Part:4
Anittah, Aaliyah and Angad were walking to their gate in Dubai International Airport to catch connecting flight to Mumbai. A 6'2" tall, handsome young guy in his low 30's greeted each one by name as soon as they reached their gate.
"Hello, Angad! Hi Anittah! Hi Aaliyah! How are you all?"
"Hi, Kartik! We are fine. How are you?" everyone reciprocated him.
"Arey bhai!! Iss saal kyon aap sab ne itni jaldi return programme banadiya? You all always spent six weeks in US with Netra mausi. Why not this time? Why? What happened so suddenly?" Kartik surprisingly asked them.
"Kya karte hai, Kartik Bhaiyya! Mama ko Angad ka shadi ki bhoot chadi hai. Abb iski shadi honey tak humey aise hi suffer hona padega." Aaliyah disappointedly chided Angad.
Kartik laughed aloud "shadi? Aur Angad ka? Kyon bhai, inhoney aisa kya kaam kardiya hai ki mausi ney achanak shadi ka decision leliya tha?" He raised eyebrows at Angad.
Angad blushed "nahin, Kartik! Aisa kuch nahin huva. Just mama ne ek ladki ke barein mein propose kiya tha aur Naina mom ki dimmaak mein shadi ki bhoot chad gayi."
Kartik nodded his head with a big smile on his face. "Acha huva aaj aap log mujhey yahan Dubai mein hi miley they. Nahin toh shayad mujhey kuch bhi pata nahin chalta. Waise maussi kahan hai? Aapke saat kyon nahi aayi hai?"
"Mama has some important appointment tomorrow so she will return by Sunday." Aaliyah replied.
After settling in respective seats Kartik and Angad immersed into deep conversation as Anittah and Aaliyah were enjoying their video games.
"Hmm, abb bolo yeh shadi ka chakkar kya hai? Why all of sudden it came up? Aur do teen saal kush nahin reh sakta hai? Itni jaldi kya hai shadi ke liye?
Angad smiled with shy, "You know mamma very well. She always wanted to keep contacts with me. Though she agreed for adoption to Naina mom she never kept herself away in distance with me. But Naina mom never liked her interference. Mamma ney ek ladki ki proposal lekey aayi thi aur Naina mom ney inkar kardiya. Pehley wo bhi bahut excited thi but lately she rejected the alliance. Kyon ki uss ladki ki maa blind hai."
"Toh kya huva already maussa ji ney dus pandrah families ko paal raha hai. Aur ek jud jayengey." Kartik laughed.
Angad joined him "you are right Kartik! But we already left US so no way we can go back to that proposal."
Kartik sighed "khair chodo in baaton ko yeh batao ki tumhara mama kaisi hai? Unsey mila hai ki nahin?"
Angad moved his head sideway depressively "nahin Kartik! I couldn't. You know Naina mom always disliked my contacts with Mama. She always has insecured feeling with our affections. I wanted to apologise mama in this proposal case but I couldn't do it too."
Kartik smiled sarcastically "time milna na milna tum per depend hota hai, Angad! Mausi se chupa kar bhi phone kar sektey ho. Be a brave man! Itna darta rahe toh you lose many things in life."
Angad faintly smiled "that is the problem with me, Kartik! I can't hurt anyone. Mama toh mujhey achi tarah samajhti hai. But Naina mom sulks inside that I never accepted her as real mom. What can I do? I listen to whatever she asked. Still she is not happy. I can't see her unhappy. Bahut koshish karta hoon ussey kush rakhney ke liye. She did a lot to bring me to this stage. Aaj main ek bada singer hoon. Naam hai, fame hai. Yeh sab kuch Naina mom aur Dad ki wajah se hi toh hai."
Kartik nodded his head as agreed "Mujhey abhi bhi achi tarah yaad hai. That time I was 12 years old. There were big arguments, fights between maussi and maussa ji. Mausa ji wanted to adopt you and Naina maussi wanted to adopt me. At last, ofcourse, maussa ji won his arguments as you were his own blood. But he had to agree with maussi's to take care of me in all means. Till now they never forgot to look after my family and you equally. They gave good education to all us three children. My two sisters were married happily with maussa ji's help. My parents are happily settled in Pune. In return I had to be loyal to maussaji and maussi. But I never regretted for this. I'm happy too as I'm now. We surely hesitate to go against their wishes for the love and affection got from them in return. Chalo, jo hogaya so hogaya. Let's keep happy everyone. Ismain problem hi kya hai?"
Angad nodded her head and fell in thoughts thinking about the unknown girl he supposed to meet in US. His thoughts stopped at the girl he met in the coasters and Tanya's house. A smiled sparked on his face and his heart started humming. He leaned back and closed his eyes imagining the girl in his dreams.
Kartik looked at him and smiled "yeh toh gaya. Ek baar shadi ka khayal mann mein aaya toh bus koyi aadmi apne sapno mein kho jata hai."
Angad smiled as stretched his body when plane landed in Mumbai International Airport. "kyon bhai! Kahan kahan sapno mein ghoomke aaye ho?" Kartik chided him.
Angad laughed and moved his head as there was nothing like that. They reached home after two hours.
"Gayatri Sarma? Naam sey lagta hai ki wo bahut janey pehchansi hai. Avantika itna tareef kiya ho toh wo shayad Avantika ke pados waley hoga. Suryaban Sarma ke naam se ek family rehtey they Avantika ki padose mein. Wo unki bahut help kiya tha unki pregnancy mein." Dilip commented when Naina informed about the proposal came through Avantika for Angad after her return in next two days.
"Ek baar dekh ke aana tha ladki ko. Avantika kahey toh wo ladki bilkul Angad ki layak hi hogi." Dilip's mother Devyani Khanna commented.
"Nahin maa! Abb tak kitney families ko hum sahara de rakhey they. Abb aur ek mujhsey nahin sambhala jata. I respect Avantika but it doesn't mean I agree whatever she says or suggests. Abb bahut hogaya. Mera bhi kuch manokamana hota hai. Angad ka shadi ko lekar mujhey bhi kuch khwaishein hai. Aisi riste sey unki kya khwaishein puri hongey? Na status, na paisa. Aur rahi ek andhi maa? Main bhi Angad ko ek maa jaisa pala posa. Uski palan mein main bhi bahut kuch sacrifice kiya. Wo 6 saal ka tha jab mere paas aaya tha. 6 mahina tak raat bhar jaagti rahi ussey mananey ke liye. Kitna rota tha. Khaney mein slow, padhney mein slow, bahut mehennat kiya mainey ussey raste par laaney ki. Aaj wo jo bhi hai meri wajha sey hi toh hai. Maanta hoon uski sagi maa iss sey bhi jada kar sakti hai. Magar paraya hokar bhi main apni bte jaisa pala tha."
Devyani patted her shoulder "main manta hoon, Naina! Tum Angad ka acha khayal rakha tha. Meri kehney ki yeh matlab hai ki uss ladki ki kya kusur hai jab uski maa ki aankhey nahin hote toh?"
Naina heaved a sigh out and left the place. Dilip wanted to say something and Devyani stopped him "mujh sey kuch mut kaho, Dilip! Yeh sab ki jimmedar tum ho. Tumse yeh umeed kabhi nahin tha."
Dilip offended "maa! 25 saal gujar chukey hai. Abb tak aap mujhse naraz hai? Main papa ki aur aapki baat nahin taal saka tha. Avantika ke barein mein kehney ki himmat nahin tha. Aaj Avantika aur Naina donon ke kusurvar banker ek mujlim ki tarah jeer raha hoon. Main bhi apna pyar ko kho chukka hoon."
Devyani turned her face away from him "kuch bhi ho, Dilip! Mera beta ek masoom ladki ki jindagi barbaad kardiya. Yeh mujhsey kabhi sehnahin jaati. Maana ki tum apne bte ka jimmedari uthaya tha. Magar kiss wajah pe? Jab Naina ne ek waaris ko janam nahin desake, tab na? Main Avantika ki barein mein tumhey kabhi maaf nahin kar sakta, Dilip!" she left with guilt. Dilip helplessly rubbed his forehead to calm his depression.
In Tampa:
"Agar wo jana chaahti hai toh jaaney dijiye, Avantika! Mumbai mein mera bhatija hai. Nishant Saxena. Wo bahut acha eye specialist hai aur homeopathic practice ko bhi bahut maanta hai. Wo jaroor aapki bhabhi ki madat karega." Kalyani gave the details of her nephew when Avantika informed about Gayatri's adamant decision.
Avantika conveyed the same to Gayatri "main janey ki bandobast kardiya hai. Tickets bhi book karvadiya. Yeh rahi wahan ke doctor ki contacts. Mera uss sey baat bhi hogaya. He promised that he will take care of you. Jaroor mil lena." She turned to Kripa "Kripa! It's your responsibility to take care of your mother now.
Samjhey? Mujhey hur minute ka information dete rehna." She kept giving instructions till they took the flight to Mumbai after ten days.
Udne Ki Aasha
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
35