Part 7

“Aakash, please call Anjali, tell her that it’s getting late.”

“Dadi, I am just coming from there. Di, was just doing last minute packing for Jijaji for his trip. She is ready; she’ll be down in a bit.” Aakash confirmed coming down the stairs.

“How long will your Jijaji be gone this time? Where is he going to?” Nani enquired

“I think he is off to Lucknow and I think he said 2 weeks..” he said trying to remember properly if this information was about jeejaji’s current trip or some trip in future

They looked up to see Shyam, helping Anjali down the stairs, followed by HP who was carrying luggage. They came to a stop near Nani and Askash.

“Naniji, please inform Mamiji that I am really sorry that I could not make it to the event, please tell her I will not miss the wedding.”

“Damadji, don’t worry, Manorama will surely understand.” Nani said moving towards the door

Anjali, Shyam and Aakash followed her. “Bitiya, did you pack all the gifts we are supposed to give the engaged couple?”

“Yes Nani, packed and also put in the car.”

They moved out and Shyam said his goodbyes and left in his vehicle. And a teary eyed Anjali and party were moving towards their car when Anjali remembered something “Aakash you did put that bag that I gave you in the evening in the car, right?”

“ooh Di sorry I forgot I will get it in a minute it’s my room.” He said while moving towards the house.

“Aakash, we would have been in so much trouble. It’s got Mami’s things in it; she called last night to make sure I didn’t miss packing anything.”

The kids these days, forgetting things at such a young age what will happen to them when they become as old as I am thought Nani with a sigh and went to the car and sat. She needed to sit, she wasn’t feeling too good today. It was Manorama’s cousin’s daughter’s engagement and she knew Manorama will feel bad if she did not attend. She didn’t want to put any more stress on the already strained relationship with her daughter-in-law. Manorama had left three days ago to her cousin’s house under the pretext of helping her cousin, with three full suitcases filled with her jewelry and the likes. She wanted all her relatives to see her wealth.. “hmmm silly girl when will she learn that wealth alone does not command true respect” she leaned her head back on the seat, she really was not feeling good.

Aakash came back and settled in the front with the driver the car started moving towards the venue.

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Payal and Khushi were ready to leave and were waiting for Lavanya to pick them up. As soon as Lavanya’s car turned into the lane, the girls stepped out of the house after waving their goodbyes to the elders sitting in the veranda and got in the car.

Lavanaya waved her hi’s and bye’s to the Guptas, without getting down from the car, as they were already getting late. As the car drove out of these were the thoughts of the three people in the veranda

“My bhatiji’s are going to have a lot of admirers today, they both look breathtakingly beautiful….mmm …err…..I hope Sanka Devi behaves herself.” Buaji

“They look so grown up, I should really think about Garima’s advice on talking to the Panditji about alliances for the girls.” Sashi

“God, please keep my children safe from evil eyes.” Garima… what she didn’t know was that her prayer was a little late in the case of one of her children…

Payal’s Attire:

Khushi’s look(Not the shoes..I hate the shoes):

Lavanya’s Designer wear:

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“Payal you look awesome…all the young men are going to lose their hearts and their minds” shrieked Lavanya, startling the old trusted driver, Rammohan, out of his wits.

“hain naa, Lavanya… she looks out of the world today.. I am sure I am going to meet my Jijaji today.. it will be the one that will follow her around like a puppy” with that Khushi and Lavanya started giggling, causing the old driver to frown a little at their craziness.

“Stop it you two, I have wanted to wear this sari since a long time, I picked it up in Chennai when I went there for a conference. I was just waiting for the right occasion and today seemed good.” said Payal, catching Rammohan’s eye in the rear view mirror and giving him an apologetic smile, asking to excuse the loonies for the crazy talk.

But the giggling didn’t stop that soon…Payal kept gazing out of the window and just ignored the murmurs and the giggles as the two continued to talk about silly random topics…”God when will these two grow up!!”

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ASR walked into the quite house saw Hari Prakash running towards him, he handed HP his coat and his files and walked towards the living room.

“Where is everyone?”

“Ji Bhaiyya, Jijaji has gone to the railway station, to leave on his trip. Naniji, Anjali Didi and Aakash Bhaiyya have gone to Mamiji’s relative’s engagement.”

“hmmmm…When did they say they will be back?”

“I don’t know bhaiyya.”

“Get some coffee to my room.” saying that ASR headed towards his room.

“Why does Jijaji go on so many trips?” They seem to be increasing with time, I have to ask him about it when he is back. Why would a lawyer need to travel so much? I need to know more about a lawyers work related things, will speak to Mr. Chopra(head of legal department at RI) tomorrow and find out. I don’t want Jijaji to feel bad I asked him a question like that.

He walked into his room and removed his waist coat and relaxed on the recliner.

He hated it when he returned to an empty house; his loneliness hit him in the face when there was nobody at home. He never understood this feeling of emptiness that surrounded him since his parents had moved on to the next world. He tried to get rid of it by immersing himself in education and then work it did help reduce it a little but the feeling never went away.

He had a family who loved and respected him. He had Di whose world revolved around him, he always had girlfriends who literally worshipped the ground that he walked on but… there was this feeling as if he was incomplete and lonely…his heart said…

“What the!! The heart is just an organ that pumps blood, similar to the kidney that cleans the blood; just like the kidney, the heart can’t tell you anything; it’s not the brain.”

HP walked in with his coffee.. and asked “Bhaiyya, dinner is ready, would you like anything other special dish, if you tell me I will make it now.”

“He might as well go out with Sanaa for dinner, the girl was getting on his nerves these days by whining about him not spending time with her… kissing her senseless might calm him.” He thought

“I am going out of dinner, will be late. Inform Di, if she comes before me.”

He finished his coffee changed into casuals and started dialing Sanaa’s number as he walked out.