Vignettes -12. From ... , with love - Page 55

Hey there, guys...

Thank you again for all the wonderful comments you have left for me!

This being the very first FF that I've written, your comments kept me motivated...and I've realised, that without good feedback, the effort that goes into keeping the story going is just not worth it...so, Thank You!

This update is looong! Enjoy!

And considering the effort that has gone into this, please leave similarly looong comments... :-D

Taking in the much dreamed of scene in front of them, the Raizada clan stood rooted to the spot, lest they intrude in on it. A few moments later, a deliriously happy Manorama was about to rush forward, when Anjali caught hold of her arms and shaking her head vigourously, pleaded with her to act normal.

Unaware of all that had transpired in their absence, all Anjali knew was that Khushiji had managed to thaw the ice between the brothers as planned and being a party to the plan, Anjali was requird to ensure that no one in the family makes a big deal out of it and ruin whatever semblance of normalcy that had returned to their relationship.

"Mami, aap please kuch mat kahiye! Khushiji lagaataar koshish mein hain ki inn donon ko mila payein. Agar aap inko zyada attention doge toh inko thoda conspicuous lagega aur wapas apne mukh modke chale jaayeinge..."

As Manorama nodded half-heartedly, Anjali turned to her Nani and Mamaji and made the same request of them. Already updated by Anjali about Khushi's wild plan, Akash, Payal and NK stood silent, happy at the improvement their sister/Bhabi had managed to bring in just a day. Payal reached out to squeeze her husband's hand, knowing what torture he had been under, torn between his two brothers. Looking down at his wife with moist eyes, Akash sighed, hope flickering to life in his heart for the first time in years.

Their neutral faces in place, the family trooped in, discussing their pooja loudly, giving ample notice to the three football-watchers. Scrambling up from where she had been sitting tucked under Arnav's arm, Khushi turned to Anjali with a delighted grin, while shaking her head slightly, warning her not to make any comment. Nodding her understanding, Anjali walked upstairs, collapsing on the sofa next to Dhruv and said,"Ahh...kitni achchi pooja thi! Aap logon ko bhi aana chaahiye tha..."

Following her lead, Akash and NK took up the description of the pooja, basically leaving Arnav and Dhruv alone in their contemplation of the football match. Khushi ran to Anjali and Payal and started jabbering away about who all had come and what all had happened at the gathering, Nani and Mami too contributing to the discussion.

During a lull in the chatter, Payal asked, "Achcha yeh bolo, Khushi, tune kya kya kiya aaj ghar par? Aur Arnavji, aapki tabeeyat ab kaisi hain?"

Smiling fondly at his gentle sister-in-law from across the lounge, Arnav spoke up, "I'm fine, Payal, thanks for asking. As for your Khushi, poocho usse kya hua tha aaj."

Looking around at her husband's smirk, Khushi poked her tongue out at him and turned back to her sister, "Hum tel par phisal kar gir padi, Jiji!" she confessed. "Aur dekho humare pyaare pati iss baat par humein kaise ched rahe hain!"

As Arnav hhad expected, the family erupted into chaos, all equally concerned about their beloved Khushi. Dhruv watched in amazement at the reactions that single statement had elicited from his family. His parents and grandmother were hovering anxiously over his Bhabi, while Di was on the verge of tears as she ran her hands over every available inch of her Khushiji, checking for injuries. Even his brother and NK were adding their voices actively to the concerned questions and instructions flowing to her.

As he leaned back, gaping at the hungama, he caught sight of his other Bhabi shaking her head at his Bhaiyya. He was even more surprised at the cheeky grin Arnav shot back at Payal, as he caught her knowing smile, one that sent across a mixture of admiration and admonition at how cleverly he had thrown her sister to the dogs.

Deciding to enjoy his mad family who had apparently found its soulmates in its Bahus, Dhruv sat back, unaware at how much he resembled his brother in the smile that graced his face. Looking up suddenly, Manorama and Devyani caught sight of the brothers, both sitting back watching them fondly, and struggled to hold back their happy tears as they remembered the many many times they had sat in the same posture in the past. Manorama glanced down at her phati-saadi lovingly, sending up a prayer of thanks to whatever higher power that was which had sent her to their lives.

**************

A while later, Khushi walked into their bedroom, having been busy in serving the family their dinner. Arnav had gone up quite a long time ago, leaving her to fend for herself in the face of everyone's concern. "Ab dikhayenge unko! Kya zaroorat thi sabse kehne ka?" she mumbled as she pushed open the door.

Seeing her husband leaning back on the recliner, the laptop lying open and ignored on the cofee table, she paused for a second, taking in his tired face and closed eyes. The rhythm of his breathing telling her that he was not asleep, she went to him, and leaning against his shoulder, running her hand through his hair, asked, "Kya baat hain, Arnavji? Bahut thake hue nazar aa rahe hain, aap. Par dopahar se aapka zukaam ka toh namonishaan hi nahin hain. Phir kya hua?"

Opening his eyes, he looked up at her somberly and said, "Tum over-react mat karna...Aaj mera sugar low ho gaya tha."

"Kya?! Kaise? Kab? Humein pata kyun nahi chala? Aap theek toh hain?" Khushi fretted, running her hands over him anxiously.

Grabbing both her hands in his, Arnav replied, "See, this is why I said over-react mat karna! I'm fine now, Khushi, stop worrying! Woh subah zyada kuch khaaya nahin aur dopahar ko bhi khaaye bina so gaya, iss liye maybe, when I got up get food for us in the evening, thoda dizziness hua. But I'm fine now!"

Still not able to calm down, Khushi stared at him, "Toh aap apne aap mein theek ho gaya? Rasoi se kuch meetha khaaya?"

Looking away for a minute, Arnav sat silent, before drawing a deep breath, "No. Actually main collapse hua tha seediyon par. Luckily Dhurv was downstairs. He saw me and ussko toh mere Diabetes ke baare mein achche se pata hain, so he brought me a few of your jalebis from the kitchen, aur main theek ho gaya."

Staring at him unblinkingly, Khushi understood now what had happened that had finally broken the ice between the brothers. Deciding to not push it further just then, she simply said, "Devi Maiyya ka lakh lakh shukar hain ki aap theek hain! Agar Dhruv nahin hota toh humein bhi pata nahin chalta ki aap bimaar hain aur kaun jaane kitni der aapko intezaar karna padta kisi ki madad milne ke liye."

Giving him one last squeeze, she got up to go change for bed and by the time she finished her bath, Arnav was already lying down, waiting for her. Crawling over to him, she lay down in the safety of her husband's arms, unusually quiet. Noticing her silence, Arnav leaned down to place a soft kiss on her downy head and murmured, "Kya baat hain? Aaj bahut silent ho tum?"

Tilting her head to look up at him, she smiled, deciding to go for the plunge, and asked, "Aapko Botany padhne kaa bahut shauk tha naah?"

Blanching at the unexpected question, he whispered, "What?"

"Hum soch rahe the ki aap ek safed coat pahente hue kaisa lag raha hota?", smiling still, his wife continued, "Bae se bade chashma hota aur ek dum gambhir lagta! Haye, uss roop mein dekhte toh hum aap par bilkul fida ho jaate!"

Chuckling inspite of his shock, Arnav grabbed her into a tight hug, "You're totally mad, you know that?"

"Haan, hum jaante hain. Aur yeh bhi jaante hain ki humari yeh paagalpan hi aapko sabse zyada hasaati hain. Ab humari sawal ka javaab deejiye naah..."

Smiling at her, relaxed now, Arnav asked, "Kaunsi sawal?"

Looking up at him, somber now, she replied, "Aapko pata hain, Dhruv bilkul aapke jaise hain. Shayad isi liye uss mein bhi Botany padhne ki chaahat jaag udhi aur bilkul aap hi ki tarah, yeh baat apne andar dabaake rakha, taaki aapko pata na chalein, taaki aapko bura na lagein."

His face beginning to turn angry, Arnav tried to push her away and sit up, which was valiantly and succesfully resisted by his wife. Grabbing hold of him for dear life, she plowed ahead, "Aur yeh andar rakhne ki maanasik dabbav mein jab aapko dekha toh anjaane mein ulti-seedhi baatein banayi."

Laying stiff, Arnav said, "Khushi, stop!"

"Nahin, Arnavji, aapko iss baar humari baat sunne hi padegi! Aap bhi sochiye, aap bhi gusse mein kya kya nahin kaha hain, humse, Di se, Nani se? Toh aap Dhruv ka gussa samajh kyun nahin paa rahein? Usske gusse ke peeche chupe hue dard ko kyun nahin samajh rahein?" Khushi shouted back.

Shocked at her outburst, Arnav stared at her, his vulnerable eyes clearly speaking out his bewilderment at her defence of his brother. Sitting up, Khushi leaned over him and cupping his face, murmured, "Aap bus ek mauka deejiye usko apni safaayi dene ke liye. Aapko humari kasaam!"

Completely exhausted with his illness and the emotional roller-coaster of a day that he had had, Arnav stared at her mutely for a minute before replying, "Yeh baat tumhare alawa aur koi bola hota toh mere liye uss insaan se isske baad koi lena-dena nahin hota. Par tum ho, aur tumhein kal diya hua wada mujhe yaad hain, iss liye, fine. I'll listen, but don't expect me to forgive him, or to forget!"

Khushi opened her mouth to reply, eyes brimming with happiness, but Arnav stopped her with a look, and said, "Now, mujhe neend aa rahi hain. I don't want to talk anymore", before laying back and closing his eyes.

Stricken at the thought that she had hurt him, Khushi sat frozen, her heart breaking at the thought of sleeping away from her Arnavji, when his eyes shot open again, "Ab tumhein invitation print karke dena padega? I said, let's sleep", and pulled her down, before curling up, spooning her.

Sending up a prayer through her tear-filled smile, Khushi lay there, somehow peaceful under the feeling that it was all going to be okay.

**************

The next morning, Arnav announced at breakfast that he was taking the morning off and after Akash and Manohar left, he stood up, and grabbing Khushi's hand, strode off to the library. Coming to a stop at the window overlooking the garden, he dropped Khushi's hand and said, "This is just because I made a promise to you, Khushi", and turning to look at her, continued, "Call him."

Just as she turned to walk out, he whispered, "Par tumhein bhi rehna hoga mere saath."

Looking back at his pain-filled eyes, she murmured, "Hamesha...", before heading out to bring his brother back to him.

Finding Dhruv sitting with NK, discussing the merits of some new software, Khushi called, "Dhruv, ek minute aana humare saath."

Looking up at her, noticing her serious expression, Anjali realised that she was going ahead with her decision to make the brothers talk and immediately turned to the mandir, sending up her heartfelt prayers. Watching this from the kitchen, Nani and Mami looked at eachother, Devyani Singh Raizada moving over to hold the shaking hand of her daughter-in-law.

Unaware of the reactions his Bhabi's simple statement had aroused, Dhruv got up and went to her, his expression questioning. Smiling at him faintly, she led him to the study, and stopping at the door, turned to him, "Uss din, Prateeksha mein, aapne humse jo kuch bhi kaha, apne Bhaiyya ko bhi battayiye."

Opening the door, she held it open for a stunned Dhruv, leaving him no choice but to enter. Turning cold all over as he spotted his brother standing at the far end with his back to them, Dhruv turned to look at his Bhabi beseechingly, to which he received a reassuring nod in response.

Taking a deep breath, he walked forward, and stopping at the desk, called out softly, "Bhaiyya..."

"You have five minutes. And only because my wife demanded it of me. Say your piece and leave", came the reply.

The ice in his brother's voice piercing his heart, Dhruv's breath came out in a sob. Standing there with his head bowed, he struggled to form his words, when he felt a soft warm hand slipping into his. Looking down at his hand, now clutched firmly in his Bhabi's, he looked up at her moist eyes, and at her firm nod, began speaking, pouring out all his pain, frustration and guilt.

Not looking for a response from his brother, he plowed on, his entire being focussed solely on the iron grip with which his Bhabi held him up. At the end of his recital, he stood trembling, exhausted and drained, waiting for his punishment, waiting for his absolution.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, he was about to turn and leave when his Bhabi's gasp drew his attention. Looking at her, he saw her attention fixed firmly in front, her eyes beginning to brim over. Following her line of vision, he turned to his brother, only to have his breathing stop at the sight of his ravaged features.

First anger, then disbelief and later heart-wrenching sorrow coursing through him, Arnav had listened to his brother's agonised words, only to come to a realisation that they had both suffered, and for that, they were both at fault, but the fault was only of not communicating.

Now, looking at Dhruv's defeated form, held upright by his wife, Arnav understood that to an eighteen year old boy living alone in another continent, away from the love of his family, how traumatic the guilt of taking over his brother's dream would have been. He knew that everyone thought how similar Dhruv was to him, but only he knew that where he was sensitive and reserved, Dhruv was a thousand times more so. In such a situation, he must have been fighting the guilt too hard to see the practical side of the problem and just talk it out.

Remembering Dhruv's parting words, Arnav could now see a wholly different meaning behind them, the words having been spoken entirely in guilt...Stop deciding my life for me, Bhaiyya! Leave me alone... Main aapka sapna jeeyoon ya mera sapna jeeyoon, its my decision!Let me live in peace! I can't breathe if I have to justify everything I do to you!

Remembering how Khushi had told him that being the elder brother, it was his duty to understand and forgive the reasons behind his young brother's mistakes as well as the mistakes themselves, Arnav smiled at his Khushi, both his smile and the wobbly one he got in return from his wife going unnoticed by Dhruv, who couldn't see past the tears that filled his eyes.

"You are an idiot, Dhruv Singh Raizada! Zara si bhi akal nahin hain tumhare paas! Who said that I'm not living my dream? Have you seen this house? My offices? This family? My wife? I am living my dream, Dhruv...it's just that you were too young to understand it when my dreams changed...I just dreamed up new ones!" Arnav said, his low voice reaching across to Dhruv as if it were a gentle caress.

Looking up as if he were struck, Dhruv saw the forgiveness in the calm face of his brother, and looking at his Bhabi once more for reassurance, raced forward to his Bhaiyya, his heart lifting at the sight of the arms opening up to welcome his headlong rush.

Over the trembling shoulder of his weeping brother, Arnav smiled at his wife, communicating all his love and gratitude in that one look. Smiling back at him, Khushi walked out, leaving them to talk everything out in peace, in privacy.

Seeing her come out, Manorama rushed up to her, her anticipation fairly making her tremble. Hugging her Mamiji tightly, Khushi whispered, "Devi Maiyya ki shukriya ada keejiye, Mamiji...Sab theek hain...Ab sab theek ho gaye hain..."

**************

The morning passed in anxious expectation for the family, until Khushi went to call her husband for lunch. Walking into the study, Khushi stopped, smiling as she took in the sight of both of them standing at the window, staring out into the garden in companionable silence, hands stuffed into their pockets.

Understanding that they had reached a stage where they could begin to talk it all out and rebuild what had been ruined, Khushi called out, "Aayiye Arnavji, lunch taiyyaar hain. Aapko office bhi jaana hain naah?"

As both of them turned around, she smiled at Dhruv, "Aap bhi chalo...Mamiji aapko dhoondh rahi thi."

As Dhruv passed by her in silence, pausing for a moment to reach out and squeeze her hand in thanks, Khushi looked at her husband, waiting for his response. Standing quiet, Arnav watched as his wife walked up to him and stood in front, looking up at him, her love and concern shining out of her eyes.

Grabbing her into a tight hug, Arnav murmured, "I'm okay, Khushi...it'll take sometime, but Dhruv and I'll be okay too..."

Tilting her chin up, he smiled down at her, "Thanks, Khushi...Mera Bhai mujhe lautane ke liye..."

Smiling back at her husband, Khushi leaned up to place a soft kiss on his cheek before replying, "Aapki biwi hoon...Aapki khushiyon ko hum nahin lautayeinge toh aur kaun karega?"

Tucking her again under his arms, he walked out, ready to face his family, ready to face the world...as long as he had her with him, his Khushi.

**************

The following days brought about a slow but sure progress in the relationship between the brothers, with both of them beginning to talk more, interact normally, and even share a laugh together at the doings of their mad family. But the real connecting link was Khushi, who, flitting between her husband and his brother, managed to bring them closer together without even them realising it.

A week later, Khushi walked into the study to see Anjali standing just inside the door, rooted to the spot, tears coursing down her smiling face. Concerned, she put out her hand to grab hold of hers, and was about to call her when Anjali turned to her beaming, and after putting her finger to her lips to warn Khushi to keep quiet, nodded at her to look beyond and into the room.

Khushi peeked over Anjali's shoulder to see a sight that made her draw in a sharp breath, imagining the worst case scenario. Dhruv was standing there, fists clenched, hair spiked up with his frustrated raking, face flushed, glaring at his Bhaiyya, while Arnav was standing leaning against his desk, a condescending smirk on his face, hands folded, feet crossed, as if he didn't have a care in the world. Akash was standing in their middle, looking as if he were at his wits end.

Thoroughly worried now, Khushi whispered to her Di, "Kya hua? Phirse koi jhagda hua kya? Hey Devi Maiyya! Ab hum kya karein? Itni mushkil se jo milaya tha inn donon ko!"

Smiling at her sideways, Anjali replied, "Brazil aur Argentina!"

Eyes bugging out at the completely unexpected response, Khushi said, "Kya?!"

"Shh...Khushiji! Aiyiye..." Pulling her sister-in-law behind her, Anjali walked out to the corridor and promptly gathered her into a bear-hug. "Sab theek hain, Khushiji! Actually, humein ab hi poori tarah se yakeen hua ki sab bilkul pehle jaise theek ho gaya hain! Aur iska poora shrey sirf aapko hi milta hain!"

"Lekin Di, woh donon toh gusse mein lag rahe hain!" Khushi mumbled, face squished as it was against Anjali's shoulder.

Laughing out loud, a happy, heartfelt laugh, Anjali leaned back to grin at her and replied, "Lad nahin rahe, Khushiji! Ched rahe hain! Chotte, Dhruv ko football mein Argentina ka jo haar hua, usko lekar ched rahe hain! Yeh inn donon ka barson purana laddayi hain, Chotte ka Brazil aur Dhruv ki Argentina!"

Football savvy that she was, being married to a Brazil fan, Khushi answered, a puzzled look on her face, "Lekin ab toh koyi khel nahin hua Brazil aur Argentina ke beech mein!"

Grinning still, Anjali replied, "Toh kya hua? Koi purane World Cup match mein Brazil Argentina ko haraaya tha naah? Chotte aur Dhruv ko ladne ke liye woh hi kaafi hain!"

"Haun!" Unable to comprehend the mysterious workings of the male brain, Khushi stood staring back at the door of the study, from where the frustrated yells of Dhruv and the quiet rumble of Arnav could still be heard. A smile blossomed on her face as Khushi understood from the tone of her husbands voice that he was enjoying the exchange.

Not enjoying merely, Arnav Singh Raizada was having the time of his life, the leg-pulling that he had routinely done to his easily excitable younger brother clicking into place as if the years of seperation had never happened.

**************

The weeks that followed were ones filled with laughter - the roaring laughs that Akash and Dhruv had at the expense of their indignant mother, the quiet chuckles that Manohar and his mother shared as they watched Dhruv enjoying teasing his Di, Payal's gentle laugh as she continually played peacekeeper between Akash and Dhruv, and a whiny NK who ran complaining to her each time the first two made fun of his Hindi, and above all, the contented smile of Arnav as he stood witness to the incredible bond that had developed between his wife and his kid brother.

In addition to Akash, Khushi Bhabi had become Dhruv's favourite partner in crime, a willing participant that she was in any and all hare-brained activities. She had earned the highest of positions in his mind, right up there along with his Bhaiyya, thanks to all that she had done to reunite them, and thanks the unshakable conviction that had formed in Dhruv's heart that Khushi Kumari Gupta Sigh Raizada was indeed a perfect match for his Bhaiyya, the incomparable Arnav Singh Raizada.

And that, made Khushi, one of his favourite people in the world, the fact that soon became evident to everyone in the house, much to their joy and secret relief, as they now had a person handily available to play mediator in the legendary jhagdas between Arnav and Dhruv, which invariably happened every couple of days, over topics ranging from the auction price of footballers to the newly discovered plant species in the Amazon.

Life was very much back to normal indeed!

**************

A few weeks later, Dhruv came down the stairs, talking seriously on his phone. Glancing up from where she had been sitting with her Arnavji, Khushi waited till he had finished the call before asking, "Kya baat hain, dewarji? Bade chintit lage rahe hain aap?"

Snorting at the heavy dose of Hindi, Dhruv collapsed on the sofa acroos his Bhaiyya and Bhabi and replied, "Mera team-leader ka phone tha, Bhabi. Mujhe wapas bulaya hain, unke naye expedition mein join karne ke liye."

Face falling at the thought of him leaving, she asked, "Toh tum jaa rahe ho?"

Looking at his brother, Dhruv replied, "Jaana toh hoga, kaam hain mera. Lekin main soch raha tha ki mera base office Cologne se India shift karoon..."

Smiling as his brother's face lit up, Dhruv said, "Bhaiyya, actually, mujhe ek offer mila tha, kuch maheenon pehle, from the National Centre for Plant Genome Research, jo JNU ke neeche hain. Tab toh maine koi jawab nahin diya...situation jo aisa tha..."

Drawing a deep breath at the memories, he continued, "Working arrangement achcha hain, they'll let me freelance as well, so I can continue with my expeditions." A bit hesitantly, he asked, "What do you think? Main accept karoon?"

Standing up, Arnav walked over to his young brother, who suddenly looked just as he had had years ago, when he would come to him with science doubts, and smiled down at him, "If that'll ensure that tum zyada se zyada samay mere paas hoga, then why would I disagree?"

A smile of pure joy bursting out on his face, Dhruv leapt up to give a bear hug to his brother, breaking the hug only when his Bhabi spoke up, "Yeh expedition ka matlab kya hain?"

Walking to her, Dhruv sank down on the sofa next to her and said, "Bhabi, expedition matlab mujhe research ke liye bahut saari places jaana hoga. You know, jungalon mein, phaadon mein, islands mein...Paudhon ke baare mein research karta hoon naah, so I have to go to a lot of places to collect samples, study their habitat...vageira vageira."

Staring at him wistfully, she replied, "Kitna mazaa aata hoga naah? Hum bhi bahut saari jagah jaa chukein hain, tumhare Bhaiyya ke saath. Lekin jahan tum jaaoge, woh toh bahut hi romaanchkaari jagah hoga..."

Eyes popping out, Dhruv and Arnav asked together, "Romaanch...what?!"

Giggling at their expressions, Khushi replied, "Romaanchkaari...matlab thrilling..."

"Then why can't you just say so, Bhabi?" Dhruv moaned, "Arnav Singh Raizada, jo ek walking, talking English Dictionary hain, unki biwi toh ek walking, talking Hindi Dictionary hain! My God, your kids will be born geniuses!"

Slapping at her brother-in-law with a pillow even as her husband burst out laughing, Khushi grinned, "Woh toh hain! Waise, Dhruv, tum jahan bhi jaaoge naah, humein bahut saari tasveerein lekar bhejna zaroor...kam-se-kam waise toh hum woh saari jagah dekh payeinge."

Smiling at her, Dhruv replied, "Sure Bhabi! Aapne nahin kaha toh bhi main bhejta."

Standing up, he held out his hand, "Ab chaliye, mujhe jalebi khaane ka mann kar raha hain. Aap mere liye garma-garam jalebiyan banaayiye."

"Waise toh aap jaise dessert-chef ko jo pati mila hain naah, ek dum waste hain!", Dhruv smirked at his brother as the Bhabi-Dewar duo walked past him, only to get a swift cuff on his head from an indignant Arnav and a slap on his arm from an enraged-on-behalf-of-her-husband Khushi.

"Yeh kaisi baat hui? Aapke Bhaiyya ko diye bina hum koi pakvaan nahin banaate. Arnavji ke liye hum sugar-free jalebiyan banaayenge, uske baad hi tumhein tumhaari jalebi milega, samjhe bachchu?"

The indignant look on his face gentling into a look of utter happiness, Arnav stood quiet, hands stuffed into his pockets, as he watched his chattering wife walk into the kitchen, followed by his sputtering brother.

**************

A month later, Dhruv was walking out of the field office in Palembang, Sumatra, after mailing the much-in-demand photos to his family, when he spotted the colourful postcards hanging from a thread in the reception.

His thoughts immediately flying home to his Bhabi, who looked like a child on Christmas day each time she saw his photos or letters, he decided to buy a few and send it to her, especially to her.

After buying the cards, he stood at the counter, pen in hand, wondering what to write. The many many faces of his Bhabi flashing before his eyes, Dhruv stood deep in thought,

His eyes filling with moisture under the onslaught of emotions, Dhruv smiled down at the card and wrote...

**************

Years later, the children had made it a favourite pass-time reserved for rainy days - to look at Chachu's postcards. Everytime they played the game of 'who-can-remember-the-maximum-number-of-places-from-where-the-cards-have-been-sent', they ended up asking the same question, which would get them a soft smile from their father in response.

If the question happened to be voiced in the presence of their mother, the proud answer would be, "Kyunki tumhara Dhruv Chachu sabse zyada pyaar apni Bhabi se karte hain!"

An answer, which automatically drew out a scoffing laugh from their father, in turn, would kick-off a bickering session, with the giggling children as the very responsive audience. There was nothing they loved more than watching their parents take pot-shots a eachother; secure in the uncanny intuition that children have about how deeply in love their parents are and how solid their family is.

Now, as for what the question was that regularly triggered the whole drama, it was this - "Papa/Mamma, Chachu humesha Mamma ke/aapke naam postcards kyun bhejte hain? Woh bhi har ek jagah se, jahan woh gaye hue hain?"

Because, every card was signed off in the same way...

They were always sent to his Bhabi, from Dhruv, with love...

That's it, folks!

Here ends the story of Dhruv's re-entry into Shantivan...

Now, before you guys start hyperventilating, let me assure you that he is definitely going to be around...he will keep appearing in the various OSs, SSs and possible FFs that I have lined up for you :-D

As I said, my obsession with Shantivan and its inhabitants do not seem anywhere near dying down!

Now, if you notice, the title of the Vignette is taken from the ending...which had been planned much before the actual story developed. If you remember, this had started out as an OS!

I would like to once again that all those who left such wonderful comments for me...I simply cannot single out anyone since they have all touched me deeply...

But still, special thanks to Liza, Lubna, Tanu, Hriju, Vidya, Angelteen, Jakhushi, Aruni50218, kbtr, sneaky-aj, swat.g, namrata, Bubbles, emistry, Seeta, Mem1, Sarada, Annie, Bhadra, Samba, Shikha and my own Siaa for being such loyal readers and awesome commentors! You guys made my day each time you PM-ed me or left me a comment!

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