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"Mom please listen to me... At least let me explain... Main aap ko baatane hi wala tha sab kuch....."

Sidharth tired to make Rita Maa understand but she was not listening anything. Meanwhile Shehnaaz felt guilty as it was happening because of her.

Rita Maa sat on the sofa and said angrily, "Kya sunu main, haan? Shehnaaz ke baare mein sab kuch baataya lekin yeh baatana zaroori nahi samjha ki woh pehle se shaadi suda hai, yaaha tak ki ek baccha bhi hai iska."

"Mom iss se kya fark padta hai?" Asked Sidharth. "Saalon pehle divorce ho chuka hai unn dono ka. Aur kaha likha hai log divorce ke baad dusri shaadi nahi kar sakte? Mom I thought you are a very open-minded person. Mujhe nahi laga tha ki yeh chhoti moti baatein aap ko affect karegi."

Rita Maa looked at Sidharth being disappointed and said, "Mujhe yeh affect isliye ho raha hai kyu ki tune mujhse yeh baat chhupayi. Accha maine kabhi bhi tujhe kisi bhi chiz mein roka hai? Nahi na? Main sirf itna expect karti thi ki tu sab kuch mere saath share karega. Jis ladki se tu pyaar karta hai uske past ke baare mein itna toh paata hona chahiye na mujhe?"

"Woh Mom...."

Rita Maa showed her hand and said, "Rehne de Sidharth. Kuch mat bol filhaal."

Sidharth looked down. Shehnaaz thought for a while and then went to Rita Maa. She sat beside her on the sofa and hold her hands.

"Aunty aap ne pucha tha na ki Sidharth ki kaunsi quality mujhe sabse zyada acchi lagti hai? Yeh hi ki Sidharth dusro ke baare mein bohut sochta hai, dusro ki feelings bohut acche se samajhta hai. Uski yeh quality mujhe 11 saal pehle hi dikh gayi thi, jab hum pehli baar mile the."

Saying that, she looked at Sidharth who gave slight smile looking at her.

Shehnaaz again turned to Rita Maa and said, "Sidharth ne aap se yeh baat isliye chhupayi kyu ki woh nahi chahta tha aap upset ho jaao. Woh jaanta hai aap ke dil mein uski shaadi ko le kar kitne armaan hai. Inn sab ke bich meri pehli shaadi, bacche yeh saari baatein baata ke aap ko dukh nahi pohuchana chahta tha. Usne socha pehle aap mujhse mil lo phir hum dheere dheere aap ko sab baata denge. Isliye aap Sidharth se naraz mat rahiye. Usne aap ke baare mein soch ke hi yeh baatein aap se chhupayi. Agar sab kuch jaan ne ke baad main aap ko accepted nahi hoon then it's fine. Hum yeh rishta khatam kar denge lekin...."

Before she could complete, Rita Maa asked, "Hogaya tera? Ab iski tarafdari karna aur mahan ban na band hogaya ho toh main kuch bolu?"

She took out a bangle from her bag and said while making Shehnaaz wear it, "Aage se agar yeh mujhse kuch bhi chhupane ki koshish kare toh sabse pehle tu mujhe aake baata na. Acche se khabar lungi main iski. Aur haan, pehle se warn kar rahi hoon, mera Beta bohut nalayak hai, iske saath rehna asan baat nahi. Zyada tang kare tujhe toh laga dena do chaar.... Bas iska saath kabhi mat chhor na."

Both Sidharth and Shehnaaz became speechless hearing this. Somewhere they felt bad for lying to her.

"Par Aunty yeh main kaise le sakti hoon?" Asked Shehnaaz looking at the bangle.

Rita Maa smiled and said, "Shagun hai Beta, rakh le. Aur aage se mujhe Mom keh ke bulana."

Shehnaaz became emotional hearing that.

"Love you Mom!" She said and side-hugged Rita Maa.

Then Rita Maa looked at Sidharth and asked, "Tu waha kyu khada hai? Idhar aa jaa."

Sidharth smiled and went to her and hugged her from the other side.

At night...

Rita Maa was leaving from there holding her suitcase.

"Mom itni kya zaldi hai jaane ki? Thode din ruk jaao na please." Said Sidharth making puppy eyes.

"Sidharth tujhe paata hai na mujhe yaaha zyada din rukna pasand nahi? 1 din ke liye aayi, mil liya, itna hi kaafi hai. Next time tab hi aaungi jab tum dono shaadi ki khabar doge." Said Rita Maa.

Sidharth and Shehnaaz looked at each other and smiled forcefully.

"Chalo main chalti hoon. Khayal rakhna tum dono apna." She said further.

"Main aap ko airport tak chhor deta hoon." Said Sidharth.

"Teri Mom buddhi nahi hui hai abhi tak. Jaise akeli aayi hoon, waise jaa bhi sakti hoon." Said Rita Maa to which both Sidharth and Shehnaaz chuckled.

Then Rita Maa bid them goodbye and left from there. After she left, Sidharth closed the door.

"Iske baad kya?" Asked Shehnaaz suddenly.

"Matlab?" Asked Sidharth.

Shehnaaz sighed and said while removing her bangle, "Mom.... I mean Aunty humari shaadi ka wait kar rahi hai. Ab unhe kaise baataoge ki jaisa woh soch rahi hai waisa kuch nahi hone wala? Koi shaadi nahi kar rahe hai hum log."

Sidharth thought for a while and said, "Abhi jaisa chal raha hai chalne do. Kuch din baad keh dunga ki humara break-up ho chuka hai."

"Aur woh jo emotionally connect ho chuki hai, uska kya?"

Sidharth had no reply.

"I think you are right." He said after sometime. "Mujhe bhi accha nahi lag raha unse jhut bol ke."

"Toh phir ek kaam karo. Apne jhut ko sach mein badal do." Said Shehnaaz.

"What? Seriously? Tum chahti ho ki hum dono sach mein shaadi kar le?" Asked Sidharth with disbelief.

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes and said, "Main humari baat nahi kar rahi hoon stupid. Tumhari Mom bas tumhe settled dekhna chahti hai. Aur iss mein galat hi kya hai? You are already 35. Main toh kehti hoon apne liye ek acchi si ladki dhund lo aur shaadi kar lo."

"Mujhe shaadi nahi karni." Said Sidharth sadly.

"Matlab tum zindagi mein kabhi shaadi nahi karoge?" Asked Shehnaaz to which Sidharth nodded in no.

"Thik hai toh phir sach mein kisi ko girlfriend bana lo aur usse apni Mom se introduce karwa do. Waise bhi tumhari liye girlfriend bana na koi badi baat nahi hogi."

"Woh sab purani baatein hai Shehnaaz. Tab main pyaar dhund ta tha aur ab... Pyaar se dur bhagta hoon. Main pichle 8 saal se single hoon. Aur sach kahu toh mujhe apni yeh single life bohut pyaari hai."

Shehnaaz became surprised hearing his words. She remembered that 11 years ago when they first met, he told her that he couldn't remain single for more than a month. And now he was saying this. Shehnaaz was going to ask him the reason but stopped thinking that it could be his personal matter.

After staying silent for few minutes, Shehnaaz said, "Ok I'm going then."

Sidharth looked at her and said, "Bye Shehnaaz and thanks for this help."

Shehnaaz smiled and said, "Mention not....Bye! Good night!"

"Good night....Aur suno..."

Shehnaaz was leaving but stopped suddenly hearing that and looked at Sidharth.

"Pa...Param ne tumhe call kyu kiya tha?" He asked hesitantly.

Shehnaaz's face turned pale hearing that. She didn't say anything and left from there.

"Arrey.... Shit! Nahi puchna chahiye tha sayad." Thought Sidharth and sighed.

He sat on the sofa and started working on his new game. Two hours passed like this.

Before sleeping, he cleaned the living area. Suddenly his eyes fell on the bangle which Shehnaaz kept at the table.

Sidharth took the bangle and thought, "Isse toh Shehnaaz yaheen pe bhul gayi. Kaal subah jaa ke wapas karu? Waise abhi bhi zyada raat nahi hui hai. Sirf 12 hi baje hai. Jaa ke wapas kar deta hoon."

He went to Shehnaaz's door and pressed the doorbell. But no response came.

"So gayi hai kya?" He asked himself and again pressed the doorbell. But she didn't come.

"Lagta hai bohut gehri neend mein hai. Kaal subah hi aajaunga."

Thinking that, he was about to leave but then stopped. Something was not feeling right. He again went to her door and started pressing the doorbell again and again.

Hearing the sound of the doorbell, some residents of the apartment woke up and gathered there. He explained them the matter and they also started knocking at the door.

"There must be something wrong. I think we should break the door." Suggested one of them.

"Yes, let's do it." Said Sidharth.

Soon they broke into her apartment and saw her lying on the floor being senseless. There were some pills in her hand and floor.

"Shehnaaz!" Screamed Sidharth and went to her. He saw pills and understood that those were sleeping pills.

"Somebody call the ambulance please." Said Sidharth while panicking.

One of them called the ambulance. Then Sidharth carried Shehnaaz in a bridal style and took her to the ambulance.

In the morning...

Shehnaaz slowly opened her eyes and found herself in the hospital bed. She looked beside and saw Sidharth looking at her with a smile.

"Kya... Hua... Mujhe?" She asked.

"Kuch bhi toh nahi. Bas kaal raat candy samajh ke bhar bhar ke sleeping pills thus liye tumne aur phir tum seedha hospital mein aa ke land hui. Agar main superhero ki tarah tumhe thik time pe aa ke nahi bachata toh abhi tak tum heaven ki ticket kat chuki hoti." He replied.

"What?"

"Hell bhi ho sakta hai waise."

Shehnaaz sighed and tried to sit up.

"Aram se." Said Sidharth and made her sit slowly.

"Kaal raat sleeping pills lene ke baad bhi mujhe neend nahi aa rahi thi. Phir mujhe anxiety hone lagi aur maine eksaath bohut saare pills le liye. Iss hi wajah se sayad overdose hogaya." Said Shehnaaz.

"Hairani ki baat yeh hai ki tumhe anxiety issues hai, tum sleeping pills ke bina so nahi sakti.... I mean.... Who are you yaar? Kyu ki tum woh ladki toh ho hi nahi sakti jis se main 11 saal pehle mila tha. Jo bilkool mast thi, jise kisi baat ki fikar nahi thi, koi saath nahi bhi ho tab bhi akele enjoy karna jaanti thi, jiske saath meri vibe match hoti thi. Just look at yourself Shehnaaz, that girl is lost. Abhi mere saamne har waqt chikchik karne wali, humesha tensed rehne wali aur sleeping pills le ke sone wali ek aurat hai. Tum itni badal kaise gayi Shehnaaz?"

Shehnaaz looked at the celling blankly and said, "Haan, main badal gayi hoon Sidharth. Aur waqt ke saath saath har koi badal jaata hai. Kya tum nahi badle? 11 saal pehle jis ladke ko 1 mahine se zyada single rehna manjoor nahi tha, woh pure 8 saal se single hai. Kyu? Kyu ki tum badal gaye ho. Aur ab agar main tumse puchu ki tum kaise badal gaye, kya tum jawab de paaoge?"

Sidharth didn't say anything.

Shehnaaz chuckled and said, "I knew it. Tum nahi de paaoge jawab. Hum sabki zindagi mein kuch aise kisse hote hai jinhe hum har kisi ke saath share nahi kar sakte, rather hum share karna nahi chahte. Kyu ki unn kisson ko daudhane se humein sirf dard milta hai. Aur....."

"Kavya!" Uttered Sidharth suddenly making Shehnaaz stop. "Meri zindagi ka woh dardnak kissa."

Shehnaaz looked at him and started listening carefully.

"Uss raat tumse milne ke kuch din baad hi main Kavya se mila. Uss se pehle mujhe kabhi kisi se pyaar nahi hua. Par uski baat alag thi. Mujhe zald samajh aa gaya ki uske saath main apni puri zindagi bita sakta hoon. She was perfect for me. Main na bohut khush tha yeh soch ke ki mujhe bhi meri happy ending mil gayi. 3 saal tak humne date kiya aur phir shaadi karne ka faisla liya. Humari engagement bhi ho chuki thi. But just few days before our wedding, I got to know that Kavya is cheating on me. Woh kisi aur se pyaar karti hai par mujhse kabhi keh nahi paayi. I felt like a loser. Usne toh shaadi kar liyi par main bohut dino tak sochta raha akhir kya kami reh gayi hogi mere pyaar mein jis wajah se woh mujhe chhor ke kisi aur ke paas chali gayi. You know humare bich koi bhi problem nahi thi, pyaar tha, understanding thi, then why did this happen? Nahi mila jawab. Phir job ki wajah se yaaha US mein aaya, try kiya ki move on kar saku, ek do ladkiyon se mila but soon I realised that.... I can never move on from Kavya. Phir dheere dheere apne iss loneliness se hi pyaar hogaya mujhe. Mom force karti hai shaadi ke liye but mujhe bohut darr lagta hai, without love shaadi kar ke kisi aur ko hurt karne se bhi aur phir se dil laga ke khud hurt hone se bhi. Toh bas, yeh hi hai meri story."

Sidharth paused after saying this. Shehnaaz noticed tears in his eyes and felt bad.

"Ab tum sunao.... Apni zindagi ka woh dardnak kissa." He said further.

Shehnaaz took a deep breath and said, "Shaadi ke baad Param aur meri life mein sab kuch bohut accha chal raha tha. Shaadi ke baad maine usse acche se jaana aur uss se pyaar hone mein mujhe zyada time bhi nahi laga. Woh loving tha, caring tha aur mere career ko le ke bohut supportive bhi tha. Aur phir humari life mein ek naya phase aaya.... My pregnancy phase. It was an unplanned pregnancy. Mujhe ekdam se samajh nahi aaya ki mujhe karna kya chahiye. I was not ready to become a mother. Upar se uss waqt space travel mission ke liye mujhe chuna gaya tha. Maine Param se iss baare mein baat kiyi and he forced to keep the Baby. So I cancelled my space travel mission. Humare gharwale India mein rehte the isliye pregnancy ke time main bohut akeli padh gayi thi. Akele rehte rehte depression bhi badhne laga. Param se baat kiyi toh usne kaha Baccha hone ke baad sab kuch thik ho jayega. Par aisa nahi hua. Shaurya ke aane ke baad bhi main zyada time depressed rehne lagi, chhoti chhoti chizein bhulne lagi, bin wajah gussa karne lagi. Phir ek din paata nahi kya soch ke main Param aur Shaurya ko akela chhor ke India wapas chali aayi aur Param ko divorce papers bhej diye. Param ne bhi unn papers pe sign kar diya, ek baar bhi mujhse baat karne ki koshish nahi kiyi. Phir Mummy Papa ke kehne pe maine therapy lena start kiya. Jab uss depression se bahar nikli, Param aur apne Shaurya ke paas wapas lautne ki koshish kiyi, tab tak bohut der ho chuki thi. Param ne dusri shaadi kar liyi thi, woh khush tha apni wife ke saath. Maine bohut maafi maangi par usne accept nahi kiya. Shaurya se bhi mujhe dur kar diya. Mujhe uski custody nahi mili. Waise bhi jo Maa apne hi bacche ko chhor ke bhag jaaye, usse bacche ki custody kaise milti? Tab se main akele hi jee rahi hoon. 8 saal hogaye, maine apne Bete ko nahi dekha. Bas kabhi kabhi Param phone pe baat karwa deta hai, that's it......"

Shehnaaz paused for a while and said, "Yeh sab sun ke sayad tum bhi yeh hi kahoge ki main ek acchi Maa nahi hoon, mujhe apne karmo ki saza mili, hai na?"

Sidharth nodded in no and said, "Maana tumne galti kiyi thi par iska yeh matlab nahi ki tum uss wajah se puri zindagi suffer karo. Aur dekha jaaye toh galti iss mein Param ki bhi thi. Jab tumhe uske support ki sabse zyada zaroorat thi, woh nahi tha tumhare saath. Usne dusri shaadi kiyi, woh khush hai, aur idhar tum aaj tak sleeping pills le rahi ho. Shehnaaz, you need to focus on yourself. Tumhe apne past ko bhul ke move on karna hoga, uss purani Shehnaaz ko wapas laana hoga. Because you also deserve to be happy."

"Jab itne saalon mein move on nahi kar paayi, ab kaise karu? Nahi hoga mujhse." Said Shehnaaz sadly.

"Move on toh main bhi nahi kar paaya. Par agar hum dono saath rahe toh sayad hum dono hi move on kar jaaye."

Saying that, Sidharth kept his hand Shehnaaz's hands and said, "Aaj se main tumhare saath hoon. Tumhare andar se woh pehli wali Shehnaaz ko bahar nikalne mein main tumhari help karunga. Badle main tum meri help kar dena...."

"Pehle wale Sidharth ko dhund ne mein?" Asked Shehnaaz smiling.

"Nahi. Pehle wale hot, handsome and charming Sidharth ko dhund ne mein." Said Sidharth with attitude to which Shehnaaz nodded her head in disbelief.

Then they both chuckled together.
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