Chapter 18 & Epilogue
Roshni watched Jai sweating profusely, walking up and down, going towards the labour room to be with Bani, coming out after some time wiping his sweat…
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After 3 days Bani & Jai walked into Walia Mansion, Dai ma did the arati as they stepped in with their 'bundle of joy', a happy looking Aditya and Jigyasa welcomed them but Jai's eyes searched for one person…
Ma Roshni kaha…
Kahi gayi hai beta, mai thora baisth thi utna dhyan nehi diya…
Jai took out his mobile and dialed her no.. it was switched off….may be in a meeting, thought Jai, she has the tendency to switch off the mobile when she is in one……
Jai went back to Bani, to help her with the baby to settle down in a new place…
It was in the afternoon when Jai left Bani and the baby sleeping peacefully and entered his and Roshni's bedroom to change as he did not want to disturb the new mother and the baby by opening cupboards…
After he finished, he gave a glance around the room, though he was here during the night before leaving in the morning to bring Bani home, something was different he didn't know what but it was giving him an uneasy feeling, he waited for the feeling to go up it did not seem to leave, he reached for the water on the bedside table…he saw an envelope with his name on kept in front of his and Roshni's wedding picture…
Darling Jai,
Amongst my friends I am known by many names but the most I enjoyed is 'Roshni the daredevil', yes I had the looks and the confidence to take the world by its horns. I spoke my mind and did what I pleased and you supported me throughout. With your love, I glowed and basked in the glory of being a wife of 'the Jai Walia' one of India's most bright stars in the business world….Our love for one another was legendary which made many of our acquaintances jealous but I did not want to become a mother, you never questioned me but I think you knew the reason, inspite of wanting to be a father badly you never once asked me to give a second thought to my decision. You know what Jai, I wish you had…anyway I was also known for my big heartedness, so when I realized that we are getting old, I thought to give you a present, a 2nd wife who will bear children for you and rear them too. For for the first time in my married life I saw appreciation of my decision by your mother. Before she left for village to attend Pia's marriage, Dai Ma told me she will look for a suitable village girl, instead of a city girl as she will then not question her rights and will be happy to live in the luxury of being Mrs Jai Walia's the 2nd , I can have my Jai and live the life I am used to. I agreed, it suited me fine. You saw Bani, appreciated her looks and Dai Ma quickly got her for you before you could sober up and change your mind. I was promptly informed and was damm pleased as I had the confidence that the 'dehati ladki' was no match and will soon turn into a production machine….
Not only Bani turned out to be different then what I had perceived, I started to have this unknown feeling (jealousy?) when I saw you together. Slowly but surely she was making her place in this house, she made it clear she would be no doormat, instead have a life of her own. Jai, I knew you as the back of my hand but I made a mistake, you are a kind hearted man and you could not see Bani unhappy. In her own silent way Bani started challenging me and I was scared of losing you. I tried to win you back by changing my looks and getting myself deeper into work so that I could be with you in office too, but the inevitable happened, you fell for Bani, the night in Goa when the airconditioning was too cold, you called for to Bani to reduce it, I knew I was sharing my love with somebody and it was proven. My world started shattering, I was ready to share my home but not my love, I could not blame you Jai as Bani was loveable in her own way and was soon to give you your most precious present. All these months you never consciously let me feel inferior, you divided your love and attention between us equally but I started feeling the presence of a third person even if I happened to be with you alone e.g during official tours which we undertook. When you started taking Bani in your alternate tours, I knew you have put Bani and me in the same pedestal.
Today you will return home with your 'bundle of joy', another person to share my love with. Jai I cannot break my heart anymore, I cannot share you with another person as now I know my heart is not as big as I had assumed it to be so I am going away. As you read this letter I will be far away with my mother. Please do not look for me but life is long and the world has become a small place to live in, our paths will cross. I am not divorcing you as I want to remain the original Mrs Jai Walia till the day I die. I also know that your relationship with Bani has grown to a level where you both do not care of any such legal documents….'Au Revoir, my love' enjoy your life with your new family, this is my biggest gift to you, in return of all the love and understanding you have showered to me all these years…..'Roshni Jai Walia'…
Jai covered his face with his hands and flopped on the bed….sometime later when the members of the house came to know Bani came running into the room, she held his hands and said, 'please don't worry Mr Walia I will personally look for her, I will call all her friends and relatives and bring her back'…
Red eyed Jai looked into Bani's eyes, Bani if you want to look, look, apne tasalhi ke liye dundho but if I know my Roshni correctly, I know she will not be found until and unless she desires so….
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Epilogue
It was the 25th Marriage Annivarsary of Bani and Jai Walia, the mansion was decorated with pink roses with silver petals, their children Rohan and Roshni were personally supervising the event, Dai Ma sitting on an arm chair giving some last moment suggestions, which her grandchildren were happily carrying out….areh Roshni dekh dekh Munna aur Bani taiyyar hai ki nehi, log abhi atehi honge….
Ji dadi…
Roshni went into the kitchen, she knew exactly where to find her mother, in the kitchen supervising the chefs….
Ma abh chalo bhi…
Baas ho gaya beta, Bani smiled, she hardly looked a mother with two adult children…
Ma idhar kitna garmi hai, apna makeup kharab karogi keya…
Tumhare papa ko dekho, woh taiyyar hai ki nehi, anything to get Roshni off…
Ha woh taiyyar hai lekin aapko jana parega lane...
Kiyu
Woh bari ma ke kamre me hai ma, Roshni said softly...
Bani nodded and gave parting instructions to the chefs before leaving to be followed by Roshni...
Ma ek baath poochhu…
Keya hai beta….
Itne saal ho gaye, aapke bina papa ka ek din bhi nehi katta lekin phirbhi papa Bari Ma ko nehi bhula pate, aapko bura nehi lagta…
Bani gave an amused look towards her daughter, nehi…
Kiyu nehi,
Tum nehi samjhoge beta, bari ho jayo samaj me a jayega…
MA yeh baath aap har time kehte hai, meri umar me aap bhaiya ko carry kar rahe the, aur kitni bari hona hai mujhe yeh baath samajne me…
Bani started climbing the stairs, Roshni I will always be thankful to your bari-ma because of her I understand what I have and what she lost, she taught me not to take my love for granted. Due to her I got a man who is not only my best friend but father of my two lovely children, proud husband of a famous gourment chef and a food writer, he stood by me so that I could fullfil all my dreams and aspiration. No I am very thankful to her, inspite of all these years Mr Walia and I thank her each day, not only for bringing us together but teaching us what love means, I know Mr Walia still loves Roshniji as he used to love her when she was here, if not more, he is a big hearted man, he loves me no less but I am the luckier one as I have got his physical presence in my life too…they had arrived in front of Roshni's room….Bani smiles at her daughter and enters the room…
Over the years the room has not changed, the cupboards are still full of Roshni's clothes, the dressing table with her perfume bottles and other items of makeup, the only thing which has changed is a wall where now it has framed photographs of Roshni in different moods, Jai was standing in front of it, Bani went in and put her head on his chest….
Jai's arms went around her….boli thi our paths will cross, itne saal beeth gaya ek bhi bar toh mulakat nehi huwa….
You only said Mr Walia, she will not show up until and unless she so desires…waise humlog dhundne ki toh puri koshish ki….
Jai puts his chin on Bani head, this is what he loves about Bani the most, he can discuss his other love with her without any inhibitions, she understands him perfectly without a feeling of jealously, she has seen him through his pains after Roshni went away and never for a moment lost her patience when he mourned her…then with a new born child, she had waited for him to come out of his grief…
They discuss Roshni for some more time, imagine Bani I would have thrown a party for my 37th wedding anniversary and then a few days later for my 25th one, they laugh over it for some more time till they hear their daughter Roshni's voice…
Ma / Papa jaldi karo, dadi gussa ho rahe hai and Bhaiya is getting impatient...
Jai releases Bani and then hand in hand go out of the room towards the staircase to welcome their guests for the party...
++++++++THE END++++++
Dear Friends,
When I started this ff, many of my friends of the forum wrote to me asking to put Roshni and Bani in separate houses as this is the normal practice for a man with two wives and specially someone like Jai Walia who can very well afford it….But I went ahead and put them in one house just to understand the complexity of the emotions, what will it feel like to see your husband kissing his other wife and praising your soutan…Roshni was over confident of her love and took it for granted, she thought by allowing Jai Walia to marry the 2nd time for natural heirs his love of her will increase, maybe it had but she herself could not bear to see Jai loving his other wife….I tried to portray the emotions of 3 different people undergoing at the same time in the same house, I do not know whether I have succeeded but nevertheless it was an honest effort. Do give me your opinions and your choices of my ffs as per your order of liking. Once again thank you for diligently following my ff and appreciating it after each and every chapter. I am sorry for not being able to thank each and every one individually…Love Tin
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