Part 14
Both Armaan and Muskaan reach home and show the gifts to Rahim Farhat and Naazneen. Everyone gets delighted to see them.
After dinner Naaz and Muskaan are out in the garden talking to Imran on the phone. Armaan notices them from his room and goes to join them.
Armaan: hello girls…kya chal raha hai
Muskaan was talking on the phone…Naaz answers him…: Imran, Muskaan's younger brother, is on the phone…
Naaz: Muski ab bohot hua…give it to me..(whispering to Imran)…hey…wo tuitions wali ladki ka kya haal hai…ha Muskaan is far from me…bol na…(moves away from them)
Muskaan then notices Armaan standing there…: tum kab aye..
Armaan: abhi hi…you were talking then…I saw you two from the window of my room( he points to the window)
Muskaan: ohh…so your room is there…
Armaan: hmm… u didn't visit my house as yet?
Muskaan shrugs her shoulders:..no..
Armaan: to chalo fir…abhi chalo…how come no one asked you… leave everyone…how come I dint ask you.!
Muskaan: its okk Armaan…yahi to hu…fir kabhi dekh lungi
Armaan: fir kabhi kyu…abhi hi chalo..come…
He moves towards his house. Muskaan sighs…. then follows him.
They enter the house…and see Sajid in devdas mood..bilkul mu latka hua. Saba was watching tv…sorry fully engrossed in it…n Sajid was seated on the adjacent sofa, yawning. He sees Armaan and Muskaan enter the house and goes to greet them.
Sajid: Muskaan beta…welcome to our house..
Armaan: kya welcome dad…2 din se ayi hai…and none of us invited her here
Sajid: are beta invite kya karna…apna hi ghar hai…come right inside…
(to Saba)… are mohtarma…us ghar ko chodo…aur is ghar pe dhyan do…
Saba: kya aap…tum baitho beta…mein tumhare liye kuch
Muskaan: nahi chachi kuch nahi…me to bas aise hi agyi…bahar garden me the hum log
Armaan: dad I will show her around the house
Sajid: ha ha beta..go on
Muskaan goes with Armaan. Sajid realizes Saba's attention has moved to Muskaan…he slowly moves to pick up the remote control of the tv from the sofa. Armaan who is about to leave the room turns to look at Saba.
Armaan: mom…apka wo serial khatam ho gya
Saba: wo…are nahi…chalu hai
Sajid, who's hands had almost reached the remote, quickly leaves it and turns to the other side.
Saba notices that and gives him a look. She picks up the remote, settles on the sofa and again gets engrossed in her tv. Sajid grits at Armaan, who grins and runs to join Muskaan.
Armaan shows her all around the house then takes her to his room.
Armaan: now the best part of this house..ten tenaa…
He opens the door of his room for her…she smiles and moves forward to enter inside. But it had just been a few steps…and Muskaan does not find any more place to keep her feet. The entire floor was covered with mess….sorry Armaan's belongings as Muskaan observed carefully. Books…magazines….boxing gloves….basketball….cricket bat……clothes…more clothes….socks…shoes….slippers…pata nahi kya kya…Muskaan moves her eyes to look at him finally.
He gets light coughs…:…emm…wo…emm…bahar balcony me baith te hai…that's a very good place…come this side….
He makes some place for her to go to the balcony.
Armaan: hamari maid aisi hi hai…room clean karne bolo to aise hi sara saman bikher deti hai…
Muskaan smiles and keeps walking. Armaan slides the glass door to the balcony and Muskaan sees a beautiful terrace garden in front of her. Their house was on the outskirts of the city in a very peaceful and scenic area, so the view from the terrace was even more attractive.
Muskaan: this is very beautiful…in fact it seems like I am in London
Armaan: thank you for the honor mam
Both of them take seats on a broad swing kept on one side.
Armaan: Its very relaxing here…at least at night I spend a little time here… alone
Muskaan: even I like being alone at times…on my own…
Armaan: par London me to you will find enough of such places na…its not crowded like its here
Muskaan: ya …waha to logo ko dekhne ke liye taras jate hai
Armaan: shayad isiliye tumhe akele rehna ki adat hogayi hai…reserved you have become
Muskaan looks up at him…: hmm…I guess me pehle se aisi hi hu
Armaan: naa…everyone here had told me that you were very lively chirpy kind in your childhood…when you stayed here..i jus cudnt relate that Muskaan to you
Muskaan smiles..: I don't know…may be…tab me aur ba me kitna fark bhi to ho gaya hai…life kaha se kaha agyi
Armaan: kaha agyi? Dekho…you have come back to where you belong….bas ek phase tha…being in London
Muskaan: aur yaha sab waisa hi hai kya? Everything has changed
Armaan: change is a part of life Muskaan…it's all a part of the pattern God has created….n what has really changed? If you meant ki yaha itne saal baad wapas akar you wud have become 7 yrs old again..to I cant comment…
Muskaan grins.
Armaan: jo hota hai ache ke liye hota hai…God has his plan…ab dekho na…agar yaha sab pehle jaisa hota…to me yaha nahi hota tumhare saath
Muskaan: tum log pehle kaha rehte the
Armaan: Delhi
Muskaan: then what made you all shift here
Armaan: times…we used to stay with our huge joint family…but grandparents ki death ke baad…sabne apne rang dikahne shuru kar diye…there came a time when we cudnt take their crap anymore…n dad decided to leave the house…
Muskaan: to Rahim chachu ko kaise jante the
Rahim: dad took a transfer of his job from delhi to Mumbai…Rahim uncle used to work in the same firm…bas both became friends…n decided to start with their own business….fir we bought the apartment adjacent to theirs…. and started mingling with each others' family… ahista ahista this huge empire was created…jis k bare me to tumhe pata hoga…your staying in London was a huge help…it spread the business so well…fir ye do bungalows lekar…we all started to stay here together..
Muskaan: hmm…dad used to work in a mall there initially…then Rahim uncle proposed the idea of this business..
Armaan: hmm…God helped…n it worked so well
Muskaan: you don't miss ur family?
Armaan: I used to…terribly…but Rahim uncle's family filled those gaps…Zaheer got so close ki kisi aur ki kami hi nahi lagi…n I realized…I should cherish these people who care so much for me…rather than thinking of those who didn't care a damn
Muskaan is quiet. Armaan notices this.
Armaan: even you miss your mom na?
Muskaan looks at him in surprise. She doesn't answer.
Armaan: we don't decide who stays with us and for how long Muskaan. God does. We can only learn how to adapt. And we should learn to do that. Even your mom wud be so upset to see you gloomy all the time na…
Muskaan is quietly listening with her head down.
Armaan: poor she…like us she is also missing on the most beautiful thing on this earth..
Muskaan: what??
Armaan: your beautiful smile…(he indicates with his hand)
Muskaan smiles a bit…the depth of his words slowly turn it into a wide beautiful smile…Armaan smiles too looking at her smile.
'tum dono yaha ho'
Both of them turn to the direction of the voice. Naazneen was standing there.
Naazneen: me kabse dhund rahi thi tumhe…call end hua Imran ka…dekha to tum dono gayab
Naazneen moves around the terrace…: this is so beautiful na Muski…me jab bhi Mumbai ati thi I wud spend some time here with Armaan bhai
Armaan: all 3 of us…Zaheer u n me
Naazneen: ya…n what about tomorrow's meeting…Muski told me the clients are ready to negotiate
Armaan: ya…they said so atleast…that is the last bit of the problem…agar wo solve ho jae…the production will start in full swing
Naazneen: don't worry then bhai…kal us client ko bhi uski nani yaad dila denge…maine aur Muski ne aise bohot namune thik kiye hai
Armaan laughs…:…ok ab tum dono jao…kafi raat ho gayi…Farhat chachi wud b getting worried…you didn't even inform you are here
Naazneen: oh ya…lets go…then office early morning tomorrow
Both the girls leave from there. Armaan accompanies them and drops them to their house. They bid good bye to each other and proceed to their bedrooms for a peaceful sleep.
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The next two days pass by quickly. All three of them get involved in setting the project on track.
The following day was a Sunday. Both the families plan to go for a full day picnic. Naaz and Armaan decide to go to an amusement park. They invite their friends too to join them. Saba and Farhat prepare lots of snacks and food to carry with them. Rahim makes the rest of the arrangements. Muskaan is very excited as she loves amusement parks. They wud go often to such parks in London. Sirf ek problem tha…she was very scared of those high speed rides…roller coasters and high dives. She gulps down every time Naaz and Armaan talk excitedly about those rides. Naaz realizes it very well as she has seen that fear in Muskaan. She giggles thinking about that. Both the families are looking forward to the big day as it will be after years they wud b going to a picnic like that will all their kids.
The night before that…everyone checks on their bit of the arrangements properly. Everyone is wide awake on their beds…excitement didnt let them sleep…the thoughts of the fun they wud be having keeps them wide awake. Everyone is waiting for the next morning…J
Part ends.
Love Sana.
Soorrry is baar fir delay hogya…but I think hamehsa se to kafi jaldi hogya nai? Hehe..
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