Continued....

"Yeh aap kya keh rahi hai? Hay Bholenath!"

Pushpa ji cried out.

Hassena looked at Anubhav with blank face. Karishma too couldn't control and tears started to form inside her eyes. She got up and left the ward wiping the tears. Pushpa ji understood that Hassena needed to be left alone with Anubhav so she pleaded Doctor and others to leave them alone.

After all left, Hassena couldn't control herself and started sobbing. She held his hand in hers and placed a kiss on his hand. She winded their hands together and placed another kiss on it. She placed her head on bed and started crying her heart out. Other could hear Hassena crying bitterly.

After three hours, their was silence in the ward. Doctor entered the ward with others and found Hassena was still resting her head on bed. Dried Tear marks were visible on her cheeks. Pushpa ji placed her hand on Hassena's shoulder.

"Maddamsir, bohot der ho gayi hai. Chaliye khaana kha lijiye!"

Pushpa ji insisted.

Hassena got up.

"Hume bhook nahi hai Pushpa ji. Aap sabhi Karishma ko bhi khaana khila dijiye...... Vaise voh abhi thik haina?"

Hassena asked.

"Nahi Maddamsir! Ek behen aaisi halat mein kaise thik ho sakti hai. Par aap chinta maat kijiye voh thik ho jayegi dheere dheere."

"Hmm, aap sabhi ghar chale jaye hum aaj yahi rukenge!"

"Abhi aap thik nahi hai. Hum ruk jaate haina"

"Karishma ko abhi aapki jarurat hai Pushpa ji. Hum nahi sambhal payenge unhe. Hamare andar utni takat nahi hai abhi. Hum baas Anu ke paas rehna chahte hai, Anu ko abhi hamari jyada jarurat hai."

"Jaisa aap thik samjhe, (with a pause) Maddamsir, Anubhav sir ke Boss ne yeh aapko dene ke liye kaha hai"

Pushpa ji said handling an envelope.

"Kya hai yeh?"

"Pata nahi?"

"Aap jaye, hum dekhte hai!"

"Ji!"

Pushpa ji left. Hassena folded the envelope and put it in her pocket....

------

After two days, Karishma still hadn't revealed the truth to Hassena. Boss, to hadn't revealed it to Hassena.

All had sent her home to rest. Reluctantly she agreed. She opened the door and sat on the bed. She found the envelope given by his boss that day. She hadn't read it yet. She stretched her hand and took the envelope in her hand.

She opened it and found out that it was a letter, written by non other than Anubhav. She started reading it with heavy heart.

Priye,

Kadachit jab aapko hamara yeh patra milega tab tak hum aapko priye kehna ka hak bhi kho chuke honge. Hume samajh nahi aa raha ki aapse maafi kaise maange. Aapko pata hai jab hum aapse pehli baar mile the tab se hi kadachit hume aap pasand aa gayi thi, kintu hamara kartavya har baar hamari bhavnaonke ( Emotions ) ke bich ata raha. Jaise jaise samay bita hum aapke aur karib ate chale gaye, kintu fir bhi hum aapne dil ko maanate rahe ki hum aapki aur koi bhi bhavna nahi rakh sakte, hum kartavya se bandhe hue hai. Mission Jeet ke baad yeh abhas hua ki hum aapko prem karne lage hai. Aur hum aapke bina nahi reh sakte. Humne holi ke din aapke samaksh prem prastav rakha kintu aapne use asvikar kar diya. Hum jaante hai ki aapne sahi kiya. Hum bohot dukhi the kintu humne sab ke liye aapne chehre par sukh ke bhav bitha liye.

Jab humne dusri baar aapko vivah prastav diya aur aapne voh swikar kar liya. Hum kitne khush the aap soch bhi nahi sakti kintu kadachit ishwar ko yeh manjoor nahi tha isiliye jab record room mein hamari sagai ki announcement hui issi din hamare IB ke boss humse milne aye the. Unhone kaha ki hum yeh sagai nahi kar sakte kyuki hum ek agent hone ke naate ek jazbaati rishte mein nahi badh sakte. Humne aapko batane ka prayas kiya kintu hum bata hi nahi paye. Fir humne socha ki kyu na hum sagai mein aye hi na jisse aapko lagta ki humne aapko dubara dokha diya hai aur aap humse nafrat karne lagti. Hum nahi chahte the ki iss mission ke karan aapko koi bhi haani ho. Hum kamiyab bhi ho gaye the kintu Karishma ko Satya gyat ho gaya.

Karishma headquarters mein humse mili. Aapke vyaktitva ka kamal toh dekhiye ki voh aapne bhai ki jagah aapne dost ko chuna. Sach kahe toh unhone sahi hi kiya. Hum kisi ke saath ke layak nahi hai.

Aap jaanti hai ki hum aapki nafrat bardasht kar sakte hai kintu aapko ek kharoch bhi bardasht nahi kar sakte. Karishma ka, Maa ka, Ammi ka khayal rakhiye, khudka bhi Aur ho sake toh Maa aur Ammi ko kabhi sach pata mat chalne dijiye. Yadi unhe sachai pata chalti hai toh unhe bohot dukh hoga aapne bete ko khoone ka.

Layak toh nahi hai kintu hume skama kar dijiye ga. And hum aapse bohot pyaar karte hai aur hamesha karte rahenge. I love You, Hassena ji!

Aapka kehna ka hak toh nahi raha kintu fir bhi,

Aapka Anubhav.

Hassena had tears in her eyes. She stood up but the immense pain cause her to fall down. Tears made their way on her cheeks.

"Anubhavvvvvv!!!"

She screamed and started crying bitterly. She continued crying and crying, finally she fainted out due to crying.

------

Hassena opened her eyes to witness her on bed that too in hospital. She tried sitting but her mother who was beside her helped to sit properly. She looked around and found all other too. But, Karishma was missing.

"Karishma Singh?"

"Voh bahar hai maddamsir?"

"Vaise aapko kuch yaad hai ki aap behosh kaise ho gayi thi?"

That lady doctor who was treating Anubhav asked.

"Pata nahi. Humara saar bohot bhari hai!"

Hassena said massaging her head.

"Vaise kya hua hai hamari bacchi ko?"

Ammi asked.

"Khoon mein glucose ki kaami thi aur kaamjori bhi thi isliye inhe chakkar aa gaya. But, abhi aapko aur rest karna hai. Tension mat liya kijiye. Kai baar tension lene se bhi aaisa hota hai Miss. Mallik."

"Ji!"

Till then a nurse came running in the ward.

"Doctor jaldi chaliye, Mr. Anubhav Singh ki halat bohot kharab hai!"

Nurse said while huffing. Doctor walked outside the ward in hurry. Hassena's face colour faded away. The others were also tensed. Hassena pushed away the sheet and got up. No one tried to stop her as they all know that it is of no use.

Hassena came outside Anubhav's ward were Karishma was also present. Karishma was avoiding any kind of eye contact with her.

"Hume maaf kar dijiye bhaiya, hume aapke saath aaisa nahi karna chahiye tha"

Karishma murmured while sobbing.

"Kya nahi karna chahiye tha aapko?"

Pushpa ji asked coming there.

Hassena and Karishma looked at each other and then at Pushpa ji.

"Sagai vali raat ko hum bhaiya se mile the Pushpa ji."

Everyone except Hassena and Karishma were shocked.

"Kya? Phir aapne Hassena ko bataya kyu nahi?"

Ammi questioned.

"Kya batate Ammi. Voh hua yeh tha ki..."

Karishma revealed all those incidents. Santosh and Cheeta looked at each other with teary eyes and then turned back but they witnessed another shock.

Karishma too looked in their direction.

"Chachiji!"

She let out in fearful voice.

"Aap yaha kya kar rahi hai?", Pushpa ji asked.

"Hamara beta haspatal mein hai aur hum usse ghar par baithe dosh de rahe the ki voh ek Dhokhebaaz hai"

Anubhav's mother couldn't stand. Her knees gone weak and she collapsed on the hospital seat.

"Chachiji aap thik toh haina?"

Karishma asked in concern and put her hand on hers but she jerked off. Karishma understood that she is angry on her to lie to her.

"Tune humse jhoot bola hai Karishma. Aapne bhai ke liye koi aaisa kaise keh sakta hai? Maana ki Hassena tumhari dost hai par kya Anu tumhara koi nahi tha kya? Are kaam se kaam mujhe toh akar sach bata dete. Tum kehti na toh hum Hassena ko kuch nahi batate par kaam se kaam hum aapne bacche ko itne din tak dosh toh nahi dete. Hay Bholenath, yeh kya paap kar diya humne!"

She started crying bitterly. Karishma was now completely guilt ridden.

"Hume maaf kar dijiye Chachi ji. Hum toh bhool hi gaye the ki Anu bhaiya sirf hamari maddamsir ke mangetar hi nahi balki hamare bhai bhi hai..."

Karishma let out a sob.

"Mera Anu itna sab kuch seh raha tha aur main uske paas bhi nahi thi yeh jatane ke liye ki voh akela nahi hai, uski Maa hai uske saath. Lekin nahi, kaisi Maa hun mein. Yeh sab hone se pehle ek baar apne bacche ko gale se bhi nahi laga payi main!"

Maa started crying again. Ammi and Pushpa ji were consoling her....

-----

"Hume bohot dukh hai ki humne Anubhav Singh jaise Janbaaz officer ko kho diya hai. Par yeh department hamesha IB Agent Anubhav Singh ka sukragujar rahega ki unke karan desh ke upar se itne badi samasya tal gayi. Unhone apni jaan dekar dusre lakhon logon ki jaan ki raksha ki hai."

Senior Officer spoke. Hassena who was sitting in all other officers closed her eyes.

Flashback

Doctor came out from the ward.

"I am extremely sorry Mr. Anubhav Singh is no more!"

Earth slipped under their feet. Maa couldn't handle her son's death and fainted. After getting Maa treated Hassena rushed towards Anubhav's ward.

She ran inside the ward and glanced at Anubhav. She took baby steps to approach him. She face palmed him and placed a kiss over his forehead. Nurses were almost done with removing the instruments attached to his body.

"Maam aap kon?"

Till then Karishma, Pushpa ji, Santosh and Cheeta also came their. They expected her outburst but she was very calm.

Hassena lifted her trembling hand saluted him.

"Jai Hind!"

After saying this, she hugged Anubhav's lifeless body and cried her heart out.

"I love you too Anubhav and I always will love you!"....

Flashback over.

"I request Anubhav's mother to accept his uniform."

Maa got up and walked towards the stage. She accepted the Uniform and caressed it with tears in her eyes.

-----
After 2 weeks,

Hassena opened the door of her house. She found Maa and Karishma was assisting her.

"Maa aap? Andar aaiye na!"

They all came in drawing room. She made them sit and went to fetch water.

"Maa aap yaha achanak? Sab thik haina?"

"Main tujhe teri ek amanat dene ayi hun beta!"

"Kya?"

Confused Hassena asked.

"Yeh!"

Maa handed her Anubhav's uniform. Hassena and her Ammi was surprised.

"Maa, yeh hamari nahi aapki amanat hai. Aapke beta ka uniform hai yeh!"

"Ha Hassena thik keh rahi hai!"

Ammi defended.

"Nahi beta. Mujhe jitna iss uniform ke saath rehna tha maine reh liye. Aab yeh teri amanat hai. Aur tujhe meri kasam tu mana nahi karegi!"

"Chachiji itna keh rahi hai toh maan jaeye na Maddamsir!"

"Thik hai!"

She took the uniform.

After some conversation Maa and Karishma left her house. Hassena entered her room. She opened her cupboard and took out two photos. One was of her Father and other was of her love, Anubhav.

She hugged the Uniform and felt his presence in her heart. She clutched the uniform tightly.

She placed the photos in one photo frame and placed it on the table beside her bed. She caressed both the photos and places kisses over them. Uniform was still in her hand.

She sat on the bed hugged the Uniform once again.

"Chahe jo bhi ho jaye hamare dil mein aapke alawa koi nahi hoga. I love you, Anu!"

"I love you too, Hassena!"

She heard the voice in her heart and automatically a smile formed on her face with tears in her eyes.

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