Beyond Investigation (Ep. Name : Behrupiya)...(New Story@page 48) - Page 9

LONG LOST...

The person lying on the cold floor moved a little with the sneaky opening and closing sound of the iron door...

"Mujhe nahi chahiye kuch bhi...kaha tha na...nahi khana hai mujhe kuch bhi...jao abb..." said the person in anger to the other person...

The other person stood there for a minute and then sighing deeply moved forward to the person lying on floor...he stood behind him and looked at him lost in his own thoughts and feeling a vibration in his coat's pocket, he took out his mobile and looked at the caller's name...he cut the call and looked behind at the door...a man was standing there who nodded his head to encourage him to go ahead...he turned back and took a deep breathe to gain some more courage, he bent down a little and tapped on the man's arm...

"Abhi tak gaye nahi tum...kaha na nahi khana hai mujhe..." he said irritated, still not turning back...

"Rony...!" A soft and low voice called him...

Rony suddenly stopped speaking hearing the voice and turned to the voice fast...he was shocked seeing him there...his eyes were wide open to see his visitor...was it really him?? He could not believe he came to see him...

"Abhi...jeet...!!" A mere whisper came out from his mouth...he did not know how to react...

Rony always wanted to meet, talk and get his friend back...but he knew it was not possible after what he had done...Abhijeet will never forgive him...plus, there was another point to add to it...he did not remember him...Abhijeet was no more HIS friend...he was still the same...the same care, the same concern, the same selflessness, the same everything', but they all were for someone else, not him...but today, he was standing there...he came to meet him...really...!! But how could he?? He is a CID officer and he would never befriend a criminal...something else striked his mind...yes, criminal...he was a criminal...and there was a bond between police and criminals...he must have come to ask something regarding the case...thinking these, Rony's face that had brightened suddenly became pale, sad...like he lost his friend once again...

He felt someone shaking him...he came out of his thoughts and looked at the face in front of him...Abhijeet...he was saying something...but he could not hear anything...his mind was travelling through another world...a beautiful one...he jerked his head and pulled himself to the present...he again looked at the face before him...the same full of concern eyes...

"Rony...tum theek ho??" he heard a caring voice...

Rony just nodded lightly...he was still puzzled on the sudden visit and now this concern towards him...

Rony: Tum...yaha...?? matlab mai...

Abhijeet: Mai baith jau yaha (he pointed to a small chaarpayi made of wooden slab placed in that cell...)

Rony: Haan?? Haan...haan baitho...

Abhijeet sat relaxly on the chaarpayi...Rony sat turning to him...both were having no idea what to speak...the meeting was awkward to both...one remembered nothing about the friendship they shared and the other knew but had a guilt that could never be overcame...they both waited for the other to start but seeing nothing happening, Abhijeet said...

Abhijeet: Tum neeche kyu baithe ho...upar aa jao...

Rony: Nahi...mai theek hu...

He wanted to sit beside his best friend but something inside him stopped him from doing so...

Abhijeet: Theek hai phir mai hi neeche...(he stood to sit on the floor but Rony held his wrist...Abhijeet looked at his wrist...)

Rony: Nahi...tum...tum neeche nahi baitho...mai...mai aata hu upar...(he left his wrist and sat on the chaarpayi...Abhijeet too sat beside him...)

Rony (hesitating): Tum yaha kaise?? Matlab case ka kuch puchna tha??

Abhijeet: Nahi case nahi...bas aise hi...mai yaha aaya tha kisi kaam se to socha mil lu...

Rony(amazed, in low tone): Mujhse??

Abhijeet: Nahi aana tha...??

Rony: Aisi baat nahi hai...bas yakeen nahi hua ki tum...khair...choro...(he sighed...)

Abhijeet: Rony tum...

He stopped seeing a hawaldaar opening the iron door...he had a plate with food in his hand...Rony again got angry seeing this...

Rony (angrily): Maine kaha tha na nahi aana yaha aaj...mujhe nahi chahiye koi khana...

Hawaldaar too must have said something rash but stopped seeing Abhijeet there...he saluted Abhijeet who responded with a slight nod...

Abhijeet: Kya hua??

Hawaldaar: Sir ji khana laya tha...bade saab ka order hai ki sabko khana zaroor khilana hai per ye aaj kha hi nahi raha...

Abhijeet looked at Rony who averted his eyes...Abhijeet turned back to the hawaldaar...

Abhijeet: Theek hai...rakh do yaha...

Hawaldaar kept the plate there and left after closing the door...Abhijeet turned back to Rony...

Abhijeet: Aaj khana kyu nahi khaya??

Rony: Aise hi...dil nahi ker raha tha bas...

Abhijeet: Kha lo...

Rony was about to deny again, when he saw Abhijeet forwarding the plate to him...he looked at him and then took the plate...he took a small bite and looked at Abhijeet who looked lost...

Rony called him softly: Abhijeet...(he was startled with the call and looked at Rony...) kya soch rahe ho?

Abhijeet: Nahi kuch nahi...

Rony smiled a little and said: Soch rahe hoge ki aa to gaya abb baat kya karu...

Abhijeet: Nahi...wo baat nahi hai...mai bas...(he found himself at a loss of words...)

Rony: Abhijeet...

Abhijeet: Haan??

Rony (hesitating): Hmm...pata nahi mujhe puchna chahiye ya nahi...par wo...aunty kaisi hai??

Abhijeet: Aunty kaun??

Rony: Tumhari maa...(Abhijeet's face covered with sadness)...mai aunty bulata tha unhe...(Rony saw Abhijeet looking down and biting his lips...he knew something was bothering him...) sorry mujhe shayad nahi puchna...

Abhijeet (still looking down): Maa...wo...nahi hai...

Rony: Kya!! Matlab?

Abhijeet: Uss kidnapping ke baad mai maa ko pehchaan hi nahi paya...(he said still feeling guilty of his deed...) sabne kafi koshish ki per...(he took a sigh...) wo shock se...

He cleared his wet eyes and felt a supporting hold on his shoulder...he looked up and found Rony there who too had tears...Abhijeet stood up and moved to a side to hide his tears, as was his habit...

Rony: I'm sorry...mujhe nahi pata tha...

Abhijeet: Its OK Rony...waise bhi iss baat ko to abb satrah (17) saal se bhi jyada waqt ho gaya hai...

Rony: Aur abb bhi tum khud ko iss ka zimmedaar samajhte ho? Kyu?

Abhijeet looked at him, actually amazed of how a stranger could know about his feelings...

Rony: Aise mat dekho...tum mujhe bhale na jaante ho per mai tumhe jaanta hu...(he said while eating his food, looking not connected to the present scenario...) har baat ki tension le lene ki aadat hai tumhe...jo kaam tumne kiya bhi nahi hoga uski bhi tension...tumhe pata hai ek baar to...(he laughed a little remembering something but his own laughter brought him back to the present and he looked down, showing himself busy with the food...)

Abhijeet was looking at him amazed...first, he knew what was bothering him...second, he turned the complete direction of the conversation in seconds...he knew Rony had changed the direction of their talks but he admitted to himself that Rony was successful as he got carried away with it...he knew what to do...he was here to talk to him...now somehow Rony had striked a conversation and he had to continue it...

Abhijeet: Ruk kyu gaye? Mai sun raha tha...(he said sitting back on the chaarpayi...)

Rony(in low tone): Nahi mujhe laga mai jyada bol raha hu...Mai...criminal hu na...(he wiped the tear that fell from his eyes...)

Abhijeet looked at him and felt sad about the person...he said: Matlab tum nahi bataoge?

Rony looked at him with a hope: Tumhe sachme janni hai wo sab baatein??

Abhijeet: Haan...

Rony: Theek hai...par meri ek shart hai...

Abhijeet: Ain...??

Rony couldn't help a broad smile on his face: Ye ain' wali aadat abhi tak nahi gayi tumhari!! (Abhijeet smiled shyly not knowing what to say...) anyways...meri shart ye hai ki (in a serious tone) yaha se jaane ke baad tum inn sab baato ko soch ke pareshan nahi hoge...aur na hi koi guilty feeling rakhoge...

Abhijeet smiled and nodded...

Rony: Mujhe pata hai tum bahut kuch janna chahte ho per kaun si baat batau...

Abhijeet: Jo tumhe sabse ache se yaad ho...

Rony(dreamily): Mujhe to har cheez aaj bhi yaad hai...aisa lagta hai ki kal hi ki baat hai bas...

Abhijeet: Abhi kya kehte hue ruk gaye??

Rony, who was busy eating his food stopped his hand in mid and thinking something with great stress on brain said embarrassed: Wo...to mai...(low tone) bhool gaya...

Abhijeet undeliberately pat his own head lightly, truly disappointed with the answer...another person standing outside the cell and listening to the conversation, hiding behing the wall to confirm that his friend was comfortable, nodded his head disappointedly having a small smile on his face...

Daya (to himself in smile): Chun chun ke saare aise hi dost banaye hai isne bhi...(he smiled thinking of some of his own conversations with his friend and walked off from there as he was now sure about his friend's comfort with his past...)

Here, Rony looked at Abhijeet's reaction and turned his head down embarrassed...a small smile unknowingly crept on Abhijeet's lips...

Abhijeet (in low smily tone said with a sigh): Bhool gaya...haha...phir abb?? Mai jau??

Rony looked up with a jerk: Kyu?? Tum (realised his reaction,so turned low) matlab...sorry...haan, tumhe kaam hoga...tum yaha kyu...(he stopped looking down, then said in extremely low teary tone...) jao...

Abhijeet looked at him and when he had stopped completely, said softly: Rony...

Rony looked up to him and seeing Abhijeet's eyes focused on his face, turned his face to other side and cleared his tears...

Abhijeet (in soft tone while placing hand on his shoulder, still hesitating a little): Mujhe jana hi hota to aata hi kyu...(finding only silence in reply...) to abb bhi nahi bataoge??

Rony (teary tone): Kya??

Abhijeet smiled on the childish act of his...he for a moment started thinking what made him so comfortable with the person he wanted to get badly punish for doing wrong to his friend...he felt that his comfort was again going somewhere far thinking those few hours...he closed his eyes for a moment and took a sigh as he forced his mind to concentrate on a small conversation that took place a few days earlier at his place...

Daya (concerned): Kya hua boss, jyada dard hai kya abhi bhi? Kaho to ek baar doctor ko dikha le?? Aaj exertion bhi ho gaya na jyada, tabhi shayad...

Abhijeet (cutting him in low tone): Nahi Daya...mai theek hu...don't worry...

Daya looked at him for a moment and then said softly: Rony ke baare me soch rahe ho...

Abhijeet looked at him with an unknown expression,...Daya knew the reason behind and sighed deeply...

Daya: Abhijeet...meri ek baat manoge...

Abhijeet looked at him questioningly...

Daya thought for a moment before saying: Mil aayo ek baar usse...

Abhijeet: Kya!! Daya tum...(he jerked his head and again looked at him...)tumhe pata hai na...

Daya: Mujhe sab pata hai Abhijeet, tabhi bol raha hu...mil aayo usse ek baari...tumhe acha lagega...(pressing his arm lightly...) trust me...

Abhijeet was not sure, but he said nothing as somewhere deep down, he knew, he too felt the same...

Daya: Jaoge na...(Abhijeet looked at him and looking at his friend's confident eyes, nodded...Daya smiled and said patting his arm lightly, so that his wound doesn't get hurt...)aur abb tension mat lo...hum iss Sunday ko chalenge...aur mai bhi chalunga...agar tum uncomfortable hue to I promise waha se tumhe mai khud nikal lunga...hmm...I know its difficult but nothing is impossible for my friend, right...(Abhijeet looked at him and smiled feeling much confident feeling his buddie's faith and confidence for him...Daya placed a hand over his arm and pressing it lightly stood up to move outside...)

He opened his eyes feeling the light grip forming on his arm...he looked at his arm and then at the person holding it and found Rony looking at him worriedly...seeing Abhijeet with open eyes Rony hurriedly removed his hand from his arm...Abhijeet felt the little tingling in his fingers on his arm...

Rony (trying to sound normal): Tum...theek ho??

Abhijeet nodded his head trying to smile and look normal...Rony sighed relieved...

Abhijeet: Wo tum...kuch keh rahe the na...

Rony: Mai...!! Nahi...tum batane wale the ki tumhe kya janna hai...

Abhijeet was about to move his head in a negative reply but a line hit his mind...

"Boss, andar sirf Abhijeet banke jana...(smiled with...) sari uljhane apne aap khatam ho jayengi...(low soft tone...)dekhna tum"

Abhijeet: Hmm...sorry mai zara (he smiled on himself trying to lighten the mood...Rony smiled disappointedly looking at his friend trying hard to cover his feelings...he too helped him in doing so, thus kept silent...) tum...matlab hum college me mile the na...

Rony: Hmm...

Abhijeet: To mai tab kaisa...matlab...actually Daya humesha apni wild imagination ke chakker me pata nahi kya kya bolta hai...ki tum aise honge, waise honge...

Rony (laughing lightly): Matlab tumhare personalilty ki to band bajti hogi...

Abhijeet jerked his head with a low "sach me" that Rony managed to hear and made him smile broadly...

Rony: Waise tum...umm...kya kahu...bade hi...(he stressed his brain to find a good word to reveal it but Abhijeet interfered getting somehow impatient to know himself more...)

Abhijeet: Bade hi, kya??

Rony: Complicated species the...(he said unintentionally...)

Abhijeet looked at him shocked...Rony realised his words and closed his eyes tightly and then looked at Abhijeet...he tried to correct himself...

Rony: I mean...wo mai...actually jab mai tumhe janta nahi tha to mujhe humesha aisa hi lagta tha...

Abhijeet: Complicated species'??

Rony: Haan tumhara kuch samajh nahi aata tha na...class me itne serious hote the...sare teachers ko lagta tha ki bilkul shant hoge...kuch dino tak mujhe bhi aisa hi laga...

Abhijeet: Kuch din tak?? Kya matlab?? (he said, really getting interested now...)

Rony: Pehle pehle tum apne friends' group ke sath hi rehte the...phir unhone college change ker liya tha...mai zyadatar college canteen se hi khata tha par tum log college ke bahar wale ek chote se dukaan pe jaate the...ek din galti se' mai bhi pahuch gaya to tumhara asli roop saamne aa gaya...(he said in a bit teasing way in smile, looking down playing with his hand...)

Abhijeet cleared his thoat and said: Kya ker raha tha mai??

Rony: Professor ki mimicry ker rahe the tum...aur...(he tried to control the broad smile...)

Abhijeet asked shocked: Kya?? mai !! (shy...)Aur k...kya?? (Abhijeet now eager to know his college life kartootein...)

Rony: Aur...haha...(looking at him naughtily...) professor aa gaya peeche se...hahahaha...(he laughed like he was again living the same moment...Abhijeet's eyes came out though he didn't remember the day...)

They kept talking for an hour when a man came to take the empty food plate from there...then only they realised that they had talked for quite a long time...

Abhijeet (looking at his wrist watch): Oh...!! Ek ghante se bhi jyada waqt ho gaya...mujhe to dhyaan hi nahi raha bilkul...Daya kab se wait ker raha hoga...(to Rony...) mai chalta hu...tum khyaal rakhna apna...(he said with a genuine smile...)

Rony looked a little sad...he knew he will go...he knew that he can only relive those great moments of the past but can never live them in the present...but still, it was the heart who would never understand such logic...

As Abhijeet moved to the bar gate of the cell, Rony called him from behind...

Rony: Abhijeet...!! (Abhijeet looked back at him...Rony thought for a moment and then asked in low voice... ) aaoge phir?? (his eyes looked at Abhijeet expectantly...)

Abhijeet looked at him for some moments as if in deep thoughts and then nodded his head slightly with a smile...the hawaldaar who was standing two cells away for security came there and opened the cell door for him...Abhijeet tilted a bit to get out of the small gate...he looked back at Rony once and then left...

He came to the supervisor's cabin and found Daya talking on phone with someone while sitting on the chair and having tea...Abhijeet came from behind and tapped on his shoulder...Daya looked back at him and finding his buddy there, smiled...he cut the call after saying that he'll talk to the person later and stood up facing Abhijeet...

Abhijeet: Khabri se baat ker rahe the na...ker lete...

Daya looked at the tension free smile on his buddy's face and felt relaxed...

Daya: Arre kuch nahi, time pass ker raha tha bas...

Abhijeet: Informers ka dimaag kha ke...

Daya laughed lightly with: Aur kya...abb ACP sir ko to iss waqt tang ker nahi sakta...(Abhijeet too laughed on it...) waise...khush lag rahe ho bahut...(softly...) baat ker ke acha laga na...(Abhijeet nodded with a smile...) mujhe bhi bahut acha lagega...(naughtily...) jab tum mujhe apne college life ki kartootein sunaoge...

Abhijeet (acted confused): College life?? Aisa to usne kuch nahi bataya Daya...

Daya: Acha..kuch nahi bataya...sab suna maine iss microphone se...(he took out a microphone out from his pocket...)

Abhijeet: Kyaa...!! Yaar tumne sab...(fake anger) kya Daya...

Daya (hiding his smile): Abb to maanoge na ki suanya...

Abhijeet (irritatingly): Haan per...

Daya (cutting him): Sunaya...(Abhijeet looked at him with an irritated face...Daya added with a naughty smile) hai na...

Abhijeet: Haan yaar, pata to hai tumhe phir...

Daya(acted confused): Mujhe kya pata hai Abhijeet?? (then casually said...) khair choro...(showing the same microphone to him...)ye microphone Raghu ko dena hai ek kaam ke liye...chalo abhi...(saying so, he left from there instantly while his friend kept looking at him with unbelievable look when he heard a voice from outside...)

Daya: Abhijeet...!!

Abhijeet nodded disappointedly with a smile and went out of the police station...

They sat in the car and after handing over the microphone to the khabri, they moved towards Abhijeet's home where Daya too was staying for a few days as Abhijeet was till not completely fine to move or work on his own...

In the whole way, the two did not talk...Daya was looking at him in intervals but finding his friend in his own thoughts where sometimes his face looked too serious and at others, he would find him smiling of his own... Daya gave him his space for the time being...

Here Abhijeet too was thinking, or say, analysing the meet...he was initially not comfortable with Rony but the next person was none else than his once very good, rather the best friend who had an expertise of tackling him in almost any situation...this was another such situation which he had managed to handle very well... with every passing minute, Abhijeet came out of his shell a little more and relived those moments of friendship, of care, of naughtiness, love, joy, sadness, difficulties, and so on...it seemed like he had travelled a long way in this one hour...a time gap, or to be precise in his case, it was a life gap...a life before and after that day, the day when his life had changed, completely, and forever...

A sudden jerk brought him back to the present...he opened his eyes as he was asleep due to tiredness and sleeplessness from the last few days, from which he was relieved today, after the meet...he looked at his side at Daya who was looking at him with concern...

Daya: Sorry yaar...tum shayad so gaye the...achanak break lagana pada, billi aa gayi thi saamne...(Abhijeet looked at him confused, a small smile creeping on with the billi' thing...) umm...ghar aa gaya...chale??

Abhijeet nodded and said: Hmm...chalo...aur (with a smile...) jaga to tum waise hi dete na...(he acted suspicious...) ya gadi me hi chhor ker jane ka iraada tha, hm??

Daya said with a laugh: Kya boss tum bhi...!! Aao andar...

They moved inside...Daya helped Abhijeet to his room as he had a little pain in his wounds now...after they settled themselves on bed and arm chair present there, Daya started again...

Daya: Abhi sunaoge kahani ya sham ko??

Abhijeet looked at him and smiled: Sham ko...araam se...(making a irritated face...)abhi tum beech me disturb bahut karoge...(mimicking Daya...) lunch ker lo Abhijeet, yaar dawayiya le lo phir bolna, boss thora rest to ker lo aaj kitna exert ho gaye, Abhi dekho...(he stopped as Daya hit him lightly with a magazine that was in his hand...Abhijeet laughed out loud seeing the embarrassed face of Daya...)

Evening...

Abhijeet's home...

Daya entered the room with two cups of coffee and handed one cup to Abhijeet...

Abhijeet: Kya baat hai, aaj achanak coffee?? Mujhe laga tumhari special chai milegi...

Daya: Wo to humesha peete ho...socha aaj special coffee bhi pila du tumhe...

Abhijeet: Hmm...hai to achi...

Daya: Wo to honi hi thi...(he said with a wink...)

Abhijeet laughed lightly and then became serious...he started playing with the cup in in his hand while fixing his eyes on it...Daya was keenly looking at him, but did not disturb him...

After a while, Abhijeet started himself: Yaar Daya...thanks yaar...

Daya (taking a sip of coffee): Wo kis khushi me??

Abhijeet looked at him: Tumhare kehne pe hi mai Rony se milne gaya...warna mai khud se kabhi nahi jata...(little confused...) aur sachme yaar...pata nahi kya baat thi par...mujhe acha laga yaar usse milke...halaki meri nazro me wo mera koi dost nahi hai par phir bhi...kuch baat hai yaar...uss din bureau me bhi uski baat sunke bura laga...(taking a pause...) shayad isiliye bhi ki mai guilty feel ker raha tha ki mai uske parents ko nahi bacha paya...jo bhi baat rahi ho par...aaj usse milne ke baad, I'm feeling light...jaise koi burden kam ho gaya ho...

Daya: Abhijeet...pehli baat to ye ki tumhe kisi bhi baat ke liye guilty feel kerne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai...uss samay jo situation thi, usme tumne jo kiya, jaise react kiya...wo natural tha yaar...isme tumhari koi galti nahi thi...koi bhi tumhe tumhari pichli zindagi yaad kerne ko bolta, ya kisi bhi cheez ko yaad kerne ko force kerta tha to tumhara reaction bahut harsh hota tha...aur ye normal hai...jaan ke to tum aisa kabhi nahi karoge...aur rahi baat mere advice ki to wo to kaam aani hi thi...(with a smile...) mai apne dost ko tumse behtar jaanta hu na...

Abhijeet: Haan ye to hai...waise tumhe pata hai, Rony se baat kerte hue feel hua ki mai apni pichli zindagi me bhi bahut protected raha hu...aur apne relations ko le kar bahut possessive...

Daya: Bilkul abhi ki tarah...

Abhijeet: Hmm...aur (with a shy smile...) college me mai apne professors ki mimicry bhi kerta tha...

Daya: Haha...kya boss...abb kaunsa ACP sir ko baksha hua hai tumne...apne bureau ke professor to wahi hai na...

Abhijeet suddenly exclaimed: Aur Daya pata hai...usne mujhe Survi ke baare me bhi bataya...Survi yaad hai na tumhe...

Daya (with a naughty smile): Bilkul...umm...waise kya bataya unke baare me...

Abhijeet: Bataya ki mai ladkiyo se baat kerne me sharmata tha...aur Survi ko (shyly...) mai pasand tha...(Daya enjoying the shyness with a smile...) par mai usse humesha bhagta tha...jab bhi wo baat kerne aati mai bahane bana ke bhaag jata...

Daya laughed out loudly and said: Yaar ye to abb ki tarah bilkul nahi hai...abb to tum...

Abhijeet glared at him with: Abb kya hein??

Daya cleared his throat trying to suppress his smile: Nahi...nahi kuch nahi...aa...phir...tum dono ki baat kaise hui...

Abhijeet: Rony cupid ban gaya...

Daya (teasingly): Achaaa...!!

Abhijeet slapped himself in mind for using that word...

Abhijeet: Arre yaar...wo Rony ne iss tarah se bola tha na to...muh se nika gaya...

Daya: Haan haan...maine kya bola...

Abhijeet: Oho yaar...

Daya: Hahaha...acha sorry...

Abhijeet: Aur...maa...(with a small smile in a low voice, as if trying to live those moments he heard of...) maa se bahut close tha...unhe bahut pareshan bhi kerta tha...kabhi kuch khane ka dil hai to tabhi chahiye...kahi bhi jana hai, maa sath me chahiye...pata hai Rony keh raha tha ki ek baar to action movie dekhne mai maa ko le kar pahuch gaya tha unke birthday pe, surprise dene...(a light laugh escaped his mouth after reminding Rony's words...)

Daya (surprised): Maa ji ne dekhi??

Abhijeet: Nahi, darr gayi...aur hume bahar aana pada...phir paas wale theatre me jana pada dusri movie dekhne...aur waha koi romantic movie chal rahi thi...maa bahut modern thi, har tarah ki films dekhti thi...

Daya: Action movies chorke...

Abhijeet: Haan...par wo romantic film dekhte hue mai so gaya...

Daya (making a weird face): Koi romantic film dekhte hue kaise so sakta hai yaar...!!

It was Abhijeet's turn now as a teasing voice arose: Achaaa...!!

Daya immediately changed as: Acha wo sab choro...aage bolo...

Abhijeet: Ek din maine maa ko bahar bhej diya Rony ke sath...aur unhe surprise dene ke liye pura khana khud banane ka plan banaya...

Daya: Phir, kaisa bana?? (Smiling as knowing what could have happened...)

Abhijeet: Maa ne agle din se mera kitchen me enter hona ban ker diya...

Daya (laughing): Acha to kitchen me ban ki aadat tumhe pehle se hai...mujhe laga tha mai hi pehla banda hu tumhe apne kitchen se bedakhal kerne wala...

Abhi: To sikhana chahiye na...apni cooking art apne paas hi jama ker ke baithe ho...share kerne se knowledge barhti hai...samjhe...

Daya :Yaar tumhe sikhane me to maa ji haar gayi, mai kis khet ka gajar hu...

Abhijeet: Mooli...

Daya: Mujhe pasand nahi...

Abhijeet: To phrase change ker doge...

Daya (dramatic tone): Insaan agar chahe to kuch bhi ker sakta hai...

Abhijeet nodded disappointedly with a smile...

Abhijeet: Waise Daya...(Daya look at him...Abhijeet said looking at him...) yaar ye Rony pata nahi kaise inn sabme phas gaya...wo...wo acha hai yaar...matlab...(he searched for words but couldn't explain...suddenly he said...) tumhe pata hai wo itni asaani se mujhe tackle ker raha tha jab bhi mai uncomfortable hota...halaki har baar mai samajh jata tha ki wo baat ghuma raha tha...(he smiled...)

Daya: Wo to hoga hi...tha to dost hi na tumhara...(Abhijeet looked at him...Daya continued with smile...) abb dekho...itne saalo me maine bhi to seekh liya hai ye hunar...(softly...)aur tumne bhi...

Abhijeet: Haan...aur tum ho bhi usse aage...tum kab baat ke sath sath mera mood bhi badal dete ho, sach kahu to mujhe bhi pata nahi chalta...

Daya (smiling): Maine to phir PhD ker li hai na...

Abhijeet(raised his eyebrows): Acha...mujhpe PhD...(Daya smiled broader...) to tumhe abb mai Dr. Daya bulau...

Daya: Nahi nahi rehne do...mai Sr. Insp. Daya hi theek hu...aur aisi hi baat hai to tumne to mere upar PhD to choro, pata nahi kitni degrees jama ker li hai...(confused and irritated...) jitni koshish ker lo, koi baat chupti hi nahi tumse...

Abhijeet: Koshish kerte ho matlab tum chupane ki...

Daya(in flow): Haan...(looked at Abhijeet and found his gaze fixed on him...) umm...nahi mera matlab...

Abhijeet: Matlab tum mere se baatein chupate ho...(angrily...) Daya tum na...

Daya: Arre nahi chupata kuch mere bhai...(murmer...) pata chale badla lene ke liye phir bina bataye kisi adventure pe nikal pade janab...

Abhijeet: Suna maine...

Daya (with stern smile): Yahi na...baatein sirf sunte ho, maante nahi ho kabhi...

Abhijeet: Kaun si baat nahi maani maine...har baat to manwa lete ho...

Daya: Ye baat mujhe bolni chahiye...har baat manwa lete ho...aur kaun si baat nahi maani..!! Kaha tha tumse ki kabhi aise bekaar ke plans bana ke khud ko problem me nahi daaloge...(sarcastically...)aur yaha sahab phir adventure ke liye nikal pade akele...Guru ne kaha tha ki wo tumhe maarna chahta hai phir bhi khud chalke aa gaye uske paas...

Abhijeet: Uske paas kaha...(innocently...) mai to tumse milne aaya tha...

Daya (angrily): Mujhse milna tha to team ki baat maante aur kisi aur tareeke se mujhe waha se nikal lete...khud kyu chale gaye...tumhe maarne ke baad wo mujhe chhor dete??

Abhijeet: Yaar tum aise hi tension le rahe ho...team aa to rahi thi peeche...sab kuch pre-planned tha yaar...

This acted as fuel on fire for Daya...he got up from the chair and walked towards the small balcony in that room...

Daya (angrier): Mai aise hi tension le raha hu...!! Jab mai tumhare bulane pe respond nahi karunga na kabhi to tumhe pata chalega ki mai aise hi kyu tension le raha tha...

Daya expected a big scolding from Abhijeet's side after this, but opposite to his expectation, what he received was just silence...he looked back at his friend to see what happened and saw Abhijeet silently looking at the empty cup...he heard a low voice...

Abhijeet: Aisa nahi hai Daya ki mujhe pata nahi ki tumhe uss waqt kaisa laga hoga...(he looked to be in some other world...) ache se jaanta hu ki...(in even low voice) mai tumhe waise phir se nahi dekh sakta yaar ...(look at him...) tumhe shayad baat bahut mamuli lage per kuch bhi hota hai to na chahte hue bhi wo pal yaad aa jaate hai jab tum...(sigh sadly...) bas ye samajh lo ki mai bahut selfish hu...isiliye...

Daya: Kabhi mujhe bhi selfish ban lene diya karo...

Abhijeet (trying to change the mood): Tum to ho hi bade selfish...(Daya looked at him confusingly...) aur nahi to kya...tumne kaha tha ki chup chap baithke meri baat sunoge...aur beech me disturb nahi karoge bilkul bhi...aur chai bhi pilaoge...special wali...(with smile)

Daya's eyes become big: Arre...abhi to pilaayi...

Abhijeet (innocently): Kaha?? (showing his cup...)ye to coffee thi na...

Daya (shocked): Abhijeet tum...(irritated...)Yaar tum na...(came near and seized the cup from his hand and moved out with...) kuch nahi ho sakta tumhara...

After making tea for them, Daya returned to room but found none, so moved to study room where he guessed Abhijeet would be as he mostly spent his free time there reading some books or studying different cases of India and even those of other countries to increase his knowledge about his job...and as expected, he found him there...but he was neither reading a book nor studying a case...what he was holding was an old album...Daya stepped near and had a look at the album...Abhijeet sensed his presence and turned to him...

Abhijeet: Arre aa gaye...dekho ye album...mere CID rejoin kerne se pehle ki hai...kaki se bolkar nikalwayi thi aaj maine...

Daya managed to smile slightly...Abhijeet turned back to the album...Daya's mind went back to the time when the scenario in Abhijeet's house used not to be similar to today's...

"Abhijeet...beta ye album dekho...dekhna tumhe zaroor kuch yaad ayega isse...tum to aksar ise dekhne lagte the aur mujhe bhi jaane kitni baar in tasweero ki kahaniya suna di..."

"Maine kaha na...nahi aata mujhe yaad kuch bhi...(loudly...)aap log samajhte kyu nahi hai...(nearly shouting...)hongi ye meri purani yaadein...abb nahi hai...nahi dekhni hai mujhe ye albums...(he took the album from the table and threw it hardly on the floor...)

"Abhijeet...(rose a strict voice...)maa hai wo tumhari...ye kis tarah se baat ker rahe ho tum unse, haan!!"

Abhijeet shouted painfully, "Maa hai na ye meri...to maa ki tarah mujhe bhi araam de dein...maar dein mujhe...(teary tone...)zindagi se bada sukoon to wahi hoga mere liye abb...(wiping his tears harshly...) aur nahi hota aisa to please...mujhe ye sab dikhana band kare...(painful tone and grabbing his head with a hand...) takleef hoti hai mujhe...(teary...) maa to nahi dekh sakti na bacche ko dard me, to aap kyu kehti hai mujhe baar baar yaad kerne ko...please mat kahiye...nahi hota mujhse...please...aap...(closed his eyes tightly to control the raising headache...)aise nahi...(said in low tone as loosing his consciousness...)please...bahut dard...mai...(two strong arms held him silently before he lost his consciousness completely to the pain...)

Daya jerked out of the past as felt someone shaking him lightly...he looked at him and tried to smile...

Abhijeet (with a sigh): Purani baat soch rahe ho na...(looking at the album...) yaad hai mujhe...maine uss din bahut buri tarah se baat ki thi maa se...(spreading his finger on his mother's photograph where he was in his teens and hugging her from behind...) maa ne uss din ke baad kabhi ek baar bhi mujhe kuch yaad dilane ki koshish nahi ki...kabhi bhi nahi...ye album bhi kabhi nahi dikha ghar me mujhe...mujhe laga maa apne sath hi le kar chali gayi hongi...par baad me ghar change kerte hue ye mila, per kabhi maine ise kholke nahi dekha...dil hi nahi kiya...(after a pause...) uss din ke theek teen din baad wo dusre ghar me shift ho gayi...(pulled the album down from the table to his lap and sat with back supported to the chair's rest...) pata hai mujhe na jaane kyu uss din bahut darr laga tha...ajeeb sa...reason nahi samajh paya bas...dukh bhi hua ki wo chali gayi...tab lagta tha ki wo mere karan apna ghar chorkar gayi isiliye dukh hua tha...(with a sad smile...) par aaj samajh aata hai ki wo mujhe chhor ker chali gayi thi, isiliye dukh hota hai...(with a sweet smile...) aur jab uss din sham ko wo ghar aayi...to maine koi gussa nahi kiya un par...jo wo kehti gayi, mai kerta gaya...bina kuch bole...(he looked at Daya and found him smiling lightly with moist eyes...before he could say anything, Daya spoke...)

Daya: Uss din maa ji bahut khush thi...pure raaste me mujhe bas yahi kehti rahi ki aaj unhe unka beta mil gaya...chahe tum tab bhi unhe na pehchante ho par sach unhe itna khush maine kabhi nahi dekha tha...tumhare accident se pehle bhi nahi...

Abhijeet: Tumhe kaha mili wo??

Daya: Mai hi gaya tha unhe lekar tumhare ghar...pure time bahar wali chai ki dukaan per kahda tha...aur wapas bhi mai hi lekar gaya unhe...phir to ye roz ka schedule ban gaya unke...ki sham ko wo tumse milne jayengi aur mai bahar chai ki dukaan per wait kerunga...wo mujhe bhi andar bulati thi, bahut kkoshish ki par mera mann nahi kerta...bahar aane ke baad jo khushi hoti thi unke chehre pe...agar mai bhi jata to shayad tum itna free na hote unse...

Abhijeet: Aisa nahi hai yaar...tumse behtar to na tab koi sambhal paya hai mujhe na aaj...kabhi kabhi mujhe hairat hoti thi ki har koi mujhe purani baatein yaad kerne ko kehta par tum kabhi kyu nahi bolte...(Daya smiled...) halaki har koi kehta tha ki tum mere sath kaam ker chuke ho per ye baat maine tumhare muh se sirf ek baar suni, wo bhi jab maine tumse pucha tha...

Daya remembered...

"Da...Daya...wo...mai keh raha tha...matlab...tum bhi...tum bhi kya mere sath...sath kaam kerte the...??" Asked a hesitant voice...Daya looked at the person who after that look, immediatety tried to clear as, " nahi matlab, mai nahi...wo sab...sab log keh...

"Haan sir...hum sath me kaam kerte the..." A soft voice replied...

Abhijeet: Yaad hai tumhe, ek baar maine tumhe bhi daat diya tha aur tumhe ghar se nikalne ko keh diya tha...(Daya again just smiled remembering that incident...) actually mujhe gussa iss baat ka nahi tha ki tum kyu nahi ja rahe ho, tum to humesha ki tarah chup hi the, mujhe iss baat pe frustration ho rahi thi ki tum baakiyo ko bhi sath le aaye ho aur unko chup bhi nahi kara rahe ho...

Daya: Yaad hai yaar...sab kuch yaad hai...(he sighed sadly...)

He looked at the album as Abhijeet turned the page...it was a college photograph of his with Rony when both had won a prize in science fest and both were looking too happy...Daya looked at Abhijeet and found him in deep thoughts, looking at the photograph...he thought not to disturb him but then finally asked him...

Daya (softly): Jaoge wapas milne??

Abhijeet looked at him blankly for a few moments and then his eyes silently moved back to the album whose page he had again turned revealing a new story of the hidden, unknown past...

Daya kept looking at his friend and the album for sometime and then got up silently from there and came out of the room without disturbing Abhijeet, who had no idea when Daya had moved out...

Daya walked to the guest room and after closing the room door sat on the easy chair with closed eyes...

Daya knew that Abhijeet was in dilemma regarding Rony and his past...inspite of being a mature and tough cop who would not take half of a second to make a decision, sometimes, some things lie in the track of life whose decisions are left untaken...Abhijeet would never be able to find that friend in Rony which he had recently heard about that day from the person himself...he had a feeling of sympathy for him, one can find empathy too, but not friendship...definitely not...and all the three minds revolving around the story knew this...and somehow, had accepted this too...