Uljhe Dor (The Mehrotras book 1)

31. Tum Achhi Dost Ho

  "Veer, tumhara khoon beh raha hai." Shaivi ghabrakar kehti hai. "Veer, tumhe sir par chot lagi thi."

  "Achha? Aur tum kya kar logi? Doctor ho? Yeh baat bhi chhupa kar rakhi thi?" Veer boriyon ko ek ke upar ek rakh kar uspar baith jata hai.

  "Veer, main tumse chhupana nahi chaahti thi."

  "To kab batane wali thi, Lucknow mein kaam shuru karne ke baad? Ya phir tumhari shaadi ho jati tab?"

  "Tum shaadi kyun beech mein la rahe ho?" Shaivi Veer ke bagal mein baith jaati hai. "I'm sorry, Veer. Mera koi iraada nahi tha tumhe hurt karne ka. Mere parents mere bachpan mein gujar gaye aur mujhe nahi lagta meri Chachi ya unki beti ko meri koi khaas chinta hai, to hamesha main akeli rahi hoon. Meri jindagi mein kabhi koi aisa tha hi nahi jisse main kuchh share kar sakoon, na meri khushiyan na meri pareshaaniyan. To mujhe aadat nahi hai, balki, maine kabhi seekha hi nahi kya hota hai dost ka hona, koi fikar karne wale ka hona. Lekin main bas itna jaanti hoon ki mujhe tumhari chinta hai aur main sirf tumhe khush dekhna chaahti hoon."

  "Mujhe agar tum apni emotional baatein karke pighlane ki koshish kar rahi ho to wo kaam kar raha hai. Shayad main over react kar raha tha. Lekin sirf is liye kyunki mere bhaiyon ke baad tum mujhe sabse jyada genuine lagi aur mujhe laga ham dono close friends ban gaye honge. Aur, since tumhe nahi pata hai to main bata deta hoon, friendship mein agar kisi ek ko koi problem aati hai to wo apne friend ke paas bina kisi chinta ke ja sakta hai. Help karne ke account nahi rakhna hota hai, len den nahi hai. Aur udhaar jaisa kuchh nahi hota, jo mera hai wo tumhara hai aur jo tumhara hai wo mera hai. Don't worry, Shaivi, main tumhe sab sikha dunga friendship ke baare mein."

  Shaivi smile karti hai. "Thank you, Veer. Main puri koshish karungi ki main ek achhi dost banun."

  "Tum achhi insaan ho, Shaivi, aur achhi dost bhi ho. Bas tumhe yeh samajhna hai ki tum akeli nahi ho. Main hoon tunhare saath hoon. Tumhe akele ladne ki jarurat nahi hai. You can rely on me. Lekin shayad yeh baat tum pehle se hi jaanti thi. Tabhi tumne musibat ke samay mujhe bulaya."

  "Tumhe nahi bulati to kise bulati? Tum maano ya na maano, lekin tum mere pehle dost ho aur main tumpar bharosa karti hoon."

  "Main maanta hoon. After all, Veer Mehrotra se achha dost ho hi kaun sakta hai?"

  Yahi Veer hai, jo har bigde mahaul ko theek kar deta hai. Iske aane se lagta hai jaise gambheer, adhere mahual mein roshni aa gayi hai. Pehle hasna to door, achha sochna mushskil tha. Lekin yeh pehle insaan hai jo mujhe hasne par majboor kar deta hai. Kya ho tum, Veer? Kya tum yeh insaan ho jo ek achha dost aur achha bhai hai, ya tum wo ho jisse main pehle mili thi, ameer ghar ka bigda hua beta. Tum mere liye sab mushkil kyun kar rahe ho? Tumhari wajah se main wo sab kar rahi hoon jo mujhe laga nahi tha main kabhi kar paungi. Mujhe pata nahi main apna farz nibha kar achhi insaan hoon ya jo main kar rahi hoon usse tumhe dukh pohochakar buri insaan hoon. "Pata nahi, kyunki tumhare ego aur tumhari dosti kaafi gehri lagti hai. Itni, ki kisi teesre ki jagah hi nahi bachti."

  "Bhoolo mat, main hi wo insaan hoon jisne tumhe abhi abhi tumhe bachaya hai. Aur chinta mat karo, tumhare liye hamesha jagah hai."

---☆---

  Dono jode sabse aakhir mein sabhi rasmon ke liye neeche pohochte hain. Dono bhai ki yahi koshish thi ki jab tak ise taal sakte hain, wo taal dein. Lekin Dadi ne ant mein apni bahuon ko kehkar unhe neeche bulwa hi liya.

  "Veer kahan hai?" Dadi dono bahuon se puchhti hai.

  "Pata nahi, Mummy ji," Maya kehti hai.

  "Dadi, Veer ke kisi friend ko uski help chahiye thi, to wo uske paas gaya hai."