FF - Ek Duje Ke Liye, Ch 35, pg47 updt on 15.12 - Page 27

Areh khadi kyu hai…waiting for my mind to change or what ..ja ja abhi time nehi hai hamare pass nehi toh yeh mauka hum jane na dete….Nakusha stumbled forward….the men stood watching the road, Nakusha thanked her stars, she realized as she was feeling hot she had washed her face and arms before drinking water…no wonder, the men could not recognize her….taking a deep breath she stood wondering what to do when a hand came and grabbed her….

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Drinking the last sip Baji put down the cup and got up, shaking hands with the Manager of the drama company, Bajirao thanked him….

Anything for a good Baji saab and the money is also good so why not..he smiled, Baji checked his mobile..no message from Dutta yet…but he was not worried, once Dutta was out he would make it…

Just ask Phooli to be under cover incase Anna comes looking, he might realise that he has been tricked…thora bahut to dimag hai uski pass…

Don't worry about my wife Baji Saab, she loved it, not only live performance but also no reharsed lines…it was thrilling….anyway we know about Dutta Bhau, yeh toh kuch bhi nehi hai…here is my no. kabhi jaroorat ho toh bataiyee ga…

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Shhh its okay its me…Dutta pressed his palm on her mouth…..listen we have to detour…Anna is blocking the way to our house…chal udhar se…..

They did not recognize me, Nakusha clutched her chest...

Hmm good job, tu jaida ghabrai nehi…hmmmm…he stopped her, looking at her he took out her dupatta, quickly tying a turban on her head tucking her hair below…incase they stumble on us again….niyat theek nehi hai…Naku put her hand over her chest…Dutta rolled his eyes, taking out his jacket he gave it to her to put in on…abh thora bahut admi lag rahi hai tu….mangalsutra aur churi khol kar pocket me dal de….

Nakusha opened the bangles but she hesitated in taking out the mangalsutra….

Areh jaldi kar, I am alive standing in front of you…he put his hand to take it out…

Naku pushed him back, putting the mangalsutra inside her kameez, buttoning up the waistcoat…

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Bajirao was getting restless, Dutta was yet to contact…the rule was clear ..he would contact when he can…they were not supposed to call him…

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(Bedi jalaile leh jigar se piya
Jigar maabadi aag hai) - 2
Wadaa nikari o lab se piya aah aa
Wadaa nikari o lab se piya jeh duniya badi dhank hai
Haan bedi jalaile leh jigar se piya
Jigar maabadi aag hai

Na gilaaf, Na lehaaf thandi hawa ke khilaaf sasuri
O itni sardi hai kisika lehaaf lehi leh
O jaa padosi ke chule se aag lehi leh
O jaa padosi ke chule se aag lehi leh
Na kasoor, Na fatoor
Na kasoor, Na fatoor bina juraam ke hajoor maar gaye
O maar gaye
O aise ik din duphari bula liyo re
Bandh ghungroo kacheri lagaliyo re
Bula liyo re, Bula liyo re dupehri
lagayilo re, lagayilo re kacheri
Angeethi jalaile leh jigar se piya
Jigar maabadi aag hai
Bedi jalaile leh jigar se piya
Jigar maabadi aag hai)

It was as a 'sura khana' or what is known as pub nowadays but with rustic flavour..Dutta pulled Naku along….chal lets mix in the crowd….Anna ko thora machhhar katne de….he put the end of the turban across Naku's face, covering it…

They entered it standing in one corner to see a nautch girl taking stage….Nakusha swallowed she was familiar with the bawdy atmosphere of such pubs as she had to go often with her mother to bring their father back, alongwith the changing hands of the clock the atmosphere also changes…

Isn't it Dutta Bhau, someone cried…recognizing Dutta….

Areh Dutta Bhau aye hai, Dutta Bhau….Golabo tera bhagya khul gaye…Dutta Bhau has come to your bar…They pulled Dutta and handed him a bottle…

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Nakusha was mad as she saw Bajirao helping Dutta in the bullock cart…which will take them home, deceiving the eyes of Anna

Bahut maja a raha tha she glared….Golabo went all out to please Dutta Bhau, Nakusha watched disgustedly as Gulabo pulled his hand, danced around him, showing all her assets…Dutta had stood quietly for sometime till the men forced him to drink and the whole crowd jostled to dance around them…Dutta too obliged with a step or two but he was drunk, soon he was singing with the men alongwith Gulabo…Gulabo was all over him. Nakusha wanted to scratch Golabo's eyes, out only to realise that then she will be giving herself away which would not be a good thing under these circumstances…as she put her hands in pocket of the waistcoat she felt the mobile…taking it out she dialed Baji….

Baji Bhau, come to Gulabo's pub before Anna's men catch us, Sahab is no longer within himself….as she disconnected the phone she thought, let him come to his senses, khabar leti hu….

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Dutta put his hands on his eyes as he shut them tightly…Ayi…Ayi Sahib he called out…..who the hell has opened the curtains, the sunlight was hurting his eyes….

Tut gayi needh aapki…Naku's voice floated into his ears…..

Oh Naku, close the curtains please……

I thought you did not like dark and confined places, she replied, keeping a glass on the table with a thud…nimbu pani hai…pee lo….Dutta opened his eyes to see her leaving the room with long strides….

Dutta squinted his eyes covering them with his hands, yesterday night was bad…he was virtually empty stomach and the liquor in the bottle was strong, as soon as he drank, he felt he was losing control and it has been quite a while that he has lost control, let his guards down and did full masti….yesterday it was not planned but the villagers accepted him as their own and the woman, kya naam tha, achha gaati hai….

Dutta sipped the lime water and made a face…these things happen impromptu, always you cannot plan everything in your life, vaguely he remembered Baji coming and putting them into a bullock cart alongwith other villagers and singing on top of their voice they left the pub….hmmm as long as Baji was sane he does not have to worry, they always had this understanding while one drank the other remained steady.

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Kala noticed that Naku was in a very bad mood. She was avoiding Dutta Bhau and keeping her face turned…what happened Kala wondered…especially when he went to rescue her with all arms and ammunition ….

Lover's tiff isn't it so cute, Kishore squealed like a teenager….Kalavati glared at him….then turned her face away…Hardly, he is Dutta Bhau doesn't tolerate all these girlish sentiments…..

Kishore made a face and moved away, they were taking leave from the villagers….it was already late as Dutta could not get up before noon, so they decided to have lunch and leave….

As Dutta stood with folded hands taking leave from the villagers, Baji supervised the loading of the cars, the villagers had presented them with various items from grains to vegetables which cannot be left behind all needed to be loaded carefully….Kala Tai was already making faces but these were sentimental things which Ayi Sahib and Dutta gave a lot of importance, they don't come empty handed and they don't leave empty handed, the cost does not matter, the gesture does!!

Baji Bhau are you going to drive the car, Nakusha came to ask?

Ha re Naku I doubt, Dutta's headache is cured yet…

Mai tere saath chalungi….she whispered…

Baji hid his smile, well yesterday the poor girl had a tough time, a cart load of drunken men and she was sitting behind him, cringing everytime the men sang out bawdy songs and Dutta was not helping the matters also, he lay middle of the cart reciting poems which no women would like to hear from her husband's mouth…but the idea was good, they went past Anna's men without any problem…Baji thought Anna too was fedup of waiting…..

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Damodar lay in the bed, the doctor administered an injection…Mr Joshi, I told you no excitement but it seems you did not listen to me, your condition is such that you should move to the hospital, mai kuch karta hu to shift to you…

Nehi Doctor, it is alright, I want to die here amongst my men…you just give me something to relieve me of my pain….yeh toh hona hi tha, time is near why delay it….

Joshi Saab….

Doctor I have lived my life the way I wanted it and I hate lying in the bed with stuck with pipes…

Doctor looked at Ramakanth, Damodar's valet….

Ramakanth also nodded his head….he pushed a couple of more injections …

Ramakanth show doctor saab out and pay his fees…

As Ramakanth went to see off the doctor, he whispered, inform his son, maybe he should come, he does not have much time left…

He will not come doctor saab….and even if he comes he does not have anything nice to say to his father…I know Malik is at fault lekin bap hai uska….

Ramakanth returned to the room to check out on Damodar…who looked already drowsy…

Ramakanth, Damodar whispered….after I die, he said between his breaths mera 'asthi' Dutta ke pass lekar jana, atleast he should immerse it in the river with his own hands so that I can get some peace and be a better person, a better father in my next life….

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Taking leave, Dutta turned to get into the car when he noticed Naku was sitting on the front seat, talking to Baji who was already starting the car….

Mai kaha baithu bhau, Roop stood next to him in a grumpy face….

tu pechhe baith, Dutta instructed Roop before going up to Baaji, chabi de aur peechhe ja…

Tera tabiyaat to theek hai na bhau, Baaji asked, giving a glance towards Naku who was observing them with hooded eyes….

Mere tabiyat ko kya huwa Baji ?

Nehi kal raath kuch jaida….

Baji you know me, aisa nehi hai ki kal raath it is the first instance that I got drunk…chabi de….

Baji indicated his helpnessless towards Naku as he handed over the keys to Dutta…Naku opened the door to get out too…

When Dutta said, areh tu kaha ja rahi hai, idhar baith….

Naku glared at him….Dutta started the car, waving to the villages he drove out, finally on the road he turned towards Naku who was sitting stiffly looking out the window….as if refusing to look towards him…

Aramse baith, the journey is long…don't behave you have not seen a drunken man before…tera khudh ka baba toh ek no. ka bewara hai….

Dutta stop it now, kyu uski pichhe para hai tu…Ayi Sahib scolded him mildly…

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