|| Arjun SS: Woh Humsafar Tha..|| [Part 10 Pg 37 And 38] - Page 10

Part-3 Arjun's Room.. He booked his father's ticket for Nagpur. After checking sum mails, Arjun kept his macbook aside and settled down to sleep.. Next Morning; Arjun's Cabin. "Good Morning!" Aratrika wished him as she entered. "Good Morning!" Arjun wished her back.. "So, ready for the meeting with the Khanna's?" Aratrika asked as she settled down on the chair in front of him. "Yeah Almost!" Arjun replied, smiling. "Sorry.. Main toh bhul hi gya! Coffee mangvata hunn." He was about to pick up his cordless to order coffee. "Uski zaroorat nhi hai Rawte! Maine already order kar di hai. You know Arjun? The best part of my Day is jab main tumhare sath baithkar coffee peeti hunn." Aratrika smiled. "Same here!" Arjun smiled back. "Kya baat hai Arjun? Aaj tum thoda pareshaan lag rhe ho mujhe..??" Aratrika spoke. "Nahi aisa toh kuch nhi.." Arjun replied. "Out wid the truth Rawte!" She spoke firmly.

Arjun sighed in defeat, nothing cud stay hidden from this gurl. "Actually, Baba kaafi pareshaan hain kal se.." Arjun finally let it out. "Uncle? But kyun?" Aratrika asked,concerned. "Actually Baba ke bachpan ke dost the, Amit Kaka! Unki kuch arse pehle accident me maut ho gyi thi.. Baba ko yeh baat kal hi pata chali.. Mohan kaka ne bataya tha ki Amit kaka apni aakhri saans tak Baba ki raah dekh rahe the.. Ab yeh guilt andar hi andar unhe bohot pareshaan kar raha hai. Apne sabse acche dost ke saath uske aakhri waqt me na hone ka guilt. Baba ko toh iss baat ka bhi dukh hai ki unhone Amit Kaka ki family ko itne saalon me poocha tak nhi.." Arjun spoke. "Toh phir Uncle ne kya socjha?" Aratrika asked, who till now was listening intently. "Baba Nagpur jaane wale hain 4 din baad, Unki family se milne. Main unko pareshaan hota hua nhi dekh sakta." Arjun replied. "Dont Worry! Kuch nhi hoga, Sab theek ho jayega." Aratrika held his hand. Arjun nodded at her, smiling. Aratrika too smiled at him, as their coffee arrived.

Meanwhile; Nagpur, Aanganwadi Chaul.. A Small room was filled with Canvases, Brushes, Colors And Water Jug. Among these, two skilfull hands were swiftly moving upon one of the canvases.. Striking the white thing with Strokes of Yellow and Various Shades of Yellow.. Seems Yellow was her favorite colour.. After giving sum beautiful strokes, She dipped her brush in water to clean it up.. Dipping it again in Sunset Yellow, Her artistic hands gave sum beautiful strokes on Turmeric Yellow which she herself made, Few Seconds back.. If you have a look at her, She wud look an absolute beauty to you.. Cream Skin, Long Black Mane And Beautiful Black Eyes.. Dressed in a Flowing Black Long Skirt wid A White Quater Sleeved top And a Red Scraf. Her long hairs were tied up in a bun to avoid them from embracing her pretty face, which now had strokes of colours on it. She stepped back and analysed her work a little.. It seemed good! She was about to put sum strokes again when she heard sumone coughing..

"Aai?" She mumbled and hurridly walked out of the room, leaving her things. As she entered the other room, She saw her mother coughing badly trying to take water from the bedside table. She rushed to her mother's side and quickly handed her the glass of water.. "Aai? Aapne takleef kyun ki? Mujhe awaaz laga deti main de deti.." She complained, once her mother had drank the water as she patted her back. "Tum busy thi na beta, isliye bataya nhi.." Geeta answered. "Itni bhi busy nhi thi main.. Waise bhi doctor ne aapko sirf aaram karne ki salaah di hai.." She replied. "Devika? Beta yeh sab in doctoron ke chochle hain.. Inko pata hai ki meri zindagi zyaada din ki mehmaan nhi phir bhi apna faayda dhoodne me lage hain.." Geeta spoke. "Aai??? Aap marne ki baatein kyun karti hain? Kuch nhi hoga aapko!" Devika replied, furious. "Aisa tumhe lagta hai.. Last stage ka TB hai mujhe Devika! Shayad mere bachne ki umeed na ho. Bas ek hi fikar hai mujhe ki mere baad tumhara kya hoga?" "Aai aapko kuch nhi hoga! Samjhi aap?"

Devika spoke, almost on the verge of tears. "Baba ke baad, aap hi mere liye sabkuch hain Aai. Doctors ne kaha hai ki treatment se faayda hoga.. Aur agar Bappa ne chaha toh sab kuch theek ho jayega." "Beta? Ab tu aur kitna kharcha karegi mere treatment ke liye? Pichle 2 saalon se dekh rhi hunn tujhe.. Padhai ke sath-sath, Paintings bech kar kis tarah se tune mere treatment ka kharcha uthaya hai..!! Mahine ke 10,000 se 7,000 mere treatment me lag jaata hai aur baaki 3,000 se yeh ghar chalta hai. Apne liye toh tumne kabhi kuch socha hi nhi tumne Bacche?" Geeta complained. "Agar aapkeliye mujhe isse zyaada bhi kuch karna pade toh main karungi Aai. Kuch Bhi." Devika held her mother's hand. "Aap meri sabkuch hain.." Geeta lovingly caressed her daughter's forehead who was no less than a son for her. 2 years ago, She had been diagonised wid a serious case Of TB. Devika was in 2nd year of her studies then. The illness demanded a prolonged treatment which gradually made Geeta leave her job as a teacher. Since that day,

Devika had taken up her responsibility.. And she was thankful to God for blessing her with such a gem.. "Accha aap chai piyengi? Banaa dunn aapke liye?" Devika asked her mother. "Haan banaa de.. Tu jaanti hai ki mujhe tere haathon ke chai bohot pasand hai.." Devika smiled. "Theek Hai, aap baithiye main banaa kar lati hunn." Devika replied, getting up and walked towards the kitchen.. 4 Days Later; Nagpur.. Devika was working on a painting of hers,when she heard a knock on the door. Geeta was in another room, resting after having her medications. "Iss Waqt?" She wondered and walked towards the main door. As she opened it, She was greeted by a man of about 50, smiling and gentle in his manners. "Namaste Beta." Suryakant spoke. "Namaste Kaka, par maaf kijiyega maine aapko pehchana nhi.." Devika apologized as she wasnt able to recongnise him. "Pechanogi bhi kaise? Devika beta, Main Suryakant! Tumhare baba ke bachpan ka dost." Suryakant smiled. "Arrey Suryakant kaka aap? Itne saalon baad?"

Devika bowed down and touched his feet. "Jeeti Raho, Khush Raho!" Suryakant blessed her, wholeheartedly. "Aaiye Na? Andar Aaiye." She welcumed him in.. "Main Aai ko bulwati hunn.." Devika spoke. "Aai? Aai? Dekho? Suryakant Kaka aayein hain.." She walked into her roo. "Bhaisahab?" Geeta's ill face had indeed lit up a little. "Chaliye, Main aapko milvati hunn unse." Devika added and helped her mother to get up and walked. "Namaste Bhabhi." Suryakant though was stunned to see the weak condition of Geeta, but greeted her warmly. "Namaste Bhaisahab." She greeted him too. After making her sit wid Suryakant, Devika spoke up. "Aap dono baithiye. Main Chai laati hunn." "Haan beta! Ek badhia si garma-garam chai pila de." Suryakant replied. "Meri Devika bohot acchi chai banati hai Bhaisahab." Geeta replied, proudly. "No Doubts Bhabhi. Aapse hi seekha hoga." Suryakant implied. Devika smiled and walked towards the kitchen. After a few minutes, Devika brought in the tea and served everyone. "Wo aapko bohot yaad karte the."

Geeta spoke, drinking her tea. "Aakhri saans tak unhone aapki raah dekhi." "Main jaanta hunn bhabhi, par mera yakeen kijiye agar mujhe Amit ke accident ki zara si bhi khabar hoti toh sabkuch chhod kar chala aata.." Suryakant spoke, Guilt laden in his voice. "Isme aapki koi galti nhi Bhaisahab.. Woh toh chale gye. Ab mujhe bhi nhi pata ki mere paas Zindagi baaki hai? Mujhe bas apni Devika ki fikr lagi rehti hai din-raat. Mere baad uska kya hoga..??" Geeta spoke. "Chinta mat kijiye Bhabhi.. Sab kuch theek ho jayega!" Suryakant assured her.. 2 Days Later; Nagpur.. Suryakant had been here for the past 2 days. He was overwhelmed by the warmth and care he had received here, by Geeta And Devika. Devika had already won over his heart with her calmness and warm nature. A simple gurl, with no starry airs and tantrums. Just The Simple, Innocent Devika. But what was alarming during these 2 days were, Geeta's detoriating condition. Things were getting Bad To Worst. And Devika had almost lost her

night's sleep. The doctors too had stated her detoriating condition to be alarming.. Day And Night, Devika had been beside her Aai since these last 2 days.. But her condition didnt seem to grow better.. Later That Night.. Suryakant was trying to call Arjun but cudnt due to bad network, when suddenly he heard Devika's Cry. "Kaka???" He rushed inside to found Devika beside her mother, whose condition seemeed to worsen. She wasnt even able to breath now.. It felt as if air was snatched from her lungs. "Kaka?? A.. Aai ki haalat bohot kharab hoti jaa rhi hai.." Devika spoke on the verge of tears.. "Beta tum doctor ko phone karo.. Maim bhabhi ke paas hunn.." He assured her and sat beside Geeta while Devika moved out to call the doctor. "B..Bh..Bhaisahab... M... Me.. Mera wa..waqt aa chuka hai.. Me.. Mere.. Paas...aur Zind..Zindagi nhi..hai... Aapne...jo..v..vaada..apne..dost..se..k..kiya..tha..wo..aapko..yaad h..haina?" Geeta spoke in broken words. Suddenly Suryakant remembered the promise

he had done to his only friend long back.. All these years, he didnt even remember the promise?? Maybe thats why Amit was looking for him till his last breath?? A Severe Pang of Guilt hit Suryakant hard. "Haan Bhabhi! Mujhe Amit se kiya hua vaada yaad hai..!! Main Apne Arjun ki shaadi Humari Devika se karvaunga.. Devika hi mere Arjun ki Patni aur Humare Ghar ki bahu banegi.." Suryakant assured her firmly.. Geeta's face had relaxed a little.. "Meri Devika ka khyaal rakhiyega.." Geeta held onto Suryakant's hand. "Agar usse koi galti ho jaye toh apni beti samajh kar maaf kar dijiyega.. Kam Umra hai woh, Duniya ki pehchaan hai usse par phir bhi masoom hai.." Geeta requsted. "Bilkul Bhabhi.. Devika humare ghar me bahu nhi meri beti banke rahegi.." Suryakant assured her. A weak smile spread across Geeta's ill face. Her hand dropped from Suryakant's as her eyes closed peacefully.. Suryakant knew that she had left the world. Devika rushed in wid the doctor, who after checking her had declared her as Dead. "AAI !!!!"