Adhura Alvida

02 - finding Naina

* A slight change here. Nobody knew that Naina was pregnant. They knew about her complications but were unaware that she was already carrying a child. *

Harshwardhan Birla was a man who only cared for himself and his public relations, with the only exception being his son of course. But all of this changed when he had to go through a reality check given by his dearest daughter-in-law. That young girl was more clear in her thoughts than him. Now, looking back at the time of his son's wedding, he regrets everything that he did or said to Naina.

"Itni jaldbazi mein kahan ja rahe hain aap Harsh ji?" Manjari, his ex-wife asked him when he literally ran to his car.

"Tumse matlab?" He answered rudely. "Mere paas waste karne ke liye time nahi hai. Waise hi bahut time waste kar chuka hu. Ab aur nahi."

(I don't have any time to waste it on you. I have already wasted enough, now no more.)

Manjari stood at the gates, staring at his car without blinking, like a gold-fish. She was unable to understand his hurry. There were two facts clear as the day, no.1- Manjari Birla prided herself in being the best mother to her elder and biological son, not knowing about half of the things that he goes through; and no.2- Manjari Birla is a manipulator, whether she realizes it or not.

Seeing the power that she had over Abhimanyu and the respect that he had for her being shifted to her now ex-husband, she was feeling utterly envious. The funny thing is that she still considers her son's wife, Naina Birla née Goenka, to be a bad omen in her son's life and spends most of her time cursing her instead of trying to help her son.

"Sab kuchh ulta kyun ho Raha hai Kanha-ji? Kaise sambhalu main sab?" She tried Harshwardhan's phone one last time, hoping that he would tell her about his plan but to no avail.

"Manish ji."

Manish Goenka was sitting in his garden, reading a newspaper when his peace was disturbed by Harshwardhan's loud voice.

"Aaj aapko sare jawab dene padenge Manish ji," Harshwardhan stated in a strong voice, confusing Manish.

(You have to give all the answers today.)

"Jawab? Pehle aap ye to bataiye ki sawal kya hai aapka Harshwardhan ji." Manish spoke in a calm voice.

(But first tell me your questions.)

"Meri Bahu kahan hai? Aur avoid karne ki koshish mat kijiye kyunki main achhe se janta hu ki woh aapse baat toh karti hi hogi agar milti nahi hogi toh."

(Where is my daughter-in-law? I know she must be talking to you is she doesn't meet with you.)

"Aur yeh sawal, achanak se teen saal baad, aap kyun pooch rahe hain Harshwardhan ji? Abhimanyu nahi aaya ab bhi? Ek toh aisi halat mein hamari bachi ko ghar se nikal diya. Ek baar milne tak nahi aaya. Akeli ladki naye shehar mein itni nazuk halat mein apna guzara kaise karegi, socha kabhi usne? Peeche mudne ki koshish tak nahi ki. Kya ho Gaya hai use?" Manish said, frustrated and hurt with Abhimanyu.

(And this question, suddenly after three years, why are you asking Harshvardhan ji? Abhimanyu still hasn't come? For one thing, our daughter was thrown out of the house in such a condition. He Didn't even come to meet once. Did he ever think how a single girl would survive in such a delicate condition in a new city, all alone?)

Harshwardhan sighed and tried to explain Abhimanyu's situation to Manish but got stuck on one word. "Kya matlab hai aapka? Nazuk halat? Naina ko kuchh hua tha kya?"

(What do you mean? Did something happen to her?)

Manish pressed his lips in a thin line, debating in his mind if he should tell the truth to him. "I'm still not sure aapko batau ya nahi."

"Bata dijiye Manish ji. Apni ego mein aakar aap yeh galat faisla mat lijiye. Unka haq hai." Swarna spoke, coming from the kitchen with two cups of tea. "Naina ko uske pati ke sath ki zaroorat hai. Tab nahi tha toh kya hua? Shayad yahi sahi waqt hai."

(Tell them. It's their right. Naina needs her husband's company. He was not there then so what happened? Maybe this is the right time.)

Manish was still not satisfied but decided to go through it, for the sake of his daughter and her child. "Naina pregnant thi." He simply said.

(Naina was pregnant.)

"Kya!"

The trio was shocked to see a furious Abhimanyu standing near them. His eyes burning, shooting daggers at them.

"Yeh kya keh rahe hain aap papa? Itni badi baat aapse chhupate bani kaise? Aapne ek baar bhi nahi socha mujhe pata chalega toh kya hoga? Aur meri.... Meri Naina... Usne kaise handle Kiya hoga sab?" Abhimanyu spoke his heart out, breathing heavily.

(What are you saying? How can you hide such a big news from me? You never thought what would happen if I will come to know about this?)

Swarna took a deep breath and muttered, "Kaha tha maine aapse bata dijiye lekin aapko apni ego ke aage dikhe kuchh tab na." But Manish heard everything.

(What did I tell you, but you can't see anything in front of your ego.)

"Bas!" Manish roared, not being able to sit silently when his close ones blamed him unnecessarily. "Yeh ego-ego kya laga rakha hai tum sabne? Meri chinta ko, meri fikar ko, mere pyaar ko, ego jaise ghatiya shabd se mat jodo. Samjhe?"

(Don't compare my care and love with a petty word like ego.)

"Kyun kiya aapne Aisa?" Abhimanyu questioned furiously.

"Tumhe kya lagta hai, tum meri beti ke liye ideal husband ho?" Manish smiled sarcastically and continued, "aray woh toh pyaar hoti hi aisi cheez hai ki bina soche-samjhe bas kisi se bhi ho jata hai. Varna tum jaise gusse wale, violent, badtameez aur egoist ladke ko ham apni phool jaisi, masum bachi kyun dete? It was only because she wanted you varna kabhi nahi." He said everything in one go and had trouble breathing because his blood pressure rapidly shot up.

(What do you think, you are the ideal husband for my daughter? Love is such a thing that without thinking it just happens to anyone otherwise I wouldn't have given my precious daughter to a man like you.)

"Aap.... You don't mean it, right?" Abhimanyu whispered with tears in his eyes.

Harshwardhan held his son by his shoulder and steadied him. He looked at Manish and requested in a solemn tone, "Manish ji, please. Bata dijiye Naina kahan hai. Hame apni kadwahat (bitterness), opinions, ego war ya phir chinta, fikar aur pyaar, inn cheezon ko apne bachon ke rishte ke beech mein nahi aane dena chahiye. Innka rishta hai, inhe sambhalne dete hain. Please."

(tell me where is naina. We should not let our bitterness, opinions, ego war or worry, concern and love, these things come in between our children's relationship. It's their relationship, let them handle it.)

Manish took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He firstly looked up at the clear sky and then at Abhimanyu. "Delwara. Tumhari Naina, Delwara mein hai iss samay. Ek aakhri mauka diya tumhe."

(Naina is in Delwara. I am giving you one last chance.)

Abhimanyu wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and looked at Manish innocently, like a child. "Thank you bade Papa." He whispered and immediately left for his destination, forgetting to take his pills.

- author's note -
Updates will come weekly on Wednesday.