Simply Rebellious

Chapter 17 - Deja Vu

The previous chapter had been printed twice last time because of a glitch. It has been fixed now.

Happy Reading

Naina was standing alone in the balcony, looking at the night sky and stars. Her mind as blank as it was in the morning. She hadn't spoken to anyone the whole day.

"Bhagwan jhooth na bulaye kuch dhang se khaya bhi nahi hai." Bela said. She was watching Naina with Preeti from a distance.

"Kya hua hai Mummy?" Preeti asked for the nth time that day.

"Tere matlab ki baat nahi hai." Bela brushed her off.

"Aise kaise mere matlab ki baat nahi hai? Haalat dekho Naina ki. Kya ho gaya hai Mummy? Sameer ki wajah se -"

"Kuch nahi hua hai."

Naina walked inside and looked at her mother and sister.

"Sone jaa rahi hu." Naina said before lying down on the bed.

Preeti gave Bela a worried look.

"Preeti bahar jaa aur darwaza band kar de." Bela said and sat down next to Naina, who had been staring at the ceiling.

"Mai kahi nahi jaaungi. Aap mujhe batao Naina ki ye haalat kyu hui hai?" Preeti demanded.

Bela didn't reply to her. Instead, she turned to Naina and said, "Bhabhi tujhe deliver karte huye mar gayi thi. Rakesh Bhai sahab ke paas itne paise nahi the ki wo do baccho ko sambhal sake aur Bhabhi ke jaane ke baad toh ..."

"Mummy!" Preeti was too shocked on hearing this. "A-ap ..."

"Mai teri behen nahi hu Preeti. Mai Rakesh Tauji ki beti hu." Naina said in a small voice. "Agar Tai- Mummy zinda hoti toh bhi Papa mujhe chod dete? Arjun Bhaiya ko kyu nahi choda?"

"Kaun Mummy Papa? Teri Mummy zinda hai. Mai hu. Samjhi?" Bela scolded her.

Naina nodded again, quietly and closed her eyes.

"Mummy?" Preeti needed her answers.

"Bhabhi ke jaane ke baad Rakesh Bhai sahab ko lagta tha ki Naina ki wajah se wo ..." She felt a lump in her throat. "Bhai sahab choti si bacchi ko Bhabhi ki maut ka zimmedaar samjhte the. Dhyan bhi nahi dete the. Humne toka toh bhai sahab ne bola ki tum kyu nahi god le lete? Toh tere Papa ne Naina ko kanoonan god le liya."

A lone tear escaped out of Naina's eyes and dampened the pillow.

               ________________________

Sameer had to meet Naina and discuss the letter but this topic was too important to discuss over call and too serious to discuss at their Sangeet. Then?

"Swati keh rahi thi ki Naina har somwaar mandir jaati hai." Munna suggested.

Then it was decided. The next day, Monday, Sameer was going to the temple to meet Naina and talk to her. Pandit was going to accompany him and Sameer was going to call Preeti too. The two had to be guard just like they did for Swati and Munna.

"Haa tum dono ka Shravan Kumar mai hi hu na." Pandit joked.

But they could not contact Preeti or Naina directly. If they called it was mostly some random relative or their parents who answered. So, Munna talked to Swati and told her to inform Naina.

Swati left all her work and went to Nirmal Jyoti Society. She was welcomed by the festive environment of the society as a whole but when she entered Naina's home, even if it was crowded by guests it felt empty for some reason.