Thanks to all the readers and reviewers.

Hamdard Duo, Geet, Shreya, Jasdeep, Dishani, Priya, Blair.64, Mistic Morning, aash vin and Guests, Thanks a lot friends. Here comes the chapter 3.

If his senses were working properly, Daya could see that the condition of the other person was worse. She could clearly hear her own heartbeats. She could not tell how she was feeling, because so many emotions filled her heart, she could not recognize any of them properly! Only the burning sensation in her eyes was telling her that tears were forming.

"Shut up! You are not a collage-girl!" she scolded herself. She could not understand why she was feeling like this, even after so many years?

The awkward silence was broken by Dr. Meera's voice, "Daya sir, yeh Shreya ji hain, Jyoti ki mom. Aur maa'm, yeh Mr. Daya hain, Jyoti ko behoshi ki halat mein inhone hi hospital le aaye.

A smile formed on her face, though she was not aware of it. "Daya sir, still the same! Never thinks twice before helping a needy!" she thought.

Dr. Meera watched them suspiciously for a few seconds, then asked, "kya aap dono pahle se ek dusre ko jaante hain?"

Fighting their own emotions, none of them dared to talk, just nodded.

Dr. Meera (with a confused smile)- ok, main chalti hoon. Aaplogon ko aur kuch poochna ho toh mere cabin mein aa jana.

She left and there was the same awkward silence again.

Finally Daya composed himself and asked, "tum yahan? I mean, what a surprise! Itne dino baad.."

Shreya also controlled her emotions, and said, "sir, hum kahin baithke baat karein?"

Daya- haan, sure!

He remembered Abhijeet's words and asked shreya if she would like to go to the cafeteria! She agreed and they went there.

Daya ordered a sandwich and coffee for himself. Shreya took coffee only.

Shreya (with a faint smile)- so, kaise hain aap?

Daya (smiling)- main toh thik hoon! Tum batao, kaisi ho?

Shreya- fine! Aur baki sab kaise hain? Abhijeet sir aur Tarika? Unki shadi hui ki nehi?

Daya- haan, tumhari shadi ke ek saal baad hi toh shadi hui thi! Unke do bachhe hain, Arjun aur Tanisha. Tanisha medical ki padhai kaar rahi hai,aur Arjun law collage se paas hoke abhi abhi practice shuru kee hai.

Shreya- oh, that's great! Aur woh Freddy sir, Purvi, Sachin sir, Nikhil, Pankaj…

Daya – Purvi toh shadi karke London mein settled ho gayi hai. Sachin aur Nikhil ki posting ab Delhi mein hai. Pankaj ka pata nehi, transfer hone ke baad woh zyada humare touch mein nehi raha. Par uski shadi hum sab ne attend kiya tha, Jaipur mein. Aur Freddy ka retirement toh mere sath hi hua, woh bhi achha hi hai. Ghar ke kamkaj mein bhabiji ka hath bata raha hai aaj-kal. Aur haan, finally usko ek promotion bhi mila tha, retirement ke pahle!

They shared a laugh. Then Shreya hesitantly asked, "aur ACP sir?"

Daya understood her hesitation and said, "ab 80 saal se zyada umar ho gayi, aise mein aadmi jitna achha rah sakta hai, utne achhe hain! Ghar se nehi nikalte aajkal, humlog ki jaa kar mil lete hain kabhi kabhi."

With a sigh of relief, Shreya asked, "aur sir, aapki family?"

Daya- family means, bhaiya-bhabi toh America mein hi hain, bohot din ho gaye unse mile huye! Baat hoti hai kabhi kabhi, phone aur skype ke zariye. Meri bahen Puja aur jija ji Puna mein settled hain, unka beta Malhar ko wahan job mil gaya. Pichle mahine hi aaye the mujhse milne. Achhe hain sab!

Looking at her eyes, Daya quickly understood, what she actually wanted to know. So he casually added, "haan, agar family se tumhara matlab biwi-bachhe hain, toh.. Sorry! Woh episode miss ho gaya mujhse!"

Shreya took a deep breath, which she did not know for what reason held so long. Then asked with amazement, "kyun sir?"

Daya- ab… chodo na! tum aapni batao. Waise bohot pyari beti hai tumhari!

Shreya- Jyoti meri beti nehi hai sir!

Daya (confused)- kya? Par hospitalwale toh bol rahe the..

Shreya (interrupting)- woh mujhe maa kahti hai. Actually woh meri honewali bahu hai. Mere bete Deepak ki girlfriend.

Daya (even more confused)- toh phir.. tumne uske gharwalon ko inform nehi kiya?

Shreya- humare ilawa Jyoti ka is duniya mein aur koi nehi hai sir. Woh ek orphanage se belong karti hai.

Daya- oh, I see! Toh tum aapne bete ko toh inform kiya na? kahan hai woh?

Shreya- haan, main ne phon kar diya. Bas aata hi hoga.

Daya- waise, ek hi beta hai tumhara?

Shreya – haan sir. Mumbai Police Academy mein hai woh abhi. CID join karna chahta hai woh.

Daya- oh really? Tumhare bete ko CID officer banna hai?

Shreya (smiling proudly)- haan sir. Use mera adhura sapna jo pura karna hai!

All of a sudden, Daya felt so emptied inside. It was same strange feeling he experienced 25 years earlier, when Shreya decided to marry Siddharth, when they got married, and finally, when she left CID. Today it was not so strong , still it was the same. Knowing that Shreya had moved on, she was settled in life, she was happy with her family, her being a proud mother, everything reminded him, that now he was completely an outsider in her life! And that hurts.

After a few moments of silence, Daya asked in a low voice, "aur, Siddharth kaisa hai?" though he did not actually want to know.

Shreya (absent-minded)- achha hi hoga..

Daya- hoga.. matlab?

Shreya (being conscious) – nehi matlab.. achha hai!

Daya could smell something fishy, but did not say anything. He just asked, "tum khush toh ho na?"

This time, Shreya looked directly in his eyes, and said, "aap kyun pooch rahe hain sir? Aapko jaanke kya karna?"

Daya looked downward as he did not want to show his pain to this woman. With a small pause, he said in a cold tone, "bas ek purane dost ke haisiyat se pooch raha hoon. Agar tum khush ho, toh woh jaanke mujhe bhi khushi hogi! Aur agar yeh kaho ki tum achhi nehi ho, toh bura lagega."

Suddenly Shreya burst out in laughter. To control the laugh, she covered her face with both palms, and said, "bas? Phir chodiye sir, is mein kaunsi badi baat hai! Haan agar yeh kahte, ki Shreya tum khush ho, yeh jaanke badi taqleef hogi mujhe, tumhari shadisuda zindegi achhi nehi hai, yeh sunkar khushi milegi, toh alag baat thi." And she started laughing again.

Daya looked at her, completely startled. And before he could understand what she's saying, he realized that she was not actually laughing.

When she looked up again, tears were rolling down her face, and anybody could tell that those are not tears of joy.

Shreya (in moist tone)- do saal! Sirf do saal taq rah payi thi main uske sath! Uske baad, hum alag toh ho gaye, lekin tabtaq meri puri zindegi badal chuki thi.

Daya (shocked)- yeh kya kah rahi ho Shreya? Kyun.. I mean, aisa kya hua ki..

Shreya- Sidhharth jaise insaan ke sath koi bhi swabhimani ladki ka rahna na-mumkin hai! Har baat pe shaq! Main thodi derr ke liye ghar se bahar jaun, toh shaq, phone pe kisise baat karoon, toh shaq, koi mujhse milne aaye toh shaq, yahan taq ki main thodi derr balcony pe ya terrace pe jaun, toh bhi shaq! Waise sari galti uski bhi nehi hai! Uski maa aur bua ka bhi kafi haath tha use uksane mein! Mujhe kaunse kapde pahenna hai, chutti ke din humne kahan ghumne jana hai, kaunsi film dekhna hai, sab kuch unhi ko decide karna tha! And Sidhharth was ok with that! Dam ghutta tha mera us ghar mein! (pause) lekin in cheezon ke sath bhi main adjust kar leti, lekin… jis din pata chala ki Siddharth ki zindegi mein mere ilawa kahin aur ladkiyan hain, tab mujhse aur bardast nehi hua! Mere liye yeh faisla lena bohot mushkil tha mere liye, kyun ki tabtaq main pregnant ho chuki thi. Phir bhi, main ne decide kiya ki, aapne bachhe ko ek achhi zindegi, achhi parvarish dene ke liye bhi mujhe us ghar se, us mahol se jana hi hoga!

Daya- phir? Apne mummy-papa ke paas chali aayi?

Shreya- haan, kuch dino ke liye, jabtaq divorce nehi ho gaya! Uske baad, us ghar mein rahna bhi possible nehi tha.

Flashback:-

Shreya's dad (Suresh)- Shreya tum yeh thik nehi kar rahi ho! Kya sochkar chali ayi us ghar se? dekho, beti ki shadi hone taq woh maa- baap ki zimmedari hoti hai! Uske baad, sasural ki amaanat. Ek shadisuda ladki, aise maa-baap ke ghar baithi rahegi, woh bhi ek bachhe ke sath, toh log kya kahenge? Samaj mein kya izzat rah jayegi humari?

Shreya's mom (Ragini)- haan Shreya, apni nehi, par kam se kam apne bachhe ki toh soch! Iski parvarish kaun karega, agar tu ne talaq le liya toh?

Shreya- yeh mera bachha hai mom! Toh of course iski parvarish main hi karungi! Waise bhi main nehi chahti ki mera baccha, dusra Sidhharth Singh Rajput bane! Aur papa, apko isliye izzat ki padi hai na, ki main talaq lena chahti hoon? Agar main aaj vidhva(widow) hokar yahan aati, toh bhi kya aap yehi kahte?

Ragini- chup kar! Kuch bhi bole ja rahi hai! Aur dekh, yeah bachha tere akele ka nehi, Siddharth ka bhi hai! Uska bhi haq hai is par!

Shreya – kis haq ki aap baat kar rahi hain? Agar use zara bhi is bachhe ki parwa hoti, toh aab taq aapni galati sudharne ki koshish karta! Yahan aake mere sath patch up karne ki koshish karta! Aisa kuch kiya usne?

Ragini- toh tu koi rajkumari hai? Jo aise hi aapne pati ke ghar se muh uthaye chali aayi, aur soch liya ki itne aamir khandan ka ladka, tujhe manane ke liye doudta chala aayega? Samajhti kya hai tu aapne aapko?

Suresh- aur kya! Aur meri toh yeh samajh mein nehi aata, ki Siddharth ne aisa kiya kya! Agar tujhpe hath uthata, dahej ke liye pareshan karta, toh alag baat thi! Kuch bhi toh nehi kiya usne! Thoda-bohot shaq toh har pati-patni ek dusre pe karte hain. Jahan pyaar hota hai, wohin khone ka darr hota hai, isiliye shaq bhi hota hai! Kyun Ragini?

Ragini- haan! Aur rahi baat uski maa aur bua ki,is tarah ki problems to har ghar mein hota hai! Uske liye koi aapna ghar toh nehi chod deta! Thoda adjust toh har ladki ko shadi ke baad karna padta hai!

Shreya- itne dino se toh wohi karti aayi hoon mom! Aur Siddharth ka dusri ladkiyon ke sath najayes rishta rakhna? Yeh bhi kya aapko choti baat lagti hai?

Suresh- dekho Shreya, kisi aur pe ilzaam lagane se pahle aapni galati dekhni chahiye! Zarur tum mein hi koi kami hogi, warna woh aisa kyun karega? Ek mard dusri aurat ke paas tabhi jaata hai, jab use aapni biwi se sukh na mile!

Shreya – BAS! Enough is enough! Ab mujhe aur kuch nehi sunna! Yeh ghar aapka hai, agar aap nehi chahte, toh main yahan nehi rahungi. Lekin yeh zindegi meri hai, iska faisla main hi karungi!

Saying that, she left.

Ragini- Shreya, meri baat…

Suresh- jaane do use. Ladkiyon ka itna ghamand achha nehi hota! Aaj humari baat nehi maan rahi hai, jab khud pachtaygi, tab aakal thikane aayega!

Flashback ends.

Daya- phir?

Shreya- phir kya! Hum ne mutual divorce le liya, uske baad main Bangalore shift ho gayi. Abhi 3 mahine pahle hi hum dubara Mumbai aaye, Deepak ki training ke liye.

Daya- lekin tumne mujhse… I mean, hum mein se kisise contact kyun nehi kiya? Dubara CID bhi join karne ki bhi koshish kar sakti thi!

Shreya- bas, yun samajh lijiye ki us waqt mujhe yehi sahi laga! Main is shahar se, aapne jan-pahechan ke logon se kahin dur jana chahti thi. Waise bhi, us waqt main akeli nehi thi, Deepak bhi tha mere sath! Mujhe akele uski parvarish karna tha, jo CID mein rahke mumkin nehi tha! Isiliye mujhe koi asan sa, 10 ke 5 ki naukri dhoondni padi!

Daya- tum abhi bhi job karti ho?

Shreya- haan, bank mein. Bangalore se yahan Mumbai mein transfer leke aayi hoon.

Daya- kitna struggle kiya tumne aapni zindegi mein! Lekin Siddharth aur uski Family? Wohlog tumhe wapas le jane ki kabhi koshish nehi kee? Kya unko nehi pata tha ki tum… tum maa bannewali ho?

Shreya- haan, pata tha. Lekin Siddharth ne mere bachhe ko aapna maanne se bhi inkaar kar diya! (brief pause) aur haan sir, bohot struggle kiya main ne. ek single mother ke liye jitni mushkilein aa sakti hai, sabka samna kiya! Lekin kabhi kisi ke samne sar nehi jhukaya! Aur meri sabse badi kamiyabi, mera Deepak hai sir! Jise main ne ek achha insaan banna sikhaya!

For some moments, Daya sat there in stunned silence. His heart was breaking in million pieces after hearing all these, but at the same time, somewhere in deep down his mind, there was a feeling of satisfaction. His Shreya could never be happy with anyone else! He was ashamed of that feeling, and tried to deny it, still it was there.

After some moments of silence, Shreya said in low voice, "I am sorry sir! Mujhe sayed aapko yeh sab nehi batana chahiye tha! Main ne aaj taq kisiko bhi nehi bataya! Lekin aaj, barson baad aapko dekhke pata nehi mujhe kya ho gaya!"

Daya could not say anything. He could not utter one word to console her. He just kept staring at her, and forgot that now he was 60 up, and she was almost 50! His gaze fell on her palm, placed on the table. He wanted badly to hold the palm and say that everything's ok! He wanted to say that nothing had changed! He wanted to say that he still lo… no, how's that possible? He could not be in love, not in this age! At least it could not be same as before! But then he again looked at her and saw those big, beautiful, expressive eyes, which were still the same! Age, struggle or loneliness could not change them. Lost in those eyes, he wished for the earth to stop rotating for a few seconds, the time to stop at that moment, all the eyes out there in the world to be closed for some time and,

"For God's sake, hold your tongue, and let me Love"

But all of a sudden, a shrill sound startled both of them, which was the ringtone of a mobile.

A/N- the quotation is taken from a poem by John Donne. I don't own that.