Down the Memory Lane
Bani paid for the vegetables smiling at the lady, there you go, Bani gave one more parting smile....you know my dear I love your smile, it is not that you get a smile from your customers everyday, that too such a sweet smile....the old lady commented....
Bani laughed softly.....
For your sweet smile, the lady picked up a sunflower from her flower section and handed over to Bani, Bani walked down the road towards her apartment admiring the flower, ignoring the slight drizzle...the constant factor of London weather.....suddenly she stopped....she once again felt somebody was following her, she looked behind, nothing unusual, all cars driving past and pedestrians looking busy, walking fast braving the rain....Bani nodded no it is not possible, he might be a rich and powerful man but then this is London, far away from Mumbai and filled with all variety of people...remaining lost here is easy....Bani inserted the keys into the lock of her small apartment at the east end of London....it was like a studio apartment, open kitchen attached to the sitting room and a small bedroom, with a bath....the rent is a bit on the higher side but then Bani wanted to her privacy, she preferred to live alone....taking out a glass she filled it with water, keeping the sunflower carefully, she admired it...the house was quiet, even her neighbour whom she could hear from wafer thin walls was not making noise but Bani now liked this quietness after living in a zoo back in Mumbai, she welcomed this quietness...yes she has no qualms about calling that house a zoo, she could identify each member with a particular animal....Dadi and Masi were lioness, protective and loving towards their cubs, Jigyasa the fox, Sahil - rabbit, Ranveer- snake, Aditya uncle a deer, kind but meek and Mr Walia....well no doubt the Lion, who roared when he was bugged and seldom understood logic and her sisters.....no she will not think about them....they were no longer her sisters, Rano, her little sister and Pia....no no they simply do not exist for her....
Bani washed the vegetable and realised tears rolling from her eyes...she dried them with the back of her hand....why does she have to think of them everyday in this far away land? she had left everything far behind....very very far...nobody can touch me, nobody can hurt me.....she muttered under her breath....
++++
When they came to Walia Mansion with a letter for Mr Jai Walia, Bani found the whole place to be chaotic and like a circus, each one having their own routine, own way of life, they lived under a roof but not as a family as individuals except on a very few occasions they came from nowhere is when their Munna aka Mamaji aka Jai Bhaiya aka Jai Walia happened to be present for dinner, a rare occasion being one of the top most businessman of India, he travelled a lot, entertained a lot but when he sat at the head of the table for dinner miraculously the table got filled up with the members, Bani even came to know that each one had a designated seat. Inspite of his busy schedule his eyes fell on Pia, a beauty by every standards, Pia who could not believe her luck was flying high when Jai Walia suggested marriage, only to be brought down by Bani, see the age gap....aisa kaisa hoga....nearly 20 years elder to you...Bani was apprehensive only to face the mock of Jai Walia....many successful marriage is based on love and not age gap...Bani was not sure of it either, she did not know Jai Walia was capable of love for he was always calculating and making business deals while Pia was clearly infatuated, she thought of the high end cars, the designer dresses and enviable jewellery she would get to wear.....Needless to say they came into direct attack from Jigyasa...My Jai Bhaiya cannot get married to a beggar....kya ho tum, no social status, no class....for Jai Walia it was another business deal, he got everything arranged smoothly and quickly, at last he had decided to get married and nothing could come in between, except for Pushkar, his right hand whom he trusted very much, like a younger brother, in taking Pia around for shopping and various other things, getting her ready for marriage with a person like Jai Walia, Pushkar fell in love with Pia and Pia with his adoration and unflinching attention, Jai was never there for her, except for few phone calls, she hardly got to see him, the engagement held a day prior to the wedding day was a party to be remembered...Bani had to accept the fact her sister was getting married, no she was not jealous only concerned but the D day had arrived and she had to accept the reality. Only the reality turned out to be a horror...Pia eloped with Pushkar on her wedding day and Jigyasa made Bani sit in the mandap ...my Jai Bhaiya will not become a joker in front of the public, pull your ghunghat and sit...if your sister comes fine otherwise we will deal with you later....now it is a question of our prestige, my Jai Bhaiya's prestrige....
Face she did indeed, the anger, the wrath, the hate...she borne it quietly to save her younger sister's life, the word she had given to her parents to take care of them till her last breath....yes she did till he was drained of all his hate and anger, they were returning from a party after 3 months of their wedding, Bani had seen his former girl friend Roshni flirting shamelessly with Jai, Bani standing as a practice in the corner and watched them till somebody commented, what kind of wife are you, don't you have prestige, I would have walked out long back if I would have seen in front of my eyes...bhad mein jaye aisa pati, hearing which her anger, her hurt, her emotions bottled up for 3 months came out....she was leaving the party quietly when he appeared from nowhere, nobody walks out on me, he called for his car and taking the keys from the driver, Jai shoved her in the passenger's seat before driving out….
++++++
Bani sat eating khichri, all vegetables put together in dal and rice, it tasted the same and she ate it day after day, initially she hated it and now she is habituated, she stared at the small TV changing channels watching at no particular channel and registering hardly anything, the sound of the voices were meant to keep her away from her thoughts. She pressed the remote and came to another channel, best honeymoon locales around the world, despite of not wanting Bani stopped, she remembered that night, he was driving and she was looking out trying to keep her tears checked, he gives a damn anyway so why make a farce, she was angry, she wanted to punch him, for 3 months she has been tagging along in social functions, she even tried to make herself presentable, buying proper sarees with a smile on her face, standing dutiful next to him, trying to make a polite conversation, only to be rebuked and rebuffed later, couldn't you leave your hair open, the colour of the sari did not suite you, don't you know anything about my business….so when he went to office or tours, Bani tried catch up with the latest fashion trend or getting to know his favourite colours, reading about his business…Jigyasa sneered at her efforts, dehati toh dehati rahingi, sari ke ageh se toh aap uthengi nehi, you cannot carry off a dress and waise bhi how long will you keep him interested in you, he has dated the most beautiful and the sophisticated, you are neither….once Bani tried wearing a dress, the result was disastrous, Jai was so angry that he had pulled her physically towards her room…change, you have got 10 minutes , he pushed her in, making her fall, pulling the door shut, yes they slept in different room, even Masi or Dadi could do nothing about it…..seeing him tackling the traffic, Bani wiped her tears with the back of her hand…bit her lips so that no noise comes out….when she noticed he was not driving towards home, has he missed the turning, Bani looked at him, he was frowning and cursing the traffic, then picked up his mobile dialling said yes I will be there within 10 minutes, ok ok….so another party, more farce, Bani did not have the energy to put on another show today….she was drained….she cannot take it anymore, she put her hand on the seatbelt, she wanted to get down, only a hand came and prevented her, holding her hand tight, she tried to release herself, he held her, driving into one of his hotels, the security seeing his car, saluting, rushing to open the doors….her hand got released, she passed a small sigh…..smile commanded a voice before getting off, Bani got busy arranging her pallu and pleats, with a light touch on her arm , he strode in, the general manager came running….greeting them, he smiled asked a few basic questions and then strode towards the lift, thank god it was only two of them so no pretending, Bani looked at the wall of the lift, he grunted when it stopped at the designated floor…following him, he entered a room, private party, Bani thought, taking a deep breath, she slowly pushed the door open….it was lit with candles, through the glass wall opposite she could see the stars twinkling, heard soft music playing, the room was empty, Bani stepped in, it was overlooking the Queen's Necklace of Mumbai…Bani stood, the view was breathtaking, her mood was solemn, even seeing such a beauty, she could not enjoy it instead she stood thinking will Pia & Rano understand and forgive her for ending her life, will they realise why she did it….just then a pair of arm went around her waist from the back, a voice huskily asked are you enjoying the view, biting her ears lightly, kissing her neck…
Mr Walia, she managed to utter….
He turned her, caressing her face with his thumbs, tracing her lips and kissing her eyes….yes Bani, your Mr Walia is in front of you, jo bhi karna hai karo, today he is all yours, he pressed himself against her body….Bani's lips quivered, no words came out, he kissed them softly till he tasted the salty tears….
Aaj math row Bani, aaj khushi manao, that I have realised my mistake and am surrendering myself to you…he picked her up, laying her on the flower decked bed in the next room…..
For the next 2 days, Jai & Bani stayed in the hotel, he took no phone calls and did not make any, seeing him in his romantic best, Bani did not know if it was the same man who frowned and glared at her…..joking, playing naughty and pulling pranks at her, she had to agree their age difference vanished, love bloomed, never seemed to have enough of each other…..
+++++++
Bani washed her plates and other utensils, drying them she cleaned the kitchen, picking up the glass containing sunflower, she took it to the sitting area, keeping it on the corner table and she stood admiring it, when the bell rang….Bani frowned, who can it be? It was not weekend so the neighbours, many of them her fellow countrymen will not demand she joins their party, then who else, she does not know anybody here other than her office people…Bani peeped through the eye hole, she saw a whole bunch of sunflower, she took a second look…flowers? And for her? Definitely not, the man is making a mistake, staying on the ground floor is a botheration, you have to guide people to the correct flat, theirs was an old housing…..Bani opened the door, what is the address for delivery…she asked without preamble, the bouquet moved, the face revealed….
Aap? Bani looked surprised….
Kitna din ghar se bahar rahogi, abh toh ghar chalo…..
Bani stepped back and tried to shut him out, he put his foot in and prevented her….entering and shutting the door behind him, we should not disturb the neighbours, he said, putting the night latch in place….
What do you want? Bani asked
To take my wife back home….he walked in placing the bouquet next to the sunflower….
I am nobody's wife and why have you been following me….
He smiled, obviously a busy man like me will not waste his time on a woman who is nobody…
That is not true, your own people, namely your own sister often said if Jai Walia wants something he gets it, be it business or women…
Of course she is right, why are you wasting your time, packup and let me ask my pilot to get a time slot for take off….
I am not going anywhere….Bani glared at him….
Okay as you wish, he agreed, taking out his mobile he dialled a no….a little later Bani heard a knock on the door, Jai opened it, thanked the person and got a case in….
You are not staying here….Bani looked horrified….
You don't want to come with me and I have been without a wife for 4 months now, don't you think it is time you do your wifely duties towards me…..kitna din mai akela sow?
Why what happened to your girlfriends and …and my sister Pia, has she stopped warming your bed? Or are you over her?
Pia is married to Puskhar if your memory is failing you and I am hungry can I have something to eat….
I had my dinner, and it is my bed time, Bani went into her bedroom locking the door behind her…..she stood hearing him ordering for pizza…Bani went in to the bathroom for her wash….looking at the small mirror over the basin she saw a sad looking face, dull eyes without any sparkle….
Her eyes was what he loved to gaze into, I love it when you laugh, they twinkle, I can read them….he used to say huskily, the months that followed Bani was living through a dream, Jai Walia did everything what she wanted much to Jigyasa's disgust, while Jigyasa sneered and rebuked at her, Bani was flying high, she was too happy to give a thought to Jigyasa's comments, kya hoga when he will have his fill, Jai Bhaiya never has been one woman's man etc etc., Bani ignored every comment, Pushkar got his job back but in different department, Bani was happy, chalo mere dil rakhne ke liye hi sahi…le toh liya Pushkar ko apne office me and I am sure slowly and surely Pushkar will get back his old status…though Pia often cribbed about the lack of extra money, high expenses and cramped flat they stayed in, Bani asked her to adjust, see the man loves you…what more can you want, give him some time he will make progress in his job….ignoring Pia's grumbles, life was settling down when Rano eloped with Sahil…Jigyasa was her scathing best, blasting off Bani, Jai Walia too was upset…kya Bani this much control you do not have on your sister, he looked upset for the first time after they had got close….Bani was upset with Rano, she refused to forgive her when she came to take her blessings, Bani ignored Rano, how could she do something like this, itna dino me toh sab kuch theek huwa hai aur tum? Mai kya kuch bhi nehi lagti hu tumhari…
Didi woh Sahil ne…
Don't blame Sahil Rano, you went alongwith him, I am sure he did not carry you to the mandir….
Didi mai….
Bani called Tony asking him to load the suitcases in the car, she was leaving with Jai for Europe, he was going on business trip and she was accompanying him, nehi Rano, I will not forgive you till Mr Walia asks me to…I have gained his love and trust atlast, he has done enough for us and I don't want to be ungrateful, he deserves much better than this…
Hurrying through the corridors of his office, returning the greetings of his employees, Bani opened the door of his cabin and froze….Pia was in his arms and his face covered by her hair…..Bani turned back, her head reeling, ghar me Rano aur idhar Pia, jayu toh mai kaha jayu….three of my most loved persons have betrayed me…she went out, the driver was waiting in the foyer, she got in and asked her to take her to the airport….
Sahab?
He will come later…She managed to say…..her mobile shook but Bani did not pickup, picking up her luggage she asked the driver to wait, sahab will come and get his, the driver looked surprised but Bani did not give any further clarifications, going inside she bought a ticket to London, the first available destination ..…on reaching Heathrow she made a call to her friend Stuti, who worked in London….
A knock on the door got back Bani to her senses, open up I want to use to toilet….Jai shouted…Bani opened the door….he gave a smile, jhor se laga hai, the cold makes you go to the toilet more frequently…..
Bani went past Jai, taking her comforter she lay on the sofa, covering herself, curling into a ball….
++++
The chirping of birds woke Bani up, she shook herself to get rid of the cramps…tiptoeing she noticed Jai sprawled on her bed, snoring away, she quickly put on her dress, picked up her handbag and left the flat….picking up a sandwich from the wayside cafe she walked into the office where she worked as a Junior Accountant under Stuti, to see Stuti already in office working….
Kya baath hai Stuti so early? Ghar nehi gayi….
I went only to get a call from Derek….he wants a presentation to be done, you know a big client, if we can get their account….
Theirs was a Chartered Accountant Firm, doing audits and certification. Derek was the owner who was making it to strike big time, he was bright and dashing, making right moves, growing inspite of recession….
Well Derek wants these untimely presentations often, so Bani went and sat in her chair, opening her PC she checked the mail….one from Queen Bee, her mail friend who wrote to her from time to time, she enjoyed her mails, they were filled with jokes and silly incidents, they made her laugh which she needed badly today…she opened the mail…
Dear Di, it started…Bani checked the sender, it was Queen Bee alright, but she starts with Dear Friend, only two persons call her Di in this whole world….Bani read on….I know you are puzzled to receive this mail from me, but Di, time has come I reveal myself to you, time has come for you to get back what you deserve most, Di come back to Mr Walia, he is pining for you, he loves you very much…the other day when you saw us together, which I learnt or derived later on hearing you had come to get Mr Walia for the airport…Di it was a hug from a sister to a brother….yes Di, you were upset with Rano, you lost your face once again to Mr Walia, so I went to his office, I told him all my apprehensions and my reasons to elope with Pushkar, asked his forgiveness for myself and Rano too…..he was in too much love with you, he told me that he is glad I eloped with Pushkar, he got you instead, I now know her true value….it was our make up hug, to put past as past….you fled seeing us together, initially Mr Walia was clueless as to why and how, the driver too was puzzled, we knew you were in the UK all right but where and how, Mr Walia did not want to alarm you, he wanted to get you with your dignity intact, hence he was taking all precautions and putting things right at home front too…. Stuti didi was reluctant but Mr Walia managed to convince her, thank God Rano remembered Stuti Didi's no. and address, we got your office email from her and I became Queen Bee to keep in touch with you, please di gussa nehi karte, abh toh ajayo, tum massi banne wali ho, come and see how happy we are, and what about your duty towards your husband, har samay humlogo ko lecture deti rehti thi, what about yourself?
Bani, sat still and then again read the mail….Queen Bee has been sending her mails for three months now, that means for three months atleast they knew where she was, he was putting things right at home front too….what is he upto, does he really love me, Bani ran out of her office…Stuti was too busy to look up, except for her colleagues who were coming in, where are you going Bani, whatsup? Bani legs flew as she virtually ran to her flat..opening the door, she went to the bedroom…it was empty, so was the bathroom, she flopped on the bed, she noticed a small paper crushed like a ball…she opened it….in capital letter she had written 'Get Lost' sticking on his case, she had gone out of the flat….so he has gone….tears rolled down her eyes, kabhi mujhe samjha hi nehi, did whatever he wanted to do, whatever he felt…be it the night of consummation and afterwards, kabhi yeh nehi puchha, Bani tum kya chahati, tum kya sochti ho…it was always, come Bani lets do this, lets do that….maine kaha aur woh man bhi liye…chale gaye, ekbar bhi manane ke koshish nehi kiya….Bani cried and cried, angry and feeling sorry for herself, drained she finally got up realizing two hours was gone, washing her face, combed her hair….office will keep me busy, help me to forget….
Trying to cheer herself she went towards her desk when Stuti came out of Derek's chamber….Areh Bani tu idhar hai, Derek is looking for you for a long time, he has introduced all the employees to the new Partner, you are left, go in…..
]Areh mera muh kya dekh rahi hai, Derek has signed the biggest deal of his life, we have a new Partner and alongwith him a new client to audit his businesses in India…..
India? Bani asked…Stuti walked away answering her mobile talking excitedly to someone on the phone….with thumping heart Bani pushed open the door of Derek's chamber…….
the end….
++++++++
Dear Friends,
Many of you have been asking me to touch new horizons and cross the known boundaries, hence I decided to try and explore. Write something beyond Jai and Bani many tell me and I think the time has come to try and write with new characters. Thus, with two of my dear friends we created, 'All is well' .Why All-is-Well? Why not a different name? In Shesher-Kobita (the Last Poetry) the great poet and writer Rabindranath Tagore asks, why are good things few and far between and replies because they are few and far between, we appreciate them as good. In this fast moving world, we all have our problems, our issues, with the family, at workplace and with friends. Many complaints, many dreams unfulfilled and many plans abandoned. Every morning we get up to work into a routine though at times we pause to think what am I doing with life. Lets not ponder over things we could have done and not done, we could have achieved but not achieved, instead lets make our routine life a bit brighter, somethings are better left to destiny but we can brighten our day, smile for 15 minutes, enjoy a good read or listen to a song which we may like to hum throughout the day to make our routine work interesting.....so friends here I am with my new story in my new forum http://alliswell.express-forum.net/, waiting for you for your encouragement and participation, let us in our endeavour to bring some laughter and joy in each others' life. Come friends, let's all say together All is Well...Love Tin
Hindi TV Shows
