T2: Ek Aur Zindagi..(Epilogue:page 130) - Page 39

Part 41:

Arjun had said a yes some days back for Adi's wish to go to his home. He didn't want to hurt his kid by a sudden no, but then he needed time too.

The more he thought over Adi's words, the more he was confused.

His boy was right; he never asked his baba to stay back. But he couldn't do it too.

The pain that he had gone through was not that easy to be erased by a few days. He had wished to be by his Baba long back when he was a kid. When his friends used to boast about the trips that they had with their dad, he wished to see him at least for a full day without any interruption. Though his friends were amazed at the collection of the games he had at home, he wished his Baba to join him for at least a small football game or at least to be by his side when he cheered for his favorite batsman scoring a century.

His high score in exams were given a "improve more in the next exam". His wining in sports was given a "concentrate on your studies". And when it came to his IPS dreams, it was greeted with a huge "NO".

Till then he hardly questioned his Baba. But the years of bottled up pain and anger broke off one day, and on that day many equations changed.

He left his home and was under the care of his Chacha for a while. During his IPS training, he met Raghu sir who was the fatherly figure he found and also Sam who became his sibbling.

Roshni... she brought a difference in his life. She stood by his side always. She saw him becoming weak when he missed his family. The day when his Baba said NO to her coming to his life tagging with low social status, he gave a full stop to everything between them.

Adi... the bundle of joy... when he came to the world, the first thing he promised his kid was that he would never have a life that he had gone through.

He and Roshni had vowed to be by Adi's side forever, but then destiny played again.

After Roshni's demise, he became everything for Adi. Though he had to send his kid to hostel, he was always in touch with him. Even when many probed him to get settled, or as everyone says, "move on", only one thing was bothering him. "Will Adi be at anytime left behind? Will the kid face the same loneliness that he had faced in his childhood?" Happiness was not in the number of members in the family. It is the relation and feeling that one had for each other. He became Adi's dad, mom, sibbling and best friend and so did Adi for him too. And he was proud of his son to be matured more than his age. He couldn't have asked for more.

The pain was increased when he came to know that Baba had indirectly pained his Aayi,the lady who had followed him more loyal than hisown shadow. That made everything change in his side and when he had Aayi by his side, he knew he was back in his family. But getting Baba back... though he too wished to fulfill Adi's wish... it was not that easy.

His own happiness when he was near to Aayi had made him think about Adi's need for a mother. But then he wanted to give in time and space for all the relation as imposing any relation was as tough as breaking one.

***

It was Friday morning and from previous night, Adi had reminded him about the shopping trip for almost a hundred times. School was reopening on Monday, the school uniform was already ready. The books were at home and Dadi had already covered it neatly with the brown papers and given name tags of his favorite Chota Bheem name stickers. Now the new school bag, tiffin box and many many things were left. And Adi had sounded as if the world ends tomorrow and so they needed to get those ASAP.

Arjun took a day off as he too wanted to be with Adi during these shopping days. Arjun and Adi went for the shopping while Dadi decided to stay back at home for a day as she has been travelling for the past few days.

They shopped and shopped and soon Arjun knew that Adi had inherited Roshni's shopping mania gene. He found faults in minute things before selecting the best. After getting all his wish list items, they had an icecream and also visited office for some time as he wanted to show the merchandise to them.

Once they reached the doorstep of the home, both of them inhaled and chuckled naming their favorite lunch items made by Dadi. The lunch was heavy and Arjun ate as much as he could as he was starving.

After that Arjun went back to the office.

The news of the so called proposal was broken to him by Sam a few days back. Arjun had tried to get the details but in vain, but then he was not going to be stopped. A full stomach and a happy day brough out the naughtyness in him as he walked to Sam's cabin.

"why are you back?" Sam asked to see him again in the office.

"kyu? apne Girl Friend ke sath kahi jaane ka plan tha?"

"shut up Rawte"

"kyu??"

"what kyu? I was just asking"

"me too. Waise tu kaminonke baap nikla Sam. I didn't expect this from you"

"Ab meine kya kiya? Aur waise bhi, you are supposed to be my second in command. Tho sambhalke zubaan chalao"

"Acha?? Ek chief se bath karne me hi problem hai. mere bhi neeche kaam karne wale hai.unse tho puch saktha hu na... SIR??"

"what nonsense Rawte? Tu kaha ke bath kaha lejarahe ho?"

"meine kuch bhi nahi kiya. Bas ithna hi pucha tha ke there wo proposal ke baad kya hua? Ithna bhi haq nahi hai mere paas?"

"over acting band karo... aur aahi gaye hai tho kaam pe lag jao"

"overacting?? Acha ab tho ye sab overacting hai?? aur uss din kya tha, jab tum mere aur Roshni ke beech me..."

He stopped abruptly. Sam looked up from the file which he was posing to read. He looked at Arjun, who had stopped his words, though his mind was continuing the talks.

Sam knew that occasion. He had his one of the best time pulling Arjun's legs joining Roshni when she said how he proposed her. And to make him more embarrassed, Roshni also had joined him to laugh at him.

But now seeing the pained face of Arjun, he wished to turn round the clock back to those moments when they had some of their best times.

He knew he needed to pull him out of there.

"uss din tho thera chehra dekhne layak tha. Roshni ko ithne khush kabhi dekha nahi tha, jithne uss din tha."

"she was happy. Aur tum dono ne jab mere mazaak uthaya tha, sachme, I was loving those moments. Lakh koshish karu Sam, firbhi wo yadein mith the hi nahi. Uske hasi, bar bar rutna, uski bathein... Adi tho kabhi kabhi bilkul Roshni ki tharah bath kartha hai." he smiled unknown to him. And Sam could swear he saw a twinkling in those eyes owing to those memories.

They sat silent for a while and then Arjun wiped his face to bring him back. "kaha se bathein shuru ki thi, aur kaha thak pohonch gaye... back to the topic...(Sam banged the file on the table) shaadi ke date fix kiya?"

"Arjun... ye sab ithne jaldi nahi hoga. Jo bhi hai, wo pariwar me discuss karne ka baad hi hoga. Aur jaldi bhi kisse hai?"

"tumhe nahi hai?? come on Sam!! Don't act infront of me"

Sam knew he couldn't hide anything from this guy.

"hmm... Meine ghar pe bath ki hai. Maa bohot khush hai. usse sirf mere shaadi dekhni hai. chahe kisise bhi ho. she makes me feel as if I am an old man. ab 30+ hai, iske matlab ye tho nahi ke budda hu!!"

Arjun had a hearty laugh for that. "aur Aisha ke side me kya chal raha hai?"

"well... uske ghar pe bhi bath chal raha hai. Aisha keliye sirf uske Mom ke razi chahiye. They don't have much family. Uski Mom ne akele hi unhe paala hai"

"hm... lagtha hai, single rehna kaafi time se trend me hai..." he said with a winning but a sad smile.

"Dekho Arjun..."

Before he could say anything, Arjun got up. "bhool gaya... Sree se kuch papers nikaalne ko kaha tha. Bye"

He walked out. Sam looked at his retreating figure. "I have stopped trying for you Rawte. Every time you make me fail."

***

After dinner Arjun was watching the news, but Dadi knew something was bothering him. She had seen him looking at the calendar sometime back and ever sinse then she found him thinking over something.

Adi had already slept on the couch with his head on his Dad's lap and Arjun was just patting his hair.

"Adi so gaya hai. usse room me chalthe hai"

"hm..." he hummed still eyes fixed on the TV screen. Aayi sat by his side. "kya hua? Pareshan ho?"

"nahi... bas aise hi"

"bolo Arjun. kafi time se dekh raha hu... kya hua?"

He sat silent for a while and then spoke up. "parson, Sunday ko wo wapas ja rahe hai"

He didn't take any name but she knew the reference and was confused why he brought it up now. So she waited.

"aur Monday ko Adi ke school shuru horaha hai"

"tho..."

"Adi ne mujhse promise karwaya tha... aur aaj firse yaad dilaya. Usse waha jaana hai..."

She didn't still get what he wished. He slowly turned to her. "unke busy schedule me kal ek din me thodi waqt milega... mere Adi keliye?"

His voice was not pleading. He was not accusing. He was just asking. He just wanted to know yes or no.

"Agar... Adi keliye nahi hothe tho... kabhi nahi puchthe..."

She too sat silent for a while. How much ever he tried to hide, there was still a tinge of pain in those words.

"mien Chacha se bath karthi hu..." she waited for his response, but when she got none, she walked to her room.

She called up Chacha who was taking care of him these days. She knew it was His dinner time so any talk will be easily communicated.

She said the matter to chacha, who was excited about it. Without cutting the call he walked to Rawte.

"Kal Arjun baba, unke bete aur Aayi ke sath yaha aana chahtha hai. Lunch pe bulau? Aap yaha hoge na?"

Rawte was surprised to know it and he was pained too. He gave his hand for the mobile.Chacha gave it to him and walked away.

She could hear silence on the other end, which only gave her feel of his presence.

"ithna paraya hogaya... ke bath bhi kisi aur se karwane lage?"

She closed her eyes. Though not accusing, but her years with him made her feel that he was hurt. She took a breath before speaking up.

"Aapke thode waqt mang rahi hu. ho sake tho Adi ko dedena. Wo aapse milna chahthe hai."

He had many questions in his mind, which he knew that he would never be able to raise.

"kal mien yahi hu."

"teekh hai... lunch se pehle athe hai. Chacha ne zidd ki hai ke lunch wahi se karna hai... tho..."

"kal milthe hai..."

They both were silent again and it was her who cut the call first. She wiped her face before walking out to the hall.

"kal... lunch time pe chalthe hai"

"hm..." he said without looking at her. He took Adi to his room and tucked him in. he knew it was going to be another sleepless night.