He made another call from the mobile and quickly appraised police of the situation. “Mall ki security waale log pata nahin kaha hain, aur kya kar rahe hain, Khurana. Chaos hai yahan.”
“Hum pahunch gaye, Kabir. Tum baaki logon ki chinta mat karo. Ananya kahan hai?”
“Ground floor, well ke paas. Sirf paanch minute bache hain Khurana…”
He saw policemen coming up the stairs from the basements and directing the evacuation.
“Ananya!” They heard Mrs. Kashyap scream.
“Ma!”
“Ronnie. Kya kar rahe ho tum? Le jao inhein bahar. Time nahin hai.”
He left Ananya’s side for a second and physically dragged Mrs. Kashyap for some distance. “Armaan. Ronnie. Dimaag se kaam lo. Kissie ke bhi yahan rahne se bomb squad ko kaam karne mein problem hi hogi. Aur… khatra bhi hai. Please le jao inhein.”
When he came back, the bomb squad had reached there and were examining the wiring.
“You should leave, Mr. Sharma,” one of the officers told him.
“Aap please mere oopar time barbaad na karein. Main kahin nahin ja raha,” he replied.
“Kitna time hai, Kabir?” she asked when he stood by his side and clasped her hand again.
“Kaafi hai.”
“Mujhe aapse kuchh kahna hai.”
“Bolo, Ananya.”
“Maine aapko bahut pareshaan kiya hai. Kabhi aapki baat suni nahin, kabhi maani nahin, kabhi bekaar ka gussa kiya. Lekin maine aapko pyaar bhi bahut kiya hai. Aapko pareshaan karte waqt ye nahin socha tha ki zindagi itni chhoti hogi. Warna gussa karne mein, door rahne mein itna samay barbaad nahin karti.”
“Hum kuchh hi der mein yahan se sahi salaamat bahar niklenge, Ananya.”
“Kitna time bacha hai, Kabir? Please bataiye mujhe.”
The bomb squad members had moved behind her and were trying to figure something out at the back of the vest.
He stood facing her and the timer made him gulp. But he replied truthfully, “Ek minute.”
She pushed him away and screamed, “Jaiye aap yahan se.”
“Ms. Kahsyap!” The person cutting the wire admonished her against moving.
“Itna hi saath tha, Kabir. Shayad agle jann mein…”
Kabir came back, held her face tight and hissed, “Saat janmon mein main vishwaas nahin karta. Yahi ek janm hai hamare paas. Agar ji nahin sakte to saath hi marenge.” And he kissed her hard.
A cap popped out from the vest and suddenly the clock stopped ticking.
Kabir stepped back.
“We are safe now, but let me take the vest off,” declared the lead of the bomb squad and they carefully freed Ananya of the vest.
As soon as the vest was off, Ananya’s knees buckled. She would have collapsed on the floor if Kabir had not held her in time.
“Ananya!” he screamed.
“Shock mein chali gayi hain. Main medical team ko andar bhejta hoon,” said one of the officers.
Kabir laid her down on the floor. She opened her eyes after a few moments.
“Tum theek ho?”
“Ma?”
“Main bulata hoon unko.”
“Nahin. Mujhe theek hone dijiye. Woh ghabra jayengi. Aap unhein bas bata dijiye ki main theek hoon.”
He nodded and called Ronnie. “Ananya theek hai,” he informed them, “Bomb diffuse ho gaya hai. Tum please sabko lekar uske ghar jao. Hum log thodi der mein pahunch rahe hain.”
—
After settling her in her bed, Kabir went out of the room and left her friends and family with her.
“Main bahut galat thi, Ananya, Kabir Sir ke baare mein. Jo insaan aapke saath marne ko taiyaar ho, usse behtar aapke liye aur kaun ho sakta hai? Woh best hain tere liye.”
“Haan Ananya,” her mother added, “I’m sorry ki maine teri choice par bhrosa nahin kiya. Main bhi Armaan ka soch kar tujhe wahan chhod kar chali aayi. Lekin usne kissi ka nahin socha.”
“Ma. Aise mat bolo. Tumne bilkul sahi kiya.”
“Main credit le sakta hoon kya? Hamesha Kabir ki side lene ke liye?” Ronnie said and made everyone laugh.
“Ab tu aaraam kar, Ananya,” he added more somberly, “Hum phir aayenge tujhe dekhne. Tab tak KKN bhi chala lenge. Tu chinta mat karna.” Everyone laughed again.
Mrs. Kashyap also left the room with Richa and Ronnie. Armaan stayed behind.
—
“Ananya theek hai?” Kabir asked.
Richa nodded at him.
“Main chalta hoon, Mrs. Kashyap. Koi zaroorat ho to–”
“Sir,” Ronnie interjected, “Aap Ananya se mil lijiye ek baar jaane se pahle.”
Happy to be given a chance he nodded and went in immediately.
—
“Didi,” Armaan was overwhelmed, “Tum ye itne khatre waale kaam mat kiya karo. Tumhein kuchh ho jaata to?”
“Main theek hoon na, Armaan? Aise ghabrate nahin hai, mere bhai.”
“Haan. Waise to jiju – I am sorry – Kabir Sir – tumhare saath rahte hi hain. To bas isi se bharosa bana rahta hai.”
Ananya smiled weakly.
“Ek baat confess karni thi, Didi.”
“Kya?”
“Jab tum Kabir Sir se naaraaz thi, tab Ronnie Bhaiya aur unhone mujhe call kiya tha.”
“Aur tu mere plans ke baare mein unhein bata raha tha.”
“Bas utna hi jitna Ronnie Bhaiya ko already pata nahin tha.”
“Ma ke zevar…”
“Tum mujhse gussa to nahin ho, Didi?”
“Nahin, Armaan.”
“Badi jaldi confess kar diya, Armaan. Ab agar mujhe dubara zaroorat hui to?” Kabir entered the room.
“Ab Didi aap se kabhi gussa nahi hongi Jiju – I mean, Kabir Sir.”
Ananya flushed at Armaan’s use of ‘Jiju’ in front of Kabir, but Kabir didn’t even bat an eyelid.
“Main ja kar dekhta hoon ki Ronnie Bhaiya aur Richa Didi hain ya chale gaye,” Armaan made an excuse and left them alone, remembering to shut the door behind him.
—
“Ananya. Tum resign kar do.”
“Ji?” she was alarmed.
“Khatre to tumhara peechha sa karte hain. Aur mujhe do-chaar baar aur tumhein aise khatron mein dekhan pada to mera dum nikal jayega. Sach mein!” he had started smiling by then and she was relieved.
“Maine resign kar diya to aapka mujhe rescue karne ka shauq kaise poora hoga.”
“Aaj ke rescue ka credit to police aur bomb squad ko do. Mujhe bomb diffuse karna nahin aata.”
“Isliye aap mere saath marne ko taiyaar the?”
“Main koi bahaduri ka kaam nahin kar raha tha. Agar tumhein kuchh ho jaata to kya main bomb se bach kar bhi zinda rah paata?”
A knock was heard at the door and Ananya blinked back the tears that threatened to brim over. Her mother came in with a cup of tea for Kabir.
“Iski zaroorat nahin thi, Mrs. Kashyap. Aap kyon taqleef le rahi hain? Main bas nikalne ke waala tha.”
“Kabir, ek request karoon?”
“Ji?”
“Kya aaj tum yahan ruk sakte ho? Hum sab – ya shayad sirf main – bahut ghabraye hue hain.”
Kabir’s mouth opened in astonishment. He looked at Ananya and then back at her mother.
“Ji,” he said finally, “Main rukoonga.”
“Ma. Kabir ke paas raat mein change karne ke liye kapde nahin hain,” she told her mother.
“Tumhare Papa ke kapde hain. Usmein se kuchh aa jayega. Main dekhti hoon.”
“Aapki aankhon mein aansoon?” she asked after her mother left.
“Kabhi kissi ghar ko meri zaroorat nahin rahi hai, Ananya. Aaj se pahle kabhi nahin.”
—
To be continued