Chapter 2
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
Thank you all for liking and commenting.😊
Me N My GarimaMaa.
FLASHBACK:
Payal was living with her amma(Garima)-bauji (Shashi) and brother NK in a small town called Sitapur near Lucknow. Khushi was always attached to Payal. Whenever she 'd be free, like in holidays or vacations, she would try to spend the maximum time with Payal. She would shadow her and pester her. So she made sure whenever she got some time like 2 to 3 days she would visit her Jiji's home. Khushi was ready to wear her beautiful frocks, skirts and lehnga-choli. As Payal's favorite color was pink the dresses she wore were different shades of Pink.
Khushi loved her jiji but she also respected her brother NK. At the age of TEN she somehow understood that her GarimaMaa was was living in financial crunch; like her meals consisted of one or at the most two dry chapaties with watery remains of vegetables or with some pickle. Shashi uncle was always available at home as if he had nothing to do. That was unusual for Khushi as she had never seen her bauji sitting idle at home on a working day. Khushi had witnessed some pain in her GarimaMaa's eyes but she never got answer of her questions from her Maa.
Time flew, now they were studying in college. Her brother got admission in Delhi's reputed college with scholarship and her jiji was in Lucknow's college as she was interested in arts and thus she was living in Lucknow but she preferred to live in hostel as it would took minimum time to reach her college.
Khushi too was in college now but she got her admission in girls college . Every Saturday or Sunday she would visit her jiji, or Payal would come to their home. Life was very beautiful for Khushi as she was a single child and she loved to be with her parents, friends, or her jiji.
One Sunday, while she was enjoying her time with her jiji, she was shocked when her jiji introduced her with her hostel mate Sheetal. Sheetal the girl had no values in her life, a very cheap girl who was always ready to pass comment on the youngsters and winked at them. She was the one who had tried to malign reputation of Khushi in her music class and she was the reason of the broken marriage of her fellow music students Mukulbhaiya and her Harsheetajiji. She made decision to warn her jiji about this girl. She informed her jiji about Sheetal and told her to stay away and maintain some distance from her. Khushi thought that every thing was fine by now as her jiji had completed her graduation and in one month she was marrying a handsome man Shyam jiju. Once or twice she heard Sheetal's name from her GarimaMaa but when she asked her Maa, "nothing to worry my titali." replied her Maa.
It was the day of Payal's marriage when she was facing the girl she hated the most. She was there with her jiji all the time and Khushi was in no mood to argue on this topic on her jiji's special day. She kept mum and ignored Sheetal. But what broke heart her jiji never came to her for any help as if she was no more her jiji, in every ritual Sheetal was there with her. GarimaMaa knew what was bothering her Titali but she too was busy in kanyadaan and all.
During the pagphera rasam Khushi got to talk with Payal as Sheetal was away on some errand. Khushi asked about Sheetal's presence. Payal said she was her best friend. Now Khushi did not have anyone who she could claim to be her best friend, so she did not understand this friendship between a straight forward girl like Pyal and well, Sheetal. But still Khushi told her to remain alert.
It had been six months since Payal's marriage. One day her GarimaMaa had came to stay at her Kumudjiji's home. Khushi was so happy. She was enjoying her company and was happy because her GarimaMaa was happy. Her NK bhai had got an offer from a multi-national company during campus interview.
At midnight when Khushi woke up she heard sobs. She peeped in the room where her Amma and GarimaMaa were talking. Her amma was trying to console her chutaki. She was wondering what made her cry ? Why was her GarimaMaa sobbing ? She was happy when she came home, wasn't she ? Then ? And now she was curious to know about her GarimaMaa's each sob and so she stood there and tried to listen to the conversation between the two sisters. She understood that they were talking about that Sheetal and her Shashi uncle. Why they were talking about them ? She knew that her GarimaMaa was crying because of that shameless girl. She would asked her amma next morning.
Next morning when her GarimaMaa left for her home, she asked her amma about the last night. Why was GarimaMaa crying? What was about Sheetal and Shashi uncle? Amma tried to evade the answer but Khushi insisted.
Amma told her that now Sheetal was living with Garima and Shashi. Shashi had always been careless about his duties as husband and father, but now he was not paying any attention to Garima. Sheetal remained attached to Shashi the whole day and night; but not in a daughterly way.
Khushi was mad with rage. She made some excuse and went to Garima's place for a few days. Once there, she found that her mother had been modest in describing the situation. She asked Garima why was she tolerating such insult and was still living with a shameless man who slept with a girl his daughter's age. Garima replied:
"Look, beta; One, I don't want to leave my home. And second, I have a married daughter and a marriageable son. If I do anything at this stage of life, it will ruin the lives of my children. I felt very insulted initially, but now I just ignore them. They will have to repay their sins." She had accepted the presence of that girl in her household.
Khushi also tried to talk to her favorite jiji, Payal. But she always changed the topic. This created a rift between two sisters and Khushi started to drift away from Payal. The pain of breaking away from the most precious relationship was great, but Khushi could never forgive a daughter who did not think about her own mother.
Three years have passed since then. NK is now married and settled in USA with his wife and twin sons. Khushi is also married and is in the same city Delhi as Payal, but they rarely talk. In fact, Payal had tried several times to reconnect with Khushi, but Khushi; she simply could not forgive the callous approach of Payal towards her own mother.
One day, Khushi came to know that GarimaMaa is unwell and is admitted to a Delhi hospital. She visited her and found out that GarimaMaa had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery is followed by radiation and chemotherapy. During this long months of painful treatment, Payal organized several pujas and yajnas for well-being of her mother; as if trying to repent. But years of neglect, back-breaking work, malnutrition and insults had taken their toll. Cancer had become metastatic and spread over Garima's whole body.
PRESENTLY:
Payal had organized a puja-cum-party to celebrate Shyam's victory in an important criminal case assigned to him and now that he was to argue in Supreme Court. Khushi was glad to have listened to Arnav and accepted the invitation, as she could talk to GarimaMaa. What aanoyed Khushi was the Sheetal's presence and her adopted role of Payal's mother. But Khushi tried successfully to ignore her and Shashi completely and devoted all her time to GarimaMaa. Garima knew what had transpired between Khushi and Payal. She told Khushi that she had forgiven everybody, including Payal. True, it was Payal who introduced Sheetal to Shashi; but it was to be. Fate. Destiny. She asked Khushi to forgive Payal and Khushi promised to consider.
A week later, when Arnav came home home, he found Khushi red-eyed and all. GarimaMaa had passed away. Khushi was sad at her loss, but was relieved that now she was beyond all pains, physical and mental.
Now Khushi talks to Payal over phone, though talks are mostly formal; and they rarely meet.
Divyahet 2014-06-10 07:32:58
[NOCOPY]
Thank you all for liking and commenting.😊
Me N My GarimaMaa.
FLASHBACK:
Payal was living with her amma(Garima)-bauji (Shashi) and brother NK in a small town called Sitapur near Lucknow. Khushi was always attached to Payal. Whenever she 'd be free, like in holidays or vacations, she would try to spend the maximum time with Payal. She would shadow her and pester her. So she made sure whenever she got some time like 2 to 3 days she would visit her Jiji's home. Khushi was ready to wear her beautiful frocks, skirts and lehnga-choli. As Payal's favorite color was pink the dresses she wore were different shades of Pink.
Khushi loved her jiji but she also respected her brother NK. At the age of TEN she somehow understood that her GarimaMaa was was living in financial crunch; like her meals consisted of one or at the most two dry chapaties with watery remains of vegetables or with some pickle. Shashi uncle was always available at home as if he had nothing to do. That was unusual for Khushi as she had never seen her bauji sitting idle at home on a working day. Khushi had witnessed some pain in her GarimaMaa's eyes but she never got answer of her questions from her Maa.
Time flew, now they were studying in college. Her brother got admission in Delhi's reputed college with scholarship and her jiji was in Lucknow's college as she was interested in arts and thus she was living in Lucknow but she preferred to live in hostel as it would took minimum time to reach her college.
Khushi too was in college now but she got her admission in girls college . Every Saturday or Sunday she would visit her jiji, or Payal would come to their home. Life was very beautiful for Khushi as she was a single child and she loved to be with her parents, friends, or her jiji.
One Sunday, while she was enjoying her time with her jiji, she was shocked when her jiji introduced her with her hostel mate Sheetal. Sheetal the girl had no values in her life, a very cheap girl who was always ready to pass comment on the youngsters and winked at them. She was the one who had tried to malign reputation of Khushi in her music class and she was the reason of the broken marriage of her fellow music students Mukulbhaiya and her Harsheetajiji. She made decision to warn her jiji about this girl. She informed her jiji about Sheetal and told her to stay away and maintain some distance from her. Khushi thought that every thing was fine by now as her jiji had completed her graduation and in one month she was marrying a handsome man Shyam jiju. Once or twice she heard Sheetal's name from her GarimaMaa but when she asked her Maa, "nothing to worry my titali." replied her Maa.
It was the day of Payal's marriage when she was facing the girl she hated the most. She was there with her jiji all the time and Khushi was in no mood to argue on this topic on her jiji's special day. She kept mum and ignored Sheetal. But what broke heart her jiji never came to her for any help as if she was no more her jiji, in every ritual Sheetal was there with her. GarimaMaa knew what was bothering her Titali but she too was busy in kanyadaan and all.
During the pagphera rasam Khushi got to talk with Payal as Sheetal was away on some errand. Khushi asked about Sheetal's presence. Payal said she was her best friend. Now Khushi did not have anyone who she could claim to be her best friend, so she did not understand this friendship between a straight forward girl like Pyal and well, Sheetal. But still Khushi told her to remain alert.
It had been six months since Payal's marriage. One day her GarimaMaa had came to stay at her Kumudjiji's home. Khushi was so happy. She was enjoying her company and was happy because her GarimaMaa was happy. Her NK bhai had got an offer from a multi-national company during campus interview.
At midnight when Khushi woke up she heard sobs. She peeped in the room where her Amma and GarimaMaa were talking. Her amma was trying to console her chutaki. She was wondering what made her cry ? Why was her GarimaMaa sobbing ? She was happy when she came home, wasn't she ? Then ? And now she was curious to know about her GarimaMaa's each sob and so she stood there and tried to listen to the conversation between the two sisters. She understood that they were talking about that Sheetal and her Shashi uncle. Why they were talking about them ? She knew that her GarimaMaa was crying because of that shameless girl. She would asked her amma next morning.
Next morning when her GarimaMaa left for her home, she asked her amma about the last night. Why was GarimaMaa crying? What was about Sheetal and Shashi uncle? Amma tried to evade the answer but Khushi insisted.
Amma told her that now Sheetal was living with Garima and Shashi. Shashi had always been careless about his duties as husband and father, but now he was not paying any attention to Garima. Sheetal remained attached to Shashi the whole day and night; but not in a daughterly way.
Khushi was mad with rage. She made some excuse and went to Garima's place for a few days. Once there, she found that her mother had been modest in describing the situation. She asked Garima why was she tolerating such insult and was still living with a shameless man who slept with a girl his daughter's age. Garima replied:
"Look, beta; One, I don't want to leave my home. And second, I have a married daughter and a marriageable son. If I do anything at this stage of life, it will ruin the lives of my children. I felt very insulted initially, but now I just ignore them. They will have to repay their sins." She had accepted the presence of that girl in her household.
Khushi also tried to talk to her favorite jiji, Payal. But she always changed the topic. This created a rift between two sisters and Khushi started to drift away from Payal. The pain of breaking away from the most precious relationship was great, but Khushi could never forgive a daughter who did not think about her own mother.
Three years have passed since then. NK is now married and settled in USA with his wife and twin sons. Khushi is also married and is in the same city Delhi as Payal, but they rarely talk. In fact, Payal had tried several times to reconnect with Khushi, but Khushi; she simply could not forgive the callous approach of Payal towards her own mother.
One day, Khushi came to know that GarimaMaa is unwell and is admitted to a Delhi hospital. She visited her and found out that GarimaMaa had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery is followed by radiation and chemotherapy. During this long months of painful treatment, Payal organized several pujas and yajnas for well-being of her mother; as if trying to repent. But years of neglect, back-breaking work, malnutrition and insults had taken their toll. Cancer had become metastatic and spread over Garima's whole body.
PRESENTLY:
Payal had organized a puja-cum-party to celebrate Shyam's victory in an important criminal case assigned to him and now that he was to argue in Supreme Court. Khushi was glad to have listened to Arnav and accepted the invitation, as she could talk to GarimaMaa. What aanoyed Khushi was the Sheetal's presence and her adopted role of Payal's mother. But Khushi tried successfully to ignore her and Shashi completely and devoted all her time to GarimaMaa. Garima knew what had transpired between Khushi and Payal. She told Khushi that she had forgiven everybody, including Payal. True, it was Payal who introduced Sheetal to Shashi; but it was to be. Fate. Destiny. She asked Khushi to forgive Payal and Khushi promised to consider.
A week later, when Arnav came home home, he found Khushi red-eyed and all. GarimaMaa had passed away. Khushi was sad at her loss, but was relieved that now she was beyond all pains, physical and mental.
Now Khushi talks to Payal over phone, though talks are mostly formal; and they rarely meet.
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