In Music Research Foundation and Training,Delhi it was not just another day.It was the day when Sameer Maheshwari,the youngest Dean had not come to his chamber.It was the day when the bright red roses in the glass cut vase had wilted away on his table.Even his best friend Manoj alias Munna Sir was not seen anywhere.

Maheshwari Residence

" Sameer! Tumhare Nanaji ko thoda change ki zarurat hai.Unhe kahin achi hill station pe le jao.Budhape mein aise bimar padna aam baat hai.I hope you understand. '' Doctor informed a dejected Sameer .

"Main samajh raha hun lekin unke saath bhi to jana padega mujhe.Kisi aur ke hawale to nahin chod sakta.'' He stated matter-of factly.

"I understand Sameer,par yahan rahenge to kuch sudhar nehin aayega.Tum kisi karib dost ko contact karlo.Sayad unse kuch madad mil jaye.All the best.'' Doctor left as Sameer sat with helplessness clouding his mind.

"Sameer! Tu kyun itna pareshan ho raha hai?Main Nanaji ke saath chala jaunga.Tu idhar institute ko sambhal.'' Munna consoled his best friend.

"Tu kya samajhta hai Nanu man jayenge.Pehle bhi pooch chukka hoon.Mere bina wo kahin nahin jayenge.'' Sameer propped his head in palms as he tried to search for a flicker of hope in the entire bleakness of future.

"Acha tu tension mat le.Yeh kuch jagah hai meine Swati ko bol kar list kiya hai.Yeh jagah Delhi ke ass pass hein .Tu wahan se bhi operate kar sakta hai.Pandit aur main sambhal lenge yahan.Institute to chalta rahega par Nanaji ko ese bimaar nahin dekh sakta yaar.'' Munna said as he searched for the list in table drawer.

"Munna sun!Agar Mummy ka call ayega to bol dena Sameer ab shaadi ke liye taiyaar nehin hai.Wo us Reeta ke ghar mein mana kar de.'' Sameer informed Munna.

"Arey yaar! Yeh tera ikwayan (51) number shaadi ka rishta hai.Ab to shaadi karle.Uski yaad mein tujhe brahmachari ban na manjoor hai kya?Jo ho gaya so ho gaya.Bhul ja use.Wo bhi bhula di hogi.Waise us ladki ka naam Reeta nahin Geeta hai. '' Munna sounded defeated.

"Ek baar bol diya na nahin karna hai shaadi matlab nahin karni hai .Tu samajh ja aur Mummy ko bhi samjha dena. "Sameer was definitely irritated.He left the living room to go for bedroom.He was not feeling well for reasons unknown.

"Arey yaar Sameer! Par yeh list to dekh le.Destination decide karni hai...'' Munna called "Pehla wala ke liye ticket book karle.Wahin jaa rahein hum.Ab institute jaa aur mujhe wo papers mail kar de.Bye.'' Sameer replied.

"Sameer bhi na.Pagla gaya hai.Aur pehla wala koun sa jagah hai.Almora! Arey yeh kounsa hill station hai?Kabhi bhi to nahin suna.Shimla,Darjeeling ko chod ke Swati ko yehi jagah mila tha list banana ke liye.Par man na padega uski geography knowledge kafi acha hai.'' Munna smiled at the efficiency of his beautiful and smart wife.

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"Nisha beta! Aja aaj humare ghar rehna hai tujhe.Rishav! Nisha ki help karle packing mein.'' Rishav's mom Nirupama said.

"Par Aunty,Mummy ayegi to mujhe dhundegi na.Main nahin milungi to pareshan ho jayegi.'' Nisha informed while terribly missing her mother.

"Mummy ko aaj bahut kaam hai na wo nahin aa payegi ghar.To unhone bola ki tum aaj humare ghar rahoge.Thik hai beta.Ab jaldi aao.'' Nirupama made her understand.

"Par apko kyun bataya ? Mujhe to nahin bataya.'' Confusion ate her tiny mind.

"Wo ...ghar ka phone nahin lag raha tha na isliye.Tum aao wo aa jayegi.'' Nirupama tried to pack her clothes in a small satchel.

"Aunty! Aap mujhse kuch chuppa rahe ho? Mummy thik to hai na. '' Tears had pooled in her eyes.She had never missed her mother so much.

"Nahin beta.Unhe kya hoga.Tumhe to khush hona chahiye.Rishav ke saath padhoge ,kheloge,school jaoge...bahut masti karoge aur main dantugi bhi nahin. ''Nirupama said wiping the fresh tears that had trickled down Nisha's cheeks.

"Nahin khelna hai mujhe Rishav ke saath.School to mummy mujhe saath lekar jaati hai.Ab kyun nahi jayegi? ''Nisha asked still trying to fathom why her mother was absent for so long.

"Beta! Wo mumma books likhti hai na.Badi books likhne ke liye badi jagah jaana padta hai .To mumma ek badi jagah pe gayi hai.To badi jagah se ane mein time lagta hai.Samjhi! " Nirupama tried her every effort to make her understand.

"Badi jagah? Kya wo itna bada hai? "Nisha asked spreading her arms to the maximum.

"Haan bahut bada hai.Ab jaldi chal nahin to tumhari mummy mujhe dantengi ki Niru! Tumne meri Nisha ko bhuka rakha? Mein tumhe apne next book ki evil character bana dungi. '' Nirupama tried to lift Nisha's mood.Nirupama's last line cracked up Nisha.She forgot all her confusions and started packing her clothes and books.

"Kaise bataun tujhe beta ki Mummy kitni badi jagah hai.Kitni badi ICU mein hai.'' Nirupama wiped away the tears that threatened to flow down.

"Aunty Chalo! E k minute. ''Nisha halted and sprinted inside her mother's room.

"Haan hogaya.Ab chalte hain.Rishav! Aa jaa.Meri mummy ki cheezon ko haath mat lagana.Mujhe nahin pasand.Mein tere saath nahin khelungi.Tu meri baat nahin sunega to jaa main tujhse baat bhi nahin karungi.Katti.'' Nisha was pissed off with Rishav's behaviour.

"E moti! Chilla kyun rahi hai? Aa to raha hooon.'' Rishav spoke up after Nisha's constant rebukes.

"Aunty ! Mujhe Rishav ne moti bola.''Nisha complained to Nirupama while Nirupama was busy talking to someone over the phone.

"Dekh Mummy teri baat nahin sun rahi hai.Ab kya karegi ?'' Rishav teased.

"Ek baar meri Mumma ko ane de.Phir to mein tere naam pe itna sara complain karungi.Tere ghar bhi nahin jaungi aur man lagakar padhai karungi. '' Nisha teased back.

"Bas bas ho gaya.Chalo ab dono.'' Nirupama instructed while her eyes fell on something Nisha was tightly clutching to her tiny figure.

"Kya pakda hai beta?'' Nirupama asked as she saw Nisha trying hard to carry the thing.

"Mummy ko.''

"Achha,Mummy ka photo hai.La mujhe de main pakadti hoon.'' Nirupama extended her hand to take the photo frame.

"Nahin Aunty.Main pakdi hoon na. ''Nisha clutched the frame more tighter.

"Aunty! " Nisha called Nirupama as she settled on the sofa.

"Haan beta! Bol.Kuch khaegi? Thoda time de Dinner ban jayega.'' Nirupama said while juggling between telephone calls and kitchen.

"Mumma ko bolo na ki wo badi book likhna chod de.Mujhe Mumma chahiye.Aap bolo na use.Aap mujhe phone do.Main bata dungi.Aap bas uski number laga lo.Mujhe phone pe baat karna pata hai.'' Nisha said enthusiastically while all the while Nirupama was trying to hold back the tears.

"Haan beta main bata dungi.Tu TV dekh le.Rishav kahan hai?'' Nirupama asked.

"Wo gadha so gaya hai.Homework bhi khatam nahin kiya usne.Kal daant padegi to mazaa ayega'' Nisha squealed in happiness imagining the next day classroom scenario.

"Sach mein.Bilkul gadha hai.'' Nirupama laughed.

"Par tu to meri achi bacchii hai na.Chal tu thoda TV dekh le.Main khana laati hoon.Thik hain na?'' Nirupama kissed Nisha's forehead while Nisha threw her arms around her neck and mumbled in whispers.

"Ab unki halaat kaisi hai?'' Nirupama asked her husband Rounak as he came back from hospital.

"Critical hai.Doctors ne 48 hours ki observation mein rakhe hain.Tina hai unke pass.Wo khabar karti rahegi.Phir to mein subah chala jaunga.'' Rounak sounded all depressed.

"Acha Nisha aa gayi hai?'' He suddenly remembered that Nisha was all alone now.

"Haan aa gayi hai.So gayi hai.'' Nirupama said as she set the table for them.

"Puch rahi thi kya Naina ji ki bare mein? '' Rounak asked as he cleaned his hand.

"Puch rahi thi matlab main to use manane ka saara formula bhi use karliya.Man ne ko tayaar hi nahin.Aaj to sambhal gaya; kal ko kya bolungi? " Nirupama's heart trepided with apprehensions.

"Unke koi gharwalon se baat ki?'' Rounak asked.

"Unhone to kabhi bataya nahin gharwalon ke bare mein.Unka ghar to Ahmedabad hai par yahan Almora main koun hai mujhe nehin pata. ''Nirupama whinned at her ignorance.

"Bechari Nisha.Baap ka pata nehin aur Maa hospital mein.Kya hoga iss bachi ka?'' Rounak spoke as he took a morsel.

"Hum kar bhi kya sakte hein? Jitna ho sakega karenge.Nisha ki halat dekh kar bada dukh hota hai.Itni si umar mein yeh sab ..'' Nirupama choked as she wiped the tears that were flowing relentlessly.

"Kha lo.Sambhalna to padega use.Par pehle tum sambhal jao. '' Rounak encouraged Nirupama to be strong enough .

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"Munna! Yeh Almora ke liye tickets book ho gaye?'' Sameer asked as he hung his blazers in the cabinet.

"Haan yaar.Hogaye.Wahan pe ek acha sa ghar meine advanced rent 6 mahine ke de kar book kar lia hai.Yeh address note karle.Baaki tujhe Almora station pe Srikant ji mil jayenge.Yeh unka card hai.Bas yeh..yeh laal wali Number pe call kar lena.Bas tera problem khatam.Ache se jana aur maze karna.'' Munna detailed.

"Thank you Munna.Yaar tu nahin aa raha hai mazaa nahin ayega. ''Sameer said hugging his best friend.

"Arey mein ata lekin Swati kuch pooja rakh rahi hai.Main nahin rahunga to akele sambhal nahin paegi.Aur institute ko bhi dekhna hai na.Wo harmonium ka tender fix ki meeting bhi to hai.Tu jaa aur Nanaji ka khayal rakh.'' Munna said lifting off all burdens from Sameer's shoulders.

"Acha haan aur ek baat,ye le Maniben Naina ki recent kitaab.Kya mast likhi hai.Tu bhi padh lena''. Munna handed over the book with a teasing smile.

"Main kabhi kitaab padhta hun kya? Tu hi rakh le''. Sameer shrugged.

"Thik hai le jaata hun.Apne chamber main rakhlunga''. Munna forwarded to take the book.

"Ek minute.Dikha to zara''. Sameer asked as Munna took the book.

Naina's photo was published in the back cover.

It was painful to see her again.Dark circles have set under her spectacled eyes.Wrinkles of experience have adorned her forehead.She looked different though being familiar.

"Munna ,isse yehin rehne de.Tu jaa aur Swati ki madad kar.Main Almora pahunch ke contact karunga.'' Sameer said as he placed the book in the suitcase.

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Almora City Hospital

"Doctor! Kya baat hai?Kuch problem hai? " Nirupama was anxious about Naina's health.

"She has Hematoma.Matlab blood clot.Humein surgery karni hogi.Aap unke kis rishtedar ko inform kijiye.Aur paison ka intezaam kijiye. Doctor said and left his cabin.

"Ab kya kare Raunak? Kisko bulaye? Nirupama asked Raunak while Raunak checked for available balance in his account.

"Main paiso ka intezaam karta hun tum Nisha ko sambhalo.Rishtedaar mil jayenge. Raunak said and left.

(To be continued)