FF: Khamoshiyaan... (chap 37 page 133) - Page 40

CHAPTER 17:

Aman reached back Mumbai with Sree and Raghav. Well Raghav didn't even know about hisown arrival in the city. He was fast asleep owing to the drug that Aman had 'scratched' him.

Sr: that was not that tough. Right sir?

Am: hm… thanks to that lady who made a scene. Warna distraction banane me time lagtha.

Sr: kaun lady?

Am: patha nahi. Chehra nahi dekha.

Sr: hm… ok then thanks to the unknown lady who helped us out. Wiase chehra bhi dekhliya hotha tho acha hotha…. Right sir?

Am: Mr. Sreekant Sen, don't forget that you are with your senior officer.

Sr: patha hai. ab aap koi khadoos type wale tho nahi hai, hamare Arjun sir ke tharah…

There was chirpiness in his tone. But it took a beat down at the very moment. Aman noticed it. Sree immediately looked out of the window.

Am: kya hua Sree… bolo… its ok. Mien tumhare Arjun sir ko teekh se nahi janthe. Tho bathao kaise the wo? Suna tha ke kaafi khadoos the…

Sr: (smiling) khadoos tho the. Lekin dil ke bohot ache bhi the. Aur ye baath sabko patha bhi tha. Pehle wo kisise uthne baath nahi karthe the. Lekin badme, jab unke life me firse pyaar aya, tho wo badal gaye. Bohot badal gaye. Sab bohot khush the…

Am: aur uss incident ne tho…

Sr: (Sad) sab kehthe hai ke wo ab nahi raha. Par dil abhi bhi maanne ko thaiyar hi nahi hai. mere aur hum sab ke dil yahi kehthe hai ke wo kahi hai. par koi iss baath ko viswas nahi karna chahthe hai. shayad sabke ander ke officer ye maanne ko ready nahi hai. Lekin mien abhi bhi wait kar raha hu. jab thak koi sabooth na mile thab thak…. Akhir hum officers ko sabooth ke bhi zaroorath hai na sir?

Am: sahi kaha tune. Apne viswas pe bharosa rakho. Kya patha wo ek din tumhe mil jaye…

Sr: thanks sir. You are the first one who said it to me. Jabhi mien ye kehtha hu, tho sab mujhe chup kara detha hai. ab ek aur baath hai jo adhura hai.

Am: kya?

Sr: unke pyaar ko wapas zindagi me le ana…

Am: pyaar? Kaun??

Sr: wo…

A moan comes from behind. Sree turns around. Raghav was slowly stirring up. "sleeping beauty uth rahe hai sir…jaldi Mumbai pohonchiye. Warna wo naraz hoga"

Aman smiles at his buddy. "hm, isse seedha comm. sir ke samne lejana hoga. Warna firse isse bhagne ka chance milega. Dept me koi tho hai jo iske saath hai. agar koi isse andhar rakh sakthe hai, wo sirf comm. sir hi hai."

A call comes in Sree's phone. Its from Liza. Sree makes a face.

Am: kiska call hai?

Sr: ek devil ki... (taking the call) ha Liza bolo…

He listens. "ha mien Mumbi pohonch gaya hu…. Ha sir ke saath hu. Shayad hum comm. sir ko milke hi ayega. Jaldi aana hoga??par kyu? Ok lemme ask…(to Aman) sir kya mien office ja saktha hu? Should I come to comm. office?"

Am: noneed. Isse mien dekh lunga. You carry on.

Sr: (in phone) ok mien atha hu. Lekin baath kya hai? Liza pakao math. Bolo bath kya hai? ok fine…aake dektha hu.bye.

Am: kya hua?

Sr: patha nahi. Kehthe hai jaldi office aajao.

Am: so sweet. Shayad tumhe bohot miss kar rahihai wo…tumhari devil.

Sr: sir please… wo devil kabhi bhi meri nahi hogi….

Aman smiles and drops Sree in front of ETF office and then drives off.

***

Aisha came to the office on the day when Sree was with Aman. Next night they had the mission Ultima. They started back with Raghav on the same night. And by morning they reached Mumbai.

Liza with Sam's help called Aisha the previous night, asking her to come over the office in the morning. After much persuading, Aisha agrees. And now, Aisha is in the hall with Sam, while Sree is walking in.

Sree walks in a bit tired after the ride and goes to his work station and place his bag on the table. He takes a chair and sits with his face in his hands leaning forward.

Liza notices him coming in and goes to hall. "excuse me Aisha… Sree is here."

Aisha looks a bit confused. She doesn't know how to face him. The team had welcomed her back with much ease but she knew this was going to be difficult. She goes to the pantry and comes with a cup of coffee.

Sam nods her approving and she moves to the techie's work zone. Sree looked really tired.

She places a cup near him and stood silently. He raise his head to see a steaming cup of coffee and smiles. "Are wah…aaj mujhpe ithne meherban? Isme zehar tho nahi hai na Liza?"

He looks up and saw a different person. His face changes the color. He looked pale. "tum?? Yaha??" he stands up and looks blankly at her. "kyu??? Kyu aye ho wapas??"

Ais: Sree…mien….

Sr: shut up Aisha….just shut up. Mujhe kuch nahi sunna… just leave me alone. Jab chaho tho chup jaan, jab chao thab wapas aana. You know well to play with emotions. Great job. Mission accomplished. You may go.

Aisha was teary eyed. She was not angry. Each and every word he said, each of his out burst was valid. She stood there, even waiting for the worst reaction from him.

He just turned away from her. Sam, Chotu and Liza were watching this.

Li: iss gadhe ko mien…

She tries to move ahead. But Sam stops her. "No Liza. Let them sort it out by themselves."

Li: but sir they are hurting each other.

Sam: let them. Only then they would heal themselves too. Just give them some time.

Sree was silent.but she could feel his pain and the tear that rolled from his eyes. She moves closer to him and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Sree, please… I'm sorry. I know I have hurt. Please mujhe maaf kardo. Agar apne dost ko na sahi… kamse kam apne bhabhi ko maaf kar sakthe ho na??"

Sree: (all naughty looks) are bhabhi…kya khana hai??

Ais: BHABHI??? Ye kabse? Aur Arjun tumhara bhai kab bana?

Sr: oye… bhabhi. Apke shaadi hogayi hai. aajse AAP mere bhabhi. Tho naturaly AAPKE pati dev mere bhai.

Liza: suna hai bhai ke wife ko bhabhi bulathe hai. aaj pehli baar, ek bhabhi ke husband ko bhai bulathe suna hai…Specky…tussi great ho!!!

Sr: wo tho mien hu balike… ab bolo bhabhi….mein apke pati ko bhai bulau??

Aisha was getting pissed off. "Sree…chup kar aur khana kha. Mere dimaag nahi…"

Sr( with upset face): dekha… bhabhi ko bhabhi bulaya tho bhabhi gussa kiya…. Mien kya karu??

Next was a slap sound and Aisha walking off with a long spoon, while Sree rubbing his back. "oye maarthe kyu ho?? dekhna mien bhai se complain kar dunga….there pitayi bhi karwauga…"

Ais: aaja pitayi karne…. Mujhe bhi athe hai…

Sr: bechara mere bhai… kaha phas gaya?? Usse bacha le bhagwan!!!

Sree turns around. They both were in tears.

"I'm sorry…" she whispers and that was his last straw. He hugs her tight and breaks down. They both needed this. A shoulder to cry upon. Sam was happy now. It's going to be fine. He looks at Liza. She was smiling with a tear rolling down her cheek. Though he always saw a Tom and Jerry fight in his office that annoyed him as hell, he knew there was something behind it too.

Sam: waise… Sree aur Aisha ko yaha bulane ka plan acha tha...

She smiles at him and walks off to her lab, wiping her tear.

***

He was feeling happy today. And he didn't know why. He was in his bed looking out at the greenery. The coconut palms ahead were swaying in the breeze. It looked so good. After a long time, he was enjoying the evening.

A call comes in. it was from him. The only person who knew about him other than her.he takes the call. "hello…"

A voice comes at the other side. "kaise ho Arjun?"

He smiles. "zinda hu sir"

Man: that was not at funny Arjun.

"tho mien kya bolu sir?"

"kuch bhi, jo mujhe lage ke tum wahi ho… wo purana Arjun…"

"ab mien wo nahi raha sir…and you know it well."

"stop it Arjun. it's crossing the limit. Ab aur kithne jhoot bolna padega mujhe? Har roz Coelho, Rathod aur tumhare team ke samne jane se dartha hu mien. Tumhare zid ne mujhe bandh liya hai. please mujhe sab kuch bathane do Arjun. please…"

He was silent. So was the man on the other end.

Man: kamse kam mujhe Aisha se baath karne do.

"nahi sir… please don't do that. I know how she would react. Mar jayengi wo"

"aur jiss tharah wo har roz mar rahi hai…uska kya?"

"patha nahi sir… mujhe patha nahi. Please apko mere kasam, aap thab thak kuch nahi kahenge jab thak sab kuch teekh na ho…"

"tum aur tumhare kasam!!!"

He sighs. "please sir. Kya mien apse ek favour mang saktha hu?"

"don't ask me something more than that I can do"

"nahi sir, ab jo mien mangne wala hu, you can do it…"

"bolo…"

"please bring her back to ETF. Wahi ek jagah hai, jaha wo firse jiyegi…please can you do it?"

"Tumhare wife tumhare tharah hi zidhi hai Arjun. Coelho ne bathaya hai mujhe. Still I will try."

"I know sir. Wo apke bath zaroor manege. I am sure"

"kaise Arjun?"

"because…I still love her. And I trust her too… wo mere viswas kabhi nahi thodegi…"

"ok…I'll see to it. See you later. Apna khayal rakhna."

"yes sir. And thank you."

Raghu Sir cuts the call heavy hearted. It was some time back that he had known that his best officer, Arjun was alive. But in the condition… he had to keep quite. As he had promised him.

***

An old man comes in with a cup of tea. "kya hua beta?? Kya soch rahe ho?"

He smiles at the man. he took his strong tea from him. "apko mere har mood ke bare mei patha hai. kaise?"

Man: tumhe samajhna uthna mushkil nahi hai beta.

He smiles again sipping the tea. "baba, ye wo chai nahi hai."

Man: patha hai. tumhe isse zyada strong tea mana hai. tho isse kaam chala do.

Arj: aur kithne din?

Man: uthna…jithna hum kahege…

He gets up taking the empty cup and reaches the door. "aur kuch chahiye Arjun?"

He smiles at him again. "Arjun nahi baba…. Aryan…apkeliye sirf Aryan…"

The man smiles at him lovingly.

"nahi mujhe kuch nahi chahiye. Aap aaram kijiye…"

The man walks away. Yes, he's Aryan now. For the whole world the Arjun Rawte is dead. Even for him too. And now it's Aryan… just Aryan.