Hope you guys will like it
Credit goes to writers in the following order
@potterginny aka yagneshri
@zindgidilse aka ritu
@zindgidilse and @potterginny
@sleepypyscho aka mitali
@ammiey aka ameesha
@sapphire aka me
Tera mera sath rahe
"Dogi na mera saath?"
She was stupefied, unable to process what followed by the pyar karta hoon words. Judging by her faltering, quick breaths and the gulps, breathing sure seemed a task. Every part of her being was lit on fire by the touch shared by their entwined hands. Her eyes, however, were roaming all across his face, registering the million emotions flicking by- determination, pride, love, anticipation, nervous shadows, patience, relief and what not...
She had trouble moving her eyes away from it's original place, forget forming coherent thoughts.
"Sumo, main itna kuch keh gaya, tum kuch nahi kahogi?"
That patient, loving voice made her weep with painful joy. She wanted to jump and hug him tight and disappear into his arms so bad, but she held herself, her love for her family nudging her.
Staring at their hands on her lap for a moment, she looked at him, straight into his eyes and said in a small voice, "Main tumse pyaar nahi karti."
Confusion and concern marred his face at her voice and pain mirroring on her eyes,
"Sum.."
"Suman! Kaha chhip gayi? Yeh ladki bhi na, puri duniya ko sir pe bethaye phirti hai!" Nirmala's chirpy voice shook them out of their intimate cuccon.
He froze right there in his mid sentence unable to complete his half spoken word "sum..." .
His heart wanted to believe on the voice but his mind was denying to believe...a million of voices of flashbacks of the woman hi hates were now echoing in his ears..unable to face the reality standing behind him..
Suman's whole concentration was now diverted from shravan to the woman standing infront of her..she was now all aware what is coming before them ., her eyes then glanced at shravan once again who is still frozen...suman can see the untold tension and tons of emotions on his face...she was also in the same state after all thinking about the hurt shravan sitting on his knees infront of him.
And the woman standing behind shravan is also now well aware of the situation in front of her whose back was facing him...his son...her all emotions gathered at a single place in her eyes inform of tear droplet about to come out from its place.
Suman holds the courage, decided to handle the situation.
"shravan ..." nirmala said in her trembling voice.
nirmala's words brings him back out of his trance and he leaves a heavy breath from his mouth. Gathering his inner strength he stands up at his place leaving suman's hand looking straight into her (suman) eyes.
A anger takes place at his face and he turned to leave from there when "shravan " ... suman's voice stopped him in his mid way..
nirmala could not hold her tears and let them flow from her eyes seeing his son's face once again..a smile of happiness to see her son again made its place on her lips...her eyes fixed on his son's face... Shravan saw the tear flowing from her eyes but ignored and step forward fo leave the place.
"Shravan..."suman begin to say but
He was out of the terrace before she could realize he had moved from where he stood.
Shattering all over again, she fell on the couch and starting shuddering with sobs.
Nirmala sat beside her and pulled her head to her chest.
Gradually, the sobs turned into wails and then back to sobs, heaving and sniffles, eventually stopping.
"Suman beta?"
Listening to her motherly voice, she choked out, "Ramnath Uncle ne mere aur Shravan ke saath bhi wohi kiya jo aap maa-bete ke saath 10 saal pehle kiya tha."
Shravan, who was right outside the terrace door, in the attic, stopped by Daboo to help him find him a pile of something, shocked out.
As soon as Shravan had heard the word Ramnath,he stopped by in his tracks and had his ears all to Suman who now sat talking to his mother.His interest grew when he she said that his father had done something,the same thing he had done with his mother.
There on the terrace Nirmala sat hugging Suman while she cried her heart out,leaving few sentences that she intended to speak incomplete.
"Suman beta,shaant ho jayo,aur bato Ram nee aisa kya kiya?"Nirmala said pulling Suman away from her and wiping her tears
"Voh aunty..."Suman hiccuped continuing her story.
While Suman dictated the whole story to Nirmala,Nirmala just sat listening holding onto Suman's hand.
"Ab aap he bataiye mein kya karti?Ek side Shravan hai joh mere duniya hai aur ek side mere family,jinki wajah see mere ek duniya hai,jinke wajah see mein zinda hoon" And saying so Suman broke into fresh tears
Their session was broken by a ringing phone bell and when looked towards the door,they were left shocked.There stood Shravan all stoned as if he had seen a ghost.
Shravan was standing like a stone he wasnt moving for him it was really like he had seen some ghosts and on the other hand suman and nirmala's shocked face were saying the same story of ghosts
Suman and nirmala looked at each other then back to shravan who was completely expressionless by now
Shravan wasnt able to understand or believe what he just heard or rather to be precise he dint want to believe those words which were sincere indeed as it was not for him to hear
So he dint know what expression to hold exactly
Nirmala just gave a 'control the situation control him' look and nodding in yes suman slowly getting up wiping her tears went near shravan
"Shravan... " saying so she was about to put a hand on his shoulder when he trembled back to prevent her from doing so
And suman looked sadly at her midway hung hand and then shravan's face
Shravan slowly looked at suman his eyes held many expression anger , heart broken , tears filled eyes he just wanted suman to realize what he wants to say and suman understood as well
She nodded understandingly and moved towards nirmala
"Aunty chaliye neeche" she said helping her get up
"Kya baat hai beta shravan thhik hai na? " asked a worried mother
"Haan aunty aap bass abhi mere saath neeche chaliye " then she whispers to nirmala "aunty shravan kuch der akela rehna chahta hai isiliye ... Plzz aunty " and nirmala smiled for two reasons one is that his son will now learn the truth and another one that no one can understand shravan to this depth as suman and nodding in positive she went along with suman downstairs
While vanishing in the staircase suman kept staring at his figure with moist eyes untill he was no more in the sight
Shravan stood freeze ... Deep in thoughts and immediately he let out his desperation in the form of a shout which turned into his wails of cry
He sat on his knees crying hard with a thud...
After facing his own breakdown at the situation, he entered into the suman's room looking at worried faces of the ladies sitting on the bed waiting for him eagerly.
suman and nirmala was sitting there hands in hands providing comfort to each other. They saw sharavan coming towards them..
Both of them stands up to meet his eyes that were just redden due to crying...
Both of them waiting for him to say something..
"Maa" the only word left his mouth...but this time.. This word is more impact full than before the situation.
Suman and nirmala looked at him with smiling faces that they have achieved their destiny...
Nirmala hugged her son as an immediate reaction which a mother could give..and unlike their last encounter, shravan hugged her mother back...
Tears of happiness flowed from the eyes of mother son duo. Years for separation couldnt fade the love they had for each other.
"Ma aap kyun chali gyi thi mujhe chhodkar. Apko pata hai main kitna toot gaya tha ."he sobbed hugging her.
Just like a little child that clings to his mother fearing she might just vanish, he tightly hugged her not letting her go
"Shhh beta ...kahin nhi ja rahi main. "She gently stroked his back
"I am sorry beta galti hum dono ki thi. Main aur ram ne apne ego ke chakkar me bhool gye ki in sab ka tumhare upar kya asar padega. Ram ne mere sath jo kiya main use kabhi bhula to nhi sakti par beta unhone tumhari parvarish me koi kami nhi chhodi . Ek achche pita ke sare farz nibhaye unhone. Uske liye main unki shukraguzar hu. Jaha tak suman ki bat rhi to ye sirf unki insecurity ka nateeza hai . Wo tumhe bahut pyar karte hain shayad isi liye tumhe khone se darte hain." She said
"Han shravan aunty bilkul thik keh rhi hain. Mujhe uncle se koi shikayat nahi." Suman joined in
Shravan stared at the two ladies , who were so forgiving . Inspite of all his dad put them through they didnt hold grudges against him. His heart swell with pride. He was lucky to have them in his life. He engulfed both of them in tight hug.
"Bas bas shravan ab ye ma bete ka pyar to hota rhega, pehle tum apne hone wali dulhan pe to jee bhar ke pyar luta lo." Nirmala teased him
His eyes popped out . Sumo...his bride? While suman blushed furiously putting tomato to shame.
Nirmala chuckled at their cute expressions. She prayed to god these two stay like this forever. She decided to give some privacy. Picked her bag to leave.
"Ma...aap"
"Ati hu ek kam yaad aa gya tha . Tab tak tum log apna kam niptao" she winked. Both of them reddened
" So my would be wife. ..mom gave us some privacy now lets make the best use of it." He leaned onto kiss her.
"What would be wife?? You didnt even propose me?" She faked anger
He grinned at her childlike antics. This was the sumo he had known all his life , this was the sumo he fell in love with . This was the sumo he was missing.
He sat down on one knee and held her one hand
"Kabhi gira to tumne sambhal liya
Kabhi toota to mujhe fir se jod diya
Kabhi thehra to mujhe chalne ki himmat di
Kabhi behka to mujhe rokne ki bhi tumne jurrat ki
Ab tumhare bina mujhe ek pal bhi nhi hai ganwara
Bolo kya banogi meri is andheri jindagi ka chamakta hua sitara."
Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks . She pulled him closer and kissed him. He was taken aback by her sudden bold move but kissed her back.
"To ise main tumhari haan samjhun" he grinned
She smiled sheepishly and nodded. Both walked hand in hand. There were still many things to be sorted but it seems a cakewalk when you have your love by your side.