Part 13

  Nani refused to leave without congratulating her new friends on a job well done. She wanted to go back stage and meet them. What surprised ASR was Mami who hates such niceties also geared up to march back stage to meet them. ASR had decided that he would not be put in any situations that would take him nearer to the Radha girl, he did not like the emotions she evoked in him.

Circumstances dictated otherwise, ASR was watching Aakash and that dreamy goofy look his brother had now-a-days, seemed pretty intensified now and the usually shy Aakash seemed to be the most enthusiastic one in the group to want to go backstage. “Something was really fishy, he had to figure it out before Aakash could land himself in any trouble.” he decided and followed the gang.

At the door that said backstage, they noticed that not all people were being allowed inside, the people with a backstage pass were the only ones who were allowed inside. Nani was adamant today and refused to leave without meeting them, she even went on to try request the security to at least let her in. The security politely declined her… this enraged ASR, and he went to the security and pulled out 5 thousand rupee notes and held them out to the security and said “Take the charge for the passes and keep the change.” He said

The security immediately came to attention realizing that they might be dealing with someone more important and said “Sir, it’s not like that. These passes are only for the performers, backstage personnel and families of the performers. They were distributed by the management, we just have to check them to let people through, Sir”

ASR was losing his patience just when he was about to ask about the management, a familiar voice said “They are family, let them through.” ASR turned around with a smile to face Mr.Singhania, who was showing his pass to security. The security obliged and let them in. The doors opened into a wide corridor with rooms on either side, the lights were very bright when compared to the dimly light theater they had just walked out of.

Once inside, ASR wanted to thank Mr.Singhania for his favor, the older man just waved it off as no big deal and enquired “Who did you want to meet anyway?”

Nani stepped up before ASR could reply and said “Not him, it’s me. I want to meet Khushi bitiya, Payal bi…”

“Khushi?... ha ha ha… small world I say, small world..” boomed Mr.Singhania in his loud happy voice and in a gentlemanly manner offered his arm for Nani to hold and continued “Come on then, madam, let’s go meet my butterfly.” Nani raised her eyebrows surprised at his gesture, but obliged him by holding his arm, she could see he meant no disrespect in fact to him it might be a gesture made out of respect. And they all moved forward.

 

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“Buaji!! This is the second time you are doing this since I got off stage.” whined Khushi following her buaji’s hand that was going round round in front of her face with her eyes.

“Stop it Sanka Devi and stand still.” Buaji ordered a fidgeting Khushi.

“Buaji, I am going to faint now, from watching your hand.” She whinned some more like a 5 year old and added “Jiji, should just do this for the hypnosis sessions.” In a lower tone as if she was really contemplating it.

“SANKA DEVI, STOP ACTING LIKE A KID!!” an irritated buaji thundered not even bothering to take in the second half of Khushi’s sentence, she just didn’t like wasting time over Khushi’s thoughts.

The ladies did not notice the group of people that had come there. Khushi didn’t notice as her back was facing them, buaji didn’t notice as she was busy keeping Khushi in line. But the group of people had overheard their conversation. Nani and mami raised their eyebrows at “Sanka Devi” phrase. Anjali giggled and Aakash grinned. Arnav thought “Sanka Devi? What sort of name is that?”

But one said “Madhumati jiji, leave my butterfly alone.”

Arnav watched from behind Mr.Singhania, as soon as the words had left Mr.Singhania’s lips the Radha girl turned around and shrieked like a teenager “GAURAV UNCLE !!” and ran the distance between them and literally jumped into the older man’s open arms with her hands around his neck and her head on his shoulder and hung to him like a little monkey. Though the older man was well built the force with which she jumped made him take a couple of steps back to steady himself. This action took him closer to Arnav who was standing right behind him.

Arnav watched her face in awe at such close quarters as the older man had held her in midair. Her face was completely at his eye level; their faces separated only by a few inches of air.

She had removed the stage make up and he could just find traces of khol on her eyes and a thin layer of lip gloss on her pouting lips. He was mesmerized by her beauty, he was enthralled by her simplicity, he was fascinated by her innocence.

Her eyes were closed still as she said “I missed you so much.”

Arnav held his breath in as it felt she had said those words to him, he didn’t dare make the slightest moment. He wanted this moment to freeze in time, if only she would open her eyes.

As if she had heard him she opened her eyes and Arnav drowned in them.

As he heard her say “How have you been?”

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“How have you been?”she enquired Gaurav uncle simultaneously opening her eyes.

Khushi opened her eyes to look straight into the eyes of an unknown man… No… No a very handsome unknown man. He was looking at her with such intensity Khushi felt very nervous, she didn’t quite grasp the feeling his eyes were conveying but she could feel its intensity.

The intensity was magnetic; it held her gaze and didn’t let it waver. She wanted to break the eye lock, she wanted to blink, she wanted to turn away but she just seemed incapable of any movement. She could hear blood buzzing in her ears which she realized was due to her increased heart beat.

She needed help.

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“Hai rey, Nandakishore…” said Buaji pulling the two out of their… mmm… he didn’t know what to name it…

“Sh*t, he didn’t even know what he was feeling…”  this is exactly why he wanted to stay away from her, he didn’t trust the feelings she stirred up in him and as a byproduct he was not sure he could trust her.

He noticed she had settled herself beside her dear Uncle, he couldn’t get a clear view of her face, involuntarily he moved towards his Di which would make sure she was in his line of vision. He saw that she was fidgeting on her feet and her hands were very occupied trying to twist the life out of her dupatta.

“Gaurav Babua, she still thinks she is 6 years old. She is ready to get married but her brain still works like a child’s. She will get us into a lot of trouble in her in-laws place.”

“BUAJI, I told you I am not getting married, so don’t worry about your reputation.” bounced back Khushi which brought a laugh out of everyone as bauji looked at her with a surprised look.

“I think it’s a blessing to grow up but still be able to be a child at heart. I hope she never needs to go to a home where she is not appreciated.” Nani expressed her thoughts

Gaurav looked at the old lady who had spoken exactly what was on his mind. Yes, he respected her before this for her age, but now his respect for her took a whole new direction. He could see the origin of Arnav’s strong genes.

It was true god didn’t bless him with any children of his own but Payal and Khushi were no less than his children. Especially his butterfly she had him wrapped around her little finger from the first time he had seen her when he went to visit Shashi. He remembered how she had stubbornly demanded him to take her and her little pup to the vets office as her pup had not made a nature call since morning and she was sure his tummy was hurting him.

Even all this time later she was still that little girl to him, it shocked him when Madhumati jiji had said husband and in-laws and them not liking her. No, she is still a kid, no wedding for her so soon, at least not into a house where they could not love her endlessly.

He made a note to tell Sashi his thoughts and also made a very small side note to keep an eye open for young men who might fit the bill.

Little did he know that he just needed to turn his head to find her soul mate….