The room was filled with a silent prayers and sobbing of a heart wishing for it's lost piece of soul....

Holding Naveen's pic near her heart,
Era was sitting on the bed, leaning to the head board.....eyes closed....

Era ( in mind ) ,
" Navu,
Agar tum hote toh yeh din nii dekhna padhta hume...
Agar tum...." and heard.....

Navu - " main yahi hu maa....
Aaps sub ke pass....."

A illusion of her heart standing in front of her with folded arms....

Era keeping her feet on the floor,
" Navu...." called him with love....

Navu - " ha Maa...
Main yahi hu....
Aur aapse naraz hu main...." he said making a disappointed face, sitting beside her....

Era trying to caress his hairs,
" Kya hua beta.... "

Moving away from her,
Navu - " aap Raj se aise waade lene ke bareein mein soch kaise sakte he???

Woh mera Veeru he maa...
Mera dost, mera bhaii...."

Hearing this, Era's emotions hit with a wave of anger, and
" yeh math bhoolo Navu ki usiki wajah se tu...."

Navu - " is zaalim duniya se aazad hua...chain se aakhri saas le paaya....

Warna gaddar hone ke saath main gaddaronke haathon Marne ka ilzaam bhi apne rooh ke saath le jaata....."

Era - " yeh kyaa keh raha he tu Navu???...." she asked with angry looks....

Navu - " wahi joh aap nii samajhna chahti he Maa....
Kyaa apne nii dekha woh pyaar...woh Kashish Raj ke aankhonmein he Gudiya ke liye????....."

Shutting her ears tightly,
Era - " nii dekhna mujhe...
Nii sunna mujhe...."

She shouted scaring the walls....

Navu - " aap apne aankhonse use dekhne ke liye inkaar Kar sakti he Maa...

lekin apne Dil se mehsoos karne se kabhi apne aap ko nii rok payenge aap....

Main jaanta hu aapko...
Main jaanta hu aapko..." saying this his watery existence near her erased with a blow of a cool breeze.....

Era seeing here and there,
" Na....."
She tried to call him, but heard again a call of another piece of her soul....

Naina - " maa...."

She was standing at the door wearing a simple cinnamon wood colored kurti... looking simple yet beautiful..... with a glow on the face.....may be due to the effect of love of someone....

Era composing herself,
" Avooo Naina...."
She extended her hand, hiding Naveen's pic.....
and Naina directly slept on her lap, hugging her tight....not looking into her eyes......

Era seeing her low, moved her fingers in her hairs,
" Kyaa hua, Naina...."

Naina - " kuch nii maa...." saying this she tightens her hold.....

Era patting her head,
" Beta... Agar kuch baath he toh dil mein toh use...."

Naina - " Bhai ki yaad aarahi he...."
She uttered choking in between.... wetting her saree's pallu.....

Era seeing the mirror where the shade of Naveen is still shining,
" Navu...."
She too started to cry along with Naina.... instead of consoling her....

They both wailed together holding one another..... remembering the moments they spent with Naveen....
He was the Piller who held every emotions and relations of their in one hand....one heart...

After few minutes,
Remembering some sweet memories,
Naina - " Maa....agar Bhai hote toh kitna achcha lagta na....

Woh kehte ki Meri Chuhiya ke ankh mein namkeen paani nii...."

Era - " nautanki se bhari glycerin achchi lagti he ..." saying this they now laughed together, again remembering the ' Sun ' of their universe with whom their each revolution of heart beats mattered....

Continuing,
Era - " aur kitna jalti thi tu Navu ko leke ki main tumse zyada use laad karti hu....Aur tumhara baba bhi same dialogue marte poore Khandan ko sir pe lete the...."

Naina curling up her legs, keeping her head on Era's shoulder,
" lekin such yahi he na ki aap aaj bhi mujhse zyada Bhai se pyaar karte he..." she pouted cutely earning a smack on head.....

Era - " Pagal...."

Naina - " aauchh.... Maa..." then acting to shed fake tears,
" Mujhse koyi nii pyaar karta...
Subko Bhai ki hi padhi he...
Aap jab dekho tab Navu Navu karke Bhai ke naam ka jap karti he...." said dragging the Naveen's pic hidden behind the pillow,

"Aur waha Rajveer sir Naveen Bhai ke naam pe jaan dene ko bhi tayyar the...

Meri fikhar toh kisiko nii he..."

Era went cold with the mention of Rajveer's name...and kept quiet leaving the Rajveer's Naina to talk without any break....

Naina - " ab aap aise kyu dekh rahi ho???...
Jaanti hu ki aap Rajveer sir ko pasand nii karte...lekin aap jaisa soch rahi he waise nii he Maa..."

Moving close to her and side hugging,
" Woh aaj bhi rote he, aapi ki tarah...subse chupa Kar....
Bhaii ko yaad karte he har pal....har ghadhi.....yaa woh khushi ki ho yaa gum ke..." then looking into her eyes,

" Aapko pata he Maa...
Jab Bhai hote the na...mujhe kisi baath ka fikar nii hoti Thi...
Kuch bhi ho yeh sochti thi ki Bhai sambhalenge...
Koyi bhi toofan mere saamne khade hojaaye, toh Bhaii use mujhtak kabhi pahunchne nii dete the...
Woh Superman the....mere zindagi ke......

Bhaii ke.....jaane ....ke baad u laga jaise main akeli hogayi is duniya se ladhne ki Jung mein...
Koyi nii raha mere saath haath thamke manzil tak saath chalne mein....
Ek dum andhere mein mujhe ghut ghut ke jeene ko chodke, Bhaii...."

She stopped not having strength to continue....
But her heart wanted to speak out today....to tell "her world" that her
"Her Rajveer sir" wasn't wrong....

Taking a deep breath, holding Era's palm,
" Jab Rajveer sir mere zindagi mein aaye aisa laga ki koyi mere jaisa he joh tadap raha he Bhai ke naam ke liye....
Unke astitva ko suchcha pak saabeet karne ke liye, koyi saanse le raha he mere tarah...." then closing her eyes,

" Maine bhi yakeen nii kiya tha unpe jab mujhe pata Chala ki unhone Bhai ko...." feeling Era's grip getting tight,

" Aazad Kiya Tha....unhone azad kiya Tha Bhai ko un darindonse....
Lekin yeh baath main tab nii samajh paayi aur maine unpe.......

Unpe goli chaladiii...."

Hearing this Era, saw her with questionable eyes....not believing what she said just now....

Did she really shot the one she lo?????
This question twirled in a high speed.....making her dizzy.....

Naina - " unhone ek uff Tak nikali mujhpe....uske liye...

Unke Jaan lene ki mere koshishon pe...
Aapko pata he unhone kyaa kaha???....

Unhone yeh bola ki woh khud apne aap ko mujhe saump denge Bhai ko Azad karne ki gunah ke liye, mere haathon see saza bhugatne....
Bhaii ke naam ko Azad karne ke baad....

Maa...." cupping her face,

" Maa....woh bhi sookun se nii jirahe he...us pal se jab Bhai unke saamne apne aakhri dum thoda Tha...

Zinda lash banke ghoom rahe the woh....jise Maine samajhne mein bahot wakth barbad kardiya.....

Woh har pal apne aap ko doshi maan kar....apne aap ko saza derahe he....

Aur saza math do unhe....Maa..." saying this she hugged her.... crying bitterly....

Era - " kyaa Rajveer ne tumse kuch kaha is Shaadi ke baarein mein???...."
Asked out of blue.... surprising Naina...

Naina wiping her tears,
" Woh khush he....
Shaadi ki tayyariyaan saari unhone hi toh...."

Cutting her words,
Era - " kyaa tum khush ho???..."

Naina with blank expression,
" Pata nii Maa..." pausing a little, bringing a wide yet Confused smile on face,

" agar Rajveer sir yeh sub karr rahe he toh theekh hoga na mere liye...
Agar nii hota toh kabka rok Diya hota yeh Shaadi ko unhone...
Unke liye mere khushiyaan subse zyada...." stopped seeing Era, stepping down,

" Aap kaha jaarahi he???...."

Era - " kuch kaam he....
Tu yahi reh...main aati hu...." saying this she took something from drawer and went towards the door ...

Naina - " Maa...lekin..."

Era - " Naina...Meri kasam he tujhe...
Tu yaha...is room se bahar ek kadam Tak nii rakhogiii....."

Locking the door behind, she left towards Rajveer's room.....

And her brain started to recall the scenes which happened 2 hours before....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Flashback....

Raj - " Main wada karta hu aapse..." he said, looking into Era's eyes,
" Ki Naina ko humesha khush rakhunga....apne aakhri saas Tak...
Uske saath rehkar...."

Era shockingly tried to take back her hand....hearing his words she didn't ask for.....
but he held it tight...

Raj - " Kyunki aap jaante he main apna wada nii todta...kisi bhi haalat mein...

Maine Naveen se wada kiya he ki uski Gudiya Meri zimmedari he...
Maine Naina se wada Kiya he ki main humesha uske saath rahunga mentor banke...
Aur apne aap se wada Kiya he ki main usper anch Tak aane nii dunga...

Main yeh saare wada nii tod sakta, usase door hoke...

Main aapne aap ko firse ek zinda lash nii bana sakta...apne Jaan se juda hoke...

Aur Naina ke hasi ko bhi nii cheen sakta joh mere wajah se he uske honto mein, uske dil.mein, uske zindagi mein...." saying this he touched her feet....and glared at him with firey eyes, as if burning him alive.....

Rajveer understanding her condition, he bent to touch Shekhar's and
" Apne damad ko aashirwad dijiye...
Aur yakeen kijiye main aapke beti ko duniya ke har mushkilonse akele kabhi nii ladne doonga....
Khush rakhunga use....jab Tak mere is
..." pointing his heart,

" Dil mein.....dhadakne ki himmat hogi....

Isiliye nii ki uske alawa mere is duniya mein koyi nii he....

Isiliye nii ki mere uske alawa koyi apna nii he....

Isiliye kyunki woh Meri Jaan he....
Mere Jahan he...
Mere Jahan, jaha main chain see saans le sakta hu.....
Jise main har pal apne palkon pe bitakar apne saare Zindagi gusaarna chahta hu....."

He said closing his eyes, dropping a hot tear on Shekhar's feet and felt a hand caressing his head...

Shekhar assured him with eyes and asked to move out....

Rajveer - " apna khayal rakhiye..." saying this he joined his hands and left....

Flashback ended....
.
.
.
.
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Era - " aaj main apne ander chal rahe saare sawalonka jawab tumse lekar rahungi....Capt. Rajveer Singh Shekhawat...."

Repeating these lines in mind she increased her speed.....

*****************

Rajveer's Room....

Ali - " Sir....
Aap aur ek baar soch lijiye....
Aur Naina ji ko lekar yaha se chale jaayiye...
Hum sub ...." looking at Shalini and Alekh,

" Yaha sambhalenge...."

He said holding two tickets in hand....

Alekh - " aaj woh suraj dusri jagah se uta kyaa?? ...." murmurred....

Shalini - " Captain, aap ek baar baath kyu nii karte Naina se...
Hum sub jaante he ki...."

Rajveer - " woh mujhse pyaar karti he..."
He completed her words....with a sweet smile....eyes filled with millions of dreams....

Ali - " toh der kis baath ki....
Aap jaayiye aur .."

Rajveer - " tum sub samajh nii rahe ho..." shaking his head,
" Naina ne apne zindagi mein bahot kuch khoya he jiske andaza khudh use Tak nii he...

Aaj Tak Naveen ke baath mein itni uljhi rahi ki use apne feelings Tak ko phehechan ne mein mushkil horahi he...Woh baaki ladkiyonki tarah nii he....

Meri Naina.... phool ki tarah he ....
Jise is duniya ne wakth se phehle hi zabardasti se apne aap ko khilne pe majboor kiya.....

In choti choti baatein, sapne joh har ladki dekhti he....in sub baaton se anjan he woh....

Use khud samajhne mein use parakhne mein....thode aur wakth ki zaroorat he....

Aur woh use milke rahega...
' wakth', joh usne khoya he...."

Saying this he looked around the statued figures glaring and hearing his words with admiring eyes...

Rajveer - " kyaa hua???...
Tum sub???..."

Before he could complete his words, Alekh hopped on him.... hugging him tight...

Alekh - " apun ko humesha se Naina ki chinta rehti thi ki us yedi ko Kon raaste pe laayega...

Lekin aaj apun ka chinta aapke is rapchik bhashan sunke phurrr hogaya...."

Rajveer - " Alekh, tum...."

Again cutting his words Mrs. Ahluwaliya entered his room as usual not knocking the door copying her daughter's style....

Shalini - " Aunty aap...."

Era - " mujhe Capt. Shekhawat se kuch akele mein baatein karne he..." said with determined face....

Ali - " Naina ji bhi..."
He was about to disclose everything to her.... trying to solve the puzzles....

Era - " maine kaha akele mein, baath karni he......"

She gave a look to the trio....and Rajveer asked them to leave in eyes, which they followed without any further arguments....

Rajveer - " kahiye...
Aapko kyaa baath karna he...." said politely, trying to analyze the situation.... bracing himself to the "world war 6....."

************************************

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