"Ohh shit"... " Cant u just see and walk"...
Sonakshi turned to the event which had just happened on her right followed by a teenage boys voice and sound of items falling... On the other side it was some old lady who just stared at the boy. She couldnt see lady s face yet.
Without thinking Sona bent to pick up the bags. Lady was quiet as the teenager continued with his words. But Sona couldnt take anymore.
"Stop it!! Now!!... Are you dumb not to spot the age difference. Looks like you are... Otherwise you wouldnt dare to speak like that... Apologize now or get lost."
Boy stared hard, gave a look and walked away without apologizing.
"Hey you... " Sona tried to go behind him only to be stopped by the lady.
"Rehene do beta... "
Sona froze with that voice...Ishwari aunty... She slowly turned now to look at her...
Ishwari froze too... It had been five long years that she had last seen Sonakshi... Her nutritionist. Nothing had changed except Beautiful Sonakshi had lost her glow though. She looked pale.. Once vibrant cheerful ...this sweet gal... Nutrition had dark circles around her eyes. Not knowing what to say... Ishwari smiled.
Sona smiled too.
"Kaise ho aap... "
"Bass.. Thik. Aur tum...? "
Sona just nodded.
"Riya Nikki... Neha... Aur... Sab kaise hain. "
Ishwari just thought about "Aur... Sab" and winced. Flashback was painful.
"Haan Sub thik." She wanted to add that Nikki misses her Sona di a lot but she kept it to herself.
Sona tried to read Ishawri s face for any grieviences from the past... But this was Ishwari...it portrayed nothing.
"Ghar chaliye na auntiji. Hum yahin paas mein rehete hain. "
"Aare lekin tumhara ghar toh woh ashok nagar mein tha naa... Yaad hain muzhe... Accha Shadi ke baad yahan aa gayi ..? "
Sona plainly smiled. Not understanding her expression Ishwari continued...
"Tumhare mummy pappa bhai... kaise hain. "
"Sab thik aunty. Bhai shaadi hone ke baad Mumbai shift ho gaye. Ellena bhi Mumbai mein hain. Dadi main maa baba, hum yahaan ek saal pehele shift ho gaye... Meri nayi job bhi paas mein hain. "
Ishwari had just learned something. The girl her son loved was unmarried still... Just like her son had remained. She couldnt fathom the information yet... Trying to contemplate results of her past actions Ishwari became quiet.
"Aare Mrs Dixit. How are you? Kitne saal ke baad. Kaisi hain aap? " Sona s mom emerged from behind where she had been shopping.
"Namaste... "
Ishwari remained quiet while Sona s mom continued. Ishwari could guage she neither had information of the past nor of the relationship Dev and Sonakshi once were in.
Sonakshi got a call and excused her for a min.
"Ye ladki kaam mein itna busy reheti hain. Aapke ghar pe thi toh muzhe koi chinta nahin thi. Aap, dev babu ne kitna khayal rakha tha meri bacchi ka... "
Ishwari still hated "Dev babu" dialogues but ignored this time. Sona s mom continued her talk.
"Ab toh iska khayal rakhane ke liye bhi koi nahin... "
"Iski Shaadi ... " Ishawri bagged the opportunity to check on Sona s mariatal status. Why wasnt she married yet? Though she knew she just wanted to deny that her past actions had anything to do with it.
"Aare nahin Mrs Dixit. Ye ladki bahut mushkil se sambhali hain... Pata nahin... aap ke yahan pe job chodne ke baad ekdam alag hi ho gayi thi... Ekdam bimaar gumsum... Ab ek saal hua usne job dhoondi... Aur hum yahaan shift hue hain... But koi shaadi ki baat bhi karen toh ekdam gumsum ho jaati hain... "
Sona s mom had tears in her voice. Mothers pain was visible.
"Uske baba ne kaha... Ki ... Use jab shaadi karni hogi tab karenge... "
Ishwari listened quietly... Her chest beating loudly... Was she responsible for 2 lives...One of them... Utmost imp to her...
Sona finished her call and came back..
"Chalo main chalti hoon... Muzhe der ho jayegi toh ghar mein jaise alarm sa baj jayega..." Ishwari said smiling.
Sona nodded in affirmation.
"Chalti hoon Nutrition... " Somehow ever proud Ishawri couldnt meet Sona s eyes... An unknown guilt engulfed her.
Sona quickly bent to take her blessing.
"Jeeti reh beta... "
Ishwari quickly left...with questions of her own and answers she knew she dint like...
"Kitni der kar di Maa... Bhaiyya ne dar ke mare satishbhaiyya ko market bhej diya tumhe doondne ke liye. " Riya complained as Ishwari entered home.
"Dev ghar pe aa bhi gaya?... Kab... Usne ne toh kaha tha koi meeting hai der hogi."
"Tu phone nahin utha rahi thi.. So hamne bhaiyya ko call kiya toh voh ghar hi aa gaye... Upar hain .. Gusse mein bhi hain... Tu dara deti hai hamen... Mat karo na aisa..."
Ishawri smiled at her daughters plight... She felt good she was loved , looked after by her son and daughters.
"Kahan thi tu... Pata hai kitna dar gaya tha main... "Dev said coming down from steps... He really looked relaxed now that he saw her.
"Laga vapas attack aake tu kahin giri toh nahin... Tu please phone toh le jaya karr... "He continued.
" Main thik hoon... Bass thodi der ho gayi. Aage se phone saath lekar jaoongi. Khana khayega na... Aaj jaldi aaya hai toh dinner saath kar lete hain... "
"Nahi maa, tension mein tha aur ye tumhe trace nahin kar pa rahe the toh chala aaya... Vapas ja raha hoon. Bye... "
"Kya sirf kaam kaam karta reheta hai... Ek din kaam nahin karega toh... "
"Bye maa... Tu kha lena khana... Waqt par.. "
And he was gone.
Her son had become so robotic... She could see all his actions had become a routine... He hardly smiled...
She knew why he worked so much. She knew he was a workoholic but he needed money in past so he worked to build an empire. Now he had everything... But he still worked day and night. He worked to avoid his other emotional links. He kept himself busy.
Mami was behind Ishawri to get him married. Ishwari also wanted him to settle now but he had refused. Bluntly. She remembered the conversation.
Dev was getting ready for office when mami and Ishawri walked in to his room. He was straightening his tie in mirror...
"Good morning. Aaj nashta yahan karna hai kya" he had asked.
"Woh Beta tumhare table pe kuch photo rakhi hai.. Ek se ek dikhane mein sundar aur khandani... Dekh toh le... Kis kis ko milne bulana hai tu sirf bata de. Baki kaam hum bade kar lenge... " Mami said smiling while Ishwari looked down as if unwilling even then.
He suddenly became stiff. He looked at his mom in mirror... Saw her looking down. Waited for an eyecontact with her. Upon receiving none... He walked over to his cabinet... Pulled out a Suit and headed for the door. He paused just before the exit... With a tilt to his head...he looked over to his mom and said "Maa , muzhe der ho rahi hai. Nashta laga de pls. Aur aage se in bekar ki baato ke liye waqt mat jaya kar. Muzhe shadi nahin karni. "
And he was gone.
She felt the guilt even then while mami kept blaming Sonakshi for the whole thing.
"Jiji main keh rahi thi naa aapko... Sambhal jao... Us bangalan ne mere bacche ki jindagi kharab kar ke rakh di... Haii... Lekin ye garib ki beti ki koi sune toh... " Mami went on and on.
Ishawri dint say much. She never did. She had not said a word to him when she came to know about Sonakshi but he understood her dislike. She knew it was definitely painful for him to let go but he did it for his mom. Ishawri was so proud then. Like Ishwari he had learnt not to speak... They both were stubborn as rock. Decisions made were never changed.
Being his Mom, she was not able to venture into his mind. Somehow she knew she had to get him married some day but not without her consent or approval. She dint want to feel left out in any decison those were taken for her son. She was also somewhere more hurt of the fact that her son had not felt important to inform her. Plus mami had uprooted some more venomous seeds like Sonakshi was behind his money etc. Though Ishwari dint believe about money part... Sonakshi then seemed to be a missfit.
And today she sat thinking while she had witnessed the other side. Just like her son... Some one s daughter suffered too.
She sat on her bed... She lost deeply in the past and... Dreadful present. How happy was her son then... She had liked the sudden glow on his face until she knew the reason for it and... She, his own mother had snatched it away from him... Why? she thought. Dint she want him to be happy... Yes she did want him to be happy...Dint she want him to decide for himself as she had always preached...Yes she wanted this decision to be only his without her influence... Wasnt Sonakshi a loving caring well mannered gal... Yes she was... Dint she match to his educational professional quotient... Yes she did, perfectly... Then why?... He ate, slept, talked, moved in front of her eyes but his mind wandered smwhere...she knew where.
In order to keep her only son to herself...she however had lost him.
"Ye kya kar diya maine... " She shut her eyes...allowing guilt to sink in.
Sona had just finished her last patient and was about to leave when Ashwini her assistant walked in informing her Mrs Dixit waited for last one hr for her.
"Pehele kyun nahin bataya tumne..." Sona ran outside...
"Auntiji aap.. Yahaan..."
Ishwari smiled... It had taken her one phone call to Dr Sinha to know where Sona worked.
" Aaayiye naa... Aap bahar kyun baithi hai... Muzhe ek call kar liya hota... So sorry aapko bahar rukna pada... "
"Nahin beta.. Koi baat nahin... "
"Kya lengi aap... Chai coffee Juice... Aapka fav mosambi juice bolu kya... "
Ishawri smiled at Sona. This gal remembered her likes dislikes... Still after 5 long years.
"Nahin beta... Kuch nahin... Just baat karni hai tumse... "
" kya hua... Aap thik hai na auntiji... Please boliye na"
Ishwri straightened her sari pallu and cleared her throat.
Dev came home... His mom had just called and said Ghar aaja... She never said that no matter what... He was worried he straight went to her room
"Maa sab thik hai" he asked entering. She sat on her bed looking cheerful. She was dressed to go out.
"Haan Dev. Bahut din hue tuzhase baat kiye... Socha ab aur nahin." She got up.. Went to the window and spoke
"Bahut waqt ho gaya...Dev... Ab muzhe lagta hai tumhe shaadi karni chahiye... Sonakshi ki bhi shaadi ho rahi hai... "
She dint turn to look bt she could hear his discomfort as he shifted...
"Main aaj hi mili usse... Bahut khush hai voh... Aur... "
He cut her in...
"Maa... Main shaadi nahin karunga... " he rose to leave...
"Ruko beta... Maine ek rishta pasand kiya hai aur usse aaj bulaya bhi hai... Tum usse miloge aur ... "
"Maa please... "
"Dev ladki maine pasand ki hai aur tum shaadi bhi ussise karoge... "
He stared hard at his mom... Speechless. Finally he spoke...
"Maa main nahin kar sakta... Teri aaj tak har baat maine mani hai lekin ye muzhase nahin hoga... "
"Main na nahin sunugi Dev...Ladki study mein baithi hai... Jaake mil lo... Aur haan... Main Nikki ko leke bahar ja rahin hoon... Kiccho se kehekar coffee mangava lena "
She left him at the study room door... His tensed expressions said thousand words...
"Bye beta... "
Reluctant he watched his mom leave... he opened the door to see a gal looking out of window... For a moment he was happy...was It was her... His Sona... But then Maa had liked her... It cant be her...
He cleared his throat to announce his entry... Gal turned... Leaving him speechless
Omg... It was her... 5 long years and she still looked the same... His Sona... His khargosh... Was this a dream... Was this for real... He pinched himself to check.
It had to be. Yes it was for real.
Sonakshi was just numb to see him... So many emotions she felt at once... Anger was the first one... Misery she had felt without him was second... Helplessness was third... And many more... She still loved him... So much... She started to tremble with each of his step... She finally gave up and was about to fall when he caught her...
He hugged her tightly... So many years apart they just wanted to feel this was for real.
It was for real and This was there moment to cherish... Finally
Kumkum Bhagya
