Aparna Tripathi, Maa, Imlie’s Ex-Mother-In-Law

Aparna Tripathi, Maa, Imlie’s Ex-Mother-In-Law

It was no secret that Aparna Tripathi loved her son. To the moon and back. This person, her son, belonged to her. She was the one who birthed him, who raised him, who went through various trials because of him, with him and for him. Aditya was her greatest accomplishment.

Aparna Tripathi loved Malini Chaturvedi for her son too. She took care of Aditya. She dedicated herself to Aditya. She supported Aditya. She worried about Aditya. She loved Aditya.

Until she did not.

Aparna Tripathi hated Imlie for her son. She was poor. She was a maid. She was from a village. She was illegitimate. She didn’t talk properly. She was silly, and foolish.

Until she did not.

Malini was good for her son, until Imlie was better. Malini worried for her son, but Imlie saved him. Malini took care of her son, but Imlie protected him. Malini supported her son, but Imlie rained down hell upon those who didn’t support her son. Malini loved her son, but Imlie loved him more.

Malini dedicated herself to Aditya, but Imlie worshipped him.

Imlie could fight the world for Aditya. Imlie fought with terrorists for Aditya. Imlie fought with Aditya’s wife for Aditya. Imlie fought with her family for Aditya. Imlie fought Aditya’s family for Aditya.

Aparna realised slowly, but she was convinced Imlie was someone who would fight Aditya for Aditya.

And she tried. 

Like hell she tried.

But Aditya refused to see reason.

Aparna decided to punish him. She decided to support Imlie through whatever was happening to both Aditya and Imlie. She decided to stand by Imlie in her fight against Malini because Imlie was better than Malini. She decided to instigate Aditya when he doubted the relationship between Imlie and Aryan, to make him see that there were other men interested in Imlie, but Imlie was just looking at him.

Punishing Aditya was difficult for her, but what Aditya was doing, choosing Malini over Imlie, was going to destroy her son’s life.

She didn’t give up hope even after he got married. 

She was right not to. Imlie followed Aditya, Imlie fought with terrorists for Aditya again, and Imlie saved Aditya again. As if that was not enough, Imlie never left behind their family. She took on their problems too.

Imlie stood by them when she found out about the Tripathi Residence. She didn’t know what she traded, but she got their house back. She didn’t know what price she paid, but they had a place to call home again.

All because of Imlie.

She didn’t believe in what Malini had told them. She didn’t believe Aryan&Imlie. But she did believe in Aryan having feelings for Imlie. She had seen her son fall in love with the girl. She knew what a guy in love with Imlie looked like. But she didn’t believe Imlie loved Aryan.

Imlie could love no one else other than her son, her Aditya.

And she had taken it upon herself to prove that.

She applied an age-old trick. A Pooja at their house. Followed by a dinner party.

Similar to the one Anu Chaturvedi had planned all those months back, with Malini and Aditya the one doing it, but it would be Imlie and Aditya this time. 

It was simple, she would make them sit in the Pooja together, and then they would be in close proximity together, and once they talked, Imlie would see reason and forgive Aditya.

As she always did.

She just had to invite the Rathores.

Which would be easy if her husband was not being such a pessimist. He has been like this since the moment he came back from lunch at Aditya’s office. When she asked him to go to the Rathore Mansion with her, he refused.

Then Radha refused. After that Nishant and Rupali. Even Harish also refused.

She didn’t understand the problem. 

Aparna decided to go there alone.

She reached there only to realise that Imlie wasn't there. That she was on the way home with Aryan. Aparna wasn't particularly shocked by this piece of information. They stayed together, in one house, it was obvious they would come together.

She smiled and sat down with Narmada and Arpita. Inviting them to the Pooja too.

After about half an hour, she watched as a member of the staff rushed to the door. He opened it just in time, and there they were, Imlie and Aryan.

As they were walking in. Imlie carrying both their bags, laughing and smiling, Aryan walked inside with a purpose, stoic.

Once Imlie noticed that she was here, her smile faltered for a second, her pace paused for a second and her eyes flicked to Aryan for a second. But, almost immediately, she was back, laughing and singing, pacing towards her, eyes stuck on her.

Aparna smiled at her antics, and made her sit beside her. After all the meeting and greeting was done, Aparna started, “Kal maine ghar pe ghar ki Shanti Pooja rakhi hai. Aur agar jisne ghar mein shanti laayi use hi nahi bulaaya toh kaise chalega?(Tomorrow, I’ve kept a Pooja for Shanti(Peace) in our home. And how could I not invite the person who has brought peace in our home?)”

Aparna watched as lmlie’s eyes dimmed a bit before beaming at her. She looked around and then said, “Aisan kabhi hui sakat hai, aap humka bulaaye aur hum naahi aaye?(Is it possible, you call me and I don’t come?)”

Before Aparna could reply to her, Aryan, who she had forgotten about, started from his seat on the recliner, “Hua nahi hoga. Par kal hoga. Kal lmlie nahi aayegi.(It may be impossible till now. But it will be tomorrow. Tomorrow, Imlie will not come.)”

Aparna looked back to Imlie, to ask why, only to see Imlie's eyes flashing at Aryan, in anger, “Tum fir humre neeji jeevan maan Boss Babu banat ho. Tum hamre boss ho—(You are once again trying to be my boss in my private life. You are my boss, but—)”

Aryan interrupted her, “Main professional life ki hi baat kar raha hun. Kal ki press conference ke baare mein bhool gayi?(I’m talking about professional life only. Have you forgotten about the press conference tomorrow?)”

Imlie smiled sheepishly then, first looked at him and then her gaze found Aparna's and she shrugged.

Aparna tried again, “Tu late aaja naa. Shyam ke time.(You can be late. Come in the evening.)”

Imlie's eyes beamed again and she turned to look at Aryan, Aryan sighed and replied, “Shyam tak waapas kaise aaogi? Woh hotel office se do ghante dur hai, upar se Delhi ka traffic. Jab tak hum pahunchenge tab bahut late ho chuka hoga.(How will you come back by evening? That hotel is two hours away from the office, and top of that, Delhi’s traffic. It will be very late by the time we are back.)”

Imlie pouted then, "Par hum tohar Mrs. Lambi Gaadi maan aayenge toh pahunch jaayenge naa ek dum fast forward maan.(But if we come by your Mrs. Lambi Gaadi, then we’ll reach fast forward.)”

Aryan was annoyed, and replied, “Aur agar meri meeting khatam nahi hui toh? Tum bhagogi hotel se, paidal, uss din ki tarah?(And what if my meeting’s not done till then? Will you run, on foot, like that day?)”

Imlie, annoyed at him, replied, “Nahi, tumri Mrs. Lambi Gaadi maan hum bhaag jaayes.(No, I’ll run away in your Mrs. Lambi Gaadi.)”

To Aparna's surprise, Aryan seems to ponder over it, before nodding severely, “Haan, tum meri Mrs. Lambi—I mean meri car se jaa sakti ho, main hotel se car arrange karwa sakta hun.(Yes, you can take my Mrs. Lambi—I mean my car to go back, I’ll arrange something from the hotel.)”

Imlie beamed at Aryan, and then asked, “Tum humka apan Mrs. Lambi Gaadi waapas chalaye khatir doge?(You’ll let me drive your Mrs. Lambi Gaadi again?)”

Aryan sternly replied, “Of course. Atleast, tumhaare akele raaste par bhatakne se aur ajeeb jagah pe pahunchne se toh acha hi hai.(Of course. At least that’s better than you getting lost on your way home, and reaching strange places.)”

Then Imlie teased him, and Aryan ignored her.

And Aparna watched on.

The way Aryan was taking care of Imlie was nothing new to her, but the way Imlie let him take care of her, not getting upset about, beaming at him for doing this for her, and teasing him, was new to her. This carefree Imlie was new to her. This unworried Imlie was new to her.

This conversation brought back the time Aditya had forgotten Imlie and Imlie had come home with a strange person, only to be faced with no worries from Aditya about what happened, only him changing the subject to avoid the danger Imlie had been in.

Here, Aryan had probably realised that Imlie forgot to take care of herself, and was teaching her to take care of herself.

And if Imlie asking for Aryan’s car so easily was indicating something, it was that Imlie was learning what Aryan was teaching her.

Later, when she had to leave, she asked Imlie to show her to the washroom. Imlie just smiled and took her. As she followed Imlie, she noticed little presence of Imlie all over the Rathore Mansion. Her handbag was left on the recliner, with Aryan’s laptop bag. A pair of slippers, that could not be anyone’s except Imlie’s, beside a pair of big masculine slippers, that could not be anyone’s except Aryan’s. Imlie’s college textbooks, besides business magazines on the corner table. Imlie’s colourful spiral binding notebook next to a no nonsense business diary.

Imlie had a place in Rathore Mansion, one she never had at their home.

Aparna followed Imlie. She went to the washroom, did her business, all the while contemplating Malini's words.

Just as she was about to leave, she paused, Aryan and Imlie were outside, discussing something. She strained her ears to listen.

Aryan said, “You know you shouldn’t go, right?”

Imlie sighed, “Jaanat hai hum.(I know.)”

And what, Imlie thought she shouldn’t go?

Aryan asked, “But tumhe toh aadat hai naa, jis jagah pe tumhe dard mila ho, waha wapas jaane ki?(But it’s a habit of your’s right, going back to places that have hurt you?)”

Imlie sighed, “Dekho, hum pehle hi bahut thak chuke hai. Aaj bahut kaam rahe, kal bhi bahut kaam rahe. Upar se aaj Aditya Sir jon kuch—(Please, I’m really tired today. There was much to do today, there is so much to do tomorrow. On top of that, Aditya Sir was—)”

Aryan interrupted her, “Yes, aaj office mein toh tum usse avoid kar li, but kal unke ghar mein kaise karogi?(Yes, today you managed to avoid him in the office, how are you planning to do it tomorrow, you know, in his house?)”

Imlie replied, “Kar liye hai hum.(I’ll avoid him.)”

Aryan asked again, “Par kaise?(But how?)”

Imlie answered, “Tum hoge naa humre saath. Toh hum kar liyes.(You’ll be there with me. So I’ll do it.)”

There was a moment of silence then. She didn’t know what was happening, she couldn’t see, but she understood, she realised the amount of trust Imlie had for Aryan. Imlie trusted Aryan to save her. From her son.

Aryan finally spoke again, “Maine kaha naa, meri meeting late tak chal sakti hai.(I mentioned right, my meeting could run late.)”

Imlie snorted then, “Dekho, hum bhi jaanat hai, aur tum bhi, bahar tum humka jaane se roke khatir uu sab bol rahe the. Ab apan jon ee humri neeji jeevan maan bhi Boss Babu bane khatir koshish lagaye rakhe ho, uuka tum ab chod do.(See, I know as well as you, that outside, whatever you were saying, it was to stop me from going. Now, stop trying to boss around my private life too.)”

Aryan replied then, furious, “Par tum toh mujhe apna dost maanti ho na?(But you consider me your friend, right?)”

Imlie answered, equally furious, “Par tum toh naahi maanat ho na?(But you don’t, right?)”

And then there was stalemate.

Aparna hadn’t known, that Imlie could move on too. She had always thought that Aryan&Imlie was something only for Aryan. She was wrong.

So wrong.

They both were Aryan&Imlie.

Imlie had moved on. Imlie was hurt that Aryan didn’t consider her a friend. Imlie trusted Aryan to save her. Imlie expected Aryan to take care of her.

Imlie was happy with Aryan.

Aparna took a deep breath. Okay, so what Imlie had moved on. Imlie was perfect for Aditya. Her son. If her son could move on from Malini to Imlie, Imlie could move on from Aryan to Aditya.

She believed Imlie fated to be with Aditya.

Aryan&Imlie was just a hurdle, one they will pass tomorrow.