“Ma? Ye scooter?”

“Armaan ko dikha tha, shopping complex mein. Woh le aaya, doosri chabhi use kar ke.”

Ananya and Kabir, who was following her, stopped in their tracks. Just then she noticed Ronnie and Richa and was even more shocked.

“Hum chalte hain,” Ronnie said and they left leaving Ananya and Kabir with Mrs. Kashyap. Anaya saw Armaan standing at his bedroom door, wringing his hands nevously.

“Ma. Main…” Ananya tried to break the awkward silence, but words failed her.

“Agar tujhe mujhse chhipaane ki, jhooth bolne ki zaroorat padi, to tujhe nahin lagta ki tu kuchh galat kar rahi thi?”

“Aap sahi kah rahi hain, Mrs. Kashyap,” Kabir came forward, “Humne galat kiya. Lekin yakeen maaniye. Ye galti bachkanepan ki wajah se thi. Aapko dhokha dene ke iraade se nahin.”

“Bachkanapan? Bachchha tum dono mein se kaun hai? Tum to nahin to, Kabir? Aur ye – jab bachchi thi to aasaan tha. Ab to badi ho gayi hai. Itni badi ki–”

“Ma. Please. Ek baar meri baat to sun lo.”

“Theek hai, Kabir. Main apni beti se baat karna chahti hoon.”

A silent look passed between Ananya and Kabir.

“Ji. Aur main aapse waada karta hoon ku main aapke beech mein kabhi nahin aaunga. Aapse ab tak chhipaane ki galti ke liye main aapse maafi maangta hoon aur bharosa kijiye ki jismein aapki khushi nahin hogi, waisa kuchh bhi karne ko main Ananya ko kabhi nahin kahoonga. Main chalta hoon.”

Ananya waited for his to leave before speaking, “Ma. Tumne Richa aur Ronnie ko ye discuss karne ke liye bulaya tha?”

“Main kya karti, Ananya? Tu to apna bhala-bura sochne mein kissi ki salaah le nahin rahi hai. Mujhe hi poochhna pada.”

“Ma. Kabir bahut achche insaan hain. Aap ek baar unhein jaan logi to–”

“Jitna jaana hai, suna hai, tere hi doston se, usse to mujhe yahi lagta hai Ananya ki woh kissi ko bhi impress kar sakta hai. Aur ye khatarnaak hai.”

“Ma!”

“Ananya. Aisi kya jaldi padi hai tujhe. Kya tujhe ek achchha jeevansaathi nahin milega? Itna oob gayi hai humse ki bas mauka milte hi–”

“Kaisi baatein kar rahi ho, Ma? Main kya tum logon ko chhod kar kahin ja rahi hoon?”

“Ye woh zamana to nahin raha, Ananya, ki main tujhse zabardasti karoon. Ghar bitha doon tujhe. Lekin main apni sahmati nahin de sakti is rishte ke liye.”

“Ma tumhari acceptance ke bina main kuchh bhi nahin–”

“To phir teri choice clear honi chahiye.”

“Tum mujhe apne aur Kabir ke beech chunne ke liye kah rahi ho?”

“Aisa hi samajh le.”

“Tum jaanti ho ki main tumhare oopar kissi ko nahin chun sakti. To theek hai, agar tumhari yahi zidd hai. Lekin main bhi tumhari beti hoon. Meri bhi zidd hai. Aur main abhi hi tumhein bata doon. Ki agar Kabir nahin rahenge meri zindagi mein, to koi aur bhi nahin aayega. I hope tum khush ho.”

She walked listlessly to her room.

“Khaana bana hua hai,” her mother called.

“Bhookh nahin hai, Ma!”

—

“Didi!”

“Armaan?”

“I am really sorry, Didi.”

“Sorry kyon bol raha hai?”

“Ye sab meri wajah se hua. Mujhe bilkul pata nahin tha ki tumhara scooter wahan kyon tha. Main ghabra gaya aur Ma ko phone kar diya.”

“Teri galti nahin hai, Armaan. Main hi bewkoofi kar rahi thi. Aaj nahin to kal, ye hona to tha hi.”

“Lekin Didi. Tum apna relation khatam to nahi kar dogi na. Ma aur Richa Didi chahe jo sochein, mujhe bharosa hai ki Kabir Sir bahut achchhe insaan hain.”

“Thanks, Armaan. Richa Ma ke kaan bhar rahi thi?”

“Woh Kabir Sir ko bilkul pasand nahin karti.”

“Aur Ronnie?”

“Woh Kabir Sir ko defend kar rahe the. Lekin he was alone.”

“Theek hai, Armaan. Tu so ja. Tujhe guilty feel karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Dekhenge. Kuchh na kuchh ho jayega.”

“Good night, Didi.”

“Good night.”

—

“Kya hua?” Kabir picked up her call imediately.

“Ma gusse mein hain. Pata nahin Richa ne unhein kya-kya bol diya hai?”

“Richa?”

“Richa. Kya kiya hai aapne uske saath, Kabir? Kyon woh aapko itna napasand karti hai.”

“Ananya!”

“Mazaak kar rahi hoon. Kis-kis ke liye roti rahoon. Ma ne bola hai ki unke aur aapke beech mujhe choose karna hoga. Maine bola ki unhein nahin chhod sakti. Lekin meri zindagi mein koi aur bhi nahin aayega.”

“Sab theek ho jayega, Ananya. Hamine patience rakhne ki zaroorat hai.”

“Mujhe to rakhna hi hai. Aap bhi rakhenge?”

“Poori zindagi, agar zaroorat padi to.”

“I hope uski zaroorat nahin pade.”

“I hope so too. So jao, Ananya. Apni neend mat kharaab karna.”

“Good night, Kabir.”

“Good night, sweetheart!”

—

“Ananya!” her mother said while she was picking up her scooter keys, “Tujhe ek car le leni chahiye. Woh jo FD agle mahine mature ho rahi hai–”

“Nahin, Ma. Use wapas invest kar do, short-term ke liye. Armaan ke college ke kharche ke kaam aayega. Mujhe car nahin chahiye.”

“Lekin–”

“Nahin, Ma. Aur main raat mein der se aaungi. Tum mera wait mat karna. So jaana.”

“Kabir ke saath ja rahi hai?”

“Ma!” she turned to face her mother, “Aise treat mat karo mujhe. Haan woh bhi rahenge. Lekin hum kaam se ja rahe hain, date par nahin. Aur bhi log rahenge.”

“Ananya. Mera dil ghabra raha hai. Koi risky operation hai kya?”

“Kabir hain, Ma. Tumhein chinta karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Professionally to unhein trust karti ho na?”

—

“Ananya!”

“Ronnie. Hi!”

“Auntie gussa hain?”

“Richa ne ensure kar diya woh to. But Kabir ki side lene ke liye thanks.”

“Richa ki baat nahin hai sirf, Ananya. Auntie khud bhi convinced thi. Isliye to unhone Richa ki baat suni aur meri nahin. Teri bhi nahin sun rahi.”

“Lekin Richa to meri bachpan ki dost hai na, Ronnie. Use to meri madad karni chahiye thi.”

“Bachpan ki dost hoon,” Richa appreared behind them, “Isliye tujhe gaddhe mein koodte nahin dekh sakti.”

“Richa. Tu unke baare mein kuchh nahin jaanti hai. Aur ab main batane ki koshish bhi nahin karoongi. Kyonki mujhe nahin lagta tujhe sach jaanne mein koi interest hai. So thank you! Tu meri life mein dakhal mat de. Main sambhaal loongi jo jaise bhi sambhaalna hoga.”

She left in a huff.

“Ronnie, woh kuchh samajh nahin rahi hai.”

“Tu bhi uski life aasaan nahin bana rahi, Richa.”

“Tu to uske pyaar mein aisa pagal hai ki uske bhale ke liye bhi use contradict nahin karega.”

“Shayad main teri tarah convinced nahin hoon ki Kabir itna bura insaan hai.”

“Too bad! Ananya ko jab tak pata chalega, tab tak kaafi der ho chuki hogi.”

“Achchha sun. Abhi hum log jhagda nahin karte hain, please?”

“Maine kyon jhagda karoongi tere se yaar? Mera Ananya se bhi koi jhagda nahin hai.”

“I know. Chal ab.”

—

To be continued