"Oh God! Yeh ladki mera peecha chodti nahin kyon?" Arman was irritated silently when he saw Ridhima at the door. Ridhima shamelessly smiled with eyes "kyon itna late horahe hai, Arman? Hum sab aapke intezaar hi kar rahey hai. jaldi chaliye na." She sweetly requested him to join them.
Arman forcedly smiled and followed her. Ridhima swayed her back along with her braid in right hand. She hummed "aaja milke hum bantele dooriyan tanhayiyan-' from chamku movie" and swayed her footsteps too along with her back. Arman sighed inside and rolled his eyes secretly at her mannerisms. She gave flirtatious-cum-friendly looks at him in between the way to the podium. Arman gave fake smile at her whenever their eyes met.
Misthy admired the pair walking together to the crowd. The entire apartments' residents gathered at the podium to give their respects to Lord Ganesha. The president of the owners' association inaugurated the puja and the purohit started chanting mantras as all devotees folded their hands in front of the deity.
Ridhima and Misthy stood either side of Arman. Misthy observed both Arman and Ridhima "look-at-me-stay-away-from-me" game and smiled inside. "They make good pair! Bhagwan meri manokamna poori karo. Mujhey Ridhima jaisi bhabhi dedo." Misthy prayed God silently.
Ridhima stole eyes from Arman in between and innocently changed her flirty looks into apologetic looks whenever he gave sharp looks at her.
After taking Prasad Arman skipped away silently when Ridhima was busy with introducing Misthy to entire neighbourhood.
***********
"Dadi! Actually when did you meet your family last time?" Aaliyah asked as took seat near Devyani's feet.
Angad settled other side of Devyani's feet "haan, Dadi! Aap humesha yeh kehti hai ki Surya mama ke ghar mein mere liye ek ladki jaroor hona chahiye. But we don't even know how many children he has. We always hope he has perfect girl to match me. Whatever, aap kabhi detail mein nahin bataya."
"Right dadi! Why don't we go to your village once. For atleast Angad' sake" Kartik chided Angad and winked at Aaliyah with a smile on face. Aaliyah giggled and Angad pouted "dadi! Why don't you shut up them? They are making fun of me."
"Nahin Angad! hum mazak nahin kar raha bus tumhari deewangi pur hus rahey hai. You don't even know whether 'SHE" is existing or not." Kartik patted his shoulder as hugged Devyani with one hand.
Devyani laughed heartful, "inke baton ko bura mut mano, Angad!"
Angad interrupted her "kyon nahin, dadi! Dreaming about life partner is not a wrong thing to do. Ismein kya galati hai. Chahey wo Surya mama ki beti ho ya someone else?"
Kartik boxed Angad's ear "hmm. Ab line pur agaya hai. So, you indeed dream about mama's daughter." Devyani laughed at their mischievous conversation.
Angad defended himself "what's wrong in it, yaar!" He raised his eyebrows questioning Devyani. All laughed at his innocent question. "Kuch nahin yaar! Magar ek baat jaroor yaad rakhna, beta! Tum bilkul disappoint mut hona chahiye agar Surya ki koyi beti na ho ya koyi bachey hi nahi ho toh."
A flare of disappointment came across Angad's face but tried to suppress it with a smile "I promise, Dadi! I won't be depressed."
"So when are we going to your village?" Kartik brought the topic back.
Devyani sighed "wahan abb koyi nahin rehta, Kartik!" All three siblings exchanged looks and questionably looked at Devyani. She continued "Anna(Bada bhai) guzar janey ke baad Surya apna family ke saat Hyderabad shift hogaya tha. Abb wahan gaon mein koyi nehin rehta. Suna hai Surya sare jaydad aur sampatti bhi bhejdiya tha. Aaj kal kheti baadi kaun kar raha hai. Shayad bachon ke wajah se wo gaon chod diya."
Angad groaned thoughtfully "so, they are in Hyderabad now. We have many friends there, Dadi. Apna Mannan ki pariwar ka ek bada pearls shop hai Charminar mein."
"Mera ek friend bhi hai wahan, Sapna Shah. Medicine ke liye apni mama ke saat rehti hai." Aaliyah excited to remember her high school friend.
Kartik looked at her encouragingly "kaun Sapna Shah? Apna Subhankar Shah ki behen? Arey wo toh humara business partner hai. I wil talk to him tommorrow."
Angad promised to accompany Kartik and looked at Devyani, "Magar Dadi! Aap ek vada karna hoga. Before we go deep into this matter we want to know what actually happened with both families. We don't know how Sarma family would receive us. So, prepare us it."
Aaliyah seconded him "haan dadi! Actually what happened between you and your brother? You said you tried to meet him once in the past."
"Dadi!! Aaj tak hum kitna bhi koshish karey aap kabhi aapki family ki barein mein kuch detail mein nahin bataya. Abb hum badey hogaye hai. And we are capable of doing big things like bring your family together too. Aaj yeh humara vada hai ki hum jaroor apki family ko doond kar aapse milwayengey." Kartik took Devyani's hands in his as promising. Angad and Aaliyah joined hands with Kartik "haan, Dadi! We all promise it."
Devyani smiled with moistened eyes "mujhey pata hai aap badey hogaye hai. Main bhi koshish ki thi 25saal pehle." She started narrating her past.
************
"O meri jaanu! Aaja meri jaanu! Aaja! Ek buiscuit khalo. Kuch milk peelo. Meri jaanu! Abb meri asli jaanu ajayengi aur khub gussa karegi agar tum kuch na khayi peeyi toh! Chchcho." Atul was pampering his wife's pet.
Anjali stood at the door watching her henpecked husband pampering her pet. Atul faintly smiled at Anjali "Anjoo darling! Tum kab aayi? Dekho aaj yeh Jooli kuch bhi khaya nahin. Na jaaney bahut tung kar rakha hai."
Anjali tugged her strands and gave adorable looks at him "Atul darling! You are so sweet. I know you loved animals. Issiliye tumse shadi karli taaki meri Jooli ko ek pyar se sambhalney wala miljaye."
She turned and invited her pet "aajao jaanu! Mere paas ajao." She tamed her pet. Atul explained how much Jooli troubled him since morning and how much he tried to cool her down without moving a bit out of the house, while Anjali pampered her pet.
Anjali turned to Atul "Atul darling! I'm so lucky to have a veterinary doctor as husband. I don't have to worry about Jooli anytime."
Atul settled at her feet "Anju darling! Only for Joolie you married me? It's not fare you said that. Ek baar batade ki tum sache dilse mujhey chaha."
Anjali kissed Atul's cheek and caressed his other cheek with Jooli's nose "Haan, we both loved you, kush?"
"Kya huva Anjali?" Shashank Gupta entered the room when both wife and husband pampering Jooli. Anjali complained about her pet's discomfort since morning.
"Hmm, toh Atul kiss kaam ki hai yahan? Kyon Atul? Kuch diagnose nahin kar saka?"
Atul immediately tried to cover up himself "DAD! She is absolutely fine. She has no medical problem at all. Just she needs change of atmosphere."
Shashank frowned as twisted his eyebrows "then what were you doing here? You could have driven her somewhere to give some fresh air."
Anjali didn't feel wrong with Shashank's words and smiled at Atul. Atul flared his nostrils but kept quite without replying to his father-in-law.
Shashank walked out "Anjali! Humara Sanjeevani ke barein mein "Indian Journal of Medical Sciences" mein ek achasa article aaya tha. Let me show you. Can you come into my room?" He loved to discuss everything about medical field with his beloved daughter, who paid genuine attention in every matter that he had dealt with. Anjali obeyed his authoritative request.
"Issey sambhalo," she put Jooli in Atul's hand and followed her father. Atul sighed and silently cursed father and daughter as stared at their way out. Jooli jumped out of his hands and ran out to the garden and Atul ran behind her to make sure she won't wet herself under sprinklers for evening shower.
**********
Misthy reached home after two hours along with Ridhima when Arman was busy in checking some of his work. "yeh kya hai, Arman! Ek din ke liye bhi mere saat nahin reh sakta?"
Ridhima immediately seconded Misthy "Arman! You should have stayed back. You could meet everyone in the apartments."
Arman lifted his head from his files and stared at both "kyon, tum kaafi nahin thi?"
Misthy and Ridhima exchanged looks. Ridhima offended at Arman's rude reply. Arman immediately noticed it and corrected himself, "Main kya karoon un sabse milke?"
Misthy pouted "you need to know your surroundings, Arman! Pata hai Ridhima ne yeh Prasad banayi thi sabke liye, for entire community." She sounded it was a great work.
Arman moaned perfunctorily as he knew Misthy won't stop irrespective of his attention. Ridhima excused herself "main chalti hoon, Misthy! Lagta hai tumhara bhai thak gaya hai."
Arman immediately lifted his head and responded "Goodnight! Ridhima!." Ridhima frowned and left immediately. Misthy bombarded at Arman "yeh kya tareeka hai baat karney ki? How can you talk like this with Ridhima?"
Arman stared at Misthy, "kuch khaney ki bandobast karogi? I have a surgery first in the morning." Misthy stomped at his cold behavior. But she didn't stop explaining about each and everyone in the neighbourhood that she met that day.
Misthy curiously continued while serving the table "Do you know Arman! Ridhima lives with her nani; donon hi rehte hai yahan. She has family elsewhere in Mumbai itself. It seems Ridz likes to teach kids than to be a doctor."
Arman twisted his eyebrows when Misthy addressed Ridhima as "Ridz" "yeh log shayad 'vaseekaran' mantre jaantey hai!!" and murmured, "kyon apna ameer baap ke saat kyon nahin rehti?"
Misthy was surprised "kya kahan?" Arman immediately settled himself "nothing, get me some salt."
Misthy suspiciously looked at him and got salt for him "bhai! Is this Gupta and our Gupta are the same?"
"Kaun our Gupta?" Arman mumbled but corrected when Misthy angrily looked at him for his callous reply "kutputla ka 'DAD'? Hoga, kaun janey?"
"Arman! Atul humara bhai hai. How can you call him names?" Misthy offended.
Arman clinched his jaws "Bhai!! What type of bhai is he? Selfish guy. Did he ever think about us? Bua ne kitna pyar se humey pala posha. Kabhi mama papa ki kami mehsoos bhi nahin honey diya tha. He didn't even let her know about his marriage. Aur gaya 'gharjamai' bann ney. Kabhi mudkar bhi humare taraf dekta nahin. Did he ever call you to enquire your welfare?"
Misthy tried to defend Atul "wo sab theek hai, Arman! He is scared of losing Anjali. Tum ho na meri khayal rakhney? Bua bhi hai humare haalchaal poochney. Why do we bother about him and curse him. Let him be happy with his family."
Arman became red with anger "family! S***! He should remember hum bhi uska family hai. Anyway, let me go to bed. I need rest." He excused hurriedly and let the dining area.
Misthy thoughtfully nodded her head "so yeh baat hai. Arman is keeping away from Ridhima as knowing about Guptas. Sab siblings ek jaise nahin hotey. Ridhima toh bahut pyarisi ladki hai! First I have to find out where was she till now. We have never seen her before in Gupta's house." She sighed out "Gupta ka ghar gaya bhi kitni baar? Ek hi baar Atul ki reception pur Hm, I need to do something now for sure!!!" She decided something and cleared the dishes slowly as recollected the past.
********
"Tum gayi nahin? Aaj chutti hai kya?" Gayatri surprised seeing Sapna lingering in the kitchen for her breakfast.
Sapna faintly smiled "nahin aunty! Aaj late jaoongi. Socha yahin se direct hospital chaley jaaoongi. Kripa bhi toh ghar mein hongi na."
Gayatri smiled affectionately "tumhey yeh ghar paraya toh nahin. Tum jab chahe ruk sakti hai. Mein toh chali. Mera time hogayi."
Kripa entered the kitchen and embraced Gayatri from behind, "aaj tum bhi ghar mein raho na, Mama! I missed you."
Gayatri smiled affectionately as caressed her hands and kissed her cheek. Kripa returned her kiss. "aaj itna pyar kyon lag raha hai, Kripa!" Gayatri surprised at Kripa's acts.
Sapna reached them "hota hai hota hai jab jaaney ka waqt aati hai toh hur ladki ko apni maayka pur bahut pyar aati hai." she chided Kripa by rolling her big eyes.
Gayatri surprised and suspiciously looked at both of them "yeh kya baat kar rahey hai tum donon? Kya chupa rahey hai?"
Kripa immediately settled herself "kuch nahin mama! aap college jayiye, time is running out." She pinched Sapna's waist secretly.
Sapna frowned and smiled at Gayatri "aunty! Kya aap aaj bachon ko Sanskrit class ki chutti nahin de sakti?" Gayatri surprised at her enquiry. Sapna continued "aaj humey aapke nanand ke barein mein sun ne ki bahut mann kar rahi hai. Why don't you explain about her?"
Gayatri understood Kripa and Sapna planned something in the night to enquire about Devyani and family. "hmm toh yeh baat hai. kya jaan na chate hai tum donon? Uncle baahar mere liye wait karte hongey. Mujhey jana hai. Sham ko aakar batoongi. Agar mein chutti liya toh Uncle ko mera class bhi lena padega." Surya and Gayatri taught Sanskrit in the college.
Kripa and Sapna both disappointed and kept silent. Gayatri smiled as thought inside "lagta hai donon pariwar milney ki waqt aagaya hai. Bhagwan karey aisa hi ho."
Part became lengthy, 'past' comes in next one.
Ishaani
Cricket
267