"She'd make a beautiful bride.
That was the first thing that came in his mind when he came to meet her for the last time.
-x-
"Log sahi the. Jazbaat sahi the. Waqt..
"Galat tha?
"Tum hi toh kehti ho ke waqt ko galat nahin kehna chaiye.
"Shayad ab humein apni hi kahi hui baton ko dobara se parakhna hoga.
They stood at the window of her room, bathing in the bright light of the full moon. She was supposed to be sleeping; it was a big day for her tomorrow.
"Aaj raat neend kahan?
That was the text she had sent him 10 minutes before he had found his way in her room. Needless to say he wasn't supposed to be here; in her room, in her house, in her city. Come tomorrow he wouldn't be supposed to be anywhere in her life.
With a touch of his hand on her forearm, he made her look away from the moon and face him. Was there a more beautiful face than hers in the whole wide world? Especially when she looked straight in his eyes without any hesitation, like she was trying to imprint the very sparkle of his eyes in her memory.
"Tum khush rahogi?
"Rehna hi padega.
"Mujhe yaad karogi?
Silence.
Then, a chuckle.
"Haq nahin hoga. She shook her head and the chuckle turned into laughter. And she laughed and laughed till tears ran down her cheeks. He smiled at the sight; honestly he could get drunk at the sound of her laughter.
"Main yaad kar sakta hoon tumein?
The laughter stopped and she looked up at him, tears still shimmering in her eyes. The previously laughing face of hers was now frowning; her lower lip trembled as another tear slipped escaped her eyes.
"Mat kijiya ga na...
And there was so much heartbreak in her voice that he reached out for her without thinking and the next thing he knew she was there where he wished he could keep her forever.
How many times had she been the one to hold him in her arms and rock him with her gentle lullabies to ease the pain away? How many times had she been the one to wipe his tears with soft touches and tender kisses? How many times had she run her fingers through his hair as he rested his head on her lap seeking comfort away from the world? He didn't remember the number of times but he remembered every feeling that he had gotten during those moments. He just couldn't remember when was the last time she had broken down in his arms like this.
"Ssshhh...
He tightened the embrace and kissed the top of her head. Giving an accusatory glance to the moon, he started swaying on the spot with her in his arms.
Aaj raat neend kahan...?
-x-
As much as he wanted to, Omkara couldn't just stand in the shadows and try to blend in within them. He had to go and meet the hosts of the event and relay to them the well wishes and gifts that Daadi had sent. He wished he could've avoided that whole scene. But that was the price he had to pay to make his presence at the event legitimate.
"Oberoi-sahab aap ko ye takleef karne ki kya zaroorat thi?
"Takleef kaisi? Aap hamare itne purane janne wale hain. Aapki khushi mein agar hum apni taraf se kuch daal saken toh ye toh hamara farz hai.
He noticed the way the guests had eyed the mountain of gifts that the servants had carried in. The same way he noticed how her father had straightened his back and was now a lot less nervous than before. The guests who were previously being all haughty and unimpressed by the humble nature of the event, were now suddenly being all cheery and polite to the hosts. It was the same story every time. A casual show of money could change attitudes within seconds. Was it a wonder Mr. Oberoi was the way he was?
"Sharma ji...ab main chalta hoon. Beti ki shaadi ki bohat mubarak ho.
"Arey! Aise kaise!? Gauri hamari beti hai per aap ki bhi kuch lagti hai!
Was it polite to laugh at the blissful innocence of that statement?
"Haan beta..Gauri se ek baar mil lo. Warna wo chiraiya apni shaadi wale din hum se naraaz hojaegi ke maa..sahab logon ke ghar se koi aya aur humse mile bina hi chala gaya? Buss yehi tha unka prem?
Gauri's mother joined in with a laugh. This time Omkara couldn't stop the smile. How had he fallen for a girl who could lie so skillfully that she had kept a lie alive for years without anyone noticing? How was it that all her honesty was reserved for him only while the world only knew what she wanted them to know about her?
How could he live without her...?
How would he live without her...?
"Ab dulhan ko naraaz karna toh galat hoga. Kahan hai wo? Waise bhi Shivaay ne uske liye gift bheja hai. Acha hai..khud hi de dunga main usse.
Just as he said it, he was led through the familiar narrow passageways that led to the inner section of the house. But he didn't get to walk much beyond the main hall of the house because she walked out of her room just as he stepped in the hall.
She made a beautiful bride.
"Dekh Gauri kon aya hai?
Omkara smiled at her disappointed frown.
"Humein laga Bade Bhaiya ya Soumya ayegi. Ye Jatadari Hippie yahan kahan se agaye?
"Tum kaho toh wapas chala jaoun? Waise bhi tumhare Bade Bhaiya ka hi tohfa dene aaya hoon tumhein.
"Dijiye.
She stepped closer to him and put her hand in front of him. She was so tiny, he had often wondered if he could carry her around in his pocket.
"Hum maachis ki teeli hain kya jo apni jeb mein rakhenge aap humein?
"Teeli kyun? Chaabi kyun nahin?
"Chaabi sambhal ke rakhne ki cheez hai. Kabhi na kabhi kaam aa hi jaati hai. Teeli ko toh ek baar istemaal kiya aur phenk diya. Usse sambhaal ke nahin rakhte.
He reached out for a packet from his jacket and handed it over to her. Her eyes shone at the fancy packaging but before she could impatiently rip it open, her mother took it away from her.
"Ye hum tere samaan ke saath rakh rahe hain! She said sternly and walked away from there, leaving the two of them alone. Just like she had planned.
"Bohat sundar lag rahi ho.
He whispered and her calm exterior cracked. She bit her lip to resist the onslaught of tears threatening to spill down. When she blinked and looked up at him, he shook her head at her and smiled gently.
"Baraat agayi!!
Someone shouted outside and suddenly there was a flurry of motion around them. He stepped away from her as she was surrounded by her friends who started doing last minute adjustments to her bridal dress. He was so easily forgotten by everyone but her during this whole commotion. He could've easily slipped out of there unnoticed but there was a plea in her eyes that had him rooted on the spot.
"Chalo! Gauri ko mandap pe leke chalo!
Her friends surrounded her and gently led her outside. The noise outside was getting louder as the band played ceremonial music. No one had really paid any attention to him. Even she hadn't turned around to look at him one last time. When everyone was gone and he was the only one standing in the hall, he bent down and picked up the kada she had dropped at his feet sometime during the fuss made by the crowd.
-x-
"Parallel universe ka pata hai tumhein?
He had once asked her.
"Ye konsa parinda hota hai?
Her reply had been so abrupt that he had forgotten all about what he wanted to say and just laughed before she changed the topic.
-x-
"Omkara. Artist Extraordinaire. Congratulations, you have topped the list of India's Most Eligible Bachelors!
Soumya came barging in his studio with a magazine in her hand and broke his concentration from the piece he was currently giving finishing touches to.
"Phir se?
He chuckled and ignored the cover of the magazine which had his own photo smiling back at him. Soumya shook her head at her brother in law and dropped the magazine on the table.
"Bade baalon wale bhaiya! Jitna aap khud ko anti-social banate hain, utna hi media mein aap "mysterious kehlate hain. Kabhi toh apni personal life ke baare mein bhi bola karen. The rumors surrounding you are getting ridiculous! Kisi ne toh aapko teen bachon ka baap bhi bana diya tha uss din!
"I fail to understand ek akele artist mein itna interest kyun hai sabko? Omkara sighed.
"And I fail to understand ke aap kab tak aise akele zindagi jiyenge?
She sounded so sad that he had no choice but to look away from his painting and give her his full attention.
"Main akela kahan hoon?
"Tanhai bhi koi saathi hoti hai?
"Hoti hai. Acha hai tumein nahin pata kaise.
"Bhaiya...it's been 8 years. Wo aapki zindagi se jaa chuki hai aur apni zindagi mein khush hai.
He really wished she hadn't brought her up.
"Jaanta hoon.
"Usse toh aap yaad bhi nahin honge. Itni khush hai wo!
"I hope so.
Soumya huffed and opened her mouth to argue further but Omkara stopped her with his raised hand.
"Bacha we've had this discussion many times. But I really need to finish this painting today. So, if you can excuse me...?
He got a frustrated groan from her in reply and she roughly picked up the magazine from the table and stomped her way to the door.
"Itna hi pyaar tha na usse toh tab hi kuch kar liya hota! Aaj iss halat mein toh nahin hote!
She had the last word before she slammed the door shut after walking out. Omkara just sighed and laughed to himself as he continued finishing the painting. But his attention was half captured by the kada that never left his work table.
"Hum kya apni halat ki khabar rakhenge?
Jiske dumm se zindagi thi jab wo saathi hi na raha..
-x-
The kada was wrapped in a red thread. Upon closer inspection he had noticed that there was something safely tucked within the thread. When he had unwrapped the kada, a tightly wound piece of paper came out of it.
It had a few lines written on it.
Waqt galat nahin tha.
Jahan hi galat tha.
Kisi aur jahan mein hum saath hain.
Issi khushi mein hum jee lenge.
Aap bhi jee lijiye ga.
-x-
"Jee raha hoon. Jee toh raha hi hoon...
-x-
She had made a beautiful bride.
In some universe she had made his beautiful bride.
~*~
original posted
(x)
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