Chapter 10

Part 10 - 'Moh moh ke dhaage'

The flirting between Sai and Virat is now quite bold and both of them are enjoying teasing each other. The preparations for Shivani bua’s wedding are also giving them many chances of meeting frequently and spending time together. Sai is also trying to include Samrat and Pakhi as a means to thaw the coldness between the brothers. Virat, understanding her efforts is more open towards Samrat but is still maintaining distance from Pakhi.

At a saree shop, Shivani is looking for a ‘Paithani’ for her Mangalashtak (Varmala)... She is discussing with Sai which combination is looking better, when Virat leans and whispers in her ear.

“Tumhe bhi chahiye kya?”

Sai blushes at the hint but without missing a beat says “Uske liye pehle koi ladka chahiye jisme himmat ho ki mujhe propose kare”

Virat is astonished and smiles… “Acchha.. aisi baat hai.. To kaisa chahiye?”

“Bholu ram jaisa na ho” she says while tilting her head and looking at him with raised eyebrows.

“Yaar tum na.. Aise dekhti ho na.. Mera saara confidence khatam ho jaata hai” says Virat with a pout. 

His cute expressions makes Sai laugh and she pulls his cheeks and says “Awww… mujhe to laga tha IPS officers bade himmat wale hote hai”

“Haan lekin junglee sherni ki aage kuch nahi kar paate” says Virat still pouting. 

Shivani then leans towards both of them and asks,

“Pehle meri shaadi karle? Phir tumhara dekh lenge” earning a blush from both of them. 

The wedding is fixed for Valentines day and the preparations are moving in a fast manner. Sai is now a major member of the planning and execution team and frequently goes to Chavan Niwas.

A few days later, Sai wakes up at her usual time and picks up the phone to call Virat as a part of morning routine. But she sees a message from him instead.

‘Ek mission ke liye ja raha hun, might be 4-5 days long. Will not be able to meet. Take care’

The short message and the curtness unsettles her a bit but she gets busy with her work. All through the day, a certain oddness engulfs her at having to spend the day without talking to Virat. In the evening, she decides to go to Chavan Niwas to see whether there is any news of Virat.

At Chavan Niwas, Ashwini too is in a similar situation. Seeing Sai, she comes to her and asks “Koi message aaya Godu ka?”

“Nahi Aai, I mean subah message kiya tha bas.. Par mujhe kyun inform karenge?”

Ashwini just smiles and says “Karega aur tujhe hi karega” and tenderly touches her cheek.

As if on prompt, her phone pings right at 8 pm. 

‘I am safe. Poor network. Inform Aai’

A smile immediately lights up Sai’s face and Ashwini notices this… “Kya keh raha hai? Thik hai na?”

This time she doesn't mind the shortness of the message but is glad that he is indeed putting her ahead of everyone else. She feels bad for Ashwini and tells her.. “Thik hai vo Aai, aapko batane ko bola hai”

Sai gets busy in her work but is missing Virat terribly, his morning/night calls, the songs that they share and those rides from hospital as if it's an old habit. She is glad though that she is busy in Shivani bua’s wedding preparations. This gives her a chance to go to Chavan Niwas where even though he is not there, she feels closer to him. 

Three days have passed and there has been no further update from Virat to either Sai or Ashwini. He is supposed to return the next day as per the original plan. Sai is confused and worried and so is everyone else. Even Bhavani has noticed that Sai is getting affected by the non communication from Virat. In order to calm down the environment Bhavani has promised a special pooja to Bappa for ensuring Virat’s safe return. Shivani, noting Sai’s worry, asks her to stay the night with her, to which she agrees readily. 

Unable to sleep properly, Sai wakes up in the middle of the night and decides to sit in the balcony for sometime and maybe tone down the uneasiness within her. On her way, though, her feet take her to Virat’s room. She is standing at the door and debating whether to go inside. The room is not locked and she gingerly takes a step inside, entering it after 5 long years yet feeling a familiar warmth in the confines of the room.. which was once her room too. She takes a good look at everything and realises nothing has changed. The desk still has the bamboo plant she had gifted to Virat, although it has grown nicely and his bedside table has the pop-up clown box on it. She feels happy seeing it and sits on the bed. She then looks at the cupboards and wonders how her side is. She gently opens it to find it empty only for the few stuff she had left behind neatly placed. She opens the other side and sees all of Virat’s clothes neatly arranged. She takes out one of his shirts, holds them close to her and smells it. It smells of fresh clean detergent and yet it has a distinctive smell, of Virat. She takes the shirt and goes and lies down on his side of the bed. 

A warm touch and faint calling of her name startles her from her sleep only to find herself face to face with Virat, an extremely happy smile on his face.

“Sai.. tum yahan? Aur aise?”

It is then she notices that she is still clutching his shirt in her hands and has been sleeping in his room. Too embarrassed to say anything, she avoids looking at him and hides her happiness at seeing him safe and asks him “Aap kab aaye?”

“Abhi .. par mujhe agar ye nazara dekhne ko milne wala hai to phirse chala jaata hun kisi mission pe”

She looks up at him hearing this and faint blush is seen on both of them. Virat extends his hand and she stands up and gives him a hug. After a moment, they break the hug and she tells him how worried everyone was and that he should have called.

Virat is just looking at her lovingly and absorbing all the unsaid emotions in her words. She tells him to freshen up and runs out of the room.

Virat puts on the music system in his room and does a happy waltz at the beautiful sight he saw when he came back. 

Yeh moh moh ke dhaage

Teri ungliyon se ja uljhe

Koi toh toh na laage

Kis tarah girah ye suljhe

Hai rom rom iktaara

Hai rom rom iktaara

Jo baadalon mein se guzre

After so many years, it finally feels like he came home.

—--

The song for this part is “Moh moh ke dhaage” from Dum laga ke Haisha.