We Are In It Together

3. I cannot lose you.

The same night

(Arya and Neil were in Haveli maybe playing their usual snake and ladder game while Mini had gone to Naeem Bi's place.)

Dadu- Kya! Itni badi baat chupa ke rakhi iss ladke ne humse! Woh shadi-shuda hai!?

Biji- Ab.. yeh koi khushi ki baat thodi hai, ki woh sabko batate phirega?

Dadu- Kya mazak kar rahi hain aap Shammi ji!

Biji- Khurana Sa'ab. Shant ho jaiye.

Dadu- A re main kyun na shant rahun? Mujhe Kya padi hai uski. Lekin tu mujhe yeh bta, (to Mini) ki woh tumjhe inn sab maamlon mein kyun ghaseet rha hai?

Mini- Woh mujhe nahi ghaseet raha, Dadu. Main uski madad karna chahti hoon.

Dadu- Magar kyun? Kis liye? Tujhe uski itni chinta kyun ho rhi hai?

Mini- (sat up beside him) Dadu, aap sach bolna. Itne dinon mein aap bhi Neil se attached ho gaye the na? Isiliye aapko, uske baare mein yeh sab sun ke itna shock hua?

(Dadu didn't reply to her.)

Mini- Phir, Main aur Arya toh uske saath rehte hain? Woh humara dost hai.

Dadu- Han. Dost. Aisa hota hai dost. Apne saath saath tujhe bhi kacheri ke chakkar mein phasa liya. Taajub ki baat toh yeh hai ki tu uski baaton mein phas rahi hai. Itni sayani hone ke bawajood, apni izzat dao par lga rhi hai uske liye.

Mini- Dadu main janti hoon aap mere liye worried ho, lekin-

Dadu- Woh aadmi mujhe pehle se khufia lagta tha. Bola tha na maine Shammi ji? Dekh liya. Mujhe toh yeh samajh nhi aa rha ki sach janne k bawajood tune usse ghar mein kaise rakha hai? Aur tu uski tarafdari kar rahi hai? Uske chehre mein tujhe apna baap nahi dikha?

Mini- ... Han Dadu. ...Mujhe, usmein apne papaji nazar aaye... Pehli baar.

(Dadu looked)

Mini- Kyunki usse pehle toh maine kabhi unhe dekha hi nhi tha, kabhi jana hi nhi tha ek baap ki tarah... Maine, aap sabke muh se unki baatein suni hain. Apni babes se uske husband ki, Lovely Bua se unke bhai ki, aap dono se aapke bete ki kahaniyan... Par 'mere' papaji ki kahani kisine nhi sunai mujhe? Unke andar ke 'papa' ko toh maine kabhi dekha hi nhi. As a 'father'?

(Dadu- Biji lowered)

Mini- Well, maybe main hi nhi sunna chahti thi, I hated him... Lekin, uss din jab Neil apni beti ko yaad kar ke ro raha tha na? Mujhe aisa laga ki, mere Papaji mere liye ro rahe hain. I swear.
(Her eyes filled. She smiled) Mujhe toh aisa lga ki 'shayad' mere papaji ji bhi mujhse utna hi pyaar krte the... Bol nhi paate the, uski tarah...

Naeem- Toh, ab tu apne Abba ko nirdosh samajhti hai?

Mini- Ofcourse not, Dadi Amma. For me, he is just a bitter past of my babes. Kyunki reality mein, mera aur unka koi relation hi nhi hai... Main toh choti thi, janti bhi nhi thi unhe, lekin unka bhi kabhi mann nhi hua mujhse milne ka. Chod ke chale gaye woh hume, dar dar bhatakne ke liye.

(She wiped a drop of tear and gave a weak smile.)

Mini- But now all I want is, ki agar Neil apni beti ko chahta hai toh koi usse roke nahi. Kahin aisa na ho, ki woh dono ek doosre ko itna chahkar bhi bichad jayen.

Naeem- Hum samajhte hain ki tu kyun inn baap-beti ko milane ke liye betaab hai. Aur teri soch bilkul nek aur wajib hai. Magar, kab taq doosron ki khushi ke liye khudko qurbaan krti rahegi, ladki?

Dadu- Tu nhi janti ki court kacheri ke maalon mein kitne keechad uchale jaate hain. Aur yeh toh talaq ka maamla hai. Aisi aisi baatein hongi jinhe sunne mein bhi sharm aayegi.