BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

HE IS BACK

{PLEASE IGNORE THE SPELLING AND THE GRAMMAR MISTAKES}

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Anubhav presses the doorbell. Within some seconds, Karishma opens the door and sees Anubhav. She gets surprised looking at him. His face is pale, his eyes are red, and his hair is messy. Karishma gets worried for him. 

He steps inside looking down.

She asks impatiently, "Bhaiyya..., Bhaiyya aap thik toh hain?"

"Hum thik hain, behna. Hum bilkul thik hain" He answers, putting his palm on her cheek. 

Karishma's eyes are filled with tears. This is the first time when he calls her 'behna' since the brutal incident happened with them. 

"Kya hua? Aap to kyun rahi hain?" He asks softly, "Kya humne aapka bhi hriday dukha diya hain? Jaise Neil ka dukhaya hain?" 

"Bhaiyyaaaa..." Karishma cries and hugs him. She says with her nonstop tears, "Kaisi baatein kar rahe hain aap, bhiayya? Aapne kabhi humara dil nahi dukhaya. Aap jo bhi karte hain woh humare liye, yani apni behna ke liye karte hain naa... Aapko pata hain, humare kaan taras gaye the aapke muh se 'behna' shabd sun-ne ke liye. Hum aaj bahut khush hain, bhaiyya. Bahut khush!" 

He breaks the hug and wipes her tears, "Aap khush hain toh ro kyun rahi hain, behna. Mat royiye. Hum nahi dekh sakte. Hum thak gaye hain abhi. Bas, bahut ho gaya. Ab aur nahi. Kripa karke mat royiye. Hum vinati karte hain aapse."

"Bhaiyya, yeh kaisi baatein kar rahe hain aap!? Kuch hua hain kya? Kya baat aapko pareshaan kar rahi hain? Aur Neil...? Neil kanha hain?" She asks with concern.

He replies while lowering his eyes, "Ku... Kuch nahi hua hain, behna. Sab thik hain. Aur Neil... Neil... Woh kanhi kaam se gaye hain. Aa jaayenge. Aap chinta mat kijiye."

He takes a step and sees his mother, Pushpa ji standing near the stairs with wet eyes. He looks at her for a few seconds. He inhales deeply and stands in front of her. He lowers his head.

He says, "In beetein saalon mein humne kisi ko sabse adhik dukhi kiya hain toh woh aap hain. Hum nahi karna chahte the. Par phir bhi humne aapko dukh diye. Hum bhi dukhi hote the aapke saath aisa vyavahaar karke. Parantu humare vash mein hi nahi tha. Hum swayam ko rok hi nahi paate the. Hum aapse kshama nahi maangenge. Kyun ki hume pata hain ki hum aapse kshama maangne ke bhi yogya nahi hain."

Pushpa ji looks at him with the same pain which he is feeling right now. She cups his face and caresses his hair. 

Kissing his forehead, she speaks, "Maafi kis baat ki, bete? Kya hum tumhari halat nahi samajh sakte kya? Maa hain tumhari hum. Tumhe aur tumhare dard ko achchhe se samajhte hain. Tum uss baat ki saza aapne aap ko de rahe the jo tumne ki hi nahi thi. Bhool jaao naa beta. Bhool jaao woh sab kuch. Kyun khud ko itna dard de rahe ho?"

"Bhulna itna saral nahi hain, Maa. Bahut kathin hain. Parantu hum aapko itna vachan dete hain ki hum prayas karenge. Hume nahi pata ki hume aur kitna samay lagega. Parantu hum prayas avashya karenge" He replies blankly. 

Pushpa ji replies with a small smile, "Beta, tumne aaj ek kadam badhaya hain naa... Dekhna ab sab thik ho jaayega. Mushkil toh tab hoti agar tum abhi bhi ussi jagah par khade hote. Tumhe jitna waqt chahiye utna le lo. Par hume humara poorana wala Anu wapas dedo. Woh Anu jisko dekhne ke liye humari aankhein taras gayi hain. Woh Anu jisse dil kholkar baatein karne ke liye humare dil barso se intezaar kar raha hain."