Ila wakes up to sounds of clattering and sweeping. She gets up dazedly and looks around her. Amrit and Bua are busy cleaning the courtyard. Amrit sees her and asks, "Samdhan ji, hamne aapki neend toh kharaab nahin ki?"
Ila: Nahin nahin….it's all right….lekin aap log aaj subah-subah itni safai kyun kar rahe hain? Koi mehmaan aane wale hai kya?
Bua: Arre….aapko yaad nahin? Aaj Diwali hai! (comes forward and gives her a big jhappi) Diwali mubarak!
Ila: (taken aback but pleased) Aapko bhi! Main toh bhool hi gayi thi……aur iss baar ki Diwali toh bahut special hai…..pehli baar Jassi hamare saath hai…
Bua: Haan! Aur issliye hum poori tayari karenge! Abhi poore ghsr ki safai hogi, phir shaam ki liye mithai banegi, aur raat ko Lakshmi puja.
Beauty: (coming in) Aur iske baad……hum sab patakhe chalayenge!
Ila: Zaroor! Main thodi der mein aa kar aapki madad karti hoon.
She meets Angel by the tubewell and gives her a hug. "Happy Diwali beta!"
Angel: (sourly) What Happy Diwali mom! Itne time baad main India aayi, mujhe laga tha ki hum ek grand Diwali party rakhenge…par ab yahaan goan mein…what kind of fun can we expect?
Ila: Be a sport, beta! Hum pehli baar gaon ki Diwali dekh rahe hain….ho sakta hai, yeh style hame pasand aa jaye?
Angel looks doubtful. Ila presses her shoulder reassuringly and moves to get her water.
Armaan is looking impatiently around for Jassi. He wanders into the kitchen where she is rolling out ladoos. He sneaks in and grabs her from behind. "Happy Diwali sweetheart!"
Jassi: (smiling happily) Tumhe bhi Armaan!
Armu: (touching her stomach) Aur aapko bhi, mister….ya miss?
She giggles; he draws her closer and kisses her cheek. Then he sees the ladoos.
Armu: Jassi tum yeh kaam kyun kar rahi ho? Tumhe toh aaraam karna chahiye!
Jassi: Come on Armaan! Main kuch na karke bore ho gayi hoon! Aur main kaunsa koi safai kar rahi hoon…..sirf laddo hi toh banaa rahi hoon! Aakhir tumhare saath meri yeh pehli Diwali hai…..kuch toh mujhe bhi karna chahiye na!
Armu: (pouting) Theek hai….lekin mujhe ek ladoo taste toh karne do!
He reaches towards the thali, but she slaps his hand away. "Abhi nahin! Raat ko, Lakshmi puja ke baad!"
At night everybody gathers to do Lakshmi puja. While Jassi performs the puja, Armaan watches her with an entranced look. For once, everyone is in a good mood and bonded together like one big family.
Ila is thinking, "He Lakshmi mata…..main toh chahti thi ki hamari pehli Lakshmi puja, hamare apne ghar mein hi ho…..lekin koi baat nahin, yahaan bhi hum bahut khush hai….aur jahaan hamare ghar ki lakshmi Jassi hai, wahin hamara ghar hai! Bas ab aap hum sabko khush rakhna, aur jaldi se, ek pyara-sa grandchild dena…aur mata, please Angel ke liye koi achcha ladka dhundoo na!"
She catches sight of Chaman eyeing an indifferent Angel, and suppresses a smile.
Angel is trying to pray. "Umm……hello Lakshmi ji. Sorry….mujhe iss sab ki aadat nahin hai….but could you do me a favour? Hame waapas Mumbai jaldi pahuncha do—yahaan rehna bahut mushkil hai—aur please mujhe ek aisa handsome hunk do mujhe kabhi chod kar naa jaye, aur jisse main kabhi bore na ho saku! And….agar wo millionaire ho toh aur bhi achcha1"
Meanwhile the smitten Chaman is praying, "Lakshmi ji…aap toh ji, sab jaante ho…..toh mere mann ki baat bhi aapko pata hogi….bas jaldi-se-jaldi maamla fit karaa do!"
Everyone is praying for the well-being of their family and friends. And Armaan? He is thinking, "Lakshmi ji…..*sigh* aapse main kya maangu…..pichle saal meri Diwali mein andhera hi andhera tha…..aur iss baar, meri Jassi ke aane se zindagi in diyon ki tarah roshan ho gayi hai! Aap meri Jassi ko hamesha aise hi khush rakhna, aur hamari Vedika aur aane wale baby ko achcha future dena….aur mujhe meri Jassi se kabhi alag mat karna!"
When Jassi finishes the puja, she goes around distributing prasad to everyone. When she reaches Armaan, he keeps staring at her lost, till she makes a mock grimace. Amidst the others' teasing laughter, he comes back to earth and holds out his hand. She smilingly places a ladoo in them.
While Beauty and Amrit go around lighting diyas all over the house, Armaana and Jassi stand arm-in-arm, gazing at the beautiful sight before them. Jassi sighs, "Hamari pehli Diwali, Armaan! Aaj duniya kitni khoosurat lag rahi hai na?"
Armu: Haan Jassi…aakhir aasmaan ke saare taare, zameen ne maang liye hai…taaki tumhe yeh khoosurat nazara dikha sake!
Finally, it is time for fireworks. Chaman and Nandu hang around Vedika, supervising her play with the phuljhadis…much to Meghna's annoyance because she wants the child to herself. Angel hesitantly lights an anar, and gasps in delight as it sends shimmering sparks into the night air. Puru and Ila gamely join in, pulling a protesting Amrit with them. Bebe and Bua giggle as they light a chakri. Billu jumps when someone sets off a cracker a little close to him. Beauty sets off a rocket that emits a shower of lights up in the sky.
And JandA? They are sitting next to the rangoli Beauty has made, Jassi's hand in Armaan's, lighting sparklers together. The lights around them shimmer and dance, enveloping them in a benevolent haze. They look like stars escaped from the sky to enjoy one night of earthly joys. Oblivious to the world, they are complete.❤️❤️❤️
Tomorrow: Meghna visits the pir baba.
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