Chapter 7 - Mr and Mrs Bajaj room

Prerna and Mr bajaj reached home to find the house beautifully decorated and Mr Bajaj instantly realized who all must have done it. He had expected that they would be back but not so soon. He had hoped by then he had given Prerna his reasons for the marriage and things would be better but it has to be this way. They both entered the house and were greeted by Maasi and Tanvi. Mr bajaj introduced Prerna to both of them and Maasi did their aarti and welcomed them both into the house. A small celebration was done for them and then they all sat down to eat. 

Prerna did the cordial yes and no and tried to be respectful. She was actually surprised to see that Mr Bajaj actually had a family and this seemed to be a good one. Maasi and Tanvi were more than nice towards her and after the initial awkwardness she reciprocated the same with whole heart. She was talking with Tanvi having a desert when she stifled a yawn. 

“Tanvi chalo beta ab bas karo. Bechari ki shakal dekho kitni thaki hui lag rahin hain. Come on Prerna chalo, go to your room and take some rest.” Maasi

“Nahin its ok I am fine” Prerna

“Acha then I guess you are fine but woh kya hain na we are tired and I am sure someone might want you all to himself” Tanvi said teasing and Maasi smiled. Prerna smiled but if need be she was ready to sit with Tanvi the whole night and talk about nothing nonstop. 

“Chalo get up. Go to your room and get some rest.” Maasi said. 

Prerna got up and was about to go into the guest room that she had used the first night she had come to the Bajaj mansion. Rishab was about to stop her but Maasi beat him to it. 

“Prerna waha kaha ja rahin hoon? Tumhara room is taraf hain. Rishab ka room left side main hain” Maasi said and Prerna stopped mid way. Tanvi was also surprised. 

“Woh maasi jis din hamari shaadi hui us din she didn't see anything in this house. She just changed her wedding clothes and then we left for Zurich. To inhe kuch pata nahi hain.” Mr bajaj

“Really but iska matlab to tumhari first night sidhe Zurich main how romantic. Acha hain I never understood how people enjoy a night so much when you have to take off so much of heavy jewellery and make up. Kitna time waste hota hai nahin”  Tanvi said laughing 

“Tanvi bas karo” Massi said laughing with Tanvi and Prerna and Mr bajaj wanted to do nothing but leave. 

“Sorry Prerna. Hum bata dete hain. Rishab ka room upar se left side par hain. You don’t need to count the door woh pura left wing Rishab ka hain. “ Maasi said and left from there. Prerna looked straight at Mr bajaj telling him that she was not doing this and was about to say something to Maasi.

“Aap Chaliye Mrs Bajaj mujhe thoda kaam hain” Mr bajaj said and Tanvi and Maasi laughed again. Prerna had no option but to move towards his room. She went inside the room and the first smell that hit her was of Cigar and cologne. The room was very big and had a sitting area, a big wardrobe in fact bigger than Prerna’s room in her house, washroom, another door that seemed locked. The thing that surprised her the most was each wall had a different color and that too soft colors. She thought for a moment that she might have come to the wrong room but then he heard Mr bajaj entering the room and moving straight into the wardrobe. 

“Aap abhi jakar apni maasi ko sach bataye. Main aapke saath ek room main nahin rehne wali hoon” Prerna said and Mr bajaj went straight to the wardrobe, closed the door and came out after sometime in his night clothes and a box in his hands.

“Aap sun bhi rahin hain main kya bol rahin hoon. Go and tell Maasi right now we are not staying in this room.” Prerna said as Mr bajaj went around the room picking up some stuff randomly and keeping it in a box. 

“Mr bajaj stop right now and listen to me, NOW!!!” Prerna and Mr bajaj stopped. Prerna went near him and “maine aapke saath ek kamre main nahin rehnewali hoon suna aapne. Jaiye aur jakar aapke ghar walo ko sach bataye. Shaadi ki deal aapki thi to yeh jo bhi issues ki aap apni family ko kya batayenge kya nahin yeh aapki problem hain. Maine apna stand is shaadi ko clear kar diya tha. Aapka mujh par koi haq nahin hain” Prerna said and Mr bajaj went back and kept the box on the table. Prerna thought he was about to leave but he opened the drawer and took out his book and dumped it into the box. 

“Theek hain main hi jaati hoon.” Prerna said and was about to walk out the door when the noise came of another door opening and she found Mr Bajaj walking into the room which was conjunct to this one. It was like a study but also had a sitting area and was spacious. He put the box on the table. 

“Mrs bajaj mujhe lagta hain aapko shaadi ka matlab sirf ek sikhaya gaya hain.” Mr bajaj said. 

“Yeh Shaadi nahin thi ek deal thi” Prerna

“Yes deal aur us deal ki mutabik you will be loyal to me and to this marriage but problem yeh hain aapke liye marriage ka sirf ek matlab hain Bed Share karna” Mr bajaj said and prerna moved her eyes away. 

“Mujhe pata hain shaadi ka matlab isliye niche chup chap thi” Prerna

“I am very thankful for that” Mr bajaj said 

“Lekin main aapke saath yaha nahin rahongi ek room main nahin rahungi. Mujhe nahin laga tha ki iski zaroorat padegi. ” Prerna 

“To aapne exactly kya socha tha” Mr Bajaj

“Ki mujhe aapki sakal roz dekhni padegi.” Prerna said and went inside the room and stood in front him “Buisness machine hain aap I thought ki andar nuts and bolts hote hain machine ke instead of human body and bones, emotions, feeling. Family!!!!” Prerna said

“Of course they are made in labs. Isn't it? ” Mr bajaj said smiling. A window opened somehow and some of the papers flew from there and Mr bajaj went down to pick them up.

“Why don’t you understand, I am not comfortable, we have lived together in Bern but we each had our separate space please I am not comfortable.” Prerna said and Mr Bajaj stopped in his tracks and was literally hurt with what she said, he had been given many names and had scared numerous people but never ever had he. He quickly composed himself. 

“Is door ko partition samajh lijiye. Wardrobe has two doors and that too our segments are also divided. Main aapki space main interfere nahin karunga aap meri main mat kijiyega. Us room main koi nahin aata woh meri personal space hain I mean thi. Aur ab bhi koi nahin aayega unless you allow.” Mr bajaj said and Prerna surprisingly tried to grasp everything.

"Please try and understand main aapko accu..." Prerna said and Mr bajaj moved towards his cabinet.

"If you are done now then please leave." Mr Bajaj

“Sab aapko jab study main nikalte dekhenge to nahin puchenge.” Prerna 

“My Problem” Mr Bajaj said, making himself a drink. 

“Aur aap soyenge kaha” Prerna

“My Problem” Mr Bajaj

“Washroom to ek hi hain” Prerna

“My Problem” Mr bajaj

“Lekin lekin kuch bhi ho sakta hain maasi aa gayi kabhi room main, achanak se kuch ho gaya, aur kya pata aap jakar maasi ko bata dejiye, lekin aap nahin jayenge main jakar bata deti hoon” Prerna said while walking to and fro in the room and finally going to the open the door. But then remembered how nice maasi and tanvi were to her and closed the door on her own. She then took her luggage in the wardrobe and came back and was about to take off her jewellery when she saw Mr bajaj reflection in her mirror. He was not looking at the mirror but his reflection unsettled her. She went and shut the door with a final glance towards Mr bajaj.

Once she was alone in the room she changes and was taking out her clothes from her luggage. She took out the clothes she had bought for her kid and the hairband. Since she gave one to Maria’s granddaughter she had gone and bought another one on their return. It was touch and go but she had made it. She came out of the room and somehow felt cold inside it. She looked at the empty wall above the bed and thought whose picture could it be 

“Khudki nayi photo llagane ka time nahin mila hoga, apne room main to kisi aur ki lagai nahin hain, na Maasi na Tanvi, yahan par apne aap ko dekte honge roz” Prerna thought. She sat on the bed but still was not able to sleep and she went and sat on the ground with her back near the bed watching some of her family photos on the phone and remembering them until she went into a deep sleep on the floor.

Her words had hurt and really hurt. But She was also hurt and he had let it go. He then took out a bag from his wardrobe and opened the trolley and went straight to the door on the next wing. The door was open as usual and the person that mattered the most to Rishab bajaj was sleeping on the bed. His 5 year old bundle of joy, his daughter Kukki. But suddenly Kukki started moving frantically and Mr. Bajaj knew it was another nightmare so he quietly took the little girl in his arms and took her to the rocking chair. He sat on it for a longtime patting her and relaxing her until she was asleep again. 

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