Thanks everyone. Let's find out why Kripa is the way she is in the next part:
PART 5:
Kripa went out and sat in the waiting room, flipping through a magazine.
"Oh Kripa…you are here….Angad ko le gaye surgery ke liye? I could not even say bye to him!" Mishti came and sat down next to Kripa.
"Yes, he was really missing his GIRLFRIEND!" Kripa said sarcastically
"Really? Did he say that?" Mishti was amazed
"No, he didn't say anything like that…..he was just crying like a typical overgrown baby……I guess he has never been in this situation before," Kripa sighed as she could still feel the warmth of his hand on her palms.
"Chalo…phir hum wapas ghar chalte hain…..the staff will take care of him now…..kal subah aa jaayenge…I need some sleep now," Mishti yawned.
"Mishti! At least wait till he is out of the OR….what if they need us…or rather need you! I am in no mood to drive you back in the middle of the night," Kripa said.
"OK….you know I should call his brother…..he needs to fly in and take care of him….we have other things to do," Mishti searched for Kartik's number on her cell and dialed it a few times, "Oh God! Looks like he is fast asleep or has turned the phone off!"
"Most sane people are asleep at this hour….unless THEIR friend is in surgery!" Kripa glared at Mishti.
"Yes, I know Kripa…..you know ek problem ho gayi hai….I have to be in Miami by Sunday evening…..this model who was supposed to be there for this prestigious campaign has fallen sick, so they have asked me to replace her….and Kripa this is a great opportunity for me! I can't miss this chance!" Mishti said
"So what are you trying to say? Tum wapas New York chali jaaogi, aur mujhey yahin rehna padhega tumhare boyfriend ke saath?" Kripa was horrified at that thought.
"KRIPA! He is not my boyfriend! I will call Kartik here….he will take care of his brother…why do we need to bother? Hum usey yahan tak le aaye…..hamari responsibility yahin khatam ho gayi hai," Mishti frowned.
"You can sleep with this guy, but leave him alone in the hospital?" Kripa was shocked
"Kripa! Sleeping together has nothing to do with friendship….any ways we have not slept together yet, thanks to his appendix!" Mishti scorned.
Kripa just rolled her eyes, "I am glad I have no men in my life!"
Mishti kept trying Kartik's number, but he had it on silence mode while he was asleep in the hotel.
A couple of hours later, Prithvi returned with a beaming smile, "congratulations ladies…your friend did very well….we removed his appendix…it was quite inflamed…would you like to see the specimen?"
"NO!" the sisters said simultaneously.
"OK..no problem…I know that kind of stuff can gross some people out….can I get some coffee for both of you?" Prithvi asked politely
"No thanks!" Kripa said, but Mishti added, "I wouldn't mind doctor….we have to drive back also."
"Absolutely, it is not everyday that a celebrity comes to our little community hospital," he smiled at Kripa and went to the coffee machine.
"Here you go ladies," he handed them a cup each, "now tell me Ms Kripa, when is your new book coming out?" he sat down on the table next to the waiting room seats and faced Kripa.
Mishti was amused to see a guy showing interest in her little sister. Kripa, of course was least interested in talking to this young doctor. She wanted to be left alone, so she could ruminate silently on her book's last chapter.
Let me now give you a brief background on the two sisters, as it is important to know why they are what they are, in order to understand the rest of the story:
Mishti and Kripa were very different, and had always been like day and night in their personalities. Whatever their differences might be, they still loved and cared for each other. Over the years, Mishti had tried her best to set her little sister up with different guys, but the guys mostly ended up flirting with Mishti instead, or Kripa's compulsive and stand-offish behavior turned them off!
Kripa was not an easy person to get along, but had a heart of gold. She appeared 'cold' and 'uncaring' on the outside, but was very tender on the inside. This trait of her was only visible to a very few people in this world- Mishti, her dad, and now her fans who loved her books. Her books were very sensitively written and had touched the hearts of many young readers, especially teenagers and disturbed youngsters. They could all relate to Kripa's writing and her thoughts echoed the emotions of youngsters all over the world, not only the US!
Kripa had always shared a very strange relationship with her mother. Her mother, Naina Sharma was a very strong and controlling kind of person. When they lived in Mumbai many years ago, Naina had tried her best to become a Bollywood actress or a model. Unfortunately, due to an early marriage and having two daughters within a few years of her marriage, had spoilt her chances to pursue a glamorous career. Naina was obsessed with beauty, slimness, make-up, and glamour!
Naina was pleased that her older daughter had inherited not only her good looks, but also the desire to look attractive, glamorous and beautiful! Mishti had won many 'beauty-contests' since the age of 5. Naina proudly displayed her daughter's 'talents' to the rest of the world and made sure every local paper had a picture of her 'beauty-queen' daughter.
Unfortunately, her younger daughter had turned out to be very shy and according to Naina, had too much "baby-fat" hanging around her. Naina tried her best to dress her younger daughter, who actually happened to be the fairer and prettier of the two, like a princess or a beauty queen since an early age, but when she saw how 'chubby' Kripa looked in those mini-skirts and sleeveless dresses, she scorned her, "khaate khaate tera pait nahin bharta? Thoda kum khaaya kar….dekh tho sahi koi bhi dress tujhey fit nahin hoti! Mishti tujh se 2 saal badhi hai…par phir bhi yeh kapde aaraam se aa jaate hain usey!"
Kripa would feel very bad and run off to her room after being criticized by her mom constantly. Her dad, Dilip felt bad for his little darling. He would try and console her, but Naina's controlling nature prevented him from saying much in his daughter's defense.
As time went by, Kripa preferred to wear longer and full sleeved clothes more often, just in case her 'baby-fat' was showing too much!
After moving to the US, Naina enrolled her daughters in dance and self-grooming classes. Mishti, who was 14 then, blossomed in that environment. She adjusted to school within few months and became a popular girl in high school- her looks, her dressing style, friendly nature attracted everyone, even though she was new to the school.
Kripa, on the other hand shut herself completely in the new environment. She was shy to begin with, but her accent, her 'frumpiness,' her quietness made her a target of bullying, especially by the middle school boys! Girls were equally mean; they just ignored her and preferred not to be seen with the 'fat, frumpy, freshy Indian' they just giggled and whispered amongst themselves when Kripa walked down the school hallways. Boys were more open; they bullied her, pulled her pigtails, and made fun of her thick-rimmed glasses, "Look at that nerd! Hey …can you believe that her sister is so HOT and she is sooooo COLD!"
Kripa hated school, she hated the US, she hated the mean girls in her school, and above all hated the BOYS!! Her mother, instead of helping her through this crisis, made it worse for her by such remarks, "Kripa…you are in the US now…for heaven sake learn how to dress up properly! They don't have uniform here for a reason…they want kids to learn how to present themselves early in life!"
"Naina, I think they don't have uniform because they want kids to have their own individuality!" Dilip defended his daughter.
"Tum chupp raho ji!! Tumhare laadh-pyaar ne hi Kripa ko aisa banaa diya hai! Dekho Kripa, tumhey apne weight ka bhi kuch karna chaahiye….ab tum teens mein aagayi ho…..you don't have any figure whatsoever!" Naina scoffed at poor little Kripa, who was still going through puberty and had not 'blossomed' completely yet.
Kripa's only saving grace was her academic brightness. She focused more on her studies, and was soon recognized as a brilliant student by the teachers of her school. Despite her recognition by the teachers and principal, Kripa yearned for approval from her mother the most.
In order to please her mother, Kripa started purging her food, and soon developed an eating disorder. She became so scrawny after her eating disorder, that she had to be hospitalized several times to "re-nourish' her frail body. Naina then started scorning her for her thinness "lagta hai Ethiopia mein rehti hai! Kripa if you want to lose weight, start exercising, don't starve yourself! Look at your arms…..and your neck…..just bones and skin….you look like an old lady! Even I look younger than you!"
Kripa felt bad that she had not met her mother's expectations once again; it is then, when she was about 16 that she acquired the worlds' largest collection of turtlenecks! She hid herself and her 'imperfect looks' in the world of turtlenecks! Whether it was the middle of summer or freezing cold winter…..there was one thing constant in Kripa's wardrobe: TURTLENECKS!! She became a 'perfectionist' as her mom always thought she was 'imperfect!'
Mishti was sympathetic towards Kripa's plight, but could not say much in front of their controlling mom. Mishti tried to protect Kripa during high school, and even arranged for a prom-date for her, but Kripa was heart-broken when she was stood up and ended up sobbing in her prom dress all evening. That was probably the last time she wore a dress in her life. She was so put off by the whole prom thing, boys and dressing up, that she refused to even look or acknowledge a boy after that incident.
Mishti became busy with modeling assignments soon after high school. She attended a local community college, as her GPA was too low to be even considered by a respectable college. Mishti and Naina could care less, as long as she kept on receiving modeling assignments; and now Mishti had been hired by the prestigious, "Creative Advertising" firm.
Kripa was accepted at Columbia with a perfect GPA score and wonderful admission essays. Kripa blossomed in college and her writing skills were recognized by one of her professors. Since then, Kripa has become a young and budding writer; she has more confidence in herself, but still dislikes men, hates dressing up or revealing her skin, seldom smiles, and never DATES!
Kripa's relationship with her mom is still estranged, but her dad is secretly proud of his little daughter's success as a writer and boasts her achievements at work and with his colleagues. Naina, of course thinks being a writer is no big deal- writer tho koi bhi ban sakta hai, modeling sirf kuch hi khubsoorat log kar sakte hain!
Kripa has gained some of her weight back after her eating disorder was treated. She still eats like a bird though, but does not want to go back to the hospital again with a tube in her nose to 're-feed' her- that was the most unpleasant experience she has ever had in her life!
Now, I hope you will better understand the dynamics between the sisters and with the rest of the characters as the story progresses.
…..to be contd….
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
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