IPKKND - Vignettes - 27. Tujhpe Kurbaan Dil... Pt14/Pg31 upd 10/01/21 - Page 4

My dears, thank you for your gracious comments.

Missing my old gang, and still hoping to catch up with them, here is the next part...

Part 5

"Mrs. Anjali Jha?",

A disembodied voice asked from behind the blinding light glaring on to her face, as a microphone was thrust at her, almost hitting her chin.

"How do you feel? Do you think this event is going to take away all the notoriety that your much publicized divorce from eminent human rights lawyer Mr. Shyam Jha brought about?"

Anjali sat frozen for a monent, even as Khushi drew in a sharp breath, jumping up to shove the reporter back if necessary, her first instinct as always, to protect her Di from the big bad world. But as it is said, things had to get worse before they started getting better. The first reporter's question only a preview of what was to come, it was a barrage that followed.

" Or is this an initiative to cash-in on the power of the limelight that is on you now?"

"How does your brother feel about you coming out into the open?"

"Has he expressed concern over your negative influence on AR's stock market performance?"

"His wedding was also broiled in one controversy after the other, so isn't this becoming a trend in your family?"

"What do you have to say to justify such actions from you and your family?"

Khushi raised her voice, her heart breaking at the expression on Anjali's face. "Arre, yeh kya tareeka hai ek function mein pesh aane ka? Aapko zara si bhi tameez hain? Humein koi comment nahi hain, ab aap log jaayiye warna hum security ko bulaayenge! Aapko andaaza bhi nahi hain ki hum kya kar sakte hain!"

Seeing Payal and Dhruv hurrying towards them from the corner of her eye, she stepped back, satisfied at the panic on the face of the reporter, and the others who were warily eyeing her. Turning to Anjali, who was sitting unmoving, staring at the reporter who had thrown all those questions at her, Khushi crouched, "Di, chaliye, humein waise bhi nikalna chaahiye. Party almost khatam jo ho chuka hai..."

Tearing her eyes away and focussing on Khushi, Anjali looked at her blankly. Then slowly, her face became composed and with a grim smile and a slight pressure of her fingers on Khushi's arm, she stood up, drawing to her full height, staring straight at the camera with a slight smile.

"Humari zindagi mein jo kuch bhi hua, woh humari private, personal maamla hain, lekin aapke concern ke liye dhanyavad. Aur haan, hum ek nayi shuruath ki hain, kuch aise logon ke saath milke, jinhon ne apni zindgi mein bahut kuch sahaa hain, aur overcome kiye hain. Toh agar aap iss function ko unn logon ki zindagi ka ek naya adhyay maanein aur suport dein, toh ek humanitarian effort hogi, meharbaani hogi."

One could have heard a pin drop at that moment, when Anjali stopped speaking and with a serene smile, turned away from the cameras, walking back to the organizers area, flanked by a proud Khushi and a teary-eyed Payal.

His fists relaxing as he surveyed the scene, Dhruv turned to a flustered Mr. Goyal, who was vehemently asserting that he had given specific instructions to the security that only reporters were allowed inside, not their camera crew, and that too with crisp instructions that they weren't to interact with the guests, only to observe and report.

"I would be lying if I said Koi baat nahin', Mr. Goyal. This shouldn't have happened. Aur aap jaante hain ki jab mere donon bhaiyyon ko iska khabar milenge, toh all hell will break lose. Humari Di toh recover ho rahi hain, dheere dheere aur aisi ek reminder is cruel. But I know that you had taken every precaution. So please make sure the security detail is brought to task for this lapse and that this never happens again."

With that, he took one final glance around the room, his sharp eyes coming to a halt at one table, where three of the four occupants were staring at the media versus security staff ruckus ongoing, while the four one was sitting back at ease, his gaze unflinchingly fixed on the three women walking away from the hall.

Recognizing the look on that famous face, the look that sent a spear of fear through many a wrong-doer, the look that promised the nation that his attention was engaged and that the matter would be investigated and cross-questioned until a satisfactory answer to his questions were obtained, Dhruv felt a momentary spark of panic. But before he could dwell on the matter, his phone rang.

Automatically smiling at the familiar caller-tune, he answered, "Haan Bhabi? Abhi nikal rahe hain? Lekin dinner service toh ab bhi chaalu hain naah? Kya Di utna upset hain?

Her voice softening from the harsh tones that the situation had forced it into, Khushi held her Di tighter to her side, "Nahi Dhurv, aisi baat nahi hain. Woh theek hain. Lekin koi shak nahi hain ki yeh scene ab tak aired hua hoga. Aur ab calls aana shuroo ho jayega. Hum chaahte hain ki tumhare Bhaiyya se hum baat ghar jaake karein. Aur yahaan sab dekhne ke liye tum, Jiji aur Gautamji hain naah, toh koi gadbad nahi hogi. Tum buss jaldi aa jao taaki hum aur Di ghar chalein. Humein tumhare pass function ki kuch details chod ke jaana tha, jo Jiji akele Mr. Goyal se discuss nahi kar payegi."

Turning away, sparing one final glance at Raghuveer Singhania, who was now calmly eating the appetizers as he chatted with others at his table, looking as if he was merely a guest enjoying the evening, Dhruv walked off, hoping that he had misread that famous expression. The other option was too scary to think about.

Author's Note:

Another cliffie! Those who have read Hai re Nandkishore would have recognizd this name... but who is he and what was the "look"?

Next update on Wednesday...

Also, I am stopping PM... please follow the index or this story thread...