Rahul was staring at the stars in the sky. He could hear horns blasting in the distance, but he felt alone. He put his arms around himself, as there was a cool breeze on the terrace. "Maanvi", he said aloud. He remembered the smile that had once made his heart beat fast, the eyes that were all he could think about, and the face that used to be the reason he smiled' his wife, Maanvi. He remembered how his whole world had come crashing down on him a year ago, when he had seen her lifeless body all covered in white in the living room of his house. It was as though his heart had stopped beating, he stopped feeling.. he could not cry, nor could he smile, nor did he want to talk or eat or sleep. One day he thought of killing himself, but he decided to live, for his family, for his parents and his sister, who had given up their life and their happiness for him, trying hard to help him adjust to a life without his wife. He closed his eyes, and thought about his dreams about his future, the happy family, their baby'
"Bhai, aap yahaan kya kar raha hain (Bro, what are you doing here)". He opened his eyes as he heard Arnav's voice. He turned around and Arnav was standing behind him with a huge bundle of lights and rolls of tape. He dropped the lights and walked to Rahul, "Bhai are you alright?" Rahul nodded. "Haan, Jijaji. Hum theekh hain.. bas woh.. khair.. aapko humse ek waada karna hoga (Yes, bro-in-law. I am fine. Just.. leave it.. you have to promise me something". Arnav confused, nodded, "Yes, bhai.. anything.. " Rahul turned around and folded his arms, "Khushi abhi bhi ek bachchi hain.. woh shayad bhool jaayengi ki woh maa banne waali hain.. woh uss samay bhi nautangi karengi jab usse apna khayal rakhna chaahiye.. kuch bhi ho aap hamesha uski saat rahena.. woh sab kuch karne ke liye zidh karte rahengi.. par agar aapko theekh nahi laga toh usse karne mat dena.. warna.. (Khushi is still a kid.. she might forget at times that she is going to become a mother.. she will still keep throwing tantrums and playing pranks when she needs to take care of herself.. whatever happens, stay with her.. she will make a fuss about doing everything.. but if you don't think something is right then dont' let her do it.. otherwise) " Arnav put his arm on his shoulder, "Bhai.. I know.. I promise.. main Khushi ka khayaal rakhoonga.. (I will take care of Khushi)" Rahul turned around, "Mujhe maaf karna.. mujhe pata hain ki aap uska achche se khayal rakhte hain.. par.. mujhe dar hain.. jo mere saat hua.. woh kisi aur ke saat..(Please forgive me.. I know that you take good care of Khushi.. but.. I'm scared.. what happened to me, I don't want that to happen to anyone else)" Arnav hugged Rahul. "I know Bhai.. I'm sorry.. aapka patni aur aapka bachcha.. Khushi ne bataya (Your wife and your kid.. Khushi told me)". Rahul pulled away and smiled, just when he heard Khushi's voice. They turned around to see Khushi talking to someone behind the door. "Di, aapko bhai mila kahin (Di did you find Rahul anywhere)". She turned around and saw Arnav and Rahul, "Bhai main aapko dhoond rahin thi.. Buaji bula rahi hain.. ghar jaana hain na.. Arnavji, aap humhe chod denge (Bro, I was looking for you.. Buaji is calling us.. we need to go home. Arnav, can you drop us?)". Arnav nodded. Rahul smiled at Arnav and walked to the door. Khushi was about to follow him, when Arnav grabbed her hand. She turned around and looked at Arnav confused. "Arnavji, kya hua? (Arnav, what happened?)"
Arnav pulled her close and hugged her. "Khushi, main tumhe khona nahi chahta.. tum apna khayal rakhenge na.. kuch aisa waisa nahi karna ki..(Khushi, I dont want to lose you. you will take care of yourself, right.. don't do anything stupid that..)" Khushi pulled away and looked at Arnav, "Arnavji, main kahi nahin jaaoongi..main hamesha aap ke saath rahoongi..(Arnav, I'm not going anywhere.. I will always be with you)" Arnav's eyes had teared up," Main tumhare bina mar jaoongi Khushi.. agar tumhe kuch ho gaya..(I will die without you.. if something happens to you)" Khushi hugged him, "humhe kuch nahi hoga.. aap chup ho jaayiye.. (Nothing will happen to me.. please be quiet)" They stood under the stars hugging, praying that they would be together forever!!
As Rahul stepped into the corridor, he saw Anjali leaning against the wall. She saw him and she looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "Rahulji.." she said, "Maanvi.. aapki patni thi? (Was Maanvi your wife?)" Rahul tried to look away and walk away but Anjali grabbed his hand. "Rahulji, mujhe pata hain.. yeh baat kehne se aapko dhukh hoga.. par iski baare main baat karna hi theekh hain .. aapke liye.. kisi aur se baat karne se aap ka bhoj halka ho jaayega.. aap koshish toh karleejiye.. yahaan aapke baatein sunne ke liye sirf main hi hoon (Rahul, I know.. it hurts to talk about it.. but it is better for you to talk about it .. telling someone else will lift the weight off you.. please try.. there is no one else here who can hear you but me)". Rahul turned to look at her. He saw genuine concern in her tear-filled eyes, but not the sympathy that he had seen in everyone else's eyes for the past one year. He took her hand and walked her to the couch near the stairs.
"Haan.. Maanvi meri patni thi (Yes, Maanvi was my wife)" he explained .. "woh Khushi ki tarah thi.. naadan aur thodi pagal.. humhari shaadi toh amma babuji ne ter kardiya tha.. par shaadi ki baad hum dono ek doosre se pyaar karne lagi.. bohut zyaada pyar.. teen saal kaise chala gaya pata hi nahi chala.. aur phir woh maa banne waali thi.. aatvi mahina hone jaa raha tha ki ek din usne mujhse jagda kiya.. ki usse gol guppe khaana hain.. aur maine bahar khaane se mana kiya tha.. uss din ghar main koi aur nahi tha.. toh maine usse kaha ki amma ko ghar wapas aane do.. woh bana dega.. par usne meri baat nahi maana.. aur woh mujhse naaraz ho kar bahar chali gayi.. jab mujhe woh mili, toh woh chaat wale ke paas tha.. usne mooh main gol guppa daalkar mujhe dekha aur muskuraya.. ki kahin se ek gaadi aa gayi, aur woh..(She was like Khushi.. innocent and a little crazy.. our wedding was fixed by our parents.. but we fell deeply in love after the wedding.. I never knew how fast three years passed.. then she became pregnant.. she was about 8 months pregnant when one day she fought with me.. saying that she wanted to eat Gol Gappe.. I forbid her from eating food from outside.. then there was no one else at home.. I told her to wait for my mother to come home and that she would make it for her.. but she didnt listen to me.. she was mad at me and she walked out of the house.. when I found her later, she was at the chaat stall.. she had put a Gol Guppa in her mouth when she saw me and smiled.. then from somewhere a car came and she.. )" Anjali had tears running down her cheeks, while Rahul's face was calm. He was squeezing his hands together. He looked at Anjali and said, "Maanvi aur humara bachcha.. maine uss din dono ko kho diya.. (Maanvi and our baby.. that day I lost both of them)" Anjali grabbed his hand and he closed his eyes and tears started rolling down his cheeks. Anjali took both his hands in hers and put one arm around his shoulders. A few minutes later, he looked up at Anjali. "Anjaliji, main.. maine isse pehle kisise yeh baat. (Anjali, I have never before talked about this to anyone)." Anjali nodded. She understood how he felt. He wiped his tears and sat up straight, "aap theekh keh rahe the.. mujhe ab aisa lag raha hain..(You were right.. now I feel.. )"
"Bhaiyya.." Anjali and Rahul turned around to see Chameli running to him. "Aap.. theekh ho.. aap ro rahe ho.. aapne pehle kabhi aise... aap ro kyu rahe ho.. sab theekh hain na.. (Are you alright.. you are crying? you have never cried before.. why are you crying.. is everything alright?)" She hugged him tightly and Rahul smiled. "Haan ab sab kuch theekh ho gaya hain (Yes, everything is fine now)". He said looking at Anjali, his eyes expressing gratitude.
As she watched Rahul and Chameli walk away, Anjali wiped her tears. I wonder if that's why he felt comfortable with me, because I reminded him of his wife, because I'm pregnant, she thought. I'm so stupid, why did I think that he might like me? Why did I want him to be the one for me! Oh God, please help me.. she closed her eyes in prayer.. please I don't want my heart to be broken again.. please give me strength!
Arnav looked at Khushi cuddled up in his arm that night. She was sleeping peacefully. But ever since Khushi had told him about Rahul's wife's death, Arnav was scared. I will make sure that never happens to Khushi, I will grant all her wishes, I will never let her out of my sight. I.. and then Khushi screamed. Arnav looked at her, "Khushi.. tum theekh ho (Khushi, are you alright)".. he tried to wake her up, but in vain.. she kept screaming. Then he looked at the door, someone was knocking! Great! now what will I do? Khushi, he shook her and she slowly opened her eyes. "Kya hua.. kya hua (What happened)" she asked sitting up straight.. "Tum chilla rahi thi.. bura sapna dekha kya (You were screaming.. did you have a nightmare?)".. Before Khushi could answer she heard Buaji at the door. "Arre sanka devi, darwaaza kholo (Open the door)". Arnav crawled under the bed and Khushi slowly went to open the door. "Kya hua (What happened)", Chameli asked as Khushi opened the door. "Hum.. hum theekh hain.. woh bura sapna dekha tha..(I'm fine.. I saw a nightmare)" Rahul yawned and looked over Khushi's shoulder. He thought he saw something move under Khushi's bed. At first he thought it was a rat, but then he saw a hand. He opened his mouth, and looked at Chameli. Chameli shook her head. Rahul smiled and turned to Garima and Buaji. "Khushi theekh hain.. ab sab chalo.. so jaate hain.. kal sangeet hain na.. ghar main bahut saara kaam pada hain (Khushi is fine.. now everyone go sleep.. tomorrow is the Sangeet.. there is much more work left to do at home)".
Khushi quickly closed the door and Rahul turned to Chameli, "toh isliye tum Khushi ke saat sona nahi chahti thi (So that is why you didnt want to sleep with Khushi)". Chameli giggled, "haan.. Khushi meri saat kyu soyengi.. woh toh Jijaji ke saat sona chahti thi (Why would Khushi sleep with me.. she wanted to sleep with Jijaji)". Rahul closed the door to their room and Chameli got onto the bed, and Rahul lay down on the mattress on the floor next to the bed. He lay awake looking at the ceiling, remembering what Chameli had told him about Shyam and what had happened with Anjali and Khushi. Anjali had gone through so much, no wonder she understood what I was going through. I wonder why I can't stop thinking about her. Please God, please give me the strength to control myself around her. I don't want to give her hope.. I don't want her to think that I like her.. How can I give her a happy life, when I am not happy myself? I don't think I can love again, after Maanvi.. but Anjali is such a nice person.. she definitely deserves someone better than me, someone who can love her dearly.. and give her and her child all the happiness they deserve. He closed his eyes in prayer and slipped into deep slumber.
Part 32: Pre-sangeet romance (https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/56937343)
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