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Ok! I know I have my exams BUT as the mathematics was ready to strangle me to death, I thought of taking a break and here's the result of taking a break. I just hope you like it. So please dont be depressed after reading it because one more part is remaining and also I am a strong believer of--- Agar story ki happy ending na ho, toh woh ending nahi hai😆...so go on, read it, criticize it to your hearts content. But do!😉
And more thing, flashbacks are in gray
Part 1
Rudra stretched his right hand, searching for the familiar figure there. Little left, then right, the center, little to the edge but the inure touch never graced his rough hand. His eyes jerk open, a well practiced habit of a BSD officer, always keeping a part of your mind awake, even in the deep slumber. He sat on the bed, his panic eyes searching anxiously. His hasty had reached the bed side lamp, instantly filling the room with faint amber.
And there he heard the voice!
His head jerked towards the tail of the bed. His feature relaxed instantly and he slummed against the head-post of the bed. He closed his eyes, regulating his breath which had taken the gait of his bike. He opened his eyes after few seconds and the two weary orbs rested on the tiny figure lying near his leg. He dipped forward and laid on the bed, flat on his stomach, his face too close to the ridiculously innocent looking creature laying there.
"Thaare ko kitni baar samjhaya hai ki maare paas raha kar. Samajh nahi aata thaare ko? Kya kar raha hai yaha par? Raat ko sab sote hai, tu kya kar raha hai? Chal..."(How many times to tell you, to stay close to me? What are you doing here? Everyone sleeps at night, what are you doing? Come...)lying on his back he took him on his chest, his head still facing the tail and legs pointing towards the head-post.
"Chal, soja ab..."(Come, sleep now...) Rudra patted his back, his rough hand patting the soft skin covered by a thin cotton cloth.
Rudra tilted his head down after few minutes of patting, to stare in two big hazel, gazing back at him, wide awake. Rudra stared in the two innocent pool, so like her. Rudra averted his eyes from there.
"Neend na aa rahi hai thaare ko? Bolo na soja..." (Aren't you sleepy? I told you to sleep na...)his features tensing, the voice turning rough.
Rudra fixed his gaze at the innocent face, the smiling lips first turned into a big pout, then quivered a little and soon the wailing sound filled the confine of four walls.
"Shhh...shaant...kitni baar bola hai thaare ko, ki maare ko ye rona dhona pasand na hai...samajh na aata thaare ko, chup ho ab...shhh"(Shhh...calm down...how many times to tell you I don't like this wailing business...Can't you understand?...now keep quite...shhh..) his commanding words laced with a mixture of care and coarseness.
Rudra got up from the bed, taking him along with him. The innocent little thing, rested his tiny head on the broad warm and comforting shoulder. His sobs turning into small hiccups.
"Shhh...shant...chup...ek dum chup..."(Shhh...calm down...quite...keep quite..) but the small hiccups continued.
Rudra's leg halted as he reached the fountain, the water spurring from above and again mixing in the small pond. His gaze fixed at the foot of the fountain.
A girl, sitting there, her legs drawn to her chest, her small innocent sobs making her chest heave up and down. She rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. Then she lifted her head, her eyes filled with big fat tears, looking here and there, searching for the rough voice that had graced her ears. Her astonished eyes lifted to look at the advancing figure. She stared at the figure who sat in front of her, her lips threatening to bloom into a beautiful smile. A rough big hand lifted to wipe the tears trailing down the soft milky cheek. And then the two hazel eyes lifted to look at the manly figure in front of her, full of forgiveness, even before she heard the apology.
"Maaf karna Paro, tujhpe naraaz hua na?..."
"Lekin tere ye ansoon bardasht nahi hote.."
"Maaf karde"
Rudra saw the two figures getting up, advancing towards him, ever so slowly, the two pair of eyes, gazing at each other, shinning with love. He saw the lovely couple approaching him, and then...then...then everything disappeared. The two people, advancing towards him, disappeared in the cool breeze of the night. His scared eyes meandered everywhere. He ran towards the fountain, not a trace of human being left
But...but...he just saw her.
Rudra's heart thudded frantically inside his chest. His throat getting dry. Running his hand in his thick hair, he looked down at his shoulder. Securing the tiny little thing close to his chest, he slummed on the same place where she had cried just a mere year ago.
Rudra looked down at him, he was wide awake, not a trace of sleep in his eyes.
"Sojo...meharbaani kar maare uppar...sojo..."(Sleep...have some mercy on me...sleep...) Rudra whispered, as if too exhausted. But it was like no one has a ounce of mercy reserved for him, not the one resting on his chest and certainly not her.
"Kya karoon ki tu soega? ...kya karoon?...thaare liye bhi gaana gaun?" (What should I do to make you sleep?...What?...Should I sing for you too?)
"Chandaa hai tu...mera suraj hai tu..."
The sweet melody filled Rudra's ears instantly.
She sat there, on the bed, resting against the headboard. Her one hand supporting her back and the other caressing her swollen belly, and the love in her eyes? The love and care in her eyes was so strong that it had the power to cut the thick air between them and collide straight on the place where he felt it all. He felt the love, the care, the adoration, everything. He leaned there, against the door, just seeing her singing the lullaby for her unborn child, a small smile playing on his lips.
Rudra looked down at his son.
"Chandaa hai tu...mera suraj hai tu" the rough voice graced the two tiny ears.
"Oo meri ...aankhon ka... taara hai tu..." Rudra continued, the pauses at all wrong places.
"Jeeta ...hu ... main... bas tujhe dekh kar...is toote dil ka sahaara hai tu..."
"Nanha... sa hai...Kitana Sundar Hai Tu"
"Chhota ...Sa Hai... Kitana Pyaara Hai Tu"
"Chanda Hai Tu..., Mera Suraj Hai Tu"
Rudra completed the words he was able to recollect and looked down at his son, and to his surprise, he was fast asleep. Looks his singing works on both mother and son, no matter how besura he is.
His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he brought his son close to his chest, his hold on him tightening. He lifted his head up, facing the vast blue sky, holding the tears, not wanting it to flow down.
He will not cry, he will not! Why should he cry? For her? For that deceiving lady,who deceived him? Who, not for a second, thought about him? He will not cry for her. He will not! But still a sane portion of his mind, a selfless portion, still reasoned with her decision. A decision which took her away from him.
Was there no other way?
Had he done something if he had Known beforehand?
Had he been able to convince her otherwise, if she would have told him everything?
All the above questions clouded his mind. One by one saying yes to every question.
Yes! There WAS another way.
Yes! He would HAVE done something.
Yes! He would have convinced her, he would have done anything to do that and God forbid, if that meant killing himself, than he would have done that too.
And may be that's the very reason she had deceived him!
A voice from within screamed at him.
Rudra shunned that voice, nobody dares to stand against him. And when the matter is about that beautiful deceiving woman, than no one dares! Not even the voice within.
Rudra got up on his two feet and took the familiar path leading to their room. Entering the room, he laid his son in the middle of the bed, securing his right side by placing a pillow and than laid himself on the left. The sleep was his enemy this days but still he dared to expect some mercy from them.
The morning rays graced his room, enlightening the room with it's fresh light. Rudra opened his eyes to instantly land on his tiny son. He was sleeping.
Getting up from the bed, he secured his son from all sides and then taking in his task and assured that his son will be safe, he took his towel from the cupboard and went inside the bathroom.
Exiting the bathroom in his towel, he looked on the bed. His son now wide awake, playing there by throwing his tiny hands and legs in the air. Rudra marched toward him and picked him in his arms.
"Chal...nahalata hoon thaare ko..."(Come... I will give you a bath) taking another dry towel, he entered the bathroom to give his son a bath.
Rudra entered the kitchen, with his son on one side and the milk bottle in his other hand. Marching towards the wash basin, he opened the bottle to wash it.Holding his son with one hand, he washed the bottle with the other, with great difficulty, but did nothingless. Taking the clean bottle, he went towards the Kitchen slab. Keeping the bottle there, he went towards the fridge, removing the milk he again returned near the stove, Pouring the milk in a steel container, he kept it on the stove to warm.
Maithili entered the kitchen to witness the familiar sight of her Devarji-sa warming the milk for his Son. Plastering a smile with great difficulty, she took hesitant steps towards them.
"Devarji-sa, Maare ko do...main...ahhh..." (Devarji-sa, give it to me...I...ahhh....)Maithili yelped with the force her hand was jerked away.
Rudra's blazing eyes flashed at the woman standing in front of him.
"Kitni baar..."(How many times...)Rudra hissed. "Kitni baar kaha hai maare saamne mat aaya karo!!"(How many times to tell you to not come in front of me!!!) his loud cry filled the kitchen, making Maithili jump in fright.
Maithili's eyes, filled with pure motherly love and craving, craving to touch the little angel in front of her, to feel his oh-so soft skin, to kiss that pout which was gracing his small lips, to smell his unique baby odor, to feed him, take care of him. But as if Bhoolenath was adamant on keeping her childless, she was not even allowed to touch him. And if it was in her Devarji-sa's power, he would have even refrained her from seeing his son.
"Devar ji-sa...main toh bas...bas..." (Devarji-sa, I was just...just...)Maithili stammered, the lump in her throat not allowing her to speak further.
And Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat was neither all ears for her.
"Maine kitni baar kaha hai...maare se aur maare bacche se door raha karo...koi maddat nahi chahiye aapse maare ko...maara baccha hai ye...main chahe use khilauu ya bhooka rakhoon, chillauu ya pyaar karoon. Aapse koi matlab na hai, samjhi aap?!!"(I had told you so many times to stay away from my child...I don't need your help...He is my Son...Either I am feeding him or starving him, shouting at him or loving him...all this is none of your concern, do you understand?!!)Rudra bellowed and then pouring the milk in the bottle, he marched from there as fast as his legs carried him.
A small sob left Maithili's mouth as she ran from the Kitchen.
Samrath was putting his jacket on when something collided against his chest with such force that he staggered few steps back to balance him. He looked down at his chest.
"Maithili?" his concerned voice traveled its destination.
"Kyun? Devarji-sa aisa kyun karte hain?...Kyun?"(Why? Why he does this?...Why) Maithili sobbed. "Aap ...aap jaante hain na...aap jaante hain na ki maine aisa kuch na kiya jaisa Devarji-sa sochte hain...main...main swarthi na hoon...aap...aap jaante ho na?...jaante ho na aap?"(You...You know right?...you know that I have done nothing of sort Devraji-sa thinks of me...I...I am not selfish...you know na?...you know, right?) Maithili frantically pleaded for some answers.
"Ha...ha Maithili...manne pata hai tu swarthi na hai...tune jo kuch bhi kiya usmain thaara swarth na tha...par...par tu Rudra ko jaanti hain na?...usse ye samjhana bohot muskil hain...bohot muskil hai Maithili..."(Yes...yes I know Maithili...I know you are not selfish...Whatever you have done was selfless...Your intentions were never selfish...But you know Rudra, right? It's really hard to make him believe this...really hard Maithili...) Samrath wiped the tears off his wife's face and hugged her, providing her the much needed support.
Maithili closed her eyes tight as more tear spilled out, the lump in her throat making the easy task of drawing the breath in and out, a difficult task.
Rudra pulled in the last button of his uniform and ran his hand on his uniform to get rid of few creases.
And that's how Dilsher Ranawat found his son as he entered his room.
"Taiyaar ho gaye Rudra Dev?" (All ready, Rudra Dev?)Dilsher asked, the teasing tone intact. He moved towards the bed where his grandson lay. Keeping the helping stick aside, he sat on the bed.
"Aree wah, aaj to ekdum nahaya dhoya lag raha hain, thaare bapusa ko taras aagaya thaare pe aaj?"(Wow, you are looking all fresh today, it seems your father had some mercy on you today) Dilsher joked as he picked his grandson in his arms.
"De usse yaha par, der ho rahi hai maare ko"(Give him to me, I am getting late.) Rudra extended his hand for his son as he stood in front of his father.
"Thodi der to khelne de maare ko iske saath...Thaari kasam Rudra maare ko uske baare main kuch na pata tha...agar pata hota toh..."(Let me play with him for a while...I swear on you Rudra, I didn't know anything...if I would have known than...)
"Pata hai maare ko.." (I know..)Rudra cut him mid sentence. He lifted his tiered eyes to look at his father. "Tabhi thaare ko iske paas aane deta hoon...warna tujhe bhi iske aas pass bhatakne na deta..."(That's why I allow you near him otherwise I would have not allowed you too to meander around him..) Rudra's cold and low voice filled the room.
Dilsher's concerned eyes took in his son. He has lost considerate amount of weight, the once powerful eyes now lack its luminous. His Son looked nothing but a living body whose soul was wretched away. Often he wondered what was holding his Rudra Dev together. But one look at the little bundle in his arms and he would get his answers instantly.
Dilsher handed his grandson to Rudra.
"Dhyaan rakhna iska...aur apna bhi..."(Take care of him...and yours too ...)getting hold of his stick, he exited the room.
Rudra looked down at his son, who was smiling at him. Not bothering himself to reciprocate the smile, he packed his Son's bag with all the necessities and exited the room.
"Good morning Sir!" Aman's manly voice greeted Rudra as soon as he reached his jeep outside his haveli.
"Morning.." Rudra greeted back and handed his son to Aman, who took the junior Ranawat with a smile on his lips.
"Hello Junior. How are you today? All good? Excited to meet your..."
"Aman, teri baat khatam ho gayi ho toh chalein?"(Aman, if you are done than shall we start?) Rudra asked as he started the ignition.
Aman nodded obediently and hopped in the jeep with his nephew smiling in his arms.
Please do comment, thats the only thing you can do to motivate a immature writer like me😳. And I know many would have guessed what the whole matter is, I have left many hints😉
Sambhavi... :)
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