Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho ✔

The Mental Exhaustion

Haseena opened the door and her eyes widened to see Anubhav's condition, his left arm and forehead bandaged. Scratches on his arms and bruised knuckles. His clothes were stained with dried blood and mud.

He moved in without saying anything and hugged her tightly. She reciprocated but was angry. Didn't he promise to keep his calm?

"Yeh kya haal bnakar aaye hai? Haan...apne hume kaha tha aap marpeet nahi karenge", she asked, but he didn't replied just tightened his hold on her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Haseena, theek hai na aap?", he enquired as Calmly as possible. Her eyes brimmed with tears again as the envelope flashed in her mind. "Hmm..." that's all she could respond.

Listening to their voices SM arrived, his reaction same as hers," kisko peet ke aaya hai tu?"

Still he didn't replied. Haseena softly moved her fingers, brushing his hairs, when she felt his tears on her shoulder. "Anu...". She wanted to break the hug to get a better look at him but he didn't leave her.

Wiping his tears on his own, he sat on the sofa. Sharad and HM were helplessly looking at each other. She went and sat beside him, embracing him sideways. While SM held onto his hand asking, "kya hua bhai?...khuch toh bol".

Tired he shifted to Haseena's lap and closed his eyes, snuggling to her. "Khuch der aise baith sakte hai shaant?", he whispered, weakly.

SM moved to bring water for him while she tapped his forehead softly. "Anubhav khuch toh boliye...humme aise daraiye mat"

"Chal uth...paani peele aur kapde badal ke aa phir aram se so jana Haseena ke paas hum khuch nahi puchenge...theek hai", SM insisted, while she gave him a confused look. Anu did as instructed.

"Tum jao uske saath Haseena aur akele me pucho....lekin pehle usse shant hone do...hum jab tak khaane ka dekhte hai...subha se khuch nahi khaya sab ne", he said and retired to kitchen.

____

"Dard ho raha hai chot pe?", HM asked gently touching his bandaged wounds. He nodded negative and sat beside her.

"I am sorry Haseena"

"Kisliye...aapne humara promise toda"

"Nahi...humne aapka vaada nahi toda ... humne kisi se bevajha jaghda nahi kiya"

"Toh phir aapko ye chote kaise lagi", she asked, in a cracking voice.

"Baadme btayenge...abhi aap humari baat suniye....please...... I am sorry aapki dignity nahi bacha paye hum...kabhi socha nahi tha ki koi humse is prakaar badla lega", his eyes brimmed with tears as he spoke, "I couldn't be a good husband".

His face was blank, emotionless...or maybe he felt so many emotions at same time that it couldn't be understood.

"Sahi kaha aapne...aap ache life partner  nahi hai..." her words broke a little  which was left in him. Though he felt the same but her voice speaking them felt fatal. "Kyu kiya aapne aisa?", she continued.

He cluelessly looked at her, her facial features clearly depicted she was infuriated seeing his attitude. Tears flowed down his eyes but she didn't wiped them neither did he.

"Aap humme in sab se dur rakha...acha laga humme...aapne viral hone ki baat chupaiye, par Avni ko jab humne phone kiya aapke bare me puchne  tab humme pata lag gya...tab bhi humme bure nahi laga...par aap par aur pyaar aaya...har ek jagha se vo vahiyaad pictures hata di....phir bhi aap khud ko kos rahe hai?... kyu Anubhav... jisko ye harkat karni thi vo karke hi rehta...aapne humara frustration, breakdown, gussa sab jhela par khud ka kya? Ek naqab odh liye apne chehre pe...jisse aapke man me kya chal raha na hum samjh paye na aapka dost...aise nahi chalti shaadi...aapne humara sab jhela par khud ka dukh andar samet liya...kyu" she slowly poured out her heart.

By this time even toughest of commando trainings could not help anubhav to withstand the emotional turmoil. He clasped her tightly near his heart and cried his eyes out.

"Thak gaye Haseena hum...insab cheezo se....haar gaye aisa lagta hai...Vikram ko toh humne pakad liya phir bhi ye sab ho raha hai....sab Kisliye humse AX ki maut ka badla lene ke liye...", he said in between sobs.

"Khuch nahi ho raha humse....na aapki rakhsha kar paye....na Vikram se sach ugalva ke desh ki kar pa rahe hai....bohot bebas mehsus kar rahe hai" he continued.

She sat on her knees and embosomed him. His shrill caused a pinch in her heart. Listening to his cries, Sharad rushed to them. Seeing him, She too started sobbing. Witnessing their broken state sharad hugged both of  them, to console.

Tired Anubhav slept, in her embrace. She laid him properly. "Khuch bataya anubhav ne", SM asked wiping of her tears. "Ye chot ke bare me to nahi bataye...lekin vo mentally exhausted hai in sab cheezo se".

"Mai khana lekar aat hu tum khalo Anu uthega jab khila dena"

"Nahi man nahi sharad...rehne do"

"Sab theek hoga...aaj nahi toh kal...bas tum dono haar mat manana", he tried to uplift her gloomy mood. "Hmm...hume pura bharosa hai Allah pe...sab theek ho jaiyega...par humse Anubhav ki ye halat nahi dekhi jaati"

SM didn't have any answer to this. He, himself had never seen him in such a condition. "Tum ho na uske saath, khuch nahi hoga....", saying this he lightly hugged her and left.

She glanced at him, his sleep wasn't peaceful but a tired one. She went near and kissed his forehead, his wounds...and bruised knuckles. Laying on his right side she enfolded him in her arms, trying to find peace with a belief that every dark night ends to a brighter morning....