“Maan Sir,” Geet interrupted horrified, “Suraj par koi keechad uchhal sakta hai kya? Aap par shaq karne se pahle mujhe bhagwaan par shaq karna hoga.” She paused before continuing, “Jo maine aapse kaha Dev ke baare mein woh sach hai aur is sach ko main badal nahin sakti. Lekin mera yakeen maaniye. Main iski wajah se aapko pareshaani mein kabhi nahin daal sakti. Aapki, Aapke parivaar ki, Dadi Ma ki khushiyan nahin chheen sakti, aapka parivaar nahin tod sakti. Aap khud ko pareshaan na karein, isliye main ja rahi hoon. Mere rahne se…”
Maan grabbed her hands and looked scared like a kid who is about to be taken away from his parents, “Geet! Agar meri khushi chahti ho to phir mujhe chhod kar jaane ki baat mat karna Geet. Kabhi nahin. Wapas andar chalo Geet. Apne ghar mein raho.”
Geet was overwhelmed, “Jo aap chahenge wahi hoga Sir. Main aapse sach nahin chhupa sakti thi. Isliye aapko chot pahuncha kar bhi batana pada. Lekin ab mujhe aur kuchh nahin chahiye. Mujhe koi badla, koi insaaf nahin chahiye. Inmein se kuchh bhi mere liye aapse, aapki khushiyon se badh kar nahin hai.”
“Insaaf to hoga Geet, chahe doshi koi bhi ho,” Maan’s eyes were on fire again. The determined Maan was coming out again leaving behind the one who looked so defeated a few moment ago. Because he was assured of Geet’s company in his life.
“Par…”
Maan cupped her face, “Bas Geet. Ab ye pareshaani meri hai, tumhari nahin…”
“Geet!” Dadi Ma’s stern voice startled them. She looked at Geet’s suitcase and continued, “Achchha hai ki aap khud hi ja rahi hain. Aapne hamara kaam aasaan kar diya.”
Maan and Geet were shocked at her words. They also noticed Nayantara standing behind Dadi Ma with some papers in her hand.
Maan said, “Dadi Ma! Ye aap kya kah rahi hain. Geet kahin nahin ja rahi hai. Aur woh kahin kyon jayegi?”
“Kyonki unka fareb hamare saamne aa chuka hai. Hum soch bhi nahin sakte the ki is maasoom chehre ke peechhe itna shatir dimaag chhipa hua hai. Kyon Geet? Kiska bachcha aap Maan ke, hamare khaandaan ke sar par daalna chahti hain?”
Geet was so shocked, she almost stumbled and Maan had to support her. Geet looked at Maan horrified, not knowing what to do. Maan nodded assuringly at her and put his arms around her shoulder to show his support. Then he looked calmly at Dadi Ma, “Ye bachcha mera hai.”
Both Dadi Ma and Nayantara were shocked at Maan’s declaration. But Maan preempted them saying anything against Geet by asking them to leave, “Geet ko abhi aaraam ki zaroorat hai. Dadi Ma, aap apne kamre mein jaiye. Main aap se wahin aa kar baat karta hoon.”
‘Inhein Geet ki pregnancy ke baare mein bhi pata hai aur phir bhi…’ Nayantara thought to herself while trying to think of her next steps.
—
Geet broke down as soon as Dadi Ma left, “Ye sab theek nahin ho raha hai Sir. Meri wajah se…”
“Geet!” Maan spoke calmly, “Itni jaldi haar maan gayi tum? Tum to sachchai ke liye poori duniya se akele lad gayi thi Geet? Ab to hum saath hain. Aur tum to meri taqat ho Geet. Agar tum himmat haar jaogi, to main kaise ladoonga?”
“Par Meri wajah se aapko apno se ladna pad raha hai?”
“Hum sirf sachchai ke liye lad rahe hain Geet. Tumne kuchh galat nahin kiya, maine kuchh galat nahin kiya, phir sazaa hamein kyon mile Geet? Mujhse waada karo ki tum mujhse door nahin jaogi,” Maan held out his hand, “Waada karo Geet.”
Geet was hesitant, but she could not hold back. She put her hands on top of his to convey her agreement and Maan put his other hand on top of hers and pressed it assuringly.
“Tum aaraam karo Geet. Bilkul chinta mat karna. Main abhi aata hoon.”
But Geet held his hand as he tried to leave.
“Kya hua Geet?”
“Dadi Ma… Dadi Ma hamari baat par kabhi wishwas nahin karengi. Aur agar karna bhi chahein to unhein bahut bura lagega, woh toot jayengi. Saara parivaar bikhar jaayega. Sabki khushiyan…”
“Geet. Kissi bhi parivaar ko ek criminal ko bacha kar khush rahne ka adhikaar nahin hai. Main ye nahin kah sakta Geet ki ye sab kuchh aasaan hoga. Bahut mushkil hoga, hamare liye bhi aur Dadi Ma ke liye bhi. Lekin is wajah se main sachchai ka saath nahin chhodunga; aur na hi tumhein chhodne doonga. Samjhi tum?”
Maan’s determination was evident in his words, facial expressions and body language. Geet had to let go, worried but assured of his support.
—
“Maan! Ye sab ho kya raha hai?”
“Dadi Ma! Main maanta hoon aisa nahin hona chahiye tha, lekin ismein Geet ka koi kasoor nahin hai. Aur hum sach mein ek doosre se bahut pyaar karte hain aur shaadi karna chahte hain. Phir sab theek ho jayega.”
The look Maan had given to Nayantara when he had entered Dadi Ma’s room clearly told her that Maan knew everything. So, she decided that there was no point trying to save her face in front of Maan. Dadi Ma was a better bet for her and she decided to make Dadi Ma her ally.
“Lekin Geet to teen mahine pregnant hain. Tab to Maan Veer ji unhein jaante bhi nahin the. Ye bachcha unka kaise ho sakta hai Dadi Ma,” Nayantara instigated.
“Tumne kaafee jaasoosi kar rakhi hai Geet ke oopar Nayantara. Aur kya-kya jaanti ho tum Geet ki zindagi ke baare mein? Kab se jaanti ho use?”
“Maan! Aapki aankhon par Geet ne parda daal rakha hai,” Dadi Ma did indeed come to Nayantara’s rescue, “Koi saboot ho ya na ho, hamein achchhi tarah se pata hai ki ye bachcha aapka nahin hai. Aapse hamein ye ummeed nahin thi. Hamein to hamesha lagta tha ki aap sahi aur galat ka farq achchhe se samajhte hain. Aakhir aisa kya jaadoo kar diya hai usne aap par ki aap sab kuchh jaante hue bhi andhe ban rahe hain.”
“Dadi Ma! Aapko bilkul sahi lagta hai. Mujhe sahi aur galat ka farq karna aata hai. Mera yakeen maaniye, sachchai jo bhi hai usmein Geet ki galti nahin hai. Nayantara! Dev kahan hai?”
“Kyon?”
“Jo poochha hai uska jawaab do.”
His intensity and anger scared Nayantara, “Apne kamre mein.”
“Main abhi aata hoon Dadi Ma!”
As soon as Maan left the room, Nayantara asked Dadi Ma to follow him, “Dadi Ma. Hamein bahut dar lag raha hai. Maan Veerji ke oopar to jaise khoon sawaar ho gaya hai Geet ko lekar. Hamein bhi chalna chahiye. Pata nahin Dev ko kya kahne ja rahe hain wo?”
“Theek hai.”
—
“Dev,” Maan thundered as he entered Dev’s room.
“Bro?”
Maan did not wait for any conversations. He directly walked up to Dev and slapped him hard.
“Bro ye aap kya kar rahe hain?”
“Jo tumne Geet ke saath kiya hai, uske hisaab se to main kuchh bhi nahin kar raha hoon Dev. Tumhari sazaa to abhi aani baaki hai.”
“Meri kuchh samajh mein nahin aa raha hai Bro. Maine Geet ke saath kya kiya?”
“Mere saamne bhole banne ki koshish mat karo Dev,” Maan grabbed his collar.
Just then Dadi Ma and Nayantara entered the room.
“Maan! Chhodiye Dev ko,” Dadi Ma shouted.
Maan left Dev, turned to Dadi Ma and said, “Dadi Ma! Aap jaanna chahti thi na ki sachchai kya hai? To ye hai sachchai. Geet ki halat ka zimmedaar koi aur nahin, Dev hai. Chand paison ke lalach mein usne Geet se jhoothi shaadi ki aur phir use chhod kar chala gaya.”
“Ye aap kaisi baatein kar rahe hain Maan Veer Ji. Dadi Ma! Geet hamare parivaar ko todna chahti hai. Pahle Maan Veerji ko apni baaton mein phansaya aur ab jab uski sachchai sab ke saamne aa gayi to unhein apne hi bhai ke khilaaf bhadka rahi hai.”
“Shut up Nayantara,” Maan was shaking with anger, “Khabardaar jo Geet ka naam bhi apni gandi zubaan se liya to. Agar Geet ki andar itni chaalaki hoti to tum log yun uski zindagi barbaad nahin kar paate.”
“Bas kijiye Maan,” Dadi Ma intervened, “Had hoti hai har cheez ki. Aap us ladki ke baaton mein aa kar apne hi bhai par ilzaam laga rahe hain. Nayantara se, is ghar ki bahu se, badtamizi se pesh aa rahe hain?”
“Dadi Ma! Woh ladki is ghar ki badi bahu hai. Aur… is ghar mein ek criminal ka saath nahin diya jayega. Dev abhi ke abhi apna saamaan pack karo aur nikal jao yahan se.”
“Bas bahut ho gaya Maan,” Dadi Ma was not about to budge either, “Dev aur Nayantara is ghar se kahin nahin ja rahe hain. Hum phir se aapki manmaani nahin chalne denge, woh bhi bina wajah. Aur agar ye ghar chhodenge, to yaad rakhiye ki hum bhi inke saath hi jayenge.”
—
To be continued