T2 Raesha FF : Finding Home last part pg 28 - Page 19

'What is this Aisha...tumne ekbar bhi mujhe nehi bataya ...aise sushma ko kaise leke aa sakti ho? We don't have a damn warrant against her ...agar usne legal step liya to tumhare saath main bhi...' Arjun yelled at her,

'Aisa kuch nehi karegi wo...tum kehe rahe the na...kal tumhe uss ghar main kuch ajeeb laga tha??' Aisha asked firmly,

'haan...per kya ye samaj nehi aya...tumhe kuch mila hain?' Arjun frowned at her,

'haan...aao mere saath..' Aisha said and started walking towards her cabin. She picked up the old case file of Dr Arther and pulled out a few pictures. She forwarded them to Arjun.

'Ye Dr Arther ki photo dekho...' Aisha forwarded him the photograph which contained Arther and his wife in a close cozy pose during their wedding at the church.

Arjun took the picture in his hand and gave a keen look at it. Dr Arther was dressed in a moderate wedding suit and the smile that the man bore in the picture was familiar. He had seen the smile somewhere.

'kuch yaad aya?' Aisha asked him curiously,

'ye face...' Arjun muttered thoughtfully when Aisha forwarded him a few pictures taken inside Sushma's house. A few of the pictures contained the wall of the living room as the background, one of which contained a hanging wall photograph of her uncle and her. Aisha pointed at the framed photo on the wall and Arjun narrowed his eyes on it.

'It is morphed.' Arjun concluded and looked at her,

'Right...Aur ye dekho...' Aisha said forwarding him a packet containing a few cigar buds,

'ye buds?' he asked looking at the contents keenly,

'ghar ke bahar garbage bin ke pass kuch pare hue the...to maine aj subah utha liye...shayad garbage dalte waqt gir gaye...Cigar buds Arjun...aur maine check karwaya hain...kafi mehengi brand hain...just as Sameer had stated...remember??' Aisha stated,

'Matlab Sushma ke uncle hi Dr. Arther...' Arjun spotted it,

'Shayad, kal raat ke baad se Sushma ke uncle gayab hain...so we can presume its true...' Aisha stated confidently and Arjun turned towards the door, walking towards the interrogation room in quick long steps. Aisha followed him.

'Sushma ne kuch bataya?' Arjun asked before reaching for the room's door.

'nehi abhi tak kuch nehi...but she looks scared and it can be an advantage.' Aisha concluded.

Arjun nodded at her and both entered back inside the room to start with the interrogation again.

The interrogation ended on a happy note. Dr. Arther was traced and Chotu started working with his team to get the insane scientist out of his hideout. Falling madly in love with her professor did cost Sushma her life. She was arrested for helping and assisting Dr. Arther in his illegal research and experiments. A hidden laboratory underneath the little grocery shop was also found and lots of snake venom samples, many poisonous snakes and a variety of morphed snakes were confiscated. The house where Sushma stayed was one of her rich uncle's place who died two year back leaving the house and his property to sushma, which became a great help for Dr. Arther, who eventually ended up in a secret marriage with his subordinate.

The case inevitable had put a special feather on ETF's success cap but still two of the supervisors kept themselves away from all the celebrations. Aisha was still drooling over the events that had taken place in her life a night back. Her anger towards Sushma and Dr. Arther kept invoking as their crimes fell on an innocent man whose one weakness took him away from his cherished work and normal life. She fought with him, he misunderstood her, things started falling apart between them, their relation broke up and they separated. And everything happened just with this one case.

She had been trying to keep herself busy from the morning to keep his thoughts at bay but Sameer kept lingering around her at every tiny thing she did which was irritating her further. Even when she had traced the puzzle in the case, it was Sameer who had once given them the vital clue to track the criminals. She was now feeling frustrated once the case was over and the guilty were punished. She was feeling empty. It was her first case at ETF and she was excited with the success, but she didn't have her man to share her happiness with. ETF too might have been a different shade had their previous Chief been with them.

Aisha sat quietly in her cubicle hovering over the fight she had with Sameer last night and then his lewdness to even speak to her about it. Sameer hadn't even tried to know about her whereabouts. This itself was increasing her frustration and anger towards him. She picked up the glass of water from the table and sipped into it. The water snuggled down her parched throat making her feel more uncomfortable. She stood up planning to leave for the day when her eyes caught the lone figure sitting alone in his cabin.

Arjun.

He was sitting quietly thinking about something deep while a file lay open in front of him.

She kept looking at him for sometime. Somewhere between the unrelated misunderstanding between Aisha and Sameer, Arjun was getting trapped. His friendship didn't let him leave them nor his self-loathing kept him from repenting. Aisha was now feeling miserable. Her decision to live in Arjun's house was creating further ripples in all their lives. She watched as Riya walked inside with Shree talking about something visibly serious.

Riya and Shree walked inside the cabin and started speaking. But the ever attentive Arjun was immensely disturbed today. Riya might have mistook his silence for his attitude and kept briefing about the issue nudging him to respond back. But the lack of response from Arjun confused both of them and they tried to gain his attention again and there it was. Arjun flared up at them suddenly surprising both of them. Nothing worked at that moment and Riya and Shree had to walk out of the room silent and disappointed.

The sight of the sudden quarrel made Aisha more stressed and she walked towards Arjun's cabin hurriedly. She couldn't allow their personal issues to hamper Arjun's life so much. She walked inside the room without a knock on the door and found Arjun standing with his back towards her. He was looking outside the window, but his gaze showed the lost state he was in.

Arjun!!' Aisha called him and he turned back angrily before mellowing down and turning away from her,

Whats wrong Arjun? Why are you behaving so rude? What is troubling you?' Aisha showed her concern and asked him,

Tumse Sam ne kahi jane ki baat ki thi?' he asked abruptly,

dekho Arjun tum Sameer aur mere liye apne life main problems mat lao...humari problem hain...hum...' Aisha tried to explain but Arjun glared at her and she stopped,

Agar itni irritation hain mere tum dono ke bare main sochne se...to mujhe tum dono ke beech main lati hi kyu ho? Why cant you people solve your own problems?' he yelled back at her and turned back to the window,

Arjun!!' Aisha mouthed the word somehow, disheartened,

Kya Arjun? Mar gaya hain Arjun. Samajhte kya ho tum dono mujhe? Pagal dikhta hu? Jo jab jaisa chahe karega aur main tum logo ko samhalta rahunga? Dost se baap bana diya hain mujhe...kaise bacho ki tarah behave karte ho tum log?' he shouted again,

kya bakwas kar rahe ho? Aisa kya kiya maine? Dekho tumhara mood kharab hain...hum baad main baat karenge...' Aisha turned to leave but Arjun held her hand.

Sam kahi chala gaya hain Aisha...' he told her calmly though aggression was easily visible in his voice.

kya? Kaha?' Aisha asked him in a shocked tone.

Arjun shook his head not knowing the answer. He dropped on the chair slowly narrating the morning incident with Sameer.

By the end when Arjun looked at her with hopeful eyes that she could help, Aisha looked around aimlessly and walked out of the cabin without a word.

Things were getting more complicated than she could have imagined.

******

He walked down the path taking smaller slow steps reading the written address on the piece of paper in his hand. He wandered his gaze looking around for the right building. He was walking towards the right path and he knew that. Walking for several more minutes he reached at the road adjoining the road towards the medication unit of the ages old Free Living Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Pune. Dr Khanna was a regular therapist at this place and had recommended Sameer for his treatment.

Though Sameer wasn't quite convinced of this Centre at such a remote place in Pune and had tried all means to get a better place for himself, Khanna had adamantly taken efforts to atleast get him here once. And now when Sameer had finally visited the place he knew the reason.

Though the place was quite far from the major city and its luxuries the Centre was situated in an extremely beautiful surrounding. The road which led towards the gate of the main building was just like any artificial boulevard with large trees lines up at a side. It was mid-day and the sun was shining brightly above him pouring in lots of brightness and rejuvenating the atmosphere. The gentle breeze from the trees and the little soft sounds of the crushing dry leaves on the ground was enhancing the beauty of the place.

Sameer was feeling much better already. The feel of guilt and remorse was now slowly mellowing down as he walked through the Sunlight illuminated road and reached at the gate. He stood at the gate looking around the place quietly. Naturally beautiful, a rare sight for people staying among the crowd of large cities.

'Excuse Me!!' A voice alerted him from behind and he turned to find a woman in her late 40s, clad in a nurse's uniform, looking at him with a curious gaze. She had a tray of medical instruments in her hands.

'Sorry!!! Please...' Sameer apologized and moved aside for the woman to move inside, but she kept standing there looking at him.

'What are you doing here? Who are you?' she asked in a rude coarse tone.

It would be the first time when the ex-chief Sameer Rathore was unable to read a person by her face. This old woman had a smudged expression on her face. Her eyes showed irritation, yet they held a gaze of concern. Her face looked angry and stern as she looked at him in a skeptical gaze. Her tone was coarse, much different from that of any ordinary woman, but they held pleasantness in every gesture. He didn't know if this woman was happy to see him here or was angry with the sudden intrusion.

'Main yaha...wo Dr. Khanna ne bheja tha...sorry recommend kiya tha...to socha...main yaha..wo treatment pe...' Sameer fumbled unknowingly and the lady stopped looking doubtfully at him, narrowing her eyes over his frame.

'ohh patient...then why are you standing here? This is not the office...waha...uss building main jao..receptionist will help you...' she informed him and started walking through the gate, but suddenly stopped and turned back.

'tum akele aaye ho? Koi family member nehi aye?' she frowned at him,

'nehi wo main...' Sameer stopped looking away confused with his words,

'Samaj gayi...main yaha ki head matron hu...sab Miss Dsilva kehete hain,' she introduced herself and walked away. Sameer looked at her surprised. She had left a bright smile on his face unknowingly even with the same stern blank face and coarse voice. He was feeling good, atleast he found someone who wouldn't judge him by his illness.

He waited for Miss Dsilva to walk inside the building and picked up his bag to walk towards the receptionist desk.

*****

'Aisha!! Meri baat suno...ill get him for sure...bas mujhe thora waqt do...Aisha are you listening?' Arjun tried to pacify a busy Aisha who was packing her bags in Arjun's house.

'uski koi zaroorat nehi hain..maine kaha haina tumse...I am no longer worried for him,' Aisha replied stuffing her clothes inside her handbag,

'fir tum ye sab kyu kar rahi ho? Kaha jaa rahi ho?' he asked Aisha impatiently,

'mujhe yaha nehi ana chahiye tha Arjun...meri wajah se tumhare life main bhi problems aa gayi hain...main kahi aur rehene jaa rahi hu...jab tak Sameer wapas nehi ata...' Aisha told him,

'tum Sameer ke pass nehi jana chahti...atleast kaha gaya hain...ye bhi tum janna nehi chahti...kab ayega tum nehi janti...fir aise...' Arjun asked her not believing her words,

'nehi Arjun...Sameer apni marzi se gaya hain...usse jab wapas ana hoga...wo ayega...hum usse zabardasti nehi la payenge...let him take his time...he needs it..' Aisha explained calmly,

'lekin Aisha...Sam bimar hain...aur iss hal main agar kuch ho gaya...to main apne ap ko kabhi maaf nehi kar paunga...main usse dhoodne ki koshish zaroor karunga...aur tum mujhe nehi rokogi...' Arjun said and turned to leave but Aisha stopped him,

'nehi Arjun...hume jitna karna tha humne kardiya...Sameer janta hain wo bimar hain...aur apne bimari ke bare main bhi wo sab janta hain...ab iss hal main agar gaya hain to kuch soch ke hi gaya hoga...hume wait karna hain...hum usse abhi force karenge to result kuch aur hoga...dekha na tumne wo kaise react kar raha tha...give him his space Arjun...let him take a decision...I am sure he is fine...usse kuch nehi hoga...trust me...' Aisha assured him and locked her bags,

'tum mujhse naraz ho Aisha?' Arjun asked her anxiously,

'nehi Arjun...main tumse kaise naraz rehe sakti hu...tum to inn sab main bina wajah hi.fas gaye ho...I am feeling guilty for that...,...' Aisha tried to explain her state.

'thik hain Aisha...main tumhari baat man lunga...lekin ek condition pe...you have to keep your trust on me...tum yahi rahogi mere ghar main...jab tak Sameer wapas nehi ata aur ek decision nehi leta...you aren't leaving this house...promise me Aisha...kisi bhi haal main nehi...main agar tumpe gussa dikhau, chillau, maru tab bhi nehi...' Arjun told her,

'ye kaisa condition hain? Aur Arjun Rawte ek larki pe haath uthane ki baat kar rha hain?? Strange...' Aisha chuckled,

'kis larki ki baat kar rahi ho tum?' Arjun asked her,

'Arjun!!!' Aisha glared at him,

'please maat jao...please Aisha...' he requested and Aisha nodded at him, taking in a deep breath.

'Great...ab chalo Riya ki khatir karte hain...kafi bhook lagi hain...' Arjun winked at her and both walked back towards the living room while Arjun called Riya to bring in a food parcel with her. Aisha sat quietly on the empty sofa waiting for Arjun to finish his call.

Aisha and Sameer both knew well, things have drastically changed overnight, but they had little to do right now, except wait for the time to ripe and bring back the lost ripples. Sameer didn't try to know about her and so did she. They are now separated by choice and there wouldn't be any looking back this time. Either they would unite to live the life together through all odds and evens or they would separate permanently to never return back to the other.

Kis lamhe ne thaami ungli meri
Phusla ke mujhko le chala

Nange paaon daudi aankhein meri
Khwabon ki saari bastiyan

Har dooriyaan har faasle qareeb hain
Iss umr ki bhi shakhsiyat ajeeb hai

Jheeni jheeni inn saanson se
Pehchaani si awaazon mein

Goonje hai aaj aasmaan
Kaise hum bezubaan

Iss jeene mein kahin hum bhi thhe
Thhe zyada ya zara kam hi thhe

Ruk ke bhi chal pade magar
Raste sab bezubaan