Chapter 23
Desperate Longings
(March 5, 1982...)
(Khurana Kothi, Chandigarh...)
"Chaiyyiji! I am leaving. I can't wait for these girls forever."
A scream from Yash and he was out.
"Yash Veerji," Iqbal screamed, "please wait! We are ready. Just a minute we are almost ready! Amrit Di, Vicky...hurry up!"
Few more doors banged and one after the other the siblings flew out of the house.
Maan looked up from his breakfast as the scene unfolded. A usual morning in the Khurana Kothi. Nothing will ever change!
Like his simple request to his mother for everyone to sit and eat together. To spend more time together as a family. But change lasted for not more than two days. I guess there is no point banging your head on the wall.
It was the same old story. Each one to his own.
The problem with his family was that even though as individual units they were probably very good but as a family they all fell short. And being from Army he knew that battles were never won by individuals alone.
"Chaiyyijiii!!"
Tisha?!
Maan jumped from his seat and went towards Tisha's room as fast as he could. Within seconds even Yash came running by as he too heard Tisha's scream.
"Tisha!" He slammed open the door. "What happened?"
"Veerji! Meri akkh chey kach chala gaya si." [Veerji, the piece of glass had gone in my eye.]
"What? How did that happen? Let me see..."
Oh crap! How did Veerji come? I thought he had not come back from his morning run and I would fool Chaiyyiji before that. "Nahi Veerji," she held her eye with her palm. "I am fine now. I washed it out. But I don't think I can go to school today," Tisha sobbed slightly.
He tilted his head back at her words and looked around her. And after seeing an open book, a broken ink bottle and spilled ink stains in the pages of the book and he narrowed his eyes at Tisha in realization. Yash relaxed back against the wall recognizing the glint in his brother's eyes.
Behind him he heard his mother and Lachhi coming in the room in a hurried manner. "Kee hoyya? Why is Tisha crying?"
"Lachhi, can you get me two-three bottles of water? Please hurry and don't question me," he looked back at her before she could voice a question, "it's the matter of her eyes."
"Eyes! Hayye rabba! What has this girl done...?" Lachhi turned around quickly and went to do as bid by Maan.
"Nahi Veerji," she pleaded, "I am fine. I will just sleep today and give my eyes a rest."
"No Tisha! Don't take this lightly," Maan insisted, "I will see to it that your eyes are fine. College doesn't matter. So what if you have a test today? But your eyes are important. Right?" He looked at the rest.
Yash only snickered in response while Savitri agreed, "Haan Kaake, tu sahi keh reha hai. Tisha, don't argue with your brother."
"Ae lo paani Maan paahji," Lachhi came in and set the bucket down.
"Come Tisha, let us get your eyes cleaned of the glass," he hissed angrily at his scheming and lying sister.
One mug, two mugs, three mugs...mug after mug, he kept pouring water in her eyes.
"I think it has gone Veerji."
"Nope! I can still see some left."
More mugs of water poured in.
"I think it must have gone by now Maan," Savitri intervened.
"Nahi nahi Chaiyyiji," Maan drawled out, "it is still there. Let us not stop till we are very sure."
The implied threat of more water being splashed in her eyes finally crumbled Tisha's fake bravado.
"I am sorry Veerji! Maaf kar do. I was lying. Please no more water!"
Hearing what he wanted to hear he let go of a frightened Tisha.
"Next time make better excuses," saying he turned back on his heels and exited the room.
Yash went running after him and slapped his back, removing it quickly after a glare was thrown at him by Maan.
"You should be home more often Veerji," he grinned cheekily. "It seems Holi is already here."
"I leave on 7th Yash," Maan shrugged.
"But Holi is on 9th! Can't you stay?"
"No. I have been absent from the regiment for more than a year. Can't stay back."
"Ooh! Is someone waiting for you there?"
Another glare from Maan and Yash quickly withdrew in order to reach school in one piece.
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(Army Cantonment, Roorkee...)
"Pammi, when is Maan coming back?"
"Oo ma! Capt. Khurana se seedha Maan," a three-month pregnant Anupama squealed. "Somebody is missing someone," she teased the girl who had voiced the question.
A slight blush and she had Anupama all gushing over her. For Rasika Rathore, Capt Khurana was always Maan. It was only now, after a span of more than a year and relentlessly pursuing Anupama as a friend, that she now openly flaunted her innermost desires. After all, once Mrs. Dhillon became Pammi despite fake affections, she considered it natural to address him by name.
And even though she was heart-broken with the year-long separation from Maan, her mind recognized the strategic benefits of it. Because the step she needed to undertake to bring a man like Maan Singh Khurana to her heels had to be executed in his absence.
And the results were miraculous.
Though it was such a task!
Anupama being pregnant meant that Rasika had to be all care and concern for her. And all these weird things! Ugh! She looked at the wool wound around her arms and grimaced. This woman now wants to knit socks in middle of March! When summers are about to come knocking.
She already knew, even before Maan had left for his courses, that Anupama considered her a good match for him. With gradual flow of time and events she now had Anupama convinced that there could be no match better for him than her.
Looks, intelligence or status, she was perfect match for him.
Even when he was the brightest officer of their regiment, he had held her interest. A rare feat if I must say so. And the moment she found that his family had its roots in nobility, she had decided to hold his interest in her permanently.
Easy said than done though, she grimaced.
Polite conversations were all that she was rewarded with despite her best efforts
Her dresses that had men fawning over her did not even ignite a spark of interest in him. Her charms that had bachelors and married officers enchanted alike turned a damp squib infront of him. And the fact that she was his Commanding Officer's daughter held absolutely no weight for him.
Sometimes it felt his heart was made of a stone. But the stone was nothing less than a diamond. The best!
Rasika Rathore deserved nothing less than best.
Her parents would bend to her will. They have never denied any of her wishes. She only had to work on getting the man agreeable. And for that she had finally found a little respite. Mrs. and Capt. Tejbir Singh Dhillon.
Maan's closest friends. His confidantes. The only people who had some hold over him.
It was surprising but true. She never saw his family visiting him. Except his father or his eldest brother-in-law. Chaudhary Khurana looked too formidable to win over. And the brother-in-law was not worth her time anyways. Atleast the Dhillons were bearable.
But anymore of this domestic torture and she would surely puke! Maybe morning sickness is infectious.
But she would anything to get to Maan. She was very close to her goal now.
"Done!" Anupama beamed at Rasika as the ball of wool was completely rolled.
Done! Rasika smirked.
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(Khalsa College, Amritsar...)
Where is Geet?"
"No clue!"
"What do you mean by no clue?!" Rahul screamed at Ruby, "why isn't she here?"
Half a day had passed and Rahul had not seen Geet even once. Desperation was clawing inside and Ruby's indifference was infuriating him.
"She has skipped college today. Gone for a treat with her sisters, some
kulbir...kuldev...kulche...some tacky dhabba," Ruby made a disgusted face.
"Kulwant Kulche wala," Rahul identified the famous place, "Couldn't you tell this to me earlier? If she is not here then what am I doing here."
Ruby held his arm stopping him, "Where are you going? Don't be so impatient."
"It's been more than a year! I have been patient enough!"
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(March 6, 1982...)
(Khurana Kothi, Chandigarh...)
"Take this...and this...and this too," Savitri piled cans and tins of home-made food in Maan's luggage. He was to leave early next morning and was in true military fashion being prepared in advance.
"Chaiyyiji what will I do with all this food," Maan scowled.
"All this is not for you! Pammi layi hai," Savitri replied matter-of-factly. "All this is good for an expecting mother. As it is you did not let me send them any sweetsyou're your engagement. You can't stop from me from sending stuff for my Pammi bahu."
"As you wish," he smiled in reply.
But Savitri was nowhere near stopping. "It's been so long now. I don't understand why you haven't told Teji and Pammi about your engagement."
"It didn't feel right then. Geet was just nineteen..."
"Bas kar! You and your thoughts! I simply don't understand. I was only sixteen when I got married to your father..."
"Times were different then..."
"Haan," Savitri agreed, "but men still got married then. Men still get married now."
Savitri went on and on about Maan's odd behavior while he went deep into those recesses of his mind where he had been struggling not to go. Geet. He picked up the things Savitri had laid down and resumed his packing. He picked up his rucksack and took out his wallet to check his ticket.
As his fingers grazed the wallet his mind drifted back to his last visit when she had followed him back to Shantiniketan on the pretext to help him find this damned wallet. And memories drifted in with full force. He flipped the wallet open to focus back on his ticket. His eyes however came to rest on a empty space in his wallet.
"Chaiyyiji, Geet di koi photo hai?"
Savitri's grumblings came to an abrupt stop as she heard his question.
"Hai na," she grinned as wide as humanely possible, "bilkul hai!"
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(Hall Bazaar, Amritsar...)
"Beautiful Saturday, tasty paneer kulche and Sammy Di is paying. Perfcet!"
Geet grinned at her sisters as they were sitting and enjoying their food.
"This is truly perfect," Meera agreed, "thank you so much Sammy Di."
"Thank God the two bottomless pits are finally satisfied," Sameera rolled her eyes at her sisters. "And I still have some money left in my pocket to treat my colleagues. God is so kind!"
"What colleagues? Darshan aunty?" Geet inquired referring to the elderly teacher with whom Sameera commuted to her school.
"Yes," Sameera concurred, "I should give her something too, right?"
"Hmm," Meera nodded, "we should leave then."
"But..."
"Bol Kakke Patake," Sameera grinned knowing well enough what Geet was about to ask.
"Kulfi!!"
The girls stood up and made their way to the kulfi-wala opposite to the road.
Due to traffic, Geet lost hold of Meera's hand. Suddenly she felt someone's hand at her waist. She shrieked in alarm and shoved at the hands stumbling away from the offending touch trying to get to her sisters.
"Geet!" Sameera came running to her as soon as she heard Geet's scream. "Are you alright?"
Geet looked around herself quickly scanning the crowd. She took a deep breath and calmed herself, "I am fine Di."
Across the road, Rahul grinned gleefully. He looked at his hands with a glazed look, one day you will fall towards me and not away from me.
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How about a pre-cap?
Holi ke din dil mil jaate hain...rango mein rang mil jaatein hain😆
Now the question is kiske dil milenge?
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