CHAPTER 4

Shreya and Neelam made their way towards the old age home to meet Dr Aarti.

Daya was calling Shreya again and again but she was not taking his calls. Neelam noticed that.

"Shreya, I think tumhe phone utha lena chahiye. Daya pareshan ho raha hoga. At least use ye to bata do ki tum uske sath dinner pe nahi ja sakti."

Shreya was stubborn, "Pareshan hone deejiye unhe, unhone bhi mujhe bahut pareshan kiya hai."

Neelam nodded, "Alright! Tum meri baat kyun manogi bhala. Main hu kaun tumhari? Humara rishta hi kya hai?"

Shreya stared at Neelam in disbelief. She stopped the car, "I can't believe it! Aapko emotional blackmail karna bhi aata hai? Theek hai main Daya se baat kar leti hu lekin aap ye faces mat banao please!"

Neelam smiled triumphantly.

Shreya received Daya's call. "Hello!" She spoke softly.

"Shreya kaha ho tum? Main tumhare gate pe khada hu but yaha to lock hai." Daya said sounding upset.

"Dekhiye main ek bahut hi jaroori kaam se bahar hu. Main aapke sath dinner pe nahi ja sakti!" Shreya said sternly.

"Shreya tum mujhse naraj ho..." Daya stopped speaking as Shreya had already disconnected. Daya was highly disappointed. He banged his fist on his palm.

Shreya looked at Neelam, "Maine unse baat kar li..abhi khush?"

"But..." Neelam was not happy with the way Shreya talked to Daya.

"Please Neelam auntie, we are not going to talk about Daya anymore. Abhi hum Dr Aarti se milne ja rahe hain. Aap chup rahiye to behtar hoga!"

"Tum chup raho!" Neelam scolded Shreya.

"What?" Shreya looked at her with her mouth opened.

"Yes, I said shut up! Bahut bolti ho tum!" Neelam said, "give me your phone?"

Shreya was scared seeing Neelam's angry avatar. She forwarded her phone obeying her silently.

Neelam glared at Shreya and grabbed her phone. She called back Daya.

Daya was happy seeing Shreya calling back. He instantly received the call. "Shreya please meri baat suno..

"It's not Shreya. I am Neelam! Remember?" Neelam said.

Daya went silent for a second. "Oh yes. Kya Shreya aapke sath hai?"

"Ji han aapki Shreya mere sath hai." Neelam said looking at Shreya who was looking away holding her head. "Please don't mind Daya. Shreya tumse naraj nahi hai. Actually maine Shreya ko bola tha ki wo mujhe movie dikhane le jaye. Wo to tumhare sath dinner pe jane ke liye ekdum taiyar thi but meri zid ki wajeh se use mere sath movie ke liye aana pada. I am so sorry, meri wajeh se tumhara candle light dinner ka plan kharab ho gaya. Wo kya hai na tumhari terah main bhi Shreya se bahut pyar karti hu to mera bhi to us par kuch hak banta hai na. Tum to humesha uske sath rahoge. Kabhi bhi use dinner pe le ja sakte ho. Mera kya hai, pata nahi Shreya ke sath movie dekhne ka mauka dobara mile ya nahi." Neelam said pulling Shreya's cheek lovingly but she jerked her showing that she is angry with her. Neelam chuckled, "So Daya, hope you don't mind."

Daya was relaxed and smiling now. "Yes of course. I don't mind. Main Shreya ko baad me dinner ke liye le jaunga. Abhi aap dono movie enjoy keejiye. Bye!"

"Bye!" Neelam said glancing at Shreya, "And don't forget Shreya loves you!"

Shreya was aghast at Neelam's act. She made a face rolling her eyes and glared at Neelam.

Daya smiled, "I know! Please tell her, I love her too!"

"Sure!" Neelam said and disconnected. "Daya said he loves you!" She told Shreya.

Shreya gave her a look and snatched her phone. "What was that? Hum movie dekhne ja rahe hain? Mujhe to pata hi nahi tha! Kyun ye sab jhooth bola aapne?"

"To kya hua jhooth bola to. Bechara Daya kitna upset tha. Lekin jab maine usse baat ki to wo khush ho gaya. Jis jhooth se kisi ko khushi milti ho wo jhooth sau sach ke barabar hota hai."

Shreya was glaring at Neelam. "Huh! Kya main jaan sakti hu, Daya se aapka kya rishta hai jinko khush karne ke liye aap jhooth bolne se bhi peeche nahi hati?"

Neelam smiled, "Daya se mera nahi but tumhara to rishta hai na!"

Shreya was still glaring at her. Neelam patted her cheek, "come on don't give me that look! Tum gusse me bahut cute lagti ho lekin iska matlab ye nahi ki humesha gussa karti raho. Kabhi has bhi liya karo!" Neelam said and started tickling Shreya.

"Stop it!" Shreya shouted laughing hard. "You are just too much!"

Both laughed and started their journey again. They reached at the old age home and met the officials.

"Hello.. I am inspector Shreya from Cid." Shreya gave her identity, "We are looking for an old lady... Dr Aarti."

The office clerk called an attendant. "Ye log Dr Aarti se milna chahte hain. Unhe yaha lekar aao."

Shreya and Neelam started waiting for Dr Aarti. Within a couple of minutes the attendant returned with a woman on wheelchair. She recognized Neelam and her face fell off with shame.

"Kya yahi hai Dr Aarti?" Shreya asked.

"Yes!" Neelam uttered. They moved towards Dr Aarti.

"Hello Aarti!" Neelam said serenly.

"Neelam!" She uttered in a trembling voice. With a shaking hand she took off her glass and rubbed her tears. "Itne dino baad koi mujhse milne aaya hai." Aarti said smiling through tears.

"Hum yaha tumse milne nahi...apne sawalo ka jawab dhundhne aaye hain..samjhi tum!" Shreya shouted.

Neelam caught Shreya's hand and asked her to keep calm through her eyes. Shreya became silent.

Neelam looked at Aarti, "Aarti humare paas jyada kuch hai nahi baat karne ko. Mujhe sirf ye bata do ki mera beta kaha hai. Mujhe kisi se koi shikayat nahi hai. Mujhe bas mera beta chahiye. Please!"

Aarti looked at Neelam and broke down. Shreya was irritated seeing her tears.

"For God's sake, ye rone ki acting band karo. Jab itna bada gunah karne me tumhe sharm nahi aayi to ab ye nakli aansu bahane ka kya fayda? Bolo, Neelam aunti ka beta kaha hai. Kya kiya tha tum logo ne uske sath?"

Neelam scolded Shreya for being rude. "Shreya, easy, main baat kar rahi hu na. Tum chup rahogi please?"

"Alright!" Shreya said with a grimace.

Aarti stopped crying and looked at Neelam. "Tumhari delivery ke baad tum labor pain ki wajeh se behosh ho gayi thi. Maine tumhare newborn baby ko Sarla ke husband ko de diya jo hospital ke bahar khada tha. Humara maksad tumhare bete ko marna nahi tha. Hum chahte the ki wo jinda rahe lekin tumse door rahe. Sarla ke husband ko kuch nahi pata tha ki bachhe ko kaha chodna hai. Usne mujhse pucha. Main ek orphanage ke bare me janti thi. Sunshine orphanage, waha bachho ke liye facilities bahut kam thi. Isi liye maine jaan boojhkar Sarla ke husband ko bola ki wo bachhe ko iss orphanage me chod de. Jisse wo orphanage me bhi rahe to bhi use achhi care na mil sake."

Neelam got tears in her eyes. Shreya was fuming now.

"How mean! Ek aurat ek dusri aurat ke sath aisa bhi kar sakti hai. Unbelievable!" Shreya muttered.

Aarti again started crying. "Hari ne us bachhe ko wahi choda hoga. Lekin sabse buri baat ye thi ki usi din Hari ki ek accident me maut ho gayi. Wo wapas aaya hi nahi. Isliye, I am not sure ki usne bachhe ko orphanage me choda tha ya nahi. But agar wo bachhe ko orphanage me chodne gaya tha to wo yahi orphanage ho sakta hai koi dusra nahi."

Neelam was sobbing now. Shreya held her for moral support.

Shreya looked at Aarti. "Maine suna tha ki insaan ko uske gunaho ki saza isi janam me bhugatni padti hai. Aaj dekh bhi liya. Tum teeno ko tumhare gunaah ki saza mil chuki hai. Hari ki maut usi din ho gayi jis din usne ye gunah kiya. Sarla ko cancer ho gaya aur Dr Aarti tum, dekho khud ko tumhari body ka lower portion paralyzed hai. Tum apni zindagi iss wheelchair par bitane par majboor ho. Jab tumhe apni family ki sabse jyada jarurat hai tabhi tumhare bete ne tumhe ghar se nikal diya. Tumne ek ma ko uske bete se alag kiya tha na aaj dekho tumhare paas beta hai bahu hai, par tumhare paas koi nahi hai. Yahi tumhari sabse badi saza hai"

Aarti cried bitterly. It was evident from her tears that she had a sense of remorse. She was feeling guilty.

"Mujhe maaf karna asaan to nahi hai Neelam. But ho sake to mujhe maaf kar dena. Main dua karungi ki tumhe tumhara beta mil jaye. Shayad mere gunaah ki saza kuch kam ho sake!" Aarti cried joining her hands.

Neelam was also crying in a suppresses voice. She couldn't believe that her son had to face so much atrocities. Shreya hugged her to pacify her.

"Auntie, sab theek ho jayega. Ab to hume ye bhi pata chal gaya ki aapke bete ko kis orphanage me choda gaya tha. Hum waha jayenge. I think ab hum aapke bete se jyada door nahi hain."

Neelam nodded looking at Shreya.

Shreya took the address of that orphanage from Aarti. It was late night. So Neelam suggested Shreya to go back to home and continue their investigation the next morning.

Both could hardly sleep. Next morning they immediately left in search of the 'sunshine orphanage'.

Shreya stopped the car.

"Aap gadi me rukiye. Main dekhti hu." Shreya said to Neelam.

"No, main bhi aa rahi hu tumhare sath." Neelam said.

"Ok!" Shreya said. Both came out of the car.

They searched a lot but didn't find the orphanage.

"Ye orphanage to yahi hona chahiye tha. Dr Aarti ne to yahi address diya hai. But iss location pe to koi orphanage hai hi nahi." Shreya said looking perplexed.

"Shreya, I am sure Aarti ne humare sath koi majak nahi kiya hai. Ye orphanage yahi hona chahiye. Kisi local se puchte hain." Neelam suggested.

Shreya stopped some people but they couldn't tell anything. Shreya found an old man.

"Uncle, kya aap kisi sunshine orphanage ke bare me jante hain?"

The old man looked at both the ladies and nodded his head affirmatively.

"Han, aaj se kareeb 25 saal pehle wo orphanage yaha hua karta tha but aaj nahi hai. Ek hadsa hua tha aur us orphanage ko police ne seal kar diya tha. Phir uski building bhi bahut purani ho chuki thi to use tod diya gaya. Aaj us land pe koi small scale factory ban chuki hai."

Shreya and Neelam both were shocked. "What?"

Shreya started her calculations. "25 saal pehle orphanage ko seal kiya gaya. Lekin aapke bete ko us orphanage me 30 saal pehle choda gaya tha. That means those 5 years he was there. Lekin uske baad orphanage to seal kar diya gaya lekin wo bachhe kaha gaye? Kya hadsa hua tha jo orphanage ko seal karna pada?"

"Aap log Mr Francis se mil leejiye. Wo us orphanage me caretaker ki job karte the. Main aapko address deta hu. Ho sakta hai aapke sawalo ka jawab Mr Francis de sake." The old man said and provided the address.

Shreya and Neelam headed to the address. Mr Francis was in his late eighties. He was battling with bad health.

He was in the bed. Shreya and Neelam grabbed a seat in front of him.

"Maaf keejiyega hum is halat me aapko pareshan kar rahe hain but hume aapki madad ki jarurat hai." Shreya said humbly.

"What can I do for you?" The old man asked.

"Mr Francis, aap sunshine orphanage me caretaker the na. Hume ye bataiye ki wo orphanage seal kyun kiya gaya? Aisa kaun sa hadsa hua tha?" Shreya asked in a soft voice.

The expressions on Mr Francis's face were clearly saying that he felt pain when Shreya asked about that orphanage and that horrible incident took place 25 years ago.

"Kaun ho tum log? Kyun itne salo baad us hadse ko phir se yaad dilaya mujhe?" Mr Francis said getting anxious.

"Main cid se inspector Shreya hu aur ye doctor Neelam hain. Hum inke bete ki talaash kar rahe hain. Jo ki sunshine orphanage me hi rehta tha. Hume janna hai wo bachha kaha gaya orphanage seal ho jane ke baad." Shreya asked.

Mr Francis sighed and nodded. "25 saal pehle, kitchen me kisi ki laparwahi ki wajeh se gas cylinder blast ho gaya tha. Us waqt orphanage ke sare bachhe ek sath kitchen ke bagal wale dining hall me khana kha rahe the. Wo blast itna bhayanak tha ki ...ek bhi bachha jinda nahi bacha."

Shreya's eyes widened in shock. She looked at Neelam and found she was getting faint. She held her quickly.

"Auntie sambhaliye khud ko!" Shreya said holding Neelam.

"Aisa nahi ho sakta Shreya. Itne kareeb pahuch kar itni buri khabar... Nahi Shreya mera beta jinda hai. Wo jinda hai."

Shreya also got tears in her eyes. She hugged Neelam.

"Are you sure ek bhi bachha nahi bacha tha?" Shreya asked with some hopes.

Mr Francis was looking in blank. "Us waqt orphanage me 43 bachhe the. Police ko total 43 dead bodies mili thi. Itne sare bachho ki ek sath maut ne sabko hila kar rakh diya tha. Court case chala, is hadse ke liye jo log responsible the unhe saza bhi mili. Aur court ne orphanage ko seal karne ka order de diya."

"No!" Neelam screamed. She started crying. She was getting out of control. "It's not true Shreya! Mera beta jinda hai." She was screaming.

Shreya somehow controlled her. She hugged her tightly. "Neelam auntie, I am so sorry! But ab iske aage sare raste band ho chuke hain. Ab kuch nahi bacha humare paas. I am sorry main apna promise nahi pura kar payi."

Both cried hugging each other. They separated; Shreya rubbed her tears and cupped her face. "Auntie let's go!"

Neelam was in a state of shock. She was broken from inside. Shreya held her hand and they moved from there. Shreya took her to the car and opened the door for her. Suddenly a servant came and stopped Shreya.

"Madam ek minute, Francis sir aap logo ko andar bula rahe hain. Kuch kehna chahte hain."

Shreya and Neelam exchanged glances. They were confused but went again inside.

"I am sorry! Umar ho gayi hai na. Yaaddasht kamjor ho gayi hai. Kuch baate yaad nahi rehti to kuch der se yaad aati hain." Mr Francis said.

Shreya was confused, "aap kehna kya chahte hain?"

"Humare orphanage me facilities bahut kam thi aur bachhe jyada. Us hadse se kuch mahine pehle kuch bachho ko move kiya gaya tha ek dusre orphanage me."

Shreya and Neelam looked at each other. They could see a ray of hope.

"Really? Kuch baccho ko dusre orphanage me shift kiya gaya tha. That means wo bachhe us hadse se bach gaye aur wo aaj bhi jinda hain." Shreya said smiling but still a fresh tear of happiness rolled down her cheek.

"Bilkul, aur ho sakta hai aap log jis bachhe ko dhundh rahe hain wo bachha in bachho me se koi ek ho." Mr Francis said.

Neelam placed her hand near her heart and closed her eyes. She thanked god and prayed for her son.

"Kaun sa orphanage tha? Aapko us orphanage ka naam yaad hai jaha un bachho ko shift kiya gaya tha." Shreya asked desperately.

Mr Francis stressed on his brain. "Um..hmm.. It was 'Mamta foundation'.

Now Shreya was again shocked hearing the name of that orphanage. The reason was quite obvious.

.

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...to be continued

A/N: So the mystery is almost solved. So are you guys excited for the reunion? Not only Daya-Neelam but Daya-Shreya will also reunite in the last chapter.