CHAPTER-9
Ananya opened her eyes to a blurry sight... She blinked her eyes quite many times to clear the vision... She looked around... A small room, quite basic, with the looks of it, looked like a makeshift clinic or something... Clinic! The word struck her... She remembered getting shot by one of those persons carrying out the illegal videography business... She remembered, amidst her sheer pain, Kabir's eyes were filled with such grief that was palpable... She could see her pain floating in his eyes... The lines of worry on his forehead never ceasing to vanish, and he hurriedly walking up the long route to finally find some doctor to treat her injured leg... Instinctively Ananya tried to move her leg, but the sting of the sharp pain she felt, she looked at her leg... It was wrapped in cotton and gauze bandages... Kabir must have succeeded in bringing her on time, and the pain there was the proof that her leg still has sensations, and has not gone limp... But where is Kabir? She wondered... The door of the room was ajar... She could see a small hall outside, but Kabir wasn't visible... Where has he gone leaving her in such a state? She wanted to check... She put her uninjured leg down the cot, and slowly the injured one too, and tried balancing on the correct leg, and then is when she lost her balance, to be sitting back on the cot, and in the process the glass on the side table fell on the floor, gaining the attention of the people who may be around the room...
Ananya tried adjusting herself back on the bed, and just then Kabir came rushing to her side, making her lie in a reclining position, and also covering her with the bed-sheet... She smiled at him... He still looks so worried... She smiled even wider assuring him silently that she's fine... Kabir would have just opened his mouth to ask how she is, that Ananya sensed someone else is in the room... She looked up towards him... She could unmistakably recognise the man... Though 8 years have greyed his hair at certain places, the face has wrinkles, yet it couldn't take more than a few seconds for a daughter to recognise her father... She gulped a little saliva wetting her throat to finally address the person; she was so killing to see again... A person whom the world considered dead... A person for whom her mother still fasts on Teej for his long life... A person, whom his now 17 year old brother wants to build a rapport like the boys of his age do... A person who was the first man she loved... Her Father... "Papa!!!" Ananya's mouth finally uttered in a whisper... She tried again, a bit louder... This time it was audible... Tears had started stinging in her eyes... But just then realisation dawned on her, and she averted her face along with her eyes to look elsewhere but not at her father... It wasn't rocket science to judge Ananya's reaction... While her father stood still, Kabir plopped on his knees to be able to look in her eyes as well talk to her now bowed head... "Ananya, tumhare papa hain tumhare saamne... This is what you had wanted from so many years... The reason of your existence, the reason of all the strive you've done in the field of journalism... Ananya, ab wo tumhare saamne hain... Tumhare papa... Kyu nazrein pher rahi ho ab?" Kabir tried in the most loving and cajoling voice... Ananya snapped her head towards Kabir, looking with astonished eyes... "Papa? Mere papa? Kaun? Ye? Ye mere papa hain?" Ananya asked questioningly... Sarcasm was sitting at the tip of her tongue... Kabir was baffled... "Ananya, ye tum kaise baat kar rahi ho? Ofcourse he's your papa, you yourself had referred to him as your papa a minute ago..." "Hunh! Ghalti se bol diya..." Ananya's anger was palpable...
"Ananya beta!" Dr. Sudhir Kashyap, uttered her name getting highly emotional, where his daughter refuses to acknowledge him as her father... In fact Kabir was shocked... What was Ananya up to? Until now she had been so frantic to find her father, and when now he's standing right in front of her eyes, why has she chosen to ignore him... Ananya immediately snapped at her father, and talking instead to Kabir- "Inse kahiye, main inki beta nahi hoon..." Sudhir Kashyap stood rooted to his spot, while Kabir held Ananya's hand, and squeezed her fingers tight, his eyes asking the question he hasn't uttered yet, but has clouded his mind... "Nahi hoon main inki beta... Aur ye mere papa nahi hain..." Ananya looked in Kabir's eyes with her eyes red with anger, tears swimming in them... "Nahi hain ye mere papa... Koi papa apni tadapti biwi ko, apne sisakte bachhon ko jaan boojh ke chodh ke jaata hai?" Ananya's throat was clogging... She couldn't decide... She wanted to cry more or to get angrier... She just gulped hard, and Kabir spoke up just then- "Ananya you know everything... Saare circumstances se you are known... Phir kyu?" "Kaun se circumstances? Hunh? Kaun se? Aap bataaiye mujhe Kabir... Kaun se? Badnaami? Gareebi? Jobless? KYA???" Ananya yelled at Kabir... She felt really angry at her father... Kabir squeezed her fingers yet again, giving her the support that she needed emotionally... But she just wasn't done, she again started- " Aapne prove kar diya tha na ke mere papa bekasoor hain... Kiya tha na? Culprits ko sazaa hui thi na? Unn logon ne aapke hi medium se apologize kiya tha na apni harkat ke liye...? Kiya tha na Kabir... Boliye... Kiya tha na!" Ananya was getting frantic with the flow of her agitation... Her words were proof of them... She had held on to his T-shirt sleeve, and was pulling at it, asking him to answer pronto... Kabir immediately covered her hand on his sleeve with his other hand, and he vigourously nodded his head with his mouth uttering the same words- "yes... yes... yes..." "Phir kaun si badnaami ki baat kar rahe they ye jiski wajah se ye chodhke gaye they humein... poochiye inse..." Kabir just looked at Dr. Kashyap, who was already silently weeping seeing his daughter in such a messed up emotional state, complaining to her husband...
Ananya continued again angrily- "Inke jobless hone se, ya inke chale jaane se kya humare ghar mein paise ki baarish hone lagi? Have we become millionaires? Kya sab theek ho gaya?" Ananya herself answered her question nodding her head in negative... "Pal-pal thokarein khaate they... Maa kaise-kaise akele mein roti rehti thi papa ke intezaar mein... Kaise manage karti thi ke mujhe aur Armaan ko padha lein... Leave aside the money factor, maa ko, mujhe, Armaan ko, pal-pal papa ki kitni kami mehsoos hoti thi... Papa ke hote hue bhi anaath jaisi zindagi jeete rahe..." Ananya wouldn't stop her tirade, and Dr. Kashyap walked out of the room, in self revulsion... While his daughter kept going with her angry tirade... Seeing her father gone did Ananya's tears started spilling... "Badnaami unki ghalti se toh nahi hui thi na Kabir... log kuch din baat karte, phir bhool jaate, aagey badh jaate... Papa ke jaane ke baad bhi toh sab normal hua tha na... Phir papa kyu chodhke chale gaye they hum sabko? Kyu Kabir? Kyu..." Ananya's face was lowered, her hiccups were telling, she was crying bitterly... Kabir instantly was on his feet, and sat at the little space on the cot beside Ananya, holding her by her shoulders, side hugging her... And the hiccups turned into cries, proper cries... She rested her head against his chest, and then her hand came up over his heart, and she cried her heart out... Realising her cries could turn into wails, she hid her face in his chest and cried up the pent up pain against him... Her shaking body was telling Kabir the amount of turmoil her heart would have been all these years... He knew all the while, she did felt sad and emotional at her father's exit to an unknown place; but he couldn't have an idea of the extent of pent up hurt, pain and sadness in them... She herself mustn't have known that she would react to her father being found in this manner...
It took many minutes for Ananya to finally get over spilling her hurt out in the form of tears and cries... once done, she extracted herself from him, and looked up at him, running a careless hand over her hair that were messed up sticking all over her wet face... Kabir instinctively caressed her face wiping away the tears... He gave a small smile to her... She tried to smile back at him... It felt like a rainbow peeking from the clouds after a day full of heavy rains... He caressed her cheek bone with his thumb, while still caressing her cheek and softly spoke- "Ananya, Main samajh sakta hoon, tum kitni hurted thi, and kitna dukh bharaa tha tumhare andar apne papa ke achaanak yu gayab ho jaane se... Tumhari naarazgi bilkul jaayaz hai... Hona bhi chahiye... Hum family hote hi isliye hain ke mushkil waqt ek dusre ko sambhaal sakein..." Kabir sighed heavily, while Ananya intently looked at him, while he again continued- "Lekin Ananya, family ki ek aur zimmedari hoti hai... Unki ghaltiyon ko maaf karne ki... Tumhare papa self guilt mein apne saath-saath anjaane mein tum sab ko bohot takleef dete rahe... Par Ananya, wo unka tareeqa tha apni badnaami ko tum sab se door rakhne ka... Although, it wasn't having been possible really, par thi toh unki koshish hi na?" Ananya looked down pondering over his words, when Kabir again spoke- "Ananya, family ke saath grudges rakhne se behtar hai ke apne bikhre tinko ko phir se samet te hain, aur apna aashiyaan phir se banaate hain... Apne papa ko maaf karke, dil se saare giley-shikwe mitaa ke, unhe phir se apnaa ke, apni duniya mein waapas le chalo... Warna iss self guilt mein na sirf tumhare papa apni saari zindagi yu akele bitaa denge, balki tum sab ki zindagiyaan bhi adhoori reh jaayengi... Tumhari mummy adhoori reh jaayengi... Armaan ka bachpan adhoora reh jaayega... Sach toh yahi hai na ke hum family ko nahi, family humein poora karti hai... Aur mera past experience yahi kehta hai ke agar family ko wapas aane ka mauka na diya jaaye toh unka bikharna laazmi hota hai... Har insaan tumhari tarah lucky nahi hota Ananya ke usko apni family ko reunite karne ka mauka mil jaaye... Isey mat jaane do Ananya... Manaa lo apne papa ko wapas chalne ke liye... Please..."
Ananya kept on looking at Kabir's face for many seconds unblinking... Kabir's shaking his head in asking her opinion did Ananya finally blinked her eyelashes... She nodded her head, and finally smiled... "Chalogi phir papa ke paas?" asked Kabir... Ananya nodded again... Kabir looked around; a wheel chair was there in the corner of the room... Kabir patted the seat a few times checking if it's worthy enough to make Ananya sit on it... Being satisfied with it, Kabir picked Ananya up in his arms, slowly placing her on the wheel chair... Ensuring she was comfortable, he pushed the chair out of the room to the hall... He looked around; Dr. Kashyap sat on the steps to the backyard... The sound of the wheels of the wheelchair caught his attention... He stood up and turned around to see his daughter coming, and his son-in-law pushing the wheel chair...
Ananya tilted her head sideways seeing her father's face... His face told, he had been crying ever since he had come out, so did Ananya's eyes told... Ananya took hold of her father's hand, and pulled on to it... Her father was immediately on his knees... It so clearly reminded him of the times, when his baby Ananya would sit in a pram, and would pull on to him once he came back home after clinic... And he would go all engrossed in pampering his child, giving her all the love he could give her... Coming back to the day today, tears came in his eyes... Ananya kissed his hand just the way she always did whenever her father would pamper her this way, sitting on his knees... Both father-daughter was misty eyed, Kabir too felt the moisture... he decided to leave them alone to patch-up, as he announced- "Aap log baatein keejiye, main aata hoon..." Was it a coincidence, or a magical moment, but as soon as Kabir announced his exit, both his wrists were held by the father-daughter duo... Kabir couldn't help but smile... Dr. Kashyap smiled too and said- "Meri beti ka existence tumhare bina adhura sa lagta hai Kabir... Please stay back... Aisi koi baat toh hai nahi jo tumse chupi hui ho... You are a family to us..."... Ananya smiled wide this time as she spoke- "Bilkul sahi keh rahe hain papa... We should be a family now... Back to where we were... In Delhi..."... Dr. Kashyap's smile faded away hearing going back to Delhi... He stuttered... "Beta... Delhi... Kaise... Wo sab badnaami..."... Ananya clicked her tongue disapproving... "Tch! Papa, aaj kisi ko kuch yaad bhi nahi hai... Infact jinko yaad bhi hai, wo aapke lautne ka intezaar kar rahe hain... Aap they toh begunaah hi na... Phir kiss baat ka darr..." "Pata nahi beta... Maine wapas jaane ke baare mein kuch socha nahi... phir dubaara practice kaise start karunga... Ab set up ho bhi paayega ya nahi... Kya karunga saara din..."... This time Kabir spoke up- "Aapko sochne ki koi Zarurat nahi hai Dr. Kashyap... Aapki waapsi main present karunga "Kaas Khabrein Kabir ke Saath" mein... Mere bulletin show mein... Aur janta se request karunga ke insaaf milne ke itne saalon baad aapko aapka haq bhi mile, aapka kaam aapka, reputation, aapki job sab baa-izzat aapko mile... Bas ab aap chaliye Dr. Kashyap..."
Sudhir Kashyap smiled at the man who had been his saviour all those years ago, and still is pertinently stuck at getting him justice... Not just did he oblige to relieve him of the false accusations, but also made the life of his family beautiful behind him, by not only marrying his daughter, but also loving her to such an extent, that his daughter half an hour ago was a ball of fire, he had such a smooth effect on her to transform her into a cool breeze in no time, and here, he again is sitting before him on his knees to help him get back his life and family... Not just his, but also Ananya's...
Dr. Kashyap smiled, and then said to Kabir- "Ek shart par chalunga..."... Kabir was all ears, as Dr. Kashyap continued- "Ye Dr. Kashyap-Dr. Kashyap bolna nahi chalega... Pehle tum sirf Journalist Kabir Sharma they... Ab toh tum mere bete ho... "Papa" bulaaya karo!"... Only if anybody knew seeing the Kabir Sharma's face split into the brightest smile... A smile he would never give to anybody, but his family... And that is the first step into making another big family... Getting a father he must have missed all his life... What more could he ask... He spoke reverently, while holding his father-in-law's hand- "Papa... Please ab toh chaliye humare saath..."
Ananya would have been the happiest at this moment... What a blissful sight it was... Her father was getting back home with them, and a life-long cherishing memory of her father and her husband's heartfelt conversation... Ananya couldn't help but squeal in happiness- "yippie! Finally Papa aap ghar chal rahe hain..." "Ek minute Ananya beta... Ek minute!" interrupted her papa as he continued- "Agar aap na bhooli ho Miss. Kashyap... Oh! I'm sorry, Mrs. Kabir Sharma, you have an injured leg and has been treated just today... Maan liya tumhare pati mein bohot dumm hai tumhe har jagah apni godh mein uthaake le jaane ka, but let's not test his strength all the way to Delhi... Stay back until you recover some bit beta... Then we all can go together..." Ananya had a crestfallen face, as she spoke- "Kab tak rehna padega yahan papa?" "Atleast a week beta... I too have to donate off the surgical stuffs here, give back this cottage to the kind man who gave me this, and above all your wound to heal some bits to be walking back home..." Ananya nodded giving in to her father, hugging him, and Dr. Kashyap pulling Kabir in the hug too... The threesome hug of the emotionally wrecked people tonight... To start a new journey together...
~~THANKS FOR READING~~
Okay peeps! Have tried my best to keep it emotional... Hope you guys are not yawning and telling yourself, how boring it was...
Will appreciate likes and comments...
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Thanks!😃
Edited by Aazeen02 - 10 years ago
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