FF - Ek Duje Ke Liye, Ch 35, pg47 updt on 15.12 - Page 21

Kishore pulled Kalavati away, the sisters led Ayi towards her bedroom…Dutta still did not move…Nakusha waited for sometime and then slowly went forward to stand in front of him…with his arms folded on his chest he was looking out, seeing nothing for his eyes were filled with tears….holding his arms, she raised herself tip toes to kiss him on his cheek…he pulled her to his chest and held her tight….

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Nakusha placed the tray at the bed side table, Ayi Sahib kuch khana kha lijiye, she touched her shoulders….

Nehi, mujhe kuch nehi khana hai….

Chaliye Ayi Sahib, you have to take your medecines….

The house seems to be very quiet….Ayi Sahib observed…

Yes Baji Bhau has taken everybody to the weekly market, the villagers had made special arrangements and it does not look nice if we do not participate….

What would we have done without Baji…Ayi Sahib sighed…I wish my daughters were a bit more understanding....

Nakusha held the plate in front of her….

Dutta ….has Dutta eaten? Ayi Sahib asked….

He had his breakfast while you are fasting….but don't worry, I will ensure he is not hungry….

Ayi Sahib kissed Naku's forehead, now that you have come I do not need to worry…

As she ate, Naku watched her, under her serene self, Ayi Sahib was looking haggard and worried….

Ayi Sahib please do not mis-understand me but I have a question to ask…

Is it regarding Damodar?

Ji, why are you not allowing them to meet? I mean I know he is not a nice man and he should be behind bars lekin…if he wants to tell him something, lets get over with it…bar bar yuh tang toh nehi karega….aapko….Sahabko…..

Dutta does not want to meet him…Ayi Sahib replied….Naku frowned….when did he tell you this, I thought ….

He does not need to tell me anything Naku….I know my son….I know him…see Naku, like my daughters don't think I am being partial to Dutta….since he is a man, as a mother I am favouring him more….aisa kuch nehi hai beta…for a mother all children are same but the truth is Dutta understood my grief, my pain just like you did your mother's…Kalavati is elder to him….she wonders how I can keep Dutta, son …son of the killer of my husband…but Nakusha Dutta was mine before Damodar pushed my husband to death…..

See when Dutta's mother died at his childbirth, I had Kalavati and was expecting Leelavati, it is natural I became his mother too for Damodar was never at home, he worked, earned money, drank and got into brawls, this was his normal routine, while he was cunning, my husband was a gentleman, seedha sada aam admi, we were a normal family. Dutta ki Ayi toh mai shuru se hi thi, so when..when that incident happened, Kalavati expected me to cut off ties with Dutta, lekin mai ek 5 saal ki bachche ko kaise chhor du…aur kiske pass chhor du…

Does Sahab have memories….

Kuch baate bhulai nehi jaate, he did not recognize Damodar today as was understandable and we do not have any of his photographs too…agar hota toh bhi shayad Dutta would not have recognized him after all these years…lekin ha yeh baath sach hai ki Kalavati never allowed Dutta to forget his past…kisi na kisi tarah even after all these years…she ensures Dutta does not forget it….

Naku remembered even after all these years Babi cries in her sleep for her elder daughter…she gets up with start and then relaxes to see Naku sleeping next to her ….

Jaise sahab nehi bhul paye shayad Kala Tai…

Naku she is my daughter, favourite of her father's, I know some incidents are never forgotten, as a mother I understand her pain, her childhood was snatched away rudely, she refused to grow up, became insecure, Dutta had to grow up beyond his years….Kalavati has our full sympathy…lekin Dutta kitna karega…after all he is also a human being…if Kalavati wants something, bus bolne ki deri hai…Dutta gets it for her, whatever time of the day it might be…din ho ..rath ho…aaj agar Kishore chup hai, cannot scold Kala much that is also because of Dutta….Kishore janta hai…Dutta will not spare him if something happens to his sister…in turn what is Kala doing? ruining the lives of her siblings….Nakusha, I admit to earn my living I could not give much time to my children, what a mother expects from her daughter, the understanding, the compassion was given to me by Dutta…I remember after that incident when we moved to a chawl, I took him to the corporation school for adminission, the headmaster asked his name he replied Dutta Sriram Patil….I did not teach him that…he knew who was his father was actually…it is Dutta who discarded his father and adopted my husband as his father….

Nakusha sat still to remember that inspite of her father Ganpath's thousand faults and crimes, Babi refused to let go of him, the reason being he was the father of her children….if I do not understand him then who will?

Ayi Sahib, now you rest but I have a suggestion, just think over, if I can convince Sahab to meet his father once will you be too hurt?

And why would you do that?

To get over and out with it for once and all…so that he stops haunting you and Sahab for ever…

He is a sick man or that Damodar claims…I do not trust him…

He did look sick……Nakusha recollected…

Ayi Sahib curled her lips…Nakusha waited then Ayi Sahib replied, see if you can convince Dutta….but Naku don't believe Damodar…he is ek no. ka…..

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The doctor pushed in an injection…Joshi Sahab I told you many times too much excitement is not good for you….

Kya doctor, aur kitna din, abh agar thora bahut excitement nehi hoga zindagi me toh afsoos reh jayega upar jake…

The doctor gave a stiff smile…Joshi Sahab, forgive my saying lekin masti toh aapne life me bahut kiya hoga..see now compared to your age you have become too old and sick….

Damodar became serious….Tu ne sach kaha doctor….he sighed…yes he did live a reckless life, for him every day was masti, his wife was dead before he even realized, Madhvi took over his son's care and what else did he have in life…being street smart he could earn money out of nothing, his brother told him many times to be serious in life, live for his son, get married once again and have a proper family…but he was enjoying himself too much….the hadhsa happened...he ran away…Madhvi got busy with the children to chase him down, the police looked for him for sometime but then they also stopped looking…it was only a few years ago when his age was catching him up and health failing, he felt the need of a family…by this time Dutta too was making his presence felt, the news of him reached Damodar, he felt proud, like father like son but now when his health detoriated more he became conscious about the dangerous life Dutta leads….he has earned enough and Dutta is his only child, what if he give all his property to Dutta and request him to lead a normal and risk free life…he has earned enough and now he doesn't even have the energy or the health to spend it….

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Nakusha entered the room with another tray and put it down quietly on the table..he was lying with his head raised against the headboard with his eyes closed, she knew he was not sleeping….with a bit of hesitation she ran her fingers through his hair, his eyes flickered, he opened them and looked into hers…you know what, she hits out where it hurts the most..he swallowed …

Ayi Sahib is also very upset….you are not alone….

Dutta sighed looking away…..

Come have some food, I have fed Ayi Sahib..kuch khalo…

Have they taken food…

They have gone out to the market…Baji Bhau was saying the villagers have made some arrangement…I am sure they will take….

I should be there, they are expecting me to join….

Nakusha held the plate before him…

I am sorry I was upset with you, I think Ayi has chosen well for me….

Nakusha blushed, he took the plate from her and then she saw a hand holding a helping for her..chal saath me khate hai…he whispered…

ami eto je tomay bhalobeshechhi

tobu mone hoy ejeno je kichhu noy

keno aro bhalobeshe jete pare na hridoy

ami eto je

tomar kajol chokhe je goveer chhaya kepe uthe oi

tomar odhore ogo je hashir modhu maya phute oi

tara ei obhiman bojhe na amar

bole tumi to amay bhalobeshechho

amar gopono betha kede kede koy keno

aro bhalobeshe jete pare na hridoy

ami eto je tomay bhalobeshechhi

tobu mone hoy ejeno je kichhu noy

keno aro bhalobeshe jete pare na hridoy

ami eto je

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I love you so much that still I feel

it's nothing why my heart can't love you more than I do

In your kohled eyes what a deep shadow tumble

on your lips what a sweet lovely smiles bloom

they don't understand my way of pouting

instead they tell me you love me

But only my bleeding heart cries and tells me why I can't love you more than I do

(Translated by Khushboo 2006)

Nakusha hid her face in his chest…he opened her hair to run his fingers through it….then tugged the doris of her choli….Nakusha curled her fingers digging into his chest…darwaja khula hai…koi a jayega…she whispered, he pulled her up to kiss her deeply on her lips…tu ne hi toh kaha sab bahar gaye hai…he nuzzled his nose at her ears…

Naku wrapped her arms around his neck….aaj raat ko tu mujhe nehi rokegi, I want to give myself to you, he said in her ears as he heard the cars driving in….

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