~The Fear Within~ Part 29 Pg. 44 2-27-10 - Page 12

Part 13

Somewhere in the suburbs of Delhi…

~Rahul is seen sleeping on a couch with some sort of a file lying on his chest. He must have fallen asleep working on it or reading it. Moving closer to Rahul is a little girl about 6 years old with a mischievous smile on her cute face. As she nears him one could clearly tell the difference in Rahul's physical appearance. A lot has changed for him in these past five years, both mentally and physically, it was clear that he wasn't the same person anymore. He is wearing corrective glasses, dressed in a more professional and sober clothing, and his facial expressions seem to be stiff and firm.~

Girl: Mamoo…Mamooo…(she shakes Him a little) Utho na…(gets on the couch on top of him and starts to eally mess with his neat hair) Mamoo agar Mama agaye na toh app per paani waala glass daal daygee…uthho naa….

Rahul: (opens his eyes slowly taking the glasses off realizing his sleep was not intentional) Uthh gaya…abb khush? (he smiled but it didn't reach his eyes) App itni jaldi kyun uth gaye Roshni?

Roshni: Bus yunhi…bore ho rahi thi…weekend hain na ajj…

Rahul: (sits up holding Roshini is his arms) Acha toh kya plan hain weekend ka?

Roshni: App mujhay zoo leaky chalo gay?

Rahul: Umm….zoo…Roshini voh… (he tries to come up with an excuse)

Roshni: Hospital jana hain?

Rahul: Haan voh ajj…

Roshni: Come on Mamu ajj toh 23 March hain na…app ko yaad hain na ajj ka din…?

Rahul: 23^rd March…haan yaad hain bahut achay se yaad hain…(as Roshini mentioned the date happily Rahul's facial expression got even more heavier. The date was a reminder of something happy for Roshini as it was her birthday but for Rahul it was the date when Muskaan had left him without even saying goodbye for the last time.)

Roshni: Kahan kohgay Mamu? (she clapped her hands in front of Rahul as he seemed completely lost in a world of his own)

Rahul: Nahi kuch nahi…(he came back and looked at her once again smiling half heartedly)

Roshni: Toh app meray saath zoo chalo gay na?

Rahul: umm…Aik kaam kartey hain…app Papa aur Mama ka saath subah mein zoo chaly jao…main sham mein hospital se anay kay baad ice cream kay liye app ko bahir lay jaao ga…theek hain…

Roshni: Per Mamu app bhi chalo na…hum zoo mein lion aur dolphin…aur rabbits dehkhay gay…

Rahul: (kissed his niece lovingly on her cheek) I know Roshni bahut maaza agaye ga…per Mamu ko hospital mein kaam hain na…kuch bahut bemar loog hain uko jaldi se theek karna hain…phir voh bhi zoo ja saktey hain aur enjoy kar saktey hain…(he tried toi reason with the little girl)

Roshni: Theek hain Mamu…app jao jaldi se theek karo unn sub ko…per ice cream ka promise yaad rakhna…

Rahul: Thank you princess… Aur ofcourse meri princess ka promise kaise bhool sakta hoon…(Roshni shook hands with him to seal the deal) Acha app ka present app kay room men maine kal raat ko he rakh diya tha…app ne dekha?

Roshni: Nahi Mamu…main toh Mama aur Papa kay bedroom mein soo gaye thi…darr lag raha tha na issi liye... (she said cutely)

Rahul: Hmmm toh in that case app ko abhi jana chiyay appka present dekhnay kay liye…left side per rakha hain…I hope app ko acha lagay ga…

Roshni: Theek hain main jarahi hoon…(she kisses Rahul and then runs off happily as he watches her go. After a while he gets up and goes near the window thinking something while looking at the sun rise. The calm that was visible in the serenity of the scene was complete opposite of his restless and deserted soul. His eyes were reddened and they seemed so empty and distant. As the sun rays reflected off their shine his face was became stiffer as if he had not smiled for ages.)

Nikki: (Walks in) Rahul…Rahul?

Rahul: (completely lost in his thoughts looking out the window intently)

Nikki: (puts her hand on his shoulder, breaking his chain of thoughts) Rahul Kahan khoye huye ho?

Rahul: Nahi Di…kahein bhi nahi…(he turned to her and conveniently lied again)

Nikki: (noticed his burning eyes and tears that had involuntarily made their way down the glasses and on to his cheeks) Muskaan ki yaad agaye? (she shoed him the tears that she wiped from his cheek)

Rahul: (looked at her older sister in disbelief)

Nikki: Ajj ka din teray liye har saal ki tarah voh yaadein lay ata hain jin se toh jitna bhagta hain utna he unkay kareeb chala jata hain…kub tak rahul?

Rahul: Nahi Di aisa kuch nahi hain…Yeh toh bus…all..allergies hain…

Nikki: Jhoot bolna bhi seekh gaya hain tu inn paach saaloon mein…abb toh pata he nahi chalta kub toh saach bol raha hain aur kub jhoot…

Rahul: Abhi…Abhi jeeju kahan hain… (he asked ignoring the issue as he was in no need to be reminded of what has happened to him the past 5 years)

Nikki: Roshni kay room mein hain…uskay saath sarey presents open kar rahay hain…birthday hain na ajj uska…

Rahul: Haan di jaanta hoon…yahi thi meray pass voh…

Nikki: Tuney ajj hospital se leave li hain na?

Rahul: (He goes and picks up his file) Nahi Di…ajj surgeries karni hain…critical patient hain…I am sorry…

Nikki: Roshni kay liye itna bhi nahi kar sakta? Hum sub mill kar zoo janay ka plan…

Rahul: (Cuts her off) I promised her an ice cream treat hum sub kay saath…ajj sham bahir chalay gay…

Nikki: (sighs) Jaisi tumharai marzi…bus meri itni baat yaad rakhna Rahul kay jub tak main zinda hoon main teri zindagi ko yun ruka hua nahi dekh sakti…nahi bardaasht karsakti tumhara yeh akelapan…kub tak iss tarah jee lo gay tum…

Rahul: Toh Di appka kahyaal hain app ki baat maan kar…unn hazaar tasveeroon mein se aik anjaan chehra choose kar kay mein kissi aur ki zindagi bhi kahraab kardo…kya yeh zaroori hain kay meri shaadi ho? (He said a bit frustrated)

Nikki: Main yeh nahi chahti kay kissi ki bhi zindagi kahrab ho…per Rahul tu yeh kyun nahi samajh raha hain kay tum sari zindagi akelay nahi reh saktay…

Rahul: App ko yeh kyun lagta hain kay mein akela ho?

Nikki: Tum akelay ho…aur Rahul yeh toh tum bhi jaantey ho kay Mumbai mein reh kar tum kitnay akelay hogaye thay….kitni mushkil se tujhay mein yahaan lay kay aye yeh sirf main he jaanti hoon…Suku bhi chali gaye Karan kay pass apni zindagi mein agaye bhar nay kay liye… Per tum ajj bhi vahi kahray hoo…

Rahul: Di yeh zaroori nahi hain kay waqt kay saath saath sub kuch agay bhar jaaye… aur phir maine apni zindagi apnay kaam per dedicate kardi hain…inn sub ki adat nahi hain…(he walked away and picked up another one of his case files as Nikki stood watching him in disbelief)

Nikki: Rahul main teri kuch baat sunay ya samhjnay ko tayaar nahi ho…per sirf itna kehna chaho ge kay faisla ajj bhi tumharay haath mein hain… it's up to you kay tum kis kal mein jeena chahtey hoon kyunki jo ghuzar gaya voh bhi kal tha aur jo anay waala hain voh bhi kal hain…and I really hope tum anay waaley kal ko choose karo…kyunki usmay tum khush reh saktay ho….(saying that she walks out the room leaving Rahul alone)

Rahul: (falls back on the couch with his head in his hands and then mumbles to himself) Per Di app samajhti kyun nahi….main toh apnay liye apna guzra hua kal choose kar chukka hoon…kyunki uss kal mein main khush tha…bahut khush…(he closes his eyes in pain)

Nigthtime In Paris…

Ridzi: (walks in through the door of a lavish single story house) Hey Guys I am home…

Muski: (in the kitchen cooking something Indian) Hello Ms.Busy Bee… how was you day?

Ridzi: (places her bags and multiple hangers with designer clothes on the table aside from the kitchen) Ahh… don't ask…ajj toh boutique bahut busy tha….phir fashion show ki bhi tayaari karni hain…can you belive it kay after doing so many Fahion shows I still feel the same butterflies in my stomach as if it's my first…Phew! Bahut thak gaye…

Muski: (walks over to her with a glass of lemonade) Hmmm…yeh loo thoda sa relax karo phir change kar lay na…waisey I must say tera yeh career bilqual fit hain teray liye…bilqual waisey he jaisa tuney bachpan mein plan kiya tha… yaad hain tu kitnay sketches banati thi dresses kay….

Ridzi: (sips some of the lemonade and smiles as she remembers the good old days) Ofcourse…bachpan ka har plan pura kiya maine…main kehti thi na har khaawb pura karogee…

Muski: (thinks about something as her smile fades away) Bahut lucky hain tut era har khaawab pura hua… (she comes over to her and hugs her lovingly)

Ridzi: Thank you Muskaan…tum hameesha meray saath rahi….thank you so much…

Muski: Nahi Ridzi meri zindagi bachanay kay liye thank you mujhay karna chiyay… Thank you…

Ridzi: Bus bus bus….itna thank you toh shayad Calvin Klein bhi nahi karta hoga apni tareef sun kay…(they both broke into laughter on Ridzi's comment)

Muski: Acha bato bhook lagi hain? Kahna nikalo?

Ridzi: Ummm haan bhook toh hain…aur mujhay pata hain ajj tum ne meri favorite Daal banai hain…(she looked into the dishes on the stove and smiled) Vaisey humray chotey nawaab kahaan hain?

Muski: Kuan Prateek?

Ridzi: Hmm aur kuan….(She tasted bit of her favorite Indian cusine from the dishes as Muski prepared the salad on the opposing counter)

Muski: Cartoon dekhtay dekhtay soo gaya…

Ridzi: itni jaldi so gaya?

Muski: Haan bus voh kal se daycare start kiya hain na toh ghar atey kay saath he thak kar soo gaya…

Ridzi: Vaisey daycare start kiya kyun…meray pass chor jaati…

Muski: Nahi abb adat toh dalni hogi na…thoday saloon mein school bhi janay lagay ga…

Ridzi: Can you belive it Muskaan…Five years…Puray paanch saal ghuzar gaye…Prateek was just a baby when we moved into this house from the apartment jahaan voh born hua tha…

Muski: (looks up while setting up the table for dinner) Hmmm waqt saach mein bahut jaldi ghuzar jata hain…yahaan per akay bahut kuch badal gaya…

Ridzi: I hope for the better…

Muski: Pata nahi…kabhi bhi sub kuch theek hotay huye bhi kuch missing lagta hain…jaisey kuch bahut apna sa peechay koh gaya ho…per phir Prateek ko dekh kar sarey doubts khud durr chalay jaatey hain…

Ridzi: Acha yeh sub deep baatein choro…batao kay hospital se call aaye job kay liye…?

Muski: Haan aye thi…pediatric oncology mein position open hain…per Ridzi Prateek abhi itna chota hain…aur yeh job…(they both sit down across frome achother at the dinner table and start eating)

Ridzi: Muskaan on Call wali job toh nahi hain na?

Muski: Nahi per…

Ridzi: Dekho you just go and set up your timming with them…subah jub Prateek ko daycare choro toh job per chali jao phir once it's time for him to get off you get off as well…And I am sure thumari jaisey specialist kay couple of hours bhi bahut hongay unkay hospital kay liye…

Muski: I hope so…

Ridzi: No I Know so…(she smiles and assured Muski as they continued their Dinner talking about various things that happened throughout their day.)

Ice-cream Parlor in Delhi

Abhi: Rahul you have really spoiled Roshini…pata hain ajj subah he zoo mein iss nay Ice-cream ki zid dki thi aur maine khud isay khilai thi…aura bb tum se bhi issnay promise lay liya…

Rahul: (holding Roshini as she indulges herself in her favorite ice-cream cone) Aray Jeeju ajjj toh princess ka birthday hain…she deserves it…(she smiles wiping off the chocolate off her mouth)

Nikki: Dekha Abhi yeh kabhi nahi sudharnay waala…

Abhi: Well wifey tumhara bahi hain…the stubbornness is expected…(they all laugh)

Roshini: Mamu app nahi kaho gay…?

Rahul: Nahi princess app kahao…

Abhi: Per Rahul tum kyun nahi kahrahay it's really good…(he said eating his own coffee ice-cream while Nikki had some butterscotch)

Rahul: Nahi jeeju mood nahi hain…

Nikki: Abhi rehnay de…yeh Rahul aisa he boring…

Rahul: Di please main boring nahi hoon…

Roshini: Jee mama App Rahul Mamu ko boring nahi keh sakti…(she said clinging on to him tighter)

Nikki: Oye Mamu ki chamchi…itna laad hain toh inn say kaho kay next birthday per tumharay liye aik maami lay aye…theke hain na…

Rahul: Please Di not again! (his smile faded as he said it firmly)

Abhi: Nikki let it be…

Nikki: Per Abhi main toh sirf…

Rahul: App loog yahaan behtay main bill pay kar kay ata hoon…(he handed Roshini to Abhi and left)

Precap: Phone call from a old friend...