CHAR KADAM SAFAR ABHI JAARI HAI

Part 9 (b)

Too late for an update...
So no note...direct update...

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February 14, 2016 (11:30 pm)

"Maa Ishita kahan hai?" I ended up asking Maa after frantically searcing for Ishita from last half an hour.

"Pata nahi puttar. Mujhe laga tere sath hogi" Maa replied.

"Aadhe ghante pehle mere sath hi thi. Par phir mai kuch mehmanon ko bahar tak see off karne gaya tha. Uske baad se woh kahin nazar nahi arahi" I was worried.

"Pareshan kyun hota hai puttar. Hogi yahin kahin" she said calmly.

"Nahi hai maa. Mai kab se dhoond raha hoon use. Kahin ghar toh nahi chali gayi?" I panicked.

"Aise thodi na akele ghar chali jayegi. Tum donon ki anniversary party hai aaj. Toh woh khud ki party chodke aise bina bataye kahan jayegi?" Maa rubbished my assumptions.

"Hmmm. Baaki logon se poochta hoon shayad unhe pata ho" I would not be satisfied unless I would see her with bare eyes.

I dialled her number once again while I walked towards Vandu to enquire about her. Yet again the call went unanswered.

"Kya baat hai dulhe sahab? Akele akele ghoom rahe ho. Shadi ki pehli anniversary pe hi bina biwi ke ghoom rahe ho, aage se kya hoga?" Vandu teased but her teasing increased my worry as it was clear that she too had no clue where Ishita was.

"Mai Ishita ko hi dhoond raha hoon. Kahin mil nahi rahi hai. Mujhe laga tumhe pata hoga" I said clutching my head in worry.

"Itna pareshan kyun ho rahe ho Raman. Itni badi party hai, itne sare log hain. Kisi ko attend kar rahi hogi. Tum pareshan mat ho" she tried to comfort me.

"Kaafi der se dhoond raha hoon, nahi mil rahi. Phone bhi nahi receive kar rahi" my worry increased after every minute.

"Phone ka ring sunayi nahi diya hoga. Tum worry mat karo. Mai Amma se poochke dekhti hoon, tum Simmi se poochna. Shayad use pata hoga" Vandu suggested.

"Haan theek hai. Agar kahin bhi Ishita nazar aaye toh mujhe call kardena please" I requested.

"Don't worry Raman. Mil jayegi" she assured me and I smiled weakly in return not satisfied with her assurance.

"Simmi tune Ishita ko kahin dekha?" I asked as soon as I spotted Simmi.

"Abhi toh nahi. Par haan kaafi der pehle mujhse kehke gayi thi ke washroom jaana hai. Shayad Mihika ko apne sath le gayi thi" Simmi gave me some much needed info.

"Washroom kis taraf hai?" I asked hurriedly.

"Bhai ab tu kya ladies washroom me ghusega?" Simmi joked and laughed at her own joke.

"Mazak ka waqt nahi hai Simmi. Aadhe ghante se Ishita gayab hai. Mujhe uski fikr ho rahi hai" I lost my cool as everybody seemed to take this issue lightly.

I did not wait for her answer and rushed to the washroom following the arrow marks that directed towards it. I tried Mihika's number now instead of Ishita.

After several rings Mihika picked the call and whispered in a worried tone "Jiju...Akka...." and behind her I heard someone crying.

That was it and my mind started to assume all unwanted scenarios making my heart sink with every step I took towards the washroom.

"Kya hua Ishita ko? Woh theek hai na?" I bombarded her with questions.

"Akka bahut ro rahi hain. Mujhe bahut fikr ho rahi hai" was all Mihika said.