RAHUL nodded and both mother and son left the room to join the other three at the Dinner Table. MONISH was seated next to Prof.NANDA. GUNJAN was busy serving food. RAHUL quickly took the other seat next to MONISH. SHARDA Jii took her seat and asked GUNJAN to sit. She would serve the food. GUNJAN sat opposite RAHUL. It was then that she saw that RAHUL looked upset. He had a frown on his forehead. As RAHUL looked at GUNJAN, his anger vanished. For GUNJAN had flashed her famous smile at him... her eyes twinkling. RAHUL felt his anger disappear... what was the worry?? GUNJAN was his...she had always been his. Then why was he feeling so insecure with MONISH's presence?? He smiled back at her and started to enjoy the delicious dinner prepared by his PINKI.
R - Huummm...yeh kheer toh yummy hai...
RD - Honi hi thi,aakhir meri princess ne joh banayi hai.
And Prof.NANDA looked lovingly at GUNJAN. This did not go unnoticed by MONISH. He knew, he had Hit the right cord...there was no doubt about that. Once Prof.NANDA was impressed by his behaviour, GUNJAN would be his.
RAHUL looked at his father. He was so proud of GUNJAN. Then...
R - Pata hai Dad, Aap ki Princess!! Waise, yaad hai,Jab GUNJAN ne hamare liye pehli baar coffee banai thi...?? Jab Mom Mama Jii ka ghar gayi hui thin...aur aapko Coffee chahiye thi...?? (smiled softly)
G - RAHUL ... woh bahot purani baat hai...aur...aur... main uss waqt kahaan jaanti thi coffee kaise banate hain...?? (feeling shy)
R - Par kya superb coffee banayi thi...
RD - Ok RAHUL... that may have been a mistake, but, GUNJAN bahot jaldi learn karti hai, kyun SHARDA Jii??
He said looking at his wife, who had been silent all this while.
RM - Yeh baat toh hai, GUNJAN ne sab kuch itni acchi tarah se seekha hai ki...
R - Mom, aap ko meri side leni hai... har koi GUNJAN ki side nahin le sakta naa ? Aur waise bhi,Dad ne kabhi aap ke haath ke khaane ki taareef nahin ki... jabki aap bhi toh..
RD - RAHUL... kyun?? KYUN beta?? kis baat ki dushmani nikaal raha hai ?? Marwana hai mujhe?? Main karta toh hoon tumhari Mom ki bhi tareef... kyun SHARDA Jii??
R - Haan,lekin Utni nahin jitni GUNJAN ki... hain na Mom??
He winked as he looked at his Mom. Mother son had become one.
RM - Mujhe bhi kuchh yaad nahin...waise, last time kab ki thi aapne mere haath se bane khaane ki taarif..??
GUNJAN was giggling all along. She knew Uncle was in trouble. This time she could not help him out.
RD - Arre... woh nahin...ussi din toh...aapne jab woh Gulab Jaamun banaye the...GUNJAN,batao naa Tum bhi toh thi naa... He looked at GUNJAN with pleading eyes. But she was helpless. She felt sorry for her uncle and decided to change the topic... she looked at MONISH...
G - Aap Kuchh le nahin rahe...thodi kheer aur lenge?? (asked in very soft and seet tone)
RAHUL's smile vanished the moment he heard GUNJAN say this. He quietly continued eating.
RD - Haan... GUNJAN,Iss mein poochne jaisa kya hai... MONISH ko aur kheer serve karo aur RAHUL ko bhi...
He said looking at RAHUL, glad that the topic had ended there itself. RAHUL smiled fakely.
MONISH had been listening to the talk... the teasing and laughing at Dinner Table. This was new to him. He had never experienced such family time before. Never did he remember his family ever sitting together for a cup of tea, leave alone meals. He realised he had missed out a lot. But once GUNJAN became Mrs.MONISH KHURANA, this kind of pure family time would be a regular affair at his HOME... yes...his house would then be his HOME... their HOME. With GUNJAN around him, his life would be filled with happiness.
M - Haan...Kheer bahot hi tasty bani hai...Tum khana bahot accha bana leti ho...
G - Thanks. Aunty se hi seekha hai aur yeh kheer toh ...
M - Bahot hi zyada tasty hai. Aaj aur Ab se yeh meri favorite sweet dish hai.
RAHUL coughed... and picked up the jug filled with water. GUNJAN moved forward to take it from his hand and pour the water for him, but he stopped her. GUNJAN was surprised. Why was RAHUL upset?? She however hid her disappointment behind her smile.
Prof.NANDA wanted to know more about MONISH. Though he knew about MONISH's grandfather, he knew nothing about his parents. He asked MONISH...
RD - Arre ! Bete...main toh tumse tumhaari Family ke baare mein poochna hi bhool gaya...Kitne members hain tumhaari Family mein...??
MONISH almost fell off his seat when he heard that question. It was his turn to cough now. GUNJAN quickly forwarded a glass of water which was accepted gratefully by MONISH. Giving her his killer smile, he thanked her. RAHUL got all the more jealous seeing this.
M - Thanks...
G - Kya hua...Kya zyada teekha tha...? She asked with little worried n caring tone. MONISH was enjoying the attention showered by GUNJAN. She was so caring... so nice... softly, he spoke...
M - No...bas waise hi... (looked at Prof.NANDA) Ji...Hamari Family mein sirf 3 members hi hain...Main...Mom...aur...Dad...
RD - Oh ! Main unse kabhi mila toh nahin...par,tumhen dekh kar...tumhaare manners..tumhaare Sanskaaroon ko dekh kar mehsoos hota hai...Woh kaafi achhe insaan honge... (said innocently)
MONISH said nothing... just smiled faintly. He had no intentions of letting the NANDA's know about his family... all his work till now would go down the drain. So, to change the topic, he asked GUNJAN... "Tum kahin Job karti ho naa...?"
G - (said excitedly) Jii...SHERGILL's mein..as a SAMRAT SHERGILL's P.A.
M - (Feigning ignorance)Oh...Really...?? Par maine kabhi tumhen wahaan nahin dekha...?
R - (In full of irritatting tone) Woh wahaan kaam karti hai..Modeling nahin karti jo har koi usse dekhe...
M - (little embarrassed) Oh..! mera woh matlab nahin tha...Actually,SHERGILL's ke saath hamari Company 1 Joint Project kar rahi hai...toh uss ke liye wahaan jata rehta hoon...toh...
G - Oh...! kahin aap KHURANA's se toh associated nahin...
M - Yes...Woh meri hi Company hai... (with smiling face)
G - Oh...! Woh...Actually,Main uss Project ko handle nahin kar rahi toh...
R - GUNJAN kya tumhen nahin lagta humein yeh Official convo. Office tak hi rakhni chahiye... (said in little-bit harsh tone)
G - oh..Yaa...Sorry ! (said in very soft voice)
MONISH was mighty upset with this frequent interruption from RAHUL. Why was he answering for GUNJAN?? He was not even being spoken to... I need to find out more about this RAHUL. Rest of the dinner ended in some casual talk between Prof.NANDA and MONISH.
Dinner over, and MONISH took their leave, thanking the NANDA's for their hospitality. He was happy... his plan was going perfectly well.
After clearing the Dishes and cleaning the kitchen, GUNJAN went to say Good Night to RAHUL. RAHUL was standing in the Balcony. looking out into the darkness. GUNJAN walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder, gently bringing him back to the present. RAHUL turned around to look at her.
G - Kya hua RAHUL...? Tum kuchh upset ho... (asked with very soft and caring tone)
R - Kuchh nahi PiNKi...bas waise hi...woh thoda headache tha...toh...
G - Nahin...Yeh sach nahin hai...Tumhen koi cheez pareshaan kar rahi hai...Kya hua RAHUL...? MONISH ka aana tumhen achha nahin laga...?
R - (said in normal tone) MONISH...!! (after a pause) Tumne bataya nahin...Tumhaari help The Great MONISH KHURANA ne ki thi...The millionaire MONISH KHURANA...
G - (in teasing tone) Oh..! Woh...! Actually,mujhe pata nahin tha naa...ki,woh 'The' MONISH KHURANA hain...warna...Uff kitni Filmi situation thi...1 bechaari ladki...DELHI mein gum ho gayi aur phir...1 Raajkumaar...aa kar uski help karta hai aur...phir 1 nayi...Love st...
R - (Cuts and shouted loudly) GUNJAN !! Stop it...
GUNJAN was startled when she heard RAHUL speak in that tone. She was just joking... why was RAHUL behaving so weirdly since meeting MONISH?? She came closer to him and in her sweet, soft voice, she said... "Sorry ! main toh sirf mazaak kar rahi thi...mujhe..."
R - (cuts and said angrily) Mujhe aise mazak pasand nahin...Haan Mujhe nahin pasand ki,woh yahaan aaya..aur apne paaisoon ka exibition laga kar chala gaya...I hate him...aur agar tum sab ko woh itna pasand aaya..toh,jaao..jaakar raho uske diye hue ghar mein aur ghumo uski Car mein...(and turned to opposite side)
GUNJAN Held RAHUL by his shoulder and turned him around to face her. She could see anger in his eyes. Somewhere she was responsible for that anger. She asked him... "Tumhen aisa lagta hai ki,Woh cheezain hamare liye maayne rakhti hain...??" RAHUL said nothing...GUNJAN said again..." RAHUL...tumne jo kaha...woh bilkul sahi tha...par...MONISH bhi wrong nahin the...Woh facilities...Uncle ka haq hain...kisi ka ehsaan nahin... Tumhen Yaad hai...jab Hum Class mein top karte the...Mam hamein Chockolates ke packets deti thin...Woh hamara Prize hota tha RAHUL..kisi ka favor nahin...Toh aaj agar wohi Prize UNCLE ko mila hai toh tum usse...Kisi ka ehsaan yaa favor kyun samajh rahe ho...??" (asked in very soft tone)
R - (looked at GUNJAN and said in serious tone) Kyunki,Main tumhaari tarah Intelligent nahin hoon naa... I think,Tumhen ab sab kuchh kaafi achhi tarah se samajh mein aane laga hai...,Kaafi samajhdaar ho gayi ho tum...,1 main hi hoon...jise kuchh samajh nahin aata...jo kuchh samajhna nahin chahta...par, main kya karoon...?? main aisa hi hoon...Main khud ko badal nahin sakta...shayad issi liye aaj yahaan akela khada hoon...Tum sab jitna samajhdaar jo nahin...
He turned around again to look into the darkness again... his eyes were brimming with tears ... but before they could leave his eyes he moved his fingers over his eyelids, ensuring thus that the tears did not flow freely. GUNJAN felt hurt... in his voice... his eyes had told her the same thing before he turned away. Tears had welled up in her eyes too... she hugged him tightly and said in her soft voice...
G - Tum akele nahin ho RAHUL...Aur,naa hi tum wrong ho...Tum nahin chahte...toh,koi bhi uss ghar mein nahin jaayega...kabhi nahin jaayega...Hum yahin rahenge...Hamesha...hamein kisi naye ghar ki zaroorat nahin..hum saath hain...aur khush hain...aur iss se zyada hamein kuchh nahin chahiye... agar,Uncle-Aunty mujhse poochenge...toh bhi main mana kar doonngi...Mujhe sirf yahin rehna hai...Kahin nahin jaana mujhe...
And she was sobbing... her face in her palms which were resting on RAHUL's chest as he had hugged her. Now, he could not stop his tears too. After some time, RAHUL broke the hug and moving her hands from her face, gently wiped her tears. He knew he would have to cheer up GUNJAN, else she would not stop crying...
R - Arre...! Iss mein itna rone ki kya zaroorat hai...? Nahin jaana toh Nahin jaayenge... simple... par,iss tarah mera Night suit toh kharab mat karo...aadha to bheeg chuka hai...Surf daal diya hota toh wash bhi ho jaata...waise bhi paani ki kitni problem hai MUMBAI mein...nahin...? (he chuckled)
[Siggy made by - Nice Angel_Sana].
GUNJAN could not help but, smile softly. RAHUL always did this to her...first make her cry and then say something wacky enough to make her smile. She moved her palms over her tear stained face, and softly hit his chest. RAHUL felt better...PINKI had smiled. Both stood talking for quite some time, talking about the shopping they would do, about anything and everything but the evening and the Dinner. Both felt a lot better. GUNJAN yawned, making RAHUL realise, that GUNJAN was now tired. A hectic day at work and then preparing dinner for that jerk called MONISH, had been too much for her. He asked her to get some sleep as tomorrow would be busy, the Report needed to be ready. GUNJAN could not argue, she was dead tired. Wishing RAHUL 'GOOD NIGHT', GUNJAN went to her room as RAHUL also lay down on his bed.The Night crept along at its own pace...
--***--
Finally...This was the end of a day...Saturday...Aaj sab kuchh Right tha... Sabhi ko apni-apni Manzil pata thi...Apne Dream pata the...sabhi apne Dream ko pura hote hue dekhna chahte the...
Except GUNJAN...b'coz, her Dream was very small...Only, Happiness of Her Family... Aur,kuchh nahin... Aur aaj GUNJAN ki family khush thi..Her Uncle-Aunty..and most important... RAHUL...!! so,No Complain,No demand from her life...
But,She didn't know...She is the part of Other Persons Dreams too...Woh Dream... Jo shayad uske liye 1 'Night Mare' se bhi zyada ban ne waale the...1 Incident...Jo uski personality change karne waala tha...Forever...
[To Be Continued...]
------------------------------------------------------------------
-: Please ! Down the Cursor : -
10