Posted:
Once again, a story set after the Bhangda Pale song. I am a bit nervous about this but that might just be due to my confidence, so everyone even though my fics aren't great, please give me some good feedback for this...please?
____
Chapter One:
Durga opened the door allowing her sons to step into the house. Their house. Karan looked around the house. The warmth, the familiarity, everything was the same. He saw a photo of himself and Arjun, the one that their mother carried around, even with the cracks in it and picked it up. The frame was broken pretty badly but their mother had made sure their faces were still visible.
"Ma, yeh kaise?" [Mom, how did...?] Karan murmured, gesturing to the photo.
Durga managed a weak smile. "Durjan aur uske logoon ne pairon tale kuchal diya ishe. Bhardasht nahi hua unse yeh cheez. Mere alfaaz, mera yaad karna, unko kantoon ki tara chub ta tha." [Durjan and his goons crushed it beneath their very feet. They could not tolerate this. My words, my thinking of you, it prickled into them like sharp knives.]
Karan's heart gave a painful pang. Their mother sounded so confident but he could see the thick layer of sorrow that lay beneath that confidence. He wanted to say something, do something to take his mother's pain away but he had no idea how to comfort a mother who had been through so much. He glanced at Arjun. The other seemed very good at comforting, from what he had seen, the way their mother had clung onto him when they had first reunited with her together.
"Ma," Arjun said softly but before he could say much more, another voice interrupted.
"Ma-ji, kaun aya hai?" [Mother, who is it?] A young girl, with long flowing black hair entered the room and stopped in her tracks. "Ma-ji...yeh..." [Mother what...?]
Durga smiled. "Aao Nisha beti, tumne pehchana nahi? Mere betay agaye." [Come Nisha daughter, do you recognize them? My sons have come.]
Nisha looked at the two men and raised an eyebrow. Karan could tell she didn't entirely believe the situation and to be honest, it wasn't exactly something you could just believe. He hadn't believed at first, but his memories had hit him full force back when the fight had occurred.
"Ma, yeh kaun hai?" [Mom, whose this?] Arjun spoke up, frowning as he looked at the girl.
"Yeh meri beti Nisha hai," [This is my daughter Nisha] Durga said with a smile. "Isi neh mujhe sambhala hain. Jab main akele main rone lagti thi, to yeh hi mujhe sambhalte thi. Mere aansoon paunch thi thi, ishe barosa nahi tha ke mere betay aayenge. Lekhin mera rishwas kamzaur nahi hua." [She's the one who gave me strength. When I was completely alone, I'd start crying and she'd support me. She'd wipe away my tears, she didn't believe my sons would come. But my faith never faltered.] She reached out, pulling Nisha close. "Kya baat hai Nisha? Tujhe abh bhi rishwas nahi hua?" [What's wrong Nisha? You still don't believe it?]
"Nahi Ma-ji," [No Mother] Nisha said hugging Durga. "Main theek hoon...bas aap itni asani se in donoon pe bharosa mat karein. Murde aam taur pe zinda nahi hote." [I'm all right...but you just don't believe those two so easily. Dead people don't come back to life that easily.]
Durga shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "Nahi...yeh mat kaho...itne samey baad toh mere betay laut ayein. Meri himmat ko mat taur beti, main marjaoongi." [No...don't say that...after so long, my sons have come back to me. Don't destroy my strength daughter, I won't be able to take it.] She broke down into tears again and before Nisha could say anything, Arjun hugged Durga.
"Nahi Ma," [No, Mom] Arjun said softly, stroking her hair as she cried in his arms. "Mat ro, aapki himmat koi nahi tore ga. Kabhi nahi tore ga. Hum aapke paas hai, aapke saath hai." [Don't cry, no one will destroy your strength. They never will. We are near you, we are with you.]
Karan in the meantime gave Nisha a gentle shove towards the door. "Kya karna chahati ho tum?" [What are you trying to do?] His eyes narrowed and he couldn't help but glower at her. Who cared if it was unbelievable? They weren't frauds trying to make dirty money! "Ma in saloon main kya kafi nahi roh chukhi? Nikal jao idhar se!" [Hasn't our mom cried enough in all these years? Get out!]
"Ajay..." Bindiya put a hand to her mouth but wasn't sure whether to stop him or not.
"Nahi Karan," [No Karan] Durga said, her voice still a little choked. "Yeh meri hi chinta main yeh keh rahi hai. Ishay mat nikalo, iske paas aur koi thikana nahi hai." [She is only saying this out of concern for me. Don't throw her out, she has nowhere else to go.]
Arjun frowned. "Maghar Ma...woh apko takleef deh rahi hai. Karan sahi keh raha hai." [But Mom...she is causing you pain. Karan is right.]
Nisha backed away from them, shaking her head and running inside the room she had come out of. Karan's fists clenched but Durga put a hand on his arm, leaning against him pulling both her sons close.
"Tu theek hai Ma?" [Are you alright, Mom?] Karan said gently, his expression softening as he looked at his mother.
Durga smiled. "Tum donoon agaye ho, bas mere liye itna hi kafi hai." [You two have come, that's enough for me.] She wiped away her tears. "Ab yeh sunna lekhin baut mushkil ke tum donoon mujhe ek baar phir chod do ge." [But hearing this now is too hard that you two will leave me again.]
Karan grit his teeth a little. "Isi liye keh raha hoon Ma, is ladki ko apne Mata Pita ke ghar bhej do." [That's what I'm saying Mom, send that girl back to her parents house.]
Durga hung her head. "Woh is duniya main nahi hain." [They are no longer in this world.]
Arjun put a hand to his mouth, Karan's eyes widened slightly and Bindiya gasped.
"Durjan singh ne uske puray khandan ka katal kardiya hai," [Durjan Singh has massacred her whole family] Durga said.
"M-maghar k-kyun?" [B-but w-why?] Bindiya was the one to ask, her voice stuttering slightly.
Durga laughed, although it wasn't a warm one, but iciness rang through the depths of it. "Durjan ko kab koh waje chahiye hoti hai? Apne sage bhatijoon ko daulat ki khatir khatam kardiya to aur kisi ki kya ahemiyat?" [Since when does Durjan need a reason? He murdered his own nephews for his greed, then why does anyone else matter?]
"Toh us ladki ke Mata Pita ko bhi daulat ki khatir...?" [Then that girl's parents for the sake of his greed as well...] Arjun said, feeling tears come to his eyes. Karan placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it though he could understand how his brother was feeling. How many more innocents would be hurt because of Durjan Singh's greed?
"Uski Ma aur Pita ne uski issat bacha thi Nahar aur Shamsher se," [Her parents saved her honour from Nahar and Shamsher] Durga murmured softly. "Isi liye woh kisi peh shahid bharosa nahi karti hai. Bechari ka ek bhai tha, woh bhi jaan se gaya. Yaad karti rehti hai usko. Woh bhi dhuki hai Karan, Arjun, uski baatoon ko dil pe mat lehna." [That's why maybe she doesn't trust anyone. The poor girl had a brother too, his life was taken as well. She always thinks about him and remembers him. She is suffering too, Karan, Arjun, don't take what she says to heart.]
Karan shifted. He had told her to get out of the house when she was suffering enough. How could he be so coldhearted? Okay, he hadn't known but still. Arjun seemed to sense what he was thinking and reached over, squeezing his shoulder.
"Bindiya, aao ushe hum baat karte hain," [Bindiya, come, we'll talk to her] Arjun said turning to her. "Shahid ek ladki ke saath woh betar feel kare." [Maybe with a girl, she'll feel more at ease.]
Bindiya glanced at Karan who nodded at her.
Karan's eyes met with Arjun's. He wanted to tell Arjun to say something on his behalf as well such as an apology but had no idea how to request that to his brother. Words were not his strong forte at all.
Arjun smiled, nodding a little. "Kehdoon ga." [I will.]
Karan stared, slightly open-mouthed. He hadn't said anything, so how had Arjun assumed...?
Arjun laughed. "Hum bhai hain Karan. Kuch baatein kehne ki nahi, samaj ne ki hoti hai." [We are brothers Karan. Some things don't need words, they just need understanding.]
Karan flushed but nodded. "Right."
____
Nisha had her head buried in her side and was staring at a photo of her brother Akash with tears streaming down her cheeks. She jumped a little as she heard a knock on the door and looked up to see Arjun and that girl who was with them. Immediately, she wiped away her tears, putting the photo of Akash under her pillow.
"Chod do mujhe akela," [Leave me alone] Nisha said stiffly.
Arjun sighed. "Nisha ji main aap ka zyada time nahi loon ga. I promise. Lekhin agar aapke paas 5 minutes haun toh mujhe deh dije." [Ms. Nisha, I will not take up too much of your time. But if you have 5 minutes, please give them to me.]
Nisha scrutinized Arjun. His eyes were innocent and he had a charming smile...but they all had that. That was always the trick to lure people in and she wasn't going to buy it.
"Aap kyun Ma-ji ko ulloo bana rahe hain?" [Why are you making a fool out of Mother?] The brunette girl demanded to know. "Murde kaise zinda ho sakte hain?" [How can dead people come back alive?]
"Yeh toh main bhi nahi jaanta," [That even I don't know] Arjun admitted. "Lekhin shahid yeh Bhagwan ki marzi thi. Shahid woh Durjan Singh koh uske inteqaam taq paunchana chahta tha." [But maybe this was God's wish, maybe he wanted Durjan Singh to pay for his crimes.]
"Dekhein Nisha," [Look Nisha] Bindiya said. "Aap Karan aur Arjun pe bharosa nahi karein aghar aap nahin chahteen. Lekhin aap kya Ma-ji ki khushi ki khatir unko aik mauka nahi de sakteen?" [Don't trust Karan and Arjun if you don't want. But for Mother's sake, can't you give them one chance?]
Something in Nisha's heart twisted. She wanted to...she wanted to give them a chance for Durga's sake but...but it wasn't fair! If Durga's sons could return to her then why couldn't her brother and her parents return?
Yeh main kya sauch rahi hoon? Ma-ji se ek ajeeb si jalan kyun hone lagi hai? [Why am I thinking like this? Why am I feeling an odd sort of jealousy with Mother?]
"Aghar murde...murde...zinda ho sakte hain toh mera bhai kyun nahi?" [If dead...if the dead...can come back alive then why not my brother?] Nisha choked out, the tears bursting out of her eyes as she tried desperately to push them away.
Arjun reached out a hand to touch her arm and at first instinct, she flinched away causing him to look down. "I'm sorry Nisha ji. Main aapke bhai ko toh wapis nahi la sakta lekhin ek vaada kar sakta hoon." [I'm sorry Miss Nisha. I can't bring your brother back but I can make one promise at least.]
"K-kya vaada kar sakte hain aap?" [W-what promise can you make?] Nisha tried to sound indignant but her voice was so choked up that it didn't have the desired effect she expected.
"Jin logoon ne aapke bhai ko cheena hai unko saza zuroor mile gi," [The people that took your brother's life will be punished accordingly] Arjun said. "Please...mujhe aur Karan ko ek mauka dein." [Please...give me and Karan a chance.] He wiped away his own tears that were coming in his eyes, extending out his hand. "Mujhse dosti karoge?" [Will you be friend?] Perhaps he was asking too much, but he could see it. The fire in Nisha's eyes from earlier was gone. He could see the same layer of sorrow in her eyes that he saw in his mother's. And like hell...would he let anymore people suffer because of Durjan Singh. He could see the other girl slowly edging her hand towards his and bit his lip, hoping she would agree.
____
Chapter One:
Durga opened the door allowing her sons to step into the house. Their house. Karan looked around the house. The warmth, the familiarity, everything was the same. He saw a photo of himself and Arjun, the one that their mother carried around, even with the cracks in it and picked it up. The frame was broken pretty badly but their mother had made sure their faces were still visible.
"Ma, yeh kaise?" [Mom, how did...?] Karan murmured, gesturing to the photo.
Durga managed a weak smile. "Durjan aur uske logoon ne pairon tale kuchal diya ishe. Bhardasht nahi hua unse yeh cheez. Mere alfaaz, mera yaad karna, unko kantoon ki tara chub ta tha." [Durjan and his goons crushed it beneath their very feet. They could not tolerate this. My words, my thinking of you, it prickled into them like sharp knives.]
Karan's heart gave a painful pang. Their mother sounded so confident but he could see the thick layer of sorrow that lay beneath that confidence. He wanted to say something, do something to take his mother's pain away but he had no idea how to comfort a mother who had been through so much. He glanced at Arjun. The other seemed very good at comforting, from what he had seen, the way their mother had clung onto him when they had first reunited with her together.
"Ma," Arjun said softly but before he could say much more, another voice interrupted.
"Ma-ji, kaun aya hai?" [Mother, who is it?] A young girl, with long flowing black hair entered the room and stopped in her tracks. "Ma-ji...yeh..." [Mother what...?]
Durga smiled. "Aao Nisha beti, tumne pehchana nahi? Mere betay agaye." [Come Nisha daughter, do you recognize them? My sons have come.]
Nisha looked at the two men and raised an eyebrow. Karan could tell she didn't entirely believe the situation and to be honest, it wasn't exactly something you could just believe. He hadn't believed at first, but his memories had hit him full force back when the fight had occurred.
"Ma, yeh kaun hai?" [Mom, whose this?] Arjun spoke up, frowning as he looked at the girl.
"Yeh meri beti Nisha hai," [This is my daughter Nisha] Durga said with a smile. "Isi neh mujhe sambhala hain. Jab main akele main rone lagti thi, to yeh hi mujhe sambhalte thi. Mere aansoon paunch thi thi, ishe barosa nahi tha ke mere betay aayenge. Lekhin mera rishwas kamzaur nahi hua." [She's the one who gave me strength. When I was completely alone, I'd start crying and she'd support me. She'd wipe away my tears, she didn't believe my sons would come. But my faith never faltered.] She reached out, pulling Nisha close. "Kya baat hai Nisha? Tujhe abh bhi rishwas nahi hua?" [What's wrong Nisha? You still don't believe it?]
"Nahi Ma-ji," [No Mother] Nisha said hugging Durga. "Main theek hoon...bas aap itni asani se in donoon pe bharosa mat karein. Murde aam taur pe zinda nahi hote." [I'm all right...but you just don't believe those two so easily. Dead people don't come back to life that easily.]
Durga shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "Nahi...yeh mat kaho...itne samey baad toh mere betay laut ayein. Meri himmat ko mat taur beti, main marjaoongi." [No...don't say that...after so long, my sons have come back to me. Don't destroy my strength daughter, I won't be able to take it.] She broke down into tears again and before Nisha could say anything, Arjun hugged Durga.
"Nahi Ma," [No, Mom] Arjun said softly, stroking her hair as she cried in his arms. "Mat ro, aapki himmat koi nahi tore ga. Kabhi nahi tore ga. Hum aapke paas hai, aapke saath hai." [Don't cry, no one will destroy your strength. They never will. We are near you, we are with you.]
Karan in the meantime gave Nisha a gentle shove towards the door. "Kya karna chahati ho tum?" [What are you trying to do?] His eyes narrowed and he couldn't help but glower at her. Who cared if it was unbelievable? They weren't frauds trying to make dirty money! "Ma in saloon main kya kafi nahi roh chukhi? Nikal jao idhar se!" [Hasn't our mom cried enough in all these years? Get out!]
"Ajay..." Bindiya put a hand to her mouth but wasn't sure whether to stop him or not.
"Nahi Karan," [No Karan] Durga said, her voice still a little choked. "Yeh meri hi chinta main yeh keh rahi hai. Ishay mat nikalo, iske paas aur koi thikana nahi hai." [She is only saying this out of concern for me. Don't throw her out, she has nowhere else to go.]
Arjun frowned. "Maghar Ma...woh apko takleef deh rahi hai. Karan sahi keh raha hai." [But Mom...she is causing you pain. Karan is right.]
Nisha backed away from them, shaking her head and running inside the room she had come out of. Karan's fists clenched but Durga put a hand on his arm, leaning against him pulling both her sons close.
"Tu theek hai Ma?" [Are you alright, Mom?] Karan said gently, his expression softening as he looked at his mother.
Durga smiled. "Tum donoon agaye ho, bas mere liye itna hi kafi hai." [You two have come, that's enough for me.] She wiped away her tears. "Ab yeh sunna lekhin baut mushkil ke tum donoon mujhe ek baar phir chod do ge." [But hearing this now is too hard that you two will leave me again.]
Karan grit his teeth a little. "Isi liye keh raha hoon Ma, is ladki ko apne Mata Pita ke ghar bhej do." [That's what I'm saying Mom, send that girl back to her parents house.]
Durga hung her head. "Woh is duniya main nahi hain." [They are no longer in this world.]
Arjun put a hand to his mouth, Karan's eyes widened slightly and Bindiya gasped.
"Durjan singh ne uske puray khandan ka katal kardiya hai," [Durjan Singh has massacred her whole family] Durga said.
"M-maghar k-kyun?" [B-but w-why?] Bindiya was the one to ask, her voice stuttering slightly.
Durga laughed, although it wasn't a warm one, but iciness rang through the depths of it. "Durjan ko kab koh waje chahiye hoti hai? Apne sage bhatijoon ko daulat ki khatir khatam kardiya to aur kisi ki kya ahemiyat?" [Since when does Durjan need a reason? He murdered his own nephews for his greed, then why does anyone else matter?]
"Toh us ladki ke Mata Pita ko bhi daulat ki khatir...?" [Then that girl's parents for the sake of his greed as well...] Arjun said, feeling tears come to his eyes. Karan placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it though he could understand how his brother was feeling. How many more innocents would be hurt because of Durjan Singh's greed?
"Uski Ma aur Pita ne uski issat bacha thi Nahar aur Shamsher se," [Her parents saved her honour from Nahar and Shamsher] Durga murmured softly. "Isi liye woh kisi peh shahid bharosa nahi karti hai. Bechari ka ek bhai tha, woh bhi jaan se gaya. Yaad karti rehti hai usko. Woh bhi dhuki hai Karan, Arjun, uski baatoon ko dil pe mat lehna." [That's why maybe she doesn't trust anyone. The poor girl had a brother too, his life was taken as well. She always thinks about him and remembers him. She is suffering too, Karan, Arjun, don't take what she says to heart.]
Karan shifted. He had told her to get out of the house when she was suffering enough. How could he be so coldhearted? Okay, he hadn't known but still. Arjun seemed to sense what he was thinking and reached over, squeezing his shoulder.
"Bindiya, aao ushe hum baat karte hain," [Bindiya, come, we'll talk to her] Arjun said turning to her. "Shahid ek ladki ke saath woh betar feel kare." [Maybe with a girl, she'll feel more at ease.]
Bindiya glanced at Karan who nodded at her.
Karan's eyes met with Arjun's. He wanted to tell Arjun to say something on his behalf as well such as an apology but had no idea how to request that to his brother. Words were not his strong forte at all.
Arjun smiled, nodding a little. "Kehdoon ga." [I will.]
Karan stared, slightly open-mouthed. He hadn't said anything, so how had Arjun assumed...?
Arjun laughed. "Hum bhai hain Karan. Kuch baatein kehne ki nahi, samaj ne ki hoti hai." [We are brothers Karan. Some things don't need words, they just need understanding.]
Karan flushed but nodded. "Right."
____
Nisha had her head buried in her side and was staring at a photo of her brother Akash with tears streaming down her cheeks. She jumped a little as she heard a knock on the door and looked up to see Arjun and that girl who was with them. Immediately, she wiped away her tears, putting the photo of Akash under her pillow.
"Chod do mujhe akela," [Leave me alone] Nisha said stiffly.
Arjun sighed. "Nisha ji main aap ka zyada time nahi loon ga. I promise. Lekhin agar aapke paas 5 minutes haun toh mujhe deh dije." [Ms. Nisha, I will not take up too much of your time. But if you have 5 minutes, please give them to me.]
Nisha scrutinized Arjun. His eyes were innocent and he had a charming smile...but they all had that. That was always the trick to lure people in and she wasn't going to buy it.
"Aap kyun Ma-ji ko ulloo bana rahe hain?" [Why are you making a fool out of Mother?] The brunette girl demanded to know. "Murde kaise zinda ho sakte hain?" [How can dead people come back alive?]
"Yeh toh main bhi nahi jaanta," [That even I don't know] Arjun admitted. "Lekhin shahid yeh Bhagwan ki marzi thi. Shahid woh Durjan Singh koh uske inteqaam taq paunchana chahta tha." [But maybe this was God's wish, maybe he wanted Durjan Singh to pay for his crimes.]
"Dekhein Nisha," [Look Nisha] Bindiya said. "Aap Karan aur Arjun pe bharosa nahi karein aghar aap nahin chahteen. Lekhin aap kya Ma-ji ki khushi ki khatir unko aik mauka nahi de sakteen?" [Don't trust Karan and Arjun if you don't want. But for Mother's sake, can't you give them one chance?]
Something in Nisha's heart twisted. She wanted to...she wanted to give them a chance for Durga's sake but...but it wasn't fair! If Durga's sons could return to her then why couldn't her brother and her parents return?
Yeh main kya sauch rahi hoon? Ma-ji se ek ajeeb si jalan kyun hone lagi hai? [Why am I thinking like this? Why am I feeling an odd sort of jealousy with Mother?]
"Aghar murde...murde...zinda ho sakte hain toh mera bhai kyun nahi?" [If dead...if the dead...can come back alive then why not my brother?] Nisha choked out, the tears bursting out of her eyes as she tried desperately to push them away.
Arjun reached out a hand to touch her arm and at first instinct, she flinched away causing him to look down. "I'm sorry Nisha ji. Main aapke bhai ko toh wapis nahi la sakta lekhin ek vaada kar sakta hoon." [I'm sorry Miss Nisha. I can't bring your brother back but I can make one promise at least.]
"K-kya vaada kar sakte hain aap?" [W-what promise can you make?] Nisha tried to sound indignant but her voice was so choked up that it didn't have the desired effect she expected.
"Jin logoon ne aapke bhai ko cheena hai unko saza zuroor mile gi," [The people that took your brother's life will be punished accordingly] Arjun said. "Please...mujhe aur Karan ko ek mauka dein." [Please...give me and Karan a chance.] He wiped away his own tears that were coming in his eyes, extending out his hand. "Mujhse dosti karoge?" [Will you be friend?] Perhaps he was asking too much, but he could see it. The fire in Nisha's eyes from earlier was gone. He could see the same layer of sorrow in her eyes that he saw in his mother's. And like hell...would he let anymore people suffer because of Durjan Singh. He could see the other girl slowly edging her hand towards his and bit his lip, hoping she would agree.
Bollywood
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bigg Boss 19
13