For Each Other
Chapter one
*
Abhijeet was watching television sitting in Tarika's hall room. She's talking over phone for a very long time. However Abhijeet wasn't irritated.. there's two reason- he's liking the movie on tv and Tarika was talking with his sansu maa.
Tarika came and sat beside him still talking over phone.
"Haan maa.. mai ku? ap hi rakho Pa ke liiye... kya? Ab acha jiban sathi pane ke liye rakhu!.. maa mujhe weisey bhi insab bato pe believe hai nahi, kuu ap khamakha apna time varbar kar rahi hai!... ap phone rakho... acha.. hmm.. ok... take care... ache se saj na dad ke liye... hehehe.. bye."
she cut the call.
"Ho gai bat sansu maa se?"
"Sansu maa?"
"Toh?"
"Huu!" she rolled her eyes.
"Kya bat kar rahi thi?"
"Parso Karwachudh hai na.. toh bas.."
"Toh bas.."
"Wahi bol rahi thi maa," then she chuckled, "Mujhe bhi vrat rakhne ko bol rahi thi.. ache jibansathi pane le liye."
"Unhe bataya nahi apne ki apka jibansathi toh apko mil gaya." he winked.
"Acha! Kaha!"
Abhijeet pouted.
Tarika laughed.
"Etne der se ek Karwachudh ki hi bat kar rahi thi!"
"Uff, Tumhe nahi pata.. mom ketni excited hoti hai is din ko lekar..."
"Oh acha.. tunhare dad ke lamambe jiban ke liye rakhti hai na vrat.. excited toh hongihi."
"Kya faltu bakwas haii ye... mai nahi manti... agar aisa hota na toh india ke koi pati budape se pehle marta kya batao?"
"Ab kya pata tum larkia ka. pata nahi kis man se vrat rakhti ho!"
" what do you mean tum ladkiyo Ka?" She said, stressing on the word "tum"
"Ye muh se kaise Nikal Gaya!" Abhijeet muttered, "ab toh jwala mukhi fatne waali hai."
"Nahi... Nahi Tarika ji," he said loudly, "aapse bilkul Matlab Nahi tha... Aap toh vrat hi Nahi rakhti na."
"Toh? Ladke Bada vrat rakhte Hain ! Bade Aaye... Ladkiyo ko bolne waale."
"arrey wo ladke toh bewakoof Hain na Tarika ji... Jo Nahi rakhtein... Humse puchiye," he kept his palm on his chest, " hum toh sab Karne ko tayyar Hain."
"Dekho Abhijeet - Mera dimang mat Khao... Maa ne already ye sab bol ke Pareshaan Kiya hai... Ab tum mat shuru Karo."
"Mein toh bus -"
"Bus bus rehne doh... Mujhe pata hai ki tumhe Bhi Inn Sab mein koi bharosa Nahi hai."
"Arrey aise kaise pata hai !"
"Tumhe phero aur shabdo mein toh bharosa hai Nahi... Badey Aaye Karwa chauth pe bharosa Karne !"
"Bharosa hai Tarika ji.. phero or shabdo mei bhi bharaosa hai.. par kisi rishtey ki ahmiyat bad shabdo or phero se tolna.. ye toh galat hai na... kabhi kabhi halat bhi kaha sath deta hai bol." he said the last part a little upset.
Tarika tried to change the topic.
"Matlab kya hai tumhara? Tum chahte ho mai vvrat rakhu?"
"Maine Aisa kab kaha? Tumhe bahrosa nahi toh phir ku?"
""Tumhe hai?"
"Bharosa tumhe karrna hai.. mujhe karke kya faida...!"
"sidhe sidhe ku nahi bolte tum kuch?"
"Yaar chup raho tum.. movie start ho gaya. Dekhne do."
"Pehle tum batao.."
"Had hai yaar... koi jarurat nahi hai tumhe vrat wat rakhne ki. Bakso do mujhe."
Abhijeet conentrated on the movie. Tarika looked at the screen.
"Kya faltu ke movie dekh rahe ho. Hata ise."
"Tum jake so jao. Mujhe yahi dekhna hai."
"Toh apne ghar jake dekho."
Abhijeet stood up to leave. Tarika was hell shocked. she held his hand and stood up too.
"Mao majaak kar rahi thi na."
"Mujhe majak nahi karna."
"Sorry!"
"Tum ku sorry bol rahi ho?"
"Wo phere.. shabd... mera wo matlab nahi tha... mai kaha believe karti hu insab mei.. I am almost an atheist na.. jante toh ho."
Abhijeet smiled.
"Tum mujhe better feel karwane ke liye kuch bhi bologi or mai man lunga!"
Tarika cupped his face.
"Tum ketna sochte ho Ahiheet! Ku etna low feel karte ho khud ko lekar? Mujhe tumsee koi sikayat nahi hai.. ketni bar bolu tumse ye bat!"
Abhijeet held her hands and took them off from his cheek. He then held them securely in between his palms.
"Tum mere liye kya ho tumhe pata hai na?
"Tumse behtar."
"Is bat pe koi doubt?"
"Not a milimiter."
"Tum bohot achi ho Tarika." Abhijeet smiled.
"Tum bhi." Tarika giggled.
"Tum bhi na.." Abhijeet shook his head.
"Mai vrat rakhungi. Tunhare liye."
"Nahi Tarika... mai nahi manta yesab. Wo toh bas aissehi... was curious ki keisa feel hota hoga jab koi vrat rakhe kisi ke liyee.. ketna deep bonding create hota hoga na? tumhe kya lagta hai ye umar barane ke lliye hai? Nahi.. ye toh rishtey ki ahmiayat badare ne liye hai. Or mere liye tunhari ahmiyat hamesha ek hi rahega.. vrat rakho ya na rakhho.. it doesn't even matter."
Taika nodded not wanting to drag the topic. She need to his his mood.
"Okay... ab nind a rahi hai mujhe.. Chalo na sone chale."
"Movie nahi dekhne dogi na mujhe?"
Tarika pouted.
"Chalo." Abhijeet smiled.
Tarika hugged him.
"Sona hii hai bas.. jayada romantic hone ki jarurat nahii hai." Abhiheet said, "Kal jladi uthna hai. Already bohot late ho gaya hai."
Tarika nodded in hug. She love to sleep next to him. It's the best feeling with him, second to love making.
*The next day*
Tarika and Abhijeet were driving to the bureau.
Abhijeet was unusually quiet. Actually his attention was somewhere else.
As the car had stopped at a signal, Abhijeet was busy watching a lady walking slowly on the footpath.
She was wearing a beautiful blue saree.
Damn, Tarika would look so beautiful in it.
He would tell her that she looked prettier than the clear sky... Oh how much lovelier she'd look when she'd smile shyly in the saree draped around her.
Oh he must gift her a blue saree for Diwali.
Thinking about it, a smile appeared on his face.
Tarika who was observing him for a good one minute now, knit her eyebrows together.
"Abhijeet... Tumhara dhyaan kidhar hai?" She was angry.
But Abhijeet was too busy thinking about his gift to Tarika to notice her angry tone.
"Arrey gaadi tum Chala rahi ho na. Tum dhyaan doh road pe."
Tarika huffed.
"Waise Yaar ek baat toh hai," Abhijeet continued, completely unaware of the havoc his words were wrecking, "Kuch Bhi ho traditional wear mein ladkiya badi khoobsurat lagti Hain."
"Jaise blue saree?"
"Blue saree ki toh baat hi alag hai."
"Achaaa."
"Aur kya... Aur Saath mein khule Baal...uff..."
He imagined her curly tresses falling down from her shoulders.
But co-incidentally that lady had her hair open too.
Abhijeet hadn't noticed it, but Tarika did.
The creases on her forehead increased.
Abhijeet looked at her.
"Arey chalo, signal clear ho gaya."
Tarika started the car.
"Tumhe kya ho gaya?" he asked.
"Kuch nahi."
"Kuch toh jarur hua hai. Batao mujhe."
"Kaha na kuch nahi."
"Ajeeb hai. Acha ye batao tumne blue eye liner ku nahi lagaya aj? Tumpe bohot suit karta hai."
"Kya blue blue laga rakha hai!"
"Bharak ku rahi ho?"
"Bas aisehi."
Abhijeer shrugged and took out his mobile. He searched through the online for his desired blue saree.
"Kya kar rahe ho?" she asked.
"Huh! Kuch nahi." He pocketed his phone.
"Acha ek batao.. mai tumhe achi nahi lagti kyya western dress mei?"
"Ap pe toh sab suit karta hai Tarika ji."
"Phir bhi.. do you prefer traditional wear?"
"Traditional wear ki bat hi kuch alag hoti hai."
Tarika huffed in her mind.
"Par dress toh apni apbo choices hai na.. jise jo pasand usse wahi pehenne chahiye." Abhijeet continued.
"Mujhe toh western wear jayada comfortable lagta hai."
"I know."
He looked out through the window and again his eyes captured by a blue saree. Uff he couldn't just take that out of his mind. Tarika noticed again and this time it annoyed her a lot.
"Abhijeet tum.. tum gari chalao."
"Arey ku! Bas thorahi toh rasta bacha hai.."
Tarika kept driving.
Tarika's phone rang. It's her mother. She put on the speaker.
"Haan maa bolo."
"Busy hai?"
"Drive kar rahi hu?"
"Acha.. tu ye bata ki mai blue saree pehnu ya Red?"
"Red."
"Par blue bhi acha lagega na?"
"Toh puch ku rahi ho? Or aissa kya hai bluee mei!"
"Arey tujhe toh blue color pasand hai na!"
"Ab nahi pasand.!
"Kab se?"
"Aj se. Apse bad mei bat karu?"
"Acha sun.. tujhe maine kuch jewelries ke pics bheje hai.. wo dekh ke bata unmei se konsa lu."
"Mai labab pohochkr dekhti hu."
"Acha thik hai.. mai rakhti hu tab."
"Bye."
Tarika cut the call.
"Etna bhi kya excitement! Huh!"
"Ab tumhe keisey pata hogaa! Kisi ke liye saree wari pehenke kabhii saj singgar kia hoga toh janogi naa." Abhijeet teased her.
"Kis ke liye saju! Hai konn merra!" She said, Irritated.
"Tumhare mood ko kya hoo gaaya yaar! Abhi toh tunhare PMS khatam huye the!"
Tarika chose not to answer him at all.
The rest of their journey was spent in cold silence. As they reached the bureau, Tarika halted the car suddenly sending an unguarded Abhijeet in a forward motion.
"Tch - Kya Kar rahi ho! Abhi lag jaati toh?"
"Tum humesha sapno mein Nahi khoye rehte toh tumhe dikkat Nahi Hoti."
She stormed out of the car.
"Tarika!"
She continued walking towards the lift.
"Tarika ruko toh... Mein Bhi aata Hu."
But his words fell on deafened ears. She was in no mood to listen to him or stop. On the contrary, her pace only increased.
"Tarika!"
Yet another wasted call.
Shaking his head disapprovingly, he followed her towards the lift but it closed before he could enter.
He sighed. What had gotten into her? The rest of the day passed with the case. Both the forensics and the cops were rather busy. Abhijeet and Tarika barely got a chance to meet even in the lab, let alone speak to each other.
At evening when Abhijeet was leaving the bureau the watchman called him.
"Sir.."
"Kya hua?"
"Sir ye wo Dr Tarika ke reports ai hai Hospital se.. wo toh lab mei hai nahi..."
"Haan wo chali gai.. mujhee do. Mai de dunga."
The watchman delivered him the brown envelope and left.
"Hospital se reports! Thik thak toh hai wo.." Abhijeet shrugged thinking that's must be some regular checkup report. She was always on diet and tests to see if there's any deficiency.
"But agar kuch problem huiui toh!" he proceeded to open the envelope, "Par confidential hai.. uske permission ke binaa keisey! Arey. mujhse kya secret."
Finally he opened the envelope and went through the reports though a part of him was asking him not to.
"Protein deficiency!" Abhijeet rolled his eyes reading the comment of her report.
He called her immediately.
"Kaha ho?" he asked as soon as she picked up.
"Mai.. wo Bureau ke pass wale shop mei hu.. kuch saman kharidney the. Ku?"
"Mai ata hu."
He cut the call and got into his car. he drove to the nearest shop when he noticed her coming out.
"Mujhe nahi janna tumhare sath. Mai taxi le lungi."
"Natak maat karo and get into the car."
"Mai.. mai gussa huu."
"Mai bhi."
"Tum ku?"
"Anar beitho. Tum meri gussa janti ho. So don't play with it."
Tarika without any argument got in and Abhijeet started the car again.
"Kaha ja rahe hai?"
Abhijeet didn't answer.
Tarika snorted and kept quite. He parked his car outside a restaurant.
"Mujhe nahi khana."
"Ao."
Abhijeet got down so Tarika followed him, pouting.
"Order ready hai?" Abhijeet asked the waiter as they sat down.
"Ji sir."
"Le ao."
The waiter left.
"Tumne ane se pehlehi order de diya? "
"Hmm.. yaha aksar ate hai na.."
"Yeah.. ye hamara fav restaurant hai na."
The waiter served the dishes. All were chicken.
"Etna sarra! Abhijeet tumhe diet karna chahiye or tum ho ki!"
"Ye sab tum khaogi. Start."
"Mai Marke bhi nahi."
The waiter was looking at them.
"Tum bolo." Abhijeet said.
"Ma'm ye hamare chef ne specially aoke liiye low cholesterol oil mei banaya hai.."
"Tum jao yaha se." Tarika dismissed the waiter.
He left immediately.
"Kya natak hai?" Tarika asked Abhijeet.
Abhijeet placed the report before her.
"Ab roj tum merr sath khaogigi samjhi.. dieiting band tuumhara ajse."
"Tumne mere reports open karke dekhein!"
" Gussa mujhe Hona Chahiye... Tumne bataya Nahi mujhe ki tests karwane ki zaroorat lagi tumhe."
"Arrey... Lekin... Routine check up tha."
Abhijeet huffed.
"Par Tumne mujhse Bina puche reports -"
Abhijeet held her wrist under the table.
"Mein ache se jaanta Hu ki tumhe mere dekhne se koi dikkat Nahi hai... Baat ko palatne ki jagah khaana Khao."
"Abhijeet tum toh jaante ho - mein dinner Nahi Karti aksar."
"Jaanta Hu isliye keh Raha Hu - mere Saath karogi aaj Se."
"Uff ye kaisi zidd hai -"
"Ye mujhe tumse puchna Chahiye."
He glared at her. Tarika looked down at the plate and started eating.
After having about half the food she was done.
"Bus... Ab aur Nahi kha Sakti."
"Bacho ki tarah khaogi toh deficiency toh hogi hi !"
"Please... Ab aur khaaya toh ulti ho jayegi."
Abhijeet looked at her and nodded.
He would have to slowly make her increase her food intake.
He gestured the waiter to bring the bill.
They paid and left. Abhijeet drove in a direction that led to neither of their houses.
"Ab Kaha jaa rahein Hain?"
"Tum chup Nahi reh Sakti thoda?"
Tarika played with her fingers.
"Batao naa," she said after two minutes.
"Meine dietician ko tumhare details De diyein the," Abhijeet said coldly, " unse tumhara diet chart Lene jaa rahein Hain."
Tarika smiled.
Her anger melted in front of his concern that was shrouded in anger.
After an hour they came out from dietician's cabin.
"Suna na.. protein kuch din tumhe khana hai jab tak deficiency pura nahi hota."
"Mai moti ho jjaungi." Tarika pouted puckering her lips.
Abhijeet smiled and patted her cheek.
"Koi bat nahi.. mujhe koi problem nahi."
"Par mujhe hai na."
"Uffo Tarika.. nahi hogi moti... jo chart mila hai uske hisab se khaogi toh kuch nahi hoga."
"Okay.. par agar moti ho gai... n tumne mujhe tease kia toh mai tumhe chodungi nahi."
"Tum mujhe ketna tease karti ho.."
"Wo toh..."
"Wo toh kya?"
""Kuch nahi ghar chalo."
Abhijeet shook his head and both of them got into the car.
Abhijeet stopped the car before her house.
"Andar nahi aogge?"
"Nahi.. tum jao.. breakfast skip mat karna.. and lunch tum mere sathh karogi kal "
"Kuuu!"
"Kuki mukhe tumpar bharosa nahi.."
'Kal toh karvachauth hai. Agar maine bhul se bhi vrat ka bat bol diya toh wo marke bhi mujhe vrat nahi rakhne dega... but I want to keep the fast for him this year. Use bharosa hai insab par... kya karu..' she thought
"Kya soch rahi ho? utro."
"Oh huh.. mere shopping bags.."
"Piche hai.."
He extended his hand and brought the packets to her.
"Good night. Ghar jaoge na? Ya kahi or?"
"Khabri se miltte huye jaunga."
Tarika nodded
Abhijeet smiled at her and keeping his hand behind her neck pulled her a little closure. He kissed her lips gently.
"Khayal rakhna apna."
"Tum bhi."
She got down and Abhijeet drove off.
.AN: So, Tarika wants to keep the fast for Abhijeet. But Opps, she's suffering from Protien deficiency and Abhijeet won't allow her to keep fast in this condition. Sure, Tarika is stubborn but how long she gona hide the fast from Abhijeet- considering he will have lunch with her the very next day. Keep tuned to know the rest of our imagination.Sorry for this much late upload. The story was ready a long time ago. But we were busy and couldn't edit it. Seems, its time to hire someone for editing stuffs. :pDo review please.