Half of the CID team decided to go for a vacation in a place named "Mauripur". Daya was driving the car while sachin was seating just beside him. In the back seat there were Shreya, Purvi and in the extreme back there were Nikhil and Pankaj. It was a bright sunny day and cool breeze was fanning everyone's faces as the car was rattling ahead through the stranded highway. Delight was rippling in everyone's hearts and reflected upon their ebullient faces.
Sachin: Sir, main to kabhi Mauripur gaya nahi….. kya aap kabhi gaye hain?
Daya:( with a chuckle) nahi…. Aur isliye hi ek thrill mehsus ho raha hai…
Purvi: sir, ACP sir to keh rahe the ki…bohut sundar jagah hai Mauripur, itna sundar ke lautne ka mann nahi karta hai….
Daya: hmmmm… haa.. maine bhi suna to aisa hi… samundar hai.. paharh hai…. Jharna hai.. charo taraf hara hi hara hai…. Abhi bas dekhne ka kami hai….(holding the steering tight he smiled)
Shreya looked at Daya a little fervently before adding,:" aur phir….mehsus karne ka bhi… kami hai sir..
Daya chuckled very lightly seeing archly the face of shreya in the back seat and then concentrated on driving.
Pankaj: magar mujhe ye samajh me nahi aya sir ke hum aise anjan jagah me hi kyu ja rahe hain? Mera matlab hai…. Ke…. Koi jana pehchana jagah me bhi to ja sakte the na… kaun keh sakta hai.. ke waha pe…..koi….
Everyone's laughed at the scare of pankaj and then Nikhil: chinta maat kar Pankaj…. Daya sir hain na… agar koi danger hoga to daya sir tujhe bacha lega naa….
Pankaj: are daya sir kis kis ko bacha lenge? Ek to shreya aur pruvi ka list hai unke hath me…bbb mera matlab ke….
Daya turned a little russet while purvi growled,: kyaa? Daya sir hum ko bacha lenge aur tum ko na bachaega? Ye kaisa baat huya pankaj?
Pankaj: are… magar… main ye na kaha tha baba….
Daya: (with a throaty laugh) achchha thik hai… main kisi ko na bachaunga baba… abhi tum log jhagra khatam karo…. Aur…. Gana shuru karo….
Sachin: exactly…. Chalo chalo gana shuru karo…. Pankaj first….
Pankaj: are sir…. Mujhe na ata hai ganaa…
Purvi: achcha? Us din hi to ga raha tha pee lu pee lun? Nikhil zara ise gudgudi de de to gana nikal ke ayega…
Daya: haa? :-o pankaj?... pee lun pee lun….?
Pankaj: are nahi sir…. Purvi jhut kehti hai… dekhiye naa….
The whole journey was delightful with the chats and jokes and antakshari and it was almost two in the afternoon when they reached Mauripur shanti kutir resort. The place was enveloped indeed within vibrant greenery and entering into the valley everyone left bereft of speech… it was daya who at last murmured , coming outside the car: "beatific"…
At the reception
An aged man welcomed them with demure smile: aaiye sir aaiye madam… aap logo ke liye teen ghar book kiya hai… aur ekdam separated bhi hai who teen ghar… aap logo ko is side me ana nahi parega.. aur aap log back side se hi idhar udhar ja payenge….
Daya: ( with a courteous smile) thank you… abhi khane ka intezam hoga na kuch?
Aged man: jaroor sir… aap log chahe to sperately kha sakte hain.. actually aap logo ke 3 room ek hi suite me hai na..
Daya: many thanks… please khane ka intezam kijiye… sab ko bhookh laga hai… (turning to sachin) sachin tum chabiya leke ghar me chale jao… main ye sara formality pure karke ata hun…
Sachin: magar sir… ghar 3 hai… to aap ek ghar me reh jaiye.. main Nikhil aur pankaj ek me rahenge aur shreya purvi…..
Daya: nahi nahi sachin….. main aur Nikhil reh jate hain… tum aur pankaj reh jao… waise… (smile) pankaj jaise bachcha hai waise achcha bhi hai.. zada pareshan nahi karega tumhe…
Sachin smiled and turned back with all the luggages… while shreya stared at daya… daya gave her a mild titter while purvi came to ask,: sir…. Hum woh room le sakte hain… jaha se samundar dikh raha hai?
Daya's gaze flickered to shreya once as he recalled how she was getting thrilled to be at a recluse beach, an affectionate smile hovered at his face as he nodded to Purvi…
Purvi delightfully departed clenching the hand of shreya… while daya stared at them with infinite tenderness…
At the table, daya was serving everyone….
Purvi: sir please…. Dijiye na…. hum serve kar dete hai….
Daya smiled quietly and only said: " chalo jaldi kha lo… zabardast bhookh laga hoga'..
Pankaj: sir dijiye na.. purvi aur shreya serve karenge to aisa lagega jaise ki ghar me hi hoon… behn bhabi log apne hatho se khila rahe hain…. Hehehehe….
Shreya purvi exchanged surprised and rather a little embarrassing glances while daya said still serving,:" jaroori nahi hai Pankaj… ke khana hamesha auroto ko hi serve karna parega… hum sab ko… sab kam karna chaiye…. Hai na? jaise Purvi aur…..shreya… humare sath kandho se kandha milake criminals ka pitai kar rahe hain… waise hume bhi to khana serve karna ana chaiye na… taqi… kabhi humare ma behno ko pura ka pura chhutti mile… kyu?
Purvi smiled boastfully and danced her eyebrows at pankaj while shreya was gazing at daya with deep enchantment until daya's glance locked with her….
:" rice?" asked daya a little uneasily…
Purvi nudged shreya with her elbow and shreya awakened soon with a shy smile: haa.. haa.. sir… thora sa….
Daya served them all and then started eating slowly while pankaj said: sir aj kya kahi pe nikalna jaroori hai? I mean… itna journey karke aye hain sab.. to ( he smiled in his patent style) thak gaye honge..
Daya: (smiling face) dekho pankaj… hum yaha pe ghumne aye hain… relax karne aye hain… hai na? to kuch bhi karna must nahi hai… jiska mann karega relax karne ka who relax karega.. aur jo ghumna chahte hain.. woh….
Sachin: sir main to kehta hun… ki aj thori rest leke kal subah se shuru karu is jagah ko dekhne ka adventure…
Nikhil: ha sir… aj hum sath baithke gappe kar sakte hain.. kuch khel sakte hain.. kyu pankaj?
Pankaj: exactly… antakshari….ya chhupa chhupi..(wink)
Daya: (smile) all right… jisme sabka khushi hai… wohi honewala hai…
Shreya: sir….. aapka mann kya ….karne ko cha raha hai?
Daya: (a little embarrassed before answering) main to…. Ek detective story leke reh jaunga phir….(smile back into his face)
Purvi: kaun si detective ka story sir?
Daya: Miss Simran Agarwal ki….:-)
Purvi: ye kaun hai sir?
Daya: ye nayi detective hai , bohut sharp hai… kabhi kabhi to ….. inse intelligence udhar lene ka mann karta hai..
Purvi: are sir…. Hum beach pe ja ke baith sakte hain na?
Daya: ( quizzical smile) purvi…. Tum log kam se kam thori si waqt ke liye bhul nahi sakte ho ke… main… main tum logo ka ….daya sir? Haa? Beach pe jane ka mann hoga to….( looked archly at shreya) ….to jake baithna …magar haa.. door jane se.. kisi ek ko inform kar dene se hi chalega…
Lunch session ceased to an end… everyone went their respective rooms…pankaj prepared to have a sleep while sachin concentrated on listening to soft music…
In the room of the ladies.. shreya stood riveted at the side of the window from where the sea was getting visible, the small and large waves were dashing onto the beach with delight with a constant roar…her gaze was deep, unfathomable and gleaming perhaps with innumerous dreams…
Purvi tiptoed behind her and reaching just behind her, she dangled her ear rings to tease her…shreya surprisingly didn't move and closed her eyes to absorb every delightful pleasure around her..
Purvi amused and tickled her neck very slowly while shreya leaned herself against the window pane with a moan of relief… purvi now breathed in an ear of shreya, : daya sir ?"
Shreya startled and turned back in scare shyness and bashfulness: kkya?... daya ..sir.. ' for a moment she felt intense shyness to even pronounce the word 'daya', but she managed to overcome the reticense: daya sir mujhe bula rahe hain kya?'
Purvi: ( with a wry smile) are nahi baba… main to keh rahi thi… ki daya sir kitna achcha hai… ke yaha pe hum sab ko apne chhaya me rakha hain…. Hai na?
Shreya's face reddened as she cringed down and sounded a careless: hmm..
Purvi noticing the colour of shreya's face tried further,: daya sir aisa insan hai… jo ki.. bara hone ka aur chhota hone ka do duty hi achchhi tarike se nibhana jante hain… I am sure agar ACP sir aur Salunkhe sir yaha pe ate tab bhi daya sir itna hi care se un logo ko khilate… jaise ki who hume khilaya hain…
Shreya was suppressing the exquisite bliss to hear these words about daya with all her heart and she this time murmured feverishly: woh aisa hi hain….. her eyes moistened for a little while but she checked herself back watching the eager and teasing face of Purvi and then she laid herself on the bed pretending to be sleepy… purvi too went to the bed with a book….
After almost half an hour when purvi seemed to be sink into sleep, shreya leapt onto her feet and slipped out of the room. She stopped coming under a coconut tree in the beach… it was a sultry afternoon and the sea was seeming quiet. Shreya sat on the sand with dreamy eyes and a shy chuckle and started making an abode with the sand. Her deft fingers were making an abode in such a way as if she dreamt for that since a long….
Daya at the other hand was fidgeting in his room as Nikhil sunk into sleep reading a story book.. he came out of his room and decided to go to the beach , though there was a mild tremble in his heart as it struck him that shreya might be there. Coming slowly within the coconut trees, he noticed shreya, making a tiny house with sands with a ebullience which could be compared to only of a child. Daya's face gleamed with a glow of affection, tenderness until he decided to make her felt his presence…
: this is wonderful shreya…. Tum jaroor art me bachpan se bohut tez reh chuke ho.." he remarked with an endearing smile
Shreya initially startled listening to the rich voice of daya that flowed down her heart making her squirm but she managed to look at him with a pretty smile and said,: nahi sir…. Main art ka itna deewani nahi thi.." she lowered her eyes after delivering her words and flashed an involuntary shy chuckle,
:" ye tumhara modesty hai shreya… ' replied daya,: " agar art achcha nahi lagta to itna sundar ghar kaise bana lete tum ret se?" a smile of a little curiosity mixed with a little bashfulness was reflecting over his face…
Shreya was twiddling with the anchal of her sari…. Yes she wore a sari before coming into the beach…now she kept her fervent eyes upon somewhat abashed face of daya and replied mustering every particle of her courage,: " ssir…. Auratein… ghar apne dil se banate hain… apni mann ki sapno se banate hain….. chahe use kala ka kadr karna aye ya na aye…." Crimson colour rushed over her cheeks but she didn't take her eyes off daya as daya was startled inside and a silent reverence crossed his face … a reverence for a creator, a brave woman…. and perhaps for the whole womankind. He nodded slowly with a soft smile as their eyes met and wandered restively to fathom the depth of the other…. But a wave dashing onto the shore..shattered the abode made by shreya… Daya grunted with despair….:"shreyaaaa…..oh God…" shreya smiled affectionately watching daya's childish despair and said:" koi baat nahi sir…. Phir se ghar banaungi…." Daya was stupefied and gazed at shreya with adoration while shreya further started making the abode now with a content in her face… Daya murmured beneath his breath with immense respect upon the woman in front of him,:" haa shreya…. Mujhe kya maloom tha…. Ki… auratein taqat ka murat hote hain…. Woh to tumhe dekh ke pata chal raha hai… ek tuta huya ghar ko…. Kaise phir se jora jata hai….kaise zero se shuru karke bhi ek imarat bana sakte hain ek aurat…..jaise ke… tum apne hatho se mujhe sikha rahe ho… ke….. daya… ye hain aurat ka roop….." his eloquent gaze broke as shreya spluttered,:" ssir…. Ye hoga kitchen…yaha pe baith ke… main sabzi katungi….. aur ye hoga.. library cum reading room…jaha pe bohut sara books hoga… adventure ka… mystery ka… aur…..ye hoga verandah….. jaha se samundar dekhenge… suraj ka ugna aur dubna bhi dekhenge hum… " she continued smiling with pure bliss but slowly the bliss replaced by a heap of shyness when she noticed daya's shy yet firm face that indicated how he was fighting with cyclonic emotion inside his heart….daya turned his face away to hide the impassioned feelings while shreya remained silent for a little time until both heard the voice of Pankaj,: daya sir…. Daya sir…. Mujhe bachaiye…bachaiye naaa daya sirrr….."
Daya rushed towards the voice of pankaj and caught him within a minute.. pankaj snuggled up against daya with terror stricken face…: kya kkya huya Pankaj?" asked daya with worry….: woh sachin sir…. Mere nak me chhipkali ghusa diya tha…. Oohhhh… my god… chhipkali se main pagal jaise darta hun..'
Shreya who rushed behind daya to see what happned, now couldn't resist her smile and daya too glanced at shreya with an amusing smile…pankaj held daya tightly and begged in trembling voice,: ssir… main aap ke sath rahunga … sir.. sir.. please aap sachin sir ko dat dijiyee…."
Daya nodded with a humorous smile replying,:" achchha baba thik hai….thik hai.. ab chalo ghar…" he then turned back towards shreya and murmured:" tum room me nahi arahe ho?" shreya answered with a smiling face,:" ssir… aap log jaiye… main ati hun…." Daya flashed a mild and indulgent smile before saying:" tea ke pehle to wapas arahe ho na?"
Shreya nodded, trying to held back the fervor inside her..
Daya stepped ahead clutching scared Pankaj.
