Part 67(B)
(half an hour later)
MGGS school
Daya , grabbing the hand of Rakhe Singh, the main gate man of the school, trying to grind the information about his daughter. Rakhe Singh was confused and at the same time a trifle frightened to find the truth that little Shinjini Saxena hadn't been reached at her parents. With lot of fumbling he was trying to explain what he experienced---woh saab to muskura ke hi Shinjini baby ko le gaye saab...un ke hath me aap ka likha huya chitthi bhi tha..
Daya, getting incandescent in rage, snapped---chitthi tha?... kaise pata chala aap ko ki woh letter hum ne hi likha hai?....
Gateman was totally puzzled and was quite apprehensive about the outcome of the consequences... He could bumble---us chitthi me.. kuch kuchh likha huya tha saab..
--kya likha huya tha?aap ne para bhi ya woh saab jaise jaise keh gaya.. aapko laga ki woh hi likha hai?.. haaa?... daya asked impatiently..
Rakhe Singh, cowered his head down to jabber with wavering voice---jee.. saab.. woh to.. angreji me likha huya tha to..
--matlab aap par nahi sakaa.. aur phir bhi aap ne ...humari beti ko kisi anjan aadmi ke pas chhor diya!!!!.... how can you do that ? how? how?.. Daya's eyes were emitting the ray of fury yet tears were waiting to spill down his cheeks..
Smita clenched Daya's arms to assuage his worry, to make him a little quiet, to make him strong and determined and muttered---daya.. ghar pe chalte hain.. shayad.. koi... phone vone... her voiced choked
Daya raised his index finger at the gateman and warned him with distorted face--main complain karunga aap ke khilaafff.. agar meri beti ko kuchh huya naa... to...
---dayaaaa... Smita gasped, in a mixture of fear and unbearable pain..
daya continued---abhi jata hun main head mistress ke pas.. aur ja ke kehta hun ki kaisa hai aap k school ke darwan?/ irresponsible.. aise logo se school chalate hain aap?
Smita, grasping Daya's hand tightly , tried to move him at the opposite direction and suggested feebly--yaha keh ke koi faida nahi Dayaa... main already baat kar chuki .. chalo.. ghar pe.. ja ke...
--faida nahi matlab?... itni chhte bachche ka school hai.. aur aisa irresponsible darwan!!!!.. what do you mean by faida nahiiiii!!!! un logo ko jawab dena parega.. I want an explanation ke aise kaise ho sakta hai?? aj humara beti ke sath huya kal dusre logo ke sath bhi ho sakta hai..
Smita, realised that Daya had lost his cool, and he was terribly furious, loosing his adoring daughter.
Smita strengthened her inner power, clutched Daya's both arms and with a soothing voice she started persuading her husband---Daayaaa.. meri baat suno... please... complain hum jaroor karenge.. magar usse pehle hume dhriti ko dhoond ke nikalna jaroori hai.. aur us ke liye hume abhi... ghar janaa.. jaroori hai.. her voice had a desperate plea to convince obstinate and quite befuddled Daya, but she didn't have to do much as her cell phone rang loudly, she received it worriedly--ha saheliii
diksha: kya baat hai bhabi?.. main bohut der se intezar kar rahi hun tumhari.. bohut tension bhi ho raha tha.. dhriti ko school se leke tum kahi pe gaye ho kya?..
Smita closed her eyes and once she bit her lower lip to realise the fact that she didn't inform anything at home.. Smita sighed once and hurriedly said--main tumhe sab bata rahi hun wapas ake.. okay.. abhi arahi hun.. she cut the line in haste.. and grabbing Daya's hand tightly she told firmly ---ghar chalo Dayaaa..
Part 67(C)
[2hours later] {Shiraz Apartment]
Daya was toeing and froing on the floor being extremely perturbed. Chachu was weeping and lamenting loudly sitting on the floor. Smita was sitting on a chair, anxious, tensed almost on the verge of crying, while Diksha clenched her two palms tightly to give her the much needed strength. Dev was sitting on the couch, staring vacantly at the floor. Munni was cuddled against nancy and didn't want to come out of her room in scare. Dev broke the silence, trying to be calm---waqt to nikal raha hai Dayaa.. abhi tak to phone vone na ayaa.. to phir...
--phir kya? kya bhaiya?... Daya's voice reflected a tint of edge..
Dev now suggested something probably to alleviate Daya's worry--achcha ...aise bhi to ho sakta hai.. ki.. purashthi ka koi ake.... dhriti ko.. leke gaye...after all... aaj... Somu ka... shaadi hai... kar hi sakte hai koi.. woh log to.. uncle hi lagte hai na...
Daya gave Dev a cross look and snapped with irritation--kya bol rahe ho tum bhaiya?.... meri beti ko.. purashthiwale.. itna pyar nahi karte hain.. ke... stopped he and glanced at Dev probably feeling a little guilty and cringed his head down..
Dev gasped, realizing a shiver of panic, he was utterly confused to decide whether he had to pacify Daya and Smita or some serious steps had to be taken to search for Dhriti. Before he concluded anything a sharp chide he heard ---kaha tha main..ki kya jaroorat hai itni chhoti bachchi ko school me admit karne ki?.. nahi.. mere baat achcha nahi laaga.. ajkal ki bachchi.. ajkal ki reeti riwaz.. Daya was grumbling, without a pause, having been sheer crestfallen in bitter apprehension.. and that was the cause of more worry and concern for Dev. He didn't observe Daya in so much anxiety and tension. Even if he was in distress, he used to forbear it silently, but that incident had made him insane.. He was grumbling sometimes, sometimes plucking his own hair in dejection, sometime weeping in sheer helplessness, sometimes complaining without any logic and reason.. Dev stood up and seized Daya's hand to soothe his tension,saying---main... purashthi me.. jake ekbar .... dhoond lun Daaya.. shaayd hum.. bewajah se.. itna pareshan ho rahe hain... humari bachchi.. sahi salamat hi....
Smita couldn't choked back her pain more.. she sobbed quietly murmuring---aap ka baatein.. sach ho jaye bhaiyaa.. Bhagwan kare... sach ho jaaye...
But Daya was fuming in rage as the worry tried to spurt through him--phir wohi baat!!!.. are kitni bar keh raha hun bhaiyaaaa... ke.. waha pe.. aisa koi nahi hai.. tumhe vishwas kyu nahi hota haiiiii?.. his fury ebbed away as his voice strangled by an excruciating angst..Dev grasped Daya's left shoulder with force and and gave him a mild reprimand--Dayaa.. apne aap ko samhal le... be strong....
Daya gasped with dejection which almost sounded like a sigh. Dev continued--agar tu itna upset ho jayega to smita ko kaun samhalega haaa?... he jerked Daya a little for putting much importance on his words.. Daya nodded, cowering on the floor , with a contorted face. Dev left Daya immediately and hobbled inside, taking out his cell phone from the pocket..
Nehal entered just then as the main door wasn't locked. He too was looking confused and tensed but at the same time controlled. He walked into Daya and tightly clenched his hand to to utter---chinta na karo.... jaldi hi mil jayegi dhritiiii...
Daya was probably musing something with vacant gaze, as a morbid glumness muffled his face. Muttered he slowly and calmly this time---samajh gaya main Nehal.... Dhriti ko pane ke liye.... ab police ke pas jane ke elaba... aur koi rasta nahi bacha..
Smita whimpered in a mixture of pain and fear as Diksha pressed her hand clenching more tightly to give her the warmth..
--po..police? stammered Nehal
--haa police.. barna itne bare shahar me kaha dhoonde hum us ko? kaha? ka....stopped he as his voice was revolting to make any more noise...
The silence of a minute was heavy but it was broken lastly as the landline started ringing with a trinkling noise .....
Smita was keen to receive it but Daya stopped her and received--hello...
No one answered from the other side..
Daya, a bit loudly poured his emotion upon the receiver--helloo.. kaun hai?...
There wasn't any change in the result though, Daya this time kept almost yelling--hello helloo helloooo.. koi baat nahi karna hai to phone hi kyu kiyaaa? haaaa?... who are you?... speak out....
Dev shuffled in slowly, Nehal walked onto him to give support while Daya was still hoping to listen to someone's voice on the receiever.. but his hope sagged away as the line had been cut suddenly..
Daya was panting with unbearable tension ans distress, Dev asked worriedly---kiska phone tha?kuchh pata chala?
Daya shook his head with dejection but soon he turned to listen to Dev as he informed ----Purashthi me phone kiya tha.... waha ........
---waha ? waha kya bhaiya?.. dhritu hai waha pe?.. Smita almost begged to know about her daughter..
Dev shook his head and uttered--no... Dhriti waha pe nahi hain.. waha ka koi.. Dhriti ko school se pick up nahi kiya tha..
Daya couldn't resist himself as his tongue slipped--ye kaun si nayi baat hai?
Nehal opined sagely---nahi Dayaa.. achcha huya bhaiya phone karke confirm kar liya is baat ko.. ab hume dusre jagha pe dhoond sakenge...
Daya again burst out unable to maintain his serenity--kahaaaaa? kaha pe dhoond sakte hai hum? schhol bheja tha usko.. aur kahi to nahi gayi meri beti.. now tears sprang out smartingly as he started blubbering...
Nehal gave him needed support and tried to quieten him, but he didn't have to do much as the landline rang again...This time Smita almost plunged to receive the call and she did it--he...hello.... hello.. with shaky frightened voice she spluttered out...
A satanic laughter she heard.. and immediately she felt as if scare passed through her spine rapidly to make her shivered.. She gathered courage to ask--kkaun?.. kkaun?.. kyu kuchh bolte nahi hooooooo?...
Satanic laughter had been changed into a sanctimonious chortle as a male voice she heard---wah!! waaah.. excellent... mere bachchi ko leke... apni ghar ka sunapan bhar diya tumhara pati neee.... aise hi?... muft me? aaa?..
Smita was stiffened, as her almost numb brain cells were trying to determine whose voice it was, and moreover the meaning of the words..but before she could ascertain anything , the hiss of the smirk she heard--are?.. dusro ki amanat se hi ghar bharna hai.. to uska keemat chukana parta hai.. ye baat.. tumhara pati ko... kaun samjhaye? hmmm?..there was faint cynicism in his voice..
Smita's eyes were getting goggled.. what she was listening to?.. Someone intentionally abducted their daughter, and that too was out of malice.
Daya was gazing at Smita with rising hope and bated breath, trying to read each and every shades of her face..
Smita's lips started quivering as she tried to speak out, as she tried to scream out in pain.. as she desperately wanted to know about her daughter.. but her lips were betraying with her..
Daya couldn't remain calm anymore as he snatched the receiver from Smita's hand to screech---kaun ho tum? haa?
A satirical voice answered ---Dhriti ki peeta ...
Daya startled and immedaitely looked at Smita.. she lowered her eyes feelign utterly miserable..
--kkya kya bakwas kar rahe ho tum?.. Dhriti kaha hai?.. kaha pe rakha use? kis halat me hai? main tujhe chhorunga nahi samjhe tu? main...stopped Daya, almost spurting out without a pause and listened to the otherside..
--are are itna ghabraao maat... kuch nahi hoga dhriti ki.. kaise kuchh karu use.. hmm?.. woh to mere sone ka anda hai.. laughed he maliciously.
Daya gritted his teeth, asked ---kya chahte ho tum?..
--paisa.. an immediate answer he heard quite unexpectedly..
Daya's face distorted in hatred to think about the abominable proposal, he couldn't resist himself from taunting him---apne khoon se business kar rahe ho Shantanu?..
Smita was silent until she heard that name "Shantanu".. Clinging onto Diksha she burst into a grievious whimper now
--Shut uppp.. justtttt shuttttttt your mouth uppp samjha?.. abhi zada baat karne se Dhriti mere pas hi reh jayegiiiiiiii.. aur pure duniya ko bata dunga main ki.....
Daya batted his eyelids with lesser intervals and sensed moisture in his eyes.. he swallowed hard and muttered after controlling his anger--kitna paisa chaiye tumhe?.. haa?...
--ab aya na raste pe.. wise man.. isi liye hi na.. bhargava ko uddhar kiya tha.. a wicked chortle and these words Daya heard with bated breath before asking him---kaam ki baat karo.. paisa kaise dun?.. meri beti ko kab wapas karoge?.. haa?..
--paisa?.. Smita was dumbstruck ..
--thik hai chalo kaam ki baat hi kare.. sattar lakh rupiya chaiye mujhe ... samjhe?.. paisa leke raat dus baje tum akela gandhi mor ka under construction building hai.. waha pe chale ana.. magar akela... daro nahi... dhriti ka kuchh nahi hoga..
Daya was totally dazzled by the claim ..but he managed to kept a curb on his flying rage and snapped hastily--kya gurantee hai ki tum dhriti ko kuchh nahi karoge?..
The sound of a sanctimonious smirk he heard along with the words---tumhe lagta hai.. jo ande se mujhe itna faida ho raha hai... use main nuksan pauchaunga?... haa?.. dekho.. mere pas aur koi rasta nahi.. paisa ka jaroorat tha... is liye ye kaam karna para.. barna main itna bura aadmi bhi na tha.. magar tumne mujhe bura banaya tumne.. samjhe Mr saxena?.... tumne mujhe pagal kiya hai.. mera khoon ko khaulna sikhaya.. shaitan banaya.. samjhe?.. anyways.. abhi itna kar do.. aur le jao meri... oh... sorry.. tumhari beti ko.. thik hai..chalo phone rakhta hun...
Daya was so much shocked that he couldn't react in the mid way of his speech and even after cutting the line he kept listening to engaged tone of the receiver. Everyone was waiting with expectant faces to listen to Daya as he put the receicer down with an addled face.
--kya kaha Daya? kitna paisa manga?.. asked Dev..
Daya had a pallid and grim face , yet he tried to hide his perplexed mind and answered --seventy lakh!!...
Everyone was staggered to listen to Daya while he himself chekced him back and hastily said to indicate Smita---bahar ja raha hun....paused he.. and then uttered with shaken voice--kaam hai.... Vanished he within a moment before Dev could call him to discuss the money matter.