The Present - Chapter 20

              Heyo! Aa gayi mai wapis! Meri bak bak baad mai. Chalo pehle jaldi jaldi chappy padlo!

                              Chapter 20

              ACP Arjun left for his hotel and Veer for his office while team left for ACP sir's house to meet Dai maa... They were sure she had a lot to tell. But wondering why she didn't say anything previously or even in court they reached ACP sir's house and rang the doorbell... Shayam opened the door and they settled on the couch while Dai maa came down from upstairs wondering what must be the matter that they came here even though they met only few hours ago in the court.

Dai maa - App log yaha? Achanak?

Abhijeet - Ha woh kuch baat karni thi app se...

Dai maa (sitting down on chair) - Ji boliye na? Kya madad kar sakti hu mai apki?

Daya - App please yeh bata sakti hai ki app Arya ko kab se janti hai?

Dai maa - 27 saal se janti hu mai usse... Sahab ke usse god lene ke kuch baad turant hi rakh liya tha unhone mujhe uski dekh bhaal ke liye. Unke kaam ki wajh se unhe zayada waqt nahi mil pata tha Arya ka khayal rakhne ke liye. Isilye unhone mujhe rakha tha.

Abhijeet - Agar app Arya ko tab se hi janti hai toh phir apko yeh bhi pata hoga na ki ACP sir ne Arya ko akhir US bejha kyu tha?

Freddy - Aisi kya zarurat pad gayi ki unhone achanak usse US bejh diya aur itne saalo mai kabhi usse mile bhi nahi!

Dai maa (fidgeting with her fingers) - Beta mai nahi janti ki kyu bejha tha. Unhone mujhe bas itna bataya ki Arya ki parwarish waha jayada behtar ho payegi isilye usse bejh rahe hai. Sirf 5 saal ki thi woh... Akeli toh reh nahi sakti thi... Isilye saath mai mujhe bhi bejh diya!

Daya - App bura mat maniyega par app jane ke liye tayar kaise ho gayi? Matlab yaha apka ghar, pariwar...

Dai maa - Mera koi ghar pariwar hai hi nahi... Kiraye ke jhopde mai rehti thi mai! Jab sahab ne mujhe Arya ki Dai bana kar rakh liya. Mera khana pina... Rehna sab ka intezam sahab hi karte the. Karte the kya... Ajj bhi wahi karte hai. Jab unhone mujhe kaha ki woh Arya ko US bejh rahe hai aur saath mai mujhe bhi uska khayal rakhne jana hoga mai unhe mana nahi kar payi... Mana karne ki koi wajh bhi toh nahi thi!

Purvi - Unhone kabhi apko kuch nahi bataya ki unhone aisa kiya kyu?

Dai maa - Nahi beta... Maine kabhi puchne ki himmat nahi ki... Aur unhone kabhi bataya nahi.

Abhijeet - Acha theek hai... Koi baat nahi. Ab hum chalte hai.

                 And soon team came out of the house greeting Dai maa and settled in the car when Daya asked Abhijeet while putting the keys in the car's ignition...

Daya - Tum bhi wahi soch rahe ho jo mai soch raha hu?

Abhijeet - Ha Daya... Kuch toh karna padega!

Daya - Ha, lekin kya?

Salunkhe - (from back seat) Aree ek minute! Kya soch rahe ho tum dono! Kuch toh clear bolo! Hume bhi toh samjh aaye!

Tarika - Ha na... Mujhe bhi kuch nahi samjha... Kis bare mai kuch toh karna padega?

Abhijeet - Kya salunkhe sahab! Itna bhi nahi samjhe!

Salunkhe - Aree! Kuch bologe hi nahi toh mujhe samjhega kaise ki kis bare mai baat kar rahe the tum dono!

Daya - (smiling) Sir hum yeh bol rahe the ki Dai maa jhoot bol rahi hai!

Pankaj - Par apko aisa kyu lagta hai sir?

Daya - Dekha nahi tumne woh kitni nervous thi humse baat karte waqt? Mai dawe ke saath keh sakta hu ki woh jhoot bol rahi thi! Waise bhi koi iss tarah se 22 saal ke liye desh chod kar nahi chala jata woh bhi bina wajh jane! Kuch toh baat hai. Aur woh, woh baat janti hai! Bas bata nahi rahi

Purvi - Par sir woh jhoot kyu bolegi?

Abhijeet - Pata nahi! (After a moment) Ek kaam karo Purvi!

Purvi - Yes sir?

Abhijeet - Tum yehi ruko... Sir ke ghar ke bahar! Aur Dai maa par nazar rakho! Dekho woh kya karti hai... Kisse milti hai. Sab kuch!

Purvi - Ok sir!

             And Purvi now got down the car and hid herself behind the wall of the lawn in ACP sir's house while rest of them drove away to beauro dropping salunkhe sir and tarika in forensic lab.
             The rest of the day went being busy in usual cases. And deciding to meet up tomorrow early morning in Abhijeet's house before beauro to discuss their further moves all of them started packing up for the day. When suddenly beauro door opened and Insp Dev with some other SIT officers came inside... Soon they were followed by Arya and Rahul. Giving a stare to the new comers Abhijeet and Daya got up from their desks and went upto them while Freddy and Pankaj remained standing at their own places (Purvi was still keeping an eye on ACP sir's house hence was not in beauro).

Abhijeet - Yes?

Dev - Sir woh hume ACP Prayduman ke cabin  ki talashi leni hai.

              Pankaj and Freddy beamed with anger hearing this while Daya maintained silence to control himself... When after a grave silence of a moment Abhijeet asked Insp Dev looking sharply in his eyes...

Abhijeet - Search warrant laye ho?

             Nodding his head in yes Dev forwarded his hand to one of his subordinates who handed him an envelope which Dev forwarded to Abhijeet... Who grabbing it still looking at him with the same sharp gaze opened it up and finally turned his gaze away to read the search warrant. It was correct and hence having no other option said...

Abhijeet - Jayiye! (Indicating towards sir's cabin) Aur Freddy tum bhi jao inke saath. Make sure kisi bhi confidential chiz ko haat na lagaye!

               Freddy silently moved inside with Dev and other SIT officers as told by Abhijeet while Arya and Rahul kept standing at there own places.
               Arya today unlike other days looked a little uncomfortable... She had not uttered a word since she entered even after such strict behaviour by Abhijeet that had somewhere sent down shivers through even Insp Dev's spine. She was blankly staring at ACP sir's cabin... To others it seemed as if she was trying to know if SIT officers had found something or not but actually she was lost in her own world. Abhijeet's words to her in court today had somewhere made a crack on her heart which she had from past few days disguised as a stone! Her love for her father peeping out from the crack. No matter how much her brain tried to convince her with 'ACP sir is not innocent' somewhere Abhijeet's words 'Jis insan ke character pe app ungli utha rahi hai na ussi insan ne apko ungli pakad kar chalna sikhaya tha!' were ringing in her ears. After days finally she felt like believing the love she had felt in all these 27 years and just forgetting all the proofs that she had just seen. A battle between her and her was going on inside her!
               Soon Insp Dev came out from the cabin with others and slowly said to her as 'Kuch nahi mila'. She didn't react and he left with his team leaving Arya and Rahul still standing at the same place. The confident gazes of duo made Rahul uncomfortable and he slowly said to Arya as...

Rahul - Chale?

               With this Arya finally came out of her thoughts and looking at Rahul told him...

Arya - Tu jaa... Mai aa jaugi baad mai.

Rahul - Par kaha jana hai tujhe? Kuch kaam hai?

Arya - Nahi... Bas tu ja. Mai aa jaugi na

Rahul - Aree par...

Arya - Rahul please...

Rahul - Acha theek hai! Jata hu mai. Tujhe drop kar du jaha jana hai waha?

Arya - Nahi mai chali jaugi.

Rahul - Sure?

Arya - Ha.

             And whispering a 'take care' to her even Rahul left the beauro while Arya finally looking at duo said uncomfortably...

Arya - Wo... Wo... Bhai...

              Duo who were till now looking at her in anger and confusion turned a little softer with this 'bhai' that they heard after a long time... She didn't say anything further and looked like searching for words when Abhijeet said...

Abhijeet - Bolo?

              Gaining some courage she said looking down...

Arya - Woh mujhe... Arjun ji se milna hai!

            The little good that the 'bhai' had done was wasted by this sentence of Arya and now Daya said in anger...

Daya - Aur woh kyu?

Arya - (finally looking at him) Kuch baat karni hai unse...

Abhijeet - Jo baat karni hai court mai karna Advocate Arya! (chewing his words)

Arya - Advocate Arya ko nahi milna... ACP Prayduman ki beti ko milna hai!

             Now this was the limit for Daya and the volcano of anger that he was holding within himself for long burst out with this...

Daya - (shouting) Toh finally ACP Prayduman ki beti ban hi gayi tum? Kaise? Unhone toh tumhe adopt kiya hi nahi hai na? He is only your legal guardian! Aree jis insan ne tumhare parents ko mara hai unhe kaise tum apna pita maan sakti ho? Bhool gayi kya ki unhone tumhari property dhoke se apne naam karwa li thi? Finally aa gayi tumhe unki yaad? Unhe itne dino tak lock up mai band karwake rakhne ke baad yaad aa gayi? Puri duniya ke samne... Media ke samne unki izzat uchalne ke baad tumhe ajj finally yaad aa gaya ki tum unki beti ho? Ek respected ACP ko unki job se suspend karane ke baad ajj yaad aa hi gaya tumhe? Unki hasi, unki khusiya... Aree yaha tak ki unke alfaz tak unse cheen lene ke baad mai yaad aa hi gaya tumhe? Aree muskurana bhool chuke hai woh! Najane kitne dino se humse kaam ke alawa baat tak nahi ki! Court ke bahar bhi milte hai toh bas ek baar dekhkar chale jate hai! Jakar pucho Salunkhe sir se ki kis halat mai mile the woh unko uss din jab tumne unke pita honepar sawal uthaya tha! Itna kamzor, itna lachar kabhi nahi dekha humne unhe! Sab kuch tumhari wajh se! Aree sharam aati hai mujhe yeh kehte hue ki tum unki beti ho! Acha hi kiya unhone jo tumhe apne app se dur rakha itne saalo tak. Unke paas rehne layak ho bhi nahi tum! Unka pyar deserve hi nahi karti! (With teary eyes) Pal pal mar rahe hai woh waha... Har din unka woh charm kam hota jaa raha hai! Yaar aise roz thoda thoda marne se toh behtar hota ki tum ek baar mai hi unhe...

               His words got struck in his throat... How could he utter such a thing for his father? But the helpless eyes of his beloved ACP sir made him weak that he couldn't control his tears. A silent drop slid down his eye and he just looked away to hide it when Abhijeet came towards him and held his hand firmly in his grip. His little emotional fool needed him. Yes a 'fool'. Sometimes the fool of English when he lost control over emotions at time of duty while sometimes a fool of Hindi cause his heart was actually as soft as a flower. Abhijeet slowly patted his back as Daya wiped away his eyes and went out of beauro to wash his face and gain back his nerves... But before he stepped out of the door he turned back once again and said looking at Arya's back who was staring the ground with her teary eyes...

Daya - Tumhe kabhi maaf nahi karuga mai Arya... Kabhi nahi. Humse humare ACP sir cheene hai tumne... Kabhi maaf nahi karuga...

                And walking away with faster pace he left while Abhijeet now finally looked at Arya who had beared all the anger of his brother silently... But somewhere he believed that she deserved it. But keeping aside his emotions for now he said...

Abhijeet - Niche parking mai wait karo... Mai aata hu 10 minute mai. Chalte hai Arjun sir se milne.

                Without even looking at him for once Arya walked off while Abhijeet after telling Freddy and Pankaj to pack up for the day and leave he himself went to look for his angry bird who he knew would be crying sitting in some corner. He went towards washroom and found Daya in corridor standing leaning to the wall with wet face as he had just splashed water on it. His eyes were closed while he was simply taking some deep breaths to calm himself down. When Abhijeet said to gain his attention...

Abhijeet - Hmm toh janab yaha hai!

                With this Daya opened his eyes and giving him a glance looked away... When he heard from a shocked Abhijeet as...

Abhijeet - Aree! Mujhpe kis baat ka gussa nikala jaa raha hai bhai?

Daya - (angrily) Kya zarurat hai tumhe usse Arjun sir se milwane ki?

Abhijeet - (shocked) Tumhe kaise pata mai le jaa raha hu usse?

Daya - (making a face) Itna toh janta hu mai tumhe!

               Smiling in affection Abhijeet punched his arm lightly and said...

Abhijeet - Abe toh mere lal tamatar! Yeh bhi pata hoga na tumhe toh ki kyu le jaa raha hu!

Daya - Abhijeet tum...

Abhijeet - Daya! Yaar dekh... Nafrat nahi karti woh ACP sir se. Bas uska dimag ulta chal raha hai! Baat samjhne ki koshish kar na... Usne bhi toh apna sab kuch khoya hai na? Humne ACP sir ko apne pita ki jagah di hai. Uske bhi toh woh wahi hai na? Agar hum sir ko taklif mai nahi dekh sakte toh kya usse dard nahi hota hoga sir ko woh taklif kudh deke? Uski jagah kudh ko rakh ke dekh! 22 saal baad wapis aayi hai woh India... 22 saal baad usse mili jo milo dur rehkar bhi uski puri duniya the! Aur wapis aake usse kya pata chalta hai? Ki jis insan ne usse paal pos kar bada kiya ussi ne usko janam dene walo ko mara tha. Aur phir woh property ka chakkar! Ha usse sir ka vishwas karna chahiye tha... Par uski toh puri duniya hi palat gayi na! Kamse kam iss mushkil waqt mai hum saath toh hai. Freddy hai, salunkhe sir hai, purvi, pankaj, tarika! Humara pura pariwar saath hai! Woh toh isme bhi akeli hai!

Daya - Par Abhijeet woh galat hai!

Abhijeet - Maine kab kaha woh galat nahi hai? Woh galat hai! Par woh ghunegar nahi hai. Aur toh aur apni galti ki saza woh kudh bhugat rahi hai akele pan ke roop mai... Aur na jane kitne waqt sahegi guilt ke roop mai jab usse sach pata chalega!

              Yes... Abhijeet was right... She was at fault but she was also the biggest sufferer! This realization calmed down Daya and he leaving a sigh he said to Abhijeet...

Daya - Jao tum... Wait kar rahi hogi woh tumhara.

Abhijeet - (smiling) Thats like my good tamatar!

Daya - Huh! Mai tamatar nahi hu!

Abhijeet - Ha ha... Dikh raha hai! Laal laal shakal bana rakhi hai aur aaya bada mai tamatar nahi hu!

              Daya shouting as 'Abhijeet tum' and ran behind Abhijeet who was already walking down the stairs to save himself... When Daya once again heard him say from the parking as...

Abhijeet - Ghar jate time mai pehle beach pe aauga! Agar janab mujhe tab tak beach pe baithe mile na toh unki khair nahi!

             While Daya grumbled hearing him as... 'Huh... Khadus boss'. And he himself went down to parking and drove off towards beach as after his boss's strict warning he had very less time to spend there and he didn't want to waste the little time he had.

*Beach, an hour and half later*

              Daya was silently sitting staring the waves as they touched his feet time to time and went back into the sea taking away his tension and worries with it. This soothing place was his only escape from all the worries and he just couldn't have enough of it. But then he realized that he had already spent enough time here and had to go back home...

Daya - (to himself) Chalo bhai Daya... Ghar chalo... Nahi toh agar Abhi aa gaya na toh phir meri khair nahi!

               Dusting away his feet he wore back his socks and shoes when someone patted on his shoulder from behind... With the scare of 'boss toh nahi aa gaya' he looked behind saying...

Daya - Dekho mai jaa hi raha tha. Tum itne jaldi kaise...

               But he stopped in between seeing that the visitor was not his boss but a young boy of around 16 years old. He was wearing a simple pale yellow t shirt with a black three forth trouser. He was holding a tea kettle and a pack of paper disposable cups in his one hand. Daya glanced around but not finding anyone there asked the boy as...

Daya - Beta app yaha kya kar rahe ho? Woh bhi iss waqt? (It was almost midnight)

            Boy did not answer his question instead took out one cup from his packet of cups and filled it with tea from the kettle and asked him offering the cup...

Boy - Chai piyege sahab?

Daya - Beta mujhe chai nahi chahiye... App mujhe yeh batao app yaha kya kar rahe ho? Naam kya hai apka? Kaha rehte ho?

              But again boy ignored his question and said...

Boy - Le lo na sahab chai!

Daya - Aree par...

              But before Daya could complete his sentence the boy held his hand and keeping the filled cup in his hand ran away saying...

Boy - Le lo sahab... Apke liye hi hai!

              Daya tried stopping him but the boy didn't stop and as he disappeared from Daya's vision he now looked at the cup in his hand and said shockingly as...

Daya - 'Mere liye hi hai' se kya matlab tha iska! Aur paise bhi nahi liye aise hi bhaag gaya!

               He understood that something was wrong and the tea was not ment to be tea but was something else. He emptied the cup in the dustbin not taking the risk of drinking it if it would have had something mixed in it. Just as he emptied the cup and saw inside it and was shocked. A whisper came out of his mouth as...

Daya - ACP sir!

To be continued...

              Aisa kya mila daya sir ko ki he got shocked? Keep reading to know the answer!!!