Thank you guys. Here is the update.
By the Way, thank you all those who voted for me 😊
And to Nzbabigyal, Afacutie and Ziddi, Thanks for the Awesome Siggy and Avi you guys have created for me....as soon as i can figure out how to enable them the world and his wife shall admire them.. 😃
Part II
BTW, for the purpose of this FF no Barnali or Natwar exist……nither does the Raaz of the band Darwaaza……am not interested in tying up ALL of Mayi's lose ends…..but the other stuff like KC and ONS does stand…..
Diwali beckoned. The whole house was lit up, looking like a mansion in a fairytale as it gleamed in the mellow glow of diyas. Jai had informed Masi and Jigyasa that the entire house was to lit up only with diyas. No electric or artificial lights. At all. Masi had understood without a word, and for once Jigyasa too had looked at the agony visible on her brother's face and held her peace. In fact, she had even gone far enough to take over the responsibility and had personally seen to his orders being carried out to the letter.
Standing alone in his book lined study Jai stood by the window. Lost in the darkness.
He blinked as someone switched the lights on in the study.
"Munna, aaj diwali hai. Aaj ghar main andhera nahin karte…."
"Masi, jab zindagi main hee andhera ho to ghar main andhere ke siwa kuch nahin reh jaata," he said bleakly, without turning.
Masi's eyes filled with tears, "tum kabtak apne aap ko yun hi saaza dete rahoge, beta?"
Jai did not bother with a reply.
Sighing, Masi said "beta, aadhe ghante main panditji aa jayenge ge. Tum pooja ke liye toh niche aa jaana….please," ending on a note of pleading that Jai could not ignore.
"masi, main kissi pooja main nahin aana chahta…app log kar lijiye…"
"Munna, bani would have wanted you to be in the pooja…."Masi said in a near whisper, well aware that she was using a trump card, but also aware how much pain it would cause her son.
Jai closed his eyes in anguish, and nodded his assent in silent defeat.
As she opened her closet to take out a sari, Pia's eyes fell on the red sari she had worn on the last diwali. The red sari in which Jai had mistaken her for Bani as she had been searching for something in the cupboard….he had embraced her from behind and said "sorry bani…" The memory of hearing her sister's name pronounced with such tenderness made her feel sick… but unable to control herself she took out the same sari and wore it.
Bani busied herself in the hundred and one chores in the house. From getting the things required for the puja to the diya's she would light after it. It was as good as any other way of keeping her mind from dwelling on the last diwali. Finally finished, she headed to her bedroom to get dressed. Her hand stilled in the process of taking a salwar kameez out. She closed her eyes for a moment and then with a gesture of helplessness pulled out a sari. It was purple….a purple so deep that it seemed almost the darkest shade of maroon, lightly embroidered with golden zardosi work. Dressed she took out her jewellery box from the cupboard and opening it spent a long moment staring at its contents.
Why not, she asked herself with bitter self mockery, you know you are dressing for him tonight, you might as well do it properly.
Taking a pair of heavy, exquisite kundan kangans she slipped them on, before putting on the matching necklace and earrings.
As she stood looking at herself in the mirror two slow tears made their way down her cheeks.
Just then the doorbell rang.
Bani wiped her tears off and hurried to the door.
Tarun had a pained expression on his face.
"You were absolutely right Bani. Taking KJ out to show him the diwali lights was a bad idea. The sound of crackers, which people have already started exploding scared him," he said ruefully as Bani took the tear stained and frazzled baby out of his arms.
Softly crooning to the child and nuzzling his face, Bani turned and headed towards the sitting room. Tarun followed, heaving a sigh of relief at seeing KJ settle down.
"how do you women do it? I mean do they take you girls aside in school and teach how to make a baby stop crying instantly?"
Bani looked up with a laughing glance, "yes! And at exactly the same time when they take you boys aside and teach you how to be petrified of a tiny, little baby!"
Tarun drew in a sharp, involuntary breath at the picture Bani made at that instant. Dressed like this, her attention focused entirely on the child, her expression momentarily lost its haunting sadness, and she looked once again the young, glowing woman he had fallen in love with nearly a year ago.
"Tarun? Where are you lost?
"Haan? Oh nothing…"
"go wash your hands, everything is ready and it's time for the pooja"
Edited by armana - 18 years ago
Parineeti
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
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