Chal Adhure Ko Pura Karein

Part 10

Early morning, Nirmala aunty got herself ready and went to the van that had come to take her, in society. Preeti bent down to touch her feet holding Samar to her left shoulder. She touched her feet and said, "apna dhyaan rakhiyega mummy ji.....dawaiyaan bhi lete rahiyega.....aur ho sake to time time pe phone bhi karte rehna...." Nirmala aunty nodded with a normal face and caressed Samar's hair lovingly.

Preeti tried to look Samar over her own shoulder. She lovingly called to a sleepy Samar, "beta uth....daadi ko tata bolde.....Samar....."But instead, he let an irritating sound from his mouth for waking him up so early. He dug his face more into Preeti's shoulder and closed his eyes again.

"rehne de bahu....sone de chhore ne....nind mat bigad uski.....baad me bata dena ki main chaligayi aur thode dinon baad aajaaungi.....main chalu hun ab....." Nirmala said and entered the van after taking leave from Tanvi and Gauri aunty.

When the van was out of sight, Tanvi turned to her mother in law and said, "main upar jaati hun mummyji....Aditya ko bhi jagana hai...usne kaha tha ki use aaj jaldi jaana hai....." Gauri aunty dipped her head smiling at her daughter-in-law.

She turned and saw Preeti staring at the gate of the society and absentmindedly patting Samar's back. Gauri aunty said smiling, "accha hua ki Nirmala chali gayi....." Her voice earned Preeti's attention and she turned, facing her.

She again continued, "use bhi bahar ke maahaul me thodi shaanti hojaaegi.....warna wo bhi kitni dukhi baithi rehti thi Subham ke jaane ke baad....ganpati bappa khush rakhe use.....dewaaaa..." She told joining her hands in prayer for her best friend. Preeti's eyes tend to water listening her words.

Gauri aunty again said affectionately, "tu reh to legi na.....agar nahi to humare yahan aajaya karna.....warna Naina Sameer to hain hi......aur to aur teri ek aur dost yahin reh rahi hai na ab....kya naam hai....haan ...Swati aur Pandit bhi to hai...waise bhi doston ke saath baithegi to tujhe bhi sukoon milega..."

Preeti felt touched by her concern and she replied with a smiling face, "nahi Gauri aunty uski koi zarurat nahi hai...aapne itna keh diya wahi kaafi hai...main akele reh lungi ghar pe...waise bhi ab akele jeene ki aadat to daalni padegi na mujhe..." She said the last sentence in a low volume but enough for Gauri aunty to hear. She understood the meaning of her words.

She pretended that she did not hear and changed the topic, "ab yahan kya khadi hai.....jaa Samar ko ghar pe sula de...aur tu bhi thoda aaram kar lena....mujhe pata hai teri saas ne tujhe 4 baje hi jaga diya hoga.....kaam karneki ghai ghai mat karna.....aaram se karna...."Preeti nodded to her advice and went upstairs slowly holding Samar carefully. Gauri aunty also muttered a prayer to God to give strength to Preeti for fighting life.

She kept Samar on the bed and covered him with the duvet. She also sat and thought that she should take a rest for a while. But before that, she needed some water. She picked up the jug and found it empty. She sighed and walked up to the kitchen to fill the jug.

While the jug was being filled, her gaze fell on the window in front of her. She then looked at the window one floor down which was Naina's. After a second, it struck her mind that, it was Pandit's house. She had never paid attention to it.

She again thought of something and her eyes widened a bit in realization. She said to herself, "iska matlab us din usne dekha tha mera haath jalte huye....isliye dawai deke gaya tha wo....us din wo log shift kar rahe the...aur usi waqt wo khidki pe khada hoga aur dekha hoga usne...yahan se to saaf dikhta hai kaun kya kar raha hoga us ghar mein...zarur wahan se bhi dikhta hi hoga..." She again was about to play the game of staring but at the correct time, the excess water spilled out of the jug taking her out of the trance. She closed the jug with its lid and went back to her room.