Part 20
RK was in his office when his phone rang. He looked at the caller id and found Madhu' s name flashing. A smile played on his lips.
"hey Rishabh.. Come home immediately.. "she said shrieking in excitement.
" whoah.. You seem excited.. Anything special..? " he asked smiling at her child like behaviour.
"very special.. Come fast.. I am reaching there too.." she said and cut the call immediately.
RK who had already started walking out chuckled hard hearing her excitement.
As RK came home, he knocked at the door of his room. It had become a habit since Madhu came here.
"Come in.. " she said holding his hand excited as she opened the door.
"what happened?" RK asked laughing at her
"Sit.. I have great news for you.. " she said making him sit.
"yeah.. Now tell fast.." RK said.
"ooo.. Getting restless.. " she said teasing him.
RK looked at her with raised eyebrows with an Are-you-serious look.
"ok fine.. I will tell you.. I found Dipali.." she said shrieking.
RK was knocked out of his senses for a few seconds. His mind went blank. Dipali.
"Rishabh... Are you not excited..! " Madhu said happily.
"Dipali.." his lips played a smile. He was lost in her thoughts. Dipali's face flashed in front of his eyes.
"We will go to her.. " Madhu said as she lightly punched his shoulder and RK was brought back, and as soon as he looked back at Madhu he felt the delight emptying. He felt something going hollow in him.
"I have decided I will take leave from office.." Madhu declared.
"Where is she? " RK asked trying to brush away the confusion.
"she is in bikaner now.. See here.." Madhu said forwarding him the paper.
RK looked at the paper as tears started burning his eyes thinking that he would be able to see Dipali once again when he had lost all hope.
"Where did you find all this? "he asked.
"Actually I have been trying to track her since quite some time now. Her phone details helped a lot.. " she said smiling cheekily.
RK smiled hearing her as his heart thumped in his chest in anticipation of what it might be like to meet her again.
"You get the plane tickets done.. That's on you.." Madhu said with authority.
"Plane?" RK said getting stunned.
"Come on.. Don't be a miser. " Madhu said annoyed. He can definitely afford a flight.
"I can't meet her so soon.." he said in a daze as if not hearing her.. "How would I be able to face her..?" he said dreading.
"what's there to think about..? Why are you so worried.. "Madhu said confused.
"Come on Madhu.. My father destroyed her life.. Not even did he part us .. He threatened her parents.. Even shot her dad's leg.. And while she faced all that hell, I was unknown of it.. I should have been with her to protect her.. I can't face her like that.." RK said panicking.
"okay.. Don't worry.. We will think of something.." she said thinking to herself.
"wait.. What if we go by road.. Then you will get enough time to think of it and prepare yourself to meet her.. " she said impressed with herself.
Rk nodded his head thoughtfully. Yes she is right. That way he will be able to make up his mind slowly.
The night was quite restless for RK. He was torn between a lot of things. A part of his was over joyed that he will meet Dipali, get to see her once again when he had lost all hopes. Another part was drowned in the guilt that he had been sleeping around with girls and how would he face her. It felt to him as if he had cheated on her. Then the voice that was clear enough to echo in his mind was constantly taking Madhu 's name. Going to Dipali would stagnate his relation with Madhu, maybe even end. And he could feel his breaths connected to her now. His smile, his peace, his sleep were all as if connected to Madhu. Even though he was to meet Dipali, he just couldn't imagine how he would carry on without Madhu.
After months now, RK was unable to sleep. He sat up on the couch and saw Madhu sleeping on the bed. She had a peace on her face, he smiled slightly setting her. He felt a pull towards her but then he was scared of himself, and that pull. He tried brushing those thoughts away. RK stood up and went to the fridge in his room. Taking a bottle of whiskey from in there, he gulped as much as he could. When he came back he felt better. He walked to the couch but then something clicked in him and he went to lay beside Madhu on the bed. Soon he drifted to sleep.
The next day, as RK woke up he found Madhu hovering around the house. She seemed busy as if trying to do a lot of work at once.
"What are you doing? "RK asked sleepily.
"I am just arranging everything before we go.. Who knows how long it would take.." Madhu said as if stating the obvious.
Rk remembered what she was talking about.
"we are going today? "he asked rather blankly.
"yes.. Of course.. You don't want to?" she said suddenly stopping as she stared at him because she didn't feel the excitement that should have been in his voice
"no.. I thought you'd have office.." RK said trying to cover up though he didn't know why he had to.
"I took off.. And thanks to all the Sultan drama, my boss allowed me to have a good break.. Get a holiday.." Madhu said excited.
Rk smiled back thinking how she wasn't affected by Sultan's fiasco anymore. He couldn't help but be happy seeing her excited.
"So I am arranging everything for that.. " she said as she continued to what she was doing. " you too get all the necessary things you need.. I think we should take breaks in between instead of going all the way in one go.. " she said while moving around.
The way she was excited it seemed Dipali was her girl friend. Rk chuckled at that thought.
"what are you laughing at?" she asked with a frown.
"nothing.. "RK shrugged.
"tell me.." she demanded in a clipped time.
"I was thinking that the way you are excited it looks like Dipali is your girl friend." RK said laughing.
"well.. Had you not been there, who knows I would have hooked up with her.. " she said with a teasing smile.
"ooohh.. So you would have left me alone?" RK asked back with a rather complaining look.
"yes of course... " Madhu said stressing while RK looked at her genuinely annoyed. Madhu laughed seeing him. "Now go and freshen up.." she said pushing him.
After RK had gone to freshen up, Madhu was thinking to herself. She suddenly remembered RK's remark on her being with Dipali. He asked if Madhu would have left him alone? Did that mean that he expected her to stay with him rather than Dipali? Did he want her? But maybe he was just teasing her. She knows he loves Dipali. Then why to think of impossiblities. She tried to brush away any such thoughts. She got a great friend in him and that's what matters to her.
On the other hand, RK could only think of how he would face Dipali. How he would answer her why he wasn't with her when she was in trouble? How will he face her after his father has almost destroyed her? Though he was happy, but he felt anxious. Their relation had changed too much. He didn't even know if she loved him any more. He was walking through the hallway when he felt he should just tell his mother some how that he would be gone for a few days. He tried to maintain his anger and not tell her but he just couldn't ignore the image of Radha roaming around worried and even crying. It was coming to his mind again and again. He didn't realise when his feet took him at the door of Radha's room. He took in a deep breath and coughed slightly. Radha who was reading a book quickly looked at him with shock and pleasure that her Rishu came to her.
"we are going out for a few days.. Maybe a week or more.." RK said looking away
Radha's smile dropped hearing him. "Where are you going?" she asked.
"To correct what Balraj had wronged.." he said looking at her.
"Did you find Dipali?" she asked with wide eyes not knowing whether to be scared or confused. He was with Madhu now. Then why Dipali.
RK just looked at her for a few seconds and then turned away. Radha just looked at him disheartened.
"Try not to get worried about us.." he said while facing away and then walked off.
Radha smiled through the pain hearing him. He still cares for her. Her heart was right, her son can never hate her. She smiled as tears formed in her eyes. But she was thoroughly confused. Rk and Madhu were married now then why did he search for Dipali.
She was still confused when Madhu entered her room.
"Good morning mom.. " she said getting a little emotional
She was feeling bad. Finally she had got a mother in her and she would be going away from her too.
" Madhu.. What is all this? " she asked confused and worried.
"we are going... And I don't think we would return the same.." Madhu said smiling through the pain.
"Yes Rishu told me you both are going to Dipali.. But why? You are married and as far as I can see you are happy.. Then why this? " she asked restless.
"There are a lot of things that are not what they seem .. And we would tell the truth when time comes.. But you have to trust us" she said holding her hand.
"I trust my children.. " Radha said nodding her head.
"and I got mother's warmth after three years.. I was always a mumma's girl.. But I don't know what.." she was trying to tell her fears when Radha kept her hand on her head. She needed her mother today as she wanted to cry in her arms.
Radha interrupted her "Whatever happens you are my daughter..."
Madhu threw herself in her arms as she tried to hold back her tears and draw strength from her mother.
"You are strong Madhu.. Don't cry.. But remember Madhu.. You don't fall in love many times... So don't give up yours.. "
Madhu looked at her dumb struck as her mind went blank. Is she really doing a mistake?
"Madhu let's go.. " RK stood at the door
Madhu looked at him and nodded her head. She pressed Radha's hand lovingly once and walked out of the room.
"Don't do any mistake Rishu.. You don't get true love everytime.." she said from behind.
"I know what I am doing.. " RK said and walked off.
RK and Madhu were walking out of the door with bags when Balraj entered. Seeing him holding his bag he looked at him confused.
"where are you going?" he asked
"I am surprised that you think I am going to answer you? " RK said acting amused.
Balraj frowned hearing him. "don't start this in the morning itself.." he said annoyed.
"yeah that's what.. " RK looked at him with a disinterested face for a few seconds and then holding Madhu 's hand walked past him.
"Rishabh.. " came Paabo's voice from behind.
RK closed his eyes in frustration. Why will he have to put up with everyone when he had to go for something so important. He tried to ignore and keep walking but Balraj held his arm.
"Paabo is calling you.. Can't you hear? " he asked angrily.
"I thought you only said just now not to start all this in the morning itself.." RK said defiant. Madhu just stood there.
"Stop him balraj.. I am scared he is leaving this house. This girl is taking him away.. She had threatened me she will snatch our Rishu away from us.. " she said getting panic.
"what?" RK and Madhu exclaimed together. How was she able to think that much?
"yes.. I scolded her that day and she said to me that she will take him away.. " Paabo said to balraj and he looked at Madhu angrily. She said that to him too.
Madhu looked at the two and rolled her eyes. "I can't believe this..!" she exclaimed irritated.
"unfortunately I am not getting that lucky..." RK said with a sympathetic expression for himself.
Paabo and balraj looked at him dumb struck.
"just getting a holiday from all of you.. " RK said not wanting to tell them anything about Dipali. He knew it can mean danger to her.
"Holiday.." balraj said relaxing. Paabo took a sigh of relief.
"Yeah like a honey moon with my wife.. I noticed my family isn't that considerate to send us so we had to plan it by ourselves.. " he said shaking his head disappointed while Madhu bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Paabo looked away embarrassed and disgusted while Balraj looked at them annoyed.
"now people can we just breath in peace or you are planning to take that privilege away from us too?" he said angrily and walked off.
---------------
comment:
p_commentcount