Chapter 116

[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]

Smita,😊

Here is the interpretation to Part 27.

When Guptas' and Raizadas' were visiting Gaurav, Khushi whispered in Anjali's ears, whether she thinks Anamikaji loves Ganeshji. While the rest of the family, Buaji, Mami, NK, Nani, Amma, Payal and Akash were seated around Gaurav's bed asking about his health, Arnav was seated next to Anjali. Listening to her whisper that he too heard, knowing well that it would be a futile attempt on his part to to stop this matchmaking, he let out a resigned sigh and had a smile on his lips. Anjali looked at Anamika who was standing near Gaurav with crossed arms, watching her son converse with the visitors, with a faint smile playing about the corners of her mouth on her normally expressionless face. Ganesh was seated in a chair near the wall, behind Anamika.

NK suggested to Gaurav, that after he was discharged they could play chess together, as it helps his dabaang grow! making Buaji exclaim, Hai Re Nandkisore! Akash throwing a nervous smile at Anamika and Ganesh, corrected NK and said, Dimaag, NK Bhai. NK with his trade mark wohi, wohi pulled the lobe of his right ear in apology.

Anamika looked at Ganesh with merriment dancing in her eyes, sharing her amusement with him silently while Ganesh was chuckling soundlessly, his twinkling eyes on Anamika's face.

Anjali clutching Khushi's hand in a tight grip bubbling with excitement with what she had just witnessed, she declared softly, that she was sure they love each other and Khushiji was right in noting it. Arnav who was being privy to this exchange between the two most important women in his life, shook his head accepting his fate. It had been a tough proposition to keep an eye on just one of them, now he had to be alert of the combined forces. There would no telling what they could come up with and get up to once they had a free rein. He knew they were cut from the same cloth. Khushi, glad to have a partner who thought exactly like her, hugged Anjali and whispered, that they needed to do something about it. Anjali with a vigorous nod indicated she too was enthusiastic about that. When Arnav asked, why, trying to rain in their parade and continued to say, that they were adults and if they wanted to get married they would, and they didn't need reminder from them, all he earned was a glare from the both. Khushi who could not control her anger at him for being a wet blanket, flashed her eyes with fire and fury at him saying that he need not help them if he was not inclined to do so. But at least allow them to do things in their own way and in peace. Anjali concurred with Khushi and gave him a piece of her mind too. She told him outrightly to bury himself in his work with his head inside his musty files and the black laptop. They would manage everything beautifully. Her words earned a muttering of, that was what he is afraid of, from Arnav. Khushi tilting her head asked him, what it was that he muttered. Anjali too closing ranks with Khushi asked him, what was it you said Chotey? making Arnav mutter weakly, a nothing. He watched Anjali and Khushi whisper and giggle together and smiled within. Thinking that Anamika would not know what it was that hit her, when these two unleash their combined forces, that would be stronger than the cupid's arrows itself! He could almost find it in himself to feel pity for her.

While having their refreshments at RM, Nani, Buaji, Amma, Payal, and Mami looked at Anjali and Khushi, with beaming smiles on their faces, Mami declared that it was a tip top idea and gave her whole-heart support to their cause saying, let's get Ganesh and Anamika married! Nani agreed with a nod and Amma and Payal showed their consent with a smile. But Buaji frowned and asked, in the name of Nandkisore, what if Anamika Bitiyya is already married? That wiped out the smile from all the faces. Nani asked her, if she was married, then where was her husband?

Mami in her own brand of Hinglish asked Why was it she said her family consisted of only her son, Gaurav. Amma added addressing Buaji, that if she had a husband why didn't he come when Gaurav Bitwaa was in the hospital, Jiji? Maybe she had lost her huband was Payal's suggestion. All the ladies were at a loss. Finally, Nani told them that they needed to find this first before proceeding. Khushi then told them, that maybe she could find out about it from Koelji. All perked up with Khushi's tentative offer. Mami instructed to do it immediately saying, why not ask about it and what was the need for it to be postponed? All agreed.

Khushi called Koel and after the customary greetings, she asked Koel whether she could ask her something? Koel paused her fingers over the keys of the laptop she was working on and said, Yes Khushi. Khushi asked her was Ananmikaji married? Koel's voice and face stiffened and she asked, why did she want to know? Khushi confessed that Anamika had helped her eventhough she did not need to, and she would like her to be as happy as she had made them. Her artless confession brought in a wisp of a smile in Koel. Khushi told her that she was thinking that, if Anamikaji was not married they could get her married to Ganeshji. She thinks that Anamikaji likes him a lot. Listening to Khushi, Koel recognized her words were wholly guileless and they stirred her enough to tell that Anamika Madam does not have a husband. Khushi wanting to confirm what had felt asked her, Anamikaji likes Ganeshji isn't it? Koel with a smile replied, that she has seen her smiling only at Gaurav and Ganesh and no other man. Khushi who could not contain her glee within herself clapped her hands in excitement, letting her phone slip off. It fell into Anjali's lap who handed it to Khushi. Knowing the answer, but still wanting to confirm she asked Koel, Gaurav likes Ganeshji doesn't he? Koel too, who was fond of Gaurav, told her that Gaurav thinks the world of Ganesh and idolizes him. He thinks Ganesh hung the moon. If Ganesh tells him that he is supposed to walk on his hands and not his feet, Gaurav will do handstands all his life. Though her words were rendered impassively it was laced with genuine love for Gaurav. Khushi let out a whoopee and told Koel, to just watch and Gaurav will get his father soon. Koel smiled at her exuberance, but cautioned softly, that Anamika Madam and Ganesh have known each other for 20 years. If in these 20 years they haven't thought of each other in a romantic light, then.. she tapered off. Though Khushi frowned, her face soon cleared up. She told Koel, don't worry. Let us do our work and leave the rest to Devi Maiyya. She would tell her Devi Maiyya everything and ask for her help. She will offer her a kilo of her special jalebis as prasad. Koel smiled and agreed, hoping that Khushi's jalebis were good enough for Devi Maiyya to cast her benevolent eyes on the pair too.

Buaji told the rest they needed to get Anamika Bitiya and Ganesh Babua there together and all agreed. Anjali putting forth her idea asked, what about organizing a satsang Nani? Her suggestion had everyone agreeing and in smiles. Nani told them, that they would not invite outsiders and when Mami and Anjali concurred, she added, especially not Manorama's kitty party friends making Mami pout. When Nani explained her refusal by saying, if they say something nasty to Anamika Bitiyaa... and tapered off, Mami agreed with her saying, that was true and they did not possess a sweet disposition like her. She signed off her statement with her very own Mami-ish phrase, Hello Hi Bye Bye! Nani and Anjali hid their smiles, Payal looked away to hide her blooming smile, Buaji looked at Garima, and then away.

Late at night Khushi called Arnav and asked with a smile, what was he doing? It was a cursory query, knowing fully well he must be working sitting in his garden. Though he was sitting in front of his laptop with data on display he had been staring at the same page for the past few minutes while dreaming about Khushi. His brief answer, that he was thinking about her made her blush and say really? It got her a No, I am lying, in response. Khushi with a lour, told him that it was difficult to think of him as a.. and paused. He, with a smile, gently prodded her to continue saying, as a..? while stretching out his legs. Khushi muttered as a romantic hero like Salman Khanji, or Shahrukh Khanji making Arnav smile grow. He asked her why Khushi, are only her heroes were supposed to fall in love? Khushi quickly told him that no, ordinary people do fall in love, but he was not ordinary! Arnav with a tender smile asked her, then what was he? Her answer, that he was Arnav Singh Raizada! who should be stuck up, snobbish with an attitude, angry, with smoke coming out from his nostrils, fire from his mouth devouring all and coals kindled by it. His angry eyes capable of reducing others to ashes... she paused. Her description made Arnav respond with a hearty belly laugh. Disregarding his laughter, she continued saying that instead, he was talking sweetly, he was thinking of her, he was smiling, and he was never angry! What had happened to him, she wondered aloud. As he was not conforming true to his character, Khushi asked him anxiously, whether he was feeling well? This had him laugh his head off. Guffawing with mirth he managed to ask, does he need to be ill to be able to love her?

This update is about one being reminded of the state of things in the real world. It is REALITY CHECK.

Hearing Khushi ask Anjali whether she thought that Anamikaji loves Ganeshji was a reality check for Arnav Singh Raizada. It was the beginning of the the things that would be set in motion. He knew that Khushi would not rest until she brought in a favourable conclusion to Ganesh-Anamika love story. She had a partner in Anjali who was also an incorrigible romantic at heart, just like Khushi but had never got a chance to do things as she had led a secluded life, a life cocooned in luxury once her Chotey had made good in life. With both joining hands he knew he would be steam rolled. That was a reality check!

"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment"

~ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

With Anjali agreeing to Khushi's conclusion that Anamika and Ganesh had something going between them, Arnav knew that he had his hands full. To keep one at bay was by itself a difficult proposition and now he had to contend with two. Both were prone to melodrama with copious tears that would leave him with no option but to melt down, and that was a reality check for him.

"It happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding"

~ Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

Arnav's attempt to be a wet blanket to dissuade them from taking further steps just got him a glare and defiance from both. He got a royal dismissal order from his sister not to poke his nose in that affair of theirs. His fears, rightly thought, became a reality. This was also a reality check for him making him understand he was not really the controller of activities in his home, eventhough he ran his business empire shrewdly and tactically. His life at home would be ruled by two women, whom he loved and also who loved him very much. They would always be in cahoot as they had similar simple taste of just having a family bound together with them. That was a lovable state of things for him, a reality check.

"The appearance of things changes according to the emotions; and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves"

~ Kahlil Gibran

Arnav's thoughts that Anamika would be swept by an avalanche along with Ganesh when his Khushi and his Di start planning, was a reminder of the state of things in his world. It was a reality check.

Rest of the ladies joining these two was expected as they too are romantic at heart and do-gooders in their own way. Buaji voicing out her reservations was a sensible and reasonable query. It was a reality check to their thoughts.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"

~ Margaret Mead

But Khushi, who always came out with solutions, came out with one this time too. She called Koel to find out about Anamika's marital status. Though Koel was apprehensive and cold when asked, she thawed when she found out, that Khushi was asking it not for gossip but with Anamika's happiness in mind, for her selfless friendship. Koel too who wanted Anamika to have a happy life, though expressed her reservations, was all for Khushi's endeavour. She gave out the information that Anamika Madam does not have a husband and her eyes were only for two men in her life namely Gaurav and Ganesh. This was a reality check because that gave them a clue that Anamika liked Ganesh but it was not normal to have just her son and her friend to smile with. So they needed to tread carefully. Knowing somebody for 20 years and not having a thought in romantic light, son Gaurav, thinking the world of Ganesh and still not showing their affection needed to be handled with care. This wasthe state of things. This was also a reality check!

"Sometimes, you have to manufacture your own history. Give fate a push, so to speak"

~ Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride

Leaving everything in the hands of Devi Maiyya, with just offering prasad, was not the style of Khushi doing things. She offered her delicious jalebis as prasad, but along with that she worked for it. That was always the sensible, reasonable and logical approach adopted by her. For her along with her effort, Divine intervention was an essential factor. That was her realistic approach to all the things in life.

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right" ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Nani restricting the satsang to family with Anamika and Ganesh and specifically telling Mami her kitty party friends were not welcome was a sound decision that was taken, logically and sensibly. The explanation that they had a tendency to hurt people and be nasty, though it put her off at first, was agreed by Mami, as it was for a good reason and rightly so too.

"Trust your instincts, and make judgements on what your heart tells you. The heart will not betray you"

~ David Gemmell, Fall of Kings

Khushi's explanation to Arnav, why she could not imagine Arnav as a romantic hero was a reality check for him as how he had portrayed himself in the eyes of the rest.

His laughter at her description of him was a reminder to Khushi of the state of things in the real world, that is, the present. A changed Arnav Singh Raizada who was no more a stuck up snob, with an attitude, who did not get riled up at each and everything, who had managed to control his anger, the bane of his existence, pretty well and kept his cool, who could laugh off, when reminded of his past behavior, who was calm, cool and collected and was able to listen, was the reality that Khushi had to get used to.

"When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about"

~ Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Finally Khushi asking him whether he was fine, as of late, he was never angry leading just to laughter and him asking her whether he had to be ill to love her was a reality check for her. It was a reminder for her that for him she comes above everything and even while at work her thoughts would pervade and he relished it. This was a reality check of his love for her.

"People who can change and change again are so much more reliable and happier than those who can't"

~ Stephen Fry, Moab Is My Washpot

That is why it is titled REALITY CHECK.

That's it from me. Hope you enjoy it.

rulama2013-05-16 23:18:41