THE HOMECOMING

Monday dawned with a welcoming golden sun. In a tastefully furnished apartment in Gurgaon, Siya got up and attended to her daily chores. After dropping her young son to the school, she set off for her office.

The early morning air was crisp and breezy and she was glad she had opted for a long-sleeved turtle neck sweater under her jacket. When she reached her office, it was abuzz with he talks of the ‘new boss’ who was arriving today. Avoiding the gossip, Siya went directly to her cabin and asked for some fresh coffee as she dug into her laptop.

 Even in her mid-thirties, Siya looked no older than a college girl. There were plenty of men who had a special smile for the slim, tall and fair woman with her thick head of lustrous brown hair, her dark intense eyes and sharp brains.

But Siya mostly kept to herself and never allowed anyone to come too close to her. There were rumors among her colleagues that she was a divorcee, and many of her male colleagues considered that a jackpot.

The ‘new boss’ had arrived and they were all in the reception area holding bouquets for his welcome.

Siya recognized Aditya almost immediately. The shock of seeing him here, after so many years,  that too as her boss was so great, almost physical, that she almost fell back. Somehow she managed to mingle with the crowd and avoided direct contact with him.

At lunch, Siya gave in an application for half-days’ leave. Instead of going home, she walked to the nearby central park. She sat down on the green grass, basking in the warm rays of the sun hoping to find some relief, but she found only profound sadness in observing the beautiful flowers, young couples holding hands, and children running about.

As she walked towards her son’s school, she found herself wishing the fruitless “if-onlys”.

If only she hadn’t married Raj!

If only she and Adi had got married!

If only…..

But as she reached Manav’s school and saw the joy on his face on unexpectedly seeing his mother, she at once repented her negative thoughts.

If I hadn’t married Vishal, she thought, I would never have had Manav. He’s the only good thing I got out of that marriage.

Next day at the office, Siya was called in by Adi to discuss the new project. Adi hadn’t changed. He still retained his boyish looks and that easy, laidback charm that attracted people to him. Although taken aback, Adi managed a smile. “How are you, Ms.Sharma?”, he asked and she noticed how heavy his voice was. It was the first time he had called her like that, she noticed sadly.  

“I’m good, Mr.Aditya Kumar”, she replied in an icy tone.

It’s the first time she has called me that, thought Aditya sadly. I was always Adi for her. She must be calling her husband by some nick-name now.

Later when Siya walked out of his room, Adiya noted with a tinge of nostalgia that Siya hadn’t changed a bit. She was still intelligent and articulate and lovely-looking, but the sadness in her eyes had not escaped him. “I wonder why”, he thought.

The days went by. Try as she might, Siya could not avoid Adi as he was her project head. Though she tried to appear calm and composed, facing Adi everyday was no less than an ordeal for her. After coming out of his room, she would rush to her cabin breathless and with a beating heart.

One moment she hated Adi for having left her alone, but the next moment she remembered that it was their joint decision to separate and not Adi’s fault that they had to part. Then again, she blamed Adi for the…the mess that had become of her life.

Her frustration showed in her behavior towards Adi, and most of the staff just could not fathom why Siya was so rude and unpleasant to the boss with such a friendly, open manner and warm, charming personality.

That day Siya had been especially rude to him at work. She had argued unnecessarily with him over some trivial issue and walked out of the meeting.

At night while lying in her bed next to Manav, she felt spent and exhausted. She felt that she couldn’t fight with her destiny anymore.

Tired as she was, sleep just wouldn’t come to her she remembered the years spent with Adi. They had met in Australia, where she had gone for a project, and had hit it off immediately. In the course of a few weeks, they had become the best of friends. In the two years that followed, they were inseparable.

“We shared some good times together”, she thought. “He was always fun. We enjoyed the same things, and we loved each other so. Oh, why did I let him go?”

Their parents had met and approved of the match. Everything was just perfect. And then….

Siya remembered that fateful day vividly. Adi’s uncle had arrived from their ancestral village and had insisted on a horoscope match. ”It’s a mere formality”, Adi’s mother had assured her,”We can’t ignore uncle’s request”.

 And then it had started- The forecast of the astrologer, the ominous warning that their marriage would endanger Adi’s life.

Their first reaction had been to laugh it off. But the seed of doubt had been sown. Adi’s mother had consulted several other astrologers and the result was the same- that Siya would spell death for Adi!

Adi was livid, and would not listen to his parents, who begged him to reconsider his decision.”I don’t believe in this hocus-pocus”, he told them with an air of finality, “it’s my life and I’ll decide what to do with it. I don’t want to share it with anyone other than Siya”

“I don’t want to share it with anyone other than Siya”- the words still rang in her ears as she lay reminiscing.

Soon after, they had got engaged. The trouble started when Adi got badly injured in a major accident the next day. He was kept in ICU for ten days. That was the time, when she saw Adi dangling between life and death, that she finally made The Decision! The decision which changed the course of her life.

Adi begged and pleaded with her, but Siya was steadfast. No, she could not endanger Adi’s life. She would sacrifice her love for his life.

She moved away to the States to be as far away from Adi as possible. But she could never run away from his thoughts….

“I’m still running”, thought Siya with a sigh, and remembered how Raj had entered her life.

Working in the US, trying unsuccessfully to run away from her past, Siya was an emotional wreck. It was around this time that the handsome, suave Raj, her co-worker; fell head over heels in love with her. The fact that Siya was aloof to him and did not heed his advances made him pursue her even more. She was like a prize to him, and he, like an adamant child was used to getting what he wanted. Sometimes Siya felt herself weakening and succumbing to his charm, but she knew there was no love left in her to give to Raj.

The day siya heard about Adi’s engagement from her mother was the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. Siya went mad with rage and jealousy. How could have Adi forgotten her just like that?

It was with these feelings in heart that she said ‘yes’ to Raj’s proposal of marriage.

It was not long after that Siya realized the full repercussions of the blunder she had committed. Her marriage to Raj was a Big Mistake. Subconsciously, she kept comparing him to Adi and got disillusioned every time. As for Raj, his interest in Siya started waning almost as soon as they got married. He had got his precious prize. After one year, Siya decided that she could not live this pseudo-life anymore. It was no good pretending to herself to be in love with Raj when she wasn’t. But fate had other things in store for her. A visit to the gynecologist confirmed her worst fears. She was pregnant with Manav. Siya decided to give another chance to her marriage for the sake of her unborn child. “I owe you this much”, she thought, patting her stomach.

Raj was a Casanova at heart. Even the child could not bind him at home. He partied hard every night and came home in the wee hours of the morning. The day finally arrived when Raj did not come home at all. He had gone away to live with someone else. In a sense, Siya was relieved. Manav was all that mattered in her life now. Her roots beckoned her. She left for India to start a new life with Manav.

 But the past had slowly crept up, and had finally come face to face with her in the form of Adi. Where could she run away now?

It was the day of the final submission of the project and she had worked late. She looked at her watch and started. It was really late; she had not realized the time.

As she rose to go, she bumped into Adi at the doorway. Poising herself, she said good night to Adi. “Come on, I’m going to drop you home”, he said, leading the way. ”No use refusing, Siya, no way am I going to let you go home alone at this unearthly hour”, he said as she opened her mouth to protest. They drove home in silence, which was somehow more comforting than words. ”Won’t you come inside”, she asked him, a mere formality. To her surprise, Adi readily agreed and followed her to the lift.

Inside, Manav was still up and waiting for her with their trusted maid, Savitri.

“I’ll just go and put Manav to sleep”, she said to Adi, as Adi sat down on the couch.

 Once alone, Aditya looked around the room. It was a room very typical of it’s owner. It was large, tidy and artistically decorated. It had big, comfortable sofas you could sink into. There was a vase of fresh flowers in one corner.  There were some good paintings on the walls, but his attention was caught by the family portraits. He smiled, recognizing Siya’s childhood picture. He also recognized her parents. They had loved him so much, he remembered with a pang. Next came a whole lot of photos of Manav- newborn Manav, Manav with Siya, Manav going to school… But no picture of Manav’s father?

“Isn’t Manav’s father at home?”, he asked the maid as she served him coffee. “Oh no, sir”, said Savitri,” Madam has been living here alone for the past five years”

It was as if a heavy blow had fallen on Aditya. Siya- a single mother! But why? How?

It was in that agitated state of mind that Siya found Aditya staring at the stars in the terrace. “So you know now”, she said quietly. “Yes, but why didn’t you tell me Siya?

“What use would have it been Adi? The past is over and done with. It can’t come back.”

“I’ll make it come back”, said Aditya.

“But Adi, you can’t do this- your wife, children….”

“What are you talking about Siya? I’m not married!”

“But", Siya stammered, “what about Jyoti?”

“Yes, I had got engaged to Jyoti under my parents’ pressure, but I called off the engagement a week later. I realized I would not be able to do justice to that relationship.”

“Oh Adi, I wish I too had realized that in time, then I would not have made such a big mistake”, whispered Siya with tears in her eyes.

“You have more than paid for your mistake Siya, I am to blame for what happened. I should never have let you go”, said Adi holding her tight as if he would never let her go away again.

मार्निंग वाक (Short Story)

रति ने गुनगुनाते हुए चाय का पानी चढ़ाया और अख़बार लेकर बालकनी में आकाश का इंतज़ार करने लगी. "चलो, देर आये, दुरुस्त आये. सालों से कहते कहते अब जाकर आकाश ने 'मार्निंग वाक' शुरू कर ही दी! 

आकाश की उम्र के साथ साथ बढती तोंद  उसके लिए चिंता का विषय थी.कई बार मार्निंग वाक की यह प्रथा आकाश शुरू करके तोड़ चुके थे, पर इस बार लगता है, इरादा पक्का है. शायद इनके इरादे से ज्यादा फॅमिली डॉक्टर की डांट का असर है, जो आकाश के बारबार ऊपर नीचे होते रक्तचाप और शुगर को लेकर हिदायते देते देते थक गए और आकाश चिकने घड़े बने रहे.

बस, फिर क्या था! इस बार जब आकाश अपनी बढ़ी हुई शुगर दिखने पंहुचे तो पिता सामान बुज़ुर्ग डॉक्टर ने सीधा आकाश के कान उमेठते हुए उनसे मार्निंग वाक नियमित रूप से करने का वादा ले लिया. उस समय आकाश के चेहरे पर बच्चों सी मासूमियत देखने लायक थी. और यूं भी तो आकाश का सहज-सरल स्वाभाव बच्चों सा ही तो है, सोचकर मुस्कुरा उठी रति. खैर, जनाब ने खुद पर ध्यान देना शुरू तो किया,  रति ने चैन की साँस ली.

पंद्रह दिन बीत चुके हैं और आज वही रति थी और वही  बालकनी , परन्तु मन में ख़ुशी की जगह चिंता थी.आकाश तो जैसे मार्निंग वाक में रम ही गए थे! जाते हैं तो वापस आने का नाम ही नहीं लेते हैं. शुरुआत तो पंद्रह मिनट से की थी, पर अब ये हाल था की डेढ़-डेढ़ घंटे तक आने का नाम नहीं! पूछो तो टाल जाते हैं, कहीं कोई चक्कर-वक्कर तो नहीं? यह सोचकर रति को ही चक्कर आने लगे.

पार्क में एक से एक खूबसूरत लड़कियां छोटे-छोटे कपडे पहनकर घूमती हैं. कहीं वही तो नहीं हैं आकाश की इस लम्बी-चौड़ी मार्निंग वाक का कारण? पर शायद गलती इसमें कहीं न कहीं मेरी ही है, एक टीस सी उसके मन में उठी!

आज अगर हमारे बच्चे होते तो शायद इधर-उधर भटकने की जगह आकाश अपने बच्चों के साथ खेल रहे होते!

तीन दिन इसी उधेड़-बुन में बीत गए. रति की आशंकाएं अब शक में बदलने लगीं. आज तो जैसे उसका सब्र जवाब दे चुका था! रात में भी बार-बार उसकी नींद उचटती रही. शादी के इतने वर्षों में आकाश का जो व्यवहार रहा, उसे याद करके किसी भी शक-ओ-शुबह की दूर दूर तक गुंजाईश नहीं थी. आकाश ने हमेशा उसे इतना प्यार दिया है की रति को तो जैसे याद ही नहीं रहा कि वह माँ नहीं बन सकती. लेकिन अब मन में उठती आशंकाओं से उसका विश्वास डामाडोल हो रहा है.

पहले दस-पंद्रह मिनट के लिए शुरू की हुई वाक दिन-ब-दिन बढती ही गयी. रति अपने पति पर शक नहीं करना चाहती, पर अचानक  आकाश के स्वाभाव में जो बदलाव आ रहा है, उसे भी तो अनदेखा नहीं किया जा सकता! पहले तो उन्हें ठेलकर वाक में भेजना पड़ता था,मगर अब तो इन्हें जैसे रात भर रात के ढलने का इंतज़ार रहता है. और तो और वाक से वापस आने के बाद उनके चेहरे पर जो खुशी से भरी चमक होती है, वह जो बात-बात पर गुनगुनाने लगते हैं, क्या है ये सब?


तो क्या अब आकाश किसी और को....बस, इस से आगे वह सोच नहीं पाई. रात बहर वह करवटें बदलती रही.पता नहीं कब आँख लग गयी थी. जब आँख खुली तो झटपट उठकर देखा, आकाश वाक पर निकलने की तैयारी में थे. मन ही मन रति ने कुछ तय कर लिया. वह झट से वापस लेटकर आँखें मूंदे सोने का नाटक करती रही. रति आकाश के निकलते ही उसके पीछे हो ली.यह देखकर उसे बेहद आश्चर्य हुआ कि आकाश पार्क में न जा कर बाज़ार की ओर निकल गए.


'ओह, तो यहाँ मिलती है वह', सोचकर रति का खून खौल उठा.' आज देख लूंगी'. आकाश आगे जाकर एक दुकान पर रुका और कुछ सामान खरीदने लगा. 'तो चुड़ैल के लिए शौपिंग भी की जा रही है', रति का दिमाग पूरी तरह भन्ना चुका था.
आकाश आगे चल दिया. काले लिफाफे के अन्दर क्या सामान था, यह रति को दिख नहीं रहा था. करीब पंद्रह मिनट तक चलने के बाद आकाश कल्यानपुरी की झुग्गी-बस्ती पंहुच गए.यहाँ निचले तबके के लोग रहते थे. अब रति को समझ में नहीं आ रहा था की वह क्या सोचे और क्या समझे! झुग्गी-झोंपड़ियों के बीच आकाश का पीछा करते-करते वह बस्ती के बीचों-बीच पंहुच गयी.


'अंकल-अंकल' चिल्लाते हुए करीब दर्जन भर बच्चे आकाश की ओर लपके. आकाश मुस्कुराते हुए उन्हें काले लिफाफे से निकाल-निकाल कर टॉफी, ब्रेड व् बिस्कुट बाँट रहा था. 
बच्चों को ख़ुशी-खुशी खाते हुए देख रति ने आकाश की आँखों में एक अजीब सी चमक देखी. उसे याद आया, कितनी ही बार आकाश ने उसे बच्चा गोद लेने की ज़िद की थी और हर बार उसने उनकी बात मानने से साफ़  इनकार कर दिया था. रति की आँखें शर्म से झुक गयीं. वह चुपचाप घर की तरफ चल दी.

इस घटना को दस दिन बीत चुके हैं. रति गुनगुनाते हुए किचन में दूध गरम कर रही है. अन्दर आकाश अपनी प्यारी सी बेटी से खेल रहे हैं. 'लीजिये, दूध पिला दीजिये अपनी लाडली को', कहते हुए रति ने आकाश को दूध की बोतल पकड़ा दी, जो गोद में खेल रही बच्ची के साथ बच्चे बने हुए थे.

सचमुच, इस गुड़िया की ही तो कमी थी उनकी ज़िन्दगी में, और इस नन्ही गुड़िया को इंतज़ार था अपने माता-पिता का. एक बच्चे को गोद लेने से अब उनका परिवार पूरा हो गया है. 

'बस, एक परेशानी रह गयी', रति सोचकर मुस्कुरा उठी. अब उसे फिर से आकाश को 'मार्निंग  वाक' के लिए रोज़ खदेड़ना पड़ता है!

ओहदा (Short Story)

आरती की थाल नीचे रखते हुए भैरवी ने सामने टंगी घड़ी पर नज़र डाली. उफ़! आज फिर १२:३० बज गए. जल्दी से बालों  में कंघी फेर और दुपट्टा ओढ़े वह घर से बाहर निकली. सीढ़ी से नीचे उतरी तो याद आया की चप्पल बदलना तो भूल ही गयी. अब वापस जाने में देर हो जाएगी. तेज़ कदम बढ़ाते हुए वह बच्चों के स्कूल की तरफ बढ़ने लगी."क्या ज़िन्दगी है- सुबह ५:३० बजे से रात ११:३० बजे तक चकरघिन्नी की तरह घूमती रहती हूँ ", सोचने लगी भैरवी. सुबह चाय बनाकर अभि को जगाना,उनके टिफिन के लिए खाना बनाना, बच्चों को उठाकर नहलाना, तैयार करना और स्कूल छोड़ने जाना! अक्सर अभि व बच्चों के जाने के बाद ही वह अपनी सुबह की ठंडी चाय गरम करके पीती थी. उसके बाद घर की सफाई, बर्तन, कपड़े धोना आदि. नहाने तक तो बारह बज ही जाते थे. बच्चों को खाना खिलाने  के बाद  थोड़ी देर सोने का मन करता, पर दोनों बच्चों की पढाई,खेल, लड़ाई, इत्यादि में तो उसकी नींद भी हराम थी. शाम को फिर वही भागमभाग शुरू. कभी-कभी तो उसे ऐसा लगता था कि वह एक ऐसे चक्रव्यूह में फँस गयी है जिससे बाहर निकलने का कोई रास्ता नहीं है!

यही सोचते-सोचते भैरवी स्कूल पहुँच गयी. हर बार की तरह वह आश्चर्यचकित निगाहों से बच्चों की माओं को देखने लगी. एक से एक साड़ी , सलवार-कमीज़ और जींस -टॉप में सब ऐसे खड़ी थीं मानो किसी ब्यूटी कांटेस्ट में हिस्सा लेने आई हों. "इतना समय कैसे मिल जाता है इन्हें? इन सब की भी तो गृहस्थी है, बच्चे  हैं?", सोचने लगी वह. तभी तनु की मम्मी उसके पास आयीं और बातें करने लगी. उनका सुन्दर सा सूट , सैंडल, मैचिंग पर्स  और लहलहाते खुले बाल देखकर भैरवी को अपने पुराने से सूट व बाथरूम स्लीपर का एहसास हुआ. 
"कल से अच्छे कपड़े पहनूंगी ", उसने मन ही मन निश्चय किया. "अगर टाइम मिले तो", दुसरे पल यह ख्याल आते ही उसने एक लम्बी सी आह भरी!


शाम को चार बजे भैरवी अपने लिए चाय का पानी चढ़ा ही रही थी कि दरवाज़े की घंटी सुनकर चोंक उठी. "इस समय कौन आया होगा?", दरवाज़ा खोलकर देखा तो सामने मोहिनी खड़ी थी. उसकी बचपन की सहेली. आज इतने सालों के बाद मिलकर दोनों सहेलियां एक दुसरे के गले से लिपट गयीं. "मोहिनी, तू यहाँ कैसे? दिल्ली कब आई?पहले खबर क्यों नहीं की?", सवालों की झड़ी लगा दी भैरवी ने. "सब बताती हूँ, पहले पानी तो पिला, बाहर कितनी गर्मी है!


फ्रिज से ठंडी बोतल निकलते हुए भैरवी का मन अतीत में भटकने लगा. मोहिनी उनके स्कूल की सबसे होनहार छात्रा थी.  इन्जीनीरिंग  की पढाई पूरी करके वह विदेश जाकर वहीँ बस गयी थी. कभी-कभी वहीँ से फ़ोन करके वह उसके हाल-चाल ले लेती थी. 


पानी लेकर भैरवी बैठक में आई तो देखा कि मोहिनी उसके बच्चों को रंगीन चमचमाते कागज़ में लिपटे कई उपहार दे रही है. "अरे, इस सब की क्या ज़रुरत थी", वह बोल पड़ी. " तेरे लिए भी एक है, खोल कर तो देख", कहते हुए मोहिनी ने उसे भी एक पाकेट पकड़ा दिया. कट वर्क में क्रिस्टल का एक बड़ा सा खूबसूरत फूलदान देखकर भैरवी की ऑंखें फटी की फटी रह गयीं. 


भैरवी के बगल में दोनों बच्चे चैन की नींद सो रहे थे. कोने में सोये अभि के हलके हलके खुर्राटों की आवाज़ आ रही थी, पर भैरवी की आंखों में नींद का नामोनिशान न था. आमतौर पर तो थके होने के कारण उसे तकिये पर सर रखते ही नींद आ जाती थी, पर आज मोहिनी  के विचार उसके दिलोदिमाग पर हावी थे. मोहिनी ने आकर जैसे भैरवी के शांत जीवन पर कंकड़ फैंक दिया था. रह रह कर उसके मन में अशांति की लहरें उठ रही थी. मोहिनी का ऐश्वर्य देख कर वह अचंभित थी. "कितनी बढ़िया ज़िन्दगी है मोहिनी की", उसके दिल में टीस सी उठी. " सब कुछ तो है उसके पास, बढ़िया नौकरी, बेइंतेहा दौलत, अपने लिए भी कितना समय निकल लेती है वह. हर हफ्ते फशिअल, तभी तो इतनी निखरी त्वचा है. लेटेस्ट फैशन के कपड़े पहने थे, क्या ऐश है. एकाएक उठकर भैरवी आइने के सामने जाकर खड़ी हो गयीं. अपना थका हुआ चेहरा और आँखों के नीचे काले घेरे देखकर एक बार फिर मोहिनी का दमकता हुआ चेहरा उसकी आँखों के सामने घूमने लगा . वह मन ही मन अपने जीवन को कोसने लगी. उसे अभि पर भी गुस्सा आने लगा जो अपने काम में इतने उलझे रहते थे कि उसका हाथ बटाना तो दूर, कभी उसके काम की सराहना भी नहीं करते थे. उसे याद नहीं था कब आखिरी बार वे पिक्चर देखने या घूमने के लिए घर से बाहर निकले थे. "बाकि पति अपनी पत्नियों को कितने प्यार से रखते हैं,उन्हें  कितने  उपहार देते हैं, यहाँ तो ये कई बार मेरा  जन्मदिन भी भूल जाते हैं.  मुझे तो लगता है कि  मेरा ओहदा इस घर में सिर्फ एक नौकरानी का है, जो सबकी इच्छा पूरी करती रहती है. न इन्हें और न ही बच्चों को मुझसे प्यार है, सबका अपना-अपना स्वार्थ है", सोचते-सोचते  कब रात बीत गई और कब सुबह हो गई पता ही नहीं चला भैरवी को.


कुछ दिनभर की थकान और कुछ रातभर जागने का असर था कि खड़े होते ही भैरवी का सर घूमने लगा. उसे ज़ोर से चक्कर आया और वह गश खाकर गिर पड़ी. 


आँख खुलने पर भैरवी ने देखा कि वह बिस्तर पर लेटी है.  मिनी उसके पैर दबा रही थी और राहुल उसके सर पर अपने छोटे-छोटे हाथ फेर रहा था. "पापा, जल्दी आओ, मम्मी को होश आ गया",  ख़ुशी से चिल्ला पड़े बच्चे. अभि दौड़ते  हुए रसोई से बहर निकले.  उनके हाथ आटे से सने हुए थे. "रोटी बना रहा था:, खिसियाये  हुए चेहरे से से अभि ने समझाया. "पर आपका ऑफिस?"
"ऑफिस तो रोज़ का है, बीबी रोज़ थोड़ी बीमार होती है", मुस्कुराते हुए अभि ने उसके सर पर हाथ फेरा, "अब कैसी तबियत है? डॉक्टर कह रहे थे की बस आराम की ज़रुरत है तुम्हें, इसलिए मैंने ऑफिस से एक हफ्ते की छुट्टी ले ली है." मिनी चहकते हुए बोली,"मम्मी, आज मैंने सब्जी  काटी और पापा ने खाना बनाया"
"अपने खाना बनाया?", विश्वास नहीं हो रहा था भैरवी को.
"मैं बाकी दिनों भले ही घर के  काम को हाथ न लगाऊं, पर ज़रुरत पड़ने पर सब कुछ कर सकता हूँ. अब एक हफ्ते तक तुम करोगी आराम और मैं करूँगा काम!"


अभि के हाथों की बनाई कच्ची-पक्की रोटियां, पानी जसी दाल और जली हुई सब्जी भैरवी को भगवान के प्रसाद के जैसी लग रही थी. "खाना ठीक तो है?", भैरवी की आँखों में आंसू देखकर अभी ने चिंता प्रकट की. "इतना स्वादिष्ट खाना मैंने आजतक नहीं खाया, इसमें आपका प्यार जो मिला हुआ है",  भैरवी ने आंसू पोछते हुए जवाब दिया.
"चलो, चलो, अब मम्मी को आराम करने दो, मैं तुम्हे होमेवोर्क करता हूँ:,  कहते हुए अभी बच्चों को दूसरे कमरे में ले गए.


भैरवी की बंद पलकों से पश्चाताप  के आंसू झर-झर बह रहे थे.कितनी बड़ी गलती की थी उसने अपने पति और बच्चों को समझने में! यही तो जीवन की ख़ुशी है, यही प्यार तो उसके जीवन का आधार है. अपनों के लिए दिनभर काम करने में ही तो असली  सुख है, वह कैसे भूल गई? आज भैरवी को घर में अपना असली ओहदा समझ में आ गया था,नौकरानी का नहीं, घर की रानी का ! 

THE ROPE ( Short Story)

T.Venkatesh Prasad stared incredulously at the note in his hand. “I’ve sent down the rope, grab it!”  Whatever could it mean????

The next minute, the telephone rang and he received the good news of his appointment in a reputed IT company. “Senior Manager!” Jolly good! And what a plum pay package too! T.V.Prasad could not help marveling at his good luck! Just when he thought his luck had run out! He reflected back gingerly on his struggle-filled days. He had always been a bright student. Bright and hardworking. But always unlucky. He would invariably fall sick on exam days and lose the top position. Everyone expected him to top IIT after school, but he couldn’t even manage to get admission in a decent Engineering college. His parents could not afford a private college; they had to get his sisters married. He did his graduation and then joined MBA. Here again, his IIM dream was shattered, owing to his failure in the interview round. “They must have rejected me because of my looks”, he smiled to himself. Short, stocky and dark, with below-average looks, Prasad was no woman’s dream man! He still retained his sense of humor though!

He suddenly thought of Parvati, his better half- how happy she would be to hear the good news. After all she had struggled along with him, running the household in his meager pay without complaining. Now he would fulfill all their dreams, Prasad thought joyfully, as he reached for the phone to call his wife, still wondering what the mysterious note meant!

Meanwhile, far away, in a posh residence in Mumbai, Shalini was talking to a man over the telephone. “The job is done. He has received the note, and the news of his appointment.”

Shalini smiled with satisfaction as she put down the receiver. She felt happy now.

Reminicising, she thought of the day around a month back when she had gone to visit Raj at his office. Raj, her husband was the owner and chairman of a reputed IT firm. With his deadly combination of sharp brains, good education and sheer hard work, he had achieved big success in a short time. Shalini was content to be a homemaker, bringing up their only son, Varun. Although not working, she was intelligent and actively aware of the latest going-ons on her husband’s company, and sometimes gave her suggestions, which her husband valued.

Coming back to that day in the office, she was returning back when she saw a man waiting at the reception. She passed him by, but something about him caught her attention. She gave him another discreet look- short, stocky, dark, he seemed familiar somehow. She shrugged off the feeling and walked on.

 It was three days later while leafing through her old school photographs that realization dawned upon her. Of course! It was Venky! How could she forget him? She chided herself on her short memory for faces. But it was so long ago… But what was Venky doing in Raj’s office?

Next day she called up Meera, Raj’s personal assistant and a good friend of hers, and asked her to confirm if the man who had visited the office on Monday afternoon was indeed Venky.

”Yes Mam”, Meera confirmed, “The man’s name is T.Venkatesh Prasad. He had come to run an errand for his boss. He works in IT Solutions, a small company, as a technical staff member.

“What!”, Shalini was shocked, to say the least. Of all her classmates, Venky was the one everyone expected to climb the corporate ladder the fastest. ”He was such an intelligent chap! Wonder what went wrong?” She remembered their friendship at school. Venky was the joker of the class, and also the genius. His terrific sense of humor had her spellbound, and she often asked him how he could think of such funny things to say. They were good friends, sharing their notes, to lunch, to laughs together. ”You’re the only girl who talks to me, Shalini”, he would joke, I can’t afford to lose you!” She remembered vividly the day of the farewell party, when they had given each other autographs. Everyone had been emotional and had written lovey-dovey sweet nothings to each other. But later when she had read her diary, scrawled in Venky’s neat handwriting was the note- “Do climb ladders of success, but throw down a rope for me!” She had laughed it off then, but by some subtle irony, the same had become true after almost twenty years! Whatever the reason for her friend Venky not being able to succeed in life , she had thrown down the rope for him. She knew he was smart enough to catch it, and climb it, to reach the very top!

Yes, she would meet him, she thought, as she lay down on her comfortable bed, but it would be an ‘accidental’ meeting in her husband’s office. He would never come to know hat she had managed all this for him. It was fate’s ironic way of righting the balance, she supposed!

“Hmm, I’ll be looking forward to meeting Venky’s wife and kids”, was the last thought in Shalini’s mind as she drifted off to sleep.

GOOD OLD DAYS ( Short Story)

Suhasini woke up to the sweet chirping sounds of the birds sitting on her window sill. She opened her eyes and smiled. It was the first time in thirty years that she had not woken up with the alarm ringing over her head, that too on a weekday!

“Happy days are here again”, she sang happily to herself while making tea in the kitchen. No more hurriedly preparing Tiffin for Dilip’s office. No more rush-rush in the mornings. Now she would do her work with leisure, and Dilip would help her with the housework as he had promised.

There was a special reason for Suhasini’s bliss. It was the first day of her husband’s retirement!

Dilip was as exited as her.” I’ve neglected you enough during these last thirty years, Suhasini, due to my work. Now all my time is yours. Just tell me what to do. Your humble servant is at your command!”

Suhasini laughed and said, “Well, my first order for you is to bring vegetables from the market, my man Friday!”

Dilip bowed low and went out, bag and wallet in hand.

“What’s this!” shrieked Suhasini, What on earth am I supposed to do with half kg of coriander leaves and two kgs of tomatoes?”

“All my fault for sending him to fetch vegetables! I should have known. Dilip can’t tell Brinjal from Ginger!” thought Suhasini sulkily as they ate a lunch of parathas and coriander chutney.

“Your next order mam”, asked Dilip that night as they were preparing to tuck in.

Suhasini contemplated and said, “I’ve always cherished this dream that my husband would wake me up with a cup of tea every morning!”

“Your wish is my command, master”

Suhasini almost spat out the dark, strong brew that Dilip called “tea”. She forced a smile anyway as she didn’t want to appear rude. But all her self-control disappeared once she entered the kitchen.

It seemed as if a tornado had swept through the kitchen! All the jars were open and kept on the platform. Dilip had been searching for tealeaves and sugar, she supposed! The tea had boiled over and spilt on the floor. There were hoards of black ants all over the kitchen platform where the sugar had fallen. “All this mess just for two cups of tea!” Suhasini couldn’t believe it.! “What would happen if someday he decides to make lunch?” Suhasini shuddered at the thought.

In the coming days, it took all of Suhasini’s efforts to try to keep Dilip out of the kitchen. But Dilip just would not sit idle. He just had to help her (read, interfere)! Suhasini would feel like crying to see her once-spotless kitchen in such a mess. Even the maid threatened to leave because of the burnt pots and pans. Just why he wanted to try his hand in the kitchen was unfathomable to her, when he couldn’t even boil a cup of water properly!

On Friday, he insisted on cutting the ladies fingers and cut his finger instead.

On Saturday, he burnt her favorite sari while ironing.

On Sunday, he broke the Chinese vase while dusting.

In the afternoons when she sat down to watch her favorite saas-bahu serials, all she could hear were Dilip’s nasty comments.

Life was becoming hell for her!

“Why don’t you look for another job, Dilip”, she asked her husband as they were sipping their evening tea one day. “I rather think that it would be good for you, considering that you’re in perfect health and with so much time in your hands”

“We e e ell”, said Dilip, “I’ve been thinking on the same lines myself, and have even got a few good job offers, but….”

“But what, Dilip?”

“But I had promised you that I would spend all my time with you after my retirement. Wouldn’t’ you mind?”

“Of course I wouldn’t! I’d be happy for you!”

“What an understanding wife you are, Suhasini”, said Dilip taking her in his arms, “now you’ll just have to manage without me!”

“I’ll try”, smiled Suhasini demurely.

It was a Monday morning when Suhasini woke up to the “sweet” sound of the alarm clock ringing over her head. She got up and remembered that it was Dilip’s first day at his new office.  She went to the kitchen with a spring in her steps and a smile on her lips. “Good old days”, she thought happily as she started busily preparing her husband’s tiffin for office.