Happy New Year everyone!!! 😃
Hope everyone had a good Xmas/New Year. Well normal life must resume eventually (though I wish the holidays would go on forever! 😆 ) and I'm finally back with my ff. I do hope it's worth the wait!!!
Chapter 20 – A Special Performance
Kaajjal stood and anxiously stared at her reflection in the mirror. An uncharateristic wave of nervousness was troubling her and as she listened to the uproar in the corridor outside she wrung her hands fretfully. She was standing in a small dressing room used by the drama society of the school. It was located down a small tunnel-like corridor that led directly from the stage in the great hall, and this meant that from where she stood she could hear Mr Tejwani's voice booming out through the microphone overhead. It was rather disconcerting listening to his words echo off the walls like the beat of a drum and she felt it was making her nerves worse.
Just then a knock came to the door and looking round she saw it open a crack. She had an idea that it might be one of the stage co-ordinaters, coming to inform her that she was wanted above, and this thought sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. Her relief when Dev popped his head round the door was immense. Instantly her face brightened, her eyes sparkling like a ray of sunshine, and she greeted her husband with a warm smile.
"Dev, tum yahan par?" she asked.
"Hmm," he replied, nodding his head. "I have brought your lucky charms."
"Lucky charms?" she repeated, frowning in bafflement.
Dev pushed the door further open and wheeled a double pushchair into the small dressing room. Seeing the twins nestled inside Kaajjal suddenly divined his meaning and she looked up at him with a joyful smile.
"Dev, you brought Arjun and Naina?" she exclaimed.
"Of course," he answered. "They have come to wish Mama all the best for her performance."
"Dev," she sighed, suddenly overwhelmed. "Thank you."
"Oh don't thank me," he replied with a grin. "They simply insisted on coming, didn't you my angels?" he asked, bending down and tickling their feet. They both giggled, a sound which always filled Kaajjal's heart with warmth.
Walking over to them she bent down, and forgetting that she was dressed in an expensive sari, she lifted Arjun into her arms. As she gazed into his chubby face she realised that she was no longer feeling anxious. The sight of her children had chased away all her fears and now she felt ready to face anything the world had to throw at her.
"Dev," she said, turning to him. "I hope I don't let Mr Tejwani down. This is such a big event for him - celebrating the 75th anniversary of the school. I feel honoured that he asked me to lead a musical performance with the children, but we've only had two weeks to practice. Do you think they will remember everything?"
Dev smiled fondy at her, finding the anxious furrow of her brow and pout of her lips incredibly sweet. It meant a lot to him that she sought his reassurance and he marvelled at why, when she was so much more clever and talented than he was, she always turned to him for guidance.
"Of course they will Kaajjal," he assured her, threading his fingers through her hair. "How many hours of practice did you put in? Day and night you were rehearsing with them, right? No one could have shown more dedication than you and I have full faith in your capability. Believe me Kaajjal, sab thik ho jaaye. You just wait and watch – you will bring the house down."
As he said this he looked earnestly into her eyes and as she gazed back at him she was astounded by his confidence in her. Every time she was weak he would come along and make her strong again. Looking at him now she wondered what she would do if it were not for his love. It was he who had persuaded her to participate in the anniversary celebrations. When Mr Tejwani had first asked her to lead the children in a musical performance she had been unwilling to accept. It had been months since she last taught music and she really had felt she would not be able to go back to it again; her mind was so wholly occupied with caring for the twins and being a wife and mother, that she believed she had forgotten how to teach. Dev, however, had taken her to one side and told her that she had to do it, if not for Mr Tejwani and the children then for him. How could she have refused him when he beseeched her like that? There was nothing she would not do for him and without wasting a minute she had agreed to teach the children a piece for the show.
"You believe in me that much?" she asked in wonder.
"No," he replied.
She frowned at him in confusion, alarmed by his words. Smiling he bent and lifted Naina into his arms, before turning back to Kaajjal.
"Not me," he said to her. "We."
Emotional tears welled up in her eyes and her throat was suddenly choked by a lump, preventing her from uttering a single word.
"Just remember Kaajjal," Dev continued, "There will be three of us out there in the crowd cheering you on. Whenever you feel anxious just look at us and you will know we are with you."
"Dev," she sobbed, her eyes clouded by tears.
His kissed her forehead tenderly, his lips brushing lightly against her skin. When she looked up at him again her eyes shone with love for him, and though she could not speak for the lump of emotion in her throat, that glow conveyed her gratitude to him. They were still standing gazing at one another when the co-ordinater arrived and told Kaajjal to come to the stage immediately. Shaking herself out of her trance she bent her head and kissed Arjun's cheek before placing him back in his pram. She then turned and kissed Naina before smoothing down her pallu and checking her reflection in the mirror one final time.
"Okay, I am ready," she announced.
"We'll be watching you," Dev told her.
She nodded and took a deep breath, pushing all her nervousness to the back of her mind. As she left the room and made her way down the darkly lit corridor she felt a renewed confidence in herself that five minutes before she would have thought impossible. She took her place behind the curtain, chasing the children into lines as on the other side Mr Tejwani announced their act. With one last word of encouragement, Kaajjal sat on her stool and took up her guitar, ready for the curtain to rise. When it did she looked out across the sea of faces, searching for one in particular. Dev was seated in the front row, the twins with him, and the moment her eyes alighted on them she felt all her tension ebb away. Smiling she began to play and the children sang the two songs they had rehearsed beautifully. Everyone in the audience swayed their heads back and forth and at the end of the performance they all rose to their feet in a crescendo of clapping. Kaajjal's cheeks were flaming from the riotous response and a happy smile beamed from her lips.
"Well done everyone," she addressed the children. "You were all brilliant."
"Mrs Kaajjal now you sing!" they all chorused.
Her heart lurched in horror and her eyes flew wide open as she stared back at them in disbelief.
"Me?" she cried. "Arre nahin! I can't do that!"
"Please! Sing nah?" they all chorused.
"Yes please Mrs Singh, we have all heard about your lovely voice," someone in the crowd shouted.
Before she knew what was happening a chant was resounding about the hall, everyone urging her to sing a song. She froze in terror, her face pale and eyes haunted, looking all around her in bewilderment. How can I sing in front of all these people, she wondered? It's impossible; I just can't do it. Just then her eyes met Dev's and the encouraging way in which he looked at her pained her stricken heart. I'm sorry Dev, she thought, but I cannot do it.
"Arre yeh sab kya?" she cried at the children. "I can't sing just like that! Chalo, let's leave the stage."
She turned to go and seeing this Dev's heart missed a sorrowful beat. He could not stand the hostility of the crowd, who were now beginning to becoming irate, demanding to know why she was leaving without performing. He knew he had to do something to rescue her, but what?....
What will Dev do??? I hope I've left you all in supsense. If any of you think you have the answer be sure to say. 😉 😛
Thanks for reading guys and please do comment on what you thought.
Anu
Cricket
Anupamaa
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
