Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and places mentioned. All the places are fictional and any resemblance is a mere coincidence.
Summer vacations had started. Every child around the country was enjoying vacations; playing, having tours to some hill stations, sports and what not. However, same couldn't be told about Daya. He had been lethargic, dull and not wanted to leave the house. He had various mood swings going on. Sometimes he was happy and sometimes he had a bad day.
Again a dull summer day started. Outside it was extremely hot. If felt like as if the sun was giving a free hug to everyone on the world. It was Sunday, means a day off to Abhijeet. Last three Sundays were busy for him as he was conducting investigation on a serial murderer. Today ACP Pradyuman had given a day off to him. He decided to enjoy his day with his brother. He wanted to do everything he could do make his brother happy. On breakfast table, he asked his brother: Daya to phir kiya plan hai aaj ka?
Daya sluggishly: mera kiya plan hona hai… ghar pr he hoon…
Abhijeet tried to offer: chalo kyun na aaj hum shooting range chalain? Bht din ho gaye hain mjhe bhi practice kiye huye? Tum bhi issi bahany thora ghar sy bahar nikal jao gy… warna to puri chutiyan ho gai hain tumny ghar sy qadam bahar nhi nikala hai…
Daya replied in same tone while struggling to pick pea with his fork: naaa… mjhe nhi jana kahi bhi…
Abhijeet got surprised listening to his reply. Shooting was his favorite sport; he loved practicing it. But today he lazily denied doing it, it was simply shocking.
Abhijeet in disbelief: Are you seriously saying this? Mjhe yakeen nahi aa raha yeh mai Daya k munh sy sun raha hun?
Daya gave him a look with droopy eyes: to kiya mai yeh sb nahi keh sakta? Pabandi hai koi?
Abhijeet shook his head: nahi mera matlab wo nahi tha… mai bs bht heran hun tunny iss shooting k chakkar mai meri file phadh di thi… or aaj tu keh raha hai k tjhe nahi jana? Strange…
Daya snapped listening to the word, he angrily retorted: yeh kiya hr waqt sb mjhe strange strange kehty rehty hain? Aakhir esa kiya strange ho gaya hai mjh mai? nafrat hony lagi hai mjhe iss lafz sy...
Abhijeet and Disha, who was coming out of the kitchen with juice, were shell-shocked listening to his tone.
Abhijeet: mera esa mtlb nahi tha… mai to bs itna keh raha tha k jis Daya k paun kabhi ghar mai nahi tikty thy usny aj kl bahar jana kyun chor diya hai?
Daya sighed and decided to answer him honestly this time: bahar itni garmi ho gai hai, mjhe esa lagta hai k agar mai bahar gaya na garmi sy pighal jaun ga… iss liye mera mn nhi kr raha bahar jany ka…
Abhijeet encouraged him: kiya ho gaya hai yaar tjhe… thora bahar jany sy kuch nhi hota… ab kiya saari garmiyon mai ghar pr raho gy? Agar garmi k dar sy ghar pr band raho gy to kesy chaly ga…
Daya, who was slouching on the dining now sat straight and answered: please Abhi, mai nahi jana chahta bahar… esa lagta hai meri saari energy aik jhatky mai khatam ho jaati hai bahar jaa k… (confessing) mere sar mai bhi bht ziyada dard hony lagta hai… please… mjhe force na karo…
Abhijeet and Disha shared a worried look. Disha asked: aapny mjhe kyun nhi bataya k aapko sar dard hai?
Daya waived off: mai aap logo ko pareshan nhi krna chahta… It's not serious…
Abhijeet: lekin Daya tumhy batana chahiye na agar koi problem ho to… batao gy nahi to hummy kesy pata chaly ga? Or mai dekh raha hun kuch din sy gala bhi karab lag raha hai tumhara… (checked his forehead) kahi bukhaar to nahi? (Daya softly removed his hand from the forehead)
Daya: kya bhaiya koi gala kharab nhi hai… dard bhi nhi hai galy mai bs awaaz thori kharab ho rhi hai… thakan sy ho jaati hai kabhi kabhi…
Abhijeet instantly took his phone out: mai aaj hi Rahul sy keh k kisi achy doctor ki appointment leta hun…
Daya grabbed his phone with: dekha sirf iss liye nahi bata raha tha… (he stood up from his chair and came behind Abhijeet… he put his slightly trembling hands on Abhijeet's shoulder) itni tension ki koi baat nahi hai… (giving a smiley gaze to mother) aap log bs ziyada he pareshan ho jaaty hain choti choti baton ko ly k… everything's fine… thory din rest karun ga to theek ho jaye ga… or wesy bhi itni garmi hai bahar achy achon ko sar dard ho jaata hai itni dhoop main…
Abhijeet was still worried: tumny pura saal itni bhaag dor ki hai na iss liye yeh sb ho raha hai… itna pressure tha body k uper… esa krty hain aik baar doctor sy checkup karwa lety hain… tasali ho jaye gi…
Disha also sided with Abhijeet: haan jeet theek keh raha hai… hum aik baar doctor k pass chaltain hain…
Daya took a deep sigh: kiya ho gaya hai aap dono ko… you both are being over-protective… mai bikul theek hun… (pressed Abhijeet's shoulders with) or bhai abhi aapny kaha hai na k meri body stressed hai… rest ki zaroorat hai to aap khud kiyun yakeen nhi kr rhy is baat pr… (tried to assure them) mai waqai mai theek hun… aap log itni tension na lain…
Abhijeet grabbed his hands and made him sit in front of himself: meri jaan… mai tumhari health k mamly mai koi risk nahi lena chahta… please try to understand… hum aik baar chalty hain na doctor k pass…
Disha in same tone: beta sehat hoti hai na to sb kuch hota hai… aik dafa checkup karany sy kuch nhi hota…
Daya got along with them: theek hai aap logo k liye yeh bhi theek… aap dekh lena doctors bhi wahi kahain gy jo mai keh raha hun…
Abhijeet patted his cheek with: bhagwaan karay k doctor wahi kahy…
Daya gave him side hug: dekh lena esa hi hoga… aap log bs esy hi itni chinta kr rhy hain…
Abhijeet ruffled his hair and stood up with: mera nashta ho gaya… mai zara Rahul sy baat kr k aaya…
Disha nodded with: theek hai jao lekin yeh… (gave him a juice glass) ly lo… or mjhe yeh khatam chahiye hai samjhy… (abhijeet grabbed the glass and nodded smilingly at the care of his mother)
Daya sat with his mother who started to feed him with her own hands as according to her Daya was getting thinner.
Abhijeet called Rahul. Who picked the call on third try. A sleepy "hello" was heard: Hello, tu so raha hai abhi tk? Aain?
Rahul in same tone: haan to Sunday hai na… Sunday ko aam log soty hi hain Inspector sahab… sb aap ki tarhan mahan thori hi na hoty hain…
Abhijeet sighed on his taunt: tum kabhi koi mauka hath sy khali na jany diya karo…
Rahul reciprocated: iska shray bhi aapko hi jata hai sir… (in honor) aapsy hi seekha hai…
Abhijeet sternly asked: tum aakhir chahty kya ho? Phone kaat dun mai?
Rahul stopped him: arey mai to bs Mazak kr raha tha yaar…
Abhijeet teased: ho gaya mazaak… ab mai bolun kuch?
Rahul: dekha maine kaha tha na… yeh taunting maine tumhari sohbat mai hi seekhi hai…
Abhijeet took the phone off from his ear. Rahul sensed his move and shouted on the phone: Acha na sorry… phone mt band krna…
Abhijeet again attached the phone with his ear: ab bolun mai?
Rahul wiped the sweat off his face: haan haan bolo na… tumhy kon rok skta hai?
Abhijeet: Rahul seriously ab aik or ulta jawab diya na tuny to mai tery ghar aa k tjhe maarunga…
Rahul: sorry… last time tha… ab nhi karunga…
Abhijeet: theek hai theek hai… chal bata teri internship kesi jaa rhi hai hospital mai…
Rahul casually: theek jaa rhi hai… kl raat night duty thi, abhi subah hi wapis aya hun or tera phone aa gaya…
Abhijeet: maine disturb kr diya kiya? tu so raha tha na mai baad mai call krta hun...
Rahul stopped him with: nahi yaar theek hai tu bol kiya hua?
Abhijeet: haan bs appointment chahiye thi kisi achy doctor sy…
Rahul in serious mode: kyun kya hua? Sb theek to hai na? Auntie to theek hain?
Abhijeet satisfied him: sab theek hain… Maa bhi theek hain… bs routine checkup karana tha chotu ka…
Rahul: kyun chotu ko kiya hua hai?
Abhijeet: bs dull rehta hai aaj kl, saara din ghar pr rehta hai, bahar nahi jaata, kehta hai k bahar jaata hai to dhoop sy sar dard hony lagta hai… saara din bed sy chipka rehta hai…
Rahul nodded to himself: hmmmm… chalo mai dekhta hun phir baatata hun, apny Sir sy baat kr k dekhta hun…
Abhijeet: haan appointment ly lena… mai chahta hun k aik baar checkup karwa lain to behtar hoga…
Rahul agreed with him: haan theek keh rhy ho tum… chalo mai appointment ly k call krta hun… Auntie ko namasty kehna meri taraf sy…
Abhijeet: haan haan, keh doon ga… wesy Maa yaad kr rhi tumhy kaafi dino sy aye nhi na milny…
Rahul: haan yaar bs yeh internship khatam ho jaye aik baar to kuch krny ka mauka mily… do do hafty ghar nhi aa pata hun… or jb aata hun to saara time neend puri krny mai nikal jaata hai… esa lagta hai k kisi or sy kya mjhe khud sy mily huye che mahiny ho gaye hain…
Abhijeet laughed: chal koi nhi jaldi internship puri ho jaye gi to khub milty rehna khud sy…
Rahul: tjhe mazaak lag raha hai yeh sb… yahan meri neendain haram ho gayi hain… or tu hans raha hai…
Abhijeet heard the faint voice of Disha calling him: chal baad mai baat hoti hai Maa bula rhi hain…
Rahul: OK, bye… I'll call you soon…
Abhijeet: Bye…
Abhijeet cut the call.
He came in lounge and found Disha waiting for him.
Abhijeet: Maa, Rahul Namasty keh raha tha aapko…
Disha nodded: kesa hai Rahul… bht din ho gaye hai chakkar nahi lagaya hai usny?
Abhijeet: theek hai Maa… bs internship mai bht busy hai… (laughed) keh raha tha k khud sy milny ka time nhi milta kisi or sy kya milun…
Disha also laughed: yeh Rahul bhi na, hr waqt mazaak ki adat gai nhi iski…
Abhijeet nodded in yes with a smile: haan bs esa hi hai pagal sa… khair mainy ussy kaha hai wo appointment ly lega kisi achy doctor ki… (remembering) or aap kiyun mjhe awaaz dy rhi thi? Koi kaam tha kiya?
Disha said yes: haan mai keh rhi thi k mjhe zara market tk ly chalo, kuch samman lana hai ghar k liye…
Abhijeet nodded with: theek hai aap ready ho jayein mai bs abhi change kr k aaya… (recalled that he had not seen Daya for quite some time now) or Daya kahan hai?
Disha in disappointment: room mai hai, keh raha tha neend aa rhi hai dubara sony jaa raha hun…
Abhijeet shook his head with: ufff... yeh larka bhi na…
"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."- Russell Baker
A/N:
Hi everyone.
Thank you to all those who read and review last chapter. Hopefully you liked this chapter too...
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