While a gleeful Chaman is leading driving home a now blushing😉 Angel, Armaan is reading a book called "Caring for Expectant Mothers". He heaves a huge sigh as he puts it down.
Armu: (wide-eyed) Isme toh likha hai ki expectng mothers ko do logon ke liye khaana chahiye…… (frowning) mujhe nahin lagta ki Jassi theek tareeke se khaa rahi hai….uski diet improve karni hogi…….uske liye koi special dish serve karni chahiye…..
He wanders restlessly into the kitchen, where Bua is tidying the shelves. She smiles, "Kya lega beta? Maine thodi der pehli hi thandi-thandi lassi banayi hai…."
Armu: (perplexed) Buaji, mujhe lassi ki nahin, Jassi ki chinta hai…..main uske liye kuch banana chahta hun…
Bua stares at him in astonishment. "Tu….tu Jassi ke liye kuch banayega..??"
Armu: (pouting slightly) Kyun Buaji? Kya main apni Jassi ke liye itna bhi nahi kar sakta?
Bua is beaming with delight and takes his 'balayein' (warding off the evil eye….exactly what Apu did with Mona on the SBS Secretary Special episode😳). Then she creases her forehead and thinks. Armu shuffles around, moving things here and there, aimlessly, looking quizzically at Bua.
AT last, Bua looks at him and grins. "Armaan, tu Jassi ke liye atte ke laddoo kyun nahin banata? Usse pasand bhi hai aur uski khurak bhi poori ho jayegi!"
Armu: Atte ke laddoo?
Bua: Haan…bachpan mein Jassi teen-teen kha jaaya karti thi…..ab tumhare Mumbai mein toh aise khaalis desi ghee ke laddoo kahaan milte hoge…..agar tu waise laddoo usse banaa ke khila de toh wo tere haath choomti reh jayegi! 😉(nudges him naughtily.)
Armu: (blushing and grinning) Really Buaji? (takes her hands pleadingly) Toh aap meri help karogi na?
Bua: Isme koi poochne wali baat hai?
They set to work, Armu diligently learning how to sift the flour, roast it, knead it, roll it…in short, he undergoes a short culinary lesson.😛
At last the laddoos are ready. Armu takes a delighted sniff at them. "Buaji, khusboo toh achchi hai!"
Bua: Arre, bane bhi achche hai….aakhir toone itne pyaar se jo banaye hai! Ja, jake Jassi ko khila yeh laddoo……
She gives him a plateful and nudges him out. He stealthily walks to his room and sees Jassi sitting on a chair knitting something for the baby, her back to him.
Armu thinks, "Jassi, pata nahin meri cooking kaisi hai…lekin mera pyaar bilkul sachcha hai….i hope yeh laddoo tumhe achche lage…!"😳
Amrit comes into the kitchen to see Bua grinning from ear to ear. She sees the ghee left over in the kadhai and asks, "Kya baat hai behnji…bade pakvaan bana rahe ho….aakhir kya banaya hai itna ghee daal ke?"
Bua: Maine nahin, aapke daamaad ne banaye hai…..atte ke laddoo….Jassi ke liye!
Amrit: Armaan ne….Jassi ke liye laddoo banaye….?
Bua: Yakeen nahin hota na?! Maine madad ki uski…..bechara soch raha tha ki Jassi ki khuraak poori karne ke liye kuch nayi cheez ho….hai, Babaji aisa daamaad sabko de!
Amrit puts her hand to her forehead. "Behnji, aap bhi na! Aapko pata nahin…pichli kayi dino se Jassi ka ji machal raha hai…usse toh roti-sabzi bhi theek se nahin khaayi ja rahi….sirf khatta khana chahti hai….main toh uski sabzi mein bhi imli daalti hun, jisse ki wo usse kha sake……meethi cheez toh wo dekhegi hi nahin….aur aapne laddoo……"
Bua's dismay matches Amrit's. She sits down quite suddenly.
"Iska matlab hai…..Armaan ki saari mehnat bekaar gayi?"
Tomorrow: Armaan shows Jassi the laddoos
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
