P2

THE PURSUIT-2

(THE MIRAGE-II)

Dil mein ek armaan hai... 

Sapney palkon pey hain jagi

Ki kabhi tho hogi woh subah

Jab yeh dil ki bujhegi lagi

Bachpan beetha kaisey

Hum jaan hi na paaye aisey

ki jab waqt aaya woh!!! tab mila humey ek gulab ka phool

Maa ney chodaa hath humaara

thaamey hum Pappa ki ungli

Khushi ko sath na tha gawaara

tho humesha woh humsey karthi chugli

Behthi hui Reva mein humney bahayaa aasun anmol

saath Maa key yaadon key... ek gulab ka phool

Jab thaami humney Bapu ki ungli aur socha thodha man behley

jhat sey ruk gayi zindagi do kadam bhi naa chali...

Suraj dhalgaya, Khushi ka savera honey se pehley

hum phir nikalpadey wahi gali

aagey badhthey gayein ...sab kuch bhool

thaamey huye yaadon ka ek gulab ka phool

Jaisey humney hosh sambhala

zindagi ne yahi samjhaya

Humesha sath rahega joh!

Bus baney ummeed humaari woh!!

Koyi na aaya bus hum chalthey gaye

yoohin soone raasthey pey

jispey tha sirf dhool

aur sath humaarey ...yadon ka gulaab ka phool

Ab armaan naye dil mein hai jaagey

bus koi hai jo apna laagey

Ummeed is qadar tha unpey

per woh issey pehle key sach baney

rehgaye humari yaad baney...

tho un yaadon ko woh bhaley hi jaaye bhool

hum neh thai kiya rehjaayien hum banke kisikey yadon ka gulab ka phool!!!

Barson beethey per humey na aaya nazar

jahaan hum rahey chain sey- woh manzar

Khushi ki jhoomey bahaar

aur apna ho ghar parivar

Hum akeley bhaley hamesha

key jo sath chaley woh banjaaye tamasha

Koi nahi bath agar na banpaaye kisikey hum

chalthey jayengey jab taq jaan mein hai dum

kaheen hamari reh gayeen duniya banthey banthey

bikhri hui zindagi humney sameta hasthey hasthey

Arman banien hai pankhuri aur junoon humaara rang lal 

hum nahi tho kya! chod jaa rahein hai yeh nishaan bemisaal

saath apne rakhna yeh humaara tohfa anmol

humaarey ummedonka bus ek yeh gulaab ka phool

Arnav read again ... the pink paper which was obviously torn from a diary was in khushi's hand writing and something fell as he opened it and he bent down to pick a dried rose with a long stalk and leaf! It appeared quite old!

THE PURSUIT  

"yeh leo babua samhalo apni sanka Rani ko humey khaneka bandobasth bhi tho karna hai!"

Buaji said coming out of teh Laad Governor ki kothi!

( Here! Please take care of your queen of the crazy kingdom as I need to go take care of dinner preparations)

Buaji went till the passage door and came back and Arnav looked at her inquisitively!

Buaji held his face in her palm and asked very softly with tear filled eyes..." sab theek tho ho jayega na babua?"

( Everything is going to be alright! Isn't it?)

Arnav felt bad! He simply put an arm round her and said "Haan buaji don't you worry!"

( Yeah! Don't worry).

"Ka sey hai ki... humri bhateeji jab sei aayi hai kuch naahi khaawat hain! Aur usey tho muskuraaye dekh key arsaa hui gawa bitua!"

( Its like this that... ever sice she came my neice has not eaten properly and Its been ages since I saw her smile).

"Meri bacchiko nazar lag gayi hain kisiki!"She then looked at him sharply and said seriously...

"Babua... woh tumsey bahuth prem karthi hain!"

( My child had been cast with an evil eye!... she loves you a lot son).

"Aap ko kaisey patha?" Arnav asked her with bated breath!

( How do you know?)

"In aankhoun ney bahut kuch dekhaa hai! Woh tabhi jeethi hain jab tum houthey ho! Ee char hafthey padi rahi laash ki tarah koi koney mein! Kisi ka kounu hosh nahi hain pagaliya ko" she said as tears rolled down her eyes.

( She is alive only when you are around! These four weeks that she was here, she was just like a zoombie with no idea as to what was happening to the world!)

"Ab my aagaya hun na Buaji!" he assured her!

( I am there now! So not to worry!)

"wahi tho!!! Oo ka sanak aur chad jayee hain Babua! Bahuth ziddi hain aur sabka bhalaa sochthi hai par apney baarey mein nahi! Tum ooko saath leney aaye hou na babua? she asked expectantly!

( Exactly! since you are here she will be crazier! She is very stubborn! She thinks for everyone but for her own self! Have you come to take her back to shanthivan?)

"Haan Buaji" (yes) he said firmly! "Per aapki madad ki zaroorath padegi!!"( But... I may need your help) he added!

"Hum tumrey saath hai babua! Kaunu chintaa karo nahi!" ( Don't worry! I am with you) She assured him.

Arnav looked at Khushi who now had been changed into a light blue lehenga and choli and Buaji had wrapped her in a blanket!

"Accha Babua hum khaneki thayyari karthey hain aur ...Hai Reh Nandkishore bolna tho bhool hi gaye! OO key kapdey jahaan taq hue pehnaye ka hai ki yeh hath wajan uthaa nahi paayyein hain! Baaqi ka zara sambhaal lena" and she left as Arnav stared open mouthed at her!

( I shall get dinner ready... And i forgot to tell you that I managed how much ever I could in chnaging her clothes...as I could not take her weight! Just see to the rest!)

She was with high fever he checked her out and sat besides her on the bed leaning on to the head board and  looked at her sideways! Even in sleep her chin stood prominent! A smile played on his lips and he turned and adjusted her head and her hair was wet and since it was thick and very long it wouldn't dry and that meant more trouble!

He held her and lifted her slightly from waist up with both his hands round her and spread her hair up on the pillow with his right hand and as he turned to grab a cushion, his eyes went to the head board and he realised that her blouse was not secure and was gaping open!There was a mirror on to the head board as well as the side walls of the room and he just imagined Khushi's wrath if she came to know he was admiring what he was at that time!!!She was exquisite and her skin soft to his touch with her back bent in an uneven angle and he admired her beauty open mouthed and cursed when he realised what he was doing!

Her back was beautifully toned tapering into a tiny waist! so slender that it just fitted into his splayed hand!!! He shook his head trying to shake off the heady feeling that overtook him inspite of their situation! They were at logger heads and she was sick damnit! For crying out loud!!!!!!.... and he was leering like a.... Good God! Rani saa was something! She had a penchant for extracting the unexpected from him!

Khushi squirmed because of the inconvenient posture she was in and it was only natural for her to put both his arms round him!

Arnav immediately put her down and spread her hair on the pillow to dry! But he was locked now! He just tried to free himself and could not because of the odd angle!His back gave way and he jerked up and back to free the cramp in his back and Khushi opened her eyes ...

Arnav saw red eyes stare at him steadily and he knew she was delirious with fever and said "Khushi? pani piyogi?" ( Khushi? do you want some water?)

She simply looked at him and snuggled more -sighing!!!!... and then weakly lifted her head and touched her middle and index finger's to his face tentatively touching his cheek as if to test something and then touching his lips, blabbered... "subah hothey hi chaley jaayengey aap"( You leave as soon as its morning!) which seemed more like a statement than question and befor he answered she adjusted her face in the crook of his neck and shivered!

"Khushi!" He called her! she did not respond! He could feel her hot skin against him through his thin shirt and he tried again to pull her hair up by his right elbow and lower her on the bed but she held on to him tight and said "nahi!"

He tried again but she wouldn't allow him to free her at all!!! In the end, Arnav rested along with her and slowly eased to his side still tightly locked in her arms!

Arnav was exhausted and sleep took over! When he woke it was a few hours later!

"NandKishore! Yeh Ladki tho..."( This girl!!!)Buaji exclaimed walking in with a thali and some maid, who was holding a trolly laden with food...

"SHHHHHH!!!! "He silenced Buaji saying,"Koi bath nahi buaji! Let her sleep!

Mujhey Bhook nahi hain aur usko ithna bukhaar hai ki woh kuch khaane sey rahi! He shooed Buaji off!

The skies had cleared but a nippy wind blew and Arnav covered Khushi and looked at her sleeping snugly against him! She looked very innocent... child like and he thought who would imagine such a brave and stubborn  woman inside such a young and innocent lady!!!

THE PURSUIT

A woman walked into her room and said ram ram Rani Saa! aukaath humaari tho naa hai per boley hai ki aap jaldi hi chotu baba sey byah karney thayyar ho jao ji varna abhi jo dus minute mein hone waala hai uska badaa asar aapke Rajaa saa per hoga! Ye deney ke liye humey bhejo hai... aur... she gave Khushi a package and she walked away even before Khusi asked her anything!

Khushi opened the packet and she found a white sari and a red bridal set complete with teh maang teeka!!! And the phone rang and Aman told her there had been an accident and ....

HHHHMmmm!!!! She just got up with a jerk but she could not completely get up cause there was something heavy across her waist... that prevented her from getting up by the sheer weight of it!

she turned and froze as Arnav Singh Raizada was next to her in deep sleep! His right hand was round her waist and tucked beneath her splayed on her belly was his left hand!!!!

Khushi closed her eyes and opemned them again willing for her hallucination to go away but it was sill there! He was still there!

Khushi was so closely wrapped into him that she could not move her head much and as she tried to move she realised she was locked in his arms and not only that her clothes, the duvet she was wrapped in were a mess and were all over him and he over them!

She was sweating profusely and realised the temperature was coming down and his shirt was getting wet coz of her! She could not ease herself how much ever she tried! She gave up and gaped at him! How handsome he looked and how very warm it felt in his arms! no wonder women loved him So!!! He was charming and had a natural attraction to his persona! Who would have thought that such a lion hearted man would have such narrow outlook about life and love! She gingerly put her palm to his chest and tried to push him and realised it was futile as she with her strength can't even move him an inch! However she had the childish urge to check his heart beat! She muttered Arnav singh Raizada key seeney mein chalne waala dil hai Dhadakneywaaala nahi!!!Khushi was fascinated by his eyelashes and she dozed off staring at them!!!

A sudden clanking of a utensil somewhere... and the birds chirping woke Khushi and she was disoriented as her head throbbed with the aftermath of fever and she realised she again had temperature although not as high as before! Her whole body ached! She moved a little and then realised suddenly that Arnav was in bed with her the last time she opened her eyes! She turned and came face to face with Arnav who was staring at her! She immediately force closed her eyes and got a "Good Morning Khushi and don't bother myney Dekha hai ki tum jaag chuki ho!!!" from him!

( Good morning and Don't bother! I know you are awake!)

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