After leaving the house Mahir went to the nearest bar. He didn't drink. But today he will. To forget the scene that took place today before his eyes.
He never thought it could hurt that much. It felt like someone broke his ribs and pulled out his heart from inside of his body.
But she loves me. She cares for me. Even if she doesn't say, I know it, right? he thought.
But she never told you that, did she? another part of him whispered.
He didn't know what to do. What to feel. So, after more than ten years, he wanted to drink till he couldn't see, couldn't feel. After his fourth glass, a young woman came and sat beside him.
She was probably in her mid-twenties. Tall, curvy - the kind men usually lust after. But she was dressed tastefully for a bar like this one, which was curious.
"Aap upset lag rahe hai," it wasn't a question.
When Mahir went to grab his seventh glass, she snatched it and said, "Aapko dekh ke lagta hai ki aap drink nahi karte. Aapki shakal pe dikh raha hai ki aap enjoy karne ki liye toh definitely nahi pee rahe."
"Main kuch bhi karoon, tumhe kya?" he snapped.
"Well, ye bar meri mangetar ka hai. Toh uss hisab se toh ye meri huyi. Aur apni customers ki problems pata karna toh mera farz hai," she told him in a patronising tone. When he still didn't say anything and kept sulking she said,
"Dekhiye, aap mujhe nahi jaante. Main aapko nahi jaanti. Toh aap mujhse kuch bhi share kar sakte hai. Kyun ki humari dobara milne ki chances utna zyada nahi hai. You'll feel better. Aur kya pata, meri paas shayet aapki problem ka solution ho," she gave him an encouraging nudge.
The alcohol had started to affect his system and for some reason his alcohol addled mind thought it was perfectly normal to share all his confusion and frustration with this stranger.
So he started talking. From the first day he met Bela, to her hugging Yuvi and confessing her love, and her running behind his car. He drank as he talked.
It felt better to talk, he would admit to himself later.
After he finished, the girl told him that if he thought Bela loved him, even if it was a miniscule amount, then he should let her explain herself. She deserved at least that. The girl also told him to be a less stubborn git and trust his wife. Because it's not always what it seems like. Exactly the same way she got ready to marry that Shaan person.
After she had said her piece, she tended to his hand. The bleeding had stopped. So she cleaned it, slathered some kind of cream all over the cuts, and wrapped a bandage around it.
"Mujhe nahi lagta ki aapko meri advice yaad bhi hogi, par bharosa har rishtey ki neev hoti hai. Jaha bharosa nahi hai, uss rishtey ka bhi koi matlab nahi hai."
She took his glass from him. He was already swaying. "Aap car se aayi hai, right? Iss halat mein aapko akela toh nahi chor sakti," she pondered over something, then texted her fianc that she had to leave for sometime and that he wait for her till she came back.
She coerced Mahir to tell her his address, took his car keys and drove him home. After handing him over to someone from his house, she left, walking to her destination.
_________________________________________
The next morning, Bela woke up being smothered by a heavy body on top of her. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at the person whose dead-weight was on her. It was, obviously, her husband.
At some point in the night, they changed their positions in sleep. Now Mahir was cuddling her instead of the other way around. He was half on top of her. His legs trapping hers and his one hand over her hips tightly. His other hand was above his head.
The events of last night came crashing on her. She sighed and traced her fingers with feather light touches on the contours of his face. He looked so peaceful. So handsome, and he was hers. She slowly managed to get him to loose his grip and moved to sit comfortably.
She leaned against the headboard and ran her fingers through his baby soft hair. After about fifteen minutes, Mahir stared stirring. He groaned from the hangover. He didn't have one of those in years. He blinked his eyes and growled loudly.
That's why he hated drinking.
"Kya hua?" Bela asked. She removed her fingers from his hair when he groaned the first time.
"Sar dard," he muttered. "First aid box mein dawai hogi. De sakti ho, please?"
She got out of bed, opened the cupboard and brought him the medicine. She gave him a glass of water from the bedside table.
After he took the medicine, slowly yesterday's events came to his mind. His face screwed up into a scowl.
Bela understood why his demeanour changed.
"Mahir ji, kal jo aap ne dekha.. wo sach nahi tha," she sat down beside him. Took his bandaged hand in hers.
"Kal uss kaale suit mein, main Yuvi ko pehchaan nahi payi thi. Mujhe laga wo aap hai."
At this revelation, Mahir looked at her surprised. Well, shocked would be a better representation of what he was feeling. Seeing his expression Bela nodded.
"Haan. Wo sab jo aapne mujhe Yuvi ko kehte huye suna tha wo main aapse kehna chahti thi," she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it.
"I love you, Mahir ji. Main sirf aapse pyaar karti hoon. Ab meri zindagi mein aur kisika koi jagah nahi hai," she told him, bringing her palm to cup his cheek. She caressed his cheekbone with her thumb.
"Tum sure ho na Bela? Jo tum keh rahi ho tum phir se wapas nahi le sakti," he couldn't believe it. She was confessing her love for him.
"Nahi lungi. Kabhi bhi nahi. Ab toh aap mujhse naraz nahi hai na?" she wanted to know that they were okay.
"Nahi hoon," he smiled. He pulled her into a hug.
"Wo ladki kaun thi?" she mumbled into his chest, tightening her grip around him.
"Kaun ladki?" he asked.
"Jo aapko kal ghar chor ne aayi thi," she said, refusing to meet his eyes.
"Oh wo toh.. waise kyun? Nahi, matlab kyun jaanna hai tumhe?" he said playfully, "Bela, kahin tumhe jealousy toh nahi ho rahi thi?"
She sat straight, with her nose upwards haughtily. "Agar ho rahi thi toh? Aap batayenge mujhe kaun thi wo?" she snipped.
He laughed. His wife loved him. She was jealous. He was a happy man.
"Jis bar mein main gaya tha, uss bar ki owner ki mangetar thi wo. Pata nahi. Bohot bolti hai. Tumhari tarha. Taras kha gayi hogi mujh pe iss liye chor ne ayi thi."
"Taras kyun khayegi?" she frowned.
"Wo," he cleared his throat and stayed silent.
"Mahir ji! Kya kiya aapne?" she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Wo, nashe mein maine usko sab kuch bol diya," he admitted sheepishly.
"Kya matlab sab kuch bol diya? Aap paagal toh nahi ho gaye? Aise kaise kisiko bhi humari problems ki baare mein bata diya?" Bela was agitated. Shocked, frustrated and annoyed. She stood up and paced back and forth on the carpet in front of Mahir.
"Areh wo kisiko nahi batayegi kuch bhi," Mahir tried to placate her.
"Accha? Aapko kaise pata? Aap to nashe mein dhut the. Aapko likh ke diya hai usne ki kisi se share nahi karegi. Aap jante bhi nahi hai ushe," she ranted.
"Bela, main logon pe bharosa karne ki koushish kar raha hoon. Aur mujhe lagta hai ki uss ladki pe bharosa kiya jaa sakta hai. Dekho Bela, God forbid, agar kuch aisa waisa hua toh saara blame mera. Okay? Shant ho jao," Mahir held her hand and pulled her down beside him.
"Blame ki baat nahi kar rahi hoon Mahir ji. Mujhe khud nahi pata main kis baat ko lekar zyada upset hoon. Aapne ek ajnabi se ye sab baatein share ki iss liye, ya aapko mujhse zyada ek ajnabi pe bharosa hai iss liye," she covered her face with her hand.
Mahir moved close to her, pulled her hands down from her face and cupped her cheeks. She looked in his eyes and he could see the hurt there. He knew he was at fault too. He also knew the hurt she felt very well, as he had felt the same in the beginning of their relationship.
"I'm sorry. Aisi galti phir kabhi nahi hoga. I promise. Iss baar maaf kardo. Phir kabhi aisa kiya toh acche se pitai kar lena meri," she let out a small watery laugh at his words and nodded.
He let go of her cheeks and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. She lifted her face to kiss on his cheek, then nose, chin, and on his mouth. He groaned and pulled her closer. His arms around her tiny waist. She held him by his cheek as the kiss escalated.
His mouth discarded on her neck and he nibbled on her collar-bone. Before things got even more heated, someone knocked on the door.
Sumitra's voice floated through the wooden door, "Sorry agar main disturb kar rahi hoon toh. Par sab niche nashte mein tumhara intezaar kar raha hai."
They sat still and heard the sound her footsteps getting faint. Bela suddenly let out a small laughter, and Mahir soon followed. After the initial shock of getting caught by their mother wore off, Bela blushed furiously. She looked anywhere but her husband's face. She tried to get up and leave to get ready for the day, but Mahir pulled her on top of him as he laid down.
"Kya kar rahe hai aap? Pagal toh nahi ho gaye? Suna nahi maa ne kya kaha? Sab intez-umph," her tirade was stopped midway as his lips brushed against her own.
It wasn't anywhere near the kiss they shared minutes ago, but this was so tender! Bela felt her heart swell as he whispered 'I love you' against her lips before letting her go.
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
CID
