Ariya Lost and Found - Page 5

She closed her eyes and hugged him. Arjun tightened his hold on her softly caressing her head to calm her, assuring her and himself...

A female spoke from the group albeit sharply: Arjun!

Her voice brought the others back to earth whilst startling Arjun and Riya. Arjun's head shot in the direction of the voice as Riya separated from him.

He was no less surprised to see the group there. He stood up, angry at the interruption and at the person it came from.

Arjun glared at her: Sakshi Watch Your Tone!!! Tum Log Yaha Kya Kar Rahe Ho? Aur Andar Kaise Ghuse?

Ayesha: sir, woh Rathore sir ke paas chabi thi, unhone kaha ki aap shayad darwaaza nahi kholenge toh isliye

Sakshi: Arjun Ye Ladki Kaun Hai?

Arjun: None Of Your Bloody Business!!! Rathore ye mera ghar hai, koi public park nahi jo tum sabko utha kar le aaye

Rathore came out of his trance: Shut Up Rawte! Ye Chupa Rahe The Tum Humse? Isliye Subah Se Office Nahi Aaye? Isi Wajah Se Case Ko Neglect Kar Rahe The?!?!

Riya stood up and tried to intervene: sir...

Rathore: tum beech mein mat bolo...(turning to Arjun) Main Tumse Kuch Puch Raha Hun!!

Arjun(firmly): Ha!...aur kuch?

Rathore: How Dare You Rawte! Itne Pathar Dil Kaise Ho Sakte Ho Tum?!?!

Arjun sighed: Rathore main batane waala tha!

Rathore: Ha Dikh Raha Hai Woh Mujhe!

Arjun: tum rayi ka paahad bana rahe ho, as usual

Rathore: Really? Main Rayi Ka Paahad Bana Raha Hun? Agar Meri Jagah Tum Hote Aur Tumhari Jagah Main, Tab Bhi Tum Yahi Kehte?

Arjun: agar tumhari jagah main hota toh apna time waste nahi kar raha hota!

Rathore glared at him. He was about to burst out when Shree interrupted.

Shree: sir, jaane dijiye na, jo zaroori hai us par focus karte hai (He turned to Riya and took her hand) sach mein tu hi haina?

Riya nodded as her eyes welled up again. Without wasting another second they hugged each other tightly, tears flowing from their eyes. Unable to stop himself Chotu too joined in the group hug. The girls looked on, baffled at the happenings. Rathore gestured Arjun to follow and left the room. Arjun took a deep breath and went after him.

He was standing at the porch looking at the garden which had once been the epitome of beauty of the house and now was just a wasteland. Arjun went and stood beside him waiting for him to speak. Neither of them bothered to look at each other.

Rathore: kab mili woh tumhe?

Arjun: kal raat

Rathore nodded in acknowledgement.

Arjun: tumhare paas abhi bhi mere ghar ki chaabi hai?

Rathore: Roshni ke baad tumne khud ko sabse door kar liya tha, maine nahi.

Arjun looked at him: main nahi chahta tha ki jo uske saath hua woh tumhare saath ho

Rathore: tum duniya se nahi bhaage Arjun, tum khud se bhaag rahe the aur aaj bhi bhaag rahe ho. Tumhe lagta hai tum Sikandar ke peeche bhaag rahe ho lekin sachayi yahi hai ki tum sach se bhaag rahe ho. Roshni ko khone ka dukh mujhe bhi hai, tumhare ilawa wahi meri khaas dost thi. Insaaf main bhi chahta hun lekin tum jis tarah uske Pagalpan mein khud ko kho rahe ho us raaste se nahi. uske baare mein tumhare ilawa aur koi nahi jaanta, tum aasani se use pakad sakte ho Arjun par apne mukhote ke kaaran sirf tum duniya se nahi chupe, duniya bhi tumse chup gayi hai.

Arjun sighed deeply: shayad isliye ye sab ho raha hai

Rathore raised his eyebrow: matlab?

Arjun looked inside the house. Shree and Chotu were fussing over Riya as they introduced her to the new girls. Rathore looked at him in shock.

Rathore: Riya ko Sikandar ne...

Arjun: ha

Rathore: par...par kyun? Uska Sikandar se kya lena...(Arjun's hung head clicked his brain) you... you love her?

Arjun: ha

Rathore took a few seconds to process the new information. He glanced at Riya again before turning back to him.

Rathore: kya use pata hai?

Arjun: nahi, use sirf itna pata hai ki woh admi ek criminal hai na ki koi dost ya doctor

Rathore: dost ya doctor?

Arjun briefly filled him in on the details of all that had happened in the night and then in the morning. By the end, Rathore was staring at him incredulously.

Rathore: matlab ki tum use bina kuch bataye zabardasti yaha le aaye aur fir uske puchne par usi ko daant diya ki usko kuch jaane ki zaroorat nahi hai? you told a victim she doesn't have the right to know of her kidnapper?

Arjun: I told her!

Rathore: so what? Fir bhi tumne use sirf aadhi sachayi batayi

Arjun: Rathore woh is waqt bahot kamzor hai, Raunak criminal hai yahi baat sunkar use chakkar aa gaya aur physically toh woh theek se chal bhi nahi sakti, woh toh kal gusse aur josh mein kisi tarah lodge pahunch gayi warna Raunak ke jhoot ke chakkar mein hume pata bhi nahi chalta ki woh zinda hai, main ye sab bata kar use aur hyper nahi karna chahta

Rathore took a deep breath contemplating over what to do. Somewhere Arjun was right too. Riya couldn't protect herself at this point of time even if she wanted to. If she knew the truth, she was not going to sit in one place. But keeping her in the dark was not right either.

Rathore: so, plan kya hai tumhara?

Arjun: I don't know. Mujhe samaj mein nahi aa raha hai ki usne ye sab kiya kyun? Agar woh mujhse badla lena chahta hai toh fir usne mujhe pata kyun nahi chalne diya ki Riya uski giraft mein hai? jab woh yaha aaye fir bhi usne Riya se jhoot bolkar use neeche se hi le jaana chahta tha aur toh aur jab main zabardasti Riya ko le aaya toh usne uff tak nahi ki, woh chahta toh aasani se Riya ki weakness ka faayda uthakar use apne saath rakh sakta tha

Rathore(thoughtfully): tum aur Riya kabse ek saath ho?

Arjun: hum saath nahi hai

Rathore: what? (Arjun nodded) agar Riya ko nahi pata ki tum use pyaar karte ho toh Sikandar ko kaise pata chala?

Arjun: mujhe nahi pata

Rathore: toh...toh kahi aisa toh nahi Riya ka khud Sikandar se koi connection ho, it's just a coincidence ki tum se pyaar karte ho?

Arjun: par Riya ka Sikandar se kya lena dena ho sakta hai? agar hota toh woh bhi toh Raunak ko pehchaan jaati hai

Rathore: aisa zaroori toh nahi hai, tumhe bhi toh uska chehra kal hi dekha tha woh bhi isliye kyunki tumhara dhyaan uske gale ke tattoo par gaya warna tumhe bhi Raunak ki sachayi pata nahi chalti

Arjun: toh ab kare kya? Kaise bachau use? Kaise Riya ko surakshit rakhu?

Rathore smiled: Arjun, apne man ko shant karo (he put a comforting hand on his shoulder) saare jawab apne aap mil jaayenge.

Arjun recognised the look on his face: nahi Rathore, main aisa nahi kar sakta

Rathore: agar tum use safe rakhna chahte ho toh use sachayi bata do, use samjhao ki woh tumhare liye kya hai, ha maanta hun ki woh ziddi hai, sachayi jaan kar ek jagah nahi baithegi aur na hi woh tumhari kamzori banna chahegi. Woh tumhari taakat hai, is baat ka ehsaas sirf tum use dila sakte ho Arjun. Talk to her, woh samajdaar hai, samaj jaayegi. Agar ye baat use baahar se ya fir us Sikandar se pata chalegi toh uska dil tut jaayega

Arjun: aur tum itne confident kaise ho sakte ho ki woh samaj jaayegi? Tumhe pata nahi woh kitni ziddi hai?

Sameer: aaj tak mujhe aisa hi lagta tha ki uska pyaar adhura reh gaya aur woh bhi is kadar ki woh izhaar tak nahi kar paayi, atleast ab...

Arjun: Rathore ye waqt feelings mein behne ka nahi use safe rakhna ka hai! agar use pata chal gaya toh...

Sameer shook his head albeit angrily: isliye tum Sikandar ko nahi pakad paa rahe ho Arjun... tumhare in what if's ke chakkar mein tum use bhi kho doge! Ek baar toh ho chuka hai...ek baar aur sahi, waise bhi zyaada time nahi hua Riya ko aaye, thode time mein waapis chali jaayegi!!!

Arjun(distressed): Sam...

Sameer: ek baat kaan khol kar sun lo Arjun agar tum apne dar par kabu nahi rakh sakte aur Riya ko kuch hua toh is baar...Dur Main Jaunga!

Arjun tried to reason with him but Sameer went back inside the house to greet Riya. Arjun looked on at the scene. He could feel Riya's insecurity wash away. However, his was still perfectly in place.

Shree: par Riya, tum...tum zinda kaise ho?

The question brought Arjun out of his trance. He stared at Riya wondering if she would tell them the truth. Riya glanced at him but didn't receive any signal.

Riya: woh...mujhe, nahi pata

Chotu: nahi pata matlab? Tum...

Rathore took charge of the situation understanding Riya did not want to answer the question.

Rathore: bas karo ab, kitne sawaal karoge?

Shree: par sir..

Rathore: humare paas ek case abhi bhi pending hai, yaad hai ya nahi? Riya ko aaram ki zaroorat hai. Arjun, doctor ke aane ke baad hume update de dena

Arjun nodded.

Riya(confused) : doctor?

Arjun: woh ek baar, tumhara check up kar legi, weakness haina? Isliye

Riya: oh

Rathore: chale let's go! (placing his hands on her shoulder) apna khayal rakhna theek hai? aur (glancing at Arjun) agar Arjun sir zyaada tang kare toh mujhse keh dena, kahi interior mein transfer karwa lenge

He winked at her and she giggled. Arjun glared at Sameer mv "huh! Mujhe dhamki de raha hai aur usse pyaar se baat kar raha hai! double dholki!

Shree and Chotu tried to protest but one glare from the boss and they shut up to leave not before giving Riya another tight hug.

Arjun took Riya back to the room and sat beside her.

Arjun: uh, Riya...tum kisi admi ko jaanti ho jiske gale par tattoo ho?

Riya: ha

Arjun(hopefully): kaun?

Riya: Raunak

Arjun: Raunak nahi Riya, koi aur?

Riya thought for a while: nahi...kyun?

Arjun: woh...(he cooked up a story) darasal Raunak jis gang mein hai woh tattoo uska ID card hai isliye. Agar tum kisi aur ko jaanti ho toh unke baare mein pata karne mein aasani hogi

Riya: nahi sir, main nahi jaanti (she rested against the headboard) par humne Regency hotel mein booking ki thi. Pehle wahi jaane waale the lekin mujhse raha nahi gaya aur aapke paas aa gayi

Arjun: Raunak waha nahi hai Riya, maine raat ko hi saare hotels mein enquiry karwa li thi.

Riya: oh...toh, ab? Lekin...usne mujhe kidnap kiya kyun? Aur agar kiya toh...toh mujhe waapis kyun lekar aaya?

Arjun: ye toh main bhi nahi jaanta Riya, iska jawaab woh khud hi dega lekin uske liye uska milna zaroori hai

Riya: ha, kahi aisa toh nahi ki woh dar ke firse Goa chala gaya ho?

Arjun stared at her.

Riya becomes conscious: main...toh..bas guess kar rahi thi

Arjun comes out of his trance: are nahi tum sahi ho

Riya(surprised): sach mein?

Arjun: tum log Goa mein kaha the? koi sign, board kuch dekha tha?

Riya: uh...woh main gaadi mein so gayi thi sir

Arjun: ha Riya, par shuru mein, immediately toh nahi soyi hogi tum

Riya closed her eyes and strained her mind. They were in a mansion. Raunak dismissed the nurse for a few days. He helped her settle and got to the driving seat. She stared out the window as the journey began. As they drove out the lane into the main road a sign board...

Riya: ha!!! woh...woh Bich...Bicholim Road...yahi likha tha us par

Arjun fished out his phone and tuned into Google. Bicholim was in Goa alright but it was quite a large road. Finding a mansion there which was registered under god knows which name wasn't exactly going to be a piece of cake.

Arjun: us ghar ko describe kar sakti ho?

Riya: ha, uska baahar ka paint yellow color ka tha, baahar bada sa garden tha aur uske ek taraf angel ka fountain tha, uske pond mein lotus the aur andar...andar se ghar kaafi lavish tha...hall mein ek bahot bada jhoomar tha, flooring wooden thi aur...(straining) aur woh...ek...badi si painting thi...aur...aur (rubbing her temple) aur...

Arjun: hey relax, it's ok. us nurse ko jaanti ho?

Riya: shakal pata hai par naam nahi bataya usne mujhe aur na hi maine pucha

Arjun: koi baat nahi, ek kaam karte hai Raunak aur us nurse ka sketch ban...

The doorbell interrupted their conversation. Arjun stood up.

Arjun: dekhta hun, shayad Doctor hongi.

He unlocked the door and opened. A middle aged lady with a warm smile greeted him.

Lady: hello, aap shayad Mr. Arjun Rawte honge? Mujhe Ayesha ne bheja hai...Dr. Raima Khurana hun

Arjun: ji of course, aayiye

He led her to Riya's room. He gestured to her.

Arjun: ye aapki patient hai doctor

Riya made a face hearing the name patient but however much she didn't like it, it was the truth. Arjun briefly explained her Xora history as Raima checked Riya's vitals.

Raima: waise toh dar ne waali baat nahi dikh rahi mujhe, fir bhi aap ek baar blood test karwa lijiye. Aur since woh coma mein thi toh saline ki aadat pad gayi hogi body ko. Toh dheere-dheere khaana reintroduce kijiye, kuch din sirf soup, aur juice fir light foods aur then normal. Unke digestive system ko adapt karne ke liye thoda waqt lag sakta hai

Arjun: ji mv "acha hua maine use soup hi diya warna tabiyat bigad jaati

Riya: doctor, mujhe sar dard kyun hota rehta hai?

Arjun(surprised): tumhe sar dard ho raha hai? par tumhe toh chakkar aa rahe the! tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi?

Riya: woh...main...

Arjun: woh main kya? Tum itni laparwah kaise ho sakti ho? Agar tabiyat bigad gayi toh? Thoda toh dhyaan rakho Riya! tum kabhi nahi sudhrogi!

Raima interrupted Arjun's outburst with a friendly smile: itni chinta mat kijiye Mr. Rawte, aapki wife ko kuch nahi hua hai...

Arjun and Riya looked at the doctor in shock. Riya tried to correct her recalling Arjun's previous outburst when somebody had mistaken him for her husband...