Shilpa took a deep breath... "chalo mere kamre mein, batati hoon"
Niru followed shilpa to her room.
"baitho" shilpa told her and Niru occupied the chair that was next to the bed. Shilpa shut the door and sat on the bed.
"boliye maasi, kya abhi bhi koi aisi baat hai, jiske bare mein main nahi jaanti?" she asked as she looked into shilpa's eyes.
Shilpa took a deep breath and looked at Niru...
"haan hai. Chandu aur shagun ki shadi ki asli wajah tumhe abhi tak nai pata."
"kaunsi wajah? Chandu aur shagun ek doosre se... pyar karte the... hai na?" she asked with a heavy heart. It still hurt her when she spoke about shagun, despite the fact that she was no more.
"haan woh ek doosre se pyar karte the, lekin sirf acche dost ki tarah."
"kya? Maasi... lekin yeh shadi?? Prem??..." Niru was extremely confused.
"Niru main jo kehne ja rahi hoon, usey dhyan se sunna. Chandu yeh bilkul nahi chahtha tha ke tumhe iss baat ka pata chae. Woh sochtha hai ke woh tumhare layak nahi hai. Ab yeh baat jaanne ke baad, i'm sure ke tum dono ke beech ki saari misunderstanding khatam hongi."
Niru listened to shilpa. She now wanted to know the whole truth.
"bachpan se hi chandu aur shagun bahut acche dost the. Hum log tab delhi mein rehte the. Woh dono saath saath school jaate, saath saath khelte aur masti karte the. Jaise ek ke bina doosra adhoora ho. Itni pakki dosti thi unki. Hum sab ne socha, ke badey hokar woh dono shadi karenge, lekin woh, unhone sabse kaha ke woh ek doosre ka pehla pyar hai, kyunki woh ek doosre ke pehle dost hain...lekin shadi? Nah nah...
Phir ek din, achanak shagun aur uske baba Mumbai mein shift ho gaye. Uske baad mulaqat hi nahi ho payi. Haan, magar chandu aur shagun phone pe baat kiya karte the. Dekhte hi dekhte, din, mahine aur saal beeth gaye. Chandu ne delhi mein hi padhai poori ki aur shagun London chali gayi. lekin phir bhi dono internet pe chat karte the. Ghanton thak...
Ek din hume pata chala ke shagun ke baba hospital mein the. Unko heart attack aaya tha. Shagun apni padhai poori karke wapas aa rahi thi... aur jab woh yahan pahunchi, toh riteshji ka dehanth ho gaya. Hum sab Mumbai chale gaye. Shagun bhi akeli thi, toh humne socha ke kyun na hum sab, shagun ke saath, chandu ke maa ke ghar mein, yaani iss ghar mein, shift ho jaayein? shagun ke liye zyada accha hota!!!
lekin Shagun toot chuki thi. Woh apne baba se bahut pyar karti thi. Shagun ki yeh halat, chandu se dekhi nahi gayi. Usne usey sambhalne ki bahut koshish ki. Lekin woh kuch samajhna hi nahi chahti thi. bass rothi hi rehti thi.
Ek raat, shagun se baat karne ke liye jab chandu uske kamre mein gaya, toh usne dekha ke shagun ne apna haat kaat liya tha. Main aur chandu use hospital leke gaye. Thank god ke woh thik thi. Lekin iske dauraan hume pata chala ke woh do mahine pregnant thi. Jab chandu ne shagun se baat ki, toh usne kaha tha ke London mein woh kisi se pyar karti thi. Aur iske chalte un dono ne apni saari hadein paar ki thi. Aur phir woh ladka usey chodkar kisi firangi ke saath uske ghar mein rehna laga aur ussey shadi kar li... usne uss ladke ko batane ki koshish ki ke woh pregnant thi, lekin koi faayda nahi hua...
Woh darr gayi thi aur kisi se yeh baat share nahi kar sakti thi, isiliye usne soch ake woh apni jaan deke, iss duniya se chali jayegi. Chandu ne usey bahut daanta. Lekin Uss waqt shagun bahut hi kamzor thi. Isiliye chandu kuch aur nahi kehna chahtha tha. Kuch din baad, jab uski haalat mein thoda sudhaar aa gaya, main use leke hospital chali gayi, abortion ke liye. Main jaanti thi ke iss nanhe, maasoom bacche ki jaan lena, ek paap hai. Lekin main shagun ko pal pal marte hue bhi nahi dekh sakti thi.
Doctor ne kaha ki abortion ke liye bahut dair ho chuki thi. Aur agar humne bacche ko nuksaan pahunchane liye koi bhi kadam uthaya, toh shagun ki jaan bhi jaa sakti thi. Ab bass ek hi tareeka tha, uss bacche ko iss duniya mein lana.
Hum theeno Mumbai se door jaake rehne lage. Tab tak, jab tak shagun ki delivery nahi ho jaati. Shagun ko apne bacche se nafrat hone lagi. Woh nahi chahti thi ke woh baccha iss duniya mein aaye. Har pal usey uss dhoke ki yaad aati jo uss ladke ne uske saath kiya. Kuch din baad wahan ke log tarah tarah ki baatein karne lage. Shagun ko gande gande naam se bulane lage. Chandu se yeh bardaasht nahi hau, aakhir uska best friend jo tha. Usne shagun ko shadi ke liye mana liya, aur mandir mein jaake ussey shadi ki.
Waqt beeththa gaya, aur dekhte hi dekhte hi shagun ki delivery ho gayi aur prem paida hua. Chandu usey kar dekh kar bahut khush hua. Lekin shagun uss maasoom ka chehra bhi nahi dekhna chahthi thi. Usne prem ko apna doodh bhi nahi pilaya. Itni nafrat thi usey. Chandu ne prem ko sambhala aur prem sirf chandu ke sparsh ko pehchanntha tha. Shagun ne kabhi bhi uski taraf nahi dekha. Ankhon ke saamne rone lagtha, tab bhi use nahi sambhalthi.
Chandu aur shagun tab bhi acche dost the. Shagun guest bedroom mein sothi thi, chandu apne kamre mein aur main prem ke saath uske kamre mein sothi thi. Chandu aur shagun ke beech kabhi bhi woh rishta nahi tha, joh do shadishuda logon ke beech thi. Woh sirf acche dost the, aur haan, ek doosre ka pehla pyar bhi...
Chandu ko prem ke saath itne pyar se ghulmilthe dekh kar, dheere dheere shagun ka dil bhi pighal gaya. Woh prem ke nazdeek jaane lagi thi. Aur dheere dheere prem bhi, apni maa se ghul milne laga.
Saal beeth gaya aur prem ka pehla birthday tha. Kitni tayariyan ki thi. Chandu ne prem ko tayyar kiya tha aur shagun prem ke liye cake lene gayi thi. Jaane se pehle, prem se kehkar gayi thi, "yeh tumhare zindagi ka sabse yaadgaar birthday hoga".
Kuch dair baad chandu ko phone aaya ke shagun ka accident ho gaya aur uski halat bahut nazuk hai. prem ko mere haat mein de kar, chandu akele hi hospital chala gaya. Wahan uski halat bahut kharab thi. Doctor ne bhi keh diya tha ke uske paas zyada waqt nahi tha.
Marne se pehle woh chandu se milna chahti thi. Chandu ander gaya. Woh usey dekhkar sirf muskurayi.
"ro kyun rahe ho? Main papa ke paas ja rahi hoon"
Chandu uski halat dekh nahi paya...
"promise karo ke tum prem ka khayal rakhoge. Aaj tak, uske papa na hote hue bhi, tumne usey baap ka pyar diya, mujhse zyada tumne usey sambhala. Uska khayal rakhna. Meri kami mehsoos mat hone dena. Aur haan, main tumhari zindagi ka pehla pyar hamesha rahungi.."
Chandu sirf rota raha. Woh apni best friend ko apne aankhon ke saamne marte huye dekh raha tha. Dheere dheere shagun ki saansein thez hoti gayi... marne se pehle usne chandu se kaha...
"sarje rao, marutirao bhosle ke bete ne mujhe mane ki koshish..."
Bass itna kehkar woh chal basi... uss din chandu ne apne aap ko wada kiya, ke woh shagun ki maut ka badla lekar rahega..."
Shilpa looked at Niru who was in tears. She felt guilty... she felt bad for prem... she felt bad for chandu. Shilpa noticed Niru's feelings.
"beta, abhi bhi dair nahi huyi. Main jaanti hoon ke phone par tumne meri aur chandu ki baat suni thi. Tum khud jaanti ho ke uske dimaag mein kya chal raha hai. Ab jab tum jaan chuki ho ke shagun aur chandu ke beech, dosti ke alawa kuch aur nahi tha, toh kya abh bhi tum chandu se gussa ho?"
"nahi maasi. Main unse gussa nahi hoon. Main unse abhi baat karna chahthi hoon."
"nahi, abhi baat mat karna. Woh kaam mein busy hoga. Jab woh yahan aa jaaye, toh ussey baat karna. Thik hai?"
Niru nodded her head. She got to go to her room. Before going, she hugged shilpa.
"thanks maasi." Shilpa patted her cheek.
"goodnight beta" "goodnight"
She went to her room nad saw prem sleeping peacefully. She quietly walked up to him, got into the bed and hugged him.
"aaj se tum sirf chandu ke nahi, mere bhi bacche ho. I love you prem."
She whispered in his ears and patted him and in response, prem hugged her back and mumbled something in his sleep. She smiled at his cuteness.
"chandrakant deshmukh ji, jab aap wapas aaoge, tab aapko woh biwi nahi milegi jo aap chod ke gaye the... aapko woh niru milegi jo aapse pagalon ki tarah pyar karti hai... aur waqt aa gaya hai ke main iss pyar ka izhaar kaoon, usey jataaun..."
she smiled to herself and thought of what she had to do, while she blushed at her own thoughts. She hugged prem tightly and slept in peace with a naughty smile on her face.
From the very next day, she was back to her normal form. Not that she forgot about her baba's death, but then, she had to save her marriage too. Everyday she used to ask maasi about his favourites, how chandu was when he was a kid and many such details. She bonded with prem very easily and he just loved to be in his company. They used to pay every evening, she used to take him to a near- by park and let him meet his friends. But Niru did feel lonely without chandu. She prayed that he would come back soon. She could no longer wait.
Few days passed. There were still more days for chandu to return. Niru was playing as usual with prem, when the doorbell rang.
"Main dekhthi hoon" shilpa told them, as she went to open the door.
"arrey tum toh kuch dino baad aanewale the, aaj achanak?" she said as she saw him.
Niru peeped to see who it was and her happiness knew no bounds when she saw chandu. Prem ran and literally jumped on chandu before he could even enter. Niru smiled looking at this sight.
"haan, kaam khatam ho gaya toh jaldi aa gaya" he told shilpa as he entered the house with prem in one hand and the suitcase in another. He looked at Niru and gave her a blank expression.
She smiled at him and he gave her a weak smile. He placed prem on the sofa. Meanwhile shilpa went into the kitchen to get something for him to drink.
"pata hai, maine aur mama ne kitna masti kiya? Hum log roz sham ko khelte the, aur roz park mein bhi jaate the, hum doosre building ke bacchon ke saath khelte, aur uske baad park jaate, aur ice cream khaate aur ghar aake cartoon dekhte... aur raat ko hug karke so jaate" prem spoke in one go. Chandu noticed the excitement in his eyes. He was happy that both of them were so comfortable with each other.
"thank you" chandu said softly to Niru.
"maine job hi kiya, apne bacche ke liye kiya. Isliye thank you kehne ki koi zarurat nahi" Niru spoke with a sincere smile.
Chandu was shocked to see the sudden change in her. He suspected that his maasi told her about shagun and him. Btu whatever happened, it was for the good. Atleast Niru was normal with him.
"main change karke aata hoon" he told Niru. He then looked at prem and told him
"uske baad hum sab suitcase kholkar dekhenge ke main kya kya laaya hoon." Prem was excited, but the hunger took over his excitement and he ran to the kitchen, where shilpa was working.
Chandu carried his suitcase and walked wth Niru to the bedroom. They reached there in silence, both of them were wondering as to why the other is quiet.
"ummm, main nahake aata hoon." He said looking at her, sideways.
"thik hai, main aapke kapde nikaloon?" she asked chandu nervously.
"kya?" asked a shocked chandu. "nahi nahi, main apne aap hi change kar loonga, tum mere kapde mat nikalna". he said with a serious tone, but then burst out laughing as he saw her face turned red in embarassment.
"mera matlab hai, cupboard se kapde nikalti hoon" she said nervously and embarrassed, as she looked him.
Chandu was laughing when he saw Niru's red face. She smiled at him. She mentally thanked god that things were beginning to get normal between them.
"thik hai, mere kapde nikaalo... cupboard se" chandu said laughing and stressing on the word "cupboard se" as he shut the bathroom door, leaving behind a blushing and an embarrassed Niru. She laid his clothes on the bed and went outside the room. When she reached the hall, she heard a loud noise in their bedroom and then heard prem crying loudly. She rushed back to the room to see what happened.
Edited by dezma - 14 years ago
Real Estate
63