MPbGD Part 46 posted on pg 150 on 16/1/12 - Page 54

simply amazing n superb part di..

loved it alot..

feeling bad for ridz..

hope she get well soon...

as armi finally accepted her as his wife..

thnx for the pm...

hey dear

lovely update...hope reports will b fine and every thing between armaan and ridhhima will b fine also

update next part soon

love

sania

Part 23

They went to their room and the first thing Riddhima did was to call Suja who had already called them twice that morning, to enquire how things were going on. She told her that the reports would be out only two days later. Just as she was concluding, Armaan indicated that he wanted to talk with Suja. She handed the phone to him and moved to the restroom.

When she returned to take her phone, Riddhima heard Armaan thanking Suja and assuring her that everything would be fine. Handing back her cellphone he said "take some rest, then let's go out for lunch."

R: You mean somewhere outside this hotel?

A: Yes, don't you want to?

R: It's too hot now. If you wish we can go out for dinner. Let's have lunch in the hotel restaurant only or better still order for room service. Then we can have a nap and go out when the sun is down. You also need some sleep. I know you didn't sleep well last night.

He nodded and they set about deciding their lunch menu.

They had woken up after a nap and were having their evening coffee when he asked her with a smile, "How about going for a movie?" When she looked at him weirdly he said "We've got to do something. We just can't remain indoors the whole day like a honeymooning couple." She blushed at his remark and said "It's been ages since I went to the theatre to see a film. I think the last time was when Suja was pregnant, i.e. over 5 years ago. She and Mapillai had compelled, so I went with them."

A: But as a young girl I remember you used to always pester athai to allow you to go for a movie with your friends and athai never would. Then you used to then pester appa or Balu uncle to allow you. Remember?

Riddhima smiled. "That was because I wanted to do what my peers did. Not because I loved movies. But amma was very protective and was willing to allow me only if I had a male escort," she confided. "Do you know when Balu mama and Tulasi mami got married, whenever they went for a movie I'd pull the house down till they took me along and on top of that insisted on always sitting in the middle seat, between both of them. I can imagine how much they both must have cursed me in their mind." She laughed out aloud. It's so nice to see her laugh like that, Armaan thought and laughed along with her.

A: So is it yes or no for the movie?

R: I don't mind as we don't have anything else to do. But I don't even know the new actors and actresses.

A: Neither do I. Usually Shanti Theatre will have some old movie running. How about that?

R: ok.

As Armaan had guessed there was an old black and white movie being screened there and there was hardly any crowd. It was a love story with wonderful songs to start with. Then after the hero and heroine's marriage the wife takes ill. She's diagonised of an incurable disease. She becomes bed ridden and inspite of the husband taking so much care of her, she dies. The man goes crazy with her loss. He leaves his job, his house and just wanders from temple to temple like a beggar, begging God to send her back to him.

When it was interval Armaan got up and looked at his watch. It was half past 7. "Do you want to watch the full movie?" he asked her.

R: Don't you want to?

A: No, it's very depressing.

"I know the story. The woman will take rebirth and come back." She assured him, but he seemed very upset. "Riddhima if you don't mind, please let's leave." he requested her. Hearing his voice so choked she thought it better not to argue and got up.

As soon as they were out of the cinema hall, he apologized to her. "I'm sorry. I only forced you to come for the movie and I myself made you come out midway. But I really couldn't take it anymore." She looked at his bloodshot eyes and thought to herself, "perhaps it reminded him of Karuna." Little did she know that it was because it had potrayed his worst fears about his Riddhima that he couldn't watch it anymore. To ease his conscience she said "it's ok. We can have dinner and go back to the hotel."

They found a good restaurant nearby and had their dinner. Then took and autorickshaw to their hotel. On the way they passed by Marina beach. "Could we stop here for a few minutes?" she asked impulsively. "Why not?" he answered asking the driver to park on the side. As they walked on the sand, avoiding the crowd, she remembered the few times they had come here with the kids. Karan and she would have a great time making huge castles. His voice saying, "When I become big I'll build a real castle like this," still echoed in her ears.

Tears filled her eyes remembering the past. Suddenly out of the blue she turned towards him and asked "Are you in touch with the boys?" He simply nodded but didn't elaborate. "It doesn't seem like twenty years, it seems like it was just yesterday that we all came here," she said flicking away the tears. Unknowingly his hands sought hers and their fingers entwined, as if to console each other. They walked hand in hand for a few more minutes, then feeling her tremble he said "Let's go, it's getting to be chilly." She nodded and as if coming out of the trance pulled her hand away as headed back to their autorickshaw.

Both were in their own thoughts as they went back to their hotel and headed straight to their room. On an impulse Riddhima called Suja and told her everything about their evening jaunt, omitting only one thing. "Amma this is in a way a nice break for you. A much deserved one," Suja remarked. Then after talking to Priyam and Prakash she hung up.

As wasn't sleepy, she lay on the bed thinking. She smiled to herself thinking that she had done two firsts today; she had gone alone with her husband for a movie and to the beach. What any couple would do within the first thirty days of their marriage, they had done after almost thirty years. Her mind pondered on how it would have been if her athaan and she had been a happily married couple.

She fell asleep dreaming of all that her athaan would have done for her. It had been several years since she had had such dreams. She used to have them in the early years of their marriage and later, when she had returned to the village. Every time she would wake up depressed with those dreams. But today she had felt as if it was coming true. But was it too late? She wondered.

In the opposite room Armaan lay restless. The film had really put negative thoughts in his mind. No he couldn't let anything happen to her. He had to save her, come what may, he kept repeating to himself. He remembered her laughter. Had he been the reason behind its disappearance? He wondered how she would have been, had he treated her as his wife in the real sense. How would their life have been? He knew she'd have fallen in with all his decisions. She would never have asked for anything more than what he gave her, nor interfered with his professional life. But she'd have maintained the house like a temple, doting on him and the kids.

When he thought of kids, his mind imagined a dainty little girl exactly like her. With her beautiful eyes, the giggling chatterbox, the darling of her father, and a son who'd have been his amma's pet just like Karan and Arun had been. Tears rolled down his cheeks, as he cursed himself for the millionth time, in the last few months, for having deprived her of all these joys. He had to compensate her for everything; he made a firm promise to himself, once again.

When he woke up the next morning he could hear some devotional song playing. He thought of showering and dressing before walking out of the room, but wanted to have a cup of coffee first. When he stepped into the living room he saw her bathed, dressed and watching some devotional song program on TV.

"Good morning!" he greeted her and saw that she was sipping coffee. Noticing a coffee pot in front of her, he asked "Is there any coffee in it? I'd like some." "Of course! There is." She said as she poured him a cup and added the right amount of milk and sugar to it. Sitting on the other sofa, he asked "So what do you want to do today?" She just shrugged her shoulder and pursed her lips. Smiling at her he said "I'll take you to a special place today. We'll leave after breakfast." "where?" she asked. "That's a surprise," was all he said.

As she entered the taxi, she saw him talking to the driver outside. She had hoped to get to know where they were going at least when her athaan gave instructions to the driver but that too wasn't possible now. All morning she had tried to question him, but had got nothing out of him. So she just sat watching out through the window, trying to guess where they were heading. But Chennai had changed so much since she last visited it, that the places were beyond her recognition.

He was smiling to himself seeing her childlike curiosity. When she turned to look at him not being able to recognize anything outside, he raised his eyebrows at her, smiling at her plight. She smiled back at him shaking her head. The traffic was so heavy and with some bridge building work in progress, it was moving at a snail's pace.

After about an hour they were winding through smaller lanes, though all of them had huge buildings on either side. Suddenly she noticed the temple and gasped. She immediately guessed where they were heading. Her eyes brimming with tears she pulled his hand and clasping it between hers, whispered "thank you very much." She couldn't say anything further as her voice choked. And right then the taxi also came to a halt.

The tiled roof orphange was gone and in its place stood a three storeyed building. While she stood and looked around as if trying to assimilate everything, Armaan went into the office and spoke to the manager. Riddhima followed him slowly. The manager was a new person, whom she didn't know. Of course all the inmates would also have left, she thought. She wished she could at least meet some of them. She enquired about the previous manager and was told that he had retired many years back. When she expressed her desire to go round the orphanage, the manager said "Yesterday when your husband spoke to me, he told me about your involvement with this institution about 20 years ago. There's only one cook who has been here that long. I'll call her and ask her to take you around."

"Kanamma, Kanamma" he called out. Riddhima remembered that Kanamma was the girl who used to help her with cutting the vegetable etc. when she used to cook here. As she came wiping her hands on her pallu, Kanamma asked, "Why are you screaming like that? Won't let me do the cooking in peace. What if I forgot to put salt or chilli in any of the preparations? What calamity has befallen now?" then seeing Riddhima and Armaan there she became quiet. When Riddhima smiled at her she kept watching her for a minute. Then suddenly her eyes lit up and she shouted "Akka" and advanced a few steps towards Riddhima.

Riddhima went and hugged her. Then the two women stood wiping their tears between their smiles, while the men stood admiring the bond. "where were you all these years akka? Why didn't you come to meet us at all? How's Amulu? Why didn't you bring her along? She must be a big girl now. Is she married?" Kanamma's questions poured out non-stop.

Riddhima smiled and told her that Amulu was married, had a 5 year old daughter and was expecting another one now. Then she took out a photo of Suja, Prakash and Priyam from her purse and showed it to her.

"Please ask them also to visit us sometime." Kanamma said admiring the photo and then asked "Ok what can I get you? There's some upma or can I make some dosa for you?"

A: actually we had decided to have lunch with you all.

Looking at Armaan Kanamma said "He's.." "My husband" Riddhima completed.

K: Oh! I thought he was the dentist who used to come here sometimes with his wife, to check the children's teeth. He looks somewhat like him.

this early update is to compensate for last time's delay!👍🏼