It is getting dark as Beauty and Meghna arrive back home. Billu is pacing the courtyard impatiently. Bua is sitting in a corner, tension writ large on her face. Amrit watches them both anxiously.
Inside, Armaan is even more agitated. "Meghna ko maine kaha tha, shaam hone se pehle aa jaye….lekin as usual, usse kisi ki parwah nahin hai….na Beauty ki or na gaadi ki….pata nahin kahaan hai dono…yahaan network bhi nahin milta ki usse phone kar sake!"
Jassi: (gently putting her hand on his shoulder) Armaan, wo dono aa jayenge…Beauty ko toh saare raaste pata hai….wo bass aane wale honge….
Armaan comes up to her and puts both his hands on her shoulders. "Jassi, I'm sorry….mujhe iss haalat mein, tumhe tension nahin deni chahiye….tum aaraam karo…you're right, wo dono aate hi honge…" But his tone is not convincing enough and Jassi understands. She takes his hands and holds them tightly in her own, as Armu, looking like a little boy lost, crouches down and looks soulfully at her. He is about to say something when Nandu barges into the room.
Nandu: Jassi, main aur Chaman Beauty aur Meghna ko dhoondne ja rahe hai….tum log aur chinta mat karo, wo dono raaste mein hi humein mil jayengi…..
Just then they hear the sound of a car drawing up at the gate. Nandu rushes out; Armaan, giving a relieved glance to Jassi, follows him.
Meghna and Beauty enter, to a storm of agonized questions from Bua, and annoyed relief in the expressions of everyone. Beauty apologetically explains that the meeting with Baba took longer than expected; but Meg just stays silent, minus her usual defiance and couldn't-care-less attitude. On the contrary, she looks pensive and subdued.
Finally, when everyone has calmed down somewhat, they all settle down to eat. Meg's eyes meet Armaan's for the first time since her arrival. He glares at her, but she only looks chastened. Armu gives a mild start of astonishment. Jassi notices and, silently taking his hand, squeezes it while looking reassuringly at him.
Afterwards, when everyone is retiring to bed, Meg pleads that she needs to go for an after-dinner walk. Beauty gazes suspiciously at her as she goes out. Nandu comes up and whispers, "Kya baat hui? Meghna kuch badli-badli si lag rahi hai…kya bataya Baba ne?"
Beayty: (grimacing) Pata nahin! Unhone mujhe baahar jaane ko kaha…..main sun toh nahin payi par wo kisi baat se bahut hairaan lag rahi thi….
Nandu: Chalo chodo…..iske dimaag mein kya khichdi pakti hai, hame usse kya….par tumne Baba se apna bhavishya nahin poocha?
Beauty: Nahin, jab tak Meghna ji baahar aayi, shaam ho chuki thi….(slyly) Aur waise bhi, mere bhavishya mein aisa kya hai jisse jaanne ki mujhe itni chinta ho…?
Nandu: (indignantly) Kyun? Kya pata, Baba tumhe batate ki tumhari shaadi ek bahut hi handsome, smart aur jald-hi-ameer hone wale ladke se hogi….
Beauty: (teasingly) Achcha? Par aise kisi ladke ko toh main nahin jaanti……!
Nandu screws up his face and she bursts out laughing.
Meghna walks briskly to the banyan tree where she had taken poor Nandu. Sitting quickly under it, she closes her eyes and prays desperately, "Mollie, Chhotu……main tum dono ko kitne time se contact karne ki koshish kar rahi hoon…please, please aaj toh mujhse baat karo…mujhe batao ki Baba ki baat sach hai ki nahin….!"
There is no answer except silence. When Meghna opens her eyes, there are tears swimming in them. She wipes them away and leans back against the tree, limp and despairing. Her eyes close. Just then she seems to hear a whisper. "Meg…..!"
Her eyes fly open. She looks around hungrily, but there is no one. She closes them again. The voice seems to float near her ears…..and it is Mallika's voice.
"Meg…my dear sister….Aryan aur main bilkul theek hai….tum Armaan aur Jassi ko blame mat karo…I love you Meg!" The voice fades out.
Meg opens her eyes again, but sees nothing. Her face wears a look of wonder. "Mollie….kya tum sachmuch thi…ya maine imagine kiya tha?"
Finding no answer, she slowly walks back home.
Monday: Jassi's god-bharai
Cryptocurrency
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Aami Daakini
