PART 17:
RECAP: As a worried Shashank, pondered upon his options, there was a knock on the door.
"Arre Amar tu?" Shashank was surprised
"Pairi paini Tauji!" Amar touched his uncle's feet and walked in.
"Jeeta reh puttar!" Shashank blessed his nephew, "kaise aana hua?"
"Bas kisi kaam ke silsilay mein Patiala aaya the...socha aap se aur Riddhima se mil loon," Amar sat down on the sofa.
"Arre Riddhima puttar! Zara Amar ke liye kuch chai shai laana!" Shashank called for his daughter.
"Oh Amar?" Riddhima came out of her room and saw her cousin, "bhaiyya aap kab aaye?" she did not know why but on an impulse addressed him as 'bhaiyya.' May be it was Armaan's warning about Amar that prompted her to do so, "Armaan...kitna khayal rakhte te tum mera...kyun chale gaye meri zindagi se?" she became a little tearful as she remembered him.
"Bhaiyya?" Amar was surprised and a little taken aback.
"Kyun? Didi boloon kya?" Riddhima chuckled a little
"Nahin...nahin yaar...wo tuney hamesha mujhey Amar hi kaha hai na...iss liye chaunk gaya tha," Amar looked away instead of staring at her as he usually did.
"Tho puttar...kya kaam chal raha hai aaj kal?" Shashank asked
"Wo tauji...mujhey Mumbai mein ek achhi naukri mil gayi hai...soch raha hoon wahan shift kar loon," Amar said.
Riddhima walked in with two cups of tea and served it to both men. Amar looked up and forgot his 'bhaiyya' status quickly. He resumed his indecent stares as Riddhima mixed the milk and sugar in the tea.
"Yeh tho bahut achhi baat hai puttar," Shashank said proudly.
"Aur Tauji...aap logon ke kya haal hain?" Amar sipped his tea but kept his gaze on Riddhima with the corner of his eyes, "Riddhima bhi college jaa rahi hogi ab."
'Haan puttar...samajh mein nahin aa raha ki Riddhima ko yahin Patiala mein college bhejoon ya phir kahin aur?" Shashank sounded a little worried.
"Daddy ji...main Patiala chhod kar kahin nahin jaaoongi," Riddhima said firmly.
Shashank looked at Amar and told him about his concerns- they had to vacate the house soon, the debt, Riddhima's college- how were they going to manage all that?
Riddhima was unhappy that her father confided everything in Amar, "jaanti hoon...kyunki Amar ladka hai na, iss liye usko sab bataa rahe hain...kya apni beti se salaah nahin le sakte kya?" she thought.
"Hmm," Amar kept his cup down, "Tauji...aapko chinta karne ki koi baat nahin hai...aap log hamare saath Chandigarh aa jao...aakhir hum sab ek hi parivar ke hain...aur Riddhima...tu Mumbai mein padhai kyun nahin kar leti? Main bhi wahan ja raha hoon...kisi acche college mein admission karva doonga tera."
Riddhima glared at her father, "nahin daddyji...hum yahin rahenge...shift karne ki zaroorat nahin hai."
"Waise puttar, Amar ki baat theek hai...Chandigarh mein mujhey bhi achhi naukri mil jaayegi...aakhir karz bhi tho utaarna hai," Shashank said.
"Daddy ji...main naukri karoongi...aapko kaam karne ki zaroorat nahin hai...main Billy unclejee ka saara karz adaa karoongi!" Riddhima said vehemently.
"Puttar...tere padhai karne ke din hai...naukri kaise karegi?" Shashank explained.
"Ek idea hai Tauji...Mumbai mein kai companies aisi hain jahan aap part time naukri ke saath saath college bhi attend kar sakte ho...mera ek bahut achha dost hai wahan...wo zaroor help karega hamari...aur Mumbai mein salary bhi yahan se kahin zyaada milegi," Amar sounded excited.
Riddhima thought about what Amar had just said; although she hated the idea of moving from Patiala, the idea of being able to earn and study at the same time sounded appealing to her. She really wanted to be independent and most of all pay off the debt to the Malliks as soon as possible.
"Nahin puttar...Riddhima abhi naukri nahin karegi," Shashank sounded annoyed
"Karoongi daddyji!" Riddhima said confidently, "main vaada karti hoon ki Mallik parivar ka karz main ek saal mein poora utaar doongi!"
"Ek saal?" Shashank was surprised, "puttar yeh kya keh rahi hai? Kaun dega tujhey bina degree ke aisi naukri? 12 lakh ka karz hai!"
"Jaanti hoon daddyji...mujhey mehnat karne se koi nahin rok sakta...chaahe do do naukriyan karni padhein...par kisi ke ehsaan ke saath nahi jee sakti," Riddhima was determined.
Amar rubbed his hands gleefully; his job was becoming easier, "Riddhima tu theek kehti hai...aur waise bhi Tauji...main bhi aapki help karoonga...kuch paise main bhi bhej diya karoonga...aur aap bhi koi choti moti naukri kar lein Chandigarh mein tho hum sab mil jul kar karz adaa kar denge...aur aap hamare ghar par hi rahenge tho bijli paani ka kharcha tho waise hi kum ho jaayega aapka."
Shashank was uncomfortable about sending his only daughter to a far off place like Mumbai, but knowing that her brother would be with her was a comforting factor for him.
Amar left after dinner. He was looking forward to taking Riddhima with him to Mumbai. Shashank had still not agreed whole heartedly. As Amar left, Shashank told him, "puttar...thoda waqt de muhey...iss maamle mein main jald baazi nahin karna chaahta."
Later that night, Riddhima argued with her father, "daddyji...ab main bachhi nahin hoon...yadi main ladka hoti tho kya aap mujhey rokte? Main apna khayal khud rakh sakti hoon...aap hi tho kehte hain ki apne pairon par khadi ho...tho kyun nahin jaa sakti main Mumbai? Wahan naukri aur padhai dono saath saath kar sakti hoon."
"Theek hai puttar! Jaisi teri marzi...lekin main bhi phir Mumbai chaloonga...tere bina mera maan nahin lagega," Shashank said
Riddhima hugged her father, "daddyji...main bhi yahi chaahti hoon...aapke alaawa mera hai hi kaun?"
NEXT DAY:
Riddhima walked into Billy Mallik's office.
"Aao aao puttar...yahan kaise aana hua? Shashank kahan hai?" Billy asked politely
"Unclejee...daddyji library gaye hain...main aapko yeh kehne aayi thi ki hum aapka ghar is Saturday ko hi khaali karna chaahte hain...iss liye jo bhi kagaz wagarah sign karne hain wo aap abhi tayyar kar lein," Riddhima said
Billy could not believe his ears; he was thrilled but pretended to be concerned, 'kyun puttar? Abhi chaaho tho 6 kumudne reh sakte ho...maine Shashank se kaha tha ki saal ke end tak reh sakte ho...itni jaldi kya hai?"
"Unclejee...jab jaana hi hai tho intezaar karne se kya faayda...aur haan aapka jo hum par karz hai na...12 lakh ka...hum wo bhi ek saal ke andar andar lauta denge...wo papers bhi aap ready rakhiye ga," Riddhima replied
"ek saal? Ek saal mein itna paisa kahan se aa jaayge puttar? Chaaho tho aur waqt le sakti ho," Billy added.
"Nahin unclejee...zyaada waqt lenge tho interest bhi zyaada ho jaayega...ek saal hi kaafi hai," she said
"Badhi chhangi chhangi baatein karne lagi hai tu Riddhima," Billy was impressed
"Unclejee...waqt aur haalaat sab kuch sikha deta hai," she said softly, "bas jaane se pehle main Armaan se ek baar baat karna chaahti thi," she added tearfully.
Billy knew that Armaan would be unhappy with the Guptas leaving, "kahin wo pagal apni padhai chhod kar yahan naa wapas aa jaaye?" he thought.
"Haan haan zaroor...yeh lo number puttar," Billy scribbled a wrong phone number on a paper.
"Thank you unclejee," Riddhima smiled and walked off.
Riddhima tried the wrong number several times but was unsuccessful in reaching Armaan.
Riddhima was anxious to get in touch with Armaan before they moved away, "Armaan...chaahe tumhein meri fikr na ho...na meri kadar ho...lekin apni itne saalon ki dosti ke vaaste hi sahi, main tum se baat karna chaahti hoon...itna farz tho banta hai mera," she thought. She called Rahul to get his correct number, but he was not available.
Finally, Riddhima found the courage to call Suhani Mehra's house. She looked up the number in the phone book.
"Kya main Suhani se baat kar sakti hoon?" Riddhima asked.
"Haan main Suhani bol rahi hoon...aap kaun?" she asked
"Main Riddhima Gupta...aap se kuch saal school mein junior thi...main Armaan ki dost hoon...kya aapke paas Armaan ka US phone number hai?"
"OHHH! Tho tum Riddhima ho? Uss din holi mein badhe gale lagaa lagaa kar naach rahi thi mere fiance ke saath," Suhani said
"Fiancee?" Riddhima was surprised
"Well Miss Riddhima Gupta...Armaan and I will get engaged soon...so he is practically my fiance...and if he has not given you his phone number...maybe he does not want you to have it...waise tumhein samajh aaya maine kya kaha? Punjabi mein samjhaoon? English tho shayad kum hi aati hogi...haina?" Suhani had an evil grin on her face.
"No thanks Miss Suhani Mehra...I got your point...perhaps you don't have his number either...that is why you cannot give it to me!" Riddhima hung up without waiting for a response.
Riddhima sat down at her desk and wrote a letter to Armaan:
Armaan:
Shayad jab tak tumhein yeh letter miley, hum log Chandigarh jaa chuke honge. Daddyji aur main kuch din Chandigarh rehkar, Mumbai shift ho rahe hain. Main wahan part time college ke saath job karne ki soch rahi hoon. Tumhare aur tumhare parivar ke bahut ehsaan hain hum par, iss liye soch rahi hoon ki unhein jaldi se jaldi utaar doon. Ab maloom nahin hum kab ek doosre se milenge, par tumhari jagah mere dil mein hamesha special rahegi, aakhir tum mere sab se ache dost aur pehla pyaar ho. Shayad main Patiala bhool jaaoon, apna ghar bhool jaaoon, magar tumhein kabhie nahin bhoolungi. Tumhari yaad lekar jaa rahi hoon, iss umeed se ki shayad ek din hum phir milein, ek baar phir saath saath kulfi khaa sakein...saath saath teekhi chaat kha sakein...saath saath Lohri manaa sakein...
Tum America mein khoob mann lagaa kar padhai karna. Wapas aakar aisi cars design karna, jis se hum sab ko tum par garv ho sakey.
Aur haan, jab tumhein apni Bipasha Basu mil jaaye, mujhey shaadi ka card zaroor bhej dena. Main Mumbai pahunch kar tumhein apna address bhej doongi.
Tumhari ,
Riddhima
Riddhima bawled loudly as she wrote the letter. Some of her tears fell on the note and smudged some letters, but she did not have the heart to write it again. She folded the note, placed it an envelope and sealed it.
Aap ko bhool jaayein hum
Itne tho bewafaa nahin
Aap se kya gila karein
Aap se kuch gila nahin...
She went to Billy's office again. Somehow, Riddhima felt Billy would probably send the letter, as she had no trust in Naina at all.
She wrote Armaan's name on the envelope and gave it to Billy, "unclejee...please aap isey Armaan ko bhej denge...mera good bye letter hai."
"Kyun nahin puttar...aaj hi teri aunty Armaan ke liye kuch saamaan bhej rahi hai," Billy took the letter and reassured her, "aur haan puttar Armaan se baat huyi kya?"
"Nahin unclejee...wo phone nahin mila," she said innocently, unsuspicious of Billy's intentions.
"Haan...meri baat bhi nahin ho paa rahi hai us sey...bahut busy ho gaya hai...teaching assistant ka kaam bhi karta hai, college bhi jaata hai...bilkul time nahin hai usey," Billy explained.
Riddhima nodded her head and walked away. Billy stuffed the letter in one of his junk drawers and thought, "letter tho nahin milne waala Armaan ko...bhool ja Riddhima!"
Finally, Shashank and Riddhima moved out of the house over the weekend. Riddhima bid a tearful good bye to her house, her favorite mango and guava trees, and then looked longingly at Armaan's house. The Mallik's were away at wedding party and did not bother to see their tenants and neighbors of 20 years. Amar drove them to Chandigarh.
Muskaan had already shifted to Chandigarh at the music program where Rahul was a student. Muskaan tried to convince Riddhima to stay in Chandigarh rather than move all the way to Mumbai, but a stubborn Riddhima would not heed. Rahul was away at an inter college music competition in Chennai and was not available to convince Riddhima either.
After resting in Chandigarh for a few days, Shashank and Riddhima made preparations to move to Mumbai. Amar reassured them that Riddhima's job was 'pakki' and the part time college applications were in too.
Sheesha-e-dil ko thodna
Unka tho ek khel hai
Humse hi bhool ho gayi
Unki koi khataa nahin...
Guys sorry for delay ...net wasn't working properly
Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani
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