A/N: I am really really thankful to all of you for your support and love. Aise hi pyar dete rahiye :) Main regular update karte rahungi iss baat ka guarantee hai, par aap bhi reviews karte rahiye, chahe wo bura ho ya achcha :) Mujhe pata hai, kuch doubts hai aap sab ke man me, lekin abhi yeh chapter enjoy kijiye, dheere dheere sab kuch samjh me aa jayega
Abhijeet was standing on the balcony of the house. His face was expressionless. Only his eyes were somewhere else - far far away from this quiet surroundings. A boy of 9 or 10 came opening the main gate, he was holding a kettle and a stack of glass in his hand.
"Sahab, subah ki chaye" - the boy handed Abhijeet a glass full of hot tea with an innocent lovely smile. The aroma of the tea pulled him back to the earthly world. He smiled back at him. This little boy was the only one who could bring back the long lost smile of him now a days. Abhijeet was staring at the boy, his fresh smile gave him a soothe at least for a moment.
Abhijeet: (taking a sip from the glass) Wah Raju, tera chaye to aaj bahot hi achchi bani!
Raju: (grinning broadly) Pure Manali me Raju jaisa chaye koi nahi bana sakte sahab -
The smile vanished from Abhijeet's face, but Raju was not there anymore to notice that, he had already gone for the next house.
Daya and Abhijeet were standing in front of a hill side tea-shop. They were enjoying the sunset at the hill top.
Daya: Kitne dino ke baad hum aise ghumne aye, kitna shanti hai yaha, nahi?
Abhijeet just nodded agreeing. Daya was too happy to stop - "Boss, hum na yaha ek ghar banayenge, aur jab hum retire ho jayenge CID se, yehi aake rahenge! Idea mast hai na?"
Abhijeet was really enjoying his Daya's joyful comments. A sweet smile was present on his face throughout his flow of talking - Daya was still talking and talking - so many things he wanted to say, wanted to plan, sometimes Abhijeet was hearing actually, sometimes he was just watching his happy face, seeing him happy like this and free from all the tensions and burden, he felt a peace that only Daya could give him.
"Abhi! Tum sun bhi rahe ho - yah aise hi muskura rahe ho! Kab se bol raha hun - tum ho ki pagalo ke tarah muskura rahe ho -"
Abhijeet came back to reality with the angry (though it was actually cute to him) comment of Daya.
"Arre nahi nahi, main sun hi to raha tha! tu kehta hai to hum lautte hi woh humara Mumbai wala ghar bech dete hai - aur yaha chale ate hai - woh Mumbai me rakkha hi kya hai!" - Abhijeet tried to make it up with his usual joking tone. But Daya was angry - really angry this time!
Daya: Tumhe mazak sooj raha hai!
Abhijeet: (Trying to console him) acha chal bhai, ab maan bhi jaa - galati ho gayi - le chaye pee -
Abhijeet handed him the glass of tea which the boy from the stall kept on the bench beside them. Daya took the glass from his hand and took a sip, still not looking at him. But his facial expression changed as soon as he tasted it.
"Jo bhi kaho yaar, pure Manali me iss Raju ke jaisa chaye koi nahi bana sakte" - Daya said closing his eyes with ultimate satisfaction...
Abhijeet stirred out from his thoughts! He hovered his dry palms over his face. His face was bearing a mask of tiredness. He looked at the sky while wrapping the shawl properly around his body. "Kaafi der ho gaya! Daya ko woh medicine bhi dena hai" - he muttered in his mind and removed the place as silently as he came.
He entered into Daya's room with a box and his notebook. In his notebook all the instructions were written, he was checking it carefully. Though his sharp memory remembered every thing written on it, still every time he gave any medicine to him, he checked it again and again, cross verify it each time, so that nothing could be missed by him. He followed every step very carefully like every day - changed the bottle, pushed injection into it, checked his pulse rate and eyes, then like everyday he sat beside him.
"Tujhe pata hai Daya" , He started with a soft tone, "Doctor keh raha tha, tu abhi sab sun bhi sakte hai, aur mehsus bhi kar sakte hai. Tu mujhe sun sakta hai na Daya? Bol na? Dekh main tere samne hun - tere paas" His tone became teary... He continued -
"Pata hai, aaj bhi subah Raju aya tha - tujhe yaad hai na, wohi chaye ke dukan pe jo baithta tha - wo school bhi jaa raha hai aaj kal. Bahot achcha bacha hai, tujhse milne aya tha na Sunday ko! Aur pata hai tujhe aaj humare ghar ke bahar woh gulab ka ped hai na, usme phool aye hai, tu dekhega to tujhe bahot pasand ayega - tujhe safed gulab pasand hai na... maine ramjan chacha ko bol diya hai, woh agle haftey tak tere liye orchid ka plant bhi laa denge! Dekh, agar aur bhi kuch mangwani hai to abhi se bol de - baad me tera nakhra nahi chalega"
- he paused a bit, his eyes stopped at Daya's face. His gaze was blurry but still. He lightly touched Daya's hand where the channel for saline was made. His veins were prominent and the color of the skin at that area had became pale. Abhijeet's fingers were lightly touching that portion...
"Kabse yeh laga hua hai - dard ho raha hoga na - to phir tu kuch kehta kyun nahi? Ekbar bol de Daya ke Mujhe injection nahi lagwana hai - bas ekbaar keh de - nahi lagata main, bas ek baar Daya, ek baar" - His voice cracked, he sat on the floor kneeling down beside the bed and kept his head on Daya's arm, but the continuous flow of tear made no difference to the person who was in deep sleep since last 4 months...