It was an early bright morning. Jahnvi and Anika were preparing Alloo poori for breakfast. Mallika was reading through headlines her head hidden in a newspaper and gauri was busy chanting her early morning prayers walking around the house with the incense of sandalwood in her hand.
"Somu bachha doodh pee le chal ... naashte mein kuch khana nahi hai toh kamm se kamm doodh toh peele. Anika requested to Saumya who was sulking with her head down on the table.
"Didi Maine bola naa doodh nahi chahiye... kuch nahi chahiye ... aap mujhe apne haal par kyon nahi chhod dete ho ... main jee lungi ... meri itni chinta karne ki zarurat nahi hai. Saumya started crying melodramatically.
"Beta yeh toh woh TV serial ka dialogue hai naa. Jahnvi tried hard to recall
"Haan ... haan woh wali ... who jisme naagin heroine hai ... yaad aayaa ... mere saiyyan ban Gaye kauwwa! Anika said with a pat of her head.
"Hawwe... Aap dono ko kaise pata ... Saumya's jaw dropped
"Arree woh motisi gulaabo aunty hai naa ... pinky Singh oberoi ... woh poora din yahi Oh-My-Mata toh karti hai ... pravachan sunegi, phir chalak chanchal chatur chachi wala woh third class sa program dekhegi phir serial marathon karegi ... kaam hi kya hai unko aur. Anika ranted.
"Beta meri devrani hai woh. Jahnvi tried to clear Saumya's confusion.
"Ohho maine socha thode dialogue maaru ... mazaa aaegaa. Saumya pouted.
"Doodh peeple aur bhi zyada mazaa aaega. Anika patted her back.
"Nahi mujhe doodh nahi peena ... Saumya chided.
"Doodh ne aisa kaunsa gunaah kar diya jo tumhe doodh nahi peena. Anika kept her hands on the hips.
"Mujhe naa maa ki bohot yaad aa rahi hai ... Saumya hid her face in her hands. She did not want to cry in front of every one. Anika knew such a mood and she knew Saumya has to get out of this.
"Somu tujhe pata hai ... agar tune yeh glass nahi gatka toh doodh Singh oberoi ko kitna bura lagega! Anika said with the SSO hair move.
"Didi aapne iss doodh ko doodh Singh Oberoi kyon bola? Saumya asked actually checking if the glass is labeled to be doodh Singh oberoi.
"Dekho iss doodh ki aan baan aur shaan hi alag hai kyonki yeh shudh Desi bina milawat wala ... Jahnvi Singh Oberoi ke ghar ka doodh hai. Anika said branding the doodh with naam khoon khandaan. Saumya giggled.
"Aur isse bura kyon lagega Didi? Saumya asked trying to control her laughter.
"Kyonki yeh itni subah subah neend se uthke doodhwaale ke can mein dolte dolte humaare ghar ke darwaaze tak aayaa hai ... kyon?!? Taaki tum usse pee sako ... kyonki yeh gas pe chadhke tapti jalti aag mein jhulsa hai woh kyun taaki tum usse pee sako. Aur tum yeh doodh peena nahi chahti. Anika delivered like a dailysoap queen. Saumya burst out laughing.
"Achha theek hai Didi agar doodh ne mere liye itne sacrifice kiye hai ... toh main pee hi leti hoon lekin mujhe naa plain doodh pasand nahi hai. Bournvita chahiye. Saumya said in a baby like voice.
"Nukkad ki dukaan pe milega ... main le aati hoon. Anika said with a soft pat on Somu's head.
Jahnvi came to sit with Mallika giving her a cup of coffee and both of them began to discuss some news related matter.
"Dekhna Jaanu aunty iss baar ka business woman of the year ka award toh aapko hi milega aur aapki bhi newspaper mein achhi si photo aaegi. Mallika said thinking about it.
"Haan jaanu aunty phir samose kachori laake ... DJ bajaake party karenge. Anika interrupted giving a high five to Mallika.
"I hope for the best girls. Jahnvi told them.
"Dekhiye jaanu aunty Gauri naa aaj mere liye pray kar rahi hai ... main usse bol dungi ke woh aapke liye bhi pray kare. Mallika said cutely.
Jahnvi looked around at Anika who was most probably arguing with shivaay on the phone, Saumya who was staring at the glass of milk and Gauri who was chanting silent prayers. She knew Rudra would be home anytime soon from a party after the after party of Chubby's birthday and Om should also come home today evening and then her family will be complete. More than becoming the businesswoman of the year ... she wanted to achieve as a family person... she did not want to live with an emotional vaccum.
"Aap itni bhi prayer mat Karo Bhagwaan ji ne aapki sunn li hai. Rudra said to the pretty woman he saw as soon as he entered the house. Gauri raised her head with a baffled expression. Who was he?
"Aapko kaise pata ke hum Shankarji se kya baat kar rahe thhe aur unhone humaari suni ke nahi? Gauri asked him curiously.
"Sunn hi Lee naa ... iss duniya ka sabse handsome ladka aapke saamne Jo khada hai. Rudra said spiking his hair.
"Aapse kisne keh diya ke aap sabse handsome hain? Aap salmanji thode na hai! Gauri knew with the appearance of a young man ... the person is a kid at heart.
"Haaawwwee ... aapne aise kyon kaha??? Rudra reacted loud.
"Bilkul sahi kaha ... Omkara tumse zyada handsome hai Rudra. Mallika said knowing that he will be really irritated.
"Aur billuji toh sabse zyada handsome hain. Anika said imagining his kanji eyes. All the eyesights reverted to her.
Gauri was confused on hearing those names ... who is Omkara? Who is Shivaay? And who is the person standing in front of her? She decided on first completing her morning ritual.
"Handsome ka pata nahi ... tum duffer ho duffer ... Gauri Didi ko Pooja mein disturb kar rahe ho! Stupid kahike! Saumya said loudly.
"Oh hello ... tum Jo bhi ho ... mooh band rakho apna. Rudra showed his palm to Saumya
"Stop it Rudra ... you have to keep quite ... yeh koi time hai ghar aane kaa. Go and freshen up nahi toh nashta nahi milega. Jahnvi reprimanded
"Please go Rudra ... you are stinking! Mallika made an irritated face. Rudra smelt his armpits but he felt nothing wrong.
"Haan jaao Rudra ... aise khade khade time pass mat karo... nahaake aao phir tumhe bhi bournvita peelaungi! Anika said leaving the house to buy Bournvita.
"Hey Bhagwaan ... kaha phasa diya majority mein! Rudra stomped his foot and left.
Gauri was watering the plants when Rudra came to talk to her.
"Hi I am Rudra aur app?
"Hum Gauri
"Toh Salmanji aapke boyfriend ka naam hai? Gauri was so surprised.
"woh humaare boy-phrend kyon honge bhala? Gauri asked with a raised brow.
"Aapne kaha naa salmanji mujhse zyada handsome hai. Rudra asked excited to know about the boyfriend.
"Arre woh toh philmo waale salmaanji ... dabang salmanji. Gauri said with a bright smile.
"Ohho ... matlab aapka koi boyfriend nahi hai. Rudra did a sad facepalm
"Humme boy-phrend ki kaa jarurat hoibe padi ... jaraa bataaiye. Gauri asked chuckling.
"Matlab aapki life mein aisa koi nahi hai Jo aapse saari baatein share kare, aapko date pe leke jaaye ... aapko gifts de ... aapse pyaar kare? Rudra asked not able to believe that such a pretty girl was not having a boyfriend.
LOVE ... the word love reminded her every moment she was trying to bury in her heart. The rituals of man and wife, the vows to stand by each other and , the promises of love and companionship.
"Nahi ... koi pyaar nahi karta humm
se. Gauri said lost in memories.