Guru-Shishya or Life Partners?

The apology

Bandana's POV
I came out of the bathroom and gave Sumedh his shirt. "Aaj kal mere paas aane k bahane dhoond rhi ho huh?" He said. I looked at him confusingly. "Button toota hua h iska" He said. I chuckled.

I was fixing the button. "Sumedh, ek baat bolu?" I asked. "Permission kyu maang rhi ho? Bindass bolo" He said. I chuckled. "Aap Lab jaane se pehle...A-Aai se b-baat kroghe?" I asked. He took the needle from my hands. "Me khud kar lunga! Aur rahi baat Aai ki, to mene kal raat hi clear kar diya tha k mujhe Aai se baat nhi krni!!" He said, actually yelled.

Ok, he was crossing his limits. I snatched the needle and fixed the button. I sat on the bed. He wore his tie and left the room. Like seriously? He always kissed me before leaving and this time he didn't even say 'bye'.

I closed my eyes. I wanted to scream loudly. I wanted that anger to come out. Suddenly I felt my hands in his. I opened my eyes. He was sitting on the bed, next to me. "Me abhi jaa raha hu. Tum kal theek nhi thi to aaj Hospital mat jana. Ghar par aaram krna, thik h?" He asked. I nodded. "And baaki baate shaam ko krenghe, hmm?" He said. I nodded. "And...I love you" He said and kissed me. Then he left.

Devaki's POV
Siddharth and I went downstairs for breakfast. I was drinking orange juice when Daadi started giving me a lecture. "Choti Bahu, kucch khaya piya kar. Itni patli h tu, bacche ko janam kese deghi? Doodh-shudd piya kar, ghee-makkhan kha" She said. I looked at Siddharh helplessly. He chuckled. "Daadi me kal se yeh sab khana start krunghi" I said. "Ab to ek ek din zaruri h. Aaj se shuru kar. Chal lassi pi!" She said and gave me a glass of lassi. I looked at it. "Ek litre ka to glass hi lag raha h" I whispered.

She made me drink the whole glass and gave me some different breakfast.

After breakfast, I went in the kitchen. Siddharth followed me. "Accha suno Devaki, me abhi Lab jaa raha hu. Apna aur bacche ka dhyaan rakhna" He said. "Ok, bye" I said. "Bye" He replied hugging me.

"Arey kucch bhool gaya" He said coming back. "Kya?" I asked. He placed a deep kiss on my lips. "Yeh" He said and immediately ran from there. I chuckled.

Bandana's POV
I went in the Mandir and found Aai sitting there and making some malas.

I sat next to her. "Aai...abhi aap kesi ho?" I asked breaking the silence. "Thik hu, tu bta...ab thik h teri tabiyaat?" She asked. "Ji Aai" I said. She smiled. "Aai...I'm sorry" I said lowering my lashes. "Arey kyu?" She asked. "Aai...kal...kal jo bhi hua, meri wajah se hua. I'm sorry" I said. "Nhi Beta. Teri koi galati nhi thi usme. Tu maafi mat maang. Jise maangni chahiye thi woh to bagher bulae chala gaya" She said. "Kya? Woh aapse baat krke nhi gey aaj?" I asked. She shook her head. "Roz mera aur tere Baba ka aashirvaad lekar jata h. Aaj bas tere Baba ka aashirvaad liya aur chala gaya" She said. That pain and sadness was clearly visible in her eyes. I was feeling damn bad for her.

*******

It was evening. Sumedh came back from Lab. "Kesa tha aaj ka din?" I asked. "Bohot accha. Sab kaam thik se hue" He said with a smile. "Okk, aur sach kya h?" I asked. He lowered his gaze.

He held my hand and made me sit next to him. "Kaam me bilkul man nhi lga. DNA report galat bnadi. Post-mortem dhang se nhi kiya. Blood semples mix kar diye...kucch accha nhi hua" He said and rested his head on my lap. I caressed his hair.

"Yeh sab is lie kyunk aap poora din Aai k bareme sochte rhe" I said. "Tum thakti nhi ho? Baar baar wahi baat..." He yelled. I placed my palm on his mouth. "Chillana mujhe bhi aata h. Aapka gussa mere gusse k saamne kucch bhi nhi. Agar me gussa krne pe utar aai na to aap soch bhi nhi sakte kya hoga" I said. He listened carefully. "Aapko idea bhi h Aai kitna dukhi thi? Aapko hamare bacche se kitna lagaav h na? Abhi woh peda bhi nhu hua. Sochiye agar bada hokar woh aapke saath esa kre to aapko kesa lgega?" I asked.

He held my wrist and took me to Aai's room. Aai was sitting in the bed. He sat on the floor and rested his head on Aai's knees. "Aai, mujhe maaf krde" He said in a low voice. "Mujhe tujhse ese baat nhi krni chahiye thi" He said and looked at her. She caressed his hair. "Koi baat nhi. Galatiya baccho se hi hoti h" She said. "Nhi Aai, mene galati ki h, mujhe saza de iski" He said. "Arey ese kese saza du? Mene maaf krdia na tujhe" She said. "Nhi Aai mujhe saza de" He said again. "Thik h. Bandana ja Chotu ko bol khane me lauki bnae" Aai said. "Arey nhi Aai. Itni bhi badi saza nhi chahiye" Sumedh. Said. We burst in a laughter.

"Chal jaa abhi. Khahal rakh iska" Aai said to Sumedh. He nodded and we left.