chapter 25
next day gulaal woke up with heavy heart she heard noises in her home she climbed downstairs and saw her home was filled with guests her relatives had came to grace the occasion her friends her relatives revji were in jovial mood but she was stonelike….her sould and heart was locked somewhere deep
bulbul and other relatives congratulated her and she squeezed the faint smile
afterwards revji asked her to take leave from the office so that she could prepare for engagement and her wedding
gulaal was sitting with her cousins and bulbul like a mannenquin and she saw dushyant coming towards her
gulaal turned her face away
her cousins congratulated him he thanked him and sat beside gulaal and asked "gulaal kal kya ho gaya tha"
gulaal avoided him and said "kuch nahi sir woo bas ek case hai"
dushyant said "phir sir chalo koi baat nahi dheere dheere aadat pad jayegi
gulaal was uncomfortable…it was strange world to her…..today she was feeling strange to herself completely alienated to her soul…she was hating her to be rude with kesar…and she was thinking about the moment which she had spend with kesar
and the dress designer came and sat beside her he was telling about the dress selection but gulaal was uninterested
after brief talk dress designer asked "so madam kya decide kiya kaun sa colour red or blue"
gulaal in her own thought ….she was thinking about the moment kesar had put blue chunar on her and complimented her she smiled and said "blue"
aftersometime she snapped out and said "nahi red chahiye"
dushyant looked at her in surprise and said "par abhi to blue kaha tha
gulaal said "nahi red theek hai blue nahi"
dushyant said "par dress designer jaa chukka hai and blue waala lehenga bahoot acha hai red waala shaadi waale din pehen lena"
gulaal looked at him in fear the word marriage was like ache in her heart
she got up and went inside her room…she was restless…she needed comfort and solace…..she looked around for her cushion toy but it was found nowhere…gulaal was uneasy she hysterically searched for the cushion but it was missing in desperation she called her servant at the top of the voice dushyant and bulbul also heard it and went upstairs
gulaal called her servant and asked angrily "mera cushion kanha rakh diya"
servant asked "kaun sa cushion"
gulaal asked "bird waala"
servant said "acha woo ajeeb sa cushion…woo to fat gaya tha isliye meine bahar pheek diya"
gulaal was highly tensed and angry she yelled "kaise chua (touch) use….haath kaise lagaya…aur kya matlab hai kharab ho gaya tha…mein thek kar leti…mein kuch nahi jaanti mujhe abhi woo cushion chahiye jao lekar aao uuse…..abhi chahiye"
dushyant and bulbul were shocked at her behaviour
dushyant tried to calm her down "gulaal kya farq padta hai woo bekaar ho gaya tha isliye phek diya itna kyu react kar rahi ho"
gulaal looked at him and replied angrily "mujhe farq padta hai aur mujhe kuch nahi sunana…. mujhe wahi cushion chahiye bas"
dushyant said "ok fine hum market se dusara cushion le aayenge don't worry"
gulaal said "kyu aap kyu layenge meine kaha naa wahi chahiye aur mujhe akela chod dijyeye" she replied in frustration and walked out
dushyant was shocked at her response
bulbul looked at dushyant and said "don't worry dushyant ji aap to jaante hai gulaal ko kisi case k tension chal rahi hogi aur phir achanak se sagai aur shaadi itna sab jaldi jaldi ho raha hai isliye tension mein overeact kar rahi hai"
dushyant said "par itna weird behaviour yeh is cushion se itna attach kyu hai"
bulbul "dushyant ji aap nahi jaante jab sasural jaane lagti hai to har cheez se pyaar ho jaata hai bas woo cushion nahi hai isliye emotional ho gayi mein samjha dungi"
dushyant didn't said anything
bulbul left him and went in the terrace
gulaal was standing with tears in her eyes
bulbul said "gulaal paagal ho gayi hai kya kaise behave kar rahi thi kya ho gaya hai"
gulaal said "plz bulbul akela chod do"
bulbul put her hand on her shoulder and said "bata naa gulaal kya baat hai"
gulaal hung her head down she was thinking about kesar her thoughts have plainly refused not to think about him she was feeling guilty to rebuke him in that way
she said "meine theek nahi kiya uuse kitne takleef ho rahi hogi" and tears fell down….thinking about kesar
bulbul said "jab itni fikr hai to kyu rude behave kiya….dekh dushyantji ko hurt karke khud kitni pareshaan ho gaayi " bulbul smiled naughtily thinking gulaal was talking about her behaviour with dushyant
she looked at bulbul and said in teary eyes "bulbul mein kuch waqt chahiti hun itna sab kuch ho raha hai bas kuch waqt chahiye ki dushyantji ko apna saku"
bulbul said "arey itni se baat hai gulaal aise mauke par aise feel karte hai hum par yeh sab baat dimaag se nikal de aur engagement mein dhyaan de" gulaal was about to speak something and saw dushyant coming near her
bulbul looked at him and decided to leave them alone
after she left gulaal said in low voice "sorry meine rude thi…par thodha uncomfortable hun isliye"
dushyant looked at her and said "koi baat nahi gulaal mein janta hun tumhe ghabrat hai par don't worry sab thek hai"
And he came near and place his both hand on her shoulder
Gulaal shrank in fear she immediately brushed it off and excused herself and ran down….
Gulaal closed her room door went inside her washroom and looked herself in mirror..she remembered the moment wen dushyant touched her…never she hated herself so much she rubbed her shoulder hastily to wipe off his touch….kesar had touched her so many times but his touch was heavenly platonic and blissful for her…she closed her eyes in desperation and remembered vulnerable look of kesar pleading to be loved asking to accept him and she opened her eyes and saw kesar in the mirror saying "I love u gulaal"
in frustration gulaal took the vase and broke the mirror of her bathroom….the mirror broked in thousand pieces and now each piece reflected kesar saying "I love u gulaal I love u so much"
and she sat on the floor and cried
here kesar was sitting in his bedrrom with the same position holding the pics of gulaal he was blank and lifeless
kunal entered his room and saw him in the vulnerable state he quickly sat beside him
kunal wiped his tears and said "bas kesar bahoot ro liya ab aur nahi…..
he continued bhul jaa usko…jisne tere bare mein ek min k liye nahi socha….uske bare mein sochne se kya fayda
kesar cried nahi ho paa raha hai mujhse kunal…uska khayal dil se jaane ka naam hi nahi le raha kya karu mein
kunal replied "kesar tu yanha se door chala jaa…tu kuch din k liye bhuj chala jaa….jabtak uski shaadi nahi ho jaati wanhi rah…..hum phir se pehle waali zindagi jeeyenge tu wahi hasta khelta kesar ban jaa….is yaadein se door jaakar hi chain melega"
he said "aur phir hume woo heera bhi deliver karna hai…..meri baat ho gayi hai ek customer kuch din baad bhuj se heera collect kar lega…kesar packing kar aur chala jaa yanha se gulaal k zindagi se chala jaa…ek namumkin sapne k peeche apni zindagi mat kharab kar door chala jaa"kunal consoled him and left
after he left keasr looked at the pics and said "jaa raha hun gulaal….hamesha k liye tumse door jaa raha hun…par tum khush rehna…."
here durgesh member informed about gulaal engagement and wedding durgesh grew angry he replied in intense hatred "nahi mere ghar mein matam karke gulaal khushiyaan nahi manaa sakti uske ghar mein bhi matam manega" he said determinently
engagement day
a private farm house was booked for the engagement party dushyant bulbul and revji engaged themselves in the preparation while gulaal was blank….she was feeling worthless……she knew she was doing right thing…..her action was justified in every sense dushyant was the perfect man for her…but her heart was occupied by kesar's thought who was wrong in every senses…that made her vulnerable
in the evening gulaal got ready for the party…she wore a beautiful blue lehengas embellished with zari borders she wore a heavy diamond necklace….her beautician dressed her and then took a leave and she was sitting lonely in her bedroom she looked herself in mirror how pale and lifeless she was looking inspite of lavish dress…..she couldn't believe herself……she was betraying herself so badly…her exterior was traitor and she was shaking like leaf….gulaal looked at the mirror and her jewelley box…and then saw necklace that was gifted by kesar though it wasn't costly but for her it was priceless…..looking at her necklace…she felt intensely alone……her mind her breath her soul were taking his name
bulbul came in and said "gulaal bas 5 min mein teri sagai hone waali hai jaldi tayyar ho jaa…mein sab ladkiyon ko bula kar laati hun phir tujhe neeche lekar chalenge ok"
gulaal heard it and she was at the verge of tears
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