It was late in the evening, purvi was exhausted, as she rang the bell to the apartment. Suddenly, dushyant appeared from the lift. He gazed at purvi, amazed, as he looked at his watch for the time.

"kya hua, itna late kaise ho gaya tujhe aaj?" questioned dushyant.

"library mein thi, do hafte ke liye cover-up karna tha..." replied purvi.

Sameer opened the door.

"arre, hum itne dhanya kaise ho gaye, ki aapne ek ghante pehle shakal dekha di aaj..." he remarked, as dushyant rolled his eyes, and got inside.

Purvi followed him, with a light smile on her face, due to her father's comment.

Sameer locked the door and got inside.

"kya baat hai purvi, aaj tumhe bhi saat baj gaye?"asked sameer.

"haan papa woh bahaut saara syllabus tha catch-up karne ke liye..." responded purvi.

"nahi, nahi thik hai, kam se kam tumhe phone toh kiya tha, ki library mein hogi... aur ek yeh mahashay hain." taunted sameer again to dushyant, who was drinking water.

"kavin ke saath tha..." replied dushyant, as he kept the glass of water by the cinq, in the kitchen.

"dushyant, subha utha hoon, tum ghar se gayab hote ho, shaam ko office se aata hoon, tum gayab hote ho, dinner se pehle aur baadmein tum shakal nahi dekhate ho...yeh koi rawaiya hai! kab tak chalta rahega aise." scolded sameer, as dushyant just stayed mum.

"ab kuch bolo bhi!" yelled sameer, as dushyant just went inside his room.

"dushyant! Dushyant!" called sameer twice, to no response.

***

Dushyant locked his room, threw his bag away, and rested his back on the door, as he sat on the floor. He closed his eyes, as he started to remember what happened that day.

Neelu stood reluctantly in the parking lot, as dushyant started his bike.

"mummy baith jao yaar, kuch nahi hoga!" insisted dushyant yet again, as neelu remained unconvinced.

"arre apni budhi maa ko koi khayal nahi hai tumhe, kahin gir gayi toh?" argued neelu.

"kahan se budhi ho gayi tum, 50 saal ki ho! Aur, kyun girogi tum?" questioned dushyant.

"kya matlab, kyun gir jaungi, itni unsafe hoti hai bike! Maine mana kiya tha tumhare papa ko, mat leke do ladke ko bike, dusri gaadi le leti hain, par nahi!" grumbled neelu, as she started to get stressed.

Dushyant, stepped down from the bike, and grabbed his mother's hand.

"mom, look at me." He said with his gaze fixed on his mother.

"main hoon na, kuch nahi hone dunga aapko...trust me." Assured dushyant, as neelu nodded in agreement.

"ab chale?" he asked, as she sat behind the bike, and dushyant drove away.

"sorry mom..." he murmured to himself.

***

Purvi was pressing neelu's legs, as they both were chatting.

"toh woh anuradha madam kabhi bhi, kisiko bhi aisi hi point karke bolti thi can i ask question, aur woh bhi pronounce karti thi, koshan...phir sawaal bhi aisa puchengi ki bass beizaati karengi uski! Toh aaj ek ladke se jab usne kaha yeh, usne keh diya no...." narrated purvi, as they both shared a chuckle.

"aur woh madam blank, puri class unhe dekh rahi thi....ab class mein dobara nahi pucha usne..." stated purvi, as neelu continued to laugh.

"pata nahi yeh log teacher kyun banjate hain, jab inhe bachon se hi nafrat hoti hai..." remarked neelu.

"arre sahi mein, mujhe laga school se thoda toh dhang ka hoga college...par nahi.." responded purvi.

"sahi kiya uss ladke ne...dobara tum logon ko pareshan nahi karegi." Agreed neelu.

"aur tu bata, tera din kaisa raha?" asked purvi.

"arre, kya naya hona mere saath..." remarked neelu.

"kya maa, acha yeh bata woh teri attendant sahi hai na?" questioned purvi.

"ishita, woh toh bahaut achi hai...usne kaha bhi tha ki pehle thodi toe exercises se start karwagi, wahan pe abhi movement haina, phir dheere-dheere aage badhenge..." informed neelu, as a spark came in purvi's eyes.

"sachi? Maine kaha tha na, zaroor theek hogi tu! Aur usko toh khair mujhse zyada hi pata hoga, tu kara kar apni exercise uske saath.." said purvi, as neelu just gazed at her fondly.

Her optimism had this infectious energy,that just couldn't be ignored. It was strong enough to give hope to anyone.

***

Ishita folded the clothes assembled on the mat she was sitting on.

"hmm, aur tereko shaanivar ya ravivaar aane ko nahi kaha na?" asked savita, as she picked the clothes from the wires hanging around in their one studio-sized home.

"nahi, maa...maine aunty ko bata rakha hai mera college hai." Said ishita as she kept the folded clothes aside.

"haan woh toh maine bhaiya ko bata hi diya tha...tankha uss hi hisaab se rakhi hai." Stated savita.

"waise maa, aunty ke saath, hua kya tha? Matlab, unhone bataya toh tha ki accident tha, par..." questioned ishita.

"arre beta, woh toh main bhi nahi jaanti...main toh bartan bhi karne dopeher ko jaati hoon, uss waqt toh koi ghar pe bhi nahi hota. Haan, bas, haadse ke kuch din baad, didi ek dum bistar pe reh gayi, aur purvi jab bhi dekho, unke paas baithi rehti...sabko itna dakha laga tha, maine bhi socha ki abhi kya puchna yeh sab!" recounted savita.

"aur unka beta?" questioned ishita.

"dushyant, usse toh maine pure do hafte kabhi ghar pe nahi dekha! Bhaiya bhi the haadse ke kuch din baad ghar pe, dushyant toh bilkul bhi nahi...." informed savita, as ishita grew perplexed.

"ajeeb nahi hai..." commented ishita, as savita scoffed.

"woh toh pehle do din mujhe bhi laga, par phir maine bhi socha, bhaiya bhi do-teen baad kaam pe chale hi gaye....aadmi log nahi jatate itna, apna dukh ya pareshaani, woh bas apni pehle din se chupa raha hai..." replied savita.

"shayad bhaag raha hai iss sab se..."noted ishita.

"beta, purvi mein na umeed hai, ki uski maa thik ho jaayegi...isiliye usmein taakat hai unki seva karne ki din-raat. Sab logon mein yeh umeed rakhne ki taakat nahi hoti, isiliye kuch log rakhte hi nahi...." explained savita, as ishita wondered if that was the case.

***