As he pulled up the SUV near her place, he turned to her expecting her to say something.....but she was silent for a few seconds....and then in a determined voice, spoke up turning to him, facing him for the first time "aap kya sunna chahthe hai yeh toh mujhe bhi patha nahi.....aur kyun sunna chahthe hai yeh bhi patha nahi.....lekin shaayad.....[she stops abruptly] agar aap ke paas time hai toh ghar jaakhar baat kar sakthe hai!"
Arjun smiled and nodded "hmmm" and parked the SUV in a proper place while Riya got down and went to her flat...As she unlocked the door, Arjun joined her....
She gestured him to sit....
Riya: aap coffee peeyenge?
Arjun: haan....
She walked into the kitchen to make coffee while Arjun looked around the room...there wasn't any decoration or anything which made the place look as if it belonged to the Riya, he knew years before....It was dull and plain...but yes, it was neat and tidy, something which Riya was particular even then....an inborn trait perhaps which wouldn't fade away by anything!
At the far end of a table, he saw a photo frame which was kept down hiding what it contained, perhaps Suraj's photo.....He walked to it and tried to take it but then he was stopped just before he could see it by her....
"nahi....usse waise hi rehne dijiye...maine hi aisa rakha hai....puraana photo frame hai.....par phekhne ka mann nahi tha.....kuch yaadon ko sametne se bhi dard hota hai...aur utaakar phekhne se bhi! Isiliye..."
He turned around with a faint smile keeping back the frame in the same position as earlier....She handed him the cup and walked to back to the sofa expecting him to follow her.....As she expected, he too came back and sat down.....
Riya: [sipping it once and looking up] so, kya jaan na chahthe hai aap?
Arjun: [slightly taken aback by her direct question but he didn't want to lose out this time] woh sab kuch jisski wajeh se yeh anjaan Riya bani hai?.....jaan na chahtha hoom ke uss Riya ko kya hua jisse main jaantha tha....jo muskuraathi thi......bolthe bolthe takhthi nahi thi.....apne positive vibes se hi sab ko khush kar dehthi thi.....apne akdu khadoos senior officer ke chehre pe bhi smile laa sakthi thi.....Woh Riya kahaan kho gayi? Yeh jaan na chahtha hoom Riya!
Riya: [smiling weakly and in a lost tone] inn sab ke jawaab toh uss Riya hi deh sakthi hai jo ab nahi rahi sir! Woh toh kabka marr chukhi hai.......Unn sab yaadon ko waapas laakhe kya faydha??? Uss Riya ko bhoolna hi hum sab keliye accha hoga...kyun ki woh ab kabhi waapas nahi aa sakthi!
Arjun: [keeps the cup down and moves closer to her] Riya...aisa matth kaho...main waapas laavunga uss Riya ko.....trust me Riya....plz trust me this one time!
Riya looks up into his face which shows genuine concern for her....He cups her face and wipes her tears with his fingers...She stays like that for a moment before moving her face off his hands and gets up.......Walking to the window, she lets a deep sigh
"main yeh sab aapse kehke aapke aankhon mein mere liye sympathy aur dard nahi dekh sakthi thi...isiliye itne saal inn sab se aapko bohat dhoor rakha..."
Arjun waited patiently for her to continue which she did......
"aap toh jaanthe hi hai....mere shaadi more or less arranged marriage thi.....aur yun kahun ke Suraj ne sab kuch apne isaab se arrange kar li thi....mujhe ya mere parents ko banakh nahi lagaa ke Suraj ke andhar aisa bhi ek character chupaa hua hai....He was a perfect gentleman...or pretended to be one.....mere parents, mere poore family usse bohat impressed thi...infact ab bhi hai....unne toh ab bhi lagtha hai ke main hi galath hoom....khair...uss baat ko chodiye.......
