Mere Dharma saathi - Season 1

Chapter 11: Separated Paths

Present Scene:**
Janaki was sitting on the couch, deep in thought. Aarav and Anusuya sat beside her, listening closely.

Janaki: "Nandini aur Arjun chale gaye the Vikram ko dhoondhne, lekin ek saal beet gaya. Na Vikram ka pata chala, na Arjun aur Nandini ka. Mujhe aur Chitra ko lagne laga tha ki sab khatam ho gaya. Chitra ko cancer tha... usne marne se pehle apne bete, Azaad ko mere haathon saup diya. Lekin, agar main Azaad ko paalti toh Athreya usse kabhi zinda nahi chhodta. Isliye, maine apne dosth Kavya ko usse saup diya. Phir ek din, khabar aayi ki Nandini ka accident ho gaya. Woh pregnant thi..."

Anusuya gasped, holding Aarav's hand.

Janaki: "Main aur Mausi Nandini ko dekhne gaye. Jaate jaate, Nandini ne apne bache ko sambhalne ki zimmedari mere haathon mein saup di. Usne tumhe mere haathon saup diya, Aarav. Lekin Athreya ko jab pata chala ki Arjun ka beta paida hua hai, usne tumhe maarne ki koshish ki."

Aarav's eyes widened. His breath caught as he heard the truth unfold.

Janaki continued, her voice growing softer, full of emotion. "Tab mujhe yaad aaya hijack ke waqt ek lady thi... uska bacha mar gaya tha. Us din se woh depressed ho gayi thi. Main usi ladki ke paas tumhe le gayi aur uske saath chhod diya. Mujhe bohot dukh tha... tum aur Azaad dono mujhse door chale gaye. Pachees saal beet gaye, phir ek din... Vikram aur Azaad wapas aaye mujhse milne."

**Flashback: Janaki's House, Past**

Janaki was watering her plants in the garden when she noticed two figures approaching. Azaad and Narmada stood there, smiling warmly. Janaki froze, her watering can slipping from her hand.

Azaad: *smiling* "Bhua ji..."

Janaki's eyes welled up as she looked at Azaad. She rushed toward him and embraced him, tears flowing freely.

Janaki: *crying* "Tumne... tumne mujhe kaise pehchana, beta?"

Azaad: "Papa ne bataya."

Janaki wiped her tears, her voice trembling. "Papa? Mtlb... Vikram?"

Suddenly, Vikram stepped forward. His face bore the lines of years spent apart, but his eyes held the same warmth. The two siblings looked at each other, and without a word, they broke into sobs, embracing tightly.

Janaki: *sobbing* "Tum dono kaha chale gaye the? Main samajh gayi thi ke mujhe akela hi jeena padega. Main tumse bohot gussa hoon. Jao yahan se!"

Vikram, with a slight smile: "Theek hai, vaapas chala jaunga. Phir kabhi nahi aayunga."

Janaki: *pulling him closer* "Nahi, ab phir mujhe chod kar mat jao."

Vikram hugged her tightly. "Nahi jaa raha hoon, Janaki. Ab nahi."

Azaad: *cheerfully* "Bhua ji, papa aur main aa gaye hain. Hum nahi jaayenge."

Janaki looked at the young woman standing beside Azaad.

Janaki: "Yeh ladki kaun hai?"

Azaad: "Yeh meri wife hai, Narmada."

Janaki smiled and opened her arms. "Beti, tum wahan kyun khadi ho? Aao."

Janaki embraced Narmada warmly. They all sat together, eating snacks and sharing stories. But the weight of lost years still hung over them.

Vikram: *seriously* "Tum yahaan akeli jee rahi ho?"

Janaki: "Haan..."

Vikram: "Athreya ke saath?"

Janaki's face darkened. "Jab tum aur Arjun chale gaye the, tab woh apni maa ke saath London chala gaya. Usne kabhi mujhe phone tak nahi kiya."

Vikram's face tightened. "Usne tumhe kabhi nahi yaad kiya?"

Janaki tried to shake off the sadness. "Chhodo... yeh sab baaten ab kya karni?"

Vikram's voice grew stern. "Janaki, mujhe sach batao."

Janaki: "Main maa nahi ban sakti thi, toh Mala aunty ne Athreya ko London le gaya. Tab se main akeli hoon."

Narmada's face tightened with anger. "Yeh galat hai. Agar usse apni maa ki hi sunni thi, toh usne aapse shaadi kyu ki? Agar Arjun uncle hote, toh kabhi aapko yun chhod kar nahi jaate."

Vikram sighed, his fists clenched. "Aur Arjun ko kabhi pata nahi chala?"

Janaki: "Arjun ka beta hai."

Everyone in the room froze.

Vikram: *shocked* "Beta?"

Janaki nodded. "Haan, uska naam Aarav hai. Woh ek writer hai."

Janaki explained everything that had happened after Arjun's disappearance. Vikram was silent, his mind racing.

Vikram: *smiling* "Arjun ka beta hai... woh bilkul apne baap par gaya hoga."

Narmada: *thoughtfully* "Aarav Rai Chand? Main uski wife, Anusuya ko jaanti hoon."

Azaad: "Tumhara contact hai? Main baat karna chahta hoon."

Narmada tried calling, but the number wasn't reachable. She frowned. "Phone not reachable."

Vikram stood up. "Kal hum sab Spain jaa rahe hain."

Janaki: *concerned* "Aur Kavya?"

Vikram: "Main soch raha hoon usse bhi le jaaun. Usne Azaad ka khayal rakha hai."

Janaki: "Haan, kalee ab mar chuka hai."

Narmada: "Dad aur Azaad ne usey maar diya. Logo ko laga ke usne suicide kiya. Usne bohot auratein aur log pareshan kiye the."

Janaki: "Ohh... accha."

Vikram looked at Janaki with determination. "Janaki, agar Arjun ka beta mile toh mujhse milwa dena. Tumhe pata nahi, 25 saal se meri yaadash chali gayi thi. Jab yaadash wapas aayi, toh sirf Chitra, Arjun, aur Nandini ki tasveer mere saamne thi. Unke bina jeena mushkil ho gaya."

Azaad: *supportively* "Papa, main Aarav ko dhoondunga. Woh mera bhai hai."

Vikram hugged Azaad tightly.

**Present Scene:**

Aarav looked thoughtful, absorbing the weight of everything he had just heard. "Kya ab vo abhi Spain mein hai?"

Janaki: "Haan, vo Spain mein hain."

Aarav: "Bohot dukh ki baat hai... 3 dost bichhad gaye."

Anusuya: *determined* "Humein kuch karna chahiye, Aarav. Mujhe nahi pata kyun, lekin lagta hai tumhare papa zinda hain."

Aarav nodded. "Haan, mujhe bhi lagta hai ke papa zinda hain. Humein unhe dhoondhna hoga."

Just then, Aarav's phone rang. He picked up, and his face turned pale.

Caller: "Aarav, apne ghar mat aana. Chaar log aaye the aur goliyaan chala kar chale gaye."

Aarav was shocked, his voice shaking. "Theek hai... main wapas nahi aaoonga."