PART 6
The entire world around him started spinning. It felt as if the two were speaking some foreign language, he just could not believe what he had just heard. There was some misunderstanding... he had definitely heard it wrong. He was their son. He was Armaan Mallik; Armaan Balvinder Mallik. Ever since that he gained senses; that was his identity right. So why were they saying that he was... OH GOD!!
Billy placed a hand on his shoulder bringing him out of his thoughts while he continued; "Armaan yahi sach hai ki biologically tu humara beta nahi hai, humne tujhe janam toh nahi diya lekin humare bte se kam kabhi nahi samjha tujhe humne."
"So... so that means... I am just a charity case? Mai----"
"Nahiii Armaan... aisa mat kaho please!" Ananya instantly cut him as his eyes filled with teras of agony. Suddenly he was unaware of his origin, his existence. Everything turned so unknown to him suddenly.
"Unki maut ke kuch din baad Sunaina ki behen jo Paris mein rehti hai, vo laut aayi. Usne tumhe lee jane ki demand ki par main... main tumse alag nahi ho sakti thi Armaan. Main jaanti hut um kya soch rahe ho, par tum mere liye substitute nahi the beta. Agar mujhe bacha hi chahiye that oh hum kisiko bhi adopt kar sakte the, par tumse main is tarah jud chuki thi ki alag hone ka khayal hi nahi kar sakti thi aur isi liye-----"
She stopped mid way and a sudden guilt flashed across her face which forced Armaan to speak up; "Isi liye kya?"
Ananya shut her eyes tight as she uttered "Isi liye humne Sadhna, Sunaina ki behen... usse bohot request ki, par vo nahi maani. Agar case tak baat pohochti toh yakeenan unko hi tumhari custody chali jaati, afterall vo toh tumhari maasi hai, married hai well settled hai. Par main ye nahi hone de sakti thi is liye... is liye maine... maine Sadhna ko paison ki lalach di. Out of court settlement ki ; ki uski har demand hum poori karne ke liye tayyar thi agar vo hume tumhe adopt karne ki permission de deti toh."
Armaan stilled at once. This was just not possible.
"Par fir Riddhima... uska is sab se kya lena dena. Vo kya jaanti hai?"
Ananya shook her head with regret as she continued;
"Kehte hai na jo karam karo uske fal isi janm mein chukane padte hai, samjhlo aisa hi kuch hua. Sadhna ka laalach dheere dheere badne laga. Aur jab tumhari shaadi tai hui uske kuch hi din pehle usne bohot badi rakam maang li thi aur isi baat pe uski Billy se kuch behes ho gayi thi, par vo is baat pe itna chid gayi ki usne thanli ki vo tumhe sara sach bata degi. Par tumhare aas paas security hone ki vajah se vo pohoch hi nahi paayi tum tak. Humne socha vo kch din koshish karegi aur baad mein humari baat maan legi;lekin hum galat the. Usne kisi tarah ye pata laga liya ki Riddhima hi vo ladki hai jisse teri shaadi ho rahi hai aur fir... Vo use milne chali gayi. Usne use vo files diha di, aur sara sach bata diya tha lekin Riddhima ne kuch bhi maanne se pehle mujhse baat karna theek samjha.
Us raat jab tum laute tab Riddhima mujhe yahi samjhane k koshish kar rahi thi ki main khud tumse baat kar lu, aur vo sahi thi.Tujhe ye sach humse hi pata chalna hahiye tha. Par main dar gayi thi ki kahi sach jaankar tu humse dur na----- Lekin is sab ki saja us bacchi ko bhugadni padi. Vo sirf tera acha soch rahi thi Ammy. Meri halat kharab hui is dar se ki kahi mera chupaya hua raaz bahar na aajaye, par vo bechari toh us dark ko humesha ke liye mitane ka raasta hi bata rahi thi. Fark sirf itna tha ki tab main ye samjhna hi nahi chahti thi. Par jab se hosh sambhala hai maine, maine dekha hai tu uske saath kaise bartaav kar raha hai. Aur ye dekh kar mujhe apne hi kiye pe bohot bohoot pachtava hai Ammy."
Armaan looked up at her completely blank as guilt slowly seeped in. All of a sudden all the past days and his ruthless behaviour with Riddhima flashed in front of his eyes. Without speaking a word he left the room. From within he had died part by part. Such a big truth was unfolded all of a sudden leaving him baffled. And f that wasn't enough, guilt trapped him completely for his past behavior with Riddhima, knowing she was at no fault!
-----------------
It had been two days he had stayed mum and away from everyone and drowned himself in work. Tani was briefly informed of his adoption without going in further details and anyhow that was enough for her to understand Armaan's situation. She was the only person who he was talking to, though in monosyllables, but atleast he was speaking up. She had tried her best to cheer him up, talk to him but everything other than THE TOPIC was allowed to be discussed. And just like the previous two days, he sat all alone on the terrace watching the stars quietly but he sensed a shadow and as he turned he found Billy standing by his side He had no clue for how long he had been standing there, but something told him it had been a while. Billy easily recognized he had been crying, though his eyes did not shed tears, but the puffiness said a lot. He settled beside Armaan though he never turned to look up;
"Armaan mujhe kuch baat karni hai tujhse."
"Not now dad please!"
"It's not what you think son. Main jo bhi hua us baarein mein baat karne nahi aaya hu, haan tujhse hum aaj bhi utna hi pyaar karte hai jitna ki kal, aur aanewale kal mein bhi tu humara hi beta hai, chahe bilologically humne tujhe janam diya ho ya nahi. Main jaanta hu humne kuch galat raaste apna liye the tujhe apne paas rakhne ke liye, aur uska ehsaas hai hume. Par is waqt main yaha tujhse sirf Riddhima ke baarein mein baat karne aaya hu."
Armaan's head rose instantly at her mention but he did not say anything.
"Dekh Ammy jo hua bohot galat hua main manta hu, aur saalon pehle ek galati ki thi Ananya ne main jaanta hu. Uski mamta ke aage vo sahi galat sab bhul gayi, aur uske liye tujhe humse naaraj hone ka poora haq hai. Lekin ARmaan Riddhima ki is sab mein koi galti hi nahi, aur jab jab tu ye sach jaan chukka hai toh----"
"Toh aur bhi afsos hai mujhe is rishte ka, is shaadi ka!"
Armaan snapped back startling Billy.
"Armaan ye tu... sara sach jaanne ke baad bhi tu---"
"Haan dad sara sach jana hai tabhi toh!"
"Ye kya bol raha hai tu?"
He stood up and walked away to the parapet holding it with aggression filling in slowly;
"Mana Mom ne saalon pehle jo kiya vo bhulane ki koshish bhi kar lu ye sochke ki us wat unki jarurat thi vo kadam uthana, par use bhi badi galti toh unhone Riddhima ko mujhse baandh ke rakh diya Dad."
He turned around with bloodshot eyes and Billy could see the guilt engulfing him as he spoke;
"Maine uski zindagi barbaad kar di! Mom ki kasam ke vajah se maine shaadi toh kar li, par use har din ek naya dukh diya hai maine. Aur agar us din bhi Mom ne mujhe sach batane ki nahi sochi hoti, toh pata nahi aur kitne din tak main use aise hi janwaron jaisa saloot karta aur vo... Main usse nazar tak nahi mila paunga kabhi, maine uski zindagi ka, is rishte ka is shaadi ka majaak bana diya Dad! Mujhe nafrat hone lagi hai khud se, ye soch kar ki jis ladki har waqt sirf mera acha maine usike saath itna galat kiya, aur fir bhi usne ek baar bhi is rishte ka maan kam nahi hone diye."
"Ammy main jaanta hu tu kya kehna chahta hai, par ek baar use baat karke toh dekh. Ho sakta hai vo----"
"Dad please... mujhe aur koi baat nahi karni is waqt. Leave me alone...please!!"
Billy had no other choice but to leave as he knew Armaan was not in a state to have any discussion. Somewhere he was right too, the girl had indeed suffered a lot, anybody be the reason.
-----------------
It was quite a difficult phase for everyone, nobody knew what would be the righteous thing to do, to say! After a long tiring day Armaan returned around 3 in the morning. That had become his routine since past week as that way he could stay away from every one, and every discussion. He just wanted to be left alone for a few days and so he busied himself with work day and night. Throwing his blazer carelessly on the couch, he slumped down exhausted as hell. The water running down from the jug cut through silence as he filled a glass for himself. The glass not only quenched his thirst but also his hunger as he hardly had any appetite these days. He exhaled a deep sigh as his head throbbed when he heard a voice making him turn; "Armaan!"
There she stood looking equally disturbed while her eyes were fixed at his hand that was busy massaging his forehead; "Kya main kuch der yaha baith jau, aapke paas? Kuch kehna tha aapse."
Armaan nodded slightly keeping his gaze glued to the floor. His fist tightened as she settled on a sofa chair opposite him though there was plenty space next to him on the couch, he knew the reasons pretty well! After momentary silence she took a deep breath and finally spoke up;
"Main nahi jaanti if I have any right to speak about this matter, par main ye kehna chahti hu aapse ki ho sake toh ek baar aunty se baat kar leejiye. Jo bhi hua uski vajah se aap aunty se naaraz hai, par aap ye nahi jaante ki vo har raat ko aap ke intezaar mein baithi rehti hai ki kisi tarah aapse baat ho paye."
A frown immediately settled on his forehead;
"Main---- Riddhima I"I know she's... but I don't----- mujhe"main khud nahi jaanta ki kya sahi hai aur----"
"Nahi Armaan, main jaanti hu aap bhi ye jaan bujh kar nahi kar rahe. Takleef mein toh aap bhi hai. Jis tarah aapke saamne ye sara sach aaya hai, aap ke liye ye sab bohot mushkil raha hai I know. Aapki naarajgi jaayaz hai, unhone galti toh kit hi, par aap bhi ye baat achi tarah jaante hai ki vo dono aapse bohot pyaar karte hai. Aap kabhi unke liye substitute nahi the Armaan, infact unhone toh aapko dugna pyaar diya hai, apne hisse ka bhi aur us Maa ka bhi jo aapse bohot pehle hi kismat ne cheen li thi.
Kisi apne ko dur hote dekne ka gum dinya ka sabse boora ehsaas hai Armaan."
He looked up at her involuntarily as the intensity of her words cut through his heart. He knew very well what her words referred to.
"Please ek baar aunty se baat kar leejiye. Poorane shikve mita deejiye Armaan, khud ki aur un dono ki takleef ka ilaaj aap khud hai. Bas ek baar baat karne ki der hai Armaan!"
He did not utter a word listening to her quietly. As he looked as if thinking over her words she cleared her throat and suggested;
"Main hana garam kar rahi hu aa----"
"Mujhe bhook nahi hai Riddhima it's ok!"
"Armaan bhooka rehna kisi problem ka solution nahi hota"
He could clearly see the anger surging in her as she snapped;
"Main khaana garam kar rahi hu tab tak aap fresh ho jaiye. Vaise bhi aap toh sab apni marzi se hi karte hai, man kare toh kha leejiye, varna jaisa aap theek samjhe!"
She entered the kitchen leaving him to decide what he was to do. To her surprise he did return after freshening up and she made a plate for him. None of them spoke a word, but as he silently ate she felt warm at heart. He never looked up at her once, but it was the first time he did not disrespect her and let her do something for him which for a huge hugeee victory for her!
----------------
As he returned to the room he kept thinking over her words and knew she was nowhere wrong. He couldn't agree less that biologically or not, Ananya and Billy were his parents and he loved them to no ends, whoever said whatever. And by the time sun set in the decision was made.
Ananya was surprised as the first thing in morning she saw Armaan entering their room and declared that he wanted to have a word with them. Ananya heartily apologized for her past mistake and let him know how she would have actually died had she let him away. And just seeing her cry was enough to let go off all the grudges and truths, he simply engulfed her tightly forgiving and forgetting all the past sorrows. Whatever the world said, he was and would always be Armaan Mallik, son of Ananya and Balvinder Mallik! He wished he could atleast once see his real mother and father, but then maybe destiny itself wanted him to be a part of Mallik family. And if he had lost his parents then, Ananya and Billy had definitely given him a new life, and he was always going to be grateful to them for that.
All the distances were erased but he knew one task was still at hand, Sadhna! The very evening he thought of visiting her, and as he did so he realized she wasn't pretty much a greedy woman. Indeed her greed had forced her to commit certain mistakes, but she was a changed woman now. Pleased by her welcoming nature he was about to thank her when she cut him;
"Nahi nahi beta, galti toh meri hi thi. Tum toh mere bte jaise hi ho, tumhare umar ki ek bacchi hai meri fir bhi maine pata nahi kaise---- par agar shukriya karna hi hai toh tumhe apni biwi a karna chahiye."
Armaan was completely confused by her words and frowned hard when she told him how Riddhima had come up to her the very next day after Ananya was hospitalized. She made her realize that Armaan was her family, her sister's blood. He had always had a happy life under Ananya's and billy's guidance and she requested her to not break this happy family. Sadhna had indeed been guilty as Armaan was her family, but her greed had never allowed her to know of his happiness, his well being. Every other time that she approached Malliks was for money, never once had she bothered to check upon him. She now believed that destiny had purposely left Armaan with Ananya, maybe that was what Sunaina wished. He walked out of Sadhna's house relieved of adoption issues, and told her she was most welcome at Mallik mansion but herafter just as a family. On the other hand guilt gripped him tighter thinking about everything that Riddhima had done for him and his family but what did he give her in return!
-----------------
PRECAP:
"Armaan aap jaa rahe hai... hume chod ke? Mujhe chodke? Aap aisa kaise kar sakte hai?"
"Riddhima main... I thought so much and I think, this is best for----"
He bowed his head; "Tumhare saath rehna deserve nahi karta main."
Edited by arima_mallik - 9 years ago
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