MriAra FF: *||YEH BAIR ISHQ||* Part-12 {Updated Pg-22} - Page 14

"Tara jaldi khidki bandh kar, sab bheeg rahe hai..." Tara was in her room reading a book when she heard a sharp cry from outside. She was so much engrossed in the storybook that she didn't realize when the rain had started. She looked outside through the glass window and found a deep black sky from where the raindrops were falling in a constant manner.With a sudden jerk she got up from the chair and closed the windows and the balcony door.
"Khidki bandh kar diya hai na...?" She turned hearing Govind's voice.
"Haan dad." She came back to the reading table and sat there. "Bandh toh kar diya par pata hai saare paudhe mar jayenge." She said flipping over the book.
"Kyun?" Govind sat on her bed.
"Kyun ki..." She turned to him, "Subah maine itna pani dala tha aur abhi itni barish..." She looked at the window again as it reflected the lights of a thunderbolt.
Govind smiled, "Kuch nahi hoga...naye paudhe hai...zyada pani hoga toh kuch nahi hoga." She nodded. "Waise tu itni raat tak kyun jaag rahi hai?"

"Neend nahi aa rahi...socha book padh loon..." She replied.
"Zyada raat tak mat jagna...theek hai." Govind caressed her hair and left.

~Next day morning~

Tara opened her eyes and in an instant she witnessed a cloudy sky. There was not a single touch of sunrays, dull and melancholy clouds were floating in the sky. It was a lazy day. She switched on her phone and at the next moment got a sudden shock seeing three missed calls notification from Seher. The only thing that came to her mind was about the stalker, that Kabir Soni. She was sure that something had again happened with Seher and that was the only reason Seher must have called her. She dialled her number instantly.
"Kya hua? Tu theek hai? Phir se kuch hua kya?" Tara's questions pierced Seher like a shaft.

"Arre calm down, sab theek hai." Seher's gentle voice soothed her.
"Agar sab theek hai toh teen teen missed calls." Her voice seemed worried.
"Arre woh kya hua na mujhe aaj Ramzan ke liye shopping jana tha aur phir Dargah bhi jana hai. Ammi jane se rok rahi thi, maine unhe manaya phir woh raazi huyi par tujhe bhi saath leke jane ke liye kaha...toh wahi puchna tha tu chalegi?"

Tara covered her face hearing her. "Bhagwan!!!!! Itni si baat ke liye teen missed calls...tujhe koi andaza hai main kitna darr gayi thi."
"Kabhi kabhi darna accha hota hai kyun ki darr ke aage jeet hai." She said.
"Shut up Seher!!!! Phone rakh mujhe ready hona hai." She said and they both hung up.

~At the Shekhawat Mansion~

"Mrityunjay kaha hai?" Jairaj asked Maya while wiping his mouth with the napkin, he had just completed his breakfast. Maya was standing there.
"Jairaj aaj uska office jana zaroori hai? Main soch rahi thi agar aaj woh ghar pe rehta..." Maya said looking at him.
Jairaj smiled, "Nahi waise zaroori toh nahi hai...lekin kuch kaam hai usse? Aap aise..." But he couldn't finish his words as he was surprised after hearing her.
"Nahi koi kaam nahi hai...par agar woh..."
"Kya baat hai nani...?" Maya and Jairaj both turned towards the stairs from where he was coming to the hall.
"Kuch nahi beta...aaj ka mausam kitna kharab hai na isliye Jairaj ko keh rahi thi agar tu ghar pe hi ruk jata." She smiled.
"Nani aap na serial dekh dekh ke bilkul drama queen ho gayi hai." He said mockingly.
"Haar baat pe mazak..." Nani turned her face aside.
"Ufff...kitna drama karti hai aap." He pulled her cheeks.
"Beta agar aapki Nani mana kar rahi hai toh mat jao aaj." Mrityunjay turned towards his father.
"Dad aaj aap nahi ja rahe hai aur agar main bhi nahi gaya toh kaise chalega? Upar se naye project ka kaam shuru hone hi wala hai." He said.
Jairaj nodded, "Theek hai...par aaj wakai mausam bahot kharab hai."
"Dad aaj bas ek chota sa meeting hi hai...main jaldi aa jayunga." He left and Jairaj also left the place.
After they both left, Maya turned to go to the lounge when she saw Rajnath there, she said nothing.
"Maya tum kyun aisa kar rahi ho? Woh ab 17 saal ka bachha nahi raha...please aisa mat karo..." His words made her stop.
"Lekin use dekh ke mujhe phir se wahi purana darr mehsoos ho raha hai...uska woh kamre mein jana, phir itna calm rehna jaise kuch hua hi nahi..." She stopped and took a deep breath.
"Maya waqt ke saath saath log badalte hai, nazariyaan badalta hai aur dard jhelne ka tarika bhi, uss room mein jane ka haq agar sabse zyada kisiko hai toh woh uska hai...aur baar baar aisa karke tum usse uska haq chin rahi ho." His firm voice replied.
Maya kept her head down and closed her eyes.

"Uss Kabir ke bare mein kuch socha?" Seher asked Tara, they were at the grocery section of the store. The Ramzan month would be starting soon; so it was necessary for Seher to shop for some fruits and important household things.
"Uske bare mein kya sochna...woh toh pehle se hi aisa hai...aur Seher ab tu kuch zyada hi importance de rahi hai use." Tara said; she was walking with her and pushing the shopping trolley.
"Importance nahi de rahi, bas dimaag se..."
"Arreee...kya baat hai...meri do saaliyan ek saath." Seher stopped in the middle of her sentence as a voice approached them from the front.
"Jeeju..." Tara's eyes sparkled with happiness. "Hamari chhodiye aap grocery shop mein kya kar rahe hai?" She said in a playful tone.
Sameer smiled keeping his head down, "Woh kya hai na kal Rashi Australia ja rahi hai toh uske liye kuch saman kharidne aaya tha..." He replied.
"Ohooo Patni ke liye shopping..." Seher said and wiggled her eyebrows.
"Ab kya kare meri do saaliyan toh mujhe bhao hi nahi deti hai...jab bhi Rashi se milne aata hoon pata nahi kaha gayab ho jati hai. Bas naam ki aadhi gharwali banke reh gayi..." He shook his head and folded his hands, Tara and Seher both laughed seeing his expression.

"Woh kya hai na aap jab aate hai hum aapko Di ke saath akele quality time spend karne dena chahte hai aur isiliye hum nahi aate wahan." Tara said mischievously.

"Arre Rashi ke saath saath mujhe apni saaliyon ki company bhi toh chahiye na." Sameer continued in the same manner.
"Accha toh aisi baat hai...koi problem nahi ab Rashi Di ja rahi hai toh ab se aapko company dena hamara kaam hai." Tara said with a fake seriousness.
"Matlab mauke pe chauka..." He frowned.
"Aur nahi toh kya!" Tara said controlling her smile.
"Accha jeeju filhaal hum chalte hai.Seher ko aaj Dargah bhi jana hai."

"Ohhh jao...sambhal ke jana." Sameer smiled.
"Thank you jeeju...Bye." They both left.

**********

Mrityunjay was sitting in the car, he was coming back home. Though it was only afternoon but as the weather today was not pleasant due to rain so the office members were told to go home early for their safety. His car was moving very slowly. The main road was almost blocked.

"Such an annoying thing this rainy day is...accha hota agar main nani ki baat sunke aaj aata hi nahi." He said to himself while checking his watch, it showed the time to be 5:30. He looked outside, there wasnothing except a black cloudy sky. Suddenly the car stopped with a rash break, and he collided with the front seat. "Are dekh ke chalao..." he shouted from the back, while rubbing his arms.

"Saab... woh samne ek billi aa gayi thi," he said timidly.

"Tum aur tumhare yeh superstitions...ab chalo please." He said.

************

"Tara hume thoda aur wait karna chahiye, dekh kitni barish ho rahi hai...abhi nikle toh bheeg jayenge.." Tara and Seher were at a Dargah .Since a few days some weird things were happening with them, specifically with Seher, so that was another reason she was there. When they had come, there was drizzle rain so they thought it would stop soon but with passing time it caught more pace and they stuck there.
"Hume aaj aana hi nahi chahiye tha..." Tara said looking at the sky.
"Arre miyaan kya haal hai udhar ka?"
"Mat puchiye, main road pani se block ho gaya... pata nahi kya ho raha hai..." The two men's conversation made Tara more restless.
"Seher hum aur wait nahi kar sakte, hume nikal na hi hoga. Hum ghar nahi pahoch payenge."
"Par...itni barish mein..." An uncertainty was there in Seher's voice.
"At least chowk tak chal...wahaan se shayed auto mil jaye..."
They were almost leaving when a woman's voice approached them.

"Beta Dargah aate hai toh tabarruf leke jate hai." The old lady stretched a red piece of cloth towards her, she looked at it and saw some red rose petals there. She looked at Seher.
"Le jao beta..." Tara smiled confusingly and took those petals from her.
"Allah pe bharosa rakhna, woh sabko sab ki manzil dikhayega..."

Tara smiled, and brought out a red scarf from her bag, she put those petals there and tied it in a knot.
"Tara chal..." She turned hearing Seher's voice and left from there in a hurry.

*******************

The driver turned the car's key to start the car but it didn't work, he tried again but failed to start the car.

"Ab kya hua?" he asked the driver.

The driver was still trying to start the car. "Saab...lagta hai pani ke wajah se engine jam ho gaya..." He replied in a mumbling tone.

"Oh God...abhi hona tha yeh..." he said. He was now completely exhausted, the weather and the condition of the car made him irritated.
"Main dekhta hoon..." The driver came outside and opened the bonnet. The road was almost empty. Mrityunjay was cursing himself and after half a minute he came out of the car, the driver took a umbrella and covered his head in an instant.
"Aap kyun bahar aaye...??"
"Mujhe andar ghutan ho raha tha...tum ek kaam karo gaadi ko dekho...main..." He looked here and there and said, "Main udhar hoon..." He signalled to a half-constructed building.
"Nahi nahi aap aise barish mein...Thakur saab ko pata chalega toh meri naukri chali jayegi." He said in a fearful voice.
"Kuch nahi hoga, mujhe dad ko call karna hai aur car mein network problem ho raha hai. Jitna main bol raha hoon utna karo." And he left without giving him a chance to utter anything.

***************

"Tara tu theek hai?" Seher asked, they were standing at an unformed building. Tara nodded.
"Tu yahaan ruk, main dekh ke aati hoon kuch milta hai ki nahi." Seher said. Tara goggled her eyes.

"Tu...? Rehne de...main dekh ke aati hoon..."
"Kyun...main kyun nahi ja sakti...?" Seher frowned at her.
"Waah...Seher toh badi ho gayi." She winked at her.
"Kya Tara...main isliye keh rahi thi kyun ki chowk ke uss taraf se kabhi kabhi running autos mil jate hai aur kuch kuch autowale mujhe pehchante bhi hai...but tu toh hamesha mujhe underestimate karti hai..." Tara controlled her smile.
"Arreee...theek hai ja. Main toh mazak kar rahi thi pagal."
"Main abhi aa jayungi." Tara nodded.

**************

It's been 30 minutes since he was standing there. Though he couldn't say that this was the best place, but at least it was far better than the sultry car atmosphere. He brought out his phone to call Jairaj but he found that there was no tower in the phone. He put that back in his pocket when he heard a female voice, and it seemed she was talking with someone. He frowned and turned back, but there was no one. He looked at the surroundings but didn't find any sign of the person.

***************

He started walking, keeping an eye on every possible corner in a hope to find the source of the sound. Suddenly his eyes stuck on a sight. There was a girl standing, stretching her hands on the outside. Though he couldn't see her face, but from the back he could realize that whenever the small drops of water touched her skin a sense of happiness enveloped her. He frowned and tilted a little to see her face, but his effort went in vain. From the back, he could only see her untied hair which was flowing in the wild breeze, her half-wet dupatta which was stuck to her perfect figure. There was nothing very much there, but still there was an unknown attraction in her. The way she become happy and enjoyed the rain made him engrossed in her, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He was startled and brought out the phone. It was from Jairaj, he received the call.
"Beta kaha hai aap...?"
"Dad...kuch sunayi nahi de raha..." he said. Due to rain the network was giving a problem and that was why he couldn't hear anything, he came to a corner.
"Ji dad, car mein kuch problem ho gaya...aap chinta maat kijiye main abhi pahoch jayunga..." He reassured his father. Cutting the call, he came back to the place but there was no one except an essence of her happiness. He didn't expect that she would be gone so quickly, a mere hope of seeing her again was residing in his heart. He went to the place where she was standing sometime earlier and found a red scarf lying there, half wet and half dry. He frowned seeing that, he kneeled down there and took the cloth, opened it gently and found some red rose petals there. He took a petal in his hands and gazed over it.
"Saab car theek ho gaya..." He was startled and turned. His driver was standing there. He put the petal in the cloth.
"Hmmm..." he said and inserted the fardel in his pant's pocket and left.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .