Falling For You: A MaAn Story

7: The Healing Touch and a Promise of Togetherness

Starts off from where the previous update ended. Anu and Anuj are standing on the terrace together.

Anuj held Anu's hand and let out a soft sigh.

"Kya hua, Anuj? Itna muskura kyun rahe hain aap?"

"Kyunki main khush hoon?" he said, flashing his goofy grin.

"Wo to main jaanti hoon, lekin kuch to aur baat hai.. bataiye na..?

"Kuch khaas nahi, Anu. Ek purana ghaav tha, jo aaj bhar gaya.."

"Kaisa ghaav?"

"Yeh gali dekh rahi ho? Yahi par maine ek sapna dekha tha, aur yahi wo toot bhi gaya tha. Lekin aaj, aaj wo sapna maano phir se meri aankhon mein saj gaya ho.."

"Mujhse shaadi.."

"Haan.." he sighed, gazing at her with an ever so soft look, as if writing a poem of his longing for her. As if trying to drink in the love her eyes carried for him in each moment.

"Mujhe- mujhe jaanna hai, Anuj... aap batayenge?" she asked softly. She didn't know him then. But today, she wanted to know that Anuj. That Anuj, who had fallen so hard in love, to never come back. Who had loved a simple girl and had never said anything. Who had witnessed her get married and was never able to move on. That Anuj, who is the soul of her Anuj today. A lot of things have changed. He had changed; she had changed. But how would she know the complete him, without knowing that Anuj? How will she know the complete her without seeing herself through his eyes?

"Uss din..." he looked down at the lane again, a distant look in his eyes as if the memories flashed right before him. "Uss din main 12.35 ko yahaan aaya tha. Devika ne bataya tha mujhe, tumhaari dopeher 1.00 baje ki shaadi thi, haina?" she nodded slightly but did not say anything, silently waiting for him to continue.

"Hmm... yeh poora ghar sajaa hua tha. Sab kuch bohot sundar saa tha. Ekdum simple, lekin behad khoobsurat. Bilkul uss shehzaadi ki tarah, jiski uss din shaadi thi.." he smiled sweetly at her. Tears had pooled in both their eyes by now. He continued, all the while looking into her eyes unblinkingly. "Maine dekha... der ho gayi thi mujhe. Kisi ki aawaaz aayi, 'baarat aane hi wali hai bas. Gali ke mod par hi hai..' bohot der ho gayi thi tab tak. Tab bohot gussa aaya tha mujhe apni qismat par. Lekin ab jab sochta hoon na, to lagta hai shaayad jaldi pohoch bhi gaya hota, to kya badal jaata na?" he chuckled softly. It was true. What would have changed had he reached 2 hours earlier? Perhaps that just wasn't meant to be then. But it was meant to be now, and that's all that matters, right?

"Phir? Aapne mujhe..?"

"Haan. Maine bhi qismat se zidd ki. Tumhein dekhe bagair to nahi hi jaaunga main. Shaayad phir kabhi naa milu, to at least tumhaari yaad ke saath to reh hi sakta hoon na? Tha main thoda zyaada hi melodramatic, hero types tab.." he smiled sheepishly, laughing at his own dramatic younger self.

"Kaise... kaise dekha aapne mujhe?"

"Tum neeche apni Maa ke kamre mein taiyaar ho rahi thi shaayad... " he looked at her, as she nodded a confirmation. "Maine Devika ko jaate jaate pakda side mein aur use bola ki mujhe tumhein dekhna hai.. Pehle to wo nahi maani, ki main khud ko aur hurt kyun kar raha hoon, lekin maine zidd ki, to she stood as a lookout for me."

Anu didn't say anything, as tears pooled in her eyes at the mere thought of what would have happened next. Because she knew of her happiness that day, so she could only imagine the pain her Anuj would have gone through then.

"Tumhaare ghar ke peeche ki taraf jo uss room ki window padti hai, maine wahaan se chhup kar dekha tha tumhein..."

His voice turned distant now, as he looked up at the stars, and held her hand over the railing.