Gautami's Room

Manvi gave her medicine and Gautami took it.

Gautami said "yeh doctor bhi ajeeb hai jab sehat sahi ho rhi hai to bhi itni dawayie deta hai"

Manvi smiled lightly and said "yeh toh bas kuch mahine ke liye hai na fir unhone kaha hai na aapko bas health ka khayal rakhna hai aur apna diet nahi chodna hai"

"Tum ho toh mujhe fikar kya" Gautami said.

Manvi nodded "chalyie abhi soh jaiye aap"

Gautami lay down, Manvi covered her with blanket and turned off the lights. She moved out of the room.

Vineet was hiding and listening to the conversation. He entered inside the room and looked at Gautami for while.

He turned to go but stopped when Gautami called his name "Vineet"

He turned and asked "aapko kaise pata main hun?"

Gautami turned on the lights from the side and smiled "maa hun tumhari nas nas se waqif hun tumhari"

He stood with his head down, Gautami stood up and said "idhar aao"

He moved to her and kneeled in front of her. He said "sahi kehti ho tum maa main bahut rude hun profession mein aise behave karte karte kab main tumse aur baaki se aise baat karne laga mujhe pata hi nahi chala"

Gautami kept her hand on his head, he looked up at her and said "I am sorry maa aapse bhi badtameezi ki, aapke upar bhi chilaya maine kayi baar jab bhi aapne Manvi ki side li maine aapko bhi kahi na kahi hurt kiya shayad main insecure hone laga tha lekin galti meri hi hai zindagi ki bhaag daud mein maine aap par dhyan hi nahi diya sach kaha tha Ruhana ne agar Manvi nhi hoti toh main aapko kabka kho chuka hota" tears welled up his eyes.

Gautami said "bas Vineet, tumhe apni galti ka ehsaas hua mere liye yahi kaafi hai galtiyan ki hai toh unhe sudhara jaa sakta hai Vineet ab bhi waqt hai Manvi se baat karlo"

Vineet sighed and said "kis muh se baat karun usse maa? Itne saalo se maine usse thik se baat tak nahi ki"

"Jaanti hun main, lekin tujhe baat toh karni hogi usse agar usne tujhe maaf kar diya toh main bhi tujhe maaf kar dungi" Gautami said.

He stood up and began to move out of the room.

Gautami smiled lightly.

He came downstairs and saw Ruhana talking on the phone. She ended the call and looked at him. She asked "ho gayi aunty ji se baat?"

He nodded positively.

"great ab Manvi se bhi baat karlo" Ruhana said.

"kal karta hoon" he replied and moved to his room to sleep.

Ruhana shook her head and moved to guest room.

The next morning, Vineet got ready and came to dining table for breakfast.

Manvi kept the breakfast on the table along with the juice.

He was about to say something but Manvi moved away from there.

He sighed and left for office without eating.

Later in evening he returned and sat on the couch. Manvi served him the cup of coffee "yeh lijiye aapki coffee"

"baat karni hai tumse" He said.

"Sirji shaam ka khana banana hai" she replied and moved to the kitchen. He stood up and entered into the kitchen.

He said in anger "tumse baat karni hai sunti kyun nhi ho tum"

"Aap sunte hain kisi aur ki. Itne saalo se sunti hi aa rahi hun. aap please jayie kaam hai mujhe warna maa ko late ho jayega aur fir aap kuch suna denge mujhe" she said and got busy with her work.

Vineet sighed and moved out of the kitchen. Ruhana was outside the kitchen...

"Bura laga kya? " she asked purposely.

"Yaar main kab se usse baat karne ki koshish kar raha hoon lekin wo sun hi nahi rahi hai. " he said irritatedly.

"ab pata chala jab tum dusron ke sath aisa karte ho toh kaisa lagta hai? " she asked rolling her eyes.

"Tum meri dost ho ya uski? "he asked frustratedly.

"Main toh dono ki dost hoon. Aur main chahti hoon ki mere dono dost khush rahe. Jo tumne kiya hai na vineet, uske baad ye toh hona hi tha. Wo kyun sunegi tumhari? Rishta jo nahi uska tumse. " ruhana said.

Vineet sighed. Ruhana patted his shoulders..

"aadat daal lo Mr. Singhaniya. It's just the tit for tat thing. " she said and walked into the kitchen.

Vineet moved to his room. He changed into casuals and heard manvi who was calling Gautami and Ruhana for dinner. He, too, moved out of the room. Manvi served the food and Ruhana made her sit to have some food.

"Family ke log ek sath khana khate hai na manvi. Chalo baitho. " she said.

"Nahi aap log khaiye. Varna is table se koi uth ke chala jayega, toh maa ko bura lagega. " she said eyeing at Vineet.

He didn't say a word, instead signalled her to sit. She was bewildered, Ruhana eyed her to sit. Gautami eyed at them...

"ab acha lag raha hai na. Parivar ke sab log sath mein hai. " she smiled.

Manvi smiled lightly. Ruhana looked at them..

"lekin mujhe toh jana padega na. " she spoke sadly.

"Arey itni jaldi kya hai? Ruk jao yahin kuch din. " Gautami said.

Ruhana smiled.. "han aunty, kisi se kuch hisab karne baaki hai " she said.

"Ruhanaji... jo khud ke kaam ka hisab nahi rakh sakte, khud ko sambhal nahi sakte, wo aapko kya hisab denge. Bhul jaiye. " she spoke and left picking up some plates.

Vineet watched her go. He knew that was for him. Ruhana smiled...

"kya hua sirji? Chaunk gaye? Arey ye sab toh wo pichle 5 saal mein keh sakti thi, but nahi kaha. Ab kyun dukh ho raha hai? Ye unhi baaton ke jawab hai, jo tum uske sath karte they"she spoke and went off.

Vineet sighed and moved to his room. Manvi's words were roaming in his mind. Yes! He was wrong and was doing right with him. Her taunts hit right on his heart.

He was thinking about Manvi and his own deeds too. Meanwhile she entered in the room and picked up the pillow from the bed.

" tum bed pe so jao. " he said briefly.

Manvi looked at him open mouthed. He looked on...

"thik suna tumne, tum bed pe so sakti ho. " he said.

"Ab aapko humdardi dikhane ki zarurat nahi hai sirji. Ab mujhe aadat ho gayi hai zameen par sone ki. Main nahi chahti ki aap phir se mujhe washroom mein lock kare ya wo heels ke sandals pehnaye." she taunted and laid down on the floor.

He sighed... "Tum kyun aise baat kar rahi ho? "

"aap kar sakte hai toh main bhi kar sakti hoon. Aakhir insaan main bhi hoon. Aapko toh aadat hogi na sunne ki ye sab! Business mein log aisa hi karte hai na. "she said.

She looked at him and he had no answer. She lied on the floor and fell asleep.

He laid on his side of the bed but sleep was far away from his eyes and he was lost into thoughts. 

To be continued.