Cursed to live without you
"Sir waha par kuch bhi nahi mila. Maine khud pura area achhe se check kiya. Koi khas evidence to nahi bas kuch fingerprints mile hain. Dekhte hain kisi se match hote hain ya nahi." Daya said speaking to his boss over the phone.
"Theek hai Daya lekin tum apna dhyan rakhna. Abhijeet ne bataya tumhe fever hai?" Acp Pradyuman asked in concern.
"Sir fever hi to hai, isme chinta ki koi baat nahi!" Daya said smiling as usual.
"Kaise chinta ki baat nahi? Mujhe pata hai tum apni health ko lekar kitne laparwaah ho. Tumhe akele jane ki kya jarurat thi. Kisi aur ko nahi bhej sakte the? Gadi kaun chala raha hai?" Acp said scolding him.
"Sir Anuj hai mere sath. Don't worry. Wahi gadi chala raha hai. Aapka naya officer bahut strict hai sir. Mujhe steering ko hath bhi nahi lagane de raha." Daya said glancing at recently joined sub-inspector Anuj.
He just passed a smile glancing at Daya.
"Jara Anuj ko phone dena!" Acp ordered Daya.
"Ye lo bhai, acp sir se baat karo." Daya said extending the phone to his ear.
"Yes sir!" Anuj said.
"Anuj listen, Daya ko seedhe bureau lekar aao. Use koi kaam mat karne dena." Acp said strictly.
"Sure sir, hum bas bureau hi aa rahe hain. Daya sir mere mana karne ke baad bhi area examine karne pahuch gaye. Waise maine thodi zid karke unhe dawa khila di hai." Anuj said smiling triumphantly at Daya.
"Achha kiya!" Acp said. "Ab use lekar bureau aao. Phir main usse baat karta hu."
They cut the call. Anuj looked at Daya and laughed. "Sir, aaj to acp sir aapko bilkul bachho ki terah dant rahe the."
Daya smiled, "Han to isme nayi baat kya hai. Acp sir ho ya Abhijeet, wo mujhe bachha hi samajhte hain. 25 saal ho gaye hume cid me. Par in logo ka pyar nahi badla mere liye. Aur waise bhi inke alawa mera hai hi kaun?" Daya said hiding his sadness with a smile.
Anuj was curious. "Sir wahi to main janna chahta hu. Aapka koi aur kyun nahi hai? I mean aapne shadi kyun nahi ki? Agar aapne shadi ki hoti to aapki ek family hoti. Aapki wife jo aapki care karti. Aur aaj aapko fever hai ye jaan kar to wo aapko duty par aane hi nahi deti. Aapko dant kar dawa khilati. Aur aapke pyare pyare bachhe bhi hote. Aapka khud ka ek khoobsurat sa pariwar hota."
Daya looked at Anuj as accidentally he had touched a very raw nerve. Instantly a pretty face appeared in front of his eyes. Her smile so evergreen. Daya smiled unconsciously.
"Bas yun samajh lo ki apne liye jeene ka kabhi waqt hi nahi mila? " Daya said shrugging it off.
"Kyun sir?" Anuj said, "Achha kabhi kisi se pyar to hua hoga? Jhooth mat bolna sir, I know aap bahar se jitne bhi strict hain but aapka dil bahut soft hai bilkul mome jaisa jise pyar karna bhi aata hai." He snapped with a chuckle.
Daya again was lost in memories. Someone else had once told him the same that he has a soft heart inside him. He can also fall in love. And she was right, he had fallen for her. those pair of large expressive eyes. Those blushes on her cheeks. Her playful antics. She had indeed taught him what is love.
"Sir kaha kho gaye aap?" Anuj said, "Matlab meri baat sach hai. Jaroor koi hai. Boliye na sir!" Anuj said teasingly.
Daya came out of his thoughts. "Shut up! Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai. Concentrate on the road." He scolded Anuj and he became silent.
Suddenly Daya asked Anuj to stop the car seeing a huge crowd gathered in the street.
"Ek minute gadi rokna. Yaha itni bheed kyun hai? Kuch problem hai kya?" Daya said getting out of the car.
"Sir aap rukiye main dekhta hu." Anuj said.
"It's okay!" Daya said ignoring him and moved ahead.
"Excuse me, we are from cid, what's the matter?" Daya asked walking through the crowd. People made a way for him signalling towards a car.
"Officer, there's a baby locked inside the car." Someone told from the crowd.
Daya moved near the car and found a cute 1-2 year old baby was crying profusely in the rear seat.
"Oh no!" Daya sighed, "ye gadi yaha kisne park ki? Kaun hai jo itne chote bachhe ko aise itni laparwahi se chod kar chala gaya?" Daya shouted.
"We don't know sir, humne kisi ko dekha nahi. Bachhe ki aawaj sunkar hum idhar aaye." Someone told.
"Sir lagta hai koi bachhe ko gadi me chod kar bhool gaya hai. Hume bachhe ko bahar nikalna hoga sir. It's too hot. The baby may suffer suffocation." Anuj said to Daya.
"Hmm!" Daya said and started trying to unlock the baby but he couldn't open the lock. "Damn!" He exclaimed. The baby started crying more loudly looking towards Daya.
"We have to break open the window!" Daya said and burrowed a cricket bat from a little boy in the crowd. He grabbed the bat tightly and was about to whack the glass window making sure that it won't hurt the baby; a familiar voice fell into his ears causing him to stop his hands.
"Ruk jao!"
Daya turned and was frozen on his place. "Shreya!" He uttered. He was seeing her after almost 5 long years.
She was also surprised seeing him but she quickly became normal and blinked her eyes breaking the eyelock with him.
"Ye kya ho raha hai?" She asked seeing the crowd. "Aur kya main jaan sakti hu aap meri gadi ka glass kyun todne ja rahe the?" She questioned Daya like she doesn't recognize him.
Daya was just staring at her being completely motionless.
"Mam, ye gadi aapki hai? wo baby ro raha tha to bas isliye...!" Anuj said to Shreya.
"What? But she was sleeping when I left her ..." Shreya uttered and moved to the car.
"Aise kaun jata hai bachhe ko akela chod kar?" Suddenly Daya shouted angrily. Probably he didn't like the fact that she is now a mother and he is not the father of that child.
Shreya turned and looked into his eyes. "Excuse me! Main sirf pani ki bottle lene gayi thi. She was sleeping. Mujhe kya pata tha wo jate hi jaag jayegi aur rone lagegi?" She said and moved to the baby. She took her in her arms and rubbed her back. "Aww... I am sorry baby. Don't cry... Don't cry!" Shreya said kissing the baby and she stopped crying. Shreya hugged her securely.
The crowd disappeared slowly. Only Daya and Anuj were left there with Shreya. Anuj was confused seeing Daya strangely upset. He was clearly looking annoyed.
"Bachhe paida karna aata hai, sambhalna nahi!' He murmured eying angrily at Shreya.
Shreya heard him and turned to him. "Kya kaha aapne?"
Daya looked at her, "Tum itni laparwaah kaise ho sakti ho? Bachhe ko gadi ke andar lock karke chali gayi. No ventilation, no air. Tumhari ek choti si galti ka anzaam kya he sakta tha tumhe pata hai?"
Anuj was surprised as Daya was talking so harshly to an unknown lady.
Now Shreya was also infuriated. "Hello, kya bol rahe hain aap? Main sirf 2 minute ke liye pani ki bottle lene gayi thi. Uski safety ke liye lock kiya tha. Mere paas change nahi tha isliye mujhe thoda time lag gaya. Mujhe nahi pata tha ki itni der me yaha bheed jama ho jayegi aur log cid ko bula lenge."
She shouted glaring at him.
Suddenly Anuj recognized Shreya. "Ek minute, aap inspector Shreya ho na? Oh my god! Mam so nice to meet you! How are you?"
Shreya, who was still glaring at Daya replied gritting her teeth. "Fine!"
"Mam, aap aise react kyun kar rahi hain. Aap to Daya sir ko janti hain na. Aapki beti itni jor jor se ro rahi thi to sir se bas dekha nahi gaya. Wo bas kisi terah se use gadi se bahar nikalne ki koshish kar rahe the." Anuj said.
Shreya looked at Daya.
"I am sorry!" Daya uttered.
Shreya cooled down hearing his soft voice.
"Nahi, it's okay! I am sorry too." Shreya said softly.
"Kaisi ho tum?" He asked looking deep into her eyes.
Shreya could not control her emotions when their eyes met. She looked down. "Main theek hu."
Daya nodded and looked at the little girl in Shreya's arms who was laughing amusingly looking at him. Daya smiled at her and softly patted her cheeks.
"What's her name?" He asked looking at Shreya.
She stared at him and replied coldly. "Ahana."
Daya smiled, "nice name!"
Shreya gave him a faint smile. She didn't know what to speak next. She turned to Anuj. "New in cid?"
"Yes mam! Sub inspector Anuj Sharma!" Anuj said extending his hand for a formal handshake.
Shreya shook her hand with him.
"I am here to attend a family function. I am returning after two days." Shreya said to Anuj and indirectly to Daya.
"Oh nice, have a good time!" Anuj said smiling.
"Main chalti hu." Shreya said taking a glance at Daya."Bye sir!"
"Bye!" Daya said unwillingly. "Bye Ahana!" He said touching the girl's cheek. She smiled widely at him. Daya loved her smile. She had the same smile, no different with Shreya.
Shreya sat in the car and drove away.
Daya kept watching the car till it disappeared from his sight. He was unable to understand why he was unhappy seeing her with her child. She is happy in her married life with her husband and her cute daughter. Why he is not feeling happy seeing her happy without him. Why it's being hard for him to find his happiness in her happiness.
He laughed at himself. "Aaj Shreya apni zindagi me kitna aage badh chuki hai. Aur ek main hu jo aaj bhi dil me use pane ki ek halki si ummeed lekar jee raha hu. Mujhe to khush hona chahiye ki wo khush hai. Jab use apne dil ki baat nahi bol paya to ab tak uski yado ko kyun sambhal ke rakha hua hai apne paas. Aaj itne dino baad use dobara dekh kar jitni khushi hui usse jyada dard kyun ho raha hai? Wo meri nahi ho saki, is par yakeen kar pana itna mushkil kyun ho raha hai?"
"Sir hum bhi chalein?" Anuj said to Daya.
Daya came out of his thoughts and nodded. "Hmm!"
Here Shreya took out a chocolate for Ahana. Ahana grabbed the chocolate happily.
Meanwhile Shreya got a call from her sister.
"Shreya Ahana kaisi hai, tumhe jyada pareshan to nahi kar rahi?"
Shreya smiled, "Bilkul nahi di. Wo apni masi ke sath day out bahut enjoy kar rahi hai. Ye to bilkul apni Ma par gayi hai. Aapki terah ye bhi chocolate dekhte hi sab bhool kar hasne lagti hai."
"Tumhare sath to wo waise bhi khush hi rehti hai. Pata nahi kya jadu kiya hai tumne uspe. Trust me Shreya, tum ek bahut achhi ma banogi. Please Shreya shadi kar lo na, kab tak akeli rahogi?"
Daya's face came in front of her eyes. Her eyes filled with moisture and a lump chocked her voice.
"Di aap bhi na, main baad me baat karti hu!" Shreya said and cut the call. She closed her eyes and let the tears escape.
""
"You didn't choose me, and that will always leave its mark upon my heart.
Because of it I am forever changed...and while you can either choose to leave the past behind or look back on it in whatever light you wish, I must carry the emotional scars of your decision with me every day.
You have cursed me, not only to live my life without you but to forever look back and be drowned by the same wave of emotion...
...not hateful... Not bitter... Just sad!"
""
o-The End-o