Mohabbatein

Tax

Abhishek's POV
"Thank God sab theek ho gaya" I said to Sameeksha.

We were sitting in my car, waiting for Bandana. Sameeksha asked me to pick them up from Hospital.

"Yeh ladki itna time kyu laga rhi hai?" I asked looking at the gate. "Apne patient ko check kar rhi hogi" Sameeksha replied. "Sabki duty to khatam ho geyi" I said looking at my wrist watch.

"Ham doctors ki duty kabhi khatam nhi hoti aur Bandana to Emergency Department me serve karti hai, kabhi kabhi raat ko 3 baje jaana padta hai usko" She explained.

I cocked my eyebrows, "tab to mujhe ready rehna chahiye, tumhe bhi raat ko calls aate honge" I said. She hummed. "Wait" She said when she got it, "raat ko calls mujhe aate hai, to tumhe kyu ready rehna chahiye?" She asked.

I smirked, "ab shaadi ke baad raatko tum bed se uthke jaogi to mujhe ready rehna chahiye na..." I tried to say. "Shaadi? Tumse? Ew" She said.

"What do you mean by ew?" I asked sitting up straight, "I'm hot okay? Ladkia marti hai mujhpe" I said proudly. "Aaj kal ki ladkio ki pasand boht kharab hai fir" She said.

I made a poker face, "yeh tum sirf mujhe chidhane ke lie bol rhi ho, andar se tumhe bhi sach pata hai" I said. "Phfff, what a joke" She said looking away.

"Yaar pyaas lagi hai, paani hai?" She asked. "Khoon hai mera, wahi pilo!" I replied. She made a face.

"Accha sorry" She said after a few moments of silence. "Rehne do" I said looking out of the window, "Abhishek sorry" She said again, "arey meri taraf dekho to sahi" She said. I looked at her.

"Dekho tum mujhse ese baat karoge to mujhe accha nhi lagega" She said,"me hu kon tumhara jo tum mere ese behaviour se hurt ho rhi ho?" I asked.

"Tum mere...me...tumhe...I..." She was stammering, "d...dost ho mere...to bura lagega hi na" She managed to say, without looking in my eyes.

I smiled. Okay, there was a chance.

"Helloww chiraands" Bandana said sitting on the back passenger seat. "Umm hey!" I said. "Chale?" She asked. I nodded.

"Vese Bandana" I said, she hummed, "tumhe kabhi gaali dete hue nhi suna. I mean, London se ho to adaat lagi hi hogi" I asked. "Naah bro, gaali se apni hi zubaan gandi hoti hai, saamne wale ka kya jaata hai" She said.

"True that, to gussa aane pe kya karti ho?" I asked, "ek tv show hai Bhabhi ji ghar par hai? usse kucch funny gaalia seekhi hai, jese chiraand. By god bolte hi hassi aa jaati hai" She said. I chuckled.

"Aur Sameeksha tum? Tum to Delhi se ho, fir bhi?" I asked, "meri bhi same soch hai" She said. "Thank God tum dono ne kabhi mujhe aur Manjot ko apas me baat karte nhi suna" I said in a low voice, which I guess only Sameeksha heard.

"Pohonch gey ladies" I said.

"Kal jaldi aa jaana, boht kaam hoga" Sameeksha said. I nodded and left.

*******

Next day...
"Sameeksha, mithai leke aao" Sameeksha's Maa asked her.

She nodded and went towards the kitchen, I followed her.

She picked up some boxes and turned to leave but suddenly stopped as I was standing right infront of her.

"Dara dia mujhe! Hato yaha se" She asked. I shook my head. "Arey kya sar hila rahe ho? Hato na, Maa bula rhi thi" She said.

"Tax lagega" I said, "tax? What tax?" She asked. "Bolo Abhishek tum mast ho" I said with a smirk.

"What nonsense? Niklo yaha se" She said moving to the right. "No no no, chalaaki nhi, jaldi se bolo" I said blocking her way from the right.

"Abhishek hato na please! Vaha shaadi ki rasme khatam hone wali hai, phere ho gey, ek do rasmo ke baad sab ho jaega, fir yeh nalle kaam kar lena" She said.

"Haan to boldo aur jao" I said. She rolled her eyes. I got close to her, "nhi bologi?" I asked. She looked at me and then looked down. "Sochlo" I said taking my hands close to her waist.
"Abhi bhi time hai" I said wrapping my arms around her.

"Tum mast ho" She said quickly. "Abhishek tum mast ho" I corrected her. "Abhishek tum mast ho" She repeated.

"Good!!" I exclaimed taking a step backwards. "Par tumne time boht lagaya, iss lie tax badh gaya aur ab tumhe kehna hoga Abhishek tum hot ho" I said taking a step forwards and getting close to her.

"Dafa ho jao" She said pushing me and walking towards the door.

"Abhishek tum hot ho" She said loudly while leaving. I smiled and looked down.

*******

All the rituals were finished and it was time for bidaai.

Srishti hugged her family and friends one by one.

Everyone started walking towards the main door, Sameeksha was standing still. "Chalo Sameeksha, Srishti ko car takk chodke aate hai" I said. She shook her head and held my hand.

"Kya hua?" I asked, "tum yehi raho" She said hugging my arm. I got rid of her hands around my arm. She looked at me, "me yehi hu" I said side hugging her.

She was getting emotional, and I kind of expected it. "It's okay" I said rubbing her upper arm as she started crying. It actually hurt seeing her crying.

"Sameeksha please rona band karo" I said, "ham Srishti se milne jaenge na" I tried to console her.

"Meri behen ki bidaai hai, rone to do" She said, "haan par..." I said and stopped. "Ab tumhe kese batau ke tumhe rote hue dekha nhi jaata" I said to myself.

I looked away and let her cry.