Chapter 11

Chapter 11:  LAFAMILIA?

Raashi: toh ab tum kya karni wali ho?

GG: I have a something in mind, I need you to…………………. (Suspensehai)

Raashi: Are you insane?you know what you doing right?

GG: yes, I know but please get it done.

Raashi: look, I am going to do it but I am also going to say a friend that will be crossing line you know.

GG: I dnt care, get it done Raashi, and call Dr Kulshreshth to my office please?

Raashi leaves from there and after sometimes Anubhav knocks at her door. She composes herself and call him in. Anubhav looks the office,it’s the same way as Dr Riddhesh left it. He looks around the office and speak

Anu: Everything is same as it was few years ago when Dr Riddhesh was here.

GG: Papa ki yaadein hai yeh isliye aise hi rehne diya.Anyways, tumse kuch kaam tha kuch baat karni thi about Ridz.

Anu: Kal ke sawaal usne mujhse puch tha, ki mein tumse baat karu par subah na sahi time tha, na jagah isliye nahi ki.

GG: Do you think, give me one good reason I should let my daughter enter Saraswati sadan after whatever has happened?

Anu: Kyunki who bhi uski family hai, jaise bhi ho, unka haqhai unse milne ka?

GG: Haq? Kaunsa haq aur kaisa Haq? Meine haq nahi diya hai tumhe abhi toh tumhari family ko kisne diya hai?

Anu: look whatever happened in past, I haven’t forgotten,nor you have but right now let’s not think as Anubhav and GG as husband and wife, let’s think as Ridz’s parents hmmmm?

GG tries to calm her nerves down and goes and sit on the sofa. She is on a verge to breakdown, but she cannot fall weak. How can she showcase her weakness to the man who is responsible for making her stronger every day, not because he is her strength but because his betrayal, his falsity, her belief which he broke that made her the tigress that she is today,no matter how and what happens she has come out of the cocoon of tenderness she was and has become someone who knows thinks two steps ahead, like chess.

Anubhav sits next to her and give a few moments of silencebecause he knows she needs to be calm and listen to her reason once.

Anu: look I know this is not easy not for you nor for me buteventually we have to do it, I get it we never discussed all of this and wewill, we will sit down calmly which GC gang and figure out everything, but fornow let her meet them once, then lets see how it plays out. Please.

GG knows what he is saying is right but she has to show some attitude otherwise he will think that she is becoming that old GG who she was,so she gets up and foots up and down, and after a while she says

GG: talk to your house members and see if they are interested in meeting her and come in the evening at my house and we will discuss few more thing that you need to know and you can take with you. Thereis stuff I need to make thing sclear so make sure you there after work, and youdo know my rule

Anu: no lateness, I got it. I will be there

GG: samajdaar ho gaye ho tum, itna mein keh sakti hu.

Anu: toh mein samajdaar nahi tha pehle?

GG: the lekin der se samjte the, aaj ek baar mein samaj gaye. Aur ha, tumhari WIFE se zarur puch lena ki use tumhare yeh idea kaise lagta hai, kyunki uski zyada chalti hai na tumhare ghar pe isliye

Anubhav is about to say something, and he opens hIs mouth but GG cuts him sand says

GG: I have a meeting to attend to you know the say out from here. And just rushes outside as fast as she can, Anubhav is puzzled by this behaviour because she is too unpredictable since he has known her, Bua was right she isn’t the same gungun whom I fell in love with, something is there that she is hiding, and I must know that no matter what? He leaves from there andGG sees him leaving and comes out of the hiding place, and says “Stop Psychoanalyzing me, I wont open up so soon to you and I have this intact wall which I wont in anyway let it crumble and step forward with you ever, I know and I can readyour face so well, so stop that, the faster you do this , the better becauseonce I complete my revenge move against your wife, you won’t see me the same way as you are.”

Anubhav reaches home for lunch in afternoon and seeing everyone at table he says: Aaj sham ko Ridz is ghar mein aa rahi hai aap sabse milne. Meri Gungun se baat ho gayi hai, mein sham ko use yaha leke aane wala hu, so please, please he folds his hands and say please lest behave for a change like we use to 5 years ago and I will talk nicely to all of you,leaving my anger aside for the sake of my daughter and behave normal, coz I dnt want my daughter to think that I am unhappy here.

Everyone at table has a pin drop silence, he analysis each and everyones face, some blank, some happy and somewhat not expression as he can’t read of all of them and says

Anu: kya hua? Why the sudden silence?

BP: Itni bada decision, humse puche bina kaise liya?

Anu: Matlab? Kuch din pehle aap hi sab use milna chahte the na, ab jab milwa raha hu, tab bhi problem hai. Aap bata dijiye, agar nahi milna chahte toh main use mana kar duga.

Sargam: Aise bat nahi hai, hum milege use, bas thoda pehlekeh dete toh preparation kar dete.

Anu:  Toh ab bata rahahu na, woh aaj sham yaha aane wali hai.

Chandru: who toh theek hai par gungun??

Anu: Papa, mein nahi chahta ki humne uski maa ke saath joh kiya who use pata chale, aap sab ki naftrat aur aapki sansaakri bahu ki wajah se uski maa ko joh suna ya aur joh kaha woh use pata chale. Kyunki joh bhi hohumne galat kiya hai, aur mein nahi chahta ki meri beti ko koi kuch sunaye.

BP: Theek hai, hum kuch nahi kahege use, par ek baat yaadrakhna hamari, tum joh yeh aise humse baat karte ho na, waise hi bhagwan nakare ki kabhie tumhari beti ko pata chala toh who tumse naa kare. Sargam hamari Poti ke aane ki preparation shuru kar do.

Anubhav reaches Bhatnagar mansion @ 5:30 and Garima Buaopens the door for him and lets him in.

GB: woh Gungun Ridz ko classes se leke aati hogi bas kuchwaqt pehle hi khatam hue hai thoda waqt lagega, tab tak aao baitho. Shantiplease ek cup chai leke aao.

Anu: Bua mujhe aapse kuch puchna hai. Kya Gungun Mere aur Akriti ke baare mein nahi janti?

GB: nahi, naa usne pucha aur nahi who mentally stable thiitni ki mein use kuch batau? Na usne mujhe kuch pucha aur nahi maine use kuchkaha. Woh itni ziddi ho gayi apni success mein ki use khud nahi pata chala kiwoh kab kaunsi Gungun ban gayi. Tumne mujhse pucha tha, ki maine tumhe maafkyun nahi kar paayi. Meri wajah chahe alag ho, par tumne toh use dekha hai itnedin, observe kia hai, toh tum batao kya yeh woh Gungun hai jisse tumne pyaarkarna shuru kiya tha? Aur waise bhi tum toh already move on kar chuke the na Akriti ke saath Mumbai se aane ke baad

Anu: nahi, maine janta hu, ki kya hua hai, mere parivaar ki galati shayad hum dono nibha rahe hai aur humne yeh ek wall built ki hai kiagar the toh kahi hum wapas bikhar na gaaye. Aur move on kar chuke the matlab?

GB: Akriti ne Gungun ko phone kiya tha, the night after you left from here seeing RV with GG, usne Gungun ko bahut kuch bola aur yeh bhi kaha ki you both have finally decided to move on give yourself and your wedding a chance and that started with your first night and finally you both are 2 bodies 1 soul without anyone’s interference.

Anu: Kya, why would Akriti say something like to GG, yes, I know that she did decorate the room, but I didn’t go forward with anything like that, GG is the only person I love and loved and nothing of that sort happened.Trust me Bua this is news to me too.  Apke jaane ke baad Mein apne parivaar se zyada baat nahi karta us din se aajtak sirf Champ, GC gang se hi apne jaisa rehta hu, parivaar se toh aise baatkarta hu ki mein us ghar ka family member hi nahi hu. Rude, badtaamez, what not joh mein gungun ko bolta tha, aaj mein khud ho gaya hu. Us ghar ne mujhse mere pyaar se dur, kiya, meri jaan, meri beti sab se aur agar jaan hi pass na ho toh jeene ka kya faiyda. Mein janta hu, saade paanch saal ka fasla bahut bada hai,par mein koshish karuja use paar karna. Apne liye, apne pyaar ke liye, chahemujhe kuch bhi karna pade.

Just as then the doorbell rings and GG along with Ridz enters, Ridz see cool dude and runs and hug her. Anubhav gets happy seeing herand hugs her back

GG: Ridz, go get freshen up and pack your go to bag since as requested you are going there for a night, and I also need to talk your cool dude alone. Please.

Ridz run from there to her room to get dressed and pack herbag, when she is out of sight Gungun turns towards Anubhav and gives her adocument

Anu: yeh kya hai?

GG: Aakhein hai?

Anu: yes

GG: 20-20 vision hai

Anu: yes

GG: Toh Documents read karo aur sign karo.

Anubhav gets a bit annoyed and start to read the documentsand as he is reading his face start to go blank, and he is surprised by this.

Anu: Kya bakwaas hai yeh? Tumhe pata hai tum kya kar rahi ho? Are you in your senses?

GG: Wapas itne saare sawaal ke sentence mein? Ab sawaal kiya hai toh jawaab bhi suno Yeh bakwaas nahi hai, mujhe pata hao yeh kya hai kyunkidocuments mene prepare karwaye hai, yes, I am in my senses. Lekin shayad tumbhul jaate ho, ki I DON’T TRUST YOUR FAMILY.

Anu: Family pe nahi mujhpe toh trust hai na, phir yeh sabkyun.

GB: Hua kya hai, koi mujhe batayega?

GG: Mein I asked lawyer to prepare an Affidavit stating that Anubhav Kulshreshth can take Ridhi Bhatnagar at his house for a night but if anything happens, she gets hurts, as much as a scratch on her body, aur hosfamily tries to fight for custody, then Anubhav Kulshreshth will lose his rightas a father for rest of his life. He (Anubhav Kulshreshth) does not abide by this then he will never see his daughter Signed and dated by Him.

GB: Tum pagal ho, kya hai yeh? mein uska father hu.

GG: Father, kaisa father, kaunsa father, was he there when Ridz asked for him, did he even try to find us despite knowing where we were,did he make any effort to know his daughter. Did he? She looks towards Anubhav Did you ever try to find who your daughter is? How she looks? What she likes?What she dislikes Anything? To be a father is a privileged, Father and daughter bonds are like best friends, like me and papa, but he didn’t even try once. Sonow when he is trying, good for him and commendable that he is, and I am giving him a chance right, but I didn’t say it was going to be easy, today also in the Office also I said I haven’t given you the haq yet, so here is the conditionsign it and take her for the night or disappoint your daughter and leave.

Anu to himself: “itna gussa kyun? Kyun? Please itna bhi apne se dur mat kar ki khud se nafrat karne lagu mein.”

GG: “sorry, baat tumhare bharose ki nahi hai, but I donot trust your family anymore, I can’t let my daughter have my fate and listen to the society”

Anu: fine, I will sign it, if this let me meet my daughter I will. He takes the pen from her and gives it to her and takes his phone out toclick the photos like previous deal

GG: what you doing?

Anu: taking photo for my copy.

They both remember the deal date together.

GG: Iski koi zarurat nahi hai, ek copy tumhari hai aur dusri meri.

Anubhav: Not bad, samajdaar ho gayi ho tum, waise yeh samaj last deal ke waqt kaha thi? A4 size paper pe sign liya tha?

GG getting a bit annoying: Woh kya hai na, last time ki baat alag thi, ab ki baat alag hai isliye.

Anubhav giving the classic smirk of his: Accha yeh baat hai?Kya alag tha? Mujhe bhi toh batao

GG getting more irritated clenching her fist says in a sarcastic taunt: tab hum as individual soch rahe the aur aaj hum parents ki tarah. Point 2: shaadi hum dono apni marzi se nahi kar rahe the na, lekin aaj hum matured ho gaye hai, aur yaha baat humari nahi humari beti ki hai.

Anu: Toh tum manti ho ki woh hamari beti hai? Hmmmmm

GG: Stop that I know what you are doing. I am not going to give in… you… you know what I will go get OUR daughter and goes from there.

Anubhav looks at Bua and says: Its okay, I know why she is doing this, and I am fine really. Don’t worry.

Riidz and GG comes there and she says bye to Dadi bua and GGand wishes them good night.

GG: Remember ot behave good woth them and please do nottrouble anyone and do not fight with Champ and make a fuss about food pleas?

She turns towards Anubhav and says: 2 things you need toknow

Number one: Use peanut se Allergy hai tumahri tarah, please make sure of that. If anything happens there is an Epi pen in her bad. She can’t have spicy food toh please make sure of it

Number two: woh meri tarah thodi ziddi hai, toh iss baat ka khayal rakhna use joh chahiye who zidd karke lene ki ya she is expert in fussing make sure that she doesn’t do that.

Any you little Miss Melodramtic, they have some different culture then us please dnt make too much fuss and fess up well and dnt trouble anyone there. Yeh mera number hai, any problem please give me a call, she gives her card to Anubhav.

They leave from there for Saraswati niwas. Meanwhile GG is in her room sitting on the floor with her legs folded and eating tubs of icecream and she usually does thos when stressed GB comes and sits next to her.

GB: today what you did was crossing the line, he is his father, getting a contract signed and all that pushing yourself one step towards becoming Dr Maya is not helping him, nor you. I am sorry but today this gungun what you were your dad wouldn’t be proud either.

GG: Even you think what I did is wrong too? Bua what I did is because Anubhav and I had a past which is unexplainable to anyone, when society will know what fate it will held for our daughter, for society she is awed-locked child, the truth is no one understood our love and our child is that symbol of love, when people will taunt Anubhav or our daughter what will she say, I dnt want her to go thru the fate i went thru while I was married to Anubhav, maybe our Marriage didn’t mean anything to other, but it did hold meaning to me and Anubhav.

Aap BP ko jante hai, use samaj ki kitni fikar hai, toh aaj joh bhi kiya use fikar mein kiya. One tear in my daughter eyes because of BP fear of society and its game over for them. Chahe duniya is baat ko samje ya nahi who meri aur Anubhav ki beti hai.

GB: Anubhav, you know him, he would have stood against the world for her, then why this document.

GG: Coz, he would have stood for me too, that’s what he promised right, that our relation will get a name, but he didn’t stand that long to fight for me, what if he dies that for our daughter too, what if he doesn’t stand long due to BP fear or society? What then?

Anubhav and Ridz reach home, they welcome her and gets emotional seeing her, she is the exact copy of Gungun, Although BP is not happy like he should be, but he gives in for sake of Anubhav.

Ridz: wow, cool dude you have a very big house and so many family members in your house.

BM: Ae Annu yeh cool dude kya hota hai?

Goli bua: Bhabhi Cool dude matlab, aaj kal apne friends ko aise hi bulate hai, style hai.

BM: Beta, woh Cool dude nahi hai, papa hai tumhare.

Ridz: yes, par mein use cool dude hi bulati hu.

Anu: Ridz, yeh mere BP hai aur apke bade Dadu, aur yeh Badi dadi, yeh mere Ma aur Papa hai aur tumahre dada aur dadi. Yeh Golu dadu ki wife hai aur apki Choti dadi, jaise apki Bua Dadi hai, yeh bhi apki Bua Dadi hai.Champ bhi yahi bulata hai unhe aap bhi yahi kahoge. Yeh Neeti chachi hai, AapAnkit ko chachu kehte hai na yeh unki wife hai Khushi, aap chachi kahe ya Buayeh aap pe depend hai aur jaise Rasika bua hai waise yeh Chavi bua hai.

Ridz goes and touches all elders’ feet and says Hi to Chavi and Khushi and comes back to Anu. Yug chachu Champ kaha hai?

Yug: woh aata hi hoga.

Ridz sees everyone is so Quiet and says: Aap log mujhse nazar hai?

Goli Bua: nahi beta, aap aise kyun bola?

Ridz: woh aap log itne shaant hai na isliye.

Goli bua: nahi aise baat nahi hai, aao tum humse baat karo aur phir Champ aa jaayega aur phir dinner karege.

Anu: Maa, isi peanut se allergy hai toh please use aise cheez mat dijiye aur spicy bhi nahi khati.

Sargam: Koi baat nahi humne aaj champ aur iss doll ke liye pasta banaya hai.

Ridz gets excited: really dadi, yummy I love pasta, Thankyou

Sargam: you are most welcome.

All of them are getting along well with her, even Anubhav observes from far and not say much coz even if

he is trying to build a bridge between the family and ridz he can’t get over that they are the reason he

was not in her life.

Champ comes home and sees her, and he goes to her and takes her, and they play, after a while Anubhav calls them for dinner and make them both sit side by side and feed both, the trio enjoys them

time while the family looks at Anubhav who is smiling for the first time after long and they get

relief seeing this. After dinner when everyone was gathered in the living room, Ridz and Champ whispers something in each other’s ears and then stands up and comes in front of the family and stand in the middle

Divya: Kya hua, tum dono aise kyun hum sab ko dekh rahe hai?

Champ: Choti Dadi, aap sab itne Quietly kyun baithe hai? Hum sab games kehlte hai na?

Khushi: Games? Kaunsa game khel na hai tum dono ko?

Champ and Riidz looks at each other and get excited and says: Hide and Seek!!!!!!!!!!

BM: arey, yeh kya hota hai?

Neeti: mummyji, isme ek insaan count karta hai aur baaki sab chup jaate hai aur phir usko sabko dhundna padta hai.

BM: Acha, hum bhi khelege

Ankit: theek hai sab khelege, lekin pehle count kaun kareja?

Champ and Ridz look together and say: Bade Dadu

BP looks at them and then at others and says: theek hai,mein 15 tak count karuja sab chup jaayo.

BP starts counting and everyone hides, after that BP opens his eyes and see that Anu is still sitting there,

BP: Kya hua? Tum abho bhi yaha kyun ho tum chupe kyun nahi?

Anu: Mera mood nahi tha khelne ka, aur waise bhi aap bhi tohmajboori mein khel rahe hai, aapka bhi kaha mood hai.

BP: Hamara maan ho ya na ho, hum phir bhi baccho ke liyekhel rahe hai, tumhari tarah aise nahi baithe rahe, Apni beti ko yaha humsemilane laye the na, toh hum toh koshish bhi kar rahe hai par tum nahi.

And he goes from there, but Ridz sees this, and she looks at Cool dude, who hasn’t notice her yet. Anu gets up and goes and calls GG. GG who was still sitting and eating ice cream gets a video call from Anubhav, shepicks up the call thinking it is something urgent or something happen to Ridz

GG: hi, is everything okay? Ridz is fine na? kuch hua hai kya?

Anu: Ek hi sentence mein itne saare sawaal, you are becoming me?

GG: Sawaal tha ya taana tha?

Anu: tum khud hi samaj lo, kyat ha.

GG: Is ridz alright?

Anu: yes, she is fine they are playing Hide and seek, I had call to inform you that she is fine dnt worry, and relax

GG: I am relaxed only, who said I am worried?

Anu smiles a bit; Acha, mimicking GG is everything okay? Ridz is fine na? kuch hua hai kya?  Yeh kyatha? Aur tum itni ice cream sirf stress mein khati ho.

GG: woh toh…… woh toh kuch nahi tha, aur yeh ice cream ka tumhe ab bhi yaad hai?

Anu; tumhari har baat yaad hai mujhe.

There was a silence between them, both wanted to say something but neither of them wants to convey that message, the awkwardness is growingbetween them but suddenly GG speaks

GG: Woh kal mein use subah lene aa jayugi. I am sorry if she troubles you tonight.

Anu: its fine, dnt worry, and cuts the call. He wonders “why did I even video call her?, I would have simply called her and told her that,but why did I want to see her right now?” ufff this is killing me, I am growing restless all of a sudden, jabse Lucknow wapas aayi hai tabse ek ajeeb se feeling aa rahi hai maan mein, jaise mein phir se wohi Anu banne ki raah be chal chuka hu,joh tumhare saath tha, your eyes looks always gloomy to me, it’s like the emotionsare building up in your eyes, that even you cannot describe.  Kya mujhe yeh tumhari deewar todne mein puri umar lag jaayegi? He looks up into the sky crosses his finger and says, “help me please???”

He goes inside the house and see Ridz standing in front of him, he kneels before her and ask: kya hua?

Ridz: cool dude, Aapne hide kyun nahi kia?

Anu feeling little guilty: sorry, mera mood nahi tha isliye.

Ridz: ek question puchu?

Anu nods his head

Ridz: Aap bade Dadu se naraz hai?

Anu: Aisa kyun pucha aapne?

Ridz: kyunki maine dekha aapko aur dadu ko baat karte hua isliye.

Anu: Aisa kuch nahi hai, woh puch rahe the ki mein kyun nahi khel raha toh maine use kaha ki mujhe aapki mumma ko phone karke aapke baare mein batana hai isliye.

Ridz: Aap lie kar rahe no na?

Anu: aapko aisa kyun laga?

Ridz: Kyunki jab mein mumma ko lie karti hu na toh mein bhiai se apne ek kaan rub karti hu, jaise aap abi kar rahe the, aur mumma ne kahatha, ki tum bilkul apne papa jaise karti ho. Isliye.

Anu: Sorry, I shouldn’t lie, but ii was angry with him, but Iam good now, okay lets go play.

All of them are extremely exhausted and tired by the games and after a whole all of them are sitting together and eating ice cream ,when Champ and Ridz are too tired and wants to sleep, so chavi take sthem to Anu’s room toget them ready for bed.

As soon as they leave, BP turns to Anu and ask: Yeh, tumhe papa kyun nahi bulati?

Anu: Kyunki woh mujhe apna father nahi manti hai yet?

Sargam : matlab?

Anu: Matlab yeh ki, whenever she needed me in her life I wasn’t present, so I have to pass some test and if I pass then only she will call me papa.

BM: Aur tu maan gaya?

Anu: Ha, because kyunki woh sahi thi isliye?

BP: who bacchi hai use nahi pata ki woh kya bol rahi hai, Gungun ne ya tumne use roka kyun nahi.

Anu: kyunki yeh baat GG bhi nahi janti, yeh baat sirf mere aur RIdz ke beech hui thi.

Sargam: phir bhi yeh galat hai, log kya sochege.

Anu: Really maa, aapko logo ki padi hai, aap log bataye, kya mein ek acha papa hu, kya mein apni beti ke liye fight kia, nahi na tph ab jab mauka mila hai, mein wait karuja uske papa bolne ka, chahe mujhe puri zinadagi hi kyun na karna pade.

Anu gets angry and Leaves from there, he promised himself today that he wont fight with his family, when Ridz is here but he couldn’t keep up with their thought process. Ho goes to his room and sleeps peacefully with the thought that today he is happy that his daughter is when him.

Next morning at breakfast table all of them are having a good time at breakfast, when a car stops in front of their house.