Inner Bonds
*Triiinnggg* *Triinnggg*
Aa raha hu! Aa raha hu! Kaun hai itni subha subha Maamu complained as he walked as fast as his steps would take him to answer the door bell. He wondered who it was who was in such a hurry to come in, that too this early in the morning. A small part of him was a little uncertain and hesitant about opening the door. What if someone wanted to harm them? But another part of him ridiculed his thoughts. How could anyone harm them more than they already were harmed? Could they lose anymore than they already had? Thinking these thoughts, he opened the door. Haan bha...
His breath was knocked out by the tight hug he received. His initial shock at seeing the "intruder" changed into sudden pleasure as he felt warmth spread through him.
Cheater! He heard Swadheenta's scream from behind.
Maine koi cheating nahi ki hai He heard Adarsh say even as he continued to hug maamu
Cheating ki hai tumne. You threw the car keys at me and ran to come in first. It was your responsibility to lock the car!
Why? So you could come in first and get maami to cook your favorite food for you? Nice try.
But it is your job to lock the car. You drove it...
So? You came up with this challenge at the last minute, when I was looking for a parking space. That was cheating too. And, all is fair in love and war. With you, it is love and war. So, it has to be fair Adarsh said with a sweet smile angering Swadheenta more.
Adarsh and Swadheenta had decided to drive to maamu maami's place to spend the day with them, considering it was the weekend and neither one of them had to go to work. Swadheenta had been telling Adarsh about what a good cook maami was, and how she could make very nice south Indian dishes too. Hungry as they were, the discussion about food only made things worse. Just as Adarsh was looking for a spot to park the car, Swadheenta took off her seat belt and threw this weird challenge at Adarsh - the one who got inside the house first could choose what maami cooked for them. Adarsh who guessed that Swadheenta intended to cheat had taken advantage and having found a spot, stopped the car, got out and threw the keys at Swadheenta asking her to lock and come inside. With that he had run towards the house leaving a shocked Swadheenta still sitting in the car.
Maamu, he cheated.
Adarsh let go of maamu and now stood behind him, as if using him as a shield against Swadheenta. Arre, maamu looked at an angry Swadheenta. Maami had also walked in to the living area hearing all the commotion, and smiled at the kids and their fight.
Seeing that Swadheenta was angry, and guessing the context of their fight, maamu decided to play along Arre, chup karo tum dono. Aise ladta hai koi? Aur Swadheenta, tum ispe chilla kyon rahi ho?
Maamu, aapko nahi pata. Yeh cheater cock hai. Dhoka diya isne mujhe. Woh baahar..
Ab mujhe kya pata ki baahar kya hua hai? Maine toh sirf yahi dheka ki Adarsh pehle andar aaya hai. Toh, challenge toh wahi jeeta na?
Kya? Kya kaha aapne? Swadheenta couldn't believe what she heard.
Wahi kaha jo sahi hai? Tum aise nautanki karogi toh jeet thodi na jaaoogi? Jeeta mein hu. Kyon maamu? Adarsh rubbed it in a little more.
Haan. Ab jeeta toh Adarsh hi hai. Maamu validated
Aap mere maamu hoke iska side le rahe hai? Pilliyarappa, yeh ho kya raha hai? Maami, dheka aapne yeh naainsaafi?
Haan. Dhek rahi hu mein. Lekin galti toh teri hi hai Swadheenta. Thuje yeh kaise laga ki mein apni dono bachon mein kisi ek ko chunungi? Mein toh mere dono bachon ka favorite food cook karoongi na?
Swadheenta smiled at her maami and rushed to give her a hug. Turning to look at Adarsh she said Dheka, tumne cheating ki, phir bhi mujhe mera favorite food mil raha hai.
Maami patted her cheek as she said Kitna pareshaan karte ho mujhe. Pehle bata dete toh mein khana ready rakti na? Batao abhi, kya chahiye tum dono ko?
Together they screamed Dosa! Then looking at each other and making funny faces at each other for having said the same thing, they attempted again vada!
Tum, mujhe copy karna band karo Adarsh screamed at Swadheenta playfully
Oh hello. Tum mujhe copy kar rahe ho
Maamu and maami stood shocked for a minute seeing how they were fighting, and then started laughing uncontrollably. Nodding her head, maami headed towards the kitchen to cook their favorite's while maamu led Adarsh to the living room. Swadheenta went to help maami.
When they were seated, maamu looked at Adarsh for a few minutes, and then said Adarsh, Thank you! Tumhe pata hai, itne dino baad iss ghar ne hasi suni hai. And pehli baar mein dhek sakta hu ki Swadheenta kitni khush hai. Thank you!
Adarsh smiled and took a few minutes to articulate his thoughts. He had been meaning to have a conversation with maamu and maami, and realized that this was a chance as good as any other. Finally he said Maamu, aap ko pata hai maine barathyanatyam kyon seekha tha? Pyaar toh maine Swadheenta se kiya tha. Usko hi impress karna tha, toh woh dance seekhne ki mujhe koi zarooth nahi thi. Aur dance seekhne ke baad bhi bahut kuch karna pada tha aapki beta ka dil jeetne ke liye. Lekin woh dance maine iss liye seekha tha taaki mein appa ko yakeen dila saku ki mujhe sirf Swadheenta ka nahi, unke bhi wishes ka khayaal hai. Jaanta hu ki koi badi baat nahi hai yeh, lekin mein hamesha se sirf Swadheenta ka pati nahi, uski family ka bhi hissa ban na chahta tha. And aaj, aap aur maami se bad kar uski koi family nahi hai. And mujhe aapki family ka hissa ban na hai maamu.
He continued Mein jaanta hu ki pechle kuch weeks mein jo bhi hua hai, bahut bura hua hai. Nahi hona chahiye tha. Aapne mujhe maaf kar diya meri galati ke liye, yeh bhi mein jaanta hu. Par iss maafi ke baad bhi mein aaj sirf aapka damaad hi ban paaya hu. Lekin meri jeet uss din hogi jab mein aapka beta ban jaaoonga.
Maamu continued to look at Adarsh. Now, moving a little closer to maamu, Adarsh held his hand
Pyaar toh maine Swadheenta se kiya. Lekin isse pehle ki mein apne pyaar ka izhaar karta, Asad ko pata chal gaya tha uske baare mein. Yeh baat toh Swadheenta bhi nahi jaanti, lekin usko influence karne mein, uski decision mein help karne mein, inn sab cheezon mein Asad ne meri help ki. Swadheenta ko laga hoga ki Asad uski help kar raha tha. Lekin kiya toh usne meri help na? Zindagi mein mujhe bahut kuch mila hai maamu. Complain karne ke liye bahut kam chance raha hai. Lekin apne pairon pe khade hoke jo kamaya hai, usme sab se zyada anmol Swadheenta hai, hamara rishta hai. She is my biggest achievement so far. And I would never be able to get her without Asad. Haan, Abhay aur Swadheenta ne ek dusre se keh diya tha ki woh ek dusre ko bhai - behan maante hai. Mein Asad se yeh keh nahi paaya. Lekin sach maaniye maamu, maine usko apna bhai maana tha, aaj bhi maanta hu.
I know, yeh keh dena aasaan hai. Maine jaise react kiya hai, koi bhi maan nahi sakta meri baat. Lekin uss raat agar Abhay ki jagah koi aur hota, toh mein bhi zameen aasaam ek kar deta Asad ka naam bachane ke liye. Lekin jo mara, woh Abhay tha. Toh mera har reaction emotional ban gaya. Mein logical or practical nahi reh saka. Aaj mein iss baat ke liye sirf maafi maang sakta hu. Kuch bhi mein badal nahi sakta. Lekin I am sorry, I really am. Bahut sharminda hu mein apne behavior se. Aur zindagi luta doonga aapka barosa jeetne ke liye. Iss liye nahi kyonki Swadheenta ya kisi aur ko farak padega, par iss liye kyonki yeh mujhe chahiye. Mein sach mein aapka damaad nahi, beta ban na chahta hu.
Maamu sighed and held Adarsh's hand that was now in his palm Adarsh, sach maano, maine aur Zubaida ne tumhe bahut pehle maaf kar diya hai. Lekin tumne abhi mujhse kaha ki tumhe hamara beta ban na hai. Iss haq se mein tumse kuch kahu?
Adarsh smiled and encouraged maamu to continue. Adarsh, mein jaanta hu ki tum IAS officer logon ki help karne ke liye bane the. Tumne bahut saare logon ki help kiya bhi hai, lekin unn situations mein, jaha pe tera personal koi involved nahi tha. Jab apni ghar ki baat aayi, toh teri objectivity tum bhool gaye. Maanta hu ki personal tragedy ke time mein log alag hi tareeke se react karte hai. Koi sahi ya galat way nahi hota emotions ke saath deal karne ka. Lekin jiss responsible profession ko tumne chuna hai, tumne uss responsibility ko teek se manage nahi kiya. Yeh galat baat hai Adarsh.
Adarsh bent his head down. Maamu immediately held his hand and when Adarsh looked up, maamu nodded his head in the negative. Nahi Adarsh. I don't want you to feel bad about it. Yeh baat mein tumse iss liye keh raha hu kyonki zamana bura hai beta. Jo aaj hamare saath hua hai, kal kisi aur ke saath hoga. Zaroor hoga. Aur tab, mein chahta hu ki aaj jiss tarah mein apni beti pe garv mehsoos karta hu, usi tarah apne bete pe bhi garv mehsoos karu. Mushkil hai beta, lekin har situation mein emotions ko side mein rak ke objectively sochna tumhe seekna padega. You can add so much goodness to this world, you have the capability, you have the power, you have the strength. You should make use of it for the right reasons, to contribute positively towards our society. Bigger the role, higher the responsibility, haina?
Aap sahi keh rahe hai maamu. I promise, mein poori koshish karoonga ki mein apni saari responsibilities ache se nibhau, personal bhi aur professional bhi.
Just as maamu began to smile, they heard Zubaida from behind. Aap baaz nahi aayange na. Aapki toh sirf beti hai. Sirf uspe naaz hai. Meri beton ko hamesha lecture dena hota hai aapko. Pehle Asad, ab Adarsh.
Oh ho. Nahi nahi madam ji. Kuch nahi keh raha mein aapke bete se.
Chup rahiye aap. Adarsh, jo hu, so ho gaya. Aaj tum iss ghar ke bete ho, aur hamesha rahoge. Aur isi baat pe yeh kheer khao. Mujhe pata hai yeh tera favourite hai.
Kheer? Maami, aapko kaise pata chala? Swadheenta ne bataya aapko?
Kyon? Mere bete ko kya pasand hai yeh mujhe pata nahi hoga kya?
Adarsh smiled and let maami feed him spoonful of delicious kheer, He thanked her by hugging her and as he did, he saw Swadheenta standing behind with a big smile and some happy tears. She mouthed a Thank you to him, and knew from his teary eyes that he reciprocated the same emotion.
Edited by Soapoperasrfun - 8 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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