Light of my Life
Part 18 year old arjun stood in silence near the pillar and was distractedly staring at the other kids happily playing with the crackers..
The whole orphanage was beautifully decorated with fairy lights and garlands,the play area was decorated with the diya's..it was the occassion of diwali..
Despite the lights around him..arjun stood in darkness and watched the kids play..though he was silent but his eyes spoke volumes..his eyes where filled with sadness and unshed tears,his eyes yearned for love and joy..the lights had extinguished from his life and now only darkness prevailed..
"Arjun,y dont u join them..." said nandhini
Nandhini's voice made him to come out of his trance..he turned back and looked at her...he remembered her pain and said "No nandhu..its okay.."He turned and again stared at the kids..he closed his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek..
At present:
Arjun opens his eyes,he wipes the tears and looks around him..a smiles adored his face as he saw the surrounding..the orphanage was beautifully decorated with diyas,fairy lights and garlands...he looked at everyone around him..
The same eyes today spoke of a thousand tales,tales of happiness..
A week ago:
Arjun and radhika were on their way to office,
"Arjun..u remember na that ma and dadaji are comin today"
"Yes,yes...i know...how many times are u goin to remind me about it..i will go and pick them up.."This was the 5th time that radhika was reminding arjun about it,mala had called radhika yesterday and said that they were goin to come to mumbai tomorrow...since yesterday night radhika has been reminding arjun about it...
"Their flight..."
"Their flight will arrive @4pm...i will go to the airport an hour before the flights arrival..now stop worryin.."Radhika wanted to go along with arjun to pick up mala and dadaji..but due to some important work she couldnt accompany him..and arjun had to go alone...
Bird song:
After 2 hours,arjun's cabin:
Neil,arjun and sam discuss about the bonus and gift to be given to the employees for diwali..
The bonus amount was decided,but they couldnt finalise on the gift..they were giving the same gift every year,so this time they decided to give something different this year...
"What did you give for last diwali.." asked arjun lookin at sam
"Coffee mug with bs logo...we gave that for last diwali.." said sam
Neil chuckled and said "Not only last diwali...you have been giving that for every diwali...i have kept all the mugs safely in my cupboard..."
"How about wall clock" said neil
"Wall clock...gone r the days of wall clock..how about dry fruits box" said sam
"Dry fruits!..cant u think of something else sam..." asked neil
"Crackers...we will gift them crackers..." said neil excitedly
Sam starts laughing "look who's talkin about gifting crackers.."
"U better not talk about firecrackers..you have never been able to set off firecrackers properly till now.." sam said pointing towards neil
"Who said.."
"M sayin..i have been celebrating diwali with you since childhood..u have not even set off firecrackers to this day..."
"Not true...i have played with sparklers.."
"Sparklers!m not talkin about sparklers,m talkin about other firecrackers like multiple shot comets,ground spinner..."
"I did set off a rocket last year...u might not have seen..."
"Really...i helped u to set off that rocket..i held your hand,remember...you closed ur eyes that time.."
"And while i was bursting other crackers you jumped and hid urself behind a wall...your are doin thus since childhood" added sam
"No..i dint hide...i went get some snacks.."
"Liar..and fattu..."
"Who r u calling fattu.."
"You..."
"If m fattu...then u are...u are.."
"I m...i m...wat m i neil..."
"You are a rotlu.."
"Not me..u are a rotlu..." sam acts like a cry baby to tease neilArjun looks at sam and neil,as they argue with each other..he knew both of them very well,they would fight this moment and the next moment they will be back..
"Okay..stop...stop it you two...we are here to discuss something.."
"i was quite,she started it..." said neil
"No i dint ,you started it...u said about crackers first..."
"No i dint.."
"Yes...u did..."
"No..."
"Yes..."
"Stop it...quite...quite you two..." ordered arjun
"But..." both sam and neil said together..
"Shh..just keep quite..."arjun sighed
"So..can we now start from wer we left.." asked arjun
Sam and neil both nod in agreement..
"How about a wrist watch or branded pens..." arjun suggested
"Wrist watch would be good..." said neil
"Okay..wrist watch..it is..."sam agreed..
"Okay arjun..i will place the order for mithai then..."said neil
"Okay...and i will place the order for gifts ..." said arjunSam and neil leave the cabin...after some time arjun comes out of his cabin and searchingly looks for radhika...he looks at her desk,but she wasnt there...then arjun looks up at the balcony..he smiles..radhika along with teji,zubin and kritika was discussin about a presentation...
Arjun smiles and goes inside his cabin..
After few hours,arjun had left for airport to pick up mala and dadaji..radhika and sam come cafeteria...neil,zubin,teji and kritika were already present there...sam and radhika join them...
"Where is arjun? Radhika..." asked neil
"I went to get some files signed but he wasnt there in his cabin..." neil added...
"Arjun went to pick up ma and dadaji from airport..." said radhika happily
"What maa and dadaji are comin here ,and u dint say anything about it...not done chashni.." said sam
"Sam...they told me yesterday only that they are comin to mumbai..." replied radhika..
"When is manya comin,sam..."
"She said that she will be here before diwali...but dint tell wen..."CSIA:Terminal 1
Arjun looks at mala and dadaji comin out from the exit along with their luggage...mala too sees arjun..
"Look...arjun is over there..."mala said to dadaji,pointing her finger towards the left where arjun was standing...Arjun swiftly walks upto them...he touches their feet and takes their blessings...he takes the luggage from them walks with them towards the exit...
"Maa,dadaji..how r u..how was your flight..?" Asked arjun
"We both are fine beta...the flight was a bit tiring..but u look very lean...is radhika takin good care of u r not.."
Arjun smiled "maa...radhika is takin good care of me..."
"How are papa,ankush and ridhima..." asked arjun
"They r all fine beta..."As arjun walks to the main exit along with mala and dadaji he receives a call...he takes the phone and sees the screen...it was radhika...he smiles..it was radhika's fourth call in an hour...ever since arjun had left for aiport she had calling him,first time wen she called she asked if he reached the airport safely,then after she called and asked him if mala and dadaji had reached or not..
"Hello.."
"Hello...arjun...has maa and dadaji reached?"
"No..radhika...their flight has delayed..it will arrive here at 5pm..."
"5 pm!y...y is it delayed..wat happened..."
Arjun smiled "nothing...jus kiddin..they have reached safely..."
"ARJUN..."
"Yes...wait i will give the phone to dadaji..."
Arjun hands over the phone to dadaji...
They reach the exit..arjun asks mala and dadaji to wait while he goes and gets his car from parkin area...arjun leaves..
"Dadaji...have u reached..how was the flight...aapko koi takleef nahi hui na.."
"It was okay...and we reached safely..the flight was alright..."
"Dadaji..m really sorry,i cudnt come to pick you up...its.."
"Its okay choti...arjun hai na yahan...it okay.."Dadaji then gives the phone to mala..mala and radhika talk for some time...
After few minutes,arjun comes there with his suv...he gets down...he asks mala and dadaji to sit while he loads the luggage in the luggage rack..
Dadaji sits in the front seat,while mala sits at the back seat...arjun then drives off from airport...
While driving mala,dadaji and arjun have a sweet conversation...
After 30 minutes they reach home...arjun asks dadaji and mala to freshen up and get some rest...he then calls radhika...
"Hello..."
"Hello..radhika..."
"Haan..arjun.."
"We have reached home...shall i come to pick u up..."
"No...its okay..u stay with maa and dadaji...i will come by taxi..."
"U sure you dont want me to pick you up.."
"Haan..dont worry..."Arjun and radhika talk for a while...after talkin to radhika,arjun calls dilip to tell him tgat mala and dadaji had reached safely..the two men talk for a while...
The sun goes into hiddin,makin way for the moon to take over the sky..
Radhika reaches home,she rings the door bell...mala opens the door and smiles..
"Maa...i missed u..." said radhika as she hugged mala tightly..
"I missed u too.."Radhika comes inside and sees dadaji talkin with arjun...radhika runs towards dadaji and gently hugs him...
"I missed u dadaji.."
"I too missed u choti.." said dadaji as he caressed radhika's hair...
Radhika as she was about to sit and talk to dadaji,mala stops her
"Radhika..freshen up first..then u can talk..."
"But maa...m seeing u after a long time...let me talk to you two..then i will go and freshen up..."
"We are not goin anywer...first freshen up,then we can talk...,go radhika..."Radhika pouts,she gets up and goes to freshen up..
Arjun and dadaji have conversation,while mala and radhika prepare for dinner..
In kitchen:
"Hows ridhima di and chotu(ridhima's baby)..."
"Both ridhima and chotu r fine and healthy.."
"Did he start crawling,did he start speakin"
Mala laughed "he is only 2 months old choti,how will he speak and crawl"
"Hmm.."
"Y dint papa and ankush bhai come with you.."
"Choti,u know that it's a festive season and sales will be good...so they are there..."
"But still..."
"Dont worry,they will be here before diwali.."
After some hours,dinning table..
"Choti are u takin care of arjun properly,he has become so lean..." asked mala lookin at radhika
"Arjun beta,is radhika takin good care of you...you have become so lean..." asked mala
"Maa..." said radhika
"Maa...she is takin good care of me..."
"But aisa lag nahi raha...tum itne lean hogaye..radhika tumhe pareshan toh nahi kar rahi na..tikse paka ke kilathi hai na.."
"Haan..ma...meri choti choti cheeso ka kayal rakti hai woh..." arjun said with a smile..
"Its jus work tension..cos of which i have become a bit lean...nothin else.."
"Okay beta..."
"Chotti ke hatton se bane aloo puri ka jawab nahi...aloo puri is her speciality arjun..." said dadaji..
"Not only aloo puri but her meetha daal is also her speciality..."
"Meetha daal..radhika..i have made meethi -katti daal but have never heard of meetha daal...were did u learn it from.." asked mala..
Radhika widens her eyes..she clears her throat...
"Maa...she made that daal durin post marriage rituals..."
"She did..."
"Yes maa..."
"But that daal was normal daal..."
"Maa...she made that only for me,SPECIALLY...isnt it radhika.." arjun smirked
"Maa...woh...actually..." stammered radhika...Inbetween all this dadaji takes some more halwa from bowl and eats it...
Radhika gets furious and she stamps arjun's foot...
"Aaahh..."
"Wat happened arjun..." asked dadaji and mala
"Choti..." arjun said with notorious pained look
"Choti..." exclaimed mala,she then looked at radhika suspiciously
"Nahi...chitti...chitti...chitti ne katta..." said arjun..
"CHITTI!..." said mala and dadaji together
"Yes dadaji,an ant...a very big grown up female ant..." said arjun lookin at radhika..
Dadaji understood that it is radhika who had done something,wereas mala still remains clueless...
Radhika continues her deadly stare..
Dadaji smiles and looks at radhika and arjun...
After few minutes arjun again raises the topic of meetha daal and again radhika stammers..
Edited by -rosel- - 9 years ago
CID
Music Corner
