Chapter 5
The next day when Daya woke up the surroundings were very quiet. He looked for Shreya but couldn't find her. Panicking, he got up.
'Shreya kaha ho tum?' he called. No one replied. He went out and searched the entire house calling out her name.
'Daya', he heard her voice.
Relieved he turned and found her in the kitchen.
'Ye kaisa majak hai Shreya? Aise achanak kaha chali gayi thi tum? Main kitna pareshan ho gaya tha', said Daya.
'Ye thik nahi hai Daya. Aap kyu pareshan ho rahe hai mere liye. Main hamesha nahi reh sakti aapke saath. Main yaha aapko samjhane aayi hoon ki aap mujhe bhoolkar ek nayi zindagi shuru kijiye. Aur aap ye kya kar rahe hai?' she shouted at him.
'Itna aasan lagta hai tumhe ye sab? Agar tum meri jagah hoti to kya tum bhool pati mujhe?' he asked.
'Mujhe pata hai ye aasan nahi. Isliye mujhe lagta hai aap... aap dusri shaadi kar lijiye. Ek nayi zindagi shuru kijiye.' she said.
'Kya bol rahi ho tum? Abhi tak adat nahi hui hai mujhe tumhare bina jine ki. Aur tum keh rahi ho main kisi aur ladki se shaadi kar loon? Main tumhare alava kisi aur ke bare me soch bhi nahi sakta. Aur ab tum iss mamle me kuch na bolo toh hi accha hoga', he said angrily.
'Daya par', she said.
'Shreya main dusri ladki ko kabhi khush nahi rakh paunga. Aur main kisi aur ki zindagi barbaad nahi kar sakta. Isliye mujhe force mat karo please. Aur mujhe kisi ladki ki jaroorat nahi hai. CID ki puri family hai na mere saath. Tumhare alava main kisi bhi ladki ko mere paas aane nahi de sakta. He remembered the last time they had made love before she died...
***FLASHBACK***
When Daya came home that day, Shreya had already arrived. Dressed in shorts and a T- Shirt she was sitting in their bedroom reading a novel. 'Daya jake naha lijiye. Phir saath me dinner karenge.' she said without looking up at him. He couldn't take his eyes off her sexy legs. 'Dinner ko toh bohot time hai', he said in a low voice.
He went to the bathroom and after a few minutes called her. 'Shreya? Mujhe kuch bhi mil nahi raha hai. Mere kapde kaha hai?'
'Daya sab rakha hai maine andar. Aap bhi na.'
She pushed open the shower room door. She couldn't see anything due to the thick steamy layer.
'Daya aap hai kaha? Mujhe kuch dikhai nahi de raha hai.' she said. Daya turned on the shower and water fell on her head. She moved aside to save herself from getting wet but crashed on his bare chest instead. He bolted the door and switched on the exhaust fan to clear the steam.
'Daya ye sab kya hai?' she said trying to brush water from her face.
'Aur ye kya? Aapke kapde yahi to hai', she said. But then she saw his expressions and understood his intentions.
'Daya aap bohot jyada badmaash ho gaye hai shaadi ke baad', she said blushing. He held her by waist. 'Ab itni sexy wife ho toh main aur kar bhi kya sakta hoon', he said.
Shreya giggled. 'Shut up Daya!' she whispered.
The steamy and passionate make out session which followed later on would have certainly won oscars!
***FLASHBACK OVER***
Daya came back to his senses. He looked at her. She appeared sad and lost.
'Kiss me Shreya', he said.
'Nahi. Nahi Daya please hum galat kar rahe hai.',she said.
'Shreya tum mere liye itne dur se wapas aa sakti ho lekin itni si baat nahi maan sakti meri? Please.' he asked.
She hesitated in the beginning but then she ran into his arms and kissed him.
'Kyu itna pyar karte hai aap mujse?'she asked.
'Bas karta hoon. Iss kyun ka mere paas koi jawab nahi hai', He said wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, holding her protectively.
He tilted his head deepening the kiss. She traced her tongue against his lips. He grew bolder with the kiss. She parted her lips and he could taste her sweet tongue across his own. He let go finally breathing hard.
'Daya meri baat suno' said Shreya.
'Main dusri shaadi nahi karne wala Shreya.' said Daya firmly.
'Phir aap promise kijiye mujhe aap apna khayal rakhenge, aur kaam ka jyada pressure nahi lenge.' she said.
'Sab manjoor hai.', he said.
'Daya mujhe jana hoga. Main ab nahi ruk sakti. Jis maksad ke liye aayi thi wo pura ho gaya', she said.
'Nahi tum kyu kar rahi ho aisa. Please sirf aaj ka din ruk jao Shreya', he said.
'Daya main aapko aur takleef nahi dena chahti. Please mujhe rukne ke liye mat kahiye',she said.
Tears rolled down his cheeks. He sat there staring at her dumbfounded.
She cupped his face. 'Daya jo kuch bhi hua usme aapki koi galti nahi thi. Aap mujhe aur hamare bacche ko kabhi bhi nuksaan nahi pohocha sakte.' saying this she kissed his forehead.
'Apna khayal rakhna Daya. Aur main hamesha aapke saath hu. Apne aap ko kabhi bhi akela mat samajhna', she said.
'Shreya...' said Daya and forwarded his hand to touch her for the last time. But as his fingers touched her hand, her image shattered like glass and she disappeared. His hand grasped just the cool air.
Again he was all alone.
He collapsed on the floor. His eyes welled up in tears. He wanted to talk to someone who would listen to him without questioning. He knew who that person was. He wiped his eyes and drove off in his car.
A door bell rang at Abhijeet's house. He opened the door. 'Daya tum?' asked Abhijeet.
Daya hugged his best buddy and tears came down again.
'Daya kya hua? Accha andar aao tum pehle', said Abhijeet.
'I am sorry Abhijeet. Pichle kuch dino me maine tumse thik se baat bhi nahi ki hai. Mujhe maaf kardo', said Daya.
'Ye kya bol rahe ho Daya? Mujhe pata hai uss hadse ke baad tum bohot depressed the. Aur main tumhe force nahi karma chahta tha kuch bolne ke liye. Lekin aaj main khush hoon ki tum khud se kuch bolna chahte ho', said Abhijeet.
Daya spoke his heart out to him. He spoke about his feelings, his fears, and his pain. He finally told him about his encounter with Shreya.
'Tum mera yakeen nahi karoge par main sach keh raha hoon.' said Daya.
Abhijeet was silent for few minutes. Then he said, 'Mujhe tum par bharosa hai Daya. Tum bohot lucky ho. Tumse koi itna gehra pyar karta hai', said Abhijeet.
Daya laughed at his own situation. 'Zindagi kitni ajeeb hoti hai na. Itne paas hoke bhi kitne dur hai hum', said Daya.
'Tum galat soch rahe ho. Shreya tumhare dil me hai. Hamesha ke liye. Aur dil se kareeb aur ho bhi kya sakta hai', said Abhijeet.'
'Sahi keh rahe ho tum.' said Daya and smiled.
That night Daya lay awake on his bed. Reality struck him hard. Shreya had left him forever and there was no way she was ever coming back. He stared at the ceiling and her memories came back to him. Her tinkling laughter, her innocence, her beauty and her love and care for him.
'I am really the luckiest person in this universe', he thought ironically.
'Tumne sab thik kar diya Shreya. Bas tumhe dekhe bina rehne ki aadat dalne me madat karo meri. Yehi meri aakhri khawish hai.' he said aloud.
Daya joined bureau, a completely changed person. His brain and heart had finally accepted Shreya's death. Now what remained were only their happy memories. Abhijeet was very happy to have his Best Friend back. But nobody except Abhijeet could fathom the mystery behind his sudden changed behaviour. It was for good so they didn't bother to find out more.
On one such fine day they all were busy working on a murder case. The bureau door opened and a pretty girl walked in.
'Inspector Shanaya reporting sir', she said looking at ACP Pradyuman. He looked at her. The file fell from his hand with a thud. He kept staring at the newcomer with a shocked expression on his face. 'Sir actually meri joining next week se thi par meri baki formalities jaldi ho gayi issliye aaj se hi join karna chahti hoon. Aapko koi aitraaz nahi hai na sir', she said.
Everybody was staring at the girl now. Then they looked at Daya to see his reaction. Daya couldn't believe his eyes. The girl seemed to be an exact look alike of Shreya. She smiled at him. Daya nudged Abhijeet. 'kya tum uss ladki ko dekh sakte ho?'
'Haan Daya of course! Ye bhoot nahi hai', asked Abhijeet.
'Mujhe laga phirse. Accha jane do. Par ye kaise possible hai?' said Daya. But he was relieved that the girl was for real and not Shreya's spirit. Finally after another five minutes of whispering and staring, ACP Pradyuman introduced her to everyone. When he introduced her to Daya, she got really excited. 'Daya sir maine aapke baare me bohot suna hai. I am so happy mujhe aap ke saath kaam karne ka mauka mil raha hai. Main hamesha chahti thi ki main aap aur Abhijeet sir jaise investigation karna sikhu.' she said.
Abhijeet gave her a warm smile.
'Acchi baat hai tarah to nahi pata par Daya sir jaise investigate karna tum bohot jald sikh jaogi',said Abhijeet.
'Abhijeet kya bol rahe ho? Tum kabhi nahi sudhroge. Chalo bohot kaam hai', said Daya.
Everybody got back to work.
A warm smile spread across his lips as Daya sat down in front of his computer. 'Shreya tum bhi na! I love you so much', he thought.
"Wholeheartedly
She loved me
It was a blessing
To have her by my side
To have been loved by her
Without conditions.
By seeing the best in me
She empowered me.
By believing in me,
She transformed me.
One day she floated away,
But her love remains,
Standing eternally by my side."
*** THE END ***