She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock it was 4:30 am fairly early by other's standards but hr late by her standards. It was chilly even by Delhi standards.
She had the habit of getting up at 4:00 am.
She used to get up, have a bath go into the kitchen prepare breakfast for every body, instruct the house help to do the household duties for that day, prepare for chachaji's morning puja, take him his tea to wake him up. Sunil Malhotra, Chachaji to her, always wanted to look at her face the first thing in the morning. He thought that if he saw Radhika's face first thing in the morning his day went particularly well. This was not liked by chachiji, Mrs. Mrinalini Malhotra, who preferred Radhika calling her Madam instead of chachiji.
Well chachiji despised Radhika from the day she set foot in Malhotra House 14 years ago, at the age of 6.
She still remembered that day. It was raining heavily. The day, her parents, BrijMohan Sahrma and Devki Sharma had been killed in an accident. She was with them when the accident had taken place. Miraculously, she did not even have a scratch on her body but her parents were killed.
She, Radhika was an adopted daughter of BrijMohan Sahrma and Devki Sharma. BrijMohan had found a 2 month old Radhika on the foot steps of a temple on one of his daily visits there. He had brought her home. Devki instantly fell in love with that baby. She named her Radhika, to rhyme with Vishakha her 2 year old daughter. Her parents loved her, but dadi, BrijMohan Sharma's mother despised her because she was an orphan. She never accepted Radhika as her granddaughter. Viahkha was the only one for her.
Dadi blamed Radhika for the accident as BrijMohan and Devki were returning from the doctor. Radhika had been sick with fever, so a doctor's visit was essential on that rainy night.
Dadi never forgave Radhika for being a part of the Sharma family. So she took Vishakha to Bombay with het and decided to leave Radhika at an orphanage.
But this kind man had taken her home. He had asked her to call him chachaji and Mrinalini Chachiji, to which Mrinalini had said, you better call me 'madam' and stay out of my way.
But Radhika did not mind that and thought that madam liked her but did not show it.
She was particularly careful that she did not get into madam's way, but however hard she tried she always managed to enrage 'madam'.
Radhika opened chachaji's bed room and went to his bed.
She placed the tray on the drawer and went to touch his feet.
On the touch, Sunil Malhotra got up and said 'Radhika?'
R: Good Morning Chachaji!!
SM: Good Morning beta.
R: Chachaji , I have placed your dress at the usual place and your puja samaghri is ready. Hurry up, Sinha uncle called from the office your meeting is scheduled at 10:00 am.
SM: Thanks Radhika!! You are my life line.
Sunil Malhotra remembered the day Radhika had come into their lives 14 years ago.
Sunil Malhotra was BrijMohan Sahrma's best friend.
He had seen Brij's love for Radhika but had never met her. He had lived in the US and just shifted to Delhi to look after the family business, when he heard the news about Brij's death. For BriMohanj, he did not have the heart to leave Radhika at the orphanage as told by ammaji, so he had brought her home. He knew that it would make Brij happy. He remembered Brij's words: 'My Radhika is very lucky, where ever she goes, she brings luck!!' And luck was what she had brought to the family. They had won the long pending case and got back the house in Shimla, the day she set foot in the Malhotra House.
From that day he wanted to see her face the first thing in the morning.
Business had grown like any thing and when ever he wanted to file for a tender, he would make it sure that Radhika touched that file and his tender would clear and pass.
Some how, he could not convince Mrinalini to accept Radhika.
Mrinalini always hated Radhika so he made sure he gave Radhika, the love she deserved and hoped that one day she will get her share of happiness.
Radhika was just coming out of the bed room when she bumped into Mrinalini.
R: Oh! Sorry madam!!
M: What is wrong with you? Dekh ke nahi chal sakti kya?
R: I am so sorry! I was?.
M: Never mind, I am so happy, DEV is coming tomorrow, I just talked to him!!
Radhika looked up at the mention of Dev's name.
M: Aur sun, uska karma tayyar rakhna, aur haan , uske age age mat ghoomna. Pichlee baar tumhare wajahse he use itne dino tak videsh main rehna pada hai, ab main tumhari parchaee be us par nahi chahati, samzhee.
Radhika just nods and goes to accomplish the task that 'madam' told her.
She went to Dev's room.
The moment she entered that room, all the child hood memories came back to her.
_______________________________________________________-
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
