'Hamare beech ke fasley'PartV last part - Page 2

Nivas mother had plans to stay with them for two more weeks. Next day Nivas was very upset as his friend had backstabbed him. His friend Sagar with whom he had planned to start his own business in partnership had started to leak that information and join hands with someone else with the same proposal. As the person with whom Sagar joined was richer and bigger in name than Nivas. Nivas was very hurt his planning and strategy were out in the open for others to take advantage.

After a very tired day at work depressed Nivas came home but there started a more complex fight between Ruhi and Maa. His mother wanted a pooja on Sunday and Ruhi had said she was very tired with workload and can't have energy left for doing the shopping for Sunday's Satyanarayan pooja. Nivas mother said that she has to as she had a mannat. Ruhi wanted it next week but Maa insisted this week as next week she will do shopping before leaving. Both were arguing. Ruhi was very tired and wanted Nivas to support her. She kept asking Nivas explain her, plzz and Nivas in a bad mood just walked away and closed his room saying , " U decide and keep me out of it. I am very worked up already" Ruhi was again disappointed by Nivas behavior and Nivas was much broken that he wanted Ruhi to come to his room and ask what happen, but Ruhi went into the hall room watching Tv to change her mood. Nivas was upset and felt let down by Ruhi, he again felt that their relationship was just not the same. He felt his married life has no understanding, no care or love these days. He went into the balcony and kept smoking cigarettes. He called up his friend Parekh and discussed what happened what he should do. His friend made him to calm down and told tomorrow he will meet him. They both gave some verbal abuses for Sagar which made Nivas feel much better.

On Saturday Ruhi had to do the shopping for Satyanarayan pooja, as she was leaving for office Maa reminded her and told Nivas that he better help her out in shopping she doesn't know much about the Indian culture and may just bring sweets and flowers. Nivas then replied, "Maa kyun sweets and flowers!…kuch aur bhi chahiye hota hai kya?" Ruhi just smiled as Maa got angry, "Nivas tujhe nahi malum..?yaa phir biwi ka asar tujhpar bhi hua hai, Saal mey ek baar karate to malum hota." She wrote a list of things and gave him the list.

At about lunch time Ruhi called up Nivas it was around 6 months that Ruhi had called Nivas during office hours the need never had aroused. Nivas who was a bit surprised asked her what happened, she informed him that to do the shopping he has the list and she will take half day leave to do the shopping and get back home early to do all the preparation for tomorrow's pooja. Nivas and Ruhi decided to meet at the near station after taking slow train from the opposite route and from there to shop together. The station was jam packed. Ruhi arrived and was waiting for Nivas, Nivas came there with his face all soaked with sweat. Ruhi asked him to clean his face, the sweat was dripping. Nivas asked her if she had a hanky, Ruhi had a surprised look, she said, "I can't believe, U have changed so much. U of all can forget all these imp things? (She laughed) As they show in films wife giving hanky , purse , keys etc, but in our marriage U were so good in ur memory that you can even tell the angle in which u have kept the things. U always left the house after me, to check if I hadn't forgotten anything." She smiled and laughed saying this. Nivas replied, "Hey, Ruhi why r u laughing, I am the same. I have my hanky but as I left out of the office building, the crow shit on the shirt and I cleaned it with my hanky now how much ever sweat I have I cant clean it with that hanky." Ruhi smiled and was about to give him a hanky from her handbag. Nivas smiled and said, "Gods grace! u changed for the better, u have not forgotten to take hanky or else u would sometimes even forget to take ur duppatta and I use to run after u as u leave the building and give it to u." Nivas laughed. Ruhi smiled and giving him the hanky said, "Nivas, I am the same, I keep forgetting such things, thank god I wear salwar kammez rarely and kurtas don't require duppattas. Actually working in garment factory some samples lie in my handbag and I really forgot today to take hanky, this is a sample, both laughed while they took a rickshaw to reach to the market area.

The market was jam packed and Nivas sensed the public around was not descent. He was very protective of Ruhi though he knew Ruhi may give a piece of mind if anyone even rubbed her. He walked very close to her holding her. Ruhi knew Nivas would get cozy whenever there was crowd around her. When they were newly weds Ruhi would always feel Nivas looked more caring and romantic when they r in huge public or crowd but not when they r alone. She would also tell that to Nivas and make fun of him that instead of Switzerland they should go where there is huge crowd may be Juhu or Chowpaty beach at peak vacation time.

Ruhi and Nivas completed the shopping after a 2 hour of wandering and they were very tired as the next day was a festival & Sunday so the market was extremely crowded and they had to wait in queue to buy things.. Nivas told Ruhi that they can buy some food for all from a hotel as they both r tired. Ruhi said she will try n make something at home, as Maa recently has gone through operation it may not be safe. Nivas agreed and they were trying to take a cab. After a stretch of walk to the near Taxi stand they saw there were no taxis, they waited and Ruhi was blinking her eyes continuously, Nivas asked, "What's the matter?" Ruhi looked at him and made a small face like a child. Nivas asked, "Areey kya hua?" Ruhi said, "Hmm I need to go the loo" Nivas herd and smiled and said ok I will bring a taxi from the other end, u stand here, within half an hour we will reach don't worry," Ruhi looked at him with a shocked face and anger…..and nodded her head saying 'No!'. Nivas smiled said, "ok its that urgent" looked around, " there is no public toilets this side…oh" Ruhi was getting more uneasy and Nivas went and met a shopkeeper talked with him and he told Ruhi that the shopkeeper has allowed them to use his personal toilet, Ruhi went while she gave her purse to Nivas to hold. Nivas was standing near to the toilet and waiting for her.. as she came out she had a big smile on her face… Nivas smiled back and said, " Now u r fine , lets go fast" Ruhi looked at him and smiled again and started laughing. Nivas asked her "what happen, don't get embarrassed its ok" Ruhi pulled her handbag from his shoulder and said, u were looking so adorable with the whole packets we bought for pooja along with the banana leaves and my handbag to top it over…really cute…she started laughing, Nivas realized how others must have felt watching him standing like that and Ruhi took few of the shopping bags from him and they headed out of the shop. Nivas felt as the shopkeeper helped them out he should buy something from his shop and Ruhi told him buy ur fav pen, Nivas was very fond of collecting different kinds of pens and had a collection of more than 5000 pens with him. As the shopkeeper showed them some pens they came across a pen with a heart sticker on it. Nivas looked at it with smile later their expression changed, Ruhi too felt sad and they both left the market silently.

As they reached home Ruhi quickly changed her dress and went into the kitchen while Nivas took out all the things they bought and started arranging. Ruhi made dinner Maa could observe Ruhi and Nivas were not talking at all and were somewhat upset. She thought they had a fight and felt Ruhi must have surely complained about this pooja to Nivas . She asked if Ruhi will get up early at 5am and place the Satyanarayan God and do the decorations, she said , 'yes' in a soft voice.