At night, Sukoon served some food on a plate for Agastya. An old man came there with his wife and asked, "Sukoon Beta, tu uss ladke ko kab tak kamre mein band kar ke rakhegi?"

"Jab tak woh maan nahi jaate yaaha rehne ke liye." Said Sukoon.

"Tujhe nahi lagta tu uss ladke ke saath kuch zyada hi julm kar rahi hai?" Asked the old man's wife.

"Unke jaise sakt launde ko aise hi handle kiya jaa sakta hai. Waise aap sabko unki badi fikar ho rahi hai?"

"Fikar toh hogi hi. Bada pyaara ladka hai. Ekbaar uska idhar mann lag jaaye, phir humare saath dosti hone mein zyada waqt nahi lagega."

"Haan aur phir aap sab mujhe bhul hi jaaoge." Said Sukoon making a sad pout.

The old woman pulled Sukoon's ear and said, "Itni jalan bhi acchi nahi hoti."

"Ahhaan! Rekha Dadi chhoro dard ho raha hai." Whined Sukoon.

Rekha Dadi left her ear.

"Anand Dadu aap samjhao Rekha Dadi ko. Baat baat pe mera kaan na kheeche." Said Sukoon.

"Main kya samjhau? Iska bas chale toh yeh mera kaan kheech de." Said Anand Dadu and three of them laughed.

"Accha aap dinner ke liye bulao sab ko. Main Agastya Ji ko khana khila ke aati hoon. Uske baad saath mein dinner karenge." Said Sukoon and then left from there with the plate.

She went to the guest room and opened the door. After entering, she kept the plate on the nearby table and looked at Agastya who was sitting on the bed and looking at the wall blankly.

Sukoon cleared her throat and said, "Agastya Ji, dinner kar li jiye."

Agastya noticed her and anger rushed through his veins. He went to her, hold her throat with his left hand and pinned her to the wall making her scared. He was looking at her with anger filled red eyes.

"Samajhti kya ho tum apne aap ko? Itni si ho kar mujhe qaid kar ke rakhogi? Agastya Rao ka gussa tumne abhi tak dekha nahi hai Ms. Sukoon Saxena. Tumhe andaza bhi hai main tumhara kya haal kar sakta hoon?"

Sukoon somehow removed his hand from her throat and pushed him away. She took deep breath and said, "Pagal ho kya aap?....Thodi der aur mera gala daba ke rakhte toh main marr jaati. Agar main marr jaati toh aap ko jail ho jaati. Aur jail mein qaid rehna, yaaha qaid rehne se battar hai. Kyu khamkha khud ke dushman ban rahe hai?"

Agastya looked at her with disbelief and said, "Tumhe darr nahi lag raha mujhse?"

Sukoon laughed and said, "Aap se darungi? Aap ki khud ki itni tuti futi halat hai. Suppose agar aap mujhe maar ke yaaha se bhagne ki koshish bhi karte hai, toh yaaha ke log mil ke aap pe attack karenge. Aur filhaal sabse saath akele ladne ki strength aap ke andar nahi hai. Isliye main bol rahi hoon, kuch dino ke liye ruk jaiye idhar."

Agastya sighed and again sat on the bed. He was very much frustrated now.

"Tumhe akhir chahiye kya mujhse? Listen main paise dene ko ready hoon. But please let me go." He almost begged.

Sukoon smiled and sat beside him.

"Aap ki zindagi mein se bas kuch pal chahiye mujhe. Denge aap?" She said softly.

He looked at her and asked, "Aur woh main tumhe kyu doon? Lagti kaun ho tum meri?"

"Koi nahi." Replied Sukoon.

"Toh phir kis haq se rok rahi ho mujhe? Jaane kyu nahi deti?" He asked again.

"Haq hai. Uss nurse ne kya kaha tha yaad hai aap ko? Maine sahi waqt pe blood donate kar ke aap ko ek nayi zindagi diyi hai. Abhi aap jo zindagi jee rahi woh meri diyi hui hai. Isliye aap ki zindagi pe mera haq hai, chahe thoda sa hi kyu na ho. Soch li jiye uss hi haq se rok rahi hoon."

Agastya didn't say anything and kept looking at her.

After that Sukoon stood up, took the plate of food and again sat beside him. She started feeding him and this time he ate without saying anything. Love, care and attention, these were the things he always seek in his life. And finally he was getting it, that too from a girl whom he hardly knew. Agastya looked through her eyes and found nothing but purity. She was too pure for this cruel world. And Agastya never met such people in his life, so he was yet not ready to believe that such people exists in this world. He was trying hard to make himself believe that she was doing all this because she had some intentions.

"Aur yeh raha akhri bite." Said Sukoon making Agastya eat the last bite.

"Finish!" She said cutely showing him the empty plate.

A slight smile appeared on Agastya's face after a long time and he didn't even realise it. This girl was so younger than him but still she was treating him like a child. This thought made him smile even if it was only for a moment.

Then she stood up and said before leaving, "Darwaja khula chhor rahi hoon. Main nahi chahti aap yaaha mere qaid mein raho. Balki main toh chahti hoon aap yaaha apni marzi se raho. Bharosa kar rahi hoon, bhag mat jaana."

Saying that Sukoon left.

That night Agastya slept peacefully after a long time. Maybe it was because somewhere his heart knew that he had got a safe shelter.

Next Morning...

Agastya woke up by the sound of laughing. He sat up and said in his mind, "Yeh subah subah pagalo ki tarah has kaun raha hai?"

Thinking that he stood up and came out of the guest room. In the garden, he saw some of the old people standing in a circle and laughing opening their arms.

Sukoon was also laughing with them. Suddenly her eyes fell on Agastya and she came to him.

"Arrey aap uth gaye! Raat ko acchi neend hui?" She asked to which he nodded in yes.

"Accha ek baat baata na. Yaaha yeh sab kya ho raha hai?" He asked.

"Laughter therapy. Humare yaaha hum sab mil ke roj subah aise zor zor se haste hai. Iss se sarir aur mann dono swasth rehte hai. Wanna try it?"

"No thanks. Yeh jabardasti ka hasna mujhse nahi hoga."

"Chaliye na. Maza aayega. Kuch naya try karne ko milega."

"I said no!" Said Agastya sternly to which Sukoon made a face.

Suddenly an old woman came there and said, "Sukoon tu bhi na! Itna handsome ladka unn buddhon ki company kaise enjoy karega? Isse abhi ek hot, jawan ladki ki company ki zaroorat hai. Sun, tujhe ek exclusive offer deti hoon. Meri yoga session mein aa. Exercise ke saath enjoyment ki bhi kami nahi hogi."

Saying that the old woman winked to which Agastya widened his eyes.

Sukoon controlled her laugh and said, "Haan Sheela Dadi. Inko abhi aap ke yoga session ki bohut zaroorat hai. Aap chaliye main inko bhejti hoon."

"Time se aa jaana. I'll wait for you darling!"

Saying that Sheela Dadi left from there.

After she left, Agastya asked Sukoon, "Yeh kya tha?"

"Yoga session join karne ka offer tha. Mujhe nahi lagta aap ko miss karna chahiye. Kyu ki Sheela Dadi ka yeh offer bohut kam logo ko milta hai." Said Sukoon.

"Yoga? Woh bhi inke saath?"

"Haan. Kyu nahi? Waise bhi yoga health ke liye accha hota hai. Iss se aap zaldi recover karenge. Aur jitni zaldi recover karenge, utni hi zaldi yaaha se wapas bhi jaa sakenge."

Agastya realised that she was saying the right thing.

"Ok then. Waise bhi yoga karna aise pagalon ki tarah hasne se behtar hai." Said Agastya.

"Woh toh hai hi. Lekin zara sambhal ke. Sheela Dadi ke according, unki jawani abhi tak nahi gayi. Isliye handsome admiyon ke saath flirt karne ka ek bhi mauka woh chhorti nahi hai. Isliye bach ke rehna. Izzat vizzat lut sakti hai aap ki."

Agastya gulped his saliva and lifted up his shirt's collar to cover his body properly. Then he went for the yoga session.

As soon as their yoga started, Sheela Dadi left no chance to flirt with Agastya which made him scared. While Sukoon was enjoying watching their yoga session. She was trying hard not to laugh.

In no time Agastya gave up and left the yoga session giving excuse just to save himself from Sheela Dadi's flirting.

After that Sukoon came to Sheela Dadi and asked, "Yoga session khatam ho gaya?"

"Suru hi kaha hua tha?" Said Sheela Dadi sadly. "Lagta nahi yeh ladka patne wala nahi hai."

"Ohho Sheela Dadi! Abhi se give up kar rahe ho? Agastya Ji filhaal humare saath hi reh rahe hai. Time bohut hai, patal lo." Said Sukoon to which Sheela Dadi laughed.

After sometime they all had their breakfast and then started various activities. Some started making sweets, some started knitting clothes while some started packing the clothes and sweets in boxes.

Agastya had nothing to do so he was watching the activities. He didn't understand why they were doing all this.

He was sitting on the stairs when Seema Dadi came and sat beside him while making sweets.

"Idhar sab koi na koi kaam kar rahe hai. Phir tu kyu khali baitha hai? Chal yeh laddo bana ne mein meri madad kar." Said Seema Dadi.

"Lekin mera haath...."

Before Agastya could complete, Seema Dadi said, "Ek haath mein plaster laga hua hai. Dusra haath toh thik hai. Uss se bana. Haath ki zyada se zyada movement hogi tabhi toh tu thik hoga. Chal ab bana."

Agastya nodded and started making sweets following Seema Dadi.

After sometime, he said, "Aap sab yeh mithai aur kapde yeh sab kyu bana rahe ho?"

"Bechne ke liye. Yeh humara business hai. Yeh mithai aur kapde pack kar ke hum bade bade dukaano mein bech dete hai. Bohut famous hai humari Villa Of Love ki mithai aur kapde."

"Old age home se aap sab business chalate ho? Yeh allowed hai?"

"Haan. Sukoon ne hi toh humein yeh idea diya. Dekh, kisi bhi old age home mein rehne ke liye humein pay karna padhta hai. Aur yeh pay kaun karta hai? Humare bacche. Dekha jaaye toh iss se ek na ek tarah se hum apne bacchon ke upar dependent hi kehlayenge. Humein yeh nahi chahiye tha. Hum apna khud ka kharcha khud utha na chahte the. Isliye hum sab ne mil ke yeh business chalu kiya. Buisness se jo bhi kamayi hoti hai uss se iss jagah ka kharcha chalta hai. Matlab hum khud ke paise se yaaha reh rahe hai, independently. Isliye humein iss umar mein bhi yeh mehsoos nahi hota ki hum useless hai."

Agastya smiled hearing that.

"Aisa unique idea uss ladki ke dimaag se hi aa sakta hai." He said. "Lekin yaaha ke owner ka kya? Iss business mein unka bhi share hoga na?"

"Haan. Sukoon hi toh hai yaaha ki owner." Said Seema Dadi making Agastya shocked.

"What? I thought she is a caretaker." He said with disbelief.

"Sukoon ko dekh ke kisi ko bhi aisa lagega. Woh ek owner ki tarah nahi, ek beti, ek dost ki tarah humare saath ghul mil gayi hai. Jab humare apno ne humein paraya kar diya tab jaa ke humein Sukoon mili. Usse badho ke pyaar ki zaroorat thi aur humein bacchon ki. Hum sab mil ke ek parivaar ki tarah rehne lage. Isliye hum isse old age home nahi, ghar kehte hai. Aur iss jagah ka naam 'Villa Of Love' kyu hai paata hai? Kyu ki yaaha hum sab ek pyaar ke bandhan mein bandhe hue hai. Iss jagah ne humein pyaar ke siwa kuch aur diya hi nahi hai. Aur ab kismat tujhe humare Villa Of Love mein laayi hai. Akhir tujhe bhi toh pyaar ki hi talaash hai?"

"Aap ko kaise paata?" Asked Agastya hearing that.

Seema Dadi smiled and said, "Tujhe dekh ke paata chalta hai. Tune bhi humari tarah har jagah pyaar ko dhunda hai. Lekin tujhe kabhi mila nahi."

"Haan. Kyu ki pyaar hota hi nahi hai. Woh sirf ek dhokha hai." Said Agastya sadly remembering Rumi's betrayal.

"Hota hai. Lekin tu usse har jagah dhundta rahega na toh tujhe woh kabhi nahi milega. Thoda waqt de. Pyaar khud tujhe dhund lega. Tujhe pyaar waha mil jayega jaha tune sayad kabhi socha bhi nahi hoga. Woh tujhe har pal apne hone ka ehsaas dilayega. Phir teri yeh talaash khatam ho jayegi. Love will find you, my son."

Seema Dadi's words touched Agastya. He became lost in deep thoughts which only led him to Sukoon.
______________________________________

Has love found Agastya?

Will he be able to recognise it?

Stay tuned...

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