niyati grizzled with impatience,:'kaise jau? kuchh dikhai de raha hai kya? andhera hi andhera hai...'
daya with a contrite face confessed,:'ohh..I'm so sorry ...ek minute...aap waha pe hi khari rahiye...' he went inside while niyati standing at the threshold looking around to see whether anyone else lived in the nearby flats...after about one and a half minute, daya appeared with a long candle grasped in his hand..the light of the candle illuminated his face magically and for some seconds niyati totally forgot that she was being scared of this man till now and instead a wave of something unknown was passing through her heart making her numb and expressionless...daya uttered,:'abhi andar aa sakti hai aap..'
niyati was riveted there like a mesmerised statue while daya said it loud this time,:' ...'
niyati: haa..oh yess..
daya: baithiye...main candle yaha pe chhorke jata hun...aur...khane ka kuchh intezam karta hun... daya went inside while niyati felt as if she was being wreathed with an unknown discomfort-something which she hadn't ever experienced and as usual her discomfort converting into anger making her restive returned back abruptly and even within the candle lit room she clearly saw that he was a little hesitant and a little embarrassment printed over his face as he spluttered finally,:'aap...fresh hona chahti hai to mujhe keh sakti hai...idhar hai fresh room...' niyati didn't reply but trying to overcome her natural reticence she leapt to her feet and followed daya... Indeed she was drenched enough and she badly needed a refreshing attire...but...
niyati went into the fresh room with heaps of thought but her glance fell upon a set of cloth which was cleaned and ironed...and perhaps daya placed this set of cloth just for her...niyati sighed with relief and chuckled a little for the deep sensitivity of the man who had seemed to be stupid even some days back..After getting fresh when she came into the drawing room daya called her from inside,:' ...idhar dining room me aaiye...kuchh kha lijiye...'
niyati,engaging herself in soaking the water of her curly hair, came inside where in a small table daya arranged to have some food...niyati took a seat and keeping a quick glance upon the plates, she asked a little sanctimoniously,:'kya ye sab aap ne banaya hai?' her brows were raised in friendly sarcasm...
daya pressing his lips smiled too and said,:'jee haa...mera khana mujhe hi banana parta hai...chaliye aap khana shuru kar dijiye...'
niyati ignoring the last words of daya, keeping a razzing glance upon daya, asked further,:'aap ko kaise pata chala ki...main aap ka diya huya khana khaungi?' she held her gaze sharply while daya this time was astounded and fumbled to answer,:'I mean...' he paused smiled and then further tried,:'mujhe laga tha ki...bohut der se bina khana pani ke rehne se...insan ko bhukh lagta hai...aur...kyuki aap bhi ek insan hai...to...aap ko bhi bhukh laga hoga..'
his words hadn't finished but niyati chimmed in,:'main bhukhi reh sakti hun...mujhe koi pareshani nahi hota hai...aap ko bhukh laga hai..to jaroor kha lijiye...' colour rushed into the cheeks of daya and he said gravely,:'khana meri bhukh ke liye nahi banaya tha ...dekhiye...aap mera guest hai...aap ko khatirdari karne ke liye jitna karna chaiye utna hi kar raha hun main...aur agar aap ko...ye bura lag raha hai...to...to phir...' he shrugged with helplessness and then leapt to his feet...
niyati asked promptly and a little worriedly,:'aap nahi khayenge?'
daya flashed a rueful smile and replied back grimly,:'atithi ko bhukha bitha ke khane ka shiksha...mujhe nahi mila ...' niyati's lips curled as she countered banteringly,:'aur atithi ke sath jhagra karne ka shiksha to mila hai aap ko...' daya promptly looked at her with astonishment while niyati changing her expression, said,:'anyways...main to dekh rahi thi...ki aap khana kis ke liye banaya hai...mere bhukh ke liye ya khud ke liye? man na parega ...you have been passed with quite good marks..' she smiled with candour, pressing her lips. daya's face turned a little russet and a flame of anger churning inside him watching the arrogance of the lady to test the intention of his but he decided to play it with poise and humour and with a feigned grin he said,: huh...kya maloom ki aap mujh jaise bebquf ka bhi intention test karti hai...agar pata hota to aur marks la sakta tha...'
niyati's brows puckered together as she asked,:'woh kaise?'
daya with a wry smile answered,:'aap ke samne baithe baithe sara khana khud khatam karke...'niyati reset her specs and then said with a confident gesture,:'woh to aap abhi bhi kar sakte hain...' daya with a chaffing smile said,:'uhmmm...abhi karne se kya faida?'
:'kis baat ka faida?' niyati asked in a hard voice this time
daya answered promptly,:'kyuki abhi to mujhe pata chal gaya hai ki aap ko bhukh hai...khane ka mann bhi hai...bas...mujh jaise ullu ka test lene ke liye hi aap..khana pe naraz ho gayi thi...' he flashed an ingenuous grin after finishing his words. niyati's jaws tightened and once she had felt the desire to throw something hard upon this stupid man...but she restrained herself and said,:'mazak achcha kar lete hain aap' she tugged two slices of bread and an omlette for digging her teeth into them...daya didn't elongate the conversation and with a faint smile he remained silent..niyati said crunching the bread,:'aap nahi khayenge?' daya cringed his head down and said,:'woh...mujhe bhuk nahi laga hai...pet abhi bhi bhara huya hai...' niyati staring at him tried to perceive whether he was lying or speaking the truth but before that daya's cell rang loudly,and daya went into another room letting out a courteous greetings..niyati kept devouring the food as she was indeed hungry...and simultaneously kept chuckling to think about her last conversation with daya...The stupid man had the knowledge that...he was no more than a 'ullu'. her smile broadened and when she was relishing the line of her thought just then daya entered there and turned a little perplexed watching niyati smiling alone by herself and then he said,:'bureau me woh log atak gaye hain...agar aisa halat chale to shawad...'
niyati chimmed in,:'aap kyu yaha pe atak gaye phir?' daya was about to explain it, but before that he saw a tint of derision within the eyes of ..and thus he shrugged in order to make himself prepared for a humorous reply,:' shawad...mera bura naseeb ke liye...'
niyati asked drawing her brows together,:'matlab?'
daya's humorous stare was broken and he just smiled cryptically... turned her face away with disgust unable to perceive the hidden meaning in daya's words...