"I love people; I love my family, my friends…
But inside me, there's a special place where I live alone…
And that's where you renew your springs that never dry-up!!"
The pen slipped off from her hands as she graced the day off with those lovely words finding place in her personal diary. An uneasy smile came up next, she herself didn't know why. Tears overtook the uneasiness in no time and a promise made its way.
"Don't worry Raj!! Tum jahan bhi ho….mai tumhe zarur dhoondh loongi!! Your honour will be back to you…..I promise!!"
URGENT
Captain Ritu Mishra
C-139, Civil Lines
New Delhi
Army Headquarters |
She smiled looking at this notice resting on her table, this time with determination!! She new that the path she had decided to thread upon wasn't easy at all, but she had prepared herself for it.
"Come-in Captain Mishra"
"Good Morning Sir"
"To you too; have a seat" Colonel Chandra greeted her with a smile.
"Thank you Sir"
"So; enjoying your sabbatical after the success of your mission?"
"Not really Sir!!! Training me rest karna sikhaya he nahi gaya tha!!"
"Ha ha!! Well said!! So, till the Army places you again, find another job"
"Found one, that's the reason I'm here Sir"
"Strange!! Officers usually approach me to get their leave sanctioned, and you want me to…….."
"Get me posted to KMA anyhow Sir"
"KMA?? Why KMA??"
"Well I guess Sir…It's always interesting reinventing the past…..I did my training there as you know!!"
"I know that Captain!! But Army is not all about interest, it's all about rules!!"
She leaned foreward and smiled.
"Within two days, Brigadier Chandok would approach you for a post of physiatrist in the academy"
"And why will he do that?" Came the inevitable question from Colonel Chandra.
"The suggestion from Code of Conduct Council would have reached him by now"
"Very smart"
Her smile widened as she stood up to leave.
"We'll meet soon Sir!! Just inform me as the info arrives!!"
"For sure Captain"
A firm and confident salute marked the end of the meeting. She steeped out and was more than happy to see a familiar face adoring her.
"Aalekh!!!!!!!!"
"Shukar hai tumne pehchaan to sahi!!" He commented.
"Tujhe kya laga, mai bhool gayi hun??"
"Vaise when was the last time we talked, can you recall??"
Her smile disappeared and the glow on her face vanished.
"Arrey baba!!! Itni si shikayat ki itni badi saza??"
"Aisi baat nahi hai Aalekh, it's just those old memories that never fade"
"Right!! Mai jaanta hun tum kya soch rah ho"
"Pehle ye batao ki tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?"
"Kal Colonel Chandra se meri meeting thi. Among the talks he revealed ki tum aaj unse milne aane wali ho!! Tumhe lagta hai mai ye mauka gava sakta tha??"
"Acha hua ki tumne ye mauka nahi gavaya!! Aur ab time gavaya bina mere ghar chalo for a great cup of coffee"
"Well ab tum itna force kar he rahi ho to mai mana nahi karunga!!"
He winked at her and they boarded the car.
"The media has gone ga ga over you after the success of your latest command"
"Who cares?? Hum army wale hain, celebrities to nahi!!"
"Sahi kaha….par tumhe to ab kuch waqt leave pe hona chahiye, to phir Colonel Chandra ke yahan tum…."
"What have you been upto recently??" Ritu interrupted.
"Iska matlab kuch to gadbad hai!! You can't switch topics like that Ritu!!"
"Pehle tum batao…..I'll explain you the matter over the coffee"
"Well apun to hai seedha-saadha aadmi, jeena jahan marna jahan, I'm posted in Kanchanjunga Millitary Academy!!"
"Tum apni sher-o-shayari ko kabhi kabhi break diya karo samjhe!!"
They began their convo in the caffeine aroma as they made themselves comfortable in Ritu's Apartment.
"To tum mere sawaal ka jawaab kab dogi??" Aalekh repeated the question 15th time in the last ten minutes.
"Actually, I'll soon see you in KMA"
"What??? To pehle kyun nahi bola idiot!! But tum karogi kya vahan posting lekar??"
"Psycho Analysis of the current batch"
"Pagalon ko sudhaarogi kam aur sudhre hue cadets ko pagal zyaada bana dogi!!" He giggled.
"Optional subject Physiology lene ka kuch to fayada hona chahiye naa…"
"Haan….but leave cancel kyun karvayi??"
"Kuch chupe raaz jaan ne ke liye"
"One moment!! Is it something related to Raj and Navin??"
Ritu gave an affirmative look.
"Tum sahi ho Aalekh!! I'm trying for that only"
Saying this, she got up and stepped towards the window.
"Kya hua??" Aalekh asked.
"Mai vohi soch rahi thi……aisa kya hua jo ek saal se KMA me hone ke bavajood tumne is baare me pata karne ki zara bhi koshish nahi ki??"
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