Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Page 3

  Chapter 3

  Yeh Ishq Nahin Aasan Bas Itna Samajh Lijiye

  Ik Aag Ka Dariya Hai Aur Doob Key Jaana Hai. 

  It had been a tedious couple of weeks for Harman and Soumya. Ever since his decision to house Soumya had been announced by him the family had gone berserk. Preeto in a fit of rage had taken to demolishing everything in her way. Unable to sway Harman from his iron resolve to keep Soumya permanently in Singh Mansion she had taken to destroying the household objects. Finally her wrath had reached its crescendo when she had tried to light herself on fire. 

  Harman with no other option left had put the knife on his wrist and threatened to cut his nerve. Preeto who had been adamant screaming at him to have lost all his bearings after his heart had considered it a bluff. Harman had then gone ahead with his threat turning it into a reality shocking the family specifically his mother who had given in defeated by her own flesh and blood. His act had left Soumya shaken, she had never in her wildest dreams considered the situation to come such dire straits. After his heart felt confession of love the previous night she had for a fleeting moment entertained the idea of living her entire life with him but that seemed impossible now. 

  She sat in their bedroom, tears running down her cheeks blurring her vision. She had tried her level best to leave but Harman would not let her. Even after Preeto had pleaded her to. How could she tell Preeto that she had nowhere to go. That her heart beat for Harman and for Harman alone. Contemplating on the new phases of her life she was lost in her thoughts when she saw Harman bring a tray with breakfast and running up to him took it from his hands.

  "Kiya ker rahey hain aapko chot lagi hai na" she chided him. 

  Setting the tray on the low table she attended his cut wrist, blood oozing out of it. 

  "Please chaliye doctor key paas..please," she pleaded folding her hands in front of him. She could not bear his pain, a part of her died every time she saw him fight the world for her. Harman observed her sadly, he did not know what to do at this point. His heart would not allow him to see her belittled by his family. Ridiculed because of a flaw that she herself was unable to correct. Why was it that the weak got crushed by the unrelenting norms set by a heartless society.

  "Chaltey hain," he conceded holding her hands. "Pehley naashta" he smiled observing her eyes light up. Making her sit on the bed Harman moved the tray closer and proceeded to tear a bite of the paratha. Folding it he held it close to her mouth but she refused. 

  "Pehley aap khaiye," she said and he shook his head in the negative. 

  "Pehley tum." 

  "Per chot to aapko lagi hai na" she was still heartbroken over his pain. He sighed deeply. How was it that he could find neither his mother nor Soumya at fault yet here they were with both the women pitted against each other, yearning for his love and happiness.

  Soumya broke off bits of the paratha and now fed him, love illuminating her red rimmed eyes. Simple wishes for a simple soul. She had sipped the tea in reverence the mere fact that Harman himself had made it for her made it all the more valuable. If it were possible she probably would've kept the cup of tea intact till eternity. Harman knew this, the reason he monitored her intake of the food. After breakfast he drove her to the hospital, he didn't want to leave her at home alone, afraid of Preeto's ire. It still wasn't safe for her.

  The doctor stitched the wound which thankfully wasn't deep and bandaged it. "Aapko eik do din dhyaan dena hoga, dekiyega patti geeli na ho" he instructed a mute Harman and a sorrowful Soumya. 

  "Kuch dawai..." Soumya asked hesitantly which made the doctor jot down a few prescriptions. While exiting the hospital grounds Harman ran into his best friend Aryan Khanna who had returned to India with his wife on leave for a couple of days. 

  "Arey Harman tuu yahan!" He was pleasantly surprised when he came to know of Harman's marriage and complimented Soumya making her blush. 

  Aryan and Harman had been best buddies since childhood sharing everything under the sun. They had studied together, chased the same girls, had their first cigarette together and so on. Evading his prying questions Harman tried to leave but Aryan had him cornered. Ushering them to his house where he currently lived with his parents and wife.

  Even though Harman and Soumya smiled and chatted Aryan knew it was all perfunctory. He could gauge the anguish jumping off of Harman and the harried expressions Soumya was unsuccessfully trying to conceal. Something somewhere was definitely wrong and to a grave extent. Aryan was a seasoned doctor and had noticed Harman's wound. 

  "Yeh ghaav kaisa Harman?" he questioned him and Harman turned his hand away from him. 

  "Ab chaltey hain Aryan der ho rahi hai," he avoided answering making Aryan more suspicious. 

  "Theek hai per sham ko milna mujhsey" he was adamant. 

  "Ho nahin paayega yaar busy hoon." Harman's eyes were now resting on a melancholic Soumya whose own eyes teared up understanding his trepidation on leaving her alone at home. He was afraid of losing her and she knew that all too well. 

  "Chaley jayeiga na" she implored. Was he to have no life on her account. What a bad omen she was, her father had been right she could never bring happiness just ruin. Her teary eyes had Harman entranced. How he loved her, how could he say no? Turning to Aryan he asserted on the condition of Soumya accompanying him to which Aryan had readily obliged.

  That evening Harman drove Soumya to Aryan's farmhouse. Situated a few acres inland from the main city it was a slice of heaven nestled amidst tall trees and acres of farmland. The first heartwarming smile appeared on Soumya's face observing her surroundings making Harman's grin grow wider. Aryan proved to be a great host, his wife Suhana was a gynecologist, they had both met while completing their residency at Charing Cross London Hospital and were now working full time there. 

  The evening was pleasant and for once Harman was not fretting for Soumya. He could see from his vantage point in the open lawns how Soumya talked animatedly with Suhana bonding over Nimmi's special kheer recipe. It had been weeks maybe months since he had witnessed Soumya truly happy like she was in this moment. Free of the burgeoning guilt of having ruined his life. This was how he had always wanted his Gulabo content with a shy smile on her lips. His Gulabo, he thought ignorant of Aryan's conversation.

  "Buhut pyaar kertey ho Bhabhi sey Harman?" Aryan asked watching his friend lost in his wife's visage. 

  "Haan" Harman asserted absentmindedly, his mind flitting to the orange saari Soumya had draped that evening on his insistence. 

  "Koi baat hai kiya Harman tu aur Bhabhi itna pareshaan kyun they thori der pehley." Aryan was adamant on finding the truth behind Harman's discomfiture. 

  "Bas yunhi" Harman evaded the topic but Aryan did not yield causing Harman to spill the beans. Moreover, Harman had never been ashamed of Soumya. He had always wanted the world to know her identity but had been stopped first by Nimmi and then by the thought of his parents reputation in the society. He himself gave a damn to society, it could not rule Harman Harak Singh's heart because it was ruled by the amazing creature he had married.

  "Hmm" Aryan pondered. "To ab?" He inquired of a restless Harman who in turn had confided in him. His fears of Soumya being ostracized by his parents and the society.  His family harming her in any way and of the of the predominant fear of her being snatched away from him. 

  "In sab ka to eik hee hal hai merey yaar" Aryan explained to Harman the options he had in this regard and Harman stared at him open mouthed. Was it possible that the Soumya he loved with all his heart could be everything to him? Could luck be so kind to them? If it were all true he had to act and act real fast. The rest of the evening Harman planned the next course of action with Aryan. If he had a shot at this, well he would all he could to do it. Come what may he was not going to let Soumya leave his side ever again.