun. Woh iss Yug ka Arjun hain. Jiski zaroorat wahan uss samaaj ko hain. Unki raksha ke liye.. Woh samaaj jo aapko poojti hain. Aur uski raksha aapka kartavya hain," she said and smiled.
The God returned her smile and said, "Jab tum sab kuch jaanti hi ho tho mujhe kuch kehne ki kya avashyakta hain. Lekin ek baat zaroor kahoonga. Ruko. Tumhe abhi bhi bahut kuch dekhna hain.."
PRECAP: Sikender's case files are brought into the office by Shree. Riya, sorts them out and picks up the file that has "Roshni Arjun Rawte" written on it. Arjun is standing at the door and sees Riya picking it up.
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SURPRISE!!!
I'm back with an update..
I hope you liked it!
Thanks a lot for all your comments and wishing me well for my exams!! 😃
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Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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