The sangeet function eventually came to an end much to the dislike of everyone more out of compulsion to retire n wake n welcome the dawn that was going to add glitters to mayur's wedding day. Yes it was finally here, the day mayur had been waiting for ever since fate brought them together in the academic meet.
Mayur were finally going to be tied in the sacred institution of marriage where they were going to surrender themselves to each unconditionally n commit not in front of the world but more to the pious lord of fire as their witness, to hold on to each other come life come death. Happiness or tough times, they were going to be each other's prime
Mayank ki maa kal raat der se magar sangeet me aa pahunchi. Bechari aate hi unhe nupur ko manane ka kaam mil gaya.
Nupur was very angry that she didn't make it for her only daughter in law's mehendi and was visitng them like a guest. Shilpa aunty knew her wud be bahu well and she knew wat wud do the trick. Woh nupur ke liye kareena ke ek movie me aane wale ditto shaadi ka joda tofe me layi thi aur uske sath ek beautiful sone ka haar bhi diya.
Nupur being the adorable doll who was tough n stiff on surface but soft like wax on the inside melted and finally hugs her mil to convey her heartfelt thanks for picking sum thing that wud add dazzles to her already happy heart
Magar yahan aaj ke din kisi aur ka mood kuch theekh nahi tha. Subah se use kuch khaye jaa raha tha. It was like samrat and mayank had changed their persona.
Samrat was in a carefree happy mood and mayank was just waiting to bite someone's head off. Samrat initially thought it was wedding nerves or jitters but as the afternoon progressed to evening he cud see that there was more to it.
Samrat noticed that there was some tension between shilpa aunty n mayank and she was trying her best to hide it with her brave smile. Yes it was brave n he knew she was a brave lady for bringing up a child alone in this mean world and who better than him to appreciate her determination to provide mayank with best.
They might not be as rich as him financially but the gift that mayank had in the form of shilpa aunty could never ever find any match. He knew he had to find out wats wrong. He can't allow anything to ruin their wedding night which mayur had all been capable of talking since they got engaged
Samrat enters mayank's room just as she sees shilpa aunty exiting wiping her tears and moving away before anyone cud notice her moment of weakness. Now it was confirmed something was definitely wrong
Mayank is standing in a tense posture with one hand on the wall, his fist clenched , as if ready to break d wall any moment
Samrat trying to break the tense moment and treading carefully for once "oh Mr dulhe raja…..yeh kay haal bana rakha….mana ki aap aaj ke VIP guest hai magar itne bhi nakre nahi ki khud ki shadi pe time pe na phaunche, yeh to ek dum govinda ke gaane ka stance lag raha hai n singing jokingly "mai shadi me na jaon , meri marzi"
Samrat "oh hello Mr. Angry Young man,(with a warm smile) ek baar socha ki Ms Morena ki nautanki aur dramebaaz tumhara kya haal banayegi agar tum late pahunche. (still no reaction or change in mayank's stance just an anger , disappointment, frustration laced voice
Mayank "mujhe kuch der ke liy akela chod do samrat…as an after thot he adds pls"
Samrat going close to him, keeps a hand hesitatingly on his shoulder as if trying to comfort when he didn't know the abcd of that gesture
Samrat "dude you know am not gud at all this emotional stuff😲…….but all I know is shilpa aunty doesn't deserve what ever u told her few min back…yaar thodi der me tumhari baraat nikalne waali hai, sab taiyariyan zoro shor se chal rahi hain aur log tumhari raah dekh….
Before samrat cud complete mayank cuts him short angrily "han samrat….log meri raah dekh rahe honge….taaki unhe mere aur mom ke bare me gossip karne ka ek aur mauka mil jaaye…..takhi unh eek aur chance mil jaaye mom pe ungli uthane ke liye, meri parvarish pe questions raise karne ke liye….after all mayank Sharma is the hot topic now for them….woh mayank Sharma jo itna unlucky hai ki uske dad uski zindagi ke sabse bade din pe bhi shareek nahi hona chahte
Mayank turning angrily towards samrat "kyun samrat….kyun mai in sabki bakwas sunu….kyun mai mom ko inke mooh lagne dun…..kyun mom nahi samajthi ki mai bhi hurt ho raha hun….kyun unke bulane ke bawjood dad yaha pe nahi aaye….kyun samrat….kya ek khushi meri zindagi me puri tarah se naseeb nahi ho sakti……kyun samrat does no one care for my happiness on d very day it means so much to me…does no one care wat I need today…does no one care at all how helpless I feel today ?????…Now he's literally shaking samrat's hand that was few minutes back lying in a comforting gesture on his shoulder
Samrat imme understood past demons were playing spoilsport with him n who better than him to understand when they were d permanent residents of his mind
Samrat does not know how to tell him not to bow down to them when he's still a slave to them himself
Mayank's turmoil seems to be much more than the taunts of the people. His harsh words depict the craving for an absentee father, yearning for an invisible hero for every child; desire to prove more to himself than to the world that he was wanted and loved by his father much as he may have been missing his son's growing up completely. The ways of working of fate are so strange. the truth from which u keep running away all your life seems to catch up with you right at the time when you so don't want it to, forcing u to face reality and stop seeking shelter behind indifference and acting ignorant to the truth
Both are quite for few minutes and for the first time in silence mayank n samrat become aware of the song being played in the tea shop opposite. Both don't know how to confess their heart and help each other overcome their fears but the words of the song increase the intensity of turbulence of their minds
pawan purva mein yun udta jaave badra chanda se mann judta jaave
aave hawa ka, jhonka phir aisa toote patang ki dor sa
jaane kya chaahe mann baanwra aankhiyan mere saawan chalaa
Its as if a cloud is trying to engulf them and their eyes become prey to their helpless situations but samrat remembers' shilpa autny's mist eyed state of sumtime back and decided its time somebody cleared this garbage.
Samrat jaanta tha unhone mayank ke liye kya kuch nahi kiya. Kaise har modh pe har baar unhone mayank ke liye saari ladayi akele hi ladi hai. Chahe woh job manage karna ho, ya phir ghar karch ko ya phir ek bina dad ke bete ko akele is zaalim duniya me palna ho...har ek kebas ki baat nahi hai, kyun usi ka example le lo na mom ko uski zaroorat thi aur dad ko, forget it tis not even worth dwelling.
Samrat knew he had to help mayank on this one coz he cannot allow his mind's unwanted thought to spoil wat was gong to be d best day of his , nupur and autny's life. He doesn't know where to start what to say for few minutes
Samrat "mayank….mai jaanta hun tum zindagi ke kis daur se guzar rahe ho, aur sach mano I am in no position to advice u jab ki meri zindagi khud itni uljhi hui hai hazaron kashmash me, magar bas inta kahna chahunga , dude u r lucky and a blessed soul that u have a mom like shilpa aunty who cares so much about u, just think back on ur life and try to come up with one day when she didn't try to fill in d gap left by ur uninterested other parent.
Samrat"mai yeh nahi bata sakta ki parents ki value zindagi me kya honi chahiye kyunki mere parents ne mujhe woh mauka kabhi diya hi nahi and look where I have ended up. Fighting myself day in day out much as I try to hide it from u guys. Opening up to his past was causing the opening of tear flood gates as well and both the boys were shamelessly drenched in their ugly past
Samrat "mayank jaante ho life me bachpan se koi insaan jab pyar ke har ehsaas se vanchit rehta hai, jisko pyaar ki ek boondh, pyaar ke sagar ke saman lage, jab insaan har mode par love ka rejection mehsoos kare, us insaan ke liye pyaar ke dhai shabd kya mahtav rakte hai tum nahi jaante, pata hai mayank tum bahut lucky ho ki tumhe pyaar karne wali, tumpe jaan cidakne wali, tumahre dard ke pheli baghidar banne wali mom tumhe mili hain. Tum lucky ho ki tumhe nupur jaise chanchal ladki ka unconditional love mila hai
Samrat continues "magar nahi tumhe bhi mere tarah loser hi banna hai, jo hai nahi tumhare pas, jisne kabhi tumhare parvah nahi ki usi ke peeche tume daudna hai. God learn sumthing from me mayank , what good can come of it if u contine to run after ur so called missing father
Samrat "tum jannte bhi ho aunty kitni duki hain, haan jaant ahum who tumhari mom hai, magar phir kaise jo aansoon mujh dik rahe hain who tumhe nahi dikh rahe, kasie tum inte khudgarz ho gaye ki apne dukh ka shikar aunty ko tumne bana liya. god mai toh samajtha tha kit um sabse brilliant ho dud, but u r a loser just like me, u have everything right in front of u n all u can do is trun a blind eye n run after wat was never urs.
Samarat "I swear mayank agar shipa aunty meri mom hoti na, toh I swear mai poori duniya ke khialf ho jaata unke liye , kyunki mujhe pata hai jab mai duniya se ladke takkhe aaonga unke aanchal ki chav me meri sari thakan dur ho jayegi, jab duniya ki kadvi baten theer banke mujhe nishana banati hain, toh unke pyar baraedo shabd har zakhm ko sukun me badal denge, jab duniya ke ghinonne dungeon me mai khud ko paata toh unke ek saath se har mushkil ko lad jaata
Samrat "I know u have been doing all this, all your life, so how can u be stupid enough to let some crap affect u today when they cud not get to u all these years
Samrat " jab har subah tum jaago aur tumhe pata chale aaj tum zinda ho pooch ke liye koi insaan nahi hai tumhare saath, tumhe apni zindagi se nafrat si hone lagti hai....,..., mamta ki chav ke liye zindagi bar tarasta raha aur jab tak gaya to khushiyon ka dhong karne laga , dil se yeh aas chali jaati hai ki koi tumhe tumhare liye apnaye …..tum jaise ho waise tumhe pyaar kare, tum duniya se fake pyarr ki ummed bana lete ho aur usi me khush rahne lagte ho.....
Samrat "mayank jab zindagi ki har ek mode pe choti khushi tumhare saath baantne ke liye ek pyaar bare family ki kami tumhe itna badalde ki tum apni identity ko marke ek fake insaan ban jao, jisse sab pyaar karte hain magar asliyat mai koi pyaar nahi karta hai. Is kadve sach ko har din tumhare soul ko tumhare emotions ka gala ghontke peenqa pade, trust me u will feel like relieving this soul from ur body to stop living this lie.....
Samrat" but tumhe kaya problem hai mayank, yahi ki tume duniya ki sabse zyada pyar karne ali maa mili hai??kisi cheez ki kami na mehsoos hone dene wali ek mom mili hai??? samaj ki har ladayi ko akele ladnewali ek brave mom mili hai??? kisi bhi chot ko tum tak na pahunchne dene wali mom mili hai, apne zindagi ke tanav me bhi har waqt tumhari khushi ke liye muskurane wali mom mili hai,???apne sapnon ko khoke tumhare sapnon ki mahal sajane wali mom mili???….tumhari problem yeh hai ki tumhe world ki best mom mili hai yah tumhari problem yeh hai ki tumhare loser dad ne tumhe accept nahi kiya???
Samrat stopping mayank when he tries to retaliate at the accusation on his absentee father"I know it hurts but that's reality, but he's the loser for having lost such a wonderful wife n adorable son, its his loss, tum unki haar ko apne mom pe kyu thop rahe ho , she doesn't deserve this mayank. For all she has done for u, u shud be proud ki aaj aunty tumhe is mukam pe akele layai hai jahan saath milke bhi kayi parents chook jaate hain. Wake up mayank, u need a reality check, The reality is simple, aunty cares so u r where u are today, confident, successful so in love, my parents didn't care n that's y here I am today with no one to call as my family as my own. She cares mayak, she cares for u that's y she's here
Samrat " u r crying foul play with fate when it has bestowed u with d most precious treasure people crave for and not always get it"
Mayank could not take it ne more "stop it samrat….dont do this to me, mai apne nazron me aur girna nahi chahta, I know and I will take this gift god has bestowed me even beyond my grave, meri maa ke jaisa koi nahi hai samrat, I know that.
Mayank" I cant thank u enough for showing me the truth that I have been hiding from….yes my dad is a loser coz he cudnt care about a wife and saddled her with a son to take care of all alone in this merciless world….I cant thank u enough for breaking d mirage that I believed sumwhere he cared for me…..yes I know it now, he didn't deserve my love or my mom's ever and I am not questioning my mom coz there aint another godess in my life like her. I was hurt ki logon ki baten unhe aaj bhi sunni padh rahi hai n iam helpless that I cant change her fate but I know unke bina na meri koi zindagi hai, na meri koi khushi hai, na mera koi wajood hai,na meri koi pehchan hai. I am proud that I am the son of shilps Sharma….do u hear me samrat (shaking him)….am I being loud enough for this world to hear ….i am porud ki mai unka beta hun….i cudnt care wat the world says as long as my love for her is there, I will shield her with every breathe I take….u r right I cannot make her the victim of my dad's loss and I am thankful in sum ways that he left me coz she has all she needs n that's me n nupur who loves her like her own mom
Mayank" I know samrat, she is hurt, its this very hurt i wanted to save her from when we go for d wedding today. But after u broke the mirage I am ready to brace any number of people coz they will have to go thru me to reach her first and I swear I will not let her get affected by this rotten society and I will fight it all, even alone, bravely like she has been doing for all her life, coz only thing that matters to me is I have a mom who cares, yes she cares much more than words cud ever do justice samrat, she cares …she cares inspite of the colorless life of her own samrat, she cares because al that matters to her is my happiness samrat…..
A soft sniffing sound makes both the guys to break their intense emotional moment.
Shilpa aunty is standing in a corner and her eyes r all puffy red. Mayank is imme ashamed at realsing that his mom who has never shed a tear in front of him has been broken today by his turmoil n yet when he tiurns around all she has to offer him is a brave smile that speaks of apanpan n motherly love in tons
Mayank rushes to her and hugs her "mom….i am sorry mom…amdist his tears he continues…..mom pls mujhe maaf kar do….mom pls I didn't mean to hurt…
Shilpa aunty "ssh mayu….u don't have to ask sorry…..i totally understand what u might have been going thru….its ok….now stop crying….cmon wipe ur tears….god tumne apni filmy fianc ki taraf mujhe bhi koi saop serial ki rone dhone wali saans bana diya…god mayu bahar koi dekhega toh kaya sochega, bidai nupur ki ho rahi hai ya mere mayu ki"😆
Mayank "mom"
The tension is so easily broken by a mom's unconditional acceptance. Yes thats the magic of a motherly touch or sparsh as they say. One soothing gesture and all ur demons can go down d hill, one word of comfort n all ur pains vanish like they never existed and that's why they r god's best gift to a living being
Shilpa aunty with an intense expression as if holding on to abuuble of hope, ray of warmth steps towards samrat and without another word hugs n tells him in warmth filled tone "I swear samrat ur parents are as big a loser as my husband to have lost out on a diamond like u, I pity those people who cud be so blind that they didn't see a treasure they have created themselves and if I can and if u wont mind, can I request u sumthing?, tears r still on d surface in both their eyes"
Samrat unable to speak anything just nods his head trying to shy away fromd warmth and love he could see openly reflecting in her eyes for him
Shilpa aunty" I know its tough and I know its not easy at all, u cannot change the misgivings of a lifetime, d errors of fate, but if u can find it in ur heart, any day I would love it if u can accept me as ur own"
Shilpa aunty continues "no its not for your sake but I wud not want to wait another lifetime and boons from heaven to get a son like u, I know its not easy, u don't have to accept me as ur mom or call me as it is but if u can find a place for me in ur heart, to allow me to be what I love being to mayu day in day out, then I would consider myself doubly blessed, I wont ask for any rights, all I ask is an acceptance and permission to treat u as my own, as mayu, above all to love u as u deserve to be loved and to help me feel the motherly bliss of being a little something to u in this lifetime….no force no compulsion, a humble request of a mom who doesn't want ot let go of a son as adorable n lovable as u
Samrat's tears just don't seem to be stopping, he looks up to mayank amdist his confusion of being bestowed with this unexpected gift while tears were running rampant and his heart beats were accelerating with every second and the love shining from mayank's beautiful eyes which were carrying the smile of his heart, gives samrat the confidence to take one step forward, towards what people call as life, towards what people call as having sum one of ur own and he finally gathers courage ina wobbly fashion to looks back into auty's eyes
Samrat unki mamta ke aanchal, jo unke aankhon me saaf jhalak rahi thi aur jisme pyar ke nadi me doobne ke liye usne saari zindagi wait kiya tha, cannot believe that fate had been so generous to him. He wonders which angel had brougth this boon for him and imme chahsmish's face swamps his memory.
Aunty's voice brings im back to her n now and looking into the expectant face of aunty, the mom whom he had never had and whom he had craved all his life, a mom who was waiting for his acceptance, the abode of love which was waiting to take him in its wings, samrat doesn't know if life all of a sudden had been touched n turned by a magic wand into a dreamland
Samrat could not even find words to do justice to the emotions he was feeling, to express thanks to a gentle soul which was ready to take his troubled soul into her shelter and words will never do it for him. He just nods his head vigorously, scared as if , if he doesn't communicate this properly, fate might take it all away. He nods and smiles tears of gratification for having found acceptance so late but yet not late in his life. If his nod failed to communicate, his tear streaked smile was conveying and even if that failed, coz he was not ready to take any chance, his earnest hug filled with yearnings of a lifetime of childhood desire locks around aunty in a gesture of gratitude, acceptance and liberation
To be continued
I literally have no words 
35