After Falling Apart.

The aftereffects

7*

' Nakul, Nakul, mere room main aao jaldi '
shouted Sidharth while entering into his bungalow. He reached at his bedroom and Nakul appeared . He said _' Ji Babuji.'awaiting for his order.
_' Tumhari beti exactly kab mili Tumhe? '
_' Mujhe thik se yaad nehi lekin aj se chhay saal pehle, June ka mahina tha. '
_' Unki shaadi kab hui thi? ' Sidharth asked.
_' Jab mujhe mili usse do din pehle. Shadi ke do din baad hi to usko nadiya main fenk diya tha. '

_' Aur Guddi kab ayi? '
_' Usi saal ke November main.'
_' Kaunsa hospital yaad hai? '
_' Sarkari haspatal Babuji. Guddi bitiya, wo kya kehete hain, premach.... premach..m'
_' premature? Premature thi? ' asked Sidharth.
_' Ha ha wohi. Doctor ne usko machine k andar rakha. Thori si bimaar thi, isliye. '
_' Bimar?  Kiyun kya hua tha? ' Sidharth interrogated.
_' Waqt se pehle peyda ho geyi thi. Aath mahina bhi nehi hua tha. Rani bitiya ka tabiyat thik nehi rehi . '
_'Kya hua tha unko?' Sidharth sounded worried.  He could guess she might have had some serious complications during her pregnancy.

_' Khoon ki kami.  Chakkar khake gir geyithi . Doctor babu ko operation karna hi parha. '
_' Sidharth clenched his forehead . He couldn't even imagine how much miserable condition Shehnaaz must have gone through.
' Lekin aap kiyun punchh rehe hain Babuji. Koi..... '

Sidharth took a while to become normal again,  then said
_' Nakul main aj tumhare ghar geya tha. Tumhari beti se mila.Wo meri..... Wo Guddi ki maa...' he stopped in the middle.
_' Ha, bitiya ghar main hi thi. ' Nakul answered . He couldn't understand whatever Sidharth tried to say .
_' Nakul tum apni beti se baat karo, main usse shaadi karna chahta hun. '
Sidharth spoke out in a single breath and sat of his armchair.
Nakul was so shocked that he could fall on the floor but he managed anyways and said _' kya kehe rehe hain aap Babuji? Aap thik to hain na? '
_' Bilkul thik hun, main shaadi karna chahta hu unse Jitni jaldi ho sake.'
He looked absolutely determined to his decision.
_' Mujhe kuch bhi samjh nehi aa rha Babuji. Aapne soch Samjhne hi faisla kiya hai na? Wo ek panch saal ki bacchi ki maa hai. Aap kiyun usko apnana chahte hain? '
_' Ha Nakul, sabkuch pata hain mujhe. Guddi aur uski maa, dono ko hi apnane ke liye ye faisla kiya hain maine. Main kya apnaunga ? Wo dono to mere apne hi hain.' he murmured the last part .
_' kya matlab Babuji? Kya rishta hain aapka usse? '
_' Main aur kuch nehi kehna chahta . Tum Guddi ko leke aao, yahaan lunch karne ke liye. Abse har roz Guddi yahaan par lunch karegi. Mere saath. Samjh main aya? '
_' Ji Babuji. Abhi leke aaun?' Nakul asked.
_' Ha, thik hain. Leke aao. ' saying he went to the washroom to take a bath.

After taking a shower Sidharth comes out to the dinning room and started waiting for Guddi sitting at the table. Half an hour passed while he was reading the newspaper but Nakul didnot come yet. After another ten minutes he arrived and Guddi was not with him. Sidharth eagerly asked _' kahaan hain?'

_' Maaf kar dijiye Babuji, Guddi ko Rani bitiya ane hi nehi diya. Aur ye bhi kaha kabhi bhi ane nehi degi.' Nakul said with folded palms.
Sidharth's heart started burning terribly but he uttered not a single word. He finished his lunch silently and went to his bedroom.

Laying on the bed he clenched his eyes out of anger . Shehnaaz not only insulted him by throwing his gifts and shouting at him ,  she has also denied his fatherhood . How could she keep a child away from her daddy. Yes he didn't try to meet her but after Guddi was born if Shehnaaz wanted she could meet his family in Allahabad and tell them the whole truth . But she chose to stay silent and didn't try to contact with him . His heart burnt with the thought that how much trouble his baby girl must have faced throughout these years. Shehnaaz intentionally tried to hide the truth of her baby from Sidharth and his family.  He thought he will leave not a single way to avenge this wicked act of her.

But surprisingly his couldn't be angry on Shehnaaz, though he wanted . Everytime his temper was rising high it was brought down faster . The idea of having found Shehnaaz after so many years was comforting him. He was terribly grief-stricken.  Each and every word she spoke, was stabbing his heart. She thinks that he didn't try to find her out . She just doesn't want to understand the situation standing in his shoes. He too had gone through a pathetic condition. He too endured the separation , fought with himself to get into usual life. How much time he took to get over the guilt of that reckless behavior and the consequences.
Suddenly at an instant he forgot about all his sufferings and started thinking about what troubles Shehnaaz faced throughout these years.
Being terrified he jumped on the bed. Shehnaaz was forced to marry when she knew she was carrying a child. They threw her senseless body in the river . She could have died . If she wanted she could easily get rid of the unborn baby but she decided to bring Sidharth's child on earth going against every adversity.
_' I can't thank you more Shehnaaz, my whole life of thanksgiving would not be enough for what you deserve. ' he mumbled. His eyes were wet.  His heart ached with a deep pain. He imagined her face once again. He realized why he was so much in awe of Guddi at the very first sight. Because Guddi has got the eyes and smile of Shehnaaz but at that time Sidhath could not recognize all these . He subconsciously found the little Shehnaaz in Guddi and as usual started showering love on her.  He murmured _' Ive never loved someone else's child so deeply,  the way I love her. Because she's mine. My baby,  my child, my daughter. '

After that he decided to go again to convince Shehnaaz and meet Guddi on the next morning.

He had a beautiful smile on his face when he thought about Guddi. He never knew a child could bring so much happiness in someone life even staying far apart .

* * *

_' Meri beti bahut achchi hain, Mumma ki har baat manti hain. Mumma jo bhi karne se mana karti hain wo kaam kabhi nehi karti. Hai na? ' Shehnaaz tried to please her daughter and continued praising her.

But Guddi was in no mood to forget whatever her mother did today. She threw her gifts, she shouted on her ' shab' . Shab loved her so much. Shab might be very upset.  She doesn't know whether he will love her the same way or not  .
When dada came to take her and said ' Babuji ne khane pe bulaya hain Guddi ko, Jane do na bitiya. Babuji bahut pyaar karte hain .....' ,her mom refused him very rudely. She didn't let her go. He might be hurt.  Moreover,  Guddi missed him all the day. She even cried and begged her mom to let her go.

Now she is angry, she cannot forgive her mumma so easily. She was sitting on the bed with puffed face, teary eyes and wet cheeks. Her mother hugged her and presses her lips against the wet cheek.
_' Kiyun rooth geyi meri guddiya . Mera Guddu shona . Achcha bolo kya chahiye meri doll ko?' she whispered in her ear. Guddi looked at her with teary eyes and took a couple of seconds to respond.
_' Mumma mujhe kal jane do na please. Main bahut jaldi aa jaungi. Promise. ' said Guddi while tear was running down her face.

Finally her mother melted a bit . She kissed on her forehead and said _' Thik hai, kal jaogi tum wahaan, lekin tum promise karo unse kuch bhi gifts nehi logi. Promise? '
_' OK Mumma. Promise and thank you ' Guddi kissed her mother happily and slept in her embrace.