Part 2:- At the police station:-
Their car stopped in front of the police station which shocked Tara. "Mrityunjay hum yahan kya kar rahe hain?" She was confused and an unknown fear filled her heart all of a sudden.
"Don't worry, jaldi hi pata chal jayega." He said holding her hand assuring her. Both entered inside the police station.
"Kahan hai woh Inspector?"
"Mr. Shekhawat this way." He brought Tara and Mrityunjay for the verification.
He entered inside one cell. Tara was confused as she still didn't know why they were brought there. She held Mrityunjay's hands tightly and he could feel that she was terrified. They spotted her and she turned."Toh tum dono yahan aaye ho dekhne ki Kalavati kaisi hai?" Kalavati said in her typical style. Mrityunjay kept silent and Tara was shocked, she held his arm tightly. "Tum ko shayad pata nahi hai Kalavati ko pakad ke rakhna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai."
"Inspector yahi hai Kalavati." Mrityunjay responded. He signaled Tara to give a verification and she said, "Haan inspector yahi hai Kalavati."
"Haan gaur se dekh lo...yahi hai Kalavati poora single piece...itni khoobsurat poori duniya mein ek hi hai Kalavati. Jitni khoobsurat utni hi khatarnak." She said moving her face eyeing them.
"Ae chup kar, bahut zyada zaban chal rahi hai teri." The Inspector scolded her.
"Teri himmat kaise huyi muye mujh se aise baat karne ki. Tu janta nahi hai Kalavati kaun hai?"
"Na janta hoon na janna chahta hoon."
"Bahut bhari padne waala hai tum sab ko Kalavati ko aise kaid karna."
Tara was a bit terrified. She said to Mrityunjay, "Chalo yahan se jaldi, ab kaam khatam ho gaya na?"
Mrityunjay could sense her fear. He asked the inspector, "Inspector sahab humara kaam khatam ho gaya to kya hum ja sakte hain?"
"Jee bilkul. Agar zaroorat padegi to hum aap ko phir takleef denge."
"Theek hai sir." Suddenly, in a fraction of a second, things changed and Kalavati smartly took out the gun from the inspector's holster while he was talking to Mrityunjay. It was so quick that no one could notice it. "Inspectorrr" Mrityunjay shouted to alert him but it was too late.
"Kahan ja rahe ho tum sab? Abhi to zyada time bhi nahi hua hai." She pointed the gun at the Inspector's head, holding his head in her one arm.
"Gun neeche rakh do, tum yahan se kisi haal mein nahi nikal sakti."
"Nikalega to tu mujhe mua yahan se, samjha." And now turning to Mrityunjay and Tara, "Aur tum dono bade aaye the mujhe saza dilwane waale. Aaj Kalavati tum dono ka kaam khatam kar ke hi rahegi." Saying this, she pointed the gun at Tara's head. "To pehle tu jayegi na?"
"Tara ko chhod do, tumhara yahan se bach ke nikalna namumkin hai." Mrityunjay warned.
"Arre abhi bhi tujhe lagta hai ki Kalavati tum dono ko chhodegi. Chal teri Tara ko chhod dete hain aur pehle tujhe hi niptati hoon." He pointed the gun at Mrityunjay.
"Nahi pehle mujhe maaro. Main Mrityunjay ko ek baar phir apne saamne marte hue nahi dekh sakti. Main pehle marna chahti hoon. Main suhaagan jana chahti hoon is duniya se."
"Arre waah yeh bhi accha idea hai, pehle tujhe hi maar deti hoon. Kam se kam tujhe maarte huye bhi bhi ek accha kaam ho jayega mere haath se."
"Nahi pehle mujhe maaro." Mrityunjay said. Turning to Tara, he said, "Main apni aankhon ke saamne tumhare saath kuch bhi bura hota nahi dekh sakta Tara." Mrityunjay hugged Tara trying to make her understand the situation.
"Please Mrityunjay main tumhare bina nahi jee sakti." She said having tears in her eyes.( Guys imagine the background tune which used to be played in such scenes)
"To jeene ko keh hi kaun raha hai tujhe? Kalavati tujhe maut degi na bus maut."
"Nahi pehle mujhe..."
"Pehle main..." And both started fighting but Kalavati couldn't be made a fool this time.
"Chup karo tum dono. Pehle mujhe maaro pehle mujhe maaro kar ke mera dhyan hatana chahte ho na? Ab ki baar Kalavati aisa bilkul nahi hone degi. Tum dono ko marna hai aaj." Tara closed her eyes in fear and a gunshot was heard. When she opened her eyes she found Kalavati lying on floor and her head was bleeding. She was dead now.
"Mrityunjay." She saw him standing beside her and hugged him tightly in fear having tears in her eyes.
"Relax Tara, kuch nahi hua. Sab theek hai ab. Woh mar chuki hai, don't cry." He said hugging her back, cleaning her tears with his thumb and soothing her.
"Thank you Mr. Mrityunjay aap ki wajah se hi yeh ho paya." The Inspector thanked him.
"Maine kuch nahi kiya Inspector, main to bus us ka attention divert kar raha tha. Baaki ka kaam to aap ke aadmiyon ne hi kiya."
Now Tara understood what the police had been up to while she and Mrityunjay had been arguing to distract Kalavati. Actually when Kalavati was busy in their argument, one of the police constables smartly moved behind Kalavati and pointed the riffle at her head and before she could fire at Tara, he fired his riffle which hit her on the head and she dropped down dead.
Later that day:-
Tara was again busy in her thoughts when Mrityunjay interrupted her. "Oho Tara ab kya hua? Kya sochne lagi ab?"
Tara looked at him with sad eyes, "Aaj jo bhi hua us ke baare mein soch rahi thi."
"Kya soch rahi thi?"
"Jo bhi hua accha hi hua Tara warna shayad hum zindagi bhar Kalavati ke zinda hone ke darr ke saaye mein jeete."
"Par apni aankhon ke saamne kisi ko iss tarah se marte hue dekhna...woh bhi us insaan ko jis ne humari zindagi ko...bilkul barbaad kar dene mein koi kasar nahi chhodi." She was becoming emotional.
"Samajh sakta hoon main Tara par yeh to hona hi tha na ek na ek din."
"Par aaj jab yeh sab hua to mujhe achanak se yakeen hi nahi ho raha hai ke aisa hua hai."
He held her shoulders and looking into her eyes said, "Aisa hota hai Tara aksar humare saath. Kabhi kabhi jis baat se hum sab se zyada darte hain ya door rehna chahte hain jab achanak se woh baat hona band ho jaye to dil ko ek pal ke liye yakeen nahi hota hai. Par ab yakeen kar lo is sach ka ki Kalavati humari zindagi se jaa chuki hai. Humare upper se us ke khauf (terror) ka saaya na sirf khatam ho chuka hai balki ab hum azad hain."
"Main bhi isi baat ka vishwaas karna chahti hoon Mrityunjay." She said hugging him.
After a few days:-
Tara gets an anonymous call and she was confused to see the number as it was an international number.
"Hello."
"Oye Faltoo."
"Bunty tu...tu hai kahan?"
"Bus wahin hoon jahan tum logon ne mujhe bhej diya tha aur us ke baad yaad bhi nahi kiya."
"Aisa nahi hai Bunty..."
"Agar aisa nahi hai to maa, Nandu ke saath itna kuch ho gaya mujhe kuch bhi bataya kyoun nahi?"
"Arre Bunty hum chahte thhe ki tu padh likh ke ek din bahut bada aadmi ban jaye isiliye tujhe kuch bhi nahi bataya warna tera padhne mein mann hi nahi lagta."
"Yeh koi baat nahi hai Faltoo. Nandu ne itna kuch kar diya but kisi ne mujhe kuch bhi batane ki zaroorat hi nahi samjhi. Maa se jab bhi baat huyi maa ne hamesha kaha ki sab theek hai. Ek din achanak se pata chala ki Nandu ne shaadi kar li woh bhi kis se, tere sasur se aur phir..." Bunty couldn't continue.
Tara finally had tears in her eyes, "Bunty..." and her tears burst out from her eyes and she made Bunty cry as well.
"Pata hai faltoo bus tu hi ek bachi hai ab meri life mein maa aur Nandu ke jaane ke baad...aur Nandu ... naam bhi mat le uska. Yeh sab us ki hi wajah se hua." Tara tried her best to control her tears but her eyes didn't stop. "Woh hum dono ki behan hai is baat pe yakeen hi nahi hota mujhe ab."
Tara tried to talk between her tears, "Jaane de na Bunty, ab jo hona tha woh ho chuka hai."
"Haan Faltoo yeh baat bhi sahi hai." He said sadly.
Tara now had a bit more control over her tears, "Par tujhe yeh sab kaise pata chala?"
"Maa aur Shekhawat family ke murder ke baad main India aaya tha tab mujhe yeh sab pata chala. Maine tum logon ko dhoondhne ki bahut koshish ki par tum logon ka kahin bhi pata nahi chala. Mujhe laga..." his voice trailed off for some time. Taking a pause he continued, "Par dil ne kabhi is baat ko maana hi nahi ki tu aur jeeju nahi ho kyounki officially tum dono mile hi nahi the. Phir ek din maine jeeju ki pic dekhi TV par Bhopal mein hue ek international conference ke dauran. Tab maine Shekhawat Villa ka number dial kiya aur teri Dai Jaan ne phone uthaya tha aur unhone ne hi tera number diya."
"Oh, par yeh bata tune kabhi apne jeeju ko dekha nahi tha na to kaise pehchana unko?"
"Kya Faltoo, aise Faltoo ke hi sawal pooch sakti hai tu. Tech freak age hai yeh meri behan, mobile and social networking ke era mein pic dekhne mein itna time thode hi lagta hai. Yaad hai jab tum dono ne phir se shaadi ki thi tab Nandu ne teri aur jeeju ki kayi saari pictures bheji thi mujhe. Maine hi Nandu ko bola tha ki aise to maine kabhi jeeju ko nahi dekha but ab woh tum dono ki pictures mujhe bhej de."
"Oh to kaise bheji thi, mobile se?" she teased him.
"Faltoo...bilkul faltoo hi rahegi tu." It made Tara smile.
"Itne din baad kisi ne kisi aur naam se bulaya accha lag raha hai."
"Mere alawa tujhe koi Faltoo bula sakta hai kya?"
" Accha yeh bata ab to tu bahut bada aadmi bhi ban gaya hoga na?"
"Bahut bada to pata nahi par haan kuch hadd tak tere aur maa ke sapne ko poora kar diya hai. Ab job bhi kar raha hoon past three years se."
"Are waah mera bhai kitna bada ban gaya. Yeh bata tujhe pagar(salary) to acchi milti hai na?"
"Oye Faltoo...bahut acchi pagar milti hai mujhe."
"Tab to tu apni behna ke liye koi na koi gift la hi sakta hai na wahan se."
"Haan bilkul laaonga apni faltoo behan ke liye." He said smiling.
Tara had a thought now, "Aaj maa hoti na to kitni khush hoti yeh dekh ke." Her eyes welled up again.
"Haan Faltoo main bhi yahi sochta hoon." Both were emotional and speechless for some time again.
"Accha ab to teri shaadi ke liye acchi ladki dhoondhni padegi." She said.
"Start ho gayi na tu. Sach mein ab faltoo ke kaam karne band kar. Band kya main to sochta hoon soch bhi mat tu is baare mein."
"Bikul nahi, accha bata ab wapas apni is faltoo behan ke pass kab aa raha hai?"
"Bahut jaldi, bus teen maheene mein kyounki ek project pe kaam chal raha hai. Jaise hi yeh kaam khatam hoga main apni behan se milne aa jaaonga."
"Arre waah, jaldi se wapas aa ja mere bhai. Tujhe nahi pata teri Faltoo tujhe kitna miss kar rahi hai." She was saying this when Mrityunjay entered. He overheard just the last part of line.
"Kis ko miss kar rahi hai meri chuhiya?" he asked her confusingly.
"Hai koi, kyoun bataoon?" she said to Mrityunjay.
"Jeeju hain kya?" Bunty asked.
"Haan," Tara answered.
"To meri tarah jeeju ne bhi tujhe ek naam de diya, Chuhiya." Bunty teased her.
"Haan haan ab to tujhe aur bhi accha lagega na ki teri hi tarah mujhe aur bhi koi chidata hai."
"Bilkul."
"Kaun hai bhai jo meri biwi se khule aam romance kar raha hai." He said holding her waist.
"Hai koi par main kyoun bataoon." She said teasing him.
"Batana to padega ab aise kaam thode na chalega." He said kissing her shoulder.
"Bunty hai..."
"Bunty.." He thought that he had heard the name somewhere. "Tara...yeh tumhara bhai hai na?" He remembered all of a sudden.
"Jeeju ko phone de na Faltoo." And Tara handed over the phone to him.
"Hey jeeju."
After three months:-
"Tara."
"Haan kya hua?"
"Sab ho gaya?"
"Haan jee aap ki behan aa rahi hai na to maine sab arrangements kar diye hain."
Mrityunjay was smiling now. "Tum ko pata hai inhi wajahon se main tumhe itna pyaar karta hoon."
"I know."
"Ahaan ab to tum bilkul Mrs. Mrityunjay Singh Shekhawat jaisa sound kar rahi ho." He winked.
"To kya pehle nahi thi?" But their convo got disturbed when they found Vasu standing at the door and calling them.
"Bhai bhabhi..."
"Vasu..." Tara rushed to her while Mrityunjay stood there shocked.
"Vasu...tum itni jaldi? I mean tumhari flight to raat ki thi na?"
"Arre bhai maine socha aap dono ko surprise deti hoon jaldi aa ke."
"Tu aur tere surprises." Tara hugged her and Vasu had tears in her eyes.
Tara also felt tears welling up in her eyes, "Vasu...pata hai main bahut khush hoon tujhe yahan wapas dekh kar."
"Aur main bhi." Mrityunjay said giving a hug to his sister.
"Bhai..." And she couldn't hold back her tears. Mrityunjay was also teary eyed but he didn't want to make her weak so he just soothed her and after a few minutes her tears slowed down and she was a bit better.
"Kitni baar kaha hai na maine ki mujhe apni is chhoti si moti si sis ki aankhon mein aanson bilkul acche nahi lagte."
It made her smile and Tara said to cheer them up and change their mood, "To agar dono bhai behan ka Bharat milap khatam ho gaya ho to kya hum andar chalein?"
"Bilkul chalte hain na." Mrityunjay said.
After two hours:-
All of them Pari, Vasu, Tara and Mrityunjay were seated in their drawing room when they heard someone calling, "Tara."
Tara could recognize the voice very well. She rushed to the door and so did Mrityunjay to check who was there, followed by Vasu and Pari. Vasu was shocked and Tara was over joyed. "Bunty...tu yahan?"
Bunty smiled and said, "Andar aane ko nahi kahegi?"
"Aa na andar." And he entered inside and hugged Tara.
"Kaisi hai Faltoo?"
"Theek hi hoon."
"Woh to lag hi rahi hai." Saying this he gave her a hug. After a long time, Tara was super happy but having her brother with him made her weak. She had tears as well and so did Bunty. Soon Mrityunjay came to them.
"Tara us ko saans to lene do aur andar to aane do." He said.
"Haan haan andar aa na kis ne mana kiya hai." She said wiping her tears.
"Jab tum us ko chhodogi tab na?" he said. Tara shot Mrityunjay an irritated look.
"Jeeju kaise hain aap?" he said touching his feet.
"Arre arre yeh sab mat karo. Aise milo." He said giving him a warm hug. After the formal greetings, his eyes fell on Vasu.
"Tum.." And Vasu gave a smile.
to be continued...
Edited by Mahak Sinha - 8 years ago