Vignettes - 6. Understanding Payal - Transln pg 3 - Page 2

Hello all!

Here comes the sixth installment. Back to my home-ground after a brief foray into the world of satire.

I've always felt that the character of Payal was one of the most under-utilized in our show. I also remember wishing that they'd shown a bit more of the relationships between Arnav-Payal and Akash-Khushi too, seeing how they had brought eachother's soulmates into their lives.

This is my contribution to how it should have been portrayed. As I said, in my head, this did happen!

This is a longer OS, just so that it makes up for the coming two days with no updates. As in IPKKND, there'll be no episodes on weekends...

Enjoy!

Arnav Singh Raizada was an observer of people. He had reached where he was, and achieved what he had, by the simple act of building up a bank of information on people, their behaviour, and by using said information to his advantage when it suited him. It was even said of him in corporate circles, often in hushed tones, that no one could outlast him in sitting silently and breaking down his opponent bit-by-bit. Well, to put it in the exact words of his younger brother, "Bhai analyses people in just one glance and files away the report in that huge brain of his! And if he get five minutes with someone, the poor guy will make a report on himself and give to Bhai so that he can escape as soon as possible from Arnav Singh Raizada's presence!"

Seated in the family living area with everyone, Arnav was sitting back, watching his family. Di and Nani were busy discussing their satsang program, and NK and Mami were engaged in one of their never-ending games of Chess.

"Strange! I've never ever seen them actually complete one of those", he thought.

A tinkling laugh drew his attention and his eyes softened to a smile as he took in the sight of Khushi chasing Lakshmi who had apparently taken a fancy to a kitchen towel.

Now, Khushi had been tough to analyse. He'd had to realign his entire understanding of humanity to convince himself that someone could be this loving, selfless and forgiving. She had taken apart his world and rebuilt it, filling it with so much joy, love and silent companionship that he could actually feel her presence in his very being. They were a constant presence within eachother, irrespective of the distances.

"Maybe this is what they call a telepathic connection, or connection of souls, or whatever...", he decided.

Sure enough, sensing his gaze, she looked up, pausing in her tug-of-war with that blasted goat, giving him a blushing smile in response to his steady gaze. A year and a half of knowing her, and a year of being married to her had made her an open book to him.Part of it was because she had let him in. For someone who essentially lived for her loved ones, Khushi was a very private person.

"She can actually be labelled a Closet-Introvert! If such a thing exists..." he thought. She believed in sharing only her joys with others and was inclined to suffer in silence, not willing to burden anyone with her fears, her weaknesses, her pain. But now, she did, with him. They had seen eachother at their best and worst, in pain and joy, in sickness and health. There was nothing they didn't know about the other, nothing they couldn't share with the other. The thought brought a tender smile on Arnav's face. It was a matter of pride and honour to him that this incredible creature was his to cherish, no one else's.

"And there she goes again", he chuckled, as he watched her running after the goat who had emerged the clear winner in the contest.

Following her path around the room with his eyes, his gaze fell on Mamaji and Akash who were apparently trying to rebuild a cellphone. Well, Mamaji was trying to get Akash to explain the inner workings of the phone while Akash was busy staring at his wife who had just walked past him to the kitchen.

Looking across the room, Arnav spotted Payal bustling around in the kitchen. A slight frown marred his forehead as he watched his sister-in-law. For someone so proficient in reading people, Payal was a tough nut to crack and that annoyed him. She was, after himself, the most reserved person in the house.

She was a laughing, bubbly girl with Khushi, but with no one else. She was a shy bahu to his Nani, and a dutiful daughter-in-law to her Sasur and her overbearing Saas. She was close to Anjali, but their relationship was nothing like the deep friendship his wife had with his Di. Well, coming to him, she always maintained a respectful distance, though she was an affectionate enough chotti behen. He genuinely liked her and loved how she was and still continues to be a pillar of support to his wife, of whom she was very protective. He suddenly realised that besides Khushi, he had seen Payal at her most unguarded only with Akash. He was the only one to whom she spoke like an equal, happily opting to be a silent spectator in most other situations.

Payal suddenly looked up and met his eyes. Realising that he had been staring at her for quite a while, Arnav smiled at her faintly and shifted his gaze back to his wife who had succeeded in rescuing the towel and had now collapsed on the floor next to his Di, resting her head against Anjali's knee. After watching his favourite ladies chattering away, he once again shifted his focus to Payal, only to see that now she was steadily gazing at him. It was his turn to receive a faint smile from her. Lifting the tea-tray, she started walking back to the family.

"Khushi, bring the pakode please," she called out to her sister who leapt up to dart into the kitchen. Setting the tray down on the coffee table, Payal sat down next to Arnav and started pouring tea. Handing around the cups, she kept the second last one, which was sugar-free, for her Jetji.

Adding his usual two tablets of sweetner, she handed him his cup. As he smiled his thanks and took it from her, she asked, "Would you like to have pakode as well?"

"No, thanks", he replied and that was the end of the conversation. Watching her sit back and gaze fondly at her sister, Arnav realised that he was not the only "observer" in the family anymore.

A little while later, once they both had finished their tea, she turned to him, " Why were you staring at me for so long, Arnavji?"

Flustered for some reason, Arnav replied, "Nothing, I was just thinking about something and just drifted off."

"Oh right, and here I was thinking that you had gone into your usual 'observation' mode and I'd become your target for the day."

Startled, Arnav looked at her, realising that she'd known what he was doing.

Looking back at her sister, who had now joined forces with her husband in teasing Anjali, she smiled. "You know, Arnavji, sometimes it appears to me that Khushi and Akash must've been siblings in some previous birth, considering how alike they think . They're eternal optimists, the both of them. Wherever they look, they see only the good."

Chuckilng on seeing Anjali throwing pillow after pillow at the Jija-Saali duo, Arnav replied, "You're right. I've been telling Akash ever since I could remember, not to take things at face value. To understand the ways of the world, one needs to see what's in peoples' mind, not what comes out of their mouth. But after meeting Khushi, I've realised that he can't hold a candle to her. I'll never be able to understand how someone can see only the good in people!"

"You're right, Arnavji. But it is also true that the pure-hearted ones like Akash and Khushi are the ones who bring joy and colour to this world. They teach the world how to live, and if they weren't there, life would've been bitter and boring. Don't you think?"

Arnav agreed with a grin, "That's true. Khushi, and 'boring'?!"

"And peeple like us, we're meant to keep them safe, draw strength from their love and be there for them whenever they need us, so that such creatures of light do not bow down in front of the heartless world. Right?" She looked back at him, a gentle smile on her face and got up to take the empty cups back to the kitchen.

Arnav realised that until he had taken over as Khushi's protector, Payal had been filling that role beautifully. She had been Khushi's secret-keeper, her support system, the silent pillar of strength in his wife's life. And now, she was doing the same for his brother, being the gentle, but strong, support that the kind-hearted, straight-forward Akash needed in a stone-hearted world.

Coming back, she settled down next to him. As if sensing her eyes on him, Akash looked up from where he'd been laughing away, seated beside Khushi. The wide grin on his face softening to an incredibly tender look, he nodded to Payal, acknowledging her loving gaze, before turning to laugh at something Anjali said.

"It doesn't always have to be fire and storm, love can flow gently, steadily and be just as strong", Arnav thought, as he glanced sideways at the soft smile on Payal's face. Just as it had done for him, the meandering paths of life had led Payal to her soulmate.

Her face suddenly breaking out into a wide grin, she said, "You know, Arnavji, when we were kids, we always used to wish that we get married to brothers, the idea being that, that way, we'll be together always. But then, we would worry that the both of us are such different characters, and where in the world would we find a pair of brothers who would suit us. It is purely due to the almighty's blessings that our childhood dream came true. And it so happened that Khushi and I ended up with such perfect companions, who complement us in ways that we didn't even know was possible. And maybe, our partners had also been waiting for us, albeit unknowingly..."

Returning his sister-in-law's meaningful smile, Arnav Singh Raizada decided that the Raizada brothers were a lucky lot. Incredibly, fate had literally dropped into their lives their perfect partners. In complete accord with eachother, Arnav and Payal went back to their favourite pastime - watching their better-halves.

1. All those who need PMs when I update, please add me to your buddy-list. Or bookmark my Index

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2. Your comments mean the world to me. Thank you!

3. There was a suggestion that I turn this into an FF and post everything in the same thread. Here's why I don't want to do it - these are stand alone incidents, none of which will be referred to in the others.

I have roughly thirty OSs planned and the number keeps increasing daily ( I hope some of you'll be doing a happy-dance after reading this!). Now, some of these OSs have the potential to become SSs. So I don't want to crowd it all into one single thread. It'll just become confusing for me and you to keep track of.

I think it'll be just easier for you to add my index to your bookmarked sites. I'll post the link to every OS in it as soon as I put it up.