Rahul walked around the house searching for her but she wasn't to be seen anywhere.
Kahan chali gayi ye Mauli…
Yesterday's bangle fiasco had become embarrassing for him. It would have been embarrassing for her too.
Rati's tantrum and his mom hurriedly removing the bangles from Mauli's hand kept playing in his mind. He had seen Mauli rubbing her wrist. It must have hurt her.
Pata nahi usne dawai lagayi hogi ya nahi…Ms Haye tauba sabki doctor banti phirti hai..Lekin khud ka khayal toh nahi rakhti…
“Kya hua Rahul…? Kya doond rahe ho..”, his dad asked.
“Mm..Kuch Nahi Dad..!!”
“Kuch nahi..? Toh phir aise pure ghar me ghoom kyun rahe ho…? kar kya rahe ho…?”, Tanvi asked her son.
“Are mom..kuch nahi…Mai bas aise hi walking kar raha tha…bas…”
“Ghar ke andhar walking..? How boring…!! Rahul…chalo na hum donon market tak walk pe jayenge aur Mai thoda street shopping bhi kar lungi…”, Rati enthusiastically held on to his hand.
“Haan..ye acha idea hai...aise tum donon thoda akele time spend kar sakte ho…”, Tanvi said, happy with the idea.
Rahul was in no mood to go anywhere. He politely shrugged her hand off, “Abhi Mai thak gaya…hum kabhi aur chalenge…”
Rati was disappointed, “Rahul please chalo na…Mera bohot man hai shopping karne ka…”
“Aa…actually mere sar me dard ho raha hai…Tum mom ko leke jao na…ya phir even better Mini ko leke jao…she knows better..”
“Haan Rati…Mai chalti hun…”, hearing them, a passing Mini came there excited.
Rati made a half-hearted small smile and nodded her head, “Teekh hai..par agli baar Tum chaloge mere saat…deal..?”
“Haan…deal deal..ab tum jao…” he quickly walked towards the terrace and stood holding the parapet wall, gazing dt the street. His mind wasn't working beyond where Mauli was. Whom could he ask without raising eyebrows he wondered.
Bina bataye kahan gayi hogi Mauli...
“Phone bandh hai…? Are phone kyun switch off hai…?” Manoj's voice filtered through Rahul's thoughts.
He turned around to see Manoj sitting on the chair there, trying to call someone.
“Kya hua Chachu?” Rahul went near him and asked.
“Are ye Mauli…kabse pata nahi kahan gayi hai… phone laga raha hun toh uska phone switched off hai…!!”
“Switched off..!!” Rahul frowned. “Aapko pata nahi woh kahan gayi…” he asked.
Manoj shook his head.
Rahul was all the more restless. It wasn't like her to not even tell Manoj.
“Mujhe toh chinta ho rahi hai…Mai use dundne jaa raha hun..” Manoj got up.
“Mai bhi chalta hun aapke saat…”
Manoj patted his shoulder, “Thank you Rahul…”
Both were about to leave when Ajanta came there. “Kahin jaa rahe hain aap donon..?”
Manoj told her about Mauli being missing and their plan to search for her.
“Are woh flight me hogi..phone toh switch off hi hoga na…”
“Flight..? Tum jaanti ho Mauli Kahan hai..?” Manoj asked.
“Haan..mujhe batakar gayi…woh kal hospital se use phone aaya tha… uske chotu se patient Pawan ka surgery hai do din me…woh bacha thoda gabra raha hai…use pehle Mauli hi deal karti thi na…toh uske parents ne Mauli se request ki surgery ke wakt uske saat rehne…”
“Aisi baat hai toh woh mujhe batake bhi jaa sakti thi na…!!”
“Haan Manoj..par use laga ki shayad tum use permission nahi doge..isliye mujhe bolke gayi..”
“Teekh hai…at least bolke toh gayi…”
They left from there leaving Rahul alone.
Rahul felt angry. Mujhe bhi toh bol sakti thi…not done Ms Haye Tauba. Not done…
Rahul was in a low mood and everyone including Rati thought his headache was worse. They left him alone.
******
Mauli was sitting in the flight to Mumbai. Tears formed in her eyes. Though the reason she had told Mama was true, there was another reason too for her to leave Ujjain without even telling her Papa.
She looked at the scratch in her wrist.
A tear slipped down as the moment Rahul had slipped the bangles in her hand played in her mind. Time had stopped for her until she felt the bangles being removed by Tanvi.
For a moment even she had thought that Rahul had felt something for her but he looked clueless and sorry when Rati had gotten upset.
No. It was better if she stayed away for a while. She knew it was difficult. Papa would ask her why she hadn't returned but she had to get involved in the hospital for her own sake.
She didn't want salt rubbed on her wounds everyday. Seeing Rahul and Rati together or their engagement would tear her heart little by little. She didn't want anyone noticing her low moments and questioning her. Her love for Rahul had to be safe and locked in her heart.
She closed her eyes and rested until the flight landed in Mumbai.
*******
Four days had passed and Rahul was simmering with anger within himself. Outwardly he smiled at everyone.
Ek call tak nahi kiya…na hi mere calls utaye… bas itni hi thi dosti
No one else seemed to be bothered much. They had accepted that Mauli had gone for an emergency case. Toh phir mujhe kyun itna gussa aa raha hai…?
Tanvi tapped his shoulder, “Kya hua hai tumhe..? Pichle chaar din se sar dard ka bol raha hai…uto..pehle doctor ke paas chalte hain..”
“Are bhabhi..!! Ghar pe hi doctor hai aur aap bahar le jaa rahi hai…Mai check karta hun…” Manoj came to them.
“Haan Manoj bhaiya..aap dekhiye ise…!! Mujhe toh gabrahat ho rahi hai…”
Rahul just lost his cool, “Oh please Mom…!! Kuch nahi hua hai mujhe..bas thodi si sar dard hi toh hai…sabko hota hai na…!!”
“Rahul..beta itna gussa kyun ho raha hai tu…bhaiya zaroor ise kuch hua hai…aap ache se check kijiye… aise toh Mera beta kabhi gussa nahi hota hai…hamesha shant rehta hai…Vijay dekhiye na…” Tanvi was more hyper now.
Oh God..!! Rahul sat back down mentally kicking himself for losing his cool. Now he had to politely endure the health check up.
“Bhabhi kuch nahi hua hai Rahul ko. Bas itni garmi ke wajah se thoda dehydrated lag raha hai…Mai golu se bolke dawai mangwa deta hun.”
Tanvi thanked him and held Rahul's hand leading him to his bed.
“Tu abhi yahan se hilega nahi… aaram karo…” She turned to Rohit, “Rohit apne bhai ka khayal rakh…”
Rahul and Rohit were both leaning on the bed with their phones in hand. Suddenly Rahul’s face brightened.
He nudged his brother. “Rohit..Mujhe teri help chahiye…”
“Yes bro..bolo..”
“Mai do din keliye apne doston se milne Ujjain se bahar jaa raha hun…mujhe kisiko batana nahi hai…Tum mujhe Yahan se chupke jaane me madad karoge…”
“Par chupke kyun jaana hai..? Aur kahan ja rahe ho..?”
“Warna mom jaane nahi degi aur woh Rati sat chalne ki zidd karegi…Mere do dost London se Bangalore aaye hai. Unse milne jaa raha hun…bohot din ho gaye… please help me bro..”
“Ok done…kab jaana hai..”
“Raat ko..”
“Aur mom ko kya bolun…”
“Bol do mere doston ne call kiya aur zabardasti tickets bheja to mai Bangalore gaya hun..” Rahul began packing his backpack and hid it under the bed.
At night Rohit quietly helped his brother Rahul to slip out.
******
Mauli was sitting on the sofa and browsing channels with the remote in hand. Her mind was elsewhere.
Rahul ke kitne missed calls hain… call karna chahti hun par himmat hi nahi ho rahi hai…Naraaz hoga… Nahi… kyun hoga…use tumse Naraaz hone ya tumhe miss karne ka koi reason nahi hai..woh Rati se pyar karta hai…
The bell rang.
Iss wakt kaun hoga…?
The bell kept ringing impatiently.
She grabbed the water bottle in her hand and went to the door. Looking through the eye hole, she saw someone standing outside but facing the other side. She clutched the bottle ready to strike and opened the door.
“Kaun hai..? Peet dikhake kyun khade ho…”
She was about to strike the person's head when her hand was caught midair.
“Hello Dr Mauli…”
Mauli stood there frozen for a moment and then blinked her eyes, “Rahul…!!!”
****
Ok guys, I tried to write Mauli going to Mumbai since we all wanted her to. Do give your opinions and comments.
Agar acha laga toh next part likhne ka prayas karungi..😊
Mangal Lakshmi
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
