Time 6:10 pm :
The plastered smile vanished slowly as the eyes traced the retreating figure of a man till the vision went blur with tears. The eyelids were trying to reduce the pressure on the tear muscles. But tears stagnated on the pretty eyes blocking the view. The lids closed slowly and a lonely drop flowed smoothly curving down the creamy cheeks.
*Sniff*
"Nahi Tarika"
Immediately the slender hands brushed the tears away before anybody could notice. Trembling lips curved.
"Tch. What should I feel? What I feel now? "
Tarika: Waiter. One coffee, extra strong please.
"Kya wo sab sach mein hua? Did he really say that? "
"Aur tho meine ok b kaha"
" Meine OK kaha"
"OK"
"Oh god! Kitna ajib feel ho raha hai"
She smiled. Her trembling lips curved up.
Waiter: Mam you coffee.
Tarika: Thank you.
She took the first sip slowly allowing the hot liquid to leisurely flow through her taste buds, then down her throat. She felt calm. Her mind and body relaxed. She stretched her legs, lying back on the soft cushion. Her hands were cupping the big mug finding warmth from it. Her thoughts just traveled back in time recollecting what happened just around an hour ago.
Time 5:15 pm :
Express with Espresso:
Tarika entered the shop and took her usual cozy bamboo couch beside a French window overlooking the huge garden of the shop. She just loved this place.
The lush green trimmed grass bed, murmuring gushing sound of water from fountain at the center and statues of dwarfs surrounding it in various poses, smiling roses in the climbers along the sides of huge window with its head turned towards her as if wishing her, the room in which she was sitting was painted pure white with paintings hung on wall and cactus placed here and there.
As she placed her bag on the table and sat crossing her legs she got a call on her mobile. Her eyes smiled looking at the caller id.
Tarika(excited): Hello ma.
Ma: Hello beta. *sigh* Shukr hai ki tujhe yaad hai ki me teri ma huin.
Tarika(complaining tone): Ma.
Ma(sad tone): Aaj kal tho tujhe phone pe baat karne ko b time nahi milta. Lagtha hai mujhe appointment leni padegi apse.
Tarika giggled
Ma: Has has. Tu kyun nahi hasegi. Wese kya ab mein madam se bath karsakthi huin yar fir badmein call karna padega mujhe.
Tarika: Ma! Hum bath kar sakthey hain. Itni formal bane ki zarurath nahi hai.
Ma(smiling): Acha beta kesi ho? Kaam sab kese chal raha hai?
Tarika: Sab super fine. Aap boliye. Aap kesi ho? Pa kese hain? Wo apko tang tho nahi kar rahein hain na?
In background a man shouting * Wo kar rahi hai tang mujhe...*
Ma voice * Shh...
Ma: Fine beta. Pa tho philal control mein hain. Lagam kaske pakadi hai.
In background Man: Mein kya goda huin. Beti mujhe please bachale.
Ma: Aap please ma aur bati ko shanti se bath karnedenge. Aap andhar jaiye.
Pa: Karo karo... mein chaltha huin. Meri koi value hi nahi hai... hmpf.
Both laughed.
Tarika: Acha ma bath kya hai?
Ma: Vo.. vo.. arey Tarika tujhe patha hai teri friend priya jo humari neighbour hai uska marriage fix hua hai.
Tarika: Haan. Usne bolatha kal.
Ma: Aur teri college ki dosth Meera uski godhbari function hai. Kal ayithi invitation dene.
Tarika: Wah ma. Laga abi hi uski shadi hui hai. Saal kitni tezi se nikal rahein hain na.
Ma: Haan wahi tho mein b keh rahi huin tumse Tarika.
Tarika: Matlab?
Ma: Ofho. Apne baremein b kabi socha kar.
Tarika: Kya sochuin ma?
Ma: Yehi apni shaadi ke bare mein aur kya.
Tarika: Ma aap firse shuru hogayi. Meine phele b kaha na mujhe abi interest nahi hai. So mein sochna b nahi chati.
Ma: Patha hai tu sochna nahi chati issliye meine hi sochliya.
Tarika(dramatic tone): Oh god ma aap ese kese karsakthe. Aap shadi ke bare mein kese soch sakthi hain?
Ma: Kyun nahi soch sakthi. Mein teri ma huin samjhi.
Tarika(dramatic tone): Exactly ma. Issliye tho bolrahi huin. Aap ek beti ki ma ho. Aur apne ek bar bi pa ke bare mein nahi socha. Wo tho tut jayenge ma apke bina agar apne dusri shaadi karli tho. Oh meri ma….
Ma: Chup. Dramebaaz. Mein apni nahi teri baath kar rahi huin aur ye tujhe b patha hai. Bath ko ghumana math.
Tarika bit her tongue.
Ma(ordering tone): Jib aur danth andhar Tarika.
Tarika chuckled.
Tarika: Itni b jaldi kya hai ma?
Ma(astonished): Jaldi. Oh my god Tarika it's already late. Try to understand beta. Tumhare sabi dosth ka marriage hogaya hai. Aur hume b teri shadi dhekh ni hai aur apne grandchildren ke saath khelna hai Tarika. Humari b umar horahi hai. Tu humari ye last wish sunle beta.
Tarika: Ma now you please don't try sentimental filmy dialogues on me. It's not going to work. I am not moved. Wese b senti tujhe suit nahi karthi. Aur kuch baat karthey hain ma.
Ma: Tu har bar ye topic ko tal kyun deti ho. Dhek kaan khol ke sunle. Meine tereliye ek ladke ko select ki hai.
Tarika(complaining tone): Not again ma.
Ma(Angry tone): Tarika beech me math bol. Mein ek ladke ka photo aur details mail kiya hai tujhe . Tu usko dheke phir bol.
Tarika: Ma please it's not going to work. Iss bar b reject hi karuingi. Why don't you understand ma I am not interested.
Ma: I am not interested ki bachi tu har bar bina dheke hi reject kyun kardeti hai. Kahin pyaar wyaar ka chakar thodi nahi hai…
Tarika stumbled a little.
Tarika(surprised tone): Ma!
Ma: Acha hoga agar esa hota tho. Koi hai kya Tarika? Agar hai tho abi bolde beta mein bahut kush huingi. Kyun hai?
Tarika got tongue tied.
Ma: Hello Tarika beta?
*Tarika ji*
*Natak hai aap*
Ma: Hello. Tarika tu hai line pe?
*Preet ji*
*Apki tabiyat tik tho hai na Tarika ji*
Ma(shouting): TARIKA!
*Tarika ji* * Tarika ji* *Tarika ji*
Tarika(coming out of trance): Haan haan haan.
Ma: Kya meri beti kisi se pyar karthi hai. Wah kaun hai wo. Tere saath kam kartha hai. Bol bol.
Tarika: Ma. Ma relax. Esa…. Esa.. .. Wese meine shaadi keliye haan kab kaha?
Ma: Arey !
Tarika: Ma please. Ye shaadi, pyaar ke alwa aur koi bath jo aap apni beti se karni chati ho?
Ma(sad): Par beta… Nahi.
Tarika: Ma udas math ho. Acha tik hai mein iss bare mein soch ke badmein phone karthi huin. Ab tik hai na?
Ma: Acha hua itna tho kaha tune. Ok beta phone rakthi huin patha nahi tere pa ko ab kya chaiye chila chila ke bula rahein hain.
Tarika: Ok ma. Love you. Bye
Ma: Love you too beta. Bye.
Tarika sighed and kept the phone on the table.
Tarika: Wese tujhe hua kya jab ma puch rahi thi ki tu kisi se pyar karthi hai ya nahi?
Tarika: Mein kyun jat se nahi bol payi. Aur ye Abhijit ka kayal kyun aya mujhe achanak. Uske mere saath kiye batein, flirts kyun yaad ayi mujhe?
Tarika: Tarika! Ye sab kyal nikal de apne dimak se. Wo sirf Salunkhe sir ko jalane keliye kar raha hai. Usne ye phele tujh se kaha tha.
Tarika: Par wo mere saath movie dekhna, hypnotise hone samay tabiyat ke baremein puchna, lab pe kaam karthewaqt gur gur ke dekna…..Ky wo mujhse….why do I support him….Mere hath jo kabi kapthe nahi wo uss din kyun kampe… Ye sab….. Kya mein b….
Tarika: Mein ye sab kyun soch rahi huin. Mein yahan relax karne ayithi tho ye sab shoo shoo….. Relax. Chal coffee pete hain.
Buzzz….. Buzzzzzzzz….
Tarika's mobile rang again. This time Tarika's eyes twinkled automatically looking at the mobile screen.
A/N: This incident happens after the Sr. Inspector Abhijit episode. And whole of this SS is my POV on a particular situation. What's the situation you will know in next chap. Itna suspense tho batha hai na ^_^.