Angad couldn't sleep the whole night thinking about Kripa and the party. Prithvi's closeness to her is bothering him a lot. He is feeling uneasiness with the thoughts about their life after marriage.
"Kahin wo Prithvi ussey chuliya tho? Pch..he will ..he might..he has right after all. Why did I meet her so late? Why can't I forget her? Why do I feel she is mine? Prithvi ke paas wo artificial lag rahi hai. Why does she have to marry so soon after all? Itni jaldi kya hai? Kuch aur saal wait karti aur..wo Anittah ki age ki hai…pch..pch."
He is tossing on the bed, heaving breath many every other minute, and took two gulps of whisky but nothing helped him to feel comfortable. He decided to speak to her atlast.
"Mujhey pehley ussey baat toh karney do. Let me know her completely before her marriage with Prithvi. Let me confirm this is not infatuation but love. Unless I talk to her this uneasiness doesn't go off. Mera dil ki chayin cheenli. Next time she comes to office let me catch her."
Next morning, on Monday he spent whole day with meetings with new clients and left for Pune along with Misthy and Suryaban Sharma. The meetings went until early morning as they are dealing with offshore client projects. Around 3AM Suryaban Sharma and Angad drove back to Mumbai as Sharma doesn't want to stay back in Pune. Misthy stayed in Pune as she wanted to meet her would be in-laws.
Angad and Suryaban Sarma reached home around 6AM.
"Angad! Ghar aajao. Chai piker chaley jaana. Tum kabhi humara ghar aya nahin. Abhi abhi tumsey kuch pehchansa ho raha hai. Aati jaati rahey toh dosti bhi hojaayegi" Suryaban Sharma requested Angad. Kripa came into Angad's mind "Ussey itni subah dekhney ka beautiful opportunity aur kab milegi. Chalo, lucky man! Luck is waiting for you." Angad smiled and agreed to go with Suryaban Sharma.
By the time both got out of the elevator, A middle aged lady in the neighbouring door is talking to Gayatri while taking milk packets "Tumhari Kripa ki awaz subah subah bahut sukoon deti hai, Gayatri behen! You are so lucky to have such wonderful daughter." Gayatri proudly smiled and walked inside. Suryaban Sharma gave a pride look at Angad and Angad smiled as he noticed it.
Sharma has a mediocre three bedroom apartment, quite big for three people, well decorated. As soon as he stepped into the house he heard Kripa singing melodiously somewhere inside.
http://www.dishant.com/album/Latas_Safar_-_A_Journey.html
jyotee kalash chhalake
huye gulaabee, laal sunahare
rang dal baadal ke
ghar aangan wan upawan upawan
karatee jyotee amariat ke poojan
mangal ghat dhalake, jyotee kalash chhalake
paat paat birawaa hariyaalaa
dharatee kaa mukh huaa ujaalaa
sach sapanen kal ke, jyotee kalash chhalake
ushaa ne aanchal failaayaa
failee sukh kee sheetal chhaayaa
neeche aanchal ke, jyotee kalash chhalake
jyotee yashodaa dharatee gaiyyaa
neel gagan gopaal kanhaiyyaa
shaamal chhabee chhalake, jyotee kalash chhalake
Angad greeted Gayatri as she welcomed him with a big smile "Aao beta! Itni subah, today is a great day in our lives. After all these days you came into our house now. Anittah toh haftey mein kareeban theen baar aati rehti hai,. Naina ko toh mein club mein milti rahti hoon."
Suryaban Sarma warned her flow of excitement and asked to bring coffee him at his choice. Suryaban Sarma excused himself to freshen up.
Angad's heart is beating in excitement "Luck tumhara nahin Aunty! It's mine. So fresh and melodious voice as the morning wake-up call. Wish I get to wake up every morning with this beautiful voice in my life."
His eyes are searching for a glimpse of Kripa's beautiful face as he peeping inside after both Sarma's left him alone in the living room. "No wonder the neighbouring lady praised aunty so much. They are lucky too. Prithvi gets this luck in his life" a jealous thought moved his heart.
Sarma came after freshening and Gayatri brought the coffee for both of them. Angad is immersed in enjoying the song. Gayatri and Sarma exchanged looks proudly as he is praising the song.
Kripa entered the living room half closing her eyes, singing the last stanza of the song and giving dhoop to all photo frames of different Gods and holding Prasad plate. She is looking like a 'devata' for Angad's eyes in her white chudidhar and red bandini dupatta over head. She stared at Angad as greeting him and noticed mesmerism in his eyes as hearing her song. She lowered her eyes and gave the Prasad to her parents.
"Aaj jaldi jaana hai kya Kripa? Roz toh aath bhajey taiyyar hoti thi na?" Suryaban Sarma took Prasad.
"Haan, Papa! Special classes hai sadey saath bhajey. Late horahi hoon. Jaldi nikalna hai." Kripa stretched her hand towards Angad to offer Prasad. Angad put one hand on head and stretched his other to her looking into her eyes. "Very beautiful voice hai tumhara. Felt fresh in the early morning." He praised her.
She smiled rolling her eyes, "Thanks, early morning? You must be waking late. By this time we all go out every day. Papa toh abb office tak hotey hongey. Aaj tour ki wajah sey late hogaya hai." Angad liked her sweet and soft bashing about his habits. He wished again she scold him more.
She left into the house and came back in no time with her bag. "Mama, Papa mein chali"
Angad's brain quickly worked "Can I drop you if you are not having any objection?"
Gayatri interfered "Objection kya hota hai, Angad? Tum family friend bhi ho. You can drop her."
Kripa gave a sharp look at her which Gayatri ignored. Angad jumped onto cloud 9 and bid bye to everyone. Kripa followed him unintentionally cursing her mother "Yeh maa bhi na. Abb bhi suderi nahin. Main kissi aur sey engage hogayi hoon, aur yeh ab bhi mujhey kissi admi ke saat bhejna chahti hai. Adat taali nahin." She remembers how Gayatri used to push her to attract the rich and well settled bachelors till she got engaged to Prithvi. "Raj, Shabbir, Prithvi aur kaun kaun nahin hai iss list mein. Shukre hai Damini aunty ney apney aap rista chalayi thi, agar yeh Angad pehley milagaya hota maa issi ke saat hi baat chala diya hoti." she thought while going down the elevator.
Angad and Kripa came out of the elevator and walked towards the car. He stopped suddenly as Kripa is slowly following her. He turned her and she quizzically looked at him. "Yeh kahin hum donon ka 'saat phere' horahi hai? Kabhi mein aagey kabhi tum aagey? Saat chalona!"
Kripa gave a sharp look at him moving her mouth left side with a 'who cares..whatever' attitude. He gave side glances to her hiding smile. Both walked together to the car. She thought irritatingly "ek dooserey ke peechey chaley to 'saat phere' agar saat saat chaley toh?"
Angad held the door for her and she sat inside. Before closing the door he answered her doubt "saat chaley toh saat saal ka rista pakka hojati hai aur saat nibhaney ki vada bhi" He walked to his seat.
Kripa dropped her jaw watching him, "Yeh kahan ki tradition hai? Aur issey meri mann ki soch kaisa pata chala? He knows mind reading?"
Angad bent on her snapping his fingers on her face "belt baandogi ya mein baandoon?"
Kripa swallowed and gave a pale smile and fastened her seat belt. Angad reversed the car turning his face behind and dropping hand on Kripa's head rest. Kripa ducked for sudden drop of his hand on her head rest. Angad gave side glance at her and smiled rolling his tongue in his mouth.
Kripa turned her face "Yeh kya mussebat modliya mainey? Yeh sab mama ki wajah sey hua hai. Har roz mein akeli chali jaati thi. Aaj issko drop karney ki kya jaroorat padi thi?" She squeezed her lips throughout the drive as immersed in her thoughts.
Angad thought couple of time to ask the route for her college but stopped thinking "Take a chance, Angad! You might not get this chance again. Kripa ko ghoomney le jaao."
Kripa suddenly noticed they passed her college far behind and she screamed "Angad! Stop the car. We passed our college way behind." She turned to see how far they went. "Oh God! Yeh toh bahut door agaye hum."
Angad stopped aside "Haan, I called you many times but you are cursing me very seriously and deeply." Kripa irritated and surprised again for his mind reading skills. He twisted his eyebrows and bent on her to see deep into her eyes "Am I right!!" Kripa startled and searched for words and swallowed by turning her face away.
He laughed "why are you so tensed? You don't like me? I felt you like me; jab cake diye they tab, kal party mein jab tumhara aankhey mujhey search kar rahey thay tab, aur…" he paused to see Kripa's reaction. She surprised and widened her eyes and lowered her looks when he mischievously looked into her eyes.
She recovered quickly "Nothing is like that" she mumbled and lifted eyes at him and pleaded "Can we go back? It's an important class."
Angad nodded his head and turned the car "tell me the route nahin toh iss baar sida mere ghar lejaaoonga." He laughed at her giving side glances and Kripa hid her smile "Do you read minds?"
Angad laughed at her "Never did before but….pata nahin tumhari aankhey mujhey sab kuch keh deti hai." He looked into her eyes as he stopped at traffic light. Kripa lowered her eyes as to escape his piercing looks and turned face to watch outside.
He dropped her at college and held his hand out to her before she getting down the car 'friends?". She changed looks at his hand and his eyes. She stared a moment into his eyes and he deeply searched something in her eyes. She met her hands with his without moving her looks at him and he softly pressed her hand without unlocking his eyes from hers. Her breath became heavy and he tried to read her mind "You have a marvelous voice, you are beautiful, Kripa!"
She recovered and lowered her eyes "Thanks" softly mentioned and tried to take out her hand. He pressed her hands and stared at them for a while and released them slowly. She walked out and closed the doors.
His eyes taunting her till she walked into the college. She rested her right hand on her chest "Yeh kya ho raha hai? Why he is interested in me. After knowing about my engagement too? Am I encouraging it? How can I stop him?" She turned back to see him still watching her. She unintentionally waved her hand and he reciprocated.
She realized her mistake again and ran into the rooms. He smiled "You probably made for me, Kripa!"
He put on his sun shades and drove home.
37