Kiska Hai Tumko Intezaar

Police station, income tax office ya shamshan ghat

The moment Sameer picked up the phone, Munna yelled in a subdued voice, 'Tune Naina ke saath kya kiya?'

'Naina?' Sameer was gobsmacked.

How did Munna know what blunder he had committed, that too the very micro second he did so? Did Naina give some of her evil magical powers to him too?

He shot a glance at his grandfather who was watching him with dubious eyes.

'Main... main abhi aata hun, Dadaji.' He quickly got up and slipped out of the gazebo.

Munna asked with clenched teeth when he didn't reply, 'Sameer, sach sach bata, tune koi gangster lagay hai Naina ke peeche?'

'Gangster?' Sameer was more puzzled than shocked now.

Frustrated, Munna eventually explained, 'Abhi Naina ka phone aaya tha. Usne kaha koi Sandeep hai, gangster hai. Uski awaaz clear nahi thi lekin usne pucha main kisi Sandeep naam ke gangster ko jaanta hun kya? Isse pehle ki main kuch puchta phone kat gaya. Aur uske baad se switched off aa raha hai. Tune kuch aisa waisa toh nahi kiya na Sameer?'

'Main... gangster... ho hi nahi sakta... main kabhi gangster...' He tried to assimilate what was happening.

Munna urgently interrupted him, 'Haan, mujhe pata hai. Lekin Naina se milne ke baad tere dimaag ke do chaar screw dheele hokar gir gaye hain isliye socha confirm kar lun ek baar. Sabse zyada tu hi uske peeche pada rehta hai.'

'Peeche pada rehta hun iska matlab yeh thodi hai ki main gangster... usi se puch na, uske hi gang ka koi member hoga.' Sameer was annoyed now. How could his best friend put such an allegation on him.

Munna was worried, 'Puchun kaise, phone nahi lag raha. Kahin kisi problem mein na ho. Anyway, baad mein baat karta hun. Mummy ke saath ek relative ke ghar aaya hun.'

After the phone got disconnected, Sameer looked at it angrily... till he remembered what grave he had dug for himself. For a few moments while talking to Munna, it had slipped away from his mind. Scrunching his eyes, he lightly banged the phone a couple of times on his forehead before turning to go back to the gazebo.

Dadaji swiftly moved away from the door where he was sneaking to listen to Sameer's side of the conversation. When Sameer came back, he was seated at the same place, his face stoic.

'Naina ka phone tha?' He asked.

'Nahi. Munna ka.' Sameer replied, his mind clouded with tension.

'Kya keh raha tha?' Dadaji casually inquired.

'Naina ko...' Sameer stopped, then looked up at him abruptly, 'Woh Munna... Munna ko kuch puchna tha. Kuch kaam tha.'

'Hmm.' Dadaji hummed, then gave him a gentle smile, 'Achha ab jaake fresh hoja, fir dinner karte hain.'

Relieved to be spared from the question answer round, Sameer rushed back to his room. Once there, he threw the phone on the bed and started to pace the room, signs of deep worry etched on his face.

'Yeh kya panga kar diya maine. Ab kya hoga?' He banged his fist on the palm of other hand, 'Munna Pandit se baat karunga toh woh mujhpe hi chadh jayenge. Munna toh abhi rishtedaron se milne gaya hai. Usse baat nahi ho sakti. Pandit ko puchun? Nahi, Pandit kahin apne uljalool ideas se aur kabaada na karwa de. Lekin aur kisi se share bhi nahi kar sakta.'

After half an hour of racking his brain, he came to the conclusion that he had to share it with his friends. But he would tell them together. Only they can advice him how to come out of this mess. He sent a message to both Munna and Pandit, asking them to meet next morning.

Pandit's reply was prompt, 'Subah toh papa mummy dono ghar pe honge. Phir kahan mile hum?'

After a while, Munna answered, 'Kal office bhi band hai. Kisi restaurant mein mil lete hain.'