Chapter 15

Here comes an OS that had been in the making long before some of you requested me to do my real-life job in relation to Shantivan :-)

And this one's for Vidya, who has been waiting patiently for a really long time ... thanks, honey ...

Enjoy and as always, leave your comments please!

"Hai re Nandkisore! Sankadevi, careful!" Madhumati Gupta yelled, trying to slow her niece down as she rushed to open the front door.

Khushi had come to visit her Buaji after quite a while and instead of sitting down with a cup of tea and catching up, she was, in typical Khushi-style, running around the house, finishing up as many chores as possible. Her logic was, if Buaji couldn't get a day off her usual routine when her niece came to visit, then when would she?

She'd been happily chattering away while sweeping up the kitchen floor when the door-bell rang. "Hum dekhte hain, Buaji. Aap math uthiye", she called out as she ran to open the door. Now, Khushi tended to forget that she wasn't just Khushi Kumari Gupta anymore, but Buaji didn't. She knew that Arnav babua would lose it if his wife fell down and hurt herself. Hence the yelling.

Paying no heed, Khushi screeched to a halt in front of the door and drew it open to see her next-door neighbour standing there with another woman.

"Arre, bitiya, when did you come?" Seema aunty asked, smiling at Khushi. Trying to get the cobwebs out of her hair, Khushi smiled back, "Namaste, Auntyji. I came early in the morning, thought I'll spend the day here. How are you?"

"I'm fine, bitiya.And this is our new neighbour. Urmilaji. She taken up Sharmaji's vacant house. I thought I'll do the introductions around here."

"Arre wah, that's good news." Turning to the lady who was dressed in a shiny green chudidaar and looking around with a slight frown, Khushi said "Namaste Auntyji, please come in."

Walking inside ahead of the visitors, Khushi said, "See who's come, Buaji, your new neighbour."

Getting up from the sofa, Buaji greeted her guests with folded hands, "Namaste, Nandkisore! Thanks for bringing her, Seema. Neighbours are the ones that help us the most, kaahe?'

Nodding her head in smiling agreement, Seemaji sat down, while the new lady looked around with a superior air before settling down daintily. Doing the introductions, Seemaji continued, "Urmilaji is from Kanpur and recently shifted to Delhi when her son got a job here."

Interrupting, Urmila clarified, "My son's a Diploma holder, Engineering Diploma. He's got the post of Engineer in a big company here. We wanted a house in a good area, but didn't have time to search. We'll be shifting soon."

"Then Nandkisore will make sure you get what you need." Buaji smiled as Khushi walked in with the tea tray and did the introduction. "This is my niece, Khusi. She lives at her husband's house nearby, has come to help me today."

As Urmila took in her simple clothes and dishevelled hair with a sniff of disdain, Seema elaborated, "She said it simply, but our Khushi bitiya is the daughter-in-law of a famous family. Her husband has big businesses under him."

Picturing a merchant of some means in her head at the description that Seema gave to Khushi's husband, Urmila dismissed it from her mind and after sometime, took her leave, ending the courtesy call as soon as she could. The Guptas didnot match up to her social standards!

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A few weeks later, Madhumatiji was on her way to Shantivan, having accepted Anjali bitiya's invitation for a family dinner when she saw Urmila stepping out through the crowded lane, apparently in search of an autorickshaw.

Poking her head out, Buaji called out, "Urmilaji, come, I'll drop you."

Reluctant to share a ride with people who didnot meet her status requirements, Urmilaji was about to decline when her inherent miserliness lifted its head and deciding to save some money, hopped in.

"Where are you going, Madhumatiji?"

"I'm off to visit my nieces, Nandkisore! Their in-laws have called me for lunch. They're such a loving family!"

"Achcha, so where do they live? That way I'll know where to get down", Urmila sniffed, already looking down upon someone who went to dinner at her niece's in-laws.

The answer, however, took her breath away, " Golf Links ", it being one of the poshest areas in New Delhi. Thoroughly confused now, and wanting to see this for herself, she replied, "That's on my way. I'll come with you till there and take another rickshaw from there."

Smiling in agreement, Buaji chit-chatted about day-to-day matters until her auto stopped in front of the massive gates of Shantivan. Gasping at the size of the entrance, Urmila stared, disbelievingly, until Buaji turned to her, "Ee lo, we've reached. Why don't you go in this rickshaw itself? I'll give the fare till here."

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Urmila repied, "Arre, aise kaise? I'll drop you till the door! Aap chaliye!"

Slightly surprised though she was, at the sudden display of neighbourly affection, Buaji nodded her thanks before turning to the gate, which was being held open by one of the security guards, who smiled at her in recognition, but frowned as he saw the newcomer. Urmila gaped open mouthed as he brought forward a body-scanner, but was waved away by Madhumatiji who vouched for her.

Unable to help herself, she asked, "I forgot to ask, what's your niece's husband's name?" The answer to which left her open-mouthed, being beyond her wildest dreams.

"Arnav Singh Raizada?!", she gasped, as she hurried after her neighbour.

*******************

The visitors having been announced already, Payal came running to open the door, her face glowing with her wide smile. Just then, the brood of Prakashs came in from their shopping trip and in the melee, Urmila got left behind. Not noticing the additional person, she hugged her Buaji, getting a bear-hug in return, "How are you, Payaliya?"

"I'm fine, Buaji, and you?"

"Nandkisore's mercy, I'm fine, bitiya. Waise, where's Parmeshwari, is she not at home?", Buaji asked, completely forgetting about her companion, who stood frozen behind her, gaping at the elegant, subtle wealth that was on display before her.

"Khushihas gone out to buy something, with Dhruv. they'll come in five minutes. Come inside, everyone's in Dadiji's room."

"Where are my sons, Payaliya? I don't see them around either."

"Arnavji and Aakash will join us later, Buaji. Lunch is still hours away."

Walking in, catching up on their mutual news, the two women left the uninvited guest behind, who, busy in mimicing the motions of a periscope, what with her head swivelling this way and that, did not notice that she had been left all alone, unattended.

Taking in the great room that spanned the breadth of the building lying open in all its glory before her, Urmila stood staring at the living and dining areas, before suddenly realising that she was surrounded by a group of chattering people, but her neighbour was nowhere to be seen. She stopped one man who was walking past her and on mentioning Madhumatiji's name, he smiled and pointed towards the wide corridor that went under the first floor balcony and she took off, part eagerness in seeing more of the house, part bewilderment at having such opulence laid bare before her.

As she walked past the courtyards on either side, she missed the verandah by the side of the one on the right side that led to Devyani Sigh Raizada's room where the ladies were now gathered. Walking past the guest rooms, she reached the private staircase near the study, and after looking around for a minute, still not able to make sense of where her companion had disappeared to, went up the steps, looking around in envious appreciation as the wide courtyards and gardens of Shantivan gradually appeared before her.

Reaching the mid-level landing, she saw the wide terrace to one side and resisting the urge to explore, continued on her way, coming up to the upstairs lounge. She was about to turn back and go down, when her inherent inquisitiveness poked its head up, and unable to stop herself from taking a peek at atleast one of the rooms to see what the interior looked like, pushed open a random door.

The next thing that happened was a duet of screams, "AAARRRGGGHHH!"

*******************

Khushi and Dhruv were just entering the house from their shopping trip when they heard the screams. While Dhruv stood frozen, Khushi recognised NK's voice and began running towards the stairs, soon followed by her dewar. Just as they ran into the lounge, Payal and Manorama also ran up the private stairs and all four turned to NK's room, only to hear his yells, "Who are you? How did you reach here? How, how? Oh God, who is this woman! Why won't you say something?"

The foursome too stood stunned, seeing a strange woman inside their home, who was now looking as guilty and blanched as if she were a thief. "Haan, thief! In Manorama's house! Such daring! Dhruv bituwa, calls police, now itselef!"

Just then, Anjali, Buaji and Naniji arrived, and seeing her neighbour standing there, looking like a deer caught in headlights, Buaji exclaimed, "Nandkisore! Urmilaji, you?"

Turning to her, Khushi gasped, "You know her?", not recognising the woman she had met briefly weeks ago.

Looking a bit shamefaced, Madhumatiji replied, "Titaliya, don't you remember? Our new neighbour, Urmilaji?"

Now realising why the woman looked familiar, Khushi replied, "Arre haan! Urmilaji here?"

Red-faced, Madhumatiji confessed, "She came with me in the rickshaw and said she would drop me till the door. But once I came inside, I forgot all about her!"

Turning to her now shame-faced neighbour, she continued, "Please forgive me, Nandkisore! But how did you reach here? In Nandkisore's room?"

Not wanting to confess to her snooping, Urmila replied, "Someone said that you're inside and I tried to find you. It's such a big house, I got lost!."

Noticing how the woman was avoiding looking at anyone, Manorama blurted, "Hain! Ee suno! Then why didn't you call out? By not caall for helep? Peeking Tomwa in housewa!"

"Manorama! Chup!" Devyani snapped before turning to Madhumatiji, "She came with Madhumatiji, she's a guest. Come now, come downstairs."

As the older women went downstairs, Anjali, Khushi and Payal stood waiting, sure that Dhruv would not let go of a chance to rib NK. Sure enough, he smirked, resembling his Bhaiyya so much that Anjali and Khushi drew in sharp breaths in anticipation.

"NK Bhai, she came inside your room? Why did you scream?"

"Haan, Dhruv! I was startled! And I was almost butt naked..." he trailed off, almost biting of his tongue at his slip.

"What?!" four voices shouted in unison before bursting into laughter as they finally understood why the poor woman had stood pale-faced and perspiring.

"Bhabi,our NK Bhai's ruined! His charitr is spoilt! That too by that auntyji!" Dhruv sniggered, knowing that the Hindi word would end up being something else altogether when NK reused it later.

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Khushi later relayed the story of the uninvited visitor in Shantivan to Arnav and Akash, with a delighted Dhruv being called on to do a role-play of NK's shock and his comments.

Laughing uproariously, Akash joined in the ribbing while, Arnav's grin quickly turned into a frown.

"What's wrong, Chotte", Anjali asked.

"Nothing, Di. I was just wondering if we should strengthen the security. I don't like the fact that some stranger was wandering in our home and no one knew."

"Oh, come on, Bhaiyya!", Dhruv replied, "That woman came with Buaji, so she was let in. A stranger can't enter just like that! Waise bhi,even if someone comes, our NK Bhai is here, to show them things that'll scare them away!"

"Aur nahin toh kaa? Waisan bhi, I didn't like hers. Peeking tomwa lady! Phati saadi, tell your Buaji to be careful about peoples like her. Achcha hua she got the shock of her life, seeing NK babua in full-detail, and went running!" Manorama supplied.

Surrendering to laughter finally, Arnav sat back, enjoying his mad family, while miles away, a red-faced woman was contemplating how she had been talking about high-society to people who actually belonged to it, but neither mentioned it, nor displayed it.

:-D