Chapter 8
Finally Madhav and Asawari had arrived from the wedding. As soon as Malhar went to pick them up from railway station, Madhav burst on him, "Ye kya sun raha hoon main Malhar? Tumhe naukri se nikaal diya gaya hai, vo bhi Rishwatkhori ke aarop mein?"
"Baba...vo...," Malhar was going to explain himself when he heard the familiar, "Badi dusht hai ye duniyaa!"
"Are Malhar, tumne apne Baba ko nahi bataya," Malhar didn't know Aau Saheb materialized in the railway station, "Is poore hafte me Newspaper me tumhara hi to chehra chhaya raha. Kehna padega Madhav, tumhare bacchon ne kya naam roshan kiya hai tumhara- Chhota beta kidnapper, Bada beta rishwatkhor, aur Beti Swara ek kaayar...aakhir wo bhi kya karti, aise bhai kisi ko mile to usse to maut hi bhali."
"Aau Saheb," Malhar's fists clenched.
"Malhar," Madhav raised his hand to stop Malhar, "Badon ke saamne apni had me raho, bhool gaye maine kya sikhaya hai tumhe."
Malhar said in his heart, "Kucch nahi bhoola main Baba. Sirf isliye hi aaj tak Aau Saheb ki har baat bardaasht karta raha kyonki unki umar ka lihaaj karta hoon. Jhooth bolkar Sampada se meri shaadi karake zindagi inhone ne meri barbaad ki, Swara ko itna torture kiya ki usne apni hi jaan le li, fir ye mujhe kis baat ke taane deti rehti hain." Then Malhar remembered about Rao Sahab and Nal and whatever he was going to say to Aau Saheb, he kept to himself. If his mother was killed unintentionally in an accident by Rao Sahab, he also had unintentionally caused deaths of Rao Sahab and Nal. If he thought like that, he could at least try to sympathize with AS, but till when he was going to be punished like that? All he wanted was for Moksh to escape this cycle of hatred and revenge.
"Chaliye maana, Swara kaayar aur Malhar rishwatkhor h," Asawari said, "Magar aapki poti? Vo to shadishudaa hote huye kisi aur..."
"Baba..."Malhar tried to stop her. He was glad he hadn't brought Moksh with him. To his horror, Asawari even said that extramarital affairs run in the blood of AS's family. "Ahilya ji, kahin isi vajah se to Rao Sahab ne..."
"Ho gaya aap logon ka," Malhar said, "Moksh uthne wala hoga. To ab binaa koi naya bakheda kiye ghar chaliye." Sometimes he wondered how he hadn't gotten mad living with such elder persons who were supposed to guide him. He couldn't leave even Moksh alone with Asawari. One day he heard Asawari telling Moksh that his mother was an adulteress because his father couldn't make her happy.
When Moksh opened his mouth, Malhar was stunned with horror that he was going to ask the meaning of an adulteress. But Moksh innocently asked, "Do I have a mother?"
Whenever Malhar tried to feel Kalyani's perspective, his helplessness whenever Moksh searched for his mother in the faces of strangers stopped him from doing so. Malhar remembered how afraid he felt when Sampada left him for Atharva. He lashed out at everyone. Everyone saw his anger. But more than angry, he was scared. He was too young when Madhav abandoned him. He didn't know a thing about being a parent. And Sampada left him all alone. He had no one to turn to, ask to help him. Then Kalyani came, and more than he loved her as his wife, he loved her as Moksh's mother. But she did the same thing to him like Sampada did. And he didn't know why, if Sampada's betrayal had shattered his heart, Kalyani's betrayal sucked the soul out of. Malhar told himself he was glad that Kalyani died and he wished that she would rot in hell for hundreds of years.
Inside Malhar's new house on rent
"Tum ek aurat ke neeche kaam kar rahe ho?" Madhav threw the glass of water on floor, "Kya matlab tumhare padhne likhne ka? Isse accha to tum anpadh reh jate. Ek aurat tumhe hukum degi...tabhi Sampada aur Kalyani...chii mujhe to bolne me bhi sharam aati hai."
"Aur kya Malhar? Isse accha to mera Ahir hi tha," Asawari added kerosene to fire.
"Ungliyon par nachati hogi vo Agni ise," Madhav said, "Aur ye ek pille ki tarah ghoomta hoga Yes madam Yes madam karke. Vo teri kulakchhini biwi kya bulaati thi Moksh ko-Pillu. Asli pillu to tu hai beta. Jaanta hoon itna paisa kamaane ke liye kya kya gul khilaye honge usne."
"Bas Baba," Malhar said, "Vo itni kaamyaab isliye hai kyonki vo din raat kadi mehnat karti hai. Agar ham employees se vo poori mehnat expect karti hai to khud uska hazaar guna karti hai. Maine dekha hai use. Kaam ke alawa kucch nahi dikhta use. Aur vo jitni intelligent h...mera matlab jo kucch Agni ke paas h...vo sab vo deserve karti h balki usse bhi zyada deserve karti h."
"Waah Malhar," Asawari taunted, "Vo do takke ki Kalyaani to tujhse sambhaali nahi gayi, Agni ke pairon par gir bhi jayega na to teri koi aukaat nahi h uske saamne."
Tabhi Moksh daudta hua aaya, "Papa aapki boss ka naam Agni Naidu hai na? Unka interview aa raha h TV par. Kitni sundar hain vo? Papa aap unse hi shaadi kar lo fir main bhi doston par impression jamaunga ki meri mummy itni beautiful aur successful hain."
"Zara ham bhi to dekhen Malhar ki boss ko," Asawari went towards TV but Malhar stealthily made the power off of the whole house. If his father had reacted so strongly for his boss being a woman, how would he react when he discover Agni looked exactly like Kalyaani.
"Ye light kaise chali gayi," Asawari said.
"Pata nahi," Malhar said innocently.
Late at night Malhar was busy in work when he thought to confirm the meeting from Agni herself. Malhar called her number.
"Hello! Who's this?"
"Sorry ma'am," Malhar said, "Sorry for disturbing your sleep."
"Main company ka weekly revenue analyze kar rahi thi," Agni said, "Teen ghante se zyaada sone ki aadat nahi h mujhe."
Suddenly Moksh sat up on the bed. The phone on his ear, Malhar said, "Soye nahi abhi tak tum? So jao varna kal school jaane ke time roge."
"Malharji...hamara beta" Then Agni corrected herself, "Malhar...tumhara beta h na vo? Kaisi hai ab uski tabiyat?"
"Ab theek h," Malhar said, "Bas apne Baba ko pareshaan kar raha hai."
"Baba baat karao na unse meri," Moksh pouted, "Mujhe bhi itni pretty aunty se baat karni h varna main aaj nahi sounga."
"Moksh zyada jid ki to ek thappad padega," Malhar scolded. Moksh started crying.
"Kya karte hain aap Mr. Rane?" Agni said, "Rula diya na aapne Pillu ko. Phone dijiye use."
Malhar gave phone to Moksh.
"P...Moksh, kaisa hai mera baccha?" Agni said.
Moksh started giggling, "Main accha hoon. Pata hai aap bahut beautiful ho. Maine jitni girls ko dekha hai na un sabse beautiful. Aapke to bahut saare boyfriends honge na jab aap itni beautiful aur rich ho?"
Agni started laughing, "Boyfriend kisne sikhaaya tujhe ye sab?"
Moksh said, "Dadi kehti hai meri mummy beautiful thi isliye mere papa ko chhor ek gande uncle ke saath bhaag gayi. Fir god me unhe punish kiya aur vo mar gayi. Par pata h Agni aunty?"
Agni said with heavy voice, "Kya?"
Moksh said, "Mujhe unki bahut yaad aati h. Unka chehra nahi dekha maine kabhi Magar aapki photo dekhi na TV par to mujhe laga meri mummy bhi itni hi sundar hogi. Aur mujhe nahi lagta meri mummy gande uncle ke saath Papa ki vajah se gayi hogi. Sam aunty kehti hai na ki main bad boy hoon. Isliye mummy mujhe chhorkar chali gayi."
"Kisne kaha tu bad boy hai?" Agni said though her heart was breaking into million pieces, "Aur kaun kehta hai teri mummy tujhe chhorkar chali gayi h? Vo to bas hide and seek khel rahi h tere saath? Samajh le ye tera test h ki tu apni mummy ko pehchan paata h ya nahi?"
Finally after seeing Moksh this happy for the first time in his tiny life, Malhar got so relaxed that sleep started embracing him. Just then he thought why Agni called Moksh Pillu? Only Kalyani called him Pillu? Why Agni?
But when he woke up in the morning, Malhar decided that he had just dreamed Agni calling Moksh Pillu.
https://youtu.be/oL75W3ubBgQ
Edited by Autumn09 - 3 years ago