Forbidden To Love

17. Teary Smiles

"Aapko kamre mein nehi jana? Sab chale gaye hain." Rahul asked, as she stood there staring into nothing.

"Haan... Woh Vardaan ji aur Uncle..." She trailed, snapping out of her trance.

"Vardaan Bhaiya ne aaj bahot galat kiya, Papa ko kitna bura laga hoga..." Rahul said, looking up at his father's room.

"Toh aap Vardaan ji ko kuch kyun nehi samjhate?"

"Koi faida nehi hain, Vardaan humesha se hi aisa raha hain. Aur gusse mein toh use kuch samajh mein hi nehi aata hain, hum pehle bhi koshish kar chuke hain par woh baat karne ke liye taiyaar hi nehi hota." Kishore sighed.

"Aur Uncle? Aap dono ko unke liye bura lag raha hain par unke paas nehi jana chahte?" She asked, confused.

"Pehle hota tha yeh sab, ab nehi... Pehle humare beech jo kuch bhi hota tha hum sab aapas mein milkar suljha lete the, par ab toh gum baatna dur ki baat hain, papa se humari kaam ke ilawa baat hi mushkil se ho pata hain... Ab aise mein hum kya hi kahe papa se, unhone khudko itna dur kar liya hain humse ki...... Ab toh woh akele hi rehte hain, kisise apni takleefon ko nehi baat te. Hume toh yakeen hi nehi hota ki ek aisa samay bhi tha, jab papa humse sab kuch kahe bina reh nehi paate the, par Antara maa ke jaane ke baad..." Rahul bit back his words and they couldn't help but drown in silence.

"Par ab se sab kuch pehle jaisa hoga!" She spoke up, determined.

"Kaise?" Kishore asked.

"Aap dono chaliye humare saath." Guddan replied, taking steps for his room.
_____________________________

"Babyboo? Aap thik toh haina? Sar pe haath rakhe kyun baithe hain? Main daba du aapka sar? Aapko achha lagega. Niche toh mujhe kuch samajh..."

"Just shut up Lakshmi! Kuch karne ki zarurat nehi hain, tumhare bematlab ki baaton se sar dard aur bad raha hain mera. Aur tumhe samajh kaise aayega, Profit and Loss ka idea bhi hain tumhe, choro, main bhi kise puch raha hu..." Vardaan lashed at her.

"Aap aise kyun keh rahe hain? Mera woh matlab nehi tha aur aap toh sab jaante hain, phir aap kyun?"

"Dekho Lakshmi, tab aur ab mein wakt ka ek fark hain, tab bas maine pyaar dekha, tumhari qualification aur garibi pe dhyaan nehi diya maine. Par ab sach mein tumhari yeh bakwaas baaton se chid ho raha hain mujhe..."

"Ismein padhai beech mein kaha se aaya? Mujhe nehi laga tha ki aap bhi aise..."

"Can you just leave me alone for some time?"
.
.
.
.
.
"Sambhal ke Lakshmi ji." Guddan held Lakshmi in place before she could trip over her saree.

"Woh dhyaan nehi tha.." Lakshmi averted her eyes in a futile attempt of masking her tears and walked out.

"Dekhiye Guddan ji, agar aap niche jo huya, us bare mein kuch bhi bolne aayi hain toh rehne dijiye. Mujhe abhi kisise koi baat nehi karni." Vardaan spoke as soon as she stepped in.

"Aur aise baat na karne se kya hoga? Gusse mein phul kar kaddu ban jayenge aap aur phir toh aapse chala bhi nehi jayega thik se. Isliye hum bol rahe hain, humari baat sun lijiye. Apnon se ruthe rehne se aapko hi sabse zyada takleef hogi.." Guddan said, approaching him. Aware of the fact that her last line has touched a nerve, she continued, "Hum jaante hain, aapko bahot bura laga hain Uncle ki baaton se. Hum achhe se samajhte hain ise, kyunki humare saath bhi yeh bahot baar ho chuka hain. Galati koi jaanbujhkar thodi karta hain, bas ho jata hain. Aur apni poori koshish karne ke baad jab koi bahot sunata hain na, khaaskar tab jab woh aapke apne hi ho, bahot bura lagta hain. Jab ek galati ke liye aapke koshishon ko undekha kar diya jaata hain, aapki sachhi niyat ko undekha kar diya jata hain, tab bahot bura lagta hain... Par aapko pata hain Uncle ne aapko kyun sunaya? Unhone aapko isliye nehi sunaya kyunki aapne galati ki hain, unhone aapko isliye sunaya taaki bhavishya mein koi aur aapko aapki galatiyon ke liye suna na paye. Woh chahte hain kisiko mauka hi na mile aapko sunane ka, koi aapki khamiyan nikaal hi na paye. Bachhon ko bhavishya ke liye taiyaar karne ke liye maa baap ko kathor hona padta hain kabhi kabhi, aur unke daat ne se aapko jitna bura lag raha haina, usse kayi zyada takleef unhe aapko daat ne pe hota hain, jatate nehi batate nehi matlab yeh nehi ki unhe koi fark hi nehi padta. Aapne jo sab niche kaha woh dil se kaha aapne? Nehi na? Waise hi unhone gusse mein jo kuch bhi kaha bas isliye kyunki unki aapki parwah hain, aapko apni zimmedaariyan achhe se sambhaalte huye dekhna chahte hain woh. Agar aapko mazboot banane ke liye aapko kuch suna bhi dete hain woh toh usmein kya hi harz hain? Papa hi hain woh aapke, jaise aapko duniya ki krurta se bachayenge, waise hi aapko jeevan ki kathinaaiyon se ladne ke liye mazboot bhi banayenge. Haa gussa the woh, sabke saamne suna bhi diya aapko, pehli galati ke liye itna nehi sunana chahiye tha, par is gusse ka karan unke restaurant ke prati judi bhavnayein hain. Bahot mehnat aur lagan se banayi restaurant ki izzat aur naam pe koi aach lagte nehi dekhna chahte woh. Khudko unki jagah rakhke ekbaar sochiye, aap bhi wahi nehi karte jaisa unhone kiya?"