Rab Rakha

Chapter 41

Sidharth parked his car outside the bus stand Shehnaaz was about to reach. He hadn't slept properly the previous night, after returning from her place. All he could think about was the ultimatum Madhu had given and he had a conversation about the same with his mother. He had planned to do something about it so as to calm down Madhu for the time being.

Shehnaaz had called him later in the night after everybody had gone to sleep to apologize to him on her mother's behalf. She seemed so disturbed and distressed that he wasn't able to put himself at ease after getting to know her state of mind. She was the one whose presence would enlighten his days, release the stress out of his mind and make him smile. He realized last night that he had been able to actually focus better at his work and feel like he was happy and healthy lately. Just one night that he got to know that she cried and he couldn't sleep, woke up with fatigue and couldn't workout properly.

"Mom, so rahe the kya?" He had called his mother.

"Nahi Montu, bas jane wali thi. Adi aur mai ek movie dekh rahe the. Tu bol beta." Rita Ma replied, she could sense something was wrong through his voice.

"Mom, mai Preeti se kal baat kar lunga. I didn't want to meet that girl because I had been waiting to talk to you all about someone." He told her.

"Hmm. And?" Rita ma asked, she couldn't hold back her smile while listening to her son.

"Shehnaaz. Acchi lagti hai mujhe." He answered.

"Acha, badi pyari bacchi hai. Ghar bulana usko jaldi." Rita ma replied, he smiled the way his mother cheered for him. He would always come up to her to talk because she was such a patient listener and a supportive person. She was his favourite person.

"Actually, ek aur baat hai." He mentioned.

"Madhu Aunty ko hum pehle batane wale the lekin.. she got to know beforehand and not in a very decent way. She's mad at us." He added.

"What do you mean not very decent?" She asked, confused but her son didn't answer.

"Montu!?!" She seriously asked when she began to think of stupid stuff the children could have done.

"Mickey Mumbai aayi, Shehnaaz ko surprise dene aur hum terrace pe sath the jab usne dekha. Aur jaa ke Madhu aunty ko bata diya." He replied.

"Acha. Kya dekha Mickey ne Montu?" Rita Ma challenged him to answer her.

"Mom, please. Madhu aunty bohot naraz hai, mujhe aapko bulane bola hai. I can't do this without you." He pleaded.

"Nazar hona laazmi hai. Ek ladki ki Maa hai wo, unko hona bhi chahiye. Apni beti ko protect kar rahi hai wo." She replied as she explained Madhu's situation to him. She would have pretty much done the same if it would have been about her daughters.

"Hmm. Kal chalte hai mom?" He asked then.

"You sound like a student, jis ko principal ne suspend kiya hua hai!" She joked and giggled.

"Very funny ha? Meri band baji padi hai idhar-" he replied and felt his phone beep. Shehnaaz was calling him.

"Acha acha, thik hai baba. Kal shaam ko chalenge." She replied, agreeing with him.

"Okay, I'll pick you up." He said.

"Ha, chal abhi soja. Everything will be alright. Mai baat karungi Madhu se." She assured him.

"Hm. Good night." He replied before hanging up and calling back Shehnaaz.

"Hello? Sidharth, tu thik hai?" She answered the call in the first ring and asked him.