CHAPTER 1
Kalpana woke up in her small dark room, wearing her usual white dress. Room didn't have more than a small cot and pot of water with inverted glass on top. She looked at her reflection in mirror, except for her face, nothing much had changed in her appearance since last so many years. She still cannot get ready, or try to look prettier like other girls of her age. She sadly looks at photo of her husband Prem hung on the wall with marigold flowers on it."Chaachi," came the tiny sound from near the door. Kalpana could see face of little child sneaking into her room and hiding himself after calling her name. Kalpana acted along innocently, "I think, I heard the noise of Ayaan somewhere... Is my Ayaan around anywhere?" "No," came the quick reply. Kalpana smiled at him, as she reached near the door and pulled him inside to give him a tight hug. Soon after tickled him, as both of them laughed away. Kalpana had never found herself regretting over anything, inspite of her life being filled with hurdles. She always made through all problems and tried finding happiness in smallest thing. Infact she called herself lucky in several ways, for the reason, that in spite of being a widow, she had chance to go to school and complete her basic education and graduation, and she was allowed or say was able to help her father in law in some of his work like calculations and developing strategies, which were indeed useful, though she was sure that these things won't bring her "opportunities" for advancement or make career, her help was like that of hidden angel, all the credits were ultimately given to everyone else, except for her, it was sufficient to make herself feel, "I can do something, I am not useless."
"Kalpana," came the voice and lady entered the room with smile on her face. "Yes, mummyji," she said getting up and helping Ayaan get up. It was Sumitra [From Balika Vadhu] 😆 who was standing there with glass of milk in her hand. "Please make Ayaan have this milk, she has become so naughty, and just doesn't listen to anyone," she said handing the same glass to Ayaan. Kalpana nodded with smile while taking the glass and looking at Ayaan with smile. "And then get ready and come to kitchen in a while, to help me out with lunch. Harivanshji and GauriJi are coming for lunch today," she said as she left the place seeing Kalpana nod again with smile in positive. Kalpana had always thanked god silently for giving Sumitra and Bhairo as her in-laws, who cared for her like their own daughter, but always had proved to be helpless at times.
Kalpana got ready and made her way to kitchen. She was indeed the heart of whole family. She went to daadi first and touched her feet to take the blessing. Daadi looked at her, "God Bless You dear," Kalpana smiled and made her way to kitchen. She smiled seeing Bhavna already in kitchen. Bhavna gave her a warm smile, "I hope Ayaan didn't bother you much, while drinking milk," she said. Kalpana nodded no, as she took out some milk from fridge, "No bhabhi, he drank it very fast." Both of them continued with their pleasant morning gossips, when daadi who was passing by saw, Kalpana's head pallu had slipped down from head revealing her long and beautiful black hair, which should have been cut, but they didn't follow the rituals due to stubborn nature of her own daughter in law. , and she was still busy enjoying her talks with Bhavna while cooking. She looked at laughing Kalpana angrily, and then Bhavna, as she turned her wheel chair towards kitchen. "Don't you have shame!!" Kalpana and Bhavna looked at her in shock, as Kalpana wondered what was wrong? "Look at your head! Your Pallu has slipped and you aren't even aware, but just busy talking cheerfully to other people in the house," she said looking at Bhavna angrily, who lowered eyes..! Daadi continued looking at her, "Now that guests are coming, you better be in Saree and not this salwaar... it looks so embarrassing that as widow, you wearing this dress of tinge yellow colour. Shame on You!" Kalpana was hurt hearing the bitter words from daadi, as she continued yelling at her and abusing her; tears formed in her eyes and she averted her gaze from daadi and bhavna, who had seen her hiding her tears. Bhavna couldn't speak ahead, Sumitra who was passing by saw daadi as usual yelling at her bahus, (daughter-in-laws). Sumitra came to the rescue, when she calmed down her mother in law, and diverted her mind somewhere else to send her out of the room. She looked at Kalpana, pitying her. "Kalpana, go and wash your face," she said realizing she needed some time to let out her tears. She looked at Bhavna, "Come, I will help you with this kheer thing, and then Kalpana can roast the rotis." Kalpana nodded and left the place.
Kalpana entered her room crying, and she looks at Prem's photo, "It's all because of you! Why did you leave me like this, I told you zillions of time not to go with those naughty kids, but you never paid heed to my words, and here I am suffering all because of you, I cannot even be free and happy like other people," she fell down crying on her knees. "Chaachi, Chaachi..." came the voice again, she wiped her tears quickly and plastered the smile on her face with a smiling face, "I have to do this project, and momma is really busy..." he said innocently. Bhavna came from behind, "Kalpana please help him complete this small work, he has to just find images of parts of tree and human face and make stick on the paper." Sumitra and Bhavna knew Kalpana always found her small set of happiness with Ayaan around, hence whenever something terrible like this took place, they would always ask Ayaan to accompany Kalpana in some way or other. They both left, while Kalpana got busy with Ayaan. She smiled looking at innocent Ayaan, and caressed his hair while he focused on sticking, she looked away at Prem's picture on the wall, only thought occupying her little mind was, "Even I would have had my child, or would have been making my child getting ready, and being happy around. No doubt, I love Ayaan more than myself, yet there is a tinge... that Bhavna Bhabhi and Manav Jeth has more rights over him ..." She sees Ayaan happy after completing his project and smiles seeing him. "Yet No Matter what! I have no regrets with the Life..!! it's full of compromises, but has some alternatives... If not my own job and work, I have way to apply my knowledge and skills, if not my own child, I have Ayaan, and if not my own life, I have this whole family!!! NO REGRETS at all..." She concluded with a smile...
Over to You priya Di!
Edited by shahsb_26 - 10 years ago
Indian Mythology
