CHAPTER 18:
Arj: agar baitna chaho tho bait sakthe ho. (she turns back to him) bas ye sympathy looks math dena. I hate it.
She smiles at him and takes her seat, while he places his head back to the pillow to relax.
Arj: tumhare kaam ka kya hua?
Ri: mein Mumbai ke aur transfer apply kiya hai. Tho orders ane waqt thak free hu.
Arj: koi naya news?
Ri: filhal ab thak nahi. Waise wo purane case tho khatam hi nahi hua hai na?
Arj: hm... so you will be here for a while now?
Ri: ji. Bhai bhi kaafi khush hai...
Arj: I know, wo kaafi akele rahthe hai. Its good that he have someone else in town.
Ri: shayad apke team me sabko akele rehne ka kaafi shauk hai.
Arjun looks at her meaningfully. She lowers her eyes.
Ri: well. Mein Shree, Chotu, aur Aisha ke bare me baath kar rahi thi.
Arj: mujhe patha hai ke tum kya keh rehi thi...
Riya was silent now. She tries to change the topic.
Ri: waise bohot ache ghar hai apke. Small and cute.
One look at him, made her understand that she had taken the wrong route. His eyes lost a little bit lusture that was present some time back.
Ri: sorry shayad mein kuch zyada hi boldi.
Arj: its ok. Par mein waha nahi rahthe.
Ri: kyu? Acha ghar hai na?
Arj: hm... bohot acha ghar hai. Magar... waha rahne ka koi wajah nahi hai.
Ri: wajah nahi hai?? Strange. I feel hame wahi rahna chahiye, jaha hamara dil ho.
Arj: aur agar wo dil ka koi patha na ho?? Tho??
Riya didn't know how to answer. He looked at her expecting the answer. But she couldn't. he leaned back at the pillow, eyes fixed outside the window. She looked at him at times and tried to follow what he was looking. A lone tree, swaying a bit far away... nothing special... but some thing deep... he closed his eyes after a while. Maybe the heavy dose of medicine was having effect on him.
She looked at him for a long time. This man seemed to be a mystery for her. Dil me bohot baath chupaya hai inhone. Magar ussi dil ko hi dhund bhi raha hai. Kya koi ithna bhi khoye hue jee sakthe hai? Jab kaam ke baath aau tho, ye koi aur hi ban jathe hai. Thab na kuch unke nazronse chut the hai, na kuch ansune bhi hothe hai. Magar fir bhi kahi na kahi kuch tho khoya hai inhone.
She went home after a while. She sat idle with a cup of coffee for a long time in a hanging chair. She wished to know him more. But how? Curiosity was always her companion. It took her this far. Then why not another step? But to get into someone's privacy, that's a crime. But then..
Sameer came back that evening, welcomed by fresh smell from kitchen. "are wah Ri... kya khushbu hai? Ri: jaldi se nahake ayiye.
Sam: nahana sab baad me. Pehle khana.
Ri: jee nahi. Ja thak nahayengi nahi, khana nahi milega.
Sam: oh no please..
Ri: oye ACP... agar bhoog lagi hai tho jaldi fresh hoke aao. Warna mein akele hi khalungi.
Sam: ok mere ma.. aaraha hu. Tum bilkul apni mom pe gayi ho...
He goes to freshen up and comes back n a while. They heartily have their meal along with some family talks and laughs. After dinner, he helps her a bit in the kitchen and then goes to watch TV. She comes in after a while with a cup of coffee.
Sam: maza agaya Ri. Kaafi din hua hai aise acha khana kha ke.
Ri: agar ithne miss kar rahe ho, tho jaldi se shaadi karlo. Bhabhiji bana dengi.
Sam: hm idea bure nahi hai. Magar mujhse kaun shaadi karega?
Ri: that's not a trouble. Mein dhunthi hu. Waise aapke team me sab kunwara kyu hai?
Sam: hm... kaam ke wajah se.. aur fir koi majboori ke wajah se..
He was silent. She noticed it. He looked at her and smiled.
Ri: kya hua bhai?
Sam: kuch nahi.. bas aise hi...
Ri: aap Arjun sir ke bare me soch rahe the.. right?
Sam: ha.
Ri: kya aap unhe pehle se janthe hai?
Sam: hm. Training period me mila tha. Kaafi ache dost bhi the. Waha pehle kuch din ragging ke chakkar tha. Najaane kya kya karwaya tha humse. Aur ek din seniors ne had kardiya tha. Aur agar uss din wo nahi hothe tho...
Ri: aise kya hua tha?
Sam: bas aise hi. Mujhse kuch kaam karne ko kaha. Meine nahi mana. Fir ek do kehne laga. Mujhe bhi gussa aaya. Us waqt hum kuch 5 juniors the room me. Unme se ek Arjun bhi. Tho mere aur seniors ke jhagda hua. Pehle wo chup chap khada tha. Ek senior ne thapad mara mujhe. Ek bar gir gaya. Fir kisine peeche se marne laga tho Arjun ne aake uska haath pakad liya. Aur kaha ke 'peeche se war karna kaayaron ka kaam hai'. Seniors gussa hua aur kaafi maar peet bhi hua tha. Achanak khabar mila ke mentor sir waha aaraha hai. Seniors ne plan banaya ke ye sab hamare galthi thi. Magar Arjun kuch aur hi soch liya tha. Usne mujhe ek aise push diya ke mere sar wall pe takra gaya, aur blood bhi nikalne laga. Aur jab mentor sir ne aaya tho... wo zor se cheekne laga... 'sir hamare ragging ho raha hai. Ye dekho blood.' Sir naraaz hua aur seniors ko punish kiya. Aur Arjun ko mere first aid karne ko kaha. Aur ussi din shuru hua tha hamara dosti.
Ri: aur wo seniors badla nahi liya?
sam: ha diya tho tha. Lekin thab hum akele nahi, ek saath the. (he smiled at his memories)
Ri: fir kya hua?
Sam: bohot kuch... jo hona nahi chahiye tha... khair chodo. Sojao. Waise tum aajkal, hospital me kuch zyada hi der rehne lage hai? Varun se ithne sari bathein? Usse kaam karne bhi dethe ho na??
Riya smiles at him. Sam continues. "I don't mind you visiting Arjun. Bas ek baath ka dhyan dena, usse apne personal life me koi interference pasand nahi hai. Mein bhi uska bohot acha dost hua kartha tha. Par kuch difference agaye the. So be careful. Jo galthi meine kiya tha, wo tum math karna.
Ri: ji, bhai, I'll take care of that. Mein tho bas unhe thode help...
Sam: I know. And I don't mind it. Ok then good night.
Next day morning:
The team reached hospital to visit Arjun as usual. But Commissioner Sir was already there talking to him. So they were waiting outside.
Com: kaise ho Arjun?
Arj: much better Sir. Bas yaha se nikalne baki hai. kaafi pak chukka hu.
Com: hm... patha hai. tumhe tho ye jail lagtha hoga na?
Arj: much worse than that. Aur saath saath sabke sympathy...
Com: isse sympathy nahi Arjun, dosti kehthe hai. aur tum tho dosti ko bohot mantha tha. Fir kya hua?
Arj (silent for a while) : aap ye kya keh rehe hai sir?
Com: bano math Arjun. mujhe patha hai ke tum Sameer ke best friend the aur abhi bhi hai. fir ithne dur kyu ho? Aur ab ye math kehna ke ab wo dost nahi hai. he told me everything, abt the time when he was missing. Tum kaafi khush the usse wapas pakar. Apne dil ko aise band kamre me math chodo Arjun. usse thode bohot azaadi do.
Arj: I'll try sir.
Com:good.
doc comes in for check up and dressing, so Commissioner goes out to the team.
Com: kaise ho team?
Sam: fine sir, thanks.
Com: ek baath bathao Sameer. Isse aise ek room kaise bithaya tumne? Usse tho aise koi aadat bhi nahi hai. Mujhe laga tha ke, ye pehle hi din yaha se bhaag jayege.
Sam: mujhe bhi yahi lagtha tha. But thode bohot help tho Riya ne kiya tha. Don't know why, Arjun usse yaha se zyada bhagaya nahi raha hai. aapko tho yaad hi hoga, jab training period me ek baar usse hospitalize kiya tha. Bukhar ke wajah se. najaane mujhe kithna mehnat karna padatha tha usse uss hospital me pakad ke rakhne keliye. He just hated hospital. (Rathod was just going along with the flow, smiling. Only Riya had seen this face before. But his team was in shock to see this face) aur ss din jab Roshni...
He stopped in between. All noticed the sudden change. Even commissioner.
Com: rukh kyu gaye Sameer? Bolo apne dil ke baath.
Sam: rahne dijiye Sir. Ab in sabke kya fayda?
Com(frustrated) : I don't understand you 2 guys. Akhir problem kya hai? ek wo jo apne aapko ek band pinchde mien rakha hai. aur ek tum jo chahkar bhi uske paas nahi jasakthe hai. akhir kab thak? Koi tho samne aao.
Nurses open the door after dressing. "aap sab asakthe ho"
They go in. the fresh dressing have again drained him out again. He was back in bed and his face showed pain. But he was trying to keep it straight.
Doc: waise maana padega sir, aapke officer bohot ziddi hai!!
All are surprised. They saw him glaring at the doc, but poor doc missed it.
Com: kya hua doc? Ab isne kya kiya?
Doc: ye puch lijiye ke kya kaha!!
Com: kahi firse koi Samjhe samjhane baath tho nahi kiya tumne Arjun??
He was speaking as a father to a naughty son. "kya baath hai doc?"
Doc: apka officer, iss hospital se tang achuka hai. aur yaha se jaana chahthe hai. he needs to be discharged.
Sam: kya yahi uske dialogs the?
Arjun glares at Sameer, while others suppress their laugh.
Doc: well, I modified it a bit. Summary tho yahi tha.
Sam: let me guess. Rawte ne yahi kaha hoga, "doc, mujhe is jail se azaad karado. Mien apna khayal khud rah saktha hu. Agar koi zaroorath pade tho mien khud aajaunga. Ab ye sab apko likh ke du ya fir aap khud samjah gaye??" right?
Doc: you got it amost 75% correctly. Kaafi achi tharah se pehchante ho apne dost ko.
Sameer and Arjun looks at each other. Memories were fresh at hearts.
Arj( clearing his throat) : I hope aap sab ko ye yaad hai, ke mien ya sab sun saktha hu. Tho kamse kam mere burayi mere samne math kijiye. And doc, discharge me. I'm fine. I'll take care of my self.
Doc: ok, I can discharge one 1 condition. minimum 2 weeks complete bed rest. Time pe khana, aur bed se zyada math utna. Khas thor pe zyada walking allowed nahi hai. can you do this?
Before Arjun could say something,
Com: ha kyu nahi Doc? Ye apne lodge me aise hi rahege!! Hai na Arjun??
Doc: Lodge?? Aap lodge me rahthe ho??
Arj: yes.
Doc: aur waha koi aur bhi hai?
Arj: nahi.
Doc: aur apke family? Ghar?
Arj: ghar pariwar...sab kaafi dur hai.
Doc: then no way. Apo yahi rahna hoga. I cant take risk.
Arj: (shouting) apko koi risk ka fikar nahi lena hai doc. Just let me go.
Arjun winces in pain as he had shouted. Doc comes forward to check him out. All are worried for him. At last he catches up his breath sweating badly.
Doc: see, mien yahi keh raha hu. You need complete rest. Aur min mere patient ke saath koi mazak nahi kartha.
Arj: still doctor. Please let me go... please...
He is getting hard to control his breath. Sameer could understand his suffocation. He looked at the painful face of his friend.
Sam: agar ye jaana chahtha hai, tho jaane do doctor.
All look at him.
Com: ye tum kya keh rahe ho Sameer? You know his condition. isse akele rahne ka aadat tho hai. magar apna khayal rakhne ka nahi.
Sameer looks at Arjun. Arjun is actually surprised at his words. This was not the first time, Sameer had said it. he said the same some time back, in the hospital wing of the training centre. There instead of the team as present today, it was Mrs. Rathod over there.
Now:
Sam: you have 2 options Rawte. (it was Arjun back then) chup chap yaha rukho... ya tho fir mere ghar chalo...(that line was the same)... mere saath...
PRECAP:
Arjun at Rathod's home...
CHAPTER 19: PAGE 76
Pushpa Impossible
CID
