Aarya (pointing at Vaishnavi's photo): Yehi hai na sir ki wife?
Avneet (snatching photo from her hands): Nahi... Ghar par is photo par mala hai iska Matlab ye thori ke yehi hai bhai ki wife. Ho sakta ye koi or relative ho.
Aarya (nodded): Haa ho sakta hai. Par main yehi lady ki baat kar rahi hoon. Yehi hai jo zinda hai. Ye sir ki wife nahi par jo bhi hai. Aap inko jante ho. Ye zinda hai.
Avneet: Waah! Ye zinda hai to hum kya pagal hai inki photo par haar dala hai?
Aarya: Ma'am ye sach hai. Vo lady zinda hai. Aap log ko lag raha hai vo mar gayi kyunki vo coma hai aur mujhe pata hai kaha hai.
Vibha (shocked): Coma me? Vaishu coma me hai?
Aarya nodded. Tears brimmed in Vibha's eyes. Avneet being trained to be practical in emotional situations ignored her words.
Avneet: Acha? To batao kaha hai? Tumhe kaha mili? Coma me kaise pahuchi?
Aarya: Main sab bata sakti hoon. Please meri baat ek baar suniye. Ek baar, please.
Avneet nodded.
Aarya: Ma'am is baar Teej par raat ko hum sab gaav ki nadi ke kinare pooja kar rahe the tab nadi me hume yehi lady mili. Ma'am inke hath, pair bande hue the aur vo gooni (sake) me thi. Unka face bahar tha par muh par patti bandi hui thi. Jab hume mili vo tab vo saans lene ke liye tadap rahi thi.
Listening to words "Teej and Nadi". Vibha gasped. Avneet who was being strong till this moment. Her heart too clinched
Avneet: Nadi?
Aarya: Mithi Lake.
Avneet stared at Aarya for a few seconds. Now her mind was going through a debate. Aarya is saying the truth or not. At first, she was sure. Aarya is lying but as per her training. She was always taught to let the person give chance to explain his/her point. This helps you to decide if a person is lying or not.
Avneet's POV: Ye sab kya hai? Haa mujhe aur di ko training ke time swimming ki training di gayi thi. Mera ye doubt hamesha se tha ke di itni choti si river se swin karke khud ko save kyun nahi kar saki. But if Aarya sach bol rahi hai to unko swimming karne layak chora hi nahi tha. Di khud ko save karti to kaise. Aarya ka gaav and Mumbai ki Mithi river connected hai. Di ka accident vahi hua tha. Vo point bhi sahi hai. River ka flow vo side hi jata hai to di pani me behke vo side pahuchi.
She closed her eyes, processing everything in her brain. Vibha was shocked. She always knew her daughters-in-law were strong enough be it physically or mentally. They were trained to face difficult situations as they are Civil officers. This new information about Vaishnavi was not digestable for her. The one whom they are considering and mourning for her. She is alive and is in a coma.
Avneet (wetting her lips): Haa tum batao kya pata hai aur tumhe inke bare me.
Aarya: Maaf karna mujhe par main abhi bhi yehi bolugi ke yehi hai sir ki wife. Ma'am vo na humare ghar hi rehti hai. Mere baba sarpanch hai. To koi bhi aaye to vo sarpanch ke ghar hi rukte hai. Yaha to kisi ki zindagi ka sawal tha. To vo sarpanch ke ghar hi hai. Ye baat ko kuch mahine ho chuke hai. Roz unki kapde badlna main aur meri maa hi karte hai. Mahino se main unko dekhti aa rahi hoon. Unka chehra to main ache se janti hoon. Sir ki beti unke jaise hi lagti hai. Sir ki wife ab to bahut patli ho gayi hai par jab aaye the na to unke gaal bilkul unki beti jaise the. Aur mahino se hum dekhte aa rahe hai unko. Aaj unki tasveer dikhi to ek baar me pehchan gaye.
Avneet nodded not knowing what to say.
Vibha (tears roll down her cheeks): Vaishu theek to hai na?
Aarya nodded.
Avneet: Haa tum batao vo tumhe pani me mile to kaun se kapde pehne the? Teej ka din tha to laal aur hare rang ki saree pehni thi.
She asked about Vaishnavi's clothes and provided her wrong information of colours. To clear her doubts.
Aarya (remembering): Nahi ma'am. Jaha tak mujhe yaad hai light blue suit tha. Haa jab unko goni (sake) se nikala to vo light blue suit me thi.
Avneet's eyes were wide open as Aarya shared the correct information. She was wearing light blue which was gifted by Abhishek. Avneet herself helped Abhishek to choose that suit.
Aarya: Ma'am ek request hai. Please jab tak dada yaha se jaye. Aap Sir ke wife ki photos hata dijiye. Dada ne dekh li aur pehchan gaye to unki life ko khatra hoga. Vo gaav me abhi phone kar bol dege unko maar de. Unse ye bardash nahi hoga ke sir unki wife se phir se milege to humari life kharab hogi. Please!
Avneet: Aese kaise kuch bhi karega vo meri di ko? Abhi hi main gaav jaa kar sab ko andar kara deti hoon aur di ko leke aati hoon.
She was about to leave in anger but Vibha held her arm.
Vibha: Na Bache. Vaishu ke zindagi ko khatra hoga. Tujhe kam se kam 2 hrs lagege gaav pahuchne me. Iske bhai ko 2 mins gaav me phone kar usko marne ke liye bolne me. Jail to unko jana hi hai par humari bachi ko safe ghar leke aana hai pehle.
Avneet understood her words and nodded. Finally, her emotions overpowered her practical mind as tears brimmed in her eyes. Vibha pulled her in a hug.
Aarya (joining her hands): Aap vo photos pehle hata dijiye please.
Vibha and Avneet broke the hug. Avneet quickly walked out of the room. She saw Abhishek, Siddharth and Reem were waiting for them. Khushi playing with Abhishek's collar.
Avneet: Vo ladka kidhar gaya?
Siddharth: Bahar gaya. Gaav se phone aaya shayad. Kya baat hui andar?
Avneet: Vo sab baad me. Pehle di ke jitne bhi photos hai. Sab hata do. Saare photos Sidoo humare cupboard me rakhne hai. Please jaldi help karo us ladke ke aane se pehle.
Abhishek (shocked): Par kyun? Sab theek to hai? Aur vaishu ke photos?
He asked worried.
Avneet: Bhai abhi batane ka time bilkul nahi hai. Jaldi karo. Reemi help kar de tu bhi.
Not knowing what to do. Abhishek, Siddharth and Reem followed Avneet's instructions and quickly removed Vaishnavi's photos. Vibha and Aarya came out of the room.
Aarya: Dada kaha hai?
Abhishek: Bahar hai call par baat kar raha hai.
Aarya nodded.
Abhishek: Ab bata kya baat hai?
Before she could reply. Jayant came in.
Jayant: Aarya maa baba se baat ho gayi. Unko bol diya hum sahi salamat pahuch gaye. Aur sab bataya unko. To unka kehna hai jo tere naseeb me hai vo kar. Iski beti hai. Aur ye tera pati to tu uske beti ki maa hui.
Aarya looked down.
Jayant (taking Khushi in his arms): Aaj se main tera mama.
Khushi (glaring Jayant): Nooo... Jay mamu.
She said trying to wiggle out of his arms.
Jayant: Ye teri maa (pointing at Aarya)
Khushi (angrily): No my mumma.
Abhishek (taking Khushi in his arms): Vo meri beti hai. Baat khatam. Tum apne kaam se kaam raho. Chor diya na apni behan ko ab nikalo yaha se.
Jayant (pointing at Abhishek and Aarya): Maa, Baba.
Khushi glared at him. She turned to Abhishek and then to Vibha.
Khushi (opening her arms): Dadi.
Vibha took her in her arms.
To be continued...
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MUDDLED LIFE (COMPLETED)
FanfictionCover credits: @creations_tr Amid chaos and clutter, one person's journey through a messy life unfolds. From tangled relationships to disorganized dreams. In this gripping narrative of enduring hardships, witness the strength that arises from his l...
