PURSUIT-52/2

THE PURSUIT-52/2

THE MIRAGE-II

PIC CREDIT:SSNAIR

"My jo maangunga dogi?"( Will you give what I ask for?) He asked!

Khushi looked at him for a long moment and said," Humara jo bhi hain... woh tho aapko maangney ki zaroorath bhi nahi! Ab jo nahi hain usey hum aapko dey nahi sakthey! Tho ..."
( What ever is mine... well you need not ask! But if I do not have that then...)

"Tho nahi! Haan ya naheen!" Deepthimaan demanded amusedly!
( No If and buts! Yes or No)

"Yeh kaisa sawaal hain?" ( Whats this enquiry?) Khushi frowned! Surely Maan was acting different! He never asked! He had to be observed and served! Even Amma used to do it when Vaishnavi Maasa left him with them when she went out of town! He never asked for anything! Amma used to be after him asking if he was hungry or if he needed anything! Well! Surely he has grown up then! She thought smiling!

Deepthimaan saw her slowly smiling and his heart beat quickened! The slender beautiful lips slowly parted revealing a perfect set of teeth and a smile that was like moonlight out of the clouds!

He twiddled with his fingers, for the fear of reaching out and touching her cheek!
"Dogi?"( will you?) He asked again but his voice dropped low almost to a whisper!

"Accha bolo tho sahi!"( Ok! Let me know first atleast) Khushi said! She felt uncomfortable at this sudden change in Maan.

"Jab waqt aayega maanglunga!"( I shall claim it when the time comes) he said aping Khushi! Khushi made an 'o' with her mouth and blew the tresses that coverd her eyes saying," Ramanchi!"( Cheating)
"Kyun?"( Why?) Deepthimaan demanded laughing at her child like naivity!

"Woh hum keh sakthey hain! Aap nahin!" Khushi clarified!( I can say that not you).
"Accha!Aap hi kyun Rani Saa?"( Why only you Your Majesty?) Deepthimaan asked indulging her.

"Kyun ki Hum hum hain!"( Coz I am me) She said typically... "Woh kya bolthey hain aap? Haan! Just me!"  
(What do you say aleays?...yes! Its just me!).

"Yeah Just you!" Deepthimaan said smiling!
Khushi looked at his eyes which were hitherto beautiful but today they shone like twin jewels and his face was aglow with a strange radiance! And he was mooning in broad day light! she knew he was looking at her but he was lost in his thoughts... 

"Maan?" Khushi called softly.
"Hmmm?" He said dazedly...still looking at her!
"Shaadi kab hain?" ( When is the wedding?)She asked slowly! Pakka this fellow was getting married or something! To that Amanda! Khushi decided!

"Jab aap bolein!" ( Whenever you say!) Deepthimaan blurted!
"Accha Aaj?" ( How about today?)Khushi teased him! He was in his dreamland!

"Chalo!"( Lets go then) he said holding her hand!
"Arey rukiye? Ladki ki zaroorath nahi hain?"( Hey Wait! Don't you need a bride for that?) She teased him!
"Kahaan... aap.." ( Why? You....).Deepthimaan stopped midway realizing what he was about to say... "aap tho yaheen haina humaarey sath!) ( Of course but you are here with me![So who else do I need]

"Hey! Khushi was in peels of laughter! Itna bura hai haal ki aapko hosh nahi hain kiske sath hain!" She chuckled!
( Awe! Its that bad that you are not in this world and in your senses that you are unawares as to who is with you).
Deepthimaan pulled her a little closer and said," Hosh tho udgayein Rani saa per... hum sath jiskey hain..."
( Senses are blown out! But who ever I am with...)

"Bhai! Tho yeh bath hain!" Sanjuktha's voice broke the spell!
( OH! Bro! So this is the reason).

Deepthimaan looked irritatedly at his sister who winked at him! SHE KNEW! He immediately dared her! Sanjuktha simply said," Khushi merey kamrey mein tumharey liye kuch hain! Dekho tho zara!
( Khushi there is something that I kept for you in my room and I want you to see it).

"Kya Sanju di?" ( What is it SanjuDi?)Khushi asked and met with a stare.
"OHHO! Theek hain jaa rahein hain!" ( Oh God! Ok! I am going) She suddenly turned gave Deepthimaan  a quick hug saying," All the best", winked and trotted away like a small kid!

"Bhai?" Sanju asked the unasked with her eyes! Deepthimaan smiled saying Haan!!
"Accha tho yeh bath hain! Kuwar Saa! " ( Oh! So thats it Your Highness)Sanjuktha said smiling!
"Chup Sanju!" ( Shut up Sanju) Deepthimaan shushed her!
"Accha? Tho aap kyun chup nahi rehthey...?"( Why don't you be quiet!)

"Ab nahi reh saktha Sanju my aur!"( I can't any more) he confessed!
"Tho phir?" ( So what now?) Sanju asked the obvious.

"Tho phir kya ! Is baar jab lautunga UK ko, tho shaadi karke hi!"( What now? This time when I return to UK, It will be only after my wedding) he said!
Sanjuktha stared at her brother who was very reserved but at the same time, was very determined in what he did once he decided on it!

"Arey waah? Itni bhi kya jaldi hain?" ( Great! But whats the big hurry?) she teased him again but thought it was very unlike him! He was very staunch and levelled never jumping at things!
"Nahi Jaldi nahi...actually... der hogayi hain Sanju! Ab aur der nahi karni chahiye! Per yeh bath my pehley Khushi ko bathaana chaahatha hun tab tak tum kisi sey nahi bologi! Lia sey bhi nahi!" Deepthimaan swore her to secrescy!
( Nope! I am not in a hurry! Actually its late Sanju! But I want to talk to Khushi first! Till then you won't reveal it to anyone! Not even to your buddy Lia).

"Khushi ko nahi patha? Yeh? Kaisey?" sanju thought they were in it together and gasped!( Khushi doesn't know? How?)

"Yaar wahee tho! Woh patha haina college mein kya hua tha tab sey ... aur uper sey Amy ki bath ko lekar... she thinks I am already taken and ... well..." Deepthimaan hesitated to even think about it!
( Thats what is the problem! You know how she has been affected by whatever happened to her friend in the college! And she thinks I am already taken...Amy and all...)
"Amy? Aapki Live in?"Sanju teased him!
"Ab zaroori hain?" ( is it necessary[to poke ] now?)Deepthimaan growled!
"But aap donon roz bath karthey they na? Aapney Khushi ko nahi bathaaya ki you broke up with her?" sanju asked him.
( But you both coversed daily! So Didn't you tell her you broke up with Amy)
"Nahi" (No) Deepthimaan said.
"Kyun!" ( Why) Sanju persisted.

"Kyun ki my ussey pyar kartha hun Sanju! Aur kaisey my usey samjhaaun ki kal taq jiskey sath reh rahaatha woh mera pyar nahi tum ho myne usey chod diya and I love you instead! Kitna bhaddha lagega yaar socho!" He said exasperatedly!
( Coz I love her Sanju! How can I make her understand that the lady i lived with till yesterday is not my love! You are! So I left her and am in love with you! Just imagine how tacky it sounds!)

"Yeh koi bath hui wajah naa bathaaney ki ? ( But is that a reason enough not to confess your love for her?) Sanju asked him.

"My agar bathaatha ki Amy and I broke up, the first question would be why!" Deepthimaan said.
( If I tell her I broke up with Amy, the first question would be why!)
"Tho?" ( So what?) Sanju demanded.

"Arey moorakh kya bathaatha my usey? Ki... devi ji aapke bina my nahi reh saktha ! Mera mann kissee ke sath nahi lagega sivay aapkey...aur isliye isey peecha chudaa rahaa hun?" Deepthimaan said exasperatedly!
( Idiot! Just think What would I say! Ma'am I cannot live without you and with anyone else as i cannot connect to anyone other than you! And thats why I got rid off her?)

"Kuch aur bathaathey?"( Then you could have given someother reason for the break up) Sanju opined!

"I Did! I told her we are into problems! But kuc aur reason?Khushi sey?Seriously?"Deepthimaan raised his eyebrows at Sanjuktha!

"Nahi! Woh dimaag chat lethi hain! Agar koi usey kuch boley jo sahi nahi hain! Na jaaney usey kaisey patha chaltha hain!... per bhai itnaa smart dimaag uska aapke muamley mein kyun nahi kam kartha hain?" Sanjuktha lamented!
(No! She won't leave it at that! If anyone lies to her she gets to know about it, dunno how and makes their life miserable! But I wonder how she could not figure you out when she happens to be so smart).

"Meri badkismathi Sanju! I realised! Ek tho too much of familiarity! Hell I too thought so till a few days back!Sacchi!!! But jab you realise na? You will be zapped! I went through that! 
One whole month I could not even speak to her without my voice getting heavy! Bus bardasth nahi hotha tha yaar! Usey kaisey samajh nahi aatha-jo merey dil ki  har bath samajhthi hain! Whatever ...but...Suddenly it dawned on to me I love her and bus the world... my whole world changed!

"Haan usney bahut complain kiya ki aap bath nahi kar rahey they but she thought Amy was the cause!" Sanju said.
"Nope!There is no Amy! There is none! Only her! All along!" Deepthimaan said determinedly!
"Per bathaathein kyun nahi?"( why don't you tell her that?) Sanju wailed.

"Kaisey bathaaun Sanju! Usko my.?...kya bolun?... especially when she is fixed that we are friends! She looks up to me and is very sure of me! Usney mujhey bathaaya bhi woh college ka haadsa... aur one week she subjected me to hell!", he reminsced!

"Oh! Samajh gayi! Amita aur Nag na? Haan bahut bura hua woh tho!" Sanju sympathised.
( Amita and Nag! yeah That was a mishap).

"Per mujhey mushkil mein dal gaya woh$%#@ Nag! Tumhey yaad hain kitni der tak Khushi mujhey poochthi rahi ki kaheen my bhi Nag ke waisaa tho nahi hun?"Deepthimaan reminded his sister.
( He put me in a fix now that Nag! For a week Khushi put me through hell asking me if I were not like him).

"Bhai per ab kya karogey!" ( what will you do now bro?) Sanju asked earnestly.

"Wahee problem hain Sanju! Tab mujhey feelings nahi thi! Ab hain yaar! my kya.... ka...run yaar?" Deepthimaan shook his head placing it between his palms out of sheer frustration!
( Thats the whole issue! Then I was not aware of my feelings for her! Now I am! What do I do?)

"Jo bhi keejiyega jaldi keejiye! Kyun ki baad mein Khushi aapko bhi Nag ki tarah na samajh baithey!" Sanju cautioned him!
( whatever is to be done, do it quickly! else Khushi might put you in teh same stead as Nag)

Deepthimaan caught his sister's arm in a death grip and hissed! "Kabhi nahi! My ussey pyar kartha hun Sanju! I don't lust after her! I love her! I shall never do any thing that will be dishonourable! Even if she rejects me... I... dunno how I will survive but I will never hurt her!"

"Ouch Bhai!" Sanju freed her hand and said," Per yeh ho hi nahi saktha Khushi aapko naa kahey! Aap donon ek doosrey ke liye bane ho! Tho woh bath mansey nikal ke pehley yeh socho usey bathaugey kaise!" Sanju said reassuring him.
( It cannot be that she will reject you! You both are made for each other! So just try to comeout with that fact and also think of a way to present it to her)

"Waheetho soch raha hun! " ( Thats what I am thinking about) Deepthimaan said smoting his fist on his forehead.

"Tum donon kaheen aur nahi khisak sakthay?"( Can't you guys skip Mela and go somewhere else[ leaving us alone]) he asked with hope!

"Kya? No way! Mela dekhna hi dekhna hain!Aur Maa aur Buaji tho Maardalengi unko agar bhanak bhi ho gayi tho! "Sanju said stamping her foot!
( What? No way! I have to visit teh mela and If mm or Buaji even get a whiff of it they will fry us alive)

"Ohho! Theek hain I shall manage!" Deepthimaan said.
Sanju hugged her brother and said," All the best aur... Aap khush hain aur wahee bahut hain! She will make a good partner for you!"

THE PURSUIT

" Maan nai nai! Nahi! Humney kahaan aur agar... Khushi was running and he made a grab at her... and got her Maang teeka!

( Maan no! I am telling you!)

"Woh nai! Please! Maa Saa ney bola woh bahut...hi ..."Khushi pleaded...

( Not that Aunt said thats very...)

"Jo bhi hain Rani Saa jab woh aapke maang mein saj gayaa hain tho  woh tho bahut keemthi hogayee hain!" Maan said seriously!

( whatever! Its become invaluable coz you wore it!)

"Deejiye!" Khushi demanded. 

"Nai!" (NO)

"Lia usey pakdo my nai dungaa!" Deepthimaan called on to Payal.

"Hey bhagwaan tum dononko wahee patak key aanaa tha humey!" Payal said looking at Sanju!

( Oh God! We should have left you back there!)

"Haan Payal! Yeh logtho bilkul shaaraarathi nikley! Bachpana jaatha hi nahi!

( Yes Payal! These people are really brats!)

"Per Bhai ka tho mujhey pathaa nai!

( But Bro! I don't know about him!)

"Baaqi key time pey tho muh phulaakey kuch acchey bacchey banne ki kosish mein rehthey hain!

( On all other times he is with a straight face trying to impress everybody as to what a great man he is)

...per Khushi key aathey hi woh... dekho!( But... come Khushi and well... look at that)Sanju said as Khushi took a stick that was lying and started beating him saying,Maan hum maardaalengey! ( Maan I will kill you).

"Haaye!Kitney baar maarogi?"( How many times will you kill me?) Deepthimaan teased her!

"Deejiye!"( Give it to me) Khushi said making an 'o' with her mouth!

"Nahi!" ( Nope) Deepthimaan ran past the thela selling Thandaayi!"

"Maa saa sey lautaaneka waada kiya hain humney!" Khushi yelled at him!

( I promised your mom I will return it)

"Tho lautaayiye!Kisney roka"( Then do it! who's stopping you?)Deepthimaan said! 

He was the person who asked Vaishnavi to give that to Khushi! He knew that was a family heirloom and was given to the daughter-in-law!He said to his mom," Do na maa usikey paas tho jaana hain akhir"

( Give it to her mom! Anyway it has to go to her in the end)

"Kaisey!Please! Dona?"( How? Please give) Khushi pleaded with him.

"Nahi" ( no) he went behind a cart and Khushi fell on the hey stack and got up with hay all over her and He, Payal and Sanjuktha were laughing their tummies off!

A camera clicked noiselessly somewhere... unknown to them!

Khushi could not take it! She just walked off in a huff and vanished into the crowd!

"Bhai! I think we had really irritated her! She is gone! "Sanju was the first to recover!

Payal looked worried suddenly! "Yeh chali kahaan gayi!" ( Where did she go?).

THE PURSUIT

How dare they made fun of her! All three of them! Jiji and Sanju di were ok? But Thakur? He was her friend! They both were a team and he was with her always! Traitor! How could he! Khushi ground her teeth and suddenly realised she had walked without a care and did not know where she was! 

"Hey Devi Mayya! Yeh hum khaan aagaye?"( where have I come to?) she was scared! And then came the next thought! Jiji? She will kill her for wandering off! They both were sworn to security by Buaji who accepted them going alone only coz Maan had used all his charm on the dragon of a lady!

And Maan! 'Hey Devi Mayya humey bhatkna hi behether lag raha hain kyun ki Maan jab dhundengey humey! Humaara tho chutney banaadengey !'
( Oh God! Its better I am lost! When he finds me... he will make a fine paste of me!)

Who was she kidding! He never even spoke to her in a harsh tone! But his punishments were different and very effective!
Khsuhi remembered when she forgot to inform Garima about the train getting delayed due to a goods derailment at Panjwaa! Babuji had called her hostel  a dozen times and Maan had rushed half way and when he figured the train by the train number a few kms from Punjwa, he dragged her out of it without a word and subjected her to hell for the next fifteen days! He didn't speak to her nor listen to her! He did not eat for two days and when finally she apologised he just drove off to return only when she called and cried saying that she would do something drastic if he wouldn't return! She did that as Vaishnav Maa saa was worried for her son!
Maan was very eccentric! She suddenly felt very thirsty as the mid day sun beat on her with the force of full summer!
The thandaayi stall welcomed her with its fresh flavoured milk and variety of cold drinks and barf ka gola her favourite!
...to be continued...