FF: Lootera ~ Last Chapter on page- 85~ - Page 53

Chapter: 13

"Thank you Aunty." Thapki smiled sweetly at the dear chatty old lady who just complimented her. She looked at her husband who was pointedly ignoring the lady and busy topping up his plate with food.

"Are you on your honeymoon, child?"

"Sort of, we didn't get time b-before for a honeymoon when we got married, so--"

"How long have you been married? Me and my John have been married for 43 years and still going strong." She gestured at a huge, round man with grey hair sitting at a table, eating who looked at them and waved cheerfully. Thapki waved back.

"Wow that is such a long t-time...we have been married for about 1 and h-half years"

"And didn't get time for a honeymoon?" she exclaimed. "Men!! Only they can be so unromantic to not make time for honeymoon."

"No, aunty it was not like that, my h-husband had to go away... for some work... and we were a-apart for most of the time...now he is back and he brought me h-here."

"Oh, how nice of him, such a beautiful couple you make together."

"Thank you Aunty."

"Anyone looking at you two can tell how deeply you both are in love" Thapki blushed and smiled. But Bihaan scowled and walked away to a table.

"Sorry Aunty my husband is not really a p-people's person."

"I can understand, he probably wants your undivided attention after being apart for so long...and want you all to himself, not liking me monopolising your time." The dear old lady said with a wink. They chatted for a few more minutes and Thapki came to sit by Bihaan.

Though Thapki and Bihaan usually ordered room service and seldom went out of their room, that night Thapki convinced Bihaan to have dinner at the dining room of the lodge, where there was a buffet available for its guest. He had acquiesced albeit grumpily and was now sulkily eating his dinner, scowling at any friendly faces of fellow guests of the lodge.

"Bihaan will you stop s-scowling and stop scaring the people away, we are here to mix and mingle r-remember?"

"You are here to do that, I am here only for food."

"And why am I doing that?? Only for you. You ungrateful b-brute"

"I told you, we don't need all these...but jhasi ki rani meri baat sune to duniya ulti ho jayegi na?"

"I only wanted to meet other p-people and introduce us as Mr and Mrs Bihaan Pandey? Is that my c-crime? And why I want to do that? For y-you...your benefit...so that people know you as B-Bihaan and ---" Thapki switched to say in a whisper, "---and nobody r-relates you to 'you know who'."

"I am who I am, I don't need other people to vouch for me to prove who I am"

"I am done...I am totally d-done with you...do whatever you w-want...go to hell if that is what you want." Thapki said looking daggers at Bihaan.

"I have been in hell since as long as I remember; I don't want to go back there...I have gotten used to your heaven."Bihaan said simply and continued eating.

It was hard for Thapki to remain angry at Bihaan after such a reply. She sighed hopelessly looking at her adorable but complex husband who was so full of vexation. One second she wanted to kill him and at the next second she just wanted to hug him and never let him go. Though she always kept telling him there was no difference between Bihaan and Raja, there actually was one. It was not apparent much but while Bihaan was always so sure and confident of himself, Raja was very insecure. Bihaan had a sense of security as he was loved by his family and he easily trusted anyone; but Raja was totally different, he trusted no one, he only relied on himself and had enclosed himself in a hard, embittered shell. But inside he was vulnerable and yearning for love which he hid by his tough looks and behaviour. That was also why he took time to accept her back into his life. Thapki suspected, his this vulnerability spiked his panic attacks and temper tantrums. Whatever it might be, she would never let Raja feel vulnerable again, she vowed to herself.

"I love you, my Raja" Thapki said helplessly not being able to contain her love for him.

"Raja? What's cooking in your mind?" Bihaan asked suspiciously but looking pleased.

But before Thapki could answer a voice called out, "Thapki betiya?"

Thapki dropped her spoon at the voice and turned her head to see Bauji standing looking staggered. Though he called out to her, he was not looking at her but past her, at Bihaan with a heart breaking expression.

Thapki stood up and went like a homing pigeon to Bauji and hugged him. "Bauji---"

"Thapki Betiya, yeh-woh-mera Bihaan---", Bauji couldn't finish his sentence...Thapki looked at him and smiled nodding her head,

"Haan Bauji, he is your B-Bihaan."

By that time Bihaan had stood up and was looking at the old man feeling restless. Though the old man's kind face didn't mean anything to him, his heart had start to somersault seeing him. His heart was urging him to touch this unknown man, urging him to hug him.

Bauji hugged Bihaan with all his fragile might and Bihaan hugged him back. Both the men were crying; while Bauji was crying without any restraint, Bihaan didn't even know tears were sliding past his own cheeks.

Thapki was crying too seeing the father and son's heartfelt re-union. She wiped her tears to see Dadima, Suman Bhabi, Preiti Bhabi, Sanjay Bhaiya and Ashwin Bhaiya standing near, all looking at Bihaan with disbelief. Thapki went to them and hold out her hands to Dadima, "Dadima, Bhabi, Bhaiya, dekho main kisko dhund kar layi huun? aap sab ke Bihaan ko."

Dadima and the bhabis hugged Thapki shedding happy tears while Ashwin and Sanjay Bhaiya went and hugged Bihaan.

"Ma?" Thapki asked. "Ma nehi aayi?"

"Yes she is here too Thapki, she is coming in with Dhruv devarji. We came here directly but she went to Dhruv devarji's hotel first." Thapki stiffened at mention of Dhruv but didn't get chance to say anything amidst the tearful reunions.

After the whole family moved to the lodge veranda, everyone was too excited to settle down, everyone was shooting thousand questions at Bihaan and Thapki both, talking all at the same time. A discomfited Bihaan looked at her, his eyes asking for her help silently. She smiled and moved towards him.

"Bihaan , why are you standing so far from us? Come sit beside me" Dadima patted the place beside her. Bihaan went and sit beside her stiffly. "Bihaan beta, yeh kaisa haal bana lia tune tera?"

"Bihaan devarji, why have you not come back to us?"

"Bihaan we looked for you so much in the jungle but couldn't find your trace, where were you since so long?"

"Thapki, how did you find him?"

"Thapki we thought you were kidnapped by Durga's men...you won't believe the stories we have heard about you"

"Bihaan beta, tu kuch kyon nehi bol raha hai?"

"Bihaan why are you so quiet?"

"Thapki betiya, why didn't you contact us these last few weeks and tell us you are fine and that Bihaan is alive??? Have you any idea how much worried we were about you after you went missing like that?" Bauji asked amidst the thousand questions.

But before Thapki could answer, Bihaan answered for her."Not her fault. I asked her not to." This was the first time Bihaan spoke since his family came.

"Aisa kyon Bihaan?"

"I was not ready." Bihaan said stiffly.

"Not ready? Not ready for what?"

Thapki took hold of Bauji's hand, "Bauji, woh Bihaan, he has lost his m-memories, he doesn't remember us." Her answer was greeted with pin drop silence. Bihaan was still sitting stiffly looking anywhere but at the people who love him. Dadima took hold of Bihaan's chin and made him look at her.

"Bihaan beta, you don't know who I am?"

Bihaan smiled weakly at her, "How can I not know you? You are Dadima. Thapki has said so much about you." Dadima began to cry again, realising Bihaan had recognised her hearing Thapki's description of her but not by himself.

"Bihaan?" Everyone turned their head to see Vasundhara standing near the door with Dhruv.

"Is it true you do not remember anything?" Bihaan didn't answer but kept looking at her. He didn't know why his heart was hurting looking at her.

"I am your mother and it is my entire fault you are in this condition today. Main tumhara gunehgaar huun beta. " Vasu cried clasping her hands in front of him.

Thapki stood and came close to Vasu putting her arms around her." Ma, please s-stop blaming yourself. It was not your f-fault. You were only trying to save h-him. You shouldn't feel guilty."

"No it is all my fault, please forgive me my son." Vasu cried more. Bihaan stood up and awkwardly patted the crying woman's shoulder.

"It is okay. Don't worry. No harm done." Bihaan said stiffly and Vasu hugged him after that.

Dhruv came forward next and said, "Bhai forgive me too?" Bihaan stood straight and looked at him sharply not saying anything.

"Dhruv devarji, what happened to you? Who beat you up so badly?"

"It is nothing Preity bhabi, just a misunderstanding." Dhruv said with a smile.

Bihaan looked at Preity bhabi and said, "I did this to him. He came this morning with police to take Thapki away from me. He broke down the door and barged in invading our privacy; then started to harass Thapki without giving her any chance to talk. Moreover, he has been saying all over the town that she is his wife. It made me angry."

"Woh Bihaan beta, actually it was not his fault. When we couldn't find Thapki we were worried sick about her. No one could give any information about her. And there was not even any ransom note. So we decided to say she is Dhruv's wife, which would give her protection. People would give importance to Dhruv, a celebrity's wife." Vasu said.

"As long as he knows it is only make-belief and not real. Thapki is not his but mine." Bihaan said threateningly and an awkward silence fell on the group.

Dhruv gave a laugh and said, "I know Bihaan my brother, she is yours, believe me I have seen enough today..." He laughed again, "And I am sorry for what I did to you before, I never meant to lethally harm you. I temporary lost my mind. Please forgive me?" Dhruv held out his hand.

"As long as you keep your leash on and not lose your mind again." Bihaan said insultingly and took Dhruv's hand and shook it crushing his bones. Both the guys glared at each other but Dhruv quickly hid his expression and smiled.

"Sure thing brother, I have learned my lesson."

"But Bauji, Dhruv lied about s-searching for Bihaan. He never searched for him as he told u-us." Thapki said heatedly.

"You are misunderstanding me again Thapki. I appointed a team and they searched for Bihaan continuously for 3 months every inch of this jungle; I don't know why they couldn't find him. I can present my team you can talk to them if you don't believe me. Even you tried to find him since 2 months but couldn't...so see?? It might be a matter of luck only. Why can't my team find you, Bihaan? Where were you?"

"Surely the only place your team overlooked to search." Bihaan replied flippantly.

Bauji cleared his throat and said, "Jako rakhey Saiyaan mar sake na koi...Sab bhagwan ki kripa hai unhone mera beta lauta diya. I am shameful to admit despite being your father, I thought you were dead. We all thought you died Bihaan, only Thapki betiya didn't believe you are dead. She proved agar ek patni chahe to woh Yamraj ke munh sey bhi apne pati k jaan cheen kar laa sakti hai. If she didn't insist on coming here and look for you herself, probably we would have never gotten you back, even though you are alive since you lost your memories. But it doesn't matter if you don't have your memories beta, we will make new ones." Bauji said and everyone nodded.

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"Dhruv devarji asked us all to come down here, he said he found you here but didn't clarify anything. He did say a surprise was waiting for us, but not in our wildest dreams we thought it could be Bihaan devarji."Preity Bhabi said to Thapki still looking disbelievingly at Bihaan.

"I know B-bhabi first few days I constantly feared all t-this was a dream and I would wake up from it any moment and realise Bihaan is not r-real."

"Thapki you are looking so pretty in saree, sindoor and mangalsutra." Suman Bhabi complimented and Preity Bhabi nodded in agreement.

"Thank you Bhabi, last week we went to the m-mandir and got married again."

"Aww, Thapki you could have told us we would have loved to attend"

"Dekho iss ladki ko, while we were thinking you were kidnapped and what not...you were happily getting married "

"Sorry Bhabi, everything happened so f-fast I---"

"Thapki you won't believe the horrifying stories we have heard. We thought the girl in those stories was you but now we know it was not you but some other poor girl." Suman Bhabi said and Thapki tensed.

"Haan, we heard, the most dangerous of Durga's men 'The Raja Daku' was enamoured with you... and was keeping you as his sex-slave." Suman bhabi whispered.

"Ridiculous." The word came out of her before she could stop herself.

"Not ridiculous, you don't know anything about how dangerous this group of bandits are... have no morals at all and can do anything...this Durga and his gang rule the whole forest region...not a leaf moves without their permission and knowing...and this Raja daku? he is Durga's right hand...Raja is so viscous and ferocious, even his look curdles milk. " Both Bhabis shuddered and Thapki hid a smile.

"Where d-did you hear this story of R-Raja daku and the girl?", Thapki inquired.

"Stories of Durga gang's kartoot are everywhere, everyone whispers about them, but nobody wants to talk about them freely.. We heard nobody who ever saw Durga's men lives to tell a tale" Preity Bhabi said dramatically.

"If n-nobody stays a-alive to tell a t-tale, then who spreads these ridiculous s-stories?"

"Haan woh to hae but phir bhi... we heard the whispers...and then offcourse the phone call."

"What phonecall?"

"A woman called Dhruv Devarji this morning and told him, you will be here and that Durga's men are torturing you so much that you have lost your mind. She didn't even want the reward money..."

"A woman, you say?" Lots of things became clear and Thapki had a fair idea who that woman was. She couldn't wait to tell Bihaan this information.

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Bihaan was sitting surrounded by his family and everyone was telling him stories trying to jog up his memories. He looked at his wife who was immersed in an animated conversation with his beautiful and cute Bhabis. Dorai came with refreshment drinks and served all. When he came to serve Bihaan, Dorai gestured him that he had got message for him. Shortly Bihaan excused himself and went to meet Dorai somewhere private in the lodge.

"What is it Dorai?"

"Raja Bhaiya, Durga has known what happened and is most upset. He wants to meet you. He can't connect you through your phone"

"Okay I will leave now. I have destroyed my phone's sim card just in case so he couldn't get my phone."

"Good, but you can't leave this place, everyone here thinks you are Bihaan Babu, you can't blow this cover."

"It is not a cover, I am really Bihaan Pandey."

"Jo bhi ho Raja Bhaiya, Durga is coming here. He will be in the Tiger Hill by midnight. Be ready to meet him there."

"Thik hae..."

"Raja Bhaiya---"

"Bihaan?" Bauji called and he turned to see Bauji and Dhruv coming in.

"Yes Bauji?"

"Everything okay?"

Dorai smiled and said, "Bihaan babu was just asking about your accommodations. I have prepared the best suites for you and your family Sir. "

"Kuch bhi chalega, Dorai, you run a very nice lodge here" Bauji said.

"Thank you sir. Sab upar wala ki kripa sey." Dorai bowed and left.

Bauji started to talk with Bihaan about something silly Dhruv was not interested in. His mind was busy processing something bigger, he was pretty sure he heard Dorai addressing Bihaan as Raja Bhaiya'...Raja? Wasn't it too much a co incidence, one of durga's men was also named Raja...specially the one who was involved in the story about kidnapping Thapki? The women in the phone also mentioned involvement of Durga's men. He remembered the brutal way Bihaan beat him today...was Dhruv thinking too much? Or did he just hit a jackpot? Was Bihaan living as a daku these last few months?

Dhruv smiled.

"Dhruv what are you smiling about?" Bauji asked.

"Nothing dad. I was just wondering since Bihaan had lost his memories, did he remember his name or went by some other name?"

"And this thought made you smile?"Bihaan asked instead of answering.

"Haan Bihaan, tujhe yaad tha? Tera naam Bihaan hai?" Bauji asked curiously.

"Nehi Bauji, I didn't remember my name."

"So what name you took?"

Before Bihaan could answer anything, Thapki piped in, "Lalu...he went by the name of Lalu Prasad" Bihaan could not help but roll his eyes at Thapki.

Chapter- 14

ps. I am too sleepy to proofread. sorry.