Coming beside the rock Daya went ahead of the wheel chair and kneeling before it,stated with genial scold ,:'abhi nanijee utar ke rock pe baithna parega...'
The sound of the waves was comparatively low there and thus every words were getting audible,:'magar mujhe to maja araha hai...' replied the old lady with a child-like ebullience...
Daya, glancing at Niyati quite helplessly sought her interference there but Niyati was an avid viewer there rather making herself embroiled in that situation though sending Daya at the peak of perplexity..She looked at the whole picture with starry enigmatic eyes sinking in deep cogitation until Daya scooped the old lady up into his arms before placing her on a comfortable rock to sit...
:'baithiye yaha pe abhi...' he said further giving her an affectionate reprimand...
:'arey kyu? mujhe to bohut maja araha tha...sagar ki paani me pair ka patta dubona tha...' she confessed making her face annoyed..
:'aur koi bada lehre ajaye to? ' Daya was prompt as tenderness radiated through his eyes...
Niyati's smirk converted into a mild yet meaningful smile before she averted her glance from them and settled it over the vast expanse of the sea...
An indescribable delight making her paralysed to that extent where she could no more resist herself in indulging fertile fantasy...Her eyes closed partially for the force of the cool breeze...A provocative smile hovered at her face as she recalled the line of a song and hummed it beneath her breath-'hawa sun hawa...use chhoo ke aaa...use chhoo ke aaa..ja zara...'
:'mere jawani me...tera nanajee ke sath mil ke subah ka suraj ugna...aur shaam ka dub jana...dekha karte the hum...' the old lady turned reminiscent,:'tab bhi...tera nanaji...' she sniffed perhaps feeling an aching pain,:'mujhe pair dubona nahi dete the...' she paused a little before coming back,:'un ka bhi bada darr tha mujhe leke...' A gentle crimson colour of placidity slowly spread over his face as he concentrated on her words intently...
:'ke mera kuchh na ho jaye...koi bada lehre se...mera koi nuksaan na pauche...' the lady kept saying almost in a stupor awakening Niyati's savaged emotion...She glanced at Daya with a mixture of fervour fright and incredulity...
A placid smile rippled in his face as he looked at Niyati to cherish the past memories of the old lady with her but instead he noticed a rare parlance of her eyes-perhaps it could be named reverence? 'Is it?' Daya was befuddled and perceived that an innate coyness was descending upon him being under the mystical glance of the young lady...
Niyati kept looking at him with a penetrating glance as Daya gazed now at the sea stoically...His carelessness about himself smote her as it seemed enigmatical to her how could such paradoxical characteristics belonged to one person? He was over caring about everyone around him and when the question rose of taking good care of oneself, an eccentric apathy cloaked him...The emotion almost aching within her as she felt that she hadn't possessed the actual right to take care of the man even if he was taking good care of her grandmother...
His well shaped feet were dipping in sea water as the sea advanced towards them...but...where did his mind lie? What was he ruminating so deeply? Had he felt lonely ever? Had he felt ever the need of someone's presence in his barren life? he seemed to be so destitute of romantic ardour ...
Niyati's straggling thoughts had been cudgeled as she was startled by the abruptness in which Daya stated,:'paani age bar raha hai...Aap wheel chair ko leke peechhe aaiye..main nani ko leke ata hun...'He scooped nani out with quick movements before wading back to whisk away from the raising water...Niyati was struggling with the wheel chair as the current of the waves making it difficult to snatch something at the opposite direction against the power of the waves...
Reaching at a distance he laid nani over a rock,:'comfortable hai na?' asked he,quickly once skimming his eyes over Niyati's movement..
:'haa beta...' replied the old lady with astonished gratitude...
:'aap baithe rahiye...hum wheel chair leke ate hain..' stated Daya as humbly possible within haste and then left the lady...
As his feature started getting reduced in size,the old lady flashed a contend smile murmuring without any hesitation,:'phir bhi na kahega...ki..Niyati ko madad karke ata hun...'she paused as her eyes moistened and a started raditaing a rare affection,:'pagal ladka...'she resumed and concluded peacefully..
Daya took the possession of the wheel chair from Niyati,saying solicitously,:'aap nani ke pas chale jaiye...'
:'kyu?'Niyati asked laconically as usual making him enough discomfited..
Daya flashed a fleeting smile before remarking in low voice,:'har baat me sawal karna...aap ki adaat hai..'
:'what?'Niyati asked further not being able to listen to him though this time a little asperity was reflecting over her face...
Daya shook his head with a squirm smile and remained silent..
Niyati's eyes roved through his moving eyelids and straggling hair as he kept wading ahead with the chair...The smile still lingering over his face as her eyes finally settled on his succulent lips and well shaped greenish chin...A queer expectancy was flaming inside her restive eyes till he commented,:'nani...kahi zada nostalgic to na ho gaye? I mean...'his eyes glowed with concern,:'ab tak to woh...khush lag rahe the...magar...'he paused with a grim apprehension while Niyati's face shadowed and contracted..A queer jealousy flowed through her whole body maddening and mocking the senses of her...Her breath had risen and she felt an ache as an effect of her effort she put to repress her quickened breath...Her eyes shone with rare rebellion as she answered back with a scoff,:'nostalgia achcha hota hai Inspector...'
Daya glanced at her with an astounding look as she called him suddenly 'inspector' while Niyati continued radiating derision through her mocking eyes adding more,:'magar woh samajh ne ke liye jis ka jaroorat hota hai...' she paused and waited for locking her eyes with him and when finally it befell she pressed her lips as usual giving an overweening impression and with a priggish smile remarked,:'woh aap ke pas hai nahi...'she winced pretentiously whispering,:'so sad...'Her one sided battle was finished for the time being, as she yearned to stab the man beside her with her venomous words...Yes..She possessed some weapons to hit back some vile creatures who...An abrupt shudder she felt just when she was preening the flavour of a win...but...whom did she hit back? Was he her opponent? had he hurt her deliberately or ...or...? beads of sweat coming over her forehead...
or...had he expressed his generous concern for her old grandmother? How had he able to know that when he expressed his concern for someone, a vile jealousy she couldn't resist to flow in her every vein? How could he perceive that every tint of herself was yearning frantically for having his gentle care? But...how could he be living his life wrapping himself in such drabness? Hadn't he felt anything for anyone? Had he ever felt how doctor niyati...' her frenzied thoughts abruptly stopped as she felt a shame was descending upon her...for her abrasive behaviour with the man who had been unstintingly generous towards them...
Profound sorrow of contrition struck her face and soon her system converted it as anger..
Daya decided to maintain silence as it was not inconceivable to him that Niyati wasn't in her best mood and even a normal word could reach to her as 'vicious'...
Niyati felt a strong guilt swirling inside her as she had been venturing to look at him...A slight tremor of fervour continued in her ribs...The cool breeze of the sea even failed to soothe the dried thirst inside her that was threatening fiercely...
A sigh of relief couldn't be suppressed as finally they reached beside the rock where the old lady was sitting with a delighted face..
:'us taraf chal na...woh us taraf...'she stated and indicated towards a coconut grove far from the rock...
:'nanii..'Niyati scolded her with an admonitory glance and Daya with a tender smile suggested,:"aaj wapas chalte hain nanijee...andhera bhi barh raha hai aur...'he paused and looked once at Niyati's seeming to be impassive face before returning back with an abashed smile,:'hum thak bhi to gaye hain..hai na?'
The old lady was quick to grimace in displeasure and with a grunt she said,:'huh..itne me hi kaise thak gaye sab haa?' she paused and a very feeble yet wry smile appeared at the corner of her lips before she divulged,:'tera nanaji to burhape me bhi itna jaldi na thakte the...Tu ajkal ka jawan ladka hoke kaise thak gaya?'she was sage enough to make her face inquisitive with an exasperated gesture making Niyati riled with visible annoyance...Her nose flared;eyes rolled as she snorted with irritation watching the meaningless comparison between her grandfather and ...Daya..
Daya on the other hand replied back with a poised smile & frank confession,:'kya kare nanijee...Hum...ajkal ke log un ke tarha thore itne tandurusth hain...'
The old lady rumpled his unruly hair before gazing at him with indulgent chuckle,saying,:'bada pyara dil hain tera...'
Niyati felt as if rushing wave of ecstasy was surging her and she felt terribly weak against her idiocy..what she heard just now? She hadn't even an iota of sensitivity to discern how egoless the man had been! He had the courage to admit the truth ...so simply yet so incredibly! He accepted the most unequal and unfair comparison her nani made with so much forthrightness and optimism and yet..he was ...beaming with an unruffled smile..!
passion suddenly started fluttering within her heart and reflected through her shining eyes those were roving over the activities of the man making her bewildered and bereft of consciousness about what was going around her...
'doctor' Daya's voice shoving upon her heart like a cool dashing gale, awakened her as she noticed that he was ready to return back with nani sitting in wheel chair..
:'yess..' said she in deliberate emphasis to get rid off the embarrassment and pressed her lips forming a confident gesture...
:'tera nanaji rehte...to mujhe tana dete rehte..' revealed the old lady in a humorous tone of voice,:'ke...tumhara to bohut maja haa? bina mehnat ke samundar dekhne ja rahe ho..wapas arahe ho...' she kept imagining and pronouncing the words her husband might say if he had been alive..
Daya's face accidentally turned towards Niyati and as their eyes met Daya saw a beaming chuckle in the corner of her lips..Daya too chuckled back and before he could say something Niyati turned her face off...
They strolled slowly towards the main road while the old lady kept nattering on,:'aur main bhi kehti ...ki kyu? kyu na karungi aram main? mere bachche log mera seva karenge to main kyu na rahu maje se? achcha ...achchha...' her mincing voice impelled Niyati to laugh even for just a short while before she could repressing it while Daya too relished it with an ingenuous grin over his face...
:'achchaa...tumhe kya laga tha ki main hamesha zindegi bhar tumhara rasoi me reh jaungi ha?' the childish row the old lady had started with her late husband was delightful for Niyati & Daya though the old lady suggested purposefully thereafter,:'dekh Nini..pyar karne ki galti maat karna..'her lips curled in amusement as she continued,:'ye aadmi log ye jante hain...ki aurat ekbar pyar kare...to jaan de dete hain...'
The ebullient smile slowly dwindled away from Niyati's face as she felt an irregular pounding of her heart...
:"chahe kitna hi mannmani karte rahe woh log...aurat us se door na reh sakte hain...chahe kitna bhi taqleef ho use..kitna bhi dukh ho...'
A demure smile spread over the face of Daya as he kept listening with humour...
:'aurat ka pyar ka gana to aisa hai ki...'
Daya's face turned a little reflective as the old lady started singing...:'jo wada kiya woh...nibhana parega ...nibhana parega...'
Niyati's eyes flicked away towards the face of Daya which appeared a little hardened for a fraction of second...What he had been cogitating about? Had he been thinking about his...A knotted lump rose in her throat...
:'kyu Daya?'asked the old lady,:'maine sahi kaha na?' her eyes twinkled in the faint darkness of the early evening..
Daya's face decked with priceless grin while Niyati's eyes brimmed with tenderness and passion gazing at his captivating face...
:'jis ne pyar kiya woh to phans gaya..' remarked the old lady jestfully stretching herself at the peak of the humour...
:'ye baat to aap ne sahi kaha nanijee..' replied Daya with a tint of shyness sending Niyati in a muzzled state without his knowledge..Her face unconsciously screwed up with an odd nervousness and brows puckered together...Her dried lips parted as she was almost teetering on the brink of shooting a curious querry to him but...she kept a curb upon her proclivity as his words floated to her mind making her stopped..
"har baat me sawal poochhna aap ka aadat hai.."
A smirk came as she perceived that the man had learned to analyze her characteristics...A smile of discernment appeared over her face as she shook her head to subdue the bubbles of wild glee she had been feeling after photographing his grin by her restive keen eyes..But...how could he comment like that about...love? Had he ever fallen in love? Her heart throbbed fast treacherously impelling her to look at him with covert glance...
The hurly burly of the main road approached soon and they barely had the opportunity to speak anything until reaching at the gate...
:'Daya...tu aaj raat ka khana kha ke jana..' suggested the old lady demandingly while Daya's face in a reflex turned towards Niyati as a comical smile rippled through his lips..Niyati recalled the words of the morning and averted her glance with a visible disdain trying to screen her shyness...
:'nahi nanijee...' Daya fended off humbly,:'aaj to jana hai...' he added...
:'are aise kaise jana hai?' The old lady was getting stubborn like a child,:'tune suna Nini?'
Niyati dawdled in answering,:'hmmmm' sounded she crossing her hands...
:'"hmmm" kya? Daya ko ruk jane ke liye to kaha kar...' impatience was seeping through the voice of the old lady...
:'nahi nani...aaj rehne dijiye na...phir kabhi...' Daya tried further to avoid but his words were interrupted as Niyati revealed in somewhat an artificial tone of voice,:'suna na tumne nani...Daya ko mera khana pasand nahi hai...Us ka kehna hai ki main bohut zada hi mirchi dalti hun...' after finishing she kept chuckling with a sharpened smile of self complacency...The exuberance of victory shone in her eyes though it couldn't linger as she failed to faze Daya by her lie...The old lady by the mean time burst into a peal of laughter while Daya answered jestfully,:'dekhiye nanijee...aap ki natin ko bahana achcha ata hai...'
The old lady continued laughing while Niyati slipped hurriedly inside without any word...
The old lady hadn't skipped noticing that and she relished the fact considering it as her grand daughter's bashfulness...
:' thori der to baith ja mere pas,' the old lady was keen enough not letting him go,:'soona ghar me ja ke kya tujhe achcha lagega...haa?' she remarked in between settling on couch from the wheel chair...:'kuchh der mere sath to baatein kar le...'
Daya stood riveted there like a blushing child while the old lady offered him a seat,:'baith yaha pe..'she peeped inside once before hunching towards him in hushed tone,:'tere sath milke...Nini ko sabak sikhana hai mujhe...' a cloak of mischievous twinkle pervaded her face while Daya was candid in his confession,raising his hands in a gesture of submission,:'maaf kar dijiye nanijee...ye to mujh se hoga nahi..'he grinned with vigour..
Niyati saw him saying so and chuckled silently,shyly but her brows furrowed as she wasn't being able to listen to the inaudible whisper of the two for about five minutes before both burst into vivacious laughter...Niyati's vision dimmed with fervour as her gratefulness yearned to ooze out through her eyes for the man who converted a dejected old woman into a cheerful one; who filled the atmosphere of her residence with an inexplicable gaiety...
Daya switched on the television and settled it in a music channel as per the old lady's order and then he sought permission,a little hesitantly,:'abhi ...main chalta hun nanijee...'
:'mauka milne se hi chala ayega...' she stated possessively,:'ye bol ke ja mujhe...'
:'jaroor aaunga nanijee...' replied he with visible coyness..
:'are Nini kaha chali gayi magar?' a litle asperity touched the voice of the old lady...
Daya further said a litle irresolutely,:'shayad busy hai...main baad me...contact kar lunga...'
The old lady's lips curled in amusement when she finally said,:'sabdhan ho ke jana beta...' she raised her one frail hand towards him and he too stooped down for getting her blessings...She patted his cheeks with gentle care before biding him goodbye...
Daya came out of Niyati's residence and though Niyati's mystical absence from the scene was astonishing for him but he didn't let it seep through his face and when he was about to start the bike, his eyes accidentally alighted on a loose paper that hung from the front seat...He straightened the paper and something had been written in care,:'Sorry...for my rude comments...You have unimpeachable sensitivity and please forgive me for my brashness...' A steady chuckle slowly brightened his face as he looked at the residence turning back his head...He then crammed it into his pocket and whisked away within a minute with his bike...
Niyati felt as if her body was electrified with a queer delight seeing the demure smile on Daya's face ..She smirked rolling her restive eyes which at last she could settle at the ceiling as she got revivified suddenly with an unknown emotion..A rippling bliss as if flowing inside her making her flummoxed in managing such tidal waves of emotion...But she endeavoured to analyze it whipping her heart...
Was it the reason that she had been able to confess her fault? Had she ever admit it so straight? Even if she allowed herself to confess, it was over her writing pad...but..how could she be able to do it, shattering every barrier of shame and the conceited vanity? A steady tranquility of content crossed her face as she closed her eyes with an almost inconceivable curl of her lips