Chapter 36
Gulaal relaxed her hands and hugged him and closed her eyes. Kesar was taken aback. Gulaal's grip tightened. Kesar slowly hugged her back and whispered in her ears, "Chhoti si chot hai, main theek hun". Kesar's voice brought Gulaal back to reality as she opened his eyes and parted slowly from him. Gulaal looked at Kesar with many questions written on her face. What had taken over her? What was compelling her to behave in this way? Kesar was confused as he could not read Gulaal's face. "Aapko first aid ki zaroorat hai", said Dhani, worried. Kesar broke off from the moment and looked at his right arms which was bleeding, as he had fell down badly on his arm against the jagged ground. "Gaadi mein hogi. Chalo", said Gulaal. "Nahi", said Kesar. Gulaal was surprised. "Aap log yahin rahiye bohot chhoti si chot hai. Main khud kar lunga", said Kesar.Gulaal protested, "Par Kesar..." but she was cut in by Kesar who said, "Rehne de! Bekaar mein hi pareshaan ho rahi hai. Main abhi aata hun". Kesar smiled and left the place leaving Gulaal worried and hurt a bit as he refused her help.
Kesar opened the drawer in the car. He took out the first aid box, opened the backseat of the car and sat there. He took out a piece of cotton and soaked it with dettol. Kesar slowly wiped his wound. His face twisted due to the burning sensation. He felt air touching the spot to soothe the burning sensation. He looked to see Gulaal blowing air to his wound. Kesar looked at her, his vulnerable side, the side of him which loved and longed Gulaal hopelessly, peeped out of the wall he built around himself. Gulaal looked up at Kesar. Kesar looked away and picked by a bandage roll from the first aid box. Gulaal took the bandage roll from his hand and started wrapping the bandage round his arm. Kesar said, "Maine kaha tha, tujhe yeh sab karne ki zaroorat nahi. Dhaniji ko akeli kyun chhodh aayi tu". Gulaal looked up at him, anger rising in her eyes. "Teri pareshaani kya hai, Kesar. Kyun tu mujhse aise baat kar raha hai?", asked Gulaal. Kesar looked at her clueless. "Humesha aisa ehsaas dilaata rehta hai ki teri zindagi mein mere liye koi jagah hi nahi hai", said Gulaal her voice shivering. Kesar was shocked at the accusations. " Uss din bhi mujhse bina kahe chala gaya, paanch din mujhse baat bhi nahi ki, mera tere liye kucch bhi karna tujhe sahi nahi lagta. Aisa lagta hai jaise mere hone yaa naa hone se koi farq nahi padta tujhe", said Gulaal. Kesar said astonished, "Tu yeh sab kaise keh sakti hai? Jab ki tu acchi tarah se jaanti hai ki main yeh sab kyun kar raha hoon. Tujhse durr rehne ki koshish sirf isiliye kar raha hoon taaki tu khush reh sake. Tu khud jaanti hai meri zindagi mein tere kya maayne hain aur tujhe andaaza bhi nahi in sab se mujhe kitna dard ho raha hai par phir bhi mein kar raha hun sirf teri khatir". Gulaal went silent and hung her down. "Pareshaani mujhe nahi hai pareshaani tujhe hai. Kyunki main har baar kucch bhi karta hoon, teri nazron mein humesha main galat hota hun. Tu hi mujhe bata ki main kya karoon ki meri kisi bhi baat se tujhe koi taqleef naa pohonche, bol naa Gulaal", urged Kesar. Gulaal looked at him. Kesar was right, the problem was with her and she sadly had no answer to them. Silence prevailed between them as they both looked into each other's eyes trying to seek answers for their questions. Dhani walked up to the car and saw both of them and cleared her throat. Kesar and Gulaal broke away. "Sorry maine aap logon ko disturb kar diya", said Dhani. Kesar got out of the backseat and sat on the driver's seat. Dhani sat on the backseat with Gulaal and asked, "Aapko zyaada chot toh nahi aayi hai na?". Kesar squeezed out a smile and replied, "Nahi woh chhoti si chot thi". Kesar started the car. Dhani said relieved, "Chalo accha hua. Pata hai jiju, aapke jaane k baad Gulaal toh itna areshaan ho rahi thi, uss se toh bilkul raha nahi gaya, bhaag k chali aayi mujhe chhodh k". Gulaal glared at her. "Kya? Aankhen kyun dikha rahi hai? Sach hi toh hai", said Dhani. Dhani's word affected Kesar, he couldn't help himself from glancing at Gulaal from the rear view mirror.
At Night,
Dhani and Gulaal had taken permission to spend the night at Gulaal's house. Kesar was alone in his room, doing some work on the laptop. His conversation with Dushyant and his intimate moment with Gulaal, Gulaal's accusations in the car flashed in his mind. He was reminded about what Dhani said in the car. Kesar sat massaging his forehead. He knew he was doing the right thing by staying away but was there a slightest possibility of Gulaal also reciprocating his feelings. Knowing the inevitable, Kesar looked helpless. "Kesar beta", Kesar heard a familiar voice. Kesar looked at the door and saw Mota Bha standing. Kesar immediately stood up and said, "Mota Bha, aap? Andar aaiye naa". Mota Bha came in and sat on the bed and motioned Kesar to sit i front of him. "Kya baat hai, Mota Bha? Aap itni raat gaye yahan?", asked Kesar worried. "Gulaal aur tere baare mein baat karne aaya hun", replied Mota Bha. Kesar looked down. "Beta, uss din k baad tujhse akele mein baat karne ka mauka hi nahi mila. Main samajh sakta hun, tujhpar kya beet rahi hai, apne sabse aziz ko apne aap se durr karna badi muskil si baat hai. Ek baat thaan lene mein aur usspar amal karne mein bohot bada farq hota hai. Do din mein Saru Ben yahaan se chali jaayegi phir tum dono alag ho jaoge. Gulaal humesha tere aankhon k saamne rahegi beta, kya iss dard ko bardassht kar paayega tu? Tu ek baar phir sochle, Gulaal se ek baar baat karle", said Mota Bha. "Baat karne ki koi gunzaish hi nahi bachi hai, Mota Bha. Gulaal kabhi meri nahi ho sakti", said Kesar hanging his head down and sighed deeply. Mota Bha felt the pain of his son as he kept his hand on Kesar's head. "Mota Bha, maine ek faisla kiya hai", said Kesar holding Mota Bha's hand which was resting on his head. Mota Bha asked, "Kaisa faisla?". Kesar took a deep breath and said, "Humare company ne jo nayi nayi London waali branch kholi hai woh main dekhna chahta hoon". "Par Beta yahaan ka kya", asked Mota Bha. "Aap hain, Gulaal hai. Wahaan naye branch mein meri zyaada zaroorat hai aur waise bhi maine MBA wahaan kiya hai toh mujhe wahaan k baare mein zyaada pata hai aur mere kucch contacts bhi bane hain wahaan", said Kesar. " Main jaanta hoon teri wahaan pe jaane ki wajah par teri Baa nahi maanegi", said Mota Bha. " Unhe maan na padega, mera yahaan saans lena bhi muskil hota jaa raha hai, aur aap toh samjhte bhi hain ki yahaan rehna mere liye namumkin hai", said Kesar helplessly.
At Gulaal's House,
Dhani and Gulaal were in Gulaal's room. Dhani said, "Sacch kahun, main bohot khush hun tujhe Kesar jiju jaisa insaan mila, isiliye nahi ki woh bohot paise waale hain ya kucch lekin tujhse bohot pyaar karte hain, unke aankhon mein hi dikhta hai. Aarey ek baar unhein dekh leti jab hum log college ghum rahe the, aisa lag raha tha jaise jannat mein ghum rahe ho". Gulaal looked at Dhani and said, "Mujhe tujhse kucch batana hai Kesar aur mere baare mein". "Aarey main jaanti hun tum logon ki shaadi kaise hui thi. Somnath Virani ki birthday party exclusive saare news channels mein dekha tha, yaar. Mujhe pata tha Kesar ji ne kisi se shaadi ki thi usse bacchane k liye lekin woh uske alawa kisi aur ko apni patni kabhi nahi maan sakte. Jab main yahan aayi aur pata chala ki tu Kesar Virani ki patni hai, toh meri toh khushi ka thikana hi nahi raha. Woh tujhse bohot pyaar karte hain, Gulaal", said Dhani. "Humari shaadi tuttne waali hai, Dhani", said Gulaal turning her back on Dhani. Dhani was shocked. "Kyun?", Dhani asked. "Kyunki humare beech pati-patni ka rishta nahi ho sakta. Main usse apna pati nahi maan sakti, nahi nibha sakti yeh rishta", said Gulaal closing her eyes. Dhani turned Gulaal to face her and asked, "Kyun nahi? Kyunki woh tujhse umar mein chhote hain? Ya tu unhe apne layek hi nahi samajhti?". Gulaal said, "Tu nahi samjhegi". "Samajhna toh tu nahi chahti hai, Gulaal. Tu khud kehti hai ki tum dono k beech kucch nahi ho sakta, lekin ek aandhe ko bhi ehsaas ho sakta hai ki tum dono k beech kya hai. Kya tujhe khud kabhi kucch mehsus nahi hua?", asked Dhani. "Nahi", shot back Gulaal. "Jhooth mujhse bol le lekin kum se kum apne aap se toh mat bol", said Dhani. She grabbbed Gulaal and made her stand in front of the mirror. "Dekh apna chehra, tune Kesarji se durr hone ki baat kahi toh kaisa ho gaya hai. Yaad kar aaj subah jab tune chehra dekha hoga. Sacch tujhe apne aap hi pata chal jaayega", said Dhani and left Gulaal there and sat down on the bed. Gulaal looked at her reflection, she looked vulnerable and sad. Kesar had given her the best thing she could have desired that is freedom from their relationship but her face told a different story altogether.
Author's Note: Sry ppl for the delay, I have been unbelievably busy. Will try to wrap up the story in next 3 chappies.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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