PRITHVI N DAMINI
It was already late ...almost 3:00 a.m in the morning....Damini n her sisters still in Ila Gujrals room......her health has been detoriating since the previous day.....Roshni was sitting nest to Avni and was almost asleep....Avni was also half dozing...still holding her mothers hands....But Damini...was on the other side of the bed....................her eyes wide open...she looked stressed out yet firm......she look exhausted yet protective.....
Jai was lying on the sofa...n was sleeping.....Prithvi was still standing at the corner of the door......his eyes fixed upon Damini......he was having those random thoughts.....as though how al of their lives changed within last few days......he remembered their happy family.....his dad n mom....all having dinner 2gether......they all teasing varun coz he was tensed for his xams.......Sameer doing all nautanki...his mom being protective to varun......n his dad was laughing out loud......Prithvis eyes moistuted....he looked at Sameer.....and said to himself.....mujhe maaf kerna papa.....main mere bhaiyyon ko inn sab se door nahi rakh paya......lekin aap fikar mat karna papa......hum teeno bhai milke aapne sachhai ka pata laga kar hi rakhenge....iss ILA GUJ..(he looked bac at Ila n den at Damini.......)..his thots came to an abrupt end....he could c all his moments with Damini................the way she was being protective to him...the way...she took care of him...her concerns for him........how she controlled herself...n broke down only infront of Prithvi...only Prithvi knew what she was going through...coz only infront of him...she expressed her real self....else she always wears the mask of being a brave...strong.....n firm lady....in all these passing days....Prithvi at some corner of his heart has started respecting Damini a lot......he thought that he has seen the real Damini.....
Damini also looked up at Prithvi....n their eyes met for a nanosecond....n then both looked apart....Damini walked upto her sisters...
Dam: (almost whispering) Avni...jao...rosh ko le kar kamre mein jao....aur tum dono so jao....bohut der ho gayi hain.....
Avni: lekin...di..mamma ..
Dam: Main hoon na yahaan....aur Pri...(she stopped)
Avni: Ohkay di....lekin kuch bhi problem hua to hum zaroor batana....
Dam: yhhh...go...aur Jai ko bhi lekar ke jao...bohut thaka hua hoga....
Avni nods n takes away Roshni n Jai with herself.....three of them left in silence.....
Damini looks at Prithvi.....he was still standing there....
Dam: (with a lil smile) Prithvi...come in n baitho....kab se khare ho....come in...
Pri: Its ohkay...am fine.... waise aap ko kuch chahiye...aap bohut thaki hui si lag rahi hain...
Dam: Nahi...am fine too....waise tum hi ne to kaha tha ki hum dono ek jaise hain.....itne kuch hone ke baad bhi....hum( she couldn't complete her sentence......her eyes got filled up..looking at her mother...she looked pale n lifeless.....)
Prithvi followed her eyes n looked back at Ila Gujral.....even he wasnt feeling that gud.....jis Ila gujral se woh hamesha badla lena chahta tha....aaj wohi itni helpless lag rahi thi......jsi Ila Gujral ko woh harana chahta tha...aaj woh khud hi....hari hui lag rahi thi...lekin yehi to chahta tha Prithvi...Ila Gujral ko kamzor banana....phir aaj...kyun usse itni khushi nahi ho rahi hain....kyun usko bhi chinta ho rahi hain......
Damini walked away....to the adjacent balcony...it was a windy night....the winds were relli chilly...Prithvi followed her.....
Dam:Mamma ki yeh haalat mujhse dekhi nahi jati Prithvi....mamma ko kuch ho gaya na to...
Pri: Kuch nahi hoga Maam ko....aap himmat rakhiye.....aur waise bhi pareshan hone se kuchh nahi hone wala.....aap ek kaam kijiye...thori der araam ker lijiye....main hoon na maam ke pass...
Dam: Nahi....main mumma ko chorkekahin nahi jaoongi...
Damini rellli looked stressed out....her eyes inflicted the pain of all that she has undergone in these few days.....n Prithvi could read it all in her eyes.....she looked weak......
Part 2:
Damini continues......still with tears in her eyes...
Dam: Inder.....inder ne jo mere saath kiya......agar aaj tum nahi hote...to...na jaane kya ko gaya hota.....main tumhari sukriya kaise ada karu...
Pri: Its okay...waise bhi yehi to mera kaam hain...
Damini turns back...her face facing Prithvi...
Dam: Nahi Prithvi...tumne mere liye aapne duty se barkar kiya.....tumhe meri zindagi bachayi.....aur main....pagal thi main....jo mainne tumhe pehchanne mein galati ker di.......(she wiped her tears)...aapne aap mein iss kadar kho gayi thi main ki mujhe samajh hi nahi aaya kaun mera bhala chahta hain...aur kaun......
Damini looked back to hide her tears...but Prithvi could no more see those tears in her eyes...he wanted to console her...comfort her....n in a sudden fit.....he held her back forcibly n hugged her tightly......
Damini too reciprocated ......she hugged him even tightly......n dug her face in his broad n masculine chest......................Damini was feeling so comfortable n secured...she did nt want to let go off him....Prithvi was also enjoying this strange feeling...he just wanted to comfort his girl.....
They didnt realise how long they had been hugging each other....Prithvi leaned against the wall..with Damini still wrapped round by his arms........Damini after a long time felt that she was not alone....she felt so cozy...her tired eye lids...came close to each other....n she almost felt asleep keeping her head on his broad chest...Prithvi caressing her hairs..................
PART 3:
The first rays of the sun reached the eyes of the beautiful damsel ...her eyes wrinkled ...she dug her face more into those strong arms....until she felt the presence of two strong muscular hands round her body.....she startled n opened her eyes suddenly ....only to find herself in the arms of the man–who perhaps cares the most for her.....she opened her eyes properly...n looked up...He looked so innocent while sleeping.....Damini kept on staring ..untill the sun rays made Prithvi awaked too..
Damini n Prithvi looking at each other....an awkward silence followed them....Prithvi slowly loosened his grip.....Damini also stood staright....lowered her eyes...n moved a bit apart...
The silence was growing with time n the entire day whenever they met ....none of them could utter a single words....yet their eyes spoke volume....
Pri: (in his mind) Yeh...mujhe kya ho raha hain....main iss larki ko...nahi...mujhe kamzor nahi hona....aapne papa ke maut ka sachhai janni hain mujhe...I need to focus....yeh larki mujhe paagal bana rahi hai....I need to concentrate...but each time he focused to think the nexxt step of his plan.....Damini's face came infront of him....n made him even more crazy for her....
Dam: (in her mind) Prithvi ne aapne zindagi se jyada mere baarein mein socha hain.....mainne usse nafrat ki...lekin usne hamesha mera saath diya.....(she remembers that party night when Prithvi had come to her with an umbrella....den that cupboard incident.....) Mainne hi usse janne mein galati kar di.....lekin..aab....mujhe ...pata nahi kya ho gaya hain..........kya main usse pasand kerne..........Nooooooooo!!!! Way....may b he takes my care......yhh...yehi to uska kaam hain..n he does that for is living...............(she pauses for a moment) lekin kal raat ko jo usne mere saath kiya.....mere bina bole hi woh samajh gaya ki mujhe sahare ki zaroorat hain.....saath ki zaroorat hain....aur usnemujhe sambhala...usne maa ka bhi to kitna khayal rakha...yeh sab to mere liye hi ker raha hai na.................to kya woh bhi.....
That evening....Ila Gujral had to b taken to the nursing home for some extra tests....Damini had talked to the surgeons so as to conduct those tests in their home...but the doctors said that it need s some very expert hands..n the setup of the machine is so complicated that its nt possible to set it up all over again.....................Jai n Avni had taken Ila to the nursing home....Roshni was in the office....Damini was not feeling that good n decided to keep back at home......
In her room...Damini was going through some back logs...when she heard a soft knock on her door...
Dam: Yes...Come In...
The door opened n Prithvi stood infront....
Damini stood up from the bed as Prithvi walked in...
Dam: (with a lil smile) Prithvi...tum yahaan isswaqt...kuch kaam tha??
Pri: Nahi....woh...actually aaj aap poora din ghar se nahi nikli.....to mainne socha ki aapki tabiyat..
Dam: Ohh....nahi...main theek hoon...bas thori thakaan mehsus ho rahi hain...
Pri: Ji...theek hain....aab mujhe chalna chahiye....agar kissi bhi cheez ki zaroorat ho to mujhe bula lijiye ga...main yaheen hoon....
(Prithvi turns back and was about to leave when..)
Dam: Prithvi..ruko....
Prithvi stands n turns back again....
Dam: ( comes in front..) Woh..woh..Prithvi...kal raat ko...I mean...jo kal raat ko hua....matlab...
Pri: (looks down and then tries to lighten the situation) Ji...uske liye aapko mujhe thank u kehene ki koi zaroorat nahi....waise bhi aap kafi baar bol chuki hain...
Dam: (smiles) Hmmmm....chalo theek hain......
Pri: (smiles ) Yeh hui na baat....yun baat baat pe thank u bolna...mujhe accha nahi lagta...aur ma kehti hain( Prithvi stops suddenly)
Dam: (in a surprised look) Ma...tumhari ma...woh kahaan per hain...yehi rehete hain....?
Pri: (with a stern look) Ji...
Dam: Aur kaun kaun hain tumhare family mein??
Pri: Ji...mere do bhai hain...aur ma..
Dam: Aur tumhare papa?
Pri: (looking straight towards Damini with a stern look) Unka dehant ho gaya....
Damini comes closer n Holds Prithvis hands...
Dam: I am sorry...
Pri: ( Zakhm bhi khud hi dete hain aur malham bhi khud hi lagate hain..) Its Ohkay..mujhe aab chalna chahiye.....
Prithvi moves out his hand from Damini with a sudden jerk....and goes out of the room...
Dam: Huh......yeh Prithvi ko achanak se kya ho gaya..??