Sapna

When It Turned Into Reality

"Uday, aa gayi main Kabir nu school chadd ke, kahan hai tu", asked Vashma as she entered Prem Nivas with a carry bag full of fresh vegetables she had bought on her way. "Dekh main aaloo, palak, lauki aur seb laayi hoon", she exclaimed.

"Uday! Uday? Kahan chala gya ye jhalla, upar jaake dekhti hoon!" she said as kept the veggies in the kitchen and moved towards the staircase. Before she could climb upstairs the phone rang and she rushed to pick it.

"Ji kahiye!" she said.

"Oye Vashma!" came the reply from the other side.

"Uday tu! Kahan hai tu, ye bina batae kahan gayab ho gya hai haan?" she questioned in a breath.

"Oye shaant hoja jhalliye aur meri baat sun, zyada sawaal jawaab na kari aur main jaisa-jaisa keh raha hoon vaisa-vaisa karti jaa thik! Tujhe Kabir di sau!" Uday told her.

"Uday par..." she tried to cross-question.

"Oye tujhe Kabir di sau!" he stressed on it as he knew she wouldn't deny.

"Oye, accha theek hai bata kya karna hai mujhe? Ek baar milega na phir dekh loongi tujhe!", she warned looking at his photograph hung on the wall with narrowed eyes.

"Haan haan acche se dekh layi par abhi chetti chetti sadde kamre vich ja aur palang par jo kapde rakhe hain wo phenkar taiyaar hoja, chetti ja!" he said.

"Thik hai p--", before she could continue he had cut the call.

"Uday, Uday! Ye jhalla bhi na", she sighed hitting her forehead. "Chal Vashma ho ja taiyaar dekhte hain aaj Uday Kishore Sahani ji ko kya khurafat soojhi hai", she said to herself and climbed up the stairs to enter their room. As she went in she saw a carry bag kept on the left side of the bed. She peeped into the bag to see what's inside and was surprised.

"Ye ye toh wahi suit hai jo", she exclaimed as she quickly took it out. Before she could think or speak something else a piece of paper fell from the bag.

She unfolded it and read, "Oye sasta-mehnga toh chaalu na hi kari tu, dekhliya tha maine tujhe bazaar vich iss suit nu niharte hue aur iss samay tere chehre pe jo anmol muskan hai uske saamne iss suit di koi keemat nahi samjhi! Meri jahaan di sabot chagi kudi de vaaste ek chota sa taufa hai yeh! Chal ab fatafat pehen le aur taiyaar hoja aur sun apne baal na khule chadna badi soni lagti hai! Taiyaar hoke bahar aajayi."

As a tear drop escaped her eye she thanked Allah for blessing her with Uday and then went on to change her clothes. It was a beautiful light green anarkali suit with a white dupatta and she looked etheral. As instructed by Uday she left her hair open and wore his favourite silver bangles. Then she swiftly moved towards the switch board to switch the lights off before leaving, there she saw a note stuck below it.

Her lips curved into a smile as she read it, "Nikalne se pehle meri taraf se kaala teeka lagana na bhooli!" She went to the dressing table, picked kajal from there and rushed downstairs.

She stepped out and stood near the gate. Just then she heard a voice from behind, "Oye itni soni lagegi toh maine behosh hi ho jaana hai!"

She turned around and there was he wearing her favourite blue-white shirt. "Behosh toh maine abhi kardena hai tujhe, kahan tha itni der se?" she said hitting his forehead.

"Pata chal jaaega tujhe, chal mere naal", he said holding her hand.

"Ruk phele kaala teeka toh lagade, maine socha ab agar tujhe itni soni lag hi rahi hoon main toh kaala teeka bhi tu hi lagade," she said raising her eyebrow.

"Kyun nahi laa de, kisi di nazar na lage meri Vashma nu", he said taking the kajal from her and then applied a kaala teeka behind her right ear.

"Chal ab", he exclaimed and made her sit in their car.