CHAPTER 3
Shreya took Neelam home after her discharge.
Here Daya and Abhijeet were heading to court to register their statements against a criminal they had arrested a few months back. Abhijeet noticed Daya was unusually silent. He was looking disquieted.
"Daya gadi roko!" Abhijeet ordered.
Daya took a glance at him and stopped the car. "Kyun kya hua?"
"Ye to mujhe tumse puchna chahiye." Abhijeet said looking at him, "Tum bolo kya hua? Main kab se dekh raha hu tum bahut pareshan lag rahe ho. Koi problem hai kya?"
Daya heaved a sigh and looked down.
Abhijeet placed his hand on his shoulder, "Kya baat hai Daya?"
Daya looked at him, "Abhijeet tum to jante ho main aaj hi 3 mahine baad wapas aaya. Aur Acp sir ne mujhe aate hi dusre kaam pe laga diya. Ye bhi nahi pucha ki main kaisa hu. Aur upar se wo DCP Chitrole, mujhe congratulate karne ki bajay mujhe sunane laga. Mujhse goliyon ka hisab mang raha tha. Ki maine kitni goliyan chalai aur kyun chalai?" Daya smirked, "Use to iss baat se bhi problem thi ki maine itne khatarnak criminals ko itni asani se kaise pakad liya aur mujhe koi kharoch bhi kyun nahi aayi? Use lagta hai ki at least 1-2 goliyan to mujhe bhi lagni chahiye thi. Main itna fit and fine wapas kaise laut aaya?"
Abhijeet became angry, "Iss Chitrole ki to...samajh me nahi aata uski problem kya hai?"
Daya shook his head, "Aur Chitrole se behas karne ke baad main jab bureau aaya to mera dimag itna kharab tha ki mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha ki main kya karu. Aur maine sara gussa sari frustration Shreya par nikal di."
"Kya?" Abhijeet exclaimed in shock, "Shreya par sara gussa utar diya? Tum bhi na Daya! Khair chalo, insaan gussa bhi usi pe nikalta hai jo uska apna hota hai." Abhijeet said and smiled.
"Lekin Abhijeet bechari Shreya ki kya galti? Pata nahi kya kya bol gaya main usko gusse me. Usne to mere wapas aane ki khushi me hum dono ke liye ek candle light dinner plan kiya tha aur maine..." Daya held his head feeling guilty for his harshness.
Abhijeet patted his shoulder, "Koi baat nahi Daya, ho jata hai. Jakar sorry bolo, ek kiss karo aur jhagda khatam." Abhijeet said smiling mischievously.
Daya looked at him, "Abhijeet iss baar thoda serious ho gaya hai. You know gusse me maine Shreya se break up ki baat bol di."
"Kya?" Abhijeet was again shocked, "Yaar Daya hadh karte ho tum! Mujhe pata hai ki gusse me tumhara dimag kaam nahi karta lekin iska matlab ye nahi ki kuch bhi bol do. Hey bhagwan!"
Daya was silent.
Abhijeet looked at him, "Bechari Shreya! Pata hai jab se tum gaye ho ek ek din count kar rahi thi wo ki tum kab wapas aaoge. Aur aate hi tumne..." Abhijeet took a pause and added, "Tum ek kaam karo, abhi wo lawyer hai na usko aane me thoda time lagega. Tab tak tum Shreya ke ghar jao. Usse milo, maafi mango aur sab kuch sort out kar lo. Jaise hi wo lawyer aa jayega, main tumhe inform kar dunga."
Daya glanced at him, "Are you sure?"
"Han yaar, abhi jao tum!" Abhijeet said pushing Daya lightly to go.
Daya smiled, "Theek hai, ja raha hu." He got down the car.
Shreya's house
Neelam was taking rest. Shreya was moving to and fro in front of her.
"Shreya itna kyun pareshan ho rahi ho? Shanti se baith jao beta!" Neelam said in a sweet voice.
Shreya looked at her, "Shanti se nahi baith sakti auntie. Ek aadmi hai jo Mumbai me jitne bhi orphanages hain unke trusties ko janta hai. Usi ke phone ka wait kar rahi hu. Sare records check karne padenge. Koi to clue hoga jisse ye pata chal jaye ki aapke bete ko kis orphanage me choda gaya tha."
Shreya came near her, "Auntie mujhe ek baat samajh nahi aa rahi. Aapki maid ko agar aisa lagta tha ki aapki wajeh se uske bachhe ki maut hui hai to aapse badla lene ke liye usne bhi aapke bachhe ko maar kyun nahi diya kisi orphanage me chodne ka faisla kyun liya?"
Neelam looked up at Shreya, "Kyunki wo chahti thi ki mera beta uske maa baap ke hote huye bhi ek orphanage me rahe aur ek anath ki zindagi jiye. Ek maa ke liye isse badi saza aur kya ho sakti hai?"
Shreya understood and nodded her head. "Hmm! How mean! Auntie uske husband ka naam kya tha?"
"Bhagat!" Neelam told.
Shreya started trying to connect the links. "Matlab aapki maid yani, Sarla ne hospital se aapke bachhe ko churaya aur lakar use apne husband Bhagat ko de diya aur usse kaha ki jakar uss bachhe ko kisi orphanage mein chod aaye. Bhagat uss bachhe ko kisi orphanage mein chod aaya lekin usne Sarla ko to bataya hoga na ki usne bachhe ko kaha choda hai?" Shreya asked.
Neelam nodded her head in no, "Nahi usne Sarla ko nahi bataya. Agar Sarla ko pata hota to wo mujhe jaroor batata. Koi bhi marta hua insaan apne dil pe koi bojh lekar nahi marna chahta. Jab Sarla ne mujhse phone karke maafi mangi aur mere bete ke bare me bataya to usne kaha ki uske pati ne use nahi bataya tha ki usne bachhe ko kaha choda hai."
Shreya sighed, "Hmm...ab problem ye hai ki Bhagat ki pehle hi maut ho chuki hai, aur Sarla ki bhi death ho gayi. Kya aur koi ho sakta hai jise ye sab pata ho?"
"Dr. Aarti!" Neelam said.
A shine appeared in Shreya's eyes, "Dr Aarti?"
"Wahi doctor jisne meri delivery karwayi thi aur jisne... Sarla ki help ki thi mera bachha churane me." Neelam said.
"Oh I see!" Shreya said thoughtfully, "But Dr Aarti ki koi dushmani thi aapse? Usne Sarla ki madad kyun ki aapka bachha churane me?" Shreya asked.
"Aarti, main aur mere husband Vijay, hum teeno ek hi hospital me kaam karte the. Aarti bhi Vijay ko pasand karti thi. Lekin Vijay mujhse pyar karte the. Jab hum dono ne shadi kar li to Aarti gusse se pagal ho gayi. Use lagta tha ki maine uska pyar cheen liya. Wo humesha mujhse compete karti rehti thi lekin sab log meri hi tareef karte the uski nahi. Inferiority complex ne use pagal kar diya. Wo mujhse nafrat karti thi, mujhse badla lena chahti thi. Ye baat Sarla bhi janti thi. Ab dushman ka dushman to apne aap dost ban jata hai na. Bas un dono ne hath mila liya." Neelam explained everything to Shreya.
"Okay!" Shreya shook her head, "To matlab Dr Aarti wo teesri insaan hai jo iss gunah me shamil hain. Shayad unhe pata ho ki aapke bete ko kis orphanage me choda gaya tha. Hume unse milna hoga. I just hope ki wo jinda ho."
Meanwhile Shreya got a call. "Hello...oh well done! Tumhe sare records mil gaye, good job! Tum abhi mujhe mail karo, main check kar lungi." Shreya disconnected the call and turned to Neelam. "Mumbai me jitne bhi orphanages hain un sabke 30 saal purane records mil gaye hain. Matlab 30 saal pehle 11 December ke aas paas orphanage me kaun kaun se bachhe aaye, sab pata chal jayega. Bas ek baar hum dr Aarti se mil le to humara kaam aur asaan ho jayega."
Neelam smiled seeing Shreya's excitement. "Dusro ki problems solve karne me itna mat kho jao ki apni problems solve karna bhool jao Shreya."
Shreya's smile faded slowly. She looked at Neelam, "Kya matlab?"
"I am talking about Daya!" Neelam said softly.
"But I don't want to talk about him!" Shreya said curtly. "As he said, hume alag ho jana chahiye to theek hai...maine bhi unhe aazad kar diya hai."
"Come on Shreya, iss terah se jaldbaji me koi faisla lena theek nahi hota. He is your love." Neelam said emphasizing her words.
"Han auntie, he is my love but ...I am not his love. I am not made for him!" Shreya said wearing a painful smile.
"Shreya, mujhe pata nahi kyun lagta hai ki Daya ko ab tak apni galti ka ehsaas ho gaya hoga. Wo tumse maafi maagne jaroor aayega." Neelam said with hopeful eyes.
Shreya nodded her head in no, "Wo nahi aayenge. Aap nahi janti wo kitne busy rehte hain aaj kal. Unke paas to mere bare me sochne tak ki bhi fursat nahi. Aur dusri baat...wo kabhi sorry nahi bolte." Shreya said angrily and moved inside.
Neelam was sitting there thinking what to do. Meanwhile the doorbell rang. Shreya had perhaps moved to bathroom. Neelam had a little pain in her right foot but still somehow she got up and moved to open the door.
"Shreya main..." Daya began as Neelam opened the door but he stopped seeing Neelam in place of Shreya.
"Oh sorry, aap kaun?" Daya asked looking at Neelam confusingly.
Neelam smiled at him, "Daya?"
Daya was still confused, "Ji aap mujhe kaise janti hain?"
"Shreya din bhar tumhari hi to baate karti rehti hai." Neelam said with the same smile.
Now Daya also smiled, "But Shreya hai kaha?"
Same time Shreya came outside, "Neelam auntie!" Shreya shouted and moved towards Neelam completely ignoring Daya. "Aapko kisne bola bed se uthne ke liye?" Shreya scolded Neelam.
Neelam was scared of Shreya, "Sorry wo darwaja...
"Kya darwaja? Kisne kaha aapko darwaja kholne ko? Mujhse behas mat kariye. Chup chap chaliye aur aram kariye." Shreya said in a strict voice.
Neelam looked at Daya and then at Shreya, "Koi aaya hai tumse milne...
"Mujhe bhi dikh raha hai." Shreya said and turned to Daya, "Han sir boliye, yaha kaise aana hua?"
"Shreya please don't call me sir!" Daya said in a low voice.
"Achha! To aur kya kahu?" Shreya snapped.
"Shreya dekho main ye kehne aaya tha ki..." Daya stopped looking at Neelam. He was hesitating to talk to Shreya in front of Neelam. "By the way, tumne bataya nahi ye kaun hain?"
"...main" Neelam was saying but Shreya cut her.
"Wo meri auntie hain."
Daya smiled, "Oh, to mujhe nahi milwaogi apni auntie se."
"She is not well." Shreya snapped.
"Actually main..." Neelam again was saying something but shut her mouth as Shreya glared at her.
"Aap abhi tak yahi khadi hain?" She held Neelam by her shoulders, "Chaliye!" She took Neelam and made her sit on the couch.
Daya's eyes fell on the bandages on Neelam's leg. "Aapko chot kaise lagi?"
Shreya turned to Daya, "Aapse matlab? Aap yaha kyun aaye hain?"
Daya looked at her, "Main...Shreya wo..."
Suddenly his phone started ringing. Daya took a glance at Shreya and received the call. "Han Abhijeet!"
"Daya tumhari baat ho gayi ho Shreya se to aa jao. Lawyer bhi aa gaya hai. Hume nikalna hoga." Abhijeet said from the other side.
Daya looked at Shreya sadly. "Ok main aa raha hu!"
Shreya also became sad.
"Shreya mujhe tumse bahut kuch kehna hai but abhi mujhe jana hoga. Lekin tum sham ko taiyar rehna. Main tumhe lene aaunga. Hum candle light dinner pe chalenge." He said looking into her eyes.
Shreya said nothing and moved from there showing that how hurt she is with his behavior.
Daya turned to go but Neelam called him from behind. "Ek minute beta...
Daya looked at Neelam.
"...I mean Daya!" Neelam said realizing she just called him 'beta'.
Daya smiled, "It's ok, aap mujhe beta bula sakti hai. Mujhe achha lagega."
Neelam smiled, "Main sirf ye keh rahi thi ki, Shreya bahut pyari ladki hai, wo tumse bahut pyar karti hai. Kabhi bhi uska dil mat dukhana."
Daya looked at Neelam for a moment. "Jee!" He uttered and left from there as he was getting late.
Shreya came to Neelam after Daya left.
"Dekha wo tumse sorry bolne hi aaya tha." Neelam said smiling.
"Par bola to nahi na!" Shreya said angrily.
"Han lekin uske paas time nahi tha isliye. Samajhane ki koshish to karo Shreya. Usne tumhe sham ko dinner par le jane ko bhi bola. Iska matlab to ye hai na ki use apni galti ka ehsaas ho gaya hai aur wo sab kuch theek karna chahta hai. Maine dekha uski aankho me, wo bhi tumse bahut pyar karta hai." Neelam said with a glint in her eyes.
Shreya looked at Neelam, "Main bhi janti hu wo mujhse kitna pyar karte hain. Aur mujhe ek baat samajh nahi aa rahi, aap kyun unki itni tarafdari kar rahi hain. Aap janti hi kitna hain unhe?"
Neelam had no answer.
Shreya moved and returned with some food and medicine for Neelam.
"Chaliye pehle khana kha leejiye, aapko dawa bhi khani hai."
Shreya got the email containing the orphanage records. She studied it but the records were totally confusing and she couldn't conclude anything. She came to Neelam.
"Hum Dr Aarti ke ghar ja rahe hain, abhi isi waqt."
Neelam was shocked. "Abhi? Lekin beta Daya tumhe dinner pe le jane wala hai."
"Mujhe kahi nahi jana unke sath. Aur waise bhi humara Dr Aarti se milna jyada important hai." Shreya said.
Neelam couldn't say anything.
Shreya and Neelam reached at Dr Aarti's residence.
Shreya rang the bell.
"Ek baar ye dr Aarti mujhe mil jaye na phir aap dekhiye main uske muh se sach kaise nikalwati hu." Shreya said to Neelam.
The door opened and a servant was there. "Ji madam kisse milna hai?"
Neelam came ahead, "Ye dr Aarti ka hi ghar hai na?"
The servant went silent.
"Chup kyun ho, jawab do?" Shreya shouted.
Meanwhile a man came there with a lady.
"Kya baat hai? Kaun aaya hai?" The lady asked.
"Hume Dr Aarti se milna hai? Wo yahi rehti hai na." Shreya said in her cid cop's tone.
The lady exchanged glances with the man then looked at Shreya and Neelam, "par aap log kaun hain?"
Shreya took out her badge, "Main inspector Shreya hu, cid se. Ek important case ke silsile me hume Dr Aarti se nilna hai. Bulaiye unhe, kaha hain wo?" Shreya said.
The lady looked down. "Wo ab yaha nahi rehti."
Shreya and Neelam became shocked and looked at each other.
"Yaha nahi rehti matlab? Phir kaha rehti hain?" Shreya questioned.
The lady was silent. The man came ahead. "Wo ab ek old age home me rehti hain. Aap wahi jakar unse mil leejiye, main aapko address de deta hu."
Shreya and Neelam exchanged glances. The man gave them the address of the old age home.
Neelam asked the man, "Tum Aarti ke bete ho?"
"Ji!" He answered and shut the door.
Neelam looked at Shreya, "Itna bada ghar hai, beta hai bahu hai, naukar chakar hain phir bhi Dr Aarti old age home me reh rahi hai."
"Ye unke gunaho ki hi saja hai." Shreya said with a sigh. "Khair chaliye, ab unse wahi jakar mil kar aate hain."
In evening, Daya finished his work and reached at Shreya's home by exact 8 o'clock. But all his smile disappeared seeing the lock hanging on the door.
"Lock?" Daya uttered in disappointment. "Ye Shreya kaha chali gayi achanak?"
.
.
...to be continued