Talaash
Chapter 1
Shreya was driving to bureau as she was getting late. She was cursing the rushy rode but still kept driving fast. Meanwhile; to her annoyance she got a call from someone. It was Purvi; so Shreya received the call.
"Purvi main drive kar rahi hu, kisliye phone kiya?"
Instead of talking about her purpose of calling Purvi started lecturing at Shreya. "Tum drive kar rahi ho to phone kyun uthaya? It's against traffic rules."
Shreya gritted her teeth, "I know! Phone kyun kiya?"
"Sirf ye janne ke liye ki tum ab tak kaha ho. Jaldi aao aur gadi dekh kar chalana! Kisi ko thok mat dena...
Purvi heard a loud sound of collision.
"Shreya... Hello... Hello...Shreya...
Shreya could not answer Purvi as her cellphone fell down. She applied the brakes but it was too late. She had hit an old lady crossing the busy road. The lady was lying on the road drenched in blood. People gathered around her. Shreya was frozen on her seat. Her eyes widened in shock.
She came in her senses and got out of the car. She was scared seeing the lady lying on the road. She moved near her and checked her pulse. To her relief the woman was still alive. Shreya immediately rushed to the nearby hospital with that woman.
Shreya's shirt was fully colored in blood of that woman in her efforts of taking her to the hospital.
The doctors took the woman inside and asked Shreya to wait outside OT.
Shreya sat on the bench with tears in her eyes. She was feeling guilty.
"God! Ye kya ho gaya mujhse? Pata nahi wo aurat bachegi bhi ya nahi. Agar us aurat ko kuch ho gaya to main apne aap ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paungi." Shreya was crying in a suppressed voice.
She again got a call from Purvi. Shreya told her everything.
"Shreya maine kaha tha na tumhe dhyan se gadi chalao? Oh my god! Kaisi hai wo aurat?" Purvi asked in a tensed voice.
"I don't know Purvi! Bas dua karo ki use kuch ho na warna main..." Shreya broke down.
"Shreya calm down! Use kuch nahi hoga. Tum ghabrao mat. Main aaun waha?" Purvi asked in concern.
Shreya rubbed her tears. "nahi Purvi, tum yaha mat aao. Dekho iss incident ke bare me kisi ko pata nahi chalna chahiye. Tum please bureau me acp sir ko sambhal lena. Bas ek baar us aurat ko hosh aa jaye aur mujhe yakeen ho jaye ki wo theek hai to main turant bureau aa jaungi. Tab tak tum please sambhal lo...please!" Shreya pleaded.
"Han han main sambhal lungi. Tum chinta mat karo. Us aurat ko hosh aa jaye to mujhe call Karna." Purvi said and cut the call.
Shreya was sitting on the bench for almost half an hour. The doctor came and told that the woman is fine and in her senses now. Shreya thanked her God closing her eyes. She moved to meet that lady.
She went into the room and found the lady was lying on the hospital bed with bandages on her head and legs. She looked at Shreya serenely.
Shreya was at a loss of words. She didn't know how to speak to that lady.
"Mam...I am so sorry.. Meri wajeh se aapka accident... I am really sorry!" Shreya said in a broken voice and started crying.
The woman slightly nodded her head. "Main itne salo baad wapas India aayi. Mujhe nahi pata tha ki yaha mera swagat aise hoga." She spoke in a weak voice.
Shreya felt embarrassed. She joined her hands, "Please mujhe maaf kar deejiye."
The woman smiled weekly at Shreya, "Don't cry dear! It's okay! Main India ek khas maksad se aayi hu aur jab tak mera wo maksad pura nahi ho jata, main marne wali nahi hu."
Shreya rubbed her tears. "Kaisa maksad? Aur aap hain kaun aapka naam kya hai? Mujhe bataiye main ek cid officer hu, inspector Shreya, shayad main aapki koi help kar saku."
The woman was surprised plus happy knowing that Shreya is a cid officer. "You are a cop? Tab to meri madad tum hi kar sakti ho."
Shreya nodded, "Main aapki madad jaroor karungi. Pehle aap ye to bataiye aap hain kaun aur aapka India aane ka maksad kya hai?"
"Main ek doctor hu. Dr Neelam naam hai mera. Main India apne bete ko dhundhne aayi hu."
Shreya was confused. "Aapka beta? Main kuch samjhi nahi. Aapka beta kahi kho gaya hai?"
The woman smiled through tears. "Yahi samajh lo. Maine apne bete ko janm to diya lekin kabhi uska chehra bhi nahi dekh saki. Mujhe kuch nahi pata wo dikhta kaisa hai, kaha hai, kaisa hai, kuch bhi nahi pata."
Shreya was again confused. "Aap kya bol rahi hain?"
"It's a long story. Jab 30 saal pehle maine apna career shuru kiya as a doctor to mera pehla case tha meri maid ka. Uski delivery ka case maine liya tha. Lekin uski delivery me kuch complications ho gayi thi aur operation karte huye mujhse ek choti si galti ho gayi aur uska bachha mar gaya. Usne socha ki maine jaan boojhkar uske bachhe ko mara hai. Wo mujhe apne bachhe ka katil samajhne lagi aur mujhse kaha ki wo mujhe bhi mere bachhe se door kar degi. Us incident ke 2 saal baad main bhi pregnant hui. Jab meri delivery hui to main behosh thi. Is beech me meri maid ne kisi nurse ke sath mil kar mere bachhe ko chura liya aur mujhe ye bataya gaya ki mera bachha mar gaya. Main sadme me thi. Uske kuch dino baad mere husband ki death ho gayi. Ab main aur depression me ja chuki thi. Tab meri behan jo ki US me rehti thi wo mujhe apne sath US le gayi. Aur main wahi rehne lagi. Aaj tak main yahi soch kar jee rahi thi ki iss duniya me mera koi nahi hai. Lekin 2 din pehle meri maid ne mujhe contact kiya. Usne bataya ki use cancer hai aur wo marne wali hai lekin marne se pehle wo mujhe ek sach batana chahti hai. Usne bataya ki kaise usne mere bete ko hospital se churaya tha. Usne mujhse maafi mangi. Usne bataya ki usne mere bete ko apne pati ko de diya tha aur uska pati mere bete ko kisi orphanage me chod aaya. Uske husband ki bhi maut ho chuki hai. Aur uske alawa kisi aur ko ye nahi pata ki usne mere bete ko kis orphanage me choda. Main use dhundhne India aayi hu. Jab main apni maid se milne gayi to tab tak wo bhi mar chuki thi. Ab mere paas koi clue nahi hai mere bete ke bare me. Pata nahi wo kaha hai? Pata nahi wo survive bhi kar paya tha ya nahi. Kuch pata nahi mujhe. Bas ek ummeed lekar India aayi hu ki wo jaha bhi hoga main use dhundh lungi."
Shreya let out a sigh. She moved and held her hand, "Mam aap bilkul chinta mat kariye. Aapka beta jaha bhi hoga bilkul theek hoga. Main hu na. Main dhundhugi use. I promise main milaungi aapko aapke bete se."
The woman was just looking at Shreya with tears in her eyes.
"Mam lekin aap rehti kaha hain?" Shreya asked.
"I am staying in a hotel." Neelam told.
"Hmm" Shreya sighed, "Dekhiye ab aapko dekhbhal ki bahut jarurat hai. Aur aapki iss halat ki jimmedar main hu to jab tak aap theek nahi ho jati. Aapki dekhbhal bhi main hi karungi. Aap hotel me nahi mere sath mere ghar pe rahengi. Don't worry main akeli hi rehti hu. Meri family dusri city me hai. Aap jaldi se theek ho jaiye aur mere ghar chaliye. Aapke bete ka pata lagana aaj se meri duty hai." Shreya said lightly squeezing her hand.
The woman smiled at Shreya. "Thank you Shreya, bas marne se pehle mujhe mere bete se milna hai. Aur kuch nahi chahiye ab mujhe zindagi me."
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...to be continued
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A/N: Any guesses who is the lost son of that woman? Drop your reviews!
