Chapter 28
"Nagmen Hain Shikve Hain,Kisse Hain Baate Hain
Yaadein Yaad Aati Hain,Baatein Bhool Jaati Hain"
Antara's POV
"What?!! He caught you red handed?!" Rhea, who was lying at my side, looked towards me with round shocked eyes. While I came back to room she was still awake and she was not ready to sleep till I say her whole thing about my small weird adventure in Naik Sadan. So I at last told her unwillingly though.
I nodded looking at her big eyes, "You yourself told me before going that security camera might be failed but not raghunath naik. so how couldn't he notice someone trespassing inside the room under his nose." I answered her question with a mocking tone.
"But... then... How... I mean how u escaped from him?!" Rhea asked in another doze of confusion.
My lips curled into a small pathetic smirk hearing her question. "I didn't escape from him rhea. He himself escorted me to the place safe and sound." I informed her as the burn rose on my heart again, the disgusting feeling to be helped from your enemy.
Rheas eyes turned wider in utter shock and her lashes almost touched her skin. Even she couldn't digest the fact along with me. so at last I narrated her the whole incident shortly. She became all silent after listening to every beat. I kept on staring towards ceiling and followed the round motion of fan with abrupt thoughts. For some long pause we both were silent and not talking to each other. I thought rhea went to deep sleep but after some 10 to 15 mins I heard her soft voice from side.
"Di... U awake?!" she asked me in slow voice. "Hmmm..." I just buzzed in response. Still my eyes were fixed above. "Di what do u think?! Why did he do this?!" she asked me in wondering voice. "Do what?!" I asked in unconscious mind. "Its just... U know di... I am really confused. Each and every person of the basti is known to raghunath naik's dead loyalty towards Dayan. Whatever happens, raghu will never leave Dayan's side or betray her. But today he did something which really shocked me you know. You trespassed in Nayak Sadan secretly, he caught you red handed and still he didn't do anything. I mean I am happy that you are safe but I really didn't expect this from raghu. He didn't hand u over to dayan. Rather than he hid you from dayan and kakka. Not only that, he returned your diary on his own. I was wondering... this can't be the man whom we knew for all those days, as if he is changed overnight!" As rhea, gradually proceed her doubts I felt like she was echoing the confusions of my mind. "I don't understand di that why did he do that?" her voice was doubtful. I felt her eyes on me paiently waiting for some answers. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes feeling exhausted both physically and mentally.
"I don't know Rhea." I admitted in confusion. "I am also confused like you. I don't know if he was planning something behind my back. might be, he was faking his concern now and later he will aware DM about me. But even if he tell now, he will also be in trouble. Cause he was the one who helped me in escaping. Daya Naik will surely doubt on him. He might have another plan. I am totally feeling clueless about everything. We need to be cautious every time. Cause, I don't know how and where he is going to take the chance and harm us." I said in alarmed voice.
"Or may be... he really wanted to help..." rhea probed from my side. A small painful laugh came out from my lips. "THAT'S LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE RHEA!!" my voice turned cold as I said those words. "Who knows di?! We are watching raghu for more than years and no one among us can understand his nature. Yes, he is rude, arrogant, a goon... but sometimes he do something really weird which we could never understand." rhea said in wondering voice. I didn't say anything at that moment and kept silence. Actually I didn't have anything to say about the fact. "But if he is the one who kept the bomb in houseboat then I don't have any sympathy for him di. Even I want all of them behind the bars. You are not alone now. I will help you however I can." With his sudden stern words rhea's firm hands pressed over me. Her words really gave me a new amount of mental strength. I held her hand tightly in mine just like the lost vagabond clinging into only life source.
Raghu's POV
Abruptly looking to the road I was driving the jeep on the Mumbai puna expressway. My eyes were burning slightly due to the sleepless night and boiled head. Still I had to wake up early to escort Mai at puna. Sleep seemed left me on those days. I was also thinking about prashant. I didn't liked his crooked smile last night. The guy was fishy and clever like fox. He saw antara with me and the way he predicted, I was afraid that he might not make any worse conclusion of that. I knew he wouldn't open his mouth after my warning. But he was one of them who loves to make trouble in someone else life.
Last night I was remembering those words which antara told me before going. She promised to return back my each and every favor. I sighed again and tossed on the bed burring my face on pillow. Who could make that mad girl understand that I didn't mean about that while referring about my debt on her. I really didn't do any favor or hoped for returning back. I just wanted to help her that's all like I take care of my basti people. I just wanted to know what's bothering her. I didn't know why but I just want to know.
I was feeling so tired due to those thoughts. I knew knowing about her wouldn't be easy. She wouldn't open up to me, to anyone. She was hiding some big secret in her which she didn't reveal to anyone, I guess even not to govind uncle or saroj aunty ji. I had to search on my own. But how?! my only hope was that diary but it didn't help due to that language problem. The only thing I got was that family photo of hers and that dried tulip flower. Not dried, but burned tulip flower. Who would carry a burned tulip flower in her diary, unless it made her remind about some important thing.
Suddenly a thought flashed on my mind and I popped out my eyes in shock. the thought was so reliable yet seemed impossible for a moment. I again tossed and looked upward. Why didn't I thought that way before?! What could be most important for a girl like antara?! As much I came to know about that she didn't have any stupid interest like other girls. She only cared about the people around her and mostly her family!! That family photo kept securely inside her diary. Everything indicated towards a conclusion which really jerked inside me.
I never heard about antara's family back in Kashmir. Not even saroj aunty or govind uncle mentioned about that. People said they somehow avoided the matter regarding to antara's family. I never saw any calls or letters coming from Kashmir for antara. Those thoughts lead me to the night when I eavesdropped into antara's houses rooftop to return back ruksana's 10 RS to her. That time due to my angry boiled head, I badmouthed her taking her parent's name. I would never forget that sudden bloodless face and tormented eyes after my words. As if like my words sucked out remaining life from her. Just the mention about her father and mother made her that much weak. Did that mean she also... just like me... I couldn't think further. The lifeless face of my mother on death bead flashed in my eyes and I feasted my hairs in frustration. Her dying voice echoed in my ears after so long. I stroke loudly on the bedsit to hold onto the sudden rage. Damn, if my conclusion was right then I had already damaged so much. I hoped for the very first time that my conclusion about antara didn't come out true. Cause if my abrupt conclusion was true then it would be so hard to clear the mess.
As I heard the horn from beind, my trance broke. I sided and gave the truck space to move. "Raghunath, jaldi chala. Der ho rahi hain." Mai told me from the back. I nodded and increased the speed. Even I was in hurry, not to reach in puna but for going back so that I could search for my unanswered question. I had to found about antara's family.
Antara's POV
I was a bit worried on that day while going to naik sadan for my dance practice. I was worried if CC cam caught my eavesdropping last night. But everything seemed normal as far. Might be CC cam didn't catch me and also raghu kept his silence. We all were busy in the preparations for functions in Naik sadan. I was enacting some postures of dance from ajji when I noticed the little girl seating at a side alone. She seemed not much more than eight or nine. The girl of her age should be so cheerful and chirpy but she seemed so quiet and her big round eyes fixed towards nowhere seemed empty and sad. There were girls of different ages in ajji's dance school. I never saw that girl before. Some little girl came near her and try to pull her towards dance floor but she refused with a silent node. She was seating all alone and my eyes were fixed to her. when ajji left me and ruksana started to practice our parts and I got some opportunity to talk to her.
"Ruksana ek baat batao woo larki kaun hain? maine too ussey pahele kabhi nahin dekha!" I asked her indicating towards the little girl. "Kaun woo?! Woo too mili hain. Aaj bahut dino baad dance class mein ayi hain. iss liye nahin dekha tumne ussey." Ruku informed me. "Woo aisi gumsum kyun baithi hain?!" I asked in curiosity. Ruku's face suddenly turned sad. "Ab kya kahoon tumhe antara. Bhagwan kare kii kisi kee sath aisa naa hoo.. par apne kismat pee kisi kaa hath too nahin hota." Her voice turned sad and I continued to look at her confusingly. With a silent pause she continued. "Bas kuchi din pahele Mili kii pappa... Cancer huya tha unhe. Bachne kaa koi chance nahin tha.. pichle hafte hii woo chal base..." as soon as I heard the word my heart stopped for a moment. I felt a heavy lump on my throat as I looked towards the lonely girl. I could understand everything, the silent language of her eyes, her unspoken complains to god, just like I did three months before. Ruku continued to say something from my side but nothing got into my ears. Mili's silent eyes were so roaming my mind. Ajji led mili to the dance floor but still she seemed lost while dancing. My eyes never left the poor girl's face.
After the finishing of class we all left the room with buzz. Ruku had some personal talks with ajji so she told me to stay outside on the passage. As all the girl went outside, I found mili seating on the visting room's sofa. Might be she was waiting for someone to get her. I slowly approached to her. She didn't notice me before. Her silent eyes were all fixed to the wall. I felt sorry fpr the poor girl. I really know what she was going through. I was watching her painful eyes silently when she abruptly looked at my side and noticed me. I smiled towards her. Mili's eyes curled into frown. "Hi!" I waved my hand to her. she didn't smiled back. "Aap bhi mujhse pappa kee barein mein puchne ayein hoo naa?! Mujhe sach mein nahin pata woo kahan hain." her little stern voice silenced me for a while. the complain and sadness in her eyes were indefinable. It took a long moment for me to compose myself. I smiled and said, "Nahin. Hum aap kee pappa ke barein mein poochne nahin ayein hain."
Mili's eyes flickered disbelief. "Aap sach kahe rahe hoo?!" her voice was still doubtful. I nodded in assurance. She gauzed my expression thoroughly and abruptly moved her eyes towards the floor. she seemed a bit hesitant. I moved near her and said, "kya main yahan baith sakti hoon?!" I asked for her permission cautiously. She again lifted her eyes and looked towards me. With her narrow eyes she gauzed my expression again and said, "Aaap koo mere pass hii kyun baithna hain?!" she seemed a bit irritated. I understood that she was afraid that I would ask her about her father just like others. "Hmmm..." I stroke my chin with index finger and said, "Actually baat yee hain kii humari saheli yahan humein akele chor kee chali gayi hain." I informed her. "Too?!" her brows frowned more. "Too hum yahan akele akele ghoom rahein the. Too mera mode sadly minus hoo gaya. Yahan ayi too dekha tum bhi akele akele minus mode mein baithi hoo. Too maine socha kii hum dono kee minus koo milakar happy wala plus mode bana doo." I stated with a smile. "Minus-Plus mode?!!" Mili seemed a bit curious. "Haan tumhe pata nahin?! Asalmein.. school mein humare ek maths teacher the, itne bare mooch wale. Hum sab unse bahut darte the... aur bahut pyar bhi karte the... kyun kii woo bhi humse bahut pyar karte the..." I gauzed mili's expression while talking to her, her expression lost the irritation and it seemed curious as she was listening to my words, "Too wo teacher hume algebra samjhate waqt yahin kahete the.. jab insaan sad hote hain yaa akele hote hain too humara mode Minus hota hain. Aur jab hum khoos rahete hain too humara mode Plus hota hain. Par algebra mein aagr dono minus terms ko multiply kiya jata hain too dono milke plus hoo jata hain.. Bilkul ussi tarah agar dono minus mode kee sad insaan agar pass mein baithke batein kare too dono kee minus koo milake Plus yani ki happy wala modeban jate hain... matlab dono sad insaan happy hoo jate hain." I stated with smile.
Milli's sad curious eyes gleamed a bit. a small smile appeared on her lips. I really felt so much satisfaction seeing her smile. At least I could bring smile to someone's face who was suffering just like me. "Aaap kee teacher jii too bare funny batein karte the." She said with a little cute voice. I smiled and bend closer to her. "Aur sahi batein karte the. Dekho kuch der pahele tum kaise mooh fulayein baithe the abb dekho tumhare chaere pee kais eek smile add hoo gaya hain." I said striking her round chicks gently with my fingers. Her smile widened. "Didi, aap aur batao naa apne teacher kee barein mein." Mili demanded as her smile widened a bit. "Kyun nahin..abhi bata ti hoon." grabbing the pillow from the sofa I sat beside her and started to chat.
Raghu's POV
As soon as I entered inside the house I heard some chirpy voice of laugh from the visiting room. My ears got stuck to the sound. Mai went to her room to take some rest after her long journey. I moved towards the visiting room curiously to search for the source of the sound.
The scene I witnessed really amused me a bit. On the sofa of visiting room I found two persons chatting with each other opening their hearts, smiling and laughing loud forgetting about the surrounding. They both smiled like the budding flowers of morning, fresh, pure and untouched. Guess who were those two? Our basti's very own little Milli and other girl was no doubt, the focal point of my thought on those days, ANTARA. How they came to know each other?!
As I saw them smiling pleasantly and chatting chirpily, my lips also curled into a pleasant smile. Somehow the scene looked so warm and loving. Without disturbing them I silently watched from the other side of the column saving myself from their eyes. Antara was talking about some teacher of her school and milli was continuously laughing and clapping listening to her. Not her faulty though, the way antara was describing about her teacher waving her hands, with round big eyes and making funny faces and mostly with that huge smile on her face would make anyone laugh along with her. I was amused again. After her father's death last week I barely saw mili even smiling a bit. Everyone among us tried to cheer her up but she seemed got into her shell. But Antara managed to make her smile. Really, she had some magic like thing inside her, she could make impossible possible if she wanted.
"Pata hain didi.. Mere pappa mujhe maths parate the." As Milli stated those words her voice turned a bit low. I observed how antara's gleaming hazel also turned sad at the instant. "Sab pappa ke barein mein poochte rahete hain. Main kuch nahin kahe pati hoon. Maa see poochti hoon too woo kahete hain ki pappa bahut door chale gaye hain..." her face hung as she said those painful words. My hand feasted on the column.
"aap koo pata hain didi mere papa kahan hain?" Mili looked towards antara with expectant eyes. I silently observed how the light of happiness disappeared from her eyeballs and her hazels turned into darker. Hesitantly antara looked away from Mili's eyes. That tore expression was back in her face, the same expression I saw in that night when I mentioned about her parents.
"pata nahin.." Antara stated with a sigh with lost eyes, "koi nahin kahe pata... ki woo log kahan jate hain." she sighed and closed her eyes. I knew she was trying to stop her tears. Slowly my doubt was getting clearer and I could feel the chill down my spine. Antara opened her eyes and smile a bit. Even in her smile the pain was so clear in her eyes. She smiled towards Mili's curious eyes. "Par ek baat main jaanti hoon. Ki agar hum rote hain, dukhi hote hain, too unhe bhi bura lagta hain." Her eyes were slightly moist while saying those words. "sach?! Woo humein dekh pate hain?!" Mili's eyes widened a bit. Antara just nodded silently keeping that sad smile on her face. "too hum unhe kyun nahin dekh patein?!" Mili's curious eyes wondered.
I observed how smile faded from antara's face and her eyeballs went darker. With another big sigh she composed herself, "Sayad woo humse chup kee rahete hain." She said slowly. Her hazel turned a bit stern "Yee dinuya bahut kharap hain. Aur woo log too angels ban jate hain naa. Angels aisi buri duniya mein kaise aa sakte hain, ayengey too yahan kee rakhsas unhe pakar lengey!!" I saw the silent complain in her eyes oozing out with sadness. Gulping down her sadness she again forced a smile in her face and said, "Par unhe ane ki zarurat hi nahin hain. Woo too door raheke bhi humare pass hote hain." antara said. "Woo kaise?!!" Milli asked with another doze of curiosity. Antara smiled and kept her hand on mili's heart all of a sudden. Her posture confused me also.
"Yahan see..." antara said keeping her hand on mili's heart. "Yahan see woo humein dekh te hain, mehsoos karate hain.Aur hum bhi unke pyar koo mehssos karte hain. Joo humesha humare sath rahete hain. Chahein aur koi rahein yaa naa rahein par yee feelings rahe jati hain." As antara finished her words Mili's lips crept into a biggest smile I ever saw. Both were smiling looking towards each other. Antara's smile was most beautiful and genuine at that time, with a bit glint of sadness, still radiant and purest.
"Didi aap kee mummy papa kahan hain?!" Mili asked abruptly. The smile vanished from her face. that emptiness was back there. I saw her moving her eyes from mili's. her face turned colorless, bloodless like before. Even I was far away from her I could clearly feel she was shivering, in some unknown fear. My grip turned harder in anticipation. I was going to know one of her secrets. Would she tell or remain silent like always?! "Batao naa didi." Mili's innocent voice asked again. I saw antara hesitating to say. Her silence was really killing me.
"Mere momma pappa bhi tumhare pappa ki tarah angel ban gaye hain." she silently probed looking away from Mili's eyes. I saw mili's eyes widened again. even I presumes her answer the conformation of the truth shook me hard from top to bottom. I stood there numb looking towards her saddened face for long. The hit was so strong that I felt my heartbeat stopped for some moment and earth slipped from the beneath of my feet. Both antara and mili went silent after the truth came out. So my doubt was right. Antara also lost her parents just like me!
"Antara!!" another voice broke all our trance. I was also shuddered standing at the side of column. Both mili and antara got startled and looked towards ruksana who was standing at their side. Ruku's face was also shocked. I understood that she also listened to their conversation. Antara stood up quickly looking towards ruksana's shocked eyes. their silent eyes told something to each other. "Mili, tere bhaiya aa gaye hain bahar tujhe lene." Ruku looked towards mili and confirmed her. Mili slipped down from sofa, "Acha! Antara di, main chalti hoon." Mili smiled, "Aur haan... aab see main kabhi papa koo yaad kar ke nahin roungi. Kyun ki mere rone se unko bhi dukh hoga naa." She said. Antara smiled and ruffled caressed her hairs. "Bye mili." She bid her goodbye as mili ran outside waving her hair without noticing me near the door. Antara again looked towards ruksana. "Ruksana... woo..." she was about to say something but ruksana stopped her. "Abhi kuch bata nee ki zarurat nahin hain Antara. Main baad mein aaungi tumse milne. Abhi ghar chalo, waisey bhi saroj aunty ka khana thand hoo jayega. Aur tum janti hoo thanda khana mujhe zara saa bhi pasand nahin." Ruku teased. "Acha!!" antara rolled her eyes. "Chalo.." ruku dragged her along with her. I quickly hid myself shofting a bit. Antara and ruksana didn't notice me there. My eyes followed antara till her green dupatta got lost from my eyesight.
PS: I think everyone is going to sleep at the middle of this chapter. I don't know how it came out actually or does it actually make sense anyhow.
Bindi
Udne Ki Aasha
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
