Vignettes - 15. Remembering

Hello all!

Here is the fifteenth part.

This one's for my very own exam-girl Siaa, who wanted to see more of Mamiji...

This is an interaction that I too badly wanted to see in IPKKND...well, made it happen in my head and glad that I'm able to share it with you.

Hope you like it...and, as always, looking forward to your feedback.

Btw, Vidya - the 15th Vignette that you were waiting for got pushed back into the next slot :-)

15. Remembering

Manorama found her Bhaanji standing by her bedroom pool, looking up at the sky, slow tears making their way down her cheeks. She had come up to check on Khushi, since it was nearly dinner time and Khushi, contrary to her habit, hadn't come running to invite everyone to dinner with her daily dialogue, "ab toh aayiye... please!"

Being someone who loved food as much as Khushi, she sensed that something must be wrong, if Khushi had forgotten dinner! "Investigation toh karni hi padi..."

Familiar with Khushi's habit of talking to the stars, as everyone in the house, she was about to leave quietly when she heard a song playing softly from the cellphone clutched tight in Khushi's hands.

A rare tender smile on her face, Manorama thought, "Laagat hain, Khusi bitiya apan Amma aur Bauji ko bahut hi miss kar rahi hain."

Hovering by the doorway for a minute, she turned to go back when she heard soft sobs. Jerking back, she strained to listen when she heard the lyrics playing now

She heard Khushi murmur something, ending with an "...Arnavji..."

Suddenly understanding, she took a deep breath and stepped into the room. "Bechaari bachchi. Toh yeh piraablilam hain", she muttered.

Arnav had gone incommunicado for the past day. The business meeting that had originally been scheduled in Manila had been shifted to some other place owing to the typhoon Pablo and all communication lines were down temporarily. This was not a major happening in the Raizada House, where they were used to Arnav going with communicating for days when he was away on his trips.

But Khushi, Manorama knew, was another matter altogether. She had never lived with 'that' Arnav. Her Arnavji was the changed version of the old ASR, and her Arnavji made sure that no matter where he went or how busy he was, he kept his wife posted. After the clearing up of the misunderstanding that had led to their marriage, there had never been a minute in a day when Khushi hadn't known exactly where he was and when she would see him again.

And even before that, Arnav had made sure that she knew, through Anjali atleast, about his whereabouts. The only time he had been not heard of in Khushi's memory was when he had been kidnapped. By the time NK entered the picture, Khushi had figured out what had happened to her husband. She hadn't been without information.

Manorama was the only person in Shanthivan who had seen how Khushi had suffered when he had literally been missing, the few torturous days when Khushi had been separated from her husband in every way. She remembered how her spirited daughter-in-law had wilted, her very soul burning in the agony of being alone.

For all the apparent insensitivity, Manorama Raizada adored her children. And in her dictionary, Arnav and Anjali were her children. After the multitude of misunderstandings and tussles, she had come to accept that Khushi and Payal were indeed the perfect matches for her sons, had given them the position of her own children in her mind and loved them with all her heart. But she couldn't just show it after all the past protests, now could she?

It had helped that the two girls loved and were loved by their husbands beyond life itself. And Khushi had done what had been beyond her dreams, reuniting her estranged son with the family. And it broke her heart to see her child suffering now. Walking up to her daughter-in-law, Manorama called, "Khusi..."

Stiffening suddenly, Khushi hastily wiped her damp cheeks and turned around, her face a composed mask, betrayed only by her reddened eyes. "Ji, Mamiji?"

Leaning forward to brush the bangs way from Khushi's forehead, Manorama smiled, "Don't burry, Khusi bitiya...Arnav bitwa will comes...iss baar kidnapping naahi hain, only conference."

Eyes brimming over as she looked at the kind face before her, Khushi trembled, "Ek din ho gaya Mamiji, unke koi khabar ke bina...hum saans hi nahin le pa rahe hain. Pichle baar..."

Putting her index finger to Khushi's lips, Manorama glared at her, "Shh...Phati saadi! Subh-subh bolo!"

At that, Khushi collapsed against her Mami, hugging her with all her might, conveying all her distress just by the iron grip with which she held on. Gently running her hand through her sobbing bahu's hair, Manorama continued, "Bus, bus, bitiya...Connection naahi mil raha hoga Arnav ko. Milte hi apan biwi ko phone jaroor kerenge. Ab tum aisa shuroo hua toh zara socho Anjali bitiya ki ka haalat ho jaayega?"

Letting her go, Khushi stepped back, murmuring, "Nahin, Mamiji, hum sambhaalenge apne aap ko. Bus aapko dekha toh rok nahin paya, aap hi ek hain jo humein iss sankat mein pehle bhi sahara diye the."

Manorama was about to reply when a soft crooning broke into the silence,

Khushi leapt to answer her phone, her voice breaking as she yelled, "Arnavji..."

Smiling, Manorama stood for a moment, taking in the scene before her, Khushi's sobs as she cried her worry and indignation at being left alone, and her nephew's voice flowing across even to her, as he apologised for not being able to call.

Unaware of her Mamiji having left the room, Khushi was holding the phone as close to her ear as possible, as if that would bring her closer to her husband, as he soothed her from thousands of miles away, "I'm fine Khushi, koi danger nahin hain yahan. Only the communication networks were down...Rona band karo, please...Mujhse suna nahin jaata, Khushi, please stop crying...I'm flying back today itself, I wrapped up the meeting...Khushi, please say something..."

Her sobs subsiding, Khushi whispered, "Aapse door hum pehle bhi reh chuke hain, Arnavji...aur tab bhi hum saans nahin le pa rahe the...Devi Maiyya ka lakh lakh shukar hain ki aap theek hain...jaldi aayiye, humare paas."

His breath catching as he realised that she had just lived through the hell that she had been in when he had been kidnapped, Arnav murmured, "I'm here, Khushi, tumhein chodke main kahan jaaoonga? I'll be next to you in a few hours, dearheart...please don't wear yourself out...I'm right here..."

Drawing a deep breath, Khushi replied, "Hum bhi aapko kahi jaane nahin denge, humse door, humare bina. Swarg ya narak, aapko humein bhi saath leke jaana hoga! Suna aap? Koi bhi meeting ho, humein bhi le jaana hoga!"

Smiling faintly, her husband promised, "Pakka! The next time onwards, you'll accompany me when I go abroad. Tumhare bina kahin nahi jaaoonga...ab khush?"

"Ji...kab tak aayenge aap?"

"I'm leaving for the airport as we speak. I'll be there in five hours tops, Khushi...Mere ghar aane se pehle sona mat. I want to see your face first when I reach."

"Haun! Aapke bina hum sote hain kya bhala? Ajeeb ajeeb batein karte hain aap!"

Hearing his wife's voice returning back to her usual chatter-mode, Arnav heaved a sigh of relief, albeit feeling guilty at having put her through so much agony. Continuing their small talk, he made his way to the taxi waiting for him, unaware of the plan cooking up in his Sanki wife's head.

********************

A while later, Khushi ran downstairs, yelling out the news that Arnavji was returning and rushing into the kitchen to make his favourite dinner, unmindful of the lateness of the hour. Dinner ka time nikal gya toh kya hua, breakfast mein khaa saktein hain naah, as she told her amused Jiji.

Watching her bustling around, the family sat content, relieved to see her back to normal. Nani sending a quick look at her daughter-in-law, who now sat, an unusually tender look on her face as she too watched her phati-saadi flying about like the butterfly that she was.

Ignoring her Di's protests, Khushi sent everyone up to bed, promising to wake them when her Arnavji reached home, before stepping out to walk to Mohan's cottage, to update him about her husband's arrival.

********************

Smiling his thanks at the airhostess, Arnav walked out carrying the files he had been studying and his laptop case, hurrying ahead to reach home as soon as possible, instructing his loyal Aman to collect his bags.

Nearing the exit, he gazed up only to come to a stop as he took in the sight before him.

As for Arnav Singh Raizada's retinue, they got the shock of their lives as their boss, the ASR, dropped his luggage at the exit and ran, to lift his wife up in his arms and twirl her once before crushing her to him in a bear-hug. The many 'sorrys' that he whispered and the answering murmurs not heard by anyone but the couple now wrapped up in eachother's arms.

Here is the fifteenth part.

This one's for my very own exam-girl Siaa, who wanted to see more of Mamiji...

This is an interaction that I too badly wanted to see in IPKKND...well, made it happen in my head and glad that I'm able to share it with you.

Hope you like it...and, as always, looking forward to your feedback.

Btw, Vidya - the 15th Vignette that you were waiting for got pushed back into the next slot :-)

15. Remembering

Manorama found her Bhaanji standing by her bedroom pool, looking up at the sky, slow tears making their way down her cheeks. She had come up to check on Khushi, since it was nearly dinner time and Khushi, contrary to her habit, hadn't come running to invite everyone to dinner with her daily dialogue, "come on now... please!"

Being someone who loved food as much as Khushi, she sensed that something must be wrong, if Khushi had forgotten dinner! "Investigation has to be done..."

Familiar with Khushi's habit of talking to the stars, as everyone in the house, she was about to leave quietly when she heard a song playing softly from the cellphone clutched tight in Khushi's hands.

A rare tender smile on her face, Manorama thought, "Looks like Khusi bitiya is missing her Amma and Bauji a lot today."

Hovering by the doorway for a minute, she turned to go back when she heard soft sobs. Jerking back, she strained to listen when she heard the lyrics playing now

She heard Khushi murmur something, ending with an "...Arnavji..."

Suddenly understanding, she took a deep breath and stepped into the room. "Poor thing. So this is the piraablilam", she muttered.

Arnav had gone incommunicado for the past day. The business meeting that had originally been scheduled in Manila had been shifted to some other place owing to the typhoon Pablo and all communication lines were down temporarily. This was not a major happening in the Raizada House, where they were used to Arnav going with communicating for days when he was away on his trips.

But Khushi, Manorama knew, was another matter altogether. She had never lived with 'that' Arnav. Her Arnavji was the changed version of the old ASR, and her Arnavji made sure that no matter where he went or how busy he was, he kept his wife posted. After the clearing up of the misunderstanding that had led to their marriage, there had never been a minute in a day when Khushi hadn't known exactly where he was and when she would see him again.

And even before that, Arnav had made sure that she knew, through Anjali atleast, about his whereabouts. The only time he had been not heard of in Khushi's memory was when he had been kidnapped. By the time NK entered the picture, Khushi had figured out what had happened to her husband. She hadn't been without information.

Manorama was the only person in Shanthivan who had seen how Khushi had suffered when he had literally been missing, the few torturous days when Khushi had been separated from her husband in every way. She remembered how her spirited daughter-in-law had wilted, her very soul burning in the agony of being alone.

For all the apparent insensitivity, Manorama Raizada adored her children. And in her dictionary, Arnav and Anjali were her children. After the multitude of misunderstandings and tussles, she had come to accept that Khushi and Payal were indeed the perfect matches for her sons, had given them the position of her own children in her mind and loved them with all her heart. But she couldn't just show it after all the past protests, now could she?

It had helped that the two girls loved and were loved by their husbands beyond life itself. And Khushi had done what had been beyond her dreams, reuniting her estranged son with the family. And it broke her heart to see her child suffering now. Walking up to her daughter-in-law, Manorama called, "Khusi..."

Stiffening suddenly, Khushi hastily wiped her damp cheeks and turned around, her face a composed mask, betrayed only by her reddened eyes. "Ji, Mamiji?"

Leaning forward to brush the bangs way from Khushi's forehead, Manorama smiled, "Don't burry, Khusi bitiya...Arnav bitwa will comes...no kidnapping this time, only conference."

Eyes brimming over as she looked at the kind face before her, Khushi trembled, "It has been one whole day, Mamiji,without any news...I'm not able to breathe... Lasst time..."

Putting her index finger to Khushi's lips, Manorama glared at her, "Shh...Phati saadi! Think good thoughts!"

At that, Khushi collapsed against her Mami, hugging her with all her might, conveying all her distress just by the iron grip with which she held on. Gently running her hand through her sobbing bahu's hair, Manorama continued, "Bus, bus, bitiya...Arnav might not have any connectivity there. He will call his wife once he gets it. If you start like this, what will happen to Anjali bitiya?"

Letting her go, Khushi stepped back, murmuring, "No, Mamiji, I'll handle myself. Couldn't control myself when I saw you...you were the only one by my side when Arnavji..."

Manorama was about to reply when a soft crooning broke into the silence,

Khushi leapt to answer her phone, her voice breaking as she yelled, "Arnavji..."

Smiling, Manorama stood for a moment, taking in the scene before her, Khushi's sobs as she cried her worry and indignation at being left alone, and her nephew's voice flowing across even to her, as he apologised for not being able to call.

Unaware of her Mamiji having left the room, Khushi was holding the phone as close to her ear as possible, as if that would bring her closer to her husband, as he soothed her from thousands of miles away, "I'm fine Khushi, there's no danger here. Only the communication networks were down...Please stop crying, please...I can't bear it when you cry, Khushi, please stop...I'm flying back today itself, I wrapped up the meeting...Khushi, please say something..."

Her sobs subsiding, Khushi whispered, "I've been away from you once before, Arnavji...then too, I was not even able to breathe...Devi Maiyya ka lakh lakh shukar hain you're alright...come to me soon."

His breath catching as he realised that she had just lived through the hell that she had been in when he had been kidnapped, Arnav murmured, "I'm here, Khushi, where'll I be without you? I'll be next to you in a few hours, dearheart...please don't wear yourself out...I'm right here..."

Drawing a deep breath, Khushi replied, "I'll not let you go anywhere without me, away from me. Heaven or hell, you'll have to take me along! Did you hear? Whatever meeting, wherever it is, I'll come along!"

Smiling faintly, her husband promised, "Pakka! The next time onwards, you'll accompany me when I go abroad. I won't leave you behind...happy now?"

"Ji...when'll you reach?"

"I'm leaving for the airport as we speak. I'll be there in five hours tops, Khushi...Don't sleep off before I reach. I want to see your face first when I reach."

"Haun! Do I ever do that? Sleep without you reaching? At times, you say the weirdest things, Arnavji!"

Hearing his wife's voice returning back to her usual chatter-mode, Arnav heaved a sigh of relief, albeit feeling guilty at having put her through so much agony. Continuing their small talk, he made his way to the taxi waiting for him, unaware of the plan cooking up in his Sanki wife's head.

********************

A while later, Khushi ran downstairs, yelling out the news that Arnavji was returning and rushing into the kitchen to make his favourite dinner, unmindful of the lateness of the hour. Dinner ka time nikal gya toh kya hua, breakfast mein khaa saktein hain naah, as she told her amused Jiji.

Watching her bustling around, the family sat content, relieved to see her back to normal. Nani sending a quick look at her daughter-in-law, who now sat, an unusually tender look on her face as she too watched her phati-saadi flying about like the butterfly that she was.

Ignoring her Di's protests, Khushi sent everyone up to bed, promising to wake them when her Arnavji reached home, before stepping out to walk to Mohan's cottage, to update him about her husband's arrival.

********************

Smiling his thanks at the airhostess, Arnav walked out carrying the files he had been studying and his laptop case, hurrying ahead to reach home as soon as possible, instructing his loyal Aman to collect his bags.

Nearing the exit, he gazed up only to come to a stop as he took in the sight before him.

As for Arnav Singh Raizada's retinue, they got the shock of their lives as their boss, the ASR, dropped his luggage at the exit and ran, to lift his wife up in his arms and twirl her once before crushing her to him in a bear-hug. The many 'sorrys' that he whispered and the answering murmurs not heard by anyone but the couple now wrapped up in eachother's arms.