Posted:
The Promise
A deep sigh escaped her lips as she stared out of the window trying to calm her down. A few strands of her hair blew into her face as the cool December wind gushed inside the speeding car. Anandi and Shiv were finally married and now as per the traditions of the Shekhar family, they headed towards the ancestral Kesar Bagh Haveli in Udaipur. A peaceful silence had fallen over the car as everyone from Anandi's new family had one by one fallen asleep. Everyone except her. Being extremely weary from a whole day full of an array of stirring emotions, her puffy eyes craved for a nap. A nap she couldn't catch. Not just because of the nervousness of being under the test and trial of a whole new family but also because of a sweet heaviness that held her down. Her lips quirked into a mushy smile as she peeked at her innocent husband who had cutely dozed off on her lean shoulder. Her husband! The thought made her stare at him with glassy eyes. It was the first time she was looking at him asleep. He looked so cute with his mouth slightly opened, leaning peacefully on her shoulder. In spite of the weariness, he looked so serene, so handsome. đł
She chuckled under her breathe thinking how hard he had tried to scuffle his incessant yawns and keep himself awake. Even despite of her requesting him to rest himself a bit, he was keen to force himself awake. But probably couldn't fight back when she strategically kept looking out of the window.
A rosy blush formed on her cheeks as she stared at him in a mysterious daze. There was something so poetic about him that it left her in a sigh. In such a small period of time he had been so much in her life. From a mere stranger, to an acquaintance, to her best friend. And now he was so much more. He was her husband. The very thought sent a wave of heat up her neck.
She was still lost in her stupor, when a cool breeze broke her stillness and chilled him into wakefulness. A sudden realization dawned upon as he opened his eyes and looked out at the deepening twilight. "Anandijee aapne mujhe uthaya kyun nahin" he mumbled in his sleep heavy voice making her seal his lips with her tiny finger. "Collector sahab dheere, sab so rahe hain" she whispered totally unaware of the effects her gesture has had on him. An undercurrent passed down his spine as her soft skin rubbed against his moist lips. She shivered as he gasped for air cuddling her finger by his warm breath. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away as a rosy blush formed on his cheeks. Seeing tension gripping her features, he gently squeezed her hand and said, "Main janta hoon anandijee ki ye aapke liye asaan nahin hai. Sab kuch bahut naya hai aapke liye. Naya ghar, naya parivar, naye log.Itne saal ek mahaul, rahan sahan aur parivar mein rehne ke baad, ekdum se aapke liye sab kuch badal gaya hai. Aise mein mann mein dar ana to bahut swabhavik si baat hai. In fact agar main aapki jagah hota to shayad isse bhi zyaada dara hua hota. Lekin phir bhi Anandijee,iss badlav,is nayepan ke bawajood bhi main aapko ye vishvas dilata hoon ki mere parivar mein bhi aapko wohi pyaar aur wohi apnapan milega jo dadijee ke parivaar se ab tak milta tha. Log naye zaroor honge lekin rishte utne hi pyare honge. Aur agar phir bhi, agar zindagi mein kabhi koi aisa mod aaye jab parivar mein se koi bhi aapke saath na khada ho, tab bhi aap mujhe hameshan apne saath payengi. Koi aur rahe na rahe, main hameshan rahunga"
Warm tears welled up in her eyes as his words reverberated in the air around her. Suddenly all the nervousness, all the fear seemed evaporating into air. It was so strange how he always read her mind without her needing to verbalize a single word. It amazed her about the bond they shared đł
Gently wiping the lone tear that trickled down her cheek, he looked deep into her eyes and gasped,"Anandijee main apse aaj ek promise karta hoon, aaj ke baad, chahe woh khushi ho ya gham, dhoop ho ya chaon, main her modh pe aapke saath rahunga. Nahi sirf ek pati ki tarah balki hameshan ek dost ki tarah. I promise u that" . Pleasant warmth gripped her heart as his words gently sank in. There was nothing she could say to him except a pensive nod. Smiling beatifically at him she looked down shyly.
"Par aapko bhi mujhse ek promise karna hoga" he mumbled snapping her out of her chain of thoughts.
"Kahiye..." she whispered after a pause, a promising spirit gleaming in her eyes...finally there was something she could do for him.
"Anandijee, aapko promise karna hoga ki aaj ke baad, agar kabhi bhi humari aane wali zindagi mein koi aisa mod aaye, jab aap mujhse ya mere kissi fainsle se khush na hon ya aapko lage ki main aapko samajh nahin paya to aap mujhe uske bare mein zaroor bataengi. Kabhi apni koi bhi taqleef...apna koi dard mujhse nahin chupaengi. Wada keejiye" he said in an almost resonating tone.
A serene smile touched the corner of her lips as he heard his words. Seeing his haggard expression, she gently took his hand into hers and said, "Collector sahab, main janti hoon ki aisa kabhi nahin hoga. Meri zindagi mein aisa koi mod nahin ho sakta jab aap mujhe na samjhein. Han shayad kabhi hum ek dusre ke nazariye ko na samajh payein. Shayad humare beech koi behas ho jaye ya ek dusre ke pehlu ko na samajh payein. Par ek dusre ki bhavnaon ko hamesha samjhenge.Jis tarah aap aaj tak mere har unkahe jazbaat ko samajhte aaye hain, main janti hoon aage bhi waisa hi hoga. Aur jahan tak wade ki baat hai, to main aapse wada karti hoon ki aane wali zindagi ke kisi bhi padhav par agar kabhi humari soch ya humare nazariye na mile, to main iss din ko yaad karungi aur humari har mushkil ko ek naye nazariye ke sath suljhane ki koshish karungi. I promise u that" A little wheeze escaped his lips as he heard and registered each of her words. Every fear, every confusion seemed siphoned off as the two of them lost themselves into an intense eye lock.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
