AWTBL-Someday!Chp12(A). pg75. Jan28. - Page 37

She wasn't feeling her usual self today. This kind if thing never did happen to her. No matter the kind of affliction she was meted with, nothing had ever dampen her spirits. In the 17 years of her tiny span of life she had already seen enough of what life had to show her- poverty, hunger, sickness, mother's wrath, a weak father, sibling comparisons of the most bitter kinds. But it had also given her acceptance in shape of Neetu aunty, daadi and her school. Then there was the most valued friendship and peer bonding that she had found in Paakhi and her lovely kind cousins too. She had everything to be grateful for yet today of all days hers heart felt like a lead.

Just has she had started to enjoy at the bonfire, Keshav had come to call upon her.

"Amma is calling you. Maasi has sent a car." He informed her.

Still confused about what he had just said, she had rushed towards home to find Kamla frantically talking to her maasi.

"Accha, but really how do you expect me to pack up everything in few minutes and rush. Then there is your jijiaji. what must I do of him right now?" She was grumbling on the phone.

Kalpi's Maasi had sent the car with the driver to fetch them a day early because he would not be available during Holi. And now they must rush was her mama's command and it had to be followed to the T. So Kalpi rushed around packed everything from the kitchen and put in in the car. then proceeded to recheck their packed overnight bags for the stay at her Maasi's house. Her baba had decided to stay back for the day. I can take care for myself for a day. You all have fun and do not worry about me. If I need anything the phone is there. And I know food is also there in the house." He has smiled and assure.

"Baba, your medicines. Please do not forget about them. I will call you very hour." Kalpi had reminded her father before she sat in car.

But the sudden change in plans has not settled with her and she was feeling miserable. But she could not pin point what was troubling her. She had not been able to eat her dinner properly because of dizziness and uneasiness.

Her Maasi kamini had already asked her a couple of times if something was wrong with her. Thankfully Kamla was the one who had come to her rescue as she rebuked Kamini and told her that Kalpi has always been one with a reticent nature.

"Oh! Kaminijiji, let her be. Why don't you give her some work to do instead." Kamla chided her elder sister.

Kamini came back with two bedsheets that needed to be stitched together for the guest to sit, relax and snack around the next day after the Holi celebrations. She looked over at Kalpi and then Kamla, as if unsure if she was doing the right thing. Kalpi was always a hard working tenacious young girl and this was one day she could have relaxed, she thought. But she also knew Kamla, if she had said that Kalpi must help she would have to relent to her order or else the axe would fall on any one of them. And she knew her sister too well to go against her wishes. At least the peace should be retained during festivities at all costs.

So Kamini came over to Kalpi and said "You have come to my new house for the first time and look at me I am giving you work to do. What kind of Maasi am I?" she whispered in an unsure manner to Kalpi. Then decided to take the bedsheets back from Kalpi's hands once again and said, "In fact why don't you join Purna and Pony they are busy oiling their hair and shining their faces or maybe finally they are arranging the color is the large platters... some of the work has to be done tonight. You can help them arrange the edibles and delicacies too." Kamini smiled and urged Kalpi to join them. She knew her two splint girls are busy playing silly antics away from their mother's eagle eyes. Why was Kalpi even sitting with us instead of joining her cousins in their silly banter, she had wondered.

"Dont worry she will be fine. She is used to keeping herself busy or else she will get bored soon." Kamla interrupted.

This time Kalpi completely agreed with Kamla. She did need to keep her mind away from whatever was bugging her soul and work was a good diversion. So Kalpi gladly sat on the sewing machine and very carefully started sewing together the two new bedcovers that her aunt provided her.

"Look at her Kamla, she is so careful and attentive at joining the bedsheets. They really don't even have to be perfect. In fact I will be pulling the seams apart after the get together but look at her work, she is joining them so beautifully. You have a very talented girl, she will be a wonderful wife and daughter in law to a very lucky family." Kamini gloated.
While Kamla looked over at her daughter silently.

Kalpi tired her best not to hear the elders talk about her as she wished somehow the night to get over.

Kalpi looked at her face in the mirror in horror. The two pimples had now grown to a mammoth size. What was she suppose to do now. It was all Keshav's fault she cursed under breath. Didn't she tell everyone that her skin is sensitive and she does not like to play with colors. Keshav was becoming such a brat she groaned but now what would she do? Well, at least today no one had come to play a silly prank on her.

She applied a bit of the Meswak tooth paste on her temple just above her right brow and it the edge of both of her cheek bones. And then decided to go up on the terrace and find an isolated corner.

She did not like to play holi. Colors scared her. Her skin easily broke into angry rashes and she wanted to stay away from such kind of festivities. She had helped her mother prepare delicacies and that was her way to participate in the Holi hoopla. During the bonfire she had thought that she would get some of the laddos for Raghav and Paakhi since they loved them so much but that also could never happen. She would not see them for Holi, she mused.

She peeked at the entrance of the house and already saw her cousins jumping and dancing as the guests arrived and collected in the front lawns of the house. Everyone was smeared in colors and looked quiet delirious in their state. She ducked down to avoid being seen by anyone. She found a quiet place under the water tank shade and sat down. Sitting on the ground, she folded her knees and rested her head on her hands as they encircled her knees.

She could still not figure the heavy feeling that pressed on her chest. But she had to do something about it, she thought urgently as she closed her eyes in desperation.

She knew not how long she sat on the terrace in that position but she knew that it was getting hot sitting there.

She was unable to understand herself why she felt so despondent. She tried to shake her head as if it could jerk off the feel of gloom that laid over her. She really needed to join everyone downstairs. Any minute someone would come to check upon her and it was time for her to straighten up her act.

"Knock Knock!!"

No answer

"Okay, since no one is willing to play with me it has to be by myself."

"who is there?"

"Pooper"

"Pooper who?"

"Ahh! its the party Pooper!!" Purna said sarcastically.

Silence

"Really!! You are just going to sit there and not say a word?" Her cousin screamed in confused shock. "What has happened at least tell me that much? I have a right to know? You did not talk last night or tell me how you liked my room."

"I did. I told you it's lovely." Kalpi said hurriedly. She did not want to upset her cousin in her own house on a day of festivities.

"Well, now that you are talking can we get up and go down? Everyone is calling you."

"mmm... nahi Purna please... let me stay her. You know I dnt like these colors and the allergies..." She dreaded going down. The feeling of despair once again surrounded her. She did not want to be happy she realized something was seriously wrong with her.

"But people are waiting for you? What about them? And do you have any idea what time it is? "

"No what time is it? And who is waiting? Tell them..."

But Purna interrupted, "... Kalpi darling it is afternoon. Maasi is looking for you and few more people but I cant say who."

That made Kalpi take notice and look at her cousin sister... she slowly moved towards the edge of the terrace to check at the hullaballoo in the front lawns.

"Arre! Kalpi it is Holi everyone is downstairs in the lawns playing colors or guzzling the thandaai and you are peeking from up here, as if you are waiting for your Romeo to arrive any minute. Please chalo let's go now... this is enough." She pulled at Kalpi's hand.

Just then Keshav came jumping in, "Look who is here jiji!! Surpise!!" and with that he ran towards Kalpi.

Purna immediately screamed at Keshav, "Why did you have to do that? I was coming down with her... no no you spoiled that surprise you donkey brother of mine."

And with that she disappeared after keshav.

For a nanosecond Kalpi did not believe what she saw. There in front of her stood Raghav. But could she be hallucinating? This could not even be possible. And why would he be here in her Maasi's new house. So probably she was hallucinating. Kalpi blinked a couple of times then just closed her eyes.

"Happy Holi Kalpi!" She heard his smooth soothing voice and the butterflies in her stomache fluttered in a delirious frenzy. Just as she was preparing to opened her eyes and looked at him, she was taken into a crazy wild embrace.

"oh!! Kalpi Kalpi! I really thought that I would have to spend my Holi without you and you know that has never happened. I was crying and brawling so much that the boys just could not tolerate it anymore and they brought me to youuu!!"

Kalpi stared into the beautiful pink face of Paakhi. She was still san of any colors and her dress was a pretty pink kurti and jeans. Other than a tiny abir tikka on her forehead, Kalpi was sure that Paakhi had not played with colors yet.

"Accha... are you not happy to see me? Are you just shocked? Now I expected some more nicer variety of reactions Kalpiii??" Paakhi screamed and jumped.

Finally Kalpi found her voice and replied, "Of course I am over the moon to see you Paakhi. But how did all this happened? How, why, when, who??" now Kalpi blabbered on as Raghav looked on with a grin.

"Now this sounds more like the Kalpi I know." Paakhi glowed. "Before I narrate the complete details to you. I must tell you the who part first." Then creating a very dramatic silence and clearing her throat by then Kalpi literately could not hold on to her excitement Paakhi declared, " it was all Prem Bhaiya's magic Kalpi. I am still not sure what..."

She was interrupt by a toy trumpet sound and there on the doorway stood Prem making the funniest dramatic entry and said in a exaggerated British accent, "I reckon I am needed here therefore I am!"

Paakhi started laughing loudly," Bhaiya look how happy Kalpi is to see us here."

"Are you sure she is happy to see all of us or is it just for me?" Prem winked.

Which made Kalpi blush the deepest of color and Paakhi pushed Prem reminding him to behave himself and not tease Kalpi.

"Prem you said you have changed for better so please show it to us." she chided.

"Paakhi, please stay on the Bhaiya track because I am elder to you. or else you will loose your hair just like in the past... Remember??"

That was enough for Paakhi to run after Prem and both of them disappeared down the stairs after circling the terrace a couple of times.

Only then Kalpi turned towards Raghav, "Holi ki Bandhaiyaan!"

Just then Raghav opened his fists and encased both her cheeks in his palms. "Happy Holi"

All Kalpi could utter to him was, " I am allergic to colors." She pointed at the toothpaste still sticking to her cheeks

All Raghav could do was look at her apologetically. Then he asked, "Roses too?"

Here is the update as promised. 😊

Raghav is finally here. Hope that makes all of you happy. If you read the update and enjoy it please do Like and also leave comments.

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