PART 43: short update
Angad calmed down as he drove to Tehzeeb's house. He thought, "mujhey kya ho gaya hai? Main mama par gussa kyon ho raha hoon itna….kyon unhey pyar se samjha nahin paa raha….aakhir mama ne kitni taqleefon se mujhey aur Mishti ko paala hai….warna hum dono aaj bhi kisi anath ashram mein hi hote…..unhone kabhie shaadi nahin ki, sirf hamari parvarish mein itne saal nikaal diye….she has done so much for us, par main Tehzeeb aur mama ko saath saath apne dil mein rakhna chahta honn…..alag alag nahin!"
Aapi greeted him at the door, "aao beta….kya hua tumhari maa nahin aaya?"
Angad lowered his eyeand lied, "wo unki tabiyat kuch…"
"Koi baat nahin beta…main samajh ti hoon….itna aasaan nahin hai yeh sab….par mujhey naaz hai tum par….main jaanti hoon tum Tehzeeb ka saath nahin chhodoge…..kaash sab mein tumhari jaisi himmat hoti…." Aapi said somberly
"Aapi…Tehzeeb hai hi aisi ladki….main uske liye poori duniya se bagawat kar sakta hoon…" Angad smiled and reassured Aapi, "kahan hai meri duniya?" he grinned
"Farhan ko sulaane gayi thi…oopar hogi" Aapi smiled and gestured upwards.
Angad went upstairs and found Farhan sleeping peacefully in his room. Angad kissed his son and whispered, "you are my little Eid and Diwali gift.."
He looked around, but could not find Tehzeeb anywhere.
"Tehzeeb? Princess? Jaan-e-man? Kahan ho tum?" He searched everywhere, but could not find her. Finally, he saw her standing in the balcony outside her room.
He tip-toed into the balcony and grabbed her from behind, "mera Eid ka chaand, kahan gayab ho gayi? Kab se dhoondh raha hoon tumhey"
Tehzeeb did not respond, but Angad felt her sobbing. He turned her face towards him, "kya hua princess? Yeh aankhein kyon suja rakhi hain? Mujhsey naaraz ho? I am sorry mandir mein der ho gayi….I promise main kal tumhey mama se milwaane le jaaoonga….," he kissed her forehead.
Tehzeeb hugged him tightly and buried her face in his chest, "n..nahin…y..yeh baat n..nahin hai..," she said between sobs.
Angad pulled back and lifted her chin with his finger, "phir kya baat hai? Kya Eid gift pasand nahin aaya?…Andar bedroom mein chalo, bahut accha gift de sakta hoon…" he joked
"Mazaak ki baat nahin hai Angad….maine aaj…maine aaj…" she started sobbing again
"Kya hua?" Angad was getting concerned now
She hugged him again and bawled, "mera is duniya mein koi nahin hai…"
Angad caressed her back, "tho main aur Farhan paraaye hain kya? Aisi baatein kyon kar rahi ho?"
"Nahin Angad…tumhare jaane ke baad maine Abbu aur Aapi ki baatein sun li thi…..main Abbu ki beti nahin hoon….main unke dost Saad Khan ki beti hoon…."
Angad was shocked, "tum yakeen se aisa keh sakti ho?"
CONVERSATION BETWEEN AAPI AND ABBU OVERHEARD BY TEHZEEB
"Ammi….aaj main bahut khush hoon….aisa lagta hai jaise meri zimmedari ab khatam ho rahi hai….ab Tehzeeb ka nikaah bhi ho jaayega,, tho Saad ko tassali ho jaayegi.."
"Beta, Saad tho ab is duniya mein hai nahin….ab tho tu hi Tehzeeb ka baap hai….Tehzeeb ne ek saal ki umar se tujhey hi Abbu maana hai…"Aapi said
"Haan Ammi….marne se pehle Saad ne mujhsey vaada liya tha ki main uski beti ko khush rakhoon aur ek acchi muslim ladki ki tarah paaloon….ab mujhey lagta hai ki main kaamyaab ho gaya…kya hua yadi wo Hindu se shaadi karna chahti hai…..Saad bhi tho uski khushi hi chahta hoga….."
"Haan….lekin beta kabhie Tehzeeb ko yeh baat mat bataana….wo tujhey hi apna sab kuch maanti hai….uska dil toot jaayega….Angad ke wapas aane se itni mushkil se juda hai…main apni bacchi ko phir se dukhi nahin dekh sakti…."
"aap sahi kehti hai Ammi…yeh raaz hamare beech hi rahega…"
ANGAD AND TEHZEEB IN THE BALCONY:
"Bas itni si baat hai princess? Tum tho itni bahadur ho…..tho kya hua yadi Abbu tumhare asli pita nahin hai…jo paalta hai wo hi pita hota hai….jaanti ho main aur Mishti bhi ek anath ashram se laaye gaye the….Nanaji laaye the humein…aur phir mama ne paala hai humein…unhone tho kabhie shaadi bhi nahin ki…" Angad said
"Really? Tho mama ne tumhey poori zindagi akele hi paala hai?" Tehzeeb was surprised
"Haan bilkul akele…..bahut ehsaan hai unke hum par…." Angad said
"Angad mujhey afsos is baat ka nahin ki main Abbu ki beti nahin, par is baat ka hai ki maine unhey kitni taqleef di…ghar se bhaag gayi…baat baat par unse ladh baith ti thi….I should have been grateful to him, instead I always defied him…." She started sobbing again
"Tehzeeb…yeh socho yadi tum unki har baat maanti tho aaj tum Mrs Aamir Ali hoti.." he grinned and looked into her eyes.
Tehzeeb hit him playfully, "main bhi tho yahi chahti thi….pata nahin tum kahan se aa tapke?" she laughed wiping her tears.
"Samunder se! Mediterranean sea se to be precise! Chalo….let's go for a drive….kuch change ho jaayega…." Angad held her hand and they walked out
"Hariram!…zara car le aana….hum zara drive ke liye jaayenge…" Tehzeeb ordered
"Jee madam….aap log baithiye…..main le chalta hoon….kahan chalein?" Hariram asked
"Worli beach ki taraf chalo…" Angad.
"Sahib, main abhi ek second mein aaya....mera license ghar par hi reh gaya hai..."
"Theek hai jaldi aana..." Angad said
Hariram got off and went to a corner to make a phone call......
…to be continued…
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