FF : Tere Mere Darmiyaan LAST PART pg-87 dt.10.10.14 - Page 23

Chapter 6

Dutta heaved a sigh of relief as he marched toward his room to take a shower. Annay hadn't disappointed him or in other words his sudden marriage hadn't disappointed annay. He'd taken a few seconds to contemplate and then flashed dutta his wide grin. Not just that, he stated in clear terms that he liked nakusha and even went ahead and called her maami'. It was a new word that floated in the air, a new relationship that came into existence and dutta wondered how easily annay accepted it without making a hue and cry about it. But he wasn't annay. What annay could do, he couldn't. The idea of marrying anyone was not on his wish list. The institution itself held his utmost respect but in all likelihood a person with this huge emotional baggage would be most certainly a fail as a husband.

He jerked open his cupboard to fetch a fresh pair of clothes when the cupboard door hit her trunk kept in front of it and the trunk fell on his foot. He cursed under his breath, what the hell was this trunk doing here? Couldn't she take care of her belongings? He picked the trunk and dropped it in a corner. Retrieving his suit out of the messed up bundle of clothes he walked toward the bathroom when his gaze fell on his red towel on the bed. It was wet. How dare she use his personal things without seeking his permission? Ridiculous! He wrinkled his nose, threw aside the towel and barged inside the bathroom, closing the door with a loud thud. Stripping himself he stood under the shower and pulled the lever. Cold water came cascading down and he literally jumped in surprise. What the hell! This time he cursed loudly. Why did she push the lever the wrong side? Be it summers or winters, he always took a hot shower. It helped in soothing his muscles. This was too much. She couldn't use and boss around his room as though it belonged to her. He wouldn't share his personal space and things with her. As it is he was finding it tough to tolerate her sudden and unwanted presence around him. If that wasn't enough now he couldn't afford to lead his life on his own terms even in his own room? Of course she wasn't stopping him to do anything but nevertheless she was interfering in his lifestyle. Even though he was physically distant with her and had stated that they would be strangers behind the closed walls of this room still he could feel her presence in his room and bathroom. In fact without actually being there she managed to be all around him. He picked the soap to rub himself instead cringed on seeing a long strand of hair wrapped around it. Enough! This was it. Today itself he'd order a new cupboard for her to keep that small trunk of hers and also arrange a separate set of toiletries for her. He didn't have the patience to tolerate this nuisance on a daily basis. He peeled that strand off the soap, shut his eyes tight and scrubbed the soap all over his cold body.

After pushing the lever to the red side he pulled it. He let out an audible sigh when hot , boiling hot water washed him. Keeping his eyes closed he combed his fingers through his wet hair. The bruises on his forehead and near the mouth stung but he didn't wince. The aching and stiff muscles relaxed slowly. When he was finally calm and composed, incidents of the night before flashed across his mind. The shock of knowing that suresh was no more, Roopa wailing and creating a scene in the temple, his sudden and abrupt decision to marry nakusha and his declaration that he shall never accept her as his wife, all came rushing back to him. However what hit him the most was the grief and the hollowness in nakusha's eyes before they'd married, as though something had died within her. He didn't know why her pain, her tears moved him so much that he ended up taking such a huge step without bothering to think of its consequences. All he knew at that point of time was that he couldn't bear to see her broken and shattered.

If he really wished to save and protect her then now why was he unable to tolerate her around him? The idea of getting her married to suresh was his and then the decision of taking suresh's place was also his. If he recalled correctly, he'd decided everything on his own. Not even once did he care to ask or consult nakusha. To be honest, nakusha didn't approach him for help, it was he who wanted to save her from the atrocities of the society. So now why was he blaming her for everything? What was her fault in all this? Why was he so indifferent and rude to her?

Well firstly, he had issues in his past that didn't permit him to accept anyone in his life and secondly he believed that he was not cut out for marriage, he wasn't prepared to settle down in life and especially not in such extraordinary circumstances. But then these were his personal insecurities, why was he holding her responsible? It wasn't that he was regretting his decision , he still felt he made the right move, just that he himself couldn't take accept such a drastic move. He was angry, upset with himself but then that didn't allow him to target nakusha . She wasn't his punching bag especially when he was aware how much she had suffered in her life. She didn't deserve his hostility.

If he thought that this relationship was difficult only for him then he was wrong. It was tough for her as well and last night his appalling behavior, his rude outburst didn't make anything easy for her. He mentally kicked himself for being so thoughtless and insensitive to her feelings.

He banged his fist against the tiled wall. Why was he acting like a jerk, sulking on something as small as toiletries? He was a grown up man but was behaving like a child. In fact annay was way better than him. But then annay hadn't married her, he didn't have to share his room with an outsider. A person like him who hadn't allowed anybody to come close to him in years, who had till a day before lead a lonely life not out of compulsion but out of choice was bound to freak out on seeing someone invading his private space.

He pushed back lever and came out of the sliding door, shaking his head. No, this wasn't right, nothing that he did could be justified. Agreed he couldn't accept her and loving her was out of question but at least he could be respectful to her. Being brutally honest was his nature, he couldn't change that but then he could avoid hurting her with his words. And what was this having a separate set of toiletries for her? wouldn't the house workers suspect that all was not well between them? He strongly believed that nobody would dare question him in fact he doubted anybody would now comment or taunt nakusha too but still he didn't want anybody wagging his tongue behind his back.

It wouldn't be easy for him, he'd need time to get used to of her being around him and in his room but he really didn't have much of a choice. He'd plunged into matrimony without thinking now he had to deal with it.

He swung the bathroom door open and came out in his vest and brown pyjama. He'd forgotten to take his kurta and towel inside. He grabbed the towel, it was still wet and smelled differently. Rubbing his wet hair with the towel he thought maybe just having a separate towel wouldn't harm. He was busy drying his hair when nakusha came in the room.

"oh." Startled, she turned her back to him and dropped her gaze in embarrassment. He pursed his lips. Here she had come again, unannounced! He picked up his kurta and slipped his arms into it and pulled it down his head. He clasped he loose watch and then took out his waist coat from the cupboard. She heard the slamming of the cupboard door and turned around slowly. He was standing before the mirror, combing his hair when she came and silently stood facing him. She extended her hand that was holding a small bowl. He glanced down at the bowl, it had some yellow paste. He furrowed his brows in confusion and stared right back at her. What was this?

" sahab , yeh apke liye." She didn't lift her gaze and waited for him to react. But she was still not making sense to him. What was he supposed to do with this yellow sticky thing? She finally raised her lashes to look at him.

" yeh aapki chot par lagane se theekh ho jayega." She pointed toward his wounds. This turmeric and basil leaves paste would help in healing them.

He locked gazes with her and saw what he didn't wish to see. There were questions and concern in her eyes. Questions as to how and why he'd got hurt? But since he didn't owe her any explanations, he wasn't going to answer. He was expecting her to ask about his nightmare but she didn't. Good for her because he wasn't going to utter a word about it. He dropped the hair brush back to the dressing table and replied," mere kisi bhi dard ko dawaa ki zaroorat nahin." The wounds were his. The hurt was his. And the pain was also his. The wounds didn't need to be healed. The hurt didn't need her concern because pain relieved him instead of hurting. And why did she care? Especially after what he'd said to her, he really didn't expect her to be worried about him.

Nakusha tore her gaze from his face. She herself didn't know why her heart twisted on seeing him hurt and wounded. Although she wasn't supposed to be considerate yet she couldn't afford to see him in pain. She still couldn't forget how tormented he was in his sleep. The fear and pain that had creased his face had managed to tug her heart as well. She wanted to know where he was last night and what had happened to him that he turned up in such a state in the morning. God forbid, did he meet with an accident? And these bruises, were they hurting him? She wanted to know but...couldn't. He wouldn't allow. She saw him once again leaving the room without saying anything. The wall between them simply solidified!

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Dutta sat down at the dining table along with annay to have breakfast. Just then nakusha came with the pooja plate. She went to annay and stood with the plate. The boy gave her a small smile, taking it as a green signal she placed a tilak on his forehead then swept her hand over the diya and brushed her fingers through his hair. Dutta watched her in silence. Memories of his childhood came flooding back. He remembered how is mother did the same ritual every morning before he left for school. But when she passed away things changed. Though his sister followed the same ritual but the essence of it was lost somewhere. And today after so many years, nakusha was doing the same thing. It felt strange.

Nakusha turned and ever so slowly approached him, fearing how he would react? With quivering fingers she touched the vermillion and raised her hand to tilak him. However he stopped her midway.

" main tilak vilak nahin karta." She nodded her head at once. He didn't surprise her, she was expecting something like this from him. She thought of stepping back when he swept his hands over the diya and took arti, pleasantly surprising her. She smiled inwardly and left to keep the plate back. He was tough but still somewhere approachable.

Annay took two chikoos from the fruit basket kept on the table and tossed one playfully at dutta to have until breakfast was laid out. Both of them happily bit on the fruit when nakusha came with a stack of stuffed paranthas and a bowl of white butter. Once again she went to annay and placed a parantha on his plate. She added a spoonful of butter too when annay said," thoda aur." She smiled and gave him some more butter.

" bus thoda sa aur." Annay said with his mouth full of chikoo. Nakusha had to press her lips to suppress her smile as she served him another dollop of butter. This time he showed her his tiny hand, shook his head and said," bas." Nakusha had this strong urge to pull his chubby cheeks. He was adorable.

She took a deep breath and turned to serve him. Without taking her eyes off his plate she placed a parantha on it. He didn't oppose. Thank god. Then she took lots of butter and was about to drop it on his parantha when he said," aye, annay samjha hai kya?" his voice was soft but it had a menacing edge that provided a definite warning. He reminded himself that he could have softened his tone slightly but still it wasn't bad. Nakusha bit the inside of her cheek and reduced the quantity of butter.

Laxmi came to the dining table carrying a tray of curd and pickles. Nakusha thought of leaving when she heard him ask," tune khaaya kya?" A little bit surprised she looked at him and shook her head in negation.

" toh phir baith aur le nashta." She blinked her eyes at him. Seriously, was he asking her to have breakfast with them? Sometime back he was all reserved and unapproachable. And now he wished her to join them?

" nahin..nakku, baad mein .." he didn't let her finish and said," baad mein kyun?" what was the point in having later when the table was all set?

Annay smiled and patted the chair next to him before saying," maami , yahan mere pass baitho." She glanced at him lovingly and pulled the chair to sit. As far as she remembered clearly she never shared her meals with anybody. She always ate alone and that too after every member of her so called family finished eating. She didn't know whether she was over thinking or over reacting but as she gazed at annay and dutta , she questioned herself, was this the first step toward being accepted in this family? Maybe she was getting emotional without any reason but still she felt nice about it.

" mausi, nakusha ko khaana daaliye." He ordered laxmi to serve who was standing there doing nothing. It took laxmi a moment of hesitation before she started serving nakusha. Nakusha wanted to protest that she could help herself but didn't. She thought it wouldn't look good disagreeing with him all the time. As nakusha sat next to annay, he turned his neck and tilted his head slightly then poking his little finger through nakusha's hair asked in surprise," yeh kya hai?" nakusha shuddered and felt her scar , she lowered her eyes with embarrassment.

" annay, khaate waqt baat nahin." Dutta told him firmly.

" bhau , woh Morey maan hi nahin rahaa hai." Kaale came in and informed. Dutta clenched his teeth and nodded his head," main aata hoon."

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In the study, dutta swirled his chair and toyed with the paper weight as malmal morey sat across the table. Silk maroon shirt, tight fitted white trousers, glittering gold chain dangling around his neck, black sun glasses covering his eyes and chewing a bubble gum like a cow , he looked nothing short of an idiot. Dutta threw his head back and while spinning the paper weight heard out the proposal that Morey was dying to offer.

Dutta had given a piece of his land on rent to harilal for cultivation. Over the years the arrears of rent were mounting high as harilal wasn't able to pay his dues regularly. Although dutta was tempted to take away the land from him and give it to someone who would clear his dues but considering the age of harilal he refrained from pestering him for payment of regular rentals. However now harilal was an old sick man fighting with tuberculosis confined to bed for most of the time and dutta was totally oblivious to his chronic disease. There was no way that he'd pay off his debts. Thus Morey offered to pay off his debts on the condition that dutta would not only sell the entire produce of the land but also the whole piece of land to him for forty lacs. Ten lacs for the debts and the remaining thirty lacs for the land and its produce.

Dutta gazed at the old and weak man who stood with folded hands, clearly he wanted to relieve himself off the increasing debts.

" tum ghar jao, jo hoga , tumhein bataa diya jayega." Dutta wasn't one of those who'd give up their money easily, but he wouldn't push a sick poor man for payment as well. Whatever would be the outcome of this meeting he wouldn't hold it against harilal.

When the old man left, morey kept a briefcase carrying twenty lacs on the table as advance and said," ek hi jhatke mein saara hisaab chutt ho jayega..kya kehta hai dutta?" greed and hunger dripped from every word that came out of his mouth.

Dutta, tilted his head slightly and glared at him. The whole of PV belonged to him. Each and every piece of land was either owned by him or let out. In other words ownership always remained with him. But now morey was proposing to enter his territory. He pressed his lips hard and tightened his grip around the paper weight.

" dutta bhau, apni zameen kisi bahar wale ko nahin bechte." Kaale scowled at morey, firstly he didn't like the way he addressed dutta and secondly how dare he come up with such a proposal where he was wishing to buy the land for such a low price. He was clearly taking advantage of the fact that harilal would never be able to pay off his debts fully and dutta being a business man would definitely wish to have his money back but for that he would have to sell the land for peanuts.

Morey smirked and leaned back in his chair," soch le, is se hum dono ko faiyda hoga." he knew he had made an offer that would definitely make dutta think. Dutta was not nave, he was aware of the pros and cons of this proposal. Morey took out his sunglasses and gazed into dutta's eyes to read his mind. A smirk found its place on his lips. Dutta was still contemplating when nakusha came in with a tray carrying tea. Without glancing toward morey she placed the tea before him then came up to dutta. Until now morey had his eyes set only on dutta but after nakusha came in his gaze flickered just for a second as he blurted out," soch le aisa sundar mauka roz roz nahin milta."

Dutta continued to glare at morey with hooded eyes and noticed that momentary flicker in his gaze. He thrust up one hand indicating that he didn't wish to have tea. Curling up his lips he flared his nostrils and in one swift move slid the paper weight in morey's direction. The paper weight hit and crashed the tea cup into pieces. Boiling hot tea spilled on Morey's hand. Nakusha gasped in shock and morey winced," AAH."

Dutta stood up, leaned over the table with his palms pressing it hard. Once again what was his, was his and he guarded what was his. Nobody lay an eye or finger on what belonged to him. He clenched his jaws firmly and wrinkled his nose as he declared," tere, andhar ki aag jab shant ho jaye..toh aa jaiyo baaki paise lekar aur agli baar bhool kar bhi tu mujhe mere ghar ke aas pass nazar nahin aayega...samjha?" morey shot him an astonished look, what kind of a behavior was this? He opened his filthy mouth to protest but stopped seeing dutta's enraged eyes. His eyes were dark and dangerous. Eyes of a man who was capable of killing someone without a flinch.

Kaale glanced at dutta in bewilderment, was he really thinking of selling his land to this creep or was he having some nasty and clever trick up his sleeve? He smirked inwardly, if he knew his boss well enough then the latter was most likely to be true.

Thanks for reading.

Rose