ENTRY 3
KTLK - Kuch Khwab Kuch Haqeqat [PARCHHAYEE]
It was late evening at Mathur Nivas. Nidhi was winding up the kitchen, and planning the next day's menu, especially for the kids Nisha (15 ) and Anish (13) , when the door bell rang. Nidhi opened the door and was surprised to see Anjie and Ranganath with their 12 year-old daughter Raagini. Nevertheless, she welcomed them and hugged Raagini whose "Hi Maasi" did not sound as enthusiastic as it usually was. It was then that she noticed than both her parents too looked somewhat disturbed.By then, Ashutosh too came to the drawing room, "Arre Anjie, Dr. Ranganath, what a pleasant surprise!" He lovingly patted Raagini's cheek in response to her "Good Evening Mausaji":
As the elders settled down, Nidhi said, "Raags beta, jaa, Nisha is in her room". Just like Nidhi and Anjie in theirchildhood and adolescence, the two young girls were inseparable. So Nidhi was somewhat surprised when Raagini did not rush in instantly to Nisha's room.
Raagini said somewhat sullenly "Nahi Maasi, I'm fine here"
At that, Nidhi laughed indulgently, "Don't tell me! Tum dono ne phir jhagda kiya?!" Then she got up to go to Nisha, "main abhi Nisha ko leke aayi" but Anji held her hand, "Koi zarurat nahi Nidhi, I need to talk to you". She then says softly to her daughter, "Go to Anish's room" which her daughter immediately does.
Ashutosh says, "baat kya hai Dr, Ranganath?"
Ranganath hesitates, "Sir woh, Nisha.." and is unable to say a further word.
Anjie says, "main bataati hoon. Nidhi tu toh jaanti haina aaj Raagini ko ek important assignment submit karni thi?"
"Of course Anji! Woh Nisha ki help lene bhi aayi thi"
Anji nodded and then added, "Lekin Nisha refused to help her"
"I see now. So, ye dono isiliye ek doosre se baat nahi kar rahe?"
"Nahi Nidhi bat yahin khatam nahi hoti.. dekh tu bura mat maanna, I am saying this to so that you can nip this in the bud. You know yaar I care too much for you , right?"
Nidhi is thoroughly confused by now. Ashutosh butts in, "Anjie khul ke baat karogi please?"
Anji begins in a helpless tone, "Jijaji, Raagini ne poora week mehnat karke assignment likha tha, aur mere saamne hi usne apne bag me notebook daali thi. (Ashutosh and Nidhi waited patiently for her to continue) Phir woh yahan aayi thi aur teeno bachche school gaye the. School me jab usne apna schoolbag khola toh usme woh assignment wali notebook nahi thi"
The couple exchange a confused glance before Nidhi says, "tune sab jagah dhoondi? Kahin gir vir gayi hogi.. tu toh jaanti haina Raags kitni careless hai?"
"itni bhi careless nahi hai yaar. Can't you understand?"
"Understand what Anji? Tu kehna kya chaahti hai?"
Anji mentally braces herself before venturing, "main sirf ye keh rahi hoon Nidhi ke Nisha is responsible for all this!"
This confuses her even more, "Nisha?.. Responsible?.. How?"
Anji is slightly exasperated now, "I mean Nisha took her notebook, jaan boojhke"
As understanding dawns on AshNi, they are indignant. Ashutosh is the first to react.
Barely controlling his rage, he says, "are you out of your mind Anji? Kitna ghatiya ilzaam laga rahi ho tum hamari Nisha pe!"
Nidhi too supports her husband, "Anji tu aisa kaise bol sakti hai? Tu toh mere dono bachchon ko itni achchhi tarah se jaanti hai!"
"Haan Nidhi jaanti hoon, tabhi toh tujhe aagaah kar rahi hoon.. ab bhi waqt hai.. Be strict with Nisha, iske pahle ke uska khoon teri parvarish pe haavi ho jaaye"
Now Nidhi loses it completely, "Anji!! Ab tu apni hadd se aage badh rahi hai."
Ranganath who sees Ashutosh getting more enraged, tries to signal Anji to keep quiet. But Anji is in no mood to listen. "Nidhi isme bura maanne ki koi baat nahi. You can't erase the fact that Nisha has inherited DNA from Dr. Mallika and Jagan. And I have always felt that she is jealous of Raagini - woh hamesha apni class me top karti hai, jab ke Nisha herself is never even in the top 5 of her class! (AshNi are getting more and more stunned with each word) Nidhi tu apne dil pe haath rakhke bol, doesn't this remind you of the incident when her mother did the same to you? She hid an important patient file and.. "
Nidhi could not believe her ears! Granted that conceiving Raagini was nothing short of a medical miracle for Anji and hence she had always been oversensitive and overprotective of her, but this was totally unacceptable, "Stop it Anji! I don't know whether to get angry or laugh at your stupid thinking! You.."
"Okay Nidhi, toh phir ek kaam karte haina! Chal Nisha ke room me book dhoondhte hain."
"NO! You hear that? N.O. Nisha ka kal exam hai, and I cant disturb her just because you have some stupid ideas!
Anji looks totally pissed off but Ashutosh says, "Nidhi, let her clear her doubt. Koi aur hota toh I too would not have allowed, but Anji.. she is.."
"But Ashutosh, Nisha pe iska kya asar padega? Aap ne socha hai?
"Leave it all to me Nidhi"
Nidhi acquiesced and all went to the child's room. Ashutosh very tactfully sent Nisha to the kitchen saying they all wanted to have the strawberry milkshake she made so well. They searched the room carefully and suddenly Nidhi went all quiet! All saw her holding the notebook in shock. Seeing raagini's book in her hand, something snapped inside Ashutosh and he shouted angrily, "NISHA! COME HERE THIS MOMENT!" The sound of his angry voice was quite rare in the house so the little girl must have been scared, for a sharp sound of something dropping ensued from the kitchen a moment before she came running.
"Ji papa?" she asked in a little voice.
"Nisha, ye book tumhare room me kya kar rahi hai?"
Confused, the child checked the book, and said innocently, "ye toh Raags ki book hai Papa. Ye mere room me kyun hogi?"
"EXACTLY WHAT I AM ASKING! Dekho Nisha, agar tum se koi galti hui hai or you have srolen it, just admit it now! You know well, mujhse jhoot bardasht nahi hota!"
Nisha is completely stunned, "Papa.., galti?, steal? Jhoot... ye sab.."
Nidhi comes out of her shock, and rushes to protectively hug her daughter, "AAP SAB IS ROOM KE BAHAR NIKALIYE.. MERI BETI AISA KAR HI NAHI SAKTI .. YOU GET THAT?! Ashutosh aap bhi? I am shocked!"
"So am I!!" said Ashutosh. He had lost his temper too. He muttered under his breath, "itni andhi mamta bhi theek nahi"
Just then, CS comes with the milkshake Nisha had made for everyone just before she was called in. Seeing the book he said, "Arre Nisha baby aaj aap school chali gayi na tab humein ye book darwaaze ke paas giri hui mili. Aap ko school me taqleef toh nahi hui na beta?"
All were stunned as the reality became crystal clear! Raagini had drooped the book while the kids were leaving for school that day from Mathur Nivas. All filed out silently from the room. Ranganath family left shamefacedly. Ashutosh silently walked to Nisha's room, where Nidhi was still consoling a crying Nisha in her enveloping hug. The mother's eyes held anger and accusations as they met his.
He ventured, "my dear? Please look here?"
Nisha slowly looked up from where she had hidden her face in Nidhi's bosom, and looks up at him wearily. She was shocked to see her otherwise stoic and strong father, her hero, holding his ears silently while tears flowed down his cheeks. She got up from the bed and hugs him tight, saying softly "Papa!" Ashutosh too hugs her tight and says "Aapke papa bahut bure hai Nisha, bahut kharab hai". He feels her shaking her head vigorously while still in his hug, she sobs, "No! You are the bestest Papa, you are my one and only hero .I love you" "I love you too my princess!"
That night in bed, Ashutosh nudged his wife as she lay facing away from him. "baat bhi nahi karogi?" When she did not respond, he used sheer force to turn her around. He held her face and looked into her eyes he said sincerely, "I am sorry!". Nidhi said just three words in response, "How could you?" He said with trepidation, "sach kahoon? I let my medical knowledge rule over me. I could not listen to my heart. Aaj ek pal ke liye mujhe laga ki Mallika is back before us! You had to bear so much just because you loved me. Meri dosti ki bahut bhaari keemat chukai tumne Nidhi! I mean, I understand she could never accept our relationship but.."
"agar unhone hamara rishta nahi accept kiya hota, toh woh apni beti ka naam Nisha kabhi nahi rakhti! Aur ek baat - we cannot let the past cloud our judgement! NISHA IS NOT MALLIKA!"
He looked at her almost reverently as understanding dawned on him. He whispers softly, "haan woh sirf tumhari parchhaayi hai!".
Current Affairs
Sampoorna
