FF - A Little Space, Epilogue page 44 - Page 13

I don't assume things, you very categorically had stated that with a mutually agreeable amount you are willing to settle the issue……here the amount means 'Money' as I understand…..

Riya suddenly started crying…Bani's attention was diverted, she picked up Riya and patted her…..Jai Walia waited for sometime and then went out…..

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Bani watched Aditya playing with Riya, every morning he came to her room, stood outside till Bani handed over Riya to him….he took Riya for a walk in the garden, with the help of Dadi fed her, Dadi tried to ask Bani a few personal question like what Jai Walia had asked but Bani avoided somehow….the only person in the house who was yet to come around is Jigyasa, Ranveer's mother. She watched the baby from a distance and when Bani came eye to eye with her she looked away with a big frown on her face….

Once or twice Bani tried to strike a conversation with her, but Jigyasa walked away….

After three days or so Bani got bored, she always had a busy routine, a lot of work and now suddenly everything seemed to have diminished……

Seeing Riya under Dadi and Aditya's care, Bani took leave for sometime after Jai left for office…..

Aditya offered her to take a car but Bani excused, she walked out of the gates of Walia Mansion and gave a huge sigh of relief, freedom at last…..she walked around the area, mainly posh houses, a lot of cars going up and down the road but very few people on foot, Bani walked along for sometime, then she came across a small shop named 'World of Books' it looked cute specially with the Mall culture coming into vogue…..Bani walked in tentatively pushing the door open….it was delightfully decorated with various gift objects and books….Bani looked around, she saw that all books were not new, is it a 2^nd hand book shop she wondered…..

Yes may I help you……asked a voice from behind

Bani turned to watch an elderly parsi lady standing with spectacles on her nose …Well I am just having a look…..

Well my dear, you may have a look but incase you want to read or borrow any book you have to become a member….

A member….

Yes this is because this is a private library, run by me with all the books I collected over the years…..

How wonderful….Bani exclaimed….

It is isn't it but today's generation do not like books much, I am making whatever efforts to keep the habit alive…..

Can you enroll me please….

Yes this way please….

She was given a form, Bani quickly filled in her name, the address and her telephone no…when she handed over the form, the lady looked into it….

Bani Dixit, she read….you don't stay in this locality Bani……

Bani realized her mistake but it was too late to rectify it…..Errrr well I will be staying in this locality for next few months, actually the address mentioned is my permanent address but here I am staying temporarily…..

The lady hesitated….Bani I would like to inform you that my shop is mainly for this locality, I mean I do have quite a few members outside this locality but they have been members for quite sometime, I know them….you see some people tend to forget to return the books on time, hence this rule…..

Bani smiled, well I will not force you to make me one but ……

No no I want you to become one, you said you will be staying in this locality for next few months…..

Yes yes….

How many months?

Well I do not know exactly, I am presently helping a friend here, to overcome a personal tragedy….you know…..

Oh that is a very kind of you….o.k. lets do it this way…you mention the house you are staying in, and then once you are regular I have no objection in keeping you as a member even if you move out……

I do not know the exact address but it is the house down this road, Walia Mansion

Oh Jai's house, yes they have faced a huge tragedy recently…….Ok the house is more or less known by me…..

Bani quickly handed over the amount required to become a member….The lady put the money away….asked Bani to choose her books, 3 at a time my dear…..

Bani went through the shelves and picked her choice, after paying the hiring charges as she was leaving she saw her name hanging welcoming her as the new member….

Mrs Boman, thank you for welcoming me but kindly remove my name….I just don't feel comfortable having it up….

Why darling, I have been doing it for so many years…..

I know but you see I am visiting and under the circumstances…….

Oh yes, I know some people have wagging tongues will say that instead of helping she is having a nice time…..

Exactly….

Bani stood till Mrs Boman removed her name….

She walked back to Walia Mansion, god she has spent more time than she intended and it was nearly Riya's feed time, she will start shouting if it is not given to her in time, Bani took long steps, literally ran, as she walked into the house she met Tony, asked about Riya…..

Dadi ke saath thi…..

Bani walked into Dadi's room, Dadi was sleeping and Riya was not there,

Bani came out, Aditya was coming down the stairs…..Riya kaha hai….

Ma ke sath thi…..

Udhar nehi hai….

Nehi hai, keya matlab nehi hai, kaha jayegi…..Aditya retorted….

Bani ran again back to Dadi's room…woke Dadi up but then Dadi too appeared clueless…..

Bani's legs refused to carry her….

Bani flopped on the sofa on Dadi's room and became numb….she has lost the baby….how will she face Pia now…..

She lost track of time but she heard voices in the next room……a little later Jai Walia walked in….

Where have you been Pia……he asked……

I went for a walk Bani replied automatically…..

Are you sure you went for a walk….Jai asked

Bani looked upto him shocked….what do you mean, she asked instead…..

Do I have to spell it out….He asked instead…..

Bani looked at him in horror…..this is real pathetic, I demand an apology….how could you ever think…..

Just then Jigyasa walked in carrying Riya…….

Idhar itna commotion kis baath ki…….She asked calmly….seeing Riya, Bani lost her cool, she snatched Riya a bit too roughly from Jigyasa and hugged her tightly…..

Tum Riya ko lekar gayi thi, she heard Aditya's voice screaming behind…..

Ha toh? Jigyasa asked….what is wrong in that…..

Nothing is wrong only you should have informed someone before taking her out…we were searching for her…..

I am her grandmother have I no right over her…..

The question is not of right Didi, it is just that the baby was missing and Pia became worried…..

Worried my foot, dramabaazi kar rahi hai, she went for a walk, maaji was sleeping the baby was awake….to maine uthake le giya thora ghumane….now it has become my fault is it….aur look at that girl, crocodile tears….if she had any feeling for my son, aaj yeh naubat na ati…..mere bete ko kha gayi and now she wants us to feel guilty for wanting Riya to be with us does she……

Bani slowly walked out to the garden, she did not have the intention of snatching Riya from Jigyasa but she was so relieved to see her, she did not realize her action….Bani sat on the bench and looked at Riya…she was sucking her fingers, giving Bani her toothless smiles…Bani had no idea why she reacted the way she did, has she become so attached to Riya that she is putting up with Pia's nonsense, her false identity and of course her thriving career has also been shelved….she felt helpless, tears rolled down her eyes….more than Pia she was feeling angry with herself, stuck in a false identity, in a false marriage and sticky situation all because she fell in love with this baby, this child, Bani whimpered holding Riya to her chest…..

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Jai Walia stood watching Bani at a distance, Aditya and Jigyasa were still having a verbal dual and soon Jigyasa was crying over her lost son and Aditya was consoling her, Jai Walia walked out to the garden….

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Bani composed herself, wiped her tears, yes her action towards Jigyasa was a bit rude, after all she is the mother of Ranveer and grandmother of Riya having lost her son, she is not supposed making the sanest of actions….as she was about to get up she saw Jai Walia coming and standing in front of her…..

Bani averted her eyes, clenching her jaws, this man had accused her a little while ago of setting up Riya's disappearance plan…..

I am sorry….he said softly, for the first time since she knew him, she heard this tone…..

Bani turned her face away, holding Riya tightly she wanted to walk past him, why suddenly this show of concern…..

He caught hold of her, I mean it, I was harsh on you and which is wrong, I will ensure that incidents like these never happen again…..his palms were warm, his eyes sincere….Bani looked at him briefly and sighed before freeing herself and going towards the house….

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The dinner was bad, Bani had made it a point to have dinner in the dining hall alongwith Riya so that Dadi and Aditya could play with the kid sometime more. Today as usual Jai Walia was not there for dinner, Aditya was trying to be his normal self and dadi quiet…Bani heard she had a big fight with Jigyasa over the issue where Jigyasa had accused her, what will you know how is it to lose a son, aapka toh samne khara hai hatta katta…..

When Bani finished her dinner, Aditya handed over Riya to her……

Pia I hope you will forgive Jigyasa, you know what she has been through…..

It is ok Aditya uncle, I mean Adityaji Mr Walia has already apologized on your behalf….Bani replied softly…..

Aditya gave a sad smile, I do not know whether I have the right or not but I will feel nice if you will call me Uncle, maybe if Ranveer was alive, he would have convinced you to marry him and things would have been different…..

Bani felt guilty, she cursed Pia, she hated playing with emotions, she picked up Riya and went towards her room, on the way she came face to face with Jigyasa, who turned her face away on seeing her but Bani saw under her anger, Jigyasa was trying to hide her hurt too….

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