Part 194
The whole family remained huddled together the whole day long. Riddhima finished the final packing of his luggage and from time to time kept asking "Armaan yeh rakh liya, woh rakh liya?" One or two things which he had forgotten, she put in his bags.
Soon it was time for his departure. Shafi had come with his cab. Akka took Armaan to the pooja room and put the holy ash on his forehead. Then she offered him the sindoor and asked him to fill Riddhima's maang. Then both of them prayed together. When Armaan bent to take Akka's blessings, she uttered something in Tamil. When he raised his eyebrows she explained that whatever work he was going for, would be a success.
Next Armaan went to take Kaka's blessings. Kaka hugged him saying "bahu aur bachchon ki chinta bilkul nahi karna, hum hain na unki dekhbal karne ke liye. Tum sirf apna khayal rakhna aur phone karte rehna." Armaan eyes filled with tears and he said "haan kaka, aapke bharose hi to sab ko chodke jaa raha hoon. Aap apni davaye time se lijiyega." Then picking up the tiny tot he asked "dad kuch din ke liye bahar jaa rahe hain. Tum goodboy banke rahoge na?" to which the little one nodded. "Kisiko pareshaan nahi karna. Ok?" "ok" came the spontaneous reply.
A: batao tumhare liye kya lekar aaon?
Ani: cabby kokate aul ikeam.
Smiling at his little brother's demand Akshat asked him "Dad US se icecream la sakte hain kya? Pigal nahin jayega?" But Armaan kissed the little one thoroughly saying "zaroor launga." Handing him to Riddhima, he knelt down next to his betu and asked "remember what I told you?"
Ak: Of course dad.
A: baarish mein bheegnaa mat or you'll fall sick aur mama ko pareshani hogi.
AK: promise dad I won't.
Then hugging and kissing him he asked him the same question "main lauthe waqt tumhare liye kya le aaon?" Putting his arms round his dad's neck he hugged him and didn't answer. Feeling his tears on his neck Armaan separated from him and shaking his head wiped his tears. Akshat controlled his tears and giving him watery smile said "aap sirf mere dad ko jald wapas laayiye." Armaan was shocked to hear that. He immediately showered him with kisses saying "promise".
Kaka caught Akshat's hand saying "chalo hum dad ke samaan gaadi mein rakhte hain." Akka also took Ani from Riddhima and said "chalo, chalo" following them. They knew the couple needed some privacy to say their goodbyes. Left alone they just kept staring at each other for a moment. Then Armaan opened his arms and she literally ran into them, giving him a rib-crashing hug. He too hugged her tight. No words were required. The two hearts were conversing between themselves.
After a few minutes they parted from their hug and holding her face in his palms Armaan said "Bachchon ka khayal rakhna aur sabse jyaada khayal meri Riddhima ka rakhna." She nodded trying to control her emotion and tears. Then putting her palms on his cheeks squeaked "tum bhi apna khayal….." she couldn't say anything further. She just pulled his head down and kissed him sweetly. He kissed her back and after one final hug, they walked out.
Shafi had taken the kids for a drive to keep them quiet. Till he came back the four adults stood talking, AR with their arms around the other's waist, saying "take care" to each other. As Armaan got in, kaka instructed Shafi "gaadi dhere se chalana, kal raat bhar baarish hui hai, sadak geela hoga. Dhyaan se chalana." Shafi nodded and Armaan waved out to them.
Four hands were raised to wave back to him with four pairs of watering eyes looking lovingly towards him. But one tiny hand was stretched out and the owner of it was yelling from his Athai's arms, "main bhi dad ke saath gumma jaaoonga." Before Armaan could hear that and come to console him, akka quickly took him to the other side showing him some butterflies. As the cab drove off Riddhima's parting words to her sweetheart were "keep calling" and he nodded.
Riddhima woke up in a very sad mood that morning. Today was her sweetheart's birthday and she couldn't even kiss and wish him. It was a week since Armaan had left and though he spoke with her several times in a day, they hadn't been able to see each other. Skype and webcam had sounded perfect, but the only problem was the nine and half hours time difference between India and Boston.
She tried to call him early in the morning around 6 am, it was 8.30 pm there. He was already asleep, as he was jet lagged. If she called him, after coming back from work around 6.30 or 7 pm, he was already in the hospital as it was 9 or 9.30 am there. She was fed up this time zone difference. Today was Saturday and she hoped she'd be able to catch a glimpse of him, at least today.
She dropped Akshat for his practice and took kaka to the market for his weekly purchase. Then dropping kaka back home, she went to enquire about a playgroup for Ani. Since Kunjmon's sister would soon be joining the nursing college, she wanted akka to have some respite. Armaan had told her to find one nearby so that akka could drop and pick him. She had heard about one in their colony and went to enquire.
She found out that it was a private group, run by a montesseri trained teacher. She had a small group of 10 children and a helper. The groundfloor of her house served as the playroom. Riddhima could see she had lots of toys, a rocking horse, tricycle, etc. the timings were from 10 am to 12 noon initially and after three months could be extended to 1 pm. The children only learnt, games, rhymes and songs for an hour. The rest of the time they played. In between they had break to eat some biscuits.
The previous day she had visited one which was quite near their house but it was like a typical school. There was a garden outside with slides, swings and see-saw. It had around 60 students, 2 teachers and 4-5 helpers. She decided to ask Armaan which he thought would be better.
She was home by 10 am but felt very tired. She helped herself to a glass of glucon D. It wasn't all that hot outside, what could be the reason she wondered. She quickly picked up the phone and called Armaan. It would 12.30 midnight there now. She wanted to be the first one to wish him. She could talk to him without any disturbance now because Ani had gone out for his morning jaunt at the park. When she called him, to her surprise he picked the phone on the first ring.
R: Kya abhi tak soye nahi?
A: tumhare call ka hi intezar kar raha tha.
R: A very Happy Birthday and many more happy returns of the day!
A: How can my birthday be happy when none of you are with me? By the way where are my betu and chotu?
She told him about their whereabouts and then asked "Armaan ab online aajao na? Please tumhe ek hafte se dekha nahi."
Though it was midnight he obliged without a protest. "Tum computer connect kar lo mera to connected hi hai." As she connected the laptop she enquired, "What were you doing so late? Haven't you got over the jet lag as yet?"
A: sort of. Anyway tomorrow is a holiday so I was planning to sleep in till late.
In a few minutes his sweetheart was in front of his eyes. "Happy birthday" she said blowing him a kiss and her eyes filling up. He caught the kiss and blew her one in return. For a few minutes, they only kept staring at each other. Then she enquired "kaisey ho?" he stretched out his arms and said "Kaisey dikh raha hoon?" then asked her, "tum kaisi ho? Lagta hai mera kaha nahin maan rahi ho. Why are you looking so pale? I told you to take good care of my wife na?"
R: I'm fine, I just came back from the market, that's why I'm tired.
Suddenly his doorbell rang, he excused himself and went find out who it was. It was a delivery boy with a bunch of red roses and a packet. He signed for it and accepted it. As he walked towards the laptop, he turned the bouquet to read the name of the sender. Seeing her name and the kids' and marked 'With All Our Love' he asked "tum logon ne bheja?" "Tumhe kisi aur ke gift ka intezaar tha kya?" she asked him teasingly. He ignored that and asked "Lekin kaisey?" and that too delivered in the middle of the night?"
R: I hope you've heard of ordering online?
Then taking out the cake he asked "yeh cake kaatkar main kisey khilaoonga?
R: Hamare naam se khud kha lo.
A: No I won't cut it till the kids come.
R: Akshu ko aane mein ek ghanta hai.
A: So?
R: Don't you want to sleep?
A: No, tumhe kuch problem hai?
When she shook her head he said "then keep talking to me till they come." He picked up the roses and deeply inhaling their smell kissed them. Then looking deeply at her said "thank you so much sweetheart." They continued talking sweet nothings till kaka came and asked "bahu tum kaho to main akshat ko le aoon?" she would have normally said "Nahi main jaati hoon" but today she said theek hai kaka for two reasons. One, she was feeling very tired and secondly, she was seeing her sweetheart after a week, so she wanted to spend as much with him as possible.
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