ASR arrived back
home to a house filled with laughter and loud chatter, he frowned slightly as
he registered the amount of noise in his usually quite household. He gathered
from the voices that his Nani, Di, Mama, NK and family, Lavanya and Aakash were
gathered in the living room and discussing something with gusto. As soon as he
was in there line of vision his Di literally jumped to her feet and came near
him and looped her hand through his arm and dragged him to the gathering,
before he could escape. His heart filled with some strange peace as he saw the
smile on his Di’s face. It reminded him that his mundane life was worth living
to see her smile like that. She was his everything and he would do anything to
keep that smile in place.
She was the most
loving, soft hearted creature and she was the perfect replica of his mom. He
was too young to save his mom but he will be damned if he lets anything come in
the way of her happiness. He never measured his success by the amount of money
he made but measured it by her smiles. His life accounts were credited with her
smiles and debited with her sorrows. He was at complete peace as he sat down
with his family looking at her smile.
But…. his peace
was short lived… as soon as NK said “Nannav, Aakash is getting married… we are
going to the Gupta house tomorrow.” AND….. PANIC BURST in his “peaceful” heart.
He looked sharply at his Di for conformation and she nodded her head and said
“Yes, chote Aakash is in love we called the Guptas and asked them when we could
meet the whole family tomorrow, they asked us to come in the morning….”
She was
interrupted by a highly hyper NK “It’s a surprise they don’t know….we….”
Unknowingly ASR’s
heart and mind said one word his lips voiced it by saying “Khushi?” in a voice
that was filled with so much fear and desperation that it even surprised him.
But thankfully his family was too hyper to notice the undertones in his question
and took it face value, except for one person.
To which NK said “No
No Nannav, it’s a surprise, Khushiji doesn’t know… right Lavanya you didn’t
tell her right???” he turned to Lavanya
Lavanya who was
looking at ASR with a slight frown on her face, yes she had caught the off note
in ASR’s voice as he said Khushi’s name, she was trying to decide if she really
heard it or it was just nothing at all, came out of her thoughts at NK’s
question to her
“No NK, I have
already told you a hundred times that I have not said a word to her..this is
the first time I have kept a secret from her even if it’s only for a day…” she
finished little annoyed with NK for reminding her about her secrecy with
Khushi. Khushi and she shared everything, it was also the reason why they never
planned surprise parties for each other as they didn’t like letting even a
happy secret come between them.
But Lavanya had
decieded to do this for NK but he was making it really hard for her. All these
thoughts made Lavanya ignore what she was thinking of before NK asked her the
question, just ignored not forgotten.
ASR heard nothing
after NK had asked Lavanya about Khushi, he felt as if the earth under his feet
was no longer hard ground but quick sand that was slowly but steadily making
him suffocate. He was thinking and thinking hard to make sense of his feelings
but no realization was happening. He looked around at his family who were not
aware of the turmoil going on inside him, they were used to his silence and
counted his current silence as his normal habit happily oblivious to the fact
that ASR was hanging on to a thin thread of sanity. He spotted Aakash sitting
in between his family, surrounded by everyone and something new happened,
something that ASR had never experienced before happened.
A slimy green
monster awoke in ASR’s mind and heart, “He
wanted to wipe that smile of Aakash’s face, he wanted punch Aakash right in his
nose and break that straight nose… he wanted to destroy every dream that Aakash
had ever had… and make all of Aakash’s nightmares come true… he wanted to chuck
his brother out on the …wait…. his brother…..WHAT THE F**K!!”
ASR jerked back to
earth and lowered his eyes in shame at his own thoughts….”He wanted to destroy
his own brother for a girl he did not even meet properly. No he was no
weakling, he cared for nobody but his family.” ASR breathed in deeply as if to
reinforce his thoughts and stood up, walked to Aakash. Aakash stood up too and
ASR patted him on the back and said “Good luck Aakash” and before he had
completed the sentence his brother had hugged him and said “Thanks Bhai, I am
worried she will say no.”
ASR sighed and
hated himself even more as he had wanted to destroy his own brother… this bond
of family… for some girl… came out of the hug and said “Aakash, she wouldn’t
dare say no to my brother, she will never find anybody better than you.” He
paused and said “But in case she does, she will be kidnapped and married to
you.” He said truthfully, he would do that for Aakash.
His family gasped
audibly at as ASR finished his sentence as they could make out that he meant
what he said. Before Nani could tell ASR off for his crazy thoughts Lavanya
spoke up.
“No need for
Kidnaps and stuff, Khushi will be able to convince her in a jiffy.” Bringing
the joy filled atmosphere back into the living room.
“Convince Who?”
asked ASR who was the only who could make no sense of Lavanya’s sentence…
“Convince Payalji
ofcourse….” said Anjali
“Why??” questioned
ASR loosing track of what he was talking about.
All his family
members gaped at him as he asked that question…”To marry Aakash…Nannav are you
ok?” asked NK
AND… just like
that ASR’s world brightened up as all the gray and gloom that had settled in
his heart and life since he had stepped in to the house faded away and was
replaced by soft glowing light. Unknowingly his lips turned slightly up at the
corners and unintentionally a twinkle settled in his eyes.
ASR was happy…
**********************************************************************
The next morning
10:00 am Gupta house hold:
A smiling Buaji,
Garima welcomed the Raizada family in to their humble residence at Lakshmi
Nagar, they received a warm welcome from Shashi as the head of the household.
Payal greeted them with a small smile, her instincts were telling her that the
visit from the Raizadas was not a casual one.
Arnav was the last
one to enter and all his family had settled in the available seats in the
living room. As he walked in Buaji who was seated on the 2 seater with Nani
stood up and made space for him to sit. Arnav asked her to sit and said he was
fine right where he was, but neither Buaji nor Sashi nor Garima would hear of
it. He was literally dragged and made to sit in the wooden sofa beside his Nani
by Buaji who kept repeating “Hai re NandaKishore…you are the guest… babua…” in
her rather loud boisterous voice. Nobody…and he meant NOBODY had ever
manhandled ASR in this manner in this way ever… he glared at his Di who was
holding back her snickers by sealing her lips tight by using her jaws.
He turned his
attention to Aakash who was seated beside his Di, he saw Aakash was openly ogling
at Payal as opposed to his usually introvert….”WOW… his brother was really smitten….”
He didn’t want to
miss this opportunity so his looked directly at his Di to catch her attention
as she was talking to NK on her other side and when she did turn to look at
him, he signaled to her with his eyes to look at Aakash. Anjali followed his
gaze and saw the drooling session that Aakash was involved in and her mouth
fell open and she nudged Aakash in his ribs with her elbow and told him to quit
staring at Payal….. with her eyes. ASR watched this exchange with his standard
smirk in place.
All this time ASR
was not paying any attention to what his Nani was saying to the Guptas though
he was sitting right next to her it was all sounding like “blah blah blah…” to
him but suddenly Nani’s words become the most important thing as soon as her “Blah
blah blah …” became “blah blah KHUSHI….blah blah..”. He stilled and
straightened and paid more attention to whatever was being said by buaji, more
attention than he had ever paid in a long time.
“Haan, Devyani ji…
she is at home.. she is sleeping..” Buaji said
Even before Nani
could react on what she heard, Arnav heard three people speak
“She had a night
shift last night… she just came home a couple of hours back..” was Sashi’s
immediate reaction in defense of his daughter
“She has one more
night shift tonight…she only gets to take rest now…” was Payal’s justification
to which Aakash was showing his full support by bobbing his head up and down
much more enthusiastically than necessary.
“She didn’t even
eat anything Maaji she just came home showered and slept…” came the worry
filled voice of Khushi’s mom.
Arnav’s heart
filled with warmth as he realized that she was loved so dearly by her family.
It made him happy to know that her family wouldn’t let even such a silly thing such
as, not being awake to welcome their guests, tarnish her image. She was loved
and protected he breathed deep with relief. But his mask stayed in place all
through this, ASR was what the rest of the people in the room were looking at.
“Koi baath nahi…Garima..
let her sleep, but wake her up a little later so she can eat something and
sleep again.” said his ever understanding Nani. This was good ASR thought if
she didn’t wake up, he wouldn’t see her and become a fumbling ball of emotions,
his brain was calculating his chances of escape.
Sashi turned to his
wife and said “Garima, chai .. snacks…??”
Garima came to
life and said “Ek minute, I will just come..” and went inside, followed by
Payal.
They came out
immediately with snacks and tea. Payal started serving the tea to everyone and
when she reached Arnav “No, it’s ok..” he told her.
“You must have
something Babua” buaji said
“No..”
“Chotey, shall I
make coffee??” asked Garima. He looked at Garima with surprise… “God how much she was like his mother.. she
just knew what he wanted..” this
thought took him a few moments more than necessary to reply and he heard Garima
say “I will bring coffee in a second.” And almost leave the room when Anjali
said “Garima aunty, no sugar Chotey has diabetes..”
Garima dropped the
empty serving tray that she was holding and said “What??... but he is so
young??” she voiced her concern, her facing creasing with worry. He was her
best friends son, she was one of the first people to hold him… she was one of
the people who fed him cake of his first birthday.. now he can’t have cake. She
was worried he was her best friend… soul sisters son… he was the son she never
had.
“It is hereditary aunty,
he got diagnosed 6 years back..” Anjali explained by now Garima had reached
Arnav and was looking at him with worry written clearly in her eyes. Arnav stood
up looked at her and said “Aunty I am fine, I don’t like sweets any way..” he
tried to sound convincing and gave her a small smile.
Garima’s concern
seemed to have lessened a little after his clarification and she cupped one of
his cheek in her palm for a split second and then patted him on the shoulder
and said “Sit down beta, I will bring your coffee in a minute..”
Just then a
neighbor came asking for Sashi and Sashi excused himself and went out on to the
verandha with his neighbor, Payal had followed her mom into the kitchen again.
Buaji was sitting
talking to Devyani and she realized there was no water served with the snacks
and she yelled at the top of her voice “Payaliya… bring water…”
To which Payal’s
reply was “Coming buaji..”
NK who was
enjoying the pakoda’s served started coughing as he had bit into a green chili
and his NRI palate was not able to handle it. Seeing this Buaji got up and went
inside to get water and NK being NK followed right behind her holding his
throat and saying “water … aaah… water…” Arnav watched all of NK’s drama and
shook his head and voiced a slight “Unbelievable!!” under his breath.
He heard the
twinkling of her Payal’s even before he saw her and his head shot up and there
she was, her face all scrunched up in distaste, her hair a little messed up, a
thin blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl and also covering her
head, her hands inside the blanket holding it in place, her eyes still closed.
He was stunned and mesmerized and sat simply staring at her as she moved
straight towards the sofa that he and Nani were sitting on, his mind registered
that she was not going to even open her eyes as she had probably done this a
million times before.
She walked right
up to the sofa and plonked herself right in between Nani and himself, and layed
her head back to rest on the sofa and said rather loudly “Buaji… why are you
yelling…??” Arnav shifted in his to look at her and so did Nani. This made
Khushi sense she was sitting inbetween people and pulled her hand out and
touched Nani first and scrunched her face a little more and then she moved her
hand and touched his arm and immediately she moved closer to him and put her
head on his shoulder and said “Bauji… please tell your sister to be quite…” she
said pointing in Nani’s direction…”buaji always does this.. whenever I sleep
she yells, she throws stuff noisly…and she yells very loudly bauji…” and she
kept on talking in her morning croaky voice but Arnav heard nothing but sweet
music, he registered nothing but how wonderful her aroma is, he mind was at a
complete stand still, not thinking anything just living in the moment.
Anjali was looking
at the scene her mouth hanging open she was not thinking much too, she just
couldn’t believe what was happening before her eyes. Aakash was pretty much in
the same state too.. Mamaji’s mouth was not hanging open but shocked he was and
Nani was living her dream…she was looking lovingly at Khushi who was snuggled
up to Arnav… “They look so good together…”
Nani was pulled
harshly out of her day dream when she heard voices in varying degrees of horror
that said the same thing “KHUSHI…..” everybody turned to see buaji, Garima and
Payal back in the living room their faces filled with disbelief and horror.
Everybody looked
back at Khushi when she yelled “WHAT!!” at the top of her voice and sat
straight and finally… finally opened her eyes.
“What Jiji why are
you also……” she slowed down turned to see Anjali and Aakash and then Nani. Then
she slowly turned head towards him and as soon as their eyes met she shot up
off the sofa and ran into the room she had come out off.
***********************
Completely silence
followed Khushi’s departure from the room…. Completely … pin drop silence.
************************
It was finally
broken by Nani’s happy boisterous laughter, soon Nani was joined by Anjali, Aakash
and Mamaji. Even Arnav smiled a happy full blown smile, “God this girl was crazy…” he
thought “… and cute..” he added as an afterthought.
