MayUr/AR FF:Undefined Relationships..Upd:pg-135 - Page 89

Part-27:

Mrs.Shergill didn't bother to look at the door and went on flipping the pages of the magazine in her hand while she was sitting on her bed. She answered indifferently:"Aaj tak koi bhi kaam karne se pehle mujhse poochna zaroori samjha hai kia tumne?!anyways, aa jao..."

He walked silently into her room, sat on the bed beside his mother who still didn't bother to give a look at her son. Samrat looked at his mom just in the hope that she would look up at him, keep her hand on his head and say:"I am there for you.." but he knew this was not happening. He felt like a young little boy longing for his parents' love and care. In a helpless state of mind, he placed his head on her lap and cried:"Mom........"

And all of a sudden, Mrs.Shergill did look up. She couldn't recall when last had her son come to her just to spend a little time with her but this feeling gave her more anxiety than happiness.

"Samrat?"All her worry, all her concern into that one question!!

She lifted his head and cupped his face. This was the moment she cursed herself. How could she be so selfish??Her anger...her ego outweighed her love. She was so frustrated with Samrat that she didn't even bother to give him a look when he came to her. Had she given him a look, she could have seen his uncombed hair, tired face, hopeless and teary eyes...he was so not perfect..he was so-not-'Samrat'!!!The feeling of guilt killed her every moment as her intuition questioned her "how can a mother possibly be so selfish?"

Samrat whispered in despair:"Haar gaya main mom..."he cried in pain:"Haar gaya aap ka beta...!!He is a loser mom...he is a loser!!"

Mrs.Shergill nodded her head in a 'no' and went on to console him:"Sssshhh...aise nahi kehte beta...aisa nahi hai..."

Samrat sobbed:"Aisa hi hai mom...aaj tak haarta hi toh aa raha hoon main...!!Gunjan k zindagi mein aane se aap sab ka saath choot gaya...wo meri zindagi se kia gayi, meri toh jaise zindagi hi khatam hogayi...log kehte hai k kisi k jaane se zindagi nahi rukti...jeena toh padta hai....kaise jeete hain mom?mujhe nahi aata...kaise jeete hain?"

Mrs.Shergill cupped his face and said:"Samrat....."

But Samrat went on:"Main nahi jee sakta Gunjan k bina mom...mujhe meri Gunjan chahye...mom...wo aaj hoti toh ye sab nahi hota...mujhe meri chashmish chahye...I want her back!!"

Samrat was inconsolable as he said those words. His cry of pain, his longing to have Gunjan back was too painful for Mrs.Shergill to see. She hated herself even more for she could do nothing to get Gunjan back to her son's life. Gunjan had gone..gone forever...gone never to be back..and this was destiny!!Then a sudden urge of realisation made her realise that it wasn't destiny!!It was her..her ego..her so-called 'self-respect' that had forced the girl to give away her life. A mother could take any pain in this world but to see her child in as helpless a situation as Samrat was today was something she would prefer dying before seeing. She was Gunjan's murderer.

Mrs.Shergill:"I am sorry Samrat!!"

Samrat looked up and Mrs.Shergill continued:"Main bohat khud-garz hogayi hoon...I am sorry son!!Tumhari Gunjan toh main tumhein nahi lauta sakti par I promise!!Main tumhein khushi doongi...Gunjan ki khwashish poori kar k...hum India jaayeinge Samrat..."

Samrat looked into her eyes and she gave him a tight hug. Samrat knew that in times when nothing seems to be right, when life seems to be pointless, when nothing seems to make sense, when all you see around is darkness...it is only your mother's company that can give you all the comfort and security you need!!

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The very next day the Shergill family, Mayank and Nupur flew back to India. Mayank was more than worried about Nupur now. Even though she didn't speak to him to tell him what she was going to do, Mayank knew what she was planning to do. What bothered him was Nupur was unusually silent all these days and this silence was surely indicating a big storm that would either bring all lives back to normal or change them forever...

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A worried Ridhimma opened the house door even before the bell rang. She had been having a conversation on phone with Mayank for Nupur hardly spoke. She knew things were heading towards something big. Armaan and Ridhimma welcomed Mayank, Nupur, Samrat and the Shergills with a warm smile and they all entered the house. All of them headed to the sitting room where Shashi Bhushan was busy reading newspaper.

Ridhimma swallowed hard and said with a trembling tone:"Dad...dekhye toh kaun aaya hai..."

Shashi Bhushan folded the newspaper and started:"Kaun aaya h.."his voice died away as he saw the Shergills in front of him.

He gave a proud smile and said:"O ho....aaye aaye..aaj kia maangne aayein hain aap log?"

Nupur looked at him in anger. She remained silent though.

R:"Dad please..."

Shashi Bhushan:"Kia please?!Arey ye besharam log baaz nahi aane wale...apni aukat se zyada ka hi sochte hain hamesha...!!Aaj kia maangne aaye hain..."

Mrs.Shergill looked at Samrat's face and said with all the gentleness:"Hum...hum...dekhye Shashi ji..please ab bas kijiye...Pari ki custody..."
Shashi Bhushan:"Oh Pari!!!Haan...meri us beti ki beti jis ne mujhe kaheen ka nahi choda.."

And finally the words came out of Nupur's mouth:"Nahi dad..AAP NE...aap ne Gunjan ko kaheen ka nahi choda..."

Shashi Bhushan:"Kia kaha tumne?"

Nupur voice got a little higher while all those standing in the room looked at her in shock:"Haan dad...AAP NE...aap k khamand..aap ki ego ne meri behen ko kaheen ka nahi choda....thak nahi jaate aap aisi dogli zindagi jee k?"

Shashi Bhushan was too shocked by such words from his daughter. He walked towards his daughter and said:"Kia kaha tumne?"

N:"Dogli zindagi..yes dad!!You have heard it right!!You are a HYPOCRITE!!"

And this was way too much for Mr.Shergill to bear. He gave a tight slap on Nupur's face which made Ridhimma say aloud:"Dad..."

Shashi Bhushan:"Himat kaisi hoyi tumhari mujhse aise baat karne ki?"

Nupur looked up with tears in her eyes and said:"Aap hi se toh aayi hai dad...aap se zyada himat aur kis mein hogi?Sach...apni sab se ladli beti ko sirf apni so-called reputation k liye khud se door kar dia...Gunjan ne kia nahi kia dad aap ko manane k liye?!Aap se milne ki koshish, aap k liye presents bhejna...par nahi...arey apni jaan tak de di usne dad..."Nupur's frustration knew no boundaries and in anger she repeated:"Jaan de di usne dad....mar gayi wo...mar gayii..."

There was silence in the room and then Nupur continued while crying:"Sheh....!!Apni jawaan beti ki laash apne saamne dekh kar bhi aap ko us par taras nahi aaya?!Pata hai Di...kal agar main aur aap bhi mar jayein na toh bhi dad ko farak nahi parne wala...kyunki un k paas unki sab se pyaari cheez hai..unka paisa!!Ek baat toh bataye dad..kia gunaah kia tha usne?!She loved someone aur aap ne toh...........!!!!Kia kaam ka hai aap ka ye paisa?Bataye?"

She wiped her tears quickly and said in a challenging tone:"Bohat paisa hai na aap k paas toh ek kaam kijiye...apne is paise se meri behen ko wapis le aaye....!!Go...!!Go damn it!!Go get my Gunjan!!Meri behen, Samrat ki biwi aur Pari ki maa ko le aaye...hum sab ki zindagi ban jayegi...."

Shashi Bhushan looked down..his facial expressions revealing he was still not ready to lose...Nupur continued:"Kia hoa?Nahi laa sakte...arey wo aap jaise hi badnaseeb log hote hain jinhein in rishto ka mol nahi pata hota...aap k isi khamand ne meri behen ko maar dala...you killed my sister dad...you killed her!!"

Shashi Bhushan looked at her in shock. Nupur nodded in a yes and went on to say:"Itna hi nahi...aap ko toh haarna manzoor hi nahi hai na...toh apni bachi khuchi bharaas aap ne Pari pe nikal li...uski zindagi kharaab kar k...for God sake dad!!Ab bas bhi karye...ya phir Gunjan ki tarah Pari ki bhi jaan le kar once-and-for-all kisa hi khatam kar dijiye...."

There was long silence in the room and Shashi Bhushan looked down. For the first time, Nupur couldn't read her dad's face and she was least bothered about him right now..she said at last:"Wo kia hai na Mr.Shashi Bhushan...paanch saal ki ye bachi ye nahi samjhti k badla lena kia hota hai...isse toh apni maa ki tarah shikaayat karna bhi nahi aata...aapki zid...aapki is soch ne mujhse meri behen aur is bachi se iski maa cheen li...and you know what?aap ki saari daulat bhi in rishto ki bhar paayi nahi kar sakti....you cannot repay for these bonds Mr.Bhushan...kyunki ye rishte...anmol hai..."and she left the room leaving the richest yet the poorest man all alone...