AKSHNAV FF- Piya tose naina laage re

Chap 20- Pairon mein bandhan hai

Abhimanyu walked through the hotel corridor lost in thought. Six years ago, he was a happy man. He had his brother, his wife and he was soon to be a father. And now, he was a lonely man with a broken heart.

"Abhi........." Akshara's voice made him stop right there.

"Akshu," he said and turned around. But no one was there.

"Mujhe aisa kyun lag raha hai ki Akshu mere aas paas hi hai," he said.

Akshara was smiling to herself recalling Abhinav's words of praise. She was walking in the empty corridor pushing the housekeeping trolley in front of her.
Abhimanyu was walking towards his room while Akshara was going to another room on the same floor.

"Akshara ji......." she heard Abhinav's voice and stopped.

"Let me do it," he said taking the trolley from her hands.

"Abhinav ji," she said," I am in the housekeeping department, not you. And dont you need to leave to pick up the guests?"

"Not in another hour," he replied pushing the trolley ahead.

"Acha Abhinav ji, I was wondering if you are free this Saturday?"

"I dont know yet," he replied," why are you asking Akshara jj?"

She fiddled with her apron and said,"its our wedding anniversary!"

"We never had a wedding Akshara ji. We simply signed a legal document and got ourselves registered as a married couple."

"So lets have a wedding then!" Akshara said.

"What do you mean?" Abhinav asked sounding puzzled.

"Lets get married the traditional way Abhinav ji. Saat phere, sindoor..........."

"What are you saying Akshara ji! Abhir ko kya bolenge?"

"Abhir reh lega kuch der Ridhi Siddhi ke saath. Saat phere le lete hain naa. Kam se kam phir aap deewar ki taraf muh karke toh nahi soyenge."

Abhinav blushed and said," Wont it be awkward Akshara ji? I mean................"

"Nahi toh," she said.

"But............" he said in a low voice,"what will you wear? We cant afford a wedding lehenga at the moment."

Akshara smiled and said," Wo saree hai naa jo Abhir ke first birthday par Neelamma ne dee thee, wahi pehen loongi. Aur yahin paas mein mandir hai, wahin chalenge."

Abhimanyu unlocked the door of his room and walked inside. The very first thing he saw was sachets of tea and milk powder arranged in a heart shape.

"Aise toh Akshu kiya karti thi," he said.

"Waise Akshara ji," Abhinav said,"aaj achanak ye shaadi ka vichar........."

"We have been living like strangers for the last six years," she said,"its not fair for the both of us. And..................."

Akshara hesitated for a moment and said," main isse pehle do baar dulhan ban chuki hoon Abhinav ji. Aur wo bhi ek hee insan ke liye. Pichle 6 saalon se apni maang mein aapke naam ka sindoor laga rahi hoon aur aaj tak kabhi aapse maang hi nahi bharwai. Mujhe nahi pata ki hamara saath kitna likha hai. Lekin jitna bhi hai, use ache se nibhana chahti hoon."

Abhimanyu looked at the arrangement of pillows and said," aise toh Akshu......Kyun mujhe uski itni yaad aa rahi hai!"

"Pehle shaadi pyaar ke liye kee thee,"Akshara said," ab samman ke liye karna chahti hoon."

"Ek baat poochun Akshara ji," Abhinav said," kya aap aaj bhi Abhir ke papa se pyar karti hain?"

Akshara recalled the moment she had confessed her love to Abhimanyu. She recalled her wedding day, their cute fights, their romantic nights..........

"Shiv parwati ki jodi thee hamari,"she said with tears in her eyes," aur phir bhi wo saath nahi nibha paye. Kehte the ki mere bina jee nahi payenge, aur phir bhi mujhe jaane ke liye keh diya. Shayad main galat thee, shayad nahi......lekin unka mera saath chorna galat tha. Hamare rishte se pyar toh bohot pehle hi alag ho gaya tha Abhinav ji. The day I went into labour, it was all over. I was crushed and moulded again. And now, I am no longer that same Akshara."

Abhimanyu felt an uneasiness in his chest.

"Akshu........" he said and a lone tear escaped from his eyes.

"Aur," Abhinav said," kya aap kabhi mujhse pyaar kar payengi?"

Akshara did not reply.