FF - A Little Space, Epilogue page 44 - Page 18

Your are very good at writing MB type stories also.Be it MB or a story with social msg. a person should have the knack to pull it out and youa re extremely good at it. I am sorry Though I am never miss to read your updates yet I fail to leave comments regularly.

Your are very good at writing MB type stories also.Be it MB or a story with social msg. a person should have the knack to pull it out and youa re extremely good at it. I am sorry Though I am avid reader of all your FF's and never miss to read your updates yet I fail to leave comments regularly. So pardon me for that .

In the night when Jai retired, he looked towards the window, the curtains were open but the lights were off, so she has gone to bed….

Jai took out the photographs once again, Pia before and after the birth of Riya, sitting on his bed with his bedside lamp on, he studied the same carefully…..

++++

In the morning when Bani got up to take down Riya for breakfast time, she was surprised to see the flurry of activities going around, the house was being cleaned and dusted, well it is always spick and span but what struck Bani was Jigyasa was supervising the same, who does not getup before 11 o'clock herself in sari, the whole space smelling of incense stick, with fresh flowers being put around, Aditya uncle no where to be seen….

Dadi was sitting in one corner watching the activities….keya baath hai Dadi, what is going on….

Ghar ka malkin a rahi hai….

Bani frowned, Ghar ka malkin ?

Ha Jai aur Jigyasa ke dadi…..

DADI? Unke dadi bhi hai, I mean how old is she……

Kiyu Ranveer ne nehi kaha tha tujhse….kuch jaidahi pasand karti thi Ranveer ko…..har mahina jata tha unse milne…..

That close, Bani thought…..kaha hoga Dadi, lekin jab aap fly karte ho, mera schedule thora eractic thi, raat ko fly karna, din ko sona, sometimes you don't register or remember certain things then…..

How much Dadi understood Bani was not clear but then Dadi smiled….hmmmm…85 saal ki hai, dekhar lagta hai 60 saal se ek din jaida nehi, ashram chalati hai, haridwar ke ageh, keya jagah ka naam hai pata nehi, yaad nehi rehta, jab ati hai na, saab ko hila ke rakh deti hai…..

Hmmm Bani swallowed…..

Ja ja tu bhi naha dho kar taiyyar ho le…..aur apna mangalsutra bhi pahen lena……

Ji matlab mai, keya unke samne ayungi…..

Ayegi nehi to jayegi kaha, abh ayi hai, kitna din rahegi keya pata, ana jana unke apni marji se hota hai, dekhna aaj subah 4 baje phone karke bolti hai, mere train 3 ghanta me pahuche gi mujhe station me lene ana…..Abh kal rat jab train me chari thi uske pehle to bhi bol sakti thi….lekin nehi….

Bani did not waste time…she went to get dressed, how they are going to present her in front of their Dadi is Jai Walia's problem not hers…

++++

As she came down the stairs, she came face to face with her, the servants of the house were touching her feet, lying fully on the floor and she was asking each one of them by their name how are they and their family, what was their son/daughter doing…..Dadi was right, she did not look a day older than 60 years…straight body, must be doing regular yoga, sharp mind as she addressed all by name, she was wearing spotless white sari and had full white hair, oozing with personality, you simple could not stare at her eyes for long….

Bani found all the members of the household in virtual attention, Jai Walia and Aditya both wearing kurta/ pajama for change standing behind her, at her beck and call….suddenly she turned and came face to face with Bani…..

For a second there was pin drop silence, they stared at each other, Bani waited for introduction, nobody spoke so Bani came forward to touch her feet….when she heard Jai's voice….Dadiji yeh…..

Pia hai, janti hu….she replied in a flat voice, Bani felt her hand on her head briefly giving blessings….

With a finger she lifted Bani's chin and looked deeply in her eyes….after few seconds smiled….jo tum dikhti ho, woh tum ho nehi……

Bani's heart started beating fast, she darted a glance towards Jai to see he is frowning hard…..

Daro math, jo mai sochi thi woh tum ho nehi….Bani gave a silent relief….but Jai Walia was still frowning…..

Like true mistress she got around the house in a while, taking a round, commenting on things she disapproved….scolding the gardener for not taking care and the size of the roses not big enough this season…..she went into the kitchen, pulled open the fridge, ha ha mujhe pata hai non veg ata hai ghar me, munna ko chicken ke bina khana hajam nehi hota…lekin beta umar bar raha hai…apna sharir ka dhyan rakhna…..

Dadi I am only 36….abhi se control…..

Abhi se control munna, abhi se control ….

Munna? Bani stifled her giggle….imagine people calling this man Munna…

Tumhare Papa kabhi mere baath nehi mane…uska anjaam tum dekh chuke ho…..suddenly she asked…Pia tumhare mata pita nehi hai…..

Ji car accident me chale gaye…..

Kab?

Bani mentioned……the date…..

Koi bhai bahen……

Ji ek bahen…..

Bari ya chhoti……

Chhoti….Bani replied softly, Pia was infact younger to her by 10 minutes….

Kaha rehti hai woh, now Dadi was standing face to face with Bani…..

Abroad me kaam karti hai……Bani's mind was now working fast, trying to think of a place to say incase Dadi asked her more details, what type of work she does…..thankfully just then one of the drivers came and touched her feet, diverting her attention away…..

As Dadi settled down, Bani went upto her room, to give a few clothes for washing etc when Jai Walia followed her in…..

Errr Pia, I have a request to make….

Bani was sorting out Riya's clothes, looked up to see he was looking a bit uncomfortable….what is wrong with him….

As long as Dadi is here, I think you should shift into my room…..

WHAT…kiyu…..I mean….

You see she knows everything but she believes in somethings, very conservative in some ways too, she is the reason that you and Ranveer could not live together in this house….I mean, Ranveer was refused permission…..

P..I mean I was not interested too…..as Bani spoke she pretended to be very busy, hating to lie on Jai's face….

Well whatever your reasons maybe now since we are married we should stay in one room as I got her permission only when I said I wanted to provide a father for Riya and of course keep her in the house, with the family….in turn Dadi asked me that I should also not forget that I am somebody's husband, after all you are still young and have a life of your own….in short follow my husbandly vows and duties…..

But you said it was a marriage of convenience? Bani was now horrified…she wouldn't have agreed otherwise…..

Yes yes, it is still is till Dadi is here and don't worry she never stays more than 7 days…..

Do you have any other relatives for whom we should pretend….I mean it is Dadi or there are still some more……

Don't worry I will not pounce on you, my room is big enough, you sleep on the bed and I will sleep on the seater….in the meantime I am going to office after changing this outfit, you shift in with your clothes, Tony can help you out to rearrange my cupboard incase you need help….as he turned to leave his eyes fell on the rental card of 'World of books' which Bani had taken out as she planned to pay a visit after breakfast but Dadi landed…..

Before Bani could reach out and retrieve, Jai picked it up…..Bani Dixit…..he read, who is Bani Dixit, he asked…..

It is m my sister, I mean I registered under her name…..

Why did you do that? He kept on studying the card…..

I …I am yet to identify myself as Mrs Pia Walia, I mean I am not comfortable yet….

So why not Pia Dixit? He stared at her face…..

Bani tried to fish out an appropriate answer….I …eer…I just did not want Mrs Boman to connect…I mean as I said….

You never mentioned your sister before

Nobody asked me……

What does your sister do…….

She works for an advertisement firm…..this time Bani's reply was very prompt

Thank God, just then his mobile rang…..dropping back the card on the bed, he gave a small wave and went out of the room, as the door opened, Bani had a glimpse of Dadi passing by followed by an entourage of servants …..

Bal bal bach gayi…..Bani ran her fingers through her hair, hey bhagwan this is like facing the CBI both grandmother and grandson are like detectives……as Bani sorted the clothes her mind went back to the conversation, Jai Walia looked to be a smart man, looked quiet intelligent too but how come he does not know about Pia's past life or is Pia so clever to have covered her identity so well….

++++

Bani opened the door hesitantly, the house was quiet in the afternoon, both the dadi's having siesta in their rooms, Jigyasa somewhere around and Aditya for the first time since Ranveer's death has gone to office…..mard ko ghar me nehi baitna…..

Bani pushed her suitcase in, the room was large indeed….double the size of the room she had, if not more, four poster bed, LCD TV mounted on the wall, a full sofa set, rocking chair, Bani did not see any cupboards, so she opened another door, it was a bathroom, with latest gadgets and fittings, large enough to be a bedroom…..Bani came out, there was another door, Bani peeped inside…it was a walk in closet, filled with his clothes, various types, Bani stood with her hands on waist, hey bhagwan idhar toh hum kho jayenge, never mind, max to max 7 days so let my suitcase be here as it is….why bother taking it out and putting it back….

+++

Great part, Tiny...maybe Jai called Dadi for help....so now Jai definitely has an option to consider - he knows that there is a sister in the family.