Chapter 6
After preparing breakfast for Moksh, Malhar called Sampada at his house to look after him when Moksh woke up and make him eat breakfast and send her off to school as Malhar was going for job hunting.
Malhar suddenly applied brakes of his bike when Anupriya came in front of his bike.
He climbed down the bike, saying, "Maai. Chot to nahi lagi aapko?"
Anupriya simply replied, "Jo sabse gehra ghav tha vo to tum mujhe pehle hi de chuke ho? Ab kisi aur chot se dard nahi hota?"
Then Malhar's gaze fell on Anupriya's hand which still was a bit crooked dur to being crushed. Finally Malhar couldn't hold himself, "Mujhe aaj tak samajh nahi aaya aap kabhi galat ke khilaaf khadi kyon nahi hoti? Jab Swara ke saath Aau Saheb, Pallavi aur Vivek ne ye sab kiya tab bhi aap chup thi aur jab aapke saath ye ho raha h tab bhi aap chup hain. Kalyani ke saath maine jaisa salook kiya, uski vajah thi mere paas, magar aap jab galat karne vaalon ko kucch na kehkar unhe badhawa deti hain to aap bhi koi kam gunehgaar nahi hoti. Aapke liye sirf aapki beti ki jaan matter karti hai, khud ki ya kisi aur ki behen ke saath kucch bhi hota rahe aapko koi farak nahi parta."
"Malhar..." These five years Anupriya had always accused Malhar but now when the accusations were pointed at her, she had no satisfactory answers.
"Aapko aur aapki beti ko sirf ek doosre ki pari thi," Malhar was breaking, "Mere saath ya mere parivaar ke saath kya hota hai uski koi chinta nahi. Main abhi bhi bol raha hoon aapse ki isse pehle aapke sath kucch bahut galat ho jaye cchorr dijiye us ghar ko. Mere ghar me to rahengi nahi aap. Pawaar se bolkar main arrangement kara doonga ek rent ke makaan ka."
"Moksh ko Kalyaani tumse bhi zyaada pyaar karti thi," Anupriya said.
"Aur usi Moksh ko itne tez bukhaar me chhorkar Atharv ke paas gayi thi vo," Malhar fired back.
"Tumhare ghar me bhi to rishvat ke paise mile the na Malhar," Anupriya calmly said, "Sirf isliye kya main tumhe Rishwatkhor maan loon? Hamesha jo dikhe vo sach nahi hota, tumhare Vakeel kaka ne itna to tumhe sikhaaya hi hoga. Mujhe tumhare case ke baare me kuch nahi pata fir bhi main jaanti hoon ki tumne rishwat nahi li. Bharosa kisi bhi saboot se bada hota hai Malhar."
Malhar started his bike again and Anupriya started leaving.
"Maai," Malhar called out, "Mera case ladengi aap? Kal shaam tak mujhe apna jawaab de dijiyega." And Anupriya was left wondering how Malhar knew she was studying law in secret.
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Before serving breakfast to Moksh, Sampada mixed something in his cornflakes.
Moksh said, "Iska taste kucch ajib hai?"
"Tum bhi na Moksh," Sampada laughed, "Baba nahi hain to breakfast na karne ke liye kya kya bahaana bana raha h. Chalo chalo khao." Saying this Sampada tried to feed Moksh from her own hands.
Moksh said, "Main khud khaa loonga."
Sampada ensured Moksh eat the full breakfast.
And after sending Moksh to school, Sampada called Atharv, "Moksh ko is week ka dose de diya h. Ye weekly Dawaa uske brain par asar kar rahi h. Malhar ko aaj fir Moksh ko doctor ke paas le jana parega, aur fir doctor usse moti fees lega."
"Jiska commission hame milega," Atharv replied, "Aur jab ham Malhar ko yakeen dila denge ki vo Moksh ka acche se dhyaan nahi rakh paa raha h, to vo Moksh ki custody tujhe saump dega. Fir Ranes ki saari property aur Custody ki monthly allowance sab hame milegi."
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When Malhar got a telephone call from Moksh's school, that he became unconscious in the midst of call, Malhar ran to see his son.
Doctor gravely said, with Moksh lying unconscious, "Mr. Rane maine aapse pehle bhi kaha h ki we need to start the treatment now."
"Doctor sahab," Malhar was exasperated, "Har saal aap Moksh ke liye naya treatment batate hain jo picchle wale se zyada expensive hota h. Fir bhi main har baar vahi karta hoon. Main Sarkari worker hoon, mera matlab tha, mere paas nahi h itna paisa ki main har saal koi naya treatment start kar sakoon."
"Aap kehna kya chahte hain Mr. Rane," the doctor started removing straps attached to Moksh, "Ki main ye sab aapse paise enthne ke liye kar raha hoon? Aisa hai to le jaaiye apne bete ko. Fir jab tadap tadap kar vo aapke saamne mare..."
Malhar held the doctor by his collar, "Doctor!!" Then calming himself he said, "Theek hai. Aap treatment start kariye main paise arrange karta hoon."
Malhar was no fool to see the cunning techniques adopted by doctor to coax money off him, but the thing was that he had tried other doctors, and no one was able to diagnose Moksh's problem. Malhar missed his Kaka. He with his calm mind was perfect for handling such a situation. Malhar was always too emotional, too idealistic and impulsive.
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Agni's car was moving on road when Malhar stopped his bike in front of it. The driver got out and through the car window told, "Madam, vo keh rahe hain sirf aapse hi baat karenge."
Kalyani got out of the car and said, "Kya badtameezi hai ye?" She was surprised when Malhar removed his helmet and said with a smile, "Aapko to pata chal hi gaya hoga ki mujhe naukri se nikaal diya gaya h?"
"Finally tumhare department ko akal aa hi gayi. Good for them," Agni said, removing her Ray Ban sunglasses.
"To main Yahaan aapse job maangne aaya tha..." Malhar came straight to the point.
Malhar had fallen to the trap Agni had been painstakingly weaving since five years. Agni smirked, "And tumhe lagaa ki meri company me job koi charity hai jo main tum par taras khaakar de doongi."
"Nahi," Malhar said, "Main chahta bhi nahi hoon ki tum ya koi aur mujh par taras khaye. Magar mere bete ki jaan khatre me hai. Mar jayega vo agar main paise nahi juta paaya."
Now it was Agni's turn to be shocked. Her facade fell away for a second when she blurted out, "Kya hua mere P...mera matlab kya hua tumhare bete ko?"
"Lambi kahaani h," Malhar said, "Khair ye batao is job ke liye mujhe kya karna hoga? Sampada aur Atharv ki tarah tumhare pairon par girna hoga ya mujhe bhi apna servant banaengi aap?"
"Nahin main aap...mera matlab IPS exam crack kiya hai tumne," Agni realized she was doing mistake after mistake, "Un dono nikammo se zyada akal h tumme aur hardworking bhi ho. Don't worry. Tumhe tumhari qualifications ke hisaab se hi job milegi. Vaise tumhe kaise pata chala un dono ke baare me?"
"Vo kya h na madam," Malhar said with a wry smile, "Police ki naukri se mujhe nikala gaya h, magar mere andar se Police department ko nahi."
Agni now could not stop herself from seeing Moksh. She had to see him at any cost. She had lost her child now. There's no way it would happen again.
Moksh was sleeping alone in Pawar's house when Agni got into the house disguised in completely black clothes and mask wearing a baseball cap. Pawar's wife had gone to buy vegetables.
"Pillu," Agni whispered, and stroke his hair. It was five long years she was seeing her son, her life. How weak he looked? If she was there, she would make him eat. How had everything gone so wrong? Agni's hate for Malhar, Sampada and Atharv grew only stronger. She decided she wouldn't hurt Malhar again in a way Moksh gets affected but she would make Malhar feel the same helplessness she had felt earlier. And Atharv and Sampada, well tomorrow when they would sign the papers of taking Rs. 50 crore loan from her, they would've no idea it was just the beginning of their destruction.
"Aai," Moksh said in sleep, and held Agni's pinky finger.
"Haan Pillu, teri aai aa gayi h na," Kalyani whispered, "Ab teri life me kucch bhi galat nahi hoga."
Edited by Autumn09 - 3 years ago
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