Uljhe Dor (The Mehrotras book 1)

40. Mera Room Hai!

  "Dadi, shayad aap jaante honge ki hamara koi bhai nahi hai. Kayede se Kunal ko Papa ka antim sanksar karna chaahiye."

  "Use karna to chaahiye. Tum jaisa kahogi, Kunal waisa karega."

  "Lekin Dadi, hamari Bua bata rahi thi ki sakht upwaas karna hoga, sirf neeyam ke anusaar khana khana hoga aur kapde pehenna hoga. Kya unke paas itna samay hai?"

  "Samay banana hoga use. Pariwaar ko jab jaroorat padti hai to unke saath rehna aur saath dena aata hai use."

  "Hamare Bua ka beta abhi chhota hai. Agar Kunal nahi karenge to use karna padega. Lekin ham unpar dabaav nahi daalna chaahte hain. Aadhe man se karne se behtar hai na hi karein. Hamare paas aur koi upaaye nahi hai is liye hamein unse madad lena pad raha hai, warna ham unhe tang nahi karte."

  "Bela, tumhara pariwaar ab uska pariwaar aur Kunal yeh baat jaanta hai. Use apni jimmedaariyon ka ahsaas hai. Balki main to kahungi ki tum usse khud baat karo, lekin tum chaahti ho to main usse baat kar lungi."

  "Thank you, Dadi." Bela wahan se chali jaati hai. Kuchh der baad Kunal aata hai to Dadi use bulati hai.

  "Kunal, tumse ek baat karni thi."

  "Haan, kahiye, Dadi."

  "Puttar, main keh rahi thi ki tumhe puja mein baithna chaahiye."

  Dadi kis puja ki baat kar rahi hain? Abhi Bela ke Papa ka death hua hai, mera kisi puja mein baithna galat hoga. Itna to main bhi jaanta hoon, pata nahi Dadi aisa kaise keh sakti hain. "Dadi, ek to maine chhutti li hui hai Aarohi ki shaadi tak. Ghar se kaam karna pad raha hai, upar se aap mujhe puja karne bol rahi ho. Main puja mein nahi baith sakta hoon."

  "Kunal, tu nahi to aur kaun baithega puja mein?"

  "Dadi, aur bhi log hain ghar mein. Koi na koi baith jayega puja mein."

  "Teri jimmedaari koi aur kyun sambhalega? Yeh to nahi sikhaya ham sab ne tujhe, jimmedaari se bhaagna."

  "Dadi, aap mujhe puja mein baithne ke liye keh bhi kaise sakte ho? Aap jaanto ho na aaj kal kya ho raha hai? Main pehle se pareshaan hoon, aap mujhse kuchh aisa mat karwao jo main karna nahi chaahta hoon."

  "Har baar 'chaahta hoon' kya hota hai? Apne man ke aage tu apni Dadi ki bhi nahi sunega?"

  "Dadi, aisi baat nahi hai. Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha hai aap aisi baat keh bhi kaise sakte ho. Aapko to pata hona chaahiye na. Bela ke Papa ka death hua hai. Jab tak antim sanskar nahi ho jaata, tab tak ghar mein puja nahi ho sakta hai. Bela ne aapko bataya nahi?"

  "Khoteya, main Narayan ji ke antim sanskar ki puja ke baare mein hi baat kar rahi thi tab se. Bela mujhe bol kar gayi thi tumse baat karne ke liye."

  Khud nahi baat kar sakti thi? I get it ki wo mujhse naraj hai, lekin itna bhi kya hai? Mujhse baat karegi to uski ego kam nahi ho jayegi. "To pehle kehti na, Dadi."

  "Tu meri baat kahan sun raha tha, apna bole ja raha tha. Ab ja, Bela ko bata de, aur use yeh phone bhi de dena. Yahin bhool gayi wo."

---☆---

  "Tum yahan ho. Mujhe tumse kuchh baat karna hai." Bela Kunal ko ignore karti hai. "Bela, maine kaha mujhe tumse baat karna hai."

  Bela phir bhi use ignore karti hai. Kunal Bela ke saamne aakar khada ho jaata hai lekin Bela bagal se chali jaati hai. Kunal Bela ki kalayi pakad leta hai aur use apne saamne laata hai. "Bela, I said I want to talk to you. Meri baat suno."

  "Aap hamein tang mat kariye. Hamare ghar mein aane wale mehmaano ke rehen-sehen ka intajaam karna hai hamein. Bohot kaam hai."

  "Bela, bina mujhse baat kiye tum kahin nahi jaa sakti ho."