old FF till chapter 19 - Page 80

Chapter 17

Next morning diaba bade farewell to family members and left for talsagra before leaving she asked gulaal to follow her advice…….after diaba left gulaal stood silent she was thinking about diaba advice and then said to herself " diaba kuch nadi k kismat mein sahil se milna nahi hota hai…..aisa kabhi nahi ho sakta "

In the evening kesar came in his room… he looked around…..gulaal was nowhere her luggage was not there…….gulaal had shifted to her room after diaba left….kesar looked at his room…..all this days he was hesistant to enter his own room he always avoided sight of her…..but now he felt emptiness in his room the emptiness that hadnt been there until gulaal left….the empitness that brought him to gulaal room…..he stood outside gulaal's room gulaal was unpacking his luggage he saw her and smiled contendly and then went to his room…..

It was late night kesar was quietly resting in his room and gulaal was in kitchen completing her routine household chore……kesar was sitting on his bed…….he was looking on side of the bed where gulaal slept with great fondness……he gently touched the side of the bed and then took the deep breath….after so many days he was feeling nice……he took his guitar and went to the swimming pool area he folded his jeans and dipped his feet in the cold water…closed his eyes and started playing a nice gujarati folk music on the guitar………gulaal was working in the kichen she heard the tune and she stopped…..kesar's music had become her solace and her expression of soul…her soul that was caged found the vent through his music….she looked around and walked in the direction of the music…..she reached the swimming pool area and stood there…..as gulaal was connected with his music so was kesar….his heart was connected witht the sound of her footstep……..he heard her footstep and he stopped playing guitar he opened his eyes and without turning back asked in the low voice" tum abhi tak jag rahi ho soi nahi"

Gulaal stood silent and then said "nahi kuch kaam pending tha isliye wahi kar rahi thi"

She then asked "tumhe yeh jagah bahut pasand hai"

Kesar was still looking at water and said haan jab bhi apne aap se milne k man karta hai yanhi aa jata hun…yanha aakar apne aap ko janane ka mauka milta hai"

Gulaal replied soflty" agar apne aapse milna hai to kisi dost se baat karo khud ko jyada ache se jaan pan auge"

Kesar smiled and replied "kya janana chahito ho mere baare mein"

Gulaal said "pata nahi mein tumhare baare mein kuch bhi nahi janti"

Kesar stood silent for a moment…….then turned back looked at her and asked "icecream khane chalugi"

Gulaal was surprised she said "is waqt raat k sade dus baje hai sardi bhi hai"

Kesar said innocently "haan thand mein raat k samay hi to icecream khaayi jaati hai"

Gulaal smiled she was bit surprised but she didn't said anything and gave her consent

Kesar and gulaal sat in th car and kesar started driving the car he was in a good mood so was driving the car at his own speed….but gulaal was scared after few minutes she asked "tum car thodhi slow nahi chala sakte"

Kesar laughed and asked naughtily "kyu daar lagta hai kya"

Gulaal said with concern "haan tumhe chot lag sakti hai"

Kesar looked at her….he could see concern in her eyes so he slow down the speed of the car…..soon kesar stopped on the quite street of mumbai….it was lovely and quite place the street the road was clean and tidy; lamps illuminated the road itself….on one side of the road some pauper and begaars were sitting with their children and on the other side there were couple of road side food stall that contain typical street food ranging from waada paav to pani puri…the vendors were preparing the foods entiving the ppl with spicy aromas; serving each cutomers with a smile inspite of heavy order load….there were some benches on the street was the convienence of the customers

kesar and gulaal came out of the car….gulaal locked the door but her duppatta got stuck on the car she looked at the duppatta she tried to pull her duppatta but in vain she then called kesar

kesar looked at her duppatta and said smiling "yeh duppatta fasane k bimari abhi tak gayi nahi doctor"

gulaal was amused she said "kya"

kesar looked at and came close and said "duppatta fasana tum ladkyion k purani bimari hai aur duppata chudana hum ladko ki purani aadat" and then he unlock the door gently took her dupptta and gave it to her….gulaal was stunned…she remembered same words were spoken by the a boy who helped her in the college fest… she was in state of amusement and bewilderment

kesar looked back and asked "kya hua"

gulaal didn't said anything and then walked along with him

kesar told gulaal to sit on the bech he then went to a icecream stall….the vendor saw him and asked "kesar bhaiyya kaisa ho bahut dino se aana nahi hua"

kesar said "haa kaka bas kuch busy thaa" and then he asked for icecream ……seems like whole street knew kesar as every one greeted him….soon the streetkids who were playing in the street surronded him and talked to him like a old friend kesar was also engaged in talking he was asking about their whereabouts their activities their schools and other trivial stuff….gulaal was watching from the distance she was pleasantly surprised to see this soft and humble nature of kesar…she was pleased to see kesar was so kind and so friendly with street kids; most of the people just ignore these kids some are rude some give money out of symapthy but kesar was giving them the most precious and needed thing -love care and respect"

after a while kesar ordered icecreams for these kids and came up with icecream ….he gave her icecream

gulaal was looking at him

kesar turned at her and said " yeh mere aur vasant bha k baat karni k jagah hai jab bhi hum logo ko ek dusare se baatein karni hoti thi secrets shares karne hote the to yanha aate the…… bachpan se aa rahe hain"

gulaal asked" yahaan"

kesar said haan "ghar mein wo double decker hai na agar use humari baatein pata chal jaati to panba k saamne crocodile wala mouth open kardeti….isliye yanha aate the"

gulaal smiled

kesar asked "pucho kya puchne tha tumhe"

gulaal thought and said "kuch aisi baatein jo tumhe kisi ko nahi baatyi some secrets"

kesar smiled they stood up and started walking on the street with their icecream

kesar thought and said…."hmm secret baatein…….ok jab mein chota tha aur mere markes kam aate the to panba k proxy kar leta tha aur mujhe gujarati food aur gujarati music bahu pasand hai…"

gulaal was listening him quietly she said "aur"

" meine 12 class mein pehle baar beer pee thi" he said shyly "only beer no alchohol yeh baat vasantbha ko bhi nahi pata"

"aur meri do girlfrns thi" he paused said "nahi actually teen"

gulaal looked at him with surprise

kesr continued" pehle waali k to mujhe shakal bhi yaad nahi aur dusari waali thek thi par phir wo london shift ho gayi ab itni long distance relationship kaise handle karta so wo bhi chali gayi……..aur teesari waali tiya……..usese abhi breakup hua hai

gulaal asked "kyu"

kesr replied "who bahut horrible thi chahiti thi mein 24 rs sirf uski baare mein socho now u tell me how is it possible.koi kisko 24 hrs kaise soch sakta hai"

Gulaal laughed and said" tumhe lagta hai in teeno mein se tumhe kisi se tumhe pyaar hua tha"

Kesar said in confusion "haan….shayaad kyu….kyu puch rahi ho"

Gulaal smiled back and said "jab pyaar karoge to pata chalega jisise pyaar karte hai uske alawa aur koi chehra yaad nahi rehta…dooriyan nazidikiyaan maayne nahi rakhti aur uske baare mein sochne k liye 24 hrs bhi kam padte hain"

Kesar heard it and he stood there he was in the deep thought…..gulaal walked a little ahead she turned abck and said kya hua

Kesar walked towards her and said "kuch nahi….aur meri baat chodo tum apne baare mein kuch baatao"

Gulaal said "kya batau meine hamesha first aati thi isliye proxy nahi k kabhi beer nahi pee aur jisese pyaar kiya usese shaadi ki"

Kesar took a pause and said "acha tum mere baare mein kya sochti thi"

Gulaal replied "spoilt brat"

Kesar smiled and asked "aur ab"

Gulaal smile and said naughtliy "spoilt brat"

And they laughed kesar said "chalo acha hai meri image bani hui hai….waise bhi gals love spoilt brat…right doctor"

Gulaal said "yeh doctor kyu bolte ho mujhe mera……ek naam hai gulaal….itna bhi bura nahi hai"

Kesar turned back smiled and didn't said anything

Their icecream was finished so both sat on the car and drove back to home….

Now kesar ws driving very carefully….the night was lovely…..roads were empty…..the moon was blazing in full round in purple sky and stars were twikling blissfully

Gulaal was looking out of the car window the soft wind gently whispered in her ears….kesar swtiched on fm radio a beautiful song was played

lag ja gale ki phir ye hasin raat ho na ho
shaayad phir is janam men mulaaqaat ho na ho

gulaal loved old hindi songs…..she was a good singer she closed her eyes and was humming the song in soft and low voice it…her voice was barely audible but kesar was heard it….he was quietly lisening her…and then they reached home

kesar said 'ghar aa gaya'

and he turned around gulaal was sleeping…… ….he looked at her for a moment gulaal was beautiful; her beauty in the moonlight seemed more exquisite than ever;her lovely hairs;flushed cheeks; beautiful eyes and the innocent look of her face appeared in his eyes to render her more lovely then he has ever beheld her….his heart accelerated as he gazed upon her……he came near and saw she was as pure as white, as scared as red, as sophisticated as black, as soothing as blue, as refreshing as green, as cheerful as yellow, as vibrant as ornage, as shy as pink……he looked and said "saare rang to hai tumme samaye hue hai……gulaal k alaawa tumhara aur kya naam ho sakta hai……."

And he stared her without rest till the sunbreak and first rays of sun gently kissed gulaal's cheek she woke and looked at kesar….kesar withdrew his eyes….

Gulaal looked at the surrondings and realized she has slept in the car whole night

She asked kesar"mein saare raat yahi so gayi thi

Kesar said "haan….raat jyada ho gayi thi isliye"

She asked "to phir mujhe uthaya kyu nahi

Kesr replied gently "kaise uthtata…."

They lookead at each other and then they went inside the house