Chapter 7
Mumbai Airport
Tarika looked at the terminal for the umpteenth time before turning back to her watch and once again back to the indicator; she even alerted her hearing senses so that she could hear clearly the flight announcements. She had been performing the same series of actions from the last few mins, after all It was not just an ordinary day! Today after 10 long years she is going to meet Aditya na..Adi, the boy who seemed unusual close to her. Even she didn't know how and when this happen, but she always felt connected to him, like some invisible bond was being created between them.
The boy, who met her all of a sudden, suddenly became one of her important persons in her life, sometimes she felt that she must have known him for ages. Somehow she always felt him close to her than anyone else and hence she used to share with him the most of the things. She used to love speaking and spending time with him, the way he used to listen to her, the way he used to comfort her, the way he used to understand her was very similar to someone she used to know, not to mention she has always felt that Aditya was quiet mature to his age, she never came across a child who was so mature at his tender age, but that was Aditya.
Seeing her enthusiasm Daya spoke.
Daya: Tarika, relax..Aditya aata hi hoga..thoda relax kar lo tum..use bahar ane main aur 15-20 mins lagegnge..
Tarika smiled sheepishly at him while seating next to him.
Tarika: I know Daya, but main kafi excited huin Adi ko dekhne keliye..10 saal baad main use dekhne wali huin..pata nhi kaise hoga woh? Kaise dikhta hoga? Kitna lamba hogaya hoga?
Daya: haan, yeh tho hain..mujhe toh aaj bhi wahi 8 saal ka Aditya yaad aaraha hain..pata nhi ab kaise hogaya hoga woh?
Tarika: haan..
Daya: yadd hain Tarika, Aditya kaise Lab main ek professional ki tarah bolta tha..
Tarika:haan..pata hain Daya, jabhi main Adi ke muh se aise conclusions sunti na main toh thode second keliye dang reh jaati thi, samjh nhi aata tha ki Adi ko itna sab kuch kaise pata? Poisons, guns, rigormortis, luminol test, iss sabke baremain use pata tha..I mean 8 saal ke bacho ko itne knowledge kaha se hoti hi iss baat ki mujhe kaafi baar hairani hoti thi..
Daya: yeh tho hain..Aditya baaki bahcon se alag hi tha..
Tarika: haan kafi alag tha..usmain jitni maturity hain utni maturity maine kissi bache main nhi dekhi..
Daya: hmm
Tarika: jitna ussne mujhe sambhala hain Abhijeet ke jane ke bad, utna kissi nhi..I mean tum sab log the mere saath but usska hona kuch alag hi tha..pata han Daya, mujhe aisa kaafi baar ehsas hota hain ki Adi.. Adi hain hi nhi..I mean jaise uss 8 saal ke bache ke andar koi bacha nhi..balki mature insaan baat kar raha hain..
Daya: haan aisa mujhe bhi laga kaafi baar..actually kabhi kabhi Aditya aisa batein bol deta tha, jisse lagta tha jaise woh Aditya nhi bol raha..per..
Tarika: Abhijeet bol raha ho..( Tarika completed his sentence)
Daya looked shockingly at her but agreed.
Daya: haan..
Tarika: Daya, Abhijeet aur Adi main kitni similarities hain na..dono ka B'Day 23 oct..dono ko hi aloo se allergy..dono hi right-handed..dono ek hi tarah se sochte hain..sare habits aur pasand ek jaisie..aur jab Abhijeet gayab huwa tabhi Adi humre zindagi main aaya..yeh sab kaafi ajeeb nhi hain..
Daya: Tarika, I guess, humlog kuch jayda hi soch rahe hain..I mean, similarities hoti hain insano main..
Tarika: yeah, you're right Daya..I guess main kuch jayda hi soch rahi huin..
(and she smiled. Daya got up from his seat and decided to take a look at the terminals, when he caught a glimpse of someone familiar. He narrowed his eyes to have a clear look at his face. When he looked his face, his eyes got widened, he couldn't believe his eyes, he quickly turned to call Tarika)
Daya: Tarika..yaha aao..jaldi..
Tarika who was little confused by Daya's behavior quickly headed towards him to check what made Daya react like this.
Tarika: kya huwa Daya?
Daya merely pointed at the direction of terminal, Tarika turned to look at that direction. As soon as she did this, she also got the shock, her eyes widened and she gasped.
Tarika: yeh..
Daya: Abhijeet..
Due to shock they stood there, their feet suddenly freeze at the same spot. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. The man who they were thinking died ten years ago was standing alive in front of them, only he was looking many years younger than his previous appearance. When they were so engrossed in the thought, one teenage boy came and stood in front of them. He smiled forcibly while looking at them.
Teenage guy: hello..kya huwa..aap dono bhul gaye kyamujhe? Tarika aunty..Daya uncle..Main Aditya..aapka Adi..
Daya and Tarika exchanged each other confused glances as they heard him.
Tarika: Ad..adi..
Aditya: haan..main hin huin..aapka Adi..bhul gaye aap mujhe?
Tarika just nodded unconsciously.
Tarika: (thinking) how is this possible? Yeh kaise ho sakta hain? Yeh..yeh Adi..yeh tho bilkul Abhijeet lag raha hain..but yeh Adi..yeh kaise ho sakta hain? Yeh sab ho kya raha hain? Abhijeet aur Adi main kaafi similarities hain..but innka chehre bhi same. How's that possible?
Daya(thinking) boss, yeh tum ho..nhi..tumhe mare toh 10 saal bet gaye..phir yeh ..tum aur Adi ka ek jaise dikhana..kya kahe isse chamatkar? Ya sirf itefaq..
Aditya (thinking) I know aap dono kya soch rahe ho..yahi na ki main Abhijeet jaise kaise dikh raha hun? Ofcourse I'm looking like Abhijeet..bcoz I'm Abhijeet!
