Chapter 14

Part: 13

"Aao Kripa! Kaisi ho? What's the news?" Devayani greeted Kripa as soon as she entered into the kitchen.
"Very Serious matter Teacher!! Papa is panning my 21st birthday celebrations which would be in three weeks in grand manner" Kripa settled on kitchen platform wiggling her legs and playing with her chunni ends, leaning to the wall.
Devyani looked at her quizzically.
"Mama aur papa dono meri shadi ki peechey padhey hai and they want to invite all eligible bachelors"
Devyani smiled and squeezed her cheeks "Hmm to meri choti student has grown now."
"Mein to kabki badi hoagyi thi. But Teacher! I'm not ready for marriage. I wanna do some job. Actually I dream to work in Mumbai."
"Mumbai kyon? Kahin tumhara wo to yaad nahin arraha hai?"Devyani raised her eyebrows naughtily.
Kripa blushed "Aap bhi na. Aisi koyi baat nahin hai. Actually his face is faded in my memories. Ab saameny kadhi hotey bhi shadyad pehchaan nahin paoongi" Kripa sounded a little disappointed.
"Mein kuch madat karoon?"
Kripa blushed and shook her head side way "Aap bhi mazak udatey hai. I'm not interested in any body now. I wanna do work. Why don't you help me?"
"Mein? Why should I help you? Especially when I was planning to tie knots between you and my pota?"
"Aap phir shuru mat hojaayiye. When your pota is not interested why do you bother him. I don't even see him here in these four years nor did you go there. So how do you plan for him? Wo manega aapki baat?"
"Kyon nahin? My son gave me word that Angad's marriage will be at my choice"
Kripa moved her head as in dance as teasing her "Aap aisi sapney dekhtey rahiye aur wo wahan apni 'mallika' ki sapney dektey rahengey"
"Tum haan karo abhi ussey yahan bulati hoon" Devyani took her face into her hands.
"Naa baba! Na, I want to work first. I want to stand on my own then shadi ki baat sochungi. I have no hurry. Let him have his mallika. Don't drag me into this"
Kripa continued by twisting her eyebrows "See, as always you diverted me now too. Aap meri b'day party mein ayengey na?"
"You dint even invite me. Mein bhi ek eligible bachelor ki dadi hoon. Anyway, you know I don't attend parties" Devyani turned to the stove to cook something.
Kripa jumped out of the platform "Don't give me excuses Teacher! Other parties are different and my b'day is different. You have to come. I agree aap key paas bhi ek eligible bachelor hai. Soch leejiey Teacher! I might give word to someone else if you don't come" Kripa insisted by putting her hands on her shoulders and rolled her eyes and tongue inside mouth.
Devyani gave a stare to her "Hmm, mujh sey panga leti ho!!Ab toh aana hi padega….. agar tum meri baat maney toh!! First yeh 'teacher' bulana chodo aur 'dadi' kahon. I also see dreams like you do"
Kripa grinned and went back to her seat on the platform "Some or other way you want to make me call you dadi. I'll call you only when your Angad accepts me. I will then miss 'teacher'."
Devyani smiled and approached her "Okey! Abb yahan tak agaye to wo bhi hojayega" she continued at Kripa's quizzical looks "You said you will call me dadi when Angad accepts you. That means you have no problem with this match!!"
"Wah kya interpretation hai!! I don't mean that. I too have to accept him then later his acceptance …anyway let's stop here and promise me you are coming to my party" Kripa again started bargaining.
Devyani shook her head as agreeing.
She continued "OH! haan, I forgot to tell you, papa wants to sell one of our buildings with multiple stores. And I was going to convey some news to the seller. Aap ki opinion kya hai if I start a small school there for karate, art, and music? Aap meri school ki principal banengey?"
"Phir se shuru? Yeh job karney ki itna shouk kahan sey hogayi? Lagta hai I definitely have to pursue the matter with my son as soon as possible" Devyani gave a light pat on Kripa's head.
Kripa sighed heavily "Aap bhi nahin chodengey!" she grinned and suddenly rolled her big eyes snapping her fingers as she got an idea "why don't we do something like we both are not interested in marriage so you people stop looking for any more alliances and dream about us until we both accept each other. So I don't have to worry about looking any boys too. How is the idea??. She raised her eyes at Devyani.
"Instead of dreaming about both of you how it would be if we get you both engaged and give a month or two time lapse??" Devyani is no less stubborn than Kripa.
Kripa again sighed and hit her head "what if I like someone else? Would you support me to break the engagement?"Kripa naughtily scratched her nose rolling her tongue inside.
"You are as much naughty and stubborn as my Angad" Devyani commented and Kripa giggled.
"I wish aapki Angad mere Angad jaisa yeh kahey "yeh tattoo sey kaun shadi karega!!" Kripa spoke out and bit her tongue for slipping her thoughts out.
Devyani rolled her eyes "Tumhara Angad"
Kripa jumped down and walked out of the room and Devyani grabbed her hand and Kripa stopped without turning "Teacher! Mein b'day subah phir aaoongi"
Devyani smiled and let her go. She watched Kripa till disappear and thought "tumhara Angad aur mera Angad ek hi hai. Hope this match fix soon."
The same time in Mumbai at Angad's house:
Naina is serving bajjiya to Angad "Pachies saal sey akeli ghar mein bore ho rahi thi. Tum ek ladki hoti to kitni achi hoti. I would have been Nani by now"
Angad grinned at Naina and thought "yeh phirse shuru hogayi"
Aaliyah walked inside wishing both "Hi Angad! Hi Aunty!"
"Chalo, issey dekho! ladki hokar yeh kahan uski maa ko naani banayi thi" Angad pointed Aaliyah.
Aaliyah is confused and gestured at Angad turning at Naina "Kya hua Aunty? yeh naani ka kya matter hai?"
Naina started "Tum bhi samjhao iss dost ko. Ab meri saas bhi pooch rahi hai inki barrein mein. Angad's dad gave her authority of fixing Angad's bride and now she is behind me"
Angad looked at Aaliyah to save him while chewing the snack.
Aaliyah assured him but turned to Naina "I agree with you Aunty!"
To surprise Angad she turned to Angad "Angad! you have so many girl friends. Why don't you bring them home and introduce to aunty so that she would be able to choose one as bahu" she giggled to see Angad's grinned face.
Naina walked into kitchen to bring snack for Aaliyah. Angad is about to grab Aaliyah but she followed Naina immediately to escape Angad. Angad wiggled his head and walked into his balcony with snack plate.
Aaliyah reassured Naina and approached Angad "Yeh kya combination hai cigarette and baajjiya?"
Angad stopped picking baaijiya with the same fingers where he is holding the cigarette and looked angrily at Aaliyah.
"I just want to suppress your mom's tension, Yaar"
"I don't understand why suddenly everyone behind my marriage" Angad irritated.
"Umar hai bhai!!" Aaliyah smiled "Kahin uss saamney waley kidki mein ek chand ki tukda toh nahin hai?"
Angad smiled and took a puff "bachi hai I think around 14, school jaati hai"
"Hmmm already got info..Looks like she has too many siblings" she noticed a teenager playing with many kids around.
"I don't think so, she has only one brother and she gathers all kids in the complex. Very friendly"
"Wow itna info? Kabhi Kripa ki barrein mein nahin ki thi" Aaliyah taunted him.
"Phir Kripa? Actually she only grew interest in me to look into neighboring houses. Some hopes if she finds somewhere near me" Angad laughed blushing.
"WOW!! Then why don't you go to Nainital to find her? Tumhara dadi bhi hai"
Angad shook his head sideways "I've no interest in her just some strange feeling. I don't think I have …" he paused and immersed in his thoughts.
Aaliyah nudged him with her shoulder "I don't believe you are not interested!! You still remember her!!"
"Tum ho na yaad dilaney ke liye. Mein toh kabki bhul chukka hoon. You are reminding me her. "
"Don't blame me, you remember her." Angad stared into her eyes "not the way you are thinking. She doesn't match my dreams"
Aaliyah smiled and wished goodbye.